The air in the Naoetsu Police Station was thick with nostalgia as I made my way through the familiar hallways. It had been too long since I'd walked these floors, but today wasn't just any visit; it was a chance to reconnect, to thank old colleagues for attending my wedding reception and for their generous words of praise that had warmed my heart. My thoughts wandered as I approached Koga Tsuzura, the head of the Rumors Division.
"Killing Stone?" I asked, curiosity piquing as I caught her eye.
"Yes, Killing Stone," she affirmed with a nod, her expression intrigued.
Honeymoon planning had inadvertently led to this topic. "It's in Tochigi Prefecture," I continued, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension. "Killing Stone."
She chuckled softly, a hint of playfulness lighting her features. "It sounds like it's going to be a big fuss — such a scary name for a stone."
A chill ran down my spine at the mention of the stone. Folk tales were woven with both beauty and horror, and Killing Stone was no exception. "Yeah, it's actually scary. They say any living thing that approaches it dies one after another."
"It's the kind of ghost story you don't hear much about in the FBI... how can I put it, it's very Japanese. But so what?"
I glanced at her, a smirk creeping onto my face. "I want you to approach the stone, Detective Araragi."
Her teasing tone caught me off guard. "Hey."
"Oh, you're Federal Agent Araragi now, aren't you?"
I couldn't help but smile. "When I'm in Japan, I prefer Detective… no, Chief Koga. Didn't I mention? I'm going on my honeymoon to Tochigi."
"Bring back some Utsunomiya ham cutlets as a souvenir," she quipped, her eyes glimmering with mischief.
"Gyoza dumplings! Isn't that the best?" I replied, reminiscing about the endless meals shared during my time with En-senpai.
"That's actually the world's best menu, but Utsunomiya ham cutlets are a close second," she said with a wink.
"Is that so? Well, I've become more patriotic since returning to Japan, but can I buy some as a souvenir? Ham cutlets don't travel well."
My heart warmed at her enthusiasm. "My feelings for Utsunomiya ham cutlets will never fade. If you buy some for me, I'll fry them up at home."
"Cook at home, Chief Koga?" I chuckled. She'd always had a talent for turning mundane moments into something amusing. "I'd never heard of Tochigi ham before high school."
"It's not a stone," she reassured me, smirking.
"I'm not a crocodile. I don't eat stones," I shot back, trying to dispel my unease. The lore surrounding the Killing Stone was rooted deep in history, but what was reality? "It's just a rumor that the Killing Stone kills living things. Eight hundred years ago, they said it was a nine-tailed fox who transformed into a stone that emitted poison, killing anything that came near. But really, it was the sulfur generated around the stone that threatened their lives."
"Sulfur? Isn't that from a hot spring area? I heard it was a marsh," I pondered, recalling vague memories.
Koga shook her head lightly. "No, no. Tochigi Prefecture is large. The Nasu Highlands, far away from Oku-Nikko, where you and your wife will go."
"I've heard of Nasu Highlands. It's a famous resort area, right?"
"Not just famous. There's a hot spring shrine there."
Intrigued, I leaned in closer. "Really? I haven't come across that before. My boss's opinion and the eggplant flower—what's the point of that?"
"The deserted Kitashirohebi Shrine is quite an oddity, but there are shrines all over Japan," she replied. "It's just my boss's parental love. He wants your wife to be bathed in positive sulfur instead of negative ions."
"Positive sulfur? Isn't that dangerous? Doesn't sulfur have a strong smell? How can the deaths surrounding the Killing Stone not be linked to the occult?"
Koga smiled knowingly. "While you were overseas for training, compliance training was also implemented within the police force. If you call her 'wife,' you might get fired. Even with all of Gaen-senpai's powers at play, I can't protect her."
"Th... what about his wife?" I asked, bemused.
"A wife is okay. For now. But a foolish wife—she's out."
"A foolish wife is out in any era. I know I was once teased as Pig Tonji, but…"
Koga chuckled. "You were not called that by the Araragi couple."
"You never know what goes on inside a home. A couple who appear nice on the outside can harbor secrets." Yet I couldn't help but feel uneasy about taking my new bride to a place associated with sulfur and mystery.
"Hot spring trips are a classic. I'm sure Sakamoto Ryoma went, too."
"Sakamoto Ryoma? The first great man in Japan to go on a honeymoon? But…" I hesitated, weighed down by historical curiosity. "Didn't he go to Katsurahama Beach?"
"No, it seems he had no connection to Katsurahama," she said, correcting me with a teasing smile.
"Then why the massive stone statue?"
"It's not a stone statue; it's a bronze statue," she replied, gesturing lightly.
The conversation swirled back around to the Killing Stone, a name steeped in dread yet tinged with something almost whimsical in this context. It was only a stone, after all—though if its true essence was sulfur, perhaps the lore had already unraveled.
"But if that wasn't the case, it would be outside of our jurisdiction," I concluded, the looming threat of the unknown lurking just beneath the surface of our banter.
"The Rumors Division's jurisdiction is the entire Earth. Having you go on overseas training is a part of that. Wind comes from everywhere, and all air is connected," Koga said with an earnestness that sent a shiver down my spine.
And perhaps, too, that foul smell lingered in the air, hinting at adventure—and danger—lie ahead.