The Case of the Genius Composer Kidnapping Pt. 1

**The Case of the Genius Composer Kidnapping Pt. 1** is the 31st chapter of the *Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective* manga.

## Summary

A middle-aged man is cautious as a man approaches. The man is in a large spacious house. The owner of the house carries a tray in. He asks the seated man not to be so frightened. Ever since he hosted the worlds best barista, he has been rather passionate about making his own coffee, and says it is quite delicious. The acknowledges Oyama Masatatsu, the seated man, as the world's greatest genius wood carving artist, and his unparalleled talent has moved him to tears. Thus the owner had to host him.

Masatatsu is still afraid, asking what the police are doing. He heard that the police had posted a perfect security team after receiving the other man's crime announcement. The man says that is such a harsh way of putting it. He is merely sent a greeting card out of respect. But Masatatsu yells, asking what he is after, calling the man the talent-kidnapper Hummingbird. But Hummingbird just says that what he wants is the world's greatest soul-stirring talent, and no matter who it is, nobody can stop him.

Ron needs some news in his mobile phone, which reports that Hummingbird releases the genius sculptor (Masatatsu) after 3 days. Ron asks into it, and Toto says it happened when he was asleep due to the medicine's side effects. Ron groans about said downsides, as Toto tells him not to be so sad about it.

They discuss the case. The Hummingbird kidnapper never asks for ransom. He is an extremely unusual talent kidnapper, Toto says. He kidnaps geniuses from all sorts of fields. He made a five-star chef cook him a full course meal, and made a modern artist paint for him. In the latest case, the sculptor carved a statue of Buddha.

Ron says that Toto's face tells him the police are pretty stumped, and Toto admits it. The police have always given the targets their full protection, but he slips past all the guards. The last time, they deployed 100 officers, and Hummingbird still beat them. There were also prefectural police involved. Ron is impressed, having read the article made by Chicory for Lime Weekly. Ron asks if it is true that he sends greeting cards first. Toto asks where did Chicory find that out, it was not supposed to be public knowledge, but confirms it. They are almost like fan letters. Hummingbird describes how much the person's talent has moved him, and then declared when he will come to visit them.

Ron is cheerful: it sounds like a phantom thief in an old-fashioned novel! Ron asks why Toto didn't tell him about a case that speaks so directly to his detective heart? Toto says Hummingbird releases his victims and it just keeps happening. Ron repeats that he wants to meet this Hummingbird. Toto protests. They're going to a concert! His friend who works at the venue got them platinum tickets for Nyo-Nyon. Ron nonchalantly asked to come along, but Toto had trouble getting the second ticket for him. Ron apologizes, saying they will forget Hummingbird for now.

But while milling around with the crowd outside the venue, Ron notices a man with a bucket hat, sunglasses, and medical mask. He is curious about him, because the man is at a concern for an artist popular with young people, but he has two smartphones, and a different earpiece in each ear. On one phone he is watching a video of a master craftsman making a plate, on the other phone a first-class ballet performance. The man's watch and shoes look plain at first glance, but they are actually premium brand goods.

As Toto scolds after him, Ron approaches the man with the mask, asking if he would mind if Ron guesses his line of work? The man says it is an unusual request, and asks for the reason. Ron says it is just a skill that he is trying to polish for work. His sales will increase if he can read his customers. The man hides the phones, saying he is fond of those who are passionate about their work. If it is helpful to Ron, then he can go ahead.

Toto keeps scolding, but Ron continues, saying he is impressed by the hand movements, as refined as a magician's. But the man would have to be a famous magician to save enough money to buy that watch, and Ron has not heard of him, so that is not the profession. What is interesting is his extensive interest in geniuses from various genres of the arts. Based on that, Ron says, the man is probably talent-kidnapper Hummingbird.

As Toto gasps, the man just chuckles. Ron asks if he's heard of him, and the man says yes. Ron concludes things by saying he guesses the man is a wealthy heir who admires Hummingbird, and the man says it sounds like it would be fun. Toto apologizes for Ron, but the man waves it off, saying the conversation was rather amusing. The concert personnel start allowing people to enter the venue, and thus Toto begs that they be excused.

Hummingbird chuckles as he takes off the sunglasses, saying he is a sharp one.

At the start of the concert Nyo-Nyon greets the audience, starting with an original song that she stayed up all night writing. Toto is very happy to be in the concert, weeping through most of the concert. When it ends, Toto is very satisfied, and Ron says he can see why Nyo-Nyon is so popular.

But Toto's friend Higuchi, the one who gave him the tickets, asks if he could come with him, that they have some trouble. They are brought backstage to the performer's call room, and are shown a greeting card from Hummingbird. It says: Dear Supreme Songwriter, I cannot begin to measure the joy that your God-given talent has brought me. I will pay you a visit on the night of the next sixteen day-old moon.

Nyo-Nyon's manager, Mitsubashi, introduces herself. When they got back from the performance hall, they found the card left with the guitar she is holding. Toto wonders if it could have been the masked man in the crowd. Someone asks who he means, and Toto gasps that it is Nyo-Nyon herself. Meanwhile Higuchi says it could not have been a spectator, because all had their belongings inspected. The man could not have brought a guitar in. Toto adds that the man in the mask was not carrying anything. Ron though adds that it would have been possible to get the guitar in if it had been hidden somewhere before the concert setup, such as a gap in the sound system. Nyo-Nyon immediately admires Ron about this.

Higuchi says a company booked the venue for a party but they cancelled at the last minute and still paid in full. Toto asks if they know the company's details, and Higuchi says he will look into it. But Ron doubts they will get anything at this point. That said, Ron thinks it could be a chance to catch the talent-kidnapper. Nyo-Nyon is really impressed at Ron saying he is like a detective.

On the day of the announced crime, the local police deploy a 100-person security team. They have been inspecting all roads that lead to the mansion since last night. Detective Namazu, the electric catfish, from the special crimes division seems fired up. Namazu reminds that the prestige of the metropolitan police is riding, so they have to protect Nyo-Nyon with all they have. Namazu tells Toto that he may have heard from Amamiya, but Nyo-Nyon specifically requested the officer who was at the concert venue. Namazu himself has heard about his achievements lately, and is counting on him. Toto salutes, and is quite excited that he got some work.

Namazu and Toto arrived at Nyo-Nyon's mansion, which has a clocktower. Namazu says it would have been a lot less trouble to protect Nyo-Nyon at the station, but she could only write her songs at the mansion, and the talent agency did not want profits to take a hit, so they had no choice. Toto notes that there are relatively few lookouts at the mansion, but that is Namazu's intention. Namazu says Hummingbird is a really underhanded guy. The other police department clustered their officers together, and Hummingbird released a large swarm of bees, allowing him a chance to slip past. Therefore Namazu spread out the guards to avoid concentrating in one area. They are positioned like a spiderweb in a 500-meter radius and can move in to seal off his escape route.

Namazu knocks at the front door, and Toto gasps to find Ron, introducing himself as Kamoo owner of Kamonohashi sweets and Officer Isshiki's friend. Beside him is Nyo-Nyon, saying Ron was at the concert with Toto, and is reliable and cool, thus she called him there. Namazu asks for Ron's ID, but is interrupted when he is informed that the Yamanashi police are heading to the area. Their station seems to have received an announcement from Hummingbird as well. The mansion straddles the Tokyo metropolitan area and Yamanashi prefecture. The Yamanashi police are led by Sannou who is Hummingbird.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Masatatsu Oyama
* Sannou
* Ron Kamonohashi
* Totomaru Isshiki
* Nyo-Nyon
* Higuchi
* Mitsubashi
* Namazu