Human beings live
Human beings fall.
There is no convenient shortcut
to save human beings, except that.
(From "Discourse on Decadence" by Sakaguchi Ango)
GINZA
It's called "The Mysterious Facial Treatment from India and Arabia.
It's said that when you use the facial lotion here, your skin becomes as white as snow.
It's really crowded. - It's because of its reputation.
It's so pretty! You look like a western lady.
I use this every day too.
She's famous for being a beautiful and talented woman who rides a palanquin set with jewels
Excuse me.
Are you Kano Rie-sama? Yes.
I'm sorry to be so rude.
I've seen you a few times before...
I am Otomo Shinobu.
Then you married the head of the Otomo family the other day?
Yes.
Rie-sama, you're also interested in becoming beautiful, aren't you?
Yes, of course. If you don't mind.
What is this place?
This is the treatment room where only special guests are shown.
Please come in.
That woman is the proprietress of this store, Madam Rottenham.
This is where she performs the ultimate beauty treatment.
I'll introduce you to Madam Rottenham next time. Thank you.
Um...
Rie, you know Shinjuro Yuki, don't you?
Yes.
Case 5 The Art of Rottenham Beauty
I heard that Shinobu-san has something to discuss with Shinjuro-san.
Yes, I asked Rie-sama for help.
to bring him here.
What's the matter?
It's about my husband.
Munehisa-dono, head of the Otomo clan, a former feudal lord. I hear he's a man of great learning.
Yes. He loves learning and collects books from all over the world.
Normally, he is a quiet and gentle husband...
What's wrong with him?
He's been acting strange these past few days...
He suddenly had a seizure and swung his sword at the servants and even at me, his wife.
The three of us were alone.
He made an odd comment that that I,
and my maidservants, Kimi and Kayo were actually the same person.
The doctor said that he was confined to his study day and night,
and that he might have been misled by Western books.
So, I am asking the Honorable Yuki-sama,
I was wondering if you could be my husband's confidant...
I beg you.
If that's the case, it's no problem.
So wilful...
Hey, what are you going to do?
That's right...
What was that English now?
"It's beautiful what adversity can do to a person." That's Shakespeare, right?
Yes.
I understand. If I can be useful.
Ah~ Thank you very much.
He's been really helpful.
He's such a great person.
After all, he's different from Japanese gentlemen in some way.
I don't think of him as anything but a rude man.
You like him, don't you?
No, I don't!
Ah~ That was so dissapointing
If I had come a little earlier, I would have been able to see that Shinobu-sama's beautiful face...
I didn't know she was so beautiful.
She's very popular among ladies all over Tokyo now.
It's all over the newspapers.
The newspapers are also saying that she's a favorite of Shinobu-sama, the wife of Lord Otomo.
I think I'll try this facial lotion.
Maybe we can get skin as beautiful as Shinobu-sama's.
That's not how it works.
I have nothing to give to Toranosuke-sama.
Ito-chan, I don't even have your tea. Wait...
Hey, hey! O-Kane! O-ito!
That's why you say too much.
But it's not just her beauty that everyone admires.
Is there something else? Yes.
Shinobu-sama's family is of noble birth and her wedding was a match for the Otomo family in terms of prestige.
But Shinobu-sama is actually the adopted daughter of that family.
Adopted daughter?
When she was working as a maidservant,
the Lord's wife saw her cleverness and beauty and said, "We want her as our daughter.
Huh~ So it's the female version of success.
But it's a little too good to be true.
Hmm? What, you're bothering me because I complimented you?
Don't be conceited.
Don't try to compete with her at your age.
Hahahaha. - Huh? Ah...
But you seem to have a weakness for beautiful women too. I can't believe you took her on so easily.
It was a nice scent... Western perfume...
Oh, by the way, the scent reminded me of an exotic flower garden...
And how can three women be one person?
Something strange.
OTOMO RESIDENCE
Sorry to keep you waiting.
This is my husband, Otomo Munehisa.
Are you Yuki Shinjuro?
Yes. Nice to meet you.
I hear you are a famous detective who has returned from a trip abroad.
What do you think?
Do you also read Greek philosophy? Philosophy is the sum total of all disciplines.
It includes natural science, natural history, and mathematics.
Aristotle added ethics to it.
Yes, you know it well.
Where did you study? Boston.
I'm so jealous. Please come with me sometime.
I appreciate it, but I'm not a very strong person.
I'm glad he's here, Shinjuro-sama.
It seems you're all fine... Yes, for now.
Oh?
Excuse me.
The three are one.
One person has three faces and bodies.
Shinobu, your maid, and Kayo are actually one person.
You're not really Shinjuro Yuki either.
Reveal your true identity!
Run!
Ah, I just heard the Master's voice... Did he have that seizure again?
Yes...
It's the doctor, Dr. Kobayashi. He comes every day for my husband.
Does this kind of thing happen often?
Yes, I thought it would be better to take some measures before his condition gets any worse.
Measures?
We should put him in the hospital.
Yuki-sama, is there any way you can bring my husband back to his senses?
This is not the same as treating an injury.
Is there any way to bring him back to his senses?
There's no such thing.
Eh?
It's just a little rough treatment.
"And the next day, a man's body was found in the river."
What the hell?
The cause of death was not drowning, but shooting to death? Yes.
Killing someone with a pistol in the street... that's just like the West!
If the world finds out about this and there's an uproar...
Lord Saigo will be worried...
Call Shinjuro Yuki.
Excuse me.
Ah~ So this is the pistol mark.
Can you identify him? We're checking right now.
What's this black stuff?
Looks like she was covered in some kind of black pigment.
As I recall, when we went to the Rottenham Beauty Salon,
you said there was an Indian man there to show you around?
Yes, that's right.
Was it really a foreigner? What?
This is the man who was found dead in the river. When you look at it like this...
There's a resemblance
Otami-sama? Oh, Rie-san... Shinjuro-san too.
How can I help you?
These two asked me to take them with me.
What? My lady wants to go.
That's right. If we don't go soon, they'll sell out.
I wonder if that's true...?
But are they closed?
I heard that Madam Rottenham closed her store.
What?
So... that perfume and facial lotion are no longer available?
What a pity...
They were thriving, so why all of a sudden...
It's a strange story, isn't it?
What? You think he might be the guy who used to work in Ginza?
It's the Rottenham Beauty Salon.
Rottenham? That's the name of the owner of the store.
A Western European woman.
So it's not surprising that she has a pistol.
We have to go there right away... Yes!
The store is already closed. There's no one here.
What? What is it?
I found out the identity of the dead body.
He's a man named Takano Ichisuke who lived in a tenement in the back of Shimoya Ryusenji-cho.
He worked at a Western-style building in Ginza.
Well, that settles it.
A woman named Rottenham.
She shot him with a pistol and ran away.
Maybe she's a secret agent from some other country!
A secret agent? Track her down at once!
Yes! No wait...
If I do that, it'll become an international incident again...
Then doesn't that mean we're in over our heads?
What are you talking about! Hm?
Huh? Where'd he go?
What's going on.
At this rate, Japanese women will become more and more susceptible to Western facial beauty techniques.
Japan would be taken over by the West.
It's probably the work of fearful people.
That's right!
Perhaps! The murdered man was also the bouncer. - Eh?
Listen, the murderers had just threatened Rottenham to leave Japan...
Rottenham, pistol at the ready. "Ugh...
The men took the pistol... "Aaah! Ha! They took it away.
The bouncer who was trying to protect it...
"Pow! "Whoa~! "Poof! Unh! Whoa!
He was shot dead!
That's what I'm talking about.
It's so true, it's as if you've seen it!
right? Yes! (chuckles)
I'm not so sure
Here you go.
This fragrance... Ah, this?
I got this the other day when Shinobu Ohtomo-sama was here.
I got this.
It's called "Tears of a Woman in Black".
He said the three of us are one person.
"Tears of the Woman in Black"...
Dear. Ah!
You, Kimi and Kayo... you're all really just one person, aren't you?
Speak the truth!
Are you okay? Yes, it's not serious...
But I don't know what to do with my husband...
In this case, we may have to take a risk.
What risk?
You and your maids, Kimi and Kayo.
Show all three of them at once in front of your husband, even if it's a bit forceful.
You have to make him understand that each of you is a different person.
Shinobu-san.
I'll leave everything to Shinjuro-sama.
Acknowledged
By the way, have you heard about the Rottenham Beauty Salon?
Yes, I heard they closed their doors.
I don't know anything about it, but I'm very sorry...
You won't be able to get that fragrance anymore, will you?
Ah, yes, "Tears of a Woman in Black" I liked it very much...
But I'm sure Japanese women will eventually open stores like that all over Japan.
Beauty should be the power for women to live in this world.
I think so too. From now on, Japanese women should also be stronger.
What does Shinjuro-sama think...?
The same.
Whether you're a man or a woman.
I believe that a world where everyone can freely do what they want should come sooner or later.
I think we're somewhat alike.
Well, well, what is the truth behind the closing of the Beauty Salon?
Is it a conspiracy by those who hate the Western powers?
Or... is Madam Rottenham a secret agent?
Come come, buy a copy...
Many of the samurai who have lost their former positions are growing dissatisfied and angry.
We can't go on like this.
We must move on now.
If we don't, Japan will be taken advantage of by the West.
Are you sure you want to do this and abandon your old comrades?
Saigou-san should go and see the West.
Compared to our country, other national powers are overwhelming.
What are we going to do if we blindly follow the West?
If we continue like this, people will not be able to follow us.
We have to make this country stronger as soon as possible!
I'd like to start an experiment now.
Are you all right? I heard it's a rough treatment, but...
Shinobu said she'll leave it to Shinjuro-san.
Well then, let's begin.
(finger snaps)
Otomo-san, who's this?
This is my wife, Shinobu.
(finger snaps)
Who's this?
That's my maid, Kimi
But really, she's one with Shinobu.
(FINGER SNAPS)
Who's this?
That's Kayo, but she is really one with Kimi and Shinobu.
Thank you very much. Now... (FINGER SNAPS)
And this one?
The three of you are supposed to be one person.
No, they're three separate people.
Ohtomo-san, please take a closer look again.
Go ahead.
Ah~!
Ah~! Ms. Otomo!
Dear! Ah~! Haa haa haa...
The three of you together... huh huh huh...
On the contrary, it might have worked too well...
We have no choice but to hospitalize him now.
Is that what we have to do?
Hospitalization... that's unfortunate.
I thought that Otomo Munehisa's knowledge
knowledge would eventually come in handy to the government.
But he couldn't distinguish between his wife, Lady Shinobu, and the two maids.
"The three of you are one!!" and then he had a stroke
It didn't seem right to me.
But there's something strange about that.
It's only been a short time since he got married, and now he's suddenly acting like that.
Ah...
Otomo-san.
Have you ever been to the Rottenham Beauty Salon?
Rottenham...
Rottenham....
Rottenham, right...
Oh... Rottenham...
Haa... haa... Rotte...
I was surprised when Madam Rottenham disappeared without saying a word.
She had paid the rent for 3 months in advance.
This way.
The Indian-looking man was standing here.
This is where Madam Rottenham was doing special facial treatments.
It's a very dark room.
Madam Rottenham told me
it would be more convenient for her.
She did the procedure here?
Yes, the lady was lying on her back.
He found out that she was a spy.
Madam Rottenham shot him with a pistol
She escaped somewhere.
No, that's not right. - Eh~? As Katsu-sensei has revealed.
It was a plot by men to prevent the Western powers from taking over Japan!
No, it's a woman spy theory. No, it's a conspiracy theory!
No, no, a woman... No, no...
Ah~! Doesn't it matter either way?
Shinobu and...
Kimi and Kayo are actually one. Ah~!
Beauty should be the power for women to live in this world.
Eh?
Embracing ambition...
I understand. If that's the case, I'd be happy to.
Thank you very much.
You're very enthusiastic when it comes to helping Shinjuro-san, aren't you?
That's not why...
You guys can enter the Beauty Salon.
What! Really? Wow!
I'm sorry you had to come all this way.
No, but what are we doing here today?
I'll tell you later.
Actually, your husband was here as well.
He may be cured of his illness.
I'm grateful.
Please come in.
Ah, my dear, shouldn't you be at the hospital?
Oh, don't worry. He's gotten the doctor's permission.
Is there something you want to show me...
Yes, it would seem so.
I'll now recreate what your husband saw here that day.
That day?
The day you had your facial treatment here.
And we're going to show you now.
Didn't Mrs. Rottenham stand by the bed here like this
and give Sinobu-san a facial on his bed, Otomo-san?
Yes.
Dear
Eh? !
It's not Rie-dono... It's Okane...
I'll continue the treatment.
Dear
This time it's Oito!
It's the same body, but there are three faces...
Three people in one... This is it! I saw this!
As you can see, you're definitely
You definitely saw three people, as if they were one person.
But actually, it was a simple trick.
Trick?
Two of them were hidden behind the bed beforehand like this.
And in the middle of the treatment,
they passed through the base of the bed and switched places at the top.
The one who set it up...
It was you, right, Shinobu-san?
Shinobu...? Why would you do that...?
ambitious.
Because you're ambitious...aren't you?
You set out to become Japan's first evangelist of beauty.
Your first step was to do business here at the Rottenham Beauty Salon.
Madam Rottenham and her servants were hired by you.
You were the mastermind behind it all.
Paint it a little darker. Yes.
Anyway, it's important to look glamorous.
And, the facial lotion and perfume you sell here.
You can wear it yourself.
A lot of women came to this store to buy them.
Everyone wants to look as beautiful as you do.
The business was going great, but the real purpose
was to bring your husband into the store.
You've just gotten married and all you do is read.
I'd like to go out with you sometime.
I understand.
And you tell him you're having a facial.
This is where you showed your husband the trick.
Dear
Otomo-san believed that Shinobu-san, Kimi and Kayo
are really one person.
Otomo-san, don't Shinobu-san, Kimi and Kayo
always appear one by one in front of you?
Come to think of it, they always appear separately...
It's to keep you believing they're one person.
And the experiment I performed that day.
This was actually just as you had planned, wasn't it, Shinobu-san?
When Otomo-san saw all three of you at once for the first time.
Instead of coming to his senses, he became more and more confused and collapsed.
But that's strange, isn't it?
If that's the case, then why was Otomo-dono able to watch the earlier changeover without losing his mind?
Here it is.
"The Tears of the Woman in Black".
Before the original switchover.
Shinobu had planted a special drug in this perfume beforehand,
probably something that made him hallucinate, and had Otomo-san sniff it.
That's how Otomo-san became unconscious and thought that
Shinobu-san, Kimi-san and Kayo-san are one and the same.
Dear... Dear...
Ah... ah...!
After that, Shinobu-san always puts that medicine in her perfume
every time she gets close to Otomo-san.
Experiencing the horror of seeing the three of them together in front of his eyes, he became delirious.
Your husband was hospitalized as you planned.
If that happens, the vast fortune of the Otomo family will be at your disposal as his wife.
Perhaps when things settled down,
you planned to use the money to start a business here again?
This time... as Otomo Shinobu's Beauty Salon.
Huh...
That's right. As expected of you, Detective.
You woman....
You have that much wealth, and yet...
you have no interest in making something of yourself in this world.
All you're interested in is learning and books.
That money is only worth something if I use it.
Ha ha, am I wrong?
When you said, "Beauty should be the power for women to live in this world"
Is this really what you meant?
Rie-san, you don't understand how blessed you are.
I was born with nothing. I was just a maid.
But why did you take the trouble to involve Shinjuro,
knowing that your plot might be uncovered?
With the approval of a great detective, no one will suspect me even if I put my husband in the hospital.
If I can deceive you, I can make any person in the world do what I want.
Isn't that right?
Ha!
Whoa!
Eh...
Disappeared?
Hey, where's Shinjuro?
I knew you'd come.
You must have found this hidden room
when you checked the bed, didn't you?
Where do you think you're running to?
I've climbed this far by my own wits and dexterity.
Men win wars and gain power and look like they own the place.
What's wrong with me, a woman, using my beauty as a weapon?
The Meiji era is a world where anyone can freely do what they want.
Isn't that right?
No, you're wrong.
To live freely is not to crush the weak.
You killed an innocent man with this pistol.
I didn't want to kill him, you know?
But that man knew the secret of this place.
I had no choice.
It would be a shame to kill you.
Good-bye.
U... (gunshot)
Aah...ugh...
You can fall deeply, if you permit yourself to fall
I don't know anything about it.
This is what you were holding in your hand.
Well then...
Let's have you tell us the truth.
If I say I won't tell you anything...
will you shoot me with this pistol?
Huh.
Huh...
I heard that Otomo-dono was discharged safely. Yes
I'm glad to hear that.
As expected of a great detective, he was a cut above that woman, wasn't he?
No, but still...
It's a huge scheme for a single woman to pull off.
Even Shinjuro was used as a cog in her wheel.
Ah~ Terrible.
I didn't know there was such ambition behind that beauty...
Hmmm...
Ah~...
She's truly a monster of the Meiji era.
Really... didn't you say it was someone else's conspiracy?
As for this case, it is closed!
There you go again.
Who the hell created that monster?
Um!
Ambitious.
What kind of ambition do you have, Shinjuro-san?
If it's possible, I want to start all over again with my own hands...
The corrupt Meiji Restoration.
Just kidding.
But it is, isn't it?
A world where the weak can be saved...
Case 6 I See The Lightning
A fugitive drama disguised as the Bancho Sarayashiki.
The maid and the servant are missing too...
Suspicion will eventually turn to hatred for each other.