Don't forget to read the first part, or the previous post if you haven't!
In the last part, we learned a ton of stuff, in particular, the meaning behind the talismans, and their connection to fox spirits and possession. Now, we'll choose how to continue the investigation, whether believing in the supernatural aspects or not. Let's begin, shall we?
Future Direction of the Investigation
To begin with, is this case really a suicide?
>At this stage, the likelihood is high.
>It may not be suicide.
I think they did kill themselves, considering the results of the autopsy, but if they did it out of their own free will is still up in the air.
>At this stage, the likelihood is high.
If it was suicide, then why did they choose to die by their own hands?
>We still don't know why.
>Because they were cornered by somebody.
We saw nothing proving they had suicidal ideations, so they probably were forced to do it.
>Because they were cornered by somebody.
Who is that "somebody"?
>Someone human.
>Mr. Kokkuri.
Let's be realistic. This time at least.
>Someone human.
Since our opponent is a human being, what is their motive?
>Performing a ritual. (Conclusion)
>Enmity. (Conclusion)
Honestly, I can only see a ritual being the reason to remove someone's blood. Don't worry, it won't change much.
>Performing a ritual. (Conclusion)
What if we consider this to be part of a ritual?
The theory that these women died as a result of participating or being involved in some ritual, while a bit far-fetched, remains open to consideration.
The unique factor of Mr. Kokkuri, when considered in the context of a ritual, is also within the realm of understanding as a human handiwork.
The keyword of 'ritual' is just a package, so to speak.
Although our info is still muddled, and we don't have the full picture yet, I believe this will help us in the investigation of this human-caused murder case.
"Mr. Kogure, let's proceed with this investigation as if the culprit was human. After all, how could a person die because of a curse?"
"Y-yessir! You're right, sir!" Despite feeling some bad aftertaste in my heart, I still denied the "Mr. Kokkuri's curse" theory.
Partly so I could bring myself, who was lost in unseen anxiety, back to reality.
[Cut to black]
...Nn? Reality? Damnit! I just remembered we still have some paperwork to do from this morning.
Alas, reality is a harsh thing. There are no car chases to pursue criminals or shotguns to fire, like in the dramas.
In reality, we spend a great deal of time sitting in front of the computer and filing documents.
A police drama would never fly if they just did paperwork, that's why they highlight only the interesting bits, and it's always an awkward situation whenever someone who joined the force due to this dramatized image of detectives becomes appalled.
Being a real detective, I rushed back to my desk and spent a good four hours staring at my computer...
[Cut to black again]
"Hey, do you want to have lunch together?" She suddenly called out to me.
Her smile was so beautiful as she smiled innocently at me.
"Let's leave together." Before I knew it, she was right beside me. She was my first friend in high school.
The days when I went home with ......-kun naturally became fewer and fewer. I'm sorry, ......-kun.
One day, I introduced her to ......-kun. "This is ......-kun."
She didn't say anything and just looked at ......-kun.
"Do you know what Mr. Kokkuri is?" She invited me to play a game called "Mr. Kokkuri's fortune-telling".
It's the supernatural divination that's all the rage at school these days. I don't believe in Mr. Kokkuri. But she invited me, so I couldn't refuse.
"Mr. Kokkuri, Mr. Kokkuri. Does she like ......-kun?"
She asked Mr. Kokkuri about the relationship between ......-kun and me.
Mr. Kokkuri answered "yes". I saw her beautiful face twitch into ugliness.
"Mr. Kokkuri, Mr. Kokkuri..." Her questions began to escalate.
"Mr. Kokkuri, Mr. Kokkuri..." She asked her questions with a drawn-out sneer.
She was no longer the girl who had first smiled at me.
"Mr. Kokkuri, Mr. Kokkuri..."
"Mr. Kokkuri, Mr. Kokkuri..."
This is bullying. When I realized this, my mind had already reached its limit.
My heart was scarred and stained like old rags when I learned that my friend had betrayed me.
Help me. Help me, ......-kun.
I ran for my last peace of mind. I ran as hard as I could. I knew he was the only one who could save me.
[Wheels scraping against concrete could be heard before a scream and hit sounded out.]
But the last thing I heard was not his voice, but the sirens of an ambulance in the distance...
Monday 2:09 PM
Metropolitan Police Department
A night later---
It wasn't until around 2:00 p.m. that I was released from the hell of paperwork that had lasted since yesterday.
I was stretching to loosen my stiffened body from desk work when I received a call from Mr. Kogure.
He suggested, "Let's check the crime scene again." In this industry, we have a saying that goes: "Be onsite a hundred times." [By the way, this translation may not be accurate, as Japanese sayings sometimes remove connectives, leaving only kanji, as in here.]
The clues to solving crimes are left at the scene of the crime. Therefore, this phrase comes from a lesson learned by our predecessors: when your investigation gets stuck, you should reexamine the crime scene as many times as you need to.
Mr. Kogure wanted to put it into practice. And without a doubt, we were stuck. It was the right decision.
He can be a little unreliable at times, but that's what senior detectives are for. He knows how to deal with these kinds of situations.
We, without delay, decided to meet at the Hanamine High School gate in 30 minutes.
Monday 2:39 PM
Hanamine Private High School
Hanamine High School, despite being the proverbial eye of the storm of this case, seemed to have completely resumed its normal routine.
Students leave school after class, chatting with each other. From the school grounds, one can hear the voices of boys and girls engaged in club activities.
It is an after-school scene that can be found anywhere. It's as if the whole incident was just a fantasy.
The incident has not been made public to the media due to a decision by the upper management. Thanks to this, the students are not being hounded by hyena-like reporters and are enjoying a peaceful school life.
But how could they be so indifferent when two students from their own school died one after the other?
"Sir, I'm going in." Kogure-san had already passed through the school gate and was about to head for the principal's office.
With a hard-to-describe feeling, I followed behind his large back.
A staff member led me into the principal's office, which was an astonishingly imposing room.
The reception setup looks very luxurious, with a large, sturdy desk.
If it weren't for the trophies and certificates of commendation housed in glass cases, the interior would remind visitors of the CEO's office of a large corporation.
This room tells me that the Hanamine Private High School is in extremely good business condition.
The police must be sensitive when investigating a private facility. Moreover, when it comes to schools, unrelated children could become involved. Naturally, careful investigation is required to avoid such cases.
Furthermore, this time the request for cooperation in the investigation was voluntarily done, so the permission and presence of the responsible party, the school principal, was required.
When the principal saw us, he blatantly frowned. Of course, no one would be happy to be visited by the police.
We didn't expect to be welcomed at the beginning either. But we couldn't just sit back and do nothing too.
"Can I help you?" The old gentleman, all gray from hair to beard, asked, not bothering to hide his discomfort.
{Shintarou Nagamine}. That is the principal's name. His record said he was 64 years old.
"I already told you everything I knew about the incident, didn't I?" Someone snorted a "hmph" as if to demean the principal's words.
It was Mr. Kogure. It seems he doesn't like the principal's complacent attitude. His reaction is quite understandable.
"Why, for a school where two students died, it's quite peaceful, isn't it?" He said with outrageously straightforward sarcasm.
Mr. Kogure apparently can make a mighty statement when he is dealing with a human being. As for the principal, his mouth twitches and spasms as he tries to suppress his anger.
"I greatly regret those girls' deaths as well. However..." The principal speaks indifferently as if reading out a canned speech.
Theatrical expressions of heartache. Words denying responsibility. The dead students can rest in peace this way.
[SLAM]
Mr. Kogure banged on the glass table, interrupting the principal from continuing. Then he rebuked---
"Two students are dead! Those students should be no different from your own children! Or are they just another source of money for you!?"
Amazing, Mr. Kogure. I almost applauded instinctively.
The principal thought about it for a moment, then agreed to cooperate and be present for the investigation.
Now, here's the important part.
I---
>Asked about Yuka Kamiyama.
>Asked about Mari Horikawa.
>Showed him the Ouija board.
I originally chose this option, but it barely gave me anything, so I'll show two options together.
>Asked about Yuka Kamiyama.
"Mr. Principal, could you tell us about a student named Yuka Kamiyama?"
"Yuka Kamiyama...?" The principal stroked his chin as he pulled on the threads of his memory.
...But, his answer was not the one I hoped for.
There are hundreds of students at Hanamine High School. And since they are replaced every year, it would be impossible to remember them unless they are very remarkable students.
After this dialogue is over, it goes back to the standard route.
>Asked about Mari Horikawa.
"Mr. Principal, could you tell us about a student named Mari Horikawa?"
"Ms. Horikawa? What's the problem with her?" The principal seems to know about her.
"No, there's nothing particularly wrong with her, but we had a little talk in the school building the day Kaori Ito died..."
"I was wondering if that was the case. Her parents told me that she was born with a heart condition and came to the U.S. about two years ago to have an operation."
"A surgery in the U.S.?"
"Yes. Her parents didn't want to talk about it, so they didn't tell me much."
"She continued her studies after the surgery and had no problems with her academic performance, and because of her great aspirations, she transferred to the third grade at her age as a special exception."
"I see..." So, if Horikawa was involved in the case, it was during the short period after she moved in.
We obtained some unexpected information, but it is not directly related to the resolution of the case.
Instead of questioning the principal, I think a search of the school would be more fruitful.
"Sir, what do you think of showing him the Ouija board we found the other day?"
"Well... since we found it in this school, maybe it'll tell us something."
I had little hope but decided to show the principal the Ouija board just in case.
"T-this is!"
As soon as he saw it, the principal clearly became upset. "Do you know anything about this?" The principal nodded silently.
"...Please follow me. I have a place I'd like to show you."
The principal led us to the back of the school building, which was thickly overgrown with trees.
This is also where I witnessed the girl who was trying to burn the Ouija board.
"It's here?"
"No, do you see that narrow forest trail over there?"
I didn't notice it the other day, but I do see a small path. Is this part of the school's compound?
When I looked at Mr. Kogure's face, it was completely pale and shivering slightly. He must be imagining horror fantasies yet again.
If you're that scared, you shouldn't imagine it... Let me guess, this time it's the ghost of a fox waiting for us in the woods, isn't it?
Following the principal, we passed through a wooded area and came to a space that appeared to have been artificially quarried.
"Please look at that."
Following the principal's fingertip, I saw what looked like a stone monument. "The students call it the {Fox Mound}."
"Fox mound..." Foxes again?
It was a small standing stone with a strange presence. I don't know how to describe it, but it seemed to have a cold, raw atmosphere, making me feel restless.
"Who!?" Suddenly, the principal berated someone, and we almost jumped. No, Mr. Kogure did actually jump.
With the sound of rustling and stepping on fallen leaves, a figure emerged from the trees.
"Who are you...?"
"I'm {Shouta Nozawa} from the third year."
The principal nods as he remembers.
The student, who identified himself as Shota Nozawa, was a tall, strong, sportsman-type boy.
Mr. Kogure sniffs like a dog with a puzzled expression on his face.
"I don't smoke."
"Ah, no, I absolutely didn't mean to suspect you... it's just that I have a duty to guide the young people correctly, and I..."
Instead of Mr. Kogure's slurred excuses, I ask him, "Nozawa-kun... was it? What are you doing here?"
"What do you mean?" Nozawa asks bluntly.
"Why would you come to a place like this if you didn't have any business here? What were you doing here?"
"A place like this!?" The principal rushes to intervene as the boy raises his eyebrows and tries to lash out at me.
"Nozawa-kun. They don't know what the mound stands for. Forgive them."
The Nozawa boy reluctantly calmed his anger after being chided by the principal. "...Who are these people?"
The principal hesitated for a moment before answering, "This is the police. They are investigating the incident from the other day."
Shouta Nozawa's eyes widened as he looked at me and Mr. Kogure. "Huh, they're detectives? Very different from the dramas, aren't they?"
Of course. Those are actors. You can't lump us together.
However, I swallowed the words that were about to come out of my throat, thinking that it would be unprofessional to correct a child at every turn.
"Mr. Detective, please catch the culprit." With that, Shouta Nozawa ran off.
Please catch the culprit, eh? He said he was in the third grade, but he might have been a classmate of the deceased student.
But when I asked the principal, I found that he was in a different class from both Narumi Hasebe and Kaori Itou.
"I asked his responsible teacher, and he told me that Nozawa-kun comes here every day to pray."
"To pray?"
"Yes. This mound is said to have a long history, but at present, it's a memorial to the departed soul of a student named {Misa Sakita}, who passed away two years ago."
"It's a memorial for a student?"
"Correct, and there's a reason for this."
The principal, this time with a heartbroken look on his face, began to recount the events of two years ago.
I'll stop here, and sorry for the small delay. I didn't have as much time as I would like, so the translation may be somewhat awkward, sorry again. But, next time, we'll learn of the true beginning of this case, and the connection between everything.
So, see you then!
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