Not a detective

Page 253

This book may be considered terrible, but it doesn't contain any filler or filler words. You won't find the same kind of writing in any other book on the website.

No other author could write this book like I have, especially while maintaining a daily update schedule.

For me personally, I have absolutely no regrets about writing this book, nor do I regret spending time on it, even if the results are barely enough to make ends meet, even if I could go to a better website.

Even if I write more commercial or internet-culture-oriented works later, I will always remember "Not a Detective".

I may only be able to pursue my dream once in my entire life. As the saying goes, I have to consider whether this is the only opportunity I will ever have.

Calling it "self-indulgence" is fine; it will always be one of my masterpieces.

Let's take this opportunity to conduct a survey.

Of the twelve chapters in this book, which is your favorite?

"Spring of the Earth Spider"

Summer of the Snow Woman

"Autumn of the Blue Lantern"

"Winter of Ghosts"

Spring of Items

Summer of the Red Stingray

Zashiki-warashi no Aki

"Winter of Gods"

Jade Grass Spring

"Summer of Nue"

"The Autumn of Baqi"

Winter of Man

And, of the six female protagonists in this book, including the male protagonist, which one do you like the most?

Asakawa Riku.

Wind Sacrifice to a Thousand Cranes.

Snow painting.

The last moon of the eastern cloud.

Star Feather.

Mist Rain Sunflower.

Asukai Poem.

Well then, that's all for my rambling. Thank you all for your company all this time.

The book club (935731256) will always be open. If you have your own author's closing remarks, you are welcome to join us and discuss them with me.

If fate allows, we'll meet again in the next book.

Winter of Man: After Story - Spring Follows the Flowers Back

Why haven't you confessed your feelings to me yet?

During a casual chat one day, Chizuko suddenly asked this question.

This sentence slipped out naturally from among other topics, catching Asakawa Riku somewhat off guard:

"...Perhaps in my heart, you're still my senior... Well, we're still the same as we were back in the mystery club, it's natural, I never expected..."

He stammered as he spoke, and Chizuko gently kicked him with her prosthetic leg.

"Fool."

He then noticed her face was flushed red, and she whispered repeatedly, "Idiot."

...

After graduating from university, Kazamatsuri Chizuko officially took over her father's responsibilities and became the priest of Kazamatsuri Shrine, the position of the head priest.

But she often neglects her duties, or rather, she is too focused on them. She often gets excited when she sees rumors about monsters from various places on the internet.

"I need to exorcise a spirit, come with me!"

So he took Asakawa Riku to various parts of Japan, listening to the requests of local residents, and often went deep into the mountains and forests, enduring wind and rain.

They only charge a token fee, much like an RPG protagonist who takes on side quests everywhere, always on the move.

Whenever Chizuko encounters all sorts of strange folk customs, monsters, or shikigami, she chats happily about them.

This is what senior students are like... They have experienced several major events, almost as dangerous as those in high school.

But I enjoy it every time.

Asakawa Riku was quite helpless about this, but it also reminded him of the time when the two of them dealt with the ghost stories at school together.

It was as if the red thread between their wrists was still connecting them, only now it had become invisible.

In Chizuko's words:

—This is a 'honeymoon'.

...

"Brother..."

"Still calling me elder brother?"

Asakawa Riku asked her a question in return.

Yukie lowered her head shyly: "I'm used to it..."

She was wearing a household apron and standing in the kitchen. Every time I saw her like that in the house, she looked like a virtuous young wife.

Asakawa Riku smiled and said, "It's fine to call me that normally, but sometimes it makes me feel a sense of immorality that I shouldn't have."

"...So that's how it is."

Yukie placed the dinner on the table, then suddenly stared at him with her eyes: "Can our relationship take another step forward?"

For the first time, Riku Asakawa realized that Yukie could also have such an aggressive offensive style.

...

Because of that "accident," Asakawa Riku missed the university entrance exam that year and was forced to repeat a year.

However, he performed well the following year and was admitted to his desired school, Waseda University.

Of course, given the extent to which Asakawa Riku has neglected his studies over the past four years, it's hard to say whether he pursued a career as a sports student.

In contrast, Yukie was diligent and hardworking, and with her genuine talent, she was admitted to the university the following year, and the two became senior and junior students again.

But more than anything, it was their daily life living together. You could even say that Yuki was the person who spent the most time with Asakawa Riku.

Even if it's just quietly keeping you company, it goes unnoticed.

However, whenever Asakawa Riku returned home after experiencing many things, he would always see that gentle, smiling girl warmly welcoming him back.

This is what home feels like. Without realizing it, he got used to Yukie's company. Even though she is a "snow woman," she gave him the warmest feeling.

Perhaps she's just a little-selfish mole?

In short, after a certain day, she was never heard to call him "elder brother" in public again.

...

"Trash fish."

Shinonome Suetsuki still spoke without any mercy.

Asakawa Riku reluctantly put down the controller. The laptop next to him showed that he had been beaten 5-0.

"Gulie is too cunning."

He couldn't help but say.

If they're far away, they'll use a hand chop; if they jump over, they'll use a rising dragon kick. Even though they're just crouching there, it feels like they have no openings.

This wasn't Asakawa Riku's first time playing Street Fighter. He tried several characters but still couldn't find a way to break this move, so he just stood there blankly at the selection screen.

"By the way... could you do something like those martial artists and unleash a Hadouken from your hand?"

"Theoretically, it's not feasible."

Asakawa Riku pondered that martial artists still rely on the strength of their own bodies, and this world doesn't have things like spiritual power or battle qi.

But he seems to have transcended the realm of theory now...maybe...

Just then, Mo Yue suddenly reached out and pushed him backward while he was still thinking.

"...?!"

Asakawa Riku was taken aback. Of course, he could have realized what was going on, but it seemed like this guy was deliberately being so serious when he was thinking about something.

All I saw was the woman slowly riding up with a grin: "Now, it's ROUND 2."

...

When he was with Shinonome Suetsuki, Asakawa Riku felt that he was at his most decadent.

The two of them practically became gaming addicts.

Whether it's a new release, an old game, or even various retro game consoles, they all filled every corner of the meeting room.

Sometimes it was Asakawa Riku who was playing around, and Suezuki would be pointing and whispering behind his back.

Sometimes it's Moyue who's playing around, and Asakawa Riku helps her tidy up her messy room. Ever since he learned to take care of people, even he can cook, which is amazing.

Sometimes two people play games together, such as Monster Hunter, and battle against each other, just like the Street Fighter fighting game now.

Or they might switch to a different region while playing and start fighting for territory.

Perhaps it's not wrong to say that their relationship is purely "physical," but how is that any less than a soulmate relationship? Suezuki herself doesn't care about anything else; she's a child who will never grow up. To her, Asakawa Riku is also a child who just wants to let go of everything and laugh heartily. In this sense, only here can they relax, and that is the meaning itself.

The "Shinonome Detective Agency" has not been open to the public for a long time.

Actually, not only Suetsuki, but Asakawa Riku is also a complete eccentric.

...

"There's something I want to say."

"What a coincidence, I also have something to say." Xingyu paused for a moment: "Asakawa-kun, would you go first?"

Asakawa Riku pondered for a moment:

"I've discussed it with Moyue, and we're going to transfer my half of the shares to you. The agreement has been drafted, and we're just waiting for you to sign it."

Actually, he had this idea for a long time.

Although he felt great about acquiring such a large sum of money at the time, he later realized that he seemed to have no use for those assets, since he was just handing them over to others to manage anyway.

Even that string of numbers was just numbers; it had lost all meaning for Asakawa Riku at this point.

On the contrary, Xingyu goes to the company every day, works hard in meetings, makes decisions, and goes on business trips; he is already an excellent CEO.

This is somewhat like Xingyu working for them. Asakawa Riku thinks it might be better to give her the shares.

However, upon hearing this, Xingyu smiled:

"That's what I wanted to say too... However, I'd like to resign from the CEO position; I've already given my resignation letter to Miss."

"Why……"

Asakawa Riku was taken aback; that position was something many people envied: "Are you too tired?"

"No... At first I was really happy, feeling that what I had learned was finally going to be put to good use, and that I could do things for Miss that were even better than what a maid could do."

Hoshino put her hands behind her back, quietly approached Asakawa Riku, and whispered in his ear, "But later I still felt that the time I spent on the island was the happiest time of my life."

Asakawa Riku looked at the girl before him, a thought flashed through his mind:

"How about we take a vacation?"

...