023 Things Are Starting To Get Complicated

Minato Aya ignored the swarm of reporters, walking silently through the crowd.

After crossing the cordon, Minato Aya entered the Happiness Mansion.

Behind the villa's fence, the villa, half-blackened by fire, appeared before Minato Aya.

The villa was filled with police officers taking photos and notes, conducting investigations and collecting evidence.

"Inspector Minato, the investigation results are in."

Seeing Minato Aya enter the villa, an older police officer with half-white hair and a Police Inspector insignia on his shoulder immediately ran up to Minato Aya with a notebook.

"Speak."

Minato Aya nodded to the old Inspector.

The old Inspector extended his hand towards Minato Aya, guiding her quickly towards the charred villa's interior while beginning to explain the investigation results.

"In last night's fire, everyone in other areas of the villa successfully evacuated. Only one room had a total of 13 people burned to death."

"Twelve of them were illegally staying foreigners, and one was Ito Takeshi, known as Master Ryudo of the Future Happiness Cult."

At this point, the old Inspector paused slightly, then continued,

"Among them, Ito Takeshi's condition is rather strange."

"Strange?"

Minato Aya turned her head to look at the old Inspector.

"Inspector Minato will know once you see it."

After entering the villa, which was now reduced to a skeletal frame, Minato Aya saw human outlines drawn on the ground in white chalk.

These indicated where bodies had been found or where evidence that could serve as clues had been marked with white numbered placards.

Among these numbered placards, numbers 00 and 01 were placed in front of a cylindrical object covered with a tarp.

"Why are there only 12 bodies? Where's Ito Takeshi?"

"Ito Takeshi is over there."

The old Inspector pointed to the cylindrical object covered by the tarp, with numbered placards [00] and [01] beside it, then continued to explain to Minato Aya.

"The suspected ignition point was here. It's suspect used thermite to start the fire."

"Thermite?"

Minato Aya walked to the cylindrical object covered with a tarp and pulled it back.

Then Minato Aya understood why the old police officer, who had been a non-career officer his entire life and endured countless battles, would use the word 'strange' to describe Ito Takeshi's body.

Because the "Master Ryudo" was now curled up in a cylindrical glass cover with obvious burns and dried blood inside, in a posture that clearly indicated extreme pain.

Since the villa was burned down to only its reinforced concrete frame, if Master Ryudo's body were wrapped in a few bandages now,

One might actually believe he was from Egypt.

"What's the situation with this glass cover?"

Looking at the dried bloodstains inside the glass cover, Minato Aya could almost see how, once the fire ignited,

Master Ryudo, trapped inside the glass cover, must have pounded and clawed at the glass.

Even smashing his hands until they were bloody, he didn't stop struggling.

Until finally, due to the lack of oxygen from the fire, he collapsed onto the ground, painfully scratching his neck.

And finally, little by little, all the fat and liquid in his body were dried out, leaving him stuck to the ground.

"For safety, the glass cover uses the best explosion-proof glass. It not only allows people to perform blessing rituals on it but also can withstand temperatures of up to 1600 degrees Celsius. The temperature of a building fire is usually between 600 to 800 degrees, which is why this glass cover remained intact."

Accompanied by the crisp sound of wooden clogs, a female voice, though very gentle, carried the inherent authority of someone long in a high position, making one instinctively want to obey just by hearing it. The voice resonated from behind Minato Aya.

Minato Aya lowered the tarp she had lifted and turned around to see a woman of exquisite beauty, only slightly shorter than herself, dressed in a heavy, traditional junihitoe (twelve-layered ceremonial kimono). Her black hair was styled into a high chignon, adorned with several golden hairpins.

Behind her, two beautiful young women, dressed in white kimonos resembling shiromuku (traditional white wedding kimono), held up the long train of her junihitoe.

She looked as if a princess or empress from the Warring States period had traveled through time and appeared here, walking towards Minato Aya with grace and nobility.

"Who are you? Who let you in?"

"Good day, Inspector Minato."

The woman first bowed slightly to Minato Aya.

Only then did she extend her hand to a young woman behind her, taking a document from her and holding it up to Minato Aya before continuing,

"You may call me Ryoko, Anjima Ryoko. I am a detective hired by the Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters."

"Detective?"

Upon hearing Anjima Ryoko's name, Minato Aya squinted slightly, like a female leopard spotting its prey.

"Instead of your identity as a detective, why don't you say you're also the Saintess of the Future Happiness Cult? What is your purpose here?"

"Saintess, and such, are just the kind words of believers. The case occurred on the Future Happiness Cult's premises, so the cult decided that I, being a qualified detective, should assist the police in their investigation."

Ignoring Minato Aya's slightly hostile tone, as if facing a criminal in an interrogation room,

Anjima Ryoko spoke in her gentle and soft voice,

"The Future Happiness Cult's long-standing credo has always been to cooperate with government law enforcement and help maintain social order, which is why I'm here. I ask for your continued guidance, Inspector Minato."

Anjima Ryoko placed her hands folded over her lower abdomen, then bowed thirty degrees to Minato Aya.

The two young women standing behind her also bowed to Minato Aya simultaneously.

"Since you know my name, you should know I don't need help."

As Anjima Ryoko straightened up, Minato Aya gestured towards the yard gate.

"If Inspector Minato doesn't require our assistance for now, then we shall take our leave for the time being."

Anjima Ryoko extended the hand holding the document behind her.

As the young woman took the document from Anjima Ryoko, she also placed a business card in Anjima Ryoko's hand.

Anjima Ryoko took the business card and walked up to Minato Aya, handing her the business card with both hands.

"This is my business card. Inspector Minato, if you require anything at all, please feel free to contact me at any time."

Although Anjima Ryoko emphasized the word 'anything',

Minato Aya showed no inclination to take the business card. Instead, she turned around as if beginning to examine the ignition point.

"You may go."

Anjima Ryoko, having repeatedly offered goodwill and been rebuffed, did not show any anger.

She simply turned her gaze to the old Inspector.

The old Inspector looked at Minato Aya, who had her back to Anjima Ryoko, then looked at Anjima Ryoko, who held out her business card with both hands.

After a moment of hesitation, he let out a silent sigh and, without speaking, took the business card from Anjima Ryoko.

"Then, Inspector Minato, Inspector Katayama, I bid you farewell."

Smiling and nodding to the old Inspector, Anjima Ryoko turned and left the Happiness Mansion.

Only when the sound of wooden clogs disappeared behind her did Minato Aya turn around, looking in the direction Anjima Ryoko had vanished.

She took Anjima Ryoko's business card from the old Inspector and flicked it.

"Things are starting to get complicated now."