Vol 2 Chapter 3 Part 5

We returned to the head priest’s residence again and entered the “Waterfall Room.” It was a beautiful, spacious Japanese-style room, and as the name implied, you could see waterfalls from it. Three men were sitting there, waiting for us.

“Greetings. I am the assistant head priest, Unsho.” The elderly priest bowed.

The next to bow was a priest who looked to be in his thirties. “My name is Shoan.”

Last was a middle-aged man wearing working clothes who seemed to be a laborer. “I’m the gardener, Kikuchi.”

“It’s nice to meet you all. My name is Kiyotaka Yagashira.” Holmes bowed deeply, and the three men returned the gesture.

“I’m Akihito Kajiwara. Nice to meet you.” I bowed too, feeling kind of awkward.

The assistant head priest, Unsho, was sitting in the middle, while Ensho and Shoan sat by the walls on either side of him. The gardener, Kikuchi, sat a bit farther away. Unsho and Ensho wore peaceful smiles on their faces, but the younger priest, Shoan, had a serious expression. I’d thought that Ensho resembled Holmes, but he was also just like the assistant head priest. Maybe refined people all have the same aura. The unrefined Shoan seemed somewhat on edge. Meanwhile, the gardener Kikuchi seemed like he was kind of just there.

Come to think of it… Where’s the head priest?

“I apologize for calling you here so suddenly,” the assistant head priest said meekly.

Holmes shook his head and said, “It’s fine.” He then leaned in slightly. “What did you wish to talk about?”

The assistant head priest sighed lightly before beginning his story. “The head priest is actually away right now for a seminar. It’s a two week trip, and on the third day he was gone, the gardener Kikuchi found this letter on our temple’s grounds.” He took out a white envelope from his robes and held it out to Holmes.

“One moment.” Holmes took his white gloves out of his pocket, put them on, and opened the envelope. Inside was a sheet of writing paper that said:

“Dear Nanzen-ji Temple, I’ve helped myself to your dragon.”

The letter was written with a brush, in rather fancy handwriting. Holmes’s eyebrow twitched ever so slightly, but I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

“When I read this letter, I first assumed that it was a prank, but just in case, I checked all of the dragon-related objects in the temple. However, nothing was stolen. So, I thought it must’ve indeed been a prank,” said the assistant head priest. Ensho and Shoan both nodded from either side of him. “Then, another three days later, Shoan found the exact same letter. It was discovered in the early morning, under the statue of Hanshan and Shide. As far as we’re aware, it was not there the night before.”

Now that’s a surprise. That’s the statue of the two old men we saw before, right? Did someone sneak in in the middle of the night and put it there?

“I see. That is indeed unpleasant in various ways, whether it was the act of an insider or the crime of an outsider.” Holmes nodded while looking at the letter.

Right, if it was an insider, then it’d be a prank, in very poor taste. If it was an outsider, then that would be trespassing. Purposely putting a letter like that under a temple’s treasure is malicious in itself.

“Yes. However, I found it peculiar that nothing was stolen. Then I heard that Seiji’s grandson had a sharp mind, so I thought to ask for help.”

I see; so that’s why he chose Holmes.

“This letter is handwritten. I hate to trouble you, but would it be possible to show me the handwriting of everyone at the temple?”

“Should we have them write something?”

“No, I want to see what they’ve already written,” Holmes answered immediately. I definitely agreed. If they wrote something new, they’d consciously change their handwriting.

The assistant head priest looked to Ensho and Shoan, and they quickly stood up and left. They soon returned with a book of hand-copied sutras.

“Also, this is the gardener Kikuchi’s handwriting.” It was a single envelope. It looked like an ordinary letter of thanks.

“Thank you very much. Allow me to take a look.” Holmes bowed and quickly skimmed through the words on the sutras and the envelope. I thought he’d go a lot slower than that.

The assistant head priest’s handwriting was impressively artistic. Ensho and Shoan’s weren’t quite there, but they were neat enough that even an amateur like me could read them. We looked at the other priests’ handwriting, and lastly, Holmes reached for the sutra written by the absent head priest.

I gasped when I saw it. Even a normal person like me could tell that it closely resembled the mystery letter. The priests in the room seemed to have just noticed too, because their faces stiffened.

“Thank you very much. I understand now.” Holmes closed the sutra book and looked up.

Yeah, I figured it out too. The head priest’s the culprit. No idea why, but there’s no doubt that he’s the one who wrote “Dear Nanzen-ji Temple, I’ve helped myself to your dragon.”

“As it says in that letter, Nanzen-ji Temple’s precious ‘dragon’ has already been stolen,” Holmes said, staring straight at the assistant head priest.

Everyone was speechless. I ended up being the first to speak up: “Wh-What do you mean, the dragon’s already been stolen?”

Shoan nodded. “I’m not sure what you mean, either. We told you that we checked and found that nothing was stolen.”

Ensho and the assistant head priest looked surprised, but calmly waited for Holmes’s next words. Kikuchi’s eyes made it obvious that he was thinking, “What’s this guy saying?”

“Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that Nanzen-ji Temple’s precious treasure has been switched out,” Holmes continued in a peaceful tone.

The treasures we’ve seen so far…

The dragon painting on the ceiling? I don’t think you can switch out something like that.

The dragon head on the roof? Is that considered a treasure?

Other than that, there were the vases, hanging scrolls, and…the statue of the two old men that they found the letter at? What if that symbolizes a dragon somehow? Maybe there’s a hidden story behind it that hints at dragons. Oh, what about the sliding door that I wasn’t allowed to take a picture of?

…No. Holmes praised that statue and the sliding doors when he saw them. He also called the ceiling painting “splendid.” Come to think of it, there was just one thing…that he didn’t praise. The one thing that he called “significant”…

“Your ‘Zuiryu’ calligraphy is a fake,” Holmes declared. Zuiryu—auspicious dragon. The room was instantly filled with anxiety.

“Y-Yagashira, we see that every day. I think we’d notice immediately if it were switched out,” Ensho said, bewildered.

Shoan nodded firmly. “He’s right. How could someone switch out something so big in the first place?”

The assistant head priest remained calm and returned Holmes’s gaze. “Kiyotaka, have you seen that calligraphy in the past?”

“Yes, several times. However, even if I hadn’t seen it before, I still would’ve known that it was fake,” Holmes replied immediately. Everyone, including me, was surprised.

“How so?” the assistant head priest asked. His tone wasn’t accusing—he seemed genuinely curious. The rest of us probably felt the same way.

“My grandfather often says that ‘In the end, a fake’s a fake. It’s not real.’”

The rest of us looked around at each other. Kikuchi still had that “What’s this guy saying?” look on his face. Sorry Holmes, but I feel the same way. What are you saying?

“Even if an appraiser is shown a forgery of a work they’ve never seen before, they can still tell that it’s fake. Genuine works have genuine lines, and fake works have fake lines.

“Fake works always have calculated lines that want to deceive and delude. They can’t be hidden—no matter how identical the colors and shapes are, an appraiser can sense something unpleasant and wrong.”

Everyone quietly listened to Holmes’s words.

“However, occasionally there are fakes that can even fool an appraiser’s eyes. We call these ‘elaborate counterfeits.’ Unlike the common forgery, these ones don’t contain the intent to deceive. The counterfeiter enters a trancelike state, as if he’s become the artist himself, and copies the work. These elaborate copies don’t have those unpleasant lines. As such, appraisers are sometimes tricked by them.”

His explanation reminded me of what he and the owner were saying yesterday, about the counterfeits that made it past the eyes of art gallery curators. Those might be the very copies he’s talking about.

“Nevertheless, they’re still fakes. Even if you can’t see the calculated lines, they don’t have the same aura as the originals. The Zuiryu calligraphy was switched out by a counterfeiter that possesses that remarkable copying ability. It’s only natural that a layman wouldn’t be able to tell. In fact, even an appraiser might’ve been fooled.”

I see. So that’s why Holmes called it “significant.” In that one moment, he identified that it was a counterfeit. He’s damn scary for his age.

Holmes paused to catch his breath, then placed his hands firmly on the tatami floor and faced Unsho. “Assistant head priest, Nanzen-ji Temple is known for once having a ghost problem. I hear that those apparitions disappeared when the Zen priest Fumon Mukan visited from Tofuku-ji Temple. It’s been around seven hundred years since then. Unfortunately, you now have another imposter lurking in your midst,” he declared.

The assistant head priest squinted. “An imposter?”

“Yes, right here!” As soon as Holmes said that, he whipped out something that looked like a knife from his inside pocket and flung it at Ensho’s head. A loud, bursting sound rang out.

Everyone gasped in horror. When I came back to my senses, I saw Ensho catching the knife-like object above his head, like when someone stops a sword attack between their bare hands. The object that Holmes had thrown wasn’t a knife; it was his folding fan.

“Whoa there, that’s a scary thing to do with a sweet face like that. Were you trying to break open my head?” Ensho continued to hold the fan up. A twisted grin rose to his face.

“I aimed right above your head, hoping to give you a scare. I didn’t expect you to catch it. Impressive.”

“Seriously? You would’ve put a real dent in my head. Anyway, I thought you’d be a well-behaved lad, but you’re pretty savage, eh? Sure didn’t expect you to suddenly come for my head.”

“You say that, but it’s only a folding fan.” Holmes chuckled.

“I could feel the bloodlust.” Ensho’s hands trembled as they held the fan. “By the way, when did you figure it out?” Despite the situation, he looked confident, his eyes gleaming.

It was a bizarre scene. Ensho was still holding Holmes’s fan above his head. The two were glaring at each other but smiling. The rest of us were stunned, unable to move or speak.

“I felt something was off from the moment we first met.”

“Did I mess something up?”

“First off, you knew who I was from the very beginning. Out of all of the sightseers there, you singled me out immediately when you saw me. I originally said I was going to come alone. Even though I suddenly decided to bring a companion, you didn’t hesitate to greet me. That gave me the impression that you were involved in my being called to this temple.

“Next, when we were in front of the Zuiryu calligraphy, you were a bit nervous, right? Actually, now that I think about it, you might’ve been excited instead. You suddenly started talking more, and your breathing was a bit irregular as you spoke. At first, I thought the temple was in a situation where it temporarily had to replace everything with fakes, and you were afraid that I’d find out.

“Then, there was your imitative nature. You’re a copier down to the core, with a habit of imitating the expressions and mannerisms of nearby people. Akihito told me early on that you resembled me. Later on, you mimicked the assistant head priest’s aura, and your handwriting was very similar to Shoan’s. For that letter, you copied the head priest’s writing on purpose, right? You would’ve easily been able to obtain what you wanted, so why would you go to such lengths?” Holmes asked.

Ensho’s expression softened. “I got better at counterfeiting, and no one noticed that my works were fakes anymore. It felt good at first, but before long, it got boring. So, I figured I’d atone for my sins and enter the priesthood. Took a bit of trickery, but I got in.

“Then the other day, I found out that you saw through one of my counterfeits, after all these years of silence. I suddenly got this longing ache for what I’d forgotten.”

“It wasn’t just me who saw through it. My grandfather did too,” Holmes stated.

Ensho snickered. “Yeah, well, if an old geezer with decades of experience figures it out, there’s not much I can do about that. When I found out that you did it—that you were younger than me and smart enough to be nicknamed ‘Holmes,’ I wanted to challenge you.

“I put a lot of painstaking effort into that calligraphy. You saw through it right away, but it was a pretty good work of art, right?”

“You can’t call that art,” Holmes said, suddenly switching to his Kyoto accent. “An artificial flower cannot be called a flower when all it has is the shape; it has no scent. An artificial flower is artificial. It’s nothing like a real flower. Some may beg to differ, but I will not recognize deceptive counterfeits as ‘art.’ It’d be impudent to do so.” A terrifying, scornful smile rose to his face.

Ensho looked amused. “You really know how to talk, eh? But I see now; that’s your true nature. You’re like a whole different person with that scary aura, but hey, I like it way more than your goody-two-shoes mode. You’re pretty messed-up too, huh?”

“Thanks. So, where’s the real Zuiryu calligraphy?”

“It’s in the temple storehouse. You’ll find it right away if you look. Now that I know you’re around, I have a reason to stick around in this world. Anyway, I lost this time, so I’ll be taking my leave. See ya.” Ensho grinned and shoved Holmes away. He dashed out of the room, still holding the folding fan.

“You’re not getting away!” Holmes immediately went to give chase, but was interrupted by the assistant head priest shouting, “Wait, Kiyotaka!”

Holmes froze for a moment. By the time he came back to his senses, Ensho was gone. Frustrated, he bit his lip, clenched his fists, and clicked his tongue. The sight honestly surprised me. Just like Ensho, I couldn’t believe that he had such a fierce side beneath his well-behaved mask. My mind couldn’t keep up with these rapid developments, but I felt oddly impressed.

“Kiyotaka, that is a ninja. No matter how confident you are in your abilities, a sheltered boy isn’t going to be able to catch him. It’s a waste of time and energy,” the assistant head priest said quietly.

Holmes twitched at that and frowned. He turned around and said, “I appreciate your concern, but I am not a ‘sheltered boy.’” His mouth was smiling, but it was clear as day that he disapproved of what the assistant head priest said.

“I know you’re no ordinary person, but you can’t win against Ensho in terms of physical ability.”

“You…don’t seem particularly surprised by all of this. Did you already figure it out?”

“I didn’t realize that the Zuiryu calligraphy had been switched out, but I knew that Ensho was not normal. I also sensed that he bore a past that he could not reveal. However, if someone resolves to enter the priesthood, it is our duty to accept his will. I know not what happened to Ensho in the past, but he discarded his earthly life, chanted the name of Buddha, repented for his sins, and was very close to becoming a full-fledged priest. However, when he learned of your existence, he felt a lingering attachment to this world. If a seasoned veteran such as Seiji saw through him, it would sting, but he would be able to give up. However, since you’re younger than him, being exposed by you hurt his pride.

“At the same time, I believe that Ensho was happy that you saw through his counterfeits. After living in the shadows for so long, he may have felt acknowledged, and that he’d found his destined rival. Now that it’s come to this, he can’t live inconspicuously anymore… It’s ironic,” the assistant head priest murmured with a distant look.

“Will you be reporting this to the police?”

“He said that the calligraphy is in the storehouse, and I’m inclined to believe that. In the end, nothing was stolen. Besides, the police won’t be of any help against that ninja.”

“What are you going to do, then? Let him go free?” Holmes questioned in a strong, somewhat irritated tone.

The assistant head priest smiled. “You will stop him.”

“Huh?”

“I ask you to catch Ensho, ‘Holmes of Kyoto.’”

Holmes’s eyes widened.

“In the end, we were unable to fill the void in Ensho’s heart. It’s a shame. However, this was inevitable. What will you discover after exposing all of his creations and utterly defeating him? Perhaps it is your fate to learn a lesson from his mistake.” He patted Holmes on the back and smiled as if he’d foreseen and accepted everything. It was overwhelming.

“No wonder you’re the assistant head priest of Nanzen-ji Temple,” Holmes yielded, slumping his shoulders. “You have my word that I’ll expose all of his counterfeits. I’ll show him that the act of counterfeiting itself is futile,” he said with a determined look in his eyes.