The blood had not even dried yet. Shade frowned slightly and asked:
"Has the body not been moved?"
"No."
Deputy Director Morris said, then proactively explained what had happened:
"A servant passing by the door noticed it had been left open and came over to lock it, only to discover the body. The scream drew over others who happened to be in the corridor at the time, which is why more than ten people entered and saw the body."
Shade nodded, left the room, and came to the doorway. He pulled the door mostly shut, then peered through the gap inside.
"From outside, you can indeed see the corpse's feet. No problem there. But since so many people entered, any traces on the carpet are meaningless."
He crouched before the corpse again.
"The only wound is on the back of the head, meaning the attack came from behind. Since Mr. Daniel Philip was a soldier of the New Continent Pioneer Legion, he should not have allowed someone holding a weapon to approach his back so easily, much less be killed without any resistance. This suggests the killer was an acquaintance."
As he put on a show, he had Tifa stand before him. He picked up the swan-shaped bronze statue and mimed a swinging strike behind her.
"Since it was a single fatal blow, the killer must have used the most advantageous stance and delivered the strongest possible swing. Therefore, judging from the location of the wound on the back of the victim's head—"
He pressed his free hand against the back of Tifa's head, then repeatedly bent his knees until he found a posture that would strike precisely where the wound was.
"The killer was about two inches, roughly five centimeters, shorter than Mr. Daniel Philip. Also—"
He handed the