Don't forget to read the first part, or the previous post if you haven't!
Last part, we owned some schoolchildren with FACTS and LOGIC. And caught a peeping Tom too. But, all our efforts were in vain, another person died. Who died? And how? Let's find out.
Wednesday 8:13 AM
Hanamine Private High School
The scene was the classroom where the Mr. Kokkuri experiment was conducted yesterday.
And there lay the lifeless body of Keiko Yamano...
The members of the First Investigative Section who rushed to the scene could not hide their surprise. The Chief is also looking more cautious than ever.
The detective from the Inui Police Station who was keeping an eye on Keiko Yamano testified that he had been on the lookout all night and had seen no one coming in or out of her house, nor any suspicious activity.
Yamano's body was found by students who arrived at school for an early morning practice of club activities. Even her family was unaware of this strange incident until they were notified by the school.
I reported everything that had happened so far to the Chief.
"...Got it. You can continue your investigation the way you want. I'll leave it to you to some extent. Do as you please."
The Chief finally realized that this wasn't a simple suicide case. He began to listen to what I had to say.
No, if anything, he gave me permission to investigate freely. Could it be that he has recognized me, even if only a little? ...I wish.
Having said that, maybe it's a petty-minded interpretation to think that he pushed a difficult case onto me to protect his own interests. Anyway, let's examine the body before the Chief changes his mind.
It is never pleasant to come into contact with death. It is even more so if you had seen them alive just yesterday.
Keiko Yamano, who had been trembling in fear of Mr. Kokkuri's shadow, in exchange for her life, was freed from her fears. Permanently.
However, her death was not a peaceful one. This was evident in her cruel condition.
Her hair is disheveled and her clothes are torn to shreds, revealing graphic scars. It looks as if she was cut by a sharp blade. Her eyes are staring into the void in horror.
"This time, it's a murder, huh..." However, as I was examining Keiko Yamano's body, I noticed something suspicious.
That being---
>That there is very little blood to be found.
>That she's wearing her pajamas.
>Her right hand.
The first two were common with the other victims, so what's so special about her hand?
>Her right hand.
Upon closer inspection, Keiko Yamano's right hand was covered in blood.
"Mr. Kogure... Her right hand..."
"Yessir. A forensic scientist I'm acquainted with told me not long ago that..."
"According to forensics, the angle and depth of the wounds indicate a very high probability that she clawed herself to death..."
I was absolutely mortified. How is it possible for someone to die by clawing at their own body?
But we cannot change the reality that is right in front of us. If indeed her death was a suicide, the mystery grows ever deeper.
How did Keiko Yamano come to school? Why did she come to school? Why did she mutilate herself?
I feel like my mind is burning out from all the questions that keep popping up one after another.
"She's dead." I almost jumped when I suddenly heard a voice behind me.
It was Mari Horikawa. She looked down at the body of her classmate with a blank expression.
"Didn't you tell us that Mr. Kokkuri has no power to kill people?" A provocative smile was clearly evident on her face.
This girl couldn't be...!?
"Ms. Yamano was killed by Mr. Kokkuri." Horikawa murmured to no one in particular.
"What nonsense...! Mr. Kokkuri is just a superstition!"
"I guess so. But, at least in this school, Mr. Kokkuri does exist."
We couldn't deny her words...
After examining the body, we left the classroom with major doubts and decided to move on to the next part of the investigation.
...That said, we had no idea where to start. I would say that we were at a loss.
My cell phone rang like it was trying to wake me up. ...Who is it, at a time like this?
The LCD of the cell phone displayed the two words, "Not Available". It's not every day you get a call with a "Not Available" message.
"Hello...?"
"Lieutenant Kazami, did yesterday's assistance help you in your investigation?"
It was that man's voice. Was it, after all, this man who asked my brother to cooperate with the investigation and even arranged that warrant...?
"Who the hell are you?"
"It's not necessary for you to know. It's not related to the case."
"What's your goal? Why are you helping us?"
"Fufu, you're nothing but questions, aren't you." The man said mockingly. No, maybe it only sounded that way.
"Good. I'll give you a hint." The man said unexpectedly.
"A hint?"
"...Please go to the Police History Archival Office..."
An empty mechanical sound rings out from the other end of the phone. Again, I was one-sidedly hung up on.
"Police History... Archival Office...?"
Private Hanamine High School has been closed; a third victim has been reported. We may be at the end of our ability to keep the media at bay.
Yuka Kamiyama and Mari Horikawa were assigned to be guarded by several detectives, however, we decided to go to the Police History Archival Office anyway.
The case isn't going to be solved if I stay in the school. In the spirit of "it can't hurt to try", let's trust the man on the phone.
To tell the truth, this is the first time I have heard of a department such as the "Police History Archival Office".
Apparently, there does exist a department that compiles the history of the police, but I don't think it's called the Police History Archival Office.
I tried asking every policeman I passed where the Archival Office was...
"What're you talking about?"
"Sorry, I've never heard of it."
"There's a department for that?"
...They gave us no answer that could have been a clue.
However, after patiently asking around, we finally found someone who knew of the Archival Office.
"The Police History Archival Office? Yeah, I've heard of it."
"But, well, I've never been there. My peers told me a story they heard from their seniors..."
"The Police History Archival Office was located on the fifth basement floor of the Metropolitan Police Department. As you know, the MPD has only four floors below ground, but a long time ago, it used to have five basement floors."
"The detective who worked there was on a special assignment. Only the top brass knew what that assignment was."
"One day, that detective's body was found in the Police History Archival Office. His death was so horrific that even a veteran detective had to cover his eyes."
"After that incident, the fifth basement floor was condemned and sealed, and the Police History archival Office was closed..."
"But there is more to this story. Strange rumors have started to circulate about the Archival Office."
"Sometimes, you can hear people talking and phones ringing from the fifth basement floor, even though it's supposed to be filled in."
"Maybe it's the detective who died that horrible death in the line of duty, still investigating, even in death..."
It was a silly rumor. It's as trivial a rumor as the one I had heard about a small nuclear reactor being installed in the basement of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
But for now, we had no choice but to hang on to this idle gossip. We decided to head towards the fifth basement floor of the MPD.
We boarded the elevator, but as expected, the buttons only went down to the fourth basement floor.
We had no choice but to get off at B4 and find a way to a lower floor.
"Sir, there is an emergency exit here."
[Door creek]
When we opened the emergency exit, we found not only a staircase leading to the upper floors but also stairs leading further down. The fifth basement floor did exist.
Rusted railings against the dim light. It seems like this is the only place in the MPD left behind and forgotten by the times.
A sooty passageway that has never bathed in sunlight. Fluorescent lights that are about to burn out.
Is this really inside the MPD? It's like an abandoned building. No wonder there are rumors of ghosts.
At the end of the corridor is the only door on this floor. On the dirty iron door, which had probably not been opened for many years, the words "Police History Archival Office" were barely legible.
...There it is. At least it proved that the man on the phone was not lying about the existence of the Archival Office.
I decided to take the plunge and open the door.
[cut to black]
The rusty door makes a grating sound. The smell of mold is intoxicating. In the darkness, I search for the switch of the interior light.
Cobwebs and dust cling to my hands as I probe the walls.
As I let out a sigh and thought, "Why am I doing this...", my finger caught something and the light went on.
"What on Earth is this?"
Kogure's impressions were concise and to the point. This room is dreadful. Far too dreadful.
On the desk, years of dust had accumulated, and a dried-up cockroach lay on its back on the floor.
Cigarette butts also littered the area. The word "Shien" [Lit. Purple smoke] is on the filter. This must be the brand of this cigarette.
And to top it all off, there were piles and piles and piles of documents. There is no other way to describe this place other than, "What on Earth is this?"
The sound of a retro telephone rings to answer the question.
Fishing through a pile of papers scattered on the floor, I manage to locate the source of the sound.
It's a black dial phone. Apparently, time stands still in this space.
Pick up the receiver and...
"Welcome, to the Police History Archival Office." Sure enough, I heard the man's voice.
"Who are you? How did you know about this place? Do you work for the Metropolitan Police Department?"
Without stopping to think about it, I asked several questions into the receiver. "You really are filled to the brim with questions, Lieutenant Kazami."
"I want to say in advance that I am not a member of the Metropolitan Police Department, however, our organization has a strong influence not only on the police force but also on political and economic circles."
Organization...? What kind of organization influences not only the police but also the political and economic world...?
"Have you ever heard of F.O.A.F.?"
"Eh?"
"...No, if you don't know, that's fine. Better yet, look at the file near your right hand."
The man said this as if he could see all the way into the room. I checked around the room to see if there were any surveillance cameras, but I couldn't find any.
"In that file, there is a description of what could be considered to be the crux of the case."
I glanced at my right hand. Sure enough, there was a file. It was the only file in the room that was not covered with dust. It seems to have been placed on the desk only recently.
However, when I entered the room, it was covered with dust and there must have been no signs of anyone coming in or out.
"Lieutenant Kazami. If you want to solve this case, you're going to have to abandon your beliefs as soon as possible. We are counting on you."
[Call is cut]
Then he hung up on me suddenly again. I wonder what is he trying to make us do...?
But there is no time to be lost. Having come this far, I had no choice but to move forward. I decided to follow the man's advice and look through the file.
It was a document that was a collection of detached notes. The neat, legible letters, which appeared to have been written with a ballpoint pen, were lined up in a row.
4/14
I made a friend for the first time after entering high school. She invited me to lunch while I was alone in the classroom.
Her name is Yuka Kamiyama. Ms. Kamiyama is kind and very beautiful.
5/22
Lately, I have been spending a lot of time with Ms. Kamiyama and her friends, and I don't get to talk to Shouta-kun as much as I used to.
Ms. Kamiyama is a very important friend, but Shouta-kun is also an important childhood friend. If Ms. Kamiyama and Shouta-kun became friends, we could all be together.
6/8
Today, while I was talking with Ms. Kamiyama in the hallway, Shouta-kun walked by and I decided to be bold and introduce her to Shouta-kun.
Ms. Kamiyama didn't say anything and kept looking at Shouta-kun...
6/15
Ms. Kamiyama invited me to play Mr. Kokkuri.
It's a psychic fortune-telling technique that has recently become popular at school.
I don't believe in Mr. Kokkuri, but since Ms. Kamiyama invited me, I couldn't refuse.
6/18
Ms. Kamiyama invites me to play Mr. Kokkuri every day after school.
Her questions to Mr. Kokkuri are escalating. She persistently asks about my relationship with Shouta-kun.
6/24
Ms. Kamiyama, who had been so kind and beautiful, started to lose her smile.
In proportion to that, her aggression toward me became stronger and stronger. I should stop playing Mr. Kokkuri.
6/27
No matter how much I refused, Ms. Kamiyama and the others wouldn't let me go.
This is {bullying}. Somebody help me!
6/30
I can't stand it anymore.
I feel like I'm losing my mind.
Help me, Shouta-kun! Help me!
And there's where the diary ends.
I'll end here. We've seen this story quite a few times, but never this straightforwardly. At this point, however, we've never seen any truly supernatural phenomena. Even this seems to only show the backstory of this case. I wonder how this case will move forward, how will the Organization react when we disregard all their mumbo-jumbo and just arrest the human criminal?
Guess we'll have to see when it comes to it, see you then!
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