Chapter 333

Huh?

So that’s how it was.

Toyama Kazuha looked up at Akaso Kaze, feeling warm inside.

She had originally been worried about this, but she didn't expect Akaso-san to have already solved it for her in advance.

This man is truly too good, thinking of her in everything.

Seeing the girl like this, Hattori Shizuka was even more furious.

"Even without Heiji's involvement, I am a friend of her mother and Kazuha’s aunt. You two being like this in public... is just wrong."

Hattori Shizuka also felt her reason was a bit far-fetched.

What era is this, to still be concerned about such things?

She felt very strange in her heart.

What is wrong with me today? Why am I so angry seeing Akaso Kaze and Kazuha being intimate?

Is it because of my son?

Thinking about it, it doesn't seem like it.

Is it because of myself?

Why am I angry?

Could I be jealous of Akaso Kaze, or jealous of Kazuha...

Hattori Shizuka was suddenly startled, her face turning a bit pale.

"Akaso-san, let's go, don't argue with Auntie."

Toyama Kazuha whispered, trying to persuade him.

Akaso Kaze glanced coldly at the woman; it seemed he wouldn't be able to get away without teaching her a lesson.

Just as he was about to act, a bright flash of fire suddenly appeared outside.

On a small bridge not far away, a figure in a coat suddenly opened a lighter and set her clothes on fire.

Her body ignited with raging flames, and then she struggled and fell from the bridge into the water.

"Ah!!"

Toyama Kazuha screamed in fright and threw herself into Akaso Kaze’s arms.

Hattori Shizuka couldn't care about the two of them anymore, her terrified gaze fixed outside the window.

She saw a figure floating on the water, completely engulfed in flames, looking beyond saving.

A few minutes later, the nearby police arrived.

Several officers went into the river to retrieve the corpse and laid it flat on the bank, where one could see Katagiri’s face, eyes wide open in death.

"This deceased is named Katagiri Maho, also a member of the tour group from earlier,"

Detective Otaki said, "According to Kazuha and the others, she suddenly set fire to her own coat and then tilted her body and fell off."

"However, her primary cause of death was a heavy blow to the back of her head. I think she must have hit that stone bridge pier when she fell."

"So, it's suicide?" Toyama Ginshiro said, frowning.

He turned to look at Toyama Kazuha and asked with some surprise: "Mrs. Hattori, Kazuha, why are you here? And who is this?"

Toyama Ginshiro looked at the young man beside his daughter with a scrutinizing gaze.

"I, I am just accompanying a friend to tour Osaka Castle."

Being discovered by her father, Toyama Kazuha blushed a little, "His name is Akaso Kaze, he's from Tokyo, he's an Onmyoji..."

"Onmyoji Akaso Kaze? You are Lord Akaso?"

Toyama Ginshiro’s eyes suddenly lit up, and he bowed in salute, "I have long heard of your great name; I didn't expect you to have come to Osaka."

Hattori Shizuka beside them opened her little mouth in surprise.

She didn't expect Toyama Ginshiro to be so respectful to an Onmyoji.

After all, she wasn't part of the police system and didn't know the legends about Akaso Kaze among the police.

The title of "Crime Buster" wasn't earned for nothing.

Akaso Kaze smiled.

"Inspector Toyama is too polite. Kazuha and I are good friends. We came to Osaka to play, and it's thanks to her acting as my guide..."

The two exchanged a few pleasantries, and Toyama Ginshiro took the opportunity to ask: "Lord Akaso, what is your take on this case?"

Hearing his inquiry, Detective Otaki and the others all turned their attention to him.

Under everyone’s expectant gaze, Akaso Kaze pointed to the corpse on the ground.

"This woman was murdered."

"What? Murdered?" Hattori Shizuka asked doubtfully, "How can you think that? It seems like suicide. Kazuha, you saw it too, right? Miss Katagiri set the fire herself at the time."

Kazuha nodded, "Yes, Akaso-san, when the fire started, I even saw her struggling in pain."

Akaso Kaze smiled: "Sometimes what the eyes see isn't necessarily the truth; it could also be what the murderer wants others to see. Can you be sure that the person on the bridge who caught fire was really Miss Katagiri?"

"This..."

Hattori Shizuka and Kazuha looked at each other, unsure.

"It was so dark at the time, and we were in a bright restaurant, so of course we couldn't see clearly,"

Akaso Kaze looked at the corpse and said: "As long as you examine it carefully, you will definitely find bloodstains on Miss Katagiri’s coat. If Miss Katagiri had caught fire and fallen first, and then hit the bridge pier, how could there be bloodstains on the coat?"

"So, she was killed by the murderer hitting the back of her head first, and then it was staged as a suicide."

Toyama Ginshiro’s eyes flickered, "Then who is the murderer?"

"Shizuka? Why are you here?"

A voice suddenly sounded from behind.

With consecutive deaths, Hattori Heizo couldn't sit still at the Metropolitan Police Department either and arrived at the scene.

"Heizo, you're here too."

Hattori Shizuka greeted him, and for some reason, she glanced at Akaso Kaze.

Hearing Toyama Ginshiro’s introduction, Hattori Heizo’s face showed a look of pleasant surprise.

"Has Lord Akaso already solved this case?"

Akaso Kaze suddenly curled his lips and deliberately glanced at Hattori Shizuka.

"I'm sure you all have heard rumors about me from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department."

"As an Onmyoji, divination requires the consumption of magic power."

"For Kazuha’s sake, I have already given Inspector Toyama a hint; the rest depends on your own abilities."

Akaso Kaze smiled and yawned.

"Sorry, everyone, I'm a bit tired, so I'm going back to rest."

Hattori Heizo was a bit anxious. This case was a cold case for the Osaka Police Department, and now two more people had died. If more people died, his position might be in jeopardy.

Moreover, Akaso Kaze’s attitude was very strange.

Hattori Heizo was a veteran policeman and could feel the Onmyoji’s dissatisfaction with his wife, and could also feel the unnaturalness in his wife’s expression.

He called Hattori Shizuka aside to ask for the reason.

How could Hattori Shizuka dare to talk about what happened yesterday? She only told him about what happened today.

Hattori Heizo frowned and said unhappily: "Why do you care so much about Heiji's business? Besides, marrying into the Toyama family is good, but offending an Onmyoji because of it would be terrible."

"You have no idea how vast this Onmyoji’s influence is. If he wanted to replace me, it would just be a matter of a single word."

"W-what? How is that possible?"

Hattori Shizuka was full of disbelief.

That young man actually has such powerful influence?

How old is he? Only in his twenties, and he can easily replace a city's Police Superintendent?

"How is it not possible?"

Hattori Heizo’s expression was extremely serious.

"You have no idea how much influence he has."

"In the National Police Agency, his file is top-secret."

"I don't know how many members of the Diet have their families under his protection."

"Nine out of ten of the country's major financial groups have close ties with him. It is said that the daughters of several families are fighting to be his girlfriend."

"The highest-ranking FBI official in the country is his woman."

"The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department views him as an idol from top to bottom."