I concur! Cabinets must be examined!

---

Yeah so I’m in the last two weeks of college and the workload is getting bad so I probably won’t update for a bit. I’m leaving it at a good stopping place though.



Examine: Cabinet

Vesti finally stepped over to the cabinet and pulled the doors open. Inside she found coats and shirts hanging from a wooden rod—probably just Reese’s clothes. The more surprising thing was four glass vials sitting at the bottom of the cabinet. Three were filled with a gleaming red liquid, but the fourth was empty.

Vesti carefully grabbed one of the vials and turned to Karin, holding it in the air with two fingers.

“Karin, what’s this weird concoction?”

“Hey!” Karin shouted, her face paling. “Put that back! You’re gonna drop it!”

Vesti, taken aback by her cry, drops the vial. He desperately bats it between each hand as it falls, somehow managing to gently deposit it onto the bottom of the cabinet.

Karin breathed a sigh of relief.

“That’s better…It’s just, that’s my medicine. And we’re running low on it.”

“Your ‘medicine?’” Percy said, “For what?”

“I don’t know. My parents just call it a, uhh…condi…tion?” Karin replied, “Sometimes I get stuck at home cause I feel bad, and it’s not safe for me to leave cause I might fall asleep and hurt myself. A-And I get really scared too…The medicine helps with that, but it doesn’t make me feel better forever.”

“Oh geez, I’m sorry,” Vesti replied, “How often do you have to take it?”

“I drink one vial a night, and then Papa throws the old one away,” she explained, “There used to be way more in there but…”

“What about this one that’s still in here?”

“I…I guess he didn’t get around to it,” Karin mumbled, “I think that’s why Mama and Papa were so nervous though…cause they had to get me more medicine. I don’t know what would happen if I stopped taking them for a while. I don’t think it would be good though…”

“Don’t worry about it, Karin,” Percy said firmly. “We’ll ask more of the townspeople about this medicine. I’m certain there must be some way to get more of it.”

“Hmm…Are you sure this is relevant?” Vesti asked.

“Consider it a bit of a ‘side-quest,’ if you want. Someone has to look after Karin though, and it’s possible Reede was the only one who knew where to get this medicine.”

“You have a point,” Vesti added quietly. “Still, something about this medicine…seems familiar. I can’t quite figure it out…”

“If you want to solve this immediately, then by all means, go ahead. It would certainly put me at ease. But until then, I think we’re done here.”

{Strange Medicine added to Evidence}

Percy nodded his head toward the door.

“Alright, everyone, I think it’s time we head back to Hateno proper.”

“Are…Are you going to leave me here?” Karin asked.

“Of course not. In fact, I believe it’s time we got you back to the town. I’m sure your mother’s worried about you.”

“Yeah,” Vesti said, “Just give me a second, and we can get going.”

“What could you possibly have left to do?”

“Oh, I just gotta, uhh, write some stuff down,” Vesti replied, “Don’t get me wrong though, I’m ready to talk to the townspeople again. Hopefully nothing totally insane has happened while we’ve been gone.”

“Wh-Why would you say that?” Karin asked uncertainly. “Do you think something bad will happen to the town?”

“I mean, I don’t think it will for any reason. I just hope it doesn’t!”

“Vesti,” Percy snapped, “Just finish your notes.”

Investigation: Reede’s Home
Examine:
There is nothing left to examine!
Talk:
Percy
About Reede
About Karin
Karin
Your Father
Move:
Ventest Clothing Boutique
Present:
To Percy
To Karin
What will you do?

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: https://forums.court-records.net/viewtopic.php?p=1437930#p1437930

---

Ch-chug the medicine.






For Science

---

Clearly the medicine is just red dye! It's all coming together!

Guess we'll have to move to Ventest Clothing Boutique.

Move: Ventest Clothing Boutique

“Alright, I’m ready,” Vesti said, slamming his notebook shut. “Though I’ve been thinking. Would it be a good idea to try drinking this medicine? For science?”

“That’s an awful idea,” Percy replied, “Karin’s in enough danger as is.”

“Maybe she doesn’t even need it though? We could have it all wrong! What if the medicine is what’s making her sick?”

“No way,” Karin mumbled, “Daddy would never do anything like that…I thought you guys were going to find the monster? Why are you saying such nasty things?”

Percy sighed and put a hand to his face.

“Look, let’s just go back to the town. If we manage to track down more medicine, we can look into that theory. But you’ll be the one to test it.”

“No problem. I’ll struggle through any indigestion if it means finding the truth!”

“Alright, I’m glad that’s settled. Come on, Karin. Let’s go.”

Percy opened the door, leading Karin through. Vesti hung back and took one last look around the singed house before exiting as well. The group carefully walked up the hill. Vesti found himself glancing at the Horned Statue as he passed by. Its leering gaze sent a chill down his spine, but he ignored it and continued onward.

Date: ??? Time: A Short Walk Later. Location: Village, Main Road.

“What in blazes is going on here?”

The main road was packed with townsfolk. Just about everyone Vesti had met was there, as well as plenty of unfamiliar faces, and they were all angry. They waved pitchforks and other farming implements in the air, hurling insults at Beedle, who was lying on the dirt path with his hands and feet tied behind his back. He was cowering on the floor, a look of distress on his face.

“I’m tellin’ ya’, I don’t know a thing!” Beedle cried, “I’ve been bound up all day like a fly in a spider’s web! How could I have done anything?”

Bolson waved a small hammer at the salesman threateningly.

“I’m willing to bet you used one of your fancy Yiga skills to give us the slip, and then you decided to get revenge on us. I’m right, aren’t I?”

“Absolutely not! I’ve never even met the girl, honest!”

Seldon stood at the door of his boutique, staring at the uproar nervously.

“Come on, guys,” he said, “Can’t we all just get along? What if the guests see this? We gotta think about our village’s reputation!”

“Why is everyone shouting?” Karin stammered, covering her ears. “I’m scared.”

“Hey, what’s going on here?” Vesti shouted.

A few of the townsfolk turned toward Vesti and his companions. Soon, a woman’s voice rose from the middle of the mob.

“Oh, thank goodness! She’s safe!”

A woman shoved her way out of the crowd, wrapping Karin in an embrace. It took a moment, but Vesti eventually recognized her as Reede’s wife.

“Mama! I’m so glad you’re here!” Karin cried, smiling and returning the hug.

“I was so worried, Karin. We thought that clansman had taken you.”

“No, I was just back at home, hiding under the covers!”

“Oh, of course. Well, at least we’re together now.”

Vesti turned to the mob, who had now lowered their weapons and were standing around sheepishly. Bolson, in particular, looked highly embarrassed.

“Well now, looks like all’s well that ends well, huh?” He turned to Beedle, cowering on the ground. “We’ve still got this little scoundrel to deal with, though.”

“No!” Beedle shouted, thrashing about. “Don’t deal with me! I’m the one who’s supposed to be makin’ the deals!”

“Hold on a second,” Vesti said, “Can anyone explain to me what’s going on here?”

“Allow me!”

Vesti looked towards the sound of the cheerful voice, not finding anyone until he looked down. A very young girl was skipping away from the crowd. She looked to be much younger than Karin, but had hair as gray as an old woman’s. She wore a white dress, red spectacles, and a large gold hair ornament. Upon reaching Vesti, she struck a cute pose.

“Oh, hello,” Vesti said, looking around the clearing. “Who are you? Where are you parents?”

“I’m Purah! And my parents? Well, they’re dead,” she cheerfully replied.

“Oh! Geez, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to bring up such a sore subject.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Purah said, “They died a loooong time ago. I don’t remember how long it’s been anymore. Maybe 40 years or so?”

“Oh, I see,” Vesti said, nodding. “…Wait, what?”

“Yes, yes, I’m 124 years old. Yes, I look young for my age. Can we just skip this part? I’ve had to explain it to soooo many people already.”

Vesti turned to Percy and jabbed his thumb towards Purah.

“Do you have any idea what her deal is?”

“It’s true,” he calmly explained, “She’s actually the director of the research lab on top of the hill. She was investigating a special rune when some accident turned her into a little girl.”

“Hey, I’ve never met you before!” Purah said, “How’d you know all that? You must be a super talented researcher! How’d you like a job at my station?”

“Wait,” Vesti interjected, “You’re the director? I heard about you! You’re a witness to the crime, aren’t you?”

“That’s right! I saw the whole thing from my research station!” Purah struck a pose and pointed toward Beedle. “And I know that salesman is your man! When I came down here with the news, everyone agreed it was time to drive him out of town!”

“That’s exactly right,” Bolson said, “And now that we’ve found the little girl, there’s no more use to waitin’ around. The Yiga clan didn’t show Reede any mercy, so we’ll show no mercy to him! Now that he’s all tied up, we’ll chuck him into the gorge outside of town! I’d like to see him use his Yiga tricks to get outta that!”

“Now hold on, let’s not be hasty!” Seldon cried, “What happened to our Hateno hospitality? We should just let him go.”

“And let him go runnin’ back to his Yiga pals to put together another, even bigger, attack? No way! We’ll finish him off, here and now. Who’s with me?”

The townsfolk cheer in approval.

“Oh no, this is the end for me!” Beedle wailed, “I never even got to apologize to my momma for bringin’ that hornet’s nest into her home…”

“Whoa, wait a minute!” Vesti shouted, “What is this, a witch trial? I’m still not convinced Beedle’s our guy. We don’t even have any proof he’s with the Yiga. Let’s just talk it out—”

“No proof? Don’t be silly,” Purah said, “He was covered in blood, and half the town’s seen him doing something suspicious! What more proof do you need?”

“Hmm…You might have a point though, Vesti.” Percy mumbled, “I think I know just how to solve this.”

(I’ve got to find a way to calm these people down. Let’s just take this one step at a time.)

Investigation: Main Road
Examine:
Beedle, Bolson.
Talk:
Purah
Witnesses
Percy
Solution?
Move:
I shouldn’t leave Beedle behind…
Present:
To Purah
To Percy
What will you do?

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: https://forums.court-records.net/viewtopic.php?p=1437930#p1437930

---

Ask Reede's wife about the medicine!

---

Getting some pretty powerful Max vibes from Beedle.

Anyway I guess just ask Percy what he's thinking, no point beating around the bush.

Panda, I had the exact same thought while writing the last update lol. It’s been forever since I wrote Beedle, so maybe he just picked up a bit of Max. But since they’re both salesmen, they might just be kinda similar already.



Present: Reede’s Wife: Strange Medicine

Vesti turned his attention to the woman hugging Karin.

“Excuse me?” He asked, “Mrs., uhh, Reede’s wife? Can I ask you something?”

She looked up and raised an eyebrow.

“Oh? Sure, go ahead? And it’s Clavia.”

“Thanks, Clavia.” Vesti pointed in the direction of Reede’s house. “When we were looking around your house, we found some medicine you’ve been giving Karin. Apparently Reede bought new bottles of it every once in a while. Do you know where he got them from?”

“Of course,” Clavia explained, “He had some salesman coming in every month or so to make the stuff. Since we were runnin’ low, he was probably due in town pretty soon. In fact, now that I think about it…”

Clavia took Karin by the hand and stood up, looking where Beedle was tied up on the ground. She pointed at him.

“It was Beedle! He was the guy makin’ Karin’s medicine!”

“What? Me?” Beedle cried.

“Oh ho ho!” Bolson shouted, “The truth’s coming to light! Beedle tried to worm his way into our little town by whipping up magic potions for the head’s daughter using his Yiga powers! That allowed him to put his twisted plans into action!”

“No way! My potions are one hundred percent natural! I use only the finest of insect parts for them. Honest!”

“Hold on, Beedle,” Vesti said, “I remember you mentioning you came here to meet with a client. Was that actually Reede?”

The entire crowd bores their gaze into Beedle’s skull. He begins to sweat under the pressure.

“All right!” he shouted, “Yes, Reede was one of my clients! That’s why I went to the windmill last night. We had arranged to meet there to make an exchange. But he never showed up, and I eventually got knocked out cold. I never even saw him all day!”

“My word!” Bolson said, “You used Karin’s illness to get the drop on Reede? How do you keep finding ways to make yourself look more despicable?”

“Why didn’t you mention this before?” Vesti asked.

“Because I knew how it would make me look!” Beedle replied, “Someone obviously put a lot of work into this frame-up job! I wasn’t gonna make it easier for them!”

“Hold on, let’s set this aside for now” Percy said, “There’s more important things to discuss here. Beedle, did you already have any medicine prepared? In your backpack, for instance? Can you give us some?”

“Yeah, I had some in there. But all the bottles broke when I fell down! The medicine’s useless now.”

“Do you have enough supplies left to make more?”

“Not with my hands tied together, I don’t!”

“You’re holding the medicine hostage in exchange for your freedom?” Bolson cried, “Oh! My blood runs cold in the face of such depravity!”

“Man, that stinks,” Purah mumbled, “Since now that we’ve established a link between Reede and Beedle, he looks more guilty than ever!”

Karin gently tugged on her mom’s dress.

“Mama? Am I gonna be okay without any medicine?”

“Don’t worry, sweetie,” Clavia replied, patting her daughter’s head. “We’ll figure this out.”

(I’m not sure how much of a difference this makes. Beedle selling Reede the medicine is just circumstantial, but the townsfolk are treating it as proof. I have to figure out a way to calm them down. At least now I know why Beedle was at that windmill.)

Talk: Percy Graham: Solution?

“What are you thinking, Percy?” Vesti asked, “Do you have a solution in mind?”

“Well, not so much a ‘solution’ as a ‘way forward,’” Percy explained, “You mentioning a witch trial gave me the idea.”

“Jumping jitterbugs!” Beedle wailed, “They’ve got the bespectacled man on their side now? I’m doomed! If only I could sprout wings and fly away…”

“No, I’m saying we should hold an actual trial,” Percy explained, “Beedle stays tied up, but we bring in all the witnesses to tell us what they saw. Then we’ll try to work out every detail of this case. If we can prove without a shadow of a doubt that Beedle is a Yiga clansman, you all can go on with your business. How does that sound?”

“Ooh, that sounds good to me!” Seldon said, “Let’s talk this out all nice and friendly-like!”

“Good thinking, Percy,” Vesti replied, “Might as well redirect these villagers’ anger toward something a little more productive.”

“I support it!” Beedle cried, “Especially if it means I get to walk out of this nightmare!”

“Now hold on a moment,” Bolson replied, “I’m not so sure about this. Aren’t we just given Beedle more opportunity to make mischief? We should be preparing to drive off his Yiga friends!”

“And what if we’re wrong about this whole thing?” Percy asked, “What if the real Yiga clansman is operating right under our noses? Would that not be utterly disastrous?”

“He’s got a point!” Purah replied, “I’m in support of this! Besides, it sounds like fun!”

“Of course, the ones in charge of the trial should be impartial,” Percy added, “I can obviously serve as the prosecution, since that’s what I’m used to. But we’d need someone to play the defense attorney…What do you think, Vesti? Are you willing to give it a shot?”

“Huh? Me?”

“You’re the only one here fit for the job. Besides, I’m sure you’ve picked up some skills from your sister over the years.”

“Well, it wouldn’t be my first time, and I’ve been skeptical about Beedle’s guilt too. Let’s do it!”

Percy looked a little concerned about Vesti’s supposed prior experience but eventually decided he didn’t care.

“Good. That’s settled, then. Now we just need somewhere to hold the trial…”

“We can set up a few tables in my store!” Seldon said, “The place has the perfect atmosphere. And if things get violent, all you’ve got to do is suit up—for a fee, of course!”

“Sounds good,” Percy replied, smiling. “Additionally, you should take the role of judge, Seldon. The three of us were together at the time of the murder, so we have perfect alibis. Not to mention, you seem somewhat reasonable.”

“Of course,” Seldon shouted, pumping his fists. “I’ll show Beedle our Hateno hospitality until his bitter end!”

“Hey, why does my end have to be bitter?” Beedle cried.

“All right, Vesti,” Percy said, “I’ll help Seldon set up a make-shift courtroom in the shop. Once you’re finished with whatever random nonsense you tend to get up to, I’d like you to come help out.”

“Sure! I’m getting excited just thinking about it. I’ve been itching for another good clash of wits!”

“Hmph,” Bolson mumbled, “Doesn’t seem like there’s anything I can do to stop this, so I might as well help out. I’ll track down the other witnesses. Now, where’d Sayge and Prima get off too…”

As Bolson wandered off, Percy followed Seldon into his shop. A few of the other townsfolk left as well, disappointed that Beedle would not be executed. The salesman continued lying pathetically on the floor, while Clavia resumed comforting her daughter. Purah was also here. Vesti felt a little silly being left behind with all these random goofballs.

Investigation: Main Road
Examine:
Beedle.
Talk:
Purah
Witnesses
Move:
Ventest Clothing Boutique
Present:
To Purah
To Percy
What will you do?

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: https://forums.court-records.net/viewtopic.php?p=1437930#p1437930

---

Did we ever examine Beedle’s Beetle Guide? If not we probably should now.

Examine Beedle too while we're at it.

Examine: Beedle’s Beetle Guide

Vesti decided to prepare for the trial by finally taking a look at Beedle’s Beetle Guide. He carefully combed through its pages, discovering many useful concoctions that could be created with only bug parts! There was also an encyclopedia at the beginning that featured information on tons of Hylian bugs accompanied by Beedle’s questionable sketches, but Vesti wasn’t particularly interested in that part.

He instead looked at the many potions within. They existed in every color of the rainbow and had many different effects. These included boosting stamina and curing injuries. Vesti checked the marked page again, which featured the medicine Beedle said a client in town had been looking for. Indeed, it appeared to match the medicine he’d discovered in Reede’s home, but he wasn’t sure how easy it would be to track down its ingredients.

However, Vesti was surprised to discover that Beedle had written down the recipes for many harmful toxins as well. It seems they were meant for killing monsters, but Vesti decided to ask Beedle about them anyway.

Vesti walked over to Beedle’s prone form, holding the open guide in front of him.

“Hey, Beedle,” he asked, “What’s with all the poisons in here?”

“Why are you asking me that?” Beedle cried, “Do you want to poison someone? Not me, please! Poison the rude guy in the hoodie instead! He’s gonna make everyone think I’m guilty!”

“Just answer the question, please,” Vesti said, sighing.

“Well, those poisons are for hunting monsters. There’s lots of bugs that are toxic to other creatures. If you mix up those poisonous bug parts, you can make toxins to slather over your arrows or swords. Then you can hunt down monsters more easily. There’s also some concoctions that knock your foes unconscious too!”

“Interesting. I’m not sure if that’s relevant, but it might be worth keeping in mind.”

“So there won’t be any poisoning going on?” Beedle replied, “Phew! What a relief!”

{Beedle’s Beedle Guide updated}

Move: Ventest Clothing Boutique

Vesti stared awkwardly at the townsfolk, who had now taken to milling about aimlessly. He decided to get the show on the road and go help with setting up the trial. He walked up the stairs, opened the door, and stepped over the threshold, expecting to arrive in the clothing boutique.

Date: ??? Time: One Step Later. Location: Vesti’s Apartment.

On the other side, Vesti discovered a small, familiar apartment room. In fact, he quickly realized that it looked exactly like his own.

Vesti looked around, utterly confused, and then glanced behind him. To his surprise, the door he just came through was gone, leaving only a blank wall behind.

“Hello, Vesti. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Sitting at the dinner table was Chronos Krate. He drank from an orange and yellow smoothie and stared at the detective with disinterest.

“Hmm, over a year now,” Chronos continued, “Time sure flies, particularly for you.”

“What?” Vesti shouted, “Why’d you bring me back? Things were just starting to get exciting!”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Chronos explained, “You’re still in the Breath of the Wild dimension. I actually brought your apartment there too. It makes this little back-and-forth much simpler.”

“What? Why didn’t you just come there on your own?”

“Well, that Seldon character annoys me. I’d rather not have to deal with him.”

“What if someone tries to go into my apartment? Is there just a huge void there now?”

“I’m afraid so. In fact, I think one of your neighbors already stumbled in,” he added thoughtfully. “She was delivering cookies about the hall, you see. I’m not quite sure where she ended up. I guess I’ll have to pick her up later. I’ll admit it won’t be a huge issue if she gets lost though, since she doesn’t even have a name.”

“Wha—Okay, fine. Whatever. I’m not gonna try to wrap my head around your typical nonsense. Would you mind telling me why you’re here? Or why I’m here?”

“Of course. That’s exactly why this scene has been inserted here,” Chronos explained, “Well, and to provide a little break before the trial. In any case, it’s time to discuss the purpose of your mission here.”

Chronos gestured to the wooden chair across from him. It was hard-backed and uncomfortable.

“Please, take a seat.”

Vesti pulled out the chair and sat down. He folded his arms on the table and glowered at Chronos.

“Can I at least try one of those smoothie things?”

“No.”

Investigation: Vesti’s Apartment
Examine:
TV, Poster, Bathroom, Bedroom, Smoothie.
Talk:
Chronos
About Yourself
The Mission
The Investigation
Move:
There is no way to leave!
Present:
To Chronos
What will you do?

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: https://forums.court-records.net/viewtopic.php?p=1437930#p1437930

---

Preseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeent badge! It's all colourful now!

Also examine the smoothie in a very not-subtle way. Let him know we don't appreciate being left dehydrated.

Present: Dyed Police Badge

Vesti attempted to show Chronos his police badge, but the moment he took it out, he recoiled in horror. He had totally forgotten how Sayge ruined it! He proceeded to show it to Chronos anyway.

“Can you believe this?” he shouted, “Look what that dye salesman did to my badge!”

A rare smile covered Chronos’s face. He covered his mouth, failing to stifle the chortle that escaped from his lips.

“Hey! What’s so funny?”

“I’m sorry,” he replied, “That little gag was my idea, is all. I’m glad you seem to be taking it so well.”

“I’m not taking it well at all! I’m absolutely offended!”

“Exactly, that’s the point,” Chronos replied, “If you appreciated the new design, there’d be no point to updating it in the Evidence list. All the humor comes out of how annoyed you are about it.”

“What are you saying?” Vesti asked, “You’re acting like there’s people out there laughing at my antics!”

“Well, I hope there are,” Chronos replied, “But at the very least, I certainly am. That’s the most you should know about..”

Vesti slammed his fist on the table. It was pretty cool.

“I’m sick of you and your friends treating my life like some big joke! You should just focus on keeping your own lives under control!”

“Really, you should be thankful for us,” Chronos replied with a sardonic grin. “We’re the reason that you even exist in the first place. But I’m not here to get mired in all that existential drivel, and I don’t think you are either. Why don’t we move on to the next topic?”

Examine: Smoothie

Vesti decided that the only way to beat Chronos at his own game was to totally disregard the so-called plot. He leaned over the table, staring intently at his smoothie. It was colored in many shades of orange—like the surface of Saturn itself—and was contained in a styrofoam cup topped with a plastic lid shaped like the ringed planet.

Chronos noticed Vesti eyeing his drink and pulled it away.

“I said no, did I not? Quit staring at my beverage.”

“I just want a taste,” Vesti replied, “I’ve never seen that kind of smoothie before!”

“Then why don’t you buy one yourself?”

“It clearly doesn’t exist on my planet. You probably brought it from your moon base or something.”

“I suppose you do have a point there,” Chronos replied, scratching his chin. “Well, how about this? If you pull this case off, I’ll bring you a meal from one of the local fast food places. As a celebration, of sorts. We make some of the best onion rings in the galaxy.”

“You mean you’ll give me alien food for solving a mystery?”

“Pretty much. I assume you’re interested?”

“Of course!” Vesti shouted, “I feel like my whole life’s been leading up this!”

“Excellent. It’s a deal then.”

Vesti and Chronos shake hands. There’s no burst of lightning or flames though. Chronos’s hand even feels like any other person’s would.

“If this is all just some cruel trick, I’ll never forgive you,” Vesti said.

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m a man of my word,” Chronos replied, taking a long sip from his smoothie. “If you can’t trust the narration, then what else can you believe?”

Investigation: Vesti’s Apartment
Examine:
TV, Poster, Bathroom, Bedroom.
Talk:
Chronos
About Yourself
The Mission
The Investigation
Move:
There is no way to leave!
Present:
To Chronos
What will you do?

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: https://forums.court-records.net/viewtopic.php?p=1437930#p1437930

---

Where's all the people maaaaaaaaaan

Still, that's motivation I can get behind! Ask Chronos about the mission.

Yeah, I don’t know what’s going on. It’s making it harder to keep updating this though.



Talk: Chronos Krate: The Mission

“Alright, let’s get to the point,” Vesti said, “Why did you bring me and Percy here? And why have you been hiding out here this whole time? It must have been more than just your distaste for that tour guide.”

“A lot has changed since your visit to the Mario universe, Vesti,” Chronos replied, “A lot of bureaucratic nonsense and arguments with the boss, you know. The point is, I’m not allowed to show my face in Hateno Village, so I have to use you as a go-between.”

“But why does that mean Lauren couldn’t have come here with me?”

“That one was in the cards for a while,” Chronos explains, “Simply put, there is more at stake here than just defending a distressed bug salesman. This is really about you and Percy.”

“Are you saying this is supposed to be some bonding exercise for the two of us?”

“In a sense, yes. There’s a lot awaiting the two of you, but I don’t believe Percy is entirely ready for it. He needs someone to remind him that there’s good in some people. That he doesn’t have to fight his battles alone.”

“That’s it? Why couldn’t you have just told me that in the first place?”

“Because I had the inkling that you’d do it on your own. In many ways, that’s the foundation of your character.”

“You still could have warned me earlier! How am I supposed to get through to him when I’m busy arguing through a murder?”

“I wouldn’t worry about that. Every detail is engineered for your success. All you’ve got to do now is attend the mock trial and not screw it up.”

Chronos put down the half-full smoothie and snapped his fingers. A large window, which Vesti hadn’t noticed was missing, appeared on the wall behind him.

“Just head through that window whenever you’re ready, and the trial will begin. But remember, if you want to keep existing after this excursion, you’ll have to be ready to support Percy.”

“I live on the sixth floor!” Vesti shouted, “I’m not gonna jump out of the window!”

“I moved this room out of your window, remember?” Chronos replied with a sigh. “Besides, there’s no way I’d let you just die after coming all this way. That would be such an anti-climax.”

“Alright, I’ll think about it. There might be some stuff I want to do here before leaving though.”

“There’s literally nothing of value to be found here. It’s merely a stage for us to have the conversation we just finished. I’d advise you to just leave through that window as soon as possible.”

“I’ll think about it,” Vesti replied.

Chronos let out an aggravated sigh.

Investigation: Vesti’s Apartment
Examine:
TV, Poster, Bathroom, Bedroom.
Talk:
Chronos
About Yourself
The Mission
The Investigation
Move:
Out the Window
Present:
To Chronos
What will you do?

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: https://forums.court-records.net/viewtopic.php?p=1437930#p1437930

---

Come oooon we're not leaving until we press Chronos with more personal questions!

Talk: About Yourself

“How’ve you been lately, Chronos?” Vesti asked.

“Is this really the time for such unnecessary questions?”

“This is the only time!” Vesti shouted, “Cause pretty soon you’re gonna go disappear again. When else will we have time to catch up?”

“Our experiences are so vastly different that we couldn’t possibly relate to one another.”

“Now you just sound like my nephew,” Vesti said, “Come on, just tell me what you’ve been up to recently!”

“Well, there’s been a lot of restructuring lately,” Chronos explained, “There’s been less work at the office since demand is so low, so we’ve been focusing on other pursuits.”

“Oh, that’s a shame. Have they been laying people off?”

“Maybe a few of them. But as the boss’s second-in-command, I’m in no particular danger.”

“What’s this boss of yours like?” Vesti asked.

“Completely insane,” he said, without inflection. “One time he shouldered additional work on me because of some absurd bet with another executive. Almost led to me getting banished from their realm. But he’s not really a bad boss, I suppose.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, but I think I can relate!” Vesti replied, “My chief’s pretty crazy too. He once formed a strings orchestra with a bunch of random prisoners, and the weirdest part is they actually ended up pretty good!”

“The two certainly share a certain eccentricity, I’ll give you that,” Chronos said, nodding. “I find your chief a little more endearing though.”

“Man, it’s a good thing your boss can’t hear any of this, huh?”

“Oh, believe me, he can,” Chronos replied, “But he’s well aware of how I feel about him, so it doesn’t particularly matter.”

“Wait, he’s listening to us?”

“I said you wouldn’t understand, Vesti,” Chronos said, shaking his head. “It’d be best for you to avoid contemplating my work life any further.”

Talk: The Investigation

“So how do you think the investigation went?” Vesti asked.

Chronos finally finished his smoothie and chucked it behind him. A waste bin moved over slightly in order to catch it.

“It went exactly as it was intended to.”

“It feels like I didn’t learn much of interest,” Vesti remarked, “Other than how insane everyone in this town is.”

“Wouldn’t it be quite the anticlimax if you figured everything out before you even started the trial?” Chronos asked.

“I guess, but it’d at least mean less work for me.”

“The point of this trial is that you figure out the truth and accomplish your other tasks,” Chronos said, sighing. “I never said that this would be easy for you.”

“Most of my investigations have been a lot simpler than this one though,” Vesti said, “I guess that’s because of the lack of any forensic evidence. But my cases seem to get really complicated whenever you turn up.”

“I’ll admit, my mere presence tends to make things complicated. You could call it a talent of mine.”

Vesti leaned back in his chair thoughtfully.

“I’m just not sure how to approach the trial coming up,” he said, “Obviously Beedle looks pretty guilty, but it just doesn’t feel right. There must be more to this case hidden under the surface.”

“Yes, the upcoming trial will be something of an ordeal,” Chronos replied, “You’ll have to use a lot of your skills to get through it. Hopefully you make it through to the end.”

“That sounds a little foreboding.”

“I suppose it does,” Chronos replied, smiling grimly. “Perhaps you’d best get to it, then?”

(Looks like I’ve run out of things to talk about, and I’m honestly getting a little tired of this. Maybe it’s time to try jumping out of that window.)

Investigation: Vesti’s Apartment
Examine:
TV, Poster, Bathroom, Bedroom.
Talk:
Chronos
About Yourself
The Mission
The Investigation
Move:
Out the Window
Present:
To Chronos
What will you do?

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: https://forums.court-records.net/viewtopic.php?p=1437930#p1437930

---

Examine the TV, rip it out of the socket to take with you and then jump out the window before Chronos can question you

Borrow Chronos powers and jump to the Moonview universe to help settle a far more important trial than this one.

---

Move: Out the Window

Deciding that it was finally time to go, Vesti stood up and grabbed a teacup from the kitchen counter. Stepping forward, he hurled it out the window with enough force to smash the pane, and the cup, into jagged pieces, which sailed out the window into the void beyond.

Chronos Krate looked on with mild interest.

“I’ll admit, that was a little impressive,” he said, “But you didn’t have to do that. In fact, since this is still your apartment, that window will stay broken once you get back.”

“Couldn’t you have mentioned that before I broke it?” Vesti said, sighing. “I thought you were supposed to be all-knowing.”

“You’re special, Vesti, in that some of your actions are unpredictable even to me,” Chronos explained, “Every time I talk to you I’m usually surprised, but often disappointed.”

“Well, whatever. The window’s already ruined. Might as well go all the way.”

Vesti rushed over to the window, then grabbed himself by the feet, lifted himself off the floor, and threw himself toward the window, doing several mid-air flips in the process and crashing through the remaining shards of glass. Though it sounds stupid and unlikely, it totally happened.

As Vesti falls into the void outside, he sees Chronos leaning out the window, watching him.

“Good luck, detective,” he said, giving a quick salute. Then he slowly disappeared from view, as if disappearing behind a whirling snowstorm.

Date: ??? Time: ??? Location: Moonview Manor, Foyer.

Vesti found himself in an extravagant mansion. A dude with a buzzcut, a guitarist, and two little girls were attempting to draw a magic circle by using blood leaking out of a butler’s eye.

“What the heck? I think something went wrong with that window,” Vesti elucidated.

The witches glanced up at Vesti. They began to make comically exaggerated facial responses, horrified that their plan had been found out.

“No way, man! It’s not what you think!” the buzzcut dude said.

“Indeed,” the blonde girl explained, “We are simply performing a religious ceremony to ease our grandmother’s passage into the Golden Land.”

“Okay, well—”

“Alright, I admit it!” the guitarist shouted, “We’re all witches! We’re going to kill a bunch of our family members! Just don’t look at me like that again!”

“Wait, what—”

“Great, way to mess everything up, Vincent,” the white-haired woman said morosely. “Now my family is doomed for sure…”

“The solution is plain, isn’t it?” The butler said, unconcerned at the blood pouring out of his eye. “We’ll just murder this interloper too.”

“You do know I’m gonna have to arrest you guys for that—”

“Nah, let’s not mess with this dude,” Buzzcut dude added, “He’s got nothing to do with this. And he’s kinda hot.”

“Uhh, thanks, but I’m not—”

“What in blazes is this racket about?”

Everyone turned to the balcony where an older man was standing. He was wearing pajamas covered in pictures of little yellow ducks.

“Are you all planning a ritualistic murder? In my house?” the man continued, “What’s the meaning of this? And who’s that man with the awful case of bedhead?”

All the witches desperately plead their innocence. They point at one another, rambling about the real witch was that guy/gal and not them!

“I won’t hear any more excuses. You know what I told you about murdering people, Lucine,” he explained, “It’s time I disciplined you all properly.”

The man pulled out a RPG-7 rocket propelled grenade launcher. He fired it into the middle of the foyer where it exploded violently. Waves of smoke and flame flew in every direction, overwhelming the witches. Vesti let out a scream as the soot consumed him as well.

With the witches gone, life continued as normal for the Moonviews. Unfortunately, Vesti never got to see all the good his accidental time-stalling did for the family. Not that it particularly matters, since this scene is only canon on one forum anyway.

Date: ??? Time: One Step Later. Location: Ventest Clothing Boutique.

Vesti stepped through the door and finally entered the Ventest Clothing Boutique. He blinked a few times, trying to take in the scene before him.

The place had been completely redecorated. Two tables had been set up on opposing sides of the room, and Seldon sat at his desk facing the two of them. A sizable crowd of townsfolk had gathered and spread out around the walls of the store. Suits of armor mounted on wooden poles stood behind them like ghostly spirits watching the trial. Seldon’s daughter, Sophia, still stood in the corner of the room, looking on in concern.

Percy turned toward the door from his position at the rightmost table. His expression turned dark.

“There you are!” he shouted, “What on Earth took you so long? I asked you to help us set up the store half an hour ago!”

“I—uhh,” Vesti turned toward the door, utterly confused. “I thought I only walked through the door a second ago, though…”

“Yes, you clearly did,” Percy said, crossing his arms. “I’m wondering why it took you so long to actually get in here.”

“Honestly, I am too,” Vesti said.

“Well, being a couple minutes late isn’t a big problem!” Seldon exclaimed, “What matters is that now we can get our little trial started!”

“I’m just appalled that he left me to carry all that furniture around myself,” Percy mumbled, wincing. “My back is killing me…”

“Look, I, uh, had a last minute investigation to take care of, okay?” Vesti said, “Don’t worry about it. Just let me get all my evidence in order. Where’s the defendant, anyway?”

Some of the townsfolk stepped aside, revealing Beedle

“I don’t see the point of this humiliation,” he mumbled, “If you violent monsters are going to execute me, you might as well just get it over with! Maybe in heaven I can frolic amongst the butterflies once more.”

“I’ll admit I’m not against the idea,” Percy said, “But we need to duly discuss the matter first.”

Vesti walked over to his table and stared out at the townsfolk, all eyeing him skeptically. He then looked to Beedle, sitting pathetically on the floor.

“I have a few things to ask him too, so we should at least wait till I’m done.”

“Now, hold on a moment,” Seldon said, “The trial hasn’t even started yet!”

“You’re the judge, Seldon. You’re the one with the power to get it running,” Percy explained.

“Oh, really? How do I do that?” he asked, scratching his chin with his thick fingers. “I’ve never been to a trial before. Actually, I’m not even sure Hateno has a judicial system! We usually just hurl our criminals off a cliff and forget about them.”

“Well, there’s a first time for everything,” Percy said, “First of all, I’d recommend finding something loud to grab our attention with. The gallery is still talking amongst themselves quite loudly.”

“Oh, I think I’ve got just the thing!” Seldon said, snapping his fingers. “But to go get it I’ll have to put the trial on hold for a minute or so.”

“Hasn’t Vesti made us wait long enough already?” Percy asked, “Besides, you can’t exactly call a recess before the trial even begins.”

“I’m the judge here, so my word is law! Ooh, I feel like I’m really gonna enjoy this!”

“We’re probably better off waiting a little anyway,” Vesti said, “I’m not ready just yet!”

“How much more time do you need?” Percy asked, leaning over the desk and sighing.

“Look, Percy, you don’t need to give me this much flak,” Vesti said, “You don’t know how much I’ve been through in the time it took to walk through that door!”

“We can’t start until I’m prepared anyway!” Seldon exclaimed, vaulting over his desk. “Just give me a moment everyone! We’ll get this shindig going real soon!”

Seldon sprinted off into another room.

“Man, you guys seem to be having a bit of trouble,” Beedle said, “Maybe you should just call the whole thing off and let me go.”

Beedle’s plea was met only by harsh derision from the townsfolk. He shut his mouth again with a whimper.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Percy,” Vesti said, “My only other experience serving as an attorney had a mushroom for a judge.”

“Why did I even suggest this?” Percy said, sighing. “I feel like I’m going to lose ten years of my life dealing with you people.”

“Well, you’re right about one thing,” Vesti said, “Figuring out what happened last night will be quite a challenge. But if we work together, Percy, I’m sure we’ll do it!”

“You mean like how we worked together to set up this courtroom?”

“The point is,” Vesti continued, “Last time we met, it was only by debating both sides of the case that we were able to get to the heart of the matter. As soon as this trial starts, I want to know why you’re convinced Beedle is guilty!”

“In that case, you’d better be ready. I believe the case is very conclusive.”

Vesti chuckled to himself.

“I wouldn’t expect it to be any other way…”

To be continued…

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: https://forums.court-records.net/viewtopic.php?p=1437930#p1437930

---

Well THAT happened. Canonically, too!

To calm Vesti's nerves, do a little pre-trial dance.

Clearly this is the TRUE ending of Moonview manor.

Consider writing these wacky adventures into a CYOA-style fiction book to publish once Vesti retires from detective work.

---

Vesti decided to do a little jig to calm his nerves. His feet stamped rhythmically on the floor as he dexterously grapevined over to Beedle, who was still lying in a tied up heap.

“Hey, Beedle,” Vesti breathlessly said, “I’d like to know a bit more about your alibi.”

Beedle seemed a little taken aback by Vesti’s hot dance moves. Eventually, he replied hesitantly.

“I already told you everything, I swear! I just went there for the meeting and someone stabbed me in the back and knocked me out cold! When I got back up, I ran away as fast as I could! I didn’t even know it was a crime scene!”

“You’re being rather vague, Beedle, and that isn’t likely to help your case. I need more info,” Vesti replied, “For instance, where exactly were you when you got knocked out?”

“Oh, uhh, I’m not sure how to describe it. I was somewhere near the stairs.”

“How about you mark it on this map here?”

Still grooving, Vesti pulled out his notepad and flipped to the page with the crudely drawn map. He held it out to Beedle and gently waved it up and down. Beedle eyed it up, attempting to follow its motion with his head, and eventually pointed out one section of it.

“Right there!” he shouted, “Just under that section of stairs there! On the right! Yes, I’m absolutely certain of it!”

“I see,” Vesti said, marking that spot with a pencil. “That does provide something of an explanation for how you missed the entire murder scene, since it was on the other side of the room…”

“Yeah, and it had gotten so dark out that I could barely see a thing! Finding the door was challenging enough!”

“Of course,” Vesti replied, “Anyway, could you remind me who you were intending to meet?”

“I’m sorry, pal, but I can’t tell you that!” Beedle replied, “It’s not that I don’t trust you! I mean, I trust you as far as a ladybug could throw you, but I trust those other hooligans even less! If they find out, they’ll kill me!”

“Then let me take a guess,” Vesti said, striking a pose. “You were planning to meet Reede, right?”

Beedle flinched. Then a grimace covered his face.

“I said I wasn’t gonna tell you!” he shouted, “Besides, they never showed up anyway. What does it matter?”

(I think my hunch might be right. Too bad I probably can’t get him to admit it. In any case, I think I’ve gotten all the answers I need.)

{Windmill Map updated in Evidence}

Several light cracks rang out, quieting the audience. Vesti froze in place, glancing toward the source of the noise. It was Seldon seated at his desk, holding a wooden training sword in his hand.

“Alright, fellas, let’s get started,” Seldon said, “We’ve come here today to discuss the murder of a good friend of ours. A brave man, a strong leader, and a loving father. Of course I’m talking about Reede! We’re going to unravel the truth about his demise!”

A rough voice called out from the crowd.

“And then we’ll string up the depraved clansman that did it!”

A few cheers rang out. Beedle cowered on the floor like a fly in a spider’s web.

“No! Don’t string me up! At least throw me off that cliff! I’ve always wanted to know what it’s like to soar like a dragonfly!”

Seldon slammed his sword on the desk four times in rapid succession.

“Alright, let’s settle down,” he shouted, “I’m the one in charge here. Now are the prosecution and defense ready?”

“The prosecution is ready, Your Honor,” Percy replied, standing confidently.

Vesti leapt over to the bench and acted like he’d been there the whole time.

“The, uh, defense is also ready, Your Honor.”

“Oh, forgot all that ‘Your Honor’ stuff. We’re all friends here! Call me Seldon, same as ever!” he said, smiling. “Now, Percy, let’s start with you. What makes you think the salesman here is our guy?”

“Well, forgive me for the bluntness, but his guilt is blatantly obvious,” Percy replied, frowning. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to present my logic. Vesti may respond, but I doubt he has any chance of proving me wrong.”

“Hey, you didn’t have to single me out like that!”

“I’m only warning you of your inevitable failure,” Percy explained, “There are many indisputable facts pointing towards Beedle’s guilt, and I believe those are enough to end the trial now.”

“In that case, let’s begin!” Seldon said, “Percy, fill us in on your thoughts. Ooh, I’m getting excited already!”

“Of course,” Percy replied.

Argument: The Basics of the Case
Percy: Really, this trial is just a formality. The evidence is quite clear regarding Beedle’s guilt.
Percy: First of all, he was quite literally covered in the victim’s blood.
Percy: If that wasn’t enough, there’s the stab wound in his arm, likely from a fight with Reede.
Percy: The bloody weapon Reede used was right there in the windmill…
Percy: While the weapon Beedle used was found stabbed through the victim.
Percy: Not to mention the said weapon was the sickle of a Yiga clansman.
Percy: As for the potion, I think the potion for the victim’s daughter’s illness had something to do with it.
Percy: In any case, everything we need to declare Beedle guilty was right there on the scene!
PRESS a statement or PRESENT evidence.

(Percy certainly had a point. I’m not sure there’s any rebuttal I can make here. Still, it’s a good chance to get more information and familiarize with the facts of the case again.)

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: https://forums.court-records.net/viewtopic.php?p=1437930#p1437930

---

Yeeeeah that's what I'm talking about. Vesti is READY.

I only just now realised how close Reede and Beedle's names are. Got them mixed up a few times reading Percy's logic.

Anyway yeah definitely going to need a refresher on all this, been a while. Reading over all the evidence again helped at least. Press statement 4 ("The bloody weapon Reede used...") and 7 ("As for the potion..."), not entirely sure about those.

Press: Statement 4



“I’m sorry, Percy, but I’m having trouble remembering what you’re talking about,” Vesti remarked sheepishly. “It’s been a wild few hours. Could you explain again?”

“There’s not much to explain,” Percy said, “You found the weapon yourself, didn’t you?”

“I found a lot of things, okay? It’s hard to keep track!”

“Fine, fine,” Percy sighed, “Reede’s weapon must have been the handsaw lying on the floor of the windmill. Aside from the sickle, it’s the only bloody instrument we found.”

“Oh, right! I remember that now. I even made a note of it. Thanks, Percy!”

“Don’t mention it.”

Press: Statement 7



“Huh? Could you run that by me again?” Vesti asked.

“Is there a problem?”

“You’re not making sense,” Vesti said, “You think the potion has something to do with the potion? Well, of course it does. They’re the same thing!”

Percy looked completely dumbfounded for a moment.

“Oh, hmm. I seem to have misspoke,” he eventually said, “I meant to say ‘as for the motive,’ not ‘as for the potion.’”

“Ah, that definitely makes more sense.”

“Wait, hold on!” Seldon interjects, “Now you’ve lost me! I was following on with the whole ‘potion is a potion’ bit, but what does that have to do with the motive?”

“Beedle has been very dodgy about who he was meeting with,” Percy said, “But based on what we know he was most likely planning to sell some of the potion to Reede. It’s possible this let to the murder, but I’m not sure how. Perhaps Reede lacked the funds to buy the medicine, so he tried to take it by force?”

“Reede doesn’t really seem like the kinda person to do that,” Vesti replied, “Besides, if he needed support, there’s probably people in town who would have given it to him.”

“Well, without knowing everything that went on between the two men, it’s hard to make a conclusive deduction. However, Beedle’s proximity to the victim still makes him the most suspicious.”

Suddenly, Seldon smacks his wooden sword into the desk a few times.

“Okay, folks, I’m startin’ to lose interest here!” he said, “Vesti, do you have any actual problems with Percy’s logic?”

“Not really,” Vesti admitted.

“Just as I expected,” Percy said, looking disinterested.

“I do have a better understanding of the case though, so that argument was very helpful!”

“At least you got something out of it, since I doubt this trial will last much longer.”

“Anywho,” Seldon said, “If everything’s settled now, I’ll call the witnesses.”

Vesti whipped around to face Seldon.

“Wait, witnesses?”

“Yes, that’s right. Sayge, Prima, Purah, Bolson: please come to the stand!”

The four named villagers emerged from the crowd and lined up in a row at the witness stand, which consisted of two tables placed next to each other. They made up a rather motley crew: a grey-haired child, a potion-brewing kook, a glare-casting woman, and a pose-striking man. The sight looked a little ridiculous.

“Witnesses, state your names and occupations, please,” Percy asked.

“Purah, ancient tech researcher!” Purah said, flashing two victory signs by her face.

“Sayge, dye salesman!” Sayge said, swirling a bottle of dye. “Speaking of which, have you ever thought about trying a new hair color?”

“Prima, innkeeper. Geez, everyone here knows that…”

“Bolson, proprietor of Bolson Construction. Surely you’ve heard of us? We have a signature song and dance too!”

Bolson began to sway to music only he could hear.

“Buh-buh-buh-Bolson Construction! Bolson! Da-da-da-Bollllson!”

He gestured to the crowd, who shouted out a “Hoo-WAH! Hoo-WAH!” and then struck a pose.

“SHA-DING!”



“Percy, don’t tell me this was your idea?” Vesti shouted, “This is just plain silly! I can’t deal with all these people at once!”

“My apologies, Vesti,” Percy said, “However, no one could agree on who would testify first, so Seldon decided to do it this way. If you’d come earlier, you would have been prepared for it.”

“Ugh, can we just drop that?”

“Indeed, I’ve had enough of your off-topic complaints,” Seldon said, “Now, why don’t you all start by revealing what you all witnessed, particularly about Beedle’s activities.”

“Of course. You can count on us, sir!” Bolson replied, “Now come on, guys! If we all cooperate, we can get this over with pronto!”

“Exactly,” Prima chirped, “Just don’t start singing again.”

“Listen closely, everyone!” Purah said, “We saw all of Beedle’s crimes! He has no chance of worming his way outta this one!”

Sayge’s ears perked up as he mixed two chemicals together on the table.

“Hmm? What awere we talkin’ about again?”

Testimony: Villagers on Patrol
Bolson: We saw his misdeeds with our own eyes. We’re here to shut down Beedle’s lies!
Sayge: Y’see, I was trekking through the forest in search of some dye-lectable colors…
Sayge: When I saw Beedle sneakin’ about and lookin’ mighty suspicious!
Bolson: The boys and I spotted him sneeeeaking into the windmill. We never could’ve suspeeeected he bore ill will!
Purah: A little while later, I saw Reede’s body hanging from the windmill. Oh, what a gruesome sight!
Prima: Then Beedle stumbled down the hill and barged into my shop. His shirt was a complete mess, and he thought I wouldn’t notice!
Prima: That’s when I spotted the body and went to inform the town…My voice still hurts, you know. You’re welcome.
Bolson: Ehh? Girl, what are you on about? Beedle didn’t go to the inn! He went to the vacant house!
PRESS a statement or PRESENT evidence.

(Okay, this is an absolute mess. There’s a lot to unpack here. Since everybody’s got their own perspective, I’ll have to do some digging to find the truth.)

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: https://forums.court-records.net/viewtopic.php?p=1437930#p1437930

---

Pressing 6 and 8 (the ones about where Beedle went afterwards) seems like a good plan here. Also I don't quite remember what the vacant house is.

I can't get enough of Bolson's Rhymes! Press Statement four to learn about Crimes!

---

Press: Statement 4



“What makes you so certain you saw Beedle?” Vesti asks.

“I’m glad you asked! There’s two reasons.”

Bolson threw out a hand with one finger raised.

“I had a talk with Sayge earlier to get the goods! The figure I saw came out of the same part of the woods!”

“Excellent rhyme, Bolson,” Sayge remarks gleefully. “Though from a scientific standpoint, it was a little unclear! The point is that the figure Bolson saw left the same part of the woods that I saw Beedle roaming around in. And I saw his face quite clearly, I might add.”

“Exactly,” Bolson says, raising two fingers now. “Now this next reason’s about to knock you baaaack! The figure was wearing a huge, beetle-shaped backpaaaaack!”

“Ooh, I’ve never seen another backpack quite like that one!” Purah shouts, “That seems pretty decisive to me!”

“Beedle already admitted to going into the windmill though,” Vesti mumbles, “It’s what happened inside that’s important.”

“To figure that out, we should focus on what changed before Beedle left and if anyone else went inside,” Percy replies, “Purah, why don’t you tell us what you saw?”

Press: Statement 6



“Are you sure that was Beedle?” Vesti asks.

“Yes, I’m pretty much certain!” Prima explains, “He was wearing his backpack, and I heard his voice a bunch of times. Not to mention I had a lamp.”

“I’m just making sure,” Vesti says, “More importantly, can you tell me more about how Beedle was acting?”

“Of course! He seemed to be in a bit of a panic. Probably because he’d just stabbed a man, right?”

“I suppose that’s possible,” Vesti replies, “But he’d just been stabbed himself too. Didn’t you say his shirt was a bit of a mess?”

“Mm-hm. It was totally covered in blood! I bet that happened because of his fight with Reede! Even a child could tell that.”

“I’m not sure you should be showing children bloody scenes like that,” Purah adds, “But you do have a point there!”

“It seems that way, but I think we should be on the lookout for more possibilities,” Vesti says, “What did you do after he came in, Prima?”

Bolson watches the two as they discuss Prima’s testimony, shaking his head, but doesn’t say anything yet.

Press: Statement 8



“Okay, what’s going on here?” Vesti asks, “He only could have gone to one place, so one of you must be wrong”

“You can trust me, Vesti!” Prima replies, smiling. “Once Beedle came into the inn, I tied him up there and he never left until you showed up! I don’t know what this nincompoop is on about.”

“No way! My word’s backed by the entire Bolson Construction Crew!” Bolson explains, “We were all sitting by the fire when we saw Beedle head into the vacant house!”

“I know what I saw, Bolson! And anyway, you and your friends were always a little prone to flights of fancy.”

“You got one thing right, sister! I’m the fanciest fella this village has ever seen!”

Bolson strikes a pose, inciting a cheer from the crowd.

“But anyway, you’re wrong about everything else! I bet you just made up that little story to grab some attention!”

“Really? You’re the one wearing enough makeup to drown a horse…”

“Can you two stop squabbling for a moment?” Vesti says, “Bolson, where even is this vacant house? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, that’s quite simple,” Bolson says, “It’s a beautiful house up on the hill! Living there would be quite a thrill!”

“Hmm, yes, that house was vacated quite recently,” Sayge says, swirling some dye in a bottle. “The result of some explosion, I believe. Though I wouldn’t know anything about that!”

“In any case, we’ve fitted it up for sale,” Bolson says, “Perhaps you’re interested, Vesti? That beautiful house can be yours for only 3,000 rupees and 30 bundles of wood!”

“Thanks, but I think I’ll pass,” Vesti says, “Anyway, it feels a little strange that Beedle would go into a house that was supposedly empty, especially when he was spotted somewhere else at the same time. What did you and your crew actually see?”

“The boys and I spotted a figure walking from the direction of the windmill and into the house,” Bolson says, “Since we saw Beedle sneaking around there earlier, it must have been him!”

“That sounds like a strange thing to witness,” Prima adds, “What did you and your crew of tough men decide to do about it?”

“We thought about going in to see what he was doing, but it was pretty late. None of us felt like getting up.”

“Typical.”

“It sounds to me like you didn’t actually see the figure’s face,” Vesti replies.

“Well, that’s true, I suppose. But it had to be him! It’s just simple deductive reasoning!”

“Considering Prima saw Beedle up-close in a lit building, I’m more inclined to believe this figure you saw was someone totally different. But since they haven’t spoken up till now, they were probably up to no good. Thanks for the info, Bolson.”

“Of course! Good thing I spoke up, huh?”

Percy, who had been silently watching the proceedings, let out a sigh.

“Next time, witness, please give us the facts before you give us your questionable deductions.”

{Construction Crew Testimony added to Evidence}

Testimony: Villagers on Patrol
Bolson: We saw his misdeeds with our own eyes. We’re here to shut down Beedle’s lies!
Sayge: Y’see, I was trekking through the forest in search of some dye-lectable colors…
Sayge: When I saw Beedle sneakin’ about and lookin’ mighty suspicious!
Bolson: The boys and I spotted him sneeeeaking into the windmill. We never could’ve suspeeeected he bore ill will!
Purah: A little while later, I saw Reede’s body hanging from the windmill. Oh, what a gruesome sight!
Prima: Then Beedle stumbled down the hill and barged into my shop. His shirt was a complete mess, and he thought I wouldn’t notice!
Prima: That’s when I spotted the body and went to inform the town…My voice still hurts, you know. You’re welcome.
Bolson: Ehh? Girl, what are you on about? Beedle didn’t go to the inn! He went to the vacant house!
PRESS a statement or PRESENT evidence.

(Okay, this is an absolute mess. There’s a lot to unpack here. Since everybody’s got their own perspective, I’ll have to do some digging to find the truth.)

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: https://forums.court-records.net/viewtopic.php?p=1437930#p1437930

---

I want to clarify something, so I guess I'm pressing 8 again. Did the figure they saw have a big old backpack, like Bolson said he saw earlier in the day? I guess we can present Beedle's Backpack there if that's a contradiction.

Statement 3 please!

---

Press: Statement 3



“What exactly was Beedle up to when you saw him?” Vesti asked.

“Oh, I’m glad you asked,” Sayge replied, “Y’see, he was wandering through the trees and glancing all over the place. It was like he was worried about someone seeing him. Mighty suspicious!”

“Hey, I was not!” Beedle shouted from the corner of the room. “You’re just making all that up! I was just hunting down some beetles!”

“Oh, yeah? Well looks like they aren’t the only ‘Beedle’ being hunted down now!” Bolson said, laughing uproariously.

“I’d like to add,” Sayge continued, “That I clearly saw Beedle’s face, as well as the monstrous backpack he’s always wearing! There’s no doubt in my mind that it was him, and he was up to no good!”

“Come on, Vesti,” Beedle pleaded, “You don’t believe this, right?”

“Oh, uhh…” Vesti mumbled, “I think I’d like to hear a bit more about this testimony.”

“Hey, you just dodged the question! This isn’t good. Feels like I’m just a cricket in a bird’s nest…”

Press: Statement 5



“Purah, I know this is a tough subject, but I think it’s also the most important part of your testimony,” Vesti said, “Can you tell me more? Where did you see Beedle from?”

“Oh, that’s easy. I was up in my research lab,” Purah replied, “I can see the entire town from up there. I was observing the stars in the sky when I happened to spot the windmill. It looked a little weird, but I didn’t realize who it actually was…not until Prima made her announcement, that is.”

“So based on where you were, you would have been looking at Reede from behind, right?”

“Exactly, but I could still see him clearly,” Purah explained, “He was brutally affixed to the left side of the windmill. My left, that is! So Prima would have seen him on the right!”

“That sounds right to me,” Prima added.

“Everyone saw that horrible scene,” Vesti replied, “But did any of you actually see Beedle spearing Reede to the windmill?”

“I don’t think so. But he was the only one inside!” Purah replied, “I’m sure that Beedle had placed Reede there shortly before I saw the body, but the only spot on the windmill he could have reached was the bottom of the lowest spoke. Afterwards, the turning blades would have brought him up counter-clockwise to where I saw him.”

“That makes sense!” Bolson shouts, “That windmill’s a Bolson Original! It could certainly take on the weight of a corpse and keep turning!”

“Is that really something to brag about?”

“This sounds like an important detail to me. Can you add it to the testimony, Purah?”

“Uhh, maybe?” Purah said, “Am I allowed to just change around the testimony like that, Seldon?”

“Seems fine to me!” Seldon replied from the desk. “In fact, I hereby order you to amend that testimony! Don’t make me use this sword to make it official!”

“Alright, fine. Here I go!”

{New Statement Added}

Press: Statement 7



“How did you go about informing the town?” Vesti asked, “Is it possible something could have happened during that time?”

“It’s not likely,” Prima explained cheerfully. “Beedle was tied up in the inn, you see. He wasn’t getting out! And I was only away from him for a couple minutes!”

“I remember someone ringing the town’s emergency bell last night. Was that you?”

“Of course,” Prima said, “I only went outside to see if there was anyone who could help me figure out how to deal with Beedle. I happened to glance at the windmill and, well…saw the disturbing scene he left there.”

“And then you went to ring the alarm bell?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty close to the inn. I knew I had to let the town know what had happened, but I didn’t want to leave Beedle alone for long either. So I rushed to the bell and back as fast as my little legs could carry me!” Prima explained, “Does that all add up?”

“Yes, it does. You all can continue.”

“I’m still waiting on that ‘thanks.’”

Double Press: Statement 8



“Bolson, something you said earlier caught my attention,” Vesti said, “You mentioned recognizing Beedle due to the large backpack he was wearing. Did the figure you saw entering the vacant house wear the same backpack?”

“I’m glad you asked that question, Vesti!” Bolson shouted, “I think you’ll be surprised by the answer! Come on, crew. Let’s tell him together. Go!”

Bolson threw a fist into the air. From the crowd, his crew let out a resounding “NO!” Bolson flinched, not expecting that reaction, but thought it over for a bit and continued speaking.

“Oh, right. Now that I think about it, that figure definitely wasn’t wearing a backpack. Whoops! But anyway, it still could have been Beedle! Maybe he just took the backpack off first!”

“This again? I just told you Beedle was still at the inn!” Prima replies, “And he was wearing his backpack too.”

“Yeah, this proves that the figure wasn’t Beedle, but actually someone else entirely!” Vesti said.

“However, that’s completely irrelevant,” Percy replied, “This figure’s existence does not impact the allegations against Beedle, as the latter was in the inn covered in blood at the time.”

“But if they weren’t involved, wouldn’t they have identified themselves by now?”

“The figure could have easily been some squatter with no relation to the case. For all we know, they aren’t even in the room right now. How about we get back to discussing the point of this trial? Bolson, please continue.”

Testimony: Villagers on Patrol
Bolson: We saw his misdeeds with our own eyes. We’re here to shut down Beedle’s lies!
Sayge: Y’see, I was trekking through the forest in search of some dye-lectable colors…
Sayge: When I saw Beedle sneakin’ about and lookin’ mighty suspicious!
Bolson: The boys and I spotted him sneeeeaking into the windmill. We never could’ve suspeeeected he bore ill will!
Purah: A little while later, I saw Reede’s body hanging from the windmill. Oh, what a gruesome sight!
Purah: The body was speared to the left side - my left. He must have just been placed there!
Prima: Then Beedle stumbled down the hill and barged into my shop. His shirt was a complete mess, and he thought I wouldn’t notice!
Prima: That’s when I spotted the body and went to inform the town…My voice still hurts, you know. You’re welcome.
Bolson: Ehh? Girl, what are you on about? Beedle didn’t go to the inn! He went to the vacant house!
PRESS a statement or PRESENT evidence.

(Okay, this is an absolute mess. There’s a lot to unpack here. Since everybody’s got their own perspective, I’ll have to do some digging to find the truth.)

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: https://forums.court-records.net/viewtopic.php?p=1437930#p1437930

---

Present the Windmill Gears at statement 6! The way I'm picturing the scene, if Reede's body was on the left-hand side of the windmill when Purah saw him from behind, and the windmill blades spin clockwise, then Reede's body would have needed to go a full 270° around the windmill to end up there.

In before Link murdered Reede as an Iga Clan member and he's too mute to explain what happened.

---

Yes XD

Present: Windmill Gears: Statement 6



“I’m sorry, Purah,” Vesti said, “But if you’d done a little more research, you’d know that’s completely impossible!”

“What?” Purah stammered, her glasses almost slipping off of her head. “But I’ve been researching for decades! What could I be missing?”

“You’re forgetting the direction that the windmill blades turn,” Vesti explained, “Because that simple fact throws your entire argument into question!”

“Really?” Seldon said, “Which way do they actually turn, then?”

“I took a closer look at the internal components of the windmill,” Vesti continued, “It turns out that they actually turn clockwise. Not counter-clockwise like you thought!”

“Well, fine. I may have goofed that up a little,” Purah replied, “But why does it matter? Sure, the windmill turned in a different direction, but that doesn’t change the fact that I spotted Beedle going inside!”

“Think about it like this,” Vesti explained, “You claimed that because you saw Reede on the right side of the windmill, he must have been pinned to the blades recently. But if the windmill turns clockwise, then Reede had actually traveled 270 degrees around the center, well past the top! And that would have taken way more time!”

“Oh!” Purah said, eyes brightening with inspiration. “In that case, he couldn’t have just been placed there!”

“Exactly! Bolson, your team worked on that windmill, right? How long do you think it would have taken to rotate that far?”

“Hmm,” Bolson mumbled, “The thing would have been a lot slower with Reede weighing it down. I’d say it coulda taken an hour, or even longer!”

“Now hold on, might I say a word?” Sayge interjected, “Sure, I’ll give you that the windmill took a little while to spin around, but I’m a little lost on what that changes, if anything.”

“When Purah saw Beedle enter the windmill, Reede wasn’t pinned to the blades. When she checked again, he’d made it three-fourths of the way around, and it was only after this that Prima saw Beedle enter her shop. That’s a huge gap of time! If Beedle went in there just to murder Reede, there was no reason for him to stick around at the crime scene for over an hour!”

“But this only makes him sound more suspicious to me,” Sayge replied, “If he was in that windmill for so long, he should have at least seen the killer, yes?”

“Wait, this is exactly what I was talking about!” Beedle wailed, “I got knocked out when I went into the windmill! That’s why I spent so much time there!”

“I’d like to ask that the defendant not speak out of turn!” Seldon shouted, “His loud voice is just a wee bit gratin’, after all!”

“But he does have a point, even if he could have said it a little more quietly,” Vesti said, “This corroborates Beedle’s story. What better reason to spend over an hour at a crime scene than because you’ve been knocked unconscious? It seems likely to me that Reede was placed on the windmill while Beedle was inside, but he slept through the whole thing. Once he woke up, he headed straight out the door and into town, not even noticing that Reede was behind him!”

“No way! This is crazy!” Bolson shouted, “How’d you get all that from a couple of goshdang gears?”

“There’s no need to panic, Bolson,” Percy remarked, “I have to admit this seems a little convenient to me, like we’re walking straight into Beedle’s trap. He could have anticipated this very line of reason and come up with a plan to throw us off. What do you all think?”

“That sounds right to me,” Prima chirped, “Bolson, you like to go on and on about how much you know about the windmill. Was there something in there he could have used to throw us off?”

“Oh, umm, of course!” Bolson shouted, sweating a little. “Yeah, I figured it out a while ago, actually. You all can get the testimony started, and I’ll explain at the end!”

“Don’t worry, Bolson, I think I know what the prosecutor’s getting at,” Purah said, “See, listen here!”

The four villagers whispered amongst themselves for a few moments. Eventually, Bolson leapt back in surprise, gesticulating wildly.

“That’s brilliant!” he cried, “Who knew that salesman was such a sly devil?”

“No way! I’m not sly!” Beedle said, “I’ve got all the mental fortitude of a dung beetle’s ball!”

Seldon brought down his wooden sword a few times, silencing the group.

“Alright, that’s enough. Anyway, don’t leave us in suspense now. Please share this new deduction with the court!”

“I hope this theory won’t bring us down a completely unrelated rabbithole…” Vesti mumbled.

“Don’t worry, Vesti,” Percy replied, “I’m sure this discussion will turn out to be very enlightening.”

Testimony: Villagers on Parade
Prima: Look, it doesn’t even make a difference! If you’d just give us a minute, we can explain it!
Sayge: It’s obvious that ol’ Beedle here wanted to set things up to look like he was tellin’ the truth.
Sayge: So he must have had a much more devious plan in mind…
Bolson: There was a spiral staircase in that windmill leadin’ to the top floor. One could practically touch the skyyyy!
Purah: Exactly. Point is, Beedle must have leaned waaaay out of the window up there and stuck Reede to the top.
Purah: That accounts positively perfectly for the time gap we just discussed!
PRESS a statement or PRESENT evidence.

(It seems like there’s a clear contradiction here, but I’m not sure if it will be enough. Still, I’m sure it’ll be worth shedding some light on.)

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: https://forums.court-records.net/viewtopic.php?p=1437930#p1437930

---

Present the Loft Door (which is locked) at statement 4!

Press: Statement 5



“So you think Beedle pinned Reede onto the windmill from the loft?” Vesti asked, “What would the point of that have been?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Purah replied, “It was to throw off the time of the incident! He wanted to give his story credence by engineering this huge time gap. And you fell for it, you silly goof!”

“Hey, I’m not silly!” Vesti shouted, “And I don’t buy into that reasoning either. If Beedle was smart enough to think of a plan like that, then why’d he get caught so quickly? Surely he would have thought his plan through a little better.”

“I didn’t say he was smart! Just devious,” Purah explained, “It takes a different set of skills to come up with a murder plan than to execute one! Even if you think through every angle, you might still be scatterbrained enough to forget to check your shirt for blood!”

“Why are you talking about this like you’ve had experience?” Prima muttered.

“I’m starting to think there’s just no reasoning with you,” Vesti sighed, “However, I bet some solid evidence will change your mind!”

“Huh?” Purah stammered, “You’re bluffing! There’s no way you have evidence!”

Present: Loft Door: Statement 4



“I’d like to direct the court’s attention to the hefty door in the windmill’s loft,” Vesti began.

“What about it?” Bolson interjected, “Its sturdy build? Its gorgeous lustre? Its lovely oaken smell? My team is quite proud of that one!”

“No, I’m referring more specifically to its lock.”

Bolson’s face falls in shame.

“Oh, that’s the one part we didn’t work on…That was all Larry ”

“One of Larry’s locks?” Seldon said, “He was truly a masterful smith. It’s a shame he’s not around anymore…”

“What?” Vesti said, thrown totally off-track. “What happened to Larry? Is he okay?”

“I believe you may be losing sight of the point, Vesti,” Percy remarked.

“Right, sorry! As I was saying, that door was locked at the time of the crime. It could only be opened with the correct key. However, that key has gone missing!”

“What’s the problem there?” Sayge asked, “Beedle’s probably still holding on to it, y’see.”

“That’s definitely possible, but maybe Prima can clear up this confusion for us!”

Everyone turned to the innkeeper. She smiled meekly and waved.

“Why me?”

“You thoroughly searched the defendant when he stumbled into your inn, remember?” Vesti explained, “And you didn’t find a trace of that key.”

“Oh, yes! Haha! I suppose I didn’t… But wait! Beedle could have easily thrown the key away on the way to the inn!”

“Oh come on! Surely we would have found it by now if he had!”

“It’s not as if we turned over every stone in the whole village,” Percy replied, “As long as Beedle left the main road, he probably could have found a sufficient hiding spot.”

“Exactly! He could have easily thrown it off into the woods!” Prima shouted, “Glad someone here has sense.”

“I find it hard to believe the truth is as simple as that,” Vesti mumbled.

“The truth is often simpler than you think,” Percy said, “Beedle didn’t want to get caught with the key if his scheme was unraveled, so he took his chance to throw it out as soon as possible. Unless you have an actual reason to doubt this explanation, I see no reason to believe it’s false.”

“If you’re so confident in it, then why don’t you add it to the testimony?”

“That sounds reasonable to me!” Seldon shouted, “Prima, go ahead and add it quick-like!”

“Why, of course!” Prima replied, “I’d be happy too!”

(No way I’m letting that one slide.)

{{New Statement added}}

As the discussion continued, Vesti thought quietly to himself.

(This is tougher than it looks. I don’t think any of my evidence will be useful here. Is there another strategy I can employ?)

Suddenly, Vesti’s cell phone went off. He stared at it in shock and then hurriedly answered it.

“Hello? Who is this? And how are you even calling me?”

“Hey, Vesti, it’s Lita! I’m calling from this weird phone booth that just sorta popped up over here. Seems like something strange is going on with you. Are you okay?”

“I’m in a huge mess, but I’m more or less used to it by now. It’s good to hear your voice again though.”

“Same here. Where even are you? I got a weird error when I called you earlier.”

“This is gonna sound crazy, but I kinda got pulled into a video game—”

“Huh? Could you repeat that? The line got flooded with static for a bit.”

“Ugh, guess that’s not allowed,” Vesti mumbled, “Anyway, I think I could use your help, Lita. I’m held up on a case. What do you do when you know something’s fishy, but you don’t have any physical evidence?”

“Oh, that’s an easy one. I hurl the funky statement at the next witness I cross-examine! Sometimes the contradiction is hidden within their knowledge! Is that help—”

Lita’s voice suddenly cut off. Vesti stared at the phone and realized the line was dead.

(Well, guess that’s all the time Chronos will give me. I hope she doesn’t think I got knocked over the head or something…)

Vesti glanced up and noticed that everyone except Percy was staring at him in horror and concern.

“Wh…Why were you talking into that singing stone?” Bolson shouted, “Were you just performing…Yiga witchcraaaaft?”

“Oh, no! Not at all!” Vesti said, shoving the phone in his pocket. “Why don’t we just get back to the testimony!”

The witnesses nodded and exchanged glances, unconvinced, but eventually refocused themselves at Percy’s urging.

{{You can now press witnesses on the statements of other witnesses! If you think a contradiction may lie in another witnesses testimony, simply choose the faulty statement and a witness to ask about it. Who knows what secrets you may uncover!}}

Testimony: Villagers on Parade
Prima: Look, it doesn’t even make a difference! If you’d just give us a minute, we can explain it!
Sayge: It’s obvious that ol’ Beedle here wanted to set things up to look like he was tellin’ the truth.
Sayge: So he must have had a much more devious plan in mind…
Bolson: There was a spiral staircase in that windmill leadin’ to the top floor. One could practically touch the skyyyy!
Purah: Exactly. Point is, Beedle must have leaned waaaay out of the window up there and stuck Reede to the top.
Prima: I know I didn’t find the key to the door, but he could have just gone off the path and stashed it somewhere!
Purah: That accounts positively perfectly for the time gap we just discussed!
PRESS a statement or PRESENT evidence.

(I know Prima’s statement must be wrong. Is there a witness who saw something that could disprove it?)

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: https://forums.court-records.net/viewtopic.php?p=1437930#p1437930

---

Uhhhhhhh... Press Bolson about statement #6?

Consult: Bolson: Statement 6



“How do you feel about what Prima just said, Bolson?” Vesti asked.

“Hmm? You’re asking me?” Bolson said, “Well, I can’t blame you! But I’m not sure what I’d know about that. It seems like a reasonable enough theory to me.”

“It is reasonable, but only because we haven’t proved it wrong yet,” Vesti explained, “You and your crew watched Beedle leave the windmill, right? Did you see him head off somewhere—to drop a key perhaps?”

“No, we didn’t see nothing like that! The figure just went straight to the abandoned house. They had a real purposeful stride to them!”

“That proves it then. If that was Beedle, there’s no way he could have thrown away the key!”



Percy pulled his hood low over his eyes and shook his head.

“Were you not just arguing that the figure Beedle saw was someone other than Beedle?” Percy asked, “I suppose you’d rather ignore this fact now that it’s proved itself inconvenient.”

“Oh, shoot!” Vesti cried, “No, that’s not what I meant at all! In fact, are you sure you didn’t see that figure go off the path, Bolson? Maybe they had the key after all!”

“Nope, I’m standing by what I said,” Bolson said, striking a pose. “Maybe you should think about doing the same next time!”

“If you wish to make an argument like that, Vesti,” Percy added, “You’d be better off pressuring someone who actually saw the defendant leave the windmill…”

{Prestige decreases by 10%!}

(Wait, isn’t there a witness like that on the stand already? Maybe I should think over their testimonies again.)

Testimony: Villagers on Parade
Prima: Look, it doesn’t even make a difference! If you’d just give us a minute, we can explain it!
Sayge: It’s obvious that ol’ Beedle here wanted to set things up to look like he was tellin’ the truth.
Sayge: So he must have had a much more devious plan in mind…
Bolson: There was a spiral staircase in that windmill leadin’ to the top floor. One could practically touch the skyyyy!
Purah: Exactly. Point is, Beedle must have leaned waaaay out of the window up there and stuck Reede to the top.
Prima: I know I didn’t find the key to the door, but he could have just gone off the path and stashed it somewhere!
Purah: That accounts positively perfectly for the time gap we just discussed!
PRESS a statement or PRESENT evidence.

(I know Prima’s statement must be wrong. Is there a witness who saw something that could disprove it?)

Prestige: 90%

Evidence: https://forums.court-records.net/viewtopic.php?p=1437930#p1437930

---

Not gonna lie, I keep losing track of what's what and who's who in this case. Guess I need to go back and refresh myself on past testimonies.

I suppose Prima saw Beedle "stumble down the hill". Did she have eyes on him all the way from the windmill? I'm unclear what she saw exactly. Press her about Statement #6!