January 1 Detention Center 1:17 p.m.

Huff puff. After I finished the paperwork, I ran all the way to get here. Huff puff. Man. I need to start doing cardio. I hope my hair didn't get messed up.

"Damn. You look like shit." Huh? I turn to see Granberia. "Maybe if you spent more time exercising like you do with that crazy hairdo, you wouldn't be out of breath." Ugh. I want to complain, but she's right. Once this case is over, I'll start hitting the treadmill. "If you're looking for your lamia friend, she will be released shortly. In fact, she sho-"

"NOOOOOOORMAAAAAAN!" There she goes. Uh oh. Amira doesn't look happy to see me. "How could you accuse Hurra of murder!?"

Granberia clamps her mouth shut. "You should count yourself lucky I didn't file your interruption in the record."

"Don't be so harsh on her. If she didn't speak up, I wouldn't have found another suspect. I wanted to say thank you." Amira tears up and tries to say something.

Granberia removes her hand. She gasps for air. "Oh Brandy. You've grown so much!" She coils around me tightly.

"Urgh! Can't…breathe…" She lets me go. Sweet air. How I miss thee.

"Speaking of suspects, I already ordered the crew to look into this SS person. I was about to head over there right now." Granberia says.

"Do you mind if we go with you? I was about to go there once I checked up on Ami."

Granberia shrugs. "Sure. But you're both sitting in the back."

Super Convention 1:38 p.m.

The officers are outside keeping watch. Wait a minute…is that Luka talking to one of them? He notices us and approaches us.

"What are you doing here? I'm sure you're fully aware that defense attorneys are not allowed in the crime scene." He crosses his arms. Now that I get a good look at him, he still hasn't grown past my chest. And I'm not exactly a tall man either. "Leering at my body for your sick fantasies?"

"H-Huh? No! I'm just surprised how short you actually are." Silence hovers in the air.

He glares at me. "You should count your blessings that we live in civilized times." Woah! He materializes the Angel Halo! "Otherwise, you would have been ravaged from where you stand."

"Oi! It's illegal to brandish your weapon in public." Granberia says.

"Hmph." He dematerializes the weapon. "I have a permit." I don't think that will help your case. "I'm done here. Tomorrow I will win." He walks to his violet sports car and drives away. Man. Working under Illias sure has its benefits.

"You both saw that? That was the legendary angelic weapon!" I pull out my notebook and draw it quickly while it's still fresh in my mind.

"What's so legendary about it?" Ami asks.

"It's a sword made out of six hundred and sixty-six angels melted into a blade. It was created at the request of Alipheese Fateburn III during the Great Flood War. Illias recently acquired the weapon because the previous Monster Lord gave it back as an offering of peace." I explain the little history to them.

"Thanks for the history lesson." Granberia says while rolling her eyes. "Here. This should let the boys know you have access to the crime scene."

Granberia's Permit has been added to the Court Record.

"Thank you so much. You've been a great help." I smile.

Granberia blushes slightly. "Whatever. I'm just doing you a favor." She pulls out her phone and goes to the officers.

"Awesome! Now we can finally properly investigate!" Ami jumps with excitement.

"Yeah. Let's not waste any time." We head inside.

Backstage 1:45 p.m.

So this is where Hurra was stationed. It's a clean hallway. Nothing notable. There's a person with pink hair and a pink outfit. Clearly cosplaying as a magical girl of some sort. She sees us and runs up to me.

"Ooooh~! I like your outfit! Who are you cosplaying?" She asks excitedly.

"No one. This is my uniform." I scratch my head. That's the first time someone ever complimented me. I clear my throat. "My name is Norman. I'm a defense attorney." I present my badge proudly.

Her smile fades away. "Oh. You're that person that loves monsters. That's like sooooooo gross~!" Just because she said it in a peppy tone, doesn't make it less insulting.

"I'm his partner, Amira." She says.

The woman doesn't even look at her. "Really? I don't care." She must be a swell person to hang around.

"Anyways, do you mind if we ask you a couple questions?" I ask. She's ignoring me. "May I know who you are?"

Her mood quickly brightens up. "My name is Sunny Smiles~! You can follow me on any social media for my cosplays!"

Sunny Smiles? SS! "Were you one of the staff that was supposed to be posted here?"

Just as quick as the first, she goes back to her neutral expression. "I was told not to answer questions, unless it's the cops. Especially from a certain lawyer." Ah. I guess Luka must've warned her about me. Perhaps I can bluff my way to get some gg.

I present her the permit. "Actually, we have a permit from the police to investigate. Which means we're basically cops." Please fall for it.

She eyes me up and down, then sighs. "All right. What do you want to know?"

"I want to know what you were doing at the time of the contest?"

"I was in the bathroom." She says.

"The whole time?"

"Do you see what I'm wearing? It takes a good amount of time and effort to take it off and put it back on." I can't deny that. It would probably take centuries for me. "Anyways, I have to go and rest for tomorrow. Toodaloo~!" She leaves towards the front building.

"Brandy! Why didn't you stop her!?" Ami asks.

"No point. I doubt she would've said anything else. We'll just have to wait until the court." Since there's nothing else here, it's time to go to the scene itself.

Backroom 1:59 p.m.

Here we finally are. Just like in the photo. The corpse is still on the floor. Hm? There's a police uniform next to the body.

"The body is vomiting!" Ami shouts. We see a blue liquid emerging from the mouth. It moves towards the uniform and it takes the form of a blue slime monster. Staring at us blankly. Wait? I recognize that tattoo.

"Are you Erubetie by any chance?" I ask.

Her expression doesn't change. "I am. You both shouldn't be here."

"Actually, I'm working with Alma and Granberia granted us permission."

She looks surprised for a moment, then composes herself. "I see. You're her underling." She hands me a folder. "This is the updated autopsy report."

The Autopsy Report has been updated in the Court Record.

"Thank you. Could you tell me anything about the body, since you were inside?" I ask.

"I was trying to investigate any internal injuries, but so far it was only a stab to the heart." Figures. "However, the body has gone through many surgeries. Her entire bottom half is prosthetics."

"Really? That's strange. Are there any records for that reason?"

She shakes her head. "None that we can find. No accidents or anything that would require such procedures." Hmm. That is very peculiar. "Despite the wound being that of a knife, the murder has yet to be found."

"Ack!" That's right! I was so focused on trying to locate a suspect, I didn't even question the missing weapon! But then, why didn't Luka bring it up?

"Calm down, Brandy. You look like you're about to have a heart attack." Ami says.

"Sorry. It just never crossed my mind."

"You're a lawyer! Use anything you can to your advantage!" Cut me some slack, Ami.

"Is there anything else I should know?" I ask Erubetie.

She shakes her head. "None at the moment. This room has been investigated from top to bottom."

"I see. Thank you for your services." I bow and we leave back to the hallway.

"Got everything you need?" Ami asks.

"Not yet. There's one more place I want to stop by."

Women's Bathroom 2:08 p.m.

"Hey Brandy, if you want to go badly, the guy's next door."

"I know that. I'm here to investigate." Luckily there's no one here. I check every stall. Hmm? I pull out a knife with a cloth from behind one of the toilets.

"Is that the murder weapon!?" Ami shouts her surprise.

"I'm not sure. I'll give it to Erubetie to check for fingerprints. I'll just make a note of it."

Knife was added to the Court Record.

"That means she did it and tried to frame Santos!" Ami is getting riled up.

"We won't know until tomorrow, but I have that suspicion too."

I handed over the knife to Erubetie and she let me know that the results will be ready by tomorrow. This is it. The decisive evidence that will determine who truly committed the crime. Just you wait, Luka.

To be continued…