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| Original Title | 顎十郎捕物帳 |
|---|---|
| Author | 久生 十蘭 |
| Genre | Historical Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In the unseasonable warmth of Edo’s autumn, a disheveled monk named Akujūrō drifts between the quarters of samurai and servants, his threadbare robes belying a razor-sharp mind. When 32,000 ryō of gold vanishes from the shogunate’s Mint—replaced by rusty nails—the mystery draws him into a web of intrigue. Officials scramble to blame a river collision, but Akujūrō’s keen eye spots oddities: a child’s misplaced kite, a lantern fire across the river, and crow kites that cling stubbornly low to the Mint’s rooftops. As rival investigators clash, he deciphers clues hidden in Edo’s skies, where kite battles mask a daring scheme. Between sips of fresh sake and lazy banter, Akujūrō unravels a plot woven through gold wires and weighted kites, exposing corruption within the Mint’s walls. But in a world of guarded secrets and shifting alliances, even his wit may not outpace the ambitions of those who wield power—and deception—from the shadows. |