An Unearthly Love, also titled An Otherworldly Love or Other Love of This World, is the third story featured in the collection Venus in the Blind Spot. It is based on the short story A Brute's Love by Edogawa Ranpo.
Plot[]
Kyoko agrees to an arranged marriage with the handsome and popular Kadono, despite rumours that he is violent and hates women. In fact, he proves to be a gentle and considerate husband. However, Kyoko begins to find his actions insincere, and questions why he keeps sneaking into the storehouse in the early morning. One day, she secretly follows him. She overhears him talking to a woman, confessing that he loves her and things aren't working with Kyoko. Despite repeated attempts, Kyoko is unable to catch her husband's mistress, and it soon becomes apparent that there is no woman with him. She wonders if he is bewitched by a spirit, but one morning, she hears him closing and locking a chest.
Kyoko inspects the chests in the storehouse and sees that one of them contains a beautiful doll. It appears this is what Kadono has been talking to. She watches in secret as he kisses and fondles the doll, which is anatomically correct. Kyoko is disgusted by his predilections, and smashes the doll after Kadono leaves. The following morning, he doesn't return; Kyoko wonders if she made a mistake. When he's not back by evening, she goes to look for him and finds that he has committed ritual suicide in the storehouse, with the doll's remains clutched in his arms. She observes that the doll appears to be smiling.