The conversation didn’t last long. Once Mizuhashi Tetsukotsu learned that the culprit was Gounon, he said he would come over immediately.
After hanging up the phone, Mizuhashi Yuzuki sighed.
Although it seemed that mental patients were essentially exempt from murder charges, this kind of thing still left her with complex feelings she couldn’t quite articulate.
Gounon, unaware of Mizuhashi Yuzuki’s thoughts, was still basking in the joy of having slain the Devil Lord. “The Devil Lord is already dead. I won’t need to wield a sword anymore, now that the world has entered an era of peace,” he said.
The group: “…”
Regardless, when Mizuhashi Tetsukotsu arrived and got a detailed briefing, he confirmed that the culprit was indeed Gounon and had no choice but to call the police.
Before the police arrived, Tsukiyomi Ruri and the others were told to keep their distance from Gounon. After all, he was a mental patient who had just killed someone—a genuinely dangerous person in everyone’s eyes.
Before being called out of the room, Tsukiyomi Ruri overheard Gounon talking to someone.
“Gounon, don’t move around recklessly. Don’t try to attack anyone,” an orderly warned him cautiously.
“The Devil Lord is already dead. I won’t strike again. Don’t worry that the Hero, possessing the greatest martial strength, would harm his own people. I am a kind Hero,” Gounon said, looking at the orderly with a benevolent gaze that gave the orderly goosebumps.
Gounon was taken away.
His psychiatric evaluation was real, so even though he was taken, nothing too serious would likely happen. He would eventually be brought back. The hospital, however, faced a substantial fine for its insufficient supervision of patients.
This situation drained the spirit even from the normally energetic Mizuhashi Yuzuki.
Everyone returned to the room. Mizuhashi Yuzuki sat down and immediately turned on the TV, hoping to improve her mood by watching something.
“Yuzuki, don’t worry too much. I’m sure a fine is all your hospital will face. There won’t be any more trouble,” Izumi Shirayuki said, comforting her.
She knew, of course, that what worried Mizuhashi Yuzuki wasn’t the money itself—the Mizuhashi family wasn’t short on funds. Yuzuki was clearly worried about the potential long-term repercussions.
Maybe I should use my family’s connections to help Yuzuki. Izumi Shirayuki thought.
Mizuhashi Yuzuki smiled and said, “Don’t worry, I won’t stay down for long. If I had a cute girl to hold, I think my spirits would recover quickly.”
Mizuhashi Yuzuki looked at Izumi Shirayuki. Izumi Shirayuki looked at Tsukiyomi Ruri.
Mizuhashi Yuzuki then looked at Inoue Keiko, and Inoue Keiko also looked at Tsukiyomi Ruri.
So, Mizuhashi Yuzuki also looked at Tsukiyomi Ruri.
Confronted by three pairs of eyes, Tsukiyomi Ruri was speechless.
Why did they all end up staring at her?
Seeing Mizuhashi Yuzuki’s low spirits, Tsukiyomi Ruri sighed softly and, without any protest, obediently sat down in Mizuhashi Yuzuki’s lap.
Mizuhashi Yuzuki was thoroughly satisfied. She wrapped her arms around Tsukiyomi Ruri’s waist and held her tightly.
“We interrupt this program for a news bulletin. There are now leads in the case that occurred at the Mizuhashi Private Psychiatric Hospital…” Just then, the TV broadcast a piece of troubling news.
Everyone looked over. Footage of Gounon being taken away appeared on the screen.
As he was being led out, Gounon looked at everyone with a puzzled expression. “What do you want with me? Are you throwing a banquet to celebrate my slaying of the Devil Lord? There’s no need for that. I am an ascetic Hero.”
The group: “…”
The news segment passed quickly. Even a murder case didn’t occupy the screen for long.
“It’s still morning. There doesn’t seem to be anything good to watch,” Izumi Shirayuki said, flipping through several channels with the remote, feeling rather bored.
Hearing no response, Izumi Shirayuki turned to look around.
Tsukiyomi Ruri was playing a mobile game, which Izumi Shirayuki had grown accustomed to. She’d noticed that Tsukiyomi Ruri seemed to really enjoy gaming.
As for Mizuhashi Yuzuki, she was contentedly hugging Tsukiyomi Ruri, nuzzling her head against Tsukiyomi Ruri’s hair. It made Izumi Shirayuki somewhat envious.
I’ve never nuzzled Ruri like that. It looks so comfortable. I’ll have to find an opportunity to try it later.
Meanwhile, Inoue Keiko was sitting primly, seemingly lost in a daze.
Suddenly, Inoue Keiko sniffed and said, “It seems like there’s a bad smell coming from somewhere.”
Hearing this, everyone instinctively sniffed the air, and indeed, they smelled a foul odor. Listening closely, they could also hear a commotion from outside.
Izumi Shirayuki immediately muted the TV, and the noise from outside became much more distinct.
Curious, they went to the window to look outside.
On the walkway below, a chubby man was beaming, addressing a circle of gathered orderlies. “Everyone, please watch my performance! My ice-sculpting technique is the best in the world. I can definitely carve a miniature castle. See this block of ice…”
He raised his hand, holding a lump of something yellow.
“Put that down! Put it down!”
“Ugh…”
“It stinks! Oh my god, this new patient makes me want to die.”
The orderlies surrounding him looked on the verge of a breakdown.
And it wasn’t just the orderlies. Tsukiyomi Ruri and her three companions in the room were completely dumbfounded.
“Is he playing with feces?” Inoue Keiko asked in shock.
“Close the window, quick!” Tsukiyomi Ruri cried, covering her mouth and nose. She rushed to the window and slammed it shut.
Izumi Shirayuki silently turned on the electric fan, trying to blow away the faint traces of the stench that had wafted in. It helped a little.
Mizuhashi Yuzuki’s expression twitched. “I’ll ask my father what’s going on,” she said.
She called Mizuhashi Tetsukotsu directly.
The call connected quickly. After listening to Mizuhashi Yuzuki’s question, Mizuhashi Tetsukotsu replied in a grief-stricken tone: “This is a newly discovered patient. We don’t know much about his background yet, only that his name is Fukuyama Shoichi. This guy thinks he’s an ice sculpture master, and he uses all sorts of things as ‘ice’ for carving. Sand, wood… that’s one thing, but worst of all, when he sees feces, he tries to carve it like ice too… Ugh! Don’t bring him near me! Get him out of here!”
The last part was clearly not directed at Mizuhashi Yuzuki.
Beep. Beep.
The call ended.
Mizuhashi Yuzuki rubbed her face wearily. “As you can see, that’s the situation right now.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she felt someone grab her arm. She turned and saw it was Tsukiyomi Ruri.
Tsukiyomi Ruri’s pink eyes locked onto Mizuhashi Yuzuki. “For the next few days, use your connections to keep constant track of this patient, Fukuyama Shoichi’s, location. We have to avoid him,” she said.
Izumi Shirayuki and Inoue Keiko nodded vigorously in agreement.
