As she spoke, a well-dressed woman stepped into the room.
She carried an air of refinement, but her age was evident in the deep wrinkles on her face.
The moment she entered, Akashi snapped back to reality.
Then, his gaze shifted to Conan, who was already being drowned in alcohol by the ever-unreliable Hattori.
Tch. This must be the plot where Conan transforms for the first time!
With a case now before them, Kogoro and Hattori straightened up, their usual playful attitudes giving way to serious expressions.
After listening for a while, Akashi pieced together the situation.
The woman introduced herself as Kimie Tsujimura, the wife of a diplomat.
Her son, Takayoshi Tsujimura, was about to get married.
His fiancée, Yukina Katsuragi, appeared to be perfect in every way.
And that was exactly why Kimie Tsujimura was suspicious.
She feared that this seemingly flawless woman was hiding something—that she might be an imposter with ulterior motives.
That was why she had come to hire Kogoro Mori to investigate.
Hearing the nature of the case, Hattori—always eager for a challenge—grinned and stepped forward.
"If possible, let me come along too."
"Acting as father and son while investigating will make us less suspicious."
Then, he finally introduced himself.
"Ah, right—I forgot to mention. I'm Hattori Heiji, a detective from Kansai!"
Kimie Tsujimura frowned slightly but ultimately agreed.
Hattori then turned toward Ran.
"Ran, you should come too!"
"If you're there, maybe Kudo Shinichi—the guy who's secretly watching over you—will finally show up!"
But Ran didn't hesitate to refuse.
"No, I have to take care of Akashi!"
For Ran, looking after her little brother was the top priority.
Shinichi? He could wait.
Conan was completely dumbfounded.
What is going on with Ran's thinking?!
What kind of spell did this guy cast on her?
Why is she so unwilling to leave his side?!
Just then, Akashi—calm and composed—spoke up.
"Sister Ran, let's go together."
"I'm curious about what kind of people diplomat families are."
And, of course, I can't miss the chance to check in at a potential murder scene.
The stronger the Yin energy, the better the system rewards~
The moment Akashi spoke, Ran hesitated.
Hattori, observing from the side, finally understood.
So the one who really influences Ran Mōri… is this little boy?!
Still, Ran was polite enough to turn to Kimie Tsujimura.
"Wouldn't that be too intrusive?"
Before the woman could respond, Hattori cut in.
"We'll just pretend to be a big family visiting together. That way, we can investigate without drawing suspicion!"
Hearing that, Kimie Tsujimura had no objections.
With their plan set, the group headed downstairs.
They hailed a taxi and followed Kimie Tsujimura's car.
However, due to a small mix-up, Kazuha ended up in the backseat with Ran and Akashi.
Meanwhile, Hattori sat up front with Conan on his lap.
As for Kogoro, he rode with Kimie Tsujimura in her car.
The moment Kazuha settled into the car, she couldn't resist striking up a conversation.
"Ran, is this your little brother?"
"He's adorable! But he seems a bit quiet."
Kazuha had been observing Akashi for a while and had finally decided to break the silence.
Hearing the praise, Ran, who was holding the young boy in her arms, immediately looked proud.
"Thank you! Akashi is a bit introverted. He's shy around new people."
Akashi, however, was baffled.
When did I develop this so-called 'shy' personality?
These women… are they afraid I'll get too close to others?
So they just decided to label me as shy in advance?
Kazuha leaned in slightly, her curiosity piqued.
"He's so pretty! I bet a lot of girls at his school like him, right?"
Her body language was obvious—she was eager to get closer to the succubus shota.
But Ran wasn't one to be outdone.
With a calm and collected motion, she subtly shifted Akashi to the side, keeping him within her grasp.
Kazuha, however, knew the art of persistence.
If the enemy retreats, she advances.
She quietly inched closer again.
Watching the scene unfold from the front, both Hattori and Conan rolled their eyes in sync.
For some reason, they both felt an inexplicable urge to clench their teeth.
Sensing an opportunity, Conan spoke up.
"Oh, tons of girls like Akashi!" he chimed in.
"Every time class ends, he's surrounded! Even senior students from other classes show up. Who knows how close he is to all of them?"
Ran's brows furrowed slightly at Conan's comment.
For some reason, she felt a little… unsettled.
Kazuha, on the other hand, chuckled.
"Wow, Akashi, with so many admirers, do you like any of them?"
The moment she asked, Ran's attention snapped to Akashi.
Even Conan, sneaking a glance through the rearview mirror, was staring at him.
Akashi met their gazes and, without hesitation, responded:
"Nope. Not a single one."
"Because the person I like… is Sister Ran!"
Without warning, he threw himself into Ran's embrace—his movements natural, like a baby bird seeking shelter in its nest.
To anyone watching, it looked completely subconscious.
But in reality—
[Ding! Congratulations to the host, Physique +1!]
Conan, who was watching through the mirror, nearly exploded.
This… this guy…!
Unforgivable!
How dare he be this bold?!
His whole body tensed, and he started flailing like a fish out of water.
Unfortunately, Hattori was holding him.
And in Conan's outburst, Heiji took the brunt of the attack.
A completely innocent bystander caught in the crossfire.
Meanwhile, Akashi's little act was highly effective.
His charm was working at full power.
Ran felt her heart melting on the spot.
Since she didn't sense anything off about his behavior, she thought nothing of it.
Gently, she picked Akashi up and cradled him in her arms.
With a warm, affectionate smile, she said:
"I like Akashi too—so, so much!"
Seeing their close bond, Kazuha felt a pang of envy.
Why don't I have such a cute little brother?
Her eyes suddenly burned with newfound determination.
When I get back to Osaka, I need to have a serious talk with my parents.
Maybe it's not too late…!
Meanwhile, in the front seat, Hattori and Conan were fuming.
"Kid, are you out of your mind?!"
"Seriously, are you drunk or something?!"
"I only gave you a bottle cap to drink!"
Their loud complaints, however, finally ticked off the taxi driver.
"If you two keep acting up, get out of my cab!" the man snapped.
Instantly, Heiji and Conan fell silent.
Feeling like they were sitting on pins and needles, neither dared to make another move.