Fujino parked his motorcycle, slung the travel bag secured to the back seat over his shoulder, and peered into the courtyard through the railings.
The front courtyard was very spacious, with a stone-paved path extending to the castle entrance.
At the main entrance of the castle, a man in a brown suit, with a center-parted hairstyle and a double chin, was conversing with a woman in a black and white maid outfit.
Honestly, this was the first time Fujino had seen a maid since coming to this world.
Mhm, rich people really know how to have fun.
Speaking of which, why didn't he think of this when he was still a young master of a zaibatsu?

On both sides of the path were lush green lawns. The lawn on one side was dotted with decorative plants.
A man in denim overalls held a pair of shears, trimming those plants.
Judging by his exquisite technique, he was likely the villa's gardener.
Practicing for more than two and a half years, no doubt.

Amidst the greenery, several strange decorative statues were situated. They were tall and exquisitely crafted.
Beside the statues, a young man, also with a center-parted hairstyle, wearing a light blue suit and a red shirt, was examining them closely.
Fujino had seen these statues before. In his impression, they were chess pieces, just enlarged.
These chess pieces should be the key clues to deciphering the code in the letter.
But for a spoiler dog like him, they weren't very useful.
If he remembered correctly, simply rotating a clock in a certain room would reveal the secret passage this time.

"Excuse me, may I ask what brings you here?"
The gardener-like man noticed Fujino standing at the main gate, walked over, and inquired puzzledly.

"May I ask who you are?"

"I'm the gardener here, Tabata Katsuo."
Tabata Katsuo introduced himself.

"Excuse me, is Mr. Takato at home?"
Fujino politely inquired of the gardener.

"Ah, so you're Young Master Takato's guest."
Hearing Fujino was Mamiya Takato's guest, Gardener Tabata clearly became much more enthusiastic.
He then turned and waved to the man examining the chess pieces in the distance. "Young Master Takato, a guest is here to see you!"

"A guest?"
Mamiya Takato retracted his gaze, turned his head, and saw Fujino standing at the gate.
Immediately, he walked to the main gate. "Detective Fujino, it must have been a long journey. Thank you for coming."
Mamiya Takato instructed the gardener to open the gate, then led Fujino into the villa.

The two walked along the stone-paved path.
Mamiya Takato glanced around. Seeing no one, he turned his head and whispered to Fujino, "Detective Fujino, actually, my purpose in inviting you here this time isn't to find treasure, but to investigate the truth behind the fire that occurred here four years ago.**"

"The fire from four years ago?"
Although Fujino already knew a fire had occurred here, he feigned confusion.

"That's right."
Mamiya Takato nodded, leaned closer, and explained, "Just four years ago, my mother returned from abroad to celebrate my grandmother's birthday. But on the night of the birthday celebration, a fire broke out. That fire not only took my mother's life but also caused the deaths of servants and over ten visiting guests who perished in the flames."

"Is it that tower?"
Fujino pointed to the tower he had noticed from the entrance.

"Yes, my mother died there at that time."
Mamiya Takato cast his gaze towards it. "After that fire four years ago, I felt something was amiss and stayed here. But even after four years, I haven't found any useful clues."

"You believe the culprit is still in this castle?"

"Yes, that's why I commissioned you, Detective Fujino, under the pretext of searching for treasure."

"Speaking of which, what's the deal with the treasure?"

"I heard my maternal grandfather mentioned it before he died."
Mamiya Takato explained, "He said he left his most precious treasure in this castle, to be given to the first person to solve the castle's secret."

"Takato, who is this..."
Just as Fujino and Mamiya Takato were talking, the center-parted man who had been conversing with the maid at the castle entrance walked over.

"This is my friend, Fujino."
Mamiya Takato introduced him.

"Fujino..."
Mamiya Mitsuru's expression remained blank upon hearing the name. After a moment's thought, he seemed to recall something. "Could it be, you're that famous detective Fujino?"

"Just an ordinary detective."
Fujino said modestly.

"My name is Mamiya Mitsuru. I'm Takato's stepfather."
Mamiya Mitsuru's face remained expressionless, but an undeniable excitement flickered in his eyes. "Takato, this detective friend of yours will surely be able to find the treasure left by my father-in-law, right?"

"Mhm."
Takato merely nodded, his gaze towards Mamiya Mitsuru slightly hesitant. "It would be best if it can be found."

"Speaking of which, were you two just talking about that tower?"
Just then, Mamiya Mitsuru suddenly said, "If you two are interested in that tower, it's best not to go inside."

"Why?"
Hearing this, Fujino glanced at the tower again and joked, "Don't tell me it's haunted?"

"Something like that."
Mamiya Mitsuru spoke in a mysterious tone. "About two years ago, a newly hired servant mysteriously disappeared in that tower. Before disappearing, he told the maids here that [he found something good in that tower]. After he went missing, we immediately sent people in to search for him. Although there were signs of forced entry, he was never found."
"It wasn't until four days later that the police found him in the nearby woods. He was already dead, starved to death... After that, rumors spread among the servants that it might have been the resentful spirits in the tower that harmed him. After that incident, the tower was sealed off, and no one dared to enter it again."

"So that's why the tower was locked up."
Mamiya Takato frowned upon hearing this and asked Mamiya Mitsuru, "Why didn't I know about this?"

Mamiya Mitsuru explained, "You weren't at the castle then, so of course you wouldn't know."

"Traveling..."
Mamiya Takato stroked his chin, thinking for a moment. "It seems that's right. I did go on a trip two years ago."

"In that case, I won't disturb you further."
Saying this, Mamiya Mitsuru prepared to turn and leave. Before going, he added, "Oh right, remember to tell me when you find it. I also want to see what treasure my father-in-law left behind."

But just as Mamiya Mitsuru was about to leave, Fujino, seeming to recall something, suddenly called out to him.

"Is there anything else?"
Mamiya Mitsuru turned his head in surprise.

"Mr. Mitsuru, are you afraid of snakes?"
Fujino looked at Mamiya Mitsuru and asked curiously.

"Snakes?"
Mamiya Mitsuru's expression turned strange upon hearing Fujino's question.
Considering the other party was a detective and wouldn't ask pointless questions for no reason,
he thought for a moment before answering, "I'm not afraid of snakes. There are indeed quite a few snakes around this castle, but most of them are non-venomous."

"Then it's nothing."

Mamiya Takato led Fujino into the villa.
Recalling Fujino's strange question earlier, he asked curiously, "Detective Fujino, was that some kind of test just now? Did he show any abnormal behavior?**"

"No."
Fujino shook his head. "I just remembered something amusing."

"Something amusing..."
Mamiya Takato was still very curious about what amusing thing Fujino was referring to.
But he didn't dwell on it.

Pushing open the villa's main door,
the first thing that greeted them was a magnificent entrance hall. At the far end hung a huge portrait. The person in the portrait was an old man with white hair and a white beard, dressed in a suit, bearing a strong resemblance to Mamiya Takato.
On the walls on either side of the portrait hung two smaller portraits. The one on the left depicted a beautiful noblewoman in a formal gown with long golden hair, while the one on the right showed a spirited young man.

"The one in the middle is my maternal grandfather."
Mamiya Takato mentioned, looking at the large portrait. "What do you think? Don't I look a lot like my grandfather?"

"Mhm, you really do look alike."
Fujino nodded. "And those two beside him are..."

"Those are my parents."
Mamiya Takato glanced at the portrait on the right. "The person in that portrait is my biological father, Mamiya Sadaaki. He passed away from illness six years ago... Shortly after his death, my mother married that man named Mitsuru you saw earlier, abroad."

"Takato, who is he?"
Just then, an aged voice sounded.
Fujino turned around and saw an old woman in a wheelchair, wearing a black hat and black round-framed glasses, with graying hair and an ugly appearance, who had appeared behind them at some point.

"This is my friend, Detective Fujino."

"A detective?"
The old woman voiced her surprise, then, recovering, continued in a normal tone, "That's wonderful. I truly hope this detective can help solve my husband's riddle and find the treasure in this castle."
Saying this, the old woman started acting erratically again, wheeling herself away, muttering, "Where's my daughter?! Hasn't my daughter returned yet?! She clearly promised to celebrate my birthday..."

However, contrary to her outwardly crazed demeanor, the old woman was secretly thinking about how to eliminate Fujino before he discovered the secret passage.
Perhaps because she had killed too many people, she had a natural aversion to detectives and police.
Honestly, when she first learned that the fellow named Fujino was actually a detective, she was somewhat afraid.
But on second thought, she wasn't afraid anymore.
She had already killed too many people for the treasure over the years. Killing another detective now didn't matter.

Chapter 185