We connected words as if tossing a ball back and forth.

“Look,” I held up the backpack again to show.

“Looking closely with that intention, there’s a small cut in the part that presses
against the back, and a hole is open.”
Traces of the knife blade passing through.
“However… then why did he want to make the suicide look like a homicide to
that extent?”
“I don’t know that yet… but probably, Mashiba-kun wasn’t the only one who
wanted to make it look like a homicide.”
Even if the victims thought to be poisoned had taken poison themselves at
another location beforehand before boarding Tre-Ches, there are many victims with
external wounds caused by blades.

There are external wounds, yet not a single weapon was left at the scene. Why
is that?
“…Because they concealed the weapons themselves?”
“By doing so, they wanted to make it look like a terrifying slaughter occurred,
not suicide.”
It’s not that a terrifying murderer disappeared from the locked gondolas with
the weapons.
“Mashiba Taku disguised his suicide method. The others concealed the
weapons. In doing so, whether large or small, despite the difference in elaboration,
everyone matched in trying to make their suicide look like a homicide.”
Leaving a knife stuck in the back, or attempting suicide by drinking poison; it’s
natural to think they did the way of dying and disguise method based on their own
ideas.
“If there is a culprit in this tragedy, it is the people who committed suicide
themselves, is that it?”
“Ironically, yes. And about those essential missing weapons… possibly.”
“Ah.”
Just as I started to say it, Lilitea let out a childish voice. Her face was slightly
flushed. It was the expression of elation she shows the moment dots connect in a
deduction.
“I know. Under the gondola window, right?”
“Yeah, I thought that might be it too.”
“I knew it!”
Lilitea clapped her hands together in front of her chest.

Three seconds later. Returning to herself, Lilitea lowered her hands looking
awkward, and glared at me with ji-to eyes as if to say ‘you saw that’. Don’t glare.
“Part of the underside of Tre-Ches juts out over the river flowing next to the
park. Surely the people who committed suicide threw the weapons into the river
from there. But… one thing that concerns me is whether they really had the
composure to throw the weapons into the river after sustaining fatal wounds.”
No cover-up work can be done after dying.
“Including that, anyway, let us go verify it.”
 Lilitea walked briskly toward the break room exit with a prim expression.
She seemed ashamed of herself for surrendering to the pleasure of solving a
mystery even for a moment.

So, where exactly did Lilitea and I head to verify our hunch? The river flowing
right next to Mizushima Park.
Once we left the park, we walked all the way around the perimeter, aiming for
the spot directly beneath the Ferris wheel.
“Around here, maybe?”
Having made a rough estimate, Lilitea and I climbed over the railing installed
on the sidewalk and approached the very edge of the riverbank.

Just as I leaned out, careful not to fall, Lilitea switched on a flashlight next to
me. We had borrowed it from the staff when we left the park.
“See anything left, Lilitea?”
“Hard to say. Time has passed, and it is possible they have already sunk to the
bottom. If not, perhaps they were washed downstream… Ah. But something… just
now, reflected the light for a moment.”
When she pointed out the area and I peered in, sure enough, something was
caught among a cluster of water plants peeking out from the water surface near the
bank.
I firmly grasped Lilitea’s left hand, supporting her as she leaned out over the
river.
“I am relying on you, Sakuya-sama. Please absolutely do not let go.”
“Obviously. Who do you think you’re talking to?”
Lilitea stretched her right arm out desperately, trying to pick up whatever was
caught in the water plants.
“Sakuya-sama… a little more forward. Yes, more… wro— not like that… Sakuya-
sama… hey, Sakuya, do it properly.”
It was a joint operation while being scolded by Lilitea.
“I got it! Sakuya-sama, this is… ah!”
Well, needless to say, or rather, at that point, both of us fell. Into the river.
The river was about chest-deep on me, so there didn’t seem to be any danger
of drowning.

Impatient to even climb up the bank, we examined what we found right there
on the spot.
What we discovered was an ordinary kitchen knife sold anywhere.

Perhaps washed clean by the river, no blood adhesion was seen on the blade,
but a faint bloodstain could be seen on the wooden handle. Maybe marks from the
suicide victim gripping it strongly.
If forensics examines it properly, blood reaction and fingerprints will likely be
detected from there.
“I see, I wondered what the trick was, but so that’s it.”
 A vinyl string was tied to the part between the handle and the blade. And a fist-
sized stone was tied to the end of the string.
Looking up from that spot, I could see several gondolas jutting out directly
overhead in a row.
“Yeah. The position fits perfectly too.”
String and stone. This is the trick that allowed the weapons to be concealed
after death.
“The people who committed suicide dropped the weapons into this river from
the gondola windows at that point.”
“They dangled the weight tied to the string outside through the gap in the
window, correct?”
“Yeah. Then, using the knife, for example, they thrust it into their throat. When
the suicide victim lets go of the weapon on the verge of death, the weight naturally
falls. Naturally, the knife tied to the other side falls into the river along with it. And
so the weapon disappears from the gondola, and the suicide victim breathes their
last.”
Once understood, it’s a simple mechanism. Nothing particularly novel or
revolutionary. You could call it classic.
Or perhaps there was a possibility of other guests seeing the moment the
weapon fell, but when the incident occurred, it was already after sunset. They
probably didn’t worry about that either.
If we search the river with more people, we might find other weapons too.
Climbing out of the river, I caught my breath.
“Ugh, my body’s cold… But this makes it clear. This incident is a disguised mass
suicide. There’s no doubt about that anymore.”
Lilitea took off her wet shoes and socks and was diligently wringing out the
hem of her skirt.

Staring at the falling drops, Lilitea suddenly spoke.

“However, in that case, I understand even less the motive for why they went
this far.”

Entering the park again and returning to the base of Tre-Ches, a large number
of police officers had already gathered there. At the center of them were Detective
Fido and his assistant Belka.
“Yo, drowned rats. Judging by that souvenir, looks like the results were
excellent.”
Seeing Lilitea and me arrive, Fido said jokingly.

Hakuchi—a sound came from beside me.

“I sneezed,” Lilitea muttered embarrassedly.
One of the police officers came over.
“It’s currently sealed off. Children, go home now.”
A person faithful to his duty. He isn’t wrong about anything.
 However, Fido told that officer, “He’s fine.” Whether it was because he had
already revealed his identity, or because Detective Fido’s ability and achievements
were known within the police force without needing to reveal them, all the officers
there seemed convinced by his words.
Not a single cry of the crane, but a single bark of the dog.

Just as I was thinking that was quite a good analogy, a displeased voice came
from behind.
“Oi, oi, oi, why are you here again?”
Turning around, our unpopular detective, Manzorogi Kaoruta, was standing
there.
Apparently, he wasn’t off duty today.
“Manzorogi-san, you came too. What a coincidence. At the amusement park
alone today?”
But I dared to misunderstand on purpose.
“It’s work! You can tell by looking!”
“For work, you seem to have made a late entrance.”
“Shut up. I heard a terrible incident happened in the park so I came to see…
Good grief, why are you always at the scene of dangerous incidents every single
time?”
“However, this time, I’m not the only detective.”
Prefacing with that, I introduced Fido standing next to me to Manzorogi.
“I know. Fido-san, I was surprised when I received your sudden call earlier.
When did you arrive in Japan?”
“Ah, you know Fido after all? Wait, eh? Fido, you went to call Manzorogi-san?”
“Know him? He’s Tatsuya’s sworn friend. Long time no see. You haven’t
changed a bit.”
Manzorogi approached Fido with an strangely polite attitude. I’m seeing this
Manzorogi for the first time. It’s a huge difference from his attitude toward me.
“Your coat looks youthful as ever. The brushing skills must be good. Yep.”
“Regarding that, I declare here that it is my achievement.”
Belka puffed out her chest.
“Belka-chan looks well too. Still constructing wild deductions and troubling Fido-
san as usual?”
“Kaoruta-kun, stop saying it like that, it invites misunderstanding! In the last
case, I was actually pretty close! Just that the result was a completely different
person being the culprit.”
“Sure, sure.”
“You don’t believe me, do you? Then even in this case, I will… You shut up for a
bit, Belka. So, now that the actors are all here, let’s wrap this up.”
Mercilessly hijacking the mouth of Belka who tried to protest again, Fido
addressed everyone.
“Sorry to the Japanese police gentlemen who finally rushed to the scene, but
we have mostly grasped the full picture of this incident on our side. The rest is just
arresting the culprit, but that’s your job. So, let’s share the information first.”
 After gathering everyone’s attention firmly, Fido briefly explained the sequence
of the incident.
“Seventeen casualties. At first, I couldn’t wonder enough who the hell would do
such a whimsical thing as massacre people inside a rotating Ferris wheel, but as the
investigation proceeded, it became clear this wasn’t a murder case, but likely a
mass suicide.”
The officers stirred slightly. Disregarding that, Fido stated the rationale for
thinking it was suicide.
“You’d think suicide would be obvious at a glance? However, every single one
of the suicides politely disguised it to look like a homicide. Right?”
I wish he wouldn’t suddenly throw it to me. I sent a gaze of protest, but Fido
was already scratching behind his ear with his hind leg as if it were a hassle.
“Ahem… Yes. There were no weapons at the scene, and some bodies clearly
appeared to be homicides, so everyone was confused initially. But, we just found
this from the river right over there.”
I showed the knife I found to Manzorogi. The souvenir Fido mentioned.
“It’s a kitchen knife thought to be used by one of the suicides. There are
probably fingerprints left too. The string and stone tied to it are a mechanism for
disguise.”
Handing the knife to a nearby officer, I continued to supplement about the
concealment of the weapon.
Fido agreed with that too, saying, “Well, that’s about the size of it.”
“What… does that mean this is it? That there is no culprit in this incident?”
Manzorogi seemed somewhat let down.
“Who knows. By the way, Kaoruta, did you check what I asked earlier?”
“Yeah, I didn’t know what was what, but I had my subordinates check. What is
this about?”
“Listen, kid, while you were enjoying bathing with your assistant young lady, we
were working diligently over here. Though we might be slightly inferior to the
Japanese in diligence.”
While Fido grumbled eloquently, Manzorogi took out his notebook and opened
it.
“Umm, well. The victims… or rather, suicides, I suppose; most of them
possessed something identifying, so identification was instant. As Fido-san told us,
based on that, we had their respective accounts checked. And several reports came
up, but so far, money in the millions had been transferred to every account we
finished investigating.”
“Ehh!? What’s that? Money was transferred to dead people? That’s weird!”
Even without being Belka, I couldn’t hide my surprise at that information.
“A large sum… indeed.”
An amount far removed from me.
“Yeah. The dates are all within this past half-month. I think reports on the
others will come up later, but there will probably be no exceptions.”
Mass suicide took place, and behind the scenes, there is a person who paid
them money.
 I thought deeply about what that fact pointed to.
“So there is a person who incited them and controlled them with money?”
“That’s exactly it. Someone drew the picture. When that someone thought
about a way to move multiple suicides in alignment, they probably figured money
was the quickest way. In fact, its efficacy sometimes works better than God’s
sermons.”
Fido read the culprit’s thoughts, and that reading was spot on.
“The name of the sender is…”
“A pseudonym, likely.”
Needless to say, Fido interrupted Manzorogi’s words.
“Yes. It says—Jirokichi.”
The real name of Nezumi Kozo, a thief in the Edo period. Famous for distributing
stolen money and goods to the poor.
“If I recall, I read in a book that he had a separate main profession, and
thievery was like a side job. Though the authenticity is uncertain.”
Lilitea displayed her knowledge at this perfect moment.
“Don’t know if they’re playing the noble thief, but there’s someone quite
generous out there. No, too generous.”
Just as Fido says. It’s a large sum to begin with, but considering it was
transferred to over a dozen people, it amounts to a tremendous figure.
“Moreover, to go that far just to have them commit mass suicide on a Ferris
wheel. I can’t understand. Thanks to that, this Ferris wheel has completely become
a suicide spot.”
Belka burned with righteous indignation.
“We intend to investigate the source of the transfer from now on too, but…”
“Doesn’t seem like a rat that would let you grab its tail from such a place,
though.”
“Rat… huh. Just what kind of weirdo would plan something like this. They might
be laughing somewhere right now.”
“Um.”
Against the cursing Manzorogi, Belka raised her hand.
“About that mastermind, isn’t it possible they were riding the Ferris wheel
together when the incident occurred?”
“…You mean they were at the scene?”
“Yeah. From the culprit’s perspective, there must have been absolute anxiety
about whether a large number of unconnected people would commit suicide in the
gondolas as planned. So I think they were watching the scene from somewhere. If
so, I thought the special seat for that would be the same Ferris wheel.”
I see. That certainly seems plausible.
“Come to think of it, I heard from one of the staff. That amidst the chaos after
the incident occurred, they felt like the number of victims carried out had decreased
by one.”
Receiving Belka’s remark, I also presented a piece of information.
“I thought maybe that person was the culprit, and they pretended to be a
victim and left the scene—or so I thought, but…”
However, my thought was immediately denied by Fido.
 “That’s not it.”
“Why?”
“I said it earlier. That there are seventeen victims.”
“Seventeen…”
Come to think of it, he might have said that. I had heard sixteen, and confirmed
it too, so I thought it was a slip of the tongue, but was it not?
“One more increased. Just now. Right?”
Fido glanced at Manzorogi. Receiving that, Manzorogi nodded.
“On the way to the scene, a crowd had formed at the hedge beside the
entrance/exit gate. Wondering what it was, I rushed over to find a male collapsed
there. Unfortunately, his heart and lungs had already stopped by then. Detailed
cause of death will be sent to forensics, but in my view, it’s poison.”
“Already, dead…”
“Yeah, in other words, that male was also one of the suicides. We just had the
staff in charge of the Ferris wheel check the victim’s face, and they said it was a
face and clothing they remembered as a customer.”
“Then that person…”
“Probably decided to commit suicide just like the others. But failed to die on the
spot, and woke up in that corpse room.”
Taking back the conversation, Fido spoke.
“Must have been terrified. Waking up to heaps of corpses around him, staff in
panic. Big uproar. Oh no, this has turned into a terrible thing. So even if he panicked
and ran away from there, it would be no wonder.”
The man instinctively slipped away from the spot without telling anyone, and
tried to leave Mizushima Park. Tried to pretend none of it happened.
“But, in the end, he couldn’t get out, and breathed his last just one step
short…”
“Thus, the death count has—Amen—increased by one. It’s depressing.”
Saying that, Fido yawned once and sat down flat.
“Huh? Sensei? Wait! Ah-ah, Sensei’s concentration ran out. Hey, that attitude is
no good. Just a little more. I’ll brush you when it’s done so do your best. Eh? You do
the rest? Moo, so selfish.”
Fido and Belka were arguing about something, but in the end, the assistant
yielded.
“Um… as you can see, Sensei has lost motivation, so from here, I, the assistant,
will take responsibility and take over! So, next is about the hospital visit history of
the people who committed suicide.”
“Ah, I checked that too as asked by Fido-san. So, how was it?”
When Manzorogi asked, one of his subordinates ran up and started reporting.
Manzorogi listened to the report, then said with a complicated expression that
was neither bright nor strong.
“The suicides all apparently had a history of hospital visits in the past. Self-
harm, insomnia, depression, drug overdose, et cetera—"
“…I thought so. But even so, that was quite fast work investigating.”
“Yeah, I’m surprised at that point too. After all, every single one of them was
attending the same hospital—and that hospital is right there, just a stone’s throw
away.”
“Eh!?”
At Manzorogi’s reply, Belka raised her voice in surprise.
“Same hospital? Everyone?”
Everyone’s gaze poured onto the building visible beyond the park. Toomasu
General Hospital, floating dimly in the dark night.
Only Belka, lacking local knowledge, looked blank as if left behind.
Toomasu General Hospital. I see—. So that means, in other words, it is so.
“Is that hospital the building visible over there? Hehh! What an amazing
coincidence!”
Belka was honestly impressed.
“But thanks to the hospital being nearby, the injured people could be carried in
immediately, so that point was good, right?”
“Yeah. Truly, whether it was convenient or inconvenient for the culprit remains
to be seen.”
“Eh? Sakuya, what does that mean?”
“It means the culprit is in that hospital.”
One tempo later than the conversation between Belka and me, Manzorogi
raised his voice.
“The culprit is a doctor!”
Victims and culprit, all of them were gathered in that hospital.

By the time we arrived at the hospital again accompanied by Manzorogi, we

already had a mark on the culprit.
We could have asked for their location at the reception, but it would be
troublesome if they ran away. So we decided to walk through the hospital and
search directly.
On the way, I spotted a figure in a white coat coming out of the restroom. I
called out while waving my hand.
“Doctor.”
“Hm? Ah, wait a moment. I can’t see well without my glasses.”
He laughed while wiping the lenses of his favorite black-rimmed glasses with a
handkerchief. It was Dr. Warauji, who examined my leg.
“Um… are you the next patient?”
“No, you already examined me.”
Warauji put on the wiped glasses and looked at me.

From the moment he looked, his face paled instantly.

“Uwaaaaaah! Why!?”
The scream echoed to every corner of the hallway. Enough to make everyone
stop and look back.
“You… definitely… should be dead… ha, haha. I even confirmed the death…
hahaha. And yet…”
The handkerchief fell from Warauji’s hand.
“A terrible incident happened at Mizushima Park over there today. We have
something we want to ask you about that.”
Manzorogi conveyed the business while showing his police badge.

I hurriedly restrained the intimidating Manzorogi.

“Manzorogi-san, calm down. It’s wrong, not that person.”
“…Wrong, is it?”
“Yes. I’d like to ask Dr. Warauji for a little cooperation, but where is that nurse
who was examining me together with you during the consultation?”
Clatter—.
A sound came from behind simultaneously with the question.

Turning around, a single nurse was staring at me with wide eyes. A medical
questionnaire had fallen at their feet.
“Ah, just perfect. We were looking for you.”
The one we were looking for was—Nurse Yaotome.

When I called out, Nurse Yaotome let out a scream surpassing Warauji’s, with a
face paler than Warauji’s.
Manzorogi, seemingly guessing from that appearance, walked up to Yaotome.
“I’m with the Police. We came to ask about the matter at Mizushima Park. Sorry
to interrupt your work, but do you have a moment?”
Yaotome’s gaze, which had been poured on me, shifted to Manzorogi. Then,
shaking their head as if finally understanding the situation.
“W-Why… me…? N-No, wrong! I don’t know anything! Don’t know!”
That was, well, good enough to call a confession.

Yes. This person is the culprit.

Guessing that the detective had already obtained considerable conviction by
the time he reached this point, Yaotome gave up immediately and did not make
excuses or rampage any further.
“Please come with us.”
However, when gently pushed on the back by Manzorogi, Yaotome suddenly
turned back to me as if unable to bear it after all.
“Hey… why…? Why are you alive! You! Oitsuki! I definitely… I definitely should
have killed you!”
Manzorogi had quite a hard time subduing him as he became upset again and
started rampaging.

I hear nurses rely on physical stamina, and possess strength that cannot be
underestimated. Even more so if it’s a male nurse.

Now, let me announce the results of this incident first.

The culprit was Yaotome Tetsuto, 28 years old, a nurse working at Toomasu
General Hospital.
Yaotome collected and selected information on patients with suicidal desires
who visited the hospital, and contacted them so as not to identify himself.

And he proposed mass suicide under specified conditions.

It was also Yaotome who transferred large sums of money to them as Jirokichi.
According to what he confessed later, the first portion transferred was
apparently like an advance payment to make the other party trust him.

The promise was that if they really died as instructed, he would transfer the
remaining money—I haven’t heard the amount though.
“Those people had lost the very will to live. They hurt their own bodies and
come to the hospital. Every time, I called out to them… But the words of a mere
nurse were useless. Had no effect… It wasn’t simply about being in debt and
suffering or things like that. It was a problem of fundamental life energy.”
But investigating individually, it seems even such people had at least one
lingering attachment.
“For a human who has decided to die, one yen and one hundred million yen are
equally worthless. The rest is just when to depart—that’s all. But it’s different for the
people they leave behind in this world.”
Parents, grandparents, older brothers, sisters, younger brothers, sisters,
relatives, or lovers—.

If there is something they can leave behind, they want to leave it. The people
Yaotome called out to were all such kind-hearted individuals.
This was also found out later, but one of the suicides actually intended to
allocate the received advance payment to the surgery costs of their mother
suffering from a serious illness.
Then what was the motive for him wanting to produce a mass suicide to that
extent—?
“I wanted to protect it. The scenery of this town.”
Staring out from the small window of the interrogation room, Yaotome
reportedly said so.
“The patients… I wanted to restore the scenery they see on the verge of death.
Where, you ask? From the window of the hospital room of this hospital! The scenery
they gaze at last!”
Patients on the brink of death meet their end on the bed of a hospital room.
What they see then is inevitably either the ceiling of the hospital room, or
otherwise, the scenery beyond the window.
From the west windows of Toomasu General Hospital, one could historically
view the Nichirin Ferris Wheel, a specialty of Mizushima Park. The beautiful scenery
woven by the Nichirin Ferris Wheel and the local townscape. Gazing at it, many
people breathed their last peacefully.
“It had been that way for decades! Since before I was born! And yet, the
Nichirin Ferris Wheel was torn down… and what was built in its place was, of all
things, that gaudy! Lacking a shred of class! Vulgar gold-painted Ferris wheel! It’s
ruined! What is that thing! Tre-Ches? Don’t screw with me! That thing!”
Yaotome’s manner when saying that was apparently ghastly.
 “At first, I harassed them by spreading ominous rumors on the net. That an evil
spirit haunts the Ferris wheel. But that didn’t have much meaning. It was laughed
off and that was it… That’s why!”
That’s why he thought to cause a major incident disguised as a homicide and
force Tre-Ches into immediate demolition.
Probably, Tre-Ches will be demolished just as he planned. Now that such an
unprecedented incident has occurred, it is difficult to continue operating it with a
face as if nothing happened.
Yaotome Tetsuto will be charged with at least inducing suicide, or perhaps
aiding suicide.

Thinking about what he did, I have no idea how heavy the crime will be.

Mass suicide production by an active nurse.

I can picture the media reporting it sensationally.

The public will likely bash Yaotome as a ‘devil-like nurse’.

Even so, speaking only regarding that motive, there was a speckless
benevolence toward those dying in hospital rooms.
Of course, it’s not as if having benevolence makes it okay. Nor will the crime be
forgiven.

I wonder why he couldn’t direct that benevolence for the dying toward the
suicides.
Still, regarding the claim that Tre-Ches was ruining the scenery, I have to say I
agree.

By the way, after Manzorogi took Yaotome to the police station, Lilitea and I
returned to Mizushima Park without time to bask in the afterglow of solving the
case.
“If we don’t hurry, the park will close.”
“Hey Sakuya, you still have business over there?”
To the inquiring Belka, I made a ring with one hand to show her.
“The request to find the lost item remains.”
“…I see. Don’t really get it but since we came this far, I’ll help!”
“Thanks Belka. You’re a good guy.”
“Don’t mention it! We’re fellow detectives who challenged the same case! No,
friends!”
Since when did we become that close? I don’t feel bad about it, though.
“Even so, you were already killed right before the incident? Sakuya really is
immortal, huh.”
“It’s a little different from being immortal, though.”
“I heard from Sensei, but I was half-skeptical about coming back to life after
being killed.”
“…Even I’m still half-skeptical.”
 “Hey, what’s the other world like?”
“The Beatles are trending.”
Belka was the only one who laughed at my irresponsible reply.
“But how did you know that man was the culprit? I was surprised just that a
nurse was the culprit of the Ferris wheel incident, but to think he had laid hands on
Sakuya too.”
“Until just now, my hands were full with the Tre-Ches mass suicide incident, so I
couldn’t deduce satisfactorily regarding the Oitsuki Sakuya Murder Case, but…”
“Sakuya-sama, please do not give such a name to your own death.”
“There’s no other way to say it. So, since we had some leeway on the way to
the hospital with everyone at the end, I thought about various things again. About
when I was killed. Look, right around here.”
We are just about to cut through the park from the hospital side.
“What did you think about? Let me hear.”
Belka leaned her shoulder in.
“I was also curious about that.”
Lilitea also leaned her shoulder in from the opposite side of Belka.
“I think Lilitea knows, but looking like this, I’m reasonably used to being
attacked.”
When I said that, both Fido and Lilitea made exasperated faces. I don’t want to
say this myself either, but it’s a fact.
“So when I was attacked, I tried my best to grab at least one piece of evidence
before dying. But no matter how much I thought, I didn’t know what the weapon
was. Or rather, the culprit didn’t hold anything from the start. But it’s impossible to
produce that destructive power with bare hands. To begin with, that wasn’t the
sensation of a fist.”
Having actually experienced it, I can say clearly.
“Then what did the culprit use to beat me to death? The weapon?”
“Um… what could it be?”
“Before touching on that answer, I have to talk about the culprit’s movements.
At that time, the culprit attacked me from behind as I headed toward Mizushima
Park with the hospital at my back. By the way, I didn’t pass anyone on this path at
that time, nor was there any noise. And look, as you can see, hedges are growing
densely on both sides of the park path. It’s impossible to secretly push through the
hedge and go around behind me. If they did that, I’d notice immediately from the
noise.”
“In other words, you mean the culprit came from the direction of the hospital
chasing after you, Sakuya-sama.”
“Right. That’s why I thought maybe the culprit was a hospital person. But if a
hospital person ran out holding some weapon, colleagues and patients would be
suspicious. To begin with, a nurse running out of the hospital during work hours
alone would leave an impression. So the culprit—Yaotome-san changed from his
nurse outfit to plain clothes and chased me pretending to be a patient.”
If he were wearing a white coat, even I would have recognized it even in the
dark park.
“Assuming that’s so, what about the weapon problem?”
 Say it quickly, Lilitea applied subtle pressure.

I’ll say it. I’ll say it so don’t push with your shoulder.
“So, he was pretending to be a patient. Wearing a cast on his dominant hand.”
“Cast… the nurse attacked with a cast?”
“Yeah. Probably. I was shown a sample cast for explanation in the examination
room, but probably something of that sort. That strange sensation I felt when hit
from behind, different from rock or hammer, was a cast.”
“I see, so that’s why the culprit didn’t hold any weapon in his hand. He didn’t
need to hold one.”
Following Belka’s words, Fido said, “Ted Bundy would be surprised.”
The madtermind of the mass suicide incident is in the hospital.

The culprit of the Oitsuki Sakuya Murder Case is also in the hospital.

When I reached those two truths, the two incidents suddenly connected with a
line.
“If the one who killed me was a hospital person, why did they have to chase me
in a panic as I headed to Mizushima Park to kill me? That is because they didn’t
want to let me go to Mizushima Park. Because they didn’t want to let me get
involved in the mass suicide incident.”
While talking about such things, we returned to Mizushima Park.
The park was already sealed off, and only police personnel were inside, but we
were allowed entry on the grounds that we contributed to solving the case. In
reality, it might be thanks to Fido’s influence.
I told Fido and Belka the characteristics of the ring and asked for their help.
They are the most reassuring collaborators possible.
“So the culprit recognized you as a detective, Sakuya-sama, and knew you
were heading to Mizushima Park to solve the case.”
As we searched diligently for the ring, Lilitea resumed the earlier conversation.
“However, when and how could he have known that?”
“Eh? Still continuing? Rather than that, let’s search for the ring, Lilitea.”
When I stated the sound argument, my assistant showed me a cute pouting
face that said she found it very unexpected.
“Okay. I got it, already. Um, I think the answer to that is the phone call with
Lilitea.”
“Phone call…”
Come to think of it, we did call—Lilitea muttered.
“At that time, I was on the hospital roof. Off-limits, you know. It’s not good, but I
thought no one would be there.”
“But, Yaotome-san, the culprit, was there?”
“Right. He was lurking on the roof before me. Or rather, maybe he was
observing the state of the Ferris wheel from the roof. To confirm with his own eyes
whether the suicide was carried out for sure. If something happened, the Ferris
wheel would stop. He should have been able to confirm that even from the roof.”
Since the roof is off-limits, there is no worry of people coming. Yaotome must
have thought so.

And yet I appeared there and started talking on the phone about the incident
that just happened.
“Yaotome-san, who hid on impulse, heard that conversation, didn’t he.”
He must have heard. That I am the son of Oitsuki Tatsuya, hailed as the world’s
best, and that I am trying to take action for the incident that occurred at Mizushima
Park—.
“From Yaotome-san’s perspective, he must have been anxious. Thinking the
detective would solve the case in no time and come to catch him. And he thought:
Right now, I can dispose of him before the detective arrives at the scene. I have to
do it.”
When I hung up and returned toward the roof door, the one I bumped into was
none other than Yaotome.

That wasn’t him opening the door and coming out to the roof, but conversely,
trying to escape back inside from the roof. But his timing was late, and he exposed
his figure in front of me.

Saying he looked around for me must have been a spur-of-the-moment excuse.

“And he chased Sakuya-sama who left the hospital, and killed you with the
method from earlier—. Then, the post-processing of the corpse…”
“Probably, Yaotome himself did it. First hiding my body in the park hedge or
something, returning to the hospital once, changing into nurse clothes and
disposing of the cast, then immediately returning to the park and carrying me into
the hospital again on a stretcher as a patient.”
Since I was already dead at that time, it’s subtle whether I could be called a
patient though.
“Then to the doctor… probably Dr. Warauji, but he told him that I, whom he
examined just a while ago, died of cerebral hemorrhage. He made him think I died
after a time lag due to injuries from the traffic accident.”
Actually, I was beaten on the head many times by Yaotome, and that damage
decisively damaged my brain which was originally injured in the accident.
“He must have had Dr. Warauji do the death certificate. He might have
intended to falsify the detailed procedures later utilizing his position as a nurse.
There might have been a possibility of Dr. Warauji objecting, but from the doctor’s
perspective, it would look like I died because of his misdiagnosis, so he must have
had various guilty feelings too. So maybe they agreed to coordinate their stories to
some extent, making it so Oitsuki Sakuya was transported due to a traffic accident
and treatment didn’t make it in time from the start.”
Yaotome’s plan ended up meaningless because I came back to life early,
though.
Finishing listening to the story up to that point, Lilitea let out a small breath.
A face saying she was satisfied.
“Well, it’s all imagination. But by now the police are probably pursuing the
suspicion of assault on Oitsuki Sakuya too, and they’ll probably question Dr. Warauji
if necessary, so the truth might reach my ears eventually—ah.”
“What is the matter?”
I pointed to what suddenly caught my eye.
“It started moving. Tre-Ches.”
“Ah…”
Beyond our gaze, the Ferris wheel began to turn slowly again.

Curious, we approached, and Akutazawa-san, the staff member who told us the
story first, found us and waved.
“We finished carrying out all the customers’ belongings, and cleaning is done
too, but it was decided to move it to confirm there are no problems with the drive
just in case. Have to check the gondolas one by one.”
A very complicated expression. No, considering the incident that occurred, her
attitude can be said to be very admirable. Resolute and very professional.

That’s why I couldn’t say anything like “what will happen to Tre-Ches now” in
front of her.
“Sakuya-sama… that… Sakuya-sama. Hey… Sakuya.”
While I was immersed alone in various thoughts, Lilitea suddenly pulled my arm
impatiently.
“W-What is it, suddenly. Hey!”
Pulling my arm, Lilitea passed through the Ferris wheel boarding gate and
boarded the gondola with open doors just like that.
“Ah! What are you doing. Riding without permission. Isn’t that a nuisance to the
staff? Come on, let’s get off… wait, huh!?”
When I tried to go outside hurriedly, the door was closed right in front of me.
Putting my hand on the glass and looking outside, Akutazawa-san was thrusting a
fist towards us with a grin on her face. No, what is that fist for?
“Can’t be helped. I’ll give you one lap as a present.” Her face says so.
Seeming to misunderstand something, it turned into a special operation by the
staff’s smart arrangement.
“Hey Lilitea. What do you intend to do suddenly? Did you want to ride that
badly?”
Lilitea was reaching her hand under the gondola chair. Quite far back too.
“…Lilitea?”
“Found it.”
Lilitea raised her voice and looked back at me.
“Found it, you say… ah!”
In her hand, a modest diamond ring was shining.
“That… ah! Isn’t that the request ring! It was in a place like this!”
“I apologize. I saw something shining for a moment so I jumped in
inadvertently.”
“So that was it… you surprised me.”
Lilitea placed the found ring on her own white handkerchief and handed it to
me with gentle hands.
“Great job, Lilitea. With this, the ring search request is complete too.”
 “Yes. The client couple will be pleased too.”
With that decided, I’d like to say we just return to the office—but we have to
wait a while until the gondola makes a full rotation.
“Um… it’s about ten minutes for one lap, right.”
“Yes.”
“…I see.”
“Yes.”
Eye contact with Lilitea again in the narrow gondola. Troubled about where to
look, I involuntarily escaped my gaze out the window. The night view spread out
there.
Glancing softly at Lilitea, she was seated politely on the chair before I knew it,
looking up at me.
“Lilitea, um… today was a tough day.”
“You worked hard too, Sakuya-sama.”
“Yeah.”
“Exhausted?”
“Exhausted. Hit by a car, fell in a river, and on top of that killed by a medical
worker. Today was kick-the-bucket repeatedly too. If possible, I’d like to be allowed
to relax at least until we get back down.”
While gazing at the horizon formed by the night view, I got carried away and
presented half-joking complaints pom-pom, and my assistant looked up at the
ceiling as if pondering something for a moment.
“Just kidding. It’s a joke, jo…”
“Sakuya.”
Eventually, she lightly tapped her own thighs twice pom-pom, tilted her head,
and said this:
“Relax—will you?”
I stumbled involuntarily and hit my head on the gondola wall.

The assistant giggled at the detective’s sorry state. Hiding her mouth with both
hands, giggling.
Meanwhile, the Ferris wheel that produced a large number of dead turns round
and round.

It’s nothing but irony, but for me who repeats death, it’s a fitting, calming ride.
 ***
The next day, Lilitea and I were at an open café near the office.
Many people were coming and going on the weekend street. The sky was
sunny, but the air was just a little humid.
“Japanese food is delicious no matter where or what you eat. I want to take it
back to my country—"
At the next table, Belka was stuffing her cheeks with Neapolitan pasta, looking
happy from the bottom of her heart.
“Right, Sensei.”
Fido was also at Belka’s feet, devouring a hot dog.

They intend to stay in Japan for a while.

“Right, right, that culprit nurse.”
Suddenly pausing her eating, Belka spoke to me in a low voice for some reason.
“I investigated, and actually that person himself seemed to be affected by an
illness.”
“…By an illness?”
“A pretty bad one too… or rather, an illness with low prospects of recovery.
Seems he kept it a secret from his workplace.”
“…Ah. So that’s why.”
I was strangely convinced by that information.
“Having attended the deaths of many people, this time he felt his own death
close at hand. At that time, maybe he felt it keenly again.”
“What do you mean?”
“By having the same feelings and the same perspective as the patients waiting
for their final moments, he probably felt despair and anger at the scenery visible
from that hospital.”
That might have become Yaotome’s motive, the driving force that drove him to
crime.
At Toomasu General Hospital, several victims are reportedly still in the intensive
care unit even now. I hesitate to call people who tried to end their own lives victims,
but that means there is a possibility the number of dead will increase further after
this.

Of course, there is a possibility they will be saved. But even if they are saved—
if they don’t regain the will to live, it’s the same thing.
“Sakuya-sama, please do not worry yourself too much.”
“Thanks Lilitea. But, in this incident, both the victims and the mastermind don’t
sit right in various meanings.”
When I let out a shallow sigh, Fido looked up.
“Don’t drag it out forever. If the mystery is solved and the culprit is caught, the
detective’s job ends there. Rather than that, what you should do now is talk about
the future, right?”
Certainly, just as he says.
“You said you wanted information on The Seven—them. But what do you intend
to do after finding them? Challenge them to a duel with karate or something one by
one for your father’s revenge?”
That was of course Fido’s joke, but he seemed to be shaking up the indecisive
me.
“That… honestly I don’t know yet. I just want to know what happened to my old
man, and what they did. And then, if I find out they are unforgivable existences to
me… at that time, I will catch The Seven Old Men again in my old man’s place, and
have them return to prison.”
“Hmph. Looks too dangerous to watch. Kid, you’re the type to get killed first
even at a crime scene on a battlefield.”
Fido throws harsh words as usual.
“Lilitea often tells me that too.”
As I smiled wryly, Belka, who was listening to the story, peeked into my face.
Glossy blonde hair swayed on her cheeks.
“Sakuya, sorri. In other words, Sensei wants to say this: He can’t leave you
alone, so he’ll lend you his strength for a while.”
“Fido…”
“Listen kid, if you have a goal, gain strength. But that’s strength as a detective.
I’m not saying become macho like a protagonist in an optimistic States movie or
imitate kung fu movies. I’m talking about detective power. Tatsuya probably didn’t
teach you anything about that anyway. So I’ll bully train you as much as I can. I
refuse to get caught up in your blunders and face danger myself.”
“…Thank you.”
“By the way, about yesterday’s incident.”
As if to say he wasn’t interested in words of gratitude, Fido changed the topic
fluidly.
“There’s still one part that doesn’t make sense, right.”
“Doesn’t make sense?”
“Realize it, you idiot. The source of the money that nurse paid to the suicides.”
“That is… true.”
“If the culprit were a high-paid doctor, I thought maybe, but I can’t imagine that
young nurse could prepare it. The amount given to each person was large, and the
number of people too many. Now, where did it come from?”
Fido throws a Q. Is this also part of his lesson?
“Meaning… there is a financier?”
“Yeah. So, someone wants to cause mass suicide just to demolish one Ferris
wheel. For such a single man’s plan, they plunk down tens of millions, maybe
hundreds of millions of yen. Someone for whom such a thing is possible, and likely
to do it… I can only think of one… person… mu… uu, wafu.”
Fido’s words, which had been speaking eloquently and seriously until then,
were suddenly disrupted in the middle.
“Cute doggy.”
Looking, a strange little girl passing by had boldly squatted on the ground and
was petting Fido’s head all over. Since when.
Unable to bark at the sudden skinship from a child, Fido was letting it happen.
“What’s your ame?”
“It’s Fido-sensei—"
Belka responded to the child with a practiced air. For them, this might be an
everyday occurrence.
“Ah! I mustn’t.”
The girl had been enjoying Fido’s fur for a while, but stood up as if
remembering something important, and brushed dust off her clothes with small
hands.
“I was told to hand this over! Here you go!”
And taking something out of her pocket, she handed it to me.

It was the latest model smartphone. More expensive than the one I have.
“This… to me?”
“Yeah. I was asked by an adult over there. To hand it over. Bye-bye, doggy.”
Finishing her business, the girl ran away from the spot te-te-te. Her back
disappeared into the crowd immediately.
“Why would such a small girl give me something like this…?”
Suddenly, a disturbing air began to drift.
“Asked… by who on earth… Hey, wait!”
Fido stopped Belka who stood up to chase after her.
“Useless. That child knows nothing. They passed it via a complicated route of
unrelated people.”
We naturally dropped our gaze to the left smartphone.

Then, a call came to the smartphone.

Timing that could be called artistic.
The ringtone was a tune I’d heard before. A famous classical piece—yes, surely
Wagner’s ‘Ride of the Valkyries’.

The caller’s number was not displayed.

We looked at each other’s faces instinctively.

Fido nodded.

I made up my mind and answered the phone.

“Pardon me, Sakuya.”
The moment that voice vibrated my eardrums, a certain color crossed the back
of my eyelids.

That was an eye-stealing vivid crimson. A magnificent dress fluttering in the

wind mixed with gunpowder smoke.
“Char… Is it you.”
Millionaire Phantom Thief, Chardina Infericous.
“Thank you very much for interrupting Char’s charity work.”
That opening remark was more than enough to guess everything.
Fido, listening in next to me, also groaned “I knew it” quietly.
“He… um, was it Yaotom? Eh? Yaotome? Whichever. He seemed to need money
for his purpose, so Char accommodated him a little. Since it was sudden, I only had
3 million euros in my pocket at the time, but it seemed enough for him.”
“You were the funding source. But how on earth.”
How could she have known the terrible plan Yaotome kept in his heart.
“Don’t you know? Information can be bought with money too. If you scatter a
blizzard of bills into the air swoosh, capital fairies will gather interesting information
from all over the world and come whisper it into the ear of Char slumbering in the
bedroom.”
Chardina whispered dreamlike things with a voice containing coquettish
components.
Of course, what she said is an allegory. In short, she wants to say she has an
information network stretched across the world.

The Millionaire Phantom Thief capriciously picks up information that seems

likely to distract her from boredom for a moment, and enjoys it.

Poking with the tip of her toe a domino that looks like it will fall to the other side
with one more push.

As a result, a single man named Yaotome obtained funds and fell to the other
side.
The one producing the man who produced the unprecedented mass suicide
from further behind—was Chardina.
“Why go to the trouble of doing something like this? Because it’s interesting?”
“I told you. It’s charity work… I said, but if I dare say, well, that Ferris wheel
called Tre-Ches or whatever…”
Instantly, the tasteless nouveau riche design of Tre-Ches crossed my mind.
“Don’t tell me, the new investor of Mizushima Park is you?”
“No.”
However, my imagination was instantly denied.
“If that were so, do you think Char would let them build a Ferris wheel with
such a design lacking a fragment of sense? Rather the opposite. When I came to
Japan the other day, I didn’t like the Ferris wheel I saw from the car window, so I
thought I’d break it a little. But just buying it out or blowing it up is boring, so I was
wondering what to do. Then Yaotom’s plan just happened to roll into my hand, so I
decided to have him do it. Because that looked more interesting.”
In the end, it boils down to the reason ‘because it’s interesting’.

If mass suicide occurs, the Ferris wheel stops operation. Eventually, it gets
demolished.

The suicide volunteers get large sums of money passed to their remaining
families, and can pass away with peace of mind.
“This is a Wen-Wen relationship, right? Oh my, was it Win-Win? If it’s Wen-Wen,
both are crying loudly.”
Chardina laughed. Mocked.
“Char… where are you?”
“Sakuya, are you angry?”
“About my old man, don’t you know something?”
“The Immortal Detective, Oitsuki Tatsuya, right. The story is his body was
discovered, right?”
 “Showing me such a charred body with no discernible face or fingerprints
amounts to nothing.”
I received an explanation that DNA matched, but such things are ultimately
nothing more than data on documents read out by a stranger police officer.
“He wasn’t immortal or anything. Happily ever after—is that not good enough?”
“Not good enough.”
“Troublesome person. Fine. In that case, come to Reginleiv.”
“Reginleiv?”
“My island floating in the Mediterranean. I have a secret second home there. If
you come visit from your side, I might tell you about Oitsuki Tatsuya. However, keep
it secret from the unrefined police bunch. If you come crying to the stuffy bunch
and bring them along, I’ll give you a suitable welcome too.”
“…Got it.”
“Right, right, Sakuya, keep that smartphone safe. It’s the only phone in the
world with a direct line to Char, okay?”
“Yeah. I’ll definitely go see you.”
“God speed you.”
With those words, the call cut off.
“…Phew.”
Released from tremendous tension, I involuntarily let out a breath. Sinking back
into the chair, I looked up at the sky.
“Chardina’s base, Reginleiv—. Even I have heard the name. An economic
experimental special zone not on the map, or something. Wonder what kind of
pleasant place it is. Now then, kid, going?”
Fido called out provocatively.
I’m going. I’ll go.

I conveyed that to him with my expression.

“Sakuya-sama.”
Lilitea gently placed her hand on my shoulder.

I am here, she conveyed.

Just with that, I felt like blood circulated to my cold limbs.

I raised my hand, meaning to propose not only to Lilitea, but also to Fido and
Belka.
“For now… shall we all order Pudding à la Mode?”
Let’s think after that.
Here is the translation of the provided text, adhering to the character voices,
glossary, and style guidelines.

Yuriu Derringer’s Greeting 4

Some time ago, these words danced across the pages of a British tabloid:
Chardina Infericous wields her wealth like magic.
 She plunders and steals everything with money.

Therefore, she is called this:

The Millionaire Phantom Thief, "Celebrity"—or perhaps, the Capital Witch.
The author Arthur C. Clarke once said, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is
indistinguishable from magic." It seems that sufficiently hoarded wealth is also
indistinguishable from magic.
Chardina’s private army, EM, was just one fragment of the magic she wielded.
The shootout that had erupted accidentally—and then spiraled out of control—
between EM and the Luciano Family had developed into something quite flashy.
"None of the kids working under Charu would be stingy with bullets, would
they?"
Chardina stood in the center of the bullet-riddled hall, enjoying the situation.
She held no gun herself. She didn’t panic, nor did she hide. She simply stood there.
Enemy bullets? Hitting me? Impossible. I’m Charu, you know?
She wore a face that seemed to say exactly that.
"We’re going outside. It’s unbearably dusty in here. Carmina."
"Yes, Milady."
Having decided to move the battlefield outdoors, Chardina turned on her heel
with whimsical grace. The moment she turned, her dress changed.
I doubted my eyes for a second, but it seemed she had performed a quick-
change. The one who pulled it off was Carmina, waiting by her side. A stunning
sleight of hand. Or rather, where had they been hiding a spare dress until now?
"She just doesn't want to wear a dusty dress for even a second, does she?"
Even though she changed, it was still a similar crimson dress. However,
perhaps due to some specific preference, the shade felt subtly different.
Discarding the old dress, Chardina exited the hall with a dashing stride.
I followed her, stepping out of the hotel and onto the street.
The mafia goons were pulling their triggers with desperate looks on their faces,
unable to back down now. They probably still didn't quite understand what they
were up against.
I couldn't hear police sirens yet.
Surely, Luciano had already sent a message to the police chief: I’m having my
men chase a young Asian woman for personal reasons. It might get a little noisy,
but pay it no mind.
The chief would pretend not to notice the commotion, savoring the feel of the
wad of bills in his pocket for a while longer.
But in this specific instance, I suspect even the mafia were wishing the police
would hurry up and arrive.
That was how disciplined, and how merciless, EM was.
Chardina had positioned herself on the roof of a ridiculously long limousine,
shouting cold-blooded orders like a conductor.
"Three behind that trailer over there. Kill 'EM."
With every order she gave, her dress changed again. It was like a bride’s
wardrobe change at a wedding reception.
Carmina’s speed was magnificent. Blue, orange, pink, yellow, green, black...
this time, the colors were rich and varied.
"Niyahaha! Look, look, Milady! I totally Kill-ed 'em!"
"Well done, Altra."
Meanwhile, I picked up a submachine gun dropped by one of the mafia
members and lazily brushed off the sparks flying my way.
Guns. Sometimes I shoot them if the situation calls for it, but they really aren't
fun to use.
Honestly, I could suppress this place in an instant without using a gun at all.
I would just have to make everyone here fall in love with me.
"But man, the aftermath is such a pain."
A passing delivery truck took a bullet to its tire and overturned spectacularly.
Similarly wrecked cars, riddled with holes, had already been abandoned all over the
place.
I ran up onto a car and leaped from vehicle to vehicle like I was on an obstacle
course.
On the way, I spotted Pio among the mafia group. When Pio saw me, he made
eye contact as if to say, "I won't shoot you."
Caught between his organization and love, Pio seemed to be suffering. Not that
I cared.
Anyway, Pio was a perfect example.
Once you make them fall in love, when and how they cool off depends entirely
on the person. It’s not like hypnosis where you can snap your fingers to revert them.
So, you never know how obsessively they might cling to you later.
That is the troublesome part of this constitution of mine—Yuriu Derringer.
"Well, even if I don't try hard, EM will clean this up on their own. Whatever."
And indeed, by the time Chardina had gone through seven more costume
changes, the battle came to an end.
The gunshots grew sporadic, and the family members began to flee one after
another. They seemed to have finally realized that the people they were dealing
with were neither normal nor sane.
The ruckus was over.
The street had fallen completely silent. The citizens didn't even dare peek out
their windows.
As if they had been waiting for this exact timing, I saw a line of patrol cars
approaching from the distance.

Two days after the shootout, I was in the Spanish countryside with Chardina.
We had slipped past the police, hopped onto Chardina's private jet, crossed the
border together, and were now staying at one of her vacation homes.
I knew it was best to lay low here until the heat died down, but I was getting
bored.
Thinking I’d get some fresh air, I went up the stairs to the second-floor terrace
in the early morning. I found someone already there.
It was Chardina. She had a smartphone to her ear, talking to someone.
The person on the other end was...
 "Sakuya, are you angry?"
Hah?
Why is she connected to Shishou?
And why is she giving off this lovers' quarrel vibe?
"You’re a difficult person. Fine. In that case, come to Reginleiv."
Waiting for Chardina to finish the call, I whispered into her ear from behind.
"What color is your cash card, Little Miss?"
"Kyaaauuughhh!?"
Chardina was so startled she nearly threw her smartphone, leaping away from
me. It was a delightful movement.
"Don't startle me!"
"You're as jumpy as ever. Hilarious."
"I just don't like it from behind! No behind!"
Oh, oh, she’s mad, she’s mad.
"Right. Well, I'm not interested in your hidden settings anyway."
"It's not a setting!"
"Ah, boring."
Ignoring Chardina's words, I sat down on a nearby chair.
"You were dancing alone in your room to music yesterday, weren't you?"
"I got bored of that in seconds, too."
Things got exhausting in Venice, but I got the information I needed. I just
wanted to ignore everything, go back to Japan quickly, and return to being
Haigamine Yuriu.
The detective's disciple.
"This is all your fault to begin with. Bringing that mafia crowd to Charu's party."
Chardina followed my lead and sat in the chair next to me.
"Thanks to that, Charu had to flee Italy too."
"...By the way, that phone call just now."
"Yes. It was Oitsuki Tatsuya's son. What? Curious?"
"Not really."
"We got to know each other a little in Japan."
"Careless as always."
"You’re one to talk. I hear you've been clinging to him lately."
"None of your business. Ah, if you plan on snitching about the real me—
Empress—I'll silence you first."
"Charu telling Sakuya? I wouldn't do that. Charu isn't that boy's babysitter. That
truly is none of my business. If he's going to call himself a detective, even
tentatively, Sakuya has to realize it himself."
When I nailed her down on it, Chardina declared so in a truly dry tone. I didn't
like the way she said it. But if she says so, then that’s how it is.
Petty lies lower the strength of one's heart. And the woman known as Chardina
doesn't tell that kind of lie.
She is a woman who always leans back haughtily and speaks only her true
feelings.
She is the polar opposite of me, who always leans back haughtily and speaks
only lies about her true feelings.
 "Is Venice going to be okay?"
"Who knows? But I scattered as many bribes as I could."
"You're using money like an idiot again... no, like magic."
"You sound like you're spreading disease on this planet without learning your
lesson, just like always."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't play dumb. After being chased by so many men."
It's not like I do it because I like it.
But Chardina has a way with words.
It’s true, I spread a disease throughout the world.
A disease with no cure.
Humanity calls it lovesickness.
 CASE 2:
MURDER ON GALLERY ISLAND —PART 1—
 Chapter 1:
You Tried to Look Cool, Didn't You, Sakuya-sama?

"Ahhh! Shishou! Water! The water!"

"Wah! Wah! We must have hit a reef! The rudder isn't working! Sensei! We're
sinking! Get ready to doggy paddle!"
On the horizon of the Mediterranean Sea, the screams of Yuriu and Belka
echoed alternately.
The force of the seawater intruding from the ship's bottom was merciless;
scooping it out with buckets wasn't even close to catching up.
At times like this, one is made thoroughly aware that humans are land
creatures.
In other words, we were helpless.
The small boat carrying us was pushed by strong waves, rocking violently from
side to side.
"Everyone, grab onto something! Where are the life jackets...?"
Keeping my posture low near the cabin, I called out to everyone.
"Sakuya-sama!"
Lilitea called out to me. She sounded unusually urgent.
"Eh?"
Before I knew it, my body was thrown from the ship.
Falling—hitting the water. Cold seawater enveloped my body.
 The fantastical underwater scenery was illuminated by the dazzling
Mediterranean sun.
Of course, I had no time to enjoy the view.
Large waves crashed over me one after another, pushing my body away.
I couldn't tell up from down, left from right. Occasionally, luck would have it
that my face broke the surface, but I could barely catch a breath.
Where is the ship?
Is everyone safe?
Gradually, the number of times I surfaced decreased.
Ah, I'm running out of oxygen. Am I finally going to die...?
No, in my case, it's not really a "final" thing. Pathetic as it is to admit.
Huh?
Something just grazed the tip of my nose.
Is that... a tail fin?
A pure white... translucent... tail fin.
Just as I thought that, I felt my body gently float up toward the surface.
Something was pushing me up.
No, someone was.
What wrapped around from under my arm was a human arm. A slender, supple
white arm.
Before I could confirm the sensation, my thoughts dissolved into bubbles and
burst.

***
Two hours before the sinking.
We had just landed in a city called Palermo on the island of Sicily.
The claim of being Sicily's largest city was no lie; it was a vibrant town.
"So this is Italy!"
Feeling the Mediterranean breeze, I savored the sensation of solid ground for
the first time in a while.
"Though it is not the mainland."
"Ah, Lilitea, acting cool. Even though you agonized over the in-flight meal menu
more than I did."
"Whatever do you mean? You poor thing, Sakuya-sama. The change in air
pressure must have caused you to hallucinate."
Lilitea, paying no mind to my counterattack, gallantly carried the large trunk
stuffed with luggage.
"I've been to Italy a few times tagging along with Sensei, but this is my first
time in Sicily!"
Stretching pleasantly beside us were the UK's greatest detective dog, Fido, and
his assistant, Belka.
We had left Tokyo yesterday upon receiving a dangerous invitation from one of
the Seven Old Men, Chardina Infericous.
Of course, it was a journey fraught with unimaginable danger. I would have
preferred to politely decline. But I wanted to know. I wanted to know what happened
to my father, whose whereabouts and survival remain unknown.
 To get information, I had to go.
As promised to Chardina, we hadn't told Manzorogi or the police about this trip.
It was a secret suicide mission, just for us.
And after a long flight, we had landed here at Falcone Borsellino International
Airport in Sicily.
Our destination was Reginleiv, an island owned by Chardina said to be floating
in the Mediterranean...
"Sooo, that means we are finally heading to the hideout of a great evil. It's
chock-full of danger, even more than the sun! We're practically neighbors with
death. Sakuya, Lilitea, don't let your guard down, okay?"
"You're fired up, Belka."
"Because we don't know what's going to happen. I want to go in fully prepared.
What time is it?"
"10 a.m."
"What sign is it?"
"Rose Cross."
Please don't think we've lost our minds. This was a 'password for emergencies'
that Belka forcibly decided on during the flight. Though I seriously doubt we'll ever
have an opportunity to use it.
"Perfect! This proves that the Sakuya and Lilitea here aren't fakes disguised by
the enemy, but the real deal. Well, that's good. Anyone, I'll pay a reward to whoever
devises a revolutionary method to shut Belka's mouth. That's mean, Sensei!"
By the way, regarding the password just now: I answered "10 a.m." and Lilitea
answered "Rose Cross."
"The sunlight is strong."
Making a visor with my hand, I looked up at the deep blue sky again.
It wasn't as if there were two or three extra suns in the sky, but the
Mediterranean was dominated by a distinct, clear sunlight clearly different from
Japan's.
And then—under that sunlight, a single girl came running from across the
street, waving energetically.
"Shishou~! I bought gelato~!"
It was the rookie actress currently selling out, and my provisional disciple,
Haigamine Yuriu.
"Let's take a breather and gelato it up!"
A pure white one-piece dress and a wide-brimmed straw hat. And cool-looking
sandals. She was fully in vacation mode.
"Thanks..."
I accepted the delicious-looking, melting Italian gelato from her.
"Yuriu-chan... I can't believe you actually followed us. I've said it many times,
but this isn't a carefree sightseeing trip. It's not the beach vacation I promised
either..."
"What are you saying! We're going to catch bad people, right? In other words,
it's Shishou's overseas debut match! It's only natural for a disciple to accompany
you!"
 And so, Yuriu had been like this since before we left Japan, and in the end, she
followed us at her own expense. My responsibility was heavy for accidentally
slipping up about the Italy trip over the phone.
"I get it, Yuriu. I understand that feeling well!"
"I knew you'd say that, Belka-chan!"
Belka, listening in, grabbed Yuriu's hand and showed great empathy.
One, a detective's disciple. The other, a detective's assistant. It took no time for
two such girls to become friends, and they had hit it off completely on the way here.
"Good grief. Noisy little brats, acting like a storm."
Fido's sigh blew the dust off the floor.
"There's gelato for everyone too—ah! It's already melting! Ahyahya."
With the high-energy Yuriu behind me, I looked down at my smartphone screen.
It was the one Chardina had forced onto me, and currently, a map app was
displayed.
"That Millionaire Phantom Thief 'Celebrity'. Ridiculous girl as always. To think
she'd inform us of the location herself."
Fido spoke, sounding unamused.
The map app showed the Tyrrhenian Sea in the Mediterranean. And in the
center of the deep blue screen, a single icon was blinking.
It was a cutely deformed face of Chardina.
In other words, she was saying, "Charu is right here."
I checked a different map just in case, but there was no island at those
coordinates. That alone made it clear that Reginleiv was a special island hidden
from the eyes of the world.

***
"It's a boat trip from here, then."
Holding down her hair swaying in the sea breeze, Lilitea spoke.
A scent of the shore drifted through the port of Palermo, where we had come
straight from the airport. Was it my imagination, or did the scent feel subtly
different from Japan's too?
"A boat... Right."
"Sakuya-sama, are you recalling the incident on the Queen Irie and fearing the
worst? Worried we might sink?"
"I am not!"
No, I am. I'm actually still dragging around some trauma from ships.
But I couldn't say that.
Boats were lined up all along the dock, and men of the sea were working
powerfully everywhere.
"So, Fido, what about arranging a boat? You said to leave it to you, but I don't
think there are any liners heading to an island like Reginleiv that isn't on the map."
Did he intend to ask a local fisherman to take us?
"Idiot. Do you think we can take a civilian sailor with us when jumping into the
lair of an internationally wanted criminal called a calamity?"
Now that he mentioned it, that was true.
"Then what do we..."
 "We do this."
And there, pointed out by Fido's snout, floated a brand-new small boat.
"I bought a boat in advance. We're taking that."
"...Bought? A boat?"
"What, it's just a small five-ton fishing boat."
As expected of the UK's greatest detective. He does things on a grand scale.
"But who's going to drive?"
"Me!"
Belka answered my question with good tempo, dashing onto the boat.
She said she had a boating license.
"As a detective's assistant, I have to be prepared to handle any situation!"
"So nice! Ugh... Shishou! I'm gonna get a license too! U-Um, for a space rocket
or something!"
"You don't have to compete, Yuriu-chan."
"Now, onward to the northwest!"
Waiting for everyone to board, Belka skillfully untied the mooring rope.
"You folks Japanese?"
At that moment, a man cleaning the neighboring boat spoke up. Surprisingly, it
was in Japanese. Though the intonation was quite strange.
"Yes, we are."
"Is that right! I used to live in Osaka, Japan, a long time ago. Know it?"
"Oh. Your Japanese is very good."
Wondering what he wanted, he finally got to the point.
"Y'all heading out to sea now?"
"That's the plan. Is there a problem?"
"Not strictly a problem, but feels like the sea's gonna get rough this afternoon.
Just a feelin'. You say the forecast didn't say nothin' like that? Well, it's a sailor's
intuition."
I involuntarily checked the sky. Clouds were floating here and there, but it was
the picture of fair weather.
"It's fine, it's fine. Ignore me. My real thought is this: Draggin' a pretty lady
along like that, you ain't gonna die a decent death, brother!"
Saying that, the sailor laughed heartily.
"Thank you for the advice. But we absolutely have to go."
"Is that so? Well then, I'd like to say have a nice trip... but you said you were
headin' northwest just now, right? Then be careful in the waters along the way.
Especially around Aquarius Island."
"Is there something there?"
"Lots of maritime accidents in that area since the old days. After all... it's the
Siren's dwelling."
"Siren...? You mean the one that lures ships with its singing voice and sinks
them... that Siren?"
I had heard the name in fantasy movies or games.
Siren. When he spoke that word, the sailor made a show of shivering
dramatically.
 "My grandpappy used to tell me about 'em. Scary old tales. Anyway, if you see
a mansion standing all alone on a small island, be very careful."
Before long, preparations were complete, and the boat carrying us left the port
in high spirits. We waved to the kind sailor and turned toward the open sea.
Fido stood at the bow and barked "Woof" as if to indicate, "That way."
"Woof!"
For some reason, Yuriu barked too.
The wind was calm, visibility good.
"I don't think anything will happen with this. Let alone an accident... surely not."
And so—our ship sank just as you expected.

***
The moment my severed consciousness returned, I spat out a massive amount
of water and coughed violently.
"Gwah! Cough! Ugh...? Wh... Where is this?"
Lilitea was by my side, peering into my face.
"Have you regained consciousness, Sakuya-sama?"
"Yeah... If I remember right, water came into the boat... and then..."
"We managed to avoid sinking. This is an island we found nearby."
"Island..."
"It appears to be a small solitary island. We managed to anchor here
somehow."
My body was on a smooth rocky area.
"You fell from the boat, Sakuya-sama. But I am glad we were able to find you
safely. We searched along the coast for quite a while."
Violent waves were ceaselessly pounding the rocks.
The wind was picking up. The clouds I looked up at were moving faster than
before.
"Did I die?"
"No. You must have been very lucky. It seems you washed up on the rocks and
barely escaped with your life."
"I survived... rare."
It makes me sad to say that myself.
"There was no need for artificial respiration; you were breathing."
"Artificial respiration."
Does that mean she would have done it if I had died? But in my case, even if I
die, I come back to life on my own, so it's unnecessary.
"Where is everyone?"
"Everyone is safe. They should be visiting the mansion right about now."
"Mansion? People live on this island?"
"We saw a magnificent building a little ways from the dock. It didn't look
abandoned, so we decided to ask for help."
"Help..."
"A hole opened up in the ship's bottom. We need to borrow tools to repair it."
"I see."
 "So we split into two groups; I went to search for you, Sakuya-sama, and
everyone else went to visit the mansion—that is the situation."
"Thank you."
Staggering slightly, I stood up on the rocks. My clothes, soaked with seawater,
were heavy.
"My bad feeling came true."
Ships really are nothing but trouble.
Behind us lay the vast Mediterranean Sea, and ahead lay a strange, desolate
island.
The Mediterranean. This beautiful sea has supported trade for various
civilizations since ancient times.
Naples, Marseille, Alexandria. The history of people who defied the unstable
winds is carved into the old coastal cities that remain today.
The Mediterranean climate is dry with little rain in the summer. For Japanese
people plagued by typhoons and humidity, it's quite an enviable environment.
"Sakuya-sama, that's enough reciting from the travel magazine you were
reading this morning."
"I guess. Magazines only write the good stuff. Just flowery words to lure in
people with too much time and money."
"The weather has turned rough. That sailor's warning was the truth."
Guided by Lilitea, I climbed a small hill on the island, and the building came into
view a short distance away. It was a massive three-story Western-style mansion that
seemed to overwhelm us, consisting of two wings built side-by-side.
I couldn't find any other signs of habitation, and I could see the coast on the
opposite side. This seemed to be a fairly small island.
"I see, it's quite old-fashioned, but certainly a magnificent mansion... Hmm? A
mansion on a small island...? Could that mean..."
"This might be the Aquarius Island we heard about."
The mansion stood right on the edge of the seaside, surrounded by a stone
wall.
"Look, Lilitea. There's some cute graffiti drawn on the stone wall. Maybe there's
a small child here."
Whether it was chalk or crayon, my eyes couldn't tell, but people, fish, and
animals were drawn endlessly on the stone wall in shaky lines.
Following along the stone wall, I saw another small building a little distance
away from the two wings of the mansion.
It looked somewhat newer than the mansion, but the shed, exposed to the sea
breeze, was quite faded.
Part of the stone wall was broken to form an arch-like gate, from which a simple
path continued along the sandy beach. Judging by that, that shed might be part of
the mansion, like a detached cottage.
While making these observations, we arrived in front of the mansion's entrance
before I knew it.
Viewed from the front, the mansion extended to the left and right like spreading
arms, starting from the central entrance. Looking up, it had three floors, and the
roof was a moss-like deep green.
 As I stopped to gaze at it, I heard the continuous sound of a camera shutter
from ahead.
Approaching the source of the sound, I saw a stranger, a man climbing on the
stone wall and holding a camera. It was an SLR with a professional-looking
exaggerated lens attached.
"Um... do you live here?"
I called out timidly.
But the man continued to snap the shutter without looking at me, eyes glued to
the viewfinder.
"Eh? Did you say something?"
The reply came back in English.
"What are you... Hello."
I reconsidered immediately after speaking Japanese and switched to English
myself.
"Ah, hello."
Good. He understood.
My dad took me overseas many times since I was small, so I can manage
English somehow. That said, it’s not like I could get good scores on school tests.
"What are you photographing?"
"That. That thing."
The man jerked his chin lightly toward the outer wall of the mansion.
"Strange, isn't it? I wonder what that is. Weird decoration. I'll ask
later."
Just as the man said, if you looked closely, there were odd objects attached
halfway up the outer wall.
They looked iron-made, thrust into the wall like spears or harpoons—or rather,
it looked like the tips were protruding from the wall.
Several of these odd things were attached to the wall.
"Does it mean something, I wonder."
Saying that, the man lowered his camera as if satisfied and jumped down from
the stone wall. The red trekking shoes the man wore trampled the wild grass at his
feet.
He was a small man, but his darkly tanned body was quite toned and looked
healthy.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm Herbie. A photographer. As you can
see."
"Mr. Photographer... You aren't a resident of this house?"
"Unfortunately not. I'd like to live in such a spacious mansion
someday, though. By the way, who are you? You've got a real beauty with
you, but... doesn't look like tourism. In the first place, this island has
nothing to do with that sort of thing."
"Well, we have various circumstances."
"Right. Certainly, everyone has circumstances. Ah, if you want the
people of the house, they're inside. You should go visit them. See ya."
Herbie cut the conversation short and walked off in the direction we had come
from. He seemed intent on continuing his shoot.
 Approaching the mansion's entrance door, I found Belka standing there.
"Ah—! Thank goodness—!"
When Belka spotted us, she wore an expression somewhere between laughing
and crying.
"You're alive! Sakuya, you're alive! Lilitea, you found him safely!"
Ten seconds after Belka's voice, Fido slowly poked his face out from the slightly
open door.
"Don't make a fuss, Belka. That guy doesn't die even if he dies, so of course
he's alive. Rather, you should be celebrating the fact that he drifted to the same
island as us after falling into the sea."
Fido was as calm as ever.
"Sensei, save the lecture for later! Come on, you two, get inside. We've already
spoken to the person of the house."
Entering through the door, an entrance hall spread out before us.
Circular staircases drawing gentle curves extended to the upper floors on the
left and right of the hall.
And in the center was an old-fashioned elevator. The kind with a metal grate
door you see in movies and dramas.
The walls were a subdued gray, and although damaged in places, it didn't give
an impression of uncleanliness.
"Woah."
My gaze crawled along the wall, and a voice slipped out involuntarily.
A woman leaning against a wall. A child having water poured into their mouth.
Men in a wasteland trying to proceed down a different path. Fish flying in the sky—
Paintings. Paintings of various motifs adorned the walls.
One, two, three paintings housed in magnificent frames—
"H-How many are there?"
The number was too great to count easily.
And on the wall directly opposite the door, between the left and right
staircases, hung a particularly bizarre painting.
It was a massive painting, several meters in both height and width.
"Amazing."
When I said amazing, I wasn't just talking about its size. I was overwhelmed by
the painting itself.
Several small boats floated on a somewhat dull blue sea. The waves were
expressed with a touch like glasswork, looking bizarre rather than beautiful.
In the center of the painting was a pale-skinned woman. Her emotions could
not be divined. That was because no expression had been painted onto her face.
She simply opened her eyes wide, staring blankly this way.
The woman depicted... might not be human. Because the woman's legs were
not human legs, but shaped like a fish. Her chest and hips were painted with a
strange sensuality.
It was a painting like nothing I had ever seen before.
I don't understand difficult things like oil painting or abstract art or what school
it belongs to. But that painting had a strange persuasive power—no, a compelling
force.
 Scary—but not repulsive.
"A mermaid painting... huh."
"Siren."
Startled by the sudden voice, I turned around to find a woman standing in front
of the door beside the staircase.
She was dressed every bit like a maid, with impressive brown skin and sharp
eyebrows. Was she Spanish, perhaps?
"That is not a mermaid, but a Siren."
"A Siren... you say."
Siren again. That sailor had mentioned it too.
"It is a legendary creature spoken of in the traditions of these waters since
ancient times. In many cases, Sirens are said to have the upper body of a woman
and the lower body of a bird, but in this region, the legend says the lower body was
a fish. It is said this painting captured that form. A magnificent and suggestive
painting, is it not?"
The woman faced us with her back to the painting and explained fluently. Aided
by her firm, calm voice, it felt like listening to an excellent tour guide.
"By the way, I am glad your friend was found."
She seemed to be a resident of this house. Was she in her mid-twenties? It's a
bit difficult to gauge age from the appearance of foreign women.
"My name is Ursna. I work here as a serving maid and tutor—precettore."
Upon closer approach, Ursna-san was about my height, and her proportions
were excellent enough to be conveyed even while wrapped in a loose-fitting maid
outfit.
"I am Oitsuki Sakuya."
"I heard the circumstances from the girl with the dog over there. You ran
aground on a reef. It is common in the waters around here. Many ships sink every
year. But you survived like this. You were unlucky, yet lucky."
Though her speech was formal, her demeanor didn't feel distant, leaving a
good impression. I was glad she seemed like a nice person.
"You are going to repair the ship, correct? Please use this mansion during that
time. I will inform the Young Mistress myself."
"That would be helpful. ...Young Mistress?"
"My master. She is currently resting in her bedroom. She must be exhausted
from the overlapping guests."
"That... I'm sorry for barging in so suddenly."
When I bowed my head, Ursna-san shrugged her shoulders with a large
gesture.
"No, that is not it. The guests I speak of are not you people... well, you will
understand later. Anyway, please take your time. We have as many empty rooms as
there are seashells on the beach. Lunch will be ready soon."
"Eh? Lunch? Yeeeesss! Belka, don't make a fuss like an idiot over a single meal.
Ehhh, but I'm so hungry I want to make a fuss."
As soon as they realized we had secured a place to settle down, Fido and Belka
began their usual exchange. It’s strange how hearing that somehow brings my own
spirits back to normal.
 "Fufufu. That Belka-san over there has an interesting special skill. I will prepare
a treat for the clever doggy too."
Perhaps interpreting it as some kind of game, Ursna-san neither looked
surprised nor frowned upon hearing Belka and Fido's conversation.
"Ended up being an unexpected detour, huh, Lilitea."
"I do not mind. From the day I decided to become Sakuya-sama's assistant,
Lilitea had long since resolved herself."
"Resolved? For what?"
"Of course, resolved for a life full of ups and downs, love and mystery."
"...You still remembered that line?"
"I shall never forget it."
Saying that, Lilitea blinked her eyes dramatically, as if to emphasize her vividly
colored pupils.

***
"I have prepared everyone's rooms on the second floor. Please wait there until
lunch."
Ursna-san said in a clear voice, pointing to the stairs.
At the top of those stairs stood a blanket ghost.
"Whoa!"
My voice slipped out.
It was covered head to toe in a blanket and holding a massive amount of
blankets in both arms. What on earth?
When the blanket ghost spotted me downstairs, it rushed down the stairs at a
speed that looked like it might tumble.
With that momentum, the blanket covering it slipped off, and a truly charming
smile popped out from underneath.
"Shishou! You were alive!"
"Oh, it's just Yuriu-chan. I thought it was a ghost."
"Kuuuun! That's my line! When Shishou fell into the sea, I thought it was all
over, but as expected of Shishou! It's no exaggeration to say you're immortal now!"
"I'm not immortal. By the way, those blankets..."
"Ah, these blankets? I ceded the role of searching for Shishou to Lilitea-san, so I
thought I'd at least help with the bed-making to show my presence..."
"You plan to stay?"
"Eh? We aren't? I totally thought we were all having a heart-pounding
sleepover."
"As Yuriu-san says, I think it will be difficult to fix the ship today. I will make
preparations for you to stay one night."
Since Ursna-san said so, it couldn't be helped.
"Sorry for everything. Well then, shall we accept your kindness and rest in the
rooms?"
As I proposed this to everyone, I casually looked out the window and saw that it
had started raining before I knew it.
"The weather's finally breaking down..."
The sky outside the window had been dyed completely gray.
 "A storm might truly be coming," Lilitea said, and Ursna-san wore a solemn
expression.
"Such a sky is rare. A storm... I wonder if I should close the storm shutters..."
"Come to think of it, Herbie-san was walking around outside. Will he be okay?"
Worried about the photographer from earlier, I casually mentioned his name,
and immediately Ursna-san's eyebrows shot up.
"You met him? But you can just leave him be. Troublesome man."
"Um, what kind of person is he?"
"A complete stranger of a photographer. He says he travels around the world
photographing seas and islands, and this morning he suddenly hitched a ride on a
fishing boat from another island and visited here. Demanding to let him take
pictures of this Aquarius Island."
The island name the fisherman mentioned at the port. It seems this really is
Aquarius Island without a doubt.
"Nominally, this Aquarius Island is currently the Young Mistress's private land.
Though it is small. And that man is taking pictures all over it as he pleases. I do not
know if there are rare coral reefs or whatever, but he keeps walking around shooting
everywhere, always with that attitude. He won't listen when I tell him to leave.
Honestly, what is to be done, Doggy-kun?"
As she spoke, Ursna-san crouched down as if to calm her own heart and stroked
Fido's back. Fido looked annoyed, but he let her do as she pleased.

***
The guest room I was shown to was a corner room on the second floor.
"Sakuya-san, please use this room."
Everyone else had already been guided to their respective rooms by Ursna-san,
and I was last in the order.
"Thank you."
"If you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask."
"I have everything I need."
"Then, I will see you later."
When Ursna-san turned on her heel to leave, I saw something flutter and fall
from her apron pocket.
"Ah, Ursna-san, you dropped something."
Picking it up, I called out to stop her.
What she dropped was a scrap of transparent vinyl... or something like it.
And a red-colored one at that.
"Ah! I'm sorry!"
As soon as she noticed the dropped item, Ursna-san embarrassedly accepted
the scrap from my hand.
"What is that?"
I was simply curious.
For some reason, she hesitated and fidgeted, but eventually, she leaned her
body toward me and whispered.
"Um... this is..."
Her breath tickled my ear.
 "It is a secret just between the two of us, okay?"
What is it all of a sudden? Eh? What is this situation?
"This is a colored sheet for decoration I bought in town. Tomorrow is the Young
Mistress's birthday, so I was secretly making decorations to surprise and delight
her."
"Ah, I see..."
"I was preparing in my room during the morning, cutting out shapes. See,
shapes like fish and rabbits and birds. I meant to throw away the scraps later and
put them in my pocket and forgot."
"You're working hard to make the Young Mistress happy."
"Yes. Very much so... I had secretly planned for a while to stick decorations on
the dining room window to liven things up tomorrow. And yet, guests arrive at this
timing..."
"Eh?"
"I do not mean you people! Look, please see. This is red, blue, yellow...
multicolored."
Ursna-san held a small red piece of vinyl up to one eye to show me.
"A surprise, so it's a secret kept here... is it?"
"Yes. Please."
After emphasizing that, she pulled away from me and went back to the first
floor.
Left behind, I stood in front of the door for a short while.
"............The scent of an adult."
My voice leaked out involuntarily.
What am I saying? Let's go in the room.
Just as I put my hand on the doorknob, Fido suddenly poked his face out from
the crack of the door directly opposite.
The moment our eyes met, the door slammed shut.
Since when were you watching!?
I have nothing to be guilty about, but I felt intensely embarrassed.
I entered the room as if fleeing.
"Oh, it's spacious."