Not a detective

Page 47

There's also the strangely appearing safe house, the blizzard, the rapidly shortened passage of time, all the familiar characters, and all sorts of unbelievable elements.

If we explain it all as a "dream," then it makes sense.

"So, no one died?" This was also the reason why Asakawa Riku could eat parfait here with a clear conscience: "Yuki, Hiroki, Matsuyama-sensei, and the others..."

Yes, they are all safe and sound.

The old monk, known as "Baku," quickly offered reassurance: "After all, it was just something that happened in a dream."

Asakawa Riku breathed a sigh of relief, but the next second, his expression turned strange again, as if he had eaten a sour fruit.

"So, in my memory... Mr. Matsuyama and Principal Komiya really had an affair?"

He didn't consider himself a gossipy person.

"You've misunderstood. The characters in your dreams aren't entirely based on your impressions, although they do have some of those elements..."

After thinking for a moment, the tapir explained, "Actually, these people all visited this shrine a few days ago. They are like projections of that time, which I placed in your dream."

“Yes.” The god, who was also Chizuko’s father, Kazamatsuri Akihisa, spoke up, taking out a briefcase from under the table: “They have already been here, before you.”

That briefcase looks familiar... Inside, there are ten million yen, which is Mr. Takagi's donation.

It turned out to be the case.

Riku Asakawa understood the principle. It turned out that Mr. Takagi and the others had indeed come to the shrine, but they did not come on the same day, nor did they encounter any incidents of getting lost or being caught in a blizzard.

No wonder when they were comparing time, even though he and Haoji were at the same time, they didn't see each other... It's because their "dates" were different.

These impressions were used by the Baku to shape them into "characters in the play".

In reality, they're probably still at home, living their own lives.

"Then, what about Yukie?"

Asakawa Riku noticed that one person was missing from their conversation. He had never met Yukie before, nor had he ever heard of her. How could he have any impression of her?

“Yuki... exists. This dream is not just your dream, but a shared dream between you and Yuki. You entered the dream together.”

The tapir suddenly sat up straight and said seriously, "I'm sorry, it's not entirely accurate to say that no one died. In this dream, one person died—"

Asakawa Riku gripped the spoon tightly.

Just as his gaze was slowly focusing, the other person said:

"The one who died was [Black Snow]."

"What..." Asakawa Riku was stunned for a moment, and the oppressive feeling dissipated without him realizing it: "Kuroyuki... isn't that the name I gave the murderer?"

"Yes, but we think this name is appropriate, so let's just call it that."

Kazamatsuri Akihisa took over, paused for a moment, cleared his throat, and began his long narration:

...

"I first met Yukie six years ago."

"That night, a familiar police officer called me urgently. They don't usually bother me unless it's something called a 'strange event'."

“I set off with my exorcism tools and arrived at the frozen house, which was like an ice sculpture… If you were in the dark on the internet, you could still find photos circulating online, but those on legitimate websites should have been completely deleted. The police had put up a long cordon. When I went in, I saw three victims and a girl kneeling on the ground crying.”

"She had white hair at the time, and the police mistook her for a snow woman and dared not approach her easily."

"But I knew it at first glance. It was not a snow woman. She was human... and a psychic. Not a snow woman, but a psychic."

"We'll talk about those differences later. Anyway, with the help of the shikigami, I brought her back to the mountain, away from the scene of the crime."

"After Yukie took a nap, her hair turned back to black, which should be a symbol of activating and deactivating her abilities."

“For these ‘superpowered criminals,’ the police usually have special prisons and corresponding laws to punish them. But after hearing her story, I felt compassion. I felt that for such a young child, this was an unfortunate accident caused by a tragic fate, and she should not have to bear the blame. So I covered for her.”

“I adopted Yukie and called her my second daughter… Although I also had selfish motives, I wanted Chizuko to have a companion as she grew up.”

"In fact, Chizuko also took good care of this younger sister and played with her. Despite such misfortune, Yukie was able to grow up healthy, and Chizuko deserves a lot of credit for that."

"I discovered that Yukie's ability was triggered by [coldness]. When we were on the mountain, I could keep an eye on her and make sure she didn't come into contact with anything cold. In winter, I would keep her safe by keeping her close to the heater and radiator. But later I realized that this excessive protection might also be a kind of cage... a cage that confines her."

"Due to the unfortunate accident when she was eight years old, her young mind was severely traumatized. She was unwilling to believe that she was the cause of the tragedy, so she imagined the monster 'Yuki-onna' and believed that everything was caused by the monster. However, this imagination slowly evolved into a second personality, and in this environment surrounded by monsters, it gradually became real."

"The appearance of a yokai is shaped by the human heart, and a new snow woman is born from this... but it's not over yet. Once the personality begins to split, it will continue irreversibly."

"If Yukie represents 'good,' then Yuki-onna represents neutral 'nothingness.' The white-haired girl only mechanically creates snow disasters; she is a hypothetical criminal who has no emotions of her own. At this moment, the 'evil' in Yukie's heart needs an outlet and a release, which forms the existence of that shadow."

"A third personality has emerged."

"That was [Kuroyuki]. Kuroyuki first appeared when she was 9 years old. One time, when Chizuko and I were talking about yokai, she suddenly unleashed that form. It took us a lot of effort to subdue her, and half of the shrine was destroyed. Chizuko was even almost killed... I was in great pain at that time and fell into deep regret."

"When Yukie switched personalities, she had no idea what had happened. After waking up, Chizuko chose to forgive her sister and pretend that nothing had happened."

"After that, our family decided to protect Yuki and never let her hear the keyword 'yokai' again. But we can't protect her forever."

"We need a solution."

Snow Woman's Summer: Snow Woman's Summer After 4

“Last year, Yukie was 13 years old and should have started junior high school, but we couldn’t make up our minds.”

"After all, there is the existence of [Black Snow]. That guy is too dangerous, and his evil is pure and thoughtless. To be honest, even children have that kind of malice. It is very likely that Yukie will be bullied because of her past... Once she is called a 'monster' and her freezing occurs at school, I can't imagine what kind of consequences it would cause. We can't let such a disaster happen."

“What should we do... We can’t neglect children’s education, and schools are also important places for children to make friends and ensure their social development.”

“We specifically talked to her about it, and she said she was fine. Xuehui is indeed very sensible, but keeping her locked up in the mountains like this for a long time is not a solution.”

“I want her to grow up healthy and strong, not to move the prison to a different location.”

"So I found Baku, a great figure who can't be called a shikigami. His dream is an indispensable part of the story, and I had to use a lot of connections to invite him."

“If we kill Kuroyuki in reality, then Yukie will also die. I can’t accept that outcome, so we’ve decided to use psychological therapy.”

"In other words, by creating a dream in which the personality exists independently, the lesion can be removed without harming the person."

"We've found the anesthesiologist, but the question is, who will be the lead surgeon?"

"Of course I want to go in myself, but the problem is that Onmyoji are a profession that relies on 'external objects'. In the dream, my [techniques], [spells], [weapons], [arrays], and [shikigami] cannot function properly. I may only have less than 10% of my combat power remaining. Under such circumstances, I may not be able to defeat Kuroyuki... So, I need a helper."

"Yes, that's you, Asakawa-kun. Your power doesn't rely on external objects; it's purely your own strength. Dreams can't weaken you. You are the most suitable surgeon."

"Hmm...you're right, I should have discussed it with you beforehand, but it was a last resort. The tapir said that your will is too strong, and you can always be alert and keep your body awake. As long as you realize that this is a dream, you will wake up immediately in the next second, and then it will be meaningless. To succeed, we must enter the dream when you are unaware."

"I am very, very sorry for this deception and exploitation."

...

As he was speaking, Kazamatsuri Akihisa suddenly knelt down, adopting the standard dogeza posture, with his hands down and his forehead touching the floor.

"The treatment was very successful. Yukie's third personality, [Black Yuki], has been completely eliminated and will not reappear. Moreover, after the snowstorm in her dream, her threshold for cold has been raised, and the superpowers of [Yuki-onna] will not be triggered so easily in the future. She finally has the opportunity to live the life of a normal girl, and I am very grateful."

He picked up the suitcase beside him and placed it in front of him: "No amount of thanks is too much for this, please accept this."

—Here is ten million yuan.

It was indeed a very tempting number, but Asakawa Riku didn't reach for it. He said:

"For me, the best news is that Yuki's condition has been cured."

Although those fifteen days were spent in a dream, with only fifteen hours passing in the real world, and the two never actually met, Asakawa Riku developed a deep affection for the gentle and kind girl during those fifteen days, and felt sympathy for her plight and tragic fate. Therefore, he was willing to do anything to help her.

But he wasn't without temper: "However, you and your daughter really do share the same love for exploiting and deceiving others. Is this the family tradition of the Kazemiya clan?"

Upon hearing this, Kazamatsuri Akihisa's expression stiffened for a moment, but he could only manage a wry smile:

"I'm so sorry... You're right, it was my fault. But it was the only thing I could do."

He patted his sleeves, sat up, stared intently at Asakawa Riku, and said, "Asakawa Riku, I want to marry Yuki to you."

Asakawa Riku's spoon fell onto the table.

He was silent for a moment, looked at the middle-aged man, and after confirming that he wasn't joking, he picked up the spoon again and scooped up another spoonful of ice cream:

"Yuki is not a bargaining chip, so don't say such disgusting things."

His tone was somewhat displeased, but he didn't turn hostile because of the sugar content.

"No... I didn't mean that. My first priority was Yuki's happiness. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gone to so much trouble to treat her, would I? Asakawa Riku, how should I address you? Asakawa-kun. There are good reasons why I chose you to be her marriage partner."

Kazamatsuri Akihisa's serious expression was a little embarrassing, so Asakawa Riku remained silent and sped up his eating of the ice cream scoops.

So the man continued, “I’ve considered three aspects. First, strength. You are very strong, Asakawa-kun, undoubtedly strong. If Yukie is ever persecuted because of her identity, you can protect her. Even if she goes berserk again, you have the ability to control the situation, which puts my mind at ease. Second, your humanity. I’ve seen many powerful people, but true strength lies in having compassion alongside strength. In that dream, you didn’t selfishly abandon others, but tried your best to ensure their survival. After learning the truth, you didn’t choose to kill the Yuki-onna as well, which shows that your kindness is not limited to humans, and you have no discrimination or hostility towards yokai. Moreover, you are friendly but not blindly kind, gentle but not biased. You didn’t spare Yukie just because Black Yuki was connected to her life, but made the right decision. You are an upright and resolute person.”

Kazamatsuri Akihisa touched his hair and laughed, "To be honest, when I was your age, I wasn't so mature. I would even shirk my responsibilities. Such an outstanding young man is rare. I can't just let my future son-in-law slip away so easily."

Asakawa Riku was a little embarrassed by what he was being told, and he asked, "...What's the third reason?"

"It's because Yukie likes you too, isn't it?"

A voice suddenly sounded behind me. I turned around and saw that it was the lady.

"How's the parfait?"

"It's delicious." Asakawa Riku stood up, took the tea, and then sat down.

"That's good. Chizuko is taking care of Yukie who just woke up. They're both fine, so you can chat here without worry."

Yukie's mother smiled and nodded to Asakawa Riku, then looked at her husband and complained, "Really, isn't Yukie's feelings the most important principle?"

“Of course.” Kazamatsuri Akihisa nodded. “Based on the three reasons above, I hope to finalize your engagement ceremony now.”

Snow Woman's Summer: Snow Woman's Summer After 5

"She's still too young."

Asakawa Riku was not easily swayed by the atmosphere and replied seriously, "Let her think about and decide for herself when she grows up."

Unexpectedly, the first to cheer was the tapir, the monster disguised as an old monk. He sighed heavily, "I thought I could be your witness. Come to think of it, there's probably no one more qualified than me to say 'witness your love.' You should seize this opportunity, young man. There are precedents for the union of humans and monsters."

"Yuki is not a monster."

Kazamatsuri Akihisa said seriously, and unexpectedly, he didn't press the matter, but said, "You're right, it's a bit early. Let's talk about it when you're older."

He handed the briefcase beside him to his wife: "Keep this away, it will be Xuehui's dowry later."

How superficial! Do you think putting money in front of me will make it attractive?

Asakawa Riku had initially thought he was some enlightened master, and his idealized view of the "god" was somewhat shattered.

But he stared at the suitcase for a while until the lady left the room.

"Ahem." Kazamatsuri Akihisa cleared his throat and looked at Asakawa Riku: "So, what kind of compensation do you want?"

The moment has finally arrived.

Asakawa Riku had already thought of the answer.

He took a sip of tea; his mouth was already a little greasy. Fortunately, the ice cream scoop had been finished, leaving only fruit.

"What I want to know is about [superpowered individuals] and [Onmyoji]."

"Knowledge?"

"Yes, to me, all I know is that an Onmyoji is someone who controls the power of shikigami and can communicate with yokai, like you and Chizuko-senpai; while an esper is someone who has all sorts of superpowers, like Yukie. But I want to know something deeper, like their differences and limits, their manifestations and forms."

Asakawa Riku came to this shrine in the first place precisely because of this.

Although we went around in circles, we eventually ended up back here.

“I see.” Kazamatsuri Akihisa stroked his stubble, seemingly lost in thought. “Asakawa-kun is already ‘in the know,’ so I will do my best to answer, both logically and emotionally. But I must explain that research into these dark worlds has always been a secretive and closed exploration. Each industry has its own achievements, but there is little communication between them. I can only tell you what the Kazamatsuri family knows and my own theories. It may not be correct or comprehensive. Is that acceptable to you?”

“Of course, no problem.” Asakawa Riku expressed his understanding. He wouldn’t blindly believe what others said; ultimately, he would have to digest and decide for himself.

"Let's start with the [yokai] that we are more familiar with."

Kazamatsuri Akihisa said, gesturing to the old monk beside him, "Since we invited you here, would it be alright if you could also give us a talk?"

There is no better storyteller than the yokai itself.

"This will cost extra."

The tapir made a joke before saying, "Monsters can't be considered creatures in the ordinary sense. Even if they look like animals you know, like foxes, they don't have real life or physical form. They, no, we are all creations derived from human consciousness. They are, in other words, sculpted forms of collective consciousness, the 'outer layer'."

"Outer side?" This word is a bit strange.

"Hmm... how do you explain this? Have you ever heard the saying, 'Oranges grown south of the Huai River are sweet oranges, but those grown north of the Huai River are bitter oranges'?"