Detective Shellin and the Curse of the Gender Swap: Tulip Squad's Mystery is Smelling Like Panic
Shellin Burgundy is a detective VTuber who chases mysteries around the world. Today, as always, he has zero clients. He's lazing around with his Tulip Squad buddies when a mysterious letter arrives at the office: 'Find the cursed flower.' No sender, but the reward is a hundred gold coins. Shellin's eyes light up. 'This might be the work of a phantom thief,' he says, and jumps at the case.
The letter leads to the Nocturne Garden on the edge of town, where a strange flower blooms only at night. S
Detective Shellin and the Curse of the Gender Swap: Tulip Squad's Mystery is Smelling Like Panic - Promise of Dawn ~The Curse Won't Break, But We Move Forward~
A pale light crept along the walls of the labyrinth.
The deepest chamber of the Cursed Flower Labyrinth. Beyond the Corridor of Infinite Soul Vessels lay a massive stone altar. The ceiling soared high, and above it—darkness. Every wall was entwined with black vines that pulsed like living veins. From each joint of the vines, night-blooming flowers blossomed with an eerie, unsettling beauty.
"…So this is the deepest chamber."
Shellin Burgundy let out a short breath.
Wine-red hair clung to their forehead with sweat, and their amber eyes could not hide their exhaustion. Their girl's body was covered in scrapes and scratches from the long battle. The tear mole beneath their left eye looked unusually dark in the pale light.
"Yeah. …That's the Black Rose Cursecaster."
Noct narrowed his purple eyes behind his mask. Long black hair with a white streak. The black stone ring on his left ring finger glowed dully, as if swallowing the light.
At the center of the altar, black petals swirled in a vortex.
And at its heart stood a single man.
Black robes. A gaunt frame. His face was pale, cheeks hollow, eyes sunken deep. But only those eyes—they burned with a strange, feverish light.
"…You've come. Shellin Burgundy."
His voice was low and hoarse.
Though there was no wind, the man's robes billowed.
"…You know me?"
"Know you? Of course I know you… You're the one from that day… the one who got lost in the Nocturne Garden…"
The man's voice trembled.
"…That day? The Nocturne Garden? When I was little, I think…"
Something burst deep inside Shellin's mind.
Fragments of memory.
A garden at dusk. A lost child—themselves. Crying at their own feet. Touching a black rose, collapsing. And then—
"…Edgar…-san?"
The name slipped naturally from their lips.
"…You remembered. Yes, I was the one who saved you that day. …But now I'm nothing but a puppet, repaying kindness with betrayal."
Edgar's face twisted in agony.
"Puppet…? What do you mean, Edgar-san!? Didn't you spread the cursed flowers through the city!?"
"No… That's not it, Shellin. I… I only wanted to protect you. I learned that the Seed of Song inside you resonates with the cursed flowers and could birth a power that would destroy the world. So I tried to keep you away… but that man—he took hold of my soul."
Edgar's body swayed unsteadily.
Black vines coiled around his legs.
"…That man, you say?"
Noct stepped forward.
That was when it happened.
From the far end of the altar—from a place deeper still in the darkness—came the sound of dry applause.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
"My, how truly moving. A reunion with one's savior. It brings a tear to the eye."
The voice was strangely bright, almost lighthearted.
A man emerged from the darkness.
A purple suit. Gold chains. Gemstone rings on all five fingers. His face was white as if caked in powder. Only his lips were red, curled upward like a crescent moon.
The cursed flower smuggler connected to the Merchant Council. Claude.
"…So you're Claude."
Shellin's fingers unconsciously searched for their loupe. But it wouldn't help in a place like this.
"Correct. I'm Claude. Just a merchant, delivering cursed flowers across the world. …And my, your Seed of Song is magnificent. With your power, those flowers will multiply—on and on and on. Just imagining it makes my heart dance."
"Don't mock us! Do you have any idea how much the people of this city have suffered because of you!?"
Shellin's voice echoed through the altar.
"Suffered? Ah, yes, I suppose so. Bodies swap. Genders change. Races change. …But tell me, young lady. What's so wrong with that? Humans fear what's different from themselves. That's why curses are feared—and why they sell for a high price. …I merely turn people's fear into wealth."
Claude spread both arms wide.
"…You're the worst."
Elise stood beside Shellin.
Silver short hair. Narrow purple eyes. The silver flower earring on their left ear reflected the pale light. Even in a boy's body, their stance was dignified.
"Aniki! I can't forgive that guy, nya!"
The gray cat bristled at Shellin's feet. Golden eyes glared straight at Claude.
"Oh my, even the cat barks? …Well, no matter. It's about time I took that Seed of Song from you."
Claude snapped his fingers.
Snap.
Black vines surged toward Shellin from the floor, from the ceiling, from every direction at once.
"Shellin!"
Elise began to sing.
Flower Song Magic. A song of purification.
"—Flower of light, cleave the darkness. With pure droplets, wash away all impurity—"
Elise's voice rang across the altar.
Silver light poured from Elise's body, burning away the black vines.
"…! A purification song? You're quite something for a little girl."
Claude's lips twisted.
"Luca! Find his weakness! With your nose, you should be able to!"
"Leave it to me, nya! Aniki!"
Luca kicked off the ground.
The gray body wove between the vines. Golden eyes scanned every inch of Claude's body.
"…Shellin-kun. Let me help too. I'll create an opening. You release the Seed of Song."
Noct swept his cloak.
"…Noct, you…"
"A phantom thief's job is to steal. I'll be taking that man's treasure—his composure."
Noct activated his illusion magic.
Countless phantom images of Noct appeared around Claude.
"Insolent! Mere illusions!"
Claude swung his black vines wildly.
The illusions vanished one after another.
But in that single instant of distraction—
Shellin pressed a hand to their chest.
The Seed of Song within.
Thump. Thump. It pulsed.
(I'll protect everyone with my power.)
(Even if it costs me everything.)
"…Here I go. Seed of Song within me—awaken!"
Shellin cried out.
In that instant—
A blinding light burst from their body.
Amber eyes blazed gold.
Wine-red hair floated upward as if defying gravity.
The Seed of Song within was fully unleashed.
"…What is this power!? Don't tell me—the Seed of Song, completely!?"
For the first time, the smile vanished from Claude's face.
"Elise! Carry my light on your song!"
"…Yes. My song and your light. Let's make them one."
Elise began to sing again.
"—O pure light, resonate with his soul, and return all curses whence they came—"
Shellin's light and Elise's song overlapped.
Gold and silver light swirled together, enveloping the altar, the labyrinth.
"Stop! Stoooop!"
Claude screamed.
The black vines burned in the light, turning to ash.
The night-blooming flowers shattered one after another, becoming motes of light.
"…Ah… Finally…"
The black vines unraveled from Edgar's body.
"My… my plan…! My cursed flowers…! My wealth…!"
Claude thrashed within the light.
"…Your plan ends here. Claude."
Shellin's voice rang quietly, yet powerfully.
"GUAAAAAAAH!!!"
The curse's backlash.
Claude's body was engulfed in light and burst apart.
The purple suit tore. The gold chains snapped and scattered.
And Claude collapsed onto the altar floor.
"…Is it… over?"
Shellin stared blankly as the light faded.
Silence returned to the altar.
All the black vines had turned to ash.
The night-blooming flowers were gone without a trace.
"…Shellin. I'm sorry. Because of me, you, the city—all of this…"
Edgar dropped to his knees on the floor.
"…Edgar-san. You were just being controlled. …That day, in the garden, you saved me. Those feelings were real, weren't they?"
"…Yes. I still remember that day clearly. I couldn't leave you there, crying all alone."
"Then that's enough. …I don't hate you. I forgive you."
Shellin gently took Edgar's hand.
A girl's small hand.
Edgar's bony hand.
"…Thank you. Shellin. …Thank you."
Tears spilled from Edgar's eyes.
"…Well then. Let's save the touching reunion for later, shall we?"
Noct spoke in his usual breezy tone.
"…Noct. You're still here?"
"How cold. I've decided to see your exploits through to the very end. …Besides, I need to deal with this man as well."
Noct turned a cold gaze toward the fallen Claude.
"…Claude. What you've done isn't theft or anything of the sort. It's just vile commerce. …And that's what I hate most of all."
"…Hii… hiii…"
Claude trembled violently.
"Well, I'll let you off for today. But if you appear before me again—next time, I'll be taking your treasure called 'life.'"
Noct's purple eyes glinted coldly behind his mask.
Claude fainted.
"…Now then. Shall we go home? Everyone's waiting."
Shellin turned their back on the altar.
"That's right, nya! Let's hurry back to the city and tell everyone, nya!"
Luca leaped onto Shellin's shoulder.
"…Yes. Let's go home. To our Tulip Squad office."
Elise lined up beside Shellin.
Four people and one cat left the labyrinth behind.
Outside, it was dawn.
The eastern sky was beginning to pale.
The trees of the Nocturne Garden glistened silver, wet with morning dew.
"…It's morning."
Shellin looked up at the sky.
The long night was over.
When they returned to the city, the people were still in the midst of chaos.
But when Shellin and the others explained the truth of the cursed flowers and the true mastermind without hiding anything, the anger gradually subsided.
"…So you're saying you weren't the bad guys after all?"
"Yes. We're victims of the curse too. …And besides, this curse isn't fully broken. My body, Elise's body, Luca's body—none of us have returned to normal. …But we'll live in these bodies. And we'll keep searching for a way to undo the remaining curse, little by little."
"…I see. You've been through a lot too, young lady."
"Young lady, huh. …Well, I suppose that's how I look now."
Shellin smiled wryly.
"Aniki is Aniki, nya! Whether a girl or a cat, the Tulip Squad's leader is Aniki, nya!"
Luca rubbed against Shellin's leg.
"…Luca's right. You are you. Shellin Burgundy. Our detective."
Elise gripped Shellin's hand.
A boy's large hand.
Shellin's small, girl's hand.
"…Thank you. Both of you."
Shellin looked at their two faces.
Elise's purple eyes.
Luca's golden eyes.
(I'm not alone.)
(Even in this body, my place is right here.)
Deep in Shellin's chest, a gentle warmth spread.
That night.
The Tulip Squad office.
The three sat around the table, eating a late dinner.
Aunt Marie had brought over freshly baked Flower Song bread.
"…Phew. Aunt Marie's bread really is the best."
Shellin stuffed their cheeks with bread.
"…It is. This taste always puts me at ease."
Elise brought bread to their mouth as well.
"Nyaa! This bread is delicious even to a cat's tongue, nya!"
Luca pinned a small piece of bread with their front paw and nibbled at it.
"…You've really gotten used to that cat body, huh."
"Nyahaha! Being a cat isn't half bad, nya! I can climb anywhere I want!"
"…Is that really acceptable for a warrior?"
"Now, now. Right now, just being alive is a win."
Laughter filled the office.
That was when it happened.
Tap. Tap. A sound against the window.
"…Hm?"
Shellin approached the window.
There was no one outside.
But wedged into the window frame was a letter.
A black envelope.
Silver wax seal.
The trademark of the phantom thief Noct Phantom.
"…From Noct?"
Shellin broke the seal.
Inside was a single card.
Written in elegant cursive:
"Next time, it'll be a far more interesting case, great detective.
This time, it concerns your 'secret'—much more deeply.
Are you ready? —Phantom Thief Noct Phantom"
"…Next time, my secret…?"
Shellin's fingers tightened around the card.
"…Shellin. What did it say?"
Elise peered anxiously at Shellin's face.
"…Yeah. It's a notice for the next case. …Seems like it's not over yet."
Shellin placed the card on the table.
Their amber eyes stared fixedly at the words on the card.
"The next case!? Sounds interesting, nya! Aniki, what did it say, nya!?"
Luca jumped onto the table.
"…Well, you'll see when it happens. …But there's one thing I know for sure."
"…What?"
"…The Tulip Squad is just getting started."
Shellin grinned.
A girl's body.
A detective's heart.
The battle was far from over.
The light of dawn streamed through the window, gently illuminating the three faces.
And the p
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