Chapter 248

## Church

**Church** (教会, *Kyōkai*) is the 247th chapter of the *Golden Kamuy* manga.

## Synopsis

In front of a church late at night, Ishikawa furiously scribbles in his notepad, exclaiming that he has figured out where the next murder will happen. However, he is suddenly assaulted by Usami who notes that Ishikawa is a reporter and asks him about what he had said earlier. Ishikawa recognizes Usami as well and accuses him of trying to take all the credit of solving the case for himself.

Usami reaches for the map that Ishikawa held but Ishikawa quickly takes the map and puts it in his mouth, causing Usami to kick him. Usami continues to beat on Ishikawa before taking out his gun, which Ishikawa recognizes as belonging to the 7th Division. They are suddenly interrupted by a patrolling officer, giving Ishikawa an opportunity to escape as he shreds the map paper into pieces. Despite fleeing and hiding, Usami is able to quickly locate Ishikawa, much to his horror.

The next day, several prostitutes are talking with some of the *choroken* entertainers about the Sapporo Killer, wondering if he is a government official cracking down on unlicensed prostitutes in the city. Kadokura and Ushiyama warns the prostitutes to be safe as Nagakura attempts to narrow down the area where the Sapporo Killer can search for his targets. Elsewhere, a naked tattooed man is humming a song while playing with his knives. As the day draws to a close, the joint Sugimoto and Hijikata Group begins to worry that they are running out of time.

Just then, Ishikawa appears in front of Nagakura, half-naked and beaten before collapsing into Nagakura's arms. Ishikawa reveals that the 7th Division had been chasing after him because he had figured out where the next murder will occur. Back at their base, Ishikawa points out several locations on his map but Hijikata interrupts him, stating that Ishikawa's map is not that of Sapporo and asks where it is a map of. Ishikawa reveals that it is a map of Whitechapel, London and explains several points of interest in London to display that the locations of the murders in Sapporo and London are the exact same.

Ishikawa exclaims that the Sapporo Killer is trying to recreate the location of the crimes in London and points out Jack the Ripper's 5th murder spot which would align with the Sapporo Brewery. Having finally explained everything, Ishikawa falls over and Nagakura tells him to get some rest, saying that he has misjudged him. Ishikawa declares that he wishes to see the Republic of Ezo that Hijikata is trying to create, causing Nagakura to well up with tears in his eyes.

Shiraishi notices a postcard in Ishikawa's notebook and pulls it out to expose Ishikawa's interest in an *oiran* that is coming to town and wonders if Ishikawa was trying to seduce her by taking credit for solving the case. Ishikawa becomes upset, saying that *oirans* will not have sex with other people no matter how much money they have, only when they begin to feel affection towards them. Upon hearing Ishikawa's words, Nagakura quickly loses his respect for him, lamenting that he should have died and been reborn as a grasshopper.

## Character Appearances

* Takuboku Ishikawa
* Tokishige Usami
* Kadokura
* Kirawus
* Tatsuma Ushiyama
* Shinpachi Nagakura
* Rikimatsu Ariko
* Sapporo Killer
* Fusatarou Oosawa
* Kantarou
* Toshizou Hijikata
* Yoshitake Shiraishi
* Asirpa
* Saichi Sugimoto