#tears of themis translat

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▌Location- Crime Scene

(Manney Hotel is situated by Stellis River and surrounded by beautiful scenery, as well as the most famous high-end resort hotel in the city.)

(When we arrived at the crime scene, a lady with tear-stained cheeks was being interrogated by the police.)

MC:
“She must be Shen Yi’s secretary, Jiang MingYue.”

(I referenced the case files provided by the police and flipped to Jiang MingYue’s photo to identify her.)

Mo Yi:
“Do you plan on questioning her first?”

(Mo Yi glanced at Lu JingHe who was currently being interrogated by another officer and looked at me inquisitively.)

Mo Yi:
“I assumed you would question Lu JingHe first.”

MC:
“That’s right, I’ll obtain a timeline of events from Lu JingHe and then Jiang MingYue, for comparison. Lu JingHe is my client, therefore, I trust him more than anyone else’s testimony.”

Mo Yi:
“I was wondering, when you’re questioning him, would my presence become an inconvenience?”

MC:
“I personally don’t mind, but we’ll have to see if Lu JingHe has any qualms with it.”

Mo Yi:
“Then I’ll do my best to be of assistance and not hinder you. I’ll go ask the detectives about their investigation progress. Recently, I’ve been hosting seminars with the police department on criminal psychology; an external consultant of sorts. Communicating with them should be more convenient.”

MC:
“Thank you, Dr. Mo.”

(He had been leaning toward me, so our shoulders brushed against each other as he left to talk to the police. As I watched Mo Yi walk away, suddenly had an urge to smile. Till now, I still couldn’t quite fathom the fact that Lu JingHe and Mo Yi had a student-teacher relationship.)

MC:
(Geez Lu JingHe, you’re a grown man who still gives his teacher a hard time.)

~~~

▌Location- Room 1817

(Once Yan Wei finished his interrogation with Lu JingHe, I requested a private questioning session with him. Yan Wei let us into room 1817, the room adjacent to the crime scene, and took notice of the two police officers stationed outside the door.)

MC:
“From the looks of it, you’re not fully removed of suspicion. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be keeping their eye on you like they currently are.”

Lu JingHe:
“The detectives found an unfinished note beside Shen Xi with ‘Lu’ written on it and nothing else. That, plus the chocolates I gave Shen Xi were found to contain tetrodotoxin. Right now, they’re not going to let go regardless of what I say.”

MC:
“Shen Xi left behind your surname before she died?! Is there anyone else with the surname Lu that works with her?”

Lu JingHe:
“From what the police uncovered, there isn’t.”

MC:
“Did you and Shen Xi have any conflicts? Or in other words, what do the police detectives think your motive was?”

(I recalled the spam news notifications I received earlier today.)

MC:
(The tagline mentioned something about marriage. Could it be that there was more to the situation?)

MC:
“Lu JingHe, were you and Shen Xi in some kind of special relationship?”

Lu JingHe:
“Special relationship?”

MC:
“I saw something on the news today, gossip about you and Shen Xi. Did your relationship involve business interests?”

Lu JingHe:
“What gossip? The one about the union of the Lu family and the Shen family?”

(Lu JingHe looked at me in shock. This must be the first time he’s heard this gossip. His confused expression made me feel awkward for asking in the first place…)

MC:
“Then… It was something I saw in passing… unless it’s false?”

Lu JingHe:
“Of course it’s false. Although Shen Xi’s family is the richest in their province, their company isn’t of significance to PAX. Plus, my family has never had a tradition of selling our sons in marriage for business.”

MC:
“But to the Shen family, marriage is a golden opportunity to cooperate with The PAX Group. If Shen Xi had been open about her interests in you… such as taking time to leak information to the media, it would cause an inconvenience to your image and negatively impact your private life… With that, it would only make sense why the police suspected you to have motive to harm Shen Xi.”

Lu JingHe:
“… When you say it like that, I almost believe it myself.”

MC:
“Disproving that motive would be a little difficult… Has PAX’s stock value been stable? Is there massive news coverage over this incident? If there was no real financial loss from this incident, then…”

Lu JingHe:
“Alright, Shen Xi and I have had our disputes, but it has nothing to do with the gossip.”

MC:
“It’s unrelated? Why didn’t you say so sooner.”

Lu JingHe:
“You never gave me the chance to interject. Instead, you inferred that this was based on some gossip. Unless that’s to say, you care about my relationship status?”

MC:
“Sorry, but I’m not interested! Let’s continue then.”

~~~Interrogation Start!~~~

[Reason for Attending the Business Reception]

MC:
“If there’s bad blood between Shen Xi and yourself, why would you attend a banquet hosted by Shen Xi?”

Lu JingHe:
“As I mentioned before, Shen Xi hosted the reception because Venus Fashion won Stellis Fashion Week’s gold award. That’s worthy of celebration. She won the award by winning over PAX Apparel and sent me an invitation as a demonstration. If I didn’t show up yesterday, it would a bad look on PAX’s part, as if we’re sore losers. In hindsight, I regret it.”

MC:
“Regret attending the reception?”

Lu JingHe:
“I regret not going empty-handed. If I didn’t bring that box of chocolates yesterday, perhaps there wouldn’t be a tragedy today. Although I’ve always looked down on her business practices, I will admit that she’s a talented fashion designer. Everything she made was ingenious. It’s a shame…”

[Conflict of Interest]

MC：
“Can you tell me about any conflict of interests between Shen Xi and yourself?”

Lu JingHe:
“Venus Fashion is Shen Xi’s clothing design company that owns an ‘on-the-rise’ high-end women’s clothing brand. Three months ago, PAX Apparel tried to acquire Venus Fashion to fill shortcomings in our product line but negotiations fell through.”

MC:
“Why did the negotiations fail? Was the asking price inadequate?”

Lu JingHe:
“No, PAX’s terms were fair, but Shen Xi never had the intention to sell. We didn’t know her true intention until the acquisition negotiations helped garner hype for Venus Fashion’s value and popularity, thus entering retail alone. When negotiations just started, she leaked the news to media outlets. She then formally rejected the acquisition terms, and it was after a whole two months had passed. Venus Fashion was my first major acquisition project since I stepped in as CEO. Aside from the resources and money PAX spent, before and during those two months, Shen Xi’s plan made the Board of Directors give me a harsh talking to.”

MC:
“It’s become this serious and yet you’re still able to smile and laugh?”

Lu JingHe:
“There’s always a good and a bad outcome for a single event. Although Shen Xi’s decision to play me ended as a huge inconvenience, it’s not a bad thing in its entirety. During negotiation planning, the manager of PAX’s Capital Operation Department leaked to Shen Xi the base bid we were going to offer. I seized the opportunity and sent those old geezers to early retirement. Without a valid reason, I would’ve had a hard time vacating their positions.”

MC:
“But from the police’s standpoint, there exists a massive clash between Shen Xi and PAX. I think it’s time to prepare a copy of their formal termination documents. They may come in handy. If you end up getting sued as a suspect, it can be said that the failure of the negotiation was due to the inadequacies of PAX’s employees and had nothing to do with Shen Xi herself.”

Lu JingHe:
“Consider it done, everything is on file. I’ll tell my assistant to send it over right away.”

(Lu JingHe spoke as he pulled out his phone to text his assistant.)

[Time of Arrival and Departure from Banquet]

MC:
“How late did the banquet go yesterday?”

Lu JingHe:
“From the itinerary given to me, the banquet would start at 6:30 PM and end at 8:30 PM.”

MC:
“What time did you arrive at and when did you leave the banquet?”

Lu JingHe:
“I arrived at 6:30 PM, on the dot, and came in with a crowd of other guests. The moment I arrived, I gave Shen Xi the chocolates as a celebratory gift. I left a quarter after 7:00 PM, right after Shen Xi’s speech ended.”

MC:
“Why did you leave before the banquet ended?”

Lu JingHe:
“I’m not a huge fan of banquets, so I’ve never had the habit to stick around longer than I have to. Recently, I’ve been working on a new painting and the entire time I was at the banquet, all I could think about was the proportion, and color theme of my work. So after I got home, I went straight to my studio.”

MC:
“I heard that you studied visual arts abroad and at a famous university nonetheless.”

Lu JingHe:
“That’s right, I’m an artist. Maybe I should send you one of my paintings as a gratuity for being my lawyer. How’s that sound?”

MC:
“I’m only temporarily assisting you with the investigation, that doesn’t count as me agreeing to represent you. The Lu family must have their own group of lawyers, right? If this ends up in court, I think you should consult with them instead.”

Lu JingHe:
“Jiejie, don’t be in such a rush to decline. I’ll have you know that this is my first time giving away my paintings to someone, so don’t look down on my artistic talent, okay?”

MC:
“Gee, CEO Lu is too generous. I’m ashamed to accept it.”

Lu JingHe:
“I guess I can only fall back on my good looks and deep pockets to attract you now.”

MC:
“…”

[Reason for Sending Gifts]

MC:
“Speaking of gifts, why did you prepare a gift for Shen Xi?”

Lu JingHe:
“Although it can be called ‘a gift,’ it was just something I picked up on the fly. I had hoped that it would rub her the wrong way. The famous chocolatier that made the liquor chocolates requires a pre-order and comes in boxes of twelve. Lucifer, the fallen angel, is imprinted on the chocolates.”

MC:
“Lucifer? In Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost,’ Lucifer is the son of God who rebelled against his father and was therefore banished to hell. Thus, Lucifer became one of the seven deadly sins, the avatar of pride. So you wanted to satirize Shen Xi‘s actions during the PAX negotiations; saying that her actions were arrogant and conceited, and that she would suffer from it sooner or later?”

Lu JingHe:
“That’s exactly it, you sure are knowledgeable. She’s done wrong by me once, I gotta find a way to save face. I originally thought Shen Xi would throw the chocolates out once she saw the design on them. Such a shame she didn’t get the hidden message. She even smiled and ate a piece in front of me… Hang on! Shen Xi ate a piece of chocolate during the banquet and was fine!”

MC:
“Can you recall the exact time that she consumed the chocolate?”

Lu JingHe:
“It was right before I decided to leave, so somewhere between 7:00 PM and 7:15 PM.”

[People Who Came Into Contact with the Chocolates]

MC:
“Before you left, who else interacted with the box of chocolates beside Shen Xi and yourself?”

Lu JingHe:
“Since I was the one who gifted her the chocolates, Shen Xi didn’t leave them at the reception. She told her secretary to hold onto them. When she sampled the chocolate, she was the one who broke the seal on the box. Once she took a piece, she then gave the box to her secretary. Whether or not someone else would have had the chance to tamper with the chocolates, I don’t know anything beyond that.”

~~~Interrogation Ends~~~

(Just as I finished questioning Lu JingHe, Yan Wei knocked on the door and entered.)

Yan Wei:
“Lu JingHe, it’s time to head back to the station. The court summons procedure can be signed later, how does that sound to you?”

MC:
“Officer Yan, without a signed procedure, you have no right to summon, let alone detain my client.”

Yan Wei:
“CEO Lu requires a police escort, the media reporters have already surrounded the hotel. By the time the documents are processed, we’ll all be stuck in here.”

MC:
“What!? Did someone leak the news of the incident to the press?”

Yan Wei:
“Now’s not the time to discuss new leaks. Lawyer MC, are you coming with us, or staying back to investigate further?”

Lu JingHe:
“No need for her to come with. She hasn’t even seen the crime scene yet. Who knows, maybe the evidence I need to prove my innocence is in there.”

MC:
“I will once again emphasize, I am only temporarily helping you with the investigation. You should contact your lawyers as soon as possible.”

Lu JingHe:
“Alright Lawyer MC, I will, as soon as possible, fill in the paperwork.”

(You’re still dreaming about me representing you as your lawyer. Did you really think I’d fall for your trap! And to speed up the procedure process?!)

MC:
“Lu JingHe, I suggested you…”

(Yan Wei fished out a pair of silver handcuffs and snapped them on Lu JingHe’s wrists before I could finish my rebuttal.)

MC:
“Officer Yan…”

(The metal cuffs on Lu JingHe’s wrists looked so jarring I couldn’t look away. They made his wrists look impossibly thin in comparison. Recalling Lu JingHe’s spiel about his passion for art, it reminded me of something I’d heard that his paintings were indeed incredible. Those dexterous hands that were bound together are ones that belong to an artist. I suddenly felt a chill creep up my spine. I couldn’t seem to accept the fact that the man standing in front of me would be a prime suspect in this case. Nonetheless, Lu JingHe still wore an indifferent smile on his face, seemingly relaxed, despite the circumstances. But I couldn’t hold my tongue.)

Lu JingHe:
“MC, although my family is wealthy, we would never use it to obstruct justice. So I leave it to you to prove my innocence.”

(Lu JingHe was taken away by Yan Wei to the police station. His seemingly calm and carefree appearance yet serious and weighted words of trust made me calm down, and I was able to arrange my thoughts and think carefully. Just then, someone called out to me.)

???:
“Hello, Miss.”

MC:
“You are…?”

???:
“I am the second young master’s assistant, Wen Chen. The young master asked me to bring you a pair of comfortable flats. Would you like to try them on?”

MC:
“Lu JingHe? Bought me shoes?”

Wen Chen:
“That’s right. You must be tired from walking around in high heels all day, so the young master specially ordered them.”

MC:
“How does Lu JingHe know my shoe size?”

(Lu JingHe’s assistant helped me change my shoes, all the while I sat in a daze. Finally able to relieve the pressure of standing with all my weight on the balls of my feet, I sank down and sighed.)

Wen Chen:
“The young master is an incredible artist, and he’s got a good eye for size and proportion. He must have seen the shoes you were wearing today and knew the shoe size which fits you from that.”

MC:
“I see, please thank him for me.”

Wen Chen:
“With pleasure, we are troubling you for our young master’s case, after all. I can send your high heels to your law firm if that is okay with you?”

MC:
“Yes please, thank you.”

Wen Chen:
“These are the documents the young master asked me to bring for you. Please accept this.”

(I accepted the package and opened it. It was files on all the PAX employees who had worked on the Venus Fashion acquisition negotiations. After seeing Assistant Wen out, Mo Yi also returned from his chat with the officers.)

Mo Yi:
“You don’t look too well, are you feeling alright?”

MC:
“It’s nothing, just feeling stressed. This is my first time tackling a criminal case.”

Mo Yi:
“Don’t worry, after all, I’ll be here helping you. During my studies into criminal psychology, I have interacted with criminals and criminal cases alike. Perhaps, in a sense, I can claim to have experience.”

MC:
“Dr. Mo, you’re well experienced. Thank you.” 

Mo Yi:
“No need to thank me. The detective gave me a copy of the evidence obtained from the box of chocolates. On the box itself, there were no other fingerprints aside from those of Shen Xi, Jiang MingYue, and Lu JingHe. The chemical composition of the poison found in the chocolate is also listed on there, although we’ll have to wait a little longer until autopsy reports are ready. When we go to interview witnesses and examine the crime scene, we’ll be under police supervision. How was your interview with Lu JingHe? Did he provide anything helpful?”

MC:
“Lu JingHe told me that the chocolates were kept by Shen Xi’s secretary, Jiang MingYue. Before Lu JingHe left the banquet, which was a quarter after 7:00 PM, Shen Xi ate one of the chocolates.”

Mo Yi:
“You mean, before Lu JingHe left, the chocolates were fine?”

MC:
“That’s right.”

Mo Yi:
“From what I’ve gathered thus far, your hypothesis may be correct, however not yet infallible.”

——- 

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——-

《CREDIT》
Translator:@humi-and-co​​
Editor: @cL 
QC:@hallowsivy​
《未定事件簿》Tears of Themis is a 2020 Chinese otome game by 米哈游Mihoyo. All original credits go to 米哈游Mihoyo. 

《 VOICE ACTORS 》
Mo Yi | Jiang GuangTao: https://weibo.com/jiangguangtao
Lu JingHe | Yang Tianxiang: https://weibo.com/u/1745507755
Yan Wei: https://weibo.com/lengquanyeyue