Tokyo Mystery Writers

Chapter 220: A Masterpiece of Serial Tricks - Nostalgia

Upon hearing Maijo Kyosuke's words, Maruta Chika's face lit up with joy: "Is 'Nostalgia' a sequel to the 'Macato Series'?"

"Is it... a mind-blowing work like 'Convergence,' which blends quantum entanglement with Schrödinger's cat?"

Upon hearing Maruta Chika's words, Maijo Kyosuke pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "This story isn't like 'Convergence,' which blends quantum entanglement and Schrödinger's cat. Instead, it's a relatively classic, traditional, and orthodox work. That's why it's titled 'Nostalgia.'"

One reason.

Maishiro Kyosuke entered the study and quickly took out a manuscript, handing it to Uyama Hideomi.

"Mr. Yushan, the photocopier I brought from Kodansha last time to copy the manuscript of 'Never Sleeps' is still in the guest room on the south side. Could you please help me copy the manuscript?"

Uyama Hideomi nodded, took the manuscript, and headed towards the guest room on the south side.

While Uyama Hideomi was copying the manuscript, Maijo Kyosuke continued, "To be precise, 'Nostalgia' is a work that combines a work within a work, a double locked room, a traceless trick, and a series of misleading and blind spot 'chain tricks'."

"It is filled with countless classical foreshadowings and tricks, making it a work that is a fusion of tricks."

"However, it would be quite boring if I told you the whole story."

"So, once the manuscript of 'Nostalgia' is printed, the real fun lies in finding the answers within the book yourself."

"Only by reading the entire story can you truly appreciate its charm!"

Maruta Chika's interest grew even stronger upon hearing Maishiro Kyosuke's words, and she jokingly said, "Although what Maishiro-sensei said is very good, when I think about the fact that this is a 'Macato Series' work, I feel that things are far from being as simple as I imagined."

"Could this be another story without an ending?

As soon as Maruta Chika spoke, everyone else present looked at Maijo Kyosuke with puzzled expressions, clearly recalling the fear they had felt when they were dominated by "Convergence".

When Maijo Kyosuke saw everyone looking at him, he hurriedly shook his head: "That's not true. I can't guarantee anything else, but 'Nostalgia' will definitely not be like 'Conclusion' which has no ending."

"Because I included in the story a classic reader challenge, inherited from Ellery Queen's 'Country Names Series'!"

"Not only will I provide a complete answer, but I will also convince you all!"

"However, the difficulty level that you can guess is no lower than 'Convergence'!"

As soon as Maijo Kyosuke uttered his words, critics Gonda Manji and Kasai Kiyoshi began to rub their hands together in anticipation.

Kiyoshi Kasai went even further, declaring, "I'm going to challenge Mr. Mai! As long as Mr. Mai doesn't cheat and his clues are logical and well-founded, I'm sure I'll be able to figure out the truth!"

Upon hearing Kasai Kiyoshi's words, Maijo Kyosuke revealed a somewhat gloating expression: "Mr. Kasai, since it's a challenge, there must be winners and losers."

"What if you lose to me?"

Upon hearing what Maijo Kyosuke said, Kasai Kiyoshi was at a loss and fell silent.

Maruta Chika, on the other hand, seemed quite interested in the challenge: "I want to play too! As for the rules?"

"It's just for fun, we won't bet big!"

"How about the wine in the bar cabinet at the gambling den?"

"If Mr. Kasai and I guess the truth, then we can take a bottle of wine from Ms. Maishiro's wine cabinet."

"What if we lose? Next time we come, we'll add another bottle to Mr. Mai's wine cabinet!"

"How is it?"

Kyosuke Maijo was very confident in his work "Nostalgia" and nodded with a smile.

Seeing this, Kiyoshi Kasai naturally showed no fear and agreed.

Everyone around was interested in the challenge, and after some discussion, they finally agreed to take it.

Five people participated in the challenge: Kiyoshi Kasai, Chika Maruta, Yumeaki Hirayama, Manji Gonda, and Otto Penzel.

Just as Maishiro Kyosuke finished counting the number of people, Uyama Hideomi came over with the printed manuscript.

Kyosuke Maijo took out five of the manuscripts, tore off the last two pages, and distributed them to Kiyoshi Kasai, Chika Maruta, Yumeaki Hirayama, Manji Gonda, and Otto Penzel.

The remaining copies of the manuscript were then distributed by Hideomi Uyama to the others present.

Seeing that everyone had received the manuscript of "Nostalgia", Maijo Kyosuke smiled and looked at everyone, saying, "While you are reading 'Nostalgia', I'll go back to my study to draw up the table for 'No One Dies'."

"I hope you will have a perfect reading experience."

After finishing his speech, Maijo Kyosuke glanced at Kasai Kiyoshi, Maruta Chika, Hirayama Yumeaki, Gonda Manji, and Otto Penzel, and said meaningfully, "I also hope that the five of you will take some wine from my wine cabinet today, instead of leaving five more bottles in my wine cabinet."

""

After speaking, Maijo Kyosuke stood up and walked towards the study.

Maruta Chika greatly admires Maijo Kyosuke's writing ability and clearly understands that with Maijo Kyosuke's talent, he will one day become a "mystery master" that Kodansha can be proud of!

But—appreciation is one thing, admiration is another, and these two things don’t conflict with Maruta Chika’s strong competitive spirit!

Since Kyosuke Maijo said that he had planted a very fair foreshadowing in his work "Nostalgia" and would provide a very reasonable solution.

As a seasoned publishing secretary, Maruta Chika possesses a vast reading experience comparable to that of a mystery critic, and naturally has absolute confidence that she will not lose to Maijo Kyosuke!

With these thoughts in mind, Maruta Chika, driven by her intense competitive spirit, opened the first chapter of "Nostalgia"—

Prologue: On December 27th, the first snow covered the Kyoto area.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, this year is no exception to the previous years, as it is a warm winter.

However, as the New Year approaches, reality ironically differs completely from the weather agency's predictions.

Heavy snow fell from the sky, and the snow accumulation was as thick as more than ten centimeters!

This heavy snowfall coincided with the end of the year, as if mocking the people on earth and bringing them endless trouble.

But in fact, a certain group of people still eagerly await its arrival.

Who are these strange people?

He is naturally a mystery novelist.

Snow has been an indispensable element in detective novels throughout history.

Because simply covering a building or open space with a layer of snow creates a natural "secret chamber"!

Having said all that, I think most readers, except for a few who lack the wisdom to understand, should have already grasped the point.

The story I'm about to tell is closely related to this year's heavy snowfall —

"What?! This manuscript?"

I pointed to the twenty-page manuscript on the table and questioned McCarteau, who was sitting in an armchair.

McCarteau, sitting in his chair, shamelessly replied, "It's Guess the Murderer! Guess the Murderer, I wrote this to pass the time during the New Year."

"Guess the killer?"

I unconsciously raised my voice.

Could it be that McCartney didn't call me here because there was danger?

Based on the tone of McCarteau's voice on the phone, I completely believed that he had come over because of an urgent matter!

So it turns out I was tricked.

McCarteau sat in his armchair, making creaking noises that I found extremely irritating from time to time: "Yes, I hope you'll take a look at this manuscript."

I have an office on the third floor of a mixed-use apartment building.

Outside the office door hangs a large, gold-plated sign that reads: "Macartney Detective Agency".

This is McCarteau's lair, and the source of this evil.

The third day of the first lunar month.

Like most Japanese people, I went back to my parents' home.

I had just had a few drinks with my relatives and was a little tipsy.

I was suddenly summoned here by a phone call from McCartney!

I thought it was something serious!

He drove to McCarteau's office without bringing anything with him.

But what greeted me was Mercato, who was leaning on the table with one hand and had a "you're so slow" look on his face.

Then, he placed twenty pages of manuscript paper in front of me.

"Meyer? You called my parents' house over something so trivial?"

McCarteau seemed somewhat surprised by my words: "Is there a problem with that?"

Looking at McCarte's face, I really wanted to punch him: "This is a huge problem! All the relatives are gathered together, and I just suddenly showed up—"

"If something's wrong with you, I can understand."

"But reading the manuscript? What on earth are you thinking?!"

McCarteau still showed no remorse and shamelessly said, "Dealing with annoying relatives is a hassle. I rescued you from that place; you should be thanking me."

I glared at McCarteau, furious. "I'm not some heartless, inhuman monster like you! I'm just a normal person who wants to live a normal life in society!"

I originally intended to leave here immediately.

But they stopped halfway through.

Because I realized that even if I rushed back now, the dinner party would have already ended.

Moreover, things have come to this point, and nothing can be done about someone like McCarteau.

Because I was the fool who was deceived, being tricked again and again.

"So—Meyer, you want me to find the murderer?"

McCarteau, looking like he had me completely figured out, replied in an utterly indifferent tone, "Yeah."

Ugh! This is infuriating. If he wants me to find the culprit, he can just say so. Why does it have to be like I'm begging him?

I flipped through the manuscript he gave me with great speed.

The B5 sheet of paper was covered with dense, ant-like writing, without any paragraphs, running from one end to the other, fully demonstrating his inconsiderate personality.

"Hey! Meyer, what good will it do me to read your rubbish or figure out the killer?"

McCarteau spoke with an air of superiority, as if it were his due: "It is permissible to converse with great talent."

Looking at the manuscript in my hand, disgust escaped my lips: "Great talent? This is utterly awful!"

"In my opinion, this kind of thing is of no benefit whatsoever; I'd rather die."

McCarte listened to my words, pondered for a moment, then, as if he had thought of some wicked idea, grinned mischievously and said, "Miss, I heard your cousin is going to have a corneal transplant, right? Haven't you gotten the cornea yet?"

When I heard McCarteau's words, I nodded sadly: "Sigh, that kid is still a high school student. He lost his right eye in a motorcycle accident. Although it's his own fault, it's still quite pitiful."

"The queue at the eye bank is so long, there's nothing I can do about it—"

McCarteau seemed to have found my weakness: "How about the prize being a cornea?"

"This is a piece of cake for me; there's nothing Mercato can't handle!"

I wasn't surprised to hear what McCarteau said.

Because McCato, whether through legal or illegal channels, has a whole host of strange and unusual connections.

If this person makes a promise, it should be credible to a certain extent.

If he could actually win this prize, he would be nothing short of Santa Claus for the New Year!

At times like this, it doesn't matter whether I'm being perfunctory or sincere.

My cousin's eyes are the most important!

McCartney's words rang out again: "If you want me to help you, you must find the murderer."

"And another thing, didn't you say you were commissioned to write for a magazine? If you don't find the murderer, you have to publish my piece verbatim under your name!"

"How is it?"

I nodded in agreement because I had almost no other choice when it came to my cousin's cornea.

McCarteau looked at me with a mischievous grin, then pulled a piece of paper from the drawer: "That's quite a courageous judgment, but just don't regret it later."

"And this, the character list I drew."

I took the card and looked at it:

Kodera (39 years old): Kyoto Prefectural Police Inspector; Uesugi Kenshin (75 years old): Wealthy businessman, victim; Uesugi Mitsuru (31 years old): Detective, Kodera's subordinate; Uesugi Akira (35 years old): Surgeon, Uesugi Mitsuru's older brother; Takeda Shingen (?): Unknown; Asakura (34 years old): Detective, Kodera's subordinate; Imagawa (29 years old): Detective. Seeing the number of people listed, only seven, a look of delight appeared on his face: "Only seven people?"

McCarteau looked at me with a puzzled expression: "Aren't there enough people?"

"No!"

I quickly shook my head. The fewer suspects there are, the greater the chance of guessing the murderer!

For my cousin's sake, and also for my dignity as a novelist!

I must find the murderer!

My sense of mission burned like a raging fire!

I began to read the manuscript, which looked like tiny ants—

The snow that suddenly started falling during the day.

The residents of the Kyoto Basin were optimistic, thinking, "It should be shut down around tonight, right?"

As a result, as night fell, the snowfall increased exponentially.

It transformed the bustling Kyoto Basin into a pure white and solemn wasteland.

If you venture a little further in from Kita-Saga, you will come across a magnificent mansion in the Celtic Renaissance style.

Hidden deep within a bamboo forest, it is luxurious, magnificent, and a mansion that ranks among the best in all of Japan.

The story takes place in this mansion in Kitasaga —

A white building stands in the darkness, named "Okunomiya". This detached house is built in conjunction with its main building, Sagano Mansion, creating a harmonious and picturesque scene.

Within its square, 30-square-meter outer courtyard, there is a family garden.

It houses a collection of exotic flowers and plants from all over the world.

Tonight, the entire garden is covered with a white curtain, giving the illusion that the garden is completely empty.

Heavy snow cuts through the "Okunomiya" and the main building, the Sagano Mansion.

There are two rooms inside the "Oku no Miya".

The one to the west is called "The Mist Room".

It contains all sorts of rare and precious treasures from ancient and modern times.

The other one, located to the east, is called "Kasumi no Ma".

"The Room of Mist" is a bedroom.

It is home to the chairman of the Uesugi Group, a financial tycoon!

People on the streets and alleys compared him to a famous general in history and respectfully called him "Lord Qianxin".

The art collection in "The Fog Chamber" was all acquired by the chairman at great expense.

The sun and moon alternate, and the stars shift and the constellations move.

While the cold wind howled outside, two people sat inside the "Mist Room".

One of them was an elderly man in his twilight years, Lord Qianxin.

The identity of the other one cannot be revealed yet.

The key to this case lies in identifying the other person who caused this tragedy.

"Then—"

The old man spoke urgently, and the other person seemed to sense his unusual behavior, sitting very nervously.

"—Could it be?"

He held a wine glass in his gloved right hand, his eyes clouded with a sorrowful paleness, and placed the glass on the glass coffee table.

"Thump!"

The glass made a crisp sound when it collided with the glass.

The unease in the room was transformed into a delicate performance!

It was a duet played with gentle caresses, slowly building towards the climax of the movement—

Here is another insignificant detail that provides a clue for readers.

The first button on the collar came loose, and with a "click," it bounced off to the right with a slight vibration.

The tiny, translucent button, tilted inwards, rolled across the blood-stained carpet, soon lost its balance, and came to a permanent stop.

"ah----"

The cycle of cause and effect dictates that if the out-of-control beast cannot be subdued, its fangs will bite the poor lamb.

This is the prelude to tragedy, a destined struggle.

The truth is obvious, and illusions cannot last forever.

A minute or two later, with a loud crash like a tree falling, the world fell into silence once again.

Only a five-foot-tall columnar clock, pressed against the wall, proudly displays its exquisite craftsmanship.

In the stifling air, it tolled three times on its own.

After this, where will the demon's footsteps stop?

Ah, the curtain falls—

After reading the prologue of the story "Nostalgia", Maruta Chika looked completely bewildered.

What is this all about?

Why does it look so messy?

What about "Okunomiya", "Sagano Mansion", "Misty Land", and "Misty Land"?

Why does this song "Nostalgia" feel like it's not speaking human language?

What exactly is Maijo Kyosuke writing?

Work within work?

Could it be that Ms. Mai is intentionally using a different writing style to imitate the "wicked detective" Mercator in the story?

Although Maruta Chika looked confused, she did not lose patience.

After all, this work is a sequel to "Convergence" in Maijo Kyosuke's "Macato Series".

This is also the first time that Kyosuke Maijo has written two works for the same "famous detective".

Under these circumstances, Maruta Chika believed that Maijo Kyosuke absolutely could not ruin his own reputation!

With her doubts lingering, Maruta Chika opened the first chapter of "Nostalgia" and once again entered the story—