Chapter 18

**Dead Mount Death Play #18** is the eighteenth chapter of the *Dead Mount Death Play* manga.

## Official Blurb

The Corpse God lets someone else in on his secret, and the police lose a person of interest...

## Summary

In the Shinoyama mansion's traditional parlor, Rozan Shinoyama asks for the explanation promised by the Corpse God, who currently resides in the real Polka Shinoyama's body. The Corpse God agrees, but requests that they have privacy—implicitly indicating Rozan's guard behind the door. Though Rozan points out the boldness of this request, he agrees. When the guard objects, Rozan reminds them that this person saved his two grandchildren—he can at least be reasonable.

The guard leaves, but the Corpse God is not satisfied; he asks that the person in the ceiling and the person underneath the floorboards leave as well. That he noticed the hidden guards impresses Rozan, who dismisses the guards without quarrel. Once the two of them—and Misaki Sakimiya—are truly alone, the Corpse God states that he is "not of this world."

Over at Shinoyama Security, Takeru Shinoyama compliments Lemmings ("Nezu") on a job well done and thanks him for saving Shizuki and Kazuki. Lemmings shakes his head and reveals that "Polka" and a friend had already saved them by the time he arrived. Takeru demands full details on what happened.

During the Corpse God's explanation, he produced his little eyeball spy as evidence of necromancy. While the Corpse God's account is difficult to process, the eyeball is impossible for Rozan to simply wave away; accepting the account to some degree for the time being, Rozan unsheathes his katana and moves the blade to Misaki's throat: if the impostor was telling the truth, Misaki slit the real Polka's throat.

Misaki admits to the deed outright. Rozan, his expression stormy, comments on her 'nerve' and asks if it means she is either ready to die or attempting to demonstrate she is not afraid of him. Ponderously, Misaki replies that it is both: she is not afraid of a good person, so she has accepted death at his hands.

Rozan pauses, and the real Polka makes his move. Leaping from the Corpse God's hood, he smacks his shark plush body against Rozan's blade, tumbles to the table, and sticks out his fins in a plea to spare Misaki's life. The gesture reminds Rozan of Polka doing the same thing as a toddler, standing protectively in front of his pet's cage and begging Rozan to not kill the pet that bit him.

Slowly, Rozan asks the shark if he is "his Polka," and Polka flaps about in enthusiastic affirmative. While Polka boogies, Rozan turns to the Corpse God: "You told me his soul was safe, but...is he not sleeping in his own body?"

The Corpse God admits such a thing was a possibility, but in the event of their souls melding separating them would have been a 'hassle'. Rozan comments on how he stashed Polka's soul in a *Sharkborg from Hell* shark plush of all things, but where he is exasperated Polka is evidently proud of his current body.

At first Corpse God frets that the shock has rendered Rozan speechless, only for Rozan to burst out laughing at how pleased Polka seems. Such is his mirth that he can barely hold his katana, which he sheathes once he regains some of his composure and wipes away his tears; once reseated, he remarks Misaki is not much of a judge of character if she judges him to be a good person.

With business resumed, Rozan asks the Corpse God whether Polka could reclaim his original body if the Corpse God had another vessel to possess. The Corpse God affirms that he could, provided he had enough magic. In lieu of a fresh corpse, Rozan suggests the Corpse God consider using one of the humanoid robots designed by one of his company sectors, showing him relevant material on his phone.

The Corpse God is intrigued, thinking back to his own world's sophisticated golems. So is Polka, for that matter, who eagerly taps away at Rozan's phone to indicate his interest in possessing one himself—and, while they are at it, specifically one with a rock drill and flight capabilities. Rozan has no choice but to accept that Polka is happy, which—along with the fact that Polka does not seem to be in pain—is what matters most. Furthermore, that someone "put a hit" on his son means Polka would probably be safer in one of the robots than he is as a shark plush.

Though Rozan is not ready to forgive Misaki, he will consider them even for Misaki and the Corpse God's roles in saving his two grandchildren. The Corpse God sighs in relief, but Misaki, her eyes wide, says nothing.

One Polka and his two companions have left the room, Rozan pours himself tea and muses that Clarissa Kuraki must be involved somehow if the Corpse God found himself a place in Shinjuku. That Clarissa's place is "teeming with troublemakers" and that someone has it out for Polka" are neither things that Rozan likes, but he supposes karma has come calling.

The Corpse God, Misaki, and Polka head outside to search for Polka's pet, looking in the immediate surroundings of the ruined portion of the manor. While they search, the Corpse God calls Takumi Kuruya to explain they will be home once the find the animal and that he told Rozan the truth of who he is. Not only that, he has permission to continue living in Shinjuku since the real Polka's room was burned down.

Misaki picks up Polka and apologizes, though she acknowledges she has no right to do such a thing. She then thanks him, hugging him close to her chest, and the blushing Polka waves a fin in a "don't worry about it" gesture. The Corpse God privately notes that it is rare to see a soul open up to the person responsible for their death; thinking back to his long-dead love, he smiles and says he "[hasn't] seen that since *them*."

Shizuki and Kazuki call for Misaki to wait, and, once she turns around, thank her with matching blushes. Kazuki nervously admits that she was scared before, but Misaki gives her a bright grin and says fear like that prevents an early death. To Shizuki's question of whether she does martial arts, she snickers that it is a secret.

The twins thank "Polka" as well, with Kazuki going so far as to bow from her waist, but the Corpse God replies they are thanking the wrong person: their saviors were the Shinjuku medium Corpse God, and their guardian angel. The 'angel' in question is Suzuka, standing behind the twins looking as human as she was in life—and with a warm smile on her face. As he turns his back, Suzuka gives him a deep bow.

Misaki asks what he plans on doing with the spirit she cannot see—a pact?—and he says he might in the future but plans on doing nothing for now. Looking back, he watches Suzuka caress the twin's heads as the two share a laugh.

In Tokyo Prison, Tsubaki Iwanome returns to Kōzaburō Arase and Tena Sorimura with bad news: the Bureau called him to report a sighting of the Fire-breathing Bug. Sorimura comments on the news with deliberate facetiousness on his side of the window, while Iwanome informs Arase that a patrol car and the pyromaniac inside it were burned up, the Bug's motto seared into its roof.

Sorimura brushes off the incident as the Bug likely "feeding" on its impostor, far more interested by the bonus in the video Iwanome earlier showed him. He remarks that he feels giddy with excitement akin to childlike innocence, and asks if would be possible for him to watch "one last cartoon." When Iwanome says they need more information from first, he says he will simply have to go watch one elsewhere—and all the lights switch off.

Arase produces a small flashlight and turns it on the windowed divider; Sorimura's chair is empty, his straitjacket draped over its back. Outside the prison, Sorimura wanders down the street in his prison wear and decides that "this" will be the first stop on his "comeback tour."

At the manor, Misaki, "Polka," and Polka have finally found Polka's pet: a large albino crocodile.

## Trivia

* This chapter marks a full reveal of Sorimura's eyes.
* The guard underneath the floorboards is confirmed to be Xiaoyu Lei in Chapter 22.