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Kapitel 69

Note: Towards the end of World War II, due to a shortage of manpower, the Japanese government issued a special conscription order in 1943 to recruit liberal arts students from universities and colleges to the front lines. Science students, on the other hand, were considered key personnel for maintaining war strength and conducting activities such as weapons development in the rear, and were not conscripted.

"Such a definitive statement is a bit too blatant—there are actually many other studies being conducted there, and they've even conceived of things like biological weapons, but they're unlikely to see the light of day now. As for that Hakodate, it's the Imperial Army's 12th Special Research Facility, which is used exclusively by Dr. Mimasaka and is under the jurisdiction of the same unit as the Noborito Research Institute."

What is your job there?

"I was assigned a room on the second floor. I don't really want to talk about this past, but since you insist on not saying anything unfair—"

He seemed hesitant.

"The Army asked me to conduct religious indoctrination experiments."

"What's that?"

"It's about being forced to convert," Kyogoku-do said in despair.

"—After Japan wins the war, it will inevitably convert countless heretics, right? There are Muslims, Christians, Taoists, Confucians, Zoroastrians, you name it, and none of these religions will be accepted. Since they have surrendered to the Japanese military, they should humbly become followers of State Shinto, which worships 'the living god' as its pinnacle—wait, no one is asking this, yet a high-ranking official is planning these ridiculous schemes. At first, he probably thought it would be a simple matter. Clearly, he has no understanding of religion whatsoever. This is ultimately a very difficult thing. Shinto, originally a national religion, does not have the function of proselytizing. But in contrast, people in the Christian sphere do not care about culture or environment, and even the fundamental aspects of humanity are based on religion. Half-hearted persuasion will not be effective. This is brainwashing. It's the same as what is done in the communist sphere. To some extent, it can be said to ignore personal rights and dignity, and is a complete war crime. I don't know where they heard about me, but I was chosen. This job is not pleasant at all."

"Just tell me honestly that this job is awful."

For Natsume, this was a very quiet response.

"Well, that's why I didn't take it seriously. As for what Mimasaka is doing, Satomura is right, he's conducting research on immortality."

Is he serious?

"Of course they are serious. If they can successfully create immortal soldiers, they will never lose the war. But Mimasaka's seriousness is actually a major blunder for the military."

Kyogoku-do lit a cigarette.

"Mimazaka was originally an immunologist. I don't know the details, but I heard that he focused on the immortality of cancer cells and wrote several advanced papers on life. He was also an authority on gene and enzyme research in Japan. If he hadn't been born in Japan, he probably would have left a great mark on medical history long ago. He was such a remarkable doctor. But I don't know what got into him—he started researching cyborgs."

"What kind of weird thing is that?"

The bird made a strange noise.

"Research into replacing human organs with artificial ones. The machines are very robust, and they can be replaced when they break, so they are equivalent to immortality."

"I see, that's a great way to be efficient!"

Natsuki seemed quite impressed, but such a fantastical thing couldn't possibly exist. If Mimasaka was seriously considering this research, I had to question his mental state. And the military, which adopted this research plan, felt the same way. To me, it all seemed like a joke.

Sure enough, Kyogoku-do said something similar to my opinion.

"No, not at all. The military at the time must have thought the same as Brother Xia. They're not children anymore, yet they couldn't even judge whether it was realistically possible. Of course, I can't rule out the possibility that Mimasaka made a deceptive statement during the negotiations on whether to adopt it or not—his research was very expensive, so he desperately needed financial backing. It's just that the military later realized the plan was not feasible quite early on, or rather, the war situation gradually became more tense, and there was no extra money to spend on this kind of research—in short, the military wasn't really that stupid."

"So Mimasaka was a fraud after all? It turns out he didn't really believe such a stupid thing himself."

"He was serious, it's just that his research ultimately didn't align with the military's needs."

It seems to be slightly different from what I was thinking.

"His research, simply put, is about spending astronomical sums of money to make a person live forever. It's only natural that the idea of mechanizing an army of tens of thousands of people to create an immortal army is too greedy. It's impossible to achieve."

"What? So it can't be done after all."

Xia Mujin pouted, looking bored, and disappeared from my sight. He lay down again.

"Therefore, he was almost exiled by the military. However, Mimasaka's research was given another chance after a near-death experience. You probably guessed it, right? There is a unique and distinguished person in Japan who could not be brought to death even at the cost of countless funds."

"Hmm!"

The bird made another strange noise.

"In the event that the situation develops into a decisive battle on the mainland—this is not entirely impossible. Although a decisive battle on the mainland did not ultimately occur, in order to prevent such a thing from happening, the higher-ups judged that his research might come in handy."

"So, did the Prestigious Province (note) pay the money?"

Note: This is a euphemism for the Imperial Household Agency (later renamed the Imperial Household Department), which was in charge of affairs within the palace.

“They only provide the necessary maintenance funds. After all, Japan is short of money everywhere, and even this much is already too extravagant. However, the research itself is indeed very advanced, but—in a sense, it can also be called the research of the devil. I think the financial aid from there should have stopped by now, but I'm not sure. Even if it was only for a short period of time, he still had connections with that side. Therefore, Mimasaka, this researcher, is still a taboo subject.”

Kyogoku-do paused at this point, glancing around at the small mountain of books and documents piled up beside him.

Is this all the information he has?

If Mimasaka is indeed connected to that group, a small, lowly magazine would be severely burned if it made a move against him. It's only natural to advise people to stay away from such a scourge. However, in this specific incident, knowing this offers me absolutely no insight.

Xia Mujin, who had been stirring things up, seemed to lose interest halfway through and has now fallen silent.

I waited for Kyogoku-do to say what he would say next.

"I don't dislike Mimasaka. I don't believe that only showing emotions, whether crying or laughing, is proof of humanity. In the two years before I retired, he never laughed once. He was like a machine, buried in his research every day. Madness is probably the most suitable word to describe him. But if you ask whether he is a person lacking emotions, I don't think so. In those two years, he only mentioned his own situation once."

To me, Kyogoku-do's words sounded like he was talking to himself.

"He used to have a estranged wife."

He wasn't speaking to those present.

"His wife died in Showa 15 (1945). For several years, his wife requested divorce mediation, but Mimasaka stubbornly refused each time. During this period, they exchanged letters several times. Mimasaka never agreed to a divorce until her death. He showed me these letters."

He was lost in his memories.

"If my memory serves me right, the sender's name is Mimasaka Kinuko—"

"Silk?"

"No, something terrible has happened!"

Aoki, pale as a ghost, shouted loudly as he walked, then suddenly pushed open the paper door.

He didn't seem to have come through the corridor, but rather via the shortcut.

"Seki-Sekiguchi-sensei, Chuzenji-sensei! Oh no, something terrible has happened!"

Kyogoku-do stopped and looked up at Aoki.

"What's wrong, Aoki? Calm down, what happened?"

"A new perpetrator has been discovered in the dismemberment case."

"Where!"

Torikochi stepped back to make room for Aoki, Kyogoku-do leaned on the table with both hands, and Natsuki-zu stood up.

"Found in the Musashi region. Also kept in a paulownia wood box."

"Where's Kusumoto Yoriko? What happened to her?"

Kyogoku-do stood up.

“Before I contacted her, her mother had already applied to the police for a search the day before yesterday, and the local police officers had already started looking for her.”

"Didn't you find it?"

What's going on here! This unusual atmosphere is making me uneasy.

"Not found."

"Oh no! What's going on?"

Kyogoku-do rubbed his face and sat back down.

"Has the identity of the original owner of the hand been confirmed?"

"No, Lai Zi's mother has been in a state of confusion since last night and is unable to communicate normally, so—"

"Has the call been hung up yet?"

Yes, yes.

"Was the hand that was found the left or the right hand?"

"It's both hands."

"Please check if there is a rope wrapped around your right hand. If so, that is the knot of fate."

The Bond of Fate – a magical knot made of teak and rapeseed.

"Kusumoto—Raiko."

"Lai Zi".

Aoki immediately turned around and walked towards the phone again.

Oh no, teacher, this is really bad!

The sound of the bird's beak seemed to come from a very far place.

Natsume and Kyogoku-do remained silent, each gazing in a different direction.

If the victim is Kusumoto Yoriko and the perpetrator is Kubo Shunko,

Everything is my and Natsumi's responsibility.

We met with both the victim and the perpetrator just two days ago, yet we let them leave, returning empty-handed. How foolish of us!

Furthermore, they brazenly said that Lai Zi was dangerous.

Junzhi must have searched frantically for Lai Zi before turning to the police for help.

If only I had stopped her then—

My unease doubled with each passing second, filling the entire room as I waited for Aoki's return, and instantly turning into regret. The pressure felt like it was crushing me. Cold sweat poured down my back, and my chest pounded uncontrollably. I was completely speechless, gripped by panic.

I stood by and watched Raiko die! Killing Raiko would be tantamount to me killing him. If only I had at least questioned Kubo's words back then—

No, even Kyogoku-do hadn't reached this conclusion before yesterday.

Kyogoku-do deduced that Kubo, the culprit, said he was investigating the roster, had read "The Girl in the Box," and then listened to my and Natsuki's report—which is what happened today.

No, that's an excuse.

I started to suspect Kubo a long, long time ago.

so,

Aoki is back.

"Found—the rope, the victim is,"

Don't say it, don't say what comes next.

"The victim was Kusumoto Yoriko."

After Aoki finished speaking, he held his head in his hands.

Box Girl > Part 2