#510 The Dragon Castle’s Murderer

It’s me, Kidan.

Our completed hot spring ryokan is operating just as I had hoped.

The once-automaton girls are putting the experienced they gained at the expo and are now working briskly as hostesses in specifically-tailored Japanese clothes.

I’m also making the rounds to help out as the proprietor.

If there’s any trouble, I will take the initiative to solve it.

“Oh, hello, Sensei.”

“A splendid bath that was, Lord Saint.”

As I walk down the fourth-floor corridor, I bump into Sensei, the Lifeless King.

“How was the Sky Bath?”

“The hot water was good, and the view was breathtaking. I always go to the hot spring at the farm, but coming all the way here was worth it.”

I’m glad to hear that.

This hot spring ryokan was built in the hope that it would be a therapeutic place.

If it effectively heals the weary, nothing would make me happier.

“Speaking of which, I met a benevolent person back there. He seemed to be the rumored Prime Minister of the Demon Kingdom.”

“Ah...”

I have heard of him. 

The Great Demon King Baal whined about wanting to come here even though he wasn’t tired by any standard. Left with no other choice, I gave him the condition that he had to bring someone else with him. 

And he fulfilled that.

“The Demon King also asked me to take care of the Prime Minister, so I must welcome him at all costs!”

“He does seem to be tired to the core. Surely, the hot water here will be effective. I hope he will be as revitalized as I am.”

You look physically revitalized if you ask me, Sensei.

Lifeless Kings usually look like a mummy or a sokushinbutsu because of their dried-up skin.

But by soaking in a hot spring, they can absorb water and regain their original form.

And surprisingly, Sensei is quite the dashing young man!

This is what he looks like when he gets out of the hot spring.

Then, he’d return to his original state shortly after.

“Speaking of which, Lord Saint...”

Look, he’s already back to his old, boney self.

“Did Veil say anything to you? Did she perhaps summon you or some sort?”

“Ah. Yes, she did.”

Apparently, Veil, the dragon, is also trying to do something for the opening of our ryokan business by preparing an event.

She has asked us to meet her at a particular time to do it.

“She has grown quite fond of conducting events, hasn’t she?”

Recently, she managed a cart and went to serve ramen noodles to strangers during Alexander’s month-long event in his dungeon some time ago, and it was very well received.

Perhaps she got encouraged by its initial success that she decided to do something at this ryokan.

“Livening things up is always great, so I thought of going along with her little plan.”

“Shall we go together then?”

It’s heartwarming to see that Sensei is enthusiastic about this too.

She said she’d be waiting for us in one of the guest rooms.

I think it was on the...fifth floor?

On the way, we met Platy and Junior, who had just left the Sky Bath, and we arrived at the designated room together.

“This must be the place.”

A nondescript guest room.

This is where Veil is going to do something.

“What’s going on here? I just hope she doesn’t destroy one of our guest rooms because of her idea...!”

“Now, now...!”

Let’s just wait and see what she’s up to.

“Veil? Are you here?”

“Gahahahaha! I’m right here!”

“Ack!”

Veil?!

She’s outside the room with us.

I thought she was waiting for us inside!

“Master, this door is locked.”

“Huh?”

“The only way to get in is to force it open.”

Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh?!

What are you talking about, you stupid dragon?

We just built this inn; don’t suddenly break it down!

“...Buuuut we’re opening it like this according to the set.”

“Huh???”

She opened the door normally.

What’s this set she’s on about?

“And so, the residents step into the room! What awaits them inside is an unimaginable tragedy!”

“What’s with the narration?!”

When we entered the guest room, we found Mr. Baal, the Great Demon King, lying face down on the tatami.

“...What are you doing, sir?”

“Someone killed me...”

What.

How can you be killed when you answered my question just fine? You seem alive and well.

What is up with this in-your-face skit?!

“What are you talking about?! The geezer has been killed!!!”

Meanwhile, Veil continues acting her part.

And don’t call the Great Demon King a geezer.

“Something’s not right here! The door was locked, and there was no way in or out through the window! The murderer shouldn’t be able to get in or out of here! That means...!”

With a long pause...

“A LOCKED ROOM MURDER!!!” boldly says Veil.

...

Hmm...

“Can you give us some more details?”

“Don’t you know anything, Master? You’re supposed to be our intelligence source here!”

Huh? Me?

“Didn’t you say that hot springs are always associated with murders?”

“No, I didn’t!”

...Ah.

Wait, maybe I did?

During our meeting for the ryokan’s promotion, we brainstormed on what comes with hot springs. One of the ideas proposed during that session was a murder case.  

I mean, it does happen, right?

A murder case in a scenic hot spring ryokan.

A well-known detective sets out to investigate the case and solves it while bathing in the hot spring.

Then, the finale is usually set on the edge of a cliff.

I remember telling Veil this story as if I were telling her a folktale.

“Don’t tell me... you’re recreating that story!”

“Mwehehehe! This is my challenge to the guests of this hot spring ryokan!”

With that, she points at the Great Demon King (playing the role of the corpse), lying face down on the tatami.

“How in the world did this geezer get killed? You must solve the mystery and find the murderer among us! There is always one truth!”

“Woah, okay. Calm down.”

I see now.

So, this is a riddle-solving event set up by Veil.

She has concocted a fictitious murder case and set up a deduction game to solve the culprit.

The hot spring ryokan’s overall unusual atmosphere makes this murder case’s abnormality seem drastically realistic, so I gotta say it’s a well-thought-out event...

“Veil...! I never thought you’d come up with this...!”

“It’s thanks to the stories you told me, Master! Now, you lowly humans! You must win the deduction game I, Veil the Grinzel Dragon, set up, and win the prize!”

So, there is a prize for solving the mystery, huh?

“I’ve already given you everything you need to solve the case! Combine them, solve the case, and rise to my challenge!”

* * *

“Then again, this is just a trial run for the involved parties. I’d like to hear your thoughts and suggestions as you play it out to see if there are any problems.”

“Okayyy.”

Would you look at that. Veil has learned how to be deliberate in planning.