novelraw Chapter 107 The Last Monologue of a Death Row Inmate
Chapter 107 The Last Monologue of a Death Row Inmate
Chapter 107 The Last Monologue of a Death Row Inmate
Kenzaki Mitsuki doesn't really care what others think.
Because I didn't come here to eat in the first place.
My purpose in coming here is, firstly, to get close to Maijo Kyosuke, a writer who is very likely to change the landscape of Japanese mystery fiction.
Secondly, it was to read the unpublished mystery novel that Maijo Kyosuke had promised to show him!
Although the current situation is not the scenario that Kenzaki Mitsuki had envisioned, where she would have dinner alone with Maijo Kyosuke and have him read her unpublished mystery novels.
But—if you can see it in advance, Maijo Kyosuke has never published a mystery novel.
It is also a work that pays tribute to my favorite overseas author, "the King of Logic," Ellery Queen.
Kenzaki Mitsuki still feels like she's living in a dream!
After Maijo Kyosuke finished speaking, Kenzaki Mitsuki eagerly flipped open the manuscript in front of her and, along with the other six, entered the story of "The Mystery of the Death Row Inmate" —
The story of "The Mystery of the Death Row Inmate" begins with a guy named Ariake Shoji.
Ariake Shoji awoke with a start from his dream, in which he was still imprisoned in a dark cell, waiting for news of a general amnesty.
As for why he hoped for a general amnesty in his dream?
Today is the day that Ariake no Shoji will be executed.
Ariake Seiji is a vicious and ruthless criminal.
At the age of nineteen, he was arrested and imprisoned for intentionally injuring and assaulting others.
However, after his release from prison, he showed no remorse for the mistakes he had made.
At the age of thirty-seven, he committed a series of heinous crimes even more frequently!
These include theft, robbery, intentional injury, assault against women, and murder.
After being released from prison twice, the nearly 55-year-old Ariake Shoji committed a serious crime of assaulting and killing another person not long after his release, and was ultimately sentenced to death by the court!
At seven o'clock in the morning, the guard, Iwa, used his baton to tap on the iron bars of Ariake Shoji's cell to notify Ariake Shoji, who was lying in bed.
"The execution will be held at 3 p.m.
While on leave at home, the executioner heard his mother say that Chief Matsuyama had called.
When Nakazato heard that it was Director Matsuyama calling, he immediately had a bad feeling.
But since Director Songshan was his superior, he couldn't refuse the call.
He took the microphone from his mother and, as expected, heard news that he disliked.
The executioner who was supposed to be on duty, Zhongben, had injured his leg and would be unable to continue working for two or three days.
Normally it wouldn't be a big deal, but today is the execution day of the second provincial governor.
According to the prison's regulations, at least fifteen people must be present when carrying out a death sentence.
Director Matsuyama's meaning was clear: even though this was a rare holiday in Nakazato, he had to go to the station to help out today.
"The execution is scheduled for 3 PM in Ariake Province 2? Chief Matsuyama, is there really no one else who can replace me?"
Nakazato asked, somewhat troubled.
Director Songshan's answer was expected, as the institute was already short-staffed.
Since Nakazato often received favors from Director Matsuyama, he had no choice but to agree.
After hanging up the phone, Nakazato's mother asked him what had happened.
Nakazato could only tell his mother the truth about what had happened.
When his mother heard that Zhongli was going back to work during the holiday, she was very unhappy: "Zhongli, today is your day off. I don't want you to go, no matter who dies."
"And you said it yourself, today is a special day."
Ignoring his mother's nagging, Nakazato went straight to the sink to shave.
Recalling his past with his mother, Nakazato learned that his father had passed away when he was young, and his mother had raised him single-handedly with great difficulty.
Nakazato, who is in her thirties, has always hoped that her mother could find someone she could entrust her life to.
But the mother insisted on this stubborn statement: "You are my only son, you are my only support."
Although her mother never said it aloud, Nakazato could always sense that her mother didn't like her job as an executioner, even though the job paid very well.
Zhongli believes that he can use this high salary to give his mother a happy life.
However, being suddenly put on duty during the holidays, and having to do work that takes lives, is really unlucky.
As Nakazato was thinking this, he accidentally cut his chin and it started to bleed.
Director Matsuyama found document number 507 in the files in his office and began to examine the various crimes committed by Ariake Shoji.
The more I looked, the more chills I felt down my spine, because this guy was a demon walking among men!
After reviewing the case file, Director Songshan glanced at his watch; it was 9:50 a.m.
Starting at 10 o'clock, I will accompany Ariake no Shoji to the Buddhist hall to perform the worship before the Buddha.
At the same time, the gates of the execution ground must be opened to begin preparations for the execution.
Perhaps because he frequently carried out executions of death row inmates, Warden Matsuyama became somewhat superstitious.
It's unclear when it started, but Director Matsuyama always began to light a cigarette for death row inmates as a farewell gesture.
However, Akihiro Shoji doesn't smoke; on the contrary, he's someone who likes to eat sweets.
Director Matsuyama then decided to replace the cigarettes with the finest cakes.
He sent his steward, Nan, to the pastry shop to buy some, and also instructed Nan to prepare the finest tea for him.
After Director Matsuyama gave all the instructions, Nakazato had already arrived at the scene.
Upon hearing the chanting of scriptures in the Buddhist hall, Matsuyama went there to pay his respects.
Nakazato's job was to work with his junior, Sawaki, at the execution ground on the underground floor to prepare for the execution.
The execution ground in the detention center was a rectangular room divided into three parts.
To the right is the Buddhist shrine for worship, and in the middle is the execution chamber, which contains a small room to facilitate the movement of corpses.
Inside the execution chamber, there is a small room separated only by a curtain, where the executioner presses the button!
Nakazato and Sawaki entered the execution chamber and began inspecting the gallows.
In addition to the gallows themselves, there is an electrified pedal at the bottom. As soon as the executioner presses the button, the pedal under the condemned prisoner will open instantly!
The condemned prisoner would fall from the platform, and the rope would strangle him to death!
This method of execution is known as underground hanging.
Zhongli inspected the main body of the gallows, the ropes, and the five power switches next to the execution chamber in turn. After confirming that everything was in perfect order, it was already past eleven o'clock.
Zhongli noticed that there was still a lot of dust and garbage on the ground of the execution ground.
Some people were curious about when the cleaning lady, Aunt Gao, would arrive at the execution ground to clean up.
At this moment, the Ministry of Internal Affairs officer, Nan, walked into the execution ground from outside. He was carrying a tray with a teapot, teacups, a thermos, and a cake that Director Matsuyama had asked him to buy. He walked towards the Buddhist hall.
After Sawaki questioned him, Nakazato learned that these things were all ordered by Director Matsuyama.
That cake was a gift from Director Matsuyama to bid farewell to the Second Ariake Province.
The cleaning lady, Aunt Gao, didn't arrive at the execution ground until after 11:30.
As always, she wore the same white headscarf that had remained unchanged for millennia, a large white mask on her face, and carried a bucket of water containing rags and a mop, and began to clean the execution ground.
At midnight, Director Songshan arrived at the execution ground.
Accompanying him were Fujishiro, an inspector from the High Public Prosecutor's Office, and Hirose, a court clerk.
There are three hours left until the execution!
After the worship before the Buddha, Ariake Shoji followed Mihara, the instructor of the Shindo Joshu sect, and Sekine, the head of the security section, into the personal confessional room.
The teacher, Mihara, listened to Ariake Shoji's final confession.
At 2:10, Ariake Seiji's confession ended, and the instructor, Sanhara, asked him if he had any last words.
Despite being an utterly wicked man, Ariaki Shoji surprisingly uttered some very cheerful farewell words: "I am very satisfied with the understanding and consideration shown to me by the director and everyone else. I can now depart in peace."
What followed was very simple.
Director Matsuyama presented a cake that he had prepared on behalf of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Minami, for Ariake Shoji to enjoy.
This heartwarming gesture moved Ariake Shoji to tears as he ate.
Perhaps out of fear, or perhaps out of genuine thirst, Ariake Shoji drank all the tea in one go.
As the execution time approached, Ariake Shoji changed into his burial clothes and made his final monologue: "Because of my reckless behavior, I have caused great trouble to society. It is only with everyone's continued help that I have become a real person."
"I have nothing to regret anymore."
"6
After Ariake Shoji finished speaking, he was led to the gallows by two executioners named Mori Kyo and Tsunuma.
The mystery of the death row inmates: icons of eighteen suspects (not seeing these icons won't affect your reading, and there's no need to specifically memorize their names —)
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