Mystery of the Vanishing Stele - Story

Overview • Star Lily Case Files • Moonlit Night Castle • Detective Agency • Mystery of the Vanishing Stele • Secret Whispers of Spring Plains • Phantom Sea

Case Commission[]

The fragrance of agarwood

Fills the air of the crowded museum

The scattered fragments of the stele

Spell out the only answer

A pair of sinful hands

Snatched a priceless treasure of humanity

Words written in an extinct language

A missing parchment

And you, our guests

Will all this come together to reveal the truth?

...

Clutching the invitation letter, Nikki pushes open the door of the museum, and is greeted by a heavy fragrance in the air. Inside, a crowd of familiar faces have gathered.

Momo: Nikki, what's this...

Amid the chatter of the crowd, Momo pulls the corner of Nikki's clothes to get her attention. Then two claps sound and everyone goes quite.

In the main hall not far off, a spotlight lands on the center of the floor, showing a small glass shield covered by a crimson veil—the highlight of tonight's exhibition.

The guests gather around, waiting for the unveiling of this fabled exhibit. This stele has been shrouded in mystery for too long and now it's time to find out what it really is.

*Ding*

The clock in the museum rings, breaking the silence. The curator walks in and greets the audience. Everyone holds their breath as the veil lifts to reveal what's inside the shield—

A mess of shattered stele comes into view.

After a short silence, the crowd erupts in a cacophony of gasps, screams and laments. Some try to examine the mess, some try to protect it. Everyone is jostling. It's utter chaos.

Welcome to our museum. Here we present you the Mystery of the Stolen Stele. Time to put your detective skills to the test and solve the mystery.

Dialogue - Ace[]

(Someone in the crowd in front of the showcase steps on Momo's tail. Nikki scoops her up and gets her away from the throng.)
??: Nikki, over here!
(A familiar voice speaks. Nikki turns her head and sees Ace waving at her in an empty corner.)
Momo: Phew... finally got out there!
Nikki: Ace, are you also here to see the stele?
Ace: Yeah, didn't expect something like that to happen...
Momo: Why are there only fragments? What does the stele originally look like?
Ace: The stele is an ancient relic. It was shattered during the war. The curator had been collecting its fragments, and only recently did he manage to piece them together into a whole.
Ace: This exhibition was supposed to show us the repaired stele.
Nikki: But... someone broke it.
Ace: Yes. And the gem inside one of the fragments is gone!
Momo: What does the gem look like? Perhaps it's the same color as the stele.
Ace: Yesterday, I was invited by the curator to check out the repaired stele. Its surface was covered in a mysterious golden pattern and studded a gleaming gem. Very eye catching.
Momo: You saw the stele yesterday?
Nikki: What's inscribed on it? It might give us a clue to its theft.
Ace: Some say it's an ancient magic spell, some say it's a recording of history, some say it's an invaluable design drawing...
Momo: That's a lot of theories!
Ace: That's because the inscription is an extinct language. But the curator found a parchment from the same era as the stele. Said to be a key clue to deciphering the inscription.
Ace: And yes!
(Something occurs to Ace and she claps her hands in excitement.)
Ace: It just occurred to me that the parchment was part of the exhibit too, but now it has disappeared along with the gem-studded fragment!
Nikki: Looks like the theft was premeditated.
Momo: Now then, it's time for the great detective Nikki and her assistant Momo to get to work!
Nikki: Trust me, we'll find whoever took the fragments and the parchment!
Ace: Right. We can't let such a precious stele be destroyed. I'll help you.
Nikki: Why don't we split up to search for clues and meet back here when we're done?
Ace: Okay. See you later.

Dialogue - Zhu Ruosheng[]

(At the center of the main hall, the crowd begins to dissipate. The showcase is cordoned off.)
(The afternoon sun pours a flood of light through the window onto the entire floor, making the messed-up showcase look out of place.)
(A short distance away, a girl silently stands with a folding fan in hand, pondering something.)
Nikki: Counselor Zhu? Are you also here for the exhibition?
Zhu Ruosheng: Hi, Nikki, I'm with Qianshuang. She's helping the curator get some rest and will be back in a while.
Nikki: We're investigating the destruction of the stele. Do you know anything about it?
Zhu Ruosheng: My family had one of its fragments. When the curator came to us and offered to buy it, I was the one handling the deal. Other than that, I know little about the stele itself.
Nikki: Okay, but have you noticed anything unusual about what just happened?
Zhu Ruosheng: When the veil came down to reveal the destroyed stele, the curator almost fainted. Qianshuang and I went ahead to help him, so we didn't pay attention to what happened around us.
Nikki: Have you seen anyone suspicious before and after the exhibition?
Zhu Ruosheng: Now that you mention it... I did see a girl looking around for something when the crowd cleared. I noticed her because she looked nervous.
Nikki: That does sound suspicious. Can you describe the girl?
Zhu Ruosheng: Hmm... let me see. Long light-colored hair. In a purple dress.
Nikki: Got it. Did you see where she went?
Zhu Ruosheng: That way.
(Zhu Ruosheng lifts her hand and points her folding fan toward the side hall.)
Nikki: Okay, I'll go check. Thank you, Counselor Zhu.
Zhu Ruosheng: You're welcome.

Dialogue - Mayor of Moonlit City[]

(A tall, spacious hallway runs through the museum, lined by doors that open to side halls of varying styles.)
(Nikki follows the direction given by Zhu Ruosheng and arrives at one of the side hall doors, where they see a familiar figure.)
Momo: Oh, it's the Mayor!
Moonlit City Mayor: Greetings, are you also here for the exhibition?
Nikki: Yes. May I ask, were you in the side hall just now?
Moonlit City Mayor: Yes, one of my favorite painters is hosting a personal exhibition and with a lecture thrown in. I'm there for moral support.
Nikki: Then have you seen a girl with long light-colored hair wearing a purple dress?
Moonlit City Mayor: Long light-colored hair? I did see a confused-looking girl in a purple dress printed with stars.
Momo: Huh, that rings a bell.
Nikki: What's she doing here?
Moonlit City Mayor: She asked me for directions, said she came to see the constellation exhibit next door but got lost. I pointed her the way but she headed off in the direction of the main hall...
Momo: I'm pretty sure that girl is Starlet!
Moonlit City Mayor: You guys know her?
Nikki: Yes, a friend of ours. An astrologist with a poor sense of direction.
Momo: Since she was here for the constellation exhibit, that rules her out as a suspect!
Moonlit City Mayor: A suspect? I heard a commotion from the main hall. Did something happen?
(Nikki tells the Mayor what happened in the main hall and how they planned to catch the thief. The Mayor ponders for a moment.)
Moonlit City Mayor: I was going to attend the exhibition, but it coincided with the painter's lecture. Can't believe it went down like that.
Nikki: Do you have any clue who might have broken the stele and stolen the parchment?
Moonlit City Mayor: As far as I know, the gem studded in the stele is something very precious. The curator went to a lot of trouble obtaining it after he collected all the stele fragments.
Momo: Then it must be worth a fortune. The thief probably wanted to sell it for money!
Moonlit City Mayor: That's a possibility. But if it was money he was after, there are plenty of exhibits around here that can fetch a much higher price. Why steal the stele?
Nikki: Yeah, I find that strange too. And he even took the parchment!
Momo: Looks like we still need more clues!
Nikki: Thank you, Mayor. We'll go look somewhere else.
Moonlit City Mayor: Good luck!

Sea of Stars[]

Momo: Whoa, it's beautiful in here!
Nikki: The museum's dome is built to mimic the sky. So true to its name... and so magnificent.
Momo: I wonder if Starlet is here...
Nikki: She might have gotten lost. Let's look around for clues.
Momo: Nikki, there's a statue of a beautiful woman over here.
Nikki: This must be the legendary Goddess of Libra, a symbol of absolute justice.
Momo: Nikki, I wonder what you look like dressed up as a goddess. Why don't you change into a graceful and mature-looking evening gown?

Dialogue - Annabel[]

(After saying goodbye to Moonlit City Mayor, Nikki and Momo come to a side hall.)
(It's the oil painting section. A young girl is sitting straight, absorbed in copying the painting in front of her.)
Nikki: Isn't that Annabel over there?
Momo: Annabel, what are you drawing?
Annabel: Oh, Nikki, Momo! I'm copying a masterpiece. It helps improve my skills and gives me inspirations.
Nikki: You've been here the whole time? Have you seen anyone suspicious?
Annabel: Suspicious? Uh, but I've been concentrating on my drawing... Did something happened?
Nikki: There was an exhibition in the main hall. The exhibit was found in pieces when it was unveiled. We're looking into it.
Annabel: Oh, I see. So that's what the commotion was about. It gave me quite a start.
Nikki: You've been in the side hall area. Have you seen anything?
Annabel: No. If I knew what was going on, I would've paid more attention...
(The atmosphere turns heavy. Suddenly, Momo notices a few stains of fresh paint on Annabel's clothes.)
Momo: How did you get that on your clothes?
Annabel: Hmm?
(Annabel looks down to check her clothes and suddenly gets excited.)
Annabel: Oh, how forgetful of me!
Annabel: Soon after the commotion, when I was ready to resume drawing, the door was flung open with a 'bang' and a man entered, giving me quite a start. That's when I spilled the paint.
Nikki: What does the man look like?
Annabel: Uh... Tall. In a Cloud-style outfit. Handsome and refined, with quite a presence... Now that I think of it, he looks kinda like one of the characters in my new manga.
Momo: *Cough*
Annabel: Sorry, got carried away! Wait, I can't let myself be deceived by his appearance. He must have stolen the exhibit. That's why he was in such a hurry!
Momo: That's very possible! I'm so excited right now!
Nikki: Which way did he go?
Annabel: He left soon after he walked in. I saw him heading to the side hall to the right!
Nikki: Thank you, Annabel.

Dialogue - Joe Brownie[]

(Nikki enters the hall next door, but doesn't see anyone in a Cloud-style outfit. Then she notices Joe admiring the exhibit.)
Momo: Oh, it's Joe!
Joe: Hello, Nikki, Momo.
Nikki: Hi, we're investigating the incident that just happened in the main hall. Do you know anything about it?
Joe: You're talking about the theft of the stele, right? I was there. Ugh, what a loss.
Nikki: So you came to attend the exhibition too?
Joe: Yes, there's a very precious gem in the stele. It used to belong to Mr. Schiller. It took the curator a lot of persuading to get it from him.
Joe: I came here on Mr. Schiller's behalf to bear witness to the unveiling of the stele.
Momo: So that gem belonged to Kimi's family! Looks like you didn't steal it after all!
Joe: Hahaha, I'd never do anything to harm the Apple Apparel Group.
Nikki: Have you by any chance seen a good-looking man in a Cloud-style outfit?
Joe: You must be referring to Mr. Zhong Lizi. I got here a bit early, so I met him and we had a little chat.
Momo: What?! So the man Annabel was talking about is Zhong Lizi?
Nikki: In a Cloud-style outfit, with quite a presence. That indeed sounds like General Zhong.
Joe: Zhong said he was here on a mission and that he'd leave once his job is done. I convinced him the exhibition was a rare one and that he should watch it before attending to the job.
Momo: His boss will thank you for that...
Nikki: So Zhong Lizi didn't know there was an exhibition. But the theft of the fragment and parchment was pre-planned, which means Zhong is not our guy.
Momo: My excitement was premature. I thought we had him!
Joe: And oh, when the exhibit was found stolen, I looked around the crowd and saw a petite figure sneaking through the crack the door at the same time as Mr. Zhong left the main hall.
Nikki: A petite figure... Got it.
Momo: Any other clues? About the stele or anything else!
Joe: There's a tale behind the gem in the stele.
Nikki: What legend?
Joe: Mr. Schiller had been wanting to design an ornament out of this gem. He came up with lots of ideas but none would satisfy him.
Nikki: Surely it wouldn't prove too difficult for a genius designer like Mr. Schiller?
Joe: I thought so too. He just kept switching ideas. It's as if none of the designs he came up with were perfect enough for him.
Joe: It wasn't until later, when I talked to the curator about it, that I learned the story behind the gem.
Joe: It's said its original owner wanted to make the gem into an ornament, but before he could do it, the gem was taken and he got killed.
Nikki: You said none of the designs was perfect enough. Does it mean the only perfect design was the one created by the owner? And that the gem's been waiting for him to fulfill his wish?
Joe: That's what Mr. Schiller believed, and that's why he was willing to hand over the gem to the curator.
Nikki: Interesting. We should start with this story and learn more about the gem.
Momo: Then we should take a look around the archive!
Nikki: Thank you, Mr. Joe.
Joe: No problem. Good luck with your investigation.

Dialogue - Fu Su[]

(Nikki and Momo leave the side hall and come to the archive on the second floor of the museum.)
(The archive has far fewer visitors than the rest of the museum. Rows upon rows of book shelves fill the room. There's a faint scent of paper in the air.)
Momo: I don't know why, but every time I step into a room full of books I feel sleepy.
Nikki: Stay sharp, Momo. We have a thief to catch!
(Through the crack of the book shelf in front of them, Nikki and Momo see a white shadow floating by.)
Momo: I-I saw something! Is this place haunted?!
???: Kitty, take a good look at me. Am I human or ghost?
Momo: Ahhhhhhhh...
Nikki: Fu Su, knock it off. You're scaring her.
Momo: What? It's Fu Su?
Fu Su: Haha, funny cat. Nikki, are you here to look up information?
Nikki: Yes. Something got stolen in the hall downstairs. We figured we'd come up here to look for clues. Do you know what happened down there?
Fu Su: Sorry, I've been here the whole time. I heard there would be a precious stele on display. So I came here to learn more about it. That way, I can better appreciate the exhibit.
Nikki: Well... you probably don't know it, but the thing that got stolen was the stele. And we are here to investigate.
Fu Su: What? Can't believe I lost track of time and missed the exhibition.
Momo: It doesn't matter. Even if had been there, you'd see nothing but a mess of debris...
Nikki: By the way, we just learned the story behind the gem in the stele. I wonder if you have found any information about it.
(Nikki tells Fu Su the story she heard from Joe.)
Fu Su: I read about it just now in one of the history books. It's a shame the design drawing went missing along with the gem. I heard it's a parchment. I wonder what it looks like.
Momo: Parchment?! Wait, so the thing that got stolen along with the fragment...
Nikki: That's right, a parchment.
Momo: So the thief knew about this, and that's why he took the parchment along with the gem!
Nikki: Hmm, while you're here, have you noticed anyone who may be interested in the stele's history just like you are?
Fu Su: When I first arrived, I saw a man flipping through several books. As soon as he saw me, he turned and left, leaving the books where they were.
Fu Su: Since those books happened to be the ones I was looking for, I started reading them. I thought the man would come back but he didn't.
Momo: Sounds fishy!
Fu Su: He was dressed in a strange manner, donning a cloak that covered his face.
Nikki: Cloak? Could he be the Fantasy Envoy?
Momo: Whatever. Let's find him!

Dialogue - Vivi[]

(In the archive, Nikki ponders the clues as she walks, oblivious to her surroundings. Then she bumps into a girl as she turns a corner.)
Nikki: Oops...
(Books come cascading down to the floor. Paying no mind to the mess, Nikki hurriedly helps her up.)
Vivi: I'm sorry! Oh, it's you, Nikki!
Nikki: Vivi? Why are you here?
Vivi: My father is the curator of this place. I come here once in a while to help organize the books. Sorry, I didn't see you there. I was carrying too many books.
Nikki: I should be the one to apologize. I was too absorbed in my thoughts...
(As she talks, she hurriedly picks up the books from the floor. Suddenly a parchment catches her attention.)
Nikki: Huh? Is this...
(The parchment is covered in oddly-shaped ancient words that are more unintelligible than imagined.)
(In the margin there are freshly written words. Some of them have been crossed out, but terms like 'gem' and 'imbed' can be faintly made out.)
(This must be the parchment that has disappeared along with the stele.)
Momo: Vivi, you stole the parchment!
Vivi: Me? What are you talking about, Momo?
Momo: Don't play dumb with me. That's the proof right there! You destroyed the stele in the main hall, didn't you? Where's the gem? Hand it over now!
Vivi: Main hall? I've been working in the archive all day. Haven't set foot in the main hall.
Momo: Stop lying!
Nikki: Hold on, Momo. She doesn't look like she's lying.
Vivi: I have a colleague working with me here. Ask her if you don't believe me. Nikki, what's going on?
Nikki: We were here to attend an exhibition, but the exhibit, a stele, was found broken when unveiled, and the gem in it was gone along with a parchment. We are investigating it.
Vivi: I see. I found this parchment in the crack of the top shelf. I thought someone forgot it there, but now it seems it was left here on purpose.
Nikki: Have you seen anyone near that book shelf?
Vivi: I've been moving about the room sorting books, so I didn't notice anything... Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
Nikki: It's fine. The thief must have deliberately avoided the staff.
Momo: I think it could be the Fantasy Envoy. After all, his cloak is good instrument for hiding!
Nikki: I agree. Vivi, can you recall when you found the parchment?
Vivi: Let me see. After I found it, I spent a good while clearing the book shelf, then I met you.
Nikki: That'd give the thief plenty of time to escape... Momo, let's go ask if anyone else has seen the Fantasy Envoy!

Heavy Workload[]

Momo: It's so quiet in here...
Nikki: That's because this is not an ordinary museum. People only come here to look up information.
Momo: So many shelves of books. Which one might contain information about the stele?
Nikki: The nameplates on the sides of the shelves might give you a clue. You see, this is the machinery section, this is astronomy, this is nature...
Momo: My head is gonna explode reading all of this...
Nikki: Have faith in yourself! You're supposed to be an assistant to a great detective!
Momo: Then you should change into a cute plain detective-style outfit. That'll motivate me to better assist you in finding the thief!

Dialogue - Sofia[]

(Nikki and Momo leave the archive and hurry downstairs.)
Momo: The Fantasy Envoy was wearing a strange cloak. If anyone saw him, they'd remember.
Nikki: Hmm, there should be a lot of visitors in the lounge. Let's go there and ask around.
(Nikki pushes open the door of the lounge. The atmosphere here is more relaxed than in the exhibition halls.)
(Nikki sees Sofia drinking tea in a corner.)
Sofia: Nikki, Momo! Are you here to rest?
Nikki: Hi, Sofia. Momo and I are investigating the incident that just happened in the main hall.
Sofia: You're talking about the destroyed stele, right? It's a shame. I thought I finally had the chance to take a good look at it.
Nikki: Have you seen anyone suspicious?
Momo: Such as a mysterious masked man donning a cloak?
Sofia: No, not anyone that fits your description. Someone dressed like that would be hard to miss.
Momo: Damn it, where did he go?
Sofia: I didn't see the man you described, but I did see a girl who was acting suspiciously.
Nikki: What did she do?
Sofia: At the time, it was utter chaos in the main hall. I wanted to get away from the crowd, so I came here, which was quite empty then, and saw a girl doing something in a corner.
Sofia: I walked up to her to say hi, but she seemed startled by my presence and quickly ran off.
Nikki: What does she look like?
Sofia: As I recall, she was short, wearing a robe that looks like a school uniform... She looked kinda cute when she freaked out.
Momo: That sounds like Debbie!
Nikki: Do you know where she went?
Sofia: That I don't know. She left the lounge as soon as she saw me.
Nikki: Let's go look somewhere else. Thank you, Sofia.

Dialogue - Nancy[]

(On the other side of the lounge, Nikki feels a pat on her shoulder.)
Nancy: What a pleasant surprise, Nikki!
Nikki: Oh, Nancy, you're here too.
Nancy: I enjoy the vibe of the museum. It makes me relaxed.
Momo: But what just happened in the main hall was not relaxing at all!
Nancy: Huh? What happened?
Nikki: May I ask when did you arrive at the museum, Nancy?
Nancy: I don't recall the exact time. But when I got here, the museum just opened. And yet there was already a crowd, which got me curious. That's when I learned there was an exhibition.
Nikki: Did you see the exhibition?
Nancy: I couldn't stand the crowd, so I went to some other exhibition hall.
Nikki: When did you come to the lounge?
Nancy: I came here twice. The first time I wanted to get away from the noise in the main hall and came here to get a tea.
Nancy: The second time, after I took a stroll around the museum, I came here to rest. That's when I met you!
Nikki: Looks like you came here about the same time as Sofia did. Did you see a short girl?
Nancy: I do recall entering the lounge with a petite girl, but she left soon.
Nikki: Did you notice anything special about her?
Nancy: Anything special... Well, when she left the lounge, I noticed the fine ornament in her hair, studded with a flashy gem. Couldn't take my eyes off it.
Nikki: Gem, ornament...
Momo: Was she wearing it before she left?
Nancy: Uh... As I recall, when she came in, she wasn't wearing anything in her hair and was carrying something in her hand.
Nikki: The parchment, the gem, the design drawing, the ornament. I think I know what's going on!
Momo: What?
Nancy: And oh, on my way back here, I saw that girl again in the hallway. The jewelry in her hair is so special. I wonder who designed it.
Nikki: Are you saying Debbie is in the hallway right now?
Nancy: Yes, but she seemed ready to leave. It's getting late. I should go home now.
(Before Nancy finishes speaking, Nikki and Momo turn to leave the lounge and head off in the direction of the museum entrance.)

Criminal Dialogue[]

(In the thronged hallway, Nikki finds Debbie.)
(Debbie panics at the sight of Nikki, then regains her composure and stops.)
(Her hair is decorated with a fine ornament, studded with a glittery gem tinted with the color of the sunset glow.)
Debbie: What a pleasant surprise, Nikki.
Nikki: So that ornament in your hair...
(Uneasily, Debbie stretches out her hand to touch the ornament, then takes a deep breath before speaking.)
Debbie: I designed it myself. It's pretty, isn't it?
Nikki: The gem in the ornament, where did you get it?
Debbie: I... bought it in the Pigeon Forest. I found it very attractive, so I made it into an ornament.
Momo: You're lying! The gem comes from the stele!
Debbie: What stele? You mean the one on display in the main hall? But it's become a pile of debris. I don't see any gem in it.
Nikki: Surely this must look familiar to you.
(Nikki takes out the parchment and points at the crossed-out writing on it.)
Nikki: It took me a while to figure it out, but I know you wrote those crossed-out words. I recognized your handwriting.
Debbie: So what? I found it in the museum and jotted down a few notes on it. Then I threw it away when I no longer had use for it.
Ace: But why does this parchment look the same as the one stolen from the showcase? May I ask where did you find it?
Nikki: Ace, you're come!
Ace: Didn't know you'd be here. I had been waiting for you in the main hall. Now, Debbie, would you mind answering my question?
Debbie: I... don't remember where I found it!
Ace: Then let me remind you. You sneaked into the main hall and stole it before the exhibition started.
Debbie: I did nothing of the sort! The parchment was stolen along with one of the stele fragments. But you won't find the fragment on me.
Nikki: It's right there in your hair.
Debbie: I told you, it's an ornament I designed myself. How could it be a stele fragment?!
Nikki: I just learned that the parchment is a design drawing, not some ancient document to explain what's written on the stele.
Nikki: It's drawn specifically for the gem in the stele, and its author was none other than of gem's original owner .
Nikki: After you learned this fact from some ancient book, you stole the parchment and the fragment, then went to the lounge when no one was in there and used them to craft the ornament.
Debbie: I...
Nikki: I can have the curator check the gem in your ornament, see if it comes from the stele. That's all it takes to find you guilty!
(Debbie pales. Then after a long silence, she lets out a heavy sigh.)
Debbie: Fine. Guilty as charged! You're right, Nikki, I stole the stele fragment and the parchment.
Nikki: But why did you break the stele and took the parchment?
Debbie: This gem was taken from its designer in a scheme, but why would it end up in a stele? Have you thought about that?
Nikki: Yes, it's uncommon for a gem to be imbedded in a stele.
Debbie: I've learned that the man who took the gem was a person in power, and that he wanted to build a stele as a monument to his achievements and put a gem in it to signify his status.
Debbie: He got his eyes on a designer's gem, but the designer refused to give it up and eventually ended up killed...
Debbie: I wanted to finish what the designer started and build the ornament in the design drawing. That's why I destroyed the stele—that symbol of hypocrisy.
Nikki: That completes the story behind the gem...
Ace: Granted, the stele was built by an evil man, but it's still is a historical artifact worth preserving. Not to mention the curator went to a lot of trouble to have it repaired.
Debbie: Mmm... I know what I did is wrong. I'll explain everything to the curator, and return this to its rightful owner.
(Debbie removes the ornament from her hair. The gem in it, despite what it went through, still proudly glitters.)
(Nikki and Ace stand on the hallway, watching Debbie as she turns and makes her way to the curator's office.)

Reward Letter[]

Coming soon...