Agent Osiris was at a nearby cafe after explaining Nulla's death when a spy for Veronica sat down across from him.
“Hello. What brings you here?” Osiris asked.
“Nothing serious.”
Osiris didn’t trust the spy one bit and used some Null magic to read their mind.
With new info, Osiris contacted Athena to confirm a new request. With confirmation, Osiris gave the spy their proposal.
∅∅∅
Veronica did final checks on the letter she anonymously received through one of her spies, claiming to be a member of HE. It was an invite to a party on a small island out in the middle of nowhere, a perfect stage to discuss secret things with minimal suspicion. Getting off the boat, instead of the party she expected as a princess, was a single individual in a black cloak completely hiding their face.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Veronica. I’m the agent who sent you that letter in your pocket. As promised, I shall give you the answer you’re looking for. But, I did forget to mention how I’d tell you. At the end of the party, a certain event will occur. From there, I imagine the route to your answer will be obvious,” With their monologue finished, they vanished, leaving a box behind.
Veronica picked it up and found a disguise inside consisting of clothing, an enchanted mask, and identity notes. Scanning the area, Veronica snuck into an empty room to change, hiding her normal clothes before heading to the mansion on the hill for the party.
∅∅∅
Veronica appeared to arrive exactly on time, with everyone else appearing to arrive exactly at this time. The crowd began to become very loud, with people getting into arguments and bragging about their families' wealth. But when the clap sounded, they all drew deathly silent.
“Welcome. To keep order, we shall call out names in order. When your name is called, come forward, and we will admit you onto the premises. First, Princess Veronica of Camitar.”
A stranger stepped forward, looking exactly like Veronica.
“Viscount Tarcam of Camitar.”
It was the identity hidden in the box! Veronica stepped forward, entering the premises. As Veronica walked around, the sheer size surprised her. It was so large, it seemed less like a place for people to live and more like an elaborate set piece.
∅∅∅
As people trickled in, a servant found Veronica and led her to the ballroom, where the rest of the guests were funnelled. While the wait continued, Veronica began small talk with a variety of other nobles, trying to see if there were any gapping discrepancies between her invite and anyone else. As she worked her way through the crowd, a question slipped uninvited past her lips.
“Did you meet anyone on the way here?”
“Yes, a kindly old couple” a young couple responded, “They gave us a strange warning. ‘That building will lead to the demise of your host and guest of honour.’ I wonder why they think Osiris and Veronica will be killed.”
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“Don’t speak so casually about the princess!” a nearby noble warned them, “I heard, quote, ‘the next deaths would come for the couple speaking of the host and guest of honour with no respect.’ Be very careful!”
The couple apologized, with Veronica slipping away. It didn’t appear to matter though, as the host took the stage.
“Welcome. I am your host, Osiris. This party will grant your grandest and most deeply hidden of desires. Many of you may wonder why I’ve taken it upon myself to host such an event, and how I managed to rope such high-profile identities in. My secret is simple; Extraordinary Help has been of great assistance. Now, with the intro concluded, it’s time to move on to the important part: the event. It’s a mystery, so upon solving it, tell the appropriate individual your answer, and you will receive a specific sheet from them. If you’re wrong, you’re wrong. Right, your wish is granted!” With a twirl, thrown confetti, and the words “Your Wish is Granted!” appearing on the wall behind Osiris, he vanished.
A little shocked, Veronica continued talking to people, scanning the place for any gimmicks or related things. The hours ticked by, concluding with Servants pouring out to guide every guest to their room.
Veronica's room was just around the corner, and when the servant was out of sight, she activated the invisibility in her mask and headed back to the ballroom.
The door was locked, however. Veronica sighed, she didn’t want to be a spy, but she didn’t know anyone to do it for her. Focusing some mana in a branch on top of her fingers, she manipulated the mana to lift every pin perfectly. With the delicate act of forming a key complete, Veronica unlocked the door and slipped inside.
What she found was horrible.
Her double and the host were both bleeding out and an unknown assailant slipped out through a secret passage in the wall.
“Ah, -” coughed Osiris, “the real Veronica. The event appears to have been hijacked. Now, the mystery is the identity of our killer. Better get going,” Osiris finished, breathing his last.
Veronica moved to the double, but they were also dead. Swearing to avenge them, Veronica ran towards the secret passage. But when she got there, she couldn’t open it. Deciding there wasn’t anything she could do in the ballroom right now, she slipped out, locked the door, and investigated Osiris’s room for any blueprints. Scanning through the maps, she also found documents covering the deal between Osiris and EH. In exchange for giving the mansion over, funding the party, and assistance in setting up the event, he would have to add a specific detail to the mystery, and invite Princess Veronica, a double to replace her, and a third individual. Veronica tried reading who it was, but no matter how much she looked or tried, she couldn’t find the name. Giving up for now, she continued scanning the documents, hoping to find details on the mystery. With luck, she found that the original plan was a mystery of who stole the necklace, and you reported who did it to the police officer who’d be called. But EH’s detail forced a backup mystery - if someone died the mystery would shift to that.
With a cursory glance over the documents, regretting Athena couldn’t be here to force decrypt the redaction, Veronica slid away back to her room. With all she could reasonably gather gathered, she called a servant.
“Yes, Ms Tarcam?”
“Do take me to the ballroom, I fear I lost a precious earring there.”
“But of course. I have a key right with me, so I can lead you there now.”
“Many thanks.”
As they walked, Veronica began to wonder more about why the house fell like such a set piece. Nothing really clicked, so Veronica swapped gears and asked where everyones room were.
“Oh, I don’t know. We were only told our rooms, our master's rooms, and the day's schedule.”
“Do you have any idea why where everyone resides where they do?”
“Master Osiris told everyone their rooms, so I don’t know.”
Nodding, Veronica turned back to her thoughts when it clicked. Why had EH made such strange requests, why Osiris directly told the servants their duties, why there were secret passages, and why the killer knew of both their existence and locations. Why the entire house felt like a set piece.
The servant pulled a keyring from their uniform and unlocked the door.
The killing was orchestrated by EH! The killer is the third attendant!
When the servant saw the bodies, they screamed.
The game was now afoot.