pdf-ebookys Chapter 305 On the Commonality Between College Students and Fishermen in Random Respawning
Chapter 305 On the Commonality Between College Students and Fishermen in Random Respawning
"Brother Heimen is—"
"Pfft, Master of the Clan?"
The clear and loud shouts echoed over the beach. There weren't many tourists in the morning, and the environment was relaxed and pleasant without any conversations. As a result, almost everyone in the area heard the enthusiastic pledges of allegiance.
Quack—Quack—
Two seagulls darted past, snatched the fries, and carried away the half-dead shame of Yoruichi Kuromon as they flew to the other side of the sea.
Pulling down his sunglasses, in a flash, Kuromon Haruya snatched the beach towel from the back of the chair—
A vibrant pattern of tropical flowers and fruits spread across the air, drawing everyone's attention. With the elegance of a Spanish bullfighter, Heimen Yaoye swiftly draped the tablecloth over his head, quickly forming a desert-style veil. In a single stride, he grabbed the back of the siblings' necks.
"You two, please calm down. How about we find somewhere else to talk?"
......
"...In one of our folklore courses, the teacher asked each student to investigate their family history and origins. The two of us traveled all the way from Tokyo back to our old, abandoned house, and spent a week cleaning out the cobweb-covered basement before we finally found all the information!"
About a hundred years ago, our branch, which served the Kuromon clan, was given the surname Kuromonji, primarily responsible for overseeing clan rituals and the safekeeping of ritual implements. Unfortunately, these things were lost in the turmoil of the last war; only the records, mostly buried underground, survived.
Ran Mouri continued, "So you weren't the kind of family servants from TV dramas, but rather you followed the clues from an investigation to find out about the Kuromon family?"
"Haha, I wish it were really that cool!"
Kuromonji Shizuka took a swig of beer, then smiled at Kuromon Haruya, whose eyes were half-moon shaped like his own, across the long table. "I just didn't expect this 'head of the family' to be so easily fooled! Hahaha~"
Kuromon Haruya: Stare—
That's because, in places you don't know, the Karasuma family has a sizable group of fanatical followers!
"That spectacle was too exaggerated for ordinary people."
Amused, Shizuka Kuromonji chuckled a few times, then crossed her wrists and rested them under her chin, her beautiful eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"To be honest, my brother and I came to Izumo for a trip this time to prepare for our graduation thesis. Our tentative topic is 'An Origin Investigation of Rare Surnames in Tottori Prefecture.' We wonder if Mr. Kuromon would be willing to lend a hand to our humble servants?"
Surname survey... Kuromon Haruya glanced at her again and shook his head: "I'm sorry, although I'm from Tottori, I've lived abroad for many years and don't know much about my hometown."
"That's it..."
Kuromonji Shizuka nodded, undeterred. "Let's try a different approach then. Actually, I'd like to ask you some questions about the Kuromon clan's history. After completing our coursework last semester, my siblings and I followed our family tradition and went to Tottori to conduct our own research. The people of Tottori... how should I put it?"
"What happened?" Sonoko asked curiously, propping her chin on her hand.
"Hmm, the atmosphere just feels weird!"
Kuromonji Shizuka and her younger brother exchanged a glance, pondered for a moment, and then slowly began to speak.
“When the villagers first heard that my brother and I were surnamed Heimenji, they were incredibly welcoming! They not only took us to the guesthouse for free, but also volunteered to be our tour guides, saying they wanted to give the ‘little crows returning home’ a proper introduction to their hometown. But everything changed after we opened our hearts and told them the purpose of our return.”
"Everyone at the dinner table changed their expressions, the laughter stopped abruptly, and whispers began to circulate under the table—'Why did they do that?' 'It's taboo.' 'Disrespectful.' 'They've been assimilated by despicable outsiders.'"
Then, although everyone tried to create the impression of a warm welcome, they remained silent about historical records. If we hadn't happened to run into a passing out-of-town fishing expert, we would have returned empty-handed.
"Ugh...that sounds scary." Ran nervously clung to Sonoko.
Haruya Kuromon suppressed Conan's probing gaze and smoothed things over, saying, "After all, it's the countryside, and the older generation is probably more conservative about these things."
“We tried visiting the Kuromon residence before, but it seemed uninhabited. We thought we'd try our luck in Izumo, near Tottori, and what a coincidence that we ran into Mr. Kuromon!” With that, Kuromonji Shizuka clasped her hands together and leaned on the table in supplication.
"Could you please tell me what has happened to the Black Gate clan, even in recent years? Thank you!"
What happened to the Kuromon clan in recent years—wasn't that it? Conan recalled the answer he received that night when he questioned them: a massacre that wiped out the entire clan, disguised as a fire.
Under his concerned gaze, Kuromon Haruya's expression remained unchanged, and he smiled politely: "I would very much like to support your academic research, but unfortunately—"
"After the fire seventeen years ago, I was the only one left of the Kuromon clan. Documents, bankbooks, clothes—everything was burned to ashes. The ancestral home you see today is merely a replica I rebuilt from memory on half the original site."
“This…” Kuromonji Shizuka stopped speaking, stood up and bowed solemnly, “I’m very sorry for troubling you with my bluntness! Please accept my condolences.”
Kuromon Haruya waved his hand casually and nonchalantly: "It's alright, you didn't mean it."
Although the people involved didn't seem to care, a silent atmosphere settled over the table. The lunch they had ordered wasn't ready yet, so the first few people could only awkwardly exchange a few words amidst the gentle lapping of the waves at the beach restaurant.
Just then, Kuromonji Akatsuki, who had been silently staying by her sister's side, raised her phone and whispered, "Sister, it's time."
"Oh, it's already this late!" Whether there was something really going on or she wanted to take the opportunity to leave, Kuromonji Shizuka hurriedly stood up. "I'm sorry, we have an interview this afternoon about the Izumo disappearance incident. It's such a shame we can't have lunch with you!"
"Please make yourself at home." Kuromon Haruya pondered for a moment, then picked up his phone. "If you don't mind, let's exchange contact information. Although I don't know much about you, I might be able to help you in some way."
For example, persuade these two naive college students to choose a different topic before they trigger external warnings.
Shizuka Kuromonji paused for a moment, then gave a wry, apologetic smile and bowed deeply again: "Really, thank you so much!" She picked up her bag and stepped out of the restaurant, then turned back as if remembering something. "Oh, by the way, we overheard something this morning when we passed by. It seems there was a murder near the woods by the tracks. Please be careful."
"Ok!"
Watching the siblings hurry away, Sonoko Suzuki looked around, clapped her hands, and started the conversation again:
"Oh right! Didn't Shopkeeper Sami go to call Mr. Hanzawa? Why hasn't he arrived yet..."
“My beautiful lady.” Just then, pale yellow tulips came into view in the garden. Turning around, the voice belonged to a young man in a floral shirt, “Would I be so fortunate as to have the seat next to you during your vacation?”