往生堂主庄园杀人事件 档案1
𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞, 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝟏
'Liyue's top legal expert' means nothing in this new world I'm staying; however, this world's Yanfei has been dubbed 'Legue's Scarlet Prosecutor', a moniker earned particularly due to this Yanfei's legal endeavors, pursuit against criminals, and her vibrantly scarlet apparel whenever she is needed in court.
I've taken the liberty to wear its eye-catching scarlet blazer, slim jeans, and shoes in these three weeks, even pairing it with the xiezhiguan in my room; not a bad combination, I might say. Maybe I can add cravat ruffles, just for fun. I wonder how my Hu Tao would react to this.
More importantly, for the past three weeks, I've taken my time reading up not just the laws of this nation, but other facts and details of the place I've been sent to. For instance,
I am currently in the nation of Tehiatik, an archipelago in the Far East of this world. A nation with a rather eventful history and extremely diverse cultures due to various conquerors over centuries depositing their cultures into the many regions of Tehiatik, of which the nation's geographical features amplified each region's culture. One can say that Tehiatik has every culture and race in this world, but it is not a stranger to calls of independence from each region, of course.
The region of Legue, identified by its most prominent city, Legue City. That's where I am, more specifically. Bearing much of the Eastern culture, the city has some semblance to Liyue Harbor; one, the city is a harbor and a good percentage of businesses revolve around this; two, the name Legue suspiciously is a certain other language's iteration of Liyue; three, certain versions of acquaintances back in Liyue are once more present in this city; and many, many more.
Although, besides Tehiatik's Hu Tao, I have yet to speak with the familiar ones I have seen in pictures and on television, all entirely due to isolating myself in the public libraries, the district court, my office, and in my apartment's study for the sake of acquiring knowledge. Of course, Hu Tao had shown me the norms in this city, which had remedied my culture shock. Drat, if it hadn't been for me and Hu Tao hanging out every now and then, my brain would burst by now.
I won't be forgetting what Feng has told me any time soon, though. Even though the three weeks have come to pass, I have assimilated enough data and knowledge to become a nigh-perfect substitute of Legue's Scarlet Prosecutor, a hurdle not too complex to overcome since I apparently bear striking similarities to this Yanfei not just in build and looks, but also in attitude and manner of speaking—comments repeatedly heard from Hu Tao.
Speaking of Hu Tao, I find myself wondering, just what is this Yanfei's emotional quotient? Landing two girlfriends is not an easy feat, much more taking into consideration balancing it with work and play. Perhaps I'll find the answer as I continue with this journey, and hopefully, I'll take it to heart when I finally return to the world of Teyvat. Then, maybe… we could… no, I have to stay focused and keen on what Feng'll dish out.
Coupled with my prowess, I'll show that entity what this guardian of the law can do. The third week of rest finally closes, opening a new chapter in my life.
Alright, Feng, bring it. Just what do you have in store for me?
It's time.
It's time I let the first domino fall.
You'll be surprised at what's in store for you.
Don't disappoint me, Ace Attorney.
"Yanfei, don't be late for tomorrow, alright? 4 AM at the bus station. Don't make me call a ghost to haunt you awake… kidding!" Hu Tao reminded me.
"Heh, I get it. I get it. Good night, Hu Tao."
"G'night, Yanfei. Um… l-love you, Yanfei. 'Kay-bye!" Beep, went my phone before I could respond. I tried redialing, to no avail. Sent a message as a reply to that final bit, too, but I doubt I'll get a reply within the day. I turned the TV on, leaving it on the news channel, and cooked some tofu rice for dinner.
Tomorrow's the day Hu Tao finally gets to succeed the former director. This is one day I don't plan on skipping. I've also attended the ceremony back in Teyvat, and it went off without a hitch. Furthermore, I'd assisted in the legal processes that followed after. If this world were to follow the same suit, then the legal matters should come after the tradition of ceremony. Well, I'd love having another go at it again.
On another note, regarding assimilating enough to become the nigh-perfect 'Legue's Scarlet Prosecutor', the only aspects I'm lacking are those in the emotional sector. Despite bearing Hu Tao's countenance and demeanor, I still find it uneasy to view her as… my girlfriend. That is, as Tehiatik's Yanfei. It just feels right and wrong at the same time. I'm sure her Hu Tao somehow feels the same towards me. Cosmic problems, I thought with a chuckle as I set my plate down, this probably would've been a simple predicament to make sense of and to solve for the original scarlet prosecutor.
And, why am I worrying? Of course, based on the assumption that the flow of time doesn't discriminate between dimensions, it's because of the things I have to explain back in Teyvat—to the Qixing and of course, to her, my Hu Tao…
No, no. I won't let this hinder me. I still don't even know when I'm returning, and there's still the tests from Feng. Not to mention, this is a predicament that even rational thinkers would face various walls ahead of their train of thought. Calm down, it's only been three weeks. I continue with my dinner to calm myself down.
Mmm~, that hits the spot. Tofu for the mind and soul, I'd say. I'm at least glad the recipes here and in Teyvat aren't too different. Now that my mind's a little clearer, I've decided; I'll consider Tehiatik's Hu Tao as my significant other, setting aside my emotions for the role I'm designated, and leave these astronomical issues until I face Feng once more.
"And now, for the weather. Tomorrow, a snowstorm is expected to enter the TAR." That's the Tehiatik Area of Responsibility, by the way—a region where various incoming phenomena are taken into the hands of the national and regional governments. "Snow is expected to start falling at around six in the morning, and its landfall in the region of Legue is expected to be at around two to three in the afternoon. It is expected to leave by midnight. Travel from 10 AM is strongly discouraged. Please be advised to tune in to your local government unit for further updates and the necessary preparations." So, that must be why Hu Tao told me to go early and to prepare extra clothes for an overnight stay. Guess I'll download this report on my phone later on to remind me of the weather when I'm there.
Now, what was the name of that place again we're going to… ah, right, Mobong County. A two-hour ride from Legue City via car—an peculiarly convenient mode of vehicular transport. Our destination's the Hu Manor, also known as the Manor of the Wansheng Directors, located on top of Mobong Hill. The Hu family's business, currently the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, has been up and running for more than 1500 years—at least, its namesake. A mathematician would deduce at least 1900 years, considering Hu Tao's the 77th Director; however, unlike Liyue's version of the funeral parlor, this one's greed over power and title had been a major hurdle over the years, according to Hu Tao.
Still, having a business up and running for that long requires harsh dedication, intense adaptation against the sands of time, countless business re-modelling, and of course, making deals with various organizations and other businesses. Quite unlike Liyue's own Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's history, this business had ventured into different types of businesses to survive, including hospitals. At one point, the business set its focus on being a mortuary henceforth. Hu Tao did tell me that the funeral parlor business has actually started falling since the 1800s with the rise of competitors and loss of sponsors.
In fact, before, the funeral parlor had had franchises in the different regions of Tehiatik, but since the 1800s, it's all been localized in the region of Legue, with the regional government as its main backer, among other sponsors. If the government stopped backing the business, then it'll only be a matter of time when the family business drowns in the pool of competition. Hu Tao did claim, however, that if the business needed another 'resurrection', then she can start a new one no matter how big or small, still maintaining the Wangsheng namesake. She did say that the 'winds of change do not discriminate between the short lived and the immortal'. Now that's something my Hu Tao would say.
Drat, speaking of transportation to the destination, I actually own a car, but having focused too much on my studies, I failed to devote part of my time to learning how to drive. Had I done so, I could've ridden to the manor with just me and her… tsk, no use crying over spilled milk. I just hope I can come up with an excuse as to why I can't bring it with me tomorrow. Maybe I'll learn how to drive after the ceremony's done.
I have to get to bed soon. Finished with the dishes, I switched the TV off, prepared my things for tomorrow, got changed, and went to bed. The dim moonlight soaks through the curtains. This must be the calm before the storm. I closed my eyes and yielded myself to sleep.
…
Hmm…
…
Ah…
No good. Though it's already nine o'clock, I still have some zip in me. I have to find something that'll drain my energy. I know, I'll scan through my phone for images of me and Hu Tao—see what the this scarlet prosecutor had been up to, then probably watch some of this world's courtroom dramas or murder mysteries. It won't take too long before I'll be sleeping soundly.
I miscalculated. I found myself sleeping at two in the freaking morning. Argh, just two hours of sleep… I curse the creator of the phone in this world for producing such an addicting device. I swear, if such an innovation pops up in Fontaine and is due for exportation, they'll have to get through me first.
"Brr…" Not to mention, this injurious weather. So cold, urgh. "A-achoo!" Why couldn't I have been sent to a tropical country?
"Should've bundled up more, Yanfei. Hee-hee." Oh, quiet, you—o-oh, she's hugging me. "Thermal heat-sharing—I learned this in science, y'know. Don't want you to freeze to death."
"Heh, charming." I leaned closer to her. This feels delightful. I couldn't help but let out a yawn. "Tell me. Whom did you invite with us again, Hu Tao?"
"For an attorney, you sure are forgetful." I playfully stomped on her foot. "Ai-yo…! Alright, alright. Well, it's Aether. He should be here any minute now."
Inspector Aether Faramund. One of the Legue City Police Department's homicide police inspectors. I now remember. Hu Tao did tell me that he went to the same high school and university as she and this Yanfei did, along with Tehiatik's versions of Keqing, Ganyu, Xingqiu, Chongyun, and Eula. Though, this Aether's four years ahead of us. Hu Tao did also tell me that he was the eye of some students, herself included. I raised my eyebrow at her when she did. "B-but, it was a fleeting crush, y'know?" she told me when narrating about him.
Suddenly, I'm reminded of Teyvat's version of Aether and his partner, Paimon. I smiled at that memory of mine, but it quickly turned into a frown when I remembered what Teyvat's Aether told me about his sister.
"Hey, Hu Tao. What of Inspector Faramund's sister?"
"Which one, Paimon or Lumine?"
I quickly widened my eyes and looked at her in shock. "Y-you didn't tell me that he had two." I was only expecting Lumine, but Paimon?
"S-sorry, Yanfei. That slipped past my mind. Well, yeah, Aether has two sisters; Lumine's his younger sister, while Paimon's his older sister."
"Paimon's the older sister?" Not the youngest among the three?
"Why do you look so shocked, Yanfei?" I explained to her that Teyvat's Paimon was a younger looking partner from where I came from, sparing her the details of that Paimon floating and being humorously labeled as 'emergency food'. "O-ya~? Well, surprise, surprise, Yanfei."
"What about Lumine?"
"Actually, you—or, my Yanfei, at least—helped find her," she looked away when she quietly said, "along with my Yanfei's ex." With Tehiatik's Eula, huh?
It turns out that Tehiatik's Lumine was separated at birth. More specifically, the Faramund family were separated when a certain crisis occurred in the Tehiatik annals. A nationwide martial law was enacted in order to quell some insurgencies, which unfortunately caused more unrest all over the country. Just like that, this Lumine was separated from the two. She and her father fled Tehiatik, losing the means of contact along the way, and returned to where the Faramund family emigrated from, somewhere in this world's continent of Auropa, of which she was found during one of Tehiatik's Eula's international assignments there upon the request of Legue's Scarlet Prosecutor—being her girlfriend at that time.
Soon, the Faramund family reunited. I felt delighted hearing this story, and I really wish Teyvat's Aether could reunite with his sister. Perhaps I can exert more effort in helping him when I return, hopefully ending as happily as this. Oh, right. As for Tehiatik's Eula, she joined this world's International Criminal Police Organization, AKA 'Interpol', at a surprisingly young age.
"Now's my turn to ask, Yanfei. I've been meaning to ask this, actually." Hu Tao looked at me with judging eyes. "In your world, just what is your relationship to Eula?"
Sighing, I replied, "She once saved me when I foolishly investigated a certain syndicate group back in my world," Hu Tao was aghast at that line, "but beyond that, some correspondence, and some fleeting feelings, we're just friends." Hu Tao looked too relieved hearing that. With that, she hugged me a little tighter. From the look on her face, she's most likely revisiting the memory when the original scarlet prosecutor announced their break-up to her.
"Oh, that reminds me, Hu Tao." If there are some certain parallelisms here to Teyvat, then I should be able address a certain doubt I have. "Why'd you invite Aether? I was expecting Xingqiu or Chongyun, honestly."
"Y'know, I actually planned on inviting either of them, too, but Xingqiu's currently abroad doing business-y stuff with his family while Chongyun's off completing his master's thesis for his theology course. I'm not as close with some others, so as for the closest one next to those two, there's Aether." Interesting. I'm particularly interested if this Xingqiu's family also owns a trading guild. "I'm actually quite surprised that Aether's able to come, considering that he's married."
"Ah, is that so… wait, m-m-m-married?!" I-I think I said that quite loudly. Hu Tao didn't tell me about this! "Achoo!"
"Ai-ya, you could wake the dead with that scream and sneeze, Yanfei!" she commented while giggling. "I should hug you a little tighter, yeah?"
"Hm? What's so shocking about me being married?" Hang on, that voice! "This being the nth time I've heard someone getting shocked that I'm married, I basically have a script as to what to say, but I thought you knew about my marriage already, Yanfei?" S-shoot, better think of an excuse real quick. Let's see—
"Aether, you came! Ah, don't you worry about Yanfei. She didn't get enough sleep, so she's shocked at almost everything I tell her." You're a lifesaver, Hu Tao. She discreetly stuck her tongue out at me as a reply. Urgh, now that she mentions it, I'm getting sleepier. "So, how's Ayaka been, Aether? Gotten lively under the sheets with her, yet?" Ayaka… Ayaka… ah, yes, Kamisato Ayaka, of the Yashiro Commission in Inazuma. Wait, I'm referring to Teyvat's Ayaka. I wonder what role she and her clan has in Tehiatik? Though, to think that this Aether's married to Tehiatik's Ayaka.
"Ah, w-well, she's been doing really well, and you know… H-hey, don't make me arrest you for harassing an officer of the law, Hu Tao!"
"O-ya, o-ya? Challenging the upcoming 77th Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, aren't you?" Suddenly, Hu Tao held my arms and maneuvered them like a puppet, imitating punches. "Step back, I have a prosecutor that can sue you for… uh, what's the word…"
"Police misconduct?" I filled in, with a yawn.
"Yeah, that's it!" Hu Tao continued.
The three of us laughed and started chatting about this and that. I checked my watch—a newly formed habit of mine—it's now 4:15 AM. Hu Tao mentioned that our transportation to the manor will be arriving very soon, and that the driver's gonna be a family-friend from Legue City, too.
"Speaking of cars," Aether started. Uh oh, not good, not good. "Don't you already have one, Yanfei?" I tried my best to maintain my poker face.
"You see, Aether—"
"It's under repair, and it's gonna be up and running tomorrow. Let's go get it back once we return here, yeah, Yanfei?" Nice save, Hu Tao. My sincerest thanks.
I nodded, with a yawn. "Yes, let's."
"Damn, I see. I actually got mine just last night from repair, though I don't recall seeing your car there, Yanfei, not to mention we tend to meet every now and then at the same repair shop," Aether asked while twirling his blond hair. I gulped at that.
"Actually, I—"
"Got to ask another mechanic to do it. Y'know, change of mechanics every now and then to get to know as many people. I think it's called 'networking', right, Yanfei?" I don't know if I can survive this new world without you, Hu Tao. Again, my sincerest thanks.
I nodded, with another yawn. "Yes, that's it."
"You're rather sleepy, Yanfei," Aether remarked with his eyebrows raised. "Look at your eyebags. You haven't been catching enough z's lately, huh." Uh, uh oh. "Well, you are Legue's Scarlet Prosecutor, after all. Must've been reviewing your law books from cover to cover lately, right?"
"That's…" Drat, I'm yawning uncontrollably, now! I should've drank some coffee before leaving. "Right…"
"Ai-ya, Yanfei. It's a two-hour trip, so you can nap by my side—" two beeps from a vehicle coming towards us can be heard. That must be our service to the manor, "when we're in the car. Doctor Bai, g'morning!" Tehiatik's Baizhu, huh? Strangely, unlike my Hu Tao, she seems to receive his presence without distaste, not to mention a family friend of the Hu's.
"Guess I'm riding shotgun," Aether said chuckling. "G'morning, Doc Bai!" And, from the way they're addressing him, I'm taking a guess that 'Zhu' comes after his surname.
"Good morning, Hu Tao, Inspector Faramund, Atty. Yu." A serene man with eyeglasses revealed himself as the windows slid down. "Come on in, quickly."
Once we all boarded his car with our things, we headed to our destination. On our way, Aether and Dr. Bai were having a chit chat about this and that. Maybe I'll get my chance to chat with Dr. Bai in the manor. Meanwhile, Hu Tao allowed me to lean on her shoulder to take a nap. I felt her arms around my waist and her cheek on my head.
I smiled as I slowly drifted to sleep.
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀:
𝗛𝘂, 𝗧𝗮𝗼 (𝟮𝟳, 𝗙)
Upcoming 77th Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Bears the exact same characteristics as my Hu Tao, fortunately.
𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗱, 𝗔𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 (𝟯𝟮, 𝗠)
Legue City Police Department homicide police inspector.
𝗕𝗮𝗶, 𝗭𝗵𝘂 (𝟰𝟮, 𝗠)
Pharmacist and businessman in Legue City.