Welcome to the Shibasaki Detective Agency.
My name is Kagami Kiyoharu. I will be your guide to this case.

My family takes care of a temple for generations. Since childhood, I have been trained to become a Buddhist monk. However, I ran away from home. I moved to Tokyo and started working. Because of my psychic abilities, sometimes people come and ask for help.

Oh, don't worry. Isn't fraud. I'm very good at driving away evil spirits, even though I'm not fully a psychic medium.

***

Hikone-shi,
Shiga

Today, the client didn't come to our office, but we are the one to visit our client.
The client called our office last week and tells us that she needs help with what happened in her great-grandfather house. The location is in the mountainside. At first, we think that her great-grandfather house just alike villa, but...

"Wow, what is this?" Rui looked at the house from afar, "Outstanding!"

We were all stunned to see the house. If you say it's a house, the building looks more like a castle. We watched the house from the stone bridge with a golden wooden fence.

The bridge is the only access to the house from the front yard. Is really a big house.
When you first enter the house, you need to pass the big front gate with a large yard. The car parked there and we need to walk 300m to get the bridge.

"Doesn't this look like ... Azuchi's Castle?" Yui suddenly said.

Yui always surprises me with all her eyesight. She is a cute girl, in my opinion. She has an average height, about 155 cm with a small and slim body. Shoulder length straight black hair, pale white skin. Characteristics of girls living in cold areas in the countryside. Yui also always speaks politely and she is a little quiet.

Honestly, I prefer energetic girls, quiet girls are usually very sensitive and I can't handle a girl like that. But, what I like about her is that she is good at cooking, especially making cakes. The homemade bento that she often makes for us is super delicious.

"Azuchi Castle? The famous Azuchi Castle?" Rui looks curious and looked back at the building, "Where did the idea of ​​the Azuchi Castle come from?"

Yui seemed to thought about it for a moment, "That's because ... maybe ... the colors," she said, "I've read it before, the Azuchi Castle is very colorful and bright. Especially the golden colors and bright red, Blue and grey with the white combination,"

"Who built Azuchi Castle? Takeda Shingen?" Rui murmured, then turned towards us who saw him with a surprised look, "What?"

Naomasa looked at him sharply, "Do you always fall asleep during history lessons? Where's the idea about Takeda Shingen come from?"

"What? Isn't Takeda Shingen?" Rui said it again and we all laughed at him, " Hei, I'm just guessing you know. It's not like I don't know. I just forget it," Rui scratched his head and his face turned red.

Although we both models, we work for different modeling agencies.

"It was built by Oda Nobunaga. History says that it was the greatest castle in Japan at that time. Nobunaga builds the castle to represent himself as a great rule for all the Japan, " Yui said, " I still remember about Azuchi Castle from the book I read before,"

"But why is Azuchi's castle?" Naomasa looked at the building curiously.

We all looked at the building once more. Why build a house like a castle? If it's an inn or hotel, it might still be understood. But, for homes in general? I don't understand how rich people spend their money.

"That's because my great-grandfather really admires Azuchi Castle," We all turned around when we heard a woman's voice. The woman stood right in front of the bridge entrance and then slowly approached us, "My great-grandfather is an architect from the Taisho Era. He's a specialist about castle buildings. I heard when he still doing research, he found the blueprint of Azuchi Castle and start his interest in the Castle structure," she smiled at us.

"You are..." Naomasa asked, "The client, Nakagawa-san?"

She smiled and nodded, "Thank you for coming from afar. My name is Erika Nakagawa, I'm the one who called you last week. Nice to meet you all," Nakagawa Erika-san, 30 years old, a famous Japanese restaurant owner.

Naomasa stepped forward and smiled politely, "Nice to meet you. I'm Kakiuchi Naomasa. I'm the one responsible for your case,"

"Yes. I have heard about you from Shibasaki-san. He said you were very reliable, Kakiuchi-san, " Nakagawa-san chuckled.

"Oh, Nakagawa-san meet with Shibasaki-sensei?" Rui asked, "Where did you meet Sensei?"

Nakagawa-san looked at Rui, "I have a friend who is a member of the same ski club as Shibasaki-san, " she smiled, "He was the one who introduced us,"

"Ski clubs?" I'm surprised, "Sensei sure have a lot of free time," I don't believe Sensei has time for something like that. Is that one way to get clients?

Naomasa seemed to ignore anything about Shibasaki-sensei too much, "That's how it is. Can we go straight to the building?" He was always annoyed every time he heard Shibasaki-sensei's name.

Why? That was because Shibasaki-sensei was a very carefree person and had never taken anything seriously. Poor Naomasa-kun. He handles everything by himself.

We walked over the bridge. The house and the front yard is separated by a big pond. Actually, there are electric cars that are used as transportation from the front yard. But, at the moment everything isn't working.

"This building has been empty since my mother's great-grandfather died," Nakagawa-san said, "At least 36 years ago. We have only started the cleaning 6 months ago,"

"No one ever lives there since then?" Naomasa looked curious.

We are surprised too, but we just glance at each other. I mean, a big house that empties for almost 36 years, no matter what, it's perfect like the haunted house.

Nakagawa-san nodded, "No one. Even my mother never once lived here,"

We then arrived right in front of the house. 7-floor building with extraordinary Japanese style house. Even though the colors of the walls had started to fade and some part of the roof looked broken, the building still gave the impression that the building was once is an amazing house.

We followed Nagasawa-san into the house. And the first thing we have when entering the house was a lined up of European-style statues like a guardian angel, medium-size, that filled the room, the walls were filled with beautiful scroll paintings. It looks like the wall is also used as a sliding door.

"Wow! Guardian angels statue inside Japanese style house?!" Rui stunned, "This room just like a gallery, but...a bit odd. I mean, medium-size stone statue inside the house with a wooden floor?"

"The ceiling is too short to put the medium-size statue, "Ayako whispered, "And why there's shoji (sliding door) everywhere? The concept not match,"

The room is dark. Only an antique wall lamp that gives us a small light. Well, it sure makes this room more like haunted.

I looked around and when I would take a step ahead, I saw a woman standing right in front of one of the statues. The third statue from the front door where I stand. The woman wore a long blue nightgown that stretched to the floor. Her brown long hair covered almost her nightgown. She just stood and looked straight ahead.

Who she is?

I want to say something, but my voice doesn't come out. My body shuddered and I started to tremble. Cold. I saw Naomasa and the other just walked passed her. They don't notice her. Not even turn toward her. And she's the same. Only stand there, looking straight forward.

They don't saw her? The woman stands still. Not move or even look at Naomasa and the other. Her eyes just look forward to the front. But, slowly she turns her face towards me. Slowly. Her death eyes glared at me.

"Yui!!"

I heard Sakuya called Yui and I gasped. I turned my face toward them slowly and saw Sakuya holding Yui shoulder. My heart beats so fast. I'm still trying to catch my breath. I can't say anything yet. I'm still shocked. My body still shivering.

"What is wrong?" Sakura asked Yui once again, "Your body is cold,"

Did Yui also experience the same thing?

Yui turned her eyes towards where the mysterious woman I saw stood, but she was not there, "I think...I saw something. A woman...standing there, " Yui still trying to calm down herself. Her voice is trembling.

"A woman?" Sakuya takes a look ahead, "Tell me about that later. It's not good to make a scene now," he sighed.

Yui nodded. I take a look again when I passed the statue where the woman I saw standing.

Who is that? A wandering spirit? Did she haunt the place? But, why I can't move? Why the others don't sense the spirit present? Why only me and Yui?

"My great-grandfather's wife really like western style house. Because they have different tastes, I think that's why the house is mixed both of them," Nakagawa-san explained, "All the furniture here is copied from two different cultures,"

Rui smiled, "Even is look like completely Japanese from outside,"

"Yes, the building structure is completely Japanese," Nakagawa-san said, "I heard my great-grandfather imitate the Azuchi Castle structure, especially the 6-7 floors. But, I'm not sure anymore, because the house got renovated a lot. Maybe it just looks like the castle from outside," she smiled.

We continued to follow Nakagawa-san. We passed a long corridor filled with sliding doors. In the left side, every three rooms with sliding doors separated with another corridor and the right side, separated by five rooms with a sliding door. We reached the end of the main corridor when Nakagawa stopped and opened the sliding door.

She turned and looked at us, "This is the room that I prepared for you. I have prepared the right side and left the side of your bedroom. If you need something, you can immediately used the telephone line. I will stay here too with the servants and maid," she smiled.

"Thank you," Naomasa then sat in front of a long table that prepared in the room, "Nakagawa-san, I want to ask you a few things about this case," the table looks like a dining table with seven chairs.

Nakagawa-san nodded, "Of course," she then sat right in front of Naomasa.

"Yui, helped me to interview Nakagawa-san, " Naomasa said, "And the rest of you started organizing the equipment we needed,"

"Understand," we nodded and began the works. Sakura and I starting to place a computer and take out the camera. Rui and Ayako take our luggage to the bedroom.

"Alright. Nakagawa-san, can you tell us again about what happened?" Naomasa asked while putting the voice recorder on the table.

Nakagawa-san took a deep breath, "Yes. A year ago, my mother received an inheritance from her deceased parents. At first, my mother refuses to take it, but, I'm the one who suggests her to take it. The location is promising, " she said, "And then, we visited this house a month later. We agreed to make this house a Japanese style inn and restaurant, of course, that needs a lot of renovation. So, we worked with a contractor company to renovate this house 6 months ago, " She explained.

"The renovation began 6 months ago?" Naomasa asked, "Did a strange incident occur when the renovation began?"

"Right. I was responsible for this plan. So, I came straight to see how the project going. Everything went well, " Nakagawa-san stopped for a moment, "But...two weeks after the work started, a worker suddenly disappears, " her voice is weaker, she tightened her grip.

Disappears, huh? It's possible, the house this big after all. I only listened to the interview while installing the computer and also arranged several cameras. Judging from the size of the building, I'm sure we need a lot of cameras to install.

"At first we thought maybe he went home or was sick. But the chief said he didn't get any news from him. We also checked into his house, but his family said he hadn't come home since going to work. One worker said maybe he ran away carrying antique items, but all the items are still in the room, " Nakagawa-san explained. Her face looks pale.

"Antiques?" Naomasa asked, "Are there many antiques in this house that can be taken easily?"

Nakagawa-san nodded, "There are a lot of antiques stored in warehouses and also on display on the 2nd and 4th floor. But, we still haven't had time to check the value of these items, " she said, "I plan to call an antique expert. But, I'm not sure anyone stole it. We then thought he might be lost, so we tried to look for it, "

"Lost? In this house?" Yui asked, a bit surprised, "Even though this house is big, is it possible for an adult to get lost?"

"There are more than 106 rooms in this house. Not including other rooms such as living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, meeting rooms, libraries, art room, saunas, theatres, and many other rooms that I don't know yet," she said with anxiety on her face.

I shouted, "106 rooms?"

Nakagawa-san nodded, "Even though it's like a room, but I'm not sure it's a room. There are some rooms that only look empty with doors leading to other rooms,"

"Like a labyrinth?" Noamasa murmured, "Do you have a blueprint from this house?" he looked at Nakagawa-san.

"Yes, it can be said that, " Nakagawa-san took a breath, "When we first entered this house, we were all surprised by the doors and rooms that were intertwined with one another. Long corridor all filled with sliding doors. We were really very confused. We then asked an architect to make Blueprint of this house, but when he was working on, he also disappeared,"

"Even the architect disappeared?" I can't believe it, "Didn't you try to call him?" I asked.

"Yes, I tried to call, but the phone could not be reached, " she said, "We tried to find him with police assistance. But we didn't find anything. We then decided to temporarily stop the renovation of the house, but when we left, one of the policewomen disappeared,"

We look at each other. As if not believing what happened. This house ... like swallowing humans? This doesn't seem to be just a haunted house.

"One more person. So, in total, 3 people already missing, " Naomasa looked confused, "Why architect? Don't you have the Blueprint of this house?" he asked.

"According to a lawyer from my mother's family, since my mother's great-grandfather build this house, the house hasn't stopped being renovated every year," Nakagawa-san explained, "My mother's grandfather himself continued to renovate it until he passed away and continue on to my mother's father," Nakagawa-san said, "Only my mother's great-grandfather and his wife lived here with several servants,"

Oh...his wife? The woman I saw earlier, the wife? But, she's young, more like a daughter than a wife. I looked at Yui who have the same vision as me.

Naomasa straightened up while putting his hands on the table, "Why keep the renovation If your mother family never live here since your great-grandfather passes away?" Naomasa-san asked, looks confused.

Nakagawa-san shook her head, "That's my great-grandfather will. To never stop the renovation of this house. But, because it's my mother who inherited the house now, we planned to stop renovation and build inn and restaurant here,"

"That's how it is, " Naomasa said, "Isn't it usually the inheritance given to the oldest son of your mother's family? Why did your mother get an inheritance?"

Nakagawa-san gives a small sighed, "In my mother's family, since my great-grandfather time, all the men who were born died young, " she said, "There are currently no men in my mother's family. My mother's family, the Hanasaki family, is continued by the daughters, the husband is the one who took the wife family name, "

"Dead young?" Naomasa-san asked, "Is it because of illness?"

Nakagawa-san silence for a moment then looked at Naomasa seriously," They say, it's a curse,"

"Curse?" We all stared at her. Even Sakuya who had been busy with the equipment turned around and looked at Nakagawa-san.

Nakagawa-san took a breath, "Even my mother doesn't know the detail. Is hard for my mother to get married because the husband takes her family name, " she said, "But, because my mom is the youngest daughter, she doesn't need to continue the family line. It's my mother eldest sister husband who is the head of Hanasaki family now,"

"What is your great-grandfather like?" I asked, "Your mother must have told a lot of stories about him, seeing how he built this magnificent house,"

Nakagawa-san gave us a thin smile, "His name is Hanasaki Keizo. He's an architect who works for the government in the Taisho era. He owned a lot of land in this area, " she said "I don't know a lot about him,"

"Taisho era, around 1912 to 1926, right?" Yui said, "When exactly was this house built?"

"According to the lawyer, the house built on Showa 14 means 1939. They live there until they both passed away. His wife died in 1975 and My great-grandfather died in 1983. The house is vacant since then," Nakagawa-san explained.

Naomasa took a breath, "Do you ever hear rumors about this house or why are the people missing?"

Nakagawa-san thought it for a moment, "I heard it from the town people, they said this house is haunted. There is a lot of strange phenomena happened," she said, "They said sometimes, they saw smoke from the chimney like someone using the fireplace, or they saw the light from the house, or they heard a sound of classical music from inside the house. The front gate is opened, but the second gate toward the bridge is locked. The kids in this area make the front yard their playground,"

"So, this house is really haunted," I murmured, "I mean, at least that's what people rumored to be," I looked at Nakagawa-san who looked worried.

"We understand," Naomasa-san took a deep breath, then smiled, "We will start investigating this house,"

The family is cursed?
A house like a castle.
The woman I saw when I entered the house.
The workers suddenly disappeared.
And the strange phenomena.
What exactly happened at this house?