According to the story in the letter, there should indeed be five locations," Date Wataru said in a heavy voice. "But clearly, the opponent does not intend to present this finale in the letter as a direct puzzle like the previous four.
The fifth puzzle." Date Wataru shook the letter in his hand vigorously, trying to find some clue within it, "It should be something we have to find ourselves.
Or rather, it is hidden somewhere among these four answers.
"I, the Ghost Vigilante think so too." Kisaragi Chiyo paused, changing the name that had almost slipped out into a code name.
"But having to look for clues while disarming a bomb—that just makes things even harder." After hearing Kisaragi Chiyo's words, Inspector Megure's breath, which had just begun to ease, caught in his throat once again.
"Mr. Detective." Date Wataru looked up at Kisaragi Chiyo, because she had not mentioned her own name from the very beginning. Therefore, Date Wataru could only pretend that he was also unaware.
You don't seem worried at all," Date Wataru asked tentatively, "is it because of the Ghost Vigilante?
Or perhaps, he has already found the answer to the fifth puzzle?
"I just received the news as well." Kisaragi Chiyo held up her phone and shook it slightly; even though there wasn't a single new message on her phone, her calm and composed expression was truly very convincing.
So much so that even Date Wataru didn't have the slightest doubt.
Mirror Maze," Kisaragi Chiyo repeated. "The fifth location is the Mirror Maze, the bomb is installed at its center.
Impossible," the Director subconsciously denied upon hearing this, "Since the maze was built, no one has ever been able to walk all the way to the center of the maze.
There weren't any in the past, but there are now," Kisaragi Chiyo glanced at the agitated expression on the Director's face and let out a light chuckle. "And it's not just one.
"How is that possible? That maze was designed by that person!" The Director was so agitated that he couldn't help but draw side-long glances from Inspector Megure, Date Wataru, the others.
"That person?" Kisaragi Chiyo raised her eyes. Her narrow, willow-leaf eyes held a sharp curve, her misty gray eyes were like glass orbs, carrying a sense of scrutiny amidst their calmness.
Are you referring to Sanada Yuya?
Kisaragi Chiyo used the wide sleeves of her haori to hide the information interface that had just appeared on her phone's screen.
He looked calm and composed, as if everything was under his control, even though he had only just learned this name himself.
"An internationally renowned maze designer who later died unexpectedly in a car accident." Kisaragi Chiyo slowly read out the information displayed on the interface.
"In addition, I have more bad news for you." Kisaragi Chiyo didn't consider whether the Director could handle the blow, bluntly stated the culprit's name.
Sanada Teruto. You should be familiar with this name, right? He is the culprit who orchestrated this incident.
After hearing Kisaragi Chiyo's words, the Director began to tremble all over, large beads of sweat continuously broke out on his forehead; it was not difficult to see that he still had an impression of this name.
Meanwhile, upon hearing Kisaragi Chiyo's words, Inspector Megure immediately contacted and organized other officers to rush toward the location of the Mirror Maze to arrest Sanada Teruto.
"I think that guy probably feels that you killed his father, or rather, that you intended to seize his father's assets," Kisaragi Chiyo said while quickly scanning through the files.
Just as expected, Sanada Yuya and the Director are business partners, he holds shares in the amusement park.
"No.. I didn't do such a thing," the Director defended himself, his face pale.
"Then how do you explain the fact that after Sanada Teruto's death, all the shares under his name were transferred to you?" Kisaragi Chiyo looked coldly at the man who was clutching his head and muttering to himself; she was only interested in the truth behind it all.
".. That was because he used them as collateral to me." The Director fell silent for a moment before revealing the truth of those years.
Sanada Teruto once misappropriated a large sum of company funds to speculate in the stock market.
On the condition that I wouldn't call the police, he promised that he would transfer all the shares under his name to me after a certain period of time. So, I agreed to his request and paid the money to cover the deficit.
That car accident was truly an accident as well. Because of the conditions promised beforehand, the shares were naturally transferred to my name after his death.
Isn't Sanada Yuya a famous maze designer?" Date Wataru questioned. "Would a person like that be so short on money that he'd need to embezzle public funds?
You wouldn't understand, of course." The Director shook his head with a bitter smile. "Stock trading is a bottomless pit; no matter how much money you pour into it, you either make a fortune or lose everything.
Some poor people strike it rich overnight, while former millionaires end up begging on the streets.
Anything can happen, designing a Mirror Maze requires a significant amount of time and energy; it is not a job that brings in quick money.
He was desperate to make a quick profit, so he poured more money into the stock market, but all that awaited him was total loss.
Just minutes before he was in the car accident, he was still calling me, begging me to lend him a little more money.
..
Kisaragi Chiyo did not want to judge the lives of others.
He gazed at the sunset clouds on the horizon, as a gentle breeze blew from afar, brushing against the hair beside his cheek, his silver earring reflecting a brilliant white light in the sunlight.
Upon receiving the news that all the bombs had been safely defused, Kisaragi Chiyo chose to quietly leave the office. Date Wataru noticed his movement, but he only glanced over without saying a word.
The other party smiled and nodded to him before withdrawing their gaze.
"Please give me one chocolate ice cream and one raspberry ice cream." Taking advantage of the time when the tourists were gradually thinning out, Kisaragi Chiyo pulled out two five-hundred-yen coins in front of that incredibly popular ice cream stall.
"Is this for me?" Hara Kenji's voice, laced with a smile, came from behind her, accompanied by a cool, faintly fragrant breath as a fuzzy head rested on Kisaragi Chiyo's shoulder.
The other person wore a black baseball cap and a mask to hide their face, their familiar voice sounded somewhat muffled from beneath the mask. Hara Kenji was very tall; from behind, it looked as if he were being held in the other person's arms.
The slightly short sideburns near the person's cheek were a bit prickly, making Kisaragi Chiyo feel an itchiness around her ear.
"No." Kisaragi Chiyo held the ice cream in both hands, leaving her with no free hands to push away the quite heavy head resting on her shoulder.
Eh?" Hara Kenji repeated in a muffled tone, drawing out the end of his words: "It's not for me?
It's for Matsuda Jinpei.
“Little Jinpei?” Hara Kenji seemed a bit surprised. He rubbed his head against Kisaragi Chiyo's cheek and muttered softly, "Since when did you two become so close? He doesn't like sweets."
"So just give it to me, give it to me." The large humanoid dog was working hard to act spoiled.
Refused." Kisaragi Chiyo remained unmoved, merely pointing out a cold fact: "You've already exceeded your sugar limit for today.
If you don't want to turn into a fat dog, you'd better watch yourself.
I'm just going through a growth spurt," Hara Kenji retorted with some dissatisfaction. "Weight fluctuations are normal.
"Is that so?" Kisaragi Chiyo replied with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
While they were chatting, Matsuda Jinpei also arrived, he was in a great mood. In his words, he had just finished a thrilling boxing match.
Kisaragi Chiyo: ".."
Without even needing to think, Kisaragi Chiyo guessed what Matsuda Jinpei meant by the boxing match.
I hope the opponent is still alive," Kisaragi Chiyo said. "May God grant him the strength to at least stand up on his own, so as not to waste medical resources.
"You can rest easy on that point." Matsuda Jinpei gave a short laugh. He reached up and took off his sunglasses, exposing his handsome face completely to the two of them. His teal eyes were filled with shimmering light, bright and dazzling.
“..”
“..”
"What's wrong with you two?" Matsuda Jinpei felt a bit uncomfortable being stared at by the two of them; he instinctively took a step back, wanting to put his sunglasses back on.
"So that's it.." Kisaragi Chiyo let out a long sigh and handed the raspberry-flavored ice cream in her hands to Matsuda Jinpei.
Replenishing sugar after the match.
"What were you going to say?" Matsuda Jinpei raised an eyebrow and took the ice cream from her hands.
"I was going to say," Kisaragi Chiyo blinked her eyes forcefully and slowly looked up toward the sky.
So that's what sunglasses are for.
To hide that face of yours, which shines as bright as the sun.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Thank you for the support, my little angels, mwah 033330
Chapter 48
Under Kisaragi Chiyo's bewildered gaze, Matsuda Jinpei slowly covered his face with both hands.
"Oh my, Little Jinpei is being shy." Hara Kenji rested one hand naturally on Kisaragi Chiyo's shoulder, looking at Matsuda Jinpei with a smile, clicking his tongue as if enjoying the show.
"Even though I don't remember anymore.." Hara tilted his head, his dark purple eyes curving slightly, a smile spreading across his handsome, pale face.
But, so that's the kind of cute personality you have, Matsuda?
"I'm starting to doubt whether the reason we became friends in the first place was actually because I was just lusting after your face," Hara Kenji remarked with a sigh.
"You must definitely be able to relate to that, Chiyo-chan," Hara Kenji said with a smile, extending a finger to poke Kisaragi Chiyo's cheek.
Kisaragi Chiyo: ".."
"I don't really want to understand what you're saying.. but, it's cute.." Kisaragi Chiyo turned her face away to avoid Hara Kenji's teasing.
He looked at Matsuda Jinpei, once again recalled those furry cat paws that looked like mangosteens, the soft cat ears standing with perfect curves, that lithe, captivatingly long tail that one could not take their eyes off.
"Because they're cats.. so of course they're cute." On this point, Kisaragi Chiyo still found herself in complete agreement with Hara Kenji's view.
Honestly, Kisaragi, that look of infatuation on your face is making me feel a sense of crisis," Hara Kenji teased with half-lidded eyes, before suddenly changing the subject: "But I think puppies are also incredibly charming animals.
You think so too, don't you, Chiyo-chan?
Hara Kenji drew out his words, his tone carrying a certain clingy quality. He slowly leaned the weight of his body against Kisaragi Chiyo, resting his head near her shoulder where it met her neck; all he had to do was lower his gaze slightly to see her dark purple eyes, which were half-hidden.
"I suddenly feel so sleepy.." Hara Kenji yawned, his eyelids drooping uncontrollably. Like an exhausted puppy after a day of mountain climbing, he finally could no longer hold on and, acting spoiled, wanted to burrow into his owner's arms—the place he considered the most comfortable and secure.
Are you going to sleep?
Kisaragi Chiyo reached out to support the head that was about to slip from her shoulder, her black glove pressing against the soft flesh of his cheek. The contrast between the pale skin and the black glove was striking, making the sleepy Hara Kenji appear inexplicably docile and fragile.
"No.." Hara Kenji struggled to keep his eyes open, submissively rubbing his cheek against Kisaragi Chiyo's palm, his long eyelashes fluttering gently like the wings of a butterfly. A shimmer danced in the depths of his eyes, like the sunlight dancing on a lake at dusk, revealing soft, gentle colors.
"I want to stay with you a little longer," he murmured softly.
Hara Kenji was actually a very cunning evil spirit. Through his time spent with Kisaragi Chiyo, he had gradually learned how to use his appearance and words with unerring precision to strike at the softest parts of the other person's heart. Then, he would amplify their sense of guilt, making it even more natural for him to demand more for himself.
Just like right now.
Hara Kenji placed himself in a seemingly vulnerable position through his words, acting like a pitiful puppy with wide, sparkling eyes, begging its master to play with it just a little longer before work, which couldn't help but evoke a slight sense of guilt.
Kisaragi Chiyo said nothing, gently stroking Hara Kenji's cheek like one would pet a dog, caressing his head.
Go to sleep," Kisaragi Chiyo said softly. "You must be exhausted from maintaining a physical form for so long today.
Then, can I be the first thing you see when you wake up?
Hara Kenji opened his mouth and, under Matsuda Jinpei's bewildered and incredulous gaze, lightly bit down on Kisaragi Chiyo's fingertip with his canines. Even with a bit of grinding pressure, it was only a sensation of indescribable itchiness through the layer of the glove.
As the person whose finger was being bitten, Kisaragi Chiyo's expression remained exceptionally calm. It was as if Matsuda Jinpei's surprise was making a mountain out of a molehill, the interaction between them was nothing more than a perfectly normal, commonplace occurrence.