Christmas Event 2021 Resolution

The Pudding Before Christmas

Some Info First

• First of all, thank you so much for playing the event! I hope you enjoyed the puzzles and the story about the thirteen dorks and some puddings at least half as much as I did creating it.
• If you have any feedback or questions about anything, please contact me either on Discord (Gertas#9999, come to the GameTora Discord), or send an email to [email protected].
• This is the last part of the story and it will explain what happened in the dorms between 15:05 and 17:05. Please don't read it before you're satisfied with your guesses about the mystery!

The Case of The Pudding Thief Explained

Tora

Welcome, ladies. I’m sure you’re all eager to start the Christmas party, but first, please let me share what I’ve discovered this afternoon.

Tora

Perfect.

Tora

As you all already know by now, my pudding went missing today somewhere between 15:05 and 17:05.

Tora

I’ve questioned all of you, and I think I have enough information to get to the bottom of this.

Tora

One of the most important revelations came almost at the very end, so let’s start with Mimi.

Tora

Mimi said many interesting things, but the one that’s most relevant for now is that she has seen my pudding in the fridge after coming back to the dorms. Isn’t that right?

Tora

Yes, that’s what you said the first time around too. My “XTRA STRBRY pudding”. You didn’t leave any room for doubt that it was indeed my pudding.

Tora

You were in the dining room with Koma, right after she came back from shopping with Ryuu.

Tora

And that time was confirmed by multiple people—Ryuu, Shii, and Ino.

Tora

Which means that Mimi gave everyone else alibis until half past four. Either the pudding was still there like she claims, or Mimi herself was somehow involved in the theft.

Tora

Thanks.

Tora

That exonerates Ino and Koma completely. They were in their room after half past four, and can provide alibis for each other.

Tora

Shii was seen hauling puddings around the dorms. That incident happened around four, so it doesn’t seem related to this case. We’ll get to that later, though.

Tora

Shii was in the room with Ryuu after that, so they can provide alibis for each other as well. Nene didn’t leave the room after four, so I can exonerate her myself.

Tora

Usa-chan and Kotori-chan were together the entire afternoon. Besides, they were in the convenience store when the interesting things started happening.

Tora

So that leaves us with Inuko-chan, Hitsuji-chan, Mimi and Saruha as the potential culprits.

Tora

Actually, Mimi and Hitsuji-chan provided some pretty specific times, and considering these, you would have just enough time to take the pudding. Not to eat it, though, that’s for sure.

Tora

And Mimi stated that you went out dressed very lightly, so it would be impossible for you to stash the pudding in your clothes or something.

Tora

So now that’s out of the way, it’s time to get to the good part.

Tora

Some time after Mimi and Koma parted ways, Mimi came back downstairs. To stretch her legs, as she said.

Tora

However, she wasn’t alone, because as Mimi said and Kotori-chan later confirmed, Inuko-chan was watching her from the stairs.

Tora

Apparently thinking she’s hidden, but we all know she can be a bit of a, well…

Tora

After that, Kotori-chan and Usa-chan left their room and called Mimi over. And when they did…

Tora

Inuko-chan rushed into the dining room and then back upstairs.

Tora

And a few minutes after that, Hitsuji-chan woke up and saw a pudding on the table, which she thought Inuko-chan brought for her, and she ate it.

Tora

Inuko-chan wasn’t in the room, because around that time, Saruha came back and needed to talk to her. You see where I’m going with this?

Tora

Yes, Inuko-chan was obviously waiting for Mimi to leave. She rushed in and back so quickly that there was barely enough time to accomplish a very simple objective—to take the pudding from the fridge.

Tora

She ran back to her room and put the pudding on the table. After that, Saruha knocked on the door, making Inuko-chan leave.

Tora

Right after that, Hitsuji-chan’s alarm went off, and the rest is history.

Koneko’s Diary Explained

• The second part of the resolution will explain the rest of the story after considering the information that Tora has learned from Koneko.
• Koneko’s Diary was the hard mode of this event. It's now available for everyone to unlock on the main page, so go try it if you feel like it!
• Once again, please don't read the following conversation unless you're satisfied with your own explanation!

Tora

No, you’re most certainly not the only one.

Tora

Don’t worry, of course I know that. You’re not someone who would steal something.

Tora

You probably saw Mimi looking at the fridge suspiciously, and thought she’s gonna play a prank, right? Steal my pudding or something? So you wanted to protect it.

Tora

Thank you, Inuko-chan. I’ll give you the money later.

Tora

Just listen for now.

Tora

Heh heh.

Tora

Yes, and I actually ate it for science. I was saving it for the party, remember? Do you think I’d succumb to my pudding desires and eat it earlier just because I was a little hungry?

Tora

Well, maybe.

Tora

But anyway, I actually did need to confirm something. And I was pretty sure I’d get a second pudding here.

Tora

You see, there was something off about one of the things that Hitsuji-chan said.

Tora

You said that it was a “familiar flavor” and that you’ve “definitely eaten it before”. Isn’t that a little bit weird?

Tora

I don’t think that’s the case. You see, I’m sure you all remember my uh, detailed monologue about the pudding.

Tora

Mimi even claimed that I probably “couldn't even tell the difference from a normal strawberry pudding”.

Tora

Hitsuji-chan was in that conversation. If she ate one before, don’t you think that she would, at some point, say something about the pudding?

Tora

But I do agree it’s not conclusive evidence or anything. It got me thinking though, and I went for a walk to gather my thoughts. And that’s when someone called out to me…

Tora

As you all know, Koneko has a pretty clear view into our dining room from one of her windows.

Tora

You’re completely right, my dear Dr. Catson!

Tora

So anyway, Koneko told me what she’s seen. There were many interesting things, for example how Shii bought and ate four puddings—

Tora

Koneko’s story also confirmed my suspicions about Inuko-chan’s motive and a few other things. And also made me realize something.

Tora

So, Mii-chan…

Tora

You were being very careful and guarded when I asked you about your day. Uncharacteristically so.

Tora

Your story checked out perfectly… Or it would, if my dear assistant didn’t see you.

Tora

You said that you went to the convenience store to buy a pudding because “you got a bit hungry”.

Tora

And you made the whole situation look very casual. Bring a few things from your shopping trip, put something in the fridge but keep the pudding because you’re gonna eat it…

Tora

Then you go back to your room and eat the pudding… And a little bit later, you feel like you need to stretch your legs, so you go downstairs for a bit. Sounds about right?

Tora

But that’s not what Koneko saw. She said that after leaving the dining room with Koma, “not a minute later, you were back downstairs”.

Tora

If it takes twenty seconds to go to your room and twenty seconds to go back, that leaves us with maybe another twenty seconds in your room, and that’s being generous.

Tora

I very much doubt that in those twenty seconds, you casually ate your pudding, started feeling a bit restless and decided to go for a walk.

Tora

Of course, you could have decided to go eat your pudding in the dining room. But for that, you forgot one important thing—the pudding.

Tora

Koneko clearly said that after going downstairs, you just “stood next to the dining room door, and just stayed in one place, with a grin on your face”.

Tora

Maybe you decided you’re not hungry after all? But no, that also doesn’t make sense. Why wouldn’t you just leave the pudding in the fridge? Why go upstairs just to leave it in your room, and then go back downstairs to stand around?

Tora

No, leaving the pudding in your room was the purpose of your trip upstairs.

Tora

Thank you, the texture was still perfect when I ate it later.

Tora

Mimi definitely didn’t plan for things to get out of hand this much. I’m sure she was delighted by it, though.

Tora

When I talked about the pudding earlier, you said that “I couldn't even tell the difference from a normal strawberry pudding”. So you decided to test me.

Tora

You bought a normal strawberry pudding, and swapped it with my special edition pudding in the fridge. There was no big scheme behind that, you probably just thought I’d give in soon and go eat the pudding, so you wanted to see my reaction for a quick laugh.

Tora

However, then you noticed Inuko watching you, and a little while after that, her rushing into the dining room.

Tora

Being sharp in these things, you quickly realized what’s happening, and decided to just go with it.

Tora

Of course, you didn’t want me to actually lose the pudding, or Inuko-chan to be blamed. So you left the pudding at my doorstep, returning it to me and knowing it would create an inconsistency in the story sooner or later.

Tora

And this Christmas would have its mystery thief. But you didn’t know…

Tora

I wanted to say “that I’m pretty sharp too”, but I guess that works as well.

Tora

Thank you, my dear assistant.

Tora

Sure! But first…

Tora

First, I need a drink, actually. My throat hurts after all that talking.

Tora

Anyway, there you have it. It was pretty fun, actually, but next time please don’t use my pudding for these things.

Tora

Anyway, let’s get this party started.

Tora

Haha, sure. Who knows, maybe it will…