Megure was still discussing matters with his dear Brother Fujino.
Just as they finished talking, Takagi handed Megure his discovery—the dying message.
"A dying message..."
"Both Yomi and some strange symbol. Sigh."
Megure had naturally noticed it as well, but Takagi's move gave him an excuse to save face.
He looked at it, then sighed as though he could not make anything of it.
In reality, he really could not make anything of it.
"Brother Megure, can I take a look at this book?"
"Go ahead, Brother Fujino. Maybe you'll find some clue."
Fujino glanced at the book and mentioned it. Brother Megure then handed the book to Fujino before turning around and launching into a round of questioning with the three people at the scene.
Though it could not exactly be called questioning.
After all, if you went in with the answer already in hand, was that really questioning?
That was called an investigation!
You were going down there to arrest someone, all right? The questions were just a formality. Their name had long since been written down in the little notebook.
At the same time, Takagi introduced his own little brother to Megure: Brother Hondo!
"Come to think of it, Brother Hondo was the one who found this cipher..."
"Brother Hondo?"
Juzo Megure narrowed his eyes and curiously glanced at Takagi, wondering where this subordinate of his had found yet another little brother.
He looked at Hondo Eisuke. The boy seemed vaguely familiar, but he could not remember him.
Then he asked curiously, "I remember you came here with Brother Fujino?"
Takagi seemed to realize something as well. "That's right. I remember Fujino accepted a commission here. Why did all of you come along?"
"It was just a coincidence..." Hondo Eisuke smiled awkwardly. "My mother used to be