A monster hubbub echoed through the valley. What did he just say? A little respect for the dead, come on!
Agnes sighed, calmly:
"-What are you making up now, Professor...
-We both know that I'm not inventing anything."
At that moment the villagers opened their eyes: The Duke of Hohenhart himself was coming towards them. He was accompanied by Magda, his servant.
"-You're just in time." Acquiesca Layton.
He turned towards Agnes.
"-Well?
-I have nothing to say. Miss died 30 years ago. Everyone knows that here.
-In that case, it's up to me to reveal everything again.
-..."
Layton sharply pointed his index finger at his new target, Agnes. Agnes was on the defensive.
"-I have enough to prove, that you are the so-called late Cornelia, Agnes!"
Everybody was silent, too shocked by what was happening.
"-First of all, let's recall the origin of all this. Cornelia Hohenhart is one of the daughters of Ulrich Hohenhart, ancestor of the present Duke here. The Hohenharts have the image of loving no one more inferior than themselves. That's why the valley hates them.
-Hmpf."
The Duke had a haughty and angry look on his face.
"-She met by chance Isaac Rosenwald, one of the villagers, whom you all know. They became friends, if there was more than that. Only the servants who were close to Cornelia knew of this story. They helped her to see Isaac without his father's knowledge. Unfortunately, it became known. So the father locked his daughter in the castle, preventing her from going to see Isaac. After that, Isaac would later murder her." Completed Layton.
"It can't be!?"
"How can anyone kill their beloved?"
"This whole thing is definitely weird..."
"-But something's not clear in this whole story...Like the circumstances of Cornelia's death. The Duke claims with certainty that Isaac murdered her. And yet the body was never found. Only a piece of cloth belonging to her was found. And there was not a single witness.
-That says it all, gentleman.
-Yes and no, dear Duke. Let's look at things from another angle, shall we? What if this was all just a setup?
-What do you say at last!?"
The archaeologist paced around, observing one by one the different protagonists of the whole affair.
"-Cornelia's servants were in a way her accomplices. They knew everything and helped her. Magda confirmed it."
The interested party nodded her head. He was indeed right.
"-Magda, correct me if I'm wrong. Cornelia managed to get out of her "prison" thanks to the governesses. She escaped and disguised it all as murder.
-That's right.
The Duke looked at his employee, surprised by all the secrecy.
"-But there's that famous message. This last message she would have left before she disappeared...
-Professor, what if this was all just a setup too? " Retorqued Luke.
Layton looked up suddenly.
"-But yes, of course... In order to be as credible as possible, she wrote a false suicide note that her accomplices sent to Isaac. As a result, she allegedly changed her name and blended in with the villagers for 30 years."
All that could be heard was the sound of the wind. The valley had become a tomb, so enthralled was she by the words of this illustrious stranger in a top hat.
"-Agnes, it seems you know a lot about the Hohenharts and that mirror. Many of the inhabitants, including Celian, have always redirected us to you when we needed information. Funny coincidence."
And he turned to her again.
"-And that's also why you wrote threatening letters."
Luke gasped. So...Was that Agnes, too?! The defendant sighed heavily and looked at Layton with furrowed brows.
"-What more can I say? You've got it right again."
Magda and the Duke, widened their eyes. They couldn't believe it. So Cornelia was alive, and what's more, she'd pretended to be someone else. It was incredible. Cornelia continued in a tight voice:
"-Yes, I am Cornelia Hohenhart, the one who was taken for dead for thirty long years. that one who also hates my family.
-Cornelia..." Stammered the Duke.
She glanced at him blackly.
"-You're nothing but a loser. You're no better than my father, Ulrich. Accusing Isaac of murdering me... You're the worst kind.
-Oh...Miss Cornelia..." Murmured Magda.
Celian looked at Cornelia with incomprehension.
"-But why did you threaten us, Cornelia?
-AH! You dare to ask? I was sure you were going to stick your nose into other people's business. To tell the truth, I doubted you when Celian told me about your intentions, when you had just arrived. So I threatened you once, hopefully...But obviously I didn't know who I was dealing with.
-Oh, I can confirm that, my dear." Descole thought.
"-Finally, all this was useless to me. You've revealed everything.
-Not quite.
-Hm?
-Magda told us something interesting about you.
Cornelia stared at Magda, worried.
"-You were expecting a child, weren't you?"
That was the last straw for the Duke and the people. If she had had a child, it meant that...
"-Mr Layton, I can't believe there's a person of our blood and the Hohenharts' blood in this house! It would be an outrage!
-And yet there is. And that's one of the reasons why Cornelia ran away and changed her identity.
-But then who is this child? "
Once again, he started pacing back and forth.
"-In view of the latest information, the answer couldn't be simpler. To tell you the truth, this relationship was hidden for fear that Cornelia's secret would be betrayed."
He stopped.
"-Let's stop this masquerade. Cornelia, Celian, there is no longer any point in hiding from you."
"HUH ?!"
"Celian! HIM?!"
"How about that!"
"Hmm...
-Go on, Mum, there's no point in lying now.
-So it was you, Celian. You are the child of Cornelia and Isaac."
Celian sneered at the sight of all those shocked villagers. The reaction of the Duke and Magda amused him even more.
"-Yep. Mom didn't want anyone to know, which I totally understand. But I'm rather glad you've solved the mystery now, mister gentleman. I trusted you on this.
-Celian... But why...?" exclaimed Cornelia.
"-I'm tired of hiding. And worse, yeah, the valley's sure as hell black with all that fuss. It's got to change.
-I agree, Celian. There's just one more thing to clear up.
-Hm?
-What happened to Isaac Rosenwald? "
There were whispers.
"-This is my theory. When Isaac received your forged letter, he immediately went to the castle. There was allegedly a skirmish with your father and that's why he decided to falsely accuse him. As a result, Isaac took refuge in the deepest part of the valley. By chance he discovered the Crystals of Truth and there he created his mirror. The Rosenwald Mirror.
-But why did you make this mirror, Professor...?" asked Luke.
"-I am sure Isaac had understood the effects of these crystals. In creating a mirror, he knew that when he saw his reflection in his creation, he would see a mirage, that of his beloved Cornelia."
Cornelia was speechless. She didn't know what to say.
"- Isaac..."
She was moved, lost in thought.
"Master ! Master !"
The Duke turned around in surprise. One of his servants arrived at full speed, terrified.
"- Come on, calm down! What's going on?"
The maid stopped and tried to get back to normal breathing.
"-The Mirror it... It's been stolen!"
More than one panicked. The mirror? Stolen!? What a nightmare!
"-It mustn't get out of the valley, it would be a disaster!" Panicked Cornelia.
"Go home!"
"We'll be safer!"
"One of the strangers stole it, I'm sure!"
It was a mess. Everybody went home and locked the doors and windows double-locked.
Only Cornelia, Celian, Layton and the others were still there.
"-Descole, I knew you were gonna steal that Mirror!" Luke cried out, also in a panic.
"Come on, Luke, calm down. It's not Descole, trust me.
-But what the hell...!?"
Layton put his hand on his apprentice's shoulder to reassure him.
"-I'm going to need your help, and Descole's and Victoria's.
-But what about you?
-I have something important to do in London. I'll be back by tonight."
Victoria and Descole didn't understand what Layton was doing in London. Especially since it wasn't near here. Luke just nodded his head. He had a little idea about this "thing."
"-What should we do then, Professor?" Inquired Victoria.
"-Well, it's very simple..."