Not a detective

The firm was different today. A magnificent black sedan was parked on the roadside in front of the door. You didn’t even need to look at the brand; the gleaming finish alone was enough to tell you the price. In particular, there was an elderly man standing in front of the door with his back straight. Although his hair and beard were white, he was very energetic. He was wearing a black suit and looked so elegant that he seemed to have stepped out of a comic book.

If you're not careful, you might even think you've accidentally wandered into Akihabara and there's a butler cosplayer standing there.

The old man stood by the car door, ready to open it at any moment, with a constant smile on his face. His bow tie and beard were both very neatly groomed, which made people admire his dedication.

Asakawa Riku and he made eye contact, and the other man nodded slightly in acknowledgment. Asakawa Riku then guessed what was going on.

Just then, the detective came downstairs and went out, something she hadn't done in a long time.

Today she was wearing a long gray-white trench coat. Trench coats are indeed a height-restricted garment, which suited her temperament and style perfectly. It made her stand out from the passersby around her. Compared to her usual outlandish outfits, this one seemed much more normal. Perhaps Xingyu had helped her with the styling. However, the slippers she was wearing still gave her away.

"Isn't it cold...?" Asakawa Riku couldn't help but wonder. Her exposed ankles were slender and pale, and they looked rather out of place in the cold wind.

Shinonome Sugetsuki wore pure black sunglasses. Although she was very tall, her face was small, almost covering half of her face, making her look like a female celebrity hiding her identity.

Actually, Asakawa Riku thought this guy probably hadn't gotten up early in a long time and was afraid of being seen looking sleepy.

I wonder if she saw Asakawa Riku standing to the side. The old man in the black suit bowed respectfully and invited her to the back seat.

But she chose the passenger seat and got in.

"Asakawa Riku".

Asakawa Riku walked over and greeted the old man: "I am—"

But he got stuck halfway through his sentence. He suddenly felt that using the word "bodyguard" was not appropriate. It made it seem like going to someone else's house was like going through fire and water, and it might also expose him and alert the mole.

He glanced at the detective sitting in front of him; the two hadn't had a chance to rehearse their statements yet, and they weren't sure what kind of relationship they should use to pretend.

"Mr. Asakawa, hello. I am the butler of the Shinonome family. Please call me Shinohara."

The old man didn't investigate further. He introduced himself and gave a proper bow: "I've already heard about it. You don't need to say anything more. Please sit down."

This was the first time that Riku Asakawa had enjoyed having the car door opened for him, and it was also the first time he had ever sat in such a luxury car. The back seat was spacious and comfortable, and the seats seemed to be made of an extraordinary material. The fabric was soft and light, and it felt like he was sinking into it. There were countless buttons around him that he couldn't understand. As soon as he sat down, the heating and massage functions were automatically turned on.

I wanted to talk to the detective about the security measures for tonight, but since there were outsiders present, I decided to wait for another opportunity and didn't strike up a conversation with her.

Asakawa Riku waited a while, only to find his butler, Shinohara, sitting in the driver's seat, starting the car. He was surprised.

"Wait, isn't there one more person?"

He looked at the building's entrance, but the blonde girl didn't seem to be there. It seemed that Hoshino hadn't come downstairs with the detective; he had assumed she was just a little late.

There's just one empty seat in the back of the car, isn't there?

“Hoshino went there a long time ago.” The detective finally spoke, her voice still hoarse as if she hadn’t slept enough: “She needed to prepare some things, things like…”

I feel like I'm about to fall asleep at any moment.

"Yes, as a maid, Hoshimi Koyu, in addition to serving the young lady on a daily basis, also has to share some work for everyone during this year-end event."

While turning the steering wheel, the butler Shinohara explained, "As for our distinguished guests, they can arrive a little later, but I will get them there safely as soon as possible."

"I see," Asakawa Riku understood the itinerary. Since there was no one next to him, he simply placed his backpack containing his luggage on the seat, instantly enhancing his comfort.

There's a small curtain hanging nearby, the kind for airplane windows. Even if you don't pull it down, it blocks out most of the light, and the soundproofing is so good that you can't hear any noisy streets. It offers excellent privacy.

"Gentlemen, eye masks, wet wipes, and drinking water are all prepared. If you need anything during the journey, please let me know immediately, and I will do my best to help you."

The butler, Shinohara, was an impressive driver. He looked to be around 6 or 70 years old, but he drove through the bustling city of Tokyo without any jerking or stop-and-go traffic. Instead, he moved through the traffic as if it were nothing. He must be a professional driver. It felt like you could put a bowl of tofu on the dashboard and it wouldn't spill. His driving was extremely smooth and elegant.

And so, we slowly drove out of Shibuya...heading west...

Not only was Shinonome Suetsuki, who was probably already asleep in the front row, but Asakawa Riku himself also felt a subtle sense of drowsiness.

He glanced at his watch.

He set off at nine in the morning. He had checked and found that the Shinkansen would take two hours, while driving would take about four hours. If he were to drive into the Oeyama Mountains, he wouldn't arrive until the afternoon.

While the Shinkansen is obviously faster, it's crowded and dangerous, making travel less safe. After all, Shinonome Suetsuki's life is currently threatened, and the time allotted for the mission has begun. Asakawa Riku must ensure her safety at all times. Having a private car to take her directly to her destination would be much better, even if the windows aren't bulletproof.

Asakawa Riku tapped on the glass; it was indeed not bulletproof, but he didn't dare break it, guessing it was ridiculously expensive and he couldn't afford to pay for it.

The five- or six-hour drive would have been perfect for a comfortable nap, but he decided to live up to his salary and didn't let his guard down.

He kept his phone's navigation app open at all times to ensure the journey remained on the Jingye Line and Dongming Expressway, wary of the butler suddenly turning onto some strange side road. At the same time, his eyes were fixed on the outside of the window and in the rearview mirrors like a hawk, alert to any neighboring car that lingered for too long. He had expanded his "vision" into a domain.

Nothing that happened around him escaped his notice.

And so, Asakawa Riku maintained his professional demeanor, waiting silently in the car, waiting for the journey to gradually unfold...

Arrived in Kyoto.

Winter of the Demons: Chapter Eleven - Hotel Accommodation

The car drove into the mountains.

In winter, the lush green leaves are gone, and the bare forest looks somewhat dilapidated, but the desolate feeling is just like the mood described in "mono no aware".

It makes you unconsciously exclaim, "Oh, I've come to Kyoto!" It feels completely different from the bustling scene of Tokyo.

It didn't have the magnificent scenery of Mount Oe described on travel websites; it just looked like an ordinary mountain forest, perhaps because we didn't go to any designated viewpoints.

However, compared to this, Chizuko's home can no longer be called a "mountain"; it's probably just a "small hill." This is a whole, continuous mountain range. Although it can't compare to the truly magnificent natural scenery of Asakawa Riku's hometown, this forest still makes you feel like you're really in the mountains. And it's not just a walking path; it's a road leading uphill.

The car drove on the highway, winding and climbing repeatedly. It was very convenient not having to climb the mountain yourself, but this road must have been built by the Dongyun family.

After all, this road doesn't lead to any tourist attractions; it just goes deeper into the mountains, solely to get to that building.

The fact that they went to that mysterious "Wine Heaven Pavilion" just so that the annual guests wouldn't have to climb the mountain themselves... what an astonishing move.

"Gentlemen, we've arrived."

After driving for about half an hour on the mountain road, the butler, Shinohara, stopped the car, seemingly having arrived at their destination.

He didn't turn off the engine immediately, but instead gave a gentle prompt, presumably to wake up the young lady in the passenger seat.

Seeing that guy stretch dramatically, Asakawa Riku said, "I'll get off first," and opened the car door on his own.

As soon as he got off the bus, he felt a chill. Perhaps due to the urban heat island effect or the altitude, the perceived temperature here was about 5 degrees Celsius lower than in Tokyo. Asakawa Riku didn't feel particularly cold; he just thought the refreshing breeze smelled nice and instantly woke him up. He got off the bus early not only to stretch his lazy body...

It's still to be wary of the surrounding environment.

Fortunately, a quick glance revealed that there was no ambush, so there was no need to stop the target from getting off the vehicle.

Asakawa Riku felt he was quite professional, standing by the car door with a serious expression.

While Dongyun Sueyue was getting off the bus, he took a look at the huge building. It was about forty meters high and about ten stories high, standing right in front of him. It was like a book stuck in the land in the middle of the mountain. The vertical rows of windows were neatly arranged. It was well hidden in the mountains because the surrounding area was probably a low-lying forest.

I guess the buildings here will only be noticed when they are photographed by satellite or when an airplane flies by.

There was no sign of "Jiutianguan" on the gate, but it is worth mentioning that there were two huge Christmas trees by the gate, and various floral decorations also adorned the exterior walls.

All that's missing is a classic piece of music, but the quietness here makes it feel a bit eerie.

"Is this the Wine Paradise Pavilion?"

he asked.

"That's not how it is." To everyone's surprise, the butler, Shinohara, gave a negative answer. After opening the car door for the young lady, he handed the keys to a waiter who ran out. The waiter drove the luxury car away, presumably to park it. "This is the [annex]. The guest rooms are for the convenience of our guests. You can treat it as a hotel."

"Ah, so that's it."

Asakawa Riku was slightly embarrassed, even though he had been seriously analyzing the place, which was actually just a hotel.

"The banquet venue is Jiutianguan, which is a ten-minute walk along this road."

Butler Shinohara did not laugh at him, but maintained his respectful and serious smile. He pointed further into the mountains and said, "Because the master has instructed that no one else is allowed to drive there, I can only take you this far. When the banquet starts, you two will have to walk there. I am really sorry."

"It's alright." Asakawa Riku stopped, glanced at the path leading deep into the forest, and memorized the direction.

Walking is not difficult at all. The roads here are all paved and there are no ups and downs. Even ladies wearing high heels can walk without any pressure.

I thought it would snow, but the weather was surprisingly good today. The sky was clear and cloudless, and even a bit dry.

Asakawa Riku glanced at the time; it was exactly 2 PM.

At the same time, the dawdling detective finally arrived, saying in a lazy voice:

"Don't stay here. I don't want to be stopped and chatted with by some random relative. That's the thirteenth most unlucky thing, second only to hitting my toe on a cabinet leg."

She took out the transparent medicine bottle from inside her trench coat, casually poured a few pills into her mouth, chewed them, and swallowed them.

"Of course." The butler, Shinohara, bowed and immediately led them through the gate of the annex.

Asakawa Riku realized that Shinonome Suetsuki's low mood might not just be due to her sluggishness from not having slept enough; he vaguely sensed that she seemed to be very resistant to this banquet.

It wasn't just the danger of being assassinated, but the sheer rejection of this family.

Upon entering the gate, you immediately feel ample warmth flowing from head to toe, but it's not the kind of uncomfortably hot heat; rather, it maintains the room temperature just right.

The style here needs no further description; simply put, it's like the lobby of a five-star hotel, with the height of just one floor appearing to be over six meters.

The butler, Shinohara, went to speak with the staff on their behalf, but after saying only a couple of sentences, he turned back:

"Would you like to reserve the same room for both of you?"

"It's better to separate."

Asakawa Riku paused for a moment, then answered instinctively.

"Please arrange it across the street," Higashikawa Suetsuki added, "and make sure it's as close as possible."

"I understand."

The butler, Shinohara, nodded.

Riku Asakawa then realized that he had been unprofessional just now. As a bodyguard, he should theoretically provide close protection.

But that's fine too. It would be too awkward for two people to live together. If they were very close, Asakawa Riku's hearing would be enough to monitor what was happening in the next room.

He can rush over immediately if an outsider breaks in or if there are any strange noises or cries for help.

After politely declining the waiter's offer to take his luggage, Asakawa Riku and the others took the elevator to the top ten floor, walking along the corridor on the soft carpet.

Finally, they arrived at the room number marked on their room card. He then seemed to see the detective pull down her sunglasses, wink at him, go inside, and close the door.

Although Asakawa Riku didn't understand what it meant yet, he could ask later. He entered his room after the butler, Shinohara, bowed to him.

It's right across the street.

The lights automatically turned on as soon as he entered. It was a suite that Asakawa Riku had never stayed in before. He didn't bother to praise the various luxurious furniture and facilities one by one. He walked through several rooms and immediately saw the extravagantly large bed, which looked to be three or four meters wide. Asakawa Riku didn't hesitate at all and immediately pounced on it.

I couldn't help but let out a satisfied cry.

Once he sheds his disguise, he's really just a teenager who longs for luxury hotel rooms.

Winter of the Demons: Chapter Twelve - Tailor-made

His longing for the bed didn't last long.

Ding-dong-

About ten minutes later, the doorbell rang.

Asakawa Riku got up and opened the door, thinking it was the detective looking for him, but he didn't expect to see the butler Shinohara there.

“Mr. Asakawa, I’m sorry to disturb your rest, but you may need to come with me.”

The old man bowed slightly.

"What's wrong?" Asakawa Riku stood by the door, not taking a step, but calmly asked.

"Regarding tonight's banquet, since it's a formal occasion, there may be a dress code..."

The butler, Shinohara, had already been very tactful in his words.

Riku Asakawa then noticed his clothes: a simple dark green windbreaker and unremarkable trousers, making him look like a hiker.

Although he was still handsome enough in terms of face and figure, he couldn't stand such simple clothes, and he realized that he had no experience in attending high-end occasions.

"I don't own any formal attire or suits..."

"We will prepare it for you."

"Can't afford the rent."

Asakawa Riku answered very frankly, without any embarrassment.

"Please rest assured." Butler Shinohara smiled. "This is a free service, it's what we should do. Please come down and let the tailor take your measurements, and he will cut out a suitable set for you."

"It won't take too long, will it?"

Asakawa Riku was relieved. He picked up his phone and was about to leave when the butler, Shinohara, didn't move aside. He smiled and pointed to a corner by the door.