It is quite unexpected to see the Storyteller alive and well, at least for the courtroom. Maya attempts to call the trial off right there, seeing as the "victim" never died, but Layton still insists that Espella is the Great Witch Bezella. The Storyteller is apologetic for how Espella has been treated by the townsfolk all these years, and agrees to tell the truth and put everything to rest.
Storyteller's Testimony: The Truth about Labyrinthia[edit | edit source]

- Storyteller: Although you know me as the Storyteller, I have one more identity. I am the president of Labrelum Inc.
- Storyteller: The whole town...is one of Labrelum's research facilities. It may be hard for you to comprehend...
- Storyteller: This land is rich in a very special substance, which affects everyone who lives here.
- Storyteller: This substance enables the manipulation of people's minds. And that is what Labrelum is researching.
- Storyteller: This experiment began ten years ago. The townsfolk all became test subjects.
For the past ten years, the town of Labyrinthia has been used for research by the Storyteller, who wrote the Story to keep the illusion going. Hard as it may be to comprehend, this is the truth, so all you can do is pursue it to the best of your ability.
The Truth about Labyrinthia: Cross-Examination[edit | edit source]
Press all statements:
- First statement: Truth be told, this is too much to process for you, and you have no idea where to start! Layton recognizes the name Labrelum Inc., however, as an English pharmaceutical company founded by Arthur Cantabella, which is the Storyteller's real name. They are known for developing a general anesthetic widely used in the medical world today. As it turns out, Labyrinthia is, indeed, still part of the real world, and not some fantasy dimension. It does not officially exist in documentation, as is explained in the next statement.
- Second statement: Arthur has taken great pains to conceal this town from the outside world, using the same kind of mechanisms used to produce the "magic". The necessary commodities are imported via ships, which is, incidentally, how Carmine Accidenti took Espella out of Labyrinthia. This project is funded by the government because of the Arthur's "beliefs".
- Third statement: You recall the ruins you found under the town, where the Bell of Ruin went missing. Arthur states that everyone in this town has a "condition" that makes people fall unconscious when they hear the sound of silver being struck, so there are no silver objects in Labyrinthia. All inhabitants of the Eldwitch Woods carry silver bells, which they ring to knock the citizens unconscious whenever magic needs to be performed, which explains the apparent discrepancy in time experienced by everyone involved in the witchcraft incidents. You actually found one of these bells back at the marketplace, which Kira dropped. This condition is due to the groundwater, which contains a unique substance that gives people this "silver allergy". As for how the Shades remain unaffected, the condition turns out to be temporary, and will vanish in a day if none of the water is drunk. This substance also affects plants, which the bulk of the research was focused on.
- Fourth statement: The substance in this area's groundwater affects both people and plants. The wildflowers in this area produce a non-lethal poison that brainwashes people, which was used in the ink used to write the Historia Labyrinthia. Anyone who inhales the ink's vapours will believe anything they are told as the truth, which explains the parades' purpose: to hypnotize the town's inhabitants regularly.
- Fifth statement: Everyone involved in the experiment voluntarily signed a contract with Labrelum. They were dissatisfied with their lives, and wanted to start all over again with a blank slate and a new identity. Once the contract ends, they will remember their old lives. Ten years is an awfully long time for an experiment, though... The parades were held at regular intervals to renew the hypnotic ink's effect, as otherwise, it would fade over time.
Arthur grew up in this area, back when it was but a small town with no industry to speak of. His only friend growing up was Newton Belduke, also known as the alchemist, who was incredibly interested in exploring the world around him. One day, the two of them stumbled upon the underground ruins, and learned of an advanced ancient culture that once existed on the very spot their town stood. They fled, however, after they believed their land had been cursed by the Great Witch Bezella. Newton and Arthur studied as hard as they could in order to change the town for the better... but it was all for naught, as everybody in the town had died. Project Labyrinthia was started shortly afterwards, starting small in scope, and eventually growing into a whole town.
The crowd is driven mad, trying to remember their childhoods and failing - no one in Labyrinthia can remember their past. But wait... no exceptions? There is definitely one large exception. Present Espella Cantabella's profile. She very clearly claims to remember the Legendary Fire! Layton calls Espella to the stand to testify about the events of the fire as she remembers them.
Espella's Testimony: The Legendary Fire[edit | edit source]

- Espella: I was...just a little girl then. It happened during the annual fire festival.
- Espella: Everyone was gathered in the town square for the fire festival, and I was watching them from the bell tower.
- Espella: The Great Witch Bezella awoke within me and brought calamity upon the town.
- Espella: An enormous fire dragon appeared. I was trembling with fear, terrified by what I had summoned.
The Legendary Fire: Cross-Examination[edit | edit source]
Press the fourth statement. Espella states that the dragon in question was the same as the one that attacked the Storyteller. Question the Storyteller on "Yes. They were definitely the same." As you know already, no such thing as magic exists, but Espella is insistent. She draws a picture of the fire dragon as she saw it. The Fire Dragon Sketch is added to the Court Record.
Press the third statement. Espella doesn't remember if she cast a spell or not. Question the Storyteller on "I...cannot remember.". Again, Arthur and Espella dispute over whether she really saw a dragon or not, but do you have any evidence proving Espella correct? Choose I have evidence and Present the Fire Dragon Sketch. Such a detailed sketch could hardly have been drawn without seeing it upfront. Perhaps the "dragon" she saw wasn't really magic? The evidence that explains this contradiction is in the belfry. What Espella really saw should still be where she was at the time of the calamity, which was in the belfry. After climbing up the bell tower, you must find the answer to the question, "What did Espella truly see?" You can see the entire town from here, but in truth, the secret lies in the bell tower itself. Look down at the bell tower railing and change the angle until the fretwork depicts the same dragon as the illustration, and Present it. It looks exactly like the dragon Espella saw. It appeared to be on fire because the town was already ablaze, and Espella simply witnessed it through the fretwork.
There is still one question that needs resolving, however. Espella undeniably witnessed the dragon from the belfry, but how exactly did she get up there in the first place? The belfry can only be accessed with the mechanism, which requires two pendants to operate. She had her pendant at the time, although she doesn't know why. However, one pendant is not enough to reach the belfry, and indeed, Espella confirms she was there with a friend. Her cat, Eve, was also there at the time... or she so claims. The cat obviously can't use the pendant, so it must have been someone else. You have no evidence to prove who this person is, but Layton does! You'll get a glimpse at Layton's Court Record, which contains the Bell of Ruin, The First Story, the Picture of Two Girls, and the Suicide Note. Present the Picture of Two Girls. This picture depicts Espella with a friend, who possesses one of the necessary pendants... but just who is she? Present Darklaw's profile. When asked for proof, Present the Pendant.
Lest you forget, Darklaw has already said that this pendant belongs to her, which definitively proves her as the girl in the photograph! Just then, Eve jumps off the stand, wanders around the courtroom... and sits next to High Inquisitor Darklaw. She accuses Arthur of suppressing Espella's memories. She then mentions how Darklaw isn't her real name... it's Eve! This causes Espella to regain her memory of standing next to Darklaw at the time of the fire.
Eve then recounts her own version of events. Her and Espella went up to the bell tower, and were the only survivors of the Legendary Fire. But if magic isn't real, how would the entire town have gone up in flames, even if there had been an accident? Layton seems to have a good idea of how these events transpired, and what caused the Legendary Fire. Present the Bell of Ruin. This bell, made of pure silver, was sealed away in the ruins because it led to a calamity... another fire, in fact. Because of the locals' silver allergy, if the Bell of Ruin had been rung during the fire festival, they would have instantly lost consciousness, and have been unable to stop the flames from ravaging the town. Eve and Espella also lost consciousness, and by the time they woke up, it was too late to stop it.
Espella breaks down, unable to bear the weight of the trauma from the Legendary Fire... Arthur is now willing to talk, now that his daughter has hit her breaking point. He recounts another story: after discovering the Bell of Ruin in the underground ruins, he and Newton decided to build a bell tower to house it. Both of them got married and had a daughter, and soon started work on their project, building the tower and placing the bell inside as a symbol of prosperity, to be displayed and rung at the fire festival. The day before the festival, the two of them constructed a special mechanism to ring the bell, and Espella insisted on ringing it, but Arthur refused, attempting to discourage her by saying Bezella would possess Espella if she rang the bell. However, on the day of the festival, Espella sneaked away, taking her mother's pendant with her, and met up with Eve to operate the mechanism. As it turns out, Darklaw, or Eve, was Newton Belduke's daughter all along! When Espella rang the bell, she had no idea of the consequences it would have...
Arthur keeps trying to convince his daughter that it wasn't her fault, which gives Eve a sense of "deja vu". There were only four survivors of the fire: Espella, Eve, Newton, and Arthur. At the time, Newton and Arthur were investigating the ruins, and when they went to ring the bell, the town had already turned to ashes. Desperately searching for survivors, they found only their daughters, with Espella unresponsive and Eve in tears. After the incident, Espella wouldn't speak, eat, or leave her room, believing she was the Great Witch Bezella. Arthur had only one idea to save his daughter from insanity... Present The First Story. Arthur wrote a storybook to convince Espella that she wasn't Bezella, and that she was still out there somewhere, convincing her that magic and witches were real and that everything he wrote would come true. Newton assisted him, as his own daughter had been scarred by the events as well. They acted the story out in front of her, and that managed to break her out of her state. The stories grew more and more elaborate over time, eventually culminating in the conception of Project Labyrinthia.
Eve then speaks about her role in the stories. She was the first Shade, and Espella's memories of her were sealed to prevent her from remembering her past. But then, why did she betray Arthur? She has claimed it's because he was planning to end the Story... but was that her true intention? Present the Suicide Note. Newton's guilt over participating in the scheme was eating away at him from the inside, which eventually culminated in his suicide. Certain elements had to be concealed so as not to trigger Espella's trauma, those being Eve and the bell tower. The tower was concealed using the same method as the invisibility robes to prevent anyone from seeing it, but three months ago, it was struck by lightning, burning the cover away. Newton took it as a sign of divine anger, and decided to choose death in the end, believing everyone in the town to be unwilling participants.
That was when Eve's revenge began, her plan being to rewrite the Story while Arthur was absent so that Espella was the witch. She did this in order to confront Espella with the truth, instead of piling more lies on. But Layton is still not convinced that this is the whole truth, and orders Eve to testify about the night of the Legendary Fire.
Darklaw's Testimony: The Truth about the Legendary Fire[edit | edit source]

- Darklaw: Espella wanted to ring the bell no matter what, so we went up to the belfry.
- Darklaw: The festival celebrations had already started. The mechanism for ringing the bell was at a height even we could reach.
- Darklaw: The next thing I remember...is coming to, and running to Espella's side.
- Darklaw: I was shaking her until she finally opened her eyes. The next moment...we saw that nightmarish view.
- Darklaw: All strength abandoned us, and we didn't know what to do. That was when we were found by my father and Mr Cantabella.
Eve chastises the choice to make the bell-ringing mechanism accessible to even a child as "a very foolish decision". Having seen it for yourself in the belfry, you decide to make a note of it. The Top Floor Device is added to the Court Record. This is the final interrogation of the trial, so you must try your hardest to seek out the truth!
The Truth about the Legendary Fire: Cross-Examination[edit | edit source]
Press the fifth statement. Neither Eve nor Espella left the belfry until their parents' arrival. Even though her memories are vague, Eve claims to have been trying to protect Espella. Question the Storyteller on "but I think I was trying to protect her.". Arthur clearly recalls when she found the two, with Eve begging him not to be angry at Espella. The Professor takes note of this, saying that you are "one step away from the truth"...
Press the fourth statement. Eve was the one who woke Espella, and as soon as she opened her eyes, she saw the town burning. Question Espella on "As soon as she came to, she turned to look at the town - to that nightmarish view, stretching out before us." After proclaiming her guilt once more, Espella runs up the bell tower and locks herself inside... and prepares to jump from the top of the tower out of guilt for ringing the bell! But Layton still isn't convinced that Espella knows the whole story, and indeed, is convinced that she didn't ring the bell. When asked for evidence, Present the Top Floor Device. Espella is currently standing in the same location where she saw the dragon, after waking up from unconsciousness when the bell was rung... but the device is on the complete other side! If Espella rang the bell, there is no way she could have seen the dragon. There is only one other person who could have rang the bell... Present Darklaw's profile.
As you know, Eve was the only other person in the belfry at the time. After being confronted with this fact, she starts having flashbacks... During the festival, Espella was about to ring the bell, but had a change of heart and opted not to. But Eve rung it anyway... and you likely know the rest of the terrible events that unfolded. Eve repressed her memories of the event all these years, and pinned it on Espella, however indirectly... She dons the invisibility robe and runs away, as Espella climbs on to the roof of the bell tower! Despite her father's pleas, she dives from the roof... but is caught at the last minute by Eve, putting her life on the line to save her. The handrail they're holding onto is rotted through, so magic is all that could possibly save them... something Layton seems all too happy to arrange. Eve and Espella fall, but with a single point of the Professor's finger, they appear to stop in midair!
Of course, magic doesn't really exist, so this stunt is just part of the greatest illusion of Labyrinthia. Now there is nothing more to be done but break the illusion... Remember what the Storyteller said about the final spell being concealed at the start? As it turns out, this is referring to the Grand Grimoire's front cover. This is the final puzzle you must solve to put an end to this illusion!
90
Select the magical characters on the Touch Screen to make them appear on the upper screen. Drag them around with the Touch Screen and match them with their hidden counterpart on the upper screen.
The pieces shall be named as follows:
+-------------------+When you solve the puzzle, the sun finally rises on the town, revealing the truth of Labyrinthia's mysteries with a single word: "Taelinde". This single word reveals every single mechanism around the town that has governed the "magic", including that which caught Eve and Espella in midair, which turns out to be a crane piloted by Luke himself! After the shroud around Labyrinthia is lifted, the Judge sees no need for a verdict, as there were no witches after all. With a clear conscience, knowing that he hasn't sent anybody to his doom, the Judge declares his final verdict.
The epilogue[edit | edit source]
Arthur reveals how he kept the machinery hidden, with one single instruction to everyone who was hypnotizeed: they could not see pure black, with the machines being coated in a special material developed by Labrelum, which was also used in the invisibility robes and the bell tower cover. Eve then proceeds to question why Arthur didn't say anything if he knew that she had rung the bell all along, which he says was to avoid her having a mental breakdown. You recall what Newton said in his suicide note, about him being concerned for his daughter. They once had an argument over Newton burying himself in his work too much, which led to Eve cutting contact with him, but in truth, not a day passed where he didn't think of her.
Eve thinks what she did to Espella is unforgivable... but Espella doesn't think so. In fact, she even named her cat after her! After your parting words, you only have one question: why did Arthur end the Story? Only Newton knew the answer before: he suffers from an incurable terminal illness... or at least, he did, but Labrelum has invented a miracle cure thanks to Newton's research, his final gift. He will be undergoing surgery, and is expected to come out unharmed. With one final vow between Eve and Espella to remain friends, the Story turns its final page, with everyone in the town regaining their memories. Project Labyrinthia is over... but Labyrinthia itself is not, far from it. While the town's future is not definitive, everyone will stay around to help make a new town... and a new story. You finally part from the town, with everybody waving you goodbye. Finally, at long last, the Mystery of the Great Witch Bezella is marked as solved.
Congratulations on reaching the end of Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney! While this story has turned its final page, as it were, there are still the Special Episodes to explore at your leisure. You can also feel free to check out the next game in the Ace Attorney series... or you could go back to when it all started for both series! Until next time...