The Case of the Psychological Research Lab Murder Pt. 3

**The Case of the Psychological Research Lab Murder Pt. 3** is the 37th chapter of the *Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective* manga.

## Summary

Ron and Toto assemble the graduate students and Aoe at the lecture room, with Toto saying he will explain the truth behind the explosion murder. Aoe asks, a murder? Toto repeats: Himeno was caught in an explosive trap set inside the research room. Chicory arrives and peeks into the room.

Toto continues: a big clue was the intimidation letter. The letter that arrived at the research room was postmarked yesterday, but it was only decided early this morning that Himeno would be the one to use the research room today. In other words, the culprit mailed the letter before it was decided that Himeno would use the room.

Imai asks did the culprit predict that it would be Himeno. Niki asks if they rigged the lottery to pick her. Toto says no to both. He says they had to reverse thinking completely: The culprit mailed an intimidation letter for each person who could possibly use the room, meaning a letter was prepared and mailed for all four graduate students. Then once they knew it was HImeno who died, the culprit selected her specific letter and presented it to the police, in order to make it look like she had been targeted from the beginning. Since professor Maruyama is away, the only one who would have to get to the envelopes first is the one Maruyama entrusted the lab to in his absence: professor Aoe.

Aoe deflects, saying he has no reason to murder her. But Ron says there was no reason it had to be HImeno. Murder was not the goal, it was just the means. Aoe used the explosion to destroy the computer. Aoe's planwas to make it look like someone was targeted to be murdered, while he destroyed something inside the computer along with that person. What triggered the crime was when Himeno told the university that Oigawa was erasing some data. Before the university began inspecting the computer, Aoe needed to make sure a certain something was erased. Aoe demands to know what he means. Ron says: the forged research data.

Ron has read all of Aoe's articles, and compared with other people in the field, Aoe's research data is extremely clean, meaning it went too well (the data may be falsified or modified to back up the hypothesis). The students are surprised that the data is forged, and that Ron could even read all Aoe's articles in half a day. Additionally, Ron continues, Aoe's successful articles were largely from the period in which Maruyama was away from the research room.

Aoe deflects: the reason he managed to get where he is so efficiently is he performs his experiments after scrupulous preparation to eliminate all uncertainties. What does he think are the odds of an explosion completely destroying a computer hard disk? We live in an era in which data can be recovered after being lost in a fire, thus it has many uncertainties, and Aoe would never use a plan like that. Oigawa agrees: the crime would be too complicated if he just wanted to destroy the disk. But Toto attacks: that is why Aoe had to make certain, and that is why he went to the MRI room last night.

Aoe wrapped the research room's computer in cloth or cushioning to make sure it would not stick to the machine, and then all he had to do was get close to the MRI. Imai then Oigawa get it: the MRI's magnetism could completely erase the data. Ron continues: the research room explosion was just camouflage to make it look like the computer was destroyed in the blast.

Aoe deflects again: couldn't they bring a witness who could testify to that? But Toto says: there are no witnesses and that is the proof. What was he doing by himself in the MRI room without a test subject? The MRI's maintenance was performed last week. They were not able to find any recorded experiment data from last night. Did he use the MRI machine, which has a high upkeep cost, without a test subject? Also, they detected fibers inside the MRI that match a blanket found in his waste basket.

Aoe goes silent, then asks where he messed up, how did they realize? Ron answers: he did not use the experiment room at all this week. It makes Ron wonder why someone excelling in their research would do that. Someone who values efficiency as highly as Aoe did not want to perform a wasteful experiment, because he knew the computer was going to be destroyed.

Aoe finally admits that he did it. He agrees, He could not stand waste, he got to where he is by being thoroughly efficient. Chicory asks if he feels anything about using and throwing away HImeno to protect his own position. Aoe says he does feels bad about what happened to Himeno, and feels like his chest is about to burst. But Ron immediately says: could he please not say things he does not actually feel? Did he not just rationally take the chance to eliminate a future rival, while he was at it. Aoe drops all pretense, saying so Ron does understand, and only Aoe's mother could ever comprehend that sort of thinking. Some sacrifices are required in order to produce a great man. Since Himeno could become part of his great achievement, he was killing two birds with one stone.

Both Toto and Chicory react, with Chicory remembering Himeno's admiration of Aoe. Ron states with seriousness: You have no right to live in this world. Toto spins around, scared of the Kill on Sight, but he knows the medicine was taken. Ron angrily continues, and assures Toto that the medication is working, that this is his own will. Aoe says not to make him laugh, he says he has no right to live? Aoe brings out a simple bomb: in that case, you mediocre people have no right either! As they all gasp, Aoe raises the bomb over his head. He prepared it just to be safe, since he is 'perfect'. If all of them are gone, he will be an outstanding professor, he assures his mother.

Ron charges, hitting Aoe with his shoulder and upper body, and tackling him to the floor, as Toto catches the bomb. With his hand on Aoe's head, he declares: who said you could die? He is going to spend his life atoning for Himeno. Soon after though, Ron topples unconscious from the medicine's side effects.

The next evening, in Ron apartment, Ron suddenly wakes up mentioning "sweet bwown sugar", with Toto beside him in a dark formal suit. Ron tells Toto it was a dream from when he was three years old and still could not properly pronounce brown sugar. He then notices Toto's suit. Toto says he just got back from HImeno's funeral. They sit silently for some moments, then Toto tries to cheer him up, saying he was amazing yesterday, that he totally grasped the killer's twisted thinking. Ron says he already told Toto, he has always been good at reading the culprit's feelings. He tried to recall his memories from before six again, but there is definitely a portion he cannot remember, and he fels like it is something extremely important.

Toto says he could not remember much of when he was that young. All he can remember was looking at his pet hamster's back. Ron teases that he guesses Toto is what happens when one is raised looking at a hamster's back. Toto asks what he means in a fluster.

Toto also narrates that back during this case, he never would have expected that the problem of Ron's memories would get them wrapped up in a case like "that", the next case.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Totomaru Isshiki
* Ron Kamonohashi
* Takanori Aoe
* Shun Oigawa
* Renjiro Imai
* Riko Niki
* Chicory Monki