Seek help from an employee

[-] What I just witnessed isn't enough to prove it was a robbery. But... Bamboo Inn is packed with customers, so someone must have seen something, right? Maybe I should talk to the employees here.
[-] I rush downstairs to get the employee who led me inside earlier, and I bring him before the second-floor window.
[Employee] ...You jump, I jump?
[-] The waiter slowly spreads his arms.
[player] No! Look toward the second floor of the auction house!!!
[Employee] Oh...
[-] The employee sticks his head out to take a glance, then looks helplessly at me.
[Employee] It looks the same as it was yesterday.
[player] You didn't see a masked figure?
[-] I pull him aside and take a look--The auction house is empty. Neither the masked figure nor the woman is in sight, only an open, empty window.
[player] The auction house... How could this be? Wait! I'm sure someone else saw it!
[Employee] You can only see the street from the first floor, and the auction house is only visible from the second floor. But since you're the only customer on the second floor...
[Employee] I don't know what happened, but please calm down. No matter what happens, Shrimp Dumpling is here to help!
[player] How will shrimp dumplings help me?
[-] The employee gives me a big grin with most of his teeth showing.
[Employee] Well, I'm Shrimp Dumpling, my dear customer.
[player] And I'm Fried Leek Dumpling!
[-] The waiter shows me a face full of doubt toward my declaration and goes downstairs worriedly. I manage to overhear through the door...
[Employee] Don't just stand there! Serve our VIP on the second floor immediately! We can't have the customer hallucinate from hunger!
[player] I'm definitely filing a complaint about Shrimp Dumpling to Fuuka Minami!
[-] However, as my chaotic thoughts begin to settle, I realize that if it really was a robbery, it would be a major incident. Everything on display in the auction house is to be auctioned off during Bamboo Cloud's Annual Charity Auction... I should give Ume a call!
[-] Just as I'm about to make the call, Ume beats me to it.
[-] Everything on display in the auction house is extremely valuable and is scheduled to be auctioned off during Bamboo Cloud's Annual Charity Auction... In a situation like this, calling the police is the best choice.
[-] I get my phone. Just as I'm about to make the call to the police, I receive a call from Ume.
[-] Everything on display in the auction house is extremely valuable and is scheduled to be auctioned off during Bamboo Cloud's Annual Charity Auction... Since I suspect a robbery may have occurred, I should let Ume know.
[-] Just as I'm about to make the call, Ume beats me to it.
[Ume] How's your breakfast?
[player] I haven't gotten it yet, but there might be a problem...
[Ume] If the breakfast isn't to your liking, you can email a complaint to me.
[player] That's not what I mean! And don't hang up!
[Ume] For employee salary concerns, please transfer the call to Take. For employee safety concerns, please transfer the call to Kiku. For collaborations with Bamboo Cloud, please transfer the call to Ran.
[player] Other concerns! Other!
[Ume] For other concerns, please wait two hours.
[player] There's been a robbery!!!
[Ume] What robbery?
[player] I think I saw a robbery go down on the second floor of the auction house. But it was too far away for me to be absolutely certain...
[-] Ume falls silent for a moment. She seems to be covering her mic and speaking to someone else, and it takes her a minute to get back to me.
[Ume] I've notified Ms. Fuuka. Please do not call the police for now.
[Ume] After all, whether this is true or not, rumors of valuable items being lost at an auction house will inevitably lead to unnecessary losses for the business.
[Ume] You can head over to the auction house first. Just focus on guarding the scene. We'll be there soon.
Champion Auction House
[-] Fuuka Minami, Ume, and I practically arrive at the same time. As soon as we step through the door, Ume swiftly checks the security system and discovers that the surveillance system has been damaged.
[-] Let's head up to the second floor.
Champion Auction House - Second Floor
[-] The second floor is where the items up for auction are exhibited. Once we ascend the spiral staircase in the lobby, we notice that most of the display cabinets are intact, and only one by the window is open.
[-] A terrified woman in uniform, with her hands and feet tied, is curled up in the corner by the window.
[-] Fuuka Minami goes straight for the display cabinet while Ume and I rush over to untie the woman.
[-] I turn around and notice that the window beside me is facing directly at Bamboo Inn, so this must be the "scene of the crime" that I witnessed earlier.
[Ume] Aoi, is it?
[Aoi] *sobbing* Ms. Ume... I can't believe you still remember me... You took pity on me and brought me here when I was twelve...
[Ume] Your name is on your uniform.
[Ume] Why did you close the auction house without authorization this morning?
[Aoi] Ms. Ume, it wasn't my doing... I-I woke up to noise coming from the second floor, so I went to check. That's when I saw a masked figure picking a cabinet's lock...
[Aoi] At that moment... I was so scared that I turned around and ran. But when I got to the employee entrance, it was blocked with a stick. *sobbing* He caught me before I could even get out, and then he made me open the cabinet...
[-] So that's why I couldn't push open the employee entrance's door...
[-] Under Ume's instruction, I walk over to the only open cabinet at the scene, and there are indeed some scratches on the metal lock. I stand up and nod toward Ume's direction, and she continues questioning Aoi.
[Ume] What time did you get to the auction house this morning?
[Aoi] I-I never left... There was a huge storm last night, so I couldn't make it home and decided to spend the night in the employee lounge.
[player] Were you alone here last night?
[-] Aoi nods, and Ume flips through the employee log.
[Ume] She was indeed the only one here. There was supposed to be another male employee, Toku, but he injured his leg a few days ago and has been on leave this week.
[Ume] This auction house is equipped with a state-of-the-art security system and comprehensive surveillance without any blind spots, so we don't keep many staff on site.
[-] After saying that, Ume abruptly looks down and sneers before continuing.
[Ume] To be able to disable these security systems, the thief must be very familiar with them.
[player] Can you describe the thief's appearance?
[-] He was wearing a mask. I-I couldn't see his face... And his voice was really strange. It sounded like he was using a voice changer. His voice sounded kind of... kind of like a girl...
[Ume] What kind of mask?
[Aoi] A vermillion bird beak mask!
[-] Hint Received - [Vermillion Bird Beak Mask]
[-] Meanwhile, Fuuka Minami finishes her inspection of the display cabinets and quietly folds the folding fan in her grasp. As she lightly taps the glass cabinet, a subtle smile appears on her face.
[Fuuka Minami] Well, the good news is only one item is missing.
[Fuuka Minami] The bad news is it's the Heart of Divinity.
[-] Ume frowns upon hearing this and quickly walks to the display cabinet. I follow suit, and notice a shallow, heart-shaped groove on the red silk in the cabinet.
[player] That heart of something... What is it?
[Ume] The Heart of Divinity. A matchless, pearl-white jade that is naturally shaped like a heart. It's worth a fortune and is supposed to be the final item in the auction.
[Fuuka Minami] It had just arrived the night before yesterday, and now it's been stolen... The thief clearly knew what they were doing. It's as if they had specifically targeted it.
[Ume] Are you saying...
[Ume] Apart from us, the guests who attended yesterday's exhibition are the only ones who've seen the jade.
[-] Noticing my bewilderment, Ume continues to explain.
[Ume] Since you just started this job, it's understandable that you might not know about this. All items are put on exhibition here before the auction, and guests come every day to view them. This allows them to find items they like in advance and makes bidding easier during the auction.
[-] After saying that, Ume purses her lips before turning hesitantly to Fuuka Minami to continue.
[Ume] But...
[Fuuka Minami] But... yesterday's guests were either specially invited experts in antiques or renowned figures from One Han City. So, even if they coveted it, they would never do something like this... Hehe, that's what you wanted to say, right?
[Aoi] So, are you saying those people from yesterday... looked all respectable but were actually scumbags? Unbelievable!
[Fuuka Minami] See? Ume? Even your employee understands. Human greed goes far beyond your imagination.
[Ume] Sorry, I should have been more careful. How do you intend to deal with this matter, Ms. Fuuka?
[Fuuka Minami] Manage Bamboo Cloud's affairs for me. I'll take over from here.
[Fuuka Minami] As for this auction house... Shut it down for the next three days and set up a cordon outside. No one is allowed to enter or leave without my permission.
[player] Oh, what about me? I'm just an eyewitness, and I've told you everything...
[Fuuka Minami] Of course you have special privileges, PLAYER.
[player] Phew...
[Fuuka Minami] After all, as my personal secretary and supervisor of the auction, you're duty-bound to find the criminal and retrieve the Heart of Divinity!
[player] Me?
[-] Fuuka Minami pats me on the shoulder with a smile on her face, then she gives me a look of confidence before leaving...
[-] Ume hesitates for a moment and passes me a copy of the [VIP Exhibition Invitation List] before rushing after Fuuka Minami.
[-] Fine, I'll give it a try! I may not be a professional, but who knows? Maybe the criminal is even less professional.
[-] Hint Received - [VIP Exhibition Invitation List]
[-] I flip through the list, and to my surprise, I notice a few familiar names--Saturne, Qing Luan, Chiori Mikami, Riu Kujou, Miki Nikaidou...
[player] What time did the guests on this list arrive on the day of the exhibition?
[Aoi] G-Give me a moment. All guest arrivals are logged. I'll get it for you.
[-] I follow Aoi to the computer in the first-floor lobby to view the guest log. We discover that everyone but Saturne has been to the scene. After memorizing this clue, I put the invitation list away and start investigating the scene of the crime.
[-] Besides the cabinet that had been stolen from, nothing seems out of the ordinary on the second floor. No obvious traces can be found in the first-floor lobby either. But as I arrive at the auction house's entrance, something on the ground catches my attention...