Pathway to Japanese Literature

I. Park Fortune-Teller

A port on a peninsula in the South Seas.
The sun blazed down; it was hot yet refreshing.
Trees grew thick and lush, with palms and fan palms spreading their umbrella-like leaves while various flowers bloomed in glorious profusion.

In the port town's park beneath shaded trees, an old man with a magnificent white beard spread a blanket on the ground and set up his fortune-telling stall.
Around him gathered a large crowd.

This old man used fortune-telling as a mere pretext; what he actually did was show people something interesting.
He came out about once every ten days, and the townspeople knew him well, referring to him by names like "the pharmacist old man" or "the white-bearded old man."
His trade being pharmacy，White Beard was his nickname.

“Alright, alright—don’t crowd so close,” the Old Man said to the people.
“Now then... behold my X-ray technique! If I get it right, you may pay however much you please.”
“But if I’m wrong, I won’t take a coin.”
“Right then—Shiro, Kuro—you two stay hidden back there.”

Shiro-chan and Kuro-chan—those were cats.
A snow-white cat and a jet-black cat—these were the ones the old man always brought along.
This arrangement seemed suspicious, but since they were merely cats, the spectators never noticed.

And now... came his X-ray technique...
The old man took out a wooden box and placed it face down on the blanket.

“Now, now, hide anything you like under this box.”
“I’ll see right through it from the outside—a hundred times out of a hundred, I’ll call it spot on.”
“A wondrous X-ray technique the likes of which the world has never seen…”
“Now then—who’s done it? Step right up!”

The old man spun around sharply and covered his eyes with both hands.

A child came forward and hid an object under the box.
The only ones watching were the spectators and the two cats, Shiro and Kuro.

“Are you ready?” asked the old man.

“All right,” answered the child.

The old man turned back around and stared intently at the box.
Then he glanced briefly at Shiro and Kuro.
Shiro and Kuro likewise glanced at the old man’s face.
The old man stared at the box once more.

“Ah-ha! You’ve hidden something worthless.
Two stones.
What do you say to that?”

The child scratched his head and removed the box.
Two stones lay lined up.

The spectators laughed, rejoiced, and marveled.

They did this many times over.
A gentleman stepped forward and hid a watch.
A woman stepped forward and hid a handkerchief.
A student stepped forward and hid a pen.
The old man correctly identified each one.
Was he truly seeing through the box?
Not a single one was off the mark.

The spectators applauded.
They tossed coins around.

“That’s quite enough. There’s no need to throw so many.”

The old man gathered up the coins.

“This time, I’ll give it a try.”

With that, a man stepped forward.
His attire was splendid, but his eyes were shifty.
He was a broad-shouldered man who seemed rather peculiar.
He was an unfamiliar man.

When the old man turned around, the man flipped over the box.

The old man turned back, stared at the box, glanced briefly at Shiro and Kuro’s faces, stared at the box again, then paused to think.

“Aha! You tried to trick me, didn’t you?
“There’s nothing.
“You haven’t hidden anything under the box.”

“Really? Nothing at all?”

“There’s absolutely nothing!”

The man placed both hands on the box and suddenly removed it.
Then, there, a diamond ring glittered brightly.

“Ha ha ha,” laughed the man.
“A perfect miss.”

The spectators were stunned.
This had never happened before.
The old man tilted his head.

“Very well, let’s try once more.”

They repeated the same process.
The old man spoke.

“Ah—you’ve hidden something this time.”
“Something paper-like... A banknote.”

“A banknote... Let’s see.”

The man muttered to himself as he placed both hands on the box—first gently, then suddenly—and removed it.
There, a single match lay…

“Ha ha ha, not even close, ha ha ha.”

The man sneered.
The old man pondered.
Then he stood up looking displeased.

“My head isn’t working right today.”
“Well, let’s just say I messed up.”
“Since I messed up, this is the end of it.”

And he rolled up the blanket, picked up Shiro and Kuro, and headed back.

The spectators whispered to each other in bewilderment.

The old man with the white beard returned to the pharmacy.
And then he spoke to Shiro and Kuro as companions... Would it be strange to say so?

To tell the truth, these pure white and jet-black cats—Shiro and Kuro—were ones that the old man, a lifelong bachelor, doted on as if they were his own children.
The cats, for their part, thought of the old man as a parent.
And as they grew closer to each other, the cats gradually came to understand the old man’s words, and furthermore came to understand human language.
And on the old man’s side, he learned to read the cats’ eye color and facial expressions, and came to understand the cats’ language.
When affection truly overflows, it seems even humans and animals can understand each other’s words.
The relationship between this old man and Shiro and Kuro was precisely this.
The reason the old man could correctly identify anything through his X-ray technique was because he had Shiro and Kuro with him.
As spectators hid objects under boxes, Shiro and Kuro watched closely and informed the old man what had been hidden.
Therefore, he could guess any object correctly.

However, only with that man did it fail.

“Did you see it clearly?” the old man asked Shiro and Kuro.

Shiro and Kuro had indeed seen it.
That man hadn’t hidden anything the first time.
Yet a diamond ring had appeared.
The second time, he’d hidden a bill.
Yet a match had appeared.
It was strange.

“He must have tricked us,” both Shiro and Kuro said.

“Ah, that must be it,” said the old man.
“He cheated when removing the box.
“There was something suspicious about his hand movements.
“That man... he seems like a bad sort...”

And just as the old man, Shiro, and Kuro were deep in thought, Pongong came running up, gasping for breath.

Pongong was a diligent boy who made ends meet by selling evening newspapers in the town square while studying on his own.
He was a friend of the Old Man with White Beard and a friend of Shiro and Kuro as well.
He would always come around to learn various things from the old man and play with Shiro and Kuro.

“Old Man, today’s X-ray technique… that man is a suspicious guy,” said Pongong.

“Ah, I’ve been neatly had,” said the old man with a wry smile.

“I tried following him a bit.”
“But since he got into a car and left, it didn’t work out.”
“But I know that man.”
“Today he was dressed all fancy-like, even had a diamond ring and such, but usually he wears dirty clothes, looking like a fisherman, and does his fishing along the coast.”
“At times like that, there’s always a suspicious ship anchored offshore.”
“He’s definitely part of that suspicious ship’s crew.”

“The suspicious ship… Hmm, I wonder.”
“Let’s look into this.”

“Hmm, you’re right.”
“That man is an utter scoundrel.”

The suspicious ship... one that came from somewhere and then slipped away again.
A ship that resembled a warship yet also a merchant ship—an incomprehensible vessel.

When that ship was anchored offshore, that man was fishing on the coast...
They might have been exchanging some sort of signals.

“If I go, he might be on guard, so let’s try sending Shiro and Kuro instead.”

The preparations were set.

“Do a good job,” Pongong said to Shiro and Kuro.

Now, would Shiro and Kuro alone manage to succeed?
But Shiro and Kuro were brimming with excitement.
They must have been planning to get revenge for the X-ray technique.

II. The Fishing Man

It was a seaside promenade near the port.
Within an expanse of lawn, a gravel path wound gracefully.
Various trees were planted here and there.
Flowers were also blooming.
The seaward side had a high stone wall, with small waves lapping gently against it.

It was early in the morning, and there were no people out for a walk.
Pongong, Shiro, and Kuro, hiding in the shade of the trees, gradually made their way toward the sea.

Out at sea, a suspicious ship was anchored.
It was a vessel of about seven hundred tons, appearing like an old merchant ship, but upon closer inspection, it was sturdily built and could very well be called a warship.
It seemed cannons might be hidden somewhere on it.
Moreover, it was painted light blue, making it nearly indistinguishable from the seawater.
It was always burning coal, with smoke rising from its chimney.
It looked ready to set sail at any moment.
But it remained perfectly still.

And sure enough, at the coastal stone wall, that man was fishing.
Unlike at the park, he wore plain clothes - a raincoat thrown over his shirt, a coarse leather belt fastened tight, rubber boots reaching his knees.

Shiro and Kuro deliberately roughhoused - nipping at each other's ears, meowing theatrically, darting in circles - all while edging closer to the man.
Pongong remained hidden beneath the trees' shadow.

The man worked his fishing rod with practiced rhythm, periodically hauling up catches.
At peak tide, when he plopped his hook into seawater swollen to the brim and felt that decisive tug...a sharp flick of the rod exposed a fish flailing on the line.

It was an impressive display of skill. Inside the bucket, several caught fish were already swimming.

Shiro and Kuro went close, peered into the bucket, and pretended to play with the fish. But their eyes were directed elsewhere. They were looking back and forth between the suspicious ship offshore and the man fishing, comparing them. On the ship, ropes adorned with numerous small white cloths were constantly rising and falling smoothly. Was this some kind of practice, or was it a signal?

The man fishing was also repeatedly swinging his fishing rod.
With a whish, he would swing it three times, sometimes five, sometimes four.

“So the ship and this man really are exchanging signals.”

So Shiro and Kuro whispered. However, they didn't understand what kind of signal it was. And they were growing unbearably frustrated.

“Hey now, don’t you mess with that bucket.”

The man said this with a laugh. But he was only laughing on the surface; his manner suggested he was plotting something. From the very beginning, he had been glaring sideways at Shiro and Kuro.

Shiro and Kuro had noticed that. They were cats who understood human language well and could even converse with the Old Man with White Beard. They were different from ordinary cats.

“Ah, you want fish?” said the man.
“I’ll give you one.”

He plucked one of the half-dead fish from the bucket and tossed it before them.
Shiro and Kuro sniffed at it cautiously.
But wary of danger, they refused to eat.

“Such refined manners you have.”
“Or maybe it doesn’t suit your taste?”
“Very well... Stay right there. I’ll fetch a net now—prepare something tastier for you.”
“Today’s catch is absurdly fine after all.”

Having said this as if talking to himself, the man went off in that direction.
Shiro and Kuro exchanged glances.

Before long, the man in rubber boots returned carrying a large casting net.
Around his waist hung a thick rope.

“Alright then, let’s see if I can catch some tasty fish with this.”

Acting as if paying no attention to Shiro and Kuro, he was looking out to sea.
But he was intently watching their movements out of the corner of his eye.

Then, he lifted the casting net, took a breath, and suddenly threw it over Shiro and Kuro...
Shiro and Kuro leaped aside and desperately started to flee.

“Stop! Hey! You again?”

The man gave chase.

If they stopped, they would be caught immediately.
Shiro and Kuro ran with all their might.
The man pulled the rope from his waist and swung it, dragging the net as he chased them relentlessly.
The man was an incredibly fast runner.

Shiro and Kuro fled toward the grove of trees.
The man continued to pursue them closely.
They looked utterly exhausted.
There stood a plane tree.
When they leaped onto it, they were already in a frenzy and began climbing upward.

The man grabbed onto the tree, let out a relieved breath, and then shook it.
It was a large tree and didn’t budge an inch.
The man shouted at the top of his voice.

“Someone come quick—hurry, someone….”
“They’re thieving cats—!”
“Catch the thieving cats!”
“Isn’t there anyone here—?”

As he kept shouting repeatedly, three or four children came running.
Until then, Pongong had been watching from the shadow of the tree, fidgeting impatiently, but now he had no choice—putting on an innocent face, he came running out together with the children.

The man patted the children’s shoulders.

“Oh, you came.”
“Look there! The white cat and black cat are up in this tree, right?”
“They’re such disagreeable cats.”
“They’re thieving cats.”
“I want to catch them, so help me out.”
“I’ll make it worth your while.”
“Catch them for me.”

Now then—how were they to catch the cats up in the tree?
Even the man was stumped.
The children too found themselves at a loss.

Pongong made some sort of decision and stepped forward.

“I’ll try climbing this tree to catch them.”
“Please lend me that rope.”
“But... they do look rather strong.”
“Since it’s dangerous, spread that net below and keep it ready over my head.”

“Oh, you’re going to catch them for me?”
“Do it properly.”

Pongong, holding the rope, climbed the tree.
Shiro and Kuro were huddled amidst the thick foliage of the tree leaves.

Pongong climbed up step by step and whispered in a low voice.

“Hey, it’s me—it’s me,” he whispered urgently through clenched teeth.
“No need to worry.”
“But we’ll have to attempt something dangerous.”
“This’ll be life or death… got it?”
“Do exactly as I say.”

Then Pongong barked in his loudest street-vendor voice:
“Damn cats!”
“Thieving strays—come down so I can thrash you proper!”

He bellowed toward the ground below.

“They look strong.
“It’s dangerous!
“Keep that net steady!”

Pongong climbed up to the cats and whispered something again in a hushed voice.

And then... Shiro and Kuro let out low growls.
Pongong swung the rope.
They began shouting all at once from both sides.
Pongong was the more adept at escaping.
Step by step, he came down to a lower part and, using that branch, escaped.
Shiro and Kuro came chasing after.
And finally grappling together into a tangled mass... performing a dangerous stunt... from the tip of the bent branch, through the thick foliage while stirring up a commotion, they came tumbling down with a thud onto the net spread above the man’s head.

A loud shout erupted.
The man was pinned beneath it and collapsed under the net.
The children leaped back.
In that moment, Shiro and Kuro sprang up and fled at full speed.
Pongong thrashed sideways in his fall and kicked the man.
Something round fell from the man's pocket.
Pongong swiftly scooped it up and concealed it.
Then he deliberately burst into loud sobs.
In truth, he had scraped his elbows and knees bloody.

In the back of the pharmacy, the old man with the white beard waited anxiously.

“That man was definitely signaling to a suspicious ship,” Shiro and Kuro explained in turns.

What Pongong had picked up was a round medal-like object with three numbers—345—engraved on its surface.

“This is a good find,” said the old man.
“It must be some kind of identification medal for their comrades.”
“Now we should track down that man’s hideout and uncover its secrets.”

Pongong, Shiro, and Kuro were all furious at that man.
Pongong's elbows and knees stung painfully from his scrapes.
Shiro and Kuro puffed out their cheeks indignantly at having been treated like fish and targeted with a casting net.
If they encountered him again now, they would likely start a fight immediately.

Yet that man had vanished without a trace.
He was who Pongong, Shiro, and Kuro were searching for.
Would they manage to find him?

III. Suspicious House

Pongong and the cats Shiro and Kuro searched everywhere for that suspicious man, but they simply couldn't find him. However, suddenly, that man appeared.

When the old man with the white beard was idly smoking tobacco inside his pharmacy, a man who seemed like a proper gentleman entered.

The old man started.
It was indeed that man.
He was the man who had disrupted the magic show in the park square.
He was the man who had tried to catch Shiro and Kuro with a casting net at the coast—the very man from that incident.

The man put on an innocent face and looked around the shop.
Pongong, Shiro, and Kuro were nowhere to be found; only the old man remained.

“At your place,” the man said.
“I’ve heard there’s a mysterious ointment at your place that heals any wound—is that true?”

“Oh yes, we have it.”

That was the old man with the white beard’s prized medicine.
From ancient times, using a secret method passed down through generations, he had kneaded together various herbs and tree roots to create it—apply this ointment, and any wound would heal immediately.

“I would like to obtain a large quantity of that... Would that be possible?”

A large quantity... he said he wanted enough for about a hundred people, under the pretext of applying it to various parts of their bodies.
He gave some vague explanation about needing it as a precaution because he was taking a large group of people on an adventurous journey.

The old man answered while thinking.

"I can make it, but it will take two or three days."

"Yes, that will suffice."

Then the man, saying he would pay in advance, lined up gold coins there, and without revealing where he lived, informed them only of his name: Tarman.
All the while, he kept glancing around the shop restlessly, but finally seemed to give up.

"Then I'll return in two days to collect the medicine—please have it ready."

“Understood.”

The man left.

At that very moment， Shiro and Kuro came leaping out from the back of the store．
They had been hiding in the shadows， watching this entire scene unfold since earlier．
Clutching both of the old man’s arms， Shiro and Kuro meowed insistently—

“That’s him! Let’s tail him from here and find out what sort of rogue we’re dealing with．”

The old man understood perfectly well what they meant．

“Hmm, why don’t you go ahead and follow him?” said the old man.
“You need to be careful.”

Shiro and Kuro energetically dashed out.
The old man crossed his arms and sank into deep thought.

It was nearing evening.
The town grew busier with people coming and going.
When Shiro and Kuro, who had dashed outside, peered around, that man—who had apparently stopped ahead and been watching their direction—suddenly turned around and began walking away slowly.
Had he noticed Shiro and Kuro? That remained unclear.
He walked slowly away with his head hung low, as if deep in thought.

Shiro and Kuro trailed after him, carefully making their way along the shadows of objects and people while taking every precaution.

Before long, the man turned into a side street and emerged into a quiet part of town.
Continuing onward brought him to a small temple where at one corner of its entrance lay a round stone.
The man sat down on that stone, cradled his head in both hands, and seemed to be deep in thought about something.
He didn’t move at all.

Shiro and Kuro were hiding in the shadow of a gate... but they noticed.
The man, while feigning deep thought, was intently watching their direction from beneath his arm.
Shiro and Kuro were not ones to be deceived by such ploys.
They looked at each other and laughed.

Perhaps because Shiro and Kuro remained hidden too long, the man finally stood up.
Then he began walking slowly.
He didn't even glance back anymore.

He walked for a long time.
Turning right and left, he emerged into a bustling town.
There stood a shop selling splendid jewels, gold, silver, and such.
The man abruptly entered that store.

Shiro and Kuro were hiding some distance away.
But the man never reappeared.
Had he gone in to make purchases, or was this his residence?

Shiro and Kuro were perplexed.
They conferred.

“Should we try going in?”
“We might get noticed.”
“Looks like we’ve already been noticed anyway.”

“Hmm… Could that be the man’s house?”
“Let’s go find out.”

Shiro and Kuro stealthily made their way to the front of the store.
However, inside the store, jewels and gold-and-silver crafts were lined up, but there was not a soul in sight—neither that man nor any shop staff.
Even though it was already evening, the lights weren’t on.
It was dim and still.

“I’ll go in and check,” said Kuro.
“It’s dim inside, and I’m pitch-black like this—I’ll be just fine.”

Leaving Shiro behind, Kuro slipped stealthily inside.

As Shiro watched anxiously from outside, wondering if this would work—in that instant, something flashed before his eyes, then came the clatter of the door slamming shut.

Shiro jumped up to flee but steadied himself and crept back to investigate—the door was locked tight and wouldn’t budge.
Even when he strained his ears, only silence came from beyond the door.

Kuro had been confined.
He had probably already been captured.
That man did it．
When considering everything from the start，he had skillfully laid a trap．

In front of the tightly shut door, Shiro waited for a long time.
Then, a single tear spilled from his eyes.
And then he flew back to the old man’s place.

The old man listened to Shiro's full account, tilted his head, and pondered.
Just then, Pongong arrived.
Pongong was surprised when he heard the old man's account.
The house Tarman had entered was a shop called Tom Trading Co., where the owner was usually absent with only three or four employees present.
However, this time it seemed that during a voyage, pirates had attacked and killed the owner along with many others, and a stone monument had been erected in the cemetery on the hill across town.

“That guy Tarman is a suspicious character,” said Pongong.
“Moreover, that ship anchored offshore is suspicious too.
“This is definitely some kind of major incident!”

“Hmm, I think so too,” answered the old man.

In any case, Tarman needed to be thoroughly investigated.
They also had to rescue Kuro.
Now things were getting busy.

However, the old man was busy making medicine.
No matter what kind of man Tarman might be, it was the promised medicine for which he had received payment.
He had to grind various herbs and tree roots into powder, mix and knead them together, and prepare a great quantity.
The old man was completely engrossed in that.
As long as the medicine was prepared, there would be a way to handle things when Tarman came.

Pongong wandered around Tom Trading Co. with Shiro.
In the store, there were two clerks who just read magazines and whispered to each other.

It was a splendid three-story house made of granite.
By the front windows and inside the store, beautiful jewels and gold-and-silver crafts were lined up.
However, it was always strangely quiet.
There wasn’t even a sign of people on the second or third floors.
Where was Tarman?
What had become of Kuro?

IV. The Signal Medal

It was the second day.

When they entered the narrow vacant lot beside the house, suddenly Shiro let out a loud cry and began dashing about the area.
He seemed to have lost his mind.
Then he climbed up a single plane tree there, moved along a branch, and in one swift motion leaped to the second-floor window on the other side.
The window's shutters were tightly closed.
Shiro went to the corner of the window, let out a meow toward Pongong, and while pressing his head against the edge, crouched down.

Pongong was dumbfounded. At the high second-floor window, in that tightly shut shutter corner—what could Shiro possibly be intending to do there? The afternoon sun was shining. It was as if he were basking in the sun. He didn’t move at all. Pongong was perplexed. While looking up at Shiro, he wandered around the area.

Before long, Shiro sat up abruptly and let out a loud meow. Pongong ran closer beneath him. Shiro seemed to want to come down. But jumping down from the high second floor was dangerous, and he couldn’t leap back to the cedar branch he had climbed along from the window.

Pongong looked around the area.
There was nothing.
There was no helping it.
Pongong took off his jacket, put it over his head, and patted it with his hand.

As Pongong braced his legs and waited, with a thud... Shiro skillfully landed on his head and then onto the ground.

“What were you doing at that window?”

“Meow, meow…”

Pongong couldn’t understand what Shiro was saying.

He hurried back to the old man’s place.

And what Shiro told the old man was—

Kuro had been inside that second-floor window.
At the edge of the shutters, there had been a small gap through which Shiro could communicate with Kuro.
Kuro was safe.
He was being well cared for and given delicious food.
However, he was confined to that room.
In the room stood an iron door built into the wall—Tarman had ordered him to figure out how to unlock it.
The door had nine keyholes.
A key hung around Kuro’s neck.
Since he was a cat who conversed with the Old Man with White Beard and served as the secret behind magic tricks, Tarman likely assumed something as simple as opening that iron door would be immediately apparent to him.
That was how Tarman pressured him...

“Hoh,” said the old man.
“This is growing curious.”

"So that man is an outsider."
"He might be the pirate who killed Tom Trading Co.'s owner."

“Now, now, wait a moment,” said the old man, calming Pongong.

“Kuro seems to be treated well—we should watch things a bit longer.”

And the old man set about preparing the medicinal ointment again.

On the morning of the promised third day, Tarman arrived.
While keeping Kuro confined, he acted as if he knew nothing about it.

"Is the promised medicine ready?"

"Yes."

With the large jar filled with medicinal ointment at the center, both of them sat silently smoking tobacco.
Tarman scrutinized the house's interior.
The old man turned away.

Before long, Tarman stood up, carrying the medicine jar.

“Well then, I’ll take this.”
“Since I may come to ask something again next time, I trust you’ll oblige.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

Tarman left.

Pongong was irritated that the old man didn’t reprimand Tarman.
When Tarman left, he too dashed out after him.

Tarman walked briskly away, carrying the medicine jar.
And he didn’t head toward Tom Trading Co., but instead ended up at the coast.
It was the spot where Tarman had been fishing before.

The sea was calm.
Offshore, slightly apart from several ships, that suspicious light-blue ship was anchored.

Tarman strolled along the coast while carrying the jar. Then he took something out of his pocket and, with his right hand, tossed it into the air and caught it. He seemed to be playing with it as if it were a toy. It was something like a copper coin.

Pongong’s eyes widened. What Tarman was treating as a toy was a medal. It looked just like that medal Pongong had picked up when Tarman dropped it some time ago. When he put his hand into his pocket, that medal was properly there.

“That’s weird. I wonder if there are several of the same thing,” Pongong murmured.

Pongong put on an innocent face and approached, whistling as he went.

“Oh, Mister, you’ve got a strange thing there.”
“Won’t you show me that?”

Tarman clenched the medal in his right hand and stared fixedly at Pongong’s face.
“What would looking achieve?”
“Because it’s the same as the one I have.”
“What do you mean, ‘the same’?”

Pongong was half-crouched in a defensive stance.
He took out the medal—the one Tarman had dropped and he had picked up—and showed it.
When he compared it to the one Tarman had now, it was exactly the same, with the same number 345 on the front.

Tarman suddenly grabbed Pongong’s shoulder.

“You picked that up somewhere.”

“Nope, I got it from someone,” answered Pongong.

“You got it… From who?”

“It was some uncle from elsewhere.”
“Must’ve been two or three years now…”

“What kind of person was he?”

“What kind? He was just a regular person.
"He told me to keep it safe."
“And he asked me to do all sorts of things for him.”

“What kind of tasks?”

“That’s… I can’t say.”
“Because I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone.”

Tarman gazed at Pongong with a calm expression.

It seemed Pongong’s fabricated story had worked.
But more lies now felt dangerous.
Pongong sealed his lips.
To every question, he offered only half-baked answers.

Tarman gently rested a hand on Pongong’s shoulder.

“That medal marks something vital.
Keep it close.
Soon now—you know Tom Trading Co., that big jeweler’s—they’ll raise a monument in the hilltop cemetery for its owner and others. You’d best come when they do.
Might even meet whoever gave you that medal.”

“When will that monument be erected?”

“It’ll be within about a week.
“Make sure you come.”

At that moment, Pongong didn’t notice, but in the sea below the stone wall, a boat rowed up with four or five sturdy men aboard.

“Well then, see you again.”

Tarman said this, gave Pongong’s shoulder a light tap, and nimbly jumped into the boat.
The medal toss might have been the signal to summon that vessel.

The boat left immediately.
As he watched, it proceeded straight toward the light blue ship.
Just as he thought.
Tarman indeed had a connection with that ship.
But what would he do with such a large amount of wound medicine?

Pongong had been watching the boat; before long, he struck his chest with his fist.
His eyes glinted as he bit his lip.
He seemed to have made some kind of resolution.

Pongong headed toward Tom Trading Co.
On the way, he bought a little cheese.
In the store, there were only two clerks.

Pongong hurriedly went inside.

“I’m from the ship, and I hear there’s a black cat here.”

The clerks remained silent, watching Pongong.

“There’s a black cat here, right? I brought this.”
“I’ve gotta feed this to the black cat right away.”
“Was told to come do this.”
“Show me.”

And then Pongong took out the 345 medal and showed it.

The clerks, looking surprised, took the medal and examined it in detail.

“You truly are a messenger from the ship.”

“That’s right! I have to return to the ship soon. I’m in a hurry. Hurry up and show me the way.”

The two clerks exchanged hushed whispers, checked Pongong’s entire body, and then one of them guided him.
Pongong followed the clerk upstairs, his heart pounding.

It was the room at the far end of the second floor.
Inserting a large key into that door, the clerk said.

“Since this is an important room, we’ll lock it again once you’re inside.”
“Once you’ve fed that to the cat, knock on the door.”
“We’ll open it for you.”
And then in a firm voice, he added, “If anything seems suspicious, this is what you get!”

When his hip was poked and he looked down, there was a pistol being pressed against him.

The door opened.
When he stepped inside, the door was shut again from behind with the click of a lock.
The room was dim, and Pongong stood there in a daze.

V. Key to the Secret Room

Pongong had cleverly deceived the clerks and entered the secret room, but as he stood there dazedly in the dim light, a low cat's cry sounded, and something leaped at his chest.
It was Kuro.
That was Kuro, confined there.
Pongong hugged Kuro tightly.
Gradually, his eyes grew accustomed to the dimness.

The room had only a faint light coming through the window, with the shutters completely closed over it.
In the center was a round table and a single chair, and on the round table lay the 345 medal.

Pongong dashed over to the window.
The window was shut tight.
There was no way to escape.

Pongong gave up and handed the cheese he had brought to Kuro.
Kuro didn’t even try to eat it and kept tugging at Pongong.
When he looked, there on one side of the wall was embedded an iron door about one meter square.
It was the door Tarman wanted to open.

Around Kuro’s neck hung a small silver key.

Pongong took the key.
On the door were keyholes numbered from 1 to 9.
Kuro persistently scratched at keyhole number 9 with his paw.

“This is it,” Pongong whispered.

However, even after inserting the key and turning it round and round, the door wouldn’t open.
But he had to hurry.
Outside the room, a man with a pistol was waiting.
Pongong grew impatient and kept turning the key until... it opened.
The door opened.
However, inside, there was another iron door.
There were keyholes numbered from 1 to 9.
Kuro scratched keyhole 2 with his paw.
Pongong inserted the key into it, but this time it didn’t open.
No matter how many times he twisted the key around and around, it wouldn’t open.

The door of the room was pounded loudly from outside.

Pongong panicked.
When he closed the first door, the lock automatically clicked into place with a clang.

Again, the room’s door was pounded loudly.

“Today’s no good—I’ll come back next time,” Pongong said while fastening the silver key around Kuro’s neck.
“Just hang in there a little longer for me.”

Kuro clung to Pongong’s neck.

The room’s door creaked open slightly.
The man pressed a pistol against him.

“Hurry up already.”

“Right, I’m already done.”

When Pongong calmly came out, the man drove Kuro into the room and shut the door.

Pongong was thoroughly searched by the two men again.

It was a dangerous adventure that required resolve, but it paid off.
Pongong told the old man with the white beard everything thoroughly.
When opening the first door, he was so flustered that he didn’t know how many times he had turned the key.

“Well, that’s fine,” said the old man. “The first door has keyhole 9—turning the key several times there—and the next door has keyhole 2… With just that information alone, we’ll have some clue to work with. That must surely have some connection to the 345 medal. I’ll try solving that riddle myself.”

The old man was now thinking of nothing but that matter.

As for Pongong, he had to occasionally take Shiro along and have him establish contact with Kuro through the window.
He also had to keep watch on the suspicious ship offshore.

Tarman did not show himself.

Four or five days had passed.

The usually quiet interior of Tom Trading Co.’s store was uncharacteristically bustling today.
A crowd of customers had crowded in.
It seemed to be a special sale day.
In memory of their deceased owner, they were selling everything at half price.

When night fell, even more people crowded in.
There were also those who had come merely to look around.
Men who didn’t look like store clerks—strangely rough-looking men—had laid out a great deal of jewelry and gold and silver crafts and were conducting business in a brusque manner.

The second floor, the third floor—every room was brightly lit.
What could be happening?

Pongong too, blending into the crowd of customers, was observing the situation inside the store.
He intended to sneak into the second-floor secret room once again.
He had also heard of the method the old man had devised for opening that iron door.
The method didn’t seem entirely reliable, but even if the iron door didn’t open, all he needed to do was rescue Kuro.

However, things didn’t seem to be going well at all.
He couldn’t find an opportunity to go up to the second floor.
Even if he managed to get up there, he didn’t know the room’s key.

Pongong went to a clerk and stealthily showed the 345 medal.

“I need to feed the black cat, but where’s the room key?”

The store clerk gazed at Pongong in a puzzled manner.

“A black cat? Never heard of it.”
“I’m busy.”

Without dealing with Pongong, they began attending to customers.

Pongong wandered around inside the store again.
He went outside and came back in repeatedly.
There was no one who would attend to him.
Inside the store were jewels and gold/silver crafts, gold coins and silver coins, voices and shouts... all glittering and clamoring.

Time steadily passed.
Pongong grew frustrated.

At the front of the store, near the entrance, a young man was squatting.
He remained squatting there indefinitely.

Pongong tried calling out to him.

“What are you doing there?”

The young man raised his face.
He seemed drunk on alcohol.
He seemed to be crying.

"What's wrong?" Pongong asked again.

“There’s nothing to be done about it.”
“I’m just so sad.”
“So I drank, but that only made me feel worse…”

“What’s making you sad?”

“Even someone like me… I was the owner’s favorite here, you know.”
“Now he’s gone and they’re holding this memorial sale. How could I not be sad?”

Pongong’s eyes widened.

“And that Tarman—I can’t stand him! Acting all high and mighty, bringing in some stray black cat… Now they’re making me look after the damn thing.”
“What’s a black cat even good for? Stupid cat…”

Pongong smiled thoughtfully.
He crouched down next to the young man.

“Ah, that black cat? Why not just throw it away? Want me to get rid of it for you? I’ll toss it into the sea. Leave it to me.”

Then Pongong showed the 345 medal to the young man. The young man’s face brightened with pleasure.

“Oh! So you’re one of us! Perfect timing! Handle it however you like. Here—this is the room key.”

Pongong nearly jumped for joy. Upon receiving the large key, he deliberately swung it around ostentatiously while whistling, acting like part of the household as he cut through the store and dashed upstairs.

When he looked around, there was no one watching.
But there was no time to waste.
Pongong opened the door to the secret room.
Inside, an electric light was shining brightly.
The only one there was Kuro.

Pongong caught Kuro as he leaped at him and held him to his chest.

So, while petting Kuro’s head and pondering how to make their escape, the iron door caught his eye.
Around Kuro’s neck was hanging a small silver key.

"Alright, I'll check it out."

Pongong took the silver key.

The number on the medal was 345.
The first door had a keyhole numbered nine—three multiplied by three.
He turned the key three times, and it opened.
It was exactly as the Old Man with White Beard had said.
The second door had a keyhole numbered two—four multiplied by three equals twelve, minus ten.
He turned the key four times, and it opened.
Next, just as the old man had said, there was a third door.
The third door had a keyhole numbered five—five multiplied by three equals fifteen, minus ten.
He turned the key five times, and it opened.

It was a deep iron box.
Rolled-up cardboard and similar materials were packed tightly inside.
Just as he was about to lay hands on it—

“Wait!”

It was a loud voice.
Pongong shuddered and froze.
When he turned around... Tarman was standing in the room with a smile.

“Heh heh heh, you finally opened it for me, huh? Much obliged.”
“But I’m busy today.”
“You’ll wait until tomorrow.”
“There are also things I want to discuss.”
“I’m afraid I can’t let you go tonight.”
“Hand over the key to me.”

Tarman looked more imposing than usual.
Pongong, unable to speak, handed over the silver key.
Tarman closed the iron door.

The young man who had been at the storefront came in holding a blanket.

"So you've finally fallen into the trap, hahaha. Well, take your time and rest up."

The young man appeared to be under the influence of alcohol yet remained steady.
Pongong burned with frustration.
He had meant to deceive them but had been deceived instead.
There was nothing left to do.
Given a blanket, he found himself confined together with Kuro.

Tarman and the young man left.
A lock was placed on the room’s door.

VI. Island Chart and Star Map

The premises of Tom Trading Co. were extremely quiet today.
It was even quieter than usual.
The store was closed.
There was only one young man present.
Everyone had gone out.
They had gone to the cemetery on top of the hill.

It was where the tombstone of the deceased master stood.
It wasn’t just the master’s.
It seems there were many people who died together with the master.
Along with them, a large stone monument stood.

Black curtains had been hung in the store.

At that moment, the white-bearded old man from the pharmacy arrived, bringing along Shiro, the white cat.

Through Shiro's detective work, they had come to fully understand everything - that the iron door in the secret room had opened, and that Pongong had been confined together with Kuro.

"That can't be right," the old man thought.

The white-bearded old man wore a stern expression.
Shiro stood with his tail stiffly erect.
Both seemed angry.

“I’ve come to see Mr. Tarman,” said the old man.

The young man blinked rapidly.

“If he’s out, I’ll wait until he returns.”

The young man looked uncertain how to respond.
Since he didn’t understand the situation, he seemed to have resolved to let them remain as they were.

The old man sat down on a chair holding Shiro.
Then closed his eyes.
He remained perfectly still like that.
Was he asleep, or was he deep in thought?

When afternoon came, Tarman returned bringing a crowd of men.
They were rugged men with eyes that gleamed sharply, their features weathered by salt winds.
Among them were some who had ointment applied to their arms and legs.
It was the medicinal ointment the old man had prepared.

The old man, remaining seated, stared intently at Tarman.
Tarman also stared intently at the old man's face.

“Your medicine works remarkably well,” Tarman said abruptly.

“The wounds that hadn’t healed properly had mended right up, exactly as promised.”

Having said this, he indicated the men.

The old man nodded.

Tarman whispered something to one of the men.
All the men went upstairs.

“Now then, let me give you the tour,” said Tarman.

The old man stood up, still holding Shiro.

It was ridiculously simple.
They seemed to thoroughly understand each other's thoughts.
Without saying another word, the two went up to the second floor.

Tarman opened the door to the secret room.
Pongong and Kuro were startled.
The old man entered holding Shiro.
The old man nodded gently.
Pongong's eyes filled with tears.
Shiro and Kuro were already grooming each other's heads and bodies.

Tarman pulled up a chair.
Then he shut the door tightly and threw open the window.

“Actually, I’ve been waiting for you,” Tarman said to the old man.
“Let’s have a proper talk.”

Tarman was a man who traded various goods available in different regions while exploring the scattered small islands of the South Seas—both inhabited and uninhabited—as he traveled about.

However, one day, they were suddenly attacked by a pirate ship.

The enemy had an ironclad vessel with abundant weapons and superior speed.
Yet Tarman showed no fear and fought with all his might.

Many men fell.
In the end, Tarman’s ship was rammed by the enemy vessel.

Tarman hid in the ship’s lowermost room together with his subordinates.
The pirates swarmed onboard.

At that moment, they lit the gunpowder barrels and oil barrels they had prepared.
It was their last resort.
A tremendous roar erupted, followed by an explosion so massive that it turned both sky and sea pitch black.
And then there was a massive fire.

Most of the pirates had died.
Most of his allies had also perished.
Tarman's ship sank.

However, Tarman was strangely unharmed.
Together with the survivors, they had already transferred to the pirate ship.
They seized that ship.
They made the remaining pirates surrender.

That pirate ship is that light blue vessel currently anchored offshore of the port.
The pirate leader had been the master of Tom Trading Co.

Under the guidance of the surviving pirates, Tarman had come to this Tom Trading Co.
Then he gathered everyone and said.

“Since all my crew members now follow me, it’s time for our showdown with you all.”
“But fighting would be tedious.”
“Let’s settle this with cards.”

He took out a deck of cards, shuffled it thoroughly, and suddenly drew three cards - which turned out to be the Club symbols 3, 4, and 5.
Next three cards—the Diamond symbols 3, 4, and 5; then three cards—the Heart symbols 3, 4, and 5; followed by three cards—the Spade symbols 3, 4, and 5… It was like a magic trick.
It was the same skill that had deceived the Old Man with White Beard，Shiro，and Kuro at the town park.
The pirates were startled.
Moreover，the number 345 was precisely what appeared on the medals serving as identification among the pirate crew.

Thus，the pirates with the 345 medals—shocked and awed—all ended up following Tarman．They completely reformed．By now，even those injured in naval battles were mostly healed by the old man’s ointment．For those who died in battle，they had a stone monument erected in the cemetery．The pirate leader’s secret iron door—the door that no one had been able to open—also came to be opened thanks to the cats，Pongong，and the old man．

“So,” said Tarman, “let’s investigate what’s inside that iron door.”

Tarman took out a silver key.

Pongong opened the three iron doors.

There were many items wrapped in thick paper inside.
When unfolded, they turned out to be maps.

“Oh… This is…” Tarman exclaimed.

They were detailed maps.
Detailed maps of the South Seas islands.
Tarman’s eyes gleamed, and his face lit up.

“I’ve obtained something splendid! Since these were items pirates had carefully stored away, I assumed they’d just be treasures like jewels or gold nuggets – but these are truly extraordinary. Magnificent! With this alone…”

Tarman was delighted.
Relying on those maps, they intended to set out again in that sturdy pirate ship to explore various islands.

Tarman was a remarkable man.
He had wisdom and courage.
He also seemed to have strength.

Pongong forgot all past grudges and looked up at Tarman.
The old man was also smiling.

“I... I wish I could go on the exploration too...” murmured Pongong.

Tarman stared fixedly at Pongong’s face.
He smiled warmly and gripped his hand firmly.

Eventually, they reached an agreement.

Pongong was to accompany Tarman.
Kuro was also to be taken along.
The Old Man with White Beard was put in charge of Tom Trading Co., together with Shiro.
Two or three men were assigned to remain as store staff.

They could depart as soon as the next day.
That evening, all of Tarman’s subordinates held a lively banquet including the Old Man and Pongong.

In the meantime, the Old Man and Pongong, carrying Shiro and Kuro, went out to the second-floor outer corridor.
The moon was shining.
The moon was beautiful.

“What are Shiro and Kuro saying?” Pongong asked the Old Man.

“Go forth with vigor,” Shiro says.

“What about Kuro?”

“He says to stay safe and sound.”

“Aren’t they sad about parting?”

“Why would they be?”

“I wonder... I... feel sort of lonely about leaving you.”

“Ha ha ha ha,” laughed the old man.
Then he said:

“Good things will happen.
When you go out to sea, you’ll see the stars shining beautifully.
I’ll give you a star chart with all their names marked.
It’s fascinating.
If you look at the stars and feel lonely or sad—that’s proof your courage is wavering.
If you look at them and feel happy or excited—that’s proof your heart’s brimming with courage.
Remember—never lose your bravery.”

Pongong nodded deeply.

“Good things will happen. When you go out to sea, the stars look incredibly beautiful, you know. So I’ll give you a star map with all their names written on it. It’s an interesting thing, you know. And if you look at the stars and feel lonely or sad, that’s a sign your courage is beginning to wane. And if you look at them and feel happy and joyful, that’s a sign your heart’s brimming with courage. Listen now—you mustn’t lose your courage.”

Pongong nodded deeply.