How to Survive With a Death-Flag Character Setting in Detective Conan - Chapter 4
Asai Narumi sat at his desk, fingers interlocked, slightly dazed.
Tomorrow, the island will hold a memorial ceremony for the second anniversary of the death of the former village chief, Kameyama Isamu, which will also mark the beginning of his revenge plan.
He had been planning for this day for a long time.
He had already sent the letter of commission to Mouri Kogoro and even made a phone call to confirm that he would definitely come.
However, perhaps because he had seen Higashino Hiromu and was reminded of his former self, he was now somewhat hesitant.
He patted his cheeks to wake himself up.
Giving up on the plan was out of the question.
However, all of his plans were based on others believing that he was a woman, and now Higashino Hiromu had introduced an unexpected variable.
Fortunately, he was leaving tomorrow, so it probably wouldn’t affect the plan.
If something unexpected happened…
Asai Narumi’s eyes darkened slightly.
Then he would just have to silence him temporarily.
* * *
Higashino Hiromu wandered around Tsukikage Island and found that this little island was indeed quite nice. As long as you climbed a bit higher, you could see the ocean, and the sea view was spectacular. Moreover, the surroundings were very quiet.
Well, if you ignored the loudspeakers campaigning for votes.
Walking and stopping along the way, he saw the only police station on the island.
Not only was the entrance small, but there were very few resident officers. Right now, only one person is on duty inside.
As Higashino Hiromu passed by, the officer, perhaps out of boredom, took the initiative to greet him, “Young man, visiting Tsukikage Island?”
Higashino Hiromu smiled and replied, “I’m here to find someone, and taking a look around while I’m at it.”
The officer sighed and said, “I knew it. These days, who would come here just for fun? It’s always for some purpose.”
Higashino Hiromu asked curiously, “From what you said, were there a lot of visitors in the past?”
“Well, not exactly tourists,” the officer recalled. “Back then, many of them were fans of Mr. Asoh Keiji, just like how young people nowadays like to visit their idols’ hometowns. Especially when Mr. Asoh held concerts here, the crowds back then were on a whole different level!”
“Asoh Keiji?” Higashino Hiromu said he had never heard of him.
The officer regretfully said, “It’s normal that you haven’t heard of him. He was a pianist from Tsukikage Island, world-famous at the time! He often performed overseas. But twelve years ago, his entire family died in a fire.”
“Is that so? That’s truly unfortunate.”
As if he had opened a floodgate, the officer continued enthusiastically, “Everyone says that fire was set by Asoh Keiji himself. Someone saw him kill his wife and daughter first, then set the fire, and kept playing Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata’ in the flames until he burned to death. Absolutely terrifying!”
Higashino Hiromu: …Uncle, do you remember that you’re a police officer? Why are you just repeating hearsay? Shouldn’t you be talking about the investigation results?
“Hm… Wait, that’s not right.” The officer suddenly frowned. “I remember Asoh Keiji had a son. Yes, that’s right. Back then, the boy was in poor health and had been hospitalized in Tokyo, so he didn’t return with them.”
Higashino Hiromu: …Uncle, you’re not even retired yet, but your memory’s already fading?
The officer thought for a moment and said, “I think the boy’s name was Seiji—Asoh Seiji. I wonder if we’ll ever see that kid again. Actually, Mr. Asoh left something here in our care. It was meant for his son.”
“Oh…” Higashino Hiromu actually wanted to say he wasn’t very interested in all this.
“Ah, right. Do you have any places you’d like to visit?” the officer asked.
Higashino Hiromu shook his head. “I’m not familiar with the area, maybe you can recommend something?”
“Then you can check out the community center,” the officer suggested. “There’s a piano there, donated by Mr. Asoh.”
Higashino Hiromu: …Does this uncle like Asoh Keiji a lot? It seems like he is desperately trying to recommend him to me!
Higashino Hiromu gave a polite smile. “Alright, I’ll check it out if I have time.”
After bidding farewell to the officer, Higashino Hiromu didn’t go to the community center right away. Instead, he strolled through every corner of the island he could find, finally confirming that Tsukikage Island really didn’t have much to offer.
Following the logic of “since I’m already here,” he eventually headed for the community center.
When he arrived at the entrance, he saw a lot of people coming and going, as if they were setting up the venue.
“Is there some event being held here?” Higashino Hiromu asked curiously as he approached.
A middle-aged man passing by replied, “Tomorrow marks the second anniversary of the former village chief’s death. There will be a memorial service held here.”
Noticing that the large box the man was carrying seemed quite heavy, Higashino Hiromu immediately stepped forward to lend a hand, helping him carry it into the hall.
The man wiped the sweat from his forehead with the towel hanging around his neck and said with a smile, “Thank you, young man!”
Higashino Hiromu also smiled and replied, “Don’t mention it. Just lending a hand.”
“You must be from out of town. What brings you here?” the man asked curiously.
Higashino Hiromu scratched his head and said, “The police officer on the island recommended this place to me…”
The man shook his head with a sigh. “Ah, I see. He told you about the piano here, didn’t he? I really don’t know what’s so interesting about something cursed like that.”
“Cursed?” Higashino Hiromu looked puzzled.
The man glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then leaned in and whispered, “That piano is the one Asoh Keiji kept playing before his death. Some say his ghost is attached to it. I didn’t believe it at first either, but two years ago, the current village chief’s secretary, Hirata, passed by the community center and heard someone playing ‘Moonlight Sonata’ inside. From the window, he couldn’t see anyone. But when he went around and entered the room, he found the former village chief, Kameyama Isamu, slumped over the piano, dead!”
The man’s expression was animated, clearly adept at stirring the listener’s emotions.
However, Higashino Hiromu was immune to ghost stories and felt nothing listening to this.
He didn’t believe in ghosts, nor did he fear them.
Even though he had inexplicably time-traveled, he still believed in science.
“The piano is in the room at the end of the hallway. You can take a look, but don’t try playing it!” the man warned earnestly. “Better safe than sorry. You don’t want to attract something unclean!”
Higashino Hiromu could only nod and smile.
What a joke—he didn’t know how to play the piano anyway!
However, when Higashino Hiromu reached the door, he seemed to hear a faint sound of arguing from inside.
Well then, it wouldn’t be appropriate to go in now.
Never mind. He wasn’t particularly interested in the piano anyway. If he couldn’t see it, so be it.
With that, Higashino Hiromu turned and left.
What he didn’t know was that someone inside the room, having sensed someone approaching, quietly opened the door a crack and caught sight of his departing back.
Tsukikage Island wasn’t very large. By the time Higashino Hiromu had explored the whole place, it was already dinner time.
The inn he had booked was small and didn’t provide meals, so he had to find another place to eat.
After some effort, he finally found a small restaurant. By the time he finished dinner, the moon had already risen.
At night, the small island grew even quieter. There was not a soul on the road.
Higashino Hiromu had rarely been to the seaside before. Now, all of a sudden, he felt the urge to stroll along the shore by moonlight.
After walking for a while, he suddenly sensed that something wasn’t quite right.
Was he… glowing?
He raised his hands and looked carefully. It seemed that his skin was emitting a faint glow.
It wasn’t very obvious under the moonlight, so he looked around and stepped under a large tree. Now he could see it clearly.
He really was glowing!
Like the soft, radiant light of the moon.
Higashino Hiromu’s face turned green.
Why hadn’t he noticed this at home the past few days? Was this effect only triggered outdoors?
“So this is what they meant by ‘the elegance of a celestial being bathed in moonlight and gentle breeze’?!”
The built-in light effect really would make someone mistake him for a celestial being descending to earth.
But still, it was late at night, and he was a full-grown man glowing like a lamp, no matter how soft the light was. Wasn’t that terrifying?
Turns out, he wasn’t wrong.
The next second, he faintly heard someone shouting, “Ghost!!!”
Afraid someone might run out and attack him, Higashino Hiromu immediately switched his 【 Celestial Grace 】 setting to 【 】. At least he stopped glowing. Then he turned and ran.
As he ran, he glanced back and realized the building behind the tree was the community center he had visited earlier that day.
Remembering what the police officer and the man had said, he fell silent.
Would there be a rumor tomorrow that “Asoh Keiji’s ghost appeared on Tsukikage Island”?
If so, wouldn’t that be his fault?
He really didn’t do it on purpose!
CHARACTER PROFILE:
Mouri Kogoro
Manga/Anime: Detective Conan
Height: 182cm
Role: Private detective and Mouri Ran’s father
Personality: Comical, sometimes lazy, but capable when motivated
Notable Traits: Known as “Sleeping Kogoro” due to Conan solving cases by proxy, skilled in judo
Background: Former police detective; aids Conan unknowingly; his reputation rises due to Conan’s assistance in solving cases; often takes credit for cases Conan actually solves.