Volume 2 - CH 5

”Golden Bird House” – The Kasumicho mansion owned by the Kanamori family came to be called that because Shinzo Kanamori, who built the mansion, attached a “golden weathervane” to the small spire on the roof.

Another reason was that for him, the ‘Golden Bird’ was a symbol of good luck.

When Shinzo Kanamori was young, he had the same dream for a week. It was a dream that a golden bird appeared and led him to a large shining mansion.

When his parents heard about the dream, they said, “isn’t it a dream that predicts success in the future?” When he left home and went to work, his efforts and talents were recognized in the jewelry store where he was an apprentice, and by the end of his youth he was in charge of one of the shops.

After that, he continued to stand out and eventually became independent. And so, according to his dream, he became one of the most successful people and it is said that he wielded his shrewdness as the owner of a jewelry store.

Of course, he chose the golden bird as the symbol of his jewelry store. It may have been meant as a lifelong talisman.

Thus, the mansion where he lived during his lifetime came to be called the “Golden Bird Mansion”.

“The legacy hidden in the Golden Bird Mansion, huh?”

Rihito muttered in the reception room where he was alone with Kahoru. Yaeko, who consulted them on her inheritance search, was out of the room as she went to put away her tea utensils.

“But she seems to have searched most of the good places.”

According to Yaeko, most of the rooms in the mansion, including the bedroom and study of her grandfather, Shinzo Kanamori, have already been searched. She said she had scoured through safes, bookshelves, cupboards, drawers, closets, attics and even under the floors but couldn’t find anything like it.

Also, it seems that the “Golden Bird” suggests a legacy, so she had examined the golden weather vane on the roof, but it was just a cheap one with gold plating.

Yaeko insisted that she wanted to find the inheritance as soon as possible.

Currently the family business, which was a jewelry store, was not doing well and needs more money to finance it. In addition, she was planning to get married soon, and there was also the dowry money.

Kahoru, who was looking at the bookshelves with glass doors in the reception room, responded to Rihito’s mutter.

“The deceased owned a jewelry store, so the legacy is likely to be gems or precious metals. Small items can be hard to find.”

The market value of gems and precious metals were stable and the value of rare items will most likely not decline in the future. Moreover, if the family business was a jewelry store, they would know how to handle it.

In anticipation of that, it might have been hidden in a small place somewhere in the mansion.

“I have considered it, but above all, there is little information given.”

Shinzo Kanamori worked hard even after his 60th birthday, but one day, he suddenly collapsed at the store. Apparently, he suffered a stroke and never returned home.

It seems that he had made a will but it didn’t say anything about the hidden property he had told Yaeko about.

“Didn’t he write any words that suggested anything at all?”

“If it’s written, I think Ms. Yaeko would have already found it.”

Rihito let out a sigh and then Yaeko returned.

“Thank you for waiting.

Kahoru, who was standing behind Rihito, was the one who answered the gaze that asked what she should do from now on.

“Ms. Mieko Kanamori, may I see your study?”

“Study…is it?”

Yaeko blinked her drooping eyes in wonder. Rihito had received her questioning gaze, which said; “What is this child saying all of a sudden?”

Kahoru then proceeded.

“It seems that Chizaki-sensei has something he’s worried about.”

“Yes, that’s right. If you don’t mind, can I ask this of you?”

When Rihito had managed to match Kahoru’s words, Yaeko nodded; “Understood.”

While following her to the study, Rihito looked at Kahoru behind him. He quietly whispered to Kahoru so that Yaeko wouldn’t hear him.

“What the hell are you thinking?”

“There’s something I want to confirm.”

“You should have told me that in advance.”

“I will be careful next time.”

As they were secretly whispering to each other, Mieko turned her face anxiously. Her expression looked a little tense.

“Um, is something wrong?”

“Oh, excuse me. Don’t worry about it. I was just giving him instructions.”

When Rihito said that with a smile, Kahoru looked at him from the corner of his eye. She must have noticed the look.

“Well, if you say it like that, you can leave the actions after entering the study to Kahoru. I feel a little backtracked.”

The study was on the second floor. It was a simple Western-style study, with a desk by the window in the back and bookshelves on the left and right walls.

Kahoru, who entered the room, turned his gaze toward the bookshelf looking for something. Rihito followed suit and looked at the bookshelf on the opposite side of Kahoru.

‘What the hell is he looking for anyway?’

‘Come to think of it, it seems that he was looking at the bookshelf earlier. Is there something hidden in the bookshelves?’

While Rihito was thinking, a voice raised behind him.

“Chizaki-sensei, I found something.”

Turning around, Kahoru reached out and pulled out a book from the shelf.

Rihito then saw what Kahoru was talking about. It was a ‘Brother Grimm’s Fairy Tale Book”.