Moryo Tantei Koyoi mo Katarazu: Short Story

Tonkara rin ton, karan ka ran, pishan. Tonkara rin ton, karan ka ran, pishan.

A strange song echoes lightly. The strange song spread brightly in the evening darkness lined with lanterns. And yet, like an out-of-tune song, the tone was also sad.

Tonkara rin ton- it repeats.

A young man stopped in his tracks, perhaps attracted by the sound.

He was wearing a fancy suit and a cap. In his bony hand, he was holding a Kiseru pipe*. A thin stream of smoke was billowing from the end of it. With a snap, the young man turned around and tilted his head. (A Kiseru pipe is a tobacco pipe that men used as a fashion accessory in the Edo and Meiji periods of Japan)

“Oh, dear me.”

The source of the mysterious sound was right in front of his eyes.

At the front of the circus show was a strange, hand-cranked music box. It was a combination of a morning glory trumpet, a wooden gear, and a wheel. The monkey’s hand on the music box spun, as it hummed a song in the same tune all the way through.

Tonkara rin ton, karan ka ran, pishan. Tonkara rin ton, karan ka ran, pishan.

In addition to being decorated with sound, the circus show was painted in a variety of colors. But the boards that surround the whole place are flimsy. It had a lonely, dreary, and shabby atmosphere. Through the thick curtains that blocked the entrance, the man caught glimpses of the day's offerings. Gleaming scales. Dangling breasts. Hair tangled like seaweed. And the scent of fish, thick and smelly.

“A mermaid, huh…”

With a click, the young man chewed on his Kiseru pipe.

One huff, one puff, and one word through the pipe.

“Oh dear. It seems that there are still a lot of deceiving people until now?”

"Oi, you dunce! If your cute assistant, which is me, wasn't looking, you'd be in trouble already. Just staring at that thing like that! You'll be charged a viewing fee at Mondomoyo* y’know?!" (Mondomoyo is the name of the circus)

An androgynous voice with a boyish tone yelled at the young man. However, the one who said it was a girl that looks to be about fourteen years old. The girl is wearing a kimono with brown sunflowers painted on the yellow fabric and has a large red ribbon tied around her back. Her long hair is white. Her big eyes are red. Her clothes are brightly colored, but her body has no pigmentation.

Her face is frighteningly beautiful. However, her appearance is confusing to those who see her.

The young man nodded in agreement with her statement.

"Oh my- it seems we’ve got a huge problem on our hands. After all, as you can see my fellow assistant, I don't have any money at all to pay for this viewing."

"See what I mean? Then come with me! In times like this, the best solution is to run away!”

In a poof, the girl snatches the young man's hand. And with an animalistic swiftness, she briskly rushes off. The clatter of the girl's geta (wooden slipper clogs) is matched by the clack of the man's leather shoes.

It was just after they left. A pompous-looking shopkeeper emerged from inside the circus show.

In the nick of time, the girl and the young man had escaped. The shopkeeper shouted loudly, waving his thick arms around.

“You people are fools, you know that?! If you see my mermaid, you have to pay me! Viewing is not free you imbeciles!”

"No way! You're the one who's an idiot! You’ve got guts for a fat old man trying to rip off customers who haven’t even entered the circus to view the mermaid, you fatty! Besides, that mermaid is probably a fake!”

“Real mermaids are luxury items and don't have that nasty fish smell my dear~!”

As he ran, the young man slurred his mouth. But contrary to the tone of his voice, he ran fast. In the blink of an eye, they left the shopkeeper behind. Then they stopped.

The street lined with stalls is now left far behind them. The area was enveloped in a thick darkness.

The roads around here are not well-paved. Kicking away a pebble, the girl said:

“Yo, Minasaki Toworu yo!”

“What's up, my dear Yumi-san?”

“You got a letter from a mermaid this time, didn't ya?”

A letter from a mermaid. Naturally, the girl called Yumi asks about it.

The young man named Minasaki Toworu also answered without hesitation.

“Aaaah, you’re right, I did receive a letter from a mermaid."

He clutched the Kiseru pipe in his hand and held it in his mouth. The fire had not been extinguished nor had the ashes spilled, even though he had been shaking it while running. Minasaki takes one huff, one puff, and one word through the pipe.

"The woman said that she was about to be eaten..."

A mermaid sent him a letter asking for help.

To Minasaki Toworu, this is nothing unusual. On the contrary, the world is full of more mysterious things. Minasaki's job is to handle just a small piece of it.

People and yokai call him this:

The ‘Moryo Detective’, whose real name is Toworu Minasaki.

＊＊＊

The term "Deceptive spirits” or “Moryo" refers to spirits that reside in mountains, stones, and water. So, to be precise, Minasaki is really a "yokai" detective. However, Yumi's complaint was that "his detective name doesn’t sound cool enough”. Yumi wanted to make it sound more complicated and mysterious, and so Minasaki became the "The Moryo Detective”.

Of course, the world is a little bit stranger when such a profession is established.

Mermaids - water demons sending letters to humans were once just a legend, a fairy tale of dreams. Or, it was just someone's fantasy. In other words, it should never have existed. However, in the five years since the human world and the everlasting world (Tokoyo) "by chance" became connected, ghosts, monsters, phantom beasts, spirits, and all kinds of other yokai have become humanity’s neighbors.

The government at the time was paralyzed in the face of this strange event that occurred only in Japan. Now, the country seems to have reverted back to the state it was in just after the war. Black markets are set up, and people are sipping porridge, while some wealthy people are busy indulging in their sorrows. And sometimes, yokai got involved in riots here and there to attack humans.

Yokai sometimes eat people. But more than that, humans also ate yokai.

There was no end to the crimes involving youkai here and there.

People were deceived by various lies, and various crimes were committed related to yokai: There were cases related to buying and selling yokai, preying on them, killing them, and so on. The criminals would tell lies, claiming that this or that was the work of a yokai. These crimes were usually accompanied by mysterious phenomenona that were beyond human control. Therefore, since the state power was originally in a state of collapse, the police could not be relied on to solve the crimes and a professional detective was sought.

This time, it will be the same again.

Karankarankarankaran.

“I'm sorry for the intrusion. It's quite a nice evening today. May I ask if there is anyone here?"

Raising his voice, Minasaki once again rang the bell hanging from the iron gate. Karakarakaran. A hollow sound echoes. The mansion in the distance is quiet. There is no sign of anyone responding. Yumi rolled up her sleeves.

“Eeehh, what a pain in the ass! Oi, Minasaki Toworo yo! Let’s just break in!”

"Yumi-san my dear, you're a little quick-tempered. That's a bad habit. For people like us, it's best to be invited in... Oops."

Then, with a creak, the gate in front of him opened.

From the darkness, a woman dressed in a kimono suddenly appeared. Her face, coated in white powder, was beautiful. From her black hair, tied up and adorned with an ivory comb, down to her fur-covered shoulders and to her toes, she gave the impression that she has spent a great deal of money. She was clearly a woman of the upper class.

Minasaki pushed his cap to his chest. With a surprised look on his face, he opens his mouth.

“Oh my, oh my, well you have surprised me. I thought that a maid would have appeared, as is customary in such a mansion.”

"The servants are a nuisance to everyone, so who are you? What kind of business do you have with our family? By chance, are you perhaps an acquaintance of my husband?"

“I am, you see, a visitor that your husband does not know about.”

“Oh, so you're a peddler? A lone singer? Or a street comedian? Leave at once. We have no need for your services.”

As expected, the missus waved her hand. She turns to leave the iron gate. Her slender, supple back exudes the confidence of a woman. Then, Minasaki called out.

“Well, please wait a moment. It's not you who asked me for help. I was sent a request from a mermaid. The woman said, 'I will be eaten. Please help me.’ You see my dear, when a water demon asks for help, there is a high possibility that she is in an abnormal situation that is beyond human control...... Aaah, and yet, despite all of that…. Are you going to insist that nothing is happening here?"

“Yes......nothing, nothing happened.”

The woman tilts her head. Her face, painted white, is like a half-moon melting into the darkness.

On her thick lips, she puts on a bold smile.

“Really, hoho! There is nothing unusual. Hohoho, nothing at all.”

With a gulp, Minasaki chewed on his Kiseru pipe.

Then, one huff, one puff, and one word through the pipe.

"Do not try to deceive us, human."

“Eeeh? What’re you saying?”

“-----You are the Moryo Detective, I shall not let you pass.”

Suddenly, Minasaki said, “I don’t know what you are talking about”. His tone was different from the somewhat sleepy tone he had been using up until then. It was as if he was giving an order. Instantly, the lady turned her eyes around. Round and round, round and round. The eyeballs turned this way and that. In his confusion, Minasaki blew a thin puff of gray smoke at the woman, hypnotizing her.

"Let me pass. That is all. It will surely be of great benefit to you. My visit is none of your concern. Come on, come on, let me pass.”

“Ah.......I understand…"

With a nod and a click, the lady opens the gate. ‘Please, come in.’ she even bowed.

Yumi folded her arms behind her head. She puffed out her cheeks in exasperation.

“Ugh, it always ends up like this! It would have been a lot better if we did this from the start! A quick blast of Minasaki Toworu's tool and the trouble is over!"

"Yumi-san, it's not good to assume violence. I don't like that kind of thing."

“Kek–, you're right, sorry ‘bout that!”

With a bang, Yumi slapped Minasaki on the back. As a result, her own palm seemed to hurt more. The young man suddenly jumped from it. Minasaki shrugged his shoulders. And then, with a snap, he started walking.

His weary back was heading into the mansion.

And Yumi’s voice followed behind him.

“Oh….but wait sec~”

“What’s the matter, my dear?”

“You're a mermaid too, aren't you?...... you're a mermaid, mermaid, a mermaid!”

Then the young lady just laughed.

With a strange cat-like voice, she continues.

"Ya see- I think that this whole family ate that mermaid up a year ago~"

＊＊＊

The wallpaper is stitched with silver thread in an arabesque pattern. On top of it, a gold frame was hung.

Inside the frame was an ink painting. The upper half of a human body and the lower half of a fish. It was a bold, yet somehow stupid-looking, fish print of a mermaid. The owner of the house had apparently taken it as a souvenir after catching the fish.

Yumi stuck out her tongue.

“That ain't fish.”

“Well, mermaids are edible water demons. And besides being delicious, they too come with some nice side effects. It's a better catch than tuna, I'd say.”

“Then, how does it compare to a whale?”

“Yumi-san, if you could catch a whale with human hands, that would be amazing, don’t you agree?”

The two exchanged words about this and that in front of the "mermaid's fish print” in a carefree manner. Minasaki and the girl were on the staircase landing. At that moment, a voice called out to them from the first floor. It was Mrs. Miyako.

“Mr. Minasaki, Ms. Yumi. My family has arrived.”

“Oh dear, I see. I apologize for bothering you. Thank you for your hard work.”

Minasaki responds. Stretching her neck, Yumi also peers downstairs.

Mrs. Miyako and several other people were gathered on the scarlet carpet.

An obese, mustachioed noble, his adult son, and twin sisters, one in a wheelchair.

With arms outstretched, Miyako proudly introduced her family.

“All of us gathered here today have eaten the flesh of mermaids! But words alone are not enough to make you believe it! Now, I shall show you the truth.”

“I….have a bad feeling about this, and I don't want to see it.”

“Well, well, well, be my guest then!”

Mrs. Miyako then reached out her hand. With a yank, she pulled on a chain, which had been hanging down for some time. There was a creaking sound.

Instantly, with a thud, the ceiling of the first floor fell.

“Uwa—”

“Oh, my-”

Minasaki and Yumi had not moved from the top of the stairs leading to the second floor. They escaped. However, the people standing down on the first floor were trapped under the floor. They were crushed. Soon, the sound of gears turning was heard. Automatically, the fallen suspended ceiling was lifted up. It returned to its original position.

The crushed flesh stretched out.

A pool of blood trickled down the corpses.

But it moved. Like a slime mold, the blood and flesh wriggled and squirmed. Eventually, they once again formed a human shape. The crushed wheelchair was still in place and the clothes were crumpled, but everyone was alive.

Yumi gasped.

With a gulp, Minasaki chewed on his Kiseru pipe.

“Oh, I see, now it’s easy to understand. If you eat a mermaid, you can become immortal from then on as a side effect. I see it now. In other words, you guys really ate them, didn't cha?!”

“Yes, you are indeed correct. One year ago, we all enjoyed eating the mermaid together. So we built a convenient mechanism to round up all the robbers so that the servants may have some time off. But unfortunately, since the servants were also flattened, it has become less inconvenient for us to live alone, hohoho.”

"You fucker, you didn't just give them a vacation, you killed them!"

Yumi's mouth curved back in disgust.

Minasaki gently stroked her head. Raising her hands, Yumi shivered.

"Aa–ah, Minasaki Toworu you sunovabitch! Stop treating me like a child! Even though you’re younger than me- dammit! Cease-! Cease this at once! On second thought, nevermind! Continue! Yes- that’s good-!"

"Hmm, it doesn't matter. I don't know if Yumi-san likes being pet or not. Well, now that everyone has proven that they can't die, evidence that the family ate a mermaid has now been shown."

One huff, one puff, and one word through the pipe.

Toworu Minasaki let out a thin mist of air.

"Well then, who here has deceived the mermaid?"

＊＊＊

"What’re you gonna do now, Minasaki Toworu?"

"What's wrong, Yumi-san?"

"Even though the mermaid asked for help, she has already been eaten a year ago, y’know?"

In the guest room where Mrs. Miyako led both of them to stay. Putting her hands on her hips, Yumi said “I've had enough of it today!" and jumped onto the magnificent bed. She rubbed the fluffy feather comforter with her hands as much as she could. Then, she turned to sit on her haunches and asked Minasaki a question.

"There’s no way that we misread the letter and went to the wrong address right?!"

"Yumi-san, what kind of idiot do you think I am?"

"If you don't have cute lil’ me by your side, you're useless, Minasaki Toworu you bastard."

"Fumu... Well, it's true that I'm useless without my dear Yumi-san."

Minasaki nods as he sits on the rocking chair. ‘Oops…’ Yumi flips out as she faces up.

She says, wagging her invisible tail.

“Why are you so rude today?! Don’t be silly! You can praise me more! Come on, the cute and great Yumi is happy today! Praise me more!”

“Yumi-san, it's a bad habit of yours that you transform into a squishy bonehead as soon as you are praised. Well, it’s not like I dislike that about you.”

In a small chuckle, Minasaki raises the edge of his mouth. With a clank, he continues to smoke from his Kiseru pipe.

Minasaki exhaled smoke into the air. Paddling back and forth on his rocking chair for no reason, he speaks.

“I'm sure we’re at the right address as written on the letter. Shall I swear on my chastity?”

“That’d be hard to swear upon.”

“How stubborn. Considering the rarity of mermaids, it's strange to talk about catching two or three of them in so many different places. Then it must be the 'mermaid of the house' that wrote to us for help."

“Kek, but she’s already been dead since a year ago. Then you mean to tell me that she wrote the letter from inside the family’s stomachs and the message was magically sent to us?"

"Yes, that's what we're talking about now, isn't it? Unlike 'voices', 'letters' are sent by living beings... so, well, Yumi-san-"

Suddenly, Minasaki put his weight on his back. By the last minute, he knocked over the rocking chair. Then he snaps back. With momentum, Minasaki stands up. The young man puts his hat on again.

“Wait a moment, let's go do a little research on that, shall we?"

＊＊＊

“Have you ever heard of true love before?"

The parlor was filled with the most serious tone of voice they have ever heard. It was a serious, earnest, and weighty question.

Minasaki and Yumi looked at each other stealthily. Then they both turned their heads forward and shook their heads. The two of them did not care about true love, love, or fake love.

“No, I’m talking about the love between you two."

The man sitting in front of Minasaki and Yumi let out a deep sigh. He is the eldest son of Mrs. Miyako. He has dark circles under his eyes and an overly thin body. His name is Kazuki Ikki. Once again, he let out a sigh that sounded like an insinuation.

"Both of you are dense idiots that don't deserve to live. You people are sluggish meat bags full of blood and feces."

"Oi oi, Ikki. Isn't that too much? Even in the unlikely event that I'm a mild-mannered, cute woman, you should apologize to me before I lose my temper."

“Yumi-san, don’t cause trouble my dear. When you say that while rolling up your sleeves, it’s like you are getting mad at me instead."

“.....Ah, I understand. It’s my fault. Shit, I made a mistake! I would like to humbly apologize!”

"Oh my, what an honest and sincere apology.”

Minasaki's voice was that of half admiration and half dismay for the girl. In front of him, Ikki hugged his shoulders tightly.

Minasaki raised his eyebrow. The reason for this was that Ikki's face was so ecstatic as he looked at them.

Raising his voice, Ikki spoke.

“I am one with my beloved forever! Moreover, her flesh and blood have not aged me, has not killed me, and has kept me strong and alive! This joy, this ecstasy, this is true love... There was no way anyone could understand! As someone who was blessed by her, I should have been as generous as a god! No, I'm really sorry for making fools of you two for your own version of love! My apologies!”

“......Oi, Minasaki Toworu. This guy is crazy.”

“I think so, too. It's not unusual for people to fall in love with mermaids, but this one is a bit annoying. Besides, from the way he talks about it, he thinks eating her was out of love instead of “deception”. Shall we leave it at that?”

“I like that explanation.”

Minasaki and Yumi quietly got up from their chairs. At the same time, Ikki also stood up. However, he did not see what Minasaki and the girl were doing. Raising one hand as if proclaiming an oath, he continues.

“I am a human being right?! When I first saw her in the tank, I fell in love with her! Then, should I be sad about her fate as a mermaid? No, that is an ordinary person's idea! To eat is to be with the one you love! In other words, it is the ultimate form of love! As proof, her peach-colored flesh was trembling and longing to be eaten by me! Yes, the flicking of soy sauce on the sashimi was proof of her love for me! I will write a thesis on this noble form of love that is hard to defile and go to a proper conference..."

Ikki's voice trails off. A bang. Yumi kicked the door shut, but he didn't even notice.

Yumi shrugs her shoulders in disappointment.

“What kind of academic school is that bastard even gonna throw that kind of thesis at?"

"Well, there are academic schools dedicated to teaching students on how to eat yokai. Depending on the content, there is a possibility that you would be welcomed too......”

“I don’t think I wanna go there. You're pretty annoying, aren't you?”

"Well, Yumi-san. Let’s move on to the next one."

＊＊＊

"Uh... ah... agu... ah... aaa..."

They hear a man groan.

But if that is all there is to it, it is nothing to worry about.

Both Minasaki and Yumi are familiar with the sound of human screams. The problem now was that the screams were moans of pleasure and ecstasy rather than of pain.

Facing the door at the back of the mansion, Yumi frowned.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Minasaki Toworu.”

"Haha, I understand what you are feeling right now too, Yumi-san. You know the saying, "If you don't go into the tiger's den you won't get the tiger's cub." don't you?”

"I don't think there is such a thing as a cute little tiger cub.”

“Well, well, well, don't say that, but please excuse us.......”

With a clang, Minasaki opens the door.

Mrs. Miyako turns around. Well, the voice they just heard belonged to a man...... After turning their heads, Minasaki and Yumi noticed something unusual.

“Let’s seeeee, missus. It seems that your appearance looks different from what I know, doesn't it?"

“This is more like a stage costume you dunce.”

“It’s quite the stage costume.”

“Or, as I like to call it, it’s a woman’s true form.”

“Her true form huh.”

Mrs. Miyako's attire had changed from a modest kimono to a leather outfit. The area that her clothes covered was small, and only her private parts were hidden. There was also something in the dark at the back of the room.

Seeing this, Yumi let out a cry that sounded like a crushed frog.

To put it mildly, what was there was something like a human sacrifice. A naked person pierced by a stake, writhing. With a gulp, Minasaki uses his Kiseru pipe. With a puff, he blew out smoke.

"Hmmm, the one behind you is your husband, isn't it? No way. You skewered him. You must hate him that much huh?"

“No way! What are you talking about? My husband will always be my sweet, precious baby. It’s more than that! I don't think it's right for you to step into a married couple’s private time, even if you are guests!”

Mrs. Miyako puffed her nose up. With a squeaky flap, as if agreeing, the husband who was skewered also swings his arms around and rampages. Yumi continues.

"What are you saying when you leave your guests alone without any kind of hospitality?! More importantly, what kind of disturbing things are you guys as the husband and wife even doing?"

"Oh dear, missus, is this something similar to sadism or masochism?"

Minasaki asked in a whisper.

Mrs. Miyako's face lit up. Nodding proudly, she speaks.

"That is right. Thank you for your understanding."

"Well, have you been doing this since you ate mermaid meat?"

"Yes. When I was in a normal body, I was satisfied with whipping. But now that we have bodies that will not die, we are taking on the ultimate challenge."

“The ultimate challenge?”

“Today my husband promised that he could stay conscious even after getting penetrated from his anus to his mouth. I was very excited to test it out this morning, so I couldn't change my schedule for my guests. Right, honey?"

The naked body behind her jiggled. Apparently, he agreed. Mrs. Miyako was right.

Even the blood on her spotless cheeks was vivid. Mrs. Miyako said ecstatically,

"Ah, mermaid meat is truly amazing!"

"I see, I see. If it's on mutual consent, then it’s okay. There's no ‘deceiving’ here. Shall we go to the next one, Yumi-san?"

"...Oooh... Seriously, I'm pretty tired."

"Well then, I'm sorry for disturbing you. Take your time and have fun."

Minasaki waved his hand in a fluttering manner. Mrs. Miyako nodded. Yumi went outside. Minasaki followed suit. After a while, the wet sound of a head or viscera falling to the floor echoed along with a cry of extreme pleasure. Yumi says, her whole body shaking.

"It seems painful, doesn't it? I don't get that kind of hobby.”

"Well, Yumi-san, you're right. But they’ll be fine.”

"Oh, oh, are you complimenting me? You should praise me more, Minasaki Toworu you bastard!"

"But first, let's go to the next room, shall we?"

With a clatter, Minasaki uses his Kiseru pipe again.

During this, Yumi kicked his leg.

＊＊＊

Continuing on, Minasaki and the girl headed upstairs. The husband and wife who own the mansion are in the middle of having their own "fun" so there is no need for hesitation. With a bang, Minasaki opens doors one after another.

Eventually, he found a "hit".

“Well, that was rude!"

With a clatter, the doors of the room opened wide.

A voice that sounded like a bell tinkling tumbled in a colossal roll.

“You are supposed to ask for permission before opening the door. Forcing your way in shows how you behaved in bed on your wedding night young man.”

“I beg your pardon. But my male chastity is more secure than that of most young women. In other words, you have nothing to worry about.”

Minasaki lifted his hat.

Seeing this, one of the twin girls - the older sister Midori giggled. In the center of the children's room, which is decorated like a messy, sugary confection, stood a wheelchair. She pulls herself into the wheelchair and sits there.

"Ara, you're more of a strange gentleman than I thought! A man with a stubborn side is too boring!"

“Interesting, boring, I wonder which one you fall under…well, I have no clue. The people in this mansion don’t make any sense.”

“Hey, Aoi thinks so too, right?”

“Yeah.”

The younger sister in the wheelchair nodded slightly. Midori tensely wrapped her arms around Aoi. Midori whispered as she pressed her cheek against her sister’s white, mellow cheek and touched her downy hair.

"As you can see, we are very good friends. Isn't that right?"

"Yes... My sister has been helping me since I jumped and had my legs amputated half a month ago."

"You jumped? Half a month ago? And your legs became paralyzed?"

Minasaki spins his Kiseru pipe.

The girl nodded. Staring at him, she spoke.

“Yes, I fell straight down from a high place and landed on my feet. Normally, my body would quickly, but my legs didn't. Both...... my legs were broken and they had to cut them off.”

"Oh my, why did you decide to jump off?"

"Don't bully Aoi! You shouldn't ask such things! I guess you're the type of man to ask a woman why she's not a virgin."

"My dear, that's not a good thing to assume or say to any man or woman.”

Frowning, Minasaki complained. On the other hand, Midori laughed loudly.

Suddenly, Aoi opened her mouth. As if she had made up her mind, she pushed out her voice.

"......excuse me.."

"Now, now, go away already. I'm sorry to hear that you came all the way here looking for a mermaid. You will never see us eat that meat again. Leave at once and go home.”

With a clatter, Minasaki blew out of his Kiseru pipe.

One huff, one puff, and one word through the pipe.

“I found it. Your ‘deception.’”

“Deception?”

Aoi narrowed her eyes. In front of her, Yumi suddenly appeared and jumped.

Her invisible tail wagged, and her voice bounced.

"So are we really gonna do it......? Minasaki Toworu!”

"Ahhh, of course."

Minasaki put his hat on. The twin sisters were dumbfounded.

With a bang, Yumi clapped her hands.

Bang, bang, papapapapapapapapapa, bang!

The Moryo detective stares down at them, while the sound of hands clapping resounds.

“Let’s move on to the “Mystery Solving” phase, shall we?”

From the deliciously eaten mermaid a year ago.

Why did they receive a letter asking for help?

With a bang, Yumi let out a sound.

“Stay tuned for the answer!”

＊＊＊

“Ah.”

“Ara?”

“Ugh?”

“Huh?”

“Hah?”

Five voices gathered.

Ikki, still standing upright with one hand raised, Mrs. Miyako, who only hid her private parts with leather, her husband, now with both arms and legs gone, and the twin sisters, Midori and Aoi.

All the members of the family who ate the mermaid gathered in the entrance hall.

But they did not move by themselves. They were sent there by a mysterious force. And the one who performed this bizarre act, ‘ate’* his Kiseru pipe. One huff, one puff, and one word through the pipe as his mouth opens. (TL note: He doesn’t actually eat the pipe but the author seems to have worded it that way to symbolize revenge for what the family did to the mermaid. As they ate the mermaid, Minasaki is eating them using the pipe)

The Moryo detective will not be deceived.

It is a story told through tongue that was never a lie.

“My dears, what do you all think a ‘mermaid’ is?”

"Bebebenben."

"'Eating a mermaid makes you immortal’. First of all, this saying is in fact, wrong. Even though they are yokai, mermaids are still living creatures. All living things evolve in a direction that is advantageous to them. However, mermaids themselves are not immortal. But to those who eat its flesh, the mermaid has the secondary effect of immortality. ----Why is this? It would be a tale as old as time if the humans did not find out that there would be some kind of benefit to the species."

"Bebenbenbenben"

Minasaki tells them a story. In front of him, Yumi imitated the sound of playing a shamisen*. In addition, she adds other sounds with her mouth. (A shamisen is a 3 stringed Japanese traditional instrument.)

The family who ate the mermaid understood. Apparently, the sounds Yumi made have no particular meaning.

The question is, what is the "The Moryo Detective" talking about?

"Also, no one has ever witnessed what happens to those who become immortal in the end. There was once a nun who went into a cave, though. No one knows what happened to her, nor knows where she is."

"Benbeben"

“In other words, from that point, one conclusion can be drawn. Mermaids are creatures that have been evolved only to be eaten. And the most important purpose of living things is to multiply. Why do fruits taste so good? Why do flowers grow nectar? The same is true of mermaids. Mermaids only get to multiply by being eaten.”

“Bennnnn!"

More forcefully, Yumi played the invisible shamisen.

Minasaki exhaled a thin puff of smoke. And a word.

“A person who has achieved immortality eventually becomes a mermaid. That is the answer.”

What you eat will eventually come back to eat you whole.

Minasaki unveiled the the truth about the delicious kind of meat called mermaids.

＊＊＊

No praise.

No cheers.

But no screams.

No groans either.

If he had to put the family's reaction into words, it would have been "Ah, I see."

They didn't seem to have grasped the reality of the situation. However, the twins were acting differently. The older sister, Midori, and the younger sister, Aoi. Midori was glaring at Minasaki. Aoi had tears in her eyes. The girl says-

“Don’t you all understand what we have done?!”

“Aoi, you......!”

“You do understand, don't you?”

Aoi says, without hearing Midori's restraint. Minasaki smiled at the question. His lips parted in a seductive smile. Aoi's cheeks flushed red at this.

Yumi, on the other hand, plays the invisable shamisen in a sulky manner.

"Beben-"

“Let me tell you the rest of the story. A person who eats a mermaid will become immortal and turn into a mermaid. If that is the case, then the mermaid who wrote a letter to me saying that she was about to be eaten is also 'a member of the family who ate the mermaid’. Moreover, that person must have been aware that she was turning into a mermaid,...... and that her transformation into one must have been unusually fast.”

“But what kind of changes did you see in this family? As you can see, there is nothing wrong with us.”

"There is a human who jumped off and crushed her legs. That's obviously strange, because you're immortal. Originally, your legs should have regenerated."

Minasaki responds to Mrs. Miyako's question. The family's eyes fell on Aoi.

She gripped the armrest of the wheelchair so tightly that the bones on her hands could be seen.

"It's because mermaids themselves don't have immortality. Only individuals in the process of transforming can benefit from it. Because the transformation was about to end, your legs were crushed but not restored. Betting that your leg would not come back, or aiming to grow back the legs that were there before the transformation, you jumped off. The motive was due to the fact......that your family is currently being possessed by a mermaid. Feeling threatened that you would be eaten if you became one, you crushed your legs that were about to become a tail. However, it looks like someone had already found out that you were fastly transforming into one. Isn't that right, my dear?"

“.....yes.”

"Thus, you thought that you would be eaten before long. That is why you sent me a letter with such fears. To keep your family from finding out, you hid your name and pretended to be a 'Mermaid'. Then, when I arrived, you planned to tell me everything and to ask for help...but you couldn't."

“.....that is correct.”

Tears spilled from her sparkling blue eyes. Aoi began to cry.

Suddenly, Minasaki spins his kiseru pipe. Then he stares at her sister, Midori.

“'My sister is......the only one who knows I’m turning into a mermaid. No matter where I was…. she stuck to me, so...... that's why…."

"Beben!"

With her mouth, Yumi makes a sound. She posed as if she were holding a shamisen in front of her chest.

As if waiting for the applause, Yumi stops moving. But then she tilts her head and nods.

“Hey hey, Minasaki Toworu…”

“What is it my dear Yumi-san?”

“So you're saying that Midori, the older sister, was planning to eat Aoi, the younger sister, once she finished her transformation into a mermaid?”

“That’s what was originally supposed to happen.”

"Eating her little sister, isn’t that quite a devil's act! What the hell is going on?!"

With an invisible tail, Yumi jumped up.

Midori laughed and giggled without a hint of embarrassment as she looked at her sister. Her lips twisted into a grin. Her whole body radiated the cruelty and beauty of her virginity. Pitifully, Midori whispers.

“Because the mermaid meat was really delicious."

Midori started walking. She gently put her hand on her sister’s shoulder. Aoi shivered. Midori licked her soft cheek. She spoke, leaving a sticky trail of drool on her cheek.

“If I could taste mermaid meat again, I would eat it even if it was my sister.”

＊＊＊

“Eh, Aoi is about to transform into a mermaid?”

Who else but the sister opened their mouths in surprise?

There was not a flutter of pity from the other members of the family. The only difference is the process of their transformation, but they will all eventually become the same. And yet, there was no sympathy. On the contrary, the family's eyes glared at someone.

“Which means-”

“Speaking of which-”

“That also means-”

They can eat that meat again?

Their voices melted away in the throes of appetite. There is no longer any point in judging.

It was throbbing. Their voices cracked the air with a heat and stickiness similar to boiled candy.

"I never thought my tongue could taste my love again.”

"I wonder if my immortality will be further enhanced."

“Oh, the pleasures beyond the human limits!”

“You have no one in the family on your side, Aoi. So, please be our food.”

During Minasaki's long talk, the Husband's limbs had grown back. Four pairs of arms closed in on Aoi. With a clunk, she fell out of her wheelchair. As she crawled frantically forward, Aoi begged Minasaki.

“Please help me, the Moryo Detective. I have heard rumors about you. I heard that you are the one who solves problems between the yokai and the humans. That is why I wrote to you.”

“Yes, but there is one thing I need to tell you.”

“What is it?"

“You are about to be eaten, but you're not a mermaid yet.”

“What? Do I need to to turn into one in order for you to help me?”

“No way. I am merely just an observer to see what kind of ‘deception’ lies between you and your family.”

As imitating what the family plans to do to Aoi, Minasaki chews on his Kiseru pipe.

One huff, one puff, and one word through the pipe.

"There are two types of 'deception' that have occurred tonight in this mansion."

"Bebenben"

“Lies told by those who want to eat, and lies told by those who don’t want to be eaten."

"Bebenbenben"

Minasaki held out his hand. Round and round he spins the Kiseru pipe. It melted smoothly, returning to its original shape. It warps, bends, and the kiseru pipe transforms into strange silver scales.

Minasaki spoke in a low voice.

"There is always 'deception' when humans and yokai clash together. Now, how serious is this form of 'deception' I wonder?"

Accompanying his singing voice, a soft black thing appears. It sits on a clock. Twice, with a click, the arm of the clock lowered.

With a whisper, Minasaki raises the corner of his mouth.

“You have two minutes.”

“Understood!”

Yumi responds to Minasaki's order. She puffs her chest out, kicking the floor.

She turns and fox ears sprout. After two turns, a bushy tail grows. She is not a human. She is a fox yokai. After three turns, her appearance changed into a thin katana.

It falls into Minasaki's hand. Armed with a silver blade, the Moryo Detective made a declaration.

"From now on, tonight is the time for storytelling."

＊＊＊

“First things first. Do not eat yokais unnecessarily.”

With a soft cleave, he cuts Ikki. There was no blood.

But, with a snap, his eyes go white and he falls down. Minasaki moves as if he’s dancing.

“Second things second. Do not kill people unnecessarily."

With a snap, he cuts Mrs. Miyako off. As expected, there was not even a scratch on her skin.

Still, she collapses. Minasaki continues moving while dancing.

“Another thing to add. Do not indulge in pleasure unnecessarily.”

With a single stroke of his sword, he cuts off her husband. There was no physical injury.

However, he fell down, spinning like a spinning top. Minasaki moved as if stepping to a beat.

“And last but not least."

Midori is at the other end of his gaze. She is still smiling, even in the midst of all the frenzy.

Her smile, which can even be called gentle, is like that of a maiden standing in a meadow. She says leisurely.

"Ahh, what a shame."

“The older sister shall never eat her younger sister.”

“I really wanted to eat her.”

Minasaki was closing in. Midori does not run away. She simply continues to stand there daintily.

Or was it her pride as someone who wanted to eat her sister whole?

Minasaki ripped open her neck. Midori fell down as if the thread had been severed.

Minasaki’s name is originally written as "everything torn apart,". Yumi is the only one who knows of this.

“With that, I will conclude this evening's story.”

With a snap, he lowers his sword. With a click, the clock on the wall continues moving. Exactly two minutes have passed. With a thud, Yumi is back to normal. 　 The girl sings.

"Beben, beben, benben"

Have a good day.

＊＊＊

This time the "deception" was related to mermaids.

It was the obsession with mermaids that Minasaki cut. Now it could be said that Aoi was no longer going to be eaten right away. However, one's desire for yokai could be ignited anew at any moment.

So, following his advice, she left home.

Even with the power of The Moryo Detective, the mermaids' curse could not be stopped. He could not erase the fact that she had eaten one. So, he introduced her to a certain doctor who specialized in yokai. She underwent treatment and is now in the sea.

"Thank you for taking care of me from start to finish."

Aoi splashed in the waves with her new fish tail. Her silver scales are beautiful. She stares at Minasaki. He lifted his hat a little. With deep regret, Minasaki apologizes.

"I'm sorry I could not turn you back into a human."

"It's okay. I ate a mermaid. If that's the case, then this is punishment. Even if one day I'm caught by a fisherman... yes, I would just think it is fate, and I'll never hold a grudge against you."

Pashan, Pashan, she makes a noise using the waves. However, Aoi’s face darkens. She whispers, flicking the waves with a pashan.

“Will my family…turn into mermaids someday?”

“Yes. That is unfortunately the truth. But their transformation will take much, much longer. I believe that they will have had enough of immortality by then. Therefore, there is nothing for you to worry about.”

"...I guess so. Excuse me, 'Moryo Detective'-sama."

“What is it, my dear?”

“You have a fox yokai......with you. If you don't mind, you can also have me.”

With glossy eyes, Aoi whispered.

Minasaki covered her lips with his fingers. To this desperate, sure-fire confession, he says:

“Goodbye ‘to you’ my dear.”

Then, Aoi gasped. So far, Minasaki had never called anyone in the mermaid-eating family by their name. The only name he had ever called on before was "Yumi," a sound that he had put on his lips in a friendly manner. Aoi looked terribly hurt when she realized this fact. She splashed water on Minasaki and Yumi and dove into the sea.

All that remained were the waves.

As if to say, "That thing in the sea just now was definitely not a mermaid.”

＊＊＊

"Aaah, you sure doing that was right, Minasaki Toworu? She was quite a beauty, wasn't she? Ya just let her go, you idiot. Damn it, what a waste.”

“It's alright. I've got my hands full with my dear Yumi-san anyway.”

“W-wh? What do you mean by that ya bastard? Are ya trying to pick a fight with me? Oh wait- a-are you perhaps complimenting me?!”

“I’m not trying to pick a fight with you, nor am I complimenting you. I am merely stating the truth… I lack the heart of a human being. Yumi-san is the only one who cares about others.”

In response to her question, Minasaki tilted his hat. The seawater at the edge of the beach slowly rose and then fell.

Shaking his head, he asked Yumi.

“But Yumi-san, are you really okay with this? You used to have nine tails, but you were too powerful that I, the everlasting arbiter of the world of Tokoyo, cut them off. Do you not have any kind of grudge against me?”

Yes, Minasaki was sent from Tokoyo, the everlasting world, at the appeal of the yokai that overpopulated this world. He is a rare type of a world-class arbiter. He measures a person's "deception" and wields power equal to the weight of their sins. Yumi has been assisting him ever since her tail was cut off long ago. “Kek-”, she says and rubs the bridge of her nose.

“Because, you know, without the cute little me, Minasaki Toworu would be just be a useless dunce. Because you're so bad at this. I have no choice but to get a little bit too attached to you!”

“Well, I really can’t handle these cases without Yumi-san’s liveliness .”

Minasaki laughs. It's true. Yumi claps her hands together, plays the invisible shamisen, and transforms into a katana again. And so, Minasaki's trip was complete. Otherwise, it would have been tasteless and dry.

Yumi wags her invisible tail when she is praised. Happily, she puffs out her chest.

“That’s right! You're useless without me! It is good that you are fully aware of it! I shall continue to help you from now on! You should be grateful my child!”

“Yes, yes, I understand. I truly appreciate it. But the fact that I'm still working like this is, in a way, Yumi-san's fault or..... how should I say it......"

“Aah, you blaming it on me you bastard?! Kekke, it's true, you've completely ceased to be a human after being bathed in my blood! But who gives a shit!"

"Expose the deception, do good, and then you shall return to being a human again, and only then can you finally rest......Good grief, the everlasting gods of Tokoyo are so full of themselves.”

Minasaki sighs. “Kekke”, Yumi laughs.

“Come on, let us travel again, Minasaki Toworu!

"Yumi-san my dear, I'm already a little tired of......, ahh but there's nothing I can do about it, right?"

Slowly. Minasaki turned his hand, and a Kiseru pipe appeared. The fire was still burning, even though it was covered with seawater from the head down. He blew into it. That was the moment-

"...... oh?"

A piece of paper flew out of the darkness. Minasaki caught it with one hand.

He read the words and the address on it. Yumi jumped up and asked.

“What’s that? A new request?”

“Aah, yes that's right. Good grief.”

With a gasp, Minasaki smokes on his Kiseru pipe.

One huff, one puff, and one word through the pipe.

"Do not try to deceive me again tonight, humans."

The two start walking side by side.

Tonight, too, "The Moryo Detective" will not be deceived.