I'm Not a Detective

Takeshi Nanahara knocked around and circled the log villa twice, but found nothing. He could not solve the mystery of the "mysterious disappearance" for the time being.

Although the layout of this villa is strange, it is a matter of Iwatotomo's personal preference. The villa building itself is very normal. There are no hidden spaces, secret doors and secret passages, and there is not even a cellar - Iwatotomo cannot use it. All living supplies are provided by the resort and do not need to be stored.

There are no front and back yards, small gardens, greenhouses, etc. All the land nearby belongs to him. The mountain behind the villa is his backyard. There is no shortage of trees, flowers and plants, and there are also a lot of wild animals.

After taking the turn, Takeshi Nanahara pondered at the door for a moment, then entered the villa again, glanced at the fireplace from the entrance, and confirmed that as long as he stood in this position, he could not miss the person tied in front of the fireplace, and then began to circle the living room again. Wander around.

The living room has almost no furniture and not many decorations.

There was a pair of wooden sculptures as tall as a person at the entrance of the entrance. He patted them and tried the feel. He "photographed" the overall picture of the living room with his eyes and saved it in his mind. Qingmi Ruri, who had been following him, also touched this curiously. Regarding the simple wood carvings, we found two trees with abstract and weird postures. They were all in wood color and unpainted, with obvious traces of old ax chisels. There was a big, fat bird that was also very abstract standing on them, but there was only one of them each. Wings, the other wing has a geometric shape like waves, and the round eyes seem to open and close.

She couldn't help but ask: "What kind of bird is this?" She looked familiar to the wooden sculpture, as if she had seen it somewhere.

Takeshi Nanabaru said casually: "It's not a bird, it's the owl spirit 'Mukokuri', a natural spirit believed by the Ainu people. The Ainu people believe that it represents the night wind and wisdom."

"Oh, Mukokuri!"

Qing Jian Liuli showed a look of sudden enlightenment, but she actually didn't understand. She knew about the Ainu people, but she had never heard of this strangely named natural spirit, but she somewhat understood its meaning. It was probably a primitive totem worship of the Ainu people.

She recalled it for a moment and said hesitantly: "I think I have seen something similar. There seems to be a pair at my grandpa's house, but...it seems that the ones standing on the tree are not birds, but two bear cubs lying down."

When she returned to Xiongshou Mountain, she was still in elementary school and ran out to go wild. She was not interested in the inedible wood carvings and was not very impressed.

"That is the bear spirit 'Shenwei', which is also the natural spirit that the Ainu people believe in. They believe that it represents strength, wealth, and life and death." Takeshi Nanahara started walking along the wall and explained to her casually, "The religious system of the Ainu people. It is relatively primitive and is still in the nature worship stage. Similar natural spirits include whales, deer, snakes, cranes and a red trout with black spots, each of which has a representative meaning in the Ainu culture."

Qingjian Liuli understood and asked with concern: "Is it normal to have such a thing at home? Could it be related to the case?"

Even a smart guy like Takeshi Nanahara couldn't solve the puzzle for a while. She was very worried and refused to let go of any small possibility.

Takeshi Nanabahara looked back at the wood carvings, shook his head and said: "Hokkaido is the last habitat of the Ainu people. The Ainu people have only disappeared as a nation for more than a hundred years. It is normal to leave a certain amount of wood carving totems. They are placed there. Nothing strange."

The Ainu were once the masters of the Japanese archipelago, but as the primitive Japanese tribesmen absorbed the farming techniques brought by immigrants from ancient Korea—which were introduced from China to Korea, and then across the sea to the northwest region of Kyushu— The primitive Japanese tribesmen began to expand, driving the Ainu people from the warm Kyushu Island into the ice-covered Ezo Island, killing and assimilating them. Now there are about 20,000 Ainu people left, and they have not yet gathered together. The national culture is almost lost.

From Takeshi Nanabaru's point of view, the national culture is gone. The Ainu as a nation have been considered extinct, leaving only a large number of strange transliterated place names and a large number of wooden totems in Hokkaido. Iwato Yu has a pair of wooden sculptures. It's nothing - this thing has little collection value and is not very valuable. The Japanese government has been consciously eradicating the culture of the Ainu people. It was not until the Olympic Games in 2019 that it was willing to recognize the indigenous people of the Ainu people. identity.

However, he took a look at it from a different angle, and his heart moved. He walked back and looked down at the bottom of the wood carving, and then reached out and pushed it gently.

Seeing Liu's invitation, Qing Qing quickly asked in a low voice: "What's wrong?"

Takeshi Nanahara didn't answer. He knelt down and looked carefully at the marks on the floor. He turned to Iwatomo from a distance and asked, "Iwato-san, have you touched this wooden sculpture recently?"

Iwato Yu was talking quietly to Kose Aomi in the middle of the living room. Hearing the sound, he came over and asked doubtfully: "No, it's been there and never been touched again. What's wrong?"

Takeshi Nanahara stood up and said with a smile: "It's a bit strange. This wooden sculpture has moved its position."

This wood carving has obviously been here for a long time. As a result, the floor under the wood carving lacks light and looks newer than other floors. Now when I squat down and take a closer look, I can see a brand-new floor line under a statue - very subtle. A little bit, but still not normal.

Iwato Yuya knelt down and took a closer look, stood up and said hesitantly: "It seems to have moved a little bit, maybe the two robbers touched it?"

It was because these pair of wooden carvings were mysterious and simple, full of the charm of nature, that he kept them at the entrance of the entrance without throwing them away. He didn't think there was anything special about them. They had been left here for so long that he turned a blind eye to them, and he didn't even notice them at all. I didn't pay much attention to this pair of simple decorations.

Qingjian Liuli couldn't help but try it out. She felt that this wooden sculpture was just a big piece of wood. Even if the wood was relatively dense, it wasn't very heavy. She could probably carry it away with two people. The robber pushed it casually. It makes sense to have the wood carving move slightly.

There seems to be nothing surprising, at least it has nothing to do with the "mysterious disappearance".

Takeshi Nanabaru rubbed his chin and thought for a while. He didn't think of any reason why he would be pushed aside from being a robber with cheap hands or trying to see if this thing was some kind of mechanism. He smiled and asked Yu Iwato to help himself. Then, he continued to wander around.

Qingjian Liuli felt that this was somewhat suspicious, so she jotted it down in a notebook for subsequent inquiries. Then she chased after Takeshi Nanahara and found that he was looking at a banner hanging on the wall. He quickly took a closer look. He glanced at it and read it softly: "My heart is my world, like the full moon."

She seemed to understand, and immediately asked Qin Yuanwu: "What does this mean?"

Takeshi Nanabaru thought for a while and said with a smile: "It's probably an adaptation of a famous quote. The original sentence is 'This is my world now, as full as the moon'. It was said by Ito Michinaga, the head of the Ito family and the regent of Japan during the Heian period. At that time There are five queens in the Ito family. The queens are all named Ito. The emperor must be the nephew of the Ito family. The head of the Ito family must serve as regent and take care of the "family business" for the nephew as his uncle.

As long as the nephew is a little older, he will be replaced by a younger one, and he will not be given a chance to personally govern. If he doesn't want to, he will send the onmyoji Abe Seimei to trick him to death, or trick him into becoming a monk. He was the emperor at that time and had overwhelming power, so he Only then do I dare to say such things - at this time, I own the whole world, and my life is as perfect as the full moon, without any flaws. "

Qingjian Liuli understood and said happily: "Then changing it to 'my heart is my world', does it mean that as long as you understand your original heart, you can own the whole world and achieve great perfection?"

Takeshi Nanahara turned to smile at her and said, "Yes, he is very intelligent. He probably means the same thing. In any case, spiritual freedom is better than anything else."

Qingjian Liuli hummed proudly. Takeshi Nanabahara rarely praised her, so she had to be proud, but she immediately asked in a low voice: "Is this valuable? Is it an antique?"

If it is valuable and hung here in a big way, but the robbers did not take it away, then Iwato Yu is a bit suspicious, even if Takeshi Nanabahara vouched for him.

Takeshi Nanahara laughed softly and said: "It's not valuable. It took at least ten years to complete the book. It's not a work by a famous artist, and the writing skills are not that good. I don't want to give it to me for free."

But having said that, the significance of banners in decorations is extraordinary after all. Anyway, it is much better than the pair of wooden sculptures. He turned to Iwatomo and asked from afar: "Iwato-san, whose work is this?" Is it yours, or was it given to you by someone else?”

Iwatomo stood up and walked over, looking at the banner with respect on his face, "It was given by my spiritual teacher, Master Sugao Mitsuru, so that I can be alert every day, so I hung it here specially."

"Master Sugao Mitsuru?" Takeshi Nanahara asked with interest, "Did you invite him back? How much did it cost?"

Could it be that he is a fellow slaughterer of fattened sheep?

"No money was spent." Yu Iwato said immediately, "Teacher Sugao pursues detachment and doesn't care about material enjoyment. He has never asked me for any property."

"That is indeed the real master." Qi Yuanwu's interest suddenly disappeared and he said perfunctorily, "I should ask him for advice when I have the opportunity in the future."

Iwato Yu immediately said positively: "Any time is fine, even now."

Takeshi Nanahara asked curiously: "Now?"

Iwatomo pointed at the mountain behind the villa and said with a smile: "Teacher Sugao is currently practicing hard on the mountain."

Nanahara Ya looked at Koze Aomi thoughtfully. She had never mentioned this before, "Is there anyone else on the mountain?"

Koze Aomi said: "On the mountainside, there is a mountain spring well that can cure diseases. Master Sugao said that it is the essence of the mountain spirit, and he has been living there to practice."

"A mountain spring well that can cure diseases?" Takeshi Nanahara touched his chin with a more subtle expression and said with a smile, "Is there such a strange thing? Do Miss Oduan and Master Sugao know each other?"

Iwato Yu was about to introduce the master to him, but he didn't expect the topic to suddenly jump here, but he still replied: "Yes, I took Adai to visit Teacher Sugao. Teacher Sugao also liked her very much and said she had spiritual energy. I also want her to get away from the worldly worries and practice with him."

Takeshi Nanabahara asked with interest: "What's the result?"

"Adai refused. She said that she has no talent for cultivation and can't make up her mind, so it's better to be a layperson." Yu Iwato didn't mind very much, "She is only in her twenties. It's normal for her to be unable to make up her mind. The same goes for me. Only when you are thirty-four-five can you really wake up."

Takeshi Nanahara asked: "What happens after that? How will the relationship between the two of you be like after that?"

"After?" Iwatomo thought for a moment and said, "I didn't want to disturb Teacher Sugao's hard work too much, so I didn't take her to visit Teacher Sugao again, but Adai seemed to like that mountain spring well and asked me to take her. I’ve been there a few times.”

Takeshi Nanahara continued to ask: "You said before that you have thought about officially dating Miss Oduan. Have you asked Master Sugao for his opinion on this matter?"

Iwatoyou sensed something was wrong and said hesitantly: "Do you think Adai's disappearance is related to Mr. Sugao?"

Takeshi Nanahara smiled and said, "I just want to understand the situation."

Hearing that he didn't deny it, Yu Iwato looked slightly unhappy, but he had a good temper, so he still said reluctantly: "I did ask Mr. Sugao for his opinion. Mr. Sugao was a little...disappointed with me. He thought I was asking for trouble, but he also said I didn’t express my objection clearly, I just let me think about it myself.”

After a pause, he added, "Maybe Mr. Sugao doesn't understand Adai. Adai has never caused me any trouble. She is very considerate and gentle. I don't think living with her is anything." question."

Nanabaru Wu touched his chin and said thoughtfully: "It's hard to say, maybe this is the problem."

His voice was so soft that Iwatotomo didn't hear it clearly, and he asked strangely: "What are you talking about, Nanahara-san?"

Takeshi Nanahara smiled: "It's nothing, I'm just talking to myself, Iwato-san doesn't need to take it to heart."

After saying that, he nodded, ended the topic, and continued to wander around. Qingmi Ruri asked him in a low voice: "Do you think Master Sugao is suspicious?"

Takeshi Nanahara nodded lightly: "I didn't find anything too strange about this house, but it is true that she disappeared as soon as she opened the door. The method of committing the crime cannot be solved for the time being, so we have to start with the motive of the crime - Sugao and Odana Dai may have something to do with it. A conflict of interest is at least worthy of suspicion."

"Conflict of interest?"

Takeshi Nanabaru said calmly: "Yes, the two of them may be eyeing a piece of fat."