Chapter 332

The match against Hattori Shizuka did not affect Akaso Kaze’s mood in the slightest.

He had a wonderful sleep, and the next day, he followed Toyama Kazuha to tour around Osaka Castle.

"That circular one is the Osaka Castle Hall, and the place opposite with all the high-rise buildings is the Osaka business district. Also, behind that cluster of buildings—you can't see it from here—the news bureau building there is Osaka's most famous landmark."

At the Osaka Castle Main Keep, Kazuha excitedly introduced: "As for where we are now, this is the symbol of Osaka, Osaka Castle. How about it? Osaka is pretty great, right?"

"I think you haven't introduced the best part of this place yet."

Akaso Kaze said with a smile.

"Really? Did I leave something out?" the girl asked curiously.

Akaso Kaze smiled and put his arms around Toyama Kazuha: "That would be you. Such a beautiful and charming treasure, why haven't you introduced yourself to me?"

"You're annoying, there are people here."

Toyama Kazuha blushed instantly, looking around, it seemed no one was paying attention.

She suddenly raised her head, gave Akaso Kaze a quick peck, then broke free with a red face and ran off.

The corners of Akaso Kaze’s mouth curled up slightly as he followed behind.

Not far away, Hattori Shizuka, disguised with sunglasses and a hat, had her brows tightly locked.

This Onmyoji is truly too good at coaxing women.

A young girl like Toyama Kazuha simply can't resist him.

"The Taiko first built the castle in 1599, Tokugawa Ieyasu rebuilt it again in 1629, and the people of Osaka rebuilt it 69 years ago, in 1931."

An aged but vigorous voice was introducing it to people.

Akaso Kaze, holding Toyama Kazuha’s hand, happened to pass by.

"Hey, the badge pinned to his chest looks like Tokugawa Ieyasu’s family crest, the Hollyhock." the girl whispered.

"The young lady is right. Everyone participating in our tour group is an admirer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. We all met through the internet, and we planned to start from Nagoya, where Toyotomi Hideyoshi rose to power, pass through Kyoto, and then come to Osaka."

The old man introduced with a smile.

"To add fun to the trip, every day after breakfast, we draw lots to decide which role each of us will play, and then wear the corresponding badge."

"There are badges for four people: Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Akechi Mitsuhide. For the whole day, those playing Hideyoshi, Ieyasu, and Mitsuhide must address each other by their character's names and serve the person playing Nobunaga."

"But in return, Nobunaga must pay for Hideyoshi and Ieyasu’s dinner," a woman wearing glasses interjected, "Am I right?"

"So it's Miss Nene." The old man turned and said.

"There's even a role for Nene?" Toyama Kazuha’s eyes lit up instantly.

"Those who don't draw one of those four roles have to play Nene."

The woman said with a smile.

Toyama Kazuha whispered to Akaso Kaze: "Nene was Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s legal wife, one of the three great ladies of the Warring States period."

Toyama Kazuha was very interested in this "Taiko Hideyoshi Eight-Day Tour" group, so Akaso Kaze led her to join the members for the tour.

In the evening, the sky grew dim, and suddenly a rain shower began.

Akaso Kaze held Toyama Kazuha under a large umbrella at the edge of the plaza, looking at the overcast sky through the curtain of rain.

Thunder rumbled, and flashes of lightning flickered from time to time, reflecting against the glowing Main Keep.

"It looks like this rain won't stop for a while. Oh dear, I should have brought an umbrella."

Toyama Kazuha said with regret.

"Coming out with me, what could you possibly lack?"

Akaso Kaze reached out and pulled out an umbrella...

He put his arm around Toyama Kazuha’s slender waist, and the two walked out intimately under the umbrella.

In the distance, Hattori Shizuka saw their figures, gritted her teeth, and followed them into the rain.

On the other side, the members of the Taiko Hideyoshi Eight-Day Tour were discussing anxiously: "Where did the person playing Hideyoshi go? His phone won't go through either."

"Yeah, we've searched the entire Osaka Castle and the nearby shops, even the restrooms, but we still haven't seen him."

"Boom!" A sudden explosion echoed through the rainy night, startling everyone in the plaza, and they all looked toward the roof of the Osaka Castle Main Keep nearby.

Right on the roof ridge in front of the observation deck, a burning figure was screaming repeatedly, twisting like a fireworm.

"Someone is on fire up there!!"

Below the Main Keep, the officer in charge of the case was still Detective Otaki.

Besides the crowd of onlookers, the members of the tour group were also called over, standing silently by the corpse under umbrellas to be questioned.

The long-faced young man was Fukushima Toshiaki, 32 years old, playing Akechi Mitsuhide.

The old man was named Kasuya Arihiro, 64 years old, playing Tokugawa Ieyasu.

The honest-looking young man who kept his eyes narrowed was Wakizaka Shigehiko, 35 years old, playing Oda Nobunaga.

The bespectacled woman was Katagiri Maho, 39 years old, playing Nene.

As for the deceased, he was Kato Tsukasa, the actor playing Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

For some reason, everyone at the scene seemed to have assumed the deceased committed suicide by setting himself on fire, and they began discussing the motive.

"We aren't the worms in his stomach, how could we know what he was thinking? Maybe he had long decided to commit suicide in this place with such deep ties to the Taiko."

The officers covered the charred corpse with a cloth and carried it away, leaving only a few items found on the body.

A mobile phone, a watch, a wallet, keys, cigarettes, a piece of pottery, and a damaged scroll were all severely burned.

Detective Otaki squinted at these items, his face gloomy.

"This person shouldn't have committed suicide!"

"The charred corpse found in the castle moat thirteen years ago, and the charred corpse found in the east moat a while back, both had these kinds of fragments."

"Especially this fragment, which has the characters '848' written on it."

Detective Otaki held the damaged scroll. As the raindrops soaked it, writing gradually appeared in the previously blank areas, along with a gourd-shaped graphic.

He couldn't help but narrow his eyes.

"Could the legend be true? Is the treasure of Hideyoshi, known to the world as the Golden King, still sleeping somewhere in this Osaka Castle?"

Seeing the pattern on the scroll, the tour group members nearby had different expressions—some excited, some silent, and others wearing eerie smiles.

The old man, Kasuya, looked left and right, then carefully walked to the side to make a call.

"Hello, it's me. Don't act rashly for now. I don't think the police will be leaving anytime soon. Don't worry, our target is already in sight; just be prepared in advance."

Detective Otaki called Toyama Ginshiro to report the situation, and he soon arrived at the scene.

Toyama Ginshiro narrowed his eyes as he looked at the deceased's items and said:

"After the charred corpse was found thirteen years ago, a series of robberies occurred one after another, resulting in seven deaths. There might be a connection here."

Opposite the Osaka Castle New Bridge, Akaso Kaze was dining in a restaurant with Kazuha.

"Akaso-san, my father has come here. I heard that after we left, a case happened at the Main Keep." Kazuha looked out the window, worried.

"Oh, really? Don't worry, look at your little face, all worried."

Akaso Kaze smiled and touched Kazuha’s willow-leaf eyebrows, "If you need me to, I'll solve the case for your father."

Toyama Kazuha tilted her little head, enjoying Akaso Kaze’s touch, and said shyly: "But I heard that an Onmyoji’s consultation fee is very expensive. I, I don't have any money..."

"Is that so?" Akaso Kaze smiled. He leaned close to the girl and whispered: "How about this, give me a kiss as the consultation fee, how about it?"

Looking at the doting expression on the man’s face, Toyama Kazuha’s eyes were full of admiration.

"Akaso-san, you are so good to me."

She looked around; there weren't many customers in the shop, and they were in a booth where no one could see, so she blushed and said: "Then, just one kiss, okay?"

Toyama Kazuha closed her eyes, lifted her little head, and pursed her red lips.

The corners of Akaso Kaze’s mouth rose.

He slowly lowered his head.

Toyama Kazuha’s little body trembled slightly, feeling a tingling, numbing sensation on her lips.

It was an unprecedented feeling.

Her body suddenly went limp, and she almost fell over.

At this moment, a large hand wrapped around her waist, and the other hand supported her little head.

Just one kiss, of course, it had to last a little longer.

Akaso Kaze held the limp Toyama Kazuha in his arms, kissing her gently.

The girl was completely intoxicated by it.

At another table in the shop, Hattori Shizuka stood up abruptly.

A feeling of anger rose in her heart.

Hattori Shizuka strode over and cleared her throat.

Hearing the sound, Toyama Kazuha opened her eyes slightly, was startled, and quickly pushed Akaso Kaze away.

"Ah? Auntie Shizuka? Why are you here?"

Her face was as red as if it were dripping blood.

"Kazuha, what are you two doing?"

Hattori Shizuka asked angrily.

"I, we..."

Toyama Kazuha’s little head was almost lowered to her chest.

Akaso Kaze was displeased.

This woman is too much, actually following me around.

He shielded Toyama Kazuha in his arms and said coldly: "Lady Shizuka, what kind of attitude is this?"

"Kazuha is my girlfriend, is there anything wrong with us being intimate together?"

"Besides, what qualification or status do you have to criticize us? Was what you did yesterday glorious?"

"Uh..." Hattori Shizuka was choked up by Akaso Kaze.

She secretly regretted it in her heart.

Why was I so impulsive, walking over just because I saw them kissing?

Logically, this shouldn't happen; I'm not usually like this.

"Yes, yesterday what matter? What are you talking nonsense about? Didn't we just spar in kendo?"

Hattori Shizuka’s voice softened instantly.

"Huh?" Toyama Kazuha raised her head upon hearing this.

Did Akaso-san and Auntie Shizuka spar in kendo?

It sounds like something happened.

Feeling Toyama Kazuha’s questioning gaze.

Hattori Shizuka kept encouraging herself in her heart.

He has no evidence, he has no evidence.

"Hehe, then who won yesterday?" Akaso Kaze asked with a smile.

He had no intention of mentioning the matter of Hattori Shizuka taking off her clothes.

"...You won."

Hattori Shizuka said, pursing her lips.

It was impossible not to admit defeat; even if they sparred again, she would still lose.

"Do you remember the bet before the match?"

The corners of Akaso Kaze’s mouth curled up, "You said that if you lost, Heiji would no longer pester Kazuha."