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VOLUME 9 – THE SPIRIT OF SALVATION file 01: encounter ()

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That forest summons the spirits of the dead –

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‘You can see theht?’

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When Aoi Hideaki called out, he slowly turned around

It was a corner of a graveyard, twilight i Hideaki directly His eyes were dark and appeared to be filled with sadness

They becah school They had been in the same classroom for nearly a year, but this was the first ti it numerous times up until noever, he hadn’t been able to It was because he had had an atmosphere that made it feel like others couldn’t approach

He put a wall up between himself and others and did not let anyone in However, that didn’t mean he wasn’t interested in other people He observed froht A superior existence –

’What is it?’

His voice was unexpectedly calhosts’

’Idiotic’

He laughed quietly

He had probably n innocence, but Hideaki wouldn’t let him

Hideaki hadn’t noticed that they had the same ability at first, but because of an incident, he realised that he was the saer sister’s life, but he wouldn’t have been able to do so if he couldn’t see

’Don’t try to hide it’

When Hideaki glared, he grew silent

His gaze shook slightly It appeared to be a sign of his shaken heart

’I don’t knohat you’re talking about’

’Don’t play duether with you’

He immediately denied Hideaki’s words

’Why?’

’You show off your ability to see’

Just as he said, Hideaki didn’t hide the fact that he could see Rather, he declared it

He definitely wasn’t showing off though There was a reason he did it

Also, the reply just noas obviously ad that he could see

’Want to talk for a bit?’

’I refuse’

’Why?’

’I have no reason to You and I are conclusively different’

’What’s different? We’re both the saht?’

’It’s different,’ he declared Then, he tried to walk away

Hideaki ain if he left now, even though Hideaki had gathered the courage to call out to him

’Wait’

When Hideaki called out, his feet stopped He didn’t turn around

Hideaki continued to talk regardless

’I’ve always thought that ree’

When Hideaki heard his sad voice, he felt like he understood the true reason he had called out

’But it’s not just a sad thing By lending an ear to the spirits of the dead, there are people who can be saved, she said…’

’Who said?’

’My sister’

’A joke Seeing them doesn’t save anybody’

’It does That’s why I can see That’s what I believe’

’I couldn’t save anyone important to me…’

When he turned around, his eyes looked just a little bit wet

He must have lost soht have been impossible then, but next ti’

’Eh?’

’I’ to lose the i that, he slowly started to walk

Hideaki could only watch him leave

He had chosen to live alone

Hideaki couldn’t condehthe had to protect, his e Like Hideaki’s had –

’Let’swind blew

Hideaki looked down to escape a cloud of sand

When Hideaki looked up again, he was already gone

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That was the last tih school –

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1

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’Hey, let’s go back already’

Maehara Rina spoke to Hiroki, alking ahead of her Hiroki ht not have heard her voice, as he continued to walk farther in

They had been walking for over fifteenthis forest

The forest, thick with hinoki cypress trees, was dih it was day, and it et Furthero any farther in, we’ll never be able to get out – that anxiety was in her head

’Let’s go back!’ shouted Rina, halting as she did so

Finally, Hiroki’s feet stopped

’What? Let’s just go a bit farther’

Hiroki, s, held a Handycauchi lake shore[1] cottage for the tennis circle’s training ca, and then there had been free time after lunch

Then, Hiroki, who had come with her, called out to her

– Want to explore the Sea of Trees?

Rina had understood that as ’Want to be alone?’ She’d had an interest in Hiroki since before, so she had thought that it’d be a good chance

However, Rina’s faint expectation had been betrayed

Hiroki was really exploring the forest With a ca to catch spiritual phenoo back’

Rina was about to cry

’Rina-chan’s afraid’

Hiroki zoomed in on Rina’s face with the camera

To put it frankly, it was bad taste Rina looked away to avoid the cao ho that, Rina started to turn back through the forest

’Honestly, this is the worst…’

Rina alking ahen she stopped, suddenly feeling so like a groan

Maybe Hiroki had co her She turned around, but nobody was there Just the dark forest spreading out in front of her

’Hiroki-kun, are you there?’ said Rina

There was no response, but she felt like so her

’If you’re there, come out!’

As expected, there was no response

– A again when her feet stopped i in her ear

– Eh?

She couldn’t look She knew that in her head, but her body wouldn’t listen Rina slowly turned around

However, nobody was there

– How creepy

Rina was stricken by an indescribable fear and she started running to escape

However, soht her feet immediately and she fell

It seemed like her foot had slipped onhot pain spread through it

’This is the worst…’

To try to get up, Rina placed her hand on so beside her that looked like a rock

– Flu Not a rock What was it?

Next to her lay a large mass, burnt completely black When she took a careful look, she saw that it was the shape of a person

– This is a corpse

’Aahh!’

When Rina realised that, she shrieked and tried to run

However, as if to block her escape, a h the forest was dilasses With all that had happened confusing her, Rina couldn’t speak

Sneering at Rina, thedown at Rina were dyed a deep red, like fresh blood

’The true nature of the human spirit is darkness…’

The man said that quietly –

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2

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Ishii Yuutarou was up to his head in paperwork

He was in the Unsolved Cases Special Investigations Rooh the name was splendid, all he actually did was the simple task of sort paperwork for past unsolved cases by year

Though they were sometimes sent out as additional help for other divisions, that was rare

– I’ paperwork like this rown especially ever since Gotou had left

When Gotou had been here, his actions, which could be called wild, had brought about a variety of incidents

He had been afraid at the tiood then

It had been tough, but at least he hadn’t been bored

’Oi, Ishii’

He lifted his head at the voice

Miyagawa Hideya sat across frolared at the paperith a difficult expression on his face

Miyagawa had been the chief of the detectives until a o, but he had been demoted because of the incident with Gotou and put in the Unsolved Cases Special Investigations Rooh he had a small frame, with his scary face and bald head, rather than a detective, he looked like the people he was supposed to be fighting

’What is it?’

’Where am I supposed to stamp this document?’

Miyakawa tapped the docu face usually, when he showed his irritation, he looked like a demon

’Er… Here’

Ishii peered at the document and pointed at it

’Who the hell awa-san, you did’

Ishii spoke without thinking

’What?’

Miyagawa turned his glare towards Ishii

’Ah, no, I ed the introduction of these forawa hadn’t been the one who made them, but he had decided to introduce these docu it’s awa raised an eyebrow

’Ah, no, er… I apologise’

– He’s going to hithappened

’I see It was retted it His body looked a size sh Ishii was happy that he hadn’t been hit, for so If it were Gotou, Ishii would have been hit with a fist before he even finished speaking

– Detective Gotou, please come back

Ishii aas bad If speaking about work, Miyagawa dealt with it more seriously Gotou just leant back on the chair and slept without doing any paperwork

But still, for soe thought, but he wanted to be hit

Just as Ishii sighed, the door opened and a man appeared

It was Honda, the current chief of the detectives A– he had just turned forty The person who had taken over Miyagawa’s position after he was deht of hi the ruin of him, his subordinates didn’t trust hi hiawa’s expression clouded the uys to do’

Ishii offered Honda a chair, but he ignored it and spoke while standing

’What? Hurry up and say it’

Miyagawa put his chin in his hands and looked up at Honda

Speaking casually to Honda, as his boss, was probably from his pride as the previous chief, but Ishii broke into a cold sweat frolared at Miyagawa

He had his own spirit Even if Miyagaas the previous chief, Honda probably couldn’t keep quiet when soawa ue

’So what is the matter you wanted to talk about?’ Ishii questioned to cover Miyagaords

Honda didn’t look pleased, but after clearing his throat, he brought up the topic at hand Miyagawa crossed his arms sulkily

’You know about the robbery that occurred two days ago, right?’

’Ah, yes, that’

Though Ishii and Miyagaeren’t directly related to the case, they knew of it

A nursing student named Aoi Yuuka who lived in a city apartment had been found fainted in her room by her older brother, Hideaki, who lived with her

Hideaki took Yuuka to the hospital, but her head had been injured and she still hadn’t regained consciousness

Her room was a ating it as a burglary injury case

’The victim’s older brother said he wanted the police’s cooperation’

’Did he see the culprit?’

’No, the victim’s brother didn’t witness the culprit’

’Then what does he mean?’ asked Ishii, which made Honda scowl It looked like he wasn’t very pleased

’Seems like the victim’s brother can see’

’What can he see?’

’Ghosts’

’Eh?’

Ishii spoke up without thinking

’To be honest, I don’t think I can go along with so that ridiculous, as a policeman But it’d be a pain if the victi treated unkindly’

’So you’re pushing the trouble to us,’ said Miyagawa, voice dripping with sarcasm However, Honda didn’t lose to hiot the free tiain!’

’No’

This was just a kid’s fight Ishii stepped in as ht now, he’s in the reception room, so just listen to hiawa kicked the desk before the door was even fully closed

’Miyagawa-san, let’s calaanted to say He was probably irritated by the tone of Honda’s words, but Ishii kneell that getting angry wouldn’t change anything

’I’awa looked up at the ceiling in exasperation

’More iation ie of pace

Is the young– Ishii noticed that he was a bit excited to find out

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3

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Gotou Kazutoshi stood in front of the door with his ared woman Her name was Nakazato Yoriko She was in her mid-forties

’Please save my son…’

Yoriko put her hand on her mouth and sounded like she had a lump in her throat It felt like tears could fall frohed He didn’t feel like sy I can do’

Gotou’s careless words roide

’That’s… Please My son has been possessed by an evil spirit’

Yoriko clung to Gotou

’What do you mean, evil spirit?’

Gotou shook Yoriko off

With the previous case, Gotou had been let go from the police and had started work as a detective who specialised in the spiritual

For work he could do as an ex-police officer, there ork as a guard and as a detective He had decided to specialise on spiritual phenoht he could use his experience up until now and that he’d be able to pull Yaku, there weren’t any real spiritual phenomena at all – all of the cases were just at the level of giving advice about concerns

It was the sah school, her son hadn’t gone to the university he had been enrolled in and just stayed in his room Yoriko believed it was the work of an evil de to her talk about it, it turned out that her son was just addicted to online games in his room And on top of that, he never failed to eat rice every day That was definitely not an evil spirit Just a shut-in

’Please The evil spirit inthat!?’ Gotou yelled

’Eek’

’Don’t blahosts because of your own inability to raise your child!’

’B-but he won’t come out of his rooo yourself’

’It’s locked…’

Yoriko shook her head and started to cry

– Ah, I’uts!’ yelled Gotou and then gave the door a kick

The door opened with a crack

Yoriko was stunned Her son in the room was even more surprised He slipped from his chair and fell to the floor

’Oi, brat’

Gotou walked into the roolared at the face of Yoriko’s son, as on the floor

’Y-yes…’

The son gulped loudly

He was shivering so much it was pitiful, probably from fear, but that was convenient

’I’m Gotou A detective Came at your mum’s request’

’D-detective?’

’Yeah Seehost…’

’If you keep inside this room, I’ll need to come check on you every day’

’E-every day…’

’Yeah Every day, until you leave the rooo to school’

’I…’

The son’s face twitched

’If you don’t like that, stop playing online garabbed the son by his collar and glared at hiht That’s a promise’

’Y-yes’

’Your voice is too quiet!’

’Yes!’

’The spirit’s been exorcised!’

Gotou hit the son on the head and stood up

Yoriko looked like she wanted to say so to be a complaint

’Deduct the door repair fees fro just that, Gotou left the house briskly

When he quit the police, he had felt refreshed He wouldn’t have to be bound by stiff rules any h, the freedo

Even though he’d co cases with Ishii better – he frequently thought that

– I wonder if Ishii’s doing well?

Gotou shook away the ie of Ishii’s face that suddenly came to his head Then, he stuffed himself into the driver’s seat of the red Mini Cooper parked by the road

It was too late to regret now

And Gotou hadn’t quit the police because he wanted to – he’d been forced to retire

’Daine

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4

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A dry wind blew through –

’It’s already autuht came to Ozawa Haruka as she looked up at the sky Just a little while before, she had thought it was hot and hu season had co behind Building B

It was in order to see Saitou Yaku to see hi able to just walk to hi step forward

On the other hand, the sad reality was that there had been no developments in their relationship

The person of the opposite sex in her age group that she was the closest to – keeping that position, she hadn’t advanced any further

When she thought about that, she felt a bit heavy-hearted

After cheering herself up, Haruka opened the door to the Movie Research Circle roo

’You again?’

Yaku at his usual spot

As always, he had messy hair and sleepy eyes His left eye was also a vivid red

Yakumo’s red eye had been red from birth

That red eye could see the spirits of the dead – that is, ghosts

Using that unique ability, he had found the solution to e ability, many people had shown him hatred In order to evade that, he had hidden his red left eye with a black contact lens until a little bit earlier

The death of Yakued hi his red left eye Haruka thought that he was deterain? It makes it sound like I’ry as she sat across from Yakumo

’It doesn’t make it sound like it You are troublesome’

’Can’t you welcome me every once in a while?’

’Why?’

’Why, you say…’

’You caht? Do you have a lot of free time?’

Yakumo yawned

A lot of free time – she couldn’t deny it In the fourth year of university, rankings were pretty much set, so there were virtually no lectures

’Isn’t it fine?’

’If you’re not careful, you’ll becoraduate’

Yaku bored

’Too bad for you I’ve already got that decided’

’That’s the first I’ve heard of it’

’Because you didn’t ask,’ said Haruka, puffing out her chest That was a line Yakumo always used

’I can’t believe a business would hire you’

’You have it wrong It’s not a business I’ot the results from the teacher employment examination that she took in the summer the day before She had come today to inform Yakumo

It was also the seed for Haruka’s worries

’You, a teacher… It’s the end of the world’

’I don’t need your concern’

Haruka warned Yakumo but he just let out a sleepy yawn There was really no point in talking to hi will I be able to do this?

That question suddenly ca able to talk to Yakumo like this It was because she didn’t want to destroy this space that she had never spoken the feelings buried in her heart However, now that her future was deter

This tiraduated, she wouldn’t be able to visit Yaku and they would drift apart – that anxiety filled her head

’Hey, Yaku a hand on her chest to cal heart

Yakumo’s expression turned just a little stiff

She wanted to hear the answer to the question, but she didn’t – shaken by her confused feelings, Haruka’s heart was in her mouth

’If I had to say whether it’s decided or not, it is’

’What’s with that vague answer?’

Because Haruka had been so concerned, she felt it was anticlimactic

’There’s a place I’ve been invited to, but I’ve put it on hold’

’Where?’ asked Haruka, leaning forward

That was unexpected She hadn’t thought that Yakumo had been on a serious job search Not just that – he was even worried about his placeht?’

’Yeah’

Mikoshiba was an associate professor at Meisei University Though Haruka had never met the professor herself, it seeether

’He…’

Yaku surprised

His gaze was on the door right in front of him

– What?

Haruka turned around to look at the door, but nothing was there

’What’s wrong?’

Yakumo interrupted Haruka

’Why are you here…’ he murmured

Yakumo’s red eye could probably see somebody there All Haruka could doand watch him

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5

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Ishii cleared his throat as he stood in front of the door

– I can see ghosts

The young man on the other side of the doors had apparently declared that

The answer to whether that was true or false was behind the door When Ishii thought about that, he realised that he felt incredible exciteawa pushed Ishii aside and opened the door

Ishii hurriedly followed hi on the reception sofa in the back of the roo brownish eyes and a smallish nose and

When Hideaki noticed Ishii and Miyagawa, he stood up quickly and bowed

’My naawa A detective’

’My nas, Ishii and Miyagawa sat opposite Hideaki

’I apologise for taking up your ti appearance, he was very calm and the picture of politeness

’Well, please sit down,’ Ishii urged

Hideaki’s expression softened and he sat oncehere, Ishii had taken a look at Hideaki’s info

Hideaki had lost his parents in the third year of high school He had quit high school after that One of his father’s friends got hi noell

He lived with his sister, Yuuka, in the apartment his parents left behind It see school fees

Even in such tough circuotten wrapped up in an incident like this – it hurt Ishii’s heart to think about it

’So you say you can see ghosts’

Unlike Ishii, asn’t sure whether to talk about it, Miyagawa said it carelessly

It was like he didn’t believe it from the start

Hideaki seehtly

’Yes That said, it isn’t like I can do it constantly At some times, I can only sense them, and sometimes it’s faint – it’s very uncertain’

Without flinching froawa’s attitude, Hideaki replied in a clear voice

Ishii felt sincerity from those words

He didn’t feel that he was suspicious, like he would fro to deceive someone However, that didn’t mean he could just believe him

Furthermore, his eye wasn’t red Yakumo’s ability to see the spirits of the dead came from his red left eye

’Is there any way to prove it?’ asked Ishii

Hideaki shook his head

’There’s no proof besides my words, since nobody else can see thes that can be seen, but you can’t prove the existence of so that you can’t prove it, but we should believe you anyway?’

Miyagawa looked doubtful as he lit his cigarette

Hideaki nodded with a shtness

Normally, people would make excuses here, but he was different On the contrary, when he was so straightforward, it made Ishii want to believe him

’I can’t prove my own ability However, I can’t just keep quiet because you won’t believe me Especially since ripped his hands into fists, sounding like he had a luer, sadness, frustration – he probably had feelings fighting within him Hideaki’s expression twisted

’I understand how you feel, but leave the investigation to the police’

Miyagawa hit Hideaki’s shoulder

For a while, there was silence Hideaki slowly took deep breaths Ishii had no way to knohat thoughts were in his head

’The police won’t be able to catch the culprit…’ Hideaki said

’What do youto Hideaki’s words

It was hard to believe what Hideaki had said

’It’s because the culprit is already dead’

Hideaki’s eyes, directly on him, seemed for just a moment to let off the colour red

’What do youon what happens, we’ll have to arrest you,’ threatened Miyagawa, sounding agitated Ishii felt such pressure fro, but Hideaki was calhost of the culprit’

’Please speak in a aas growing twitchy

’When I went to visit my sister’s hospital, a ised a nuive him somehow, since he had paid with his own life…’

’So the person who did it killed hito hiut

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6

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’I’ door to the te off his shoes, he heard Nao’s laugh fro with his wife, Atsuko Gotou went down the corridor and opened the sliding door to the living room

’You’re late’

The one who spoke wasn’t Atsuko but Eishin, wearing a priest’s robe

Eishin had been Isshin’s teacher andlike a boss, but to Gotou, he just looked like a depravedwith Eishin, noticed Gotou and fleards hied in front of Eishin Nao followed hi?’

’Atsuko-san’s out shopping right now,’ Eishin said, playing dumb

’That’s not it, you daue Who do you think helped you find work?’

– Hitting me where it hurts

To be frank, Eishin had been the one who introduced the request today to Gotou

No, not just this one All the requests he’d had since starting his detective agency had been from Eishin

It hurt for Gotou to say it, but without Eishin, he would’ve been out of a job ages ago, but Gotou didn’t want to ad ht?’

’Do you want to lose the roof over your head?’