Ayanokouji’s Guide to Using Tools at Butei High - Chapter 12.1

After finishing breakfast, Tanizaki, in his role as a bodyguard, set out with me. Edogawa Ranpo, as a ‘mature’ adult, stayed alone at the inn eating snacks and talking to the police on the phone to push the progress of the case.

Currently, the suspect for the missing children cases in Fuyuki City and several serial killings can be narrowed down to Uryuu Ryunosuke. I don’t know how Edogawa became so certain of the culprit’s identity, but he always has his own clues and deductions. After this, they simply need to find the man’s hiding place.

I have witnessed this reasoning ability of Edogawa’s. His ability can even reach the level of precognition. Sometimes I feel it is a terrifying power. Because, under such an ability, I inevitably feel that anything I do has nowhere to hide.

Seeing that I seemed preoccupied, Tanizaki thought I was worrying about the task Edogawa had dumped on me and encouraged me: “Don’t be too nervous, everyone at the Agency is backing you up! Nothing major will happen; you might not even need to do anything. I’ll help you too.”

I glanced at him.

One of the reasons I requested a bodyguard from the Agency was to prove that I have nothing to do with Sasaki Nobuko’s attack on the Armed Detective Agency; he is my witness. However, if Edogawa Ranpo concludes that I am the promoter of this case, it will be very unfavorable for my entry into the Agency.

After all, even if he has no evidence, others will believe his words more, even if I have a group of witnesses. As expected, before joining the Agency, should I have maxed out Edogawa Ranpo’s favorability and let him turn a blind eye to what I do?

But the timing is not yet right.

Let’s wait a bit longer.

“I know the person saved by Kunikida-san,” I said. “‘Sasaki Nobuko,’ she serves as a guest lecturer in psychology at our school. I’ve attended her classes. You’ve probably heard of her? She’s quite popular among the male students.”

Tanizaki clearly didn’t know Sasaki Nobuko, and his expression was somewhat surprised: “It’s the first I’ve heard of it. Sorry, I usually don’t choose electives taught by young female lecturers. But, now that you mention it, I really feel the world is too small, isn’t it?”

“I hope she’s doing well.”

“According to Kunikida-san, she was just startled; because she was trapped for a few days, she showed signs of mild dehydration. But Dr. Yosano helped take care of her.” Tanizaki continued to recall the earlier call with the Agency and recounted it to me: “Last night, she even stayed over at Dazai-san’s place.”

That last sentence successfully made me stop in my tracks: “What do you mean?”

“What do you mean ‘what do you mean’?” Tanizaki asked back, not quite understanding. “Why does your expression look a bit bad? Is something wrong?”

I realized I had lost my composure a bit and rephrased: “There are so many people in the Agency, why was the protection provided by Dazai-san? And he even took her to his own room?” I can understand a victim needing close protection after being rescued, but the act of inviting someone into one’s own room—is that overstepping?

Moreover, Sasaki Nobuko agreed to it?

I hope Sasaki Nobuko can realize sooner—that the seemingly frivolous youth in front of her is no pushover; don’t get discovered and show your tail before you’re even halfway done.

“Are you worried that Ms. Sasaki will be taken advantage of?” Tanizaki clapped his palm with his fist, understanding immediately, and comforted me: “Dazai-san isn’t the playboy type. Although he is indeed quite popular and receives enough love letters to be tied into bundles with string, he won’t do anything that oversteps boundaries. Ah, actually, I should be worried—”

As Tanizaki spoke, he began to worry himself.

“You’ll find out after you join the Agency. Dazai-san likes to invite people to commit double suicide with him.”

That kind of thing shouldn’t matter…

I’m only worried that Sasaki Nobuko’s intentions have already been seen through clearly by Dazai.

Because I didn’t react, Tanizaki found it strange and said: “Don’t you think it’s weird?”

“Actually—” Tanizaki’s soft eyes looked at me, and he asked a question in a volume only we could hear, “Actually, I feel like you, Ayanokouji, know Ranpo-san and Dazai-san, don’t you?”

“Is it that obvious?”

“Super obvious!” Tanizaki was actually very happy to find he had guessed right, saying with certainty: “You don’t hide it at all.”

“I know them, but they just don’t know me.” I never thought about hiding it from the start, because I have no talent for acting anyway. Furthermore, I am well aware that knowing someone while they don’t know you is a very normal occurrence.

“In Ranpo-san’s case, an ordinary person can learn about his hobbies and habits from newspapers, magazines, or online journals.” Tanizaki said curiously while walking, “Then how do you know Dazai-san? Dazai-san never participates in public activities and doesn’t let his photos leak out of the Agency. So, do you know what Dazai-san’s previous occupation was? We have a game in the Agency for guessing his profession; right now, guessing Dazai-san’s profession correctly can net you 700,000 yen!”

From Tanizaki’s words, I could tell that life in the Armed Detective Agency is truly filled with a pastoral, rural melody—light and lively.

When I knew Dazai, he was serving as the youngest executive in the number one dark force in Yokohama—Port Mafia. He was the right-hand man of the current Port Mafia leader, Mori Ougai, and one of the Mafia’s brains. But after he defected from Port Mafia, he did a lot of work to clean up his record, and I don’t know what kind of job he held before joining the Agency.

“I’m not clear on that.”

“It really is an unsolved mystery.” Tanizaki let out a sigh at my answer, then paused and said: “Well, what if I asked you to guess?”

“A teacher, perhaps.”

Hearing my answer, Tanizaki burst into laughter instantly: “Why would you say that?”

“Wouldn’t someone who likes double suicide be a ‘Mr. Despair’?”

Tanizaki broke into a laugh: “Is that a wordplay joke?”

“I think I’m being quite serious.”

As the conversation ended, we had just happened to arrive at the cemetery. Tanizaki didn’t want to disturb me, so he consciously stayed in an inconspicuous corner, ensuring that I wouldn’t be out of his sight for too long while also not disturbing my work.

I changed into my black priestly vestments. Just as I was about to go out, a young man around thirty with grey-white hair entered through the window. He looked at me with dim eyes, like a ghost.

“It is the magus Matou Kariya.”

The name echoed in my mind, but I didn’t say a word. Instead, I looked at him, waiting for him to voluntarily tell me the reason for seeking me out. Actually, when I first came here, I had once accidentally stumbled upon a scene involving a magus, and he had come over to save me.

It hasn’t been long; in fact, it was only yesterday. No one knows that during yesterday’s midnight hour, I had once had a close encounter with death. But thinking back now, it feels as distant as if a week had passed.

He spoke: “Father, can you listen to another request of mine?”

He is a man more than ten years older than me, but his voice was filled with humility and piety.

In truth, I am not that well-acquainted with him; he doesn’t even know my name. But that does not stop him from trusting me, relying on me, and even doing everything possible to protect my safety.

I said calmly: “I am listening to your appeal at any time.”

On the subject of how to quickly establish a familiar and stable relationship between strangers, what I can tell you is that it absolutely has nothing to do with kindness, benevolence, or faith, but rather interests, transactions, and each getting what they need.

I have something he needs, and that makes him unreserved toward me.

“I want to win the Holy Grail War.”

Although I do not know what this so-called ‘Holy Grail’ actually is, I believe he will explain it clearly to me.

The problem I am currently facing is how exactly he knows me. Why did he use the word “another,” even though in my memory, I have never helped him?

I believe I will know soon enough.

Replacing my doubt, my firm voice rang out.

“How do you want to win?”