２ Ａｐｒｉｌ， ＮＩＳＩＯＩＳＩＮ
文字数 3,334文字
Kyōko Okitegami in STAY HOLMES
On the 2nd of April, 2020, I, Yakusuke Kakushidate, attended a murder scene with Kyōko Okitegami, the Amnesiac Detective. Of course, I’m the king of false accusations—that is to say, I’m so often falsely accused that I’d asked her to help clear up the suspicion that had fallen upon on me. And just as I’d hoped, the fastest detective, famed for being able to solve any case in a day, had already identified the unthinkable, surprising culprit, but still, one mystery remained.
“Kyōko, why did the culprit so inconsiderately leave the door to the murder scene open? The door locks automatically when closed; it could’ve easily been a locked-room murder. . .”
“Precisely because it’s a locked room,” Kyōko said smoothly. With her left hand she rolled up the long sleeve of her cardigan; written on her right arm in thick marker was this: NO—CLOSED SPACES.
“Closed spaces—they must be avoided.”
“Then why did he use a spear as a weapon? And such a long one, nearly two meters long?”
“Social distancing,” Kyōko said, lifting up her long, tight skirt to reveal more words on her left calf.
NO—CLOSE CONTACT.
“S-so then, why would the culprit commit a crime alone with a weapon he was clearly unfamiliar with? With the reputation of a true criminal like him, he could’ve had as many accomplices as he wanted—”
With no need for further words, the famous detective silently tucked up the hem of her blouse. The words written on her slender torso were, it almost goes without saying, exactly what I expected.
NO—CROWDED PLACES.
“As a detective it’s rather sad to have to refrain from doing the big conclusion of gathering everyone together to explain the crime—but even murderers are avoiding these 3 C’s, she said, pointing again to the three phrases on her body. “We must not forget them either.”
With a wink from behind her glasses, Kyōko turned on her heel and left the crime scene—in my rush to follow after her, I barely maintained social distance. “Uh, Kyōko, what will you do now?” I asked. Reluctant to part with her after she’d solved the crime, I had only asked the question reflexively, but actually, I couldn’t help but worry.
Because for Kyōko, with her condition, there was only ever today.
So how would she live through the ever-changing days and months of 2020?
“Isn’t it obvious?” the white-haired detective replied casually, simply turning slightly without stopping—while rolling up her left sleeve with delight.
“STAY HOLMES. I’m going to read mystery novels at home.”
Translated by Morgan Giles / Arranged by TranNet KK
NISIOISIN
Born in 1981. Debuted with the 23rd Mephisto Award for
On the 2nd of April, 2020, I, Yakusuke Kakushidate, attended a murder scene with Kyōko Okitegami, the Amnesiac Detective. Of course, I’m the king of false accusations—that is to say, I’m so often falsely accused that I’d asked her to help clear up the suspicion that had fallen upon on me. And just as I’d hoped, the fastest detective, famed for being able to solve any case in a day, had already identified the unthinkable, surprising culprit, but still, one mystery remained.
“Kyōko, why did the culprit so inconsiderately leave the door to the murder scene open? The door locks automatically when closed; it could’ve easily been a locked-room murder. . .”
“Precisely because it’s a locked room,” Kyōko said smoothly. With her left hand she rolled up the long sleeve of her cardigan; written on her right arm in thick marker was this: NO—CLOSED SPACES.
“Closed spaces—they must be avoided.”
“Then why did he use a spear as a weapon? And such a long one, nearly two meters long?”
“Social distancing,” Kyōko said, lifting up her long, tight skirt to reveal more words on her left calf.
NO—CLOSE CONTACT.
“S-so then, why would the culprit commit a crime alone with a weapon he was clearly unfamiliar with? With the reputation of a true criminal like him, he could’ve had as many accomplices as he wanted—”
With no need for further words, the famous detective silently tucked up the hem of her blouse. The words written on her slender torso were, it almost goes without saying, exactly what I expected.
NO—CROWDED PLACES.
“As a detective it’s rather sad to have to refrain from doing the big conclusion of gathering everyone together to explain the crime—but even murderers are avoiding these 3 C’s, she said, pointing again to the three phrases on her body. “We must not forget them either.”
With a wink from behind her glasses, Kyōko turned on her heel and left the crime scene—in my rush to follow after her, I barely maintained social distance. “Uh, Kyōko, what will you do now?” I asked. Reluctant to part with her after she’d solved the crime, I had only asked the question reflexively, but actually, I couldn’t help but worry.
Because for Kyōko, with her condition, there was only ever today.
So how would she live through the ever-changing days and months of 2020?
“Isn’t it obvious?” the white-haired detective replied casually, simply turning slightly without stopping—while rolling up her left sleeve with delight.
“STAY HOLMES. I’m going to read mystery novels at home.”
Translated by Morgan Giles / Arranged by TranNet KK
NISIOISIN
Born in 1981. Debuted with the 23rd Mephisto Award for
Decapitation:
Kubikiri
Cycle
. He has authored numerous books such as the play series that begins in the same work, the series that begins in the animatedBakemonogatari
, and the oblivion detective series that begins in the TV dramaOkitegami
Kyokō
no
bibouroku
(Okitegami Kyoko's memorandum). He is also active as a manga author, and his representative works includeMedaka
bokkusu
(Medaka box) andShōnen
Shōjo
(Doomed boys and girls). In 2019, we published the 100th bookBērudoman
kasetsu
(The Veiled Man hypothesis).
