The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures/Episode 2: The Adventure of the Unbreakable Speckled Band/Investigation, Part 3

Nikolina Pavlova, Bif Strogenov, and Inspector Hosonaga enter the room, and upon doing so, Pavlova wastes no time accusing Ryunosuke of breaking into her room and setting her pet free. Once again, the situation looks bleak for Ryunosuke. Pan left and examine Sholmes for a break in the case. Sholmes reveals what he believes to be the identity of the pet that Pavlova was hiding in her suitcase: a striped snake, which has already coiled itself around Strogenov's head. He will then propose his theory using his power of deduction.

The Great Deduction: Intruder's Identity
Conclusion: A beloved speckled snake

Identity: Course Correction
Just as they were before, Sholmes' deductions are followed by doubt. Susato says that a snake wouldn't have been capable of climbing the bell cord or hearing a whistle, putting serious holes in his logic. It is now up to Ryunosuke to correct the inconsistencies and reveal the truth.

On statement 4, turn the camera until you can see the back of Pavlova's hand. Present the claw scratch. Sholmes notes that the wound still looks fresh, and Pavlova confirms that it aches when she thinks about the events of last night. On statement 9, turn your attention to the table next to Strogenov. Examine the photograph frame next to the teapot. Present the little kitten in the photograph. Pavlova admits that her kitten, Darka, is the pet that she smuggled onto the ship. On statement 16, rotate the camera around Pavlova until you can see what she's really hiding behind her back. Examine the snake's sloughed skin, Ryunosuke and Susato notice that the supposed snake's skin looks fluffy and has a handle, as if it were a cat's toy. Present the cat's toy. As it turns out, Darka escaped into Kazuma's room through the ventilator, and Pavlova attempted to use the cat's toy to lure it back. This would explain his observation of a speckled band hanging out of the ventilator in his diary. The Pavlova & Darka Photograph is then entered into the Court Record.

Conclusion: A beloved kitten

The Great Deduction: How Mr Asogi Died
Conclusion: Death by a venomous snake's bite

How Mr Asogi Died: Course Correction
On statement 4, Ryunosuke and Susato notice that Sholmes probably isn't aware of the examination done on the victim by the medical examiner. Present the Post-Mortem Report. A broken neck was the cause of Kazuma's death, not venom. On statement 7, Ryunosuke and Susato note that Kazuma's broken neck could have been caused by a bad fall. Present the Mark on Floor, which seems to indicate that Kazuma tripped.

On statement 13, rotate the camera to get a view of the wastepaper basket under the desk. Examine the wastepaper basket and Ryunosuke and Susato will notice a familiar broken piece of glass inside. Present the wastepaper basket. The piece of broken glass in Pavlova's wastepaper basket connects perfectly to the piece found in Kazuma's room, putting her at the scene of the crime. Ryunosuke must then present the conclusive evidence that links Pavlova to the bell formed by the pieces of broken glass. Present the Pavlova & Darka Photograph.

Conclusion: Death by tripping over a cat

Solving the case
Following Sholmes' deductions and Ryunosuke's course corrections, Pavlova finally reveals her version of last night's events. However, Susato dismisses her story as more lies. Ryunosuke also notices some contradictions, and Sholmes encourages him to present evidence that proves that Kazuma's murder wasn't a mere accident. Firstly, present the Crime Scene Photograph. Ryunosuke points out that there's no way that Mr Asogi could have left the message on the floor, as the fall would have killed him instantly. Secondly, present the Mark on Floor; nearby is a piece of broken glass that was discovered to be one half of the kitten's bell. So how did the other half end up in Pavlova's cabin?

Strogenov interrupts and claims that the other person in Asogi's room was you, Ryunosuke! But there's no way for you to have written that Russian word while still sleeping inside the closet! You point out that the Russian spelling of "wardrobe" is an attempt to put blame on Ryunosuke, and deflect attention from the real culprit. Strogenov goes on further to say that Nikolina has been performing for two years as part of the sailor's band and that she did nothing wrong. Then there's the issue of the locked door.

Sholmes suggests that there's a way to bolt the door without lifting a finger. Present the bookcase. As seen in part 2 of the investigation, Sholmes tested the emergency stop in order to prove that the ship's swaying could have slid the bolt into place.

Despite Sholmes' argument, Strogenov denies pressing the emergency stop button in the middle of the night. Present the Ship's Log to shut him down. Between midnight and 2 a.m., the log says "nothing to report," but the rest is blank. Why did Strogenov forget to fill in the blanks after 2 a.m.? Sholmes also points out that everyone but Asogi ate chicken last night, suggesting that it was laced with a soporific drug that caused the other passengers to sleep through the emergency stop.

Continuing on, it's revealed that while the ship's passengers were asleep, the crew helped Nikolina from a fishing boat onto the ship. Of course, Asogi's death couldn't have been done alone, as someone already tampered with the crime scene. Present the ink stain on the back of Strogenov's shirt to prove that he had some involvement with the tampering done at the crime scene. Present the Crime Scene Photograph to link him to the purple ink near the body. Sholmes points out that there is something else that is unnatural in the photograph. Present Kazuma's left hand, which is clenched into a fist. Sholmes reveals that he was holding a crescent moon with a gemstone in the center. But where did it come from? Present Nikolina's right or left ear to conclude that Kazuma pulled her earring as he fell down at arms length, conclusively placing her in his room at the time of his murder.

What really happened
Ballerina Nikolina Pavlova boarded the steamship SS Burya in the dead of night while escaping her home country of Russia. She was aided by the crew, who remained fond of her due to her past with them. The crew drugged the passengers via the roast chicken in their dinners so that the emergency stop would go unnoticed, but because Kazuma Asogi gave his chicken to the stowaway Ryunosuke, he remained awake that night. He was then visited by the kitten, Darka, that Pavlova had smuggled onto the ship, via the ventilator that connected their two cabins. Pavlova followed Darka to Kazuma's cabin in order to retrieve him, knocking on his door. Kazuma initially mistook her for Inspector Hosonaga, who had been ordered to guard him throughout the trip, but upon opening the door, greeted her politely. Kazuma then recognized her as a runaway ballerina, due to having seen her when she performed in Japan. She explained her circumstances and Kazuma agreed to keep quiet about them, but first mentioned that he wanted someone else's opinion.

As Kazuma approached the bell cord, Pavlova panicked, recalling that he had initially mistook her for an inspector. Believing he may somehow involve the police, Darka jumped from Pavlova's arms and she proceeded to push Kazuma. This sudden act combined with Darka's sudden presence at his feet caused Kazuma to lose his balance, and his head collided with the bed post, breaking his neck. Pavlova then ran to crewman Bif Strogenov for help, and he assisted in covering up the accidental murder. Finding Ryunosuke asleep in the wardrobe, Strogenov also used Kazuma's finger to write гардероб, Russian for "wardrobe", framing Ryunosuke in the process. To further implicate him, the ship also stopped a second time to lock the door from the inside: when the ship stops, untethered objects do not due to the momentum, and the sliding lock was one such object. Unbeknownst to either of them, it was likely Kazuma was heading for the wardrobe rather than the adjacent bell cord. Since Kazuma had a stowaway himself, he likely wanted to introduce the two to establish trust.

The end
Following Nikolina Pavlova's confession, Susato points out that she misunderstood what Kazuma was about to do. Examine the bed for an achievement/trophy in the Steam/PS4 versions of the game. Present the wardrobe where you were sleeping to conclude the case. Kazuma was going to ask for your opinion in what to do, but it was too late due to the catastrophic misunderstanding. Nikolina apologizes for the last time before the scene ends.

After having a final chat with Strogenov who'll look after Nikolina on her way to America, you go to your room to pack up since you're a stowaway. But Sholmes chimes in, saying the study tour can't go on without a lawyer since Kazuma Asogi is gone. Inspector Hosunoga informs Ryunosuke that he'll be transported back to Japan, and Susato will go with him due to the conclusion of the study tour. But you decide to honor his legacy by becoming a lawyer after studying for a few months. Despite the Inspector's protests, Sholmes knows that you have a great ability to solve complex problems. You'll also be holding onto Karuma, Kazuma's sword.

With very little choice, Inspector Hosonaga agrees to let you take over as a leader while Susato acts as your assistant, and the scene ends with Susato giving you a final toss to the ground with Sholmes ready to rumble. In London, prepare to meet the ace attorney at last.