Norman's Hotel Murder Case

**Spoiler warning: *Plot and/or ending details follow. Read at user's own risk!***

## Details

### Host

* **Ercassam Auctions**
* **Norman**
* **Norman's Mother**
* **Old Car**
* **Stray Cat**

### Number of Survivors

3+

The **Norman's Hotel Murder Case** is a Duel Noir case featured in Danganronpa Kirigiri *Volume 2*. The participants of Norman's Hotel Murder Case are members of the Detective Library, among regular citizens of which are multiple targets. Norman and his family acted as the hosts via an LCD portrait, on behalf of the Culprit. The selected detective for this case is Suisei Nanamura.

## History

### Duel Noir: Day 1

Suisei Nanamura had already opened the Black Letter, thus losing over a days worth of time for the Duel Noir already.

### Day 2

Suisei, and nine other were required to participate in the Norman's Hotel Case. While seven others (including the culprit) got their first, Suisei would arrive later on with Kyoko Kirigiri and Yui Samidare to act as the remaining three for the auction to start.

Everyone meets at the front door of the hotel when they open the thick double doors to find a small room inside with another set of double doors. They open this to enter the hotel lobby, which seemed to be as wide as a gymnasium. The detectives unaware at first, get trapped inside the hotel, they meet seven people inside the lobby, Yūzen Minase, Akio Chage, Meruko Mifune, Mikado Shinsen, Sae Yozuru, Taehime Uozumi, and Seiunsai Toyano'ō. Yui and Kyoko introduce themselves to everyone that they are detectives who have come to capture a criminal, leaving out details about the Duel Noir and the Committee. Instead, she tells them that they received a notice that a murder was about to take place between the space of today and New Year's Day. Suisei decides to wait until 6 p.m. to come around and see what this auction is about.

Inside the Hotel, a microphonic voice suddenly speaks up. This voice came from a portrait and the boy's portrait mouth seemed to be able to move. In that microphonic voice, he introduces himself as Norman and his position of being a serial killer who died a century ago. Norman starts to tell them to take their seats at the dining table to begin his explanation. When everyone takes their seat, starts to tell everyone to empty their pockets and put all the money they had on the center of the dining table, due to the money not being eligible for the auction. Norman also asks everyone to body check the people on their left to prevent any cheating. Taehime afterward is ordered by Norman to collect all of the money on the table and throw it into the fireplace.

Norman tells them not to fret, and to stretch their legs under the table. There they find heavy knapsacks, which they pull out. Each knapsack contains 100 million yen. Norman explains to them the rules of the Duel Noir rules. An auction every day will be hosted at 6 p.m. Since the time limit of the Duel Noir is until January 1st at 10 a.m., that means the auction will be held five times at most. No one will be able to leave the auction house until the auction is over. Also, there will be only one item, the same item, put up for sale at each auction. That way, if they miss buying it at one auction, they would have the chance to get it next auction. That item is “the Right of Detective”— the right for whoever has it to be a detective.

#### List of Rules

* **Rule #1:** The "Right of Detective" will be put up for sale at every auction.
* **Rule #2:** The serial killer will kill one person each night. However, they cannot kill whoever has the “Right of Detective.” Also, they cannot kill in front of the person that has “Right of Detective.”
* **Rule #3:** The "Right of Detective" is only effective until the next auction.
* **Rule #4:** Guest rooms are locked from 10PM to 4AM. Everyone must be in their rooms by 10PM.
* **Rule #5:** The serial killer has a master key. Whoever earns “Right of Detective” will also possess a master key.
* **Rule #6:** If you survive, all of the money that you have left is yours.

#### During The Game

Having explained everything Norman requested for dinner to be made, and calls for Taehime to come to him. However, Norman shoots her, sending her body careening off the balcony and onto the table where the other participants were gathered. Taehime's body would then go up in flames due to a hidden ignition device in her clothes (which were arranged by the Duel Noir) and her body would be roasted completely. Her money would then be ordered by Norman to be burnt.

Following that, the auction would start at 10 for the remainder of the survivors. Suisei would go first while the others decided their order via Rock-Paper-Scissors. Once Suisei was done, everyone could clearly see his knapsack was empty and all, but Yui (who bid 5 million yen) thought not to bid. The results of this auction was Suisei winning the Right after bidding all of his money. The group would then head up to their rooms and agree to decide their order based upon the results of the auction. The one who won the Right would be at the entrance to the hallway, while the other gained rooms based upon their ranking in the auction. However, since only Yui bid, she'd get the second room by default while other drew cards to decide the order. The room orders were: 301 for Suisei, 302 for Yui, 303 for Meruko, 305 for Kyoko, 306 for Yūzen, 307 for Sae, 308 for Mikado, 310 for Seiunsai, and 311 for Akio. The last room, 312, was left unoccupied.

That night, after they all went into their rooms to begin the night phase, Suisei left his room and managed to free Yui and Meruko. However, they would see a figure go into the empty 312 room. The detectives would give chase, but would find no one there, but an X on the wall. After investigating the room and coming up with nothing, Suisei leaves Yui behind in the room by accident, though comes back a few minutes later with bad news. In room 311, Akio had been strangled to death to with note left behind: Target #1 - Revenge Served.

With Akio dead, Suisei would free the others form their rooms and they would stay out in the halls away from them until the next morning arrived (which would remove the rooms automatic lock).

### Day 3

Once morning arrives, Yui and Kyoko investigate Akio's death. Confirming that he did die via strangulation (though the handprints were upside down), no entry seemingly in the room itself for the culprit to enter, and no way for anyone to fit through the bar windows. It's been deduced that Suisei bet all of his money without worry since he's the chosen detective for Norman's Hotel, meaning he's safe from harm with or without the Right. The one who would be hosting the auction this time would be an old doll, claiming she was Norman's mother.

It's 6 PM when all the survivors meet up in the cafeteria to discuss their plan for the second auction. Seiunsai suggests that they boycott the auction, blockading themselves in the lobby for the night and preventing the killer from attacking them by turning off the lights (which would be using the fact the hotel was pretty uch sealed shut to their advantage). However, as they participate in the auction and see the results its clear that no one had believed Seiunsai (who was lying) and still proceeded to bid (except for Kyoko). The results were:

* Yūzen Minase - 50 million yen.
* Seiunsai Toyano'ō - 30 million yen.
* Yui Samidare - 15 million yen.
* Meruko Mifune - 11 million yen.
* Mikado Shinsen - 10 million yen.
* Sae Yozuru - 7 million yen.
* Kyoko Kirigiri - 0 million yen.

With Yuzen being the winner, he openly declares he won't both saving anyone aside from himself. The survivors would then depart to their rooms. Yūzen stayed in room 301 as he was the victor. As decided by the bid results, Seiunsai in 302, Yui in 303, Meruko in 305, Mikado in 306, Sae in 307. As for Kyoko and Suisei, they didn't bother playing rock-paper-scissors and just picked the ones they liked best, so 308 went to Kyoko and Suisei got 310. Just before they entered their rooms, Kyoko set up a trap for the culprit by dumping water all over the floor. That way it would catch their footprints or try to prevent them from enacting the murder since it leave a clue behind. However, that night, the trap wouldn't work as Seiunsai would be strangled next. Norman's mother was next to him. A sign is on the doll, which has a glowing pink cross on it. Below the sign reads 'Target #2 - Revenge Served'.

### Day 4

The survivors discuss the latest murder, with suspicion being on Yuzen since his footprints were the only ones found leading to Seiunsai's room. After Yuzen leaves angrily, while also claiming that he'll win the auction again (despite seemingly having the least amount of funds), Suisei opts to fill in the remaining survivors on Norman's Hotel being a Duel Noir and being set up by the Victims Catharsis Committee. Suisei declares he knows the culprit, but can't reveal them yet due to a rule of this Duel Noir. Given that the Duel Noir targets those who commits serious crimes, its believed that Sae ( a woman who does marriage fraud scams) might be the next target.

After the group dispersed, Yui and Kyoko investigated the body again, determining no one could have killed from the walls and a look out of the window reveals there wasn't scaffolding to stand ontop of. When the auction starts again, Kyoko provokes Yuzen into focusing on her by declaring she was going to win the Duel Noir. However, this was a ruse to get him to focus soleley on her and thus underbid. Thus, leading to the next results:

* Kyoko Kirigiri - 51 million yen.
* Yūzen Minase - 52 million yen.
* Yui Samidare - 53 million yen.

Yui wins the auction and, unlike Yuzen who left them all to die last night, is able to quickly get everyone out of their rooms before the culprit could kill one of them. From there, the survivors stay in the lobby until 7 AM to wait out the night. When Yui asks if Kyoko knows who the culprit it is, Kyoko confirms it, but asks Yui not to reveal it to Suisei.

### Day 5

Once 7 AM arrives, Yui goes to rest a bit in one of the rooms and is awoken by Kyoko talking with Yuzen. They learned that Yuzen was an online con artist before Kyoko offers that he joins their side in return for Yuzen surrenduring his funds to Kyoko. As Yuzen leaves to think about it, Yui and Kyoko get to investigating, with Kyoko explaining the next auction will be Meruko vs Sae.

It's this investigation where its deduced the culprit set-up a decoy to lure in Suisei and Yui during the 2nd day so that they could kill Akio. From there, thanks to her jumping prowess, Yui is able to jump across to a previously inaccessible route and head out on the rooftop. There, she notices an electric car. Per Kyoko's instructions in room 301, Yui lies on her stomach and reaches out towards the bar windows - which, if she was strangling someone, would have her prints upside down. It's deduced the culprit lured their victims over to their bar windows, they got ontop of their knapsacks to reach it, only to then strangle them to death. with the use of the electric car's silent motor and some rope, they would then be able to get their victim's body back towards their bed.

It's also deduced that the winners of the prior auctions, Suisei and Yuzen, had stolen the money following the murders for use in the auction or out of greed. The signs for the hotel were tampered to make the guests think they were on the third floor when they were really on the fifth floor. Concerning the culprit, Kyoko boils it down to three factors:

1. The killer had to be a woman since a small body was needed to get out of the window to the roof.

2. In order to prepare to deceive the others for the first night they had to be in, at least, room 307.

3. Its doubtful that there would be more than one entrance to the roof via window. As such, only one room should have it and the culprit needed to be in it twice in a row.

Only Sae fits the conditions needed to be the culprit, and with room 307's bars being bolted in now, Kyoko assumes it has to be because her target was too short to reach the windows, even with standing on the knapsack. Meaning she'll have to kill Meruko (who was too short) another way. With Suisei betting on the culprit, they would have to proceed without his intervention.

During the auction, the survivors are split into two side. Team Meruko (Meruko, Yuzen, Kyoko and Yui) and Team Sae (Sae, Suisei and Mikado). Together, both teams have 233 million yen each. On Kyoko's orders, Meruko bids all the money they have and gains the Right. Thus, for tonight, the entire group will be safe. But, seemingly as a consequence, there would be no way to win the final auction for Team Meruko.

### Day 6

On this day, most of Team Meruko is nervous given that they seemingly have no money left to bid against Sae while she herself has all of her money left. Before the auction, which is again hosted by the stray cat, Kyoko points out that Sae can't actually win the auction since it comes to conflict with her role as the culprit. As such, she can only act as if she'll win. Kyoko is the only one besides Sae to bid and the results come in: Kyoko won by bidding one million yen to Sae's bidding nothing. As it turns out, before Taehime's body caught on fire, Kyoko stole a millon yen from her knapsack before anyone noticed.

While Sae refuses to admit defeat, she does admit that this Duel Noir was to take revenge against Akio, Seiunsai and Meruko. Meruko's time as a psychic and eventual unpopularity from the media, combined with Akio's conspiracy theories and Seiunsai's scams, lead to Sae's parents committing suicide and her life falling apart. She declares she's waiting for tomorrow to come to take the money from the auction machine and use it with her own saving to payback the Victims Catharsis Committee. Before anyone could capture her, she pulls out a gun to threaten the others into complying with the rules. With the Right won, the remaining survivors stay in a room away from Sae, with Team Meruko being happy in particular, with Kyoko and Yui falling asleep to welcome in the New Year.

### Day 7

When they awoken, they recieve a call from Kyoko's grandfather Fuhito Kirigiri. Fuhito reveals that the true identity of the Chairman of the Victims Catharsis Committee was Mikado Shinsen - **The Variationist** who is a master of disguise and a former Triple Zero detective. Fuhito warns them that Mikado might come after both, and they shouldn't approach him (unaware that both girls have met him already). After the call, Yui and Kyoko rush out of the room and follow bloody handprints to room 312. There, they find that Sae had been murdered with her own hammer. They go downstairs, with 10 AM soon approaching to let them out. However, in the lobby they seemingly find both Yuzen and Suisei dead.

However, as they pass their bodies, Suisei reveals he had been alive this entire time. He desires the money in the hotel and so began murdering the remaining survivors to acquire it. Suisei was willing to let Kyoko live if she didn't tell anyone, but to Suisei's disappointment, Kyoko decides to be on Yui's side no matter what. However, Meruko, who was shot earlier, appears to be still alive against all odds and commands Suisei's gun to bend before collapsing dead. He turns to shoot her again, but the gun doesn't work. With this distraction, she saves Kyoko and Yui's lives as the Hotel is now unlocked and they could leave.

#### After The Game

On their way out, Yui and Kyoko run past Mikado and his associates: Triple Zero detectives - Gekka Ryūzōji and Johnny Arp. When Suisei rushed out of the hotel to chase them, he is stunned upon witnessing the three Executives of the Victims Catharsis Committee. A gun is handed to Suisei, who mutters about the 'fall' happening before committing suicide with it. With Suisei dead, Mikado approached the girls. He wipes away blood from were Yui's ear was grazed by a shot from Suisei and, when asked on his intentions, merely says he's trying to welcome the new year. Covering Yui's face with a handkerchief, by the time he uncovers her face, Norman's Hotel had gradually started to disapepar until just a barren landscape is left. As the Executives leaves, Mikado warns that the next time they'll meet, it will be with a new face.

## Black Letter

Location: Norman's Hotel — 80 million yen

Weapon: Knife — 5 million yen

Weapon: Revolver — 15 million yen

Weapon: Hammer — 3 million yen

Weapon: Rope — 3 million yen

Weapon: Automobile — 10 million yen

Trick: Locked Room — 100 million yen

Trick: Disappearing Act — 100 million yen

Other: Cash — 1 billion yen

Total Cost: 1.316 billion yen

The Assigned Detective for this Duel Noir is Suisei Nanamura.

## Participants

### Hosts

**Mikado Shinsen**

**Norman**

**Norman's Mother**

**Old Car**
 **Stray Cat** | -
 **Ercassam Auctions** | -

### Detective Library

**Yui Samidare**

**Kyoko Kirigiri**

**Suisei Nanamura**

**Taehime Uozumi**

### Participants

**Meruko Mifune*****(Target)***

**Akio Chage*****(Target)***

**Seiunsai Toyano'ō*****(Target)***

**Yūzen Minase**

### Other

**Fuhito Kirigiri**

**Gekka Ryūzōji**
 **Johnny Arp** | 000

## Results and Aftermath

* Mikado Shinsen, the Mastermind behind the Duel Noir survived.
* The Norman's Hotel disappeared without a trace.
* Winter vacation ended, and a new school term started.
* Kyoko briefly went missing.