The Phantom Thief Strikes Again

The Phantom Thief Strikes Again
Information
Date Started	Spring of 1924, Several days after Kazuya's admission into school
Date Ended	Spring of 1924, A few days after the admission of "Avril Bradley" into school
Location	Abandoned warehouse near Saint Marguerite Academy, Sauville
Result	Resolved
Media Duration
Light Novel	GosickS Volume 01
Anime	Episodes 04 and 05
Manga	Chapters 02, 03 and 04
Involved Persons
Victims	Avril Bradley (detained by Kuiaran the Second)
Suspects	Kuiaran the Second (as Avril Bradley)
Chronology
Previous Case	The Last Vow of a Dying Lover
Current Case	The Phantom Thief Strikes Again
Next Case	Looking for the Poison Flower
Case Overview Index

Kuiaran has been a name that has become elusive from the authorities of Europe for many years until his disappearance eight years before the present. After the discovery of Kuiaran's death, however, another thief dons the title of Kuiaran... and the retracing of a valuable treasure named Penny Black begins.

Background

Before the discovery of Maxim's corpse on Saint Marguerite Academy's crypt, the school is taken aback by the arrival of Avril Bradley, an exchange student from England. Kazuya Kujo continues to doubt about Avril's identity even while he and Victorique de Blois investigate on the case of the mysterious corpse, and things become more confusing when a simple book is shoved into the many clues Kazuya have seen.

After the resolution of the case of Maxim's death, Victorique decides to involve herself in taking a peek into Avril's true face.

Profiles

People Involved

• Kuiaran the Second - the presumed successor to the title of Kuiaran, and a professional thief like the original.

Progress

The Unsent Letter

Victorique recalls Kazuya's account on Avril picking up a book inside the crypt and decides to allow Kazuya to know more about it. She has admitted to have noticed Avril visiting the library a few times, and has later told Kazuya that she hid the book she picked up from the crypt in the library: "concealing a tree in the forest".

She then asks Kazuya about the myth about stepping on the thirteenth step. According to the myth, anyone who steps on the thirteenth step shall be dragged into the underworld, and many of the students of Saint Marguerite knew this myth and follow. However, people from the outside are not as superstitious as them and tend to find the myth as strange; Avril used this information to keep the book from others, and since Victorique does not believe in superstition, she picks up the book with ease.

Kazuya then follows Victorique outside, where the little girl scans the book. To her dismay, the book contains information on how to perform a resurrection spell. She is about to go back inside the library when a slip of paper drops to the floor. Victorique finds out that it is a postcard addressed to Avril Bradley, although the lack of a postmark is a sign that the postcard has not been sent. To Kazuya's surprise, she decides to take it with her before using the elevator back up the library's topmost floor.

The Girl Speaks About Ghost Stories

Feeling depressed by Victorique's sudden disappearance, Kazuya walks back carrying the unusual book from the crypt. A gust of wind blows away his hat into an abandoned warehouse nearby, and as he approaches the door leading inside, a swift blow to the head renders him unconscious.

Kazuya finds himself in the infirmary several minutes later, and Cecile is the first to tell him what happened. It turns out that Avril and the school gardener has found him unconscious and has carried him to the infirmary. Unfortunately, Kazuya did not have the book after losing his consciousness, and still suspects Avril to have taken it despite being the same person who carried him.

Soon, Avril herself visited him and expresses her worry over what happened. The incident even made her recall the ghost story lurking around the abandoned warehouse; according to the story, the ghost of a dead female student is wandering inside the warehouse, killing anyone who are curious enough to venture downstairs. She also tells of yet another story, and this time it is about "A Fairy with Golden Hair Lives on the Topmost Floor". The story tells of a fairy that solves mysteries at the cost of the requester.

Kazuya knew of only one person who fits the title well, but Avril does not know a person named Victorique.

Introducing Kuiaran, the Phantom Thief

Kazuya later leaves his infirmary room and he parts way with Avril. He soon encounters Grevil, who is immersed in yet another case. According to him, he received news of an incoming attack from a professional thief. The professional thief claims to have the name "Kuiaran the Second", the presumable successor to the original Kuiaran, who suddenly disappeared seven to eight years ago. After sightings on Saubrème, the capital city of Sauville, the police are warned about encountering the thief.

What surprises Grevil is that there are no valuable treasures known in the town, and Kazuya thinks that Victorique would be useful in her information (in fact, Kazuya knew that Grevil is trying to persuade him into asking Victorique).

Soon, Grevil reveals a surprising revelation to him: that Millie Marl was Cecile's classmate, and the results of the crime has shocked her.

Voices from the Unexplored

Kazuya soon stumbles upon Cecile on a patch of primrose flowers. After confronting his teacher about the book that was taken from him, he mentions the flowers where she is staying. It turns out to have come from Millie Marl, who has been her friend and classmate in Saint Marguerite. Just like what Grevil reported, Cecile is shocked by the news. She then admits that the reason why she asked help is because she has developed an uncomfortable feeling whenever going alone on the crypt, which was a reminder of Millie's final resting place.

Soon, Kazuya hears a sound from the warehouse he was attacked earlier. Kazuya recalls hearing a ghost story about the place, and this caused Cecile to be scared. Despite Cecile's worries, he decides to explore inside.

They carefully make their advance at the warehouse, with Cecile clinging tightly on Kazuya. Cecile would occasionally take off her glasses to keep herself from seeing any ghosts, but would end up tripping. Soon, Kazuya sees the image of a girl and a muffled plea for help is heard. Cecile runs away in fright, and Kazuya manages to catch up to her.

Although Cecile is initially concerned about her reputation, she wonders who the ghost is, who is definitely not Millie Marl, according to Cecile herself.

Avril Meets the Devilish Doll

Meanwhile, Avril enters the library tower one more time, although she decides to ascend to the topmost floor. After a grueling climb, she discovers the botanical gardens, but there is no one around; instead, she sees a lifelike doll sitting on a corner. She discovers that the doll is made from an 18th century dollmaker named Grafen Stein and... as she declares her name as "Kuiaran the Second"... thinks about her achievement in the discovery of a very expensive doll exceeding the original.

She then hides the doll in an inconspicuous corner and wonders for a while how her book was taken so easily.

Then, a thought hit her: she realizes that the porcelain doll she just carried might be the Victorique that Kazuya talked to her about... a doll with a devilish soul that plans to spellbind Kazuya... and shudders at the thought. Soon, the doll begins to glare at her, and in her shock, she flees the library, only to bump into Kazuya.

Kazuya soon reached Victorique, and after handing a sweet treat to her, he gives out his testimony, from who Kuiaran is, to the attack on the warehouse and the sightings of a girl inside the warehouse.

Victorique soon tells him that she knew who Kuiaran is, and even Kuiaran the Second, who she described as "acting foolish by being proud of herself". Kazuya is taken by surprise by the sudden development, and asks what the involvement of the book with the case is.

She responds with the statement that the death inflicted by Millie Marl, the mysterious book and the sudden appearance of Kuiaran are all linked.

Revelations After Revelations

Victorique soon finishes her explanation and Kazuya is left to ask more questions. She exposes that Maxim is, in fact, the original Kuiaran, and his regular visits to the school is only to stash his stolen goods within the school complex. Kazuya wants Victorique to explain things in better detail but refuses, and instead, asks about the mysterious voice he heard inside the warehouse.

Victorique urges him to go to the warehouse, not because there is a ghost in the warehouse, but because the real Avril Bradley is tied up inside.

Kazuya soon meets Avril Bradley halfway down the library and notices the briefcase she is carrying. Although a bit nervous, Avril manages to keep him from asking too much and continues on her ascent; she is somewhat nervous of Kazuya as well, because he has been talking about Victorique, and what she knew was that Victorique is a mere doll powered by dark forces.

Kazuya manages to drag Grevil into the rescue mission, but even the much older Grevil is frightened at the possibility of a ghost in the warehouse. Soon, Grevil steps on something and the groan that follows caused him to run in fear, only to realize that it was someone's head; Kazuya takes off the blindfold from the girl's eyes and they discover that Victorique is right. It was the real Avril Bradley.

With this confirmed, this only makes things bad for Kazuya, as the fake Avril Bradley is now at the library.

A Clash Between Minds

Kuiaran the Second has finally reached the botanical gardens and plans on picking up the Grafen Stein doll she saw earlier; to her shock, however, the doll is in a different place. She hurriedly packs it onto her briefcase and leaves, when she meets Kazuya.

Kazuya instantly exposes that he knew about her true identity and, since there is no need to use a fake persona, Kuiaran the Second confirms his statement, and soon retells her experiences with the death of the original Kuiaran.

She then demands the Penny Black, a rare stamp attached to a postcard addressed to Avril Bradley. Kazuya tells her that it is with Victorique, which does not convince Kuiaran. She then declares that Kazuya's friend is a fairy, a figment of his imagination created out of loneliness. Kazuya did not believe in her allegations, but her next action alarmed Kazuya; Kuiaran opened the briefcase and lets the doll inside fall to the ground, where Grevil's assistants manage to cushion its landing.

Kuiaran still points out that Kazuya's "Victorique" is non-existent and begins to grow more and more impatient over time. Kazuya soon faces Kuiaran's wrath as her hands wrap around his neck, continuing her neverending questioning of where the Penny Black is, and soon, Kazuya begins to question himself over Victorique's existence as he loses consciousness.

Then, another person answers her question.

Victorique emerges from the topmost floor, holding Avril's postcard, and demands Kuiaran to let go of Kazuya before dropping a stack of books on Kuiaran. The impact caused the thief to lose her balance and lose consciousness after rolling to the end of the stairway.

Conclusion

Kuiaran is later interrogated by the police and Grevil reveals that the doll discovered on the topmost floor is his, and is now trying his best to keep it in one piece after being dropped several floors down. Meanwhile, Kazuya heads to the infirmary, where the real Avril Bradley is regaining her lost energy through eating.

After Avril thanked Kazuya for saving her life, she soon tells him about her first meeting with Kuiaran; Avril even recalls biting her right hand, causing the bandages on Kuiaran's right hand.

Soon, Kazuya hands over the postcard to Avril, and he watches as a longing granddaughter reads her grandfather's loving message to her.