Absolute Zero: Special Investigation Unit (絶対零度)

Chairman Udou's artistic sense is excellent, even from an art dealer's

point of view.

Are you really sure you want to donate everything to the museum?

Yes, I'm sure. That was my father's wish.

Excuse me, but we found some paintings not listed

on the donation list.

These ones.

This is Rohmer's triptych*, Azur.

Are they valuable?

They may be the phantom triptych that

got lost in the confusion of WWII.

The complete set is here. It's a worldwide discovery.

Hey, you. What are you guys doing? Hey.

As I recall, after the yellow star was green, so green square.

-Ahh~ Triangle. -What are you groaning about?

Please don't talk to me. I'm concentrating.

By memorizing the color and order of the shapes,

you can strengthen your memory and sagacity skills. Takigawa's idea.

Isomura-san, you should try it too. Other than in investigations, you have zero sagacity.

How rude.

Ino-san, what's with the long face? If something's troubling you, I can give you advice.

I have a hangover.

Sure enough, zero sagacity.

Gather around. We have an investigation.

It's the robbery and assault case at the Udou residence that occurred 3 days ago.

This isn't a simple robbery and assault case.

-The Udou Collection was targeted. -Udou Collection?

The former chairman of Udou Group who passed away last month.

He's known world-wide as an enthusiast of famous paintings.

The criminal remains at large.

Murayama Shinji-san, the cartetaker who was stabbed with a knife,

is still unconscious and in critical condition.

Stolen was the Azur Triptych, the famous paintings by

Rohmer, an impressionist artist who was active in France in the 19th century.

Aren't they the famous phantom paintings? Are they real?

They were certified to be authentic after the incident.

What was stolen was one piece of the triptych.

In keeping with the wishes of former Chairman Udou's daughter,

the existence of Rohmer's Azur

-has not been publicized at all. -But why

are we being requested to investigate a painting robbery?

Trafficking of stolen cultural properties is done behind closed doors.

If we were to investigate overtly, they will be lost forever.

The culprit is a vicious criminal who harmed a victim to steal the painting.

We will do whatever it takes to make the arrest and retrieve the world reknown painting intact.

It looks like the culprit disarmed the security system from the back door

and broke into the great hall where the art collection was stored.

The premeditated well-executed crime, leaving no evidence,

was committed by professionals. It is believed to be the work of an organization.

But isn't it strange?

Why did the criminal group only steal one of the three pieces?

Maybe that one piece has the most value?

One piece would be worth several 100 million, but a complete set of three would be worth several billion yen.

-Several billion. -We obtained a lead on the culprit

from the testimony of Chairman Udou's daughter, Minako-san.

This is a footage from the surveillance camera set up in the great hall.

Immediately after Chairman Udou passed away, a man claiming to be an instructor

at Kanto Art Institute came, asking to see the Udou Collection

-for his research. -This man

-came looking for Azur? -More than likely.

Upon making inquiries at the Kanto Art Institute after the incident,

we found out that the man he claimed to be was an entirely different person.

Then his identity is unknown?

We're looking for leads by checking all the surveillance cameras

on that day in the area surrounding Chairman Udou's residence.

Here it comes~.

Takabayashi found it while checking the surveillance cameras in the area.

2 hours after the man visited Chairman Udou's residence,

he was meeting another man at a nearby parking lot.

-Shiina Seigo? -Isomura-san, do you know him?

He's an internationally acclaimed Japanese artist of Western paintings.

His painting style is strongly influenced by Rohmer.

Are you sure this man is Shiina Seigo?

Yes. All the facial feature points matched.

We suspect that Shiina Seigo has a hand in the crime as well.

We'll approach him and conduct an investigation on

the other criminal group members and the stolen Azur.

What, 5 people in 3 months?

He went through that many housekeepers?

It seems Shiina Seigo is quite eccentric and his housekeepers don't last.

That's why the housekeeping service company

-was happy to cooperate with the investigation. -Kameda Mariko, 26 years old.

Alone with an eccentric single artist, huh?

That means there's nowhere to escape.

-Mitsui-chan, don't pressure me. -Done. Sakuragi-chan,

I put together some data on housekeeping tricks. Take it with you.

Just what you'd expect from Ino-san. Your long single life...

-bears fruit. -Sakuragi.

I got word that the victim died just now.

The criminal group will stop at nothing to achieve its goal.

Use extreme caution.

Yes.

Setting the camera.

Call out and go in.

Excuse me. Is anyone here?

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

I'm sorry.

I'm Kameda Mariko from Shirogane Housekeeping.

You're the new housekeeper?

Will start searching for clues.

Entering the studio.

Oh, and you had it painted already.

In oil painting, overlaying gives depth to the color.

Oh, is that right?

If you're done cleaning, get out.

I'm sorry.

Someone's coming.

It's the guy who came to check out the Chairman's residence.

I brought tea for the visitor. That's not necessary. He's leaving now.

I'll come again.

Please use this.

I'll follow him.

Sending the fingerprint now. Please check for a match with prior records.

-You're getting cocky. -What?

You have a long ways to go before you can tell me what to do.

You're my game piece... no, my slave.

Continuing on with the investigation.

Looks like Sakuragi's maturing a little bit.

I can't lose to Sakuragi I'll do the fingerprint match.

Oh, no. He got provoked and now he's all hyped up.

You idiot! Don't be amazed by the progress I've made.

Here it comes~.

-No match found. We just spun our wheels. -Yeah.

Sakuragi's getting more efficient.

Doesn't it make you feel good?

What you taught her is now bearing fruit.

She's just now doing what she was supposed to be doing all along.

What a boring guy you are.

-Nishida-san, please. -Roger.

You should savor your junior's progress more.

That's the best thing about being a mentor.

You were at your residence, not here, on the day of the incident, right?

Yes. I felt ill all of a sudden

and asked Murayama-san to take my place here.

I see.

You're not suspecting me, are you?

Please don't worry.

It's just for confirmation.

Did your father know Shiina Seigo?

I don't believe they've ever met.

There were signs of lying. When she was asked about Shiina Seigo.

Is she hiding something?

We'll look into the relationship between Udou and Shiina too.

The man is Uchiyama Kazuo.

He's an employee who handles Shiina's paintings at Uehara Gallery.

The owner of Uehara Gallery is Uehara Hidenori. On the surface, Uehara is

a major art dealer who handles paintings of famous artists, but

he's rumored to be involved in some shady business too.

-Shady business? -He also buys art objects and stolen goods

from people connected to organized crime.

He buys valuable goods dirt cheap from

people normal art dealers won't deal with.

Let's infiltrate Uehara Gallery and find evidence of their involvement in the robbery.

Sakuragi, how's the investigation at the Shiina residence going?

Except for the locked storage room, I looked everywhere but

I was unable to find Azur.

I'll find the key tomorrow.

Today, we have sesame seed milk.

Thank you.

Sesame seed and milk contains Vitamin B1 and...

It helps the brain to function properly and

it helps your concentration and memory retention, right?

You already knew.

I find myself checking for those things lately.

That's part of the maturation process too.

I heard you're becoming much more proficient in your investigation.

I still have a long ways to go.

That's the result of you desperately moving forward.

But the more I move forward, the more regrets I have.

That maybe I could have handled things in a more level-headed manner now.

As you mature, the more regrets you'll have.

You can only move forward fighting those regrets.

Yes.

My late brother was a collector of paintings.

This was given to me as his keepsake.

My son insisted on having it appraised

It's a Jeraldi.

-Is it real? -Yes, probably.

Uchiyama's heading towards the back.

-Excuse me. May I use your bathroom? -Go right ahead.

Uchiyama went into the vault.

-Back me up. -Roger.

Your son's been gone for a while.

Seems he's been having stomach problems since this morning.

Excuse me. Can I ask you a question?

Don't mind me.

Oh, alright. Excuse me then.

-It's about this piece. -Ah, this.

Good to go. I can hear.

Azur.

Documents relating to Rohmer's Azur found.

Analysis team, can anyone translate French?

I can do it. My ex-girlfriend was French.

It's information on auctions held all over Europe.

Let's see... Uehara Gallery was requested

by a client and was looking for the Azur triptych all over the place.

The client is Shiina Seigo.

Uehara must have gotten involved in the robbery after getting Shiina's request.