Teito Monogatari:
The Tale of the Imperial Capital
Part 2: Supernatural Babylon
Author: Hiroshi Aramata
Part 5: Destruction in the Year of the Boar
Chapter 20: Hiding Yukari
In a room at Sugamo Hospital, Dr. Morita Masatake sat with his head in his hands. Had he been like that for nearly twenty minutes already? Suddenly he raised his eyes and looked out the window, where the late-autumn setting sun was pushing a muddy mass of vermilion clouds toward the edge of the mountains. Twilight was near.
He looked up to the heavens, let out a deep sigh, then stood and left the room. The hospital was utterly still. The setting sun dyed the profile of the doctor a vivid red. His black mustache contrasted sharply with the light.
He stopped before the examination room, cleared his throat, and opened the door. Narutaki Junichi was waiting inside.
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Dr. Morita greeted him curtly.
“Doctor, I know my repeated visits must be troubling you, but—”
“—That is not the issue. However, as I have told you many times, I cannot answer your question.”
“Why not, Dr. Morita? Why won’t you tell me where Yukari is?”
Irritated, Dr. Morita scratched his head and turned his back on Junichi. Though he had thought it over thoroughly in the other room a short while ago, he had ultimately failed to come up with a satisfactory excuse to give. His frustration with himself showed in his manner.
“I understand your distress very well. But regarding Miss Yukari—can you not leave matters to her doctor? The patient is in no condition to meet anyone. And that is not only because of her confused mental state. There are physical problems as well.”
“Even when I press Yōichirō, he won’t tell me where she is. What’s going on? Is Miss Yukari’s condition really that bad?”
“No, no… However, I cannot reveal the place where the patient is being treated.”
“Yōichirō told me to forget about his younger sister. That’s not normal. Why should I forget Miss Yukari after we finally rescued her? It’s almost as if he’s saying that his sister is dead!”
“It would be easier if you would give up and think of Miss Yukari as dead.”
Junichi blanched. “What are you saying, Dr. Morita?”
“She is, in effect, as good as dead. I will not provide details, but you will probably never see Miss Yukari again.”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“You don’t need to understand. A soul has died and needs to be born again.”
Junichi stood up and approached the doctor. Every step looked heavy and difficult. “Please tell me the truth. I want to save her.”
“So do I.”
“But—”
“—If you wish to know the truth of the matter, then seize the man responsible—Lieutenant Katō—and press him for answers. To be honest, even I have not grasped the full truth of the incident surrounding Miss Yukari.”
“I understand. In short, you cannot let me see her, and you will never let me see her. Is that right?”
“Wait. She may recover. It is premature to assume that she will not. There is a possibility that the situation might improve.”
Junichi scowled. “‘May’ this, ‘might’ that. What you’re saying now doesn’t mean anything.”
“No, it does not.” Dr. Morita made a grim face. Keeping this secret was painful for him. “Lately, I have begun an experiment in which I keep psychiatric patients in my home and integrate treatment with the activities of daily life. It may be presumptuous to call it Morita therapy, but I am serious about this experiment. Eventually, I want to build a free and open treatment facility like a large farm. Please think of the current situation as her requiring that kind of treatment.”
“You integrated daily life and psychiatric care?”
“Yes. I cannot tell you the location, as that would compromise the privacy of my patients. I must ask you to trust me.”
“I understand. I will find Lieutenant Katō. I’ll make him talk no matter what it takes!”
Junichi left, slamming the door behind him. Dr. Morita watched him go. He let himself collapse heavily into one of the exam room chairs.
“I cannot possibly tell him. Not Mr. Narutaki. No.”
He took Yukari’s chart out of the desk drawer and read through it once more. Then he threw the chart aside and buried his head in his hands. He worried about Yukari’s future. Wasn’t there anything that could be done for her?
A long, sinister shadow ran about the examination room as though it owned the place.
It was a dark night. Dr. Morita rose weakly, closed the west-facing window, and then returned to his desk. He recalled a report by his colleague Professor Tsuji, whose specialty differed from his own. He reached into the breast pocket of his white coat.
In a low voice, he said, “Is Ise face powder truly so miraculous?”
In the report sent by Professor Tsuji, the following was written:
Today, Miss Yukari was reexamined; still no change. At this point, we have no choice but to resort to treatment, or else to take some sort of drastic measure. I have some slight connection with Jinguji of Ise-Niu, which is associated with a temple for the salvation of women, so I am also considering the use of Ise face powder. I await your instructions. As you know, Ise face powder belongs to the cinnabar line—that is, it is a secret alchemical medicine of made with mercury. In Miss Yukari’s case, it may perhaps prove effective.
Dr. Morita thought it was dangerous. He was reminded of the pitiable women of the past who had no choice but to use such a dreadful medicine. This was a drug that was also a poison. But perhaps Yukari must take it to recover? Dr. Morita tried to persuade himself of this.
He had not told Junichi of this medicine because he was still hesitating about whether or not to use it.
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