Chapter 140: Riddles and Riddlers

5:30 PM, Akiwara Yuto got off the train, called a taxi outside the station, and went straight to the "Takeshi" restaurant where the award ceremony was held tonight.

The restaurant is a relatively high-end Japanese restaurant. In the past, the most important thing was to have a luxury large space for entertainment such as performances. Besides that, the location was also set extremely hidden.

Its history can be traced back to the beginning of the 17th century in the Edo period. At that time, some feudal lords, in order to avoid the eyes and ears of enemies, would often gather in these hidden places.

Due to this special historical origin, over time, the restaurant became a place for Japanese political figures and business giants to gather and negotiate.

Akiwara Yuto walked into the gate of this antique restaurant, and soon a woman in a kimono walked up to receive him, "May I ask if you are a guest attending the Mystery Literature Newcomer Award?"

Akiwara Yuto nodded and handed over his invitation letter.

After the kimono woman confirmed, she reached out and led Akiwara Yuto inside. After walking through the long corridor, the two soon reached a traditional Japanese-style room.

The kimono woman pushed open the sliding door and brought Akiwara Yuto into this room: "Akiwara-san, this room is for your exclusive use. Dinner will be delivered later."

After Akiwara Yuto nodded, she continued: "15 minutes before the award ceremony starts, I will come over to welcome you. If you have other needs during this time, please call the front desk."

After finishing this sentence, she bowed and left. After she left, Akiwara Yuto put down his luggage.

He took out the notebook he brought and opened it, starting to memorize the acceptance speech he prepared for

I hope this acceptance speech will be of use.

Just as he was reciting it, he heard a knock at the door.

Has dinner been delivered so soon?

Akiwara Yuto was a bit puzzled, but he still pushed open the sliding door. To his surprise, the doorway was empty, save for an envelope placed on the floor.

Akiwara Yuto picked up the envelope and opened it, finding a note inside with a single sentence written on it: "You can say a little more during tonight's speech."

Who left this letter here?

Akiwara Yuto fell into a moment of confusion; he closed the door and looked at the note several times.

His room was, in theory, pre-arranged, so the only ones with the motive and ability to deliver the note were the Mystery Writers Association.

He lowered his head, suddenly recalling a rumor he had heard in his past life regarding the Japanese Akutagawa Prize.

On the day of the Akutagawa Prize, all nominated candidates generally wait at a hotel and receive different phone calls; if the caller's opening line is, "I am so-and-so from Bungeishunju," it implies the candidate has failed. If the caller's opening line is, "I am so-and-so from the Society for the Promotion of Literature," it implies they have won.

Thinking of this, Akiwara Yuto suddenly felt his heart stir with excitement.

Does receiving this letter mean that he has already successfully won the award?!

He had barely been excited for long before he suddenly thought of another question: what does "a little more" mean?

Is it just a simple message?

If that were the case, wouldn't it have been easier to just write "be prepared for your speech"...

Akiwara Yuto thought for a long time without coming up with an answer, so he stopped thinking, continued looking at the notebook he had brought, and recited his speech for the evening.

Time passed quickly, and it was suddenly 6:45 PM. The woman in the kimono knocked on Akiwara Yuto's door, then reached out to gesture, signaling for Akiwara Yuto to accompany her to the site of the awards ceremony.

The two first walked through a corridor, then through a garden, and after walking for a full 5 minutes, they arrived at a large Japanese-style auditorium. The woman in the kimono pushed open the door, and Akiwara Yuto walked in.

In this auditorium, about half the seats were already filled.

Akiwara Yuto looked around and found that most of the people were strangers to him.

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Akiwara?" a male voice sounded beside him.

Akiwara Yuto turned his head to see a man in a suit wearing glasses, and replied, "Yes, I am Akiwara Yuto. May I ask who you are?"

"I am Takeda Yūshō of the Mystery Writers Association," the bespectacled man bowed, then continued, "Mr. Akiwara, the candidates' seats are on the other side. Please follow me."

Akiwara Yuto nodded and followed the man toward the front of the auditorium.

But in the process of walking, he suddenly saw two familiar figures.

Kihara Daigo and Takei Kohei? How are they here?

Akiwara Yuto was somewhat surprised for a moment.

According to the information he had gathered, the Mystery Writers Association generally only invites member writers and relevant partner media; as for other publishing houses, usually only people at the vice-president level attend.

While he was lost in thought, the bespectacled man suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Mr. Akiwara, Chairman Hehe asked me to tell you something."

"What is it?" Akiwara Yuto asked, also puzzled.

Who is Chairman Hehe? Why does he want to speak to him?

"Here at the Mystery Writers Association, you don't need to worry too much." After finishing this sentence, the bespectacled man stopped walking and signaled for Akiwara Yuto to take a seat in the first row.

And next to that seat, a woman with short hair was already sitting.

Akiwara Yuto walked up and sat in his seat, frowning and thinking about the problem incessantly.

Are these people from the Mystery Writers Association all riddle-makers? Or have they played too many mystery games?

It's too strange; that inexplicable letter left at the door, and the words Takeda just relayed to him, all seem to imply that he can do something tonight?

He racked his brains, and combining this with the sight of Kihara Daigo and Takei Kohei he had just seen, he suddenly realized a possibility.

Just as he was thinking, the short-haired woman sitting next to him suddenly asked him, "Excuse me, are you Mr. Akiwara Yuto?"

Akiwara Yuto's train of thought was suddenly interrupted, and he raised his head to look at the short-haired woman.

He found that she had an ordinary appearance and was dressed very simply; how should he put it, she was the kind of person you would immediately lose sight of if lost in a crowd.

"I am Akiwara Yuto. May I ask who you are?" Akiwara Yuto replied.

The short-haired woman smiled and replied, "My name is Murata Anka, and my work, 'The Third Person Behind,' just happened to be selected this time. By the way, I've read your previous work, 'Seven Rooms,' and thought it was written very brilliantly."

Akiwara Yuto nodded, but began to think to himself.

'The Third Person Behind'—this name sounds like it belongs to the suspense school; no wonder she thought 'Seven Rooms' was brilliant.

He thought for a moment, then took a business card from his card holder and handed it over, "Ms. Murata, I look forward to your guidance."

Being able to be shortlisted from among so many writers, this short-haired woman named Murata Anka, even if she doesn't win the Newcomer Award, will be able to continue moving forward in the Japanese literary world in the future; in any case, she should not be underestimated.

After Murata Anka took the business card, she took a business card from her own person and handed it over.

Akiwara Yuto looked at it and found the words "Murata Anka, Takasago Convenience Store Clerk" written on it, and was immediately surprised.

Seeing his expression, Murata Anka explained, "Mr. Akiwara, I haven't debuted yet; I'm currently still working at a convenience store."

She paused, then added, "The work I submitted this time is also my debut work. In any case, please give me your guidance, Senior Akiwara."

Akiwara Yuto couldn't even speak for a moment.

To be able to break out from all the mystery writers in Japan with a debut work and be shortlisted for the Mystery Association's Newcomer Award.

This is a true genius, or rather, a monster, right?

While the two were talking, another man with a gloomy expression walked over and sat down nearby.

Just then, the lights in the auditorium dimmed slightly, and the noise level dropped instantly. After this, a middle-aged man wearing a traditional men's kimono walked to the very front of the auditorium.

Akiwara Yuto ended his conversation with Murata Anka, straightened his posture, and assumed a listening stance.

The awards ceremony for the Mystery Writers Association Award and the Newcomer Award was about to begin...