"Ah? So soon?" Kawai was surprised.
Minamoto Tamako poked at the broccoli with her chopsticks, whispering:
"All students' and teachers' personal belongings have to go through security at the reception desk, just check the registry to see who's brought red ink..."
The year '92 was when the Violence Group Countermeasures Law was enforced, with the Police Department focusing on cracking down on gang activities. To prevent criminal groups from planting undercover agents in the police academy, all personal belongings were strictly controlled, and incoming and outgoing personal mail was checked - privacy rights weren't much emphasized in Japan at that time.
"What if it's not on the registry?" Kawai slumped over the table, too lazy to move.
"That's easy too. That would mean the red ink was procured by the school as office supplies. Its use is limited, since teachers usually grade papers with pens. The school would only use red ink in one situation."
As Minamoto Tamako spoke, she quietly moved the broccoli aside.
"What situation?" Kawai picked up the broccoli from the side of her plate and ate it in one bite, "Being a picky eater isn't right, you know."
"Wha-what? I was planning to save it for last."
Minamoto Tamako paused and continued, "Haven't you noticed? The notices on the bulletin board are mostly written in pen. The school needs red ink for official announcements."
"I see, this narrows down the search area!" Kawai touched her little head, praising, "You're amazing, Lady Tamako, the famous detective!"
Minamoto Tamako would usually beam with joy hearing such praise.
But today, she seemed deep in thought, even sighing as she lowered her head.
Kawai noticed Minamoto Tamako's unusual mood, sat up straight, and asked her what happened.
The latter recounted the 'deduction duel' that occurred in the portrait class, without omitting a single detail.
"Perhaps I've just been amusing myself all this time. Real-life investigation isn't the same as I imagined..."
Her confidence had been shaken.
Kawai understood and hugged Minamoto Tamako's shoulders, encouragingly saying, "What nonsense are you thinking? If investigation didn't require deduction, why would there be criminal investigation logic tests? Evidence involves logical chains too, that guy was just sophistrying!"
"Really?" Minamoto Tamako looked up.
"Of course it's true, and besides, didn't you deduce the rough identity of the letter sender immediately? That guy wouldn't have been able to, which is why he passed the task on to you!" Kawai continued to motivate her.
Kawai suddenly leaned in, interrupting, "The flames light up the moon in the sky, people carry lanterns to roam the streets, guess a traditional festival!"
This was a game they often played during their school days, with Kawai posing questions and Minamoto Tamako answering, including but not limited to lantern riddles, deduction reconstructions, and scenario games.
"Obon Festival?" Minamoto Tamako answered instantly.
"Bingo!" Kawai raised a finger and poked her little cheek, "As smart as always!"
Minamoto Tamako's mood shifted to one of contentment, but she was still troubled by another matter: "Hey, Kawai, does Fushimi think I'm annoying?"
"Huh? Why do you say that?" Kawai was puzzled.
"Because I just invited him for lunch, and he refused... And he never eats in the cafeteria, could it be he's avoiding me?" Minamoto Tamako poked at her food with her chopsticks, "Does he find me bothersome?"
Kawai waved her hand in resignation, saying, "You're thinking too much. He just can't make friends. Didn't you notice? You're the only one talking to him, so he hides in the dorm and eats alone, right? Poor guy..."
"Of course! Mr. Fushimi is completely the type who acts cold and arrogant but is actually dying for someone to talk to him!" Kawai pulled the corners of her eyes to mimic Fushimi Roku's usual dead fish eyes, "Ah, wandering alone is so lonely, finally a cute girl is talking to me, I'm truly blessed as Fushimi Roku!"
Minamoto Tamako couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Feeling motivated and uplifted, she decided to take advantage of the lunch break to uncover the letter sender's identity and impress Fushimi!
Meanwhile, what is the solitary Fushimi doing in the dorm?
"In the Fukushima toilet corpse case, a male body was found stuck at the bottom of the school's female toilet. The deceased was a school employee, and the body was in a very strange position..."
Fushimi Roku suddenly closed the case file, not wanting to affect his appetite for lunch.
Yes, he was studying.
Differing criminal laws in various countries, different judgment cases and legal bases, even though he was a veteran lawyer in his previous life, he had to start from scratch after time traveling. He had been burning the midnight oil lately, studying criminal law and reading case files.
Fushimi Roku didn't plan to return to his old profession, he just didn't want to be ignorant of the law.
In case anything happened, he could save on lawyer fees - Japan allows individuals to represent themselves in court without hiring a lawyer.
He had just picked up his chopsticks when there was a knock at the door, and someone outside called out, "Is Mr. Fushimi in?"
Fushimi Roku got up to open the door, and the visitor was the class leader, saying Instructor Sakurai wanted him to go to the office. He turned to glance at his meal on the table, asking, "Did she say what it was about?"
"She didn't, but she did specify that you should go immediately."
"Then it's not urgent, I can finish my meal first." Fushimi Roku turned back to close the door.
The class leader held the door with his hand, awkwardly saying, "That would be troublesome for me, since Instructor Sakurai said to go right away..."
"Five minutes, I eat fast."
"Sorry." The class leader wouldn't yield.
Fushimi Roku sighed, thinking that those who listen to teachers the most become class leaders.
He simply turned, picked up his meal box, and walked alongside the class leader down the corridor. After locking the dorm door, he said, "Let's go."
"Uh? What are you...?"
As Fushimi Roku spoke, he had already started eating with his chopsticks. He walked forward, shoveling food into his mouth.
Passing students gave him strange looks, and the class leader didn't even dare to walk alongside him, deliberately staying a step behind.
Having lived two lifetimes, Fushimi Roku exuded an unparalleled laid-backness. Thinking back to his previous life, he often carried a bowl of hot dry noodles on the bus; eating on the go was a routine.
Before reaching the classroom building, he finished his lunch and casually tossed the meal box into a trash bin. The class leader quietly reminded him, "You should sort the trash..."
"Caring for the environment is something rich people should do, the pollution I cause throwing away a thousand meal boxes is nothing compared to what Tokyo Electricity causes." Fushimi Roku was indifferent.
The class leader thought to himself, isn't this twisting the narrative? Just because others do wrong doesn't mean you should? And why bring up Tokyo Electricity... Is Mr. Fushimi an extreme conservative, opposing electric circuit construction?
He didn't argue, just feeling that Fushimi's personality was as rumored, unpleasant. After bringing him to the office door, the class leader quickly left.
"Pardon me," Fushimi Roku knocked on the glass door of the private office, "I am Fushimi Roku..."
Before he finished speaking, he heard familiar breathing sounds coming faintly from inside the office.