The Let's Play Archive

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

by Mors Rattus

Part 55: Case 4 - Turnabout Goodbyes - Investigation (Day 3) - Part 3

Case 4 - Turnabout Goodbyes
Investigation (Day 3) - Part 3



We left off still talking to Grossberg about von Karma.





: He would know that Miles Edgeworth had accidentally killed his own father.
: ...!
: He'll say as much tomorrow in court, I should think. He'll press the point until the court finds Miles Edgeworth "guilty."
: Oh no!
: B-but how could von Karma know about Mr. Edgeworth's past like that? Even Mr. Edgeworth thought it was just a nightmare!
: Hmm... That, I do not know. Yet I do know that von Karma is both persistent... and a perfectionist.
: He may be seeking to satisfy a grudge against Gregory Edgeworth by hurting his son.
: What do you mean?
: It was fifteen years ago... von Karma met Gregory Edgeworth in court, and von Karma did win... But he didn't make it through the trial unscarred.



: What happened in the trial between Edgeworth's dad and von Karma?
: von Karma got the "guilty" verdict he wanted. He won the trial. But Gregory Edgeworth accused von Karma of faulty evidence. And though he lost the trial, Mr. Edgeworth's accusation stood.
: Faulty evidence?



: It was the only penalty von Karma has ever received in his career as a prosecutor. Gregory Edgeworth dealt a blow to his perfect trial record.
: Wow.
: It must have been quite a shock for von Karma. He took a vacation for several months after that, you see.
: A vacation...?
: Yes, an unusual event for the man. That was the first, and the last vacation he's taken in his many years of prosecuting.



: Like... go to the sea, or, uh, to the mountains?
: Don't tell me he's never been to Europe!?
: You have strange ideas about vacations, Maya.
: In any case... That was the only time he took a vacation from work. I believe the penalty upset him quite a lot.
: (Odd... If he wanted to keep a perfect record so badly... why would he take such a long vacation?)
: What do we do, Nick? von Karma is going to bring up DL-6, you can bet on it!
: What if Mr. Edgeworth pleads guilty to DL-6!?
: I won't let him!
: Erm, yes, Mr. Wright... I hate to say this... But even accidental murder is murder, you know.
: I know that! ... I... I just believe in Edgeworth's innocence! I can't believe he'd kill someone!
: B-but, Nick! Mr. Edgeworth admits it himself! His father must have lied to protect him, from beyond the grave...
: I don't care! I know he's not guilty!
: ... Mr. Wright... If you say so, I suppose I could go check again. The police files might hold something of interest.
: Mr. Grossberg... thank you!
: I can't promise anything. In fact, I think the chances of finding something are slim.
: I understand. (The police materials... hmm.)

We should check those out...but let's stop back at home first and regroup.





: Yeah... I know.
: Well, no time to waste! Let's get going!



: What do you think we should do now, Maya?
: You would know best, Nick!
: Just do what you do! That should work.



: Well? Had any good ideas?
: This is all tied to the DL-6 Incident... We'd better find out as much as we can about that murder before tomorrow!
: (Something that happened back then has a hold on Edgeworth and it won't let go.)

So, to the station!





: There's hardly anyone here...
: Everyone must be out looking for the old guy... Yogi.



: I don't think Gumshoe'll be coming back today. He's staying out late looking for someone.
: Sounds like Detective Gumshoe is pounding the pavement for real!
: Um, we were wondering if we could check out the Records Room again...
: Well, now, I can't have just anyone wandering around in there. But... I guess Mr. von Karma is in there now, anyway. You can go in as long as he's there.
: von Karma...?
: Yes. He just arrived actually.



: N-Nick! Let's hurry!







: Dusty as always!
: We were only here just yesterday. I'm sure they just haven't had time to clean... ...
: What's wrong, Nick?
: Nothing. I was just noticing that he isn't here. von Karma...

But something has definitely changed...



: Huh? One of the drawers here is open.
: Someone must have been looking in it recently.
: The label says, "Unsolved Cases: Evidence"

Yeah, they forgot a period.

: Hmm... "Unsolved cases"?
: Nick! The file for DL-6... it's completely empty!
: Wh-what!?





: v-v-von Karma!
: You...! ... How do you know my name?
: Huh?
: Have we met?



: We see each other every day, don't we?
: We're Miles Edgeworth's defense team!
: Defense team...?



: They are like bugs to me. Needless things, to be crushed.
: (I can see how this guy was Edgeworth's mentor.)

Hey, he seems friendly enough! Let's chat.



: Uh, umm... Mr. Edgeworth was your student, right?
: ... A romanticist who could never shed that veneer of amateurism. Just like his father. Always second rate.
: Mr. von Karma... You had an axe to grind with Mr. Gregory Edgeworth, didn't you?
: Me? A grudge against a mere defense attorney? Why?
: Because he dealt a blow to your otherwise perfect trial record?
: Hmph.
: So you did... but what I don't get is... Why did you take his son under your wing afterwards? The son of your most bitter rival?
: ... That, my dear attorney, is none of your business.



: Tomorrow will be the last day of this trial. It's been a while since I've had a defense attorney last this long. Still, you will lose in the end. Miles Edgeworth will admit his own guilt.
: His guilt of 15 years ago, you mean?
: ... You're quite the researcher. If you've done your homework so well, then certainly, you must understand. You know what Miles Edgeworth will tell the court tomorrow.
: (We were right... So von Karma is going to bring up DL-6 in court tomorrow.)

We can show him things, but with one exception, they don't do anything helpful.

: You think I, a prosecutor, would give you, a defense attorney, information? Bah!
: (Creep!)

But hey, maybe we should confront him with that letter he wrote...



: ...
: This was you, wasn't it? You instructed Yanni Yogi to commit murder.
: ... Yanni Yogi... How many years has it been since I've heard him called by that name.
: He's a fool. I told him to burn it after he read it.



: ...!
: S-so you admit it! You... you wrote Mr. Yogi this letter!
: Yes, my dear defense attorney. Thank you for taking the trouble to bring it to me. You've saved me from a lot of needless hassle.
: Wh-what!?
: N-Nick! What is that thing!?



: A stun gun. For self defense... usually.
: Indeed. 600,000 volts will course through your body like a dog touching an electric fence.
: Six hundred thous...!?
: Oh, don't worry. People don't die from it, usually. Now, give me the letter.
: (No!!!)
: Nooooooooooo!





: M-Maya!
: Out of my way!









: (Ugh... He got us. The letter's... gone, of course. And he took the DL-6 evidence... all of it. Back to having no clues. Wait... Maya jumped first. Maya...! Is she okay? ...)

The letter is gone from the Court Record, though at least the DL-6 files we got yesterday are not.





: Maya! Open your eyes!



: Maya!
: ... The letter! Did he take it?
: Huh!? Oh... yeah. A-are you okay!?
: ...



: I... I couldn't stop him. I jumped as fast as I could, but one shot from that thing knocked me out cold. I'm useless. I'm no good as a lawyer, or a medium! I can't even call my sister. Not even now, when we need her the most. I wish I hadn't woken up at all.

She fades back into unconsciousness.



: (Grr! There has to be some way I can help her! I'd better do something about her self-confidence, first.) ...? (Maya... she's holding something!)





: "DL-6 Incident, Evidence No. 7 Taken from the heart of Gregory Edgeworth." I remember... von Karma was holding this when Maya jumped him.



: (I'll prove it to you, Maya. You're most definitely not useless! I'll prove it to you in court tomorrow!)



Next time: Well, shit.

Pactus Legis Salicae XX (ca. 500) (translated) posted:

1. The freeman who touches the hand or arm or finger of a free woman or of any other woman, and it is proved against him, shall be liable to pay six hundred denarii.
2. If he touches her arm below the elbow, he shall be liable to pay twelve hundred denarii.
3. But if he places his hand above her elbow and it is proved against him, he shall be liable to pay fourteen hundred denarii.