In a window-side corridor of the Sawamura residence.
Luo Shu glanced at the well-maintained garden greenery outside the window, composed himself, then turned to Juzo Megure and Sayuri Sawamura:
"Megure, contact Matsumoto and the others. I want everyone in this building taken in for questioning, including the Mouri family."
"T-this..." Juzo Megure was stunned. "Director Luo, this goes against protocol!!"
In response, Luo Shu merely gave him a cold look. "The deceased was the father of an SDS executive. I suspect this is a conspiracy targeting my Hidden Management Department. Is that reason 'protocol' enough for you?"
Feeling the killing intent in Luo Shu's gaze, Juzo Megure—who had been about to vouch for Kogoro Mouri—immediately lowered his head and muttered:
"Understood, completely understood."
'Sorry, Mouri boy. It's not that I won't help you, but this guy's dead serious. I can't stop him.'
As Juzo Megure justified himself internally, Luo Shu provided him with a plausible excuse to avoid blame:
"The SDS has sorcerers skilled in hypnosis. Due to the unusual circumstances, I'll have everyone near Robert at the time of death undergo hypnotic interrogation. Results should be ready within three days at the earliest. Report it to Matsumoto like that."
After casually issuing orders to Juzo Megure, Luo Shu turned to Sayuri Sawamura, who was barely holding back her emotions:
"Madam, I'll need to collect some of Mr. Robert's blood and hair for divination purposes. Please be aware."
Sayuri wiped her tears and forced a smile. "Do whatever you want to, Luo Shu. Both Eriri and I will comply."
'Madam, that phrasing... sounds a bit off...'
Juzo Megure couldn't help but feel that there was something unusual between these two, though he couldn't pinpoint what.
Meanwhile, Eriri had also calmed down and whispered:
"Utaha said she'd get here from Copernicus within ten minutes. Is there anything else I should do?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu glanced at Eriri and said with some concern:
"Have Kisara bring over a few barrier-type Skill Demon Gods to seal off the villa's perimeter. Though I haven't sensed anyone leaving, it's better to be safe than sorry."
After pausing, Luo Shu added:
"It might sound harsh to say this now, but Eriri, you need to toughen up."
"...I know." For the first time, Eriri didn't argue back, speaking in an unusually subdued tone.
Seeing this, Luo Shu said nothing more and turned to Sayuri Sawamura instead:
"Madam, has Mr Robert mentioned anything about his recent activities outside?"
"You suspect Robert offended someone?" Sayuri pondered before shaking her head. "I can't think of anyone. Robert never mentioned anything, and he only recently returned to Japan. Even if he had enemies in England, they wouldn't go this far."
She gave a bitter smile:
"Though this may sound subjective, Robert's marriage to me was effectively a voluntary exile from England's Spencer family. Realistically, he shouldn't have any mortal enemies there."
After all, who would hold a life-or-death grudge against a man who abandoned power, left the political centre, and chose to live as a carefree shut-in?
Though unspoken, the implication was clear.
Luo Shu understood perfectly, which only deepened his confusion:
"Ruling out revenge killing? Then was it a crime of passion?"
Surely it couldn't be his own enemies failing to target him and striking at Eriri's family instead?
That was absurd. Eriri's status as an SDS Member had never been exposed. Even when visiting headquarters, she used the Divine Kingdom passage within the school alongside Utaha - the risk of exposure was minimal.
So was it truly a spontaneous killing by someone in the villa?
Improbable as it seemed, remembering that Reaper Elementary School student - that brat called Conan - made Luo Shu's eye twitch.
Could it really be such a coincidence?
After a moment's silence, Luo Shu ordered, "Megure, fetch Mouri. I need to ask him something. Oh, and have him bring that Conan kid too."
"Yes, sir!" Juzo Megure saluted before hurrying off to retrieve Kogoro Mouri and Conan, returning with them shortly.
"Mr Luo, did you need to ask me something?" Kogoro got straight to the point upon arrival. As he spoke, his eyes flickered towards Sayuri with clear unease - a detail Luo Shu noted.
"Mouri, could you explain your reason for visiting Mr Robert today?"
Kogoro hesitated, glancing nervously at Sayuri. Though often foolish, he wasn't stupid now. Revealing that Robert had hired him to investigate his wife's potential infidelity would disgrace the dead man's memory.
He tried to pull Luo Shu aside for a private word.
Unfortunately, Luo Shu denied him the opportunity:
"There's no need to hide anything. Both Madam and Eriri are involved parties. Even if you explain privately to me now, I'll still have them review the final investigation report."
Hearing Luo Shu say this, Kogoro Mouri had no choice but to come clean:
"I met Mr Robert yesterday afternoon at my detective agency. He came to commission me to investigate a certain matter."
"Robert went to you to investigate Eriri?" Sayuri Sawamura asked upon hearing this.
Beside them, Eriri froze momentarily before reacting with a mix of anger, frustration and near-tears:
"If he had questions, he could just ask me directly! Why hire a detective? It's not like I'm doing anything wrong staying at Luo Shu's place for a few days... How could he do this?"
Bloody hell!
This outburst left Conan, Kogoro Mouri and Juzo Megure with extremely odd expressions.
Particularly, Kogoro and Conan were internally screaming, 'mind blown'.
So the supposed affair partner Mr Robert suspected was actually his daughter's boyfriend?
What kind of messed-up situation was this?
Instantly, everyone began casting extremely peculiar glances between Eriri and Luo Shu, clearly wanting to say something but holding back.
Sayuri, caught between laughter and tears, lightly rapped Eriri's head with her knuckles:
"You silly girl, no one asked about these things. There was no need to volunteer that information, understand?"
Meanwhile, Luo Shu shot Eriri an exasperated look:
"No one would mistake you for a mute if you kept quiet."
After reprimanding Eriri, Luo Shu turned back to Kogoro Mouri:
"Mouri, continue."
Hearing this, Kogoro gave Luo Shu, then Sayuri, then Eriri increasingly strange looks before finally gritting his teeth:
"Mr Robert actually commissioned me to investigate... Madam Sawamura's alleged affair."
Sayuri, who'd been trying to find humour in the situation, froze completely.
Robert was investigating... her?
"Mum, you?!!" Eriri's eyes widened as she stared at Sayuri in utter disbelief.
Her mother actually... she actually...
How could such a thing happen?
Eriri felt as if her entire worldview was about to collapse.
Her father murdered, and her mother having an affair? These two things happening in a single day completely fried Eriri's brain.
At that moment, upon hearing Kogoro Mouri say that Robert suspected Sayuri Sawamura of infidelity, Luo Shu's eyelids began twitching violently.
On one hand, he wondered which lucky bastard had the fortune to win Sayuri's favour? On the other hand, he considered whether he should deal with the adulterer to preserve Sayuri Sawamura's reputation, along with Robert's, while also thinking this had nothing to do with him. Why was he even bothering?
Finally, with complex emotions, Luo Shu took a deep breath and managed to utter two words:
"Continue!"
Hearing this, Kogoro Mouri sneakily glanced at Luo Shu and said:
"Based on my investigation report so far and Mr Robert's suspicions, the person currently suspected of the affair is actually you, Mr Luo Shu."
"What the hell?" Luo Shu was dumbfounded by this statement, as was Sayuri Sawamura.
The two of them simultaneously looked at each other, their faces frozen in shock, until the next second when Eriri's furious voice rang out:
"Fine! I knew there was something between you two!! So it's actually true!!"
At these words, everyone present was stunned!
Time in the corridor seemed to solidify like amber at that moment, as if freezing for eternity!
It wasn't until half a minute later that Luo Shu broke the silence, his face contorted as he exclaimed:
"What the actual fuck is this?!"