The exhibition ended much earlier than anyone had expected under the name of “security reassurance".

Once the museum’s conservation team arrived and Hatoru explained what he had noticed, the gallery was temporarily closed to the public. Visitors were politely redirected toward the other wings while staff began examining the Vase of Mercilli behind closed doors.

Leana went with Brenna, although not without sending Araka several messages asking what was happening.

Three people, however, remained: Hatoru, writing down notes; Araka, now helping the conservation team identifying the cracks; and, somewhat surprisingly— Sayanaka.

After the conservation team started detailed examinations, Araka returned to the now-empty exhibition hall. She then found Sayanaka standing beside the entrance, looking at her phone.

Araka raised an eyebrow. “Sayanaka?”

Sayanaka put her phone away and looked up. “Ah, Araka-cha,” she said and sighed, “Guess we’re back to work now.”

“Why are you still here?” Araka asked, “I thought you would go with Leana.”

“Because I contacted Instructor Toruyo as soon as the whole gallery was cleared after Hatoru came back,” Sayanaka said while brushing her braided ponytail backward, “and also, you only come back after the whole area was closed off without being escorted by the staff here, so I guess something was wrong.”

“That … that’s oddly specific, Sayanaka,” Araka said, “but how you weren’t escorted by the staff?”

Sayanaka took a small pink wallet from her teal cross body bag and expanded it, showing the small badge hidden inside. “I showed the staff the badge and they let me stay.”

“But you’re a high school student,” Araka said, “how do you make them believe you?”

Sayanaka grinned and then replayed the process: she lowered her voice and let out the words quickly. 

“Isekari Sayanaka, SAIR Central Division 1, currently in an undercover inspection on the safety of the Vase of Mercilli.”

Araka chuckled: “Sayanaka, you really sound like Meijin for a moment.”

“You mean the short-haired woman who also uses a lightsaber from your division?” Sayanaka said.

Araka nodded.

“Well, I’m just reenacting what the police would do in action movies.”

Araka then put her thoughts away: “So you told Instructor Toruyo what happened?

Sayanaka nodded and slipped her wallet back to her bag.  “He told me to remain here until Division 2 arrives. Apparently I’m the liaison now.”

Araka stared at her. “…You?”

“Well, even though SAIR usually doesn’t handle cases of stolen museum artifacts, Instructor Toruyo told me this one is different — if this really is a theft, the Zakatarin Embassy is going to be involved immediately. The ambassador might even come personally.”

She folded her arms.

“Plus, we don’t know how the vase would’ve been stolen.”

Araka understood. “…Matake.”

“Exactly,” Sayanaka nodded, “In fact, Instructor Toruyo has already warned us about criminals using Matake more often since Milo disappeared.”

She looked toward the security cameras.

“If somebody replaced an artifact inside a monitored gallery without anyone noticing, he doesn’t want us assuming this is an ordinary theft.”

Araka glanced back toward the now emptied display.

Then something didn’t fit quite neatly in Araka’s mind.

If this was a Matake-assisted theft, why leave a replica recognizable enough for Hatoru to notice?

Before she could think further, the staff door opened.

Hatoru greeted the group. 

Miya (美亞), the museum guide Araka met yesterday, along with the conservation team approached Araka and Sayanaka.

“We’ve completed the preliminary verification,” Miya said. 

Araka immediately straightened. “What is your assessment, Miya-sa?”

Miya hesitated.

Then she spoke: “Mr. Hatoru was correct.”

Araka’s expression hardened.

So it’s fake, she said in her mind. 

“But this is not exactly a fake.”

“…What?”

Miya looked toward the vase. “The object currently inside the case is something we prepared as a backup.”

Sayanaka frowned. “A replica?”

“Again… not exactly.”

Araka and Sayanaka exchanged looks.

“This requires some explanation,” Miya let out a small sigh and explained, “The Vase of Mercilli commonly refers to one artifact. But, recently, when the underground palace ruins at the tomb of King Bosenari were excavated, we discovered fragments of another vase that is identical to the famous one.”

She pointed toward the vase currently behind the glass.

“Eventually, when the team checked the site one more time, they realized that there were originally two pieces of vases — and one was looted at one point and ended up in the Grand Palace of Nortena, the place where the famous piece was discovered; while the other one was cracked on the ground, which after reconstruction, looked like this.”

Araka looked at it again.

“But Uncle Hatoru said the inscription is wrong, or at least, not the same as the 3D scan in terms of the texture.”

“Because part of what you’re looking at isn’t original,” Miya indicated the upper portion of the vase, “this is one of the original pieces of the cracked vase.”

“Parts of the second vessel were so heavily damaged that we recreated fragments, including the inscription here, based on surviving fragments, scans of the primary vase, and archaeological records.”

Sayanaka leaned closer.

“So technically this isn’t a counterfeit.”

“That’s correct. It is a genuine archaeological object incorporated into a reconstruction.”

Araka frowned.

“But it wasn’t supposed to be the main exhibit,” she continued, “After all, if it is a replica, the museum should label it out.”

“No.”

“Then why was it there?”

Miya became visibly uncomfortable.

“That’s what initially concerned us too.”

She looked toward Hatoru.

“We contacted the Zakatarin Embassy and reviewed the transfer records, and eventually, they told us the whole story.”

“The reconstructed vessel arrived first, while the primary Vase of Mercilli—the substantially intact artifact you saw during preparations—arrived in Bakju one day later.”

Araka’s eyes narrowed.

“So both were here?”

“Yes,” Miya nodded.

“But somebody switched them?” Hatoru continued. 

The woman shook her head. “That’s the problem.”

She brought up the museum’s logistics record on a tablet.

“As stated on the log, the reconstructed vessel was never designated for public display. It was brought here as a security precaution in case a substitute became necessary during the loan.”

Sayanaka looked at the record: “But could both have labels?”

The woman paused. “Yes, but the reconstructed one had a different barcode.”

Sayanaka raised her eyebrows. “So someone could mistake the contingency vase with the actual vase?”

“But that still doesn’t explain what happened afterward.” Araka said, feeling the uneasiness return.

She then turned toward Miya.

“Miya-sa, you were with me when you guided us through the museum on Monday, right?”

Miya nodded.

“And the one you showed us was the real one, which is a more intact piece with a rough surface?”

Miya nodded again. 

“So basically — the swap could only have happened around midnight.”

The gallery fell quiet.

Sayanaka stared at the display: “That means those who swapped it knew clearly that there were two shipments, and also knew the layout of the museum so well that the midnight movements didn’t catch the attention of anyone.”

“But I still do think something didn’t hold up,” Araka said.

Sayanaka blinked.

“Miya-sa, are we sure that there was no intrusion between late Monday night and earlier this morning?”

Miya nodded. “According to the security footage, it seemed to be the case.”

“And the case here couldn’t be unlocked unless a staff member is present?”

“That’s correct.”

Araka paused a bit, and then continued. 

“But who has access to the key of the case?”

“That would be the security,” Miya said.

Araka lowered her head. So someone from the security stole the vase? 

Then, Araka’s SAIR issued phone — the one with black case, rang. 

“Sorry, Miya-sa, Uncle Hatoru, Sayanaka, my mom just called me.”

All nodded.

Araka then headed to the washroom again.

“Araka, this is Huashin — I’m on the way.”

—

It didn’t take long for the museum to become considerably busier again — but for a different reason.

Several Bakju police vehicles arrived through the staff entrance, followed shortly afterward by Huashin.

Araka, who had been waiting near the closed exhibition hall with Sayanaka, immediately approached Huashin.

“Instructor Huashin?”

“Araka.”

“Did Instructor Toruyo just call you?”

Huashin glanced toward the detectives spreading through the gallery.

“Apparently, Toruyo wasn’t the only one, and I only received the call while I’m already on the way.”

Araka raised her right eyebrow.

“The Bakju police, now with a team under Detective  Yushi, are becoming much more Matake-aware these days.”

“Because of Milo?”

“Partly,” Huashin lowered her voice, “But there’s more than that — there was an attempted heist at a private collection in Niangkee recently. One of the suspects turned out to be a Matake user.”

Araka’s expression changed.

“So they think this could be another one?”

“They don’t know,” Huashin said, “That’s why I’m here — just in case there’s evidence of Matake involvement.”

“Weimin and others are also on the way, he’ll check whether the surveillance system was actually functioning during the possible timeframe.”

Araka nodded.

It didn't take long for another two people to appear near the gallery entrance — Moraka, along with another partially bald middle aged man.

“Detective Jin Yushi (金 予錫) of Bakju Police,” the middle aged man introduced himself by showing his badge. He then brought Moraka and Araka aside.

“Ms. Peni Araka and Ms. Peni Moraka,” he opened his notebook. “I want to make sure we’re absolutely clear about this — both of you saw the vase during the exhibition preparations on Saturday?”

“Yes,” Moraka answered first.

Araka nodded and also gave a clear yes.

“And you’re confident that what you saw was the primary artifact rather than the reconstructed vessel?”

Araka answered first.

“The surface was different.”

Yushi looked toward her. 

“There are more visible parts where materials were applied to stick pieces together, and parts of the vessel is smoother than it should me”

Moraka pulled out her phone.

“And we have something better than memory,” she opened an email from the museum. “The exhibition team sent this to me on Saturday.”

Attached were several detailed photographs taken during the final preparation of the display.

Yushi enlarged one, and then another, and then compared them with photographs of the object currently inside the case.

“…Alright,” Yushi nodded. “That gives us a reliable starting point — we had a genuine base on Monday, and today we have a reconstructed one on display, then it must have been switched before the museum opened at 8 today, and after when your visit on Monday concluded, which was 2PM.”

Moraka nodded.

Araka looked back toward the display, and a thought occurred to her.

This wasn’t jewelry, and clearly wasn’t a small painting that could simply be cut from its frame and rolled up.

Even with equipment, carrying it through the museum for any significant distance wouldn’t be subtle. 

This would mean someone needed to use a cart to transport it, while also having someone to grab it and load it, and then unloaded it. 

Even someone with Matake, like the Hakasa type, something like this couldn’t be done by one person.

But if we’re dealing with a large team, then how could no one in the security notice them at night.

Just as Araka was dissecting what had happened, another familiar face arrives — the curly haired, glasses wearing Weimin.

“Zen Weimin (陳 偉民), SAIR Central Division 2, Head of the Joint Technical Support Team,” Weimin introduced himself to Yushi, “Division 2 will take access to the security room and start the analysis on the footage shortly.”

—

Some time later, the security room door opened. Weimin emerged carrying a laptop, while the others were waiting outside. 

“Detective Jin.”

Yushi turned.

“You found something?”

“Yes,” he placed the laptop on a nearby table. “The cameras were indeed functioning.”

Yushi frowned.

“Then nobody entered?”

“That’s not what I said,” Weimin brought up the overnight recording. 

The timestamp continued normally.

00:47.

00:48.

00:49.

Nothing happened.

Then Weimin jumped forward.

01:12.

The same empty corridor.

01:13.

Still nothing.

“The timestamps are correct,” he said, “but the footage isn’t.”

“But how do we know that?” Yushi raised his eyebrow.”

Weimin pointed toward a tiny reflection on the polished floor. “Watch this.”

The footage played. A faint light moved across the reflection. Then, several seconds later, the exact same movement occurred again.

Araka’s eyes widened.

“It’s looping.”

“Yes,” Weimin nodded, “Someone fed prerecorded footage back into the system while preserving the expected timestamp progression.”

Yushi crossed his arms. “So someone hacked the cameras.”

“That’s the most likely explanation.”

Yushi looked toward Huashin. “Then somebody sneaks in during the night, loops the cameras…” he thought for a moment, “…and if we’re dealing with Matake, perhaps they use some kind of spell that makes the guards forget seeing them.”

Huashin stared at him.

“Detective Yushi,” her gaze was slightly tense.

“Yes?”

“I understand that you’re trying to become more familiar with Matake.”

Yushi nodded.

“But I’m pretty sure it’s not particularly professional to jump directly from camera loop to memory-erasing sorcerer.”

Yushi paused. “But it is a possibility.”

“So is someone bribing a guard,” Huashin folded her arms and said, “So is someone using an ordinary disguise, and so is the security system being compromised remotely while somebody enters through an access point we haven’t found yet.”

Yushi looked mildly disappointed.

Araka, meanwhile, suppressed her chuckle.

Huashin then smiled and said: “Sure, there are Matake capable criminals nowadays, but that doesn't mean we should stop investigating the ordinary ones.”

“Fair enough,” Yushi returned his attention to the corridor and said, "just don't blame me for calling you for nothing."

"I won't," Huashin smirked and said, "You sure know that once you call the SAIR, we are obligated to assist -- even if it was from some direct message from your work phone."