I was born in a city where time has ceased to exist.
For better or worse, the city stubbornly keeps its own rhythm
and despises change.
Here, the stagnant flow of time is called "peace and quiet."
Straight and unyielding, like a femur,
time's flow represses the city and its denizens' hearts.
Great time of year, isn't it?
Yeah.
Morning, Imai.
What's going on?
It's dead, isn't it?
Poor thing.
Let's go, Tatewaki.
Excuse me. Please let me through.
Hey...
Could someone bring newspaper, a plastic bag,
and a cardboard box from the school?
Um, I'll go.
Real death gives people pause.
As it should.
Just a while ago, I would have reacted the same way.
But I've...
I've since met her.
That's why...
Rest in peace, and don't haunt us.
We probably should have taken it to animal services or something...
I'm sorry to ask this of you, Isozaki-sensei.
Well, as a life sciences instructor,
I do teach my students the importance of life every day.
Thank you for your help, too.
Uh, er...
Kougami-san. She's in the class next to ours.
You know each other?
I'm in the tennis club with Imai-kun.
I'm Kougami Yuriko.
Nice to meet you.
I'm Tatewaki Shoutarou.
Come to think of it, I remember hearing somewhere
that beneath the cherry trees...
...dead bodies are buried.
It's a story by Kajii Motojirou.
Beneath the cherry trees...
Asahikawa City, Hokkaido Prefecture.
This is where I live.
Lately, the zoo has grown very popular, drawing quite a few visitors to the city.
Asahikawa City Asahiyama Zoo
But time flows very slowly here.
Or to be more blunt, the city has stagnated.
Still, I do like this city.
Memories of the past dwell here,
quiet and kind.
Kujou
And...
There is someone here who cares greatly about those
who lived in the past.
Yes, here...
Here, beneath
the Kujou family's
cherry tree...
Hi, boy.
I'm glad you came.
...there is a princess
who loves bones.
The First Bone The Princess Who Loves Bones
What?
So you buried the kitten?
That's disappointing.
Isn't that what any normal person would do?
Then I suppose I'm not normal.
Well...
This is Kujou Sakurako-san.
She comes from a prominent, well-established family in the prefecture,
and she lives in that big house with only an old housekeeper.
With impeccable looks
and a sharp wit to match,
she may seem beyond reproach at first glance, but...
In general, Sakurako-san doesn't like people.
Or, you might say, she's just disinterested in interpersonal relationships.
What she does like
are bones.
Apparently, that's been true since she was little.
She harbors a deep longing for bones from all manner of living things,
to the point that she's made it her profession.
Sakurako-san works as an osteologist.
She takes bones from animal carcasses
and reconstructs their skeletons.
In other words, only bodies that have already lost the spark of life
interest Sakurako-san.
You'll damage your hearing.
Lord Diavel's voice is exceptional.
As for our relationship...
That's up for debate.
Of course, we're not in a romantic relationship,
and it's not exactly friendship, either.
On a side note, Sakurako-san has a fiancé, Ariwara-san,
who's on the fast track in his career with the prefectural police.
So Sakurako-san and I are...
Welcome to Mashike
Many Delicious Foods
Oh!
What are you yelping about?
Alaskan shrimp!
That's right, Mashike's known for it!
I see.
We've come all the way to the ocean...
Why do we have to spend it picking up bones of dead animals?!
The sea is blue,
the sky is blue,
and the ocean breeze is most pleasant.
What could you possibly be dissatisfied with?
What am I dissatisfied with?
Everything!
Also, would you please stop calling me "boy"?
Why?
I have a real name, Tatewaki Shoutarou!
I just feel like I'm being treated like a child.
Then I suggest you make a big find and impress me.
If you're lucky, you may even find the bones of a whale.
A whale...
Yes, wouldn't that be grand?
I know! If you do make a big find,
I'll treat you to Alaskan shrimp as a reward.
Really?
Really.
Alaskan shrimp...
Alaskan shrimp, Alaskan shrimp!
Today will be a great shrimp festival.
Alaskan shrimp!
Here, Sakurako-san!
This is a fox's femur.
I don't need this.
I already have one.
Huh?
Bleah!
Boy, this is just a piece of wood.
Are you making fun of me?
It would seem the Alaskan shrimp are still far beyond the horizon.
Ah!
Okay, this time for sure.
Shrimp fest, please!
Huh?
Oh, this is a big find.
But this is...
Yes, a very common species.
Well, hello.
S-Sakurako-san, th-that's...
A human skull, yes.
Look, it is truly beautiful.
It's also remarkably well preserved.
Yeah, but that's not the point...
Wonderful.
Even the sphenoid, or "butterfly," bone is nearly intact!
The butterfly bone?
Boy, all men have one butterfly...
inside their heads.
Huh?
Right here...
Deep inside.
Just as its name implies, the sphenoid bone is shaped like a butterfly.
It is extremely fragile and easily broken,
but beautiful nonetheless.
It'll make a wonderful addition to my collection.
Sakurako-san, you're not saying you want to take that bone home...
It's our best catch today!
You can't!
I mean, that's someone's skull...
It might belong to someone who died at sea!
No, that possibility is slim.
Look here.
It's broken.
Based on the break,
I'd say the damage was inflicted by a club-like object.
You mean, the skull's owner was killed?
Possibly.
Given how powerful the blow was,
it wouldn't surprise me if the strike resulted in a fatal contusion.
The victim was female.
You can tell by the gentle slope of the parietal bone.
Based on the sutures, I'd say... She was in her late twenties.
Did you know, boy?
The skull is one of the most eloquent bones in existence.
If you just ask, it will tell you many things.
As you can see, Asians often have a shallow, horseshoe-shaped palate.
Caucasians have a deeper, V-shaped palate.
In addition...
Yes, I see!
Hmm, well, well...
Ah, is this the police?
Yes, there's a chocolate-brown car parked nearby.
Boy...
Yes?
You called the police?
I did.
Why, you...
You wouldn't want to cause trouble for Gran or Ariwara-san, would you?
Come to think of it, there's one thing I forgot to mention.
When I'm with Sakurako-san...
No!
This is mine!
I won't let the police have it!
Hey!
...somehow,
we always end up finding human remains.
How many times must I tell you?
This is mine!
But, based on your description, there is cause to suspect foul play.
Yes, but you'll never find the killer!
Why not?
The Japanese police are—
Capable?
Even so, you never will.
Why not?
Because she lived
approximately a hundred years ago.
A hundred years?
It's that old?
Yes, we'll need to carbon date it for a closer approximation,
but some estimates are possible, even with the naked eye.
It may surprise you,
but the human race's skeletal structure changes every hundred years or so.
Due to changes in lifestyle and environment, I suppose.
One of her molars
has a large cavity.
It must have been painful, but there's no sign of treatment.
That would be unthinkable today, right?
Not to mention, despite her age, the teeth are extremely worn down.
Based on these observations, I estimate that this person lived about a century ago.
You can tell that much?
I told you...
Bones are quite eloquent if you question them.
S-Still, given that it's human remains, we need to follow proper procedure.
What a chore...
This is basically a lost article.
And its owner is right here.
Sakurako-san, that joke is in poor taste!
It's not a joke! It's the truth!
Either way, I'll need you to come to the station.
Still, to think that three bodies
would be found in a single day out here in the countryside.
Three, you say?
Yes, also a double suicide.
Their bodies washed ashore on the beach ahead.
Oh?
Sakurako-san!
And how do you know it was a double suicide?
Well, since they were found with their hands tied together, it was obvious.
Ah, there it is.
They're inspecting the scene right now—
Stop the car!
What?!
Without a doubt, this was a double suicide.
I wouldn't be so sure.
Huh?
Who the hell are you?
Hokkaido Prefectural Police
Hey!
You, show me the bodies.
Oh, okay...
H-Hey...
Sakurako-san!
Now, let us solve the mystery.
This is interrupting my thoughts.
I understand.
That's enough!
You think you can just do as you please?
I just thought I should teach an ignorant country detective
that these bodies require autopsies.
Huh?
This is a double homicide, disguised as a double suicide.
Yamaji, who is this girl?
Well, that's a bit difficult to answer...
Damn it.
How do you know that this is a homicide?
What's your basis for making that call?
And how can you be so nonchalant, even though you're a civilian?
Are you the killer?!
Um, her...
Sakurako-san's uncle is a forensics professor!
He's retired now due to illness,
but he's helped the police
at their behest on numerous cases across the prefecture.
Wait, would that be Shitara-sensei?
Yes, that's right.
He took good care of me during my training, when I was just starting out.
Oh, so you're his niece...
No wonder.
I hope my uncle hasn't spread bad rumors about me.
Sir, I think her opinion's worth a listen.
Could you let me handle this?
Hmph, what would a civilian know about this, anyway?
Honestly...
The police are such bureaucrats—
Boy!
Jeez, why do you always have to be this way?
What did you say?!
And here I was looking forward to a shrimp fest for dinner!
Is food all you think about?!
All right, that'll do it.
I'll get going, then.
Please wait!
Was there something else?
Would you please explain to me why this isn't a double suicide?
The knot was too clean.
The knot?
Yes.
Look here.
Huh?
The man wore his watch on his left wrist.
His necktie knot also suggests he was right-handed.
Yet he tied his dominant hand to the woman.
Isn't that odd?
Then what if the woman tied the knot?
I can't deny that possibility...
But if they agreed to a double suicide, it's more likely that the stronger man
would tie the knot to ensure they stayed together, even in death.
Not to mention,
the bowline knot was tied in the wrong direction.
Huh? But a bowline knot is...
Just try it.
Okay...
It's hard to do with my left hand...
Oh!
I get it!
If I tried to tie it on myself, the rope would be pointing up!
I see...
One more thing.
This is not definite,
but there are two rules of thumb for determining
if a person drowned.
First, look at their hands.
When drowning, people tend to grab at things in torment.
In cases of double suicide,
it's not uncommon to find they'd torn out each other's hair.
Each other's hair...
The agony of death surpasses love, I suppose.
In a crisis, people will try to live, even if it means drowning another.
That's instinct for you.
Second, look at their mouths.
Water entering the lungs causes them to exude mucus,
which mixes with air and water in the lungs and creates a white froth
that spews from the mouth and nose...
But no traces of that were found on either of their mouths.
As such, it is possible that a third party killed them beforehand,
camouflaging the act as a double suicide.
An autopsy will reveal whether there's any water in the lungs,
as well as other pertinent facts.
Wait! How did you figure out so much in so short a time?
That's simple.
Unlike you all,
it's my wish to discover that the remains before me
had been murdered.
Sakurako-san, that's indiscreet.
People are not wild animals.
Unfortunately, human remains are not generally found lying around.
So when I discover a human body, I find that fact unnatural.
It's just a difference in assumptions.
For now, I would suggest looking into their known acquaintances,
and finding someone who can readily tie a bowline knot.
Thank you. I'll take that under advisement.
By the way, I'd like to make a phone call.
Then just use my cell.
No, a public phone will be fine.
Sakurako-san?
Huh?
Wh-What is it?
Sakurako-san.
But this is...
Hey! When did you—
This is mine!
I helped you with a homicide that would have been overlooked!
This is more than warranted as a reward!
Sakurako-san!
In the end, no Alaskan shrimp for me...
Thanks to someone who tried to run off with a skull.
It's because you interfered, boy.
Can we please stop with the "boy" thing already?
I have an actual name, Tatewaki Shoutarou!
At least call me "Shoutarou."
You're so selfish, you know that?
Yay!
Hokkaido karaage!
And Gran's special potato salad!
The young lady informed me
that you'd be arriving with an empty stomach.
Huh?
Then, you weren't using the phone call back at the police station to run.
I did go back on my promise to treat you to Alaskan shrimp, after all.
Shouko-san was here?
Yes, she was disappointed to have missed you.
By the way, Shouko-san is Sakurako-san's aunt.
She owns a rose garden,
and sometimes visits Sakurako-san to...
Actually, her visit was very timely.
She said she was just sharing, as usual.
Yay!
It's a shrimp fest!