King of Thieves - Treasure 6

Madara: Hahaha! Didn't think NewDi would summon me and Leo-san! I'm in great spiriiiits!

To come running at your call... Really feels like I'm a hero, huh? Did you call us for an emergency unit meeting?

Leo: Then why me and not Suo~? He's the new king after all - he'll get all mad if you leave him out.

Natsume: You don't have to worRY. That's not what I called you here FOR.

As a matter of FACT, NewDi's trash was stolen yesterDAY. Which one of you did IT?

Madara: Oh ho, getting riiiight to the point.

What a fun opportunity, being treated like suspects in a mystery. Confessing immediately would just spoil all the detective fuuun!

So before anything else, why don't you tell us how you reasoned this out, Natsume-san?

Leo: That's right~♪ It's boring if you don't imagine it first! So tell us your thoughts!

Tsumugi: I want to know too, Natsume-kun.

You had some kind of reason asking them to come here, right? What makes you think either of them are the criminal?

Natsume: WELL, no need to FRET. I just want to hear yesterday's order of eVENTS.

First OFF, Tsukinaga-senpai. Yesterday you met with the rest of Knights' memBERS, didn't YOU?

Leo: Yeah. I was at the meeting, but so what~? How's that related?

The crime happened at night, so I think you've got no reason to suspect me!

Madara: Hahaha. That makes you sound like the criminal, Leo-san ♪

But I've got an alibi for him, too. Leo-san went home just past noon, so that clears him of suspicion, doesn't iiit?

It should be on the security cameras. He was at Starmony Dormitory at the time of the crime, you knooow?

Tsumugi: True... And it's possible that Mikejima-kun could've snuck past through the cameras' blind spots, but...

Mikejima-kun was with me until late into the night.

If he'd offered to take out the trash instead, then I'd have more reason to be suspicious of him.

Natsume: YES, I thought someone else had done it at FIRST, TOO.

HoweVER — by adding just one thing to this hypotheSIS, everything suddenly lines UP.

For examPLE — what if I said that when Tsukinaga-senpai went to discard a new musical SCORE, he threw away his dormitory key on acciDENT?

Tsumugi: His dormitory key... into the trash can...?

Natsume: You remember what Knights were talking aBOUT, RIGHT, Senpai? They were worried because Tsukinaga-senpai hadn't come back to the dormitory in a WHILE.

If that's the CASE, then it wouldn't be too off to think you were missing something vital when you tried to return to the DORMS, RIGHT?

Leo: Ooh yeah, that's the stuff! You got the right idea! Those guys in Knights sure were worried, huh?

So, so? Lemme hear what's next!

So let's say I lost my key. But what makes you think Mama took the trash bag I dropped my key into?

Natsume: MayBE — let's consider THIS.

Tsukinaga-senpai was heading back to his dorm for the first time in a WHILE, but he'd have to unlock the DOOR. That's when he would've realized he lost his KEY.

It'd be a pain to turn around and go back to ES after coming all the way to the DORMS, so he asked his good friend Mikejima-senpai to retrieve it for HIM.

But it was already LATE. Mikejima-senpai had just finished helping out with NewDi's WORK, so he was stuck going back to ES one more TIME.

He looked for it in the office just as Tsukinaga-senpai told HIM, but he couldn't find IT.

Going by Tsukinaga-senpai's behavior that DAY, he figured that it must've gotten mixed in with the musical score and tossed in with the TRASH.

HoweVER, he didn't want to keep Tsukinaga-senpai waiting by fumbling through every individual trash BAG — so he had no choice but to just grab one of THEM.

This WAY, we can put a logical explanation to how the trash looked all scattered aROUND, RIGHT?

Tsumugi: I see... When you put it like that, I get why someone would take trash home.

But what about nothing showing up on the security cameras?

The problem wouldn't have gotten so big if we had evidence of Mikejima-kun on the cameras, right...?

Natsume: Maybe he didn't want to aggravate the situation and planned on sneaking the garbage bag BACK.

HoweVER, Mikejima-senpai saw someone from the clean-up crew reporting the incident to ES, so he couldn't just put it BACK.

With just this one misstep on Mikejima-senpai's PART, he's complicated THINGS.

...Isn't that SO, Mikejima-senpai?

Madara: Yep. Amazing, Natsume-san. You've got a keeeeen eye ♪

It's just as you said. I temporarily took home the trash in order to try and find Leo-san's key. Isn't that riiiiight, Leo-san?

Leo: Wahahahaha! That's exactly right, it was my slip-up that caused all this trouble! Sorry for being so slow on the uptake?

But look. As you can see... I found my key, and now I have it in my jacket pocket so that I won't lose it ☆

Natsume: Even if you argue BACK, are you aware of just how much trouble you've caused US?

Madara: Go-lly! I'm extremely sorry!

I really sent you for a loop, didn't I? Still, your reasoning was splendid!

Although I did it for a friend, I went just a touch too far. I'll reflect, I'll repent...☆

I'll put the trash back where it belongs, so no need to worry. Is that fine with the two of you, Natsume-san and Tsumugi-san?

Natsume: (sighs) It's useless to scold you TWO. I got IT, so just be careful next TIME.

Tsumugi: Ahaha. As for me, I'm just relieved that the perpetrator isn't from our office.

I'm sorry for having called you here so suddenly, Mikejima-kun, Tsukinaga-kun. I'll report back to ES later, so you're free to go. ♪

Madara: No worries, it was my mistake. Aaall of ES was on the verge of a scandal. We were only saved thanks to a wiseman called Natsume-san...☆

On that note, I'll be going home. I don't wanna keep causing you trouble, so if you need help with something, just let me know ♪

Leo: See ya, Obachan! I feel like I can use this for a song, so I'm gonna go shut myself in a room somewhere and compose ☆

Tsumugi: Ahaha. Take care of your key, okay? See you later ♪

...Well done, Natsume-kun.

Everyone's good intentions came together like a chemical reaction and caused an incident — a person like me who can't understand feelings would never have dreamt of something like that.

Natsume: This was out of character for ME. I'm a fortune-teller after ALL, not a detecTIVE.

While I'm glad the robbery brouhaha was cleared UP, we're right back at square ONE.

Tsumugi: That's true... I'd be more relieved if this incident was a clue somehow.

But we've got no choice other than to be patient and keep searching. Maybe Sora-kun's doing the same on his own.

Natsume: He might BE. Sora's much more reliable than you after ALL, Senpai. Let's give him a CALL.

AH. HelLO, Sora — where are you right NOW?

...A thIEF? What are you talking aBOUT...?