Chapter 503: , Assassin in the Shadows!

Shizuo looked quite aged despite being only 49; though his hair was still black, people would believe he was 59, and even well-maintained 69-year-olds looked younger than him.

After being awakened, he appeared honest and somewhat hesitant.

According to Shizuo, he graduated from Tsukuba University, entered the Imperial Household Agency via the local civil service exam, was assigned to the Shoryo Bureau for documentation work, had a failed marriage, and since his wife was a housewife, he still had to pay substantial alimony.

He had a son, their relationship was poor, the father-son bond relied entirely on Shizuo's alimony, and it seemed after the separation the mother constantly nagged, the son harbored resentment toward his father, and only approached him when needing money.

Of course, Shizuo himself was not entirely innocent; he had a gentle nature, mediocre ability, was a typical overachiever who excelled at exams to get into Tsukuba University and the Imperial Household Agency, but lacked practical skills, and in this extreme meritocracy, those from correspondence high school were looked down upon; if his ability were decent it would be fine, but it wasn't, so he endured workplace bullying without violence and various sarcastic remarks.

During meals, someone would tease him about his correspondence high school background, constantly praising, "You actually got into Tsukuba University from a correspondence high school?!" Work-related colleagues would refuse to let him handle tasks by saying, "You're not good at this," dumping tedious, repetitive, low-skill chores on him, and in casual moments they'd interrogate him, "What's a correspondence high school like?" and because his ability was average, he was often told, "People from correspondence backgrounds naturally struggle with these details."

This is Japan's environment: once labeled, shedding it isn't impossible but requires a hundredfold effort and is very hard to succeed.

Fed up with workplace stress, he naturally vented at home; the honest man never shouted at his wife and children, but used cold violence and constantly emphasized how hard his work was, while his wife scolded him for not using his "Imperial Household Agency status" to make money, to send their son to Gakushuin and live affluently, ultimately their marriage broke down and they divorced.

【Strange, since you're already divorced, why does the Imperial Household Agency record list you as unmarried?】Uesugi Muneyuki asked.

【……Because the Imperial Household Agency's data only has two options: 'married' and 'unmarried'.】Shizuo said somewhat embarrassedly: 【So, not married, naturally means unmarried.】

【Very good.】Uesugi Muneyuki gestured for Shizuo to continue.

However, it seemed he had finally found someone to confide in; Shizuo neither thought of revenge nor proving his innocence, his only wish was to share his story with Uesugi Muneyuki!

Finally, someone willing to listen to my nagging!

Uesugi-san, you must understand me, right? Right?!

Uesugi Muneyuki: 「...... 」

Go on, go on, speak up—at least it'll make this guy feel better, and after he finishes I can question him.

After the divorce, Shizuo's life consisted only of work; he had no family, but retained a soft spot; for his wife's alimony and maintaining ties with his son, he worked especially hard, and for this honest old ox, the Imperial Household Agency and Imperial Palace often bullied him, frequently calling him to work overtime or on holidays, and Shizuo didn't dare resist, even hypnotizing himself into thinking his colleagues and superiors meant well, that he was mediocre, doing a bit more was justified, everyone treated him kindly, so he should be grateful.

From the moment he opened his eyes each day, it was work, his wife's alimony and son's tuition; he developed phone PTSD, because a ringing phone meant either his son asking for money or being assigned work, leaving him physically weak.

This is the despairing middle-aged man, a typical overachiever, he never truly lived for himself.

However, no matter what, he still had a son, giving him his earnings to hear him call "dad," which was one of the few comforts for this middle-aged man.

After saying all this, Shizuo burst into tears; dead souls don't cry, but he could howl.

【You've worked hard.】Uesugi Muneyuki patted Shizuo's shoulder with the Aizen Myoo Dharma Image; this is a typical corporate drone, and in the previous era many Japanese men of this age were this type, possessing low material desires and strong endurance, bound by strong moral views, prioritizing family and duty, terms like "path of endurance" and "grit" were popular then.

Probably this is what's called the "population dividend."

The next generation won't have this concept.

Uesugi Muneyuki couldn't help but sigh; many men truly served as tools their whole lives, ending with no day belonging to themselves, nor knowing how to demand what they deserve; since they're willing to endure hardship, they'll have endless suffering.

Shizuo counts as fortunate; his Tsukuba University graduation preceded Japan's scholarship reform, so back then scholarships weren't "study loans" requiring repayment.

【So, what exactly happened last night?】Uesugi Muneyuki asked.

【Understood……Banzai!... I don't know.】Shizuo said with a bitter smile: 【Actually, I myself haven't figured it out!】

【Tell me in detail?】Uesugi Muneyuki frowned.

【I'll tell you everything I know; let's start from last night……】The suffering middle-aged man began recounting his experience in a low voice.

Naturally, last night he was again on duty as this honest man; since he now had no family, lived alone yet feared losing his job due to his soft spot, his duty in the classroom had become routine.

Likewise, the Imperial Palace bullied him; palace attendants required him to inspect the Inner Court outside work hours, allegedly someone had seen abnormal black shadows there.

【At that time I hadn't eaten dinner, I was famished and light-headed, but the Imperial Palace's demand couldn't be refused—I only have this job! I only have this!】Shizuo said aggrievedly: 【Unavoidably, I went.】

【On the road, you were murdered?】Uesugi Muneyuki nodded.

【I, I don't know!】Shizuo said with a bitter smile: 【I should have told you—I love this job, and I'm always the one on duty, right?】

【Mm, hard work, hard work.】Uesugi Muneyuki still thought he was seeking credit.

Also, for this middle-aged man, life's greatest meaning lies in hearing "hard work" from colleagues and superiors after finishing work, and after receiving money, his son saying, "Money received, Dad."

【No, I want to say, because I'm always assigned duty and night patrols, I'm extremely familiar with the terrain around the Imperial Palace! Every blade of grass, every tree, every lamp and every eave, I know them all!】Shizuo said somewhat boastfully to Uesugi Muneyuki: 【Precisely because of this, I noticed the anomaly!】

【There's a place where the shadow is abnormal! Others don't know, could I not know?】

【According to the time and nearby night lights' angle, that spot simply couldn't possibly have a shadow!】

【So I switched my flashlight to strong light mode.】

【Result, hey, Uesugi-san, guess what happened?】

【Hit by the flashlight's strong beam, that shadow actually had a person crawl out of it!】

Person???

Uesugi Muneyuki's pupils contracted sharply.

Person!!!

Can a person crawl out of a shadow?

Could it be, the Inner World?!

Inside the Imperial Palace, an entity from the Inner World has infiltrated?!?

The rest of the story is simple.

As a corporate drone with declining health and PTSD, this middle-aged old man, Shizuo was already physically weak, then hadn't eaten dinner and was suddenly summoned; hungry and dizzy, he was easily subdued by that person, then thrown into water and drowned.

【What did the other person look like?】

【I don't know, I didn't see clearly, quite strong, much stronger than me, seemed to know some martial arts, instantly subdued me, locked me up, threw me into water.】

Besides this, Shizuo couldn't say anything else of value.

And Uesugi Muneyuki had already grasped some key clues.

First, this intruder into the Imperial Palace is definitely an Inner World entity!

Second, he himself fears strong light; ordinary light can't affect him, but when encountering the specially made strong light of the Imperial Police patrol flashlight, he must reveal himself.

Third, this person is physically strong and has some combat ability, easily subdued the weak Shizuo, but clearly lacks supernatural stealth-killing ability; he merely threw him into water to drown, staging an accidental slip and fall into water as death.

But unfortunately Shizuo was too weak, had no violent resistance, no external injuries, plus being soaked in water caused the corpse to swell, and the Imperial Police's autopsy skills are poor (long-standing Heian era), so they couldn't tell at all.

But now, I've come!

Uesugi Muneyuki nodded and activated his second ability.

Death Flashback!

……………………

While Uesugi Muneyuki and Ishihara Mikoto were performing the autopsy, the Imperial Household Agency, secret facility.

Upon hearing Uesugi Muneyuki say this, Imperial Household Agency Director Maeda Toshisuke pondered repeatedly and felt that since it was Uesugi Muneyuki's judgment, there was no need for any doubt.

An incident occurred!

A major incident occurred!!!

He immediately reported through the most confidential channels to the Cabinet that Imperial Household Agency staff within the Imperial Palace had been murdered.

When Prime Minister Owada and Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda learned of this news, the two figures who dominate Nagatacho showed uncontrollable fear and shock on their faces.

"What?! The Imperial Palace has been invaded?! Murder?!" Prime Minister Owada was so shocked that his fountain pen fell to the ground: "Are His Majesty and the family unharmed?!"

"For now, there is nothing." Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda also had sweat on his forehead, he said in a low voice: "But the killer might still be inside the Imperial Palace! So to prevent him from taking advantage to harm His Majesty……should we maintain the status quo for now?"

"Who? Who judged it as homicide!" Prime Minister Owada only then breathed a sigh of relief, if the killer succeeded, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"It is the Chief Medical Examiner of Investigation Division 1 of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Metropolitan Police Department, Uesugi Muneyuki." Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda said.

"Is it that Uesugi who made the judgment? Then there's nothing to be done." Upon hearing the name Uesugi Muneyuki, Prime Minister Owada was stunned for two seconds, shook his head, and then erupted in greater anger: "What are the Imperial Household Agency and the Imperial Police doing? Why would they allow such a thing to happen?!"

"Immediately cancel all official duties, convene the highest emergency meeting, now!!!"

"Yes!" Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda immediately responded.

Cabinet Crisis Management Center, activated!

(Chapter End)