Box of Demons

Chapter 25

Now that the beginning had been spoken, Bird Mouth released the words that had been blocking the flow of water, like a river bursting its banks.

"That's right, I'm Toriguchi from 'Real Crime Records,' and because I want to publish an exclusive report on the dismemberment murder case in the next issue, the pessimistic Senoo has been advising me every day. And because the report isn't complete yet, we're really considering postponing the next issue. But how can I know so much after just one meeting? No, even more unbelievable is the fact that we accidentally stumbled into that box-shaped building—"

Torikochi paused speaking, glancing at me sideways, probably asking if I had mentioned this to Kyogoku-do. I quickly shook my head left and right in denial.

“I didn’t say that. The last time I met Kyogoku-do was a long time before the day I accidentally wandered into Hakodate.”

"Then why does this Mr. Chuzenji know about this? Does he also know anything about spiritual arts?"

Kyogoku raised his hand to stop Toriguchi's questioning, and said seriously, "Toriguchi, I also know about all sorts of things concerning you related to air pressure."

After saying that, his sharp eyes stared at the young man's brow. "For example, well, when you were young, you should have often wandered around the shrine grounds. There was one, two, no, four shrine huts. And then—there was a big tree, a cedar tree. There were several flags planted nearby."

The bird lowered its shoulders and opened its mouth again.

This time, I was so surprised I couldn't close my mouth.

"Hey, Torikochi, what's wrong with you? Kyogoku-do didn't actually guess everything right, did he?"

"No, it really hit the nail on the head, it was absolutely right, it's so, so admirable."

"Did you really guess right?"

What's going on? Every time I visit, he manages to scare me, but this time it really looks like mind control. Could it be that my friend has learned some kind of magical spell in the two months I haven't visited?

"Hey! Kyogoku-do! You've gone too far! Hurry up and reveal the truth. Don't tell me we haven't met yet. You really went to learn the mind magic you used to hate so much, huh?"

After I said that, Kyogoku-do finally looked at me, raised one eyebrow, and looked very smug.

"No, this is mind control."

Kyogoku-do said with ill intent, lighting a cigarette he had taken from his pocket.

"Mind—don't you hate anything about mind or supernatural things the most? Does that mean you've changed your principles while we're not together? Even if you suddenly declare that this is mind magic, I still can't accept it."

"What are you thinking, you bastard?" Kyogoku-do exhaled a puff of smoke and continued, "—I have remained consistent with my argument for decades. The so-called mind techniques that most people think are no different from the past—no, they are even more ridiculous than before. But the mechanism of denying something is different from the mechanism of knowing about it; at the same time, whether you like it or not is another matter."

"Your words are still difficult to understand. There's a beginner named Toriguchi here today; could you explain it in a way that's easier to understand?"

Kyogoku stroked his chin, replying with a hint of impatience, "Hmm—for example, someone who hates using scissors to cut paper is a scissor denier, so he probably won't use scissors, but that doesn't mean he doesn't understand why scissors can cut paper. On the contrary, he probably understands perfectly well, which is why he doesn't want to use them… This analogy doesn't seem to have much generality. By the way, weapons—many people believe that one shouldn't own or use handguns, but that doesn't mean they don't use handguns. That's what I mean."

“I understand that, but what I want to ask is, how can you accurately predict Torakuchi’s identity and the events of the past and present like a fortune teller? Torakuchi, is this your first time meeting this person, and everything he said is true?”

Toriguchi, unusually submissive, said, "Yes, I've forgotten everything from when I was little, but it's all true. I really did play in the shrine."

"Since that's the case, Kyogoku-do, how did you know? This is also the first time you've met this young man today, right? How can you know about a past that even I, an acquaintance, don't know, no, and that this young man himself doesn't even remember? Quickly tell us the truth behind your tricks, it's unbelievable no matter how you look at it!"

Kyogoku-do smiled, exhaled a puff of cigarette smoke, and continued, "In this world, nothing is truly inconceivable, Sekiguchi."

"No, this time I won't let you get away with it. You always use this trick to deceive me."

"Who lied to you? Don't ruin my reputation."

"Then quickly explain to me how this trick works."

Since it's Kyogoku-do, they certainly wouldn't talk about things like spiritual vision or mind reading. So there must be some hidden meaning.

"Since there's no trick or mystery, I already knew it, so I understand."

"What?"

You already knew? What do you mean?

“Kyogoku-do, you say you knew a long time ago, but that’s impossible. Toriguchi’s visit to my house was accidental, and my decision to bring him here was also accidental. Besides, the decision to do these things was only made thirty or forty minutes ago, so you couldn’t possibly have known.”

"Why are you so certain? It doesn't matter whether you made these decisions thirty minutes ago or ten minutes ago, because I knew about them five minutes ago."

Five minutes ago?

“That’s right. I just went to the restroom when you came here, so I was near the entrance. Didn’t you introduce Torakuchi to Chizuko? So naturally I know that the young man who came with Sekiguchi Junichiro is Torakuchi Morihiko. I heard it with my own ears.”

"What?! This is a complete scam!"

“Who’s lying to you? I neither eavesdropped nor sneaked back to the living room to wait. You were just a little late.”

We did stand at the door and listen in for a couple more minutes.

But Toriguchi seemed unable to let it go at all, and then questioned Kyogoku-do: "But Mr. Chuzenji also pointed out my identity and work situation, and I didn't know that—"

"Hmph, Sekiguchi, what did Chizuko say when you introduced Torakuchi to her?"

—Oh, yes, I've heard of it.

I've heard that the lady said that.

"Ah, so you've heard about Toriko from Kodsuya!"

"Exactly. Atsuko came here yesterday and kept praising Toriguchi as a humorous and pleasant young man. So I knew his workplace, job duties, character, and other basic information beforehand. Besides that, Toriguchi, you also complained to Atsuko that Mr. Senoo wasn't interested in dismemberment murder cases, right?"

"So, you have indeed complained about it many times. I see. So, you heard about the Hako-no-Magazine from Ms. Atsuko?"

The moment Kyogoku-do heard Toriguchi mention the box, he immediately frowned and showed an unhappy expression.

"Yes, that's true, but—Toriguchi, I really advise you not to delve into this matter. Sekiguchi, the same goes for you."

Kyogoku-do stared at me and said.

It seems he must know something about the inside story of that building complex.

However, the atmosphere at the scene made it difficult to ask questions. In any case, no matter how much I asked, the man wouldn't reveal anything he didn't want to say, so I obediently nodded.

And compared to these questions—I want to ask something else now.

“Wait—Kyogoku-do, there’s still something you can’t explain in what you just said. Toriguchi said he didn’t remember visiting the shrine, so it couldn’t have been Atsuko who told you, but you not only know the number of the shrine huts, but you also know about the cedar trees and the flags. Toriguchi, are you right about all of that?”

"Well, there are indeed four cabins—there's a huge cedar tree at the entrance to the village, and there are also some flags planted there."

"Kyogoku-do, why don't you explain this as well? Did you already know all this beforehand?"

Kyogoku-do scratched his chin again.

“In Sekiguchi, ‘knowing’ and ‘understanding’ are different. What I do know here is that Toriguchi’s hometown is always Wakashige (a former administrative district in Japan, located north of Kyoto Prefecture, now south of Fukui Prefecture) Enshiki District, and specifically Nada Suke. I heard this from Atsuko.”

“I did talk to Ms. Atsuko about my hometown, because she mentioned that she also lived in Kansai when she was a child.”

"I've never heard of Nada no Suke. Is it famous?"

"I don't know if it's famous or not, it's just a desolate mountain village—have you heard of it, Mr. Chuzenji?"

"I've never been there, but unlike Sekiguchi, I do have some knowledge about Nada Susumu."

"Just because you have knowledge, you can say all that? Don't tell me you know how many shrines there are in every city, town, and village in Japan."

Kyogoku-do might not be unaware of this.

"Of course I don't know, but Nada Suke is a bit special. Nada Suke belongs to Nada-sho Village, and Nada-sho is the fiefdom of the Tsuchimikado family. The Tsuchimikado family inherited the bloodline of Abe no Seimei. During the Ōnin War (an internal strife that occurred in Japan from 1467 to 1477, which spread throughout the country and became the beginning of the Sengoku period), the Tsuchimikado family moved a branch of Seimei's spirit here for worship. After that, the shrine here was protected by successive emperors and was designated as a Tensha-gu. Although the legitimacy of our family's shrine is quite questionable, it is still a shrine that worships Abe no Seimei, so it is not entirely unrelated."

Kyogoku-do's other identity is that of a Shinto priest, and the shrine is located in a nearby forest and is called Musashi Seimei Shrine.

"In short, the conclusion drawn from this combination of knowledge is what I mentioned earlier. This is what I know. Nata Estate is located in the mountains, and as Toriguchi himself said, it's remote, so naturally there aren't many complicated things there. There are shrines—the four major branches: Kibune, Kamo, Zenjiku River, and Tensha. Therefore, I deduce that Toriguchi grew up in such a place, so he must have played at shrines. And he doesn't look like a sickly child who doesn't play at all. Of course, this is a bold guess; he might not actually like playing and might just play in the mountains. But after observing his expression, I'm sure I'm right. The knowledge of healing the cedar tree and the flag comes from literature."

After hearing the explanation, it no longer seemed unbelievable. Bird Mouth finally closed its mouth, repeatedly saying, "I see, hmm, I see, I see," seemingly deeply impressed.

"On another note, Kyogoku-do, frankly speaking, there's nothing unbelievable about it, but why did you play such a prank? It's so rude to someone you're meeting for the first time, and it prevented me from properly introducing her."

Kyogoku-do took out another cigarette and put it in his mouth, saying, "Having Master Sekiguchi introduce us might cause misunderstandings, and besides, isn't this exactly what you came for?"

Upon hearing this, Torakuchi immediately shouted, "Ah, back then, it was just like this!"

Before I, who thinks slowly, could even comprehend the situation, Toriguchi had already crossed his arms and was deep in thought.

"What's wrong? What happened? Bird's mouth!"

This time, it was my turn to fall behind the conversation.

"Teacher, how come you didn't think of that yet? It's Mihako-no-Kami. Isn't that right, Mr. Chuzenji?"

Kyogoku-do finally smiled when Kyogoku-do nudged me lightly with his bird-like elbow.

“Hey, yesterday Atsuko told me that Toriguchi was going to infiltrate the base of some suspicious prayer master or fortune teller for an interview. Since Sekiguchi specifically brought Toriguchi here, I'm guessing it's 99% related to that, so—”

I finally understand.

Kyogoku-do's prediction was quite accurate. I brought Toriguchi here precisely to hear Kyogoku-do's opinion on that matter.

Why do you always take the first step or two before doing anything? Wouldn't it be better to wait until we ask you before answering?

"But isn't this easier to understand than a long and tedious explanation?"

That's true—

I couldn't find anything to say, so in desperation I used completely unrelated words to retaliate.

"You two siblings always seem to be arguing, but I never expected you to be sharing information with each other. You two are definitely not to be underestimated."

"What do you mean by being careless? When did my siblings and I do anything that should be taken seriously?"

"Kyogoku-do said with a troubled expression. At that moment, the paper door quietly opened, and the lady came in carrying a tray. She greeted me and Toriguchi again, carefully placing tea and soft yokan (sweet bean jelly) in front of us, and said, "Oh dear, this man is saying some nonsense again, isn't he? I really can't do anything with him. Mr. Toriguchi, I'm so sorry, he's just such a strange person, but Atsuko is nothing like him; she has a very normal personality. I hope you won't be frightened by him, and I look forward to your guidance in the future."

Bird Mouth suddenly became very timid, his whole body stiffening as he said, "No, no, that's not true. Please give me your guidance."

According to the lady, the water yokan served as tea was sent by Isamaya, who said he was leaving tomorrow to go fishing in the San'in region.

While the lady was present, Toriguchi's entire body was stiff as if it were glued together. Only after the lady said, "Please continue your conversation," and closed the paper door and left did he deflate like a punctured balloon. So, it seems that when this young man first visited my home, he was also completely stiff with my wife present. Now that Toriguchi had returned to normal, and I had finished my yokan, the topic returned to its original point.

"Kyogoku-do, the scam just now was a real scam, so you mean all other fortune tellers are scammers like you?"

"Stop spouting nonsense, but—well, you're right. While there are indeed people among these individuals with special physical abilities like Natsuki, they're mostly using tricks similar to what I just did. It's not surprising that they've been exposed, but if I didn't tell you, you'd probably think I really used some kind of magic, right?"

Natsukizu is our friend; he runs a detective agency in Kanda. He seems to possess a strange ability to see other people's memories, which is what Kyogoku-do was referring to.

"I think so. If you don't explain the truth and instead bring up gods and Buddhas to explain, we'll definitely be fooled."

“I’m not lying. I’m not lying, nor am I distorting or concealing the facts; it’s just that the order is different from the usual procedure.”

"That makes sense, but your method relies on knowing the client's information beforehand, right? I don't believe that the sorcerers and diviners in the world can just happen to know the client's information in advance."

"No, not necessarily. There's a premise: inspiration and fortune-telling should be considered separately, even though they share some structural similarities. Another point is that people generally categorize religion and superpowered individuals as the same thing, right? This is the root cause of the confusion. For example, using the methodology for criticizing superpowered individuals to criticize religion is irrelevant, and vice versa. But the enemy is well aware of this, so they sometimes deliberately conflate them, taking advantage of the confusion to mislead the public. In this way, even if you know they have problems, if you don't understand the differences, you can't criticize them at all."

"What's different?"

Bird asked a question, and before he knew it, his expression had become very serious.

"After some thought and organization, we'll find that distinguishing them is actually quite simple. For the sake of convenience, let's temporarily divide them into religious figures, mediums, fortune tellers, and people with superpowers. At first glance, it does seem like a very peculiar group. To be precise, this classification is flawed in terms of hierarchical structure, because these are not categories that can be discussed side by side, but let's just categorize them like this for now."

What does "different levels" mean?

"Fortune teller is a professional title, while medium and psychic are terms used to describe an individual's special physical abilities. Therefore, it is possible for a fortune teller to have superpowers, and if they also belong to a religious group, they can be called a religious figure. This is different from the situation where radishes, carrots, pumpkins, and cucumbers all belong to the same category of vegetables. However, even if there is a fortune teller with superpowers who believes in a certain religion, when we want to discuss a specific matter, this person will still be classified into one of the four categories. As long as the discussion is focused on a specific matter, this distinction becomes clear and non-repetitive, so we can use this classification method for now."