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9

The Disappearance of Don Juan



“Hey, don’t sleep.”

Poked by Ariga, Ayumi opened her eyes.

“Ahh, sorry, it was an accident…”

While rubbing her eyes, Ayumi asked “Where are we going?” and peered outside the car.

They were on a mountain road, but it didn’t seem like they were that deep in the mountains.

“Near Okutama,” Ariga answered.

“Oh, I went hiking there once long ago.”

——The sun was shining and the weather was pleasant.

The car from Masuguchi Yoshiko had come at exactly 10 o clock sharp. It was a Benz, with a luxuriously dignified air. Ayumi’s mother Kiyomi had stared after it, wide-eyed.

Accompanied by Ariga and Don Juan, Ayumi disembarked. Despite the vehicle’s large size, the movement was smooth and the ride comfortable. That was the situation in which she’d accidentally fallen asleep.

“You were up all night, weren’t you?” Ariga said.

“I dunno.” Ayumi yawned and said “But I had an intruder slip into my bed…”

“Excuse me?” Ariga’s face changed color. “W, who?”

“Don Juan. ——Seriously, I kept pushing him away and pushing him away but he kept on coming back. I’ve given up.”

“Uhh, alrighty then,” Ariga laughed. “He sure knows a pretty girl when he sees one.”

“You’ve got that right,” Ayumi joked. “——Will it be much longer?”

“We will arrive in not too long,” the driver said.

Thank you…" When Ayumi glanced at the driver, she felt like she’d seen him somewhere before. But she couldn’t remember where.

He was young, thirty at the most. He seemed like quite an intellectual fellow. He wore a suit and tie which was perfectly appropriate for driving this high-class Benz, and white gloves.

Maybe she’d seen him at the wedding, she thought, but something still felt amiss….

They turned onto a narrow gravel road in the woods.

“We are almost there,” the driver said.

Before Ayumi could even finish saying “This is so rustic,” the adorable white mountain cottage came into view.

“——It’s gorgeous!” Ayumi muttered without thinking.

The Benz came to a stop in front of the entrance, and the driver quickly got out and opened the back door.

When Ayumi and Ariga got out, Don Juan also jumped out excitedly, probably because he’s familiar with the place, and ran off towards the side of the house.

“Ah, wait! Don Juan!” Ayumi called, but when the door opened and Yoshiko said “Thank you for coming all this way” from the doorway, she stopped walking after him and responded “Thank you for inviting me…” while bowing slightly. “This is my friend. Er— His name is Ariga-kun. We go to school together.”

Ayumi stared at Yoshiko’s face shamelessly, but saw nothing troubling in her expression.

“Welcome. Please, come in,” she smiled widely at them.

“E, excuse me.” Ariga was slightly nervous.

Ayumi was still worried about Don Juan running off. “Is something the matter?” Yoshiko asked.

“Oh— Uh, nothing. Just thinking about how nice and cozy this place is.”

“That’s all, huh? I think it’s too quiet, like a graveyard.”

For a woman who just lost her husband right after marrying him, Ayumi felt like “graveyard” was strong language.

“Further in please——” Yoshiko instructed.

When everyone was comfortable on the sofas in the lavish living room, Yoshiko said “I apologize for calling you out here on such short notice.”

——Of course, Yoshiko wasn’t alone in the house. There were a couple plump old ladies wandering about, and another younger—— Maybe even as young as Ayumi.

The young woman served Yoshiko black tea along with Ayumi and Ariga.

“Things have been crazy,” Ayumi said.

“Indeed. I never want to go to another country ever again.”

“It was so sudden,” Ayumi agreed. “So… Um… What was it you wanted to tell me?”

“It’s about Tamura-san.” After saying that, Yoshiko blushed. “——It’s strange. Since we were married, I was content to call him "husband” but I just called him Tamura-san.“

"We’re all worried about him,” Ayumi said. “So what is it? Do you think that Tamura-san is still alive?”

Ayumi was very interested in how Yoshiko answered.

“He is alive,” Yoshiko said without pause.

“Wait… you’re sure?” Ayumi asked to confirm.

“If you want me to show you proof, I have none. But I know that sort of thing would never happen to him.”

“So in other words——”

“I don’t think he would ever go somewhere dangerous. ——I know I didn’t date him for very long, but I at least understand that much.”

“I agree,” Ayumi said.

“Thank you. I’m so glad I can talk to you about this.”

“It’s true that Tamura-san can lose himself in the things he likes, but besides that, he was totally cautious—— or rather that he was a timid person.”

“Absolutely. That was the quality in him, that social awkwardness, that attracted me to him…”

Tamura seriously was free from this transient world.

“Then what happened to him?” Ayumi said.

“I haven’t a clue,” Yoshiko shook her head. “Do you have any thoughts on the matter?”

“Well…”

Careful not to reveal any information to this potentially false Yoshiko, Ayumi acted vaguely puzzled.

“To tell the truth, there was a reason I asked you here today,” Yoshiko said, standing up and moving to open a small drawer in a display shelf.

Ayumi and Ariga silently met gazes. ——She was still worried about Don Juan.

Where did he run off to? And at this crucial moment…

“Please look at this,” Yoshiko said, presending a single postcard.

“Wait, this writing——”

“It’s his, correct?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

The addressee’s name was written “Tamura Yoshiko-sama.”

There was no sender’s name.

Further, the note section was entirely blank. The name was the only thing written.

“What do you think it might mean?” Yoshiko asked.

“I don’t know, but… Is the postmark——”

“It’s hard to see, but I managed to figure it out. It was sent from Hamburg.”

“So, the place where Tamura-san went missing.”

“The date was the only part I couldn’t read.”

“When did it get here?”

“It wasn’t here. It was delivered to the apartment where we stayed after I came back from the honeymoon. Yesterday, I went there to collect some things I’d left behind, and this was left in the mailbox.”

“So we have no idea when it was delivered.”

“Indeed. But—— for him to send a postcard from Hamburg, on the day he vanished—— and to his own wife, no less, it’s strange, don’t you think?”

To this point, Yoshiko had been acting exceedingly natural. If she was an imposter, she would be taking great measures to appear, and even more to behave identically to Yoshiko. At least to Ayumi’s eyes, she didn’t see any sign of such a concerted effort at all.

Yoshiko wore an exceedingly simple dress, and had the air of a genuinely high-bred woman. The icy feeling she’d gotten at the wedding reception was hardly noticable.

Perhaps that had been due to her thick makeup and tense atmosphere.

“In other words, you’re saying Tamura-san send this after he disappeared?”

“There’s no other conclusion. Is there?”

“But why wouldn’t he write anything on it?”

“I don’t know. Was he not able to, or did he intentionally send it blank? Maybe he just wanted me to know that he’s still alive.”

“Even if that’s the case, considering he’s alive and in a position to contact you, why wouldn’t he be?”

“I’ve thought that as well,” Yoshiko agreed. Maybe he get caught up in a terrible crime…. Maybe there’s some criminal shipping him all across Europe with smuggled goods. Hamburg is a port city after all…"

It sounded like the kind of nonsense you’d read in a novel, but Ayumi had heard of that stuff happening in real life, and if anywhere, it would happen in Europe.

“Or, maybe he saw something he shouldn’t have, and got captured,” Yoshiko said.

Ayumi flipped the postcard to the back. It was a picture of an old castle.

Not one of those rustic fortresses used in wars, this was a dignified, noble building.

Where? It didn’t seem like Germany. ——Cawdor. Cawdor?

She felt like she’d herd the name before.

“Is something amiss?” Yoshiko said. Although it was postmarked in Hamburg, the photo is of a castle in England.

“Cawdor, right? I heard it somewhere before.”

At that, Ariga cut in. “Macbeth.”

“Huh?”

“The Thane of Cawdor. The castle Cawdor is the setting for Shakespeare’s Macbeth.”

“Wow, is that so? I didn’t realize,” Yoshiko said. “So well-educated.”

“Oh, it was nothing…” Ariga blushed and sputtered.

Shakespeare! Shakespeare yet again!

Yoshiko had only recieved one letter, but what could it all mean?

“——Pardon me, Ma'am.” The younger helper woman entered. Milady, Kamioka-san——"

“What about him?”

“He would like to speak with you.”

“Alright, let him in.”

“Yes, Ma'am.”

“And also, call me "Madam,” understand?“

"Yes, pardon me.”

Yoshiko said to Ayumi “Kamioka-san is the driver you came here with,” by way of explanation. “He’s young, but quite skilled. ——Aah, what do you want?”

The driver in question had arrived.

“Excuse me, Ma'am. The truth is, the dog was——

"Dog? What dog?”

“Err—” Ayumi said. “Actually, your father asked us to bring Don Juan here with us.”

“What! Don Juan is here…?” Yoshiko clapped her hands together in excitement. “Kamioka-san, bring him here immediately.”

“You see, he has unfortunately run away.”

“Run away? Don Juan?”

“I’m afraid so. As we left the car, he absconded into the woods.”

“I’m sure he just remembered a spot where he buried a bone.”

“We have waited for him to return, but…”

“Nothing yet?”

“We suddenly heard a violent barking from the woods, and then it just as abruptly—

"Was it Don Juan?”

“I believe so, Ma'am.”

“This is terrible. What if he was attacked?” Yoshiko said, seeming quite worried.

“I am not aware of any large animals living in this area that could do such a thing.”

“Let’s look for him.” Yoshiko stood up. “I am really sorry about this, but you must excuse me.”

“We can help too.”

“But—— I could never ask you to——”

“It’s nothing. Right, Ariga-kun?”

“Y, yeah. ——Of course we’ll look with you.”

“Thank you so much. Well, let’s go.”

With the driver named Kamioka taking the lead, the four of them left out the front door.

“The barking came from this direction,” Kamioka said, pointing in the direction Don Juan had run earlier. “Now, let’s walk forward in even distances from each other. He’s a smart dog, so he responds to his name.”

——Thusly, the cries of four people for “Don Juan!” “Don Juan!” echoed throughout the forest.



10

Footsteps in the Woods



The four of them paced around the woods for around thirty minutes.

“Aah, I’m exhausted.” On a normal day, Ayumi got hardly any exercise. Having tired herself out, she fell behind from the group and leaned against a tree to rest.

But still, where did Don Juan go? If he was attacked by something…. or wait, maybe it wasn’t something but someone.

Could someone who really didn’t want Don Juan to see Yoshiko… killed him…?

No, that’s a little too far-fetched. ——Of course, so was the idea that Yoshiko would let Don Juan be killed….

Suddenly, a hand came from behind and clamped on her shoulder.

“Kyah!” Ayumi jumped.

“Did I startle you?” The one standing there was Ariga.

“Don’t do that!” Ayumi scowled at Ariga.

“You’re sleeping on the job, aren’t ya?”

“You’re the one who’s being lazy. I was thinking.”

“About?”

“I’m sure! She must me——”

“Shh! What if she hears you?”

“Ah, whoops.” Ayumi slightly stuck her tongue out. “——But, she’s been acting awfully natural so far. Don’t you think?”

“Yeah…. She’s beautiful.”

“What does that have to do with it! ——Anyway, if we don’t end up finding Don Juan, it’s up to us two to investigate.”

“How though? We don’t have anywhere to even start. There’s absolutely no way to tell if she’s the real Masuguchi Yoshiko, is there? Not without a way to compare.”

“You have a point.”

“Still, it’s really weird that Masuguchi’s willing to dish out three million for this.”

“Obviously. That was clear to both of us.”

“And he’s making us do it. Why?”

Ayumi shrugged. Then, suddenly, an idea hit her. “That’s right! How did I not realize before!” she said, knocking her own head with her fist.

“What?”

“The servants! Like the driver and those helper people—— That young woman would be good. ‘Cause she’d probably be the closest with Yoshiko.”

“Oh yeah. She’d definitely notice if something was weird.”

“Naturally, somebody planning to impersonate Yoshiko would do expensive research, but they’d never be able to perfectly copy their everyday habits and mannerisms.”

“That’s right, like when she wakes up, does she wash her face first, or use the toilet first?——”

“That’s your best example?” Ayumi grimaced.

“Sorry.”

“Anyway, we should ask. That young one is bound to tell us something.”

“Perhaps I could entice her with my dashing good looks.”

“What are you talking about, pancake face? You leave it to me,” Ayumi said. “Oh, let’s keep looking for Don Juan. everyone’s voices sound pretty far away.”

“They can do it, let’s just rest.”

“You’re a disgrace.”

“It’s tiring, walking around this place.”

“No class,” Ayumi grinned. “Well, there’s one way to cheer you up,” she said, giving him a quick kiss.“

"I think I’ll be just right after one more.”

“Aw, too bad. We’re sold out at the moment——”

As she said that, Ayumi snapped to attention.

Something in a bush behind her had moved with a swoosh.



They looked at each other.

“Was that…”

“Someone’s there.”

“Wh, where?”

“Around there. It was moving. ——It wasn’t the dog either.”

“Yeah. The sound would’ve been closer to the ground.”

Ayumi poked Ariga in the back. “Well? You’re my bodyguard, aren’t you?”

“Uh… oh, right.” Ariga managed to nervously proceed towards the thicket against his will. “H… hey… Is anyone there?”

His voice trembled slightly. It wasn’t very reassuring.

“——Ariga-kun, be careful,” Ayumi warned. “It might be a murderer. They might suddenly whip out a knife…”

At times like this, it was a bad habit of Ayumi’s to get overly-concerned.

“S, stop scaring me…. Hey, show yourself! I know you’re there! Where are you!”

“Grab him as soon as you see him!”

“We’re still talking about a person, right?” Ariga wisecracked, and at the same time, he stuck his head through the thicket. “Hey… Come out now. Be a good boy…”

“Wow, that was weak,” Ayumi sighed. ——Then, suddenly, Ariga screamed “Wah!” and disappeared within the thicket. And then he shouted “You bastard! What are you doing!” and “Ouch!” before the sound of someone falling over.

“Ariga-kun!” Ayumi cried out. “Say something!”

With another rustling and a “What’s the matter?” the driver, Kamioka, came running.

“Oh, um—— Something in that thicket, it got Ariga-kun——”

Kamioka went over to the thicket and said “Are you alright!?” leaning in. “He’s down.”

“What! ——Ariga-kun!” When Ayumi ran over to the thicket, Ariga was holding his head and starting to sit up. “What happened? Are you okay?”

“Yeah…. I guess I kinda got caught unawares… Ah, owowow…” Ariga winced.

“Who was it?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. I didn’t see at all. But it wasn’t a dog, that’s for sure.”

“They appear to have run away. The area is clear.” Kamioka helped Ariga to his feet. “I have not heard of hoodlums wandering these parts, but you’d do best to be cautious. Are you injured?”

“No, not at all. ——My head’ll probably have a bump though.”

“We should probably still have you checked out. Let’s return to the inside. Milady has also given up the search for Don Juan.”

“Without finding him?”

“We looked everywhere possible,” Kamioka said regretfully. “However, we also did not find any corpse or trace of blood…”

“I’m worried about him.”

“Could ya be a little more worried about me instead?” Ariga said with a sulk.



“——So, can we stay the night here?” Ayumi asked, stopping her knife.

Of course, the only thing being stabbed by the knife was her food, as they ate a dinner reminiscent of a five star meal.

“Yes, of course. Is there a problem?”

“No, it’s just… We don’t have big homes where I’m from, so I was hoping you’d say yes.”

“Well please, stay as long as you like,” Yoshiko said with a smile.

“I’m afraid I’d get expelled from school if I did that,” Ayumi smiled back.

“And Ariga-san will be leaving with you, I imagine.”

Meanwhile Ariga had been gobbling down his food and chugging his water.“——Th, thank you very much,” he finally managed to say. “Wow, this meat is delicious.”

“Please, take more if you want it.”

“Really?” Ariga’s eyes sparkled.

Ayumi gave Ariga a side eye. ——He didn’t care that he was being fattened up!

——After the meal, that young maid girl came in with a coffeepot.

“Ah, Kuniyo-san,” Yoshiko greeted her. “These two are staying over tonight. Could you make arrangements please?”

“Yes, Madam,” the girl called Kuniyo said while pouring the coffee. “Shall I have you two together in one room?” She asked.

“How about it?”

“Obviously we’ll be separate!” Ayumi said firmly. “I don’t care if you have to put him in a closet.”

“You two are quite the pair,” Yoshiko laughed without a care in the world. “We’ll prepare adjascent rooms. Will that be acceptable?”

“Do they have locks?” Ayumi asked with a serious expression.

After dinner, they moved to the living room, where they began speaking about Tamura when he was at school.

“I want to know anything you can tell me about him. Because I’m sure he’s coming back,” Yoshiko said.

Ayumi was merely recalling vague events, but Yoshiko leaned forward, hanging on every last word.

That’s when Ayumi saw tears in Yoshiko’s eyes. ——At that moment, she knew she must be the real Yoshiko.

If she was a fake pretending to be Yoshiko, there’s no way she would suggest for Tamura’s aquaintences to stay the night, nor would she ask all this stuff, for fear of making a mistake.

If this was acting, it deserved an Oscar.

“——Yoshiko-san,” Ayumi said. “The truth is, I also recieved a postcard.”

“Huh?” Yoshiko, not grasping Ayumi’s meaning, became flushed.

“Except mine had a message written. It didn’t mean anything though.”

“What did it say?”

Ayumi explained the gist to the best of her recollection.

She didn’t stop to think about whether she should share that information, until she was already done speaking.

However, once the words have left your mouth, it’s impossible to return them. Ayumi glanced at Ariga, and the ever vital bodyguard was sleeping peacefully, having filled his stomach.

“He’s alive after all. I knew it,” Yoshiko said excitedly. “Please show me the postcard.”

“Yeah, of course. But I don’t really get what this has to do with Shakespeare.”

“Indeed. Let’s see—— Venice and Denmark, and what else…”

“Verona. And then you one you got, Cawdor.”

“Macbeth, Hamlet, The Merchant of Venice, Romeo and Juliet. ——They don’t have any similarities in content. Some are tragedies and some are comedies, even…”

“Well, at least we know that Tamura-san’s alive.”

Yoshiko let out a deep sigh and said “What is he up to?” under her breath.

“——Pardon me.” The girl named Kuniyo had arrived.

“Ah yes, please tidy up here.”

“Yes, Ma'am. The guests’ rooms have been prepared as well.”

“Thank you kindly. Show them the way, please.” Yoshiko stood up. “Well, make yourselves at home. If you don’t yet wish to retire, feel free to keep using this room.”

Ayumi and the finally-awake Ariga gave a quick farewell and then followed the girl named Kuniyo out of the living room.

“It’s on the second floor,” Kuniyo said as she lead the way up the stairs.

“Do you live here?” Ayumi asked.

“Yes. I sleep in a room on the first floor.”

“Sounds tough.”

“On the contrary. I’m comfortable getting up early in the morning, and I’m able to save my money.”

Despite first appearances, she seemed to be a rather strong kid.

They stepped into the second floor hallway, where countless doors extended.

“There’s a lot of rooms, huh.”

“We are able to house up to ten guests here.”

“Ten!”

Ariga, still drowsy, shook his head. “Back home we don’t even have room for a single guest. The most we’ve ever accomodated was a stray cat on the porch,” he said.

“——This is your room, Tsukagawa-sama, and here is your’s, Ariga-sama.”

“Thank you.”

“It is my pleasure.”

After Kuniyo left, Ayumi opened her door. ——For a guestroom it was extravagant. On the level of the finest hotels, like what you’d get on a business trip, completely luxurious and with a large bed. It had its own bathroom and shower as well.

“——The same layout, I see,” Ariga said, coming in. “Well, except it’s mirrored left to right.”

“Hey, you should knock when you’re entering a lady’s room.”

“You’re not naked yet so it’s fine.”

“I guess I can’t argue with that. ——I’m gonna find Kuniyo’s room later. I’m sure she knows something useful.”

“Be careful. You don’t wanna end up like me.” Ariga rubbed the bump on his head conspicuously.

“I was already worried about Don Juan, and now there’s also the human that hit you…”

“Yeah, I’m takin’ it easy tonight.”

“What? You’re coming with me as my bodyguard.”

“Can’t tonight. I ate so much I’m about to pass out…”

“How careless. What if something happens to me tonight and you don’t find out until morning?”

“Then I’d be really broken up about it.”

“That’s it?”

“And I’d bring flowers to your grave.”

Aymi couldn’t help but laugh. ——There came a knock on the door.

“Tsukagawa-san, is this a good time?”

It was Yoshiko. When she opened the door and noticed Ariga, she said “Oh, am I interrupting something?”

“No, absolutely not.”

“Um—— this is probably a weird question, but you remember that postcard I showed you from Tamura… do you happen to know where it went?”

Ayumi and Ariga gave each other a look.

“——You don’t have it?”

“No. Just now I thought I should go put it away, but I couldn’t find it anywhere. I looked in all the drawers and I even got Kuniyo to help me search every nook and cranny of the living room. But still…”

“Weird. Ariga, do you know?”

“Nope, no clue.”

“I see…”

After calming down a bit, Yoshiko murmered “I feel like something bad will happen,” almost to herself.

“—Yoshiko-san.”

“Forget it, I’m sure it’ll turn up somewhere. I apologize for disturbing you,” Yoshiko said before giving a quick bow and exiting.

Ayumi and Ariga stood awhile in silence.

Ayumi broke first. “Maybe someone took it?”

“Hmm… This might not be relevant, but she seemed really concerned over it, huh.”

“She did, didn’t she? She must truly love Tamura. —I think so, at least.”

In saying that, Ayumi was convincing herself as well.

To be continued in chapter 11…