Vol. 3 Chapter 1.5

Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny

The Third day of imprisonment for the girls’ track and field. Trap

Night has fallen.

The field investigation, which had continued through the night, had so far yielded no positive results.

It’s no wonder, because without knowing about master’s 『Room』 , there’s no way they could have known how did the eighteen schoolgirls was kidnap. There is no way that a haphazard investigation will yield any results, but even so, many investigators, including myself, have continued to solemnly examine the scene of the crime after only a short nap. It was really painful to have to seriously tackle something that I knew was meaningless.

As I was walking down the corridor towards the headmaster’s office with this in mind, I was stopped in my tracks by someone calling out to me from behind. I turn around and there he is, Inspector Nakamura – my fiancée.

“What is it? Inspector.”

When I reply, he smiles bitterly.

“When it’s just the two of us, we don’t have to use our job title, Ryoko-san. It’s a bit private. Right now I’m staying at a hotel by the station, but……this case seems like it’s going to drag on. I thought it would be better if I commuted from my apartment too.”

Indeed, the apartment I now live in was purchased by this man as my new home after marriage. Of course, the name also belongs to this man.

“Can I come over there tonight?”

Not long ago, I would have been delighted. I might have immediately thought of a menu in my head to serve a home-cooked meal to the man I love. But I don’t think so anymore.

“I’m sorry, Takehiko-san……. I’m actually protecting the returned person in this case – Misuzu Kurosawa-san……”

I explained the situation surrounding her house and told him that I had no choice but to protect her as an emergency evacuation.

Then he chuckled.

“I see, I can’t just barge into an apartment with a high school girl, can I?”

He scratched his head.

“I’m sorry. I’ve done something rash……”

“It’s okay. I’m rather proud that the person who is going to be my wife is such a kind person.”

Then he gently took my hand.

I pretend to be embarrassed, passing over the feeling of disgust that creeps up my spine. It’s annoying to be touched by a man who isn’t my master, but this is where I have to be patient.

I force down the discomfort that is about to appear on my face and almost as soon as I smile, I see a uniformed policeman come running from across the corridor, flapping his slippers and clapping his hands.

“Inspector! Inspector Nakamura!”

“What is it?”

Inspector Nakamura hurriedly let go of my hand when he was called out. The uniformed police officer rushed to his side and as he caught his breath.

“Just now, a female student came forward to tell us that she witnessed something that may be related to the incident……”

“Apart from the two girls from the girls’ track team?”

The two remaining members of the track team – Teruya Hikari and Ninagawa Rimi are asked to come to the school for questioning but that was during the afternoon. It is now half past eight in the morning.

“Yes, She’s a first-year student at this school called Fukuda Rin.”

“I see. …… I’ll be right there.”

“Inspector Nakamura, if it’s a female student, it would be better if I were present too.”

“That’s true. There may be some things that are difficult to talk about unless it’s between women, could you do that for me?”

“Yes, of course.”

There is a reason why I asked to be present. I knew the surname Fukuda.

I remember that the student who confessed her feelings to Master and was rejected by him had that name.

I had a slightly bad premonition.

×××

“Fukuda-san. I’m surprised you had the courage to come forward.”

“Yes…..I was scared, but I have a friend among the missing children,…… so I thought I could be of some help….”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, it’s Inui Inui-san from the same class…….”

While waiting for the detective to come to the headmaster’s office, I was having such a conversation with the headmaster.

It is true that  I am worried about Mako, but it is not for her that I’m going to the trouble of trying to testify to the police.

In fact, the content of the story is not very important and the only purpose is that I wanted to give a testimony to the police and make the police turn their heads at that disgusting man.

[She means Fumio.]

There is a knock on the headmaster’s door and three people enter.

“Thank you very much for your patience.”

A man with slender silver-rimmed glasses and a woman with a wavy short-cut sat on the sofa opposite and the uniformed officer stood behind them.

The man with silver-rimmed glasses was the first to open his mouth.

“Please make yourself comfortable. Although, being a detective could frighten anyone, but I’ll never shout at you.”

“Ye, yes.”

I’m nervous to be told that. I am the only student among the adults. And although the man is smiling kindly, the woman is staring at me with a stern, observant look in her eyes.

“So, may I ask your name again?”

“Yes. I’m Fukuda Rin from Year 1, Class C.”

“So, what did you see?”

“I don’t know if it’s really related to that…..but…”

“It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter how trivial it is.”

Yes, the day before yesterday, after the sixth period, I went to the club building with Mako…. I mean, Masako Inui-san from the track & field club.”

“Hou……with the victim.”

The male detective and the female detective look at each other and nod to each other. Perhaps they confirmed that 『Inui Masako』 was definitely one of the missing persons.

“Yes. But I’m the manager of the boys’ football club, so we parted ways near the women’s club building and Inui-san joined her seniors who were walking in front of us. After that, they went into the girls’ track and field club room together”

“You saw them enter the clubroom?”

“Yes.”

“I see…….Do you know the name of the senior who entered the clubroom with Inui-san?”

“Sorry. I don’t know.”

“It’s okay. Please continue.”

“Yes, so I think it was right after I parted with Inui-san. I saw a figure quickly hiding behind the women’s club building. It was a spur-of-the-moment thing, so I couldn’t tell for sure, but to my eyes, it looked like Kijima-senpai, a third-year student”

At that moment, I felt as if the female detective was glaring at me.

“Hiii!?”

“Is something wrong?”

“No, no, that detective’s eyes are a bit……uh, scary.”

“I’m sorry. I seem to have gotten carried away.”

The woman detective said so, and the man detective mended it with a wry smile.

“She’s a very serious person, so don’t worry about…… her. So, is that figure Kijima……-kun? How did you know it was him if you couldn’t tell for sure?”

“Actually, I……love Kijima-senpai. It’s a senior I’m interested in, so I’ve always followed him with my eyes, but the body shape and movements of that hidden figure were definitely Kijima-senpai.”

“I see…… that Kijima-kun, is he in the sports club?”

“No, he’s not in any club activities. So I was wondering why he was in such a place”

The woman detective then opened her mouth as if she was biting the edge of my words.

“Was it really Kijima? You wondered but you didn’t check properly?”

I knew it, she is a bit scary. Her temples seem to be twitching.

“Um…. it was close to the start of club activities.”

The woman was about to say something more, but the man interrupted her.

“I see, thank you very much. Is there anything else?”

“No, just this one.”

“Okay. Thank you for your cooperation. I’m sorry to trouble you, but I’d like to leave you a written statement of what you’ve just told us. Are you sure you have time for this?”

“Yes…..I have no other plans today.”

“Okay, you take care of the rest.”

“Ha!”

After giving instructions to the uniformed officer standing behind them, the two detectives left the headmaster’s office.

×××

“What do you think about what she just said…Ryoko?”

Inspector Nakamura asked me as soon as we left the headmaster’s office.

“The only positive thing that came out of it was that we were able to confirm that the victims had stopped by the clubroom.”

“Yes. That would be important. When Ninagawa-san went to the clubroom, it was 『locked』, that’s what he testified. In other words, assuming that there are no lies or factual errors in the story so far, it would be safe to assume that the members of the club who disappeared had once entered the clubroom and then deliberately locked the door before leaving.”

“You don’t think they were forcibly removed?”

“At least not at the point where the victims were leaving the clubroom.”

In the first place, it is not the clubroom that the track and field team members entered, but master’s disguised clubroom, so it is only natural that the clubroom remains locked. In the first place, they never did not enter the clubroom, let alone leave it.

But I should take advantage of this story. If this story goes on, I may be able to keep Inspector Nakamura’s eyes away from master.

“So, someone must have led them……It makes sense to think that way, doesn’t it?”

Inspector Nakamura nodded broadly.

“And there are no signs of a struggle inside or outside the clubroom. The question is who led them where? Ryoko-san, are you acquainted with the boy named Kijima mentioned in the story?”

“Yes, we have interviewed him before. but …… frankly, I don’t think he had anything to do with it. He is despised by other students who talk about him as a kimo-jima and he is below the average person in terms of both physical and mental fitness. Detective Inomoto described him as a typical bullied kid. I find it hard to believe that the schoolgirls would like him”

“I see……”

I felt as if I were coughing up blood as I sneered at Master.

Even though it is to protect master, this must be reported to him and I must be punished. I must be thoroughly chastised for this……

“Ryoko-san…..your face looks very red, are you alright?”

“Eh? No, no problem at all!”

I feign a little bit and open my mouth.

“In any case, if they were led somewhere by someone, the person who led them there is someone they should follow”

“Well, that’s just an assumption at this point, but…… yes. Anyway, I would like to talk to the boy named Kijima”

“Eh? I don’t think he’s involved……?”

“Yes, of course he is. At the very least, it’s not something that the boy can do on his own, and if he can’t play a role in guiding the members of the club, he should be considered irrelevant to the matter”

“Then……”

“But if he was near the club room, as Fukuda-said said, he might have witnessed something. Whether or not he was actually there is not something that can be hidden if we investigate on that premise”

His conclusion was perfectly legitimate. So, if I resist any longer, I might end up instilling distrust in him.

“I understand. I’ll try to get in touch with him since I have his contact information from the previous interview”

He must be happy that there was progress in the investigation.[Please do]  He nodded his head in satisfaction.

×××

“Fumio! Get up! Fumio!”

I hear my mother’s voice coming from downstairs.

I turn my sleepy eyes to the digital clock on my bedside table and see that it’s just past nine o’clock.

‘When was the last time I woke up and no one was sleeping next to me?’

With this thought in mind, I crept out of bed and down the stairs, yawning as I walked to the dining room table.

Mom peeks out from the counter kitchen and says in a disgruntled voice, [You should at least make your own coffee,]  but, well, that’s it.

“Two sugars, please.”

“Nnmooー, then, do you want a fried egg?　One eye? Both eyes?

“Both eyes.”

“Then both eyes, right?”

“Yes, Ogibo-sama”

[Mother in law]

Now, because of the temporary school closure, I’ve got a lot of free time.

“What shall I do……I’m bored today.”

Masaki is told that she will be receiving acting instruction from Lili all day today in preparation for her contact with the girls’ track and field team. Ryoko, of course, has her hands full with the investigation.

Who’s fault is it that I don’t have anyone to play with, but of course it’s my fault.

‘Speaking of which, I wonder how Kurosawa-san is doing?　I don’t think she’d be wandering around in this situation, but I wonder if she’s meeting with Kasuya-kun…..which makes me feel somewhat …… moyamoya’

[TL:feeling depressed]

While I was thinking about this, toast, salad, fried eggs and coffee were laid out on the table.

“Here you go.”

“Yes…… thank yo, uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!?”

At that moment when I looked up, I was startled.

The very first thing I saw was Fujiwara-san there, in black-haired lady mode, smiling at me in her apron.

“AraAra,  Fumio, you’re speaking so loudly.”

“W-what are you doing here, Fujiwara-san?!”

“Ufufu. It’s my day off, so I’ve come to take care of Fumio-sama as well as train myself as a bride”

Then, from the other side of the counter kitchen, my mother shouted with great joy.

“Mai-san, you’re amazing. You’re a better cook than Mom. Why would such a good girl go out with Fumio? She ranks among the Seven Wonders of the World.”

“The Seven Wonders ain’t a ranking.”

I know that’s not the point. I regained my composure and turned my head towards Fujiwara-san.

“I, I’m busy today. I’m sorry I can’t be together with you…… Go home!”

“AreAreーAlthough, you’ve said [What should I do today? ……I’m bored] earlier. Also, you don’t have a friend too, Fumio-sama. But, it’s fine now. Let’s have a relaxing date in your room”

Although her tone of voice is polite, she is still  Fujiwara-san. She was aggressive as usual.

At that moment, I heard a rattling ring from my room on the second floor.

‘Phone call? Who is it?’

I don’t remember anyone calling me other than my family. But the timing is a blessing.

“My phone’s ringing!”

I got out of my seat in a hurry and ran up the stairs to escape.

×××

After I left Inspector Nakamura, I holed myself up in a private room in the women’s toilet and tapped the string 『MASTER』 .The reason why the registered name is not 『Goshujin-sama』 is so that, in case someone sees me, I can excuse that I am the master of my favourite bar.

One or two calls ring in my ears, and after waiting for awhile, master answers the phone.

“Nice timing. Ryoko. Wonderful.”

Master answered the phone and suddenly praised me. I don’t know what it means, but I got wet anyway.

“Wh, what is it?”

“No, I’m sorry. I was just talking about this. What’s more, what’s wrong?”

When I reported to him about Rin Fukuda’s tip-off and told him that I would like him to come to the school in the afternoon, there was a distinctly unpleasant emotion in the Master’s voice.

“I’m sure she’s watching me…….”

Certainly, it would be impossible for her to know that Master in that place just by guesswork. The question is, to what extent was Master being seen?

“At the moment, the master is not under suspicion, but at the interview he will be asked two questions: 『Why was he there?』 and 『Did he witness anything?』”

“What about denying I was there?”

“I think it would be a good idea……”

“I see, well done for letting us know. Keep me posted.”

“I’ll leave it to you.”

‘Aaa, now I am at the service of Master…..’

After hanging up the phone, I stayed on and enjoyed the lingering sound of the Master’s voice for a while.

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