Season 2 [Chapter 113: Town History]
6 0 0
X
Reading Options
Font Size
A- 15px A+
Width
Reset
X
Table of Contents
Loading... please wait.

Suga’s attention was drawn to the direction board attached to the corridor's ceiling, pointed to the library room. Suga walked along the corridor; several people who passed him were immediately interested in Nellson. They arrived at beautifully carved wooden double doors with a board that said “Library” above it. Suga walked inside, Nellson flew after him and landed first in the room. Suga arrived at an expansive library room with lots of high shelves.

On the wall near the entrance is a row of framed photos with a board that says the year the photos were taken. These photos show Kagohara town development in decades, from black and white photos to color photos. Suga looked at these photos carefully, as well as Nellson, who landed next to Suga and found nothing suspicious. In one of the photos, he sees a familiar person, Hideyuki Totei, in the background when Kagohara villagers helped deal with the landslide disaster that occurred in Kagohara village in 1987.

“Hideyuki was also photographed in this photo.”

Nellson looked at this photo curiously.

“You’re right. Speaking of Hideyuki, he probably picked up an important clue during his investigation and recorded it somewhere we can find it.”

Suga nodded.

“That place might be in Kagohara village. Until now, I still can’t understand how the village vanished.”

Nellson also looked curious. Suga’s attention turned to Nellson, making him a little surprised.

“From a Yokai point of view, have you ever seen something like this Nellson?”

Nellson shook his head.

“No, I would immediately tell you if I knew something.”

Suga looked a little surprised.

“That is true....”

Nellson resumed talking.

“I must admit that this Yokai is very mysterious, even from a Yokai point of view. Because there are many Yokai with unique powers out there.”

Suga nodded; his expression then turned serious.

Suga read some books in this library that were not only about Kagohara town, near one of the bookshelves.

“It turns out there are records that this town was not previously called Kagohara.”

Nellson nodded.

“It’s true that, for some reason, people named this town Kagohara after the village that Kagohara villagers lived in, right?”

Suga looked curious.

“Let’s look for other clues.”

Suga walked through the library room with shelves around him; Nellson flew after Suga while occasionally landing on the floor.

Suga wandered around, checked some books and archives in this library, and finally found something that caught his attention. A book entitled “Kagohara Town Annual Celebration Festival” Suga took this book, then opened it:

 

“The great contribution of the Kagohara villagers in the construction of town facilities made the townspeople pay their respects and renamed this town to Kagohara, in memory of the place Kagohara villagers previously lived in. Kagohara villagers also brought their village cultures, such as foods, dishes, kimono patterns, and drinks, as well as the “Gasokami Celebration Festival” as a form of gratitude, which is now known as “Kagohara Town Annual Celebration Festival.”

 

The following pages of the book show several foods, drinks, and kimono patterns, along with the photos and description of how to make them and their history, as well as photos of townspeople celebrating the annual celebration festival with an explanation of its history:

 

“The villagers have held the Kagohara village festival since the village was founded hundreds of years ago. Until now, filled with a variety of cultural shows and and the sale of goods decorated with their culture. The Kagohara villagers have always believed that this celebration is very important for them to do so that the whole year will be accompanied by good luck.”

 

Suga was a little surprised to read this.

“It seems the Kagohara villagers haven’t completely forgotten their village culture and even still hold an annual celebration festival in exchange for a sacrifice ritual, I guess?”

Nellson read this book curiously.

“The annual celebrations festival they hold are not enough to free them from calamity.”

Suga’s expression turned serious.

“Unless they don’t do it the way Gasokami wants.”

Nellson nodded. Not long after, Suga got a message on his smartphone from Ishikari asking where they should meet to talk about her missing friend. Suga remembered that there was a park area near the town hall and made an appointment to meet there with Ishikari. Suga and Nellson continued looking at the books in the library but found no other clues until the time they will meet Ishikari.

“Looks like we’ve finished our investigation in this library. We’re leaving Nellson.”

Nellson looked at Suga and then nodded. Suga walked away from here, and Nellson then flew after him.

The time now shows 4:30 pm. Suga walked out of the town hall building towards the park nearby. Suga walked into the park and looked around, but Ishikari hadn’t arrived yet. Suga then sat on a swing in this park, with a dense forest with tall and big trees bordered by the park’s fence behind him, while waiting for Ishikari’s arrival. Nellson flew after Suga and then landed near him. Suga looked around him. Several children played happily in this park, accompanied by their parents. Suga’s attention was then drawn to a six-year-old boy drawing on one of the tables provided in this park. The sound of Suga's smartphone notification then diverted Suga’s attention; he then took it from his long jeans pocket. Suga got a message from the camera shop and photographic studio that Suga had visited before:

 

“The photo is finished; come over anytime.”

 

Suga looked slightly surprised because he felt it didn’t take long to fix the photo. Suga put his smartphone back in his long jeans pocket. Nellson looked around and realized that Ishikari, still wearing her school uniform, had walked into the park area. Nellson looked at Ishikari in the distance curiously.

“Ishikari has arrived.”

Suga came to his senses, and his attention turned to Ishikari. Ishikari and Suga met eyes; Suga then waved his hand at Ishikari. Ishikari walked over to Suga and then sat on the swing next to Suga. Nellson watched the two of them from the front curiously. Ishikari said.

“You’ve been waiting a long time, Suga?”

Suga smiled.

“Not really, I’ve just arrived.”

Ishikari looked a little surprised to hear that. Suga continued talking.

“So, what important thing do you want to talk about?”

Ishikari nodded.

“Last night, my friend, one of the missing victims, appeared in front of my house.”

Suga was surprised, but before commenting, Ishikari continued her words.

“Unlike before, she didn’t try to evade me this time. Instead, she was the one coming at me. She even broke into my room through the window.”

Suga was surprised.

“Are you okay?”

Ishikari shook his head and looked gloomy.

“I’m okay because, strangely, when she entered my room, she gave up her intention to attack me for some reason.”

Suga’s expression changed to surprise.

“That’s strange, but let’s say you’re still lucky, Ishikari. I also don’t know clearly the behavior of these strange missing victims.”

Ishikari nodded.

“I don’t know what to do now. My next encounter probably won’t be as lucky.”

Suga was silent for a moment to think.

“I’ll be patrolling around your house tonight.”

Ishikari was a little surprised, then nodded. Suga looked around him and found that the boy who had been drawing occasionally glanced at Suga while drawing, making Suga curious. Ishikari looked at Suga curiously.

“Are you okay, Suga?”

Suga came to his senses.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Well then, I’d better get ready for patrol tonight. Shall we go home together?”

Ishikari smiled and nodded.

“Of course.”

Ishikari and Suga stood up from their swings and then walked away. After they had only walked a few steps, Suga realized something. Suga’s attention was focused on the boy who was drawing and no longer looked at him at all. Suga looked curious.

“I want to meet that boy for a moment.”

Ishikari’s attention also fell on the boy; her expression turned curious.

“Anything that catches your attention?”

Suga nodded. They then walked towards the boy; while Suga led his bicycle next to him with Nellson standing in the bicycle basket, Suga then parked his bicycle. Suga and Ishikari stood to the right and left of this boy and looked at the picture he drew. This boy is drawing the scenery around this park, such as the town hall building, which is drawn in a kid’s drawing style.

“Your drawing is good.”

This boy turned to Suga and looked surprised. Not long after, the boy’s mother called him. This boy then stood up from his seat while tidying up his drawing equipment. Not long after, this boy appeared to remember something, then took a drawing paper under the paper he had last drawn and gave it to Suga with a disturbed expression and without saying anything. Suga accepted it with a surprise, then smiled.

“Thank you.”

Suga looked happy, but only for a while, and his expression turned deadpan. This boy then walked away. Ishikari looked at Suga with a curious expression.

“What’s wrong, Suga?”

0