Don't forget to read the first part, or the previous post if you haven't!
In the last part, we had a stakeout outside one of our suspects' houses, but despite our (and our coworkers) best efforts, a murder still occurred. As with the realist route, we then received a call from a mysterious benefactor, leading us to the Police History Archival Office and the core of this case. Now, we'll see the resolution of this incident through.
After escaping the darkness of the basement, we hurriedly contacted the detectives who were assigned to Yuka Kamiyama.
"I'm sorry! We lost her!" Kamiyama shook off the detectives and fled. She hasn't returned to her home too.
Just in case, I also contacted the detectives keeping an eye on Mari Horikawa and Shouta Nozawa but got the same answer.
Every student involved in this case disappeared all at once. Something is about to happen.
Reflexively, I shouted. "Mr. Kogure! We need to head to the school at once!"
Wednesday 3:44 PM
Hanamine Private High School
[The background moves from inside the school's classrooms to the hallways, before showing the path to the Fox Mound]
Someone's here.
A person is holding their hands in front of the sooty, lightning-struck Fox Mound.
They're Shouta Nozawa. Even after two years, his feelings for Misa Sakita have remained unchanged. His figure was heartbreaking.
"Nozawa-kun..."
"Kamiyama..."
Kamiyama appeared. As expected, she came here.
(Sir, should we take action?)
(...Let's wait and see a little longer.)
For her safety, we should act immediately. However, the desire to see where this incident, which cannot be measured by common sense, will head towards prevailed.
"...Where you praying for Misa?"
"Yeah... What did you come here for?"
"You make it sound like I'm not allowed to be here. Misa and I used to be best friends."
"......"
"Nozawa-kun, how long are you going to keep holding onto Misa? Are you going to keep thinking only of Misa for the rest of your life?"
"...I do as I please. It's none of your business."
"It is! Because, I... I love you!"
"Please don't talk about that kind of thing in here."
"Why!? Do you think Misa can hear us!? Misa's dead! Why can't you just forget about dead people!?"
"Stop it! Even after that, you would still call yourself Misa's friend!?"
"It's not just Misa! Hasebe, Itou, and Yamano, weren't they your friends!? Were you thinking that when they died too!?"
"When Misa died, you cried, didn't you? You comforted and cried with me, didn't you!? Was that all a lie!?"
"Did you really not care about Misa at all!?"
"I did care... Misa was a true friend..."
"But... everything changed when I found out about you."
"I couldn't help but love, love, love you! And then, I couldn't help but hate, hate, hate Misa!"
"That's why... That's why...!"
"That's why you used Mr. Kokkuri to drive Misa Sakita to suicide."
"Horikawa!?"
"Ms. Kamiyama... you fell in love with Nozawa-kun."
"Using Mr. Kokkuri, you relentlessly pressed Misa Sakita about her relationship with him."
"You were intensely jealous of Misa Sakita. You forced her to go along with playing Mr. Kokkuri, which she didn't want to do, and slowly but steadily drove her into a corner."
"Misa Sakita was betrayed by who she thought was her friend, you, and her body and spirit crumbled, then that accident happened..."
"W-what are you talking about? I don't know! I didn't do anything like that!"
"How could you know anything when you only just transferred here!?"
"Fufu. Your pretty face is wrinkling, Ms. Kamiyama. I bet you must be very upset to have the truth revealed in front of the person you love."
"You really love Nozawa-kun, don't you? But it's meaningless. His heart already belongs to Misa Sakita."
"What did you say!? You're the one who told me I could get my wish granted if I asked Mr. Kokkuri!"
"Ahahaha. You must love him greatly, after all, there's no way you would have fallen for such a ridiculous lie otherwise..."
"A lie...? A lie, you say...!? Then, what was playing Mr. Kokkuri all for...? What did Kaori and the others die for!?"
"Oh? Isn't that all your fault?"
UWAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!
The voice of a beast that has lost all its reason plays in concert with the thunder.
Horikawa's words broke the last hold that had held Kamiyama's heart together.
Kamiyama has transfigurated, just like that time---
The beast's left hand comes down on Horikawa's throat. She throws Horikawa's body as if throwing out a scrap of paper.
She then grabs Horikawa by the neck and hangs her in midair with one hand. It's hard to believe that a woman like her has the muscle strength to do that.
Shouta Nozawa is unable to move very far. As it is, Horikawa's life is in danger. Mr. Kogure and I jump out at the same time.
"Stop it, Kamiyama!"
"Get your hands off her!" As I shout, I grab her arm.
But she didn't even twitch. Her arm was as stiff as steel.
Mr. Kogure, who is attempting to bind her other arm behind her back, also seems astonished.
[Thump]
Kamiyama's left hand, which she moved carelessly, swept us away effortlessly.
<Kukuku...>
<You humans have imparted me with great delight.>
<Who amongst you shall I sip blood from?>
What is this? This isn't Kamiyama's voice. This is the voice of the "something" inside Kamiyama.
<I have chosen... Bestow me your blood.>
"Kihiiiiiih!" The beast in Kamiyama's form swooped down on Shouta Nozawa.
"Uwaaaah!"
If Misa Sakita's grudge is the root of all these strange phenomena, the only person she wouldn't harm would be Shouta Nozawa.
Sakita loved Shouta Nozawa. Why would she attack that same Nozawa...?
Could it be that what's now residing inside Kamiyama isn't Misa Sakita's hatred...!?
I was unable to move in the face of the unforeseen.
Kamiyama was moments away from biting him in the throat. However, Kamiyama stopped by herself.
"N-Nozawa-kun..."
"Kamiyama...!?" She fought against the "something" inside her. Desperately struggling until she overcame the unknown force within her.
"I'm sorry... For something like this to happen..."
"Everyone, their deaths were all my fault..."
"I'm sorry, everyone..."
"I just loved Shouta-kun, and yet..."
"I'm sorry..."
[Screen turns red]
It was only for a fleeting moment.
Horikawa, who we thought had fainted, jumped on Kamiyama before she had time to stop her.
A piece of wood was thrust deep into Kamiyama's side.
<Guhgiiiiiiiih!>
A cursed voice seemed to gush out from the bottom of the earth.
The very air trembles. The many trees rustle as if frightened. Ceaseless evil thoughts scattered indiscriminately.
<Youuuuuu...! Damned humannnn...!>
At that moment, I thought I saw something. The shadow of an inhuman being in agony---
[Slow fade to black]
A series of inexplicable events befuddles my mind. However, I can't afford to stay bewildered. I must sort out this whole case...
(Verification 1)
Misa Sakita's death is at the core of the case. What triggered it?
>Suicide >Traffic Accident >Bullying >Witch Trials
[As I said in this episode's other IL segment, I'll skip explaining my reasoning most of the time, and after this post, I won't put a message like this too]
>Bullying
(Verification 2)
Who is responsible for this series of suicides?
>Mari Horikawa >Yuka Kamiyama >Shouta Nozawa >Misa Sakita >Vengeful Spirit
Although the Mound's original haunting did participate in these murders, Horikawa's actions show that she's still possessed by Sakita.
>Misa Sakita
(Verification 3)
How did the perpetrator make one student after another commit suicide?
>Mr. Kokkuri >Self-suggestion >Curse
>Curse
(Verification 4)
Finally, Kamiyama's transformation weights on my mind. What in the world caused it?
>Curse >Fox Possession >Vengeful Spirit
>Fox Possession
[Let's fill in the other blanks]
>Ouija Board >Wish >Memorial >Sacrifice
>Blood (The blood ritual was necessary for gaining blood.)
[Wish is still correct, but Sacrifice is half-right]
>Friends >Curse >Childhood Friends
>Romantic Feelings (Yuka Kamiyama loved Shouta Nozawa.)
>Classmates >Friends >Childhood Friends
>Romantic Feelings (Misa Sakita and Shouta Nozawa loved each other.)
>Fox Possession
>Ouija Board (The person who attempted to burn the Ouija board was Yamano.)
>Friends >Childhood Friends
>Plaything (Mr. Kogure is my brother's plaything.)
>Romantic Feelings
>Friend (My brother and Ms. Hitomi are friends.)
[All done, let's begin the verification]
(Verification 1)
Misa Sakita's death is at the core of this case. It was "bullying" that triggered it.
Details of the bullying can be read in the diary of Misa Sakita, found in the Police History Archival Office.
One could say that this incident began with her death.
(Verification 2)
The culprit is "Misa Sakita".
I'm reluctant to call someone who has already passed away the culprit, but I have to admit it by now.
Narumi Hasebe... Kaori Itou... Keiko Yamano...
The students we believe to have been involved in Misa Sakita's bullying have died bizarre deaths one after another.
This incident was not done by the hand of the living...
The only thing that bothers me is that she also tried to personally kill Shouta Nozawa.
If she was the culprit, then only he wouldn't have been harmed...
(Verification 3)
How did Sakita make one student after another commit suicide?
Through the "curse" of Misa Sakita, who was bullied to death...
I think the only way to explain this bizarre incident is to believe that Misa Sakita's grudge took her revenge.
Of course, there is no evidence. That might disqualify me as a detective.
But that was what I observed.
(Verification 4)
And, for Kamiyama's curious transfiguration.
What on earth happened to Kamiyama? Only "fox possession" could explain it.
Kamiyama was the most active person involved in bullying Misa Sakita.
Cursed by the vengeful spirit of Misa Sakita, who sleeps in the Fox Mound, she has been transformed into that figure...
It's only a guess. Moreover, it's ridiculously unrealistic...
[They're all correct, let's see the epilogue]
Several days later---
Despite all those incidents, Hanamine Private High School has returned to its normal school life as if nothing had happened.
Although the information should have already leaked to the press, the TV, newspapers, and even gossip magazines refused to mention the events that took place there.
Shouta Nozawa and Mari Horikawa were rushed to Kamone University Hospital, escaping with only minor injuries.
Horikawa had lost all memory of the past few months, including of being transferred to Hanamine High.
Ms. Hitomi told me that she had "partial memory loss due to cranial trauma".
I asked about the possibility of her memories returning, but the answer was very vague: sometimes they would remember tomorrow, and sometimes they wouldn't remember for good.
Why Horikawa stabbed Kamiyama remains a mystery.
And so does the reason why Horikawa knew about Misa Sakita...
Yuka Kamiyama was also supposed to be taken to Kamone University Hospital but disappeared without a trace.
Not only her. The ambulance that carried her, the paramedics, they were all gone.
A nationwide manhunt was arranged to locate her, but so far no one has been able to trace her whereabouts, almost as if she had been spirited away. The search is currently underway for her disappearance and abduction.
For that reason, the assault case against Mari Horikawa was suspended until she was found.
In the end, no hard evidence was found to prove the existence of the curse...
We visited the professor's office in the university to report to my brother for his cooperation in our investigation.
"I see... So that was the conclusion that awaited you, huh?" After hearing everything, Brother lights a cigarette.
"Brother, do you think the curse really existed?"
"I believe so, at least. As long as negative emotions such as hatred and resentment exist in people's hearts, the curse will never fade away..."
My brother then exhaled a large plume of smoke with a self-deprecating smile on his face.
[Fade to black]
Kamiyama, too, started out purely in love. However, her feelings became distorted, which resulted in many losses.
Hate and sorrow were created because of love. Given that the human heart can produce curses, similar tragedies will continue to repeat themselves in the future.
For as long as we humans live...
I've decided to write a full report of the phenomena I saw and heard during this incident.
It was the only memorial service I could offer to the victims.
[Wideshot of the MPD]
The next morning, I went to work with the report I had written, prepared to be fired, but what greeted me was a letter of transfer.
"...Well, that's how it is."
Huh, isn't that strange? I still haven't sent in my report.
I felt caught off guard.
However, the Chief, seemingly not caring what was on my mind, casually shoved the letter of transfer into my hands and quickly returned to his desk.
When I looked down at the letter of resignation handed to me, I saw an unbelievable array of letters.
Lieutenant Junya Kazami is assigned to the Police History Archival Office as of today.
I must have been frozen stiff for at least 30 seconds, and even the Chief gave me a sympathetic look.
The Police History Archival Office... Speaking of it, that fifth basement floor...
Why was I transferred to that place? In the first place, it wasn't functional at all, was it?
My steps toward the isolated underground world were heavy, and not just because of my imagination.
I'd rather be fired than be forced into a dusty, closed room like that.
With these thoughts in mind, I went down to the fifth basement floor where the Police History Archival Office is located.
"Sir!"
"Uwah! M-mr. Kogure!?"
"Yes, sir! It's been a while!" Mr. Kogure bowed with a big smile.
"I too have been assigned to the Police History Archival Office, sir. I look forward to working with you in the future. Thank you!"
For even Mr. Kogure to be assigned to this place...
It's too sudden. Moreover, we've been assigned to a department that we'd never heard of until recently. I can only assume that some kind of great influence exerted itself on the top brass.
"Um, sir?"
"Yes?"
"To tell you the truth, the Archival Office has been, uh... acting very strangely."
"Strange?" Mr. Kogure said there was a light leaking from the room, and that he could hear people's voices coming from inside.
I then remembered the rumors about the Archival Office.
"...It is said that, sometimes, you can hear voices coming from the supposedly concrete-filled fifth basement floor."
"They say that a detective who died in the line of duty is still working on cases, even after death..."
[Wideshot of the door, including the fluorescent light above it]
"Let's go." Accompanied by Mr. Kogure, I stood in front of the Office's door.
A plate affixed to the dirty iron door bears the words "Police History Archival Office".
Up to this point, nothing had changed from how it was the other day. However, as Mr. Kogure said, a light was leaking from inside the room, and what sounded like human voices could be heard.
"S-sir." Mr. Kogure came up behind me, looking concerned. His large body had shrunk to about one size smaller than usual.
"I'm opening it." With determination, I turned the doorknob.
"...just now rounding the second turn, and five horses are battling for the lead."
"The orange cap, Psychic Tsukasa holds the lead by a small margin, with Shinoda Golem just behind, in the second place..."
Live horse racing? This BGM isn't appropriate for a room in a police station.
The Police History Archival Office. This is the second time I've been in this room.
However, what I saw now was a room that seemed to be in good working order, if not quite spotless.
There were no scattered papers, no dust, no corpses of starved-to-death insects.
...Am I dreaming?
"...Oh ho! Itako Hayakawa has made a move at the last corner!" [Itako is a type of female spirit medium from northeastern Honshu who is typically blind]
The horse race was still being broadcasted. I don't know much about horse racing, but I could tell from the announcer's enthusiastic voice that the race was in its final stages.
"Itako Hayakawa has passed! Itako Hayakawa has passed! Can Psychic Tsukasa outrun her!?"
"Itako Hayakawa! It's Itako Hayakawa! Itako Hayakawa won---!!!"
"YEAAHHH!!"
A woman stood up triumphantly, not even noticing us, and thanked God, Buddha, Ebisu-sama, and all the gods in an unrestrained manner.
She was about 30 years old. I could not tell her exact age due to her energetic appearance. Actually, she might be around 40.
"Ah, um..." I called out to her like a child who had wandered into an unfamiliar world.
"Hm? Who're y'all?" I wanted to ask similarly in return but decided not to. If I had done that, the conversation wouldn't have moved forward.
"This place is the MPD, right?" I thought it was a stupid question, but I had to check.
"More or less." I guess I'm more or less in the MPD then.
If so, this must still be the Police History Archival Office. I bowed respectfully and greeted her.
"I am Lieutenant Junya Kazami, assigned to the Police History Archival Office as of today! I look forward to working with you!"
"Similarly, I'm Sergeant Souichirou Kogure, ma'am!" The woman watching the live racing broadcast looked at us as if we were rare animals.
Although she doesn't wear makeup at all, I wouldn't hesitate to say she's beautiful.
"I didn't think it was possible, no way would someone actually show up. What was he thinking bringing in two kids like that just because we were short on staff?"
It was a very unwelcoming line. The woman introduced herself with a resigned sigh, "Oh weeellll."
"I'm Ranko Indou. You write "Indou" with 'In', like a doggy, and 'dou', like in Shuten-douji. My rank's Inspector."
"I-I-I-Inspector!?"
"That's right, Inspector" Perhaps amused by Mr. Kogure's reaction, Inspector Indou laughed in amusement.
"Well, I know you're going through a lot, but hang in there." A piece of paper fell from the pocket of the Inspector as she turned away.
"Ah, Inspector---"
The wind whipped by. My outstretched hand grips the empty air.
"Big thanks." Inspector Indou stuffed the piece of paper in her hand into her pocket haphazardly. As if nothing had happened...
"Sir, that move, no ordinary person could make that." Mr. Kogure, who holds a third dan in judo, a third dan in kendo, and a second dan in karate, was absolutely sure of what he was saying.
But I saw something more interesting than that.
For a brief moment, the piece of paper that the Inspector had almost dropped looked just like the talisman from that day.
[A phone rings]
A black phone's bell rings, interrupting my thoughts.
It was easy to guess who was on the other end of the phone.
I put my ear to the receiver and, as expected, I hear that man's voice.
"Welcome. To the Police History Archival Office..."
Comprehensive Evaluation: S Class
Episode One - Mr. Kokkuri - End
"Now then... How did this story strike you?"
What an unbelievable case. This series of suicides related to Mr. Kokkuri, as told by the man. Not to mention the melodramatic tragedy that waited at the end.
But, the man's skillful storytelling did make me feel as if I myself was a party to the incident.
"Negative human emotions, such as resentment and hatred, sometimes cause strange occurrences that cannot be explained by science."
"The extraordinary, such as spirits and curses, are in fact all around us, because it's always our human mind that creates them..."
"The most terrifying thing in the world is Man." His voice was tinged with sadness.
It's the human mind that creates the monstrous... huh... For some reason, I felt the man's words were telling the truth.
It's as if I had seen people trapped in this darkness before, time and time again...
"By the way, have you heard of this story? I heard of it from a friend of a friend---"
We're done! Mostly, that is. Let me first talk about my opinion on this route and episode in general. I liked it, I think this case is a good introduction to the main characters in general, both old and new. The comedic scenes were pretty funny, but the horror scenes weren't as good as those of the previous episode. I think this chapter had more thrilling scenes, though. I have one problem with this route, the resolution ended too suddenly, I think the other route had a better conclusion, honestly. However, I do like how each route explained half of the case, something also present in the past episode.
My opinions aside, I need to explain something about the next post. There's a ton of missed dialogue, but only some of them have F.O.A.F. files attached, so, I've decided to put only these dialogues plus a certain choice that unlocks an extra keyword. This is so we can start the next episode ASAP. If any of you guys don't like this choice or wanted me to translate a specific option I didn't choose, please comment on this post or on my Twitter.
Either way, see you next time!
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