Box of Demons

Chapter 32

Bird Mouth asked with great enthusiasm.

"First, I want to know the personal information of the Lord of the Jade Seed, such as his name, character, how he cultivated mental arts, his growth process, his previous profession, his family and ancestors... anything is fine, the more the better."

"I see. So, if we can't see them in person, we'll attack from the outside, right?"

"Next is the power of the guardian deity and the types of miracles. If you can exorcise demons, it would be even better if you knew the exorcism ritual, the spells used, the ritual implements used, and what kind of demons you were exorcising."

"It's best to ask the believers—asking the neighbors seems like a good idea too—"

"Next is the border crossing. You must have a lot of free time."

"Why am I so free? I'm living the busiest days of my life right now—"

I don't know what task I'll be assigned, and I certainly don't want to get involved in trouble; but on the other hand—I seem to have a lot on my mind.

A premonition that something is about to happen.

That period when the rainy season was about to end—

That's when it happened, and it was under that same feeling that things began.

No, the incident actually ended back then, but this time—

"What are you busy with? I heard you're going to publish a novel. If it's a new work, that's fine. This single volume is just a collection of published works. There's nothing for you to do, right? Besides, you should have taken care of things like revising and polishing the articles. You must have just come back here because you're very free, right?"

I meant to say that it wasn't true, but what came out of my mouth was something else entirely.

What do you want me to do?

"Leave this information to the police. Of course, revealing it may not be effective, but if revealed properly, they will help resolve everything."

"But wouldn't that mean our hard-won exclusive report would be lost? We might be able to unravel the mystery, but all of Bird Mouth's hard work would be for nothing."

"There's no need to worry about that. Right now, no newspaper or magazine has any information about Mikoto. Even if they do notice it, they can only rush to start interviewing. Only 'Record Crimes' can respond immediately and write a report. Moreover, 'Record Crimes' doesn't have a fixed publication date. It can be published under any name, such as a temporary supplement or a combined issue. As long as it's published first, it wins. It's faster than any other magazine, and the content is substantial."

"It was really fulfilling."

Bird Mouth patted his large briefcase with a broad smile, looking very energetic.

"But Kyogoku-do, it sounds simple to ask me to leak information, but how exactly do I do it? Do you expect Kiba Osamu to know about it? But he's not in charge, is he?"

“I remember reading in the newspaper that the person in charge was Inspector Oshima, who is Kiba’s superior. But—I haven’t heard from Kiba Osamu lately, and that guy often loses control—right, it might be better to let Satomi know first rather than handing him over to the police.”

Li Cun is a forensic doctor we know.

"What do you want to say to Rimura? I can't explain all that spiritual divination stuff you talked about today."

"There's no need to talk about those things. Just tell me that you accidentally obtained the Mikoto God's account book and discovered that ten families among the believers had missing daughters. You suspect that there is a connection between them. Oh, and just bring up what Kiyono said to Toriguchi. Imagine yourself as Kiyono and imitate him as disgustingly as possible."

"Uh-huh."

I don't know what the benefits of doing this are.

Let's assume that the police are desperate for information, like a drowning person grasping at straws. Even if this information isn't particularly valuable, it would at least be quite interesting. It's likely the police will launch some form of investigation, which might at least prevent similar incidents from happening again. Of course, this is a hypothetical scenario where Mikoto is indeed involved in the incident.

Conversely, what if the police are not informed, but the news is reported first?

If this results in new victims, "Record of Crime" will clearly be held accountable, as it was done in pursuit of profit, with an unwillingness to disclose prior evidence of crime. Moreover, the core information constituting the report was obtained illegally from the police, and even if it doesn't face legal sanctions, it will eventually be suppressed by the relevant authorities.

As for if the god of the hall is innocent, the outcome is self-evident.

The very existence of such lowbrow magazines is anti-establishment, so their reporting on power, morality, and common sense is mostly critical. However, being third- or fourth-rate magazines, their reporting is largely irresponsible slander, which is why they are criticized for violating public morals. If they face swift suppression and closure due to the size of their opposing organization, they often resort to personal attacks.

The situation becomes more delicate when the target is a religious group or a medium. It's unclear whether praising them constitutes anti-establishment sentiment or belittling them aligns with the style of a lowbrow magazine. Typically, the size of the opponent is used as a benchmark: the large are attacked, and the small are praised.

Which kind of deity is Mikoto? Unsubstantiated reports can cause unrest among believers. A disturbance involving three hundred people is a serious matter, far more dangerous than an attack on an individual.

I pondered these questions while watching the bird's beak.

Bird Mouth said:

“Teacher, we have no other choice. Since Mr. Chuzenji has agreed to help, it's like divine intervention. So please, teacher—”

There's really no way out; I think I can understand that feeling.

"—Help us defeat the evil box."

The box—it reminds me of the dream I had at noon.

"In that case, Sekiguchi, take a good look at this ledger."

Kyogoku Church handed me the believers' account book.

"Hmph, you never actually get involved yourself."

In detective novels, there are protagonists like armchair detectives or bed-type detectives, and Kyogoku-do would definitely be called a living room-type detective. However, even when he does deduce something, he doesn't reveal it publicly; he just shows off his sophistry and deceives people, so he's not suited to be a detective.

I glanced at the ledger while making sarcastic remarks. At that moment, I was in a state of near-absence, not thinking about anything. Although I saw the words, I didn't really absorb them; I was just pretending to read.

Suddenly, legible words appeared, and I went back several lines.

My gaze stopped.

"Kubo Shunkong"

"Kubo-Junong?"

I read it aloud without even realizing it.

"That up-and-coming fantasy novelist?"

I think I've heard of Kyogoku-do.

"His name is there? He's still young, isn't he? Is he a believer? No, maybe it's someone else with the same name. What did Kiyono's contact information say?"

I quickly shifted my gaze to that column.

"Novelist, winner of the second annual Fantasy Literature Newcomer Award. Seemingly without any trace of interest or interest, details unknown."

What's going on here? I recall his handsome features. It's so incongruous; I can't imagine him worshipping a fraudulent medium. But how can he say he has no generosity?

I feel extremely uneasy.

"What's wrong? You know the novelist Kubo Shunko? Speaking of which, his name is in the news ad section of the next issue of 'Modern Literature'. If you know him, it would be a good idea to try asking him."

"This—I'm sorry, I refuse."

I don't know how to deal with him.

No, something's not right. I don't care about that person's personality.

I just don't know why, but I really dislike seeing him worshipping someone more powerful than himself.

I imagined Kubo, wearing white gloves and impeccably dressed in formal attire, bowing deeply. His object was a box, a huge box. A box within a box, and within that box were more boxes, with hands and feet scattered nearby—

No, my mind is a complete mess.

Why am I suddenly so uneasy? Torakuchi seemed to be saying something. What exactly is in that large briefcase?

Could it be another box?

On September 22nd, I became deeply involved in the incident.

Forward strategy

I am sending you the previously agreed-upon manuscript. It would have been safer to deliver it in person to your office, but due to various commitments, I have no choice but to send it by mail.

Today is September 7th. If there are no postal issues, it should arrive in your hands by the deadline of September 10th.

It is easy to see upon reading that the work is written entirely in the old kana style (Note: After the defeat in the war, the Japanese government accepted the advice of GHQ and simplified the original kana marking method, which is called 'new kana' and is still in use today, while the original usage is called 'old kana').

This is my personal opinion; please take it seriously when proofreading.

Additionally, please mail the typesetting manuscript to the address shown on the back of the paper. Once it arrives, please proofread it and return it immediately.

Please also convey my regards to Mr. Yamazaki, to whom I have always been grateful for his kindness.

To Ms. Koizumi Tamayo

Junkong Kubo

"The Girl in the Box" Part 1

Junkong Kubo

I've had obsessive-compulsive disorder about cleanliness since childhood. I can't stand anything that isn't done neatly and tidy. Whether it's the seams of clothes or a plaque on the wall, I feel displeased if I see anything crooked.

When I saw that the rice in the bento box was tilted to one side, creating gaps, my anger outweighed my hunger, and I could no longer eat.

It's better to stuff something in than to leave gaps. A container is a vessel for holding things. To use it fully and effectively, it must be tightly packed.

I've always cared a lot about this kind of thing.

(omitted)

A perfect score on an exam is always the best. Whenever I see a fool who gets 90 points and is excitedly thinking they've achieved a high score, I find it utterly foolish and even infuriating. There are clearly 10 points left unfilled.

So I studied very hard. The more I learned, the more fulfilled I felt, which was very satisfying. The feeling of filling in all the gaps in my knowledge was truly comforting.

(omitted)

As we grow older, our aversion to imperfections increases. Anything lacking or inadequate is a sin, a mark of inferiority.

The pencil case contained pencils. The brand-new pencils were long, so there was little space inside. But with just a slight sharpening, gaps would immediately appear. Emptiness is a symbol of ignorance. The gaps in the pencil case seemed to be filled with ignorance; it made me want to vomit.

Therefore, the pencils in the pencil case are always new.

And so, through sheer hard work and dedication, I graduated with top honors.

And so, amidst everyone's anticipation, he became an official. He performed his duties flawlessly, and naturally, he lived a fulfilling life every day. He was very happy. Happiness, in essence, is contentment.

(omitted)

My father has passed away.

Her mother died before she was old enough to understand. She was left all alone in the vast house.

A house filled with empty rooms is too scary to live in.

Behind the paper door and behind the screen, emptiness reigns.

The unease just sitting there gradually intensifies, making one restless and uneasy. It feels as if the brain is expanding, creating gaps. Not even a second can be endured.

They immediately sold their house and rented a small room.

A square, box-like room.

The closet in the room was crammed with neatly folded luggage and blankets.