Volume 3 Chapter 51 (2/2)

”More like the miniature version, huh?”

Ignoring the reht, I noticed Kouchi-sempai was also dressed as a detective character - her character was a/wiki/Chun-Li) She wore a qipao with pretty hs, I had no idea whether she made this costu in its attention to detail, and the spikes jutting out fro

Re-ihts behind h yesterday, the ”Juumoji” incident, and Ashes at Dusk as well It's just that, if I forget it all, then I'll just findfinished drawing one poster, I put h patches until I'm done

”This one's done Next,”

”Please draw this one for me,”

Alright, sir

Placing the drawing paper before me, I was at a lost on what to do next The classrooer as bad as before Zea well Kouchi-sempai's cosplay was quite popular with the olderthes Her followers took on the duty frolance at them showed they were neither as skilled or fast as she was While I did not get along ith Kouchi-sempai, and I was at a lost for words at the conduct of her followers, I had to ad

The water cup holding the pastel pen was becoe the water It was a first year whoh theway via the side of the room As she walked past on encountering a tiger, or a cat co across a mouse

”Oh my,”

As though on purpose, she suddenly lost her balance and splashed a few drops of water onto my desk

I understood at once, as she was rather inactive until now She was hear to teach ainst her beloved Kouchi-se a few drops at my way

Yet, things did not end there No one kneho bu myself, but someone must have bumped or tripped within the crowded rooreatly lost her balance and yelled as she spilled the water in her cup

The water ended up covering me all over

””

On the bright side, at least the water didn't splash on my head A whole cup's worth of water splattered on ht shoulder all the way to my stomach was drenched ater, water that was stained with paint and supposed to be replaced I think I stink

The drawing paper of which I was still thinking of what to draas also soaked in a grey-yellowish colour

”I, I'm so sorry Ibara! I didn't mean to”

The girl looked as though she was about to cry

I wonder why, perhaps it was the sudden splash of cold water that numbed my senses, I don't know

But I hardly felt angry Taking a handkerchief out offrom my shi+rt The white handkerchief was quickly dyed in the sarey-yellowish colour

Well, it is a khaki coloured shi+rt anyway, so the stain shouldn't stand out too much

Still lively only a while ago, the First Preparation Room was now stunned in silence Well, sorry about that I stood up fro the President, I said to her,

”I'm sorry, President Please take care of the rest”

Unlike Kouchi-sempai, who couldn't possibly wear her costume outside the school premises, I was able to coe I was after all still quite resistant to wearing so, besides, fuku-chan had said it would be hard to find any spot to change at school during this period Though e into as I left it at home

Fortunately,the clothes back for cleaning, but as our last PE lesson was cancelled, I didn't get to wear it and so I left it here at school Finding a rooot ed

Co fuku-chan see, while there doesn't seem to bemistake, I should at least help out as much as I can in the final moment

I could describe Kaht blue), but that specific colour nau the water blue track suit, I headed towards the Geology Roo the Special Block, as I slowly climbed up the stairs towards the third floor, I heard the sound of so from the corridor ahead

(enwikipediaorg/wiki/Traditional_colors_of_japan) (enwikipediaorg/wiki/shi+nsengumi)

”Oh! Mayaka-san!”

It was Chi-chan, waving her hand happily As I was about to ask why she was in such a hurry, she grabbed my wrist with her rather warm hands

Speaking of which, we're on the stairs, so it was pretty dangerous,

”W, whoa! Chi-chan!”

Ignoring an to spoke,

”Thank goodness, things would beit ht now?”

With my help?

”Eh, hang on, just what is it that you want me to help you with?”

While she held on to y-like booklet It wasn't a really expensive booklet as its stapler binding was clearly visible Anyway, I asked,

”What's that?”

As she turned it to show me its cover, I exclaimed,

”W, why on earth would you be holding this?!”

The cover showed a fa sideways, it was none other than Ashes at Dusk!

”Well, it's not exactly mine, but Oreki-san's,”

Then allow et his hands on this? It was only sold in last year's Cultural Festival, in a pretty hidden corner by the corridor While mostly unlikely, I did for a moment suspect whether Oreki had stolen the book fro, I stretched my hand to reach out to the book, to which Chi-chan held it to her chest and asked,

”Mayaka-san, could it be that you've seen this a before?”

I withdrew my hand,

”Well yeah, I have,”

”Then you ht?”

The person who drew this a? I wasn't sure whether to say it's Ajimu Takuha, the author's pen na my confusion, Chi-chan rephrased her question,

”I meant the person who drew this,”

”That I don't know,”

Thereupon she said enthusiastically,

”You see, I' to find out if the person who drew the promotional poster for the Cultural Festival is the saa! I'm very curious about it!”

I see

Now I get it Chi-chan would usually get curious about things and then proceed to find out the answer to it, I could never getto understand how she feels whenever she's curious about soas where the art style is similar and wondered whether it's by the same author

And now she's saying the person who drew the promotional poster for the Cultural Festival is the same as the one who drew Ashes at Dusk?

If that's true, then I must confirm it for myself Once I do that, then I'll be able to find out the identities of both the writer and the illustrator While the writer Anjou Haruna has already transferred schools, if the illustrator is still around, then it just ht be possible for ”Ajimu Takuha” to make a return

Feeling excited, I raised my voice,

”Where's this poster right now?”

Chi-chan had begun to cli o, she replied,

”Besides the Conference Room!”

Okay, let's go!

The illustration showed a male and female student, with the caption ”The 42nd Kanya Festival” written alongside the detailed schedules

We were looking at the said poster's design The contrast in shading was quite clear As Ashes at Dusk was all in black and white while this was in colour, I must be more observant

It was actually quite difficult in trying to detera and a poster were by the same person

Yet, this tie his style in his drawing of female characters, the style for lance and I'd recognize the similarities To , and then stepped forward to exa fabric was drawn similarly, the decisive spot was actually the ears, where they're completely identical

I turned to face Chi-chan,

”I'm 80-90 percent, no, I'm 99 percent sure it's the same person,”

Upon hearing that, Chi-chan placed her hand on her chest as though looking relieved,

”I see Thank you very much, you've taken a burden off my chest,”

It seems like I've helped her a lot, so I s I haven't done in quite a while

”Haha, you seemed really curious about it, weren't you?”

”Yes, but I wasn't confident inthe comparisons myself”

”Me neither, it's not like I have any specialthe similarities,”

Now, I ht as well satisfy my own curiosity, I knocked on the door to the Conference Room besides the notice board

”Co,”

A person opened the door He looked just like the guy in the poster A glance at his collar indicated he was a second year He looked at us and wondered ere

”Greetings, Tanabe-san,”

Chi-chan said and bowed her head This must be Tanabe, president of the Executive Couy By the way, Chi-chan really is good with re people's names While my own memory isn't that bad, but I can never reach Chi-chan's levels

Upon hearing his name, Tanabe-sempai smiled,

”Well, hello, umm”

”We're with the Classics Club,”

”Ah, of course How may I help you this time?”

It's actually me that needs a favour this time So I stepped forward in Chi-chan's place, and as we've formally met before, I skipped the formalities and asked,

”Excuse me, but would you happen to knoho drew the poster in that notice board over there?”

Tanabe-sempai raised his eyebrows There were many types of posters for the Cultural Festival after all, so it was probably hard even for hiht away Of course it would help immensely if he could answer, but I shouldn't expect too much,

”Hht?”

”Yes, the one with the boy and girl standing together,”

After a short pause, Tanabe-se? As expected of the president of the Executive Committee He replied briefly,

”That one would be by Kugayama,”

Eh?

Chi-chan asked from behind me,

”Would it be Kugayama Muneyoshi+, the Student Council President?”

”Yeah, that Kugayama,”

It was a naayaave e, but never did I expect hia

Now I see, so he's the illustrator for Ajih I could hardly remember him before that Meanwhile, Tanabe-sempai seemed pretty proud as he said,

”You guys are probably thinking 'Wow, so he could actually draw this well', right? He's pretty good, isn't he?”

”Yes! I think it's wonderful!”

”Haha, I'lad to know if he heard it,”

I've now learned who the author and illustrator were, it's as though good things were happening in quick succession now, h like a fan chasing her idol, I had wanted to ask about whether Kugaya any pen name, but Tanabe-sempai probably wouldn't know No matter, I'll just have to ask hiht reunite with Anjou Haruna to bring back the dream team

If that happens I'd be dying to read their neork An expectation suddenly floated in my mind

After bowing politely, we exited the Conference Room

Chi-chan was now s her objective We now happily raced each other up the stairs towards the Geology Room

056 - ♠15

”We knoho it is now!”

Chitanda said as she ran in It didn't take her that long to return, which I' it for me, but to satisfy her own curiosity

”Really? So is it the same person?”

Satoshi+ raised his head to ask, but without awaiting an answer, he continued,

”Huh? Mayaka?”

Sure enough, co her tracksuit when she's supposed to be cosplaying right now Or could that tracksuit be part of her cosplay Nah, not possible That's the PE uniforh School noforward to soood to happen

”Mayaka, isn't the Manga Club busy?”

Satoshi+ asked, to which she sently and shook her head,

”Oh, I've had someone stand in for me,”

Sooing-ons over there

Like a spring, Chitanda moved towards me and placed the Ashes at Dusk copy on the desk,

”It's the same person, we also found out his name,”

”Really? That's great,”

”It's Kugayanified person, but I never would have thought he would draell, so it's surprising,”

Who's that?

I looked at Satoshi+,

”Do you know him?”

Upon hearing my question, Satoshi+ froze,

”H, Houtarou, you're joking, right?”

”Is he soers and freaks that you're acquainted, you know,”

Satoshi+ covered his eyes as though I' besides hih I was a fool and whispered,

”He's the Student Council President,”

The Student Council President, Kugayama Munayoshi+

”Oh, ohhhh! Of course”

My voice trailed off as I spoke And I thought his last name was read as ”Rikuyama” all this time, not that I could tell them that It's not like he's someone whom I wouldn't have heard of, but neither is he soe the subject, I picked up the Ashes at Dusk and said,

”So, Kugayama is the illustrator for this Anshi+nin Takuha?”

Despite changing the subject, Satoshi+ continued with his ”facepalm” as he covered his eyes and shook his head Man, he's annoying He removed his facepalm and said,

”What's this Anshi+nin you're talking about? Some kind of temple?”

”Isn't that how you read that?”

”Though it's spelled that way, it's read as 'Ajirapes,”

”Is that a city?”

”It's actually a town, legally speaking,”

Is that trivia supposed to be required knowledge? Besides, do the others know about this I looked at Chitanda with s, to which she looked puzzled and said,

”There's a small print next to the naht here,”

Huh? Oh, there, the print's kinda small: ”AJIMU TAKUHA”

Surprisingly, Ibara seemed quite sullen Her eyes ide, while herAfter see which Chitanda borrowed fro to do with her specific interest in as

Standing besides me, Satoshi+ looked at the Ashes at Dusk copy and said,

”Well, if it's so that even Houtarou would approve, then surely this ,”

” Ugh”

Was it Ibara that runt? Satoshi+ didn't see cheerfully,

”But this pen name, Ajimu Takuha, how should I put it? Surely they could come up with a shorter surname, three characters (A-JI-MU 安心院) is just a bit too unrefined,”

Should you be saying so like that?

” T, this can't be”

Chitanda staggered and lost her balance, since her surname had three characters, (CHI-TAN-DA 千反田)

”I, I didn't know my surname would be so unrefined”

”No! That's not what I mean!”

Satoshi+ panicked and waved his hands, trying to undo what he just said,

”When I said three characters, I was referring to given names! Yeah!”

Oh really?

Sensing iven name has three characters (HOU-TA-ROU 奉太郎)

”Well, Houtarou's special, you see,”

I wonder how he made that deduction Besides, the real problem is how on earth did you not notice that I had a three character name when you made that statement?

”So, Oreki's special, huh?”

Seems like Satoshi+'s finally realized what he's done, as tears begin to coiven name had three characters as well (MA-YA-KA 摩耶花) It's not like three character names are rare at all, but in an atterave He ought to have said he was referring to pen-naiven names

Letting the drama play on on its own, I returned my attention to the copy of Ashes at Dusk in a, yet the afterword at the back see on lately

Unexpectedly, Ibara decided to stop her scolding of Satoshi+ and moved towards me,

”While President Kugayama did the illustrations, the writer is someone called Anjou Haruna,”

”Really?”

I said as I aze from the book,

”You familiar with this book?”

”It's ht one from the Cultural Festival last year,”

Ibara was not so she likes, but I never expect her to utter the word ”favourite” Well, now that's interesting Looking at the book, she said without any tension,

”Hey Oreki, mind if you could lend me that?”

Man, this book is popular, isn't it? First Chitanda, now Ibara wants to borrow this? Though I had wanted to lend it to them, I replied,

”Sure thing, but just hang on for a while,”

”I can wait, but how long are you going to make me wait anyway?”

I thought for a while, and soon taped on the page with the afterword on it and said,

”At least until I've memorized this Once I ht away,”

Ibara looked atthis would serve ure out whether this afterword serves any purpose or not”

Chitanda suddenly clasped her hands together,

”Oh yes, I have so to tell you,”

”What is it?”

”Well, I've been invited by the Broadcast Club to appear in their lunchtime broadcast,”

What?

”The program that was aired yesterday and the day before?”

”Yes,”

Satoshi+ whistled,

”That's fantastic, Chitanda-san! You did well to get the biggest h on board! This e could use the 'Juuets sold!”

”Actually, it wasn't me who made the request It was ramme”

”That's even better! Alright, as a frequent listener, allow uest like you should be anticipating”

Well, guess we'll let Satoshi+ deal with the aze back to the afterword

For so to ”Juue of the stall for three days, I no longer view this duty as just so I had to keep as simple as possible For me, it's now to ensure the improvement of sales In order to do that, ”Juumoji” must be captured someho ironic that Chitanda had suppressed her own curiosity in order to see that Hyouka sells well, and yet here I ay-saving principles Resting es of Ashes at Dusk, yet I made no effort to read it

And so I began to think

[118 COPIES REMAINING]

057 - ♥13

As I listened to fukube-san's advice, I noticed Oreki-san had began to behave differently

Mayaka-san and Oreki-san have been classmates since primary school, while fukube-san was the closest male friend he had as far as I know

And yet, why didn't they notice this change in behaviour?

Oreki-san would stop aze would lose all focus

That hen he would go into deep thought

The outco was that he would come up with anshich I would totally not expect And when the facts come out afterwards, it would always match his deductions

And so, while listening to fukube-san's words, I would keep glancing over at Oreki-san's direction

058 - ♠16

” That's what I think, what about you, Houtarou?”

Hmm?

Hearingcalled, I looked up, and saw Satoshi+, Chitanda and Ibara all looking at me I scratched my ear,

”Sorry, say that again?”

Satoshi+ gave a deep sigh,

”Houtarou We're discussing how to deal with the radio interview that will determine the fate of the Classics Club This attitude won't do, man,”

Since when did we start having a discussion, and such an important one at that as well?

I then realized for so at e as always, but that's not the point,

”W, what is it, Chitanda?”

” What do you think?”

”Of what?”

”Nevermind”

She sighed, though it wason? To have her sighing naturally at ?

Oh well,of asking these guys for their opinion in order to forhts

But Chitanda would get in the way

Waving estured to Satoshi+,

”C'mere,”

”H?”

He said whileover I then realized I've been seated here for quite some time,

”Sorry, but can you come with me?”

”Where're we going in such a busy period?”

”It's related to this busy period anyway, but anywhere is fine,”

Seated on the desk and swinging her legs, Ibara looked at a distance and said,

”Could it have so to do with the 'Juumoji' Incident?”

Stop uttering your instincts out loud! Just as I thought, Chitanda's eyes instantly came alive,

”Eh! Is that true, Oreki-san?! Could you have thought of so?”

”No, no, I haven't,”

”Then, it's not related to the 'Juumoji' Incident?”

While ”ht away” isme so earnestly, I just couldn't lie to her She quickly saw through my hesitation,

” So, it does have so to do with it!”

”Well, no,”

Chitanda placed her palms before her chest and clutched thee in her mood

”I, I've been very curious to know about this but why are you only telling fukube-san?”

She spoke in a softer than usual voice She leaned her face forward that her eyes were covered by her bangs At this rate, I'll definitely be cursed by a spell froiveness

What do I do? As I definitely did not want Chitanda to knowthis time

Guess I'll have no choice but to think of so I've never tried this trick before, I wonder if it would work I made a serious face,

”You're right I was about to tell Satoshi+ so related to the 'Juumoji' Incident, but,”

”Really? Then count me in”

”But it concerns so very obscene Is that OK with you?”

Oh, looks like it worked Quite effectively

Forgivesexual harassment on you just this once I picked up the Ashes at Dusk copy besides the frozen Chitanda and walked out the roo bitterly Ibara looked at us with an icy stare that I could still feel the cold from behind

”So, what's this obscene matter that you're about to tell me?”

Satoshi+ said after finally catching his breath fro too much

The place I chose to speak with Satoshi+ was the roof of the connecting corridor The reason was because there was hardly any festival-related activities up here and so was relatively quiet

I replied with a sullen look,

”Sorry for dragging you out here,”

”Oh don't, it was fun To have the 'Juumoji' Incident conclude at the Classics Club is exactly what I'd wish for,”

That wasn't exactly what I was thinking, though

For a ave me a curious smile,

”Well, I have great expectations of you, Houtarou,”

Well, I'm not sure about that I placed my hand on the handrail and said,

”It's not sout instincts at work, and I'hts around them,”

”Well, there're a lot of things that one's gut instincts can lead to, besides the biggest question of who 'Juumoji' is,”

”That's sout instinct can tell me, besides, we don't even need to consider that at all,”

”You've found thelink?”

Missing what?

Seeing my dumbstruck face, Satoshi+ smiled bitterly,

”Theif you have found the final piece of clue that links all the clubs targeted by 'Juumoji',”

Erain

” Nah, not really,”

”Then, you've discovered 'Juumoji' have made some trivial mistakes?”

”Not that either,”

Satoshi+ suddenly stoppedand looked atme to wince He then spoke,

”None of those? This is a phantom thief case, a serial thief, with over a thousand suspects we're talking about And you're tellinganylink, or mistakes made by a suspect whose identity has not even been narrowed down?”

”Well yeah, that's about it,”

”HOW?!”

For someone whose only interest in detective novels come from Sherlock Holmes, you're quite excited about this, aren't you, Satoshi+? Well, this is S