Psychic Detective Yakumo / Shinrei Tantei Yakumo

ANOTHER FILES - the tree of deceit

File 01 - The Three Testimonies

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On the shrine grounds, there was a cedar tree.

There was a legend about this tree, which was over one thousand years old.

Once upon a time, there was a girl from a farming family that fell in love with a man from a samurai family.

Their families were opposed to the marriage, but they exchanged vows in front of this tree. An eternal vow.

On that moonlit night, they met up in front of this tree to elope. But the man did not come -

The man from the samurai family had a wife.

He had just been playing around.

The woman waited regardless. After waiting for three days and three nights, she slung a rope over the tree's branches and hanged herself.

Soon after, the man from the samurai family passed away from an unknown illness -

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Ever since there, there was a rumour that you would be cursed if you lied in front of this tree.

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People called this cedar tree the tree of deceit -

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1

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In the moonlight, Ishii Yuutarou climbed the stone steps up to the shrine.

There were ninety-nine stone steps. He was covered in sweat by the time he reached the shrine.

A cedar tree said to be over one thousand years old hung over the stone steps.

The wind blew, making the cedar tree rustle.

'How unpleasant...' murmured Ishii as he stepped onto the gravel grounds.

It was late at night. There weren't many people normally - it was a quiet place. Now, there were outdoor lights set up with as many people as if it were a festival.

'Ishii!'

Ishii lifted his head at the voice and saw Gotou Kazutoshi standing at the lacquered shrine.

Gotou was an assistant inspector, a detective appointed to the Unsolved Cases Special Investigations Room, and Ishii's superior.

Both his voice and his attitude were twice as loud as a regular person's - he was quite the hot-blooded man. If Ishii dawdled, he'd be scolded again.

'Y-yes sir!'

Ishii started running with fervour, but he immediately tripped and fell.

Ishii stood up. The moment he reached Gotou, Gotou hit his head. 'What are you doing?'

'I-I apologise...'

Ishii bowed his head while fixing the position of his glasses.

'Honestly...'

'Is it... a murder?' Ishii asked hesitantly.

'Yeah. Corpse was found at about nine at night... A resident who just happened to be passing by called in. Victim's a man in his late twenties or early thirties. No identity yet.'

Gotou gave an explanation quickly.

'What was the murder weapon?'

'There was a fruit knife covered in blood nearby. It's probably that.'