Fontaine's Grand Stage: Come If You Dare! (Genshin Impact)

"If the victim took a temporarily detained prisoner from the police station, it wouldn't raise any suspicion."

"Especially if the victim personally arrested the prisoner, it would be even less suspicious."

"And in a panic to flee the scene and avoid capture by the Maison Gardiennage, the prisoner would simply return to where they were supposed to be."

When Lofan finished speaking, almost everyone was stunned.

Of course! Why hadn't they thought of that?!

What better scapegoat than someone who had already committed a crime?

"Quick, check the recent arrest records!"

Snapping out of his daze, Captain Elton immediately barked orders, and the Maison Gardiennage officers sprang into action.

"We owe you big time, Brother Henry!" Captain Elton boomed, slapping Lofan hard on the shoulder with a hearty laugh. The case was about to be solved so quickly, all thanks to Lofan's brilliant deduction. The more Elton thought about it, the more favorably he regarded Lofan.

"Brother Henry, my daughter's a huge detective fan. She loves reading all kinds of detective novels. I'll have her come over sometime so you young folks can chat."

Lofan was stunned by Captain Elton's words.

"Captain Elton, isn't your daughter only twelve years old?"

This is way too sus!

And the fact that he was a police officer made it even worse.

"What's that look on your face, you little rascal!" Captain Elton slapped Lofan on the head. "I just want you to be a playmate for my daughter."

"Alright, stop by White Dew Cafe sometime—my treat."

Lofan rubbed his forehead, watching Captain Elton walk away with a helpless expression.

Too bad I probably won't get the chance.

"Monsieur Henry, you're amazing! You solved the case so quickly," Vinani said, her eyes filled with admiration.

"Miss Vinani, you're quite perceptive yourself. I believe you were already starting to suspect the victim, weren't you?"

"After all, you noticed the traces of staging at the scene. Such details might typically be overlooked since the victim was a Maison Gardiennage officer."

Despite his words, Lofan knew Vinani would never get close to the truth.

In reality, the ultimate truth depended entirely on the evidence Lofan chose to present.

For instance, he had just scattered a large sum of money and a Sinth in the victim's home.

Previously, because the deceased was the victim, Maison Gardiennage officers wouldn't have been able to investigate his residence.

Even after discovering he lived alone, it would take time for his colleagues to sort through his belongings under the guise of cleaning up after his death.

Meanwhile, Lofan had already fabricated a nonexistent victim within the Maison Gardiennage system, meticulously perfecting his scheme.

As for the staged crime scene, it all came down to perspective.

One could argue the killer had set it up, or that the victim had deliberately smashed the glass to attract attention.

In any case, without Lofan's follow-up actions, no investigator, no matter how brilliant, could ever solve this case.

As for minor inconsistencies, they didn't matter. Cracking the case was all that mattered.

"That's not quite right," Vinani explained. "I only suspected there might be a problem within the Maison Gardiennage. I hadn't considered that the victim himself could be the source of the issue."

She paused briefly before continuing, "Monsieur Henry, I must say, the way you solved the case just now was absolutely hideous!"

Lofan: "...Maybe you should just stay quiet."

Though he knew Vinani likely meant it as a compliment, her words sounded incredibly awkward.

"Anyway, I'll leave the rest to Miss Vinani."

"I need to use the restroom."

"Oh, right..."

Feeling the time was right, Lofan excused himself from Vinani. He left his body on autopilot in the restroom while his consciousness shifted to the "real victim."

"Ouch, ouch, ouch..."

The moment he arrived, Lofan heard a soft groan beside him. He turned to look and burst out laughing.

Scarface!

"Well, isn't this just perfect?!"

Scarface looked utterly miserable, undoubtedly having endured a thorough "re-education" from the Maison Gardiennage officers.

Lofan clicked his tongue in mock sympathy. "Hey, isn't that Scarface? What happened? You've really let yourself go in just a few days, haven't you?"

It was indeed a stroke of luck. Due to his body's unique status, Lofan had encountered Scarface once or twice before, though they'd never truly interacted.

"You—!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa..."

Scarface, already in a foul mood, was completely incensed by Lofan's mocking tone. His temper flared.

Just as Scarface lunged to teach Lofan a lesson, he jerked his wounded shoulder, letting out a pained yelp.

Physical retaliation was clearly impossible, but Scarface refused to lose face. He glared venomously at Lofan.

"Just you wait, you little bastard!" he snarled. "When my damn wounds heal, I'll rip that smart mouth of yours right off!"

Having delivered his threat, Scarface decided to let the matter drop for now.

He was a killer, after all, and his current charge was the murder of a Maison Gardiennage officer—a crime he vehemently denied, though he knew the truth.

His opponent, on the other hand, had no such history. Knowing this, anyone with a shred of sense would steer clear of provoking him, perhaps even try to curry favor to avoid his wrath.

Scarface never expected this. Instead of the groveling he'd anticipated, he received a brutal kick to the kidneys.

The impact turned his face green, the pain so intense he couldn't even scream. Only after an agonizing moment did a heart-wrenching howl finally escape his lips.

"Stop waiting for later—come get me now!" Lofan taunted, punctuating his words with a few more playful kicks to Scarface's battered body.

The kicks left Scarface reeling. How dare he?! Does this guy have a death wish?!

But the searing pain quickly banished such thoughts. Moaning and begging for mercy, he pleaded, "Stop! Stop! I was wrong, okay?!"

If he didn't beg, it wouldn't matter if Lofan had a death wish—he'd be dead from the pain himself!

"What's that noise?"

"Damn it! The victim might be getting silenced!"

"Move in!"

A commotion erupted outside. The iron gate clanged open as several Maison Gardiennage officers stormed inside.

"Stop!"

"Release that man!"

Scarface's wretched state immediately convinced most officers he was the victim. They rushed to protect him, shoving Lofan aside. Only a few, aware of how Scarface had infiltrated the premises, exchanged peculiar glances before casting approving looks at Lofan.

"No doubt about it, this guy's definitely trying to get his sentence reduced!"

Scarface was deeply moved. He never expected a Maison Gardiennage officer to step in front of him when his life was in danger, and tears welled up in his eyes.

"He tried to kill me!" Scarface wailed, reverting to his schoolboy days of tattling to the teacher. Pointing at Lofan with a tearful voice, he lost control and blew his nose, splattering snot onto an unfortunate bystander's face, who grimaced in disgust.

"Speak! Why did you attack him?!"

"Who sent you?!"

The case had far-reaching implications, and everyone was on edge. Their first thought was whether Lofan might be involved.

The officers exchanged wary glances before cautiously surrounding Lofan.

Seeing this, several Maison Gardiennage officers who knew the full story hurried forward to explain.

"What? He's not the victim?"

The officers turned to Lofan, realizing he was the real target. They immediately surrounded him, glaring vigilantly at Scarface.

"And what's your deal?"

"You weren't sent to silence him, were you? But got taken down instead?!"

Scarface nearly vomited, his humiliation beyond words.

When Scarface remained silent, one of the Maison Gardiennage officers spoke up.

"This man murdered one of our colleagues in broad daylight! He deserves worse than death!"

"What?!"

The crowd erupted in fury upon hearing the explanation.

Normally, as law enforcement officers, they would avoid actions that could tarnish their reputation. But at that moment, their patience snapped. With no civilians present, several of them rolled up their sleeves and charged forward.

Scarface's pig-like screams soon filled the air once more.

"Ugh, scum!"

"Just give him a few kicks, everyone. Captain Elton's waiting for us to bring the victim over."

"You guys go ahead. I'll add a couple more kicks and catch up."

"Just kill me already!"

Scarface bitterly regretted his decision to go out that day. If only he hadn't crossed paths with that lunatic!

As he lay battered and bruised, he couldn't help but shout, "Don't you even screen for mental stability when you recruit for the Maison Gardiennage?!"

The moment the words left his mouth, his screams grew even more agonized.

"Captain Elton, we've interrogated him. This man is definitely connected to the case."

"You must be the victim."

"We're deeply sorry that such a serious problem occurred within the Maison Gardiennage."

Captain Elton looked at Lofan with some embarrassment, knowing that it was one of his own officers who had framed him and even tried to take his life.

While Lofan had committed some minor offenses—petty theft, nothing serious—they were utterly insignificant compared to this heinous crime.

"Come, have a seat," Captain Elton said, personally pulling up a chair for Lofan and ordering a glass of water for him. He then began questioning him about the case.

After hearing the full account of the incident, the officers' admiration for Lofan only grew. The details he and the other witness had provided were nearly identical!

Vinani, too, was completely won over. Lofan hadn't even asked for confirmation of whether any suspects were currently detained at the police station or for evidence from the victim's home. Yet, relying solely on the initial clues, he had completely solved the case.

How did he do it?

Was that state of mind truly so extraordinary?!

With the truth finally revealed, the Maison Gardiennage officers who had investigated the victim's home returned with substantial new evidence that largely corroborated Lofan's account.

However, one question still lingered in Captain Elton's mind. "Why did you insist on running away back then?" he asked. "If you had simply explained what happened and allowed us to investigate the victim's home, we would have quickly uncovered the truth and cleared your name."

After hearing Captain Elton's question, Lofan rolled his eyes. "Seriously? I was framed by one of your own Maison Gardiennage officers. How could I possibly trust anyone else here?"

Lofan's words brought expressions of shame to the faces of the officers. Some were embarrassed that a colleague would stoop to such tactics, while others reflected on their own complicity and prejudices.

The case had already cast a terrible shadow over the Maison Gardiennage. If news broke that a law enforcement officer was the murderer, public trust would be shattered.

"But I must admit," Lofan continued, "I never expected you'd actually find me. It seems you have a truly remarkable individual among you—someone dashingly handsome, intellectually brilliant, bravely fearless, irresistibly charming, and... a god-tier detective!"

The officers stared blankly at Lofan, dumbfounded. After a long pause, Captain Elton finally snapped out of it, forcing a strained smile. "We do have someone who fits that description... but I doubt he's quite as legendary as you make him out to be."

Lofan cut Captain Elton off mid-sentence. "That's not important!" he declared. "What matters is, shouldn't my good deeds offset my crimes? Can't you just let me go?"

"Releasing you outright might be difficult, but I can certainly recommend a reduced sentence," Captain Elton replied hesitantly. "I'll do my best to put in a good word for you with the Judge, but I do have a small request of my own."

"Confidentiality, right? I understand," Lofan said dismissively. "Fine by me."

"Speaking of which, the Maison Gardiennage really needs to clean house! How could they let such a despicable, shameless, filthy, vile, treacherous, and cunning scoundrel slip through the cracks?"

After another verbal barrage from Lofan, Captain Elton's head was swimming. "Rest assured, I'll investigate thoroughly!" he vowed. "I'll root out every rotten apple hiding in the Maison Gardiennage—not a single one will escape justice!"

As Captain Elton spoke, his expression hardened with resolve.

"If only there were more people like you, Captain Elton, in the world."

"Th-thank you," Elton stammered, taken aback. It felt strangely surreal to hear such praise from a prisoner.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way then," Lofan said.

Hearing Lofan's words, Captain Elton nodded and instructed his officers to prepare a cleaner cell for him.

With the case finally solved, the initial relief was quickly overshadowed by the grim realization of the deep-rooted corruption within the Maison Gardiennage. In Poisson, many officers had skeletons in their closets, requiring careful "management" through bribes and favors.

Yet, considering that the worst-case scenario was merely forced resignation, and recalling the newcomer who had cracked the case so swiftly upon arrival, Captain Elton let out a silent sigh and abandoned any further resistance.