Vol 2 Chapter 5 Part 5

We arrived at Tenryu-ji Temple and paid the entrance fee.

“Tenryu-ji is a Zen temple associated with Emperor Kanmu. It’s known for its beautiful garden, and it’s also a registered World Heritage Site,” Holmes said as we walked through the temple grounds.

Gazing at the vivid red leaves and the large, well-maintained pond, I nodded, impressed. “This is a World Heritage Site too, huh?” Kyoto really is amazing.

A garden surrounded by mountains, a big pond with stepping stones, the autumn foliage reflected on the water’s surface… There weren’t only red leaves, but yellow and the occasional bright green as well. The trees complemented each other’s colors. I’ve been to quite a few shrines and temples with Holmes, and all of their gardens were beautiful, but…

“This garden really is magnificent,” I murmured.

“It is,” Holmes said, nodding. “They say that it’s because of this garden that Tenryu-ji is considered top-class in Japan. It was designed by Soseki Muso, a Zen priest who was an expert in Japanese-style gardens.”

Soseki Muso… That name sounds kind of cool.

“Huh, so they had a landscaping pro,” Akihito remarked.

“Yes. Some of his other works are at Saiho-ji—known as the ‘moss temple’—Eiho-ji Temple in Gifu Prefecture, Zuisen-ji Temple in Kanagawa Prefecture, and Erin-ji Temple in Yamanashi Prefecture. Each and every one of them is marvelous, so please visit them if you ever get the chance,” Holmes explained passionately.

Akihito nodded with a strained face. “O-Okay. Man, are you some kind of shill?”

We walked farther into the garden and before long we were in a bamboo grove. The dignified rows of bright green stalks were very beautiful. It felt completely different from the unorganized wild thickets you find in the mountains.

“This is lovely too,” I said.

“It’s beautiful, right? People from Hokkaido would especially love it, because Hokkaido doesn’t have bamboo thickets.”

“I see…” Akihito and I replied in unison.

After visiting Tenryu-ji Temple, we ate lunch at a nearby Japanese restaurant and relaxed there until it was finally time to go to Yanagihara’s house.

Yanagihara the appraiser lived a short drive away from Arashiyama. We parked outside the fence and passed under the wooden gate, which had been left open. Inside the gate was a sprawling Japanese-style garden that was meticulously maintained, with neatly pruned trees and a koi pond. Past the garden was a long, one-story Japanese-style house with a black tiled roof. The Yagashira residence had been a stone house that resembled a Western art museum, but this one was completely different. It was a Japanese estate through and through. This feels more like what I’d expect from an acclaimed appraiser’s house, though. In other words, the Yagashira house must be unconventional.

“Why, if it isn’t Kiyotaka.” A man wearing glasses and a suit walked up to us, smiling. He looked to be in his forties.

“Thank you for inviting me today,” Holmes said, bowing gracefully. Akihito and I bowed too.

“Sorry for tagging along,” I said.

“Kiyotaka informed us that you’d be coming,” the man said. “Aoi and the budding entertainer, Akihito, yes? I’ve been watching your show, A Fine Day in Kyoto. Allow me to formally introduce myself: I’m Yanagihara’s secretary, Taguchi.” He smiled warmly. He was a refined-looking man with soft facial features.

“You’re really watching it? Thank you so much!” Akihito leaned forward, eyes gleaming.

Taguchi leaned back to avoid him, seeming a bit overwhelmed. He adjusted his glasses and said, “You seem a little different from what I saw on TV, Akihito.”

“A little? He’s completely different,” Holmes replied immediately. “The one on TV is a monkey playing pretend.”

“S-Stop calling me a monkey!” Akihito exclaimed, his face bright red.

Taguchi and I laughed.

“A spirited one, I see,” Taguchi remarked. “This will make the show more exciting.” He smiled, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses.

Holmes tilted his head. “The show?”

“We have a small event planned—one fitting for an appraiser’s birthday party.”

“Oh, a game?!” Akihito exclaimed, not hiding his delight. “Now I’m excited.”

Holmes and I smiled awkwardly at him. The secretary had only said it was an “event.” He didn’t say anything about a game.

“Um, what kind of event is it?” I asked quietly.

Taguchi smiled. “We’re thinking of holding an ‘authenticity exhibition’ here at the Yanagihara estate.”

“An authenticity exhibition?” Holmes asked, walking beside Taguchi as we headed for the front door.

“Yes. Yanagihara is actually supervising an upcoming event called the ‘Past and Present Authenticity Exhibition’ for a certain department store.”

“That sounds like an interesting event.”

“Thank you. As such, some of the items are currently being stored here, and we thought we should take this opportunity to showcase them to our party guests today. We also want to play a small game that involves them.”

“I see,” Holmes said, nodding and folding his arms.

“Oh, so it is a game!” Akihito’s eyes lit up again. Just how much does he love games?

“Um, is this a game that even an ordinary person like me can play?” I asked.

Taguchi smiled at me and said, “But of course. We’ve planned it so that all of the guests can enjoy it, so please join in. There’s also a prize.”

“Whoo, a prize!” Akihito clenched his fists.

Holmes had an elegant smile on his face. “You’re spicing it up, I see. That’s great.”

“Thank you. Now then, right this way.”

Taguchi led us inside. The rooms and even the hallways were covered in tatami mats—but just when I thought it was a completely Japanese-style house, it turned out that there was also a Western-style hall for gatherings. Upon turning a corner, we encountered a large set of open double doors. In front of them was a sign saying “Shigetoshi Yanagihara’s Birthday Celebration.” Past them was the aforementioned hall. It was spacious, with vermilion carpeting and chandeliers. There was a grand piano by the window. And of course, there were the many guests. Yanagihara was in the middle of the crowd, wearing a black kimono. His white hair and long beard gave him the aura of a mountain hermit.

“Sir, Kiyotaka has arrived,” Taguchi said loudly.

“Oh!” Yanagihara walked over to us. “Thanks for coming, Kiyotaka.”

“Happy birthday,” Holmes said with a smile. “Thank you for your invitation. Unfortunately, my grandfather was not able to attend today due to work.”

Yanagihara grinned. “Oh? That old goat called me yesterday and said, ‘Why would I go to an old geezer’s birthday party? Make do with my grandson.’” Oh geez…

“My grandfather is simply shy. This is from him,” Holmes said, holding out a box containing a bottle of wine. “Once again, happy birthday.”

“Why thank you. I don’t know how good his eyes are, but I know he at least has good taste in booze.” Yanagihara happily accepted the box, his face in a wrinkly grin.

Yanagihara and the owner are really good friends, huh? That’s what I gathered from their rude way of talking to each other.

“Well, go and enjoy yourself. Same goes to your companions.” Yanagihara looked at us.

I hurriedly bowed my head. “Th-Thank you, and happy birthday.”

“Yeah, happy birthday,” Akihito said awkwardly.

Yanagihara smiled cheerfully. “You’re the kid from TV, right? I’m enjoying A Fine Day in Kyoto. Keep up the good work.”

“I-I will, thank you.” Akihito bowed again.

Just like the owner, Yanagihara also had a unique, intense aura. Akihito seemed to be overwhelmed by it.

“And you’re the part-timer at Kura, right?” Yanagihara asked, looking straight at me. “The old goat was praising you, saying you’re doing a good job.”

“Th-Thank you.” Hearing that the owner praised me made me happy. But why is Yanagihara staring at me like that? I felt anxious.

“I guess she’s normal,” Yanagihara murmured.

Huh? I was dumbfounded, but before I could say anything, I heard a familiar voice come from beside me: “Hello, sir.”

This voice is… I turned to look, and Yoneyama stood there, smiling weakly.

“Oh, you came too?” asked Yanagihara. “The painting you made for Takamiya was real nice. I hope you enjoy yourself today,” he said, then walked away.

But what did he mean by “she’s normal”? Does he think I’m too ordinary to work at Kura? I felt a bit uneasy.

“The Yagashira family is surrounded by eccentrics, myself included,” Holmes explained. “Yanagihara probably thought it was unusual for us to hire a normal, non-eccentric girl.” He smiled gently.

“Yeah, Holmes is definitely a weirdo,” Akihito said, not missing a beat.

“I don’t want to hear that from you,” Holmes quipped, smiling back at him.

“Huh, they sure get along well.” Yoneyama looked amused.

Watching the two of them, I felt the gloominess in my heart instantly clear away.

After that, Yanagihara gave his speech and we toasted him with an assortment of champagne, wine, and juice. There was a variety of Japanese, Chinese, and Western treats laid out on the long tables, which I snacked on while absorbing the peaceful atmosphere in the hall.

A short while later, Taguchi took the stage to address us: “Now then, as I explained briefly earlier, we would like to play an appraisal game in light of the upcoming authenticity exhibition.” He opened a sliding door, revealing another section of the hall. Inside, there was a collection of artworks that were being watched over by security guards.

“Whoa, are those real home security guards?” Akihito murmured, trembling with awe.

Holmes smiled wryly. “Home security? No, those are probably the department store’s security guards.”

“We will be showing you works of art,” Taguchi continued. “Raise the flag corresponding to ‘real’ or ‘fake’ depending on your answer. Basically, it’s a game about determining authenticity. It’ll be a single-elimination tournament, and there’ll be a prize for those who make it to the end.” As he explained the rules, the staff handed out small flags to everyone. “Raise the white flag if you think it’s real, and the red flag if you think it’s fake—a ‘red lie.’ Additionally, appraisers and those in the fine art industry will not be allowed to participate.” As such, Holmes and various other guests were not given flags. “Please don’t give your friends any hints, either.” The audience chuckled at that.

“Huh, this sounds like fun. I’ve seen some good stuff thanks to my dad, so I might do pretty well.” Akihito’s eyes sparkled as he looked at the flags. I had no idea how well I’d do, but it did sound like it could be a fun game.

“Good luck, everyone,” Holmes said with a smile.

“Now then, here’s the first item.”

One of the security staff pushed a rolling table cart in front of us. There was something on it covered by a cloth. I felt like I was at an auction.

“Please give your answers at the same time, when I say so,” Taguchi cautioned. He swiftly removed the cloth, revealing a large brown jar. “This is a Shigaraki jar. You will have two minutes to examine it and determine whether it is real or fake. I know it’s a very short amount of time, but this is a game, so please be understanding. There are magnifying glasses and other tools on the table.”

Everyone nodded and approached the jar, staring intently at it.

“It’s kinda dirty,” Akihito murmured, furrowing his brows.

Dirty? It was an earthen color, with a rough texture and areas where the stone jutted out. But, this is feldspar. Holmes showed me a Shigaraki jar at Kura before, so I know without a doubt that this is real.

“Two minutes have passed. Is this Shigaraki jar real or fake? Please give us your verdict.”

Everyone raised their flags at once. I raised the white one, confident that it was real. Akihito, along with around half of the guests, raised the red one.

“Please give us the correct answer, Yanagihara.”

“Sorry for starting with a hard one right off the bat. This is real Shigaraki ware.”

The guests who raised the red flag all sounded disappointed.

“R-Really? Even though it’s so bumpy?” Akihito bit his lip in frustration.

Holmes chuckled. “That’s a jar that was used to store seeds. Since it was for practical use, it doesn’t have any flashy decorations. Well done, Aoi.”

“Thank you. I realized because you showed me one before. Those bumps in the stone are feldspar, right?”

“Correct. I’m impressed.” Holmes nodded with a smile. Next to him, Akihito was pouting.

“Now for the next item: an old Kutani plate.”

A large decorative plate was brought out. There were bright stripes of navy blue, green, and yellow on the outside, and there was a painting of a bird in the center.

“My, such lovely colors,” murmured one of the guests, a refined-looking woman wearing a semi-formal kimono.

The colors are beautiful, but…I think old Kutani ware would have more distinct coloring. These colors don’t have as much impact as the one I saw before, and they’re kind of blurring together. Then there’s the bird—Holmes taught me before that genuine Kutani ware has exceptional artwork. This bird painting doesn’t have the kind of quality that takes your breath away.

The plate was propped up vertically. I walked around to the other side to check the base.

“Two minutes have passed. Please raise your flags.”

Everyone raised their flags at the same time. Most of them were white, possibly because of what the woman had said. However, I raised the red one.

Taguchi signaled to Yanagihara with his eyes, and Yanagihara nodded and said, “This is a fake.”

The audience stirred. I looked around and saw that only a few people had gotten it right.

Next was a Koseto vase and a Kizeto tea bowl, both of which I got right. Now the only participants remaining were me and another man.

“This will be the final round. Will we have a winner? Please look at this Shino tea bowl.”

The tea bowl was brought out. It was a very fine work, and the bends had a unique aesthetic. I heard that many counterfeits are like that. I’ve seen my fair share of them too, and each time, I thought: Counterfeits don’t make my heart flutter the way it did when I encountered a Shino tea bowl for the first time at Kura. That one was a masterpiece.

This might’ve been a high quality work of art, but I wasn’t going to mistake it for a Shino tea bowl.

“Give us your verdict!”

The other man raised his white flag, while I raised red. “Ohhh!” went the crowd. The hall was filled with anticipation.

“Yanagihara, if you would,” Taguchi said, sounding slightly excited as well.

“This is…a fake. Goodness, I hadn’t expected such a young girl to show us this wonderful display of judgment. Well done!” Yanagihara clapped, and everyone in the hall cheered and applauded.

“That was amazing, Aoi!” Holmes walked up to me quickly, his eyes gleaming.

“Holmes!” Elated, I turned around, and Holmes immediately grasped my hands with his. My heart leapt.

“That was brilliant! I knew from the start that you had good eyes, and I’m proud to know that I was right.” He grinned from ear to ear, still firmly holding my hands. My heart was beating a mile a minute.

“Th-Thanks. It’s because of everything you showed and taught me.” Ever since I started working at Kura, Holmes would show me every good piece that came in and teach me about it. His summer lectures helped as well. I only became this good at distinguishing counterfeits because I had Holmes as my teacher. The warmth from his hands is still making my heart race, though.

“Dang, Aoi. You’re amazing, huh?” Akihito said, amazed. Yoneyama was standing next to him, nodding and clapping.

“Yes, Aoi has a natural discerning eye, and she always looks directly for the truth, not averting her gaze. I think she’s truly amazing,” Holmes said, clapping. My heart was beating so fast that I couldn’t bring myself to say anything.

Yanagihara walked up to me, clapping as well. “I apologize for calling you normal earlier. It seems like I still have much to learn too. We rarely see such skill at your age. No wonder Kiyotaka chose you.” He nodded as he spoke.

My cheeks flushed. Even though Kiyotaka only chose me as a part-timer, it felt like there was another implication there that would make others misunderstand.

Then, Taguchi came forward from behind Yanagihara. “Congratulations on winning, Aoi. Your prize is a pair of vouchers for Yanagihara’s favorite inn, Tsukimiya at the Kinosaki hot springs.” He handed me a white envelope.

“Huh? Inn vouchers?” I squeaked, surprised. This has to be a high-class inn, right?

“Ah,” Holmes said, clapping his hands together. “I’ve heard of Tsukimiya. It’s a wonderful inn with a long history.”

Taguchi nodded enthusiastically. “So you know of it already. There are two vouchers, so feel free to go together.”

“Wh-What?” Together?! He’s telling me to go with Holmes to a high-class inn in Kinosaki? We are being misunderstood!

“I-I could never. We’re just coworkers,” I exclaimed without thinking. Taguchi looked a bit bewildered, while Holmes was smiling awkwardly. Um, now I feel kind of bad.

“Excuse my rudeness,” Taguchi said. “In that case, feel free to go with a friend or family member.”

“O-Okay… Um… Thank you very much.” I accepted the prize, too embarrassed to raise my head. The crowd continued to applaud.

After things calmed down, Taguchi looked around at everyone again. “Now then, we would like everyone to take a look at this next piece, including the appraisers. It’s the highlight of the upcoming exhibition: a Baroque painting.”

One of the security staff wheeled in a table cart with a Western painting on it. In the center of the painting was a man with a white mustache and beard. An angel was urging him in one direction, while three young women stood behind him. It was an impressive painting…and I had no idea whether it was real or fake.

A middle-aged man who was probably an appraiser gave a strained laugh and scratched his head. “It’s hard to judge a painting like this with your eyes alone. It needs a chemical analysis. Besides, Western paintings aren’t my specialty.”

Yanagihara chuckled and nodded. “Indeed, Western paintings are difficult. The appraisers gathered here today all have their reputations at stake, so it must be hard to give an answer. How about we have Kiyotaka answer, then? He’s skilled, but he’s still young, so he has little to lose.”

Everyone looked at Holmes. Holmes had said that Western paintings were his weakness. And like that appraiser said just now, it must be difficult to judge a painting like this with your eyes alone. I know Holmes is amazing, but would he be able to answer this? Even I was starting to panic.

Holmes chuckled and held up his index finger. “This is the ‘magnificent imitation’ of Rubens’s work, right?”

A few people laughed, but most of the audience was confused, myself included.

“I knew you could do it, Kiyotaka,” Yanagihara said. “Could you explain it to everyone else?”

“Of course. The National Museum of Western Art in Ueno once purchased Rubens’s The Flight of Lot and His Family from Sodom for one hundred and fifty million yen. However, in 1978, it was determined that the painting was a forgery. Paintings with the same name had been found elsewhere in the world: two in American museums and one in London. Scientific analyses such as x-rays were performed, and it became clear that the genuine painting was one of the ones in America, while the one in Japan was a counterfeit. It resulted in an uproar, but the curator of the museum labeled it a ‘magnificent imitation,’ which apparently calmed things down,” Holmes explained in his usual gentle and easy-to-understand way. “So, this is that ‘magnificent imitation.’ I was able to identify it because I’ve seen this work before.”

The guests applauded.

“Well done, Holmes,” praised Yanagihara. “Now, there’s one more I’d like you to take a look at.”

Another painting was brought in. This one depicted a herd of sheep on a small cliff. The ocean could be seen on the other side of the hill. It was a pretty painting, and the sheep were charming. Once again, I had no idea whether it was real or fake.

“Our English Coasts, by the English painter William Holman Hunt. Could you tell us if it’s real or fake?” Yanagihara had a sharp look in his eyes.

Holmes struggled to respond for a moment. He folded his arms and looked intently at the painting. It was the first time I’d seen him take so long to perform an appraisal—normally he could determine authenticity immediately. I guess Western paintings really are hard for him.

“Hey, Yoneyama, can you tell?” whispered a man behind me, who I assumed was in the art industry.

“No, I have no idea,” Yoneyama replied.

Holmes is young, so they might think he has nothing to lose from getting the answer wrong. But this is Holmes we’re talking about. If he’s being challenged like this, there’s no way he’ll make a mistake.

After a period of silence, Holmes opened his mouth to speak. “It’s very well painted, but I believe that it’s a forgery.”

“What makes you think that?” Yanagihara asked with a sharp glint in his eye.

“I’ve never seen this painting in person before, but I’ve heard that it was the best of Hunt’s ‘natural light’ paintings and won a Birmingham Award. However, when I look at this painting, even though it’s painted very well overall, the ‘natural light’ doesn’t stand out to me, when that’s what it was supposed to excel at.”

Yanagihara and Taguchi looked at each other. Tension filled the hall. What’s the real answer? My hands were sweating as I squeezed them together, praying that he got it right.

Then, Yanagihara and Taguchi clapped. “Brilliant,” Yanagihara declared. “This is a counterfeit that was borrowed from a certain gallery. It’s going to be displayed at the exhibition as an example of a well-made forgery.”

Everyone cheered and applauded.

“I don’t really get it, but Holmes sure is amazing.”

“No wonder he’s Seiji’s favorite student.”

Despite all of the praise, Holmes didn’t smile. He walked up to Yanagihara and asked quietly, “Could you tell me the name of the person who lent you this painting?”

“Hmm.” Yanagihara tilted his head. “I think he said his name was Morita?”

Taguchi answered immediately, “No, sir. It was Moria. A rather unusual surname.”

Holmes’s eyebrow twitched. “Moria?” he murmured. “Was he the one who suggested that you play this game at your birthday party?” he asked in a low voice.

Taguchi nodded, surprised. “Yes. I’m surprised you knew. He said that it’d make the party more exciting, and he was right.”

“Did he say to have me do the Hunt painting?” Holmes asked.

“No, he didn’t name you, but he did say, ‘This one is extremely difficult to discern, so you should ask the youngest appraiser, since they’ll have the least to lose.’ Then he said—oh right, there was a strange message from him. Please wait here for a moment.” Taguchi left and then came back holding something. “He said that if the young appraiser got it right and asked who had provided the painting, to show them this.” Taguchi held out a round mirror.

Holmes accepted the mirror, looked at it, and laughed. “Thank you. Sorry, but I have something urgent to attend to, so would it be all right if I excused myself?” he asked, still smiling.

“Huh? That’s fine. Thank you for coming today.” Taguchi bowed, seeming confused.

“Aoi, Akihito, feel free to enjoy the rest of the party. I’ll come pick you up later.” Holmes walked briskly out of the hall.

Akihito and I hurriedly followed him.

“H-Holmes, what happened?” I asked.

“Seriously, dude. What happened?”

Holmes clicked his tongue. “What’s this ‘Moria’ nonsense…?”

“H-Holmes?” Akihito stiffened.

Holmes left the house and got in the car. Akihito and I hopped in too. As soon as Holmes confirmed that we were all inside, he started driving.

“Wh-What’s going on?” I asked, bewildered.

Holmes smiled apologetically, seeming to have come back to his senses. “The one who prepared that counterfeit was Ensho.”

“Huh? You mean the person from the art gallery, Moria?”

Akihito clapped his hands together. “Oh, I get it! It’s Moriarty!”

Oh, I see. Sherlock Holmes’s rival is Professor Moriarty. That’s why Ensho took on the name Moria. No wonder Holmes was annoyed.

“He must’ve heard that Yanagihara was supervising the authenticity exhibition and would be having a birthday party. He used it as a chance to challenge me—I did think it was strange that there would be such a clever game at Yanagihara’s party,” Holmes said nonchalantly, despite the rude insinuation.

“So, um, where are we going?” I asked.

“Ensho told me a location in the form of a riddle. The painting we saw before was originally named Our English Coasts, but the title was later changed to Strayed Sheep.”

“Strayed sheep…”

“Then, I was given a round mirror. This indicated a place. It meant, ‘If you get it, then come see me here.’” Holmes had a sharp look in his eyes.

Stray sheep and a round mirror… What place do those indicate?

Akihito and I, overwhelmed by Holmes’s intensity, could only gulp in anticipation.