Case Three | The Kowloon's Hotel Murderer

Character Portraits (Left to Right)

Oitsuki Sakuya
Lilitea
Haigamine Yuriu
Manrogi Kunta

Center Section

Kowloon's Hotel Floor Plan

(Map Layout)

Top: North Wing
Left: West Wing
Center: Hall
Right: East Wing
Bottom: South Wing

(Map Label)

Dragon Statue (Pointing to the northeast side of the Hall)

Vertical Text (Right Side)
(Reading from Right to Left)

Traitors to the Dragon's jaws.

Interlopers to the Phoenix's flames.

The greedy to the water's depths.

The insolent to the Tiger's claws

Chapter 1: It's Definitely Embarrassing

"North... North..."

Heavy rain beats against the dirty window glass.

"North... Which way is North? Lilitea, do you know?"

"Next to West."

"That's not what I mean."

Here, Little Kowloon, is a small Chinatown along the sea in Yokohama City, about twenty minutes by bike from the Oitsuki Detective Agency. The residents are composed of Old Comers who have had residences in the vicinity since before the war, and their solidarity is strong.

The town was left behind by development, and the old scenery still remains, spreading a streetscape that doesn't look like Japan.

Kowloon's Hotel stood in a corner of such a town.

"Why worry about 'North Pillow'? It is a superstition unrelated to Sakuya-sama."

The first thing I started doing after putting down my luggage in the hotel room was checking the direction.

"You know I avoid sleeping with my head to the North at home too, right? It bothers me. Ah, this way! But this is a problem. No choice but to move the bed. Lilitea, help me!"

"According to one theory, in Feng Shui, North Pillow is even said to be lucky... No, more importantly than that, Sakuya-sama, please take a shower first."

"You're bold, Lilitea."

"Lilitea didn't mean it like that! Ahem... You will catch a cold."

Indeed, my body is cold from the rain.

"My bad. Just a little joke. Nothing good has been happening lately, so I thought I'd brighten the mood a little."

When I joked around with Lilitea, she gripped her skirt tightly and showed a somewhat pained expression.

Lilitea is usually cool and fearless, but depending on the topic, she sometimes shows emotions plainly. Or rather, it's more correct to say she has started to show them.

She purses her small lips tightly, looking like she wants to say something. Looking at her like that makes me feel sorry. I placed my hand on her slender shoulder.

"Don't make that face. I'm fine. At least enough to trouble Lilitea with silly jokes and think about rebuilding the agency again."

"Sakuya-sama..."

Lilitea layered her hand on mine as if to comfort me. Then she immediately looked down and ran into the bathroom as if fleeing from the spot.

It was the first time I saw her in such a state.

But I myself have shown many sides of me for the first time during this past month, so we're even.

Thinking about it myself, that was truly a pathetic sight.

The Immortal Detective, Oitsuki Tatsuya, died.

My father, the president of the Oitsuki Detective Agency, and the world's best, preeminent detective—.

The passenger plane hijacking and crash accident that occurred a month ago, along with the chain-reaction sinking of the Queen Irie, were carved into people's memories as an unprecedented major accident that will remain in the century.

The death toll continues to rise even now, and reports continue currently.

Due to the burning of the fuselage, identifying the bodies takes time, and the families of the missing are spending their days with impatient feelings.

It was just a week ago that a certain charred body found at the scene was identified as my old man's body.

And Oitsuki Tatsuya's name was formally counted among the dead from the accident.

At the same time, other detectives who had been working at the agency until then quietly left. Since they had gathered under the sun called Oitsuki Tatsuya originally, they leave if the sun sets. It's natural. I can't blame anyone.

And detectives completely disappeared from the Oitsuki Detective Agency.

The only one left is me, half-fledged, less than a detective—Oitsuki Sakuya.

And yet, despite that—only Lilitea didn't leave the agency. She stayed by my side the next day, and the day after that, just the same.

Having lost the main pillar, my old man, and with the senior detectives who were supposed to build up the agency together gone, Lilitea and I—still decided to live boldly.

I stopped despairing and spending time moping and looking down after three days. Half because I got tired of despair, and the other half because it wasn't so hopeless that I had to despair.

"Do you think that old man would really die from something like that?"

"I absolutely do not."

This was our common understanding.

The DNA of the discovered charred body matched my old man's? The police's official view?

Doesn't matter.

I know because I'm his flesh and blood. My old man isn't dead.

That's not my old man's body. It's a fake switched in.

That's why I won't throw anything away. I'll continue detective work in my half-fledged way, and I'll protect the agency too. Because that is the place where my family returns.

"Lilitea, let's do our best."

With fresh determination in my heart, I called out to my assistant in the bathroom. But there is no reply.

"...Lilitea?"

The reply came back in the form of shower sounds and humming.

"What was that sad expression earlier?"

Also, didn't we say I was going to shower first?

After enjoying a warm shower, Lilitea said while carefully sandwiching her washed hair with a towel to dry it.

"However, Sakuya-sama, you knew such a strange hotel well."

Black underwear wraps her slender waist appropriate for her age, and the unexpectedly richly developed chest unsuited to it.

She sat on the bed, exposing that figure without sparing. Water drops slightly dripping from her hair flow over her soft, voluptuous thighs.

"I have an acquaintance working here, and they said they'd let us stay cheaply even on short notice. It's my first time using it too though."

With not a speck of lewd meaning, let me assert this now.

Those thighs are a fine thing. Truly something impressive.

Skin luster, softness, girlish resilience, shape, growth potential—.

Each element stands in an ideal balance, and the radar chart draws a beautiful pentagon.

I, who experience it as a lap pillow every time I revive, know that splendor well. To repeat, this is strictly praising its value as a pillow. Strictly.

I sit on a chair by the window in the same room, gazing at Lilitea's state. But Lilitea doesn't blame me. I also don't blatantly hide my face or turn away.

Lilitea positions herself as my assistant. Now, I think so too. In other words, we aren't in a relationship to be shy with each other.

"This building apparently has a history of over eighty years. But it's not listed in travel agency pamphlets."

In the past, it seems many people with guilty consciences drifted here and used it. Maybe because of that, basically, tourists don't stay here.

"Certainly, it has atmosphere. The shower water pressure was unstable, and there was a little rain leaking from the window gap."

"...I'll tell my acquaintance employee later."

Lilitea, in the middle of changing, has her elegant hair in a braid. A hairstyle that can only be seen for a short time after a bath.

"But there were no other places open where we could stay cheaply. It's just patience for today and tomorrow at most."

"Nothing good has been happening lately. Exactly as you say. To think a water leak would occur at the agency."

"Yeah, yeah. On top of that, the double suffering of rain leaks with this rain was tough. Let's rebuild the agency from now on. Just as I raised my fist saying that, water came falling from the ceiling..."

When we had a contractor check it, apparently the pipes on the upper floor had burst. Maybe due to aging.

The damage was serious, extending to furniture, documents, and other things, and both the agency and home became in a state where we couldn't stay.

Of course, we asked for repairs immediately, but we were told nothing could be done until tomorrow.

Thus, having lost a place to go, I put Lilitea on the back of my bike with my newly acquired license in the intensifying rain, and while getting soaked, we dove into Kowloon's Hotel.

Current time is 2 PM. Little Kowloon is shadowed in gray.

"By the way, Lilitea..."

"Yes."

"I've been thinking for a while, but Lilitea's thighs are soft, aren't they."

"...What, suddenly?"

"You know, you always welcome my revival from death with a lap pillow, right? It's something I felt at those times, but I thought I had never formally thanked you for it. Thank you so much always. Thank you for the softness. Wait, haha. As expected, being formal is embarrassing!"

Those were words of gratitude that came out naturally while I was casually gazing at Lilitea's thighs. But Lilitea had the expression of 'a person whose flower they raised with care was switched with an old man's briefs by the window the next morning'.

"Number one gross."

"Eeeh!?"

Out of all genres?

"I am not happy at all to be given misplaced praise at a misplaced timing. By the way, Sakuya-sama, since we're at it, one thing from me too..."

"Hmm?"

"Why are you watching the whole sequence of my changing?"

"Fufu. We aren't in a relationship to be shy about such things at this point, right?"

"It's definitely embarrassing. Being watched with such a solemn face, resting your chin on your hand and even crossing your legs."

Looking closely, her face is red with shame. Lilitea was properly a girl.

"S-Sooorry!"

I hurriedly turned my face away toward the window.

"You foolish person."

Lilitea showered me with her customary scathing remark. However, the reflection of her face in the window bore a deeply affectionate smile.

I couldn't tell if she was just teasing me or if she was genuinely angry.

After taking turns showering to freshen up, we decided to tour the hotel together.

Upon leaving the room, the first things to catch my eye were the red carpet and the worn-out wallpaper. The style could best be described as a sort of "Chinese Gothic."

Proceeding down the corridor, we emerged into an atrium hall. The hall was octagonal, with a gallery of the same shape circling each floor. This octagonal space formed a cylinder that pierced all the way through to the ninth floor.

"It looks like this atrium hall is the central hub of the hotel."

Four corridors extended in the four cardinal directions from the hall, with the characters for East, West, North, and South written large and clearly on their respective walls. Every floor shared this structure. At the end of each corridor lay the East, West, North, and South wings, lined with guest rooms.

Staircases connecting the floors were located only in the East and West sections. They were quite old and creaked noisily when bearing the weight of multiple people.

"There's one elevator installed on the north side, but apparently, it's out of order due to aging."

"The top floor is the ninth, correct? That means anyone staying there has no choice but to climb up and down the stairs."

"Yeah. That alone seems like it would be quite a workout."

Peering down at the first-floor lobby from the fourth-floor handrail, a massive, impressive dragon object came into view. It had a continental design, with a long, undulating body.

It had caught my eye when we checked in, too.

The dragon object was installed on the east side of the lobby. Incidentally, there was also a large stuffed tiger at the end of the first-floor West Wing corridor. Where on earth did they buy these things?

The anomalies didn't stop at the statues. The walls of the corridors were decorated here and there with taxidermy heads of various other animals, old willow-leaf sabers, claws, and other concealed weapons.

Seeing them, Lilitea muttered, "Bad taste..."

This interior design clearly didn't match Lilitea's aesthetic. Even though she had a habit of always hiding knives inside the slit of her skirt.

But I understood her feelings well.

"It certainly has an atmosphere like something is about to happen."

"By 'something,' you mean?"

"You know, like getting trapped in this hotel due to some mistake. Cut off from the outside world."

"Are you referring to a 'closed circle' scenario, like that cruise ship from before?"

"Yeah, that. And then, for some reason, a homicidal maniac just happens to be lurking inside the hotel... Ah, yes. That's it. It's definitely going to be like that. I bet I'll be the first one targeted by the killer again and killed in some groundbreaking way—"

"Sakuya-sama, your bad habit is showing."

Reprimanded sharply, I put a stop to my worst-case scenario simulation. It seemed my bad habit had leaked out.

"Where is the detective who trembles at a case that hasn't even occurred yet? Please pull yourself together."

"Sorry, sorry. It just slipped out. Well, anyway, as you can see, it's hard to call this a clean hotel even out of flattery, but please bear with it for now."

"You are currently the sole breadwinner of the agency, Sakuya-sama. I cannot afford to be luxurious."

"Sorry to make you suffer. But while the agency is closed, we can't take on requests, and the construction costs are no joke..."

Since we didn't have any prior accepted requests, the few days until the agency was restored to its original state were completely off. In other words, our income was zero. I was starting to tear up.

As I lamented, Lilitea leaned out over the handrail. She seemed to be observing the situation below.

"What's wrong?"

Her petite toes were floating slightly off the floor. It made me nervous, wondering if she might fall.

"The lobby seems rather noisy."

Now that she mentioned it, there were an awful lot of people. Ten, no, twenty. Had a sudden tour group arrived?

The lobby floor featured a geometric pattern drawn by tiled stones, and people were hurriedly coming and going over it.

Drawn in, we descended the stairs and discovered their identity.

Someone peering into a camera with a solemn face. Someone running around with drinks, looking sleep-deprived. Someone carrying lighting equipment with muscular arms. They appeared to be what is known as a film crew.

"Filming something?"

Leaving Lilitea by the stairs, I headed to the counter and called out to the girl stationed there. She was wearing a local junior high school sailor uniform—an outfit completely inappropriate for a hotel receptionist.

Her name was Iritani Amutaki. She worked part-time as an employee at this hotel.

Amutaki was resting her chin on her hand, watching the scene listlessly. It was quite an attitude for an employee, but according to her, the owner liked her, so she hadn't been fired.

"Yup. A movie, they said. A moo-vie," Amutaki said.

"Heh, the owner gave permission?"

She shook her head, denying my words. Her long, raven-black hair swayed.

"I persuaded him. After all, they pay well."

She's shrewd.

"We can't make a profit without things like this. Not at our place."

Amutaki looked like a middle schooler from every angle, but she sometimes showed a strangely mature side.

We weren't strangers. In fact, she was the very person who had hurriedly invited us in here cheaply.

Amutaki was a distant relative of the owner, old man Zhao, and lived in a room on the first floor of the hotel. She attended junior high while working here. She had left her parents for certain reasons and had come to rely on old man Zhao, rolling into this place.

I had met her before during a certain request. Since then, we had somehow kept in touch.

"What kind of movie?"

"An action-mystery epic, apparently."

"What is that genre? Who's the lead? If it's a celebrity, maybe I'll go get an autograph!"

"Dunno, it was an actress I didn't know. Look, that girl over there."

The moment I turned in the direction she pointed, a familiar voice and words reached my ears.

"Shishou~!"

Spreading both arms wide and rushing toward me was none other than Haigamine Yuriu herself.

"Eh!? Yuriu-chan is the lead!? That means the first starring movie you mentioned before is being filmed here!"

"That's right!"

Lilitea was by the side of the answering Yuriu. Her arm was firmly held, and she had a look of semi-resignation on her face. It seemed she had already been discovered and secured by Yuriu.

"High School Detective Uzura! Eh, but why are you here, Shishou? Eh? Eh? Did you perhaps come to encourage me?"

"No, it's a coincidence. Actually—"

I briefly explained the circumstances behind our stay here.

"That must have been terrible! You too, Lilitea-san! But thanks to that, we were able to meet~"

In contrast to Yuriu, who was genuinely happy, Lilitea had a slightly troubled, shy look on her face. She probably wasn't used to this kind of energy.

Even so, what an innocent smile Yuriu had. I could almost see a tail wagging back and forth. The way she unreservedly frolicked with Lilitea was just like a dog messing with a shy cat.

"To think we'd meet in a place like this! Haa, I'm so happy!"

Still, what was with this level of joy? It felt a little strange.

"You're exaggerating. We just met at the agency a week ago."

Yuriu had also been involved in that gruesome airliner crash and the sinking of the Queen Irie. Just as the ship was about to sink, Lilitea had taken her hand, and they boarded an escape boat, barely managing to survive.

She was acting bright, but it must have been burned into her eyes. The hellscape of that day.

Despite that, after the accident, Yuriu went out of her way to look up the location of the Oitsuki Detective Agency and came to check on us. Between her work as an actress, lessons, and schoolwork, she must have been busy, yet she visited whenever she found time.

It was only sometime later that I heard how, while I was pathetically swallowed by the flames trying to save my old man, the two girls in front of me had pulled me out and put me on the same escape boat.

Truly, a capable assistant and disciple. They're wasted on me.

"By the way, Shishou, please listen... Today is crank-in for me, but I'm surrounded by strangers and I just can't relax... And besides..."

"Oh, is that a friend of yours, Yuriu-chan?"

A man slipped out of the film crew and approached us.

He was a tall man with a face so good-looking it was annoying. I thought I had seen him somewhere before, and realized it was the actor Marukoshi Reiichi. I'd seen him in a detergent commercial.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Marukoshi, playing opposite Yuriu-chan this time. Ciao."

Ciao! To think I'd meet a user of "Ciao" in this day and age. As expected of a celebrity.

He offered a handshake with extremely refreshing movements.

"This time, it's a double billing with me and Yuriu-chan."

"Ahaha... I'll do my best to live up to the billing. But actually coming to the set, I've been completely swallowed by the atmosphere."

Yuriu seemed intimidated, like a newcomer.

"This place certainly is an amazing hotel. It has an intensity you can't produce on a set. The director said this unique location fits the image of the work perfectly."

"Marukoshi-kun, can I have a moment regarding your lines?"

As we were speaking, a man wearing sunglasses came over and casually placed a hand on Marukoshi's shoulder.

"Speak of the devil. This is the director, Torio Hiichi-san."

"I'm Torio. You are..."

Director Torio, upon being introduced, fixed his eyes on me and slid his sunglasses down to stare intently. Looking at his eyes again, he seemed younger than I thought. Probably still in his thirties.

Torio smelled of a unique perfume.

"Don't tell me you're Yuriu-chan's boyfriend... surely not."

He looked as if he wanted to say that would be absolutely troublesome. Indeed, if a rookie actress had a boyfriend during this crucial period, everyone involved would be at a loss.

"I am Oitsuki Sakuya. I have a slight connection with Yuriu... Haigamine-san..."

"I see. Then, sorry to be sudden, but how about joining the props team?"

"Huh?"

"You'll understand if you go. I think they'll teach you various things, so don't be nervous—"

"Um, I am merely a hotel guest."

"Eh? Ah, really? I assumed you were an ambitious young man who jumped in, admiring the world of film. Using Yuriu-chan's connection."

"Unfortunately, that is incorrect. Today I just happened to..."

"Director, Shishou is a detective."

And there, Yuriu enthusiastically started introducing me. She even went so far as to say, "And I am his disciple."

"Detective?"

"Yes. Shishou is an excellent detective."

"Hmm...? Now that you mention it, the surname Oitsuki sounds familiar. Wasn't there a globally famous detective...?"

"That's right! Shishou is the son of that Oitsuki Tatsuya-san! So, Director! You should definitely, definitely ask him!"

"Ask him? Yuriu-chan, what are you talking about—"

"Oitsuki's son! Why are you here!"

There was a man who intruded further into our conversation.

"That voice... I knew it. Isn't that Manzorogi-san? Why are you here of all places?"

"That's my line! Good grief, you appear everywhere!"

The familiar, unsuccessful detective, Manzorogi Kaoruta, was there. He pushed his way through the film staff and stomped closer.

"Don't tell me you came sniffing out the scent of a case?"

Unexpectedly, the number of people in the area kept increasing.

"Unfortunately, there's no turn for you. I will handle this properly..."

"A case—is it?"

It was Lilitea who uttered the single phrase that cut off Manzorogi's momentum.

"You just said 'case,' did you not?"

"No... that's..."

"It's not really something you could call a case."

It was Torio who answered in Manzorogi's stead.

"Actually, the other day, a little prank letter arrived at my office. So we're being cautious just in case. That's all."

"A prank letter?"

"Well, something like a so-called threat letter—"

From there, he lowered his voice slightly.

"A threat letter... you say."

"It's this paper."

Saying that, Torio took a folded piece of paper out of his breast pocket. I accepted it and opened it up.

Written there in scrawled characters with unrecognizable handwriting was this:

‘I will eat them in order at Kowloon's Hotel. Roll the film. Dog-headed Bellboy’

"Eat in order... at Kowloon's Hotel? Does this mean—"

"Yeah. Someone who learned that this hotel would be used for filming might be plotting to interfere during the shoot."

"Even so, 'eat' is quite a dramatic turn of phrase."

Kutou. Dog-head. A bellboy with a dog's head. Is that why it's 'eat'? But I don't understand what those words are expressing.

I hope it doesn't mean 'eat to death.'

"Is this 'Dog-headed Bellboy' some kind of character?"

"I don't know. I've never heard of it either, but they're probably just adopting the persona of a phantom thief common in old mysteries and naming themselves randomly."

"The name is strange, but the expression 'Roll the film' is also odd."

Lilitea stood on her tiptoes slightly to peer at the threat letter I was holding.

"Normally, one would expect words obstructing the filming, like 'Stop the film.' We cannot tell if this person, the Dog-headed Bellboy, wants to hinder the movie or not."

She was right.

"Dog-headed Bellboy, you say...? Did you say that just now?"

At that moment, a hoarse voice jumped into our conversation.

"You are..."

The owner of the voice was an old man with sharp eyes. He had long white hair tied back.

"That's the hotel owner, Zhao-san," Manzorogi said.

"No... well, it's nothing, really. This is just a little prank..."

Old man Zhao interrupted Torio, who was trying to muddy the waters.

"...I don't know where you heard it, but do not speak that name in my place. If you can't do that, then there is no discussion of filming."

Saying that like a growl, old man Zhao walked away from the spot. We could only look at each other's faces.

"Was that something bad...?"

"Maybe he just doesn't want unnecessary trouble caused in the hotel?"

"It would be trouble if we angered the owner and couldn't film."

"It's fine, Director. We have to just ignore these childish threats and film, right?"

Seeing Torio voice his anxiety, Marukoshi encouraged him with a nonchalant attitude.

I quietly looked at Yuriu next to me. Yuriu was also staring at me.

"Shishou..."

Her large eyes were wavering slightly.

Yuriu must have been told about this threat letter too and was feeling anxious.

When we met by chance earlier, the reason she rejoiced so exaggeratedly might have been an expression of that.

"I was laughing it off as a prank, but a worrying staff member reported it to the police. So—"

"So Manzorogi-san is here?"

"That's how it is."

Manzorogi crossed his arms self-importantly for some reason.

"In cases like this, I have an image that the police don't move at all, but could it be, Manzorogi-san, that you raised your hand and forcibly tagged along because you wanted to meet celebrities?"

"As if! As if that..."

That seems likely.

"Director, Shishou has solved amazing cases in the past. So—"

"Are you saying I should hire him too? There's no need to be that serious. We have this detective here with us, too."

"Exactly! Leave it to this Manzorogi! Therefore, there is no turn for a private detective this time."

"Nobody said 'give me a turn'."

When I retorted, Manzorogi laughed triumphantly, saying, "Sour grapes."

But actually, this wasn't sour grapes or anything.

Then—someone tugged strongly on my sleeve.

"Sakuya-sama... Sakuya."

It was Lilitea. She was looking up at me, terribly dissatisfied.

"Why do you back down so easily? It is a job that fell from the sky."

"N-no, because... it's kind of scary, isn't it?"

I whispered back to Lilitea's whisper.

"What a pathetic thing to say."

"It's a threat letter, you know? It says 'eat,' you know? It's a Dog-head, you know? If this isn't a prank but a real threat letter, it's definitely dangerous. If I stick my neck into a case like that, my neck might get chopped off right after I stick it in."

Ah, just thinking about it is unpleasant. Scary.

"It's not exactly the Gongyang Zhuan, but 'Detective-kun does not approach death or danger'—that's the saying."

"Being so weak-kneed again... With that attitude, you will never be able to build up the Oitsuki Detective Agency. Also, the exact source of 'A wise man does not approach danger' is not the Gongyang Zhuan."

"Ugh..."

She hits quite a sore spot.

But what's scary is scary. When I think about doing something unnecessary and getting killed again, bile rises in my throat.

It's not a matter of "it's fine because you'll come back to life anyway." Rather, it's the opposite; precisely because I will come back to life again, I am afraid of dying.

The fear and pain of death are bearable for humans because they are a once-in-a-lifetime experience. What if you were told to forcibly resurrect and taste it again—no, taste it many times? Anyone would hate it. I hate it too.

When I conveyed such thoughts, Lilitea sighed.

"In the first place, dying or not dying in the context of a threat letter is all Sakuya-sama's imagination, no, your forceful delusion, is it not? You speak as if it is a confirmed fact."

"Ugh..."

That hurts too.

"In the end, it only looks like you are unnecessarily frightened and shirking your work as a detective."

"Pull yourself together, really," Lilitea said like a monologue and looked away.

Ah, I made her angry.

While I was panicking, Yuriu suddenly raised her hand as if she couldn't take it anymore.

"In that case, I will hire him!"

Everyone, including me, turned toward her.

Yuriu declared loudly.

"I will hire Shishou!"

"Yuriu-chan!?"

My voice, Manzorogi's, and Torio's overlapped.

"Because I'm worried, after all. Besides, Director, you said it too, right? That we have to make this work a success no matter what."

"That... is true, but."

"If by any chance there's an accident, the movie will be shelved."

"That... would be trouble."

"I don't want that either."

"Hmm... Well, if Yuriu-chan wants to hire a detective personally, I have no intention of forcibly stopping it..."

"Thank you very much! You did it, Shishou! It's a job!"

"No, look..."

I can't honestly say thank you. It's complicated.

However, four beautiful eyes were staring straight at me, making it hard for me to say no.

Naturally, those eyes were of Lilitea and Yuriu.

A staring contest continued for a while.

"Haa... if you go that far, fine, I get it!"

And in the end, I lost that staring contest.

"I'll accept it! I'll move in my own way during the filming at the hotel and try to find the tail of this Dog-headed Bellboy or whatever he's called. Is that okay?"

Lilitea and Yuriu, the two of them, broke into smiles before my eyes.

Ah, I accepted it. Just as I thought that, I was troubled again by Yuriu's subsequent remark.

"Yes! And of course, I will help too!"

"Eh? Don't tell me you plan to stick your neck in again?"

"Of course! I am Shishou's disciple, after all."

"But isn't that supposed to be study for character building?"

"That's right. But that character building has been for the sake of this movie. If I run away here, I lose everything."

"I... I wonder about that?"

I felt like I was being smoke-screened somehow, but it also sounded persuasive.

"Is it... no good? I want to be of help."

Yuriu stood on her tiptoes and brought her face close to mine, pleading, "Shishou~."

"Okay! I get it!"

The eyes around me were piercing, so I unintentionally nodded.

I noticed Lilitea sigh slightly.

□

"Lilitea is pleased that Sakuya-sama has accepted the job."

"Yeah... well, there's a part of me that's reluctant, but anyway, now we can pay the agency's repair costs."

"I am astounded. Do you seriously intend to take a hefty fee from your disciple, Yuriu-sama?"

"Ugh... No good? Will I be despised after all?"

"Furthermore, you have involved Yuriu-sama again."

"Uugh..."

It hurts. Everything hurts.

While I was writhing in agony from her sound arguments, the filming began.

The first scene was of High School Detective Uzura, played by Yuriu, arriving at the hotel lobby.

Normally, this would be the time to see Yuriu's skills as an actress, but during filming, we had to keep watch over the perimeter.

We climbed the stairs to look for a place where we could overlook the entire site.

Although I was pushed into it by Yuriu, since I accepted, I couldn't grumble forever. I'll do what I have to do.

"Hello."

A young man was standing in the middle of the stairs going up to the second floor, so I called out to him. The young man was gazing intently at the scene where filming was about to start.

"Are you also involved with the filming?"

When I asked as a greeting, the young man smiled amicably. He looked to be about twenty-five or twenty-six years old.

Looking closely, he was filming the scene with a small handheld camera that fit in one hand.

"That's right. I'm a stuntman. I was told to stay quiet until the action scenes."

I thought he might be a script supervisor or something, but an unexpected job title popped out.

"You're a stuntman? That's cool. Ah, my name is Oitsuki Sakuya."

"Sakuya-kun, right. Nice to meet you."

From commonplace impressions to self-introductions. I conveyed that I was accompanying the current set as a detective.

"A detective? Could it be that what you were talking about with Yuriu-san downstairs earlier was about that?"

"Ah, you were watching. Well, yes."

"Eh, is it some kind of case?"

"No, no. This area isn't exactly what you'd call safe even with flattery, so I'm like a bodyguard to avoid trouble."

"Are you a friend, or something?"

"Eh? Ah, I have a slight connection with that girl."

I kept the threat letter hidden for the time being. I didn't know how much the other parties involved had been told. There was no point in spreading it unnecessarily and inciting anxiety.

"Ah, I'm late introducing myself! My name is Shirasagi Sho."

"A cool name like a lead actor, even though you're a stuntman!"

"Sakuya-sama, that is rude."

"It's fine. My name completely outshines me. Tahaha. Please call me Sho."

I was surprised to learn it was his real name, not a stage name.

"Even so, Sho-kun, you were watching quite intently. Even while holding a camera."

If he says he's a stuntman, I'd think he could rest until called upon, but is that amateur thinking?

"I got permission from the director to record the state of the set personally. It's for study. I actually want to do directing, but since I only have physical stamina, due to some mistake, I've ended up doing stunts before I knew it. Tahaha."

He said he was observing every corner of the site and trying to learn the know-how of filming.

When I told him it was an admirable attitude, Sho became embarrassed enough to crumble.

"Right now I can only use my body, but someday I'll become a director. It's a distant dream, but I'll make it come true. Ah, do you want an autograph?"

"Eh? Sho-kun's?"

"Of course! Making an original signature for when I become big in the future! It's the standard for dream chasers!"

"It's standard, huh. But isn't that a bit premature?"

I replied as calmly as possible to the enthusiastic Sho.

"Weren't you practicing too, Sakuya-sama? Your own autograph."

I must teach Lilitea later that even if it is a point with no ulterior motive or malice, it can sometimes hurt the fragile me. Especially when it is a fact.

"I promised to keep that a secret from everyone! Lilitea says things immediately!"

My self-esteem was severely wounded.

Setting that aside, Sho unclenched his fist and made a troubled face.

"But... Director Torio hasn't recognized me even a little bit yet..."

"Is that so? He looked like a kind person, but is he pretty strict?"

"Usually he's a mild person, but when it comes to movies, the director is a demon. Plus, he seems especially invested this time."

"Especially, you say?"

"Ah... um, just between us."

Sho looked around to check the surroundings before speaking in a low voice.

"The director won a huge award right off the bat with his debut work ten years ago, and he used to be called a genius by the whole industry. But he hasn't produced a hit in years. That's why he's super fired up to make a comeback with this next one no matter what."

"He definitely wants to make it a success. For that reason, he doesn't want anyone to interfere with the filming?"

"Well, something like that."

Is that why he so easily allowed the presence of me, an outsider detective he just met?

"Well, that's why..."

"Sho-chan, instead of blabbing about internal affairs to outsiders, how about moving your body?"

As we were talking, a slimy voice came from the bottom of the stairs.

I could tell Sho blatantly shrugged his shoulders at that voice.

The owner of the voice slowly came up, running a finger nastily along the handrail of the stairs.

"If you don't have a turn, you have to do chores or whatever. Since stamina is your only redeeming feature. Riiight?"

"S-sorry..."

Appearing was a man around forty with his hair slicked down tightly with pomade. The man's clinging gaze was now poured onto us.

"Nice to meet you for the first time, boy over there, right? Hello, I'm Haigamine Yuriu's manager. Naguji Jungo of Empress Entertainment."

"So you were Yuriu-chan's manager."

Speaking of Empress Entertainment, it's a talent agency whose name I've suddenly started hearing recently.

"Right. Manager."

Naguji possessed a unique intonation. Or rather, the individuality of his speech and conduct overall was intense.

"Um, Naguji-san, Sakuya-kun is apparently a detective—"

"I heard from Yuriu-chan downstairs earlier. Yuriu-chan hired him on her own, didn't she? It's troubl~ing. Come on, Sho-chan, work, work."

"Y-yes!"

As if escaping from Naguji's clinging gaze, Sho hurriedly left the spot.

While seeing Sho off with a fearless smile, Naguji was saying things like "So cu~te." Somehow, I felt like saying: Sho-kun, be careful.

"So? That detective-san was sniffing around here and there immediately? It's about that threat letter, right?"

This man seems to know the circumstances.

"I wouldn't call it sniffing around, exactly."

"Right. It can't be helped since Yuriu-chan hired you, but please don't stir up the set too much. After all, this is our Yuriu's glorious theatrical debut work."

"Of course. I want Yuriu-chan to do her best—"

"I've been wondering since earlier, but saying 'Yuriu-chan, Yuriu-chan' is a little overly familiar, isn't it~? It's scandalous~. So, yes, adding '-chan' is prohibited."

"Haa..."

"Sakuya-kun, I don't know if you're a friend or what, but please don't approach Yuriu recklessly. That girl will surely transform from here on. Since she's going to be the best breadwinner, anything that lowers her value is NG. Breach of contract penalty."

Naguji stroked my chin with his finger abruptly. I really wanted him to stop.

Then, he suddenly fixed his eyes on Lilitea, who was waiting silently next to me, and leaked a small voice, "Oh my."

"Oh my, you... are good. Good. Dignity is sufficient, transparency is sufficient. If you had a little more friendliness, you could really make it. Here, my contact info. If you're interested, give me a tel. You might become a star."

Saying what he wanted to say, Manager Naguji went down the stairs again in that slimy manner. After confirming that, I quietly turned my gaze to Lilitea.

Naguji's business card was gripped in her hand.

"Was that a scout just now? That's amazing. Is Lilitea interested in being an actress—"

"Not in the slightest."

"But you often watch movies and TV dramas at the agency—"

"I am not interested. Acting in front of people, or laughing when it isn't fun... for me, that is very..."

"Is, is that so?"

"I am a detective's—Sakuya-sama's assistant to the bone."

She says something quite pleasing.

Chapter 2: You Must Not Pull on the Skirt

Filming began in the lobby and moved to several locations, such as the hotel guest rooms, the boiler room, and the upper-floor corridors.

Unlike detective work, which often involves individual action, movie filming is thoroughly a group effort, and standing in the center of it was Yuriu. Uzura, whom she played, was a strong-willed high school girl and simultaneously an amateur detective who got involved in difficult cases every time.

"I'm returning those words right back to you, tied up with a pretty bow!"

That seemed to be her catchphrase in the original work too. Yuriu had said it occasionally since we met, but this was the source material.

I don't know much about acting, but wearing the costume and makeup, illuminated by the lights, she looked like a person from another world. She was a completely different person from the usual Yuriu who turned an innocent smile toward me saying "Shishou, Shishou."

Marukoshi Reiichi, playing opposite her, completely changed from his dignified usual demeanor, skillfully playing a timid, poor author who followed Uzura around like a puppy.

A gruesome case occurs inside this Kowloon's Hotel chosen as the location, and Uzura challenges it as a detective.

The supporting actresses and the veteran actor playing the culprit were all uniformly enthusiastic about their acting. Perhaps they were pushed by Director Torio's heat.

Filming proceeded smoothly, and night fell in the blink of an eye.

"I'm looking forward to the completion! I wonder when the release will be!"

"If we accomplish this request splendidly, we should be invited to the preview screening. In that case, we can view it earlier than the general public. We should make that day off no matter what. No matter what."

Lilitea and I stood side by side in front of the hotel entrance, talking enthusiastically. Both of us were completely engrossed in the work.

Of course, we weren't just idly gazing at the curious filming scenery. During the shoot, the two of us split up to check if there were any suspicious persons inside the hotel, and we watched both the back exit and the entrance.

We also checked the hotel guest list and had already grasped the guests other than the film staff.

"So far, things are proceeding without incident."

"I wonder if it really was just a prank."

"I hope so."

"Shishou~! Lilitea-sa~n! Good work!"

As we were talking, Yuriu appeared in high spirits. She had removed her costume and makeup and returned completely to the usual Yuriu.

"Judging by that look, it seems you felt good about it. Yo, great actress."

"Eeeek, please don't say tha~t! Thinking that Shishou and Lilitea-san were watching, I was so embarrassed I couldn't stand it. But... yeah, what can I say. Yes, I think I was able to show the results of my practice!"

"That's good. Is today's filming over with this?"

"Yes. The continuation is tomorrow, apparently. But it looks like there's only one scene left. They're going to shoot it in the morning or something. So, actually, everyone except some staff were planned... to return to Tokyo once."

"Is there a problem?"

Yuriu was poking her index fingers together, but eventually, she pointed those fingers straight up and said:

"You see, due to the heavy rain."

"Eh, don't tell me we can't move because of the heavy rain?"

However, now that she mentioned it, it had been raining continuously since daytime. I recalled this morning's news saying something about a stationary front and high pressure.

"It seems to be that 'don't tell me.' The roads are submerged? Flooded? Or something..."

"Ah-ah! I knew it! See, I kneeeew we'd be trapped!"

"W-what's wrong, Shishou?"

"Please do not mind him. It is a common seizure."

What kind of seizure is that?

But in the end, my bad premonition came true. I want to be forgiven for at least grumbling like this.

"Haa... was it raining that much? I was so absorbed in work and watching the filming I wasn't conscious of it. If the rain is too heavy, won't it hinder tomorrow's filming?"

"I wonder. I hope it clears up..."

"The rain is expected to strengthen further from tonight until dawn... according to reports."

Taking out her smartphone, Lilitea read aloud the latest news regarding the heavy rain.

"Is this hotel going to be okay?"

"If it's that, no need to worry."

Having heard the conversation from the front desk, old man Zhao guaranteed our safety.

"This city has a location where flooding has been common since long ago, but my place is built on high ground, you see. Since I was born, we've never been damaged by flood."

His gaze was sharp as usual, but he didn't seem particularly angry.

"However, the surrounding area is probably completely pooled with water, so cars and such can't be used."

But with this happening, I'm increasingly worried about the agency. It's on the second floor so there shouldn't be worry of flooding, but...

"So? What are you going to do after this? Hunt for traces of the culprit?"

"No, Yuriu-chan... nothing has happened yet. In the first place, it hasn't been decided that the threat letter is real."

"Ehehe. That's right."

"So you shouldn't worry about it too much."

"Right, okay! Ah! Then please tell me your room number, Shishou. I'll go play later. Let's play the Game of Life and Reincarnation! I brought it from home."

The Game of Life and Reincarnation is a board game where you roll dice to advance pieces. If you play with friends, you probably wouldn't get bored even all night.

"That brings back memories."

"Let's have our fates manipulated by the roll of the dice, get married, shoulder debt, get divorced, and lead scandalous lives~!"

What an unpleasant way to put it.

"I don't mind, but won't that strong-personality manager get angry? You know, 'Scandals are NG~'."

It might be rude to say, but I'm bad with that manager. Including the fact that he blatantly treats Yuriu like a product.

"Naguji-san? That's true... In that case! I'll sneak over in the middle of the night so I won't be found!"

"That sounds even more like an illicit affair."

"It's fine, isn't it~? It's an order as your employer~. Shishou~."

This girl, I thought she was the type to listen obediently to whatever adults said, but she unexpectedly possesses a mischievous side too.

No, is she just in a school trip mood?

"After the game, I'll have a love talk with Lilitea-san all night!"

Yup. This deduction seems to be correct.

"Eh!? Th-that is..."

"Let's do i~t! Please! I want to do stuff like that! Pretty please!"

"Ah, you must not pull on the skirt. Which 'pretty please' is this?"

Forgive me, Lilitea. Even if you look at me with eyes begging for salvation, the burden is too heavy for me.

Leaving the two maidens aside, I headed to the lobby front desk. Amutaki was fiddling with her smartphone, looking bored.

"Hey, Amutaki-chan."

"You came again? You come a lot."

Amutaki stretched her arms out lazily, throwing her upper body onto the counter.

"The rain is going pretty hard."

"Mm-. Yep it is-."

"Could you look up from your smartphone while talking?"

"Don't say things like a teacher. I mean, Sak-kun, are you free? You're a detective, right? Why don't you go find some work?"

"If it's work, I got one earlier... More importantly, is this hotel okay with leaks and such?"

"Eh? Are you aclaimer?"

"No. But I heard this place is quite old, so I wondered if it was okay with this much rain."

"I've lived here forever, but it's surprisingly fine, you know?"

"But actually, the room I'm staying in, water was coming in from the gap in the window frame."

When I gently conveyed my true intent, the girl said "Not again~" and leaned out from the counter, taking a two-shot with me on her smartphone.

"Yaaay."

"Not 'Yaaay'! Do you not believe me? Just because it's cheap doesn't mean you can abandon service."

"You're super desperate."

"Stop smirking! Ah! Look, just now! A drop fell on my head! Isn't it coming from the top of the atrium? It's a leak! It's leaking!"

"God's tears-."

"Poetic............ not! I'm the one who wants to cry!"

As I reacted to every single one of Amutaki's teases, eventually she raised her voice and started laughing, "Kyakya."

"Ahhaha! Sak-kun, you're funny-!"

She was bending her body like a boomerang and slapping the counter. Contrary to her impression, being unexpectedly easily amused is also her characteristic. She seems mature, but in this area, she really is a junior high student.

"Listen, have a little... for the guest."

Just as I tried to press her further, something entering my field of vision bothered me, and my complaint cut off completely.

"What? Is something wrong?"

I was staring at the wall behind the counter.

"Ah, this? Apparently, it's been written here since long ago-."

Characters were written directly on the wall in ink. A total of four vertical lines. Kanji were lined up across two meters vertically and horizontally. Was it Cantonese? The magnificent calligraphy drew my eye.

"I didn't notice it when I arrived. What does it say?"

I thought she would say she didn't know or make fun of me, but surprisingly, Amutaki translated and recited the meaning of the characters on the wall.

"Traitors to the Dragon's jaws.

Interlopers to the Phoenix's flames.

The greedy to the water's depths.

The insolent to the Tiger's claws—"

"...That's some disturbing content."

"Grandpa taught me before. He said it was some kind of iron rule. Like, if you betray the organization, we'll seriously do stuff like this to you."

"By organization, you mean a continental crime syndicate?"

I had heard of it too. In recent years they've laid low, but long ago—indeed, before and after the war—they apparently boasted considerable power.

"Something singing the fate of those who betrayed the organization... huh."

"In the old days, this hotel probably had connections with those kinds of people too-. Though I'm talking about the time of Grandpa's father. But now, there's never been a timing to erase it, and everyone's forgotten the meaning of the words, so they just leave it as a decoration, apparently."

"Something familiar actually holding a scary meaning sounds like a story that could become an urban legend."

"Totally. So, I'm going back to work-."

"No, wait wait, the matter of the leak is still..."

"The greedy to the water's depths, right?"

Saying that, Amutaki showed me the photo she just took. The two-shot of me and Amutaki. Only my face was edited to be aggressively cute, and a heart mark was decorated between the two of us.

The opponent is a junior high student. She has seized a photo that would endanger my position in various ways if leaked to the public.

□

The film crew was rendered immobile by the heavy rain. However, for their sake, old man Zhao rented out the entire sixth floor of the hotel. Of course, it wasn't charity work; he was taking the accommodation fee properly.

Along with that, Lilitea and I had our room moved from the fourth floor to the sixth floor. This was to enable us to respond immediately if something happened regarding the threat letter.

Yes, if the film crew is staying at the hotel, I must continue my vigilance during that time.

After dinner, I parted with Lilitea and decided to go around looking at the hotel one more time.

"Are you okay doing rounds alone?"

At the moment of parting in front of the room, Lilitea worried about me.

"W-well, I'll be fine. I haven't seen anyone suspicious so far at all."

Of course, this is bravado.

"I want Lilitea to stick by Yuriu-chan just in case. You know that girl, if someone isn't watching, she might follow me saying it's a disciple's duty or something."

When I persuaded her like that, Lilitea nodded as if to say that was certainly true. Still, she seemed somewhat dissatisfied.

"Lilitea, I'm counting on you."

"Usually you imagine bad things at the drop of a hat and avoid dangerous things or scary places... yet you act strangely cool only at times like this."

"Umm... I said I'm fine! I won't make a blunder like getting killed by a first-time opponent every single time."

I put out the brightest voice I could to reassure her.

And even if hypothetically I get killed, it's fine. I wrote my will perfectly yesterday too.

Thus, I patted my assistant's head pon-pon and went out on patrol.

The time was past 11:30 PM.

Standing alone in the corridor like this, the sound of the intense rain reached my ears even more.

"I hate this... it's scary."

Spitting out a complaint alone, I started walking down the quiet corridor.

The staff were already settling down in their respective rooms without exception. This was because Director Torio had told them to lock their doors after going to bed early, not to leave their rooms recklessly, and to stay quiet until morning.

Since filming was early tomorrow morning too, everyone seemed to be keeping early bedtimes in mind as told.

If everyone just stays quietly in their rooms until morning like this, nothing rare should happen.

"The hotel at night is eerie, but if I can get paid without incident, it's easy... maybe."

I tried mouthing optimistic words to distract myself. Of course, even if I say easy, I don't intend to cut corners intentionally. I decided to check every corner of the corridors on each floor just in case.

"I'll start from the top and look down."

Deciding that, I climbed the stairs all the way to the top ninth floor with great difficulty.

"As... as expected, not being able to use the elevator is tough..."

By the time I finished climbing the stairs, I was breathing hard.

Regulating my breathing, I went around looking at the corridors extending in the four directions from the gallery.

The guests on the top floor should have been countable on one hand. Since just coming up was this hard, that's only natural.

There was a large window at the very end of each corridor, but painted over by the darkness of the night, no scenery was visible from there.

"No abnormalities... hmm?"

Then—when I approached the north corridor, my feet stopped. In front of the window at the end of the corridor, a single man was standing.

"Whoa!"

A voice came out unintentionally. The man was reading a book by the window.

"Good evening."

Seeming to notice me, the man called out. It was a slightly laid-back, gentle voice.

"...Good evening."

While trying not to let my inner agitation be perceived, I returned the words.

It was a face I was seeing for the first time. He looked older than me, but since the corridor was dim, I couldn't tell his exact age.

"I'm Kanashino Nakiyu of Room 901. It's a terrible night, isn't it?"

He said he was one of the few guests on the top floor. He was slender and tall, but since he had a stoop, his face position wasn't that different from mine.

"Terrible, indeed."

"Actually, I planned to depart today, but the story is I got stuck due to the unfortunate heavy rain."

"Ah. Um, I am Oitsuki Sakuya. That was a disaster. But what are you doing in a place like this?"

"As you can see, reading. Reading under the moonlight is the story."

"Is that so."

"You're making a face like 'Moonlight in this weather?'"

I intended not to show it on my face as much as possible, but it seemed it had come out anyway. The man who called himself Kanashino looked out the window where raindrops were trickling down.

"Whether it's cloudy or stormy, moonlight is shining in on any night, is the story. Because the moon is always above the rain clouds."

He seems to possess a unique sensibility.

"What were you reading?"

I got a little interested in the contents of the book such a unique man was reading. When I asked, he shook his head embarrassedly.

"It's not something worth introducing."

"Now, don't say that."

"...Really? In that case."

Then, Kanashino handed me his favorite book.

"Let's see. Umm... Self-cest: Cultivating and Multiplying My Right Hand into a Beautiful Girl so I Can Embrace Myself..."

It really wasn't something worth introducing. It was an excessively niche erotic novel.

"Ah, mistake! This one, this one!"

Hurriedly snatching it back from my hand, he immediately held out a different book.

"Right! I was surprised. This book is... The Three Little Pigs? A picture book?"

This is unexpected in its own way.

"Yeah. Picture books are quite deep. When you read them as an adult, there are various realizations."

His face as he spoke passionately was bright red.

"So between Self-cest, Right Hand Cultivation whatever, you were reading a story about pigs."

"D-don't say it! But, both are masterpieces!"

He's panicking messily. He's an interesting person.

"Saying that, what are you doing at this hour?"

"Night patrol. Thinking there might be a wolf."

"Wolf?"

"Just a figure of speech. I'm in the middle of investigating a little something. Ah, I am a detective."

"Detective! Really? I'd definitely like to hear various stories then! I'm working as a manga artist, but I was thinking I wanted to draw a mystery next!"

"Manga artist! First time seeing one! That's amazing. Then is Kanashino Nakiyu a pen name? Heh! Despite appearances, I read quite a lot of manga. Are you serialized somewhere?"

"I'm a minor web manga artist nobody knows. And irregularly... I'm not popular. Haha."

His stoop curved further. It seems I stimulated a complex.

"Eh, but that's amazing. I have absolutely no talent for drawing. Then, was staying at this hotel because you were canned due to so-called looming deadlines?"

"That's not it. I heard rumors of Kowloon's Hotel on the net and came to stay. That there's a hotel with a strange atmosphere unthinkable for Japan. In short, it was curiosity to see something scary, but thanks to that, actually various inspirations are welling up, is the story."

Between Torio and Kanashino, this hotel seems overflowing with charm that attracts creators.

"When I return to my room later, I'm thinking of starting on the concept for a new work. Since I'm trapped anyway, I want to make it a meaningful time."

Meeting the species known as a manga artist for the first time, my mood inadvertently lifted, and I ended up talking with Kanashino for a while after that.

Once we started talking about our favorite manga, the topics were endless, and before I knew it, the date had long since changed. What can I say, our tastes overlapped completely.

However, I still have to patrol down to the bottom, and if I return to the room too late, I'll worry Lilitea. I can't keep standing here talking forever.

"I have to go now."

"Going already, Sak-kun?"

"Though I'm reluctant to part."

As I was leaving, I thought about advising him that he shouldn't go out at night because a wolf might appear—but I stopped. It has nothing to do with him since he isn't a movie insider. I don't have the authority to restrict his actions.

"Well then, good nig..."

"Ah—come to think of it."

"Eh?"

Just as I tried to leave the spot, Kanashino suddenly stopped me.

"No, you said something about an investigation earlier, right? I won't ask deeply, but is it some kind of case?"

"Umm."

I hesitate whether to speak.

"Ah, it's fine, it's fine. Just, I was asking this and that about the history of this hotel yesterday, and I heard an interesting story from the owner."

"...From Zhao-san?"

"Yeah. I thought this story might be of some use to your investigation."

"Incidentally, what kind of story?"

"An old tale. He said that about twenty years ago—there was apparently a murder case at this hotel."

A strong wind blew, and a mass of raindrops hit the window glass with a splat and burst.

"A murder case? I didn't know that."

"The story is that a family staying here at the time was killed one after another in a single night. Rumor has it their throats were bitten off."

What a gruesome story.

"But that Zhao-san, even if it is a story of the past, he surprisingly told you a story of a murder case that happened at his own hotel."

"Well, look, as a manga artist I'm constantly interviewing people of various occupations, so jumping into someone's pocket is something I'm reasonably good at."

I'm impressed that such a thing is possible. Come to think of it, before I knew it, I had become completely friendly with him too.

"I say that, but this is as far as I could get out of him. He wouldn't tell me anything more detailed."

Too bad, Kanashino concluded and shrugged his shoulders.

"A case from twenty years ago... huh."

I don't think it's related to the threat letter, but I'll remember it just in case.

"Also, just one more thing. Is it okay if it's unrelated to the current topic?"

"Of course."

"This Kowloon's Hotel, it has a mysterious structure, doesn't it? You can't call it clean even with flattery, and it's inconvenient in various ways."

"Well, certainly."

"The building itself is old, and there was such a gruesome case in the past. Yet, for one reason or another, it has continued as a hotel for many years. Plus, I don't know if it was intentional, but it's built in a location that's completely fine even in heavy rain like today. How should I put it... don't you get the feeling it's being protected by something? Is the story."

"...Protected? That's suddenly abstract. An occult story?"

"Don't look at me with such suspicious eyes. But well... is it occult? In my estimation, this hotel seems to pay considerable attention to Feng Shui."

"Feng Shui, that Chinese fortune telling about directions? They care about luck?"

"Yeah. I investigated that once too as part of research long ago. Is it called the Correspondence of the Four Gods? They say this hotel wards off evil by placing guardian deities in the East, West, North, and South."

"Four Gods."

I've heard of it. The concept of assigning four gods—Seiryu (Azure Dragon), Byakko (White Tiger), Suzaku (Vermilion Bird), and Genbu (Black Tortoise)—to the East, West, South, and North respectively.

"See, that dragon object is one of them. In terms of the Four Gods, it's Seiryu."

If so, does that mean the taxidermy tiger in the West Wing is that too?

"Possibly, the incident twenty years ago was the trigger for them to start caring about luck. Look, there's the atrium in the lobby, right? Apparently, that's not a very good thing in Feng Shui, so maybe they're trying to supplement the luck with something else."

"Like, Zhao-san is worrying about the past in his own way?"

"Maybe. That's about all I heard. Take it as just idle gossip, is the story."

"I'll decide to think of it that way. Thanks."

Parting with the manga artist Kanashino, I went downstairs and checked each floor in order.

"Kowloon's Hotel... a case twenty years ago... huh."

While descending the stairs, I looked up the past case I was told about earlier on my smartphone while walking. When I searched, a case that seemed to be it certainly surfaced.

Little Kowloon Family Murder Case.

The victims were a family staying at the hotel; four people had been killed.

Even though it says staying, in reality, they had been residing there for months with very cheap rent, so apparently, it was like they were mostly living here. It might mean that a family with nowhere to go had been provided a room by the goodwill of the owner at the time.

And that family was killed.

The article noted that the bodies all looked as if they had been bitten to death by a beast with sharp fangs.

It wasn't an article to read alone at this time in this place.

"Ah, I hate it, I hate it."

The only saving grace was that the culprit was caught safely, and the case was considered resolved.

However, no further detailed information, such as the culprit's motive, came out.

"So, twenty years pass, and this time it's a threat letter..."

Bad things pile up in bad places. I don't know if it's due to the flow of qi or the flow of people, but an atmosphere that something is about to happen permeates this hotel.

I descended to the first floor while being vigilant, but I didn't find any particularly suspicious objects or persons anywhere. If that's the case, then that's fine. Much better than something happening.

"Time to head back."

Muttering to myself to soften the silence of the night, I returned to the lobby from the first-floor West corridor.

There—my feet stopped.

I was forced to stop.

In front of the reception counter in the empty lobby. Someone was standing in that gloom.

The face was in shadow and couldn't be seen well from here.

"Who is it...?"

He was shirtless, holding a knife with a strange shape in his right hand.

And on the counter was—.

A human severed head was enshrined.

"Ugh!?"

Unable to endure it, a voice leaked out.

It was clear that the head had just been placed on the counter by the hand of that someone. Just like a guest checking a key or coat.

That face—that head—I recognized it.

Naguji. That is the head of Yuriu's manager, Naguji Jungo. Neither suffering nor sadness could be felt on that face. He had died expressionless.

The someone standing in the darkness was checking the left and right width of the counter with a methodical air.

Apparently, he was adjusting it so that Naguji's head would be exactly in the center of the counter. I shuddered at that mysterious methodicalness.

Once the position was fixed, he nodded with satisfaction—and turned around to face me.

As if to say he had noticed my presence without even needing to hear my voice.

In that instant, the opponent's face became clearly visible, and I shuddered again.

From the neck up—he was a dog.

It appeared. It emerged. It was there. The Dog-headed Bellboy!

Not just the name, his head is really a dog.

"What... are you...! What are you doing with that head!"

I shouted, but ignoring my voice, he broke into a run toward me.

Fangs and a tongue peeked out from the half-open mouth, and those eyes were pitch black.

Nothing. Pitch black. Void.

"Uwaaaaaah!"

In an instant, the most intense goosebumps I had ever felt rose all over my body, and I instinctively bolted toward the stairs.

I’m going to be killed. Death had taken form and was closing in on me.

You have to be kidding me.

I had neither the hobby nor the courage to take on a thing like that head-on.

The sixth floor. If I was going to run, it had to be the sixth floor. That was where the film crew was staying. Lilitea was there with Yuriu.

It was a long way up, but if I could just make it there, I could call for help. It would be fine. I was overwhelmingly closer to the stairs. Unless I tripped in some cliché horror movie fashion, there was no way he could catch up.

Calculating this in my head, I tried to bound up the stairs three at a time without resting my legs... but when I looked up, the Dog-headed Bellboy was already standing at the top of the stairs.

"W-Why are you above me...?"

When did he pass me?

"Don't tell me... did he run up the wall beside the stairs to take a shortcut? That's a three-meter drop... that's superhuman movement..."

And if he wasn't human?

"What the hell are youuu!"

—I told you, I'm a Dog-head.

To me, it looked as if his silent face was saying exactly that.

It was only then that I finally identified the weapon he was holding.

A willow-leaf saber. A Chinese sword with a unique shape and an unusually wide blade. It’s often mistaken for the similar "Green Dragon Crescent Blade," but my eyes couldn't be deceived.

Though, what good did it do me not to be deceived?

Leaping high, the Bellboy lunged at me.

"Ugh... Guh!"

I reflexively arched my body back. The willow-leaf saber cut through the empty air in front of my eyes—or so I hoped.

Reality, unlike action movies, didn't allow one to dodge a deadly blade so smoothly.

I was slashed deeply from my left shoulder down to my upper arm. It was deep. It reached the bone.

Immediately following that, I took a kick that sent me flying backward. I tumbled all the way down the stairs I had just climbed.

"Gah... Guh... Geho...!"

I couldn't breathe. I couldn't speak. My vision flickered, and the taste of blood spread through my mouth.

Clinging to the wall, I managed to stand up.

Blood cascaded like a waterfall from where I’d been cut, while the Bellboy descended the stairs one step at a time, swinging his saber in a good mood.

I moved counter-clockwise around the lobby, trying to put some distance between us.

What is this guy? What is this abnormal physical ability, this combat technique?

Is it because this is Little Kowloon? Are all characters in Chinese movies just strong at Kung Fu by default?

My knees were shaking. My breathing wouldn't recover.

The Bellboy charged straight at me.

Ah, I'm going to be killed, I thought.

Running was no good. Fighting was no good.

Then—I had no choice.

Dying was the absolute worst of the worst.

I thought I was done with being killed for good, but—

"You...!"

I steeled my resolve, stepped forward, and went to be killed with hope.

Consciousness, don't fade.

I thrust both hands forward and grabbed onto him.

With a wet squelch, the tip of the willow-leaf saber pierced deeply into my stomach.

Strength drained from my lower body in an instant. But I was prepared for this much.

Putting every ounce of remaining strength into my hands, I embraced the Bellboy like a passionate lover.

Getting this close, I could tell. He was wearing a dog's face over his head like a mask. To be more accurate, he was wearing the taxidermy head of a wolf.

I had seen animal heads mounted on the corridor walls here and there; did he steal one of those to use as a disguise?

"Why... are you doing this...?"

Having my stomach pierced and simply waiting for death had its own charm, but since I had the time, I decided to use my final moments to ask him.

Hey, tell me. Why did you kill Naguji?

It’s fine, isn't it? I'm going to die anyway.

"Dead men tell no tales... isn't that what they say?"

Then, he answered me in a muffled, quiet voice.

"Don't defile... the Angel."

Before I knew it, my body had collapsed onto the floor.

Lying there, I looked up at the atrium of the lobby.

Only the dragon looked down upon my motionless form.

Chapter 3: It Came Off, Didn't It?

When I realized it, I was on a bed.

The awakening was the worst.

The nausea unique to oversleeping, and a disgusting floating sensation as if my body didn't belong to me—

Slowly moving only my eyeballs, I scanned the room. It was undoubtedly our hotel room, and it was still dark outside the window.

Beneath my head lay a soft, warm pillow.

It was the lap of my detective assistant, Lilitea. She was always the closest one to me when I woke up.

However—just this once, she didn't seem to have noticed that I had started breathing again.

She was staring blankly toward the corner of the room, muttering something.

I thought about telling her immediately that I had come back to life, but my interest was piqued by what she was doing, so I quietly strained my ears.

"I'm returning those words right back to you... tied up with a pretty bow. ...Is that slightly different? ...Returning... I shall return them. Returning them with a butterfly knot..."

It was High School Detective Uzura's catchphrase.

She was enthusiastically practicing her lines. My Lilitea seemed very interested in the acting profession.

"Ugh...!"

I let out a rather loud groan, acting as if I had just this moment come back to life.

"Ah."

Realizing this, Lilitea hurriedly cut short her secret private lesson and quickly straightened her clothes and hair with both hands. Once her appearance was in order, she peered down at me on her lap and spoke the customary greeting.

"Welcome back from the dead, Sakuya-sama."

"I'm home, Lilitea. Um, I..."

The monster I confronted in the lobby.

The Dog-headed Bellboy.

I fell by his hand and—

"You have been killed again, haven't you, Detective-sama?"

Detective-sama. Lilitea said it with a heavy dose of sarcasm.

"Seems that way."

The time was just before 4:00 AM.

"By the way, Sakuya-sama... just now, did you hear anything? You didn't hear anything, did you?"

"Eh? What? I didn't hear anything. I just came back to life."

I said something that sounded like meeting up for a date.

"...By the way, what is the current situation?"

Fighting off the slight dizziness that was the remnant of death, I sat up.

"Many things have happened. However, we may not have the time to speak leisurely."

In other words, the culprit had not yet been caught, and it wouldn't be strange for another victim to appear at any moment.

"The one who killed me was a strange man wearing a dog mask."

"So the culprit is literally a Dog-headed Bellboy. ...Even so, you are a careless person. After I told you so many times to be careful."

"I have no words to return."

Lilitea was angry.

Every time I get killed, she has to tend to my corpse and wait endlessly for me to revive—considering her position and feelings, it's no wonder she's angry.

"So, I'd like to hear the sequence of events while I was dead..."

"The first time I sensed an abnormality was just past 1:20 AM. At that time, Yuriu-sama and I were in her room, but suddenly a scream rose from somewhere in the hotel. Just at the crucial moment when I was three squares from the goal..."

"Three squares?"

"I was close to paying off my debt from a previous life."

It seems the two of them were fully enjoying the Game of Life and Reincarnation.

"Then, a voice calling 'Someone, someone!' I left the room immediately, and the voice was coming from the lobby. When I went down to the lobby, Director Torio was there. Yes, the owner of the voice was him."

"Why was that person in the lobby at such an hour?"

"He said he couldn't sleep no matter what, so he went out into the corridor to have a smoke. He leaned against the handrail of the sixth-floor gallery and was about to light his cigarette while looking down at the lobby. At that moment, he noticed something that looked like blood on the lobby floor and went down to the first floor to check."

To receive a threat letter, tell the staff not to leave their rooms, and then wander around himself. He's even more careless than I am.

"By abnormality, do you mean... Naguji's head was found...?"

"Sakuya-sama, did you see it?"

As I thought. What I saw before I was killed wasn't a dream.

"I saw it. It was placed on the front counter, right?"

When I said that with confidence, Lilitea made a dubious expression.

"...No?"

She opened the door to the room and looked back at me.

"Would you like to see for yourself?"

Guided downstairs to the lobby, I saw the same thing Torio had seen.

It was indeed Naguji's head.

However, instead of being on the counter, his head was held in the mouth of the dragon.

By dragon, I mean, of course, the object decorating the lobby.

But the bad taste of it left me speechless for a while.

"Having lost his legs in fear, Director Torio kept repeating this," Lilitea said.

—The threat letter was real!

"By the time we rushed over, Mr. Naguji was already in this state. His body from the neck down was also lying at the foot of the object, but we have temporarily moved it to the freezer behind the kitchen. As for the head, it was forcibly shoved into the dragon's mouth, and the fangs have bitten into the skull so deeply we couldn't remove it, so painful as it is, it remains as it is."

Now that she mentioned it, bloodstains remained on the floor. His headless torso must have been lying there.

"The head... why is it bitten here?"

At that time, the Dog-headed Bellboy had placed the head neatly on the front reception counter and seemed satisfied with it. So why?

"Hearing the voice, everyone else woke up and came down, and the lobby fell into chaos."

"And the police?"

"Manzorogi-sama contacted them, but due to the large-scale flooding of the roads caused by the unfortunate heavy rain, they say arrival will be after sunrise."

The jaws of the motionless dragon were stained dark red with Naguji's blood. It had already coagulated and showed no sign of dripping.

"In other words, until then, we are stuck in this hotel..."

"Yes. Spending time with the culprit who murdered Mr. Naguji. Everyone is trembling in fear."

"That's unbearable. Being together with such a creepy guy."

A man with a dog's face, shirtless, swinging a huge blade and chasing you. It's a figure I don't really want to remember.

"No, none of the others have seen the culprit's appearance. They are afraid for a different reason."

Lilitea pointed to a single spot for me, who was tilting my head.

The wall behind the reception counter. Characters were written there.

The story was that these were words left by the members of the underworld organization that used to control this city.

I saw that earlier when talking to Amutaki about the leak.

"Is there something to do with it..."

I started to speak, then realized. The appearance of the characters had changed completely.

"The first half has been painted over..."

"When we gathered in the lobby, it was already in this state."

Approaching and looking closely, what was smeared over the characters appeared to be human blood.

"This isn't just nine times out of ten; it's definitely the culprit's doing."

"Yes. Traitors to the Dragon's jaws. As if tracing the content of the painted-out first line, Mr. Naguji's head was held in the dragon's jaws. This is a so-called—"

"Mitate killing."

It's a term referring to murders carried out in a way that follows the lyrics of nursery rhymes or the plot of a play.

"Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen, S.S. Van Dine... and Yokomizo Seishi. It is a subject handled by numerous mystery writers, is it not?"

She explained it to me, but I'm not very knowledgeable about mystery novels. I'm not making excuses, but please don't assume all detectives like mysteries. There must be scientists who don't read sci-fi novels.

Blood dripped down the wall, drying and discoloring into a dark black. It was full of horror vibes.

"So this is the culprit's declaration of intent that they will continue the crimes according to the instructions."

"Yes. Looking at this, it is clear to anyone's eyes that the murders by the Dog-headed Bellboy will likely continue after this."

Is that why Lilitea expressed that we didn't have much time?

"So what do we do? Must we remain until morning in the same hotel as a culprit who commits such terrifying murders? Who will be killed next?—Everyone was in a panic. But in the midst of that, Yuriu-sama stoutly shouted this."

—Please be relieved! By coincidence, an excellent detective is staying at this hotel!

"Excellent detective... could that be me?"

I was certainly talked up.

"Now that you mention it, that's right—Director Torio and everyone else seemed to find a ray of hope in that. Naturally, the conversation turned to 'Where is Oitsuki Sakuya? Call the detective here immediately.'"

"But at that time, I was already..."

Looking back at my own situation, I inadvertently started to interject, but Lilitea continued her story regardless.

"However, unfortunately, as you saw, the second line of the instructions had also been painted over. In other words, contrary to everyone's expectations, the second murder had already been completed by that time."

Ah, it would turn out like that.

"And it was exactly at that timing. The young hotel employee, Amutaki-san, was it? She leaned out from the handrail of the sixth-floor gallery and shouted 'Fire!'"

Lilitea pointed to the upper part of the lobby atrium.

"Amutaki-chan did? Fire?"

"The source of the fire was Room 606 in the South Wing."

"...Wait, that room is surely..."

I traced my memory.

"Yes. It is the room of Yuriu-sama's manager, Mr. Naguji."

As she spoke, she turned her feet toward the lobby stairs. I followed her while listening to the story.

"When Director Torio discovered Mr. Naguji's body and everyone began to gather in the lobby, Amutaki-san apparently didn't notice the commotion because she was near the top floor."

We climbed the creaking stairs together. On the way, I tripped on the stairs several times and almost fell. Perhaps because I had just revived after dying in a terrible way, my body wouldn't move as I wanted.

"Huh? Did I have a mole in a place like this? Gross."

It felt as if I had aged more than ten years in an instant.

"Something wrong?"

"No, just talking to myself. So, what was Amutaki-chan doing on the top floor?"

"She was bravely patrolling while rubbing her sleepy eyes to check if any leaks had occurred."

Amutaki, despite giving such salty treatment in the lobby, was secretly giving godly service in the middle of the night. It seems she has a serious side too.

"And when she came down to the sixth floor, she witnessed smoke leaking from the gap in the door of Room 606. The door was locked, and there was no reply when she called inside. So when Amutaki-san used a master key to open the door, the room was filled with smoke."

At that stage, Amutaki became convinced and shouted "Fire."

Hearing that voice, Lilitea immediately headed for Room 606. At that time, many people remained in the lobby, but Manzorogi and Torio followed her.

"When I arrived at Room 606, the fire alarm finally rang, and water began to spray from the ceiling. Straining my eyes through the thick smoke, someone was lying on the floor of the room, and flames were rising from that person's body. However, it was extinguished shortly."

"A person was burning? In Naguji's room?"

Lilitea did not answer my question but continued further.

"I entered the room while checking for safety, and opened the window to let the remaining smoke escape."

When she said that, we arrived in front of Room 606 in reality. The door had been left open.

"This door was locked until Amutaki-chan opened it with the master key, right?"

"She states that it was undoubtedly so. And she also said she saw the key to Room 606 hanging on the key rack next to the entrance."

"In other words."

"Yes. In other words—it was a locked room mystery."

"Ah..."

I scratched my head involuntarily. Another troublesome thing has been added.

"Then I tried to call out to the person who had collapsed, but I immediately realized it was a meaningless act and gave up."

"Meaningless?"

"The burning body had no head."

"Head..."

In other words, the person who had collapsed was dead without needing to be called out to.

The second murder was already complete.

"Realizing that, Director Torio became increasingly hysterical and clamored to call the detective here quickly. But his request was already impossible... no, strictly speaking, it had already been granted."

I sighed.

"...I get it. In other words, the one killed here was me."

"Yes. In this room, Sakuya-sama had already been murdered."

I fearfully stepped into Room 606. Part of the floor and bed sheets were scorched, and the ceiling was stained with soot. Remnants of the fire. The carpet, which probably originally had a delicate pattern, was ruined too.

"A burned corpse... Interlopers to the Phoenix's flames—huh."

That dragon object is displayed on the east side of the lobby. And this Room 606 is in the South Wing, and the fire started there.

If the East Dragon is Seiryu, then the South Phoenix can be replaced with Suzaku.

"I see, the Four Gods placed in each direction of the hotel."

Lilitea pointed to the bed in the room.

"Sakuya-sama's head was rolling on that bed."

"Here... huh."

"At that timing, Yuriu-sama and the stuntman Shirasagi-sama arrived at the room late. But knowing of Sakuya-sama's death, Yuriu-sama collapsed on the spot, and Shirasagi-sama was desperately caring for her."

To show such a changed form of myself... I did a terrible thing to Yuriu-chan.

"But why did the culprit go out of his way to cut off my head? If it was a mitate, just lighting the killed body on fire should have completed it. Generally, why did my corpse end up rolling around in Naguji's room...?"

I was supposed to have been killed by the Bellboy in the lobby.

"That is what I want to ask. What on earth were you doing in a place like this? Don't tell me it was an illicit affair?"

Lilitea subtly distanced herself from me.

"No, that's stupid! Why would I have to secretly visit Naguji's room in the middle of the night!"

I have absolutely no memory of such a thing.

"We will have you explain that later when things calm down, but Sakuya-sama was discovered in the form described above. Your body, and your best set of clothes, were completely scorched; it was a cruel state."

"...My clothes too?"

"Naturally. Fire was set to your body, after all."

Being told that, I checked my own appearance properly for the first time since reviving.

Indeed, my clothes were in a terrible state. My flesh had finished regenerating, but my clothes were scorched and tattered; like this, I was literally a zombie risen from the grave. Actually, that's exactly what I am.

"Tell me sooner! I walked around in this appearance!"

I hate this kind of meaningless narrative trick.

"Please be relieved. Since we are staying at a hotel, I have prepared a change of clothes properly. Let's change later, okay?"

Then I wanted you to tell me even more before leaving the room.

"The ones who carried Sakuya-sama's terrible corpse to our room were Manzorogi-sama and Shirasagi-sama. The breakdown is: Body by Shirasagi-sama, Head by Manzorogi-sama."

"Do I need that breakdown?"

"Yuriu-sama was crying heavily in the face of the shocking event. She is likely still depressed in her room now. Let's go apologize later."

How to explain that I came back to life. This time is truly troubling. Being decapitated and burned, I don't have much confidence to puff out my chest and say I luckily survived.

"Lilitea, you're the one who instructed them to put my head and body together and lay them to rest, right? Thank you."

When I thanked her, she bowed respectfully and then made a small peace sign. You don't need the peace sign.

I rotated my shoulders round and round, grateful to be alive again. The joints creaked and the range of motion felt narrow. It seems my body isn't in top condition yet.

"If my head and body had been placed separately, I wouldn't have been able to come back to life."

I come back to life whether I die or am killed. It's not a skill, but a constitution.

And when I revive, naturally, regeneration of the flesh occurs.

Wounded and dead cells resuscitate and wounds close; if there are severed limbs or a head, they stick back together as they were.

However, that is only if the respective parts are close by.

I haven't verified everything about my body's characteristics yet, but if my five limbs were chopped up and thrown away in separate places, resurrection would probably be difficult.

Just my head or arm crawling along the ground on its own to gather in one place—such a convenient, creepy thing probably wouldn't happen.

"However... they really did a number on me."

I lifted my face from the bed where my head had apparently been rolling and shifted my gaze to the wall.

The existence of the message written on that entire wall had been in my field of vision since I entered the room.

‘The Bellboy won't stop knocking’

It was probably written in my blood.

"They really did it."

This is a letter of challenge from the culprit.

"I was killed by the Bellboy. Because I saw him in the middle of his crime. But that was in the lobby. Yet my corpse was found in Room 606 on the sixth floor."

"To liken it to the second line of the instructions, Interlopers to the Phoenix's flames, correct?"

"That's what it amounts to. But to carry my body all the way up to the sixth floor for that purpose... it's strangely dutiful, or rather, shows great guts. Even though the elevator is broken and can't be used."

"And entering Mr. Naguji's room, beheading Sakuya-sama, and setting the fire. Even risking running into someone at any moment."

Lilitea helps organize my thoughts.

"He really wanted to proceed according to the mitate. Contrary to his appearance, is he methodical, or a perfectionist? But..."

I scratched my head and sat down on the bed.

"Something doesn't sit right. That it was Room 606 in the South Wing, well, I understand. Because it was known that this room was empty. Since the culprit himself had already killed Naguji."

"The culprit likely called out from the corridor to make Mr. Naguji open the door, so the room key was unlocked at that point."

If he lured Naguji out like that, the possibility that the culprit is an acquaintance is high.

"This room is perfect as the location for the second mitate murder. ...However, even so, would he go to the trouble of carrying a corpse back up to the sixth floor?"

I wouldn't be able to climb it in the first place. Physically.

"If it's just lighting a fire, he could do it anywhere in the hotel. As for the direction, as long as it's the South Wing, the first floor would be fine. But the culprit chose the sixth floor... the sixth floor. Is there a reason he had to do that...?"

Naguji was beheaded and eaten by the Dragon. I was beheaded and burned.

Naguji's body was—

"Ah!"

"What is the matter?"

"Lilitea... earlier, what did you say Naguji's corpse was like at first? Not the head, the body!"

"From the neck down? As I said, under that dragon object..."

"It, it wasn't there!"

"Kya."

Having caught a contradiction, I excitedly stood up and grabbed Lilitea's shoulders, shouting. Lilitea let out a rare, small startled voice.

"At that time! When I was attacked by the Bellboy in the first-floor lobby! Naguji's body wasn't there!"

"That means... ah."

She seemed to have guessed the same thing as me.

"Lilitea!"

"This way."

We nodded to each other and flew out of Room 606.

When I started running in earnest, the sluggishness of my body's movement bothered me even more. Something really feels different from usual. I feel minor malfunctions.

But, that's only natural. It stands to reason.

What a stupid story.

I was walking around thinking I had revived safely, but this wasn't my body.

I'll say it again. I hate this kind of narrative trick.

In the corner of the first-floor freezer, the headless corpse was frozen solid.

"How is it?"

"No mistake."

After examining the body, I said with conviction.

"This one is my body."

This body, discovered in the lobby with Naguji's head and then transported to this freezer. That was my original body.

"They were swapped. By the Bellboy's hand. Look, here. The large cut remaining on the stomach of the torso. This is from when I was pierced by the willow-leaf saber the Bellboy used as a weapon."

"Now that you mention it, certainly, the body discovered in Room 606 was burned by flames, but there was no such stab wound."

I had assumed the stomach wound had regenerated and disappeared during the revival process, but I was wrong.

"...How could this be. To mistake your own flesh."

Lilitea was exasperated.

"Don't say it! I did think something was weird. It was strangely hard to move, and there were weird moles in embarrassing places I didn't recognize. But the body type was quite similar, so I didn't notice immediately..."

"Where are the embarrassing places?"

"A-Also, because having someone else's body and my head put together as a set has never happened before..."

"Where are the embarrassing places?"

"It doesn't matter where! To think I'd revive in such a form..."

"Even so, normally would they stick together? Would you revive? Was Sakuya-sama a subspecies of planarian or something? It is irrational."

Irrationality is old news, but even I am shocked. That I could revive stuck to another person's body.

I have learned yet another abnormality of my constitution. I'm a little depressed.

"As I thought, the Bellboy definitely killed me in the lobby. And Naguji was killed not in the lobby, but in his room, Room 606."

"The body being burned in that room was Mr. Naguji's, then."

"Yeah. The Bellboy probably thought it would be difficult to carry my body from the first floor up to the sixth."

"So he returned to Room 606 with the head severed from Sakuya-sama's body and the stripped clothes."

At first, I was suspicious as to why he went out of his way to cut off my head instead of just burning me, but it was the opposite. He didn't cut it to kill me; he had to cut it to carry it.

"Right. In Room 606 lay Naguji from the neck down. All he had to do was place my head on the bed, put my clothes on Naguji, and put Naguji's clothes on my body. With that, the exchange is complete. Of course, once the flooding around here subsides and the police arrive at the hotel, the swap would be exposed immediately by forensics."

"But until then, he could maintain the form of the mitate murder—is that it?"

Lilitea understood my thought immediately and said so. But I had a thought beyond that.

"That's right. An improvised, hastily prepared mitate murder."

"...Improvised, you say?"

Surprised that an unexpected word jumped out of my mouth, Lilitea tilted her head simply.

"Improvised. The mitate killing was just decoration to make it look terrifying and make it seem like there was consistency in the series of murders."

"You mean it was just to make the numbers match?"

"Yeah. The murder plan and the mitate... this order was also reversed. Think about it. It was a complete coincidence that I ended up staying at this hotel. It's not something the Bellboy could control. He sent the threat letter to the movie people, so my existence must have been irregular. Naturally, being seen by me in the lobby late at night was unexpected, and killing me to silence me was also unplanned."

After disposing of the detective, he must have been quite troubled about what to do.

"But at that time, the Bellboy saw that inscription in the lobby and came up with the idea of likening the two murders he had already committed to the inscription. And that simultaneously means the culprit's target isn't just Naguji."

It was precisely because he intended to continue committing the next murders that he steered toward such a troublesome idea.

If the culprit's goal was just to kill Naguji, the goal was already achieved. In that case, there was no need to liken it to a mitate murder.

"He changed the schedule in a hurry? However, how can you say that with such confidence?"

"Because I saw it. At that time, the Bellboy was placing Naguji's head on the counter very methodically. Surely, in the initial plan, he intended to place the head there to expose it. Even that would have had sufficient impact when discovered the next morning. Yet, in the end, as if he reconsidered, he forcibly shoved the head into the dragon's mouth."

It's actually quite impressive adaptability.

"That is information you could bring back precisely because you are a person who can come back to life, Sakuya-sama."

She nodded as if convinced on that point.

"By the way, there is one more point I am curious about. How did the culprit escape from the locked room of Room 606? When Amutaki-san noticed the smoke, the door was locked."

"Ah, that's simple."

"It is simple?"

Not finding it amusing that I held the initiative in deduction, Lilitea puffed out her cheeks slightly and made a dissatisfied face.

Although I said simple, if I had been there at that time, I might have been confused too. But because I could hear the story indirectly from Lilitea, I could think objectively.

"The culprit was in the room the whole time."

"If he did that, he would be found immediately... ah, that is right."

Lilitea started to object but understood immediately.

"It certainly was simple. My mistake."

"Right. When Amutaki-chan hurriedly opened the key and checked inside, the room was filled with smoke, and visibility was terribly poor. The culprit was beyond that smoke. Well, he might have been hiding under the bed or something."

"Also, normally, if one opens the door and witnesses such a state, one hesitates to enter the room. They would try to turn back and call for help first."

"Actually, Amutaki-chan left the spot to go call people. He probably escaped the room during that time."

"I understand the trick. However, what would have happened if Amutaki-san hadn't passed by at that timing? Wouldn't the culprit himself have been in danger of being engulfed by the smoke?"

"No, it's the opposite. Originally, the culprit didn't intend to create such a locked room. But because Amutaki-chan noticed the abnormality before he could leave Room 606, I think he actually panicked."

"But if smoke was leaking into the corridor, couldn't anyone have noticed it at any time, even if not Amutaki-san? It seems high risk."

"He chose a timing with low risk of discovery. Try to remember. Where were most of the people in the hotel at that time?"

"...I see. Hearing Director Torio's scream, everyone had gathered in the first-floor lobby."

"Exactly. People's eyes were concentrated there. But only Amutaki-chan leaked from there because she was inspecting for rain leaks."

This crime has many parts where the culprit is walking a tightrope. Nevertheless, he is crossing it with ad-libbing. It's impressive. Because of that, I could sense an obsession-like determination to accomplish the crime no matter what.

"Overcoming such unforeseen situations, the Bellboy re-steered toward a mitate killing. He disposed of the nuisance detective, and now it's finally time for the last spurt."

The greedy to the water's depths.

The insolent to the Tiger's claws.

At least two more people will be killed.

"We have to hurry. Um, so... I have a favor to ask Lilitea. Right now, right here."

"A favor... don't tell me, Sakuya-sama."

"Yeah, that's right."

"No... I don't want to, Sakuya."

Lilitea stepped back.

I lay down on the floor of the freezer and asked her with courage.

"Please, cut off my head and reattach it to my body!"

It was the first time in my life I had spoken such Japanese.

Perhaps because we had been in the freezer for a long time, Lilitea's lips were dyed blue. She bit those beautiful lips in frustration and glared at me.

"Kuh... to make Lilitea do such a thing of all people!"

"Please! I hate this body already!"

My true feelings finally came out.

"Yaaay, myself is the best."

Perhaps cutting and immediately reattaching was fortunate. The next revival was much faster than expected.

I hugged my own body as if savoring it after a long time.

"You saved me, Lilite... ah."

When I turned back to Lilitea in high spirits, however, she had tears in her eyes!

"Ugh... with this... Lilitea has joined the ranks of murderers... The stigma of a detective killer..."

"Th-That's an exaggeration. This is resuscitation treatment, you know? It's a medical act with consent."

"The sensation of cutting Sakuya's neck... still remains in my hands... sniff... I absolutely didn't want to do such a thing... cruel person... I hate you!"

Covering her face with both hands, she finally started crying in earnest.

"Awaaaah! Sorry! I'm sorry, Lilitea! I didn't intend to make you bear such a burden! Sorry, sorry!"

I did it!

I hurriedly rushed over and hugged Lilitea until her feet lifted off the ground, apologizing more than twenty times.

Lilitea is a strong girl.

Actually, she is strong in various meanings. Cool, flawless, and thorough.

But, no, because of that, I sometimes forget that she is a single pitiful girl and end up making her bear too much.

"Look, I'm perfectly fine now! The neck wound is already healed too!"

I clowned around with all my might. It was completely the picture of a father soothing his child.

"Maybe it's thanks to Lilitea's knife skills being so good. You're good at filleting fish too, right!"

Why is it that the more humor I layer on, the more frivolous it becomes?

Lilitea wiped her tears and looked away with a cold face.

Ah, this is not good.

When she forgives me, usually I can hear the customary line "You foolish person" after this, but right now, there is none.

I must apologize with sincerity later when the opportunity arises.

But, before that.

I slapped my own cheeks slap-slap.

"Lilitea, I'm sorry to keep asking favors, but. Could you call Zhao-san to my room? I'm in this tattered outfit, you see, so I'll go back to the room first and change."

"...Understood. However, under what pretext shall I call him?"

"Just say the detective came back to life or something."

Returning to the room, I threw off the scorched clothes and opened the trunk Lilitea had brought.

"Change of clothes, change of clothes... there."

I turned on the room's TV with the remote and rummaged through the trunk.

"This is... a toothbrush. A red one and a blue one... This is... Lilitea's spare tights. Hmm? What is this box...? Game of Life and Reincarnation? Lilitea, you brought this yourself, fully intending to play? Well, whatever. More importantly, change of clothes, change of clothes... hmm? This is... a book?"

No, that was Lilitea's diary. Ah, I really want to see inside.

"No! Only that! Ah."

In the act of shaking my head to shake off the evil thoughts, the diary slipped from my hand. Thanks to that, the pages opened on the floor.

Month X, Day Y

Today, staying out overnight with Sakuya.

Must select luggage carefully. What would be good?

Sakuya's change of clothes, Sakuya's favorite snacks—.

Also, since it's a special occasion, maybe a board game...?

Will he play with me? If I invite him naturally, it should be okay.

By the way, here is a confession—.

The water leak at the agency was actually because Lilitea got too engrossed in exterminating a rat and opened a hole in the ceiling.

I didn't mean to. I never thought the thrown knife would destroy a water pipe.

Sorry, Sakuya.

"..."

Unable to say anything, I had no choice but to close the diary.

You don't have to apologize, Lilitea. I made you cry earlier, so let's call this even.

"...It doesn't make it even at all, huh."

Finally finding a change of clothes, I put my arms through the sleeves and buttoned them one by one.

On the TV, an early morning news program was just starting.

It's already that time.

First, news of the heavy rain. Apparently, the rain in Kanto has finally weakened. That's good.

Next, news about celebrity drugs. There's a lot of that recently.

Then—news of prisoner escapes happening one after another around the world.

The program reported that prisoners involved in serious crimes were escaping one after another from secure prisons in various countries around the world. It was unbelievable news, apparently brought to light by posts on SNS by people involved.

"According to investigations, the first escape occurred last year, and it is believed that multiple prisoners have escaped to date, triggered by that event."

The beautiful female newscaster read the ominous script.

"Police in each country are currently investigating, but their whereabouts remain unknown."

The door to the room opened vigorously, and my consciousness was pulled back from the TV.

Yuriu was standing there.

"Shi... Shishou...?"

Lilitea, waiting behind her, spoke up.

"I stopped by Yuriu-sama's room on the way to call Zhao-sama. Since it was a good opportunity, I thought it would be better to let Yuriu-sama know as well."

Was it unnecessary? Lilitea looked away somewhat coldly.

"It's fine, Lilitea. Thank you."

I savored Lilitea's kindness with my back teeth.

Yuriu stared at me with a dumbfounded face, but eventually, like blood oozing late from a wound, tears gradually welled up in her eyes.

"Really... alive... Ugh... Shishou~!"

Her emotions finally bursting, Yuriu jumped at my chest.

"I thought you died~! Waaah! Because it came off... Shishou's head came off! I thought it was hopeless...! Huh? It came off, didn't it?"

"No, I was saved by a hair's breadth. Truly by the skin of my teeth."

When I unleashed a joke to try and lighten the mood, Yuriu made a face like she was thinking for a moment, then cried loudly again.

"That banter... it's the real Shishou!"

"...Sorry for making you worry."

"Really... Naguji-san ended up like that... and then Shishou died too, so I... everything went pitch black...! Ugh... Don't screw around—! Apologize—! Waaaahn!"

It seems when humans panic, words they would never normally use pop out.

But it's no wonder. Yuriu had her manager killed. I don't know what kind of relationship they had as actress and manager, but it's different from a total stranger being killed. Honestly, I didn't have a very good personal impression of Naguji, but that doesn't mean he deserved to be killed.

While enduring the pain of my chest being pounded, I looked toward the open door and saw old man Zhao and Amutaki, who seemed to have arrived late.

"I'm astounded... You, are you really alive?"

Naturally, both of them looked as if they had seen a ghost.

Sitting Yuriu, who had finally calmed down, on the bed, I approached Amutaki.

"Amutaki-chan, you followed along?"

"She was in Zhao-sama's room. When I told them the situation, she insisted..."

"I see. Well, as you can see, Amutaki-chan. You might not believe it, but I'm alive like this. Probably, when Lilitea found me, she was upset and conveyed it exaggeratedly to everyone."

"Sak-kun, real?"

"Real. Want to touch and check?"

Amutaki has a precocious personality unlike a junior high student and always makes fun of me, her elder. I thought she would surely pursue this noisily, teasing me about being a zombie or a walking corpse, but—

"Thank goodness... you're safe, really, thank goodness..."

An unexpectedly normal reaction returned. She even had tears in her eyes and directed a cherishing smile at me.

"I thought... you died..."

In the end, she wrapped her arms around my waist and even hugged me.

"Y-You worry about me normally, huh."

Too unexpected. That little devil with the abusive mouth.

However, she seemed not to understand at all why I was so surprised, and sniffled quietly.

"No... of course I'd worry. Why?"

The fact that she doesn't understand is childish and wonderful again.

No, she is a child. In the first place.

"It's nothing. You're right. If you hear an acquaintance died, normally it's like that."

"Not acquaintance, friend."

"...That's right. Sorry."

Receiving Amutaki's simple question, I recognized my own misalignment. It seems I had begun to get used to dying without realizing it myself.

It's scary, it hurts, but still, dying isn't something to make such a big fuss about. I seem to have started thinking that somewhere.

But if you think about it, for those left behind who don't know the circumstances, a person's death is a major event. It can become a lifelong scar. Anyone would be disturbed witnessing an unexpected death. They wouldn't be their usual selves. I was like that once too.

"Amutaki-chan, thank you. Can I hug you?"

"If it's Sak-kun, okay. One time, one thousand yen. You can also pay with electronic money."

"At least give me points back..."

"No."

She is very adorable when she laughs like that.

"I can't imagine how you are standing there safely, but if you say you're alive, then I guess so. I'll decide to accept reality."

Glancing sideways at the reunion ceremony, old man Zhao sat on the room's chair.

"In the past, there were many ruffians in this city who were said to be dead but came back nonchalantly later."

As expected of his magnanimity. Long live the wisdom of age.

"So? What business does the detective have with me immediately after coming back to life?"

"Yes. I have something I want to ask."

"Hoh. I thought you would say 'You are the culprit' right off the bat."

"No way. I just want to ask about the family murder case that happened at this hotel twenty years ago."

At the disturbing words that came out of my mouth, both Yuriu and Amutaki showed expressions of confusion. Old man Zhao sharpened his already sharp gaze further and glared at me.

"...Who did you hear that from?"

"I just happened to hear it. That a family was slaughtered. At that time, Zhao-san was present at the scene too, right? Like tonight."

"...I was there."

The old man looked up into the void as if recalling days gone by.

"But are you saying that has some connection to this case?"

"The culprit at that time... could it be he was called this? The Dog-headed Bellboy..."

His gaze, which had been looking up, wavered.

"Why did you think that?"

"Yesterday in the lobby, you seemed to know that name, so I thought maybe."

"...Hmph. It's unbearable to have you probing my belly when it doesn't hurt just because I hesitate to speak in this situation, so I'll tell you, but it's not a pleasant story."

"Thanks."

"It was a rainy night just like this. No one could go out, and everyone was stranded. And a family of four who had been staying here for a long time was killed one after another."

"Four people..."

It was Yuriu who leaked that unintentionally.

"What kind of people were they? It's rude to say, but for a whole family to keep staying at this hotel for a long period..."

"They were not a normal family. They were being chased. By a group from an illegitimate organization."

"The organization that apparently held sway around here at the time?"

"Seemingly so. The father made some big blunder or betrayal."

"...How were they killed?"

He made a face like You're asking that?

"I trust you because Amutaki is attached to you, but you're quite a heartless person. Hmph, it was miserable. Husband, wife, eldest son, eldest daughter. Each was chopped into mincemeat... It was just like..."

"Just like they were bitten to death by a beast with sharp fangs—is it?"

"...Yeah, that's right. Exactly. In fact, when the eldest son, the first victim, was found dead, the young second son was making a fuss like this. 'Big brother was eaten by a scary dog.' At first, I doubted my ears too but... apparently, he had witnessed the culprit for a moment..."

(T/N: Some of you might be wondering that there is something wrong with family members count. At first it's said family of four but later said there was a youngest son. Don't need to worry, it's not a TL mistake nor a mistake from the author.

“A family of four” (家族四人), which is a very common way in Japanese storytelling to avoid over-explaining at first. Only afterward does one reveal the precise breakdown and that there was actually a fifth member who was spared. Added this note not to get confused in it. )

"He saw it?"

"He saw it. That guy... had the face of a dog."

As if he had spoken of something abominable, old man Zhao turned his face away.

"That's... basically a yokai."

Amutaki's impression is quite correct.

"No, that face wasn't real. Actually, he was wearing a wolf mask procured from somewhere, hiding his true face with it. Though we found that out when he was taken away by the police."

"Ah, he was properly caught."

Even though it was a story of a case twenty years ago, Yuriu showed a relieved expression.

"Yeah. At the time, a certain detective stuck his neck into the case. He solved it thrillingly."

A certain detective...? No, surely not.

"In the end, as many as four people were sacrificed, and only the youngest child miraculously survived."

"Is that so. By the way, was that culprit a pursuer from the organization after all?"

"No, wrong. He was an unrelated, ordinary... man. But with each person he killed, he might have been possessed by something and ceased to be ordinary before anyone knew it. There was no motive. He was just a homicidal maniac."

Why it had to be that family is not something to think about here and now. It just was.

"I don't know what happened to the culprit after that. Whether he was executed or is still inside the wall. I didn't want to remember, so I didn't follow the reports. But in this city, the culprit was a topic of conversation for a while after the incident. And before long, the people of Little Kowloon secretly came to call him this. The Dog-headed Bellboy."

Speaking that in one breath, old man Zhao sighed heavily. Like a person who had put down a heavy load.

"Twenty years since then... I thought I would never hear that name again."

"Hearing that name unexpectedly during yesterday's filming preparation, you must have been very surprised."

The threat letter from the Dog-headed Bellboy that arrived for Torio.

"Yeah. For the people of the city who know those times, the Dog-headed Bellboy is a name too abominable to speak. We don't speak of it lightly to outsiders. And yet..."

The secret nickname 'Dog-headed Bellboy' was only spoken among the people of this city. Someone used it to send a threat letter to Director Torio. That tells us there is a high possibility the culprit is someone who used to live in this city.

"Shishou, does that mean the culprit this time is... a copycat of the culprit from twenty years ago?"

"Just as Yuriu-chan says. A copycat."

Looking out the window, the eastern sky was becoming faintly bright.

In the slightly distant west, the silhouette of a Ferris wheel was emerging. It belonged to an old amusement park named Mizushima Park. I have a memory of going to Mizushima Park only once when I was small and riding the Ferris wheel. Also called the Nichirin Ferris Wheel, it had been part of the city's landscape for many years.

But I hear Mizushima Park closed last year, and the Ferris wheel is scheduled to be demolished within the year.

Time passes emptily and surely. Equally for everyone.

The Dog-headed Bellboy cannot escape that flow either.

The rain had already stopped.

Soon the police will come here.

He has no time either.

At that moment, the corridor suddenly became noisy.

We looked at each other and left the room. Several filming staff members were talking in the corridor with troubled faces.

"Is something wrong?"

When I called out, a staff girl said, "He's not there."

"You know how Manager Naguji got into that terrible situation in the middle of the night? So we thought we'd visit the Director's room to confirm what to do about the remaining scheduled filming..."

"Not there? Is he walking around?"

"That's not all. I looked earlier, and Marukoshi-san from the next room wasn't there either. So now we're waking up the staff in order, planning to search..."

"Marukoshi-san too? Where did the two of them..."

As I was thinking, Yuriu raised her hand reservedly, saying "Um."

"Maybe... they went to scout the location for filming. The reason I say that is... I heard it. Late at night, when the murder case happened and it was a huge uproar... the Director muttered."

"What did he say?"

"I won't yield to this kind of obstruction. I will absolutely not stop the film... he said."

"That person... he really intends to keep filming to the end. Even in the middle of a murder case."

"The Director seems really betting on this movie... maybe he's being stubborn. Since there's only one scene left scheduled for filming at the hotel, isn't he trying to shoot it no matter what?"

"Filming in this situation... he's practically movie-crazy."

Behind me, Amutaki was appalled.

I don't know if it's right or not, but I understood it was a great obsession.

"Where is the filming location for that remaining scene?"

"Um... I think it was the top floor of the hotel. So I thought maybe the Director went to have a meeting with Marukoshi-san. You know, since it suddenly cleared up in the morning, maybe he thought to shoot before the police came..."

That reading might be unexpectedly sharp.

"Incidentally, what kind of scene is the last one to be filmed?"

"It's an action scene where the character Marukoshi-san plays jumps from the window of the top floor. Like, he protects me, breaks through the window, and bam with the culprit."

Saying that, she opened both hands in front of her face.

"And the scenario is that he falls into the pond directly below and somehow survives... Ah, of course, the stuntman does the action itself. And he doesn't actually fall, it's wire action."

"...Pond? Is there such a thing?"

After instinctively looking at Yuriu, I reconsidered and shifted my gaze to old man Zhao.

"Ah, in the backyard, there's an old pond my old man made."

"The master lives there. A turtle," Amutaki added.

"Come to think of it, he said let me use it for filming."

Pond—Water...

"That pond, don't tell me... is it on the north side?"

"You figured it out well. Sak-kun, you're like a detective."

"This is bad!"

The conditions for the mitate are complete.

I bolted toward the stairs as if flicked.

"Ah! Where are you going, Shishou!? I-I..will..too...!"

"Yuriu-chan, wait here! Lilitea! Let's hurry!"

Driving a nail into the reckless disciple trying to follow, I ran up the stairs.

Ah, as expected, my own body is easy to move.

Chapter 4: Crank Up, I Believe It's Called

When we rushed to the top floor, the scene was already set.

Not for filming. For murder.

I stood at the entrance of the corridor extending to the north.

Bear, Moose, Fox, Buffalo—

The heads of various animals adorned the walls on both sides.

At the very back were Director Torio and Marukoshi. The two were standing by the window, discussing something while looking out.

The window was open, and damp wind blew into the corridor.

They hadn't noticed us yet.

"Haa... haa... Shi-Shishou... W-Wait! I'm also... as a disciple... Hahi—!"

A little while after, Yuriu peeked her face from the stairs. Wheezing, she had followed us in the end. Even though I told her not to come. She really is a dog-like... no, a puppy-like girl.

"It can't be helped since you came. But Yuriu-chan, stay there."

"But..."

"It’s an order from Shishou."

"Wa... Wan!" (Woof!)

She finally said "Wan," this girl.

"Th-That wasn't it just now! The 'wa' from 'wakarimashita' (understood) and the 'n' from 'sonna no iya desu' (I don't want that) got mixed up!"

"How do those two conflicting things get mixed up?"

"That is the complex maiden's heart... Ugh... I'll wait here quietly..."

Without waiting for her dejected reply, I had already started heading toward them ahead. Lilitea was also following perfectly diagonally behind me.

In an instant, seeing one of them about to move to a certain action, I immediately raised my voice on the spot.

"The greedy to the water's depths—was it?"

My voice echoed in the corridor.

The Director and the actor by the window—and the stuntman Shirasagi Sho, who was standing behind the two with an innocent face—all three looked back at me simultaneously.

Upon seeing my figure alive and moving, they all raised their voices in surprise. Faces as if they had seen a ghost.

"I was talking to you."

I pointed straight at him.

"Shirasagi Sho-san. No, Dog-headed Bellboy."

Among them, Sho's face was dyed with a particularly strong color of shock.

I understand the feeling. He probably wants to say this:

Why are you alive? I definitely killed you.

So I'll say this to him.

"It's about time to crank up."

"Sakuya-sama, this catchphrase also seems very lame."

As expected, it doesn't please her.

Thinking it's difficult to satisfy Lilitea, I marched down the corridor.

"Sho-kun, what were you trying to do there just now? To me, it looked like you were trying to push Marukoshi-san out the window?"

Pursuing him, the Director and Marukoshi called out to me.

"Sa-Sakuya-kun...? Is that you, Sakuya-kun!? What on earth is this..."

"I thought... I heard you were killed... eh...?"

"Sorry, Director, and Marukoshi-san. I caused you worry, but as you can see, I'm fine. I just took a peek at hell, but in exchange, I saw the truth of the case."

"Eh...? What are you say—"

"Therefore, right now, please just watch. I have business with the stuntman there."

The distance between me and Sho cut below three meters. Still, I didn't stop my feet.

"Hey, Sho-kun. There's a pond under that window, right? Perfect for a mitate."

"Tahaha. Sakuya-kun, what are you talking about...?"

"I'm talking about the Bellboy's job."

"Or rather, didn't you... die?"

The smile vanished from his face.

"You mean 'killed', right?"

Well, no mistake I died.

"Killed... Sakuya-kun, don't tell me you're saying I'm that Dog-headed Bellboy?"

"That's right. You're the one who sent the threat letter to Director Torio, murdered Naguji-san, and attacked me."

"No... no, no, why would you say such..."

"When the fire started in Naguji-san's room, where were you?"

"Eh? Well, at that time... the lobby was in a huge uproar, so I was there with everyone..."

"Is that true? In that place chaotic with the discovery of a corpse, is there anyone who remembers exactly who was there and who wasn't? After slipping out of Room 606 under the cover of smoke, didn't you hide in your own room? Then, seeing the right moment, you stuck to Yuriu-chan and returned to Room 606 with an innocent face."

"That's... all just imagination, isn't it?"

Well, I don't expect him to admit it honestly from the start.

"For my part, I just saw the moment Sho-kun tried to push Marukoshi-san from behind, so I'm already convinced by that alone, but if that's how it is, let me verify just in case."

"Verify what..."

"Sho-kun, could you take off that jacket and show me your back?"

"Eh...?"

"I'll warn you, I don't have any special interest in your upper body."

"Take it off... what the hell is this. I don't get it. ...But conversely, if I do that, I can prove my innocence, right? Then it's a piece of cake!"

Saying that, Sho boldly took off the T-shirt he was wearing and turned his back to me. As expected of a stuntman, a toned back was revealed.

"So, what is this?"

The thing I aimed for was there.

"Sakuya, really..."

Seeing it, Lilitea sighed.

"Sho-kun, as I thought, you are undoubtedly the culprit."

"So why does it turn out like that! Are you saying it's written on my back that I'm the culprit?"

"Yeah. It is written."

"Ha...?"

Curious, Torio and Marukoshi, who were watching the situation, also gently peered at Sho's back.

"Th-This is...?"

What was on his back were scratch marks. They remained clearly, forming a pattern.

"It's the Oitsuki Sakuya Original Signature."

At a glance, just welts. It might look like nothing but strange patterns like crawling earthworms, but that is what I scratched and left there with these hands, these nails.

"On my back? No way! When!?"

"Did you forget? It was during the night when Sho-kun did terrible things to me."

"That time...! Ah!"

His reaction was, in itself, equivalent to a confession.

That time when my stomach was pierced by the willow-leaf saber and we were pressed together, I wrapped both arms around his back and struggled.

"I squeezed out my last strength and wrote it intending to die. No, practice pays off."

Original signature. Since I've practiced since elementary school, I can write it without mistake even with my eyes closed.

That was the dying message I left for the future me at the moment of death.

A mark to identify the culprit.

"I'll say it again. Sho-kun, you are the culprit."

Right after I said it, the wind blew in again, and the T-shirt fell from his hand.

"The rain stopped, and the police will be here soon. You probably wanted to finish up before that, but you can't. I won't let you."

Director Torio put his back against the wall in the corner of the corridor, keeping as much distance from Sho as possible. Marukoshi was hiding behind the Director, using him as a shield.

"Shi-Shirasagi... was it you...? The threat letter, and the killings? Why!?"

"Ah-ah."

A sigh dry like a lie. It came from Sho's mouth.

"...Come to think of it, no wonder my back felt stingy and itchy... To think you left such a mark, really... Even though I directed it so well from behind the scenes... Sakuya-kun, I want you not to drag the backstage staff into the spotlight recklessly."

With this, the deduction I constructed has hit the mark splendidly. But there is still something I just don't understand. The motive.

"What purpose did you have for doing this?"

Financial problems, love entanglement, revenge for power harassment—

However, I don't think any of those could be reasons enough to try to kill movie people in succession.

"They're dirty."

"Eh?"

"Naguji, Marukoshi, the Director... they're dirty. They aren't products. They aren't pieces. Yet everyone is 'Me, me!' 'I, I!' They only have their own satisfaction, their own praise in their heads. On top of that, they look with vulgar eyes, drooling, erection-lust fully exposed... Can I leave it to guys like this? I don't even want to let them breathe the same air. It's me. Me... Me me! Only I can capture the true beauty, the preciousness, the fleetingness, the vividness of the true soul!"

"............Sho-kun?"

I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. I see, the object of the sentence was completely missing.

"It's only meeeee!"

Screaming, he suddenly ripped a taxidermy fox head off the nearby wall and roughly pulled it over his head.

Thus, Shirasagi Sho ceased to be human and became a fox that deceives people.

He became the Dog-headed Bellboy.

Yes. Foxes are canines too.

"Is that costume your switch? To become the second generation Dog-headed Bellboy?"

At my words, the Dog-headed Bellboy stopped moving. If they weren't fake, his ears would have twitched in my direction.

"Shirasagi Sho. You knew about the family murder case that happened at this hotel twenty years ago, didn't you? More than that, you knew the culprit back then was called the Dog-headed Bellboy, and you knew what terrifying appearance he used to commit the crimes. You knew, and you're imitating it. Don't tell me you—"

I took a breath before speaking the remaining words.

"On the night of that tragedy twenty years ago, you were in this hotel, weren't you?"

His age is roughly mid-twenties. At the time of the incident, he would have been five or six.

"If I recall, the youngest child was the only one saved in that incident..."

Shing—.

A cold sound rang out, interrupting my voice.

I don't know where he was hiding it, but the Bellboy had attached something to his right arm.

It was a type of concealed weapon called a bagh nakh—tiger claws. Sharp iron claws extended in a four-pronged fork, shining dully.

He must have procured that from this hotel too.

I don't know where he hid the willow-leaf saber he used to kill me, but after that comes the claws? This man really is good at utilizing various things. He seems to have a talent for survival.

"I see. The insolent to the Tiger's claws—. It's a bit rough, but that becomes the fourth—and final murder weapon for the mitate, huh?"

He had decided to carry out the remaining two murders right here, simultaneously.

"But now that the truth has been exposed, resorting to violence won't get you anywhere. You should just give up here and... Whoa!"

While I was still talking, he suddenly slashed at me with the claws, and I instinctively threw my body backward. It was a close call.

"Th-That was danger... Guh!?"

Without a moment's pause, the Bellboy's roundhouse kick dug into my side.

There was a sound of a rather thick bone crunching. I was blown away, bounced off the wall, and rolled on the ground.

Damn it! It hurts, hurts, hurts! This is no joke. If no one were watching, I'd be screaming and crying my eyes out.

I kind of had a feeling, but it seems he has absolutely no intention of listening to my persuasion.

There is no future or past for him anymore. With his back to the wall, he intends to force through the re-killing of the detective before his eyes, and the murders of Marukoshi and Torio. Is it an act of desperation, or an act of conviction?

I could read nothing more from Sho, who wore the face of a beast.

"Shishou!"

"Yuriu-cha... Don't come closer! Stay back..."

I stopped the pale Yuriu with my hand. Immediately after, I vomited a massive amount of blood from my mouth. The broken rib must have pierced a lung or something.

Come to think of it, that phenomenal physical ability and combat capability make sense if he's a stuntman.

To add a follow-up attack to me as I lay prone, the Bellboy leaped high from a cartwheel, thrusting the claws toward my throat from directly above.

"Ugh...!"

Now that it's come to this, deductions, insight, tricks, and alibis mean nothing.

I just have to do my best not to get killed.

That's all, but—now that the tip of the weapon is coming for me in mere split seconds, there's no way to 'do my best.'

"In that case!"

So I stopped trying to do my best and decided to use my body as a decoy, just like last night. I'll dare to let the claws bite into my body to stop his movement. That's the only way.

"I will not let you do that."

However, thanks to a person who cut in, my fate was overturned in a split second.

Lilitea had already jumped. She leaped to the same height as the Bellboy, and as if returning exactly what the opponent had done, she delivered a sharp kick to his flank.

Due to the leg technique carrying her full weight, the Bellboy's body was blown sideways and crashed through the door of Room 923.

Lilitea landed amidst the dancing dust. Her skirt fell softly a moment later. The morning sun illuminated her pitifully.

"You are careless, Sakuya-sama."

"Action isn't my forte. Anyway... you saved me, Lilitea."

I acted tough, but a bitter cough leaked out.

"No. The saving happens from now. I must make this undisciplined dog understand."

Lilitea stood before me as I finally stood up, speaking in a voice lower than usual.

"Li-Lilitea... are you angry?"

"I am not angry, but the fact that he murdered Sakuya-sama, utilized your remains as a prop for a mitate killing, and then attempted to kill you again right in front of my eyes has made me a little Irritated Wrath x 2."

I think people call that being angry.

By the way, isn't the anger directed at me? I started to ask, but stopped.

The Dog-headed Bellboy is likely strong. No, he is actually strong. I have experienced firsthand that he seems to excel in some kind of martial arts.

But if that's the case, Lilitea won't lose. Not in that arena.

I blinked once. Sewing through that gap, the claws tore through the dust and attacked Lilitea.

The mercilessly sharp tips of the claws, however, only cut the empty air.

Lilitea was no longer there.

The Bellboy's body shook, and a groan rose.

She had dropped her stance low, unleashed her right leg with the momentum of a half-spin, and it had already magnificently hit the opponent's temple.

It was a roundhouse kick that made one sigh.

"That was a Meia Lua de Compasso."

"Meia... I see! You're cool, Lilitea!"

She dutifully taught me the technique name, but I doubt I'll remember it in this life.

I thought the match was decided, but the Bellboy was tough as a monster. While staggering somewhat, he swung the claws left and right and attacked Lilitea.

Lilitea dodged them with light steps.

My way like a butterfly, wander like a bee—was that my old man's saying? Lilitea was exactly that; she wouldn't let him catch her easily.

But at that moment, the Bellboy's aim shifted to something else. Ignoring Lilitea who had taken distance, he started running furiously toward the stairs.

"He intends to escape...!? No, that way is bad!"

The corridor was a single path. At the end of it—was Yuriu.

Cornered and frenzied, there's no telling what the Bellboy might do. Sure enough, when he noticed Yuriu's figure, he blatantly showed a reaction toward her.

I started running in a panic.

"Ah...!"

Yuriu backed away, looking too frightened to speak. The Bellboy's hand was about to reach her.

I won't make it!

"Huh? Isn't that Sak-kun. What's this? What's the story?"

Just one centimeter from Yuriu, the Bellboy's hand stopped.

The hand of a man who suddenly appeared slimily from behind Yuriu had firmly caught the Bellboy's dangerous arm.

"Is this person the wolf you were looking for last night? He looks more like a fox, though."

That man, the manga artist Kanashino Nakiyu, spoke nonchalantly with his stooped back.

"Ka-Kanashino-san!? Why are you here..."

"Eh? I heard a noise, so I wondered what it was. My room is right there."

This is the top floor. Come to think of it, this is the floor he's staying on.

"Kanashino-san, that guy is dangerous! Get away!"

Now the unrelated Kanashino is in danger. The frenzied Bellboy has a bestial nature that could indiscriminately attack anyone in his way.

He'll bite through the manga artist's thin arm in an instant and try to escape.

"...Guh!?"

That's what I thought, but for some reason, the Bellboy visibly stiffened his body, gave a single groan, shook off Kanashino's hand, and took distance.

I didn't understand what was happening. But I didn't have time to think.

Taking advantage of the Bellboy freezing, I tackled his body.

I caught him. Now that it's come to this, I won't let go. No matter how much I get scratched by the claws, I won't let him escape.

"Lily!"

I shouted frantically.

"Lilitea is here."

When I looked up, she was already on the Bellboy's shoulders.

She was sandwiching the Bellboy's beast face with both knees.

"With this, it is crank up, as they say."

Her dazzling thighs sprang into action.

Adding a twist with her whole body, Lilitea slammed the opponent headfirst into the ground.

A tremendous sound. I felt like the entire hotel shook.

The Dog-headed Bellboy threw out his limbs on the spot and stopped moving.

Match over.

"Nice, Lilitea. By the way, didn't you say my catchphrase was lame?"

"...It was a slip of the tongue."

"Yes, yes."

Turning around while suppressing my laughter, my eyes met Yuriu's. She didn't seem to be injured.

"Shishou~!"

Catching Yuriu's body as she jumped at me, I looked toward the stairs and saw Manzorogi finally arriving along with the film crew.

"Secure him! Secure the culprit!"

□

The second generation Dog-headed Bellboy, alias Shirasagi Sho, was secured and taken away by the police who rushed to the scene.

"Whhhhyyy! You! Didn't you send the message only to meee! You were my Tennyo! That's why I did it for youuu! Notice meee! Come here and hug meeee!"

He was screaming that until the moment he was taken out of the hotel. The identity of the "You" (Kimi) he spoke of was revealed later.

A small handheld camera was found among Shirasagi Sho's belongings. A lot of footage remained on it.

It appeared to be a record of the movie filming scenery.

Why do I say "appeared to be"? Because what the camera actually captured was always only a single person.

Haigamine Yuriu.

She was always in the center of the screen. The camera chased only her. As if to say everything else was worthless, and all that existed in this world was his own gaze through the camera and Yuriu.

And the camera filming that footage kept rolling even when Naguji's corpse was discovered, and even when my corpse was discovered in Room 606.

A face distorted with fear seeing Naguji's exposed head—.

The series of expressions from being dazed upon learning Oitsuki Sakuya was murdered, to eventually breaking down in tears—.

Shirasagi Sho had been filming Haigamine Yuriu quietly, secretly, and vividly so that no one would notice.

He had arbitrarily cast Haigamine Yuriu as the lead in his own twisted work.

The rotten manager who treated Haigamine Yuriu like a product.

The unlikable actor who got close to Haigamine Yuriu.

The washed-up film director who didn't understand the correct way to film Haigamine Yuriu at all.

Shirasagi Sho became the Dog-headed Bellboy to devour and eliminate the supporting cast around her that he didn't like.

The phrase Roll the film in the threat letter might have been words he said to persuade himself.

"Twenty years ago, on the night his family was killed one after another by the Dog-headed Bellboy, he might have lost something. Only one life was saved, but surely a beast took up residence in that lacking part before he knew it."

Finally released from questioning at the hotel, I was packing my bags in the room.

Lilitea, who had already finished packing for checkout, was standing with good posture in front of the door waiting for me.

"He tried to become the very object of his fear, his past trauma, didn't he?"

If you are afraid of the dark, become the darkness. If you are afraid of the beast, become the beast.

"Growing up like that, the one he unilaterally depended on was Yuriu-chan."

Shirasagi Sho's abnormal obsession with Yuriu. Naturally, the police asked Yuriu about it.

Whether there was any personal connection with Shirasagi Sho, or some special event in the past that triggered his desire.

However, Yuriu, when asked, only answered with an anxious face:

"No. Maybe at my first job after debut... I might have seen him once at a different site a long time ago, but I've never spoken to that person... not even once."

There was no event. Yuriu had no reason or idea why.

Even so, Shirasagi Sho had let the ideal woman live and grow inside his delusions, inside his empty heart.

That obsession grew too much, swelled up, and burst.

"Well, I didn't hear it from him personally, so it's all my imagination."

"The culprit has been caught. prying any further is outside a detective's jurisdiction."

"Right. Let's say this is good enough for this time."

"I will not."

"Eh!?"

Receiving an objection from an unexpected place, my hands packing the luggage stopped.

Lilitea was glaring at me with a dissatisfied face.

"What's wrong...?"

"Listen, I've been thinking of saying this for a while."

"Wh-What? Your language is slightly rough, though."

"Sakuya, please value your own life a little more."

Being told something I hadn't expected, I blinked my eyes.

"By life... Ah, of course, that's more important than anything. I know that."

"You do not understand at all. You're thinking this anyway, aren't you? Ah, I was killed again. But it's fine. I'll come back to life later anyway."

"I don't think like that. Being killed is truly painful enough to die."

"But, you come back to life."

"That is true, but... um, are we done with keigo?"

"Shut up."

When I tried to return a lighthearted quip, she skillfully swept my legs and pushed me backward with a thud.

I easily collapsed onto the bed.

Lilitea straddled my body and looked down at me.

"H-Hey... Lilitea? I said don't be angry."

"What do you intend to do if you don't come back to life? There might not be a next time. No, that is normal. Life is only once. That is how it should be. So don't throw it away easily. Don't consume it. Don't waste it."

"That is... quite correct, but..."

"Otherwise, no matter how much Lilitea tries to protect you, there's no end to it. Someday, I won't be able to protect you fully."

"Lilitea..."

Her expression looking down at me wasn't angry at all. She was just genuinely worried, concerned for my safety, and a little sulky.

"And yet, making Lilitea cut your neck with her own hands... you do things like that."

"Sorry! I'm really sorry about that!"

As I thought. She is still firmly angry about the freezer incident.

"I got it. Given the nature of the job, I can't make promises, but I will value my life. So as not to cause trouble for Lilitea too."

Originally, I'm the type to handle life carefully. I don't force my way across blinking traffic lights, I stand properly behind the white line, and I worry about sleeping with my head to the north.

"It's not... about trouble."

Lilitea placed her hands beside my face and peered down from directly above. Her delicate hair tickled my cheek.

"Hey, Sakuya. You... get killed again and again... suffer, and yet why do you still not quit being a detective? Why did you think to continue that agency? If you hate dying, you could forget everything and live normally."

"That's because that place is our home."

I didn't need time to return an answer.

"Look, we don't know when Mom and Dad will come back, right? But if I let go of that place, there won't be a place to gather. That's why I protect it. Because a family needs a place to come back to."

Lilitea narrowed her eyes as if savoring my answer carefully.

"Our home, is it. ...I don't have such a place anymore, so I'm somewhat envious."

"Haa? What are you talking about?"

Astounded, I sandwiched her cheeks with both hands from below and peered into her eyes.

Then I said the obvious thing.

"That place is already Lilitea's home, isn't it?"

"Ngyu..."

Lilitea groaned like a small animal.

"Eh, what's that reaction?"

I thought I might hear a slightly more touching word of thanks.

"You are... always like that, it's unfair."

Lilitea hit my chest twice, three times in succession.

"Umm... Shishou-."

Then, suddenly Yuriu's voice came. Turning only my face that way while remaining supine, she was standing in the doorway. She looked somewhat awkward, or rather, she was pouting.

In that instant, Lilitea separated from me with a magnificent front flip and sat in seiza at the corner of the bed.

Wow, amazing movement.

"I was finally released by the police people too-, so I'm going home for now-, sorry for disturbing you-."

"I-Is that so? Be careful going home. ...But what's wrong? Why the blunt attitude...? It's not like Yuriu-chan."

"Eh-, I'm always mostly like this though-? Shishou seems busy being lovey-dovey with Lilitea-san so- I'm going now-. Thanks-."

"Eh? Eh? No, wait..."

Since when had we been witnessed? I'm curious, but I'm too embarrassed to ask.

While I was flustered, Yuriu burst out laughing pu-! and showed her usual smile.

"Ahyahya! I'm joking. Joking! Um, this time... or rather, this time too. Ehehe... I got saved by you again. Shishou is amazing after all."

"I don't feel like I was able to save you much, though. But Yuriu-chan, calling me Shishou is already..."

"No."

"Eh."

"No. Various things happened, but the Director is still fully intending to film the movie to the end and complete it. There are still location shoots left in places other than the hotel."

"Torio-san is a man of tenacity too... Well, for Yuriu-chan's sake, I'll pray it doesn't get shelved."

"Yes! If that happens, a sequel is possible. In other words, my character building as a detective continues from here on. So Shishou is my Shishou from here on too! Please look after your disciple in the future as well! Wan wan!"

"Why did you bark at the end!?"

"Eh? When I mistakenly said 'wan' earlier, Shishou looked happy, so I thought maybe you liked this? Wan!"

"I didn't look happy! I don't have that hobby!"

Please don't arbitrarily turn people into perverts.

"Is that so~? Ehehe."

"What are you grinning for?"

"I just thought, being with Shishou is fun after all."

Yuriu smiled skillfully while moving her lips as if tasting something sweet and sour.

"Well then, this time for real, excuse me. Ah, right right! When the movie is complete, I'll invite you, so please definitely come to the preview screening too!"

Saying what she wanted to say, Yuriu said "See you later!" and left like the wind.

"Despite such an incident, Yuriu-chan is energetic. ...Now then."

I twisted my upper body left and right to check the condition of my body. It's in good shape. It helps that recovery is fast.

"Lilitea. Shall we go home too?"

"Yes. Sakuya-sama."

Holding our luggage, we left the room.

"When we get back, first is organizing the documents ruined by the water. It was flooded, after all-."

"That is, true. ...So um, Sakuya, about that water leak... actually Lilitea..."

"Right, right, Lilitea. When the organizing is done and we settle down, want to play a game for the first time in a while?"

"...Game?"

"You know, we couldn't do it together yesterday in the end. The Game of Life and Reincarnation."

"...Ahem. Sakuya-sama is a child. Since it cannot be helped, I will keep you company."

"I won't lose."

"Fufu. You foolish person."

My excellent assistant showed a slightly troubled, yet exquisite smile.

"Yup. A fool isn't cured even by death."

Kaori TL

[ENG] Killed Again, Mr. Detective Volume 1 Chapter 3

Case Three | The Kowloon's Hotel Murderer

Chapter 1: It's Definitely Embarrassing

Chapter 2: You Must Not Pull on the Skirt

Chapter 3: It Came Off, Didn't It?

Chapter 4: Crank Up, I Believe It's Called

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[ENG] Killed Again, Mr. Detective Volume 1 Chapter 3

Case Three | The Kowloon's Hotel Murderer

Chapter 1: It's Definitely Embarrassing

Chapter 2: You Must Not Pull on the Skirt

Chapter 3: It Came Off, Didn't It?

Chapter 4: Crank Up, I Believe It's Called

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