The old man was shocked, then sighed.
“I knew you would ask this sooner or later, and yes, I know about Kagohara village. Seeing you come at me like this must be because not many people want to talk about it?”
Suga nodded.
“Yes, but I think that's normal. That's why I don't force them."
The old man nodded and crossed his arms.
“I will give you the information you need.”
Suga was a little surprised.
“First, I want to know the exact location of Kagohara village. I have traveled to get there, only to find that the village does not exist.”
The man’s expression turned shocked.
“Travel there? How can you do that?”
Suga realized that he had flown with Nellson to get there, and it was impossible to explain it that way to this man.
"I went there using a boat via the river, hahaha."
Suga forced a laugh. This man was surprised for a moment; his expression then turned deadpan.
"I see. I think anyone would be surprised to find an empty, abandoned wharf in the middle of the forest."
Suga didn't know what this man meant, but he tried to improvise so as not to get suspected.
"Right, that's why I asked Uncle."
This man's expression turned serious.
“Just as you see, that wharf is what's left of Kagohara village, and everything else has vanished.”
Suga's expression turned confused.
"I don't understand what Uncle means by vanished."
This man nodded.
“Like you, I don't know what happened. One day, we wanted to check on the condition of Kagohara village, but the village had vanished without a trace."
Suga was surprised; his expression then turned astonished.
“Such a thing is impossible.”
This man nodded.
“It might sound like I'm making it up, but that's what it is. You have proven for yourself that the village has indeed vanished.”
Suga nodded.
“Then, about the missing person case in Kagohara village. Uncle, know anything about that?”
This man nodded.
“It may be related to “Gasokami,” the Guardian gods of Kagohara village. I still remember how my father's and mother's generations performed a sacrifice ritual every year as a form of gratitude for being protected."
Suga was surprised.
“I actually learned about the Guardian gods from Ishikari's mother. Can Uncle describe what this Guardian gods looks like? Or have Uncle even met Gasokami in person?”
This man shook his head.
“No one ever meets the Guardian gods in person unless he wishes. I heard that there is a painting of him kept in the shrine near the village. But my generation has agreed to abandon and forget that ancient culture so that even I don’t know.”
Suga’s expression turned a little surprised as he thought.
Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!
“Ishikari’s mother also said something similar, so this information is likely true.”
Suga’s expression turned serious.
“I heard from Ishikari’s mother that someone was sacrificed by his own will in the past?”
The old man was surprised.
“Right, that happened about ten years ago....”
The man’s expression turned serious.
Flashback to ten years ago. A man in his 20s with a slightly long hair, wearing a kimono with ten ropes made of red cloth tied to his right and left wrists dangling to the ground, and several villagers and Shinto priests stood on a wharf with shocked faces, looking toward something before them. One of the villagers said.
“There was nothing... the village has vanished....”
One of the men who sacrificed himself stood at the front; his expression turned serious. He then turned to face the people behind him.
“Leave me here. The curse must be lifted soon, whatever it takes.”
Everyone’s expressions changed to fear, then nodded. Flashback ends.
Back at the house of the man who owns the bicycle rental shop and Suga in the present, they are now sitting in silence. The old man said.
“We thought the ritual would not work, but he insisted we leave him there. We left one boat for him to return if it didn’t work. But he never returned. When we checked there again, he was nowhere to be found, and the boat was still at the wharf.”
Suga’s expression turned curious.
“Are there any changes after the ritual is carried out?”
The old man nodded.
“Yes. I don’t know what really happened, but no one went missing for the next few years, but then it happened again. Usually, one person goes missing every year. But this year, even eleven people went missing. What happened decades ago is repeating itself.”
This man looks scared.
“I always wonder whether our action of stopping this ritual was a fatal mistake.”
Suga’s expression turned serious, and he stood up from his seat and grabbed the old man’s shoulder.
“I have no right to say this, but Uncle and other villagers' actions to stop the culture of sacrifice rituals are correct. Let me take care of the rest.”
The man looked resignedly at Suga and nodded.
The time is 9:30 am. Suga walked out of the bicycle rental shop house, then bowed politely to the old man, who did the same. Suga walks away, Nellson flies after him. Suga rode his bicycle, Nellson flew after Suga and landed into the bicycle’s front basket without being asked.
“Where are we gonna go now, Suga?”
Suga’s expression turned serious.
“Last night’s incident bothered me. I will make a report at the police station so the townspeople will be more alert.”
Nellson nodded.
“Good idea, Suga.”
Suga then pedaled his bicycle away from here.
After riding his bicycle for some time, Suga arrived at the police station in this town, a two-story building in a classic modern style. The front of this police station has framed glass double door entrance and four wide rectangular windows on the right and left of the entrance. To the right of the building, there is a parking area for employees and three garages with rolling shutter doors containing police bikes and cars, and to the left of the police station, there are several parking slots for visitors. Not too far from the police station area is a two-story fire department building and a three-story hospital building that extends to the right and left.
Suga parked his bicycle at the bicycle parking slots in front of the police station and then got off. Suga entered the police station, and Nellson flew after him. Inside the police station, there is a hall for a waiting room with several long metal chairs, a front desk in a modern minimalist style with a male police officer guarding it, and another double-door entrance room to the office. Only Suga is here, and this police officer immediately notices his arrival. Suga walked over to the policeman and stood before him, Nellson then landed on the floor next to Suga. The policeman smiled at Suga, and his attention immediately focused on Nellson beside Suga. Before the policeman could comment, Suga immediately interrupted.
“He is my pet owl Yokai; I mean, my pet owl who loves to do cosplay like what he is doing now, hahaha.”
Suga forced a laugh. The policeman’s attention turned back to Suga and looked at him with a surprised expression, then smiled awkwardly.
“Can I help you?”
Suga smiled, then took out his ID from his long jeans' pocket and showed it to the policeman.
“I am a government investigator. I hope for your help regarding my investigation of recent missing person cases.”
This policeman looked at Suga’s ID and was surprised.
“You are an investigator? Sorry if I didn’t realize it immediately.”
Suga smiled while putting his ID back into his jeans' pocket.
“It’s okay, I’m used to it, sir. But I am indeed an investigator.”
The policeman’s expression turned doubtful, but he let it.
“Okay, what do you need?”
Suga nodded, looking around him curiously.
“I see that this police station is quiet?”
The policeman nodded.
“The others are busy investigating the recent missing person cases in this town.”
Suga nodded; his expression then turned serious.
“For the help I asked for, I want the police to strongly urge townspeople not to approach dangerous areas such as forests until the cause of the victims’ disappearance is known.”
The policeman nodded, then noted down what Suga wanted.
“Okay, I understand.”
Suga’s expression turned curious.
“Is there any progress in the police investigation?”
The policeman’s expression turned doubtful.
“Not yet, but you can leave your contact here. I will contact you if there is any new progress.”
Suga nodded and gave the police his contact details.
“That’s all I need. Thank you for your cooperation, sir.”
Suga bowed politely, and so did this policeman.
“Of course, no need to feel reluctant. At times like this, we are happy that many people help.”
Suga smiled and nodded.
“Okay then, I’ll excuse myself.”
Suga walked out of the police station, Nellson flew after him.