Beatrice's letter
Beatrice's letter is a recurring object in the Umineko no Naku Koro ni universe. The delivery of the letter signals the beginning of the race to solve the witch's epitaph. Maria receiving the letter from an unknown individual claiming to be Beatrice is the one fixed point in almost any given fragment, analogous to the Watanagashi Festival of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni. The letter is made of the official Ushiromiya stock and is sealed with the Head's ring, a symbol of its authenticity.
Content
|
Welcome to Rokkenjima, everyone of the Ushiromiya family. I am serving Kinzo-sama as the alchemist-adviser of this house and my name is Beatrice. I was serving him obeying a contract that extended for many years but, today, Kinzo-sama sentenced the end of that contract. Consequently, during today, I’ll have my duty as alchemist-adviser of the family to come to a closure, so please be understanding of that. Then, I must explain one part of the contract to everyone here. I, Beatrice, did loan a vast amount of gold to Kinzo-sama but with a certain condition. As for that condition, he will return me all the gold by the end of the contract. And as an interest, I can accept everything of the Ushiromiya family. Upon hearing this, everyone will probably lament as Kinzo-sama is being too merciless. However, Kinzo-sama, in order to give a chance to leave the wealth and fortune to everyone, added a special clause. Only when that clause is satisfied, I’ll eternally lose my right to collect the gold and the interest.” Special Clause: When the contract ends, Beatrice will have the right to collect the gold and the interest. However, if a person who disclose the hidden gold of the contract appears, Beatrice must eternally and completely abdicate of this right …From now on, the collect of the interest will be performed but, if whoever one person among everyone can satisfy the special clause, Everything will be returned including the part already collected. Furthermore, as an outset of the collect, I already have received in my custody the “Finger Ring of the Head of the Ushiromiya Family” that indicates that he succeeded the inheritance of the Ushiromiya family. Please, confirm with the wax seal. About the hiding place of the gold, Kinzo-sama already publicly announced it at the inscription under my portrait. The conditions are equal to all the people who can read the inscription. If the gold is disclosed, I will return everything. With that, please, enjoy to the fullest your battle of wits with Kinzo-sama. I’m praying from the bottom of my heart that tonight turns out to be an intellectual and yet elegant night. ――Beatrice the Golden |
End of the Golden Witch
In the fifth arc of Umineko no Naku Koro ni, End of the Golden Witch, Beatrice's letter is delivered to all of the adults in the parlor on October 4th just before midnight. The contents are different, instead referencing the recent event of Battler Ushiromiya solving the witch's epitaph.
|
<Congratulations> |
Dawn of the Golden Witch
In Dawn of the Golden Witch, the letter becomes an integral part of Erika Furudo's plan to trap BATTLER in a Logic Error. The letter appears outside of the Ushiromiya Main Building on October 5, 1986 and is found by Erika after the first twilight. It addresses Erika by name and announces that Battler Ushiromiya's corpse has vanished. After Erika tricks BATTLER into giving her three rooms worth of tape seals, BATTLER is left with no possible piece who could have delivered the letter, resulting in a Logic Error.