"-Professor Layton! You've finally arrived."

The leader stepped up to them, all smiles.

"-Then you took over from Bronev...Swift.
-Huh?"

Victoria, who had just entered the office, took a look of horror when she saw him.

"- YOU...!?"

An aura of anger emanated from within her. She was trembling, out of breath. Him? Was he the successor?

"-How...HOW!?"

Layton was not surprised by this reaction. Descole and Luke, on the other hand, were more than surprised. What the hell was wrong with her ?

Swift kept that bloody smile on his face.

"-Well, your friend seems a tad... angry?
-And yet I find her anger quite justified." Retorqua Descole

The boss laughed.

"-So you're here about this Mirror Professor?
-Yes, I am. But there are a few points I'd like to clear up first.
-Go ahead, I Listen."

Layton put his hand to his chin, pensive.

"-I'm amazed you're the new boss. After all, Bronev was-
-Leon Bronev is nothing more than a traitor. My comrades appointed me as his successor because I was only deserving. And I would never dare to betray them. Bronev only had eyes for the Azran, he didn't care about anything else! We were only his pawns on a chessboard he himself was the master of the game! I have to admit I was fooled."

He put his glasses back on. He was calm. Almost too calm. Victoria was bubbling over his words. After all, he was no better than Bronev. She knew what she was talking about.

"-Pardon me, I went a little too far in what I said.
-Didn't you try to restore TARGENT's good name? From what I have seen, nothing seems to have changed.
-Let's just say it was my idea in the first place. But my ideas have gone astray.
-Astray ?
-Yes, I've had... I've had other concerns in the meantime.
-Like asking Swallow to steal that Mirror.
-You're a fine Layton."

Swift turned his head towards Descole, and his smile almost lit up.

"-Jean Descole! Oh, I'm so glad you're here too.
-The pleasure, unfortunately, is not shared.
-Oh, I see you've brought your girlfriend with you." He retorted, staring at Victoria.

She gave him a blank stare.

"-Girlfriend, what the hell?! Oh, you'd be biting your fingers for sure about that, yeah...
-Hmm, Swallow got the wrong idea again." He replied, not pretending to pay much attention to what he said.

He stared again at Descole, who had not responded to his provocation. The masked man changed the subject, looking like nothing. Why get angry? It was a waste of time.

"- By the way, why do you need Layton and me?
-Oh, first things first. I'm sure Layton has a lot of other questions first."

The archaeologist readjusted his top hat.

"-Aside from Descole's question, yes, I do have a few more.
-I'm all ears.
-I don't understand why you insist on getting that mirror. For power? For glory? Wealth?
-And why not?
-The problem is, TARGENT already has all that. It's an extremely powerful organization and it's dangerous.
-You flatter me, Professor. So much praise from you...
-In that case there is a completely different reason then." Retorqua Descole.

Swift swept a strand of his pale orange hair with a wave of his hand, still smiling. It horrified Victoria, who clenched her fist tightly. She hated it, she hated the smile, the behaviour, the...

"-It's too bad your Mirror is a fake."

Everyone's eyes were wide open. What do you mean it's a fake? Swift was content to remain silent, unmoved by his emotions. He knew how to remain impassive when he had to.

"-Swift, show me your mirror, please.
-But with pleasure."

He went back to his desk and took out a box from which he took out the mirror. He returned to the group and held it out to Layton.

"-Examine him, don't deprive yourself.
-There's no need, the fake can be distinguished from the real at a glance. -"

He showed the mirror to his colleagues.

"-Evidently you couldn't know that, Swift, or even Swallow, since you've never seen the real mirror.
-Then explain to me how it's different?"

He gave him back the fake one.

"-Look at the reflection and tell me what you see."

He looked at himself intently, nonchalantly.

"-I only see myself there.
-That's the problem.
-Please?
-Looking inside, you'd have noticed right away that the real mirror had a completely different glass. That mirror there, which you have in your hands, has a very common glass. But the real mirror has a glass with coloured reflections."

Victoria bit her lip. What a deduction...

"-Hm, I'm beginning to understand.
-And that's not all. You couldn't have seen your reflection. You would have seen a mirage, an illusion. Because that's what this mirror is really for.
-I admit I was fooled."

Luke almost cried out:

"-But then Professor who could have stolen the real Mirror!?"

Layton smiled.

"-Really, Luke? You don't know?
-That would be...Swallow!?
-No, it wouldn't. Why would she do that? She has no reason to want that mirror.
-Professor, why don't you begin your phase of theatrical deduction?" Cutted Swift

He was hesitant for a moment, but he had to go through with it.

"-In that case."

He started pacing back and forth.

"-Really, this whole thing goes far beyond a simple desire to want that mirror.
-What do you mean?
-Swift, I'm beginning to understand your intentions now. It all makes sense.
-The truth is you're not looking for something, you're looking for someone."

No one understood. Of course, the person concerned, sneered. Layton seemed to be off to a good start.

"-What makes you say that?
-Only one testimony gave me pause for thought on this possible theory. But we'll get to that later, won't we? The real question is, who the hell stole that mirror? The thief must have had very specific intentions behind it. He planned this from the beginning. I must say he was very clever, and without that other mystery, I never would have been able to make the connection.
-What the hell are you talking about, Layton?! " Exclaimed Descole.

"-You don't see Descole? You were the first one who ever made me doubt the whole thing, though.
-Finally, but... -No, you don't mean that!?
-You might feel sorry for yourself. "

The archaeologist frowned. He couldn't back down now, he had to make the truth clear to everyone. No matter what it would cause. He took a look at his brother. His brother bit his lip, not happy with what Layton had implied.

"-Well, Professor Layton, we're all waiting to find out who this famous person is.
-It all makes sense now."

There was a morbid silence for a few moments. Layton turned to its target and pointed it right index finger at it.

"-This cleverly contrived plan, this robbery... It all came from YOU!"