Thornapple Maomao wakes up in Jinshi's bedroom to the scent of sandalwood incense and Suiren tending to her. Suiren later asks Maomao to go meet Jinshi, Gaoshun, and Basen to explain the previous events leading to Jinshi's attempted assassination, which involves Master Kounen's death, the warehouse fire, the theft of ceremonial tools, and the warehouse manager's food poisoning. One of the stolen tools, a fixture that holds a heavy ornament, had been remade by the late metalworker on orders from someone, but with a lead alloy, which easily melts near an open flame, and was installed in place around the time of the failed assassination...