MYSTERY ARENA (ミステリー・アリーナ)

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The storm was nearly upon them.

With the typhoon over the sea south of Kanto,

the rain was growing in intensity…

By the time Hikaru Taira had arrived at Mariko's manor,

a strong wind had begun to blow.

In the short run from the driveway to the front door,

Hikaru Taira had become wet as a fish.

Droplets from Hikaru's body fell steadily onto the floor.

Hikaru flinched at a sudden bolt of lightning,

and gasped at the portrait of the lady of the manor illuminated by the flash.

The corner of the piece bore the artist's signature.

Hung in the dim foyer, directly across from the front entrance,

the painting's icy gaze seemed as though it were judging those visiting the manor.

The woman's eyes intrigued Hikaru.

When Hikaru turned around at the sound of the front door closing,

someone spoke to him from behind.

A fine piece, isn't it?

The man was Hide.

He held out a towel and shirt to Hikaru.

It captures Ms. Mariko's features well.

Hide… It's been a while.

Change of clothes?

Your bag must be soaked as well.

I'm fine.

Is everyone here?

Yes, everyone but Marumo.

With so many visiting, all the guest rooms are filled.

It's our favorite event of the year.

Sayaka's been here since yesterday apparently.

The instant the name left Hide's mouth,

Hikaru felt his heart beat faster.

So, doing all right?

Yeah.

Nothing new with Kyoko or Bunta either.

Hikaru had intended to ask about Sayaka,

but Hide seemed to think the inquiry was about everyone.

Are you taking your stuff to your room?

-No, I think I'll drop in to say hi first. -Right.

Hikaru wanted to see Sayaka as soon as humanly possible.

You know it's about 5,000 yen for a taxi from the station.

So we decided to share a ride.

Just over 1,000 yen from each of us.

Saved a pretty penny this year.

The manor was laid out

with the guest rooms on either side of the foyer in the center.

With Hide, Hikaru Taira reached the top of the west staircase in the left wing.

And then, Hikaru saw something outside the window and stopped.

Hikaru?

It's nothing.

Hey, Hikaru! Took you long enough!

There he met Bunta, the fun-loving life of the party,

and Kyoko, a high-strung but loyal companion.

Bunta, Kyoko.

Ignoring the pair delighting over the annual reunion,

Hikaru searched for the person who mattered to him most.

With her plaintive and somehow ethereal gaze,

Sayaka arrested Hikaru's heart.

She seemed to be lost alone in her thoughts.

Sayaka…

Goodness, you're absolutely soaked.

Yeah. As you can see.

The typhoon's supposed to stick around for a while.

Here. A cup for the latecomer.

-Darjeeling. -Thank you.

Four other cups of tea were already placed on the table.

Where's Tama?

Huh?

She was running around here until just a minute ago.

Sayaka's reluctance to join in made her all the more endearing,

and enticed Hikaru to force an interaction by asking about Tama's whereabouts.

Sayaka?

Huh?

Tama. You know anything?

No idea.

Gosh…

How cold.

Hey.

This small gesture from Sayaka was enough to rattle Hikaru Taira's heart.

I guess I'll go get changed…

On both the left and right sides of the foyer,

guest rooms lined the first two floors.

As with years prior, Hikaru's room was on the right side of the first floor,

the furthest room on the east side.

Luckily, the rain hadn't seeped into my bag.

I was tired from the drive up the unfamiliar mountain road,

so I surrendered myself to the bed's soft embrace.

It's mostly mountain roads up here.

And with the rain and that strong wind on top of that, it's dangerous.

You know the Shirahige Bridge?

-We crossed it on the way here. -You get some sleep?

Returning to the lounge, Hikaru Taira heard

the voice of the self-appointed leader, brimming with irrepressible confidence.

I stepped on the gas. And then…

-And then? -I barely made it.

The second my Volvo was over the bridge, boom!

-It collapsed? -Completely.

-And it'll take time to fix! -His exaggerated

body language and arrogance…

made Marumo Hikaru's worst enemy.

He hasn't changed a bit.

-Will we be okay? -It'll be fine because

-I say so. -Where's Mariko?

She's been in her room all day.

-Right, Sayaka? -Busy getting everything ready.

I'll go tell her everyone's here.

Thanks.

LOUNGE - GUESTROOM

Hikaru Taira headed to Mariko's room, situated in the middle of the third floor.

Mariko?

She should be in her room,

Hikaru thought,

reaching for the doorknob.

The sight that met Hikaru Taira's eyes was

Mariko lying face down on the ground,

a pool of blood spreading across the floor,

and…

a knife sticking out of her back.

For all those who love mysteries, devote themselves

to mysteries, and live their lives with mysteries…

Which of you will conquer this puzzle in the end,

faster and more accurately than all the others?

At the apex of logic and insight lies an arena of fathomless mind and intellect…

Welcome to Mystery Arena!

REIKA MONTELEONE ASSISTANT

This year's mystery is set in an old manor in the mountains.

Mariko Suzuki is the lady of this manor, and gathered there are

a group of former college classmates.

In the middle of their annual get-together, tragedy struck!

We are not concerned with the motive.

Tonight the goal will be

only to deduct which member of the storm-stranded group

committed the murder and how they managed to pull it off.

MOMOTARO KABAYAMA

PRODUCER / HOST

CROWNBIRCH, INC. PRESIDENT

Welcome to our annual New Year's Eve extravaganza.

Everyone in front of your screens,

we have a sublime mystery to be solved tonight.

The ultimate quiz show begins now,

a battle for all the marbles between our chosen warriors of wit.

Come on, you're not getting cold feet already, are you?

Of course not.

That same look…

again.

HOSHIKUZU-EN ORPHANAGE DONATIONS ACCEPTED

Why did you answer wrong on purpose?

You can do better.

Because…

I don't want to stand out.

39 1

And? What about the assignment I gave you?

Oh, that…

I already finished.

Hey.

Who are you talking to?

10 YEARS LATER

10 BILLION YEN

It's just not possible.

Sure it is.

The two of us can win that thing, 100%.

Listen.

It's ten billion. Ten billion.

With that kind of money you can say goodbye to living like a peasant,

and have enough left over to keep this place going.

HOSHIKUZU-EN EVICTION NOTICE

Fine. I'll do as you say.

All right!

HEAVEN OR HELL!? PRIZE MONEY 10 BILLION YEN

In accordance with our ethos that everyone we work with is special,

Crownbirch Group has grown over the years

through many amicable mergers and partnerships with other companies.

Our expertise and technology are

always used exclusively to ensure smiles and happy futures for everyone.

Mr. Kabayama, make sure to double-check your choreography.

Over 20 million real-time viewers at program start.

It's a record high.

Okay, time for the main event!

Three, two…

And now, it's officially time for this year's Mystery Arena!

And our contestants' brilliant deductions

aren't the only thing to thrill our audience.

That's right, there's also the enormous cash prize!

The first one to solve the mystery written in our show bible…

will walk away with ten billion yen!

IMPOSSIBLE QUIZ SHOW! 20TH ANNIVERSARY!

But, wow, it's been so many years, the prize has piled up to ten billion yen!

The mere mention of such an amount must be shocking to our lower-class viewers!

-Mr. Kabayama! -And tonight,

for our 20th show, we have a live video link with none other than…

Hello!

Remember me, folks?

I'm Katsura, aka Longshot.

I went into early retirement right after winning

and I've been resort-hopping overseas ever since.

TONIGHT, AT THE CASINO

-Later. -Hi.

Oh, it's just beautiful here.

There's paradise on Earth waiting for you if you win.