"Eh?

What did you just say?"

"This is information from a reliable source. It appears that they found the murderer of Satoshi-kun's aunt."

It had been a few weeks since the murder.

Satoshi-kun still hadn't been found.

...I had no new information on his whereabouts.

Kasai's report came, as a result, completely out of the blue.

"Does that mean the police arrested the culprit?"

"It seems that he confessed during his interrogation regarding another case."

...That sounded strange.

If it was Satoshi-kun they arrested, he wouldn't have worded it that way.

It sounded as though Satoshi-kun wasn't the culprit.

"...Kasai,

who's the culprit...?"

So it wasn't Satoshi-kun...?

I swallowed those final words.

I was convinced that it was Satoshi-kun.

The police and Ooishi must've thought the same way.

The reason Ooishi approached me is because he was convinced that Satoshi-kun did it.

"Don't worry.

It doesn't seem like it's Satoshi-kun.

I heard it was a lunatic who was aiming to continue the series of mysterious deaths."

"What??

...A lunatic?

What do you mean?"

Kasai shrugged.

"I don't know...

Since the investigation is classified as a confidential case,

the information I can get is limited."

"Confidential?

Why?"

"To prevent the village from developing a bad reputation.

You don't see articles about kidnapping while the police are negotiating with the culprit, do you?

It's something similar to that."

Come to think of it... I hadn't seen anything about the aunt's murder on TV or in the newspaper.

"These strange deaths have happened four years in a row now, on the day of Watanagashi.

There are those who try to make light of it,

and now this lunatic who confessed the aunt's murder said he did it in imitation of the series of mysterious deaths."

"........................"

Kasai didn't know anything else, so instead of probing him further, I reviewed the information myself.

...I was really shocked to learn all this.

I was convinced that Satoshi-kun killed her.

...I thought that was the reason he had to disappear.

But... it was actually some lunatic who killed her, and he had no relation to the aunt whatsoever.

So... Satoshi-kun had nothing to do with the murder?

If so...

Why did he disappear...?

I couldn't accept that this lunatic had killed the aunt.

And what's really strange is the phrase Kasai used, "four years in a row now."

After all, I'd been thinking that this murder happened because Satoshi-kun had been in a dire situation,

and had nothing to do with the series of mysterious deaths.

I felt as though Satoshi-kun's case had become somebody else's.

The series of mysterious deaths in Hinamizawa is also known as the curse of Oyashiro-sama.

Satoshi-kun's case had become one of those mysterious deaths.

...In other words, Satoshi-kun's case has become a part of Oyashiro-sama's curse.

I didn't like the way that sounded...

Because it was as though the curse had swallowed Satoshi-kun.

"Unfortunately,

we haven't been able to confirm the tip that Satoshi-kun took a train to Tokyo.

We don't even know whether or not he's in this prefecture, to be honest."

Ooishi broke the seal on a new can of instant coffee.

"I thought you knew his whereabouts already, since you seemed very convinced he was the culprit."

"Na ha ha ha ha.

You got me."

Ooishi chuckled and poured a cup of coffee which looked far too hot.

"...You have some good sources."

"Huh?"

"It's a highly classified case, but you already have this information.

I wonder who leaked it.

Looks like we need to review our security precautions."

Ooishi smirked.

Seemed he knew why I was here today.

"I'm one of the Sonozakis, after all.

And my ears are open."

I smirked back at him...

It's all about bluffing.

"Anyway.

Since we're friends now,

why don't we have a chat?

Nfufu."

"Let me ask you first.

Who's this real culprit?

I heard he was a lunatic, but what does that mean?"

"Na ha ha ha!

I don't know how to answer that question.

I want to know the answer myself...

Really, I was convinced Satoshi-kun was the real culprit.

It was rather surprising for me, too."

Ooishi threw himself on the sofa and crossed his hands behind his head. He looked up at the ceiling and smiled wryly.

"...I suddenly received a call from the prefectural police the other day.

They said that one of the guys in detention confessed to the murder of the housewife."

"Who is it?"

"He's a real piece of work who fell into a drug habit.

He's been in and out of prison for drug abuse.

His statement says that he was interested in the series of mysterious deaths and wanted to imitate them."

"...Are you sure he's the real culprit?"

"I didn't interrogate him myself,

but... the prefectural police tells me that he has information that only the real culprit would know.

He seems to have thrown the murder weapon into the Ouji River.

They're searching for it right now.

If it's found, his statement will be solid."

"...Even if the weapon wasn't found, would the case be closed?"

"Probably.

His statement clearly outlines the state of the crime scene and the body.

This information, like I said, covers details that only the actual murderer would know."

"......You don't seem quite convinced."

"....................."

Ooishi, still looking up at the ceiling, went quiet.

"As a matter of fact,

the moron was already dead

by the time I got their call."

"Dead?"

"...You know those spoons that are forked at the tip?

They use those at the detention facility.

I was told that he swallowed one and choked on it...

They couldn't tell if it was a suicide or if it was caused by some mental disorder."

I imagined somebody swallowing that spoon... and gagged.

"So, the investigation hadn't been done that thoroughly...

But although I'm not convinced, my superiors are.

I think with that, the case will be closed."

Ooishi turned his eyes from the ceiling to me.

He looked serious.

"...This is just what I personally feel, okay?

So please keep it between the two of us.

...I believe that this moron is some kind of mistake."

"..............."

"It might be either a big misunderstanding caused by a chain of coincidences, or...

...you know?

Na ha ha ha ha."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I still believe that the real culprit is Satoshi Houjou-kun."

"......You sound confident."

"Unfortunately, we couldn't find anything to prove he was at the crime scene.

We obtained a warrant to search his house after he disappeared,

but we still found nothing."

"......But you still believe he did it?"

"Yes."

"...I wonder how you can be so sure even though you don't have any evidence.

It's incredible.

Is that supposed to be like the hunch of an experienced detective?"

"Yep.

It's the hunch of a guy who's been in this business for several decades."

Ooishi smiled in satisfaction, but I didn't feel relieved.

"......Where did Satoshi-kun go...?"

"His disappearance convinced me that he was the culprit.

If he wasn't the culprit... there'd be no real reason for him to disappear."

"...What if the murder actually was done by that copycat and Satoshi-kun's disappearance has nothing to do with it...?

In other words, what if Satoshi-kun disappeared because the Sonozaki family didn't like my relationship with him,

and he has nothing to do with the murder...?"

Was Satoshi-kun a culprit

or a victim?

...The reason for his disappearance had become unclear...

"Hmmmmmm.........

I don't think they'd bother to make one person disappear just because of an undesirable relationship.

...What do you hear from inside the Sonozaki family?

Do you know anything?"

"I wouldn't be here if I did."

"Na ha ha ha. You're right."

Ooishi laughed out loud while scratching his head...

and after he stopped laughing, he leaned over.

"All right, how about this?

Why don't we make a deal?

A gentlemen's deal."

"A deal?

On what?"

"On information about Satoshi-kun's disappearance...

If you find any information like that, you tell me,

and I'll also provide you with information if I find any.

...Do we have a deal?"

"That sounds too convenient for you."

Ooishi chuckled.

"...Shion-san...

I think if we leave things as they are, they'll conclude that the moron committed the murder.

If that happens, Satoshi-kun's disappearance will be treated as just another runaway minor.

They won't search for him as actively as before."

"....................."

"But I will continue searching for him.

Only I will do it.

...I believe you're intending to do the same."

"Our motives are different, though.

I just want to know if he's safe, but you'd like to arrest him, wouldn't you?"

"Nfu fu fu...

If the murder case was considered solved, Satoshi-kun would be free.

Regardless of his innocence."

"...I doubt that."

"Na ha ha ha ha..."

Ooishi chuckled again,

but his smile didn't reach his eyes.

"......Well, let's be friends from now on.

The enemy of your enemy is your friend, no?"

"I'm not opposed to the Sonozaki family, though."

"Oh, really?

I apologize then.

Nfu fu..."

This is the way of Kuraudo Ooishi, huh...?

...As Sis and Kasai said, I wouldn't want him as my enemy or my ally, because both would be too risky.

I probably shouldn't let my guard down in front of this big fat weasel......

I sipped on the coffee to fill up the silence, though I wasn't thirsty.

...Outside the window, I could see normal life taking its course.

But...... Satoshi-kun wasn't there.

He should have been there, but he wasn't.

...I was scared that I might grow used to his absence someday.

...Where was he...?

".........I wonder how Satoshi-kun is doing..."

".........I hope he's all right."

"Tch...

I know you think he might be dead.

Don't patronize me..."

"Do you know what people are calling his disappearance in Hinamizawa?"

"Huh?"

"...They say that he was demoned away..."

To be demoned away means the same thing as being spirited away.

It's part of the local dialect.

".........He was kidnapped and taken to Hell through the bottom of the Onigafuchi Swamp...?

That's ridiculous..."

"Anyway, the series of mysterious deaths has struck for the fourth time.

...It's too soon, but people are already talking about next year."

"Are you saying that the murder was the result of Oyashiro-sama's curse?"

"...The victim was one of the Houjous, after all.

She was involved in the dam conflict, though indirectly.

Really, it's not surprising that some people take an interest in the incidents, because they do always happen on the day of Watanagashi."

".........That's ridiculous too. Oyashiro-sama's curse?"

Though I said that, I couldn't quite wipe away the fear from my mind.

Why did Satoshi-kun disappear...?

Was it the Sonozaki family?

Did he run away from the police?

Did he really kill his aunt in the first place?

Why did he even disappear?

He's on his own.

Oyashiro-sama's curse has nothing to do with it.

But...

......Hmm?

That's strange.

Satoshi-kun and Oyashiro-sama's curse...

......Somebody once mentioned those two together before.

...Hmm... when did I hear that...?

Ah, that's right...

That rainy day.

It was Rena Ryuugu who told me that

when we were taking shelter in that shack.

"Ah."

I remembered the creepy story that she told me at that time.

"Satoshi-kun wants to leave Hinamizawa and run far away...

even if only unconsciously..."

That's what Rena Ryuugu said.

Rena had definitely pointed out that Satoshi-kun wanted to leave Hinamizawa at that time.

She also said...

"Everything he's going through is... a sign of Oyashiro-sama's curse."

She said that

for sure.

She had definitely mentioned Oyashiro-sama's curse.

The series of mysterious deaths has struck four times.

......Was Satoshi-kun being controlled by the curse? Is that why he killed his aunt and was 'demoned away'...?

.........No way.

That can't be true.

Satoshi-kun's smile faded away in my mind......

...I moved from one chair to another because the air conditioning was too cold.

I moved with my notebook, my pen case with a bunch of keychains, and my cup of milk tea.

I did it all in one go.

I sat down in a new chair, then opened my notebook again. I scribbled my thoughts and sank into silence.

The series of mysterious deaths.

Dubbed "the curse of Oyashiro-sama."

I've been viewing each incident as a separate case, even though it was followed by another one. I've never looked at all the cases as part of one big scheme.

After I wrote down all the incidents on paper, it became clear to me that all of them served the same agenda.

I wrote down the victims.

The first year: the construction site manager.

The second year: Satoshi-kun's parents.

The third year: the priest.

The fourth year: Satoshi-kun's aunt.

......For the fourth year, one could consider Satoshi-kun himself to be the victim, rather than his aunt.

If I considered that each case arose from the grudge over the dam conflict, it's quite simple.

In the first year.

The construction manager was killed because he was a symbol of the dam construction itself.

Of course, the real enemy was the Ministry of Construction, but it wasn't as clear a target.

That manager, on the other hand, had been aggressively shouting back at the villagers, so he was a more appropriate enemy to attack.

...If Oyashiro-sama had really cursed someone, it would have been the officials from the Ministry.

It's apparent that the target was selected based on the villagers' preference.

The second year.

The accidental death of Satoshi-kun's parents.

...It's said that they fell from a cliff in some park, but it's doubtful that it was really an accident.

His parents were labeled as 'traitors' to the village because they sided with the dam construction, even though they were also from Hinamizawa.

The Houjou family was ostracized during the dam conflict in order to prevent further pro-dam activists from rising up.

That means that the Houjous were 'necessary' during the conflict to play the role of the 'traitor.'

So, when the conflict was over...

...They no longer served any purpose.

The construction site manager was a symbol of the external enemy.

The Houjous were a symbol of the internal enemy.

Those people fell victim to the curse, and it seemed that the grudge over the dam conflict had ended.

Yet those incidents were followed by another one.

The third year.

The leader of one of the Three Families, the priest Furude, suddenly died of an illness with an unknown cause.

His wife drowned herself on the same night.

She seemed to have left a note that said she was sacrificing herself to pacify Oyashiro-sama's anger.

Whether it was a fatal disease or suicide, their deaths looked suspicious.

Mion admitted that the Sonozaki family didn't like the priest's attitude.

They didn't like how the priest had been generous toward the pro-dam activists.

The priest wasn't quite a traitor, but he was certainly uncooperative.

Looking at these incidents, I realized that the 'curse' was performed based on the degree of hostility:

enemy,

traitor,

and dissident.

This meant that the curse was actually 'payment.'

It was a punishment for the criminals of war.

...And the fourth year.

I didn't understand this case at first, to be honest.

At first, I believed that this case was separate from the other ones, even though it occurred on the same day.

I never thought that there would be any relation to the other three.

But when I wrote it down and looked at it objectively...

......The victim is a 'relative of a traitor.'

After 'enemy,' 'traitor,' and 'dissident,' 'relative of a traitor' doesn't sound too odd.

It comes naturally as a fourth target.

On the day the villagers worship Oyashiro-sama, their guardian deity, the criminals of the dam conflict have been 'punished by the curse.'

Just like how I was forced to pay at the Sonozaki house, the criminals were made to pay as well.

...After writing these things out, I started thinking that the fourth incident might be in line with the series of mysterious deaths after all.

Whether it was Satoshi-kun or the dopehead,

it seemed that they were forced to play the role of a murderer, as a part of a bigger scenario.

Even if Satoshi-kun was the real culprit, even if he killed his aunt because of an ordinary grudge,

the murder seems synchronized with the grand scheme of 'the series of mysterious deaths in Hinamizawa,' which is a payment plan for the war criminals.

...That murder was the result of his pain.

But... what if somebody planned that as part of a scenario...?

For instance...

Somebody might have suggested to him to kill his aunt on that day, that night, at that place......?

...I had no doubts that Satoshi-kun decided to kill her in order to protect Satoko.

But did he really reach that conclusion on his own?

Satoshi-kun was optimistic and somewhat detached, as far as I know. Would he really

have considered murdering his aunt

even if it was to protect his sister...?

Couldn't it be possible for somebody to have chosen the aunt as the fourth year's murder beforehand...?

...And they used Satoshi-kun?

And Satoshi-kun was eliminated because of his connection with them...?

Looking at it that way, the murder of the first year resembles this case.

The main culprit behind that case hasn't been found yet,

dead or alive.

The other culprits testified that their fight had turned into a slaughter...

but wouldn't it be possible that the main culprit had manipulated the situation?

What if he had been told to kill someone on that day, at that time, and in that place......?

I'm certain.

The first murder resembles Satoshi-kun's case very much.

So... did that mean Satoshi-kun was being controlled by somebody else...?

Ooishi had presented me with a hypothesis that the Sonozaki family made Satoshi-kun disappear, in order to end my relationship with a murderer.

...But when I read the notes I wrote down,

his disappearance didn't seem too spontaneous. It seemed like part of a bigger plan.

Since I'd unexpectedly gotten involved in that plan, I had to be separated from him.

Then Satoshi-kun was demoned away, as planned.

At first, I also believed that the Sonozaki family made him disappear because they didn't like that I was in love with a member of a family of traitors.

...But something didn't add up.

Something felt strange.

I wasn't the reason for his disappearance after all.

Even if I never met him in the first place...

Satoshi-kun was supposed to kill his aunt in June 1982, and then disappear.

At one point I had been thinking of taking revenge on the hag.

I'd believed that she separated us.

But what if my relationship with Satoshi-kun had nothing to do with his disappearance?

.........What would that mean?

...Who made Satoshi-kun disappear...?

I need to understand the series of mysterious deaths in order to solve this mystery.

What did all these deaths mean?

Who was behind them, and what purpose did they serve...?

I wanted to know the purpose, the motive,

and who was responsible...

Who took Satoshi-kun......?

I wanted to know if he was still alive.

...............

...The series of mysterious deaths in Hinamizawa is also called "Oyashiro-sama's curse"...

What is that curse...?

Specifically,

what kind of god is Oyashiro-sama...?

What blessings does he bring and what punishments does he dole out...?

I wrote down my thoughts in the notebook.

What's Oyashiro-sama...? What is he...?

I scribbled these things down...

I was so absorbed by it...

That I didn't realize somebody had been standing behind me, watching me

the whole time.

I couldn't stop myself from gasping when I realized that.

"......I'm sorry.

Did I startle you...?

Hee hee."

The intelligent-looking woman giggled.

"N-No,

I was just a bit surprised...

Sorry about that."

She could have apologized a little better, too, since she'd been watching me from behind...

But she just stared at my face instead...

".........Are you Shion Sonozaki-san?"

".........You must know Sis since you know my name, but I don't know who you are."

Being twins is a pain sometimes.

People you've never met before can tell exactly who you are.

"Hee hee. I'm sorry.

The Sonozaki-san I know would never be seen in a library,

so I assumed that you were her twin sister."

The woman giggled again.

"Well, you were right. I'm Shion Sonozaki.

Nice to meet you.

May I ask your name?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I should've introduced myself first."

She seemed to love her own hair, because she kept running her fingers through it boastfully.

"I'm Miyo Takano.

You can call me Miyo, Shion-chan."

"Nice to meet you, Takano-san."

Her condescending attitude bugged me.

I hate meeting people like that.

I closed my notebook and got ready to leave the desk.

"Oh... Are you upset?"

"Thank you for your concern.

I like to be alone when thinking, so I'm moving to another spot.

Excuse me."

"...That's a shame.

I thought we'd be good friends."

"Did you?

I don't think so."

"I finally met someone with the same passion. A fellow researcher of Oyashiro-sama's curse.

I think it's quite unusual to meet someone like that..."

She saw my notes...!

My face reddened.

"Th-These are just theories!

It's all nonsense.

Just childish scribbles."

"The series of mysterious deaths is also known as Oyashiro-sama's curse.

Though each death is an independent incident, all of them clearly share the same purpose.

Each year, someone dies of the curse, and someone else is sacrificed and disappears..."

"Wh-What?

What are you saying all of a sudden?

Someone dies and... someone else... what...?"

I was taken aback by her weird spiel.

...But I realized right away that she'd said something extraordinary.

"Didn't you notice that the number of victims is always even...?

Haven't you realized that yet...?"

The number of victims is always even...??

I was confused, but I tried to figure out what that meant.

The dam construction site manager died in the first year.

There was only one victim.

In the second year, the victims were the parents of Satoshi-kun, so it was two people.

In the third year, it was the priest...

and if her death was also planned, his wife... two again...

And in this year, the fourth year, Satoshi-kun's aunt died and Satoshi-kun went missing...

If Satoshi-kun's disappearance was planned... the number of the victims was two.

...It's true.

Except for the first one, the victims always came in an even number--two.

Wait.

...I had just concluded myself that the first case resembled the fourth one.

The main culprit was still missing. He might have been demoned away, just like Satoshi-kun.

"....................."

"See?

Doesn't it make sense now?"

Takano-san sounded like a teacher who had showed me how to solve a difficult math problem...

I wasn't quite convinced, but I couldn't deny what she'd said, either.

"Did I give you enough hints...?

I really would have enjoyed a conversation with you, but I think you prefer being alone.

...Hee hee hee."

"......I'm sorry that I wasn't respectful, Miyo-san.

Please call me Shion."

"...Pff...... Hee hee hee...!"

She seemed content that I changed my attitude. She kept giggling for a while.

She didn't seem that reliable.

I didn't want to be acquainted with her for too long.

But... I don't get to talk to people very much...

and what she said interested me.

"Let me introduce myself again.

I'm Miyo Takano.

Call me Miyo."

"Pleased to meet you, Miyo-san.

I'm Shion Sonozaki.

Mion's twin sister.

Please call me Shion."

I took the hand that Miyo-san held out as a sign of reconciliation.

"Please tell me more.

You said that there are always two victims?

One dies due to the curse and the other one is... a sacrifice?"

"...Shion-chan.

Before we get into that, could you tell me why you became interested in this?"

She leaned over and looked into my eyes...

It was kind of uncomfortable.

"...Miyo-san, how much do you know about me?

I guess you have an idea if you know my name..."

"I don't know much...

Just that you recently returned from a boarding school..."

"I see.

So, I think you can imagine

that I want to know about the series of mysterious deaths

that happened while I was away.

I'm just curious."

"...I see.

You're curious, eh?"

I got the impression that she knew about what happened to Satoshi-kun and me,

because she instantly recognized me as Shion, not Mion.

...I didn't know why I thought that way, as she shouldn't have access to the sources that, for instance, Ooishi does.

It was just the look in her eyes that made me think that way...

"Let me ask you a question this time.

You called me a fellow researcher of Oyashiro-sama's curse, didn't you?

So why are you researching the curse?

You also stated that there's always an even number of victims in the mysterious deaths.

It's true that Hinamizawa's mysterious deaths are often called Oyashiro-sama's curse,

but why would you delve into the mysterious deaths if you're researching the curse itself?"

"Shion-chan, you're asking too many questions at once.

I can't tell what you really want to know."

Ooh...

I couldn't say anything in return.

Maybe I'd been too inquisitive.

"I'll answer your questions one by one......

I'm not just researching the curse, as my subject is much broader than that.

I'm researching the history of Onigafuchi Village.

In plain terms, I'm researching the dark and ancient history of Hinamizawa."

"Onigafuchi Village??

Isn't Onigafuchi the bottomless swamp some people believe is connected to Hell?

And what dark history...?"

I kept asking questions.

Miyo-san, however, looked pleased to hear them.

"Onigafuchi Village is the old name for Hinamizawa, as it was known back before the Meiji Era.

About the dark history...

you know a little bit about the man-eating demons, I assume?"

...Ah...

the man-eating demons, huh?

That was a fairytale told in Hinamizawa.

A long time ago, demons came out of the swamp, and while the villagers battled with them,

they ended up living peacefully together.

The villagers transcended and became a sacred people, having demon blood in their veins.

That long-forgotten fairy tale came back to my mind vividly.

"You know this story because you're a villager, of course.

But what about the story of the cannibal banquet?"

"Eh...?

What's that?"

"You know that the villagers have the blood of man-eating demons in their veins, don't you?"

"...Yeah... I think I've heard of it..."

I dodged the question.

Hinamizawa used to be a desolate village, but it grew in prominence after the Second World War, and expanded its influence to Okinomiya and other areas.

The people who disliked and discriminated against the villagers called us 'man-eating demons.' I remember that.

The young villagers don't take it seriously, but the older people can get seriously upset about it.

They certainly can't take it as a joke.

So the term 'man-eating demons' is forbidden. We normally never use it.

Even during my rebellious phase, I never spoke those words.

Miyo-san, however, seemed to have no qualms with saying it out loud.

"...Are you upset?"

"About what?"

"...I know people hate that phrase in Hinamizawa.

I apologize if I made you feel uncomfortable."

"The old people wouldn't like it, but I'm fine...

Would you continue?"

"Thanks.

Okay, so...

The ancient villagers had a custom of cannibalism.

They ritualized this custom and held various ceremonies based around it.

The festival we hold in June isn't just an early summer festival.

It used to be a banquet in which the villagers chased after a sacrifice and ate them...

They bound the sacrifice to a table, gutted them, and dumped the organs into a river.

'Wata' can mean 'cotton,' but it also means 'organs.'

That's the root of the word 'Watanagashi.'"

"Organ drifting... Watanagashi..."

"Indeed.

I believe they started using futon mats to cover it all up around the Meiji Era, according to my research.

They wouldn't be able to do that openly nowadays."

"........."

...Everything Miyo-san was talking about sounded... startling.

I was just taken aback.

I couldn't wholly believe it right away. She sensed that from my expression.

"It's not a hoax. I didn't make any of this up.

If you promise not to tell anyone, I can show you my notes on Watanagashi..."

Miyo-san took out a notebook from her bag and flipped through it.

She appeared to be doing her research thoroughly.

"...Thank you.

I'd love to read it."

"Sure.

I'd like to keep it confidential...

......Hee hee, but I guess I should share it with my fellow researcher."

Miyo-san handed me the notebook a bit hesitantly.

It looked like it'd take a whole night to finish reading.

It was densely packed with information.

I saw copies of various documents and quotes in there too. It wasn't just some delusion of hers.

"...You told me

that one person dies because of the curse and another person is sacrificed and disappears, right?"

A person is sacrificed and disappears.

...Satoshi-kun had gone missing.

......Did he become a sacrifice...?

What is a sacrifice anyway...?

Miyo-san looked pleased to hear my questions again. She took out another notebook and handed it to me.

"I think you'll understand once you read it, but I'll give you a digest version...

Oyashiro-sama's curse is simply Oyashiro-sama's anger.

In other words, the curse is caused by Oyashiro-sama's anger,

do you follow?"

"Yes......

You're saying that Oyashiro-sama was mad at the people who opposed the village during the dam conflict, and that's why the curse occurred."

"That's right.

Oyashiro-sama's anger has to be pacified.

If not, something even worse will occur.

So, all the successive priests at the Furude Shrine had to perform a sacrifice every time the curse struck, in order to pacify Oyashiro-sama.

It's called a sacrificial ritual."

"So...... each year on the day of Watanagashi, one person dies because of the curse,

and another one is sacrificed to pacify Oyashiro-sama's anger?!

But only one person is actually murdered each time.

I've never heard of human sacrifices being made!"

"Naturally, there's no body.

The ritual of sacrifice requires the offering be sunk into Onigafuchi Swamp.

That swamp is bottomless, and no one would ever surface once they were thrown in there.

...No body would never be found, of course."

"So... one of the victims is always thrown into the swamp every year...?"

Does that mean Satoshi-kun is also at the bottom of that dark green swamp...?

"I don't know...

I'm not sure that they really throw them into the swamp.

But those who make these incidents happen must be eliminating one person based on that legend."

Each year a traitor to the village dies on the day of Watanagashi because of Oyashiro-sama's curse.

And another person is sacrificed in order to pacify Oyashiro-sama's anger.

...That person's body will never be found, because he or she is supposedly thrown into the bottomless swamp.

"Yes, you get it...

The series of mysterious deaths always involves both the curse and the sacrifice.

It's a system that allows two traitors to die every year."

"....................."

"What I'm telling you now probably isn't sufficient,

so it might be hard to grasp.

Instead, I want you to take the time to read my notes.

You'll see that what I'm telling you isn't far from the truth at all..."

I heard a man's voice just then.

A middle-aged man with a hat was waving at Miyo-san from the entrance.

"...Sorry, I think I have to go.

I wanted to talk to you more,

but... I guess we'll have another chance to chat.

I'll leave those notes to you.

I'm looking forward to hearing your opinions."

Miyo-san wrapped up the conversation and headed to where the man was waiting for her.

She left her old notebooks in my hands.

Miyo-san waved at me as she left the library with her companion.

...I took a seat again and opened what she'd given me...

What bugged me was the series of mysterious deaths,

also known as the curse of Oyashiro-sama.

Maybe I'd be able to get closer to the truth by reading these notebooks...

If I studied them carefully, I might be able to find out who was really behind the incidents.

Why did Satoshi-kun have to disappear...? What was he involved in? How did that happen...?

Maybe Takano's notes would bring me the answer.

......Research notes - Miyo Takano

I started flipping the pages, this time making sure that no one was watching over my shoulder......