The final school bell rang. Risebelle made her way to the chess club meeting as she usually did. The chess club was a place where she could briefly forget about everything and focus on the strategic game she loved. Today, she found herself seated across from Harty, a fellow chess enthusiast known for his sharp skills.

The match began like the clash of two titans. Risebelle and Harty were evenly matched in the opening moves, their pieces dancing across the chessboard. The chess club members gathered around. They were drawn to the excitement of a rare showdown between two skilled players.

As soon as the match started, Harty began to notice that something was amiss. Risebelle's usually sharp focus and strategic thinking seemed dulled, and her moves lacked their usual precision.

Despite these observations, Harty decided to continue the match. He knew Risebelle well and understood that she wouldn't appreciate special treatment; however, his worries had grown.

"Risebelle," Harty said with his tone gentle but questioning, "You’re not yourself today. I can tell something's bothering you. Are you sure you want to continue?"

Risebelle glanced up at Harty, though she looked exhausted. “I’m fine, Harty. Let's finish the match."

As the game progressed, it became clear that Risebelle was struggling. Her usual strategies seemed to fall apart, and she couldn't find an opening to capitalize on. Harty managed to protect his pieces effectively and mount a strong offense.

Harty shook his head as he put Risebelle in check. "Risebelle, you made this too easy for me. This isn't like you. You're better than this. Something's weighing you down."

Risebelle had a look of frustration in her eyes, but Risebelle continued to play in hope to turn the tide of the match in her favor.

Risebelle placed up a final, desperate effort. Her moves were driven by her desire to win and reputation she built up so far. She managed to protect her stronger pieces efficiently, keeping them on the board.

However, Harty managed to see some unshed tears glistening in Risebelle's blue eyes as her remaining pawns fell one by one. The intensity of the match had pushed her to the brink, and it was clear that she was giving it her all despite her exhaustion.

Harty studied the board closely, noting the pieces remaining. He sighed and gently said,

"Risebelle, you've done well to protect your stronger pieces, but without your pawns, it's going to be a challenging endgame for you. I admire that you won’t give up, though."

Risebelle nodded, "I won't give up, Harty. I'll fight to the end!"

As Risebelle and Harty continued their intense chess match, Risebelle's game face returned, and the unshed tears in her eyes disappeared. She made a remarkable comeback, making some impressive moves that kept Harty on his toes.

However, in her eagerness to turn the game around, Risebelle also made a couple of mistakes. These errors, while not fatal, allowed Harty to maneuver the game into a position where the match reached a point where neither side could win.

Harty let out a chuckle, impressed by Risebelle's comeback and the intensity of the match. "How about that… you really gave it your all, Risebelle. A stalemate it is, then."

Risebelle nodded with exhaustion and satisfaction in her eyes. "I'll take a draw over a loss any day. Thanks for the match, Harty."

The chess club members who had been watching Risebelle and Harty's match couldn't contain their excitement and admiration for Risebelle's performance. They erupted into a chorus of cheers and praise:

"Risebelle, the comeback queen! She had us all fooled for a moment there, but she turned it around like a true chess goddess."

"I thought Risebelle was done for, but she showed us that even in the toughest situations, a great player can make a comeback. Respect!"

"Risebelle's game face is legendary! She had me worried with those tears, but then she rose like a phoenix!"

"Risebelle's skills are unmatched! Even when she was about to lose, she never gave up and turned things around. That's the spirit of a true chess enthusiast!"

"That match was intense! Risebelle's turnaround was epic. I need to up my game to compete with these chess titans!"

Risebelle couldn't help but smile at the compliments and the camaraderie among the chess club members. Despite the exhaustion from the day's events, she felt a sense of belonging and pride in her passion for chess.

Harty wasted no time after the chess club meeting ended. He swiftly transformed the room into a makeshift detective headquarters, just as he had done countless times before. He cleared his throat and turned his attention to Risebelle who was waiting for the other members of the detective club to arrive.

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“Risebelle, let’s begin early today. I know the others haven't arrived yet, but iv'e got something, it's not much, but i've been doing some digging into Rosebelle and the whole doppelganger situation. I managed to capture these photos of Rosebelle," he said, displaying the images on a board. "You caan see that she's been up to something. Just look at that face and the posture of her body. It all adds up and if I’m right, it's connected to what's been happening with Roselle."

Risebelle pointed at the screen and smirked. "Harty, you've got quite the collection of that girl's pictures. Are you sure you're not a fan?"

Harty blushed slightly. "Come on, Risebelle, this is serious business!”

Risebelle grinned mischievously, leaning forward to snag one of the photos off the board. "Oh, naughty Harty! Where did you get a photo of Rosebelle au naturel?"

Harty's eyes widened in panic. "Wait, what? No, Risebelle, that's not—"

Risebelle waved the photo around playfully. “To think you would bring your lewd collection to a detective’s meeting!"

Harty snatched the photo back with his face bright red. "Risebelle, seriously! These are business photos, nothing scandalous!"

Risebelle burst into laughter, unable to contain herself. "Gotcha! I knew you'd fall for it."

Harty sighed in relief, shaking his head. "Well, atleast it looks like you’re in a better mood now than you were when we were playing chess.

Risebelle chuckled softly while blushing slightly and leaned in closer to examine the photos. “Sorry, Harty, let’s actually get back to business.”

Harty pointed at some of the images where Rosebelle appeared to be interacting with a group of people in a secluded area. "It seems like she's meeting with some individuals who aren't exactly the friendliest bunch. I couldn't get close enough to hear their conversation, but it's clear that she's involved in something secretive."

Risebelle studied the photos intently. "And you think this has something to do with the doppelganger and what happened to Roselle?"

Harty nodded. "It's a hunch, but it's the best lead we have right now.As for Rosebelle herself," Harty continued while raising one hand up to his chin, "I couldn't find anybody in school who actually knew who she was, which doesn’t make any sense considering we know that she attends school here. She threatened us at the arcade, so we know that she's involved in something shady. We just need to find out more about her and what she's up to."

Harty leaned in closer and spoke in a hushed tone, “So uh…Risebelle, I did something bold today. I worked up the nerve to face the principal of the school. Let me tell you, her gaze is powerful. I got her to check the student records, and you know what I found?"

Risebelle raised an eyebrow, “What did you find, Harty?"

Harty took a deep breath before revealing his discovery. "Rosebelle. She doesn't exist in the student records. There's no record of a student named Rosebelle in this school."

Risebelle’s eyes widened with surprise. "What? Are you sure, Harty?"

Harty nodded firmly. "Positive. I double-checked with the principal, and she confirmed it. There's no trace of Rosebelle as a student here. It's as if she just appeared out of nowhere."

Risebelle's mind raced with possibilities. The fact that Rosebelle didn't have a student record was certainly suspicious. It added another layer of mystery to the already enigmatic situation.

Harty continued, "This could mean that Rosebelle is hiding something big, something that she doesn't want anyone to know. And if she's connected to the doppelganger and what happened to Roselle, then we need to find out what she's up to."

Risebelle nodded in agreement. "You're right, Harty. We can't ignore this. We need to get to the bottom of it, and fast."

Just as they were deep in discussion, Jess entered the room. Jess had her usual flair, blowing playful kisses to Harty and Risebelle as she sauntered in.

"Hey there, my favorite detectives!" she purred while giving them both a smile.

Risebelle lowered her eyes at Jess's entrance. "Jess, can you please take your seat and act normal for once? We're in the middle of something important."

Jess pouted immediately but took her seat, crossing her legs with a long sigh. "Fine, fine, I'll be on my best behavior, ‘Detective Risebelle’."

Harty chuckled. As Harty was in the midst of chuckling at the exchange between Risebelle and Jess, his phone suddenly rang, interrupting the moment. He quickly reached for his phone and answered the call.

"Hello?"

It was Roselle. She sounded sad and distant as she spoke. "Harty, I'm sorry, but I can't make it to the detective club thing today. Something um... something came up, and I can't explain right now. I'll fill you in later."

Harty's brows furrowed with concern. He sighed and nodded, saying, "Alright, Roselle. Just take care of yourself, okay? We'll catch up later."

After ending the call, Harty turned to the rest of the club members, "That was Roselle, and she won't be able to make it today. Something seems off, and she sounded really sad on the phone. I'm not sure what's going on, but we might need to investigate this separately from our current lead."

Risebelle exchanged worried glances with Jess, both of them concerned about this person’s well-being.

Harty spoke, "Don't worry, I'll look into Roselle's situation separately. You two focus on what we discussed today. If anything comes up or if you find out anything new, let me know immediately."

Risebelle nodded, understanding the importance of their roles in the ongoing investigation. She replied, "Alright, Harty, we'll do our best to gather information on Rosebelle and the doppelganger. Keep us updated on Roselle, too."

With their roles defined, the detective club members prepared to continue their investigation.

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Risebelle entered her home at 7 pm, greeted by the sight of her mother waiting for her. The stern gaze on her face softened slightly as she saw Risebelle arrive on time.

"Risebelle," her mother began, "I'm glad to see your home on time today. I hope this becomes a regular occurrence. It's important that you maintain a sense of responsibility."

"I understand, Mom. I'll do my best to be more responsible."

"Good. Now, I expect you to focus on your studies this evening. Your grades are important, and I won't tolerate any distractions."

Risebelle sighed internally but nodded obediently. "Yes, Mom, I'll study."

Her mother seemed satisfied with her response. Risebelle went upstairs to her room.

Risebelle stood in her room, torn between the stack of textbooks on her desk and the glowing screen of her computer. Her mother's words about focusing on her studies was fresh but Angie's mention of the "Sleuth of Shadows" and the online forum was trying to pull her towards the computer.

‘I should focus on my studies, ‘she thought, but even as she reached for a textbook, her gaze kept drifting back to the computer screen.

‘There’s a chance that there could be some type of connection between Rosebelle and the 'Sleuth of Shadows’ person… What if I can find answers that could help and uncover the truth? Isn't that worth risking a bit of study time? Urgh… I don’t know…what should I do?’