3
Yuma took a sip of hot black coffee. The deep bitterness and bracing acidity spread through his mouth, and a mellow aroma reached his nose. Feeling the hot liquid run down his esophagus into his stomach, Yuma took a deep breath and swiveled his eyes around him.
About thirty minutes had passed since they'd returned from the parking lot. Everyone in the tower was gathered around the sofa set next to the fireplace in the game room. Cups of coffee and sandwiches on plates sat on a low table. But nobody had much of an appetite, so the meals that Sakaizumi had prepared for them sat untouched. The only sound that filled the cold, spacious game room was the occasional slurp of coffee.
“For now,” Kuruma broke the heavy silence, “let's discuss our next move.”
“You mean how we'll get down the mountain and call for help?”
Yumeyomi, having returned to the Seventh room and changed from her nightgown into her dress, spoke up. Her coffee, which had been given plenty of milk and sugar, slightly overflowed from her cup, staining her pink dress.
“That's probably not possible. Tomoe, there aren't any means left of contacting the town at the base of the mountain, are there?”
Madoka, still holding the coffee pot, quietly responded
“No, there aren't.”
“In that case, we can't call for help. A car with flat tires can't drive on that snowy road, and it would be even harder to get down this mountain on foot.”
“Then what can we do? Two people have already been killed!”
“The police will be here the evening of the day after tomorrow. We have no choice but to wait until then.”
“Wait!? You want me to stay here two more days? In a tower with two corpses? Oh, this is terrible. I've had a bad feeling about this place from the start. There has been an ominous aura surrounding us since last night. This Tower is cursed!”
As Yumeyomi hysterically rambled on, Kagami, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, gave a derisive snort.
“Well if you think it's so bad, what are you going to do about it? If you want to risk it, go ahead, I won't stop you. Who knows? Maybe someone with as much extra padding as you will be able to make it down without freezing.”
“What did you say!?” Yumeyomi exclaimed, standing up from the sofa. Sakyo hurriedly got between them.
“Calm down, you two. This is no time to fight.”
Glaring at Kagami, Yumeyomi roughly tousled her dyed pink hair.
“Why did they need to trap us here? If they killed someone, they should have just run away.”
“I'm sure that isn't it. The culprit is just delaying the police's investigation.”
Sakaizumi tried to placate Yumeyomi. At that moment, Tsukiyo, the only person leisurely munching on a sandwich, interjected “I don't think that's right.”
“If the culprit cut the phone lines and disabled all our cars to delay the police, it would make sense for them to have already fled. But nobody's missing.”
“The culprit was hiding inside the Tower beforehand. They killed Mr. Kozushima and Mr. Oita, then ran away.”
“No, that isn't it either. If the culprit had escaped, they would have left some trace. But there are no footprints or tire tracks anywhere in the snow around the Tower. The culprit is still inside the Tower.”
“You mean the one who killed the master and Mr. Oita is still hiding somewhere?”
Madoka's voice was as thin as a mosquito's buzz.
“I can't deny the possibility, but I think it's simpler than that.”
Tsukiyo took a pause and pompously raised her index finger.
“The culprit is someone in this room.”
The air began to vibrate. “That isn't possible...” Sakaizumi strained to say.
“It isn't? Why not? Rather than thinking the culprit has been lurking unseen this whole time, isn't it more natural to think that one of us, who could freely wander the Tower, killed them both?”
Tsukiyo's explanation was too logical and delivered too bluntly for anyone to object. Everyone began to look at the people around them. The air was rapidly becoming suffocating.
“Wait a minute!” Yumeyomi rasped. “You still haven't answered my question.”
“You asked a question? Oh, right, why the culprit needed to trap us here. That's easy. Because the culprit hadn't achieved their goals yet.”
“Their goals? What are those!?”
Tsukiyo moistened her thin lips, then slowly opened her mouth.
“To kill more people, of course.”
Tsukiyo voiced what, somewhere in the back of their heads, everyone present already knew. The temperature in the room plummeted.
“I don't know how many more people the culprit ultimately plans to kill. It could only be one more person, or, worst case scenario, it could be a recreation of Agatha Christie's masterpiece, And Then There Were None.”
“What's And Then There Were None? What are you saying will happen?”
Yumeyomi asked, but nobody who knew the answer dared risk speaking it into existence.
“So, you're saying we should just sit here and cower?”
When Sakyo asked, the corners of Tsukiyo's mouth turned upwards.
“What are you saying? It's true that, trapped in a mysterious building, unable to escape, and with no way to contact the outside world, we are in a situation similar to And Then There Were None. But there is one major difference.”
“A difference?” Sakyo frowned.
“Yes, the presence of a great detective,” Tsukiyo loudly proclaimed. “And Then There Were None was the type of mystery that didn't feature a great detective. That's why it had such a tragic ending. But here, in the Glass Tower, there is a great detective: me.”
“And what exactly can you do?” a frustrated Yumeyomi spat.
“Of course, as a great detective, I'll uncover the truth of the case. That way, it won't end like And Then There Were None. So, in order to solve the case, I need information. So I'd like to ask you all a few questions now.”
“Don't get ahead of yourself. I don't care if you are some sort of great detective, why should we listen to anything you say? We don't have time to play detective. We should be trying to find a way out of here.”
Yumeyomi spoke quickly, and Kagami, still sitting with his arms crossed, said “No, that's not it.”
“This self-proclaimed detective girl is right about one thing. The murderer we're looking for is planning to kill again, and there's no way to get off this mountain. In that case, it would be for the best to expose them and arrest them before they can. And it is more reasonable to assume the culprit is one of us than to entertain the ridiculous idea that there's someone hiding in the Tower.”
“That's the first time we've agreed on something. The stubborn policeman has no choice but to acknowledge the great detective's abilities as they solve the case. It's a staple of mystery novels.”
“I'm not acknowledging a single god damned thing.”
Kagami clicked his tongue, but Tsukiyo showed no signs of hearing it and began her explanation.
“The mysteries of Mr. Oita's case are: how the locked room was created, how the fire was started, and why the fire was started. Those three things. To solve those, we must first-”
“Locked rooms and such don't matter.”
Kagami interrupted Tsukiyo, who started pouting.
“I'll ask the questions here. First off, who was the last person to see that butler alive?”
Kagami looked around at everyone present.
“I passed Mr. Oita at 5:50 in the morning on my way back upstairs from the first floor.”
Tsukiyo said, still looking upset.
“What were you doing down there so early in the morning?”
“I was looking out the windows of the dining room and the game room to check for footprints. I wanted to see if anyone had escaped from the Tower during the night. I didn't see any.”
“You were playing detective again.”
Kagami spoke in a mocking tone, and Tsukiyo scowled. As the two of them glared each other down, Madoka gently raised a hand. Her face was deathly pale, and she looked ready to collapse at a moment's notice.
“I think I was the last person to see him. Mr. Sakaizumi and I had a brief meeting about the breakfast preparations in the sub-kitchen, then we went to the underground storeroom together. We passed Mr. Oita in the hall.”
Kagami turned to Sakaizumi and asked “Is that true?”
“It is. Afterwards, Mr. Oita went straight to the dining room. I think he was setting out the dishes and cutlery.”
“Do you know what time that was?”
“Of course. When I'm cooking, I always keep one eye on the time, starting from the beginning of the preparations. It was a bit after 6:00 A.M.”
“So, the butler went to the dining room after six... Did anyone see him after that?”
No one said they did.
“So in other words, the butler was killed in the hour between six and seven, when the fire alarm went off. Is there any way we can narrow down the time of the crime any further?”
“Um...” Madoka said in her mosquito voice. “After helping Mr. Sakaizumi in the storeroom for about thirty minutes, I returned to the sub-kitchen on the first floor... The omelettes Mr. Sakaizumi made in the underground main kitchen were delivered via a small service elevator, so I took them out while making coffee. I kept the door to the sub-kitchen open the whole time, so I could see the door to the dining room. Nobody entered or left the dining room until the fire alarm went off.”
“Do you mean to say nobody entered or left the dining room between 6:30 and 7:00? You're sure?”
Kagami asked sharply, and Madoka steeled herself.
“Yes... Yes, I'm sure. The dining room door creaks quite loudly when it's opened. I'm sure I would have noticed.”
“I see. So, the crime took place between 6:00 and 6:30 in the morning, a span of 30 minutes... If you're telling the truth, that is.”
“It is true! You have to believe me!”
Madoka pleaded with him, terrified, but Kagami just scratched his nose.
“That's what they all say. If you're the culprit, it's easy. You came up out of the basement at 6:30 and immediately killed the butler. Then, after spending thirty minutes putting on that horrible act, you set the room on fire and left.”
“Then how did she create the locked room?”
Kagami waved off Tsukiyo's interjection as though she was an annoying fly.
“Locked room? Who cares about that? Can you deny it, maid?”
Kagami leaned forward and glared at Madoka, who looked on the verge of tears.
“I can.”
Sakaizumi answered for Madoka.
“What are you saying?”
Kagami asked, shifting his gaze to Sakaizumi.
“There's an intercom connecting the main and sub-kitchens. Madoka and I talked non-stop from the time I started making omelettes at 6:30 until the fire alarm went off.”
“...Did she pause for a few minutes at any point?”
“No, she didn't. She's a real chatterbox, so we talked the whole time I was cooking. Madoka isn't the culprit.”
Sakaizumi winked at Madoka. But the fear on her face hadn't abated.
Kagami scowled and leaned back on the sofa.
“The crime took place between 6:00 and 6:30 in the morning. Other than the maid and the cook, is there anyone who has an alibi for that time?”
“There's no way anyone would that early in the morning. We would have all been alone in our rooms.”
Kuruma and the others all nodded at Yumeyomi's words.
From 6:00 to 6:30 A.M. That was when Yuma was in his room with the great detective. The moment Yuma opened his mouth to say so, Tsukiyo spoke up as if jumping out ahead of him.
“I don't have an alibi either.”
She didn't? As Yuma sat there, too gobsmacked to speak, Tsukiyo winked at him. Realizing she was planning something, though he didn't know what, Yuma reluctantly said “Neither do I.”
“So, no one else has an alibi? In that case, knowing the time of the crime doesn't help us narrow down the culprit.”
“Though, even if we don't know who the culprit is, I think we can make a strong conclusion about their motives.”
Kuruma spoke softly. Kagami glared at him and asked
“What are you talking about?”
“The words 'SPIRITED AWAY FROM CHOGATAKE' were written in blood on the tablecloth. It's quite unusual, leaving such a horrible message that way. There was a strong grudge present in the culprit's actions. That must be an indication of their motive for killing Kozushima and Oita. I'm sure it's related to the Chogatake Spiriting Away incident that shook the nation a decade ago.”
“That's what I was about to say. As I said earlier, our magazine ran a feature on the Chogatake Spiriting Away incident last year. I first met Mr. Kozushima when I spoke to him for that article.”
Sakyo raised his hand and looked at Kagami, asking for permission. Kagami jerked his chin at him and leaned back, as if to say “Do whatever you want.”
“Alright then. The Chogatake Spiriting Away incident was a serial murder case that took place thirteen years ago. Back then, there was a small ski resort not far from here. It was close to Kamikochi, the trailhead of the Hida Mountains, and was a popular spot because it could be reached by car, despite being in the middle of Mt. Chogatake. From there, the well-maintained trails gave travelers the feeling of climbing a mountain with much less personal risk. However, several years before the incident came to light, there had been incidents of women disappearing after visiting the ski resort, and people on the internet began to call them 'Chogatake Spiriting Away incidents'.”
Everyone listened intently to Sakyo's explanation, which was delivered with the gravity and intonation of a ghost story.
“The victims were all women estranged from their families, who had gone on unplanned trips by themselves. The culprit appeared to have been very careful to only choose people who wouldn't have been looked for if they went missing. The crimes were also rare, only committed once or twice a year. That's how they went undiscovered for so long. However, in the winter of thirteen years ago, a woman in her twenties was found covered in blood at the ski resort, and that was when the case truly began.”
Sakyo continued in a low voice.
“The woman had been held captive for several weeks in the basement of the guesthouse she had been staying in. The culprit was the guesthouse's owner, a middle-aged man named Fuyuki Daisuke. The police were called and immediately went to the guesthouse, but Fuyuki had already fled, leaving behind a trail of footprints in the snow. The police assumed Fuyuki had escaped into the forest and began a search, but soon after, a snowstorm arrived and they were forced to call it off. That night, there was a large avalanche deep in the forest where Fuyuki had fled. When the weather finally improved, the police sent a force of one hundred officers to search the forest, but they were unable to find him. They concluded that he had been buried in the avalanche and died. After a thorough search of the guesthouse, the skeletal remains of eleven young women were found embedded in the concrete of the basement walls.”
Yuma's face was tense as he listened to the horrifying tale. Sakyo took a breath before continuing.
“That incident was widely reported, and the number of visitors to the Chogatake Ski Resort plummeted. They were already in a difficult position with the recession and the decrease in young people's interest in skiing, but now they were truly devastated. The company that ran the resort filed for bankruptcy, and all of the private accommodations surrounding it went out of business. All of that happened thirteen years ago.”
After giving that long explanation, Sakyo picked up his cup and sipped his cold coffee.
“I understand the details of the incident. But why did you ask Kozushima about it?”
Kuruma asked, and Sakyo put his coffee cup back on its saucer.
“The site of the ski resort was abandoned for a long time afterwards. It was Mr. Kozushima who bought it for a low price a few years ago. He demolished the ruins of the facility, cleared the land, and built the Glass Tower.”
“You mean the Glass Tower was built on the site of a resort?”
“No,” Sakyo slowly shook his head. “The place where this Glass Tower was built is exactly where the guesthouse that the Chogatake Spiriting Away incident was committed was.”
Yuma was speechless. Looking next to him, even the great detective was frowning.
“So Kozushima built this tower on the site of a serial killing.”
Kuruma's face was filled with disgust.
“Yes, Mr. Kozushima readily admitted to that. Didn't he, Ms. Tomoe?”
Madoka shook when the attention was suddenly directed at her, and began to speak so softly she was hard to hear.
“That's correct. The master thought if he was going to live there, somewhere with a bad reputation would be more attractive.”
“More attractive...”
As Yuma sat there in disbelief, Yumeyomi suddenly stood up.
“My psychic intuition was right! There is something evil haunting this tower! I'm sure it is filled with the hatred of those murdered women!”
“Calm down, Yumeyomi. Now is no time to panic.”
After being scolded by Kuruma, Yumeyomi collapsed back into her seat, holding her head in her hands. Kuruma tried to pull everyone back together.
“We know now about the horrible crime committed here thirteen years ago. But that was a long time ago, and the culprit is already dead. What does all this have to do with the crimes committed here today?”
“The story doesn't end there,” Sakyo began again. “Mt. Chogatake is fairly well known. A few years ago, there was a television program featuring the butterfly-like snow formations that appear on the mountain's ridge in spring, from which the mountain derives its name, making Mt. Chogatake popular among mountain climbers. It's about a five and a half hour hike from Kamikochi up Mt. Nagakabe, a perfect route for intermediate climbers. However, some people who saw it on TV decided to try climbing without much thought or proper preparation. Several such climbers have gone missing.”
“Didn't they just get lost?”
Sakyo nodded at Sakaizumi's question.
“That's most likely. In a majority of cases, they're amateurs who underestimate the mountain and take a dangerous route. Most of them don't even submit a climbing plan, making it hard to rescue them. As a result, their bodies are never found. But if someone goes missing on Mt. Chogatake, it's difficult not to think of the Chogatake Spiriting Away incident from thirteen years ago.”
“But even if it's the same mountain, this tower is halfway up. It's probably not on any trails.”
Kuruma tilted his head, still not understanding.
“That's true. However, as I said before, many of the missing people were total beginners. It's possible they took a wrong turn and ended up in the area. And there... they fell prey to the deadly serial killer, Fuyuki Daisuke. Rumors like that began to propagate on the internet.”
“Wait a second. Isn't he dead?”
“Officially, yes, but his body was never found.”
“You mean he might have survived on the mountain all this time?”
“That's right,” Sakyo said, nodding vigorously. “Thirteen years ago, Fuyuki survived the avalanche, and even now lives in hiding, deep in the forest. And when the occasional lost hiker wanders into his domain... they become his next victim.”
Yuma shivered at Sakyo's ominous words. After a moment, Kagami, who had listened to the whole tale in silence, slammed his coffee cup back on its saucer. The loud sound echoed off the glass walls.
“That's ridiculous. Some amateurs got caught up in the craze and underestimated the mountain, wandered off into the cold, died, and were never seen again. It happens all the time in the Hida Mountains.”
“But haven't you come to this Tower investigating a missing persons case several times, Mr. Kagami? Mr. Kozushima said that was how you two first became acquainted.”
Kagami frowned at Sakyo's remark.
“He told you that? Yeah, that's right. But I wasn't really investigating anything. The mother of a young office lady who disappeared on a climb up Mt. Chogatake last year wouldn't stop insisting that her daughter had been caught up in some case. I get how she feels, having lost the girl she raised. Plus, her ex-husband is a cop, so the department insisted I do something. Seriously, what a pain.”
Kagami shook his head, clearly unwilling to talk about it any more.
“I understand the Chogatake Spiriting Away incident now, but I still don't understand the meaning of the bloody message left at the scene.”
Kuruma crossed his arms and groaned.
“That case doesn't matter, so why don't we give some thought to how we'll survive the next two days!?”
Yumeyomi slammed the low table and raised her head. Kagami gave an ostentatious sigh.
“We're trying to find the culprit so we can survive, you know? What an ignorant woman.”
“If we corner the culprit, they might fly into a rage and start killing people other than their target. I haven't done anything to draw anyone's ire, so it's safer for me if we don't find the culprit.”
“And what's safe for you is the only thing you care about. News flash, we don't know the culprit's motive, so there's no way you can say he isn't targeting you. Maybe he just wants to kill us all.”
Kagami teased her, making Yumeyomi's face turn pale.
“You're supposed to be some sort of psychic, why don't you use your powers to tell us who the culprit is? You're always happy to say random nonsense about unsolved cases when there are TV cameras on you.”
“It's not nonsense!” Yumeyomi's pale face instantly turned red. “My psychic powers are real. Even as we speak, I can sense the presence of something inhuman lurking within this tower.”
“Are you trying to tell me that the ghost of a murdered woman is the culprit? Or maybe a dead serial killer? I thought I'd somehow wandered into the world of a stupid mystery novel, but now you're telling me it's actually bad horror.”
“I never said they killed her directly! I'm just saying that the grudges of the dead linger in this world and influence the minds of the living, driving them to do terrible things...”
“Alright, alright, we've heard enough about your occult powers. Let's get back to practical matters.”
Kagami interrupted Yumeyomi, who bit her pink lip.
“You are right that considering how to keep ourselves safe until the police arrive is our most important concern right now.”
Kuruma looked around at each person in turn, as if asking if they agreed.
“First, it's important that nobody act alone. If possible, we should make sure to stay in groups of three, and if that's not possible, at least make sure that the others know who you're with. That will significantly reduce your risk.”
“You want us to stay together even though one of us is a murderer!? What if they're trying to kill everyone at once? I absolutely refuse!”
Yumeyomi screamed hysterically. Kuruma's face twisted in confusion.
“Then what do you propose? You can't leave the Tower until the day after tomorrow.”
“I'll lock myself in my room. I won't let anyone in!”
“Aaaaaand that's a flag.”
Tsukiyo, who had listened thus far in silence, muttered to herself. Yumeyomi stared at her.
“What do you mean, a 'flag'?”
“In a closed circle mystery like this, characters who insist on staying alone in their rooms are always killed.”
“Don't say such ominous things! I don't care about mysteries! No matter what anyone says, I'm staying in my room. I'm not listening to any of you!”
“Do whatever you want. The discussion will go more smoothly without a hysterical woman like you around.”
Yumeyomi pointed at Kagami, who was waving her off.
“There's something I need to do first. You.”
“Who, me?”
“You still have the master key, don't you? Then I wouldn't be safe even in my room. Do something.”
“...You think I'm the culprit?”
Kagami's voice instantly held a dangerous edge. Yumeyomi took a step back at his intensity and looked pleadingly at the others.
“You all are worried too, aren't you? He can open anyone's rooms and get in.”
“Well... that's certainly true.”
Sakaizumi hesitantly agreed. Kagami instantly glared a hole through him.
“Hey, cook. I'm a detective. Do you get that?”
“Now, now, Kagami, deep breaths,” Kuruma said, stepping between them. “It's not that anyone particularly suspects you, but two people have been killed. Oita was even murdered in a locked room, with a message left behind in blood. Everyone's worried. And apart from Tomoe and Sakaizumi, nobody has an alibi for the case this morning. It's only natural to be cautious.”
Kagami, having been told the truth in the gentle, consoling tone of an older man, grimaced and took the master key from his inside jacket pocket.
“So what do you want me to do? Giving it to someone else wouldn't change anything. Or are you saying I should flush this down the toilet?”
“Um...” Madoka raised her hand slightly. “Maybe we could store it in the safe?”
“A safe? It doesn't help if anyone knows the combination.”
“The master was the only one who knew the combination. There's nothing in it right now, so I don't think it's locked.”
“That means once it's locked, it can't be reopened. It's no different than flushing it. What'll we do if we need the master key for something?”
“No, the safe can be opened without the combination by turning two keys at the same time. So I was thinking, what if we lock it and give the two keys to two different people...?”
“Two keys, eh...” Kagami stroked his stubbly chin. “That might not be a bad idea. Even if the perp's one of us, they couldn't take the master key by themself. And if we do need to open the safe, everyone can gather together.”
“Let's do that! Where is this safe?”
Yumeyomi shot to her feet.
“It's in the underground storeroom. Shall I show you there?”
“Yes, please, show us right away. You have no complaints, I take it?”
Kagami, finding himself in the spotlight, clicked his tongue.
“Well then, let's go. It would be better if everyone here confirmed it was really in the safe, so we could avoid any further suspicion.”
At Kuruma's urging, everyone set out with heavy steps. Madoka, leading them with a face as pale as ever, took two small keys from the key cabinet by the fireplace and said “This way.”
Led by Madoka, Yuma and the others descended the glass staircase from the first floor hall. After descending a three-quarters rotation, they arrived in the underground storeroom. In a space the size of a tennis court, lit by fluorescent lights, rows of shelves stood filled with daily necessities, rice, flour, and canned food. There was one door to the right and two to the left.
“The main kitchen is over there. It's pretty big, and the cooking utensils there are all top of the line. It's on par with a five star restaurant. Totally worth cooking in.”
Sakaizumi said while pointing to the door to the right.
“What's behind those doors?”
Kuruma looked to the left and asked Madoka.
“Behind the metal door is the freezer. The fresh food is stored there. Behind the other door is the power room. There are generators there that provide electricity to the Tower in case of emergency. The gasoline is kept in that room, too, so please refrain from entering for your own safety. The safe is over here.”
Madoka walked between the shelves. Yuma and the others followed her. The next moment, a scream that sounded fit to shatter the tower reverberated off the storeroom's white walls. Feeling the pain in his eardrums, Yuma quickly covered his ears.
“What's going on!?”
When Kuruma asked, bracing himself, Yumeyomi, the one who'd screamed, pointed a trembling finger to the bottom of a nearby shelf. In the gap between two rows of wine barrels was a dead mouse, about 20 cm in size.
“It's just a mouse. Don't make so much noise over something like that.”
Kagami sounded shocked. Yumeyomi violently shook her pale head side to side.
“What are you saying? Look at how big it is! It's only natural to be surprised by something like that. I hate mice...”
“I'm sorry, Ms. Yumeyomi,” Madoka said with a weak bow of her head. “In the winter, mice often sneak into the Tower in search of food. I put rat poison under the shelves to stop them from reproducing...”
“Forget the mouse. Just hurry up and show us to the safe.”
Kagami urged Madoka on, and she said “Yes, sir...” and started walking again. At the very back of the storeroom, a waist-high safe stood. There was a combination lock embedded in the center of the door, with a keyhole on either side. Madoka squatted down in front of the safe, put her hand on the crescent-shaped handle, and pushed it down.
“When the combination lock isn't engaged, the handle can move, but the door won't open without the keys.”
Madoka gave the door a pull. There was a rattle, but the safe remained closed. Next, Madoka took the two keys from the pocket of her maid uniform, inserted each into a keyhole, and turned them at the same time. With a loud clack, the lock was released. Madoka gave the handle another pull, and the door to the safe creaked open.
“Now, Mr. Kagami, please give me your master key.”
Taking the key engraved “Zero” from Kagami's hand, Madoka placed it in the empty safe, closed the door, and turned the two keys.
“The safe is now locked.”
“Is it now?” asked Tsukiyo, yanking the handle, but of course, the door didn't open. Madoka held out her palm, on which rested the two keys.
“Umm... Who should I give the keys to?”
“I'll take one, of course.”
As Kagami tried to take a key, Yumeyomi slapped his hand away. “What are you doing!?” Kagami screamed.
“Why are you trying to take a key so casually? I told you, I can't trust you.”
“Don't screw with me, lady, I'm a cop-”
“And what does that prove? You're the rudest and most intimidating person here. Someone less hostile should hold the keys.”
“You aren't going to tell me you'll take one, are you? A fake psychic like you is the most suspicious person here.”
“I told you, I'm not a fraud!”
As Yumeyomi was about to grab Kagami, Kuruma called out “Now, now...”
“Well, Yumeyomi, who do you think can be trusted with the keys? If nobody objects, I think we can let them keep them.”
“I trust...” Yumeyomi looked to each person in turn. “Obviously, that police detective is no good, and I can't trust this ridiculous woman who acts like a great detective, either. That maid over there was a former cohort of that butler, correct? Perhaps they had some quarrel. And the cook looks too much like a playboy, so I can't trust him...”
Muttering rude things to herself, Yumeyomi thought for a while and then pointed a finger at Kuruma's nose.
“First, you.”
“Me?”
Kuruma pointed at himself.
“You know I'm a mystery novelist, right? I've been writing stories of murder for over thirty years. Objectively, I don't know if I can be called trustworthy...”
“But you're old.”
Kuruma's expression tensed at Yumeyomi's blunt declaration.
“I think you would have physically struggled killing that butler, so you can take one of the keys.”
“...I understand.”
Kuruma reluctantly took the key from Madoka. Yumeyomi scratched the tip of her nose and said “One more...”, then her eyes met Yuma's.
“Doctor, you take the other one.”
“Eh, really? Me? Are you sure?”
“Well, that editor publishes a weird occult magazine, doesn't he?”
Sakyo said “It isn't occult, it's mystery,” but Yumeyomi said “I don't care” and completely ignored him.
“Anyway, as a doctor, you're the most normal person here. You take the key.”
Yuma frantically considered the pros and cons of accepting the key to the safe, but before he could settle on a decision, Yumeyomi walked up to him and asked
“Are you going to take it or not?”
“...Alright.”
Hesitantly, Yuma accepted the key to the safe from Madoka. Seeing it, Yumeyomi nodded, satisfied, and turned around, fluttering the skirt of her dress.
“I'll be going to my room now.”
Yumeyomi went back to the stairs alone.
“What a selfish old broad.”
Kagami spat the comment and scratched his neck.
“I'm going back to my room, too. I've secured the scene. There's nothing more I can do now.”
“Wait, you're a detective, but you aren't going to investigate?”
Kagami glared sharply at Sakyo, who recoiled.
“This isn't one of those stupid mystery novels you all love so much. In a real criminal investigation, a large number of investigators each do their part, steadily assembling a truth. If I were to go off on my own here, it would mess up the entire investigation. My only role here is to keep an eye on the scene until the day after tomorrow and make sure it isn't messed up.
Kagami pointed at Tsukiyo.
“That means you.”
“It's true the only thing a common non-genius detective like you can do is gather raw information using human wave tactics. But a great detective's case-solving abilities are equal to dozens or even hundreds of police officers. In our current situation where the police can't come, I think it's more rational to allow me to investigate.”
Whether he had realized that Tsukiyo wouldn't stop no matter what he said, or whether he was just tired of dealing with the woman who called herself “great detective” and “genius” without a hint of shame, Kagami said “Whatever, just keep it down” and left.
“Well, what should the rest of us do?”
Kuruma asked as he watched Kagami disappear up the stairs.
“Is it okay if I prepare dinner in the main kitchen? Everything's gone all wrong, and at a time like this, cooking is always what calms me down.”
Sakaizumi pointed to the door to the main kitchen.
“But as I said before, it's dangerous to be alone anywhere outside of your room.”
As Kuruma looked thoughtful, Madoka eventually said “In that case, I could go with him.”
“It's my job to help with the preparations anyway. Besides, being alone in my room... All I'd do is think about the master and Mr. Oita.”
“I see. Then Sakaizumi and Tomoe can cook in the kitchen together. I'd like to spend some time in the game room and try taking my mind off all this. Would anyone care to join me?”
“I will,” Sakyo said immediately.
“Sorry to bother you with an old man's concerns, Sakyo.”
“Not at all, I would be too afraid to be alone in my room, so I wanted to talk with someone. And if it's alright with you, I'd like to discuss having our company publish one of your books again.”
Kuruma gave a sensible chuckle at Sakyo's joke.
“As expected of a veteran editor, you're quite shrewd. So, Sakyo and I will go to the game room.”
“Alright then. This way, if one of the four of you turns up as the next victim, we'll know who the culprit is.”
Tsukiyo spoke casually with a carefree smile, and the thawing atmosphere in the room instantly refroze.
“Well, I'll be careful not to let that happen. So what about you, Aoi, Dr. Ichijou? Will you be joining us in the game room?”
Kuruma asked, forcing a smile to his face. Tsukiyo shook her head.
“As much as I'd love to discuss mysteries with the great Mr. Kuruma, for now I'll prioritize my business as a great detective over pleasure as a fan. I'm going back to my room and organizing everything I've learned so far.”
“I see. And what about you, Dr. Ichijou?”
Yuma wasn't sure what to do. He couldn't immediately decide what the correct option was.
“...I'm going back to my room, too. After everything that's been going on, I'm exhausted.”
He spoke his honest feelings. Ever since he'd given Kozushima the capsule last night, no, ever since the moment he decided on his plan, he hadn't known a moment's peace. Then on top of that, he'd been corned by a great detective, then on top of that, he was caught up in all this. His nerves had been exposed to one shock after another and frayed to their limit. He just wanted to lie down and forget everything for a moment, just a single moment.
“You two wait in your rooms, then. Now, let's all go. I know you all know this already, but please be careful. Let's all make sure there are no more tragedies until the police arrive.”
Yuma and the others nodded solemnly at Kuruma's words and got moving.
Sakaizumi and Madoka entered the main kitchen, and everyone else started climbing the glass spiral stairs. When they reached the first floor, Kuruma and Sakyo left for the game room, leaving Yuma and Tsukiyo to keep climbing alone.
As Tsukiyo walked ahead of him, softly mumbling to herself with a hand over her mouth, Yuma said “Um...” But Tsukiyo didn't react at all, her feet continuing to carry her onwards. She wasn't ignoring him. It looked more like she hadn't heard him to begin with. She was probably completely immersed in her own world.
“Ms. Aoi, may I speak with you for a moment?”
Yuma reached forward and touched Tsukiyo's shoulder. The next second, the glass wall was flying towards his face. Nearly slammed into the wall, Yuma instinctively held his right hand up to his face. The impact hit his palm and reverberated violently through his head and left shoulder.
“What the hell was that!?” Yuma cried out, his left arm twisted behind his back and his face pressed to the wall.
“Oh, I'm sorry. I was surprised to feel you touch me so suddenly. Please call out to me first next time.”
Tsukiyo said all that without releasing her joint hold on Yuma.
“I did. More importantly, please let go.”
Tsukiyo hurriedly let go and said “Ah, sorry.” Free, Yuma tried to rub the dull pain from his shoulder.
“Was that aikido?”
“That's right. As a great detective, I have to face dangerous situations, so I studied it for self-defense. Don't let my looks fool you. I'm quite skilled.”
“You can color me impressed. Anyway, may I ask you something?”
“My favorite mystery writer is Christie, the classic. I especially like The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Some people criticize her as an unfair writer, but I think that book pushed fairness to the absolute limit, and when I first learned who the culprit was, my mind went blank with shock. Oh, of course, Murder on the Orient Express is another masterpiece. Although, as a detective, I prefer Holmes to Poirot. I also like Columbo, Miss Marple, Mitarai Kiyoshi, and Kindaichi Kosuke.”
“That isn't what I'm asking. Please actually listen to people when they talk to you.”
Yuma slumped his shoulders, and Tsukiyo cocked her head to the side and asked
“What is it?”
“Why didn't you tell Mr. Kagami we were together when he was checking alibis earlier? We both have alibis for Mr. Oita's murder.”
Tsukiyo's expression, which had been as innocent as a child's, instantly sobered. With a faint smile on her thin lips and a relaxed posture, she exuded the dignity of a true great detective.
“Dr. Ichijou, think about it. If we had stated we both had alibis back then, what do you think would have happened?”
“What would have happened...”
Overwhelmed by Tsukiyo's sudden shift in demeanor, Yuma stammered, but Tsukiyo calmly explained.
“Unless there's some special way to escape the Tower without leaving any footprints in the snow, like an underground secret passage, the culprit who killed Mr. Kozushima and Mr. Oita is still inside. And since it's unlikely that the murderer hid unnoticed for this long, the odds of the culprit being one of us are extremely high.”
Yuma stopped and listened to Tsukiyo's words.
“The culprit is one of the core characters. This is an unwritten rule of closed circle stories. When you think of closed circles, the first thing to come to mind is, obviously, And Then There Were None, but I think Ayatsuji Yukito's Bizarre House Murders series starting with The Decagon House Murders which sparked the shin honkaku movement in Japan is just wonderful. More recently, Death Among the Undead, which shocked readers with its unexpected developments, also-”
“You're getting off topic, Ms. Aoi. Please tell me why you didn't tell him about our alibis.”
Yuma felt a headache coming on. Tsukiyo cleared her throat and said “Pardon me.”
“At the time of dinner yesterday, there were ten people inside the Tower. If one of them is the culprit...”
Tsukiyo raised her hands in front of her chest, fingers splayed.
“Last night, Mr. Kozushima was poisoned to death, and this morning, Mr. Oita was murdered. That leaves eight people.”
Tsukiyo lowered two of her fingers.
“Furthermore, if we accept the alibis given by Ms. Tomoe and Mr. Sakaizumi, that they were talking to each other on the intercom while working at the time of the crime, we can also strike them from the suspect list.”
Tsukiyo lowered two more fingers.
“That leaves us with six suspects. What would have happened if the two of us had claimed to have alibis?”
“...That would narrow it down to four suspects.”
The faces of Kuruma, Kagami, Sakyo, and Yumeyomi floated through Yuma's mind.
“That's right,” Tsukiyo said, holding up four fingers in front of Yuma's face. “There would only be four left. If the culprit really was among them, they would have felt cornered and become anxious. If that happened, they may have done something desperate.”
“Something desperate?”
“For instance, giving up on hiding their crime and deciding to just kill everyone here.”
Yuma stiffened as she calmly explained the horrifying prediction, but he was also amazed. He hadn't imagined she'd thought that far ahead.
“It would be so disappointing if that happened. There have already been two locked room murders. It isn't often I see crimes like this morning, which was so horrifying and had such an attention-grabbing message. In order to take my time solving such a fascinating mystery, I couldn't push the culprit far enough to make them give up.”
“To solve a fascinating mystery... is that it?”
As he coldly repeated the deeply inappropriate words, Tsukiyo looked at him with clear, bright eyes and said “Yes. Is there something the matter?” Yuma gave up on expecting common sense from the great detective and continued.
“So... Mr. Kuruma, Mr. Kagami, Mr. Sakyo, and Ms. Yumeyomi. The culprit is one of those four? The one who poisoned Mr. Kozushima, stabbed Mr. Oita, and wrote the message in blood?”
Yuma casually implied that Kozushima and Oita had been murdered by the same person.
“That would be the normal way to think about it. But this case isn't 'normal' by any means.”
A sinister smile appeared on Tsukiyo's face. Her eyes shone with a dangerous gleam.
“An eccentric group of guests are invited to a crooked glass tower. The master of the building is poisoned and leaves behind a dying message. A fire breaks out in a locked room and the butler's bloody corpse is found inside. A reference to a thirteen year old incident is written in blood. It's an extremely bizarre crime. The culprit must have pulled off some incredible trick. My great detective's intuition is telling me so. So it isn't necessarily true that the culprit is someone without an alibi. For example... It still hasn't been confirmed that the culprit isn't myself, or you, Dr. Ichijou.”
Tsukiyo's eyes narrowed. Yuma shivered, feeling like an icy hand had grasped his heart.
“P-Please don't joke about that.”
“Well, I was joking, but it just goes to show how many mysteries there are in this case. As a great detective, I want to solve this mystery and uncover the truth, so I'd like to be alone so I can concentrate. I'll be off now, Dr. Ichijou.”
Tsukiyo put a hand on her chest and gave a deep bow. The theatrical gesture suited a tall woman in men's clothing.
Tsukiyo took a key from the inside pocket of her suit and unlocked the Fifth room, then disappeared through the door.
Yuma exhaled the stagnating air from his lungs and ascended another quarter-circle to the Fourth room. He took off his jacket and hung it on a chair, then staggered towards the bed like a moth to a light and collapsed.
He lay on his back and stared at the ceiling. The events that had happened since last night flashed through his mind like a slideshow.
A massive glass spire in the middle of nowhere, two victims in two locked rooms, a cryptic message written in blood, and so many other events so mad that his sense of what was real had been eroded away. It was like Tsukiyo said. He felt like he'd been trapped in a mystery novel.
Last night, he had already been on edge after poisoning Kozushima, and he hadn't been able to sleep well. His nerves, aged years from constant tension, felt like they were about to burn out. His body felt as heavy as if his blood had been replaced with mercury.
Just rest for a while. Forget everything and let his mind and body fall into slumber.
Yuma slowly closed his eyes.
Soon, his consciousness fell into a deep, numbing darkness.