Chapter 199 - Name and Reality 122 {150 Alone} (355-357: Correctness of the Reasoning Confirmed at the Sada Residence)
Akiko, whom they saw for the first time in a while when she came to the entrance to welcome them, still possessed her characteristic elegance, though she did show the passage of seven years. He got the impression that her legs and hips had weakened slightly. That said, she didn't look overtly frail and appeared young for her age.
In the living room, her son Kakeru and daughter Miyu were waiting, and they stood up from the sofa to greet them. As for the two of them, since they were already adults back then, there wasn't much difference in impression from seven years ago, but the major difference was that Miyu was holding an infant.
"Oh, how cute. Is it a girl?"
In the case of an infant whose gender isn't clear, the "theory" is to say "a girl" for the time being, and Yoshimura followed it, but Miyu replied,
"It's a boy. He's one year and two months old."
"And his name?"
"It's Minoru, written with the 'nogi-hen' (grain radical) and 'nen' (to pray). The character is different from my father's, though. My husband said it was fine."
At the words from Miyu's mouth, Nishida said with deep emotion, "Across three generations, the end of the name is the single character 'ru'... Your husband is very understanding."
Hearing that, Kakeru laughed and said, "I also have a four-year-old son, and his name is Wataru, using the 'wataru' from 'koushou suru' (to negotiate)."
Sada Minoru was a victim of a crime, but even if he was fundamentally a good person, he was also a criminal—an attempted extortionist. However, that point was almost never reported. It could be said to be a blessing in disguise for this family that the two children suffered no actual harm and were able to marry like ordinary people. Crime has a massive impact not only on the victims but also on those around the perpetrators. This is especially prominent in the case of major incidents that are reported and become widely known. The fact that the siblings were able to live normal lives was something Nishida could feel relieved about. After a round of such conversation, the three invited them to sit on the sofa, and the two faced the three bereaved family members across the table once more.
"At any rate, it has been seven years since then, and fifteen years since the incident occurred. We have caused you much trouble due to our lack of ability. However, we have finally managed to find a prospect for resolution just before the statute of limitations, and it is a relief in a sense that we can now properly report to you."
Immediately after the tea and cake were brought out, Nishida spoke.
"No, no, that's not the case at all. It might be rude of me to say this, but I never thought you would be able to arrest the true culprit before the statute of limitations... To be honest, I'm full of gratitude. I believe my father is happy too. If it's not a bother, please pay your respects at the family altar. I'm sure my father would be pleased," Kakeru replied.
Seven years ago, things were in a mess, and although a legal declaration of death had already been made during their business trip from Engaru, there probably wasn't even a family altar yet. In the first place, when the two visited for the interrogation, the remains had not been returned. Furthermore, during the visit after returning from Osaka, which Takeshita also joined, there might have already been a family altar, but at that time, things were also quite messy regarding the forgery of the document, and the reality was that they weren't in a position to confirm such things.
"Yes, we would be happy to do so," Yoshimura conveyed, and immediately after, Akiko let out her true feelings, unable to hide her distress.
"However, I never imagined that that Oshima Kaiji was involved."
In response, Nishida said, "It's hard to say this, but at the point we visited here seven years ago, we knew that Oshima, who has deep ties with Isaka, had put pressure on the investigation into Minoru-san... However, at the time, it wasn't something we could easily disclose, and we never imagined he was involved in the crime itself... At any rate, I'm glad the truth is known now and it seems we can resolve it safely. Oshima is giving a proper statement, so please rest assured on that point. However, unfortunately, many of the people involved have already passed away, and it is regrettable and I am deeply sorry that we could not hold them accountable. As for Takigawa of the Aoi-ikka, we cannot expect a statement, but I believe a prosecution is possible."
He stated the results and apologies respectively.
After that, they explained the case to the bereaved family, including some talk at a level that should normally be kept secret before the trial, and the five of them—six if you count the baby—looked back on these seven years. During that, Akiko said,
"On the phone the other day, you mentioned you had something to confirm regarding my husband's books?"
Nishida also wanted to move on to the topic of the other purpose for which he had come to Sapporo, so it was the perfect timing.
"I got so caught up in the conversation I forgot. How embarrassing of me."
Nishida lightly slapped his own head in a blatant act, and then suddenly becoming serious, he confirmed, "When I asked you before, you said Minoru-san's collection of books at that time was preserved as it was?"
"Yes. If I recall, around the time you and Nishida-san visited here seven years ago, I renovated my husband's study into my atelier, but I put the books into the bookshelves in the atelier as they were. I just couldn't bring myself to throw them away."
Akiko answered with a wry smile, but Kakeru and Miyu had complicated expressions, perhaps thinking of their mother's feelings (foreshadowing to be mentioned later).
"There is a book I absolutely must confirm, so would it be alright if I took a look?"
"Of course. Since that was the reason, it's usually cluttered with paints and such, but I've cleaned it up a bit. Please, this way."
Akiko said so and stood up from the sofa to lead them, though her body seemed a bit heavy.
※※※※※※※ (Foreshadowing mentioned later)
Light and Shadow 9
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n5921df/30/ (Near the very end)
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Nishida and the others knew that the room on the second floor, which was supposed to be Minoru's study, had been renovated shortly after Minoru's death was confirmed. Depending on how one took it, it could be seen as a "cold attitude" toward her deceased husband, but if one assumed she had agonized over what to do during the eight years he was missing from '87 to '95, and then finally made a clean break once his death was confirmed, it wasn't particularly strange.
In the first place, once a person passes the age of 30, they inevitably come to understand that bold actions taken to reach a new state of mind are often necessary in life. In other words, they come to understand the subtleties of life through various experiences. Needless to say, Akiko's feelings for her husband had already reached the two of them seven years ago, and they felt them strongly now as well.
As she led them slowly up the stairs, Nishida confirmed with Akiko,
"I recall hearing before that Minoru-san sometimes gave advice on onomancy (T/N: fortune-telling based on names) or when naming people, or used the topic of names to break the ice with people he met for the first time. Is that correct?"
"Yes. That's right! You remembered such a small detail well!"
Looking back slightly, Akiko seemed genuinely surprised rather than just being polite, but once they reached the second floor, she started speaking nostalgically again.
"The first time my husband and I met was also when he asked me my name..."
"I remember that episode too," Yoshimura said with a smile.
"Was that so... Did I tell you two that much back then... It's a bit embarrassing."
Akiko laughed while lightly covering her mouth, then opened the door and welcomed the two into the atelier.
The atelier was well-organized, and an oil painting of flowers in progress was displayed on a canvas. It was worth making an atelier for; even to an amateur's eye, it was quite an accomplishment.
"It's certainly worth making an atelier. You're quite skilled!"
Nishida couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, not just out of politeness, and Yoshimura also praised her with some self-deprecation.
"It's a truly beautiful painting. To be honest, neither of us has any artistic sense, so we're not in a position to sound important."
"Hey now! Don't just include me in that without asking!"
Nishida gave the standard retort, but his gaze was already directed toward the bookshelf.
"It's here. Um, was it an Ainu dictionary? Still, you said before coming that you wouldn't be satisfied unless you saw it directly..."
It seemed Akiko wasn't entirely convinced yet, but Nishida told her honestly,
"Yes. I'm sorry for the trouble, but that's exactly right. I wanted to confirm it with my own eyes... Of course, the fact that the full scope of the case has been mostly resolved and I wanted to explain that directly to the bereaved family was a major reason for coming to Sapporo..."
While saying that, he picked up the "Shinkai Ainu-go Jiten" that had been moved downstairs for the renovation seven years ago when Yoshimura went to the toilet and accidentally scattered the books in the hallway. Unlike before, Yoshimura watched Nishida's movements with a somewhat tense expression. Perhaps it was a woman's intuition, but Akiko, who had been near the two until then, sensed the change in the atmosphere and quietly moved away toward the window.
Nishida took a light breath and began to slowly flip through the dictionary. However, since Nishida didn't know how to look up words in an Ainu dictionary, he wasn't sure how to find the relevant word, but he decided to look it up in alphabetical order, just like a Japanese dictionary.
And when he flipped to a page thinking he was close to the target word, a piece of white paper was tucked inside. When Nishida took it and stared at it, it was indeed a receipt. It was printed to show that this dictionary had been purchased on August 20th, 1987.
Normally, the printing on receipts fades over time and eventually becomes completely illegible, but this one had been tucked away, unaffected by light or oxidation, and was at a level where it could be sufficiently read. As Nishida firmly confirmed the contents, his memories of that time were revived.
"Seven years ago, when you knocked over the books piled up while going to the toilet, this came out... But at that time, I never thought an Ainu dictionary had such a hidden meaning. And there was a great significance in the date this dictionary was purchased."
Yoshimura, who was peeking from the side, spoke with more pauses than usual, as if savoring every word.
It appeared that this dictionary was purchased a few days after the night of August 16th, 1987, when Sada Minoru and the Boss are thought to have first met at Yusen. Hearing this from a distance, Akiko approached the two again and explained the situation in the interim.
"I don't think I've moved the books much since I put them in the bookshelf after the renovation was finished. I don't think I've touched the Ainu dictionary in particular. Of course, it might have fallen out and been put back in before that, or something like that might have happened."
"Even if something like that happened, it's not like it causes any inconvenience, so it's no problem at all."
Nishida told Akiko not to worry and tried to tuck the receipt back into the dictionary.
But the moment he looked at the dictionary itself again,
"...No, it's just as it was in '95... More than that, it was probably tucked in the same place as in '87."
He told the two in an unusually calm tone. To be precise, he felt like shouting, but because he was trying to suppress it, he ended up speaking in an abnormally calm tone. Then, Nishida showed the open dictionary to Yoshimura without saying a word. Seeing it, Yoshimura also spoke without expression, which was unlike him.
"Your reasoning was correct after all, Assistant Section Chief."
It was only natural that Akiko, who was listening, didn't understand the meaning of these statements, but she didn't interject at all. Even if she had asked "what happened," it was tied to her late husband's "misdeeds," making it extremely difficult to explain, so both of them actually felt emotionally relieved. At any rate, if Akiko hadn't been a woman who could read the room, things would have become complicated in various ways, and Nishida now reflected that it had been a mistake to have her guide them to confirm it.
That aside, what the two saw on the open page of the dictionary was the Ainu word "Memu (with a small 'mu')." And there, a line had been drawn with what looked like a red ballpoint pen. The receipt had undoubtedly been used as a bookmark by Minoru when he tucked it in back in '87, fifteen years ago. Yoshimura had tucked it back in the same position back then, and Akiko had left it as it was.
"I'm sorry for taking up your time. With this, I can return to Kitami with a clear mind."
Nishida suddenly said his thanks, and Yoshimura also gave a small bow. Akiko, as usual, didn't press further and said,
"If you two are satisfied, that's enough for me. I'm sorry for the trouble my husband caused."
She delivered a line as if she had sensed something.
For Nishida and Yoshimura as well, this "uncovering of the truth" was, to be honest, not something to be happy about, so a strange atmosphere had been born between the three, but Yoshimura cut in at a good time.
"Well, since our business is done, shall we head downstairs where Kakeru-san and Miyu-san are waiting?"
"Let's do that," Akiko responded.
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After a bit of conversation, the two decided to leave the Sada residence shortly. At that time, Nishida confirmed,
"Do you all take the Doho?"
Akiko, Kakeru, and Miyu each nodded.
"I see... I'm not sure when it will be, but I think an article will likely appear in the Doho about Oshima Kaiji, the Isaka family, and others involved in the crime, describing various circumstances—though perhaps not everything. Of course, you may feel like you don't want to see such a thing. However, if you do read it, your feelings of anger toward Oshima Kaiji and the Isaka father and son might... perhaps just a little... and I mean just a little... be softened. Of course, that anger is perfectly justified, but on the other hand, if that anger never subsides at all, I feel that would be its own kind of tragedy. Even as an investigator, it might not be something a third party should say so high-handedly..."
Nishida mentioned the article about the series of incidents that Takeshita would eventually write, and after saying that much, he trailed off. He himself honestly didn't know what he was saying anymore, but it was also because he had doubts at this point about whether it was a statement he should be making to the bereaved family of a murder victim.
However, Akiko responded graciously.
"Of course, I won't say I have no anger over my husband being killed. However, my husband also had his responsibilities, and the passing days have resolved some of it, even if only a little. If you go so far as to say that, Nishida-san, I will take a look at it."
However, neither Nishida nor Yoshimura knew what kind of emotions Kakeru and Miyu were listening with.
And then, they started the car while being seen off by the four of them, including the new life. Immediately after, Yoshimura, in the passenger seat, spoke to his superior.
"It's decisive. ...Sada Minoru met the Boss at Yusen during Obon in '87, exchanged conversation about the names 'Boss' and 'Izumi,' and became convinced that Mende Shigeyoshi, who was mentioned in the letter and the document, actually existed. At the same time, he realized the contents of that document and letter were true, and he probably didn't need to go and confirm whether the hiding place for the gold dust mentioned in the letter near the Jomon Tunnel actually existed. I don't know when it was, but the Boss probably heard some of the story from Sada and learned about Sada's intention to blackmail Isaka Daikichi, and that he should have inherited the gold dust belonging to Mende—his biological father. And the day after meeting the Boss, Sada returned to Sapporo, purchased an Ainu dictionary, and confirmed the meaning of 'Memu.' If it's according to your reasoning, Assistant Section Chief, the Boss's name 'Izumi' comes from the 'men' part of the surname 'Mende,' which matches the actual pronunciation of the Ainu word 'Memu' as 'Men,' and combined with the Japanese 'De' (to come out), his Ainu mother gave him that name."
"Yeah. The Ainu word 'Memu' means 'a place where water wells up' or simply 'spring' (Izumi), but the character 'De' in 'Mende' should further emphasize that meaning. That also brings consistency to the story that the name Izumi was given from the Boss's biological father's surname, which his cousin mentioned."
The explanation about the Ainu origin of the town name of Memuro, which had been in the "Maple Monaka" sent this summer from Sawai, who was retired in his hometown of Memuro, had unexpectedly been useful in uncovering the truth through Takekuma's detailed commentary.
"It's thanks to Takekuma going out of his way to ask his younger sister back then. You treated him coldly at the time, though."
Nishida gave a reprimand while holding the steering wheel, but Yoshimura pouted.
"It's a bit much to say that now. That's too much hindsight!"
"I suppose so."
Nishida said that, but it goes without saying that even though he could confirm his reasoning had been correct, he was dominated by an extremely unsettled, murky feeling afterward.
"But still, you say such bold things to the bereaved family of a crime victim."
When his subordinate questioned the appropriateness of his earlier statement again, Nishida added,
"You probably felt it during the interrogation too, but I think Oshima's life path until now, in particular, has the power to change one's view of people, at least a little. Setting aside his responsibility as a criminal... If it can be even a slight salvation compared to just having been murdered."
"That might be true, but that conversation only worked because it was that family. You know that, right?" he was cautioned.
"That's true," Nishida briefly agreed.