Chapter Text
Lilting music softly carried over the sea of women and men in fabrics that probably cost more than Ranpo’s kidneys as they spun around in circles. Since it was early December, the enormous ball room had been decorated with a “winter wonderland” theme in mind, with silver and blue decorations strewn across every surface the servants could reach.
The Yokomizo Manor, family home of the renowned widow Ms. Yokomizo and her son, Seishi Yokomizo. And currently, it was the host for the most pointless party of all time.
Ranpo’s feet hurt. And his suit was itchy.
He had resigned himself to standing in the corner of the large room, despite his adoptive father’s encouragement to socialize. Not so coincidentally, he also happened to be within close proximity to the dessert table.
Ranpo groaned as a certain ravenette made his way through the crowd towards the place he was standing. And here he was hoping to get a third serving of the tiramisu of the night- Oh, that rich and mildly sweet mascarpone covered with a thin layer of powdery bitter cocoa, what an elegant blend of flavors paired with that heavenly texture- Ranpo sighed dreamily at the thought.
Alas that would have to wait.
“There you are-!” a grating voice squawked, interrupting the mental images of the love of Ranpo’s life. Standing in front of him was none other than his self-proclaimed “rival”, Edgar Allan Poe.
The man had dressed up for the ball, wearing an embroidered, dusty violet waistcoat over a white button-up shirt. Thrown on top was his signature cream tailcoat and thigh-length black cape. Shockingly, his dark bangs had been brushed to the side, allowing Ranpo the rare sight of those storm-cloud eyes. He looked… good.
And also like a complete moron-
“I told you, I’m not interested in solving another case with you.” Ranpo waved his hand trying to shoo the man off. Sure, Poe had come the closest anyone had ever to matching Ranpo’s intellect but he was still so painfully ignorant like all the other idiots in the world.
What could he say, priorities came first, aka yummy sweets.
Still the ravenette persisted, “It’s a case that I’m sure will pique your interest! The robbery of jewels straight from a noblewoman’s neck in broad daylight!” He rummaged through his pockets and dangled a newspaper in front of Ranpo’s face.
“Blegh, typical.” Ranpo sighed as he took the article to examine. “Obviously the woman had a twin that the media was unaware of. They switched places and suddenly everyone thought there was a robbery. Notice how there’s no outcry from the family? Also one of the woman’s birthmarks is missing in the second image.”
He carefully handed the newspaper back to the ravenette. A pink flush formed on Poe’s face as he silently mouthed “o”. That was cute. Ranpo patted the man’s shoulder before humming and walking off.
He made his way to the desert table for the fourth time this evening when suddenly someone crashed into him with the force of a train. “Hey!” Ranpo sputtered.
“Oh, my… my apologies…-” A man with a fitted green suit slurred before continuing and stumbling into Poe as well as a couple more people. Drunk perhaps. Yet strangely there was no smell of alcohol clinging to him. Odd.
Oh well, not his monkey, not his circus. Ranpo happily picked up a plate and started loading it with all sorts of confectionery.
The night went on and the number of people slowly started dwindling. Eventually it was just his adoptive father and sister, Poe, Ms. Yokomizo, the drunk man from earlier albeit he seemed sober now, and obviously himself. All of them had retreated to the drawing room where the central heating was the strongest. Ms. Yokomizo had pulled out a stack of cards and they were presently playing a game of “Old Maid”
“Hmm… I’ll pick this one-” His sister, Yosano, said as she picked blindly from Ranpo’s fanned out cards. “Yes!” She sorted through her own deck and placed down two jacks.
She turned and offered her cards faced down to Poe. He picked one up and sighed before adding it to his deck.
Ranpo yawned, this game was so boring. Anyone with half a brain would be able to identify the cards best for their hand based on the scratches on the deck-
A few more rounds passed before the man in green, Mushitaro, good naturedly scowled and revealed the remaining single card. “I suppose I’ve lost.” He chuckled. A flash of annoyance passed through Ms. Yokomizo’s face although Ranpo doubted anyone else saw. Some drama between the two?
Mushitaro paused before looking around. “Where’s Seishi- I mean Yokomizo?”
Ms. Yokomizo waved her hand dismissively, “He was feeling unwell earlier on so he retired to bed at 7. You know how that boy is. Lazy to the core.” She leaned back into her chair. “The boy inherits his father’s entire pharmaceutical company and what does he choose to do? Write some silly stories in his room all day-”
Poe looked mildly insulted at that, no surprise there, the man adored his mystery novels. Ranpo internally laughed at the ravenette’s miffed expression. He was adorable like that sometimes.
Ranpo’s adoptive father, Fukuzawa coughed before interrupting the woman’s spiel, “Well, I believe that children should be free to choose what career they want, not be burdened by the choices of their parents and grandparents.” The grey-haired man smiled before gesturing to both Yosano and Ranpo. “Take my children for example, Yosano here is a doctor while Ranpo is a detective. Both chose their own paths yet still work under my agency. Perhaps the same will be for Yokomizo.”
“Alas, I fear nothing can fix that boy.” Ms. Yokomizo huffed.
What a strange thing to say about your own kid, Ranpo thought but the topic swiftly changed.
As they talked, Ranpo noticed the woman beckon over a frail looking maid and whisper a few words into her ear. The lady nodded and scurried away. Hm. He glanced away but Ms. Yokomizo caught his gaze and explained, “It’s getting late, I’m having the maid fix up some rooms for you all.”
Fukuzawa shook his head, “Oh that won’t be necessary,”
“Oh no I insist-”
A piercing scream cut off their formalities. Mushitaro went pale. “What was that?”
Ms. Yokomizo smoothened out her skirt as she got up. “The maid must have seen a rat or something. You know how silly those girls are nowadays.”
She stepped out of the room and the five of them listened as the footsteps got further and further away. Yosano and Ranpo shot each other a glance. That was not the scream of someone who’d seen a mouse.
“I want to go see too, this game has gotten dull.” Ranpo announced and without waiting for a reply, skipped out the door.
He strolled past the staircase banister and ball room, and man, why is this house so big. The hallways seemed impossibly long, lined with mahogany doors on either side. Slight imprints of heels on the carpeted floor allowed him to gauge the general direction Ms. Yokomizo had gone, so he followed them.
By the time he reached the end of the footprints he was panting and clutching the wall. Maybe Yosano was right, he should start exercising more.
There standing outside the doorway was the maid from before, hyperventilating, and with Ms. Yokomizo fainted in her arms. Her eyes were wide with terror as she saw Ranpo. The maid shook her head and choked out the words, “Don’t!”
“What happened?” Ranpo inquired, rushing to the doorframe. And then he froze.
Because there on the bed, just lying on top of the silken white sheet, was Seishi Yokomizo with seven bleeding stab wounds.