51: Chapter 51: An Unexpected Investigation

[SHOCKING! Famous Author Ikeda Chikako is a 'Plagiarist'! The Untold Secrets Behind the Hit Movie 'The Blue Kingdom'!]

The next morning, Fujino sat on his sofa, reading the newspaper ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with a deadpan expression.

This kind of over-the-top, sensationalist reporting... he knew exactly who was behind it.

Definitely Goto. No one else could write headlines like that.

"Still, that company really put their money where their mouth is. They moved fast."

While Fujino understood the power of large corporations, seeing it from a 'normal person's' perspective was still impressive.

The day after receiving the information, the newspaper's parent company had already launched a full-scale media assault against the company behind "The Blue Kingdom." With Goto leading the charge, Fujino's side clearly had the upper hand in the PR war.

Rumors of Ikeda Chikako being a shameless plagiarist were already spreading like wildfire, thanks to Goto's article.

Now, all Fujino had to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠do was sit back and watch the tigers fight.

As for Ikeda Chikako's ultimate fate... he had no idea. It depended entirely on how quickly and thoroughly those companies cut ties with her, discarding her like a used pawn.

Knock, knock, knock!

A knock at the door interrupted Fujino's thoughts.

He paused. Another commission already?

He quickly got up, crossed the room, and opened the door.

Standing there was an elderly man in a suit, with a rather fierce-looking face.

Fujino invited the old man into the reception room. After some introductions, he learned the man's story.

The visitor was Maru Denjiro, the current president of the Maru Corporation.

He wasn't here for anything glamorous; he wanted Fujino to investigate his thirty-year-old wife, suspecting she was having an affair.

Maru Denjiro was in his late fifties or early sixties, clearly past his physical prime. Recently, he'd noticed his young wife going out frequently and acting guilty upon her return. Hearing some whispers and rumors, he started suspecting infidelity – the metaphorical green hat weighing heavily on his head. Filled with doubt, he sought out Fujino to find concrete proof of his wife's alleged affair.

"Maru-san, I understand the basics of your request."

Fujino sat opposite Maru Denjiro in the agency's reception room, nodding slowly.

He paused, adopting a slightly troubled expression.

"However... this type of case is rather delicate. As a professional detective, getting involved in marital investigations... it could damage my reputation, you see."

"A detective being picky about commissions?"

Maru Denjiro frowned, cleared his throat, and stated bluntly,

"If you accept this commission and find evidence of that cheating woman's affair, I am willing to pay one million yen!"

One million yen?

Fujino's ears perked up.

Normally, he wouldn't touch messy domestic disputes like this.

But the pay... it was simply too much to refuse!

"Since you're showing such sincerity, Maru-san, how could I possibly decline?"

After a brief, calculated pause, Fujino produced the mobile POS machine, flashing his most professional (fake) smile.

"However, before we begin, I'll need a fifty percent deposit – five hundred thousand yen, please."

"Hmph."

Maru Denjiro snorted, watching the detective's lightning-fast change in demeanor.

So much for 'detective's principles'. Seems money trumps everything.

[Detective Profession Task: Antique Collector Murder Case]

Objective: Resolve the Antique Collector Case by any means.

Location: Maru Denjiro Residence

Reward: 500,000 Yen, +50 Detective Reputation

"The Antique Collector Murder Case?"

After the wealthy client left, Fujino stood on his balcony, looking at the new system task that had popped up. He took a deep breath.

He remembered this one.

Maru Denjiro, the president of the Maru Corporation, was secretly a loan shark. He often sold off valuable items pawned to him by desperate borrowers. The reason he gets murdered is because he sold off an ancestral sword belonging to a kendo master named Suwa Yuji.

Evening, on the way home.

"This Mrs. Maru is very cautious,"

Fujino mused aloud, driving the Ford Taurus, reviewing his day's surveillance of the wife.

Despite a full day of tailing her, he hadn't found a shred of evidence of an affair.

This wasn't entirely unexpected.

People having affairs usually weren't careless enough to meet their lovers constantly. They typically waited several days between liaisons to avoid suspicion before indulging again.

How did Fujino know this? Let's just say the original Fujino had taken on quite a few of these "infidelity investigation" cases. He was, unfortunately, quite experienced in the methodology.

"Looks like this investigation might ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠take a few days."

Putting those thoughts aside, Fujino pulled out his phone, scrolling to a specific contact:

[Hiratsuka Shizuka].

He sighed.

"Looks like I'll have to trouble her again..."

In a high-rise apartment.

Hiratsuka Shizuka lounged on her sofa in fluffy pajamas, a cigarette dangling from her lips, engrossed in a shonen manga.

Ring ring!

The landline phone rang, startling her.

"Who'd be calling me on a weekend?" she muttered, putting down her manga.

She walked over and answered the phone.

"Hiratsuka Shizuka?"

"Fujino?"

"What do you want calling ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me this late, kid?"

Hearing Fujino's voice, she was surprised. Then, suspicion crept in. A problem student calling on the weekend... could it be...? Her suspicious expression shifted to something... odd. She glanced down at the manga in her hand, swallowing nervously.

"Actually, I need to ask a favor."

"What is it?" she replied quickly.

"Someone hired me to investigate a certain incident."

Fujino paused.

"If I have to go to school, it'll definitely slow down the investigation."

"Just an investigation for your detective work?"

Shizuka's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"You're not planning on taking down another crime syndicate, are you?"

"Let me be clear, if you pull any more dangerous stunts like that, I won't let you off easy!"

She wasn't falling for his excuses again. The last time he'd asked for leave, claiming illness, she'd agreed. The next day, headlines screamed about 'Famous Detective Fujino Douji Busts Crime Ring.' She'd planned to give him a piece of her mind when he returned to school, but other things came up. Then, just this morning, she'd seen the news about 'Fujino Douji Bravely Defuses Bomb.' She had been genuinely worried sick. Combining these incidents, she truly feared Fujino might have some kind of self-destructive tendency.