Chapter 3[แก้ไข]
Part 1[แก้ไข]
ー[Kouen, City of Brilliant Flames], North Side’s Workroom District.
The scene where the “Kamikakushi” occurred was swarming with people.
Located at a certain guest room of a certain Inn along the Workroom District it was in a building that loaned workrooms to outsiders[1].
The military police squads have locked down the brick-paved streets while Mandra, advisor of [Salamandra], stood at the front shouting commands.
And he gave both a frown and a sigh, upon catching sight of Izayoi’s figure making his way through the crowd.
“……What are you here for? There’s nothing here to give you the entertainment you seek.”
“That’s not true. I definitely see entertainment here. Didn’t a “Kamikakushi” just occur?”
Izayoi laughed heartily while crossing over the railing that was used to block off the area.
The expressions of the military police squad had already been set in a grimace in annoyance but none of them went to stop him.
They had already had a taste of Izayoi’s strength for the past few days and it had long passed the point of annoyance and a sickening repetition to them. Even if they seized him now, the retaliation would be far worse.
“Well then, have you guys found clues on the criminal?”
“No. It has been carried out in the same method but there is still no headway on the criminal’s identity.”
“……same method? You mean to say that this “Kamikakushi” has been a serial crime?”
“Oh right. I can bring you along if you want to see the scene of the crime, but just make sure not to mess up anything.”
Mandra, who had slowly learnt the approach to deal with Izayoi, opened the door to the Inn for the both of them.
Although it was the scene of the crime, the interior of the Inn looked perfectly fine and not a trace of struggle could be seen, retaining the look of a normal Inn[2] on a normal day.
Upon reaching the third story of the Inn, Mandra stopped in his tracks before a room,
“And this room is the scene of the ‘Kamikakushi’”, opening the door to enter with Izayoi trailing after him.
Sure enough, the interior of the room was just as orderly as the rest of the items in the building, having left no traces of struggle, but a trace of life could still be felt lingering in the room marking the recent presence of its original owner.
The overly calm atmosphere of the place made it difficult to believe that this was the scene of a kidnap.
“……”
With exception for the characters of “混”[3] and a message on an arrow.
“ ‘游手好闲’[4]…… and the character of “混”. Those are Chinese characters right?”
“Ah yes, or it might also be the name of the technique or some sort of message. But whatever it might be for, similar characters had also been found at the scenes of the other two previous cases. Hence we think that it might be the doings of the same spell master.”
“Oh? And what were the others?”
Izayoi’s eyes started to light up with curiosity.
According to Mandra, the series of ‘Kamikakushi’ had three lines of written characters that looked like Chinese characters.
游手好闲
虚度光阴
一事无成 [5]
And those were the three lines left at the scenes.
Izayoi slowly chewed on those lines in his mind while frowning.
“……are those the only clues?”
“This is the third person to be kidnapped."
“Oh…… Then is there a similarity in the victims?”
“Well, nothing much is special about them……No, wait, there’s one. The victims to disappear are all young children.”
Hearing Mandra’s casual way of saying it, Izayoi clicked his tongue in irritation.
“……that really is an annoying criminal.”
“Oh? That touched your heartstrings?”
“Yes, it did. Actually, it’s not just a touch but the feeling is more of bringing a saw to the strings itself.”
Though it was said in a joking manner, but the tone of his words had carried an obvious pulse of anger.
Initially just taking interest in the business of ‘Kamikakushi’, Izayoi was now filled with hostility towards the criminal.
Taken aback by the sudden change in demeanor, Mandra asked casually:
“Though it might be a little presumptuous of me, but I never expected you to be the kind to be interested with this sort of things.”
“You are right about that. It’s not my style to impose my feelings of sympathy or judge them to be good or badーBut, even if it’s me, I also have a line that cannot be crossed as well. And this fellow has just broken my first rule. Do you expect me to just stand-by and watch now?”
Izayoi’s words had made clear his stand on the matterーno matter what price it took, Izayoi would want to use his own two hands to bring judgment upon the criminal.
And that made Mandra’s surprise grow even more.
“……the rule that you talk about… Does it refer to the targeting of children?”
“Nope. I’ve always lived with this one rule; A strong power should only be used against a strong opponent.”
A sharp gaze made his eyes glint dangerously as he said his own unwritten rule that was strongly rooted in his heart.
Be it their physical bodies or their mentality, children were unquestionably the weaker group in society.
And it was precisely so that Izayoi could not forgive those people who are stronger for lifting a hand against children.
For Izayoi who was born with an absolute power from the very first day, this was one iron-clad rule to him. And his gaze was one that dared anyone around him to oppose.