Not a detective

Page 38

But everyone's face turned pale, their eyes filled with suppressed fear and panic. Compared to an understandable "accident," this bizarre "murder" was far more terrifying.

We are facing a real threat, and the threat itself is incomprehensible.

"Then... what exactly happened..."

—Probably [extraordinary power].

Asakawa Riku really wanted to answer like that.

He learned the truth yesterday; he was the first target the murderer had made. That silent, chilling freeze could only be achieved by supernatural powers.

But when the words were on the tip of his tongue, he hesitated whether he should say them or not. After all, even he found it difficult to believe Chizuko-senpai's supernatural worldview. Normal people would just think it was nonsense and it would probably take a lot of effort to convince them. Moreover, talking about such ghosts and gods might cause panic.

After some hesitation, Riku Asakawa decided to tell the truth, since Hirata Kosuke's sacrifice was due to concealment and lack of information sharing. He wanted to avoid making the same mistake again.

"Yes--"

"It's the Snow Woman, isn't it?" However, before he could even finish speaking, someone else interrupted.

The person who spoke was actually Ichiro Takagi.

The taciturn middle-aged man was now speaking in a hoarse voice, which sounded like sawing wood in the room:

"The so-called Yuki-onna is a kind of yokai." Actually, no one asked the question, but he seemed to be explaining to himself: "'When the Yuki-onna appears, return home early.' You should all have heard this saying, right? It is a yokai that is good at making ice and snow. It lives in the deep mountains and has an amazingly beautiful appearance. It can freeze people and take away their souls to eat."

You mean—

Mr. Matsuyama suddenly became excited. His eyes widened, and he slapped his thigh, about to stand up.

But at that moment, he hesitated, his face showing fear.

Asakawa Riku knew that he must have been thinking about what happened yesterday...

He, Teacher Matsuyama, and Hiroki went out to scout ahead, but they inadvertently witnessed that slender and ethereal figure in the snow—a white-haired girl dancing in the snow.

Her light and elegant posture, her obscure and difficult-to-understand songs, and her empty and vacant eyes made her seem like something that didn't exist, illusory yet beautiful.

—So that's how it is, so that's the Snow Woman?

Takagi Ichiro ignored him and continued talking to himself:

　“There is a legend in my hometown of Yamagata Prefecture: One snowy night, a young woman came to an old couple’s house to ask for directions. The old couple let her warm herself by the fireplace. At midnight, the young woman wanted to go out and continue her journey. The old man was worried about her safety, so he grabbed her hand to try to keep her there. But the young woman’s hand was so cold that it made the old man’s hair stand on end. In an instant, the young woman turned into snow smoke and flew out through the skylight where the smoke was released.”

At this moment, Principal Xiao Gong seemed to have thought of something, and shakily raised his hand:

"Well, I think I heard the legend of the Snow Woman when I was a child. It's said that one winter, a single man knocked down the icicles that had formed on the eaves of his house. At night, a woman suddenly came and asked for lodging and marriage. It was very cold, so the man specially boiled a bucket of water for her to bathe in. Although the woman refused in every way, she couldn't resist and jumped into the hot water. As a result... the woman's body disappeared in the hot water, leaving only thin icicle fragments floating to the surface."

Takagi Ichiro was not annoyed by being interrupted, and nodded:

"Yes, such legends are everywhere in Japan, and the versions may vary from place to place. The Yuki-onna is a subordinate of the mountain god, a terrifying yokai who controls the snow in winter, and a creature of snow. It was first recorded in the Muromachi period in the 'Tales of the Sogi Kingdoms,' so the Yuki-onna has existed for at least 500 years. She possesses powerful magic and a fickle personality that is difficult to discern between good and evil. Sometimes she is a gentle and beautiful woman, and sometimes she will take lives without mercy. She can freeze people with a breath and turn them into ice sculptures, which matches our current situation... Now that I think about it, we should be the ones being targeted by her."

Upon hearing the word "Snow Woman," everyone's expressions seemed to freeze.

Normally, one might dismiss it as a joke, but when someone dies, who can remain calm?

The Snow Woman is a very famous yokai; even Riku Asakawa has heard many legends about her and knows a little about her.

"...For example, that recently released eroge (adult game) was based on the theme of 'Yuki-onna' (snow woman), how could I not be familiar with it?"

If Hirata Kosuke were still here, he would probably chuckle mischievously and whisper these words to him in secret.

Thinking of that face, Asakawa Riku felt a little sad.

In the past, Riku Asakawa would probably have said that the Yuki-onna (snow woman) was a personification of people's fear of the natural disaster of "snow disaster." Due to the scarcity of materials in ancient times and the lack of tools for keeping warm and protecting against the cold, too many people froze to death in winter, so they were all attributed to monsters, just like the Thunder God, Lightning Goddess, and Water Dragon King. Disasters were elevated to gods and ghosts.

Perhaps it was also to warn children not to go out on snowy days to avoid accidents, and the image of the snow woman gradually evolved from the impression of mothers scaring their children.

As for the story's repeated mentions of the snow woman's fair skin and beauty, and her frequent visits to single young men, it's mostly a reflection of the longing for romantic encounters that has always been present in legends, much like the story of "the fox spirit and the scholar."

The origins of monsters can be diverse, including people's impressions and oral traditions, as well as written records. When these possibilities overlap, they can coalesce into terrifying creations.

But now, Riku Asakawa can no longer maintain such a calm and detached attitude when faced with talk of ghosts and gods; he has already witnessed the power of monsters.

So… the culprit who trapped them in this mountain forest, summoned this incredible summer blizzard, and even froze Hirata Hirokichi to death—

Is that the Snow Woman?

Summer of the Snow Woman: Chapter Eighteen: Curse and Fear

"How do we deal with the Snow Woman?" Asakawa Riku asked succinctly, getting straight to the point.

"I do not know."

However, Takagi Ichiro shook his head as if he had been asked an absurd question: "I only know some legends. I'm not an Onmyoji, so how could I deal with monsters?"

...That seems to be true.

Although Ichiro Takagi replaced Chizuko-senpai as the "explainer," he only had a superficial understanding of the knowledge. Perhaps because he had become a devout believer, he knew many supernatural legends, but he was not an Onmyoji like Chizuko-senpai and did not know the key to fighting against monsters.

Asakawa Riku felt that the Yuki-onna must have a fatal "weakness," just like how he could defeat Mikoshi Nyudo by simply shouting, "Mikoshi Nyudo, I see through you!"

"Snow Woman, I've seen through you!"

He changed the name to "Snow Woman," stood up, and shouted a few times to the surroundings and outside, but nothing happened except for receiving strange glares.

The snow is still falling heavily, and it seems to be even heavier than before. How awful.

He remembered that when he buried Haoji, he could still see the surrounding scenery clearly. He thought the snow was about to stop, but after only a short while, the visibility was getting lower and lower.

Close the door, and the cold air is kept out.

Asakawa Riku felt a pang of nostalgia for Chizuko-senpai, though he knew that once he said it, the brat would look at him smugly, and he would have to pretend to be a big sister again.

But it must be admitted that she is the expert in dealing with monsters. If she were here, she would definitely be able to come up with a way to escape quickly.

If it were him, he would only solve the problem with his fists. He regretted seeing the snow woman for the first time. Perhaps he missed the best opportunity. If he had another chance, he would definitely grab that guy's head and smash it into the snow until the snowstorm dissipated. As long as there is a monster with a physical form, he has nothing to be afraid of.

But now the Snow Woman seems to have sensed the danger to Asakawa Riku, hiding in the blizzard and refusing to show herself, slowly killing everyone around him...

This is truly a problem.

"Oh, right." Just as he was stuck in a rut, Asakawa Riku suddenly remembered something and turned around.

Looking at the young shrine maiden: "Yuki, do you know anything about the Yuki-onna...?"

He stopped speaking halfway through his sentence.

Yukie covered her ears, shivering and curled up in a corner of the room, next to the fireplace.

"I don't want to hear it... I don't want to hear it..."

She was muttering to herself, her eyes closed.

Yukie had always remained remarkably calm. Even when trapped, facing food shortages, or even witnessing deaths, she remained composed, showing no particular fear or dread. Her psychological resilience was completely out of character for her age, sometimes making people forget that she was just a teenage girl. Yet, she had become like this at that moment.

Asakawa Riku looked at the others, who exchanged glances and shrugged, indicating that they hadn't done anything.

Don't want to listen? Listen to what?

"...Monsters, I can't listen to monster stories. Don't let me know about them, or I'll be cursed..."

The question was answered instantly, while Yuki was still shaking her head frantically.

So that's how it is. Asakawa Riku remembered what Yukie had said. Although she was a shrine maiden, Chizuko's father, the head priest, denied her right to inherit the Onmyoji lineage. She was not allowed to know about yokai, shikigami, or Onmyoji techniques simply because she did not have the family bloodline. She was not even allowed to touch related books.

Unexpectedly, this rule was so deeply ingrained in the girl's mind that it caused her PTSD-like fear.

"It's alright, let's not talk about it anymore." Asakawa Riku winked at Takagi Ichiro, signaling him not to mention the story of the Snow Woman in front of the girl again.

Principal Komiya also went over and patted the trembling girl on the back to comfort her, which gradually calmed her down.

Yukie's ponytail was almost completely disheveled, hanging loosely over her shoulders. Her haggard appearance was heartbreaking, and it was the first time I had ever felt that she was so young.

She shouldn't have suffered like this... or rather, no one here should have fallen to such a state.

It's a real shame. Asakawa Riku originally wanted to consult Yukie, who is Chizuko's sister and might know how to counter the Yuki-onna's weakness, but he forgot that she was the last person he should have asked.

Seeing the somber atmosphere in the room, he decided to cheer everyone up:

"Anyway, let's have some food first."

"...Has it come to this?"

Someone replied in surprise.

Having witnessed people freezing to death that very morning, and hearing of the terrifying enemy, the Snow Woman, in this hellish blizzard, with no idea when misfortune would befall them and no hope of rescue in sight, completely cut off from the outside world, a normal person would have no appetite under such circumstances.

Riku Asakawa said, "If they don't eat to replenish their energy, they will be more likely to freeze to death."

This statement quickly spurred everyone to take action.

Mood is secondary; the survival crisis is the most terrifying. In such cold weather, you burn fat and feel hungrier than usual.

Physiological needs are irresistible.

However, Yukie was still not in good condition, so everyone agreed to let her stay by the stove to keep warm. No one had the heart to let the youngest girl here take on all the cooking work alone.

Asakawa Riku followed Yukie's example from yesterday, boiling water and cutting meat together, cooking the remaining venison in one pot. Even the wealthy Takagi Ichiro, who was very rich, took a bite, probably realizing how dangerous their current situation was. Asakawa Riku continued to do some basic tasks, consciously avoiding the seasonings, not wanting to waste the food.

However, the venison soup didn't taste very good today.

Perhaps it was because no one had the same culinary skills as Yuki, or perhaps their heavy mood affected their appetite; everyone remained silent and said nothing during the meal.

Driven by hunger, every bowl was licked clean, leaving not a single drop of soup behind.

"Starting tomorrow, there will only be a few rabbits left. I don't know how many more days we can last..."

Mr. Matsuyama looked at the food reserves and sighed.

It was getting dark.

Time seems to be out of place in this mountain; it flows too fast. Not long after we finished eating, it was almost dark again.

Thinking about it carefully, it seems that everyone just discovered the body, Asakawa Riku buried it, then discussed the Yuki-onna matter, and finally had a meal. Normally, this would only be around noon at the latest, but unexpectedly it was already evening. As it gradually got dark, the visibility inside the house also decreased rapidly, and people's faces gradually became unclear.

Night has fallen again, and the killer is about to strike. Tonight, someone else may freeze to death.

Asakawa Riku didn't want any more casualties; he'd rather go hunting a few more times than have one less person to share the food.

So before everyone went back to their rooms, he said something:

"Matsuyama-sensei, may I sleep with you tonight?"

Summer of the Snow Woman: Chapter Nineteen Tonight's Target

Riku Asakawa carried his blanket and moved to Professor Matsuyama's room.

He offered to sleep on the floor, which might have sounded cold, but it was actually closer to the fire below and might even be warmer.

When he said he wanted to sleep in Professor Matsuyama's room, the other person, of course, looked puzzled.

"why?"

"I'm a little scared," Asakawa Riku said expressionlessly, "I'm scared of the Snow Woman."

His performance was not convincing.

However, this reason was quite valid. As a teacher, Matsuyama could not refuse the student's request, especially since a student had died the previous night.

"Okay, then come and sleep here. I'll protect you."

"Yuki, come to my room too, let's stay together." Principal Komiya then made the suggestion, and the two women huddled together for warmth.

Before leaving, Asakawa Riku didn't forget there was one more person:

"Mr. Takagi, would you like to come along?"

The room wasn't spacious, but it could still fit three people.

It sounds much safer if there are three of them together.

Unexpectedly, Takagi Ichiro refused: "No."

“You’re welcome, Mr. Takagi.” Matsuyama-sensei also said, “This is an emergency, so we need to stick together. We can take turns keeping watch, that should be fine.”

"No."

To everyone's surprise, Takagi Ichiro remained adamant. Seeing that the argument was far from over, he simply said, "I'm not comfortable with this box."

He picked up the briefcase beside him; the item never left his hand, never yielding an inch, always within his sight.

That was ten million yen, a donation brought by Ichiro Takagi.

Unexpectedly, he spoke so directly, leaving both Matsuyama-sensei and Asakawa Riku speechless. They looked at each other, somewhat embarrassed.