Tokyo Mystery Writers

I (Tatsumi Sekiguchi) watched Enokizu walk away and was about to push open the door to enter the room.

But then I saw Ryoko peek out. She tentatively asked me if she had done something wrong that made Mr. Enokizu angry.

I didn't know how to comfort Ryoko, nor did I know where I suddenly got the courage, but I directly agreed to investigate the case of Makirou's disappearance.

But... I'm not a detective, I'm just an ordinary third-rate novelist.

I followed Ms. Ryoko into the room in a daze. Perhaps it was because of the argument I had just had with Enokizu that I felt dizzy and even felt like the world around me had turned into a dark void.

All that could be seen was the weak Kyoko lying on the bed, Ryoko standing to the side, and a metallic gleam reflecting off a spot on the floor.

Perhaps it's because of the loss of her loved one? Miss Gengzi's mental state is very poor, and she's in a completely abnormal state.

I'm not a detective after all, so I didn't know what to ask Gengzi to advance the case. Then I suddenly remembered the love letter I sent to Gengzi twelve years ago.

So, I tentatively asked Miss Gengzi about the twelve-year-long love letter.

As a result, upon hearing the love letter, Gengzi's bloodshot eyes widened, and he became inexplicably irritable.

"What did you say?!...A love letter...A love letter!"

"Why?! Why would you ask such a thing?! Asking the same thing as him!"

Gengzi's eyes had clearly lost their rational light; she stared at me with a deathly gaze that sent shivers down my spine!

"What...what do you know! Why are you asking the same questions that only he knows, just like him! I've never received anything like that! I don't know anything about love letters! I've never even read one! Why, why are you so obsessed with that kind of thing! What exactly is a love letter?!"

Gengzi's expression was so fierce it looked like a demon. I was so scared that I took two or three steps back, but I was still confused because twelve years ago, I did indeed give Senior Mulang's love letter to Miss Gengzi.

Why doesn't she remember? Why is she saying such strange things?

I felt dizzy and was being pushed backward into the darkness. The scene before my eyes flickered like a movie, and all I could see was Gengzi screaming like a madman, like a demon:

"That's right! I received a love letter! It was me! Haha! I'm the one who received the love letter!"

Seeing her sister lose control of her emotions, Ryoko quickly gave her a sedative. At the same time, she inexplicably moved closer to me and apologized. Although she didn't know what exactly happened back then, it was clear that Kyoko had forgotten everything about the love letter.

Ms. Ryoko's sudden approach made me feel very uneasy. For a moment, I was speechless and didn't know how to start the conversation, which brought the investigation to a standstill.

Seeing this, Ms. Ryoko didn't say anything more and led me out of the room.

Upon exiting the gate, I saw Atsuko Chuzenji waiting in the main hall of Kuonji Temple.

As soon as Atsuko met me, she asked me what was wrong with Enokizu.

Mentioning Enokizu immediately reminded me of what that guy had said, and I said somewhat defiantly:

"That guy is hopeless. We might as well take this opportunity to cut ties with him."

Although it was only said in a half-joking manner, it made me feel very uneasy.

Because I realized that I was simply incapable of investigating the Kuonji family's case.

So far, it seems that the only clue that can be called a clue is Enokizu's vision.

Without Enokizu's help? Can I really solve this case on my own?

"Atsuko, what did Enokizu-nii say to you?"

Atsuko Chuzenji frowned, revealing the same expression as her brother:

"It's strange. I just saw Mr. Enokizu walk out looking lost. I felt that something serious might have happened, so I called out to him loudly."

"I called him twice, three times, but he didn't respond until the fourth time when he turned around and asked if I was calling him."

I pressed further, "And then?"

Atsuko shook her head, somewhat puzzled, her face full of confusion:

"Mr. Enokizu realized that I had called him four times before he reacted, muttering 'I see,' as if to indicate his agreement."

"Then he continued, 'Even though my ears are closed, I can't hear anything. I see. I didn't know there were such things in the world. There's nothing I can do about it.'"

"Anyway, I don't know what Mr. Enokizu saw. He just told me that I absolutely must not go into that room and that it would be better to call the police immediately."

Hearing Atsuko's words, I understood Enokizu's words and actions even less.

What exactly did he hallucinate? Perhaps he didn't see anything at all and just wanted an excuse to leave.

I know that I am not capable of uncovering the truth on my own.

So he got up to say goodbye, wanting to go find Kyogoku-do and see what he thought.

But unexpectedly, they ran into Ms. Ryoko standing in the flower bed in the yard.

As if drawn by her magnetism, I went up to her and struck up a conversation, only to discover that there were many datura flowers planted in the flower beds of Kuonji Hospital.

I suffered from depression when I was young. I had some basic knowledge of neurology and psychiatry, and I clearly understand that datura flowers can not only be used as an anesthetic, but if ingested in large quantities, they can also cause loss of mind and produce hallucinogenic effects.

I warned Ms. Ryoko to be careful of these poisonous flowers, but unexpectedly, Ms. Ryoko reached out and took my hand.

"Mr. Sekiguchi, you seem to be very knowledgeable about pharmacy."

Ryoko and I locked eyes. I was like a frog bewitched by a snake, unable to move. All I could do was look back into her eyes.

This feeling made me very uneasy, and I even felt like I was letting my wife down.

But I couldn't break free; I could only look into those beautiful eyes and listen to the pounding of my heart.

Ryoko's breath brushed against her ear, and she spoke in a barely audible voice:

"Please...save me."

I couldn't respond to Ryoko; I just felt a wave of dizziness.

-

The next morning, I went to Kyogoku-do's used bookstore, intending to tell them about the progress of yesterday's investigation and ask for their help.

We happened to run into our mutual friend, Detective Shutaro Kiba, at the used bookstore.

At first, I thought that Enokizu had leaked yesterday's events to Kiba.

But as the conversation deepened, I learned that in addition to Makirou's mysterious disappearance and Kyouko's inability to give birth after being pregnant for twenty months, there was an even stranger thing that happened in the Kuonji family.

About two years ago, three strange things happened at the Kuonji Maternity Hospital.

Three babies died mysteriously at the Kuonji Maternity Hospital.

The Kuonji family claimed that the child died shortly after birth and provided assistance with cremation.

However, this did not match the pregnant woman's statement. Since the police could not find any useful clues, the family could only reach a settlement with the hospital.

As for why Shutaro Kiba would reinvestigate this two-year-old case?

The main reason is that recently many gossip magazines have reported on the news that Gengzi was pregnant for twenty months without giving birth, and the mysterious disappearance of Mulang.

These magazines specialize in writing vulgar stories to grab attention.

As a result, rumors began to circulate that Gengzi lacked female virtue, was unchaste, and slept with any man she saw; her chaotic private life was beyond description.

In order to preserve her desires and youthful appearance forever, Gengzi kidnapped the baby, extracted its blood and juice to make medicine for her to consume!

These children cannot be reincarnated and can only become vengeful spirits that possess them. Now, Gengzi is twenty months pregnant but has not yet given birth, which means she has obviously become the Demon Mother Goddess!

And these are just some of the more outrageous reports.

Some magazines even suspected that Makirou's disappearance was likely the work of Gengzi.

As her desire for the groin intensified, she inhaled Mu Lang into her stomach...

I deeply abhor this distorted reporting, although I do not know why Gengzi was unable to give birth for twenty months, why Mulang disappeared in the secret room, or the real reason for the mysterious deaths of the three babies.

But to say it's some kind of vengeful spirit, or that it sucks living people into its belly, is really too absurd!

So Kiba and I decided to find the maids or nurses who had worked at the Kuonji family to investigate the three babies who died mysteriously that year, as well as the secrets of the Kuonji family.

When Hideomi Uyama saw the three infants who had died under mysterious circumstances, he was somewhat taken aback.

Because the story structure of Maijo Kyosuke is very subtle and foreshadowing.

First, the story uses the gimmick of a woman who has been unable to conceive for twenty months and her husband who mysteriously disappeared in a locked room to uncover a past case.

This method of handling story structure is very similar to the techniques used by Seishi Yokomizo.

Coupled with this eerie and bizarre atmosphere, it made Uyama Hideomi feel even more thrilled and a little smug.

Because he seemed to have seen through the foreshadowing that Maijo Kyosuke had planted in the book.

The three infants who died mysteriously at Kuonji Temple must be inextricably linked to the frog-faced baby that Enokizu hallucinated!