| This article contains information about Ace Attorney media that has been released only in Japan. | |
|---|---|
 The information in this article comes from a game, demo, or other media that has been released in Japan, but not in any predominantly English-speaking country. The subject of this article has not been officially revealed for English versions of this media. English versions of this content are only available through unofficial translations. More information on this can be found here. If you have personal experience with the item of media in question, you can help the Ace Attorney Wiki by improving on this article. Please heed the manual of style when adding information. | |
| Hart Vortex |
| ...Very well. As you wish, I will grant you an opportunity. An examination acknowledging you as a specially approved attorney. |
Episode 3: The Adventure of the Runaway Room is the third episode of the game Dai Gyakuten Saiban: Naruhodō Ryūnosuke no Bōken and follows Ryūnosuke Naruhodō's first appearance in the English court. In his first trial there, Ryūnosuke is asked to defend well-known British businessman and philanthropist, Cosney Megundal, for the murder of an East-End Brick Maker, 'Thrice-Fired' Mortar. Barok van Zieks, Cosney Megundal, Oscar Fairplay, Adam Redifast, Beppo, Hart Vortex, and Gina Lestrade all make their debuts in the episode.
This episode introduces the Jury Trials. All trials held in Britain have a jury consisting of six jurors, who can declare the defendant guilty when they all believe the trial has produced enough evidence.
Crime
| Glancing over my records of the late last century, I am faced by the event of a certain, bitter winter. A murder in a carriage as it ran through dense London fog in the dead of night -- Though the victim and the perpetrator were the only ones inside, there were multiple witnesses to the crime itself. However, none could have imagined at the time that such a seemingly obvious case as this would end in such a horrendous manner. My friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, once said of the incident, "I believe that perhaps that case was indeed the 'prelude' -- the beginning of a long concerto that impressive Japanese exchange student I were to play together. |
The Runaway Room
In the middle of a cold winter's night, in the foggy city of London, an omnibus strolled down the street. Suddenly, a murder in the carriage occurs, both passengers on top of the omnibus claim to have seen the murder occur.
"Investigation"
Ryūnosuke Naruhodō and Susato Mikotoba arrive in London, they take a carriage to get to the Chief Justice. After being amazed by the office, they prepare themselves to tell the chief about Kazuma Asōgi's death and how they will be substituting for him. The chief arrives, he is a large, time-obsessed man named Hart Vortex. After talking about London, Vortex announced that the incident on the ship reached him and the British government. In spite of his condolences, however, Vortex has to suspend Asōgi's trip. But after he hears Naruhodō will take his place, Vortex reluctantly agrees, despite Naruhodō just studying only appearing in court once. But first, he must prove himself by defending someone in court. No one else is taking this person as their client.
In the defendant lobby in the Old Bailey, Naruhodō and Susato meet the client, a very rich businessman by the name of Cosney Megundal. He is somewhat of a celeberity in London and he's certainly not happy about being accused of murder. He's eager to even give Naruhodō a ton of money to get free. Megundal tells him about the prosecutor Barok van Zieks who everyone calls the Reaper who is cursed. But that doesn't mean he's a great prosecutor, before Megundal can explain anything else the trial begins.
Former Session
The jury.
Ryūnosuke Naruhodō and Susato Mikotoba are amazed at the Old Bailey and how it different the Japanese Supreme Court. The British Judge announces that court is now in session. Naruhodō is quite intimidated by prosecutor Barok van Zieks. Cosney Megundal fully trusts the young Japanese to get someone famous like him free. The judge then announces the jurors of this trial: A stocky man, a young maid who works for a gentleman, an eccentric barber, an indifferent woman typing, a carriage driver drinking, and an elderly lady knitting. Those six jurors and the judge will determine the fate of the defendant, most unlike Japan's court system.
Van Zieks has had a five year absence of prosecuting, but proceeds to give his opening statement. It happened three days ago at 10 at night. A skilled bricklayer named "Thrice-Fired" Mortar was inside an omnibus when he was stabbed with a large knife. Van Zieks presents the autopsy report and a picture of the crime scene. Then he presents gloves stained with blood, a police officer confirmed this was what Megundal was wearing. Only two guests were with the coach of the omnibus at the time, Mortar and Megundal. Megundal denies killing him and was just trying to help him, but van Zieks has multiple witnesses that contradict. There are three of them. Beppo, the coach, Oscar Fairplay, a bank clerk, and Adam Redifast, a man who makes hats for men.
"Thrice-Fired" Mortar's body with the knife embedded in him.
In the testimony, Beppo says it was the last trip of the night. Only Megundal and Mortar were inside the omnibus, the former stabbed the latter in the gut with a knife. Mortar screamed which Fairplay and Redifast heard then saw down through the skylight. When Beppo heard the scream, he stopped the carriage and saw what happened. The omnibus was also there in the courtroom as evidence. During the cross-examination, Beppo says he only earned twenty pence that last trip. While pressing Fairplay, Juror 3, who hates rich people, suddenly decides that Cosney Megundal did in fact kill Mr. Mortar! His chair turns black and he sends a fire ball into the left black scale above causing it to tilt. Juror 1 agrees and does the same. If all the jurors vote guilty black for their conclusions the trial will end with a guilty verdict. During a pressing of Redifast, Barok van Zieks presents the knife that killed Mortar, it has the initial "M" on it and is rather valuable. Juror 2 is convinced that he's guilty and unclean. Juror 4 has been writing everything into record and came up with the same conclusion. Naruhodō sees that this cross-examination is just making him lose but Susato Mikotoba says they need information. Beppo mimics Megundal killing Mortar and Juror 5, who is actually the boss of the London horse carriage guild, believes Beppo votes guilty for the murder in the omnibus. Only one juror is left but Juror 6 doesn't think Megundal did it. He donated money to the nearby park named after him and the audience agrees that he is such a nice man who wouldn't kill anyone. But Barok van Zieks reveals to everyone that Cosney Megundal is actually a loan shark, he gets all the money from interest rates and never returns them. Mortar owned a debt to Megundal, there could only be one reason to why there were in there on the repayment date but Mortar didn't have any money. Susato demands evidence so van Zieks, in his "godly chalice", shows everyone the defendant's client ledger. An outraged Juror 6 votes the last guilty and the scale bursts into flames on the black side.
It seems like it's over for Naruhodō, but Susato says that the defense has the right to present a closing argument to the jury. Barok van Zieks claims that that was the fifty year old law. Nonetheless, during the argument the defense can persuade the jurors to overturn the verdict and continue the trial. The judge and van Zieks claim the argument was lost long ago due to being meaningless and no attorney ever wanted one since. But Susato points out that lost does not mean dead, so Naruhodō proceeds with the argument. In the Judicial Findings, each juror will explain why they think the defendant is guilty.
Juror 1 says no one else was in the carriage, 2 says the claims four passengers and Beppo earning twenty pence can be trusted, 3 claims Megundal stabbed Mortar sitting next to him from the side, 4 simply came to a conclusion based on every statement, 5 claims coachmen are honest and the fee is four pence, and 6 says Mortar fell to the ground and Megundal stabbed him. Now it's up to Ryūnosuke Naruhodō to point out inconsistencies without using criticism or persuasion. He starts by pointing out that if the fee was four pence like Juror 5 said, then Beppo should've had sixteen pence or there should've been five passengers contrary to Juror 2's statement. Juror 5 demands for Beppo as his chair turns white and he tosses a fire ball in the other scale voting not guilty. Juror 2 votes not guilty as well. Naruhodō then points that the stabbing ways of Jurors 3 and 6 are completely different. The old madam votes not guilty and the scales are now even. Juror 1 complains to Naruhodō that there's nothing wrong two different ways of stabbing because Cosney Megundal could've stabbed the victim twice. But Naruhodō says that's not possible since the autopsy report clearly says that Mortar was only stabbed once. Juror 3 now votes not guilty, the trial will continue!
Barok van Zieks is still determined to win the trial despite what happened with the jury. He removes his cape and summons the three witnesses back. They testify that the carriage fee was five pence that night. But they still say the defendant stabbed the victim. Juror 5 is angry with Beppo for raising the price. Beppo reveals that the scream he heard was actually Adam Redifast. When Beppo confesses he didn't really the moment the victim was stabbed Oscar Fairplay bites down on his cane and pulls it. Naruhodō asks him for his thoughts and notes that Beppo couldn't possibly see through the skylight like Fairplay. So he adds to his testimony that Cosney Megundal's hands were soaked with blood after he stabbed Mortar, but Naruhodō notes that only his right glove was stained. Van Zieks says none of this matters but Naruhodō assures him that Fairplay is lying and he even has evidence to prove it. Megundal's client ledger has Fairplay's name in it revealing the latter had a loan with the former, if Megundal was found guilty, the debt would be gone. After a long silence, Fairplay admits he was exaggerating, but he assures everyone that he indeed saw both of Megundal's hands stained with blood, Redifast reveals he saw that too. The judge demands another testimony.
Mortar and Megundal sitting next to each other
Even though Fairplay and Redifast saw the hands and knife stained with blood, they did not see that actual moment of the stabbing. Beppo says he only heard the scream and didn't see anything. But no one saw any other passengers. Barok van Zieks notes that Mortar's seat was also stained with blood. Fairplay and Redifast couldn't sit inside the carriage that freezing cold night due it being locked from the inside. Naruhodō, wondering if the witnesses really saw it through the skylight raises the possibility of another passenger. Van Zieks and judge ask to where that other passenger was and he answers under the witnesses because the only see the people on the other side not directly under them. Van Zieks demands evidence or at least a name, Naruhodō suggests that the person in the witnesses blind spot was Megundal. Naruhodō says that the third party had both blood stained hands. Fairplay and Redifast said earlier that he didn't see their faces. Prosecutor van Zieks says the defendant did not say anything about a third party. Naruhodō requests Megundal to testify and the jury agrees.
Cosney Megundal has heard the whole trial so far. Megundal reveals that there was in fact another passenger in the carriage and he allowed them to escape the crime scene. This passenger is said to be young so Megundal did want the police seeing them as a suspect. What's more, they're currently in the courtroom watching the trial. Suddenly, a thick smoke begins to fill the courtroom! Everyone is in a panic, the bailiff captures Megundal, and the judge calls for an emergency recess.
Recess
Ryūnosuke Naruhodō can't believe what happened. Susato Mikotoba says it was a smoke grenade set off by the third passenger who tried to escape. Cosney Megundal is currently in the prosecutor's office with the young girl passenger. Susato remembers Beppo's testimony earlier and realizes that the fee sums no longer add up. Before they can wonder why the trial resumes.
Latter Session
The girl is at the stand. When the judge asks why she set off that smoke bomb she doesn't say anything. Megundal says she tried to escape because of the crime last night. He then testifies for her.
Cosney Megundal claims he went to sleep in the furthest most seat. He woke up to a scream, saw the victim dead and tried to help him. When looking for the screaming source he found the girl. Megundal was the first passenger on the carriage and the scream came from the inside. Mortar was left there by the defendant. The girls was found in a container under Megundal's chair and he let her sit next to the victim, that is who the witnesses really saw. Megundal reveals her name is Gina Lestrade and she is a pickpocket. She fires purple smoke at the judge then quickly moves next to Megundal. She accuses the court of trying to convict her, Naruhodō gets a face full of green smoke after trying to deny that, she got the special gun from a carriage station. Thanks to Megundal, Lestrade will now testify.
Legjection!
She snuck into the carriage before it was hitched, as usual. But that bad night, she couldn't see anything. Suddenly, she heard a loud noise and screamed. Megundal found her and allowed her to escape. Jurors 1 and 4 are amazed at Cosney Megundal for taking the fall instead of Gina Lestrade and they vote not guilty. All of the jury chairs are now white! Ryūnosuke Naruhodō and Susato think they've won but Barok van Zieks suddenly objects slamming his leg on the bench. He reveals that when the police found the omnibus, the space under Megundal's seat was filled with Beppo's belongings. So in order for the testimony to work, someone must have tampered with the crime scene. It was empty when it was transported to the courtroom and he insults the Japanese attorney for not checking. Megundal urges Naruhodō to deny van Zieks accusations, after hesitation he answers that he thinks carriage had items in it when they inspected it. Everyone is surprised to see what appears to be Naruhodō trying to go against the defendant, Megundal questions Naruhodō's memories. Juror 5, the carriage guild master, revealed that the compartment is supposed to hold tools, surely it was the same that night. Then he once again votes guilty! Juror 3 thinks that the rich Megundal's testimony is a lie and does the same, and so does Juror 4. The judge decides to have the cross-examination begin.
Gina Lestrade did not see anything in the compartment. Despite being a pickpocket, she's not good with dark and cramp spaces. Since she snuck on, she didn't pay the carriage fee. Lestrade was the one who removed the tools, but she hid them and didn't know how they got back. She couldn't find a time to get money from the passengers. She saw Megundal seating Mortar on the opposing seat. When the carriage shook, the corpse landed onto her, resulting in both of her hands covered in blood. Then she heard the scream of Oscar Fairplay and Adam Redifast. Megundal had her hide in the compartment until it was safe. Finally, Naruhodō and Susato check the omnibus. There was another bloodstain on the floor, not just where Mortar was sitting. The compartment is empty, triggering a tugging in the back of Naruhodō's head that's been happening a lot during the trial. Gina Lestrade always keeps an eye out for her "prey". She sat under the harder cushion to avoid people. When she mention's she doesn't like close, dark places, Megundal laughs. He just feels sympathy for her, they both perk their ears in the dark. But Lestrade claims that all she head was Megundal's snoring. When Naruhodō presses her added testimony she says the carriage stopped many times but not one got off. Naruhodō says there is a contradiction, she should've heard Mortar get onto the omnibus.
Barok van Zieks was waiting for this, however, and deems Lestrade an unreliable witness. Jurors 6 and 1 vote guilty for being lied to by a biased pickpocket. Before Juror 2 can vote, Naruhodō states that despite the contradiction, the testimony can offer a new possibility. He suggests the victim didn't use the doors, he went through the skylight. Van Zieks points out that the other witnesses didn't say anything about seeing that, but Megundal says they couldn't. Suddenly, Oscar Fairplay and Adam Redifast take the stand, they suddenly say that neither of them didn't kill Mortar. Van Zieks accuses that since Naruhodō of accusing the witnesses as criminals, he denies his hypothesis involving the skylight. The jury and audience demand the witnesses to testify.
"Don't do it!"
"We're innocent!"
They say there was only the two of them on the roof, there is no way they would've noticed a man they didn't even know drop through. Besides, the skylight was shut tight at the time and there is no evidence proving Naruhodō's theory. Megundal notes that Mortar could actually fit through there but Fairplay urges everyone to ignore it. Redifast tried to open the skylight but it wouldn't open. He claims it doesn't open but Gina Lestrade reveals that it does as she escaped through there once, the bailiff confirms this. When Naruhodō and Susato look near the skylight they find a bloodstain, this is evidence enough that Mortar went through the skylight. Cosney Megundal confirms that the skylight only opens on the outside and the bloodstain on the floor makes himself innocent. Juror 1 agrees and confirms with the rest of the jury to vote not guilty. But Barok van Zieks suddenly says that the bloodstain on the skylight was not there during the Scotland Yard investigation, it was forged during the recess. Van Zieks says it was Megundal who did a countless number of incidents. Megundal points out that the omnibus was always in the courtroom so there could be no opportunity for him to forge it. But Naruhodō realizes that it's possible that he did it when Lestrade's smoke bomb went off. Megundal is incredibly furious now, but van Zieks notes the omnibus' unusual points: the currently missing tools and the new bloodstain on the skylight. Naruhodō says there is another stain on the floor, but it wasn't there before.
Cosney Megundal unleashes his fury saying the trial should end, van Zieks doesn't have any evidence to prove the blood wasn't there. Reluctantly, the judge agrees that as long as that the bloodstains existed the trial cannot continue. He asks Naruhodō if he is satisfied with his victory, but he claims that Megundal might actually be guilty. The judge is very surprised but Megundal just laughs and thanks him for defending him. Cosney Megundal then laughs loud and claps his hands while the audience and jury react in confusion and anger. The judge agrees it is time for the verdict, but Naruhodō is persistent about the bloodstains and the witnesses' testimonies. Barok van Zieks is accused of forging evidence and there is no longer a need for the jury right now. Megundal gets a warning from van Zieks saying this is not the end but he looks forward to it. The judge gives the not guilty verdict, with confetti and fireworks, but no one is happy about it, especially not Naruhodō.
Aftermath
Susato Mikotoba congratulates Ryūnosuke Naruhodō on his foreign trial win. The killer was never found but Hart Vortex's mission to Naruhodō is complete. Cosney Megundal agrees, Gina Lestrade is with him, he pays Naruhodō a ton of money. The bailiff calls for Megundal to go to the Supreme Court to inspect the crime scene. He promises to continue his work when he's done and bids them to farewell. Lestrade says she hates adults and points her gun at Naruhodō. A much younger girl arrives so sudden and pulls out a bigger gun similar to Lestrade's. She says they're smoke launchers and she invented them. The little girl asks Lestrade to come with her to a lab.
Who's in there?!
Naruhodō and Susato figure it's time for them to go, but where in England? Susato says they should sleep in Megundal park but Naruhodō says they should use the money to stay in a hotel.
Sometime after the two of them left, the omnibus that was still in the courtroom caught fire. A detective asks how this could've happened and a policeman says it was like this when they found it. Someone is inside the flaming carriage banging to get out! The judge and Barok van Zieks arrive to see the fire as well.
Notes
- When inspecting the omnibus, its back is labeled "Phoenix Wright Omnibus" which is the English name of Ryūnosuke's descendant, Ryūichi Naruhodō
- This case has similarities to Farewell, My Turnabout. In both, the clients are — or at least, currently in the case of The Adventure of the Runaway Room, are very heavily implied to be — guilty, and the protagonist lawyer must go against defending his client in order to point out the truth. Unlike Farewell, My Turnabout, however, this case ends with an unjust not guilty verdict.
| "Pleeeeease! Expand meeeeee!" | |
|---|---|
|
This article is a stub or is otherwise incomplete. You can help the Ace Attorney Wiki by expanding it. |