SCIAW: Chapter 364/365

Chapter 364: Black Pearl's Glory Restored Once More

Would Phantom Thief Kid really stay quiet after learning an exhibit was the real deal?

Almost impossible.

Could you expect a thief to act with restraint? Even if he returns the stolen item the next day, could he recover the face he lost?

Absolutely not.

However, Phantom Thief Kid is someone who plays by his own set of rules.

Because he knows very well—if he issues a notice and then fails to act according to it, all his future notices will lose credibility.

Ren stared at the black pearl, falling briefly into silence.

"Auntie, may I ask—when was the real black pearl swapped in?"

"This morning."

I see… The notice had been sent out too early. They never expected that, after receiving it, the involved party would act so recklessly—switching the imitation for the real pearl in the display case, all to bait Phantom Thief Kid.

Within Ren's dark pupils, a sequence of illusionary doors flickered open. Stargazing mode activated—he initiated a simplified form of astrology.

Heh. So the thief got baited... Through his reading, Ren confirmed that Phantom Thief Kid believed the pearl currently displayed was a fake. That was what finally made him take action.

"What's wrong?"

Tomoko noticed Ren's unusual silence and asked curiously.

"Well… I suppose you could put it like this. That thief confirmed the exhibit was a fake. The first time was a week ago, right when the notice was issued. The second time was earlier this morning."

"But Auntie, you didn't swap the imitation for the real pearl until after noon."

Tomoko paused—then burst out laughing.

"Pfft! So does this mean… I actually tricked Phantom Thief Kid?"

The idea that her own actions had completely thrown off Phantom Thief Kid made Tomoko laugh even harder.

Not just Tomoko, even Shiro laughed aloud with a helpless look.

"This… This really is…"

Even Shiro hadn't expected that Tomoko's bold, last-minute decision would end up throwing the famous thief off so thoroughly.

"In that case, we should have the reporters cover this properly."

Sometimes, public opinion is the sharpest blade.

Especially when that public opinion is based on truth—it cuts deeper than anything else, slicing straight through the mystique surrounding Phantom Thief Kid.

This time, the Suzuki Zaibatsu had achieved a flawless victory.

Of course, some additional arrangements would need to follow.

"Mom's reckless decision somehow turned out like this."

Sonoko hadn't expected her mother's bold move to actually play out so perfectly.

The sudden switch had completely disrupted Phantom Thief Kid's plan.

It was like baiting a high-ranked player with a basic attack, forcing them to burn their Flash and ultimate skills.

A bronze-tier play that had managed to outwit a diamond-tier opponent.

Ren could already imagine tomorrow morning's headlines, perfectly orchestrated by the Suzuki conglomerate's media department.

It just wasn't something a thief could predict or control.

Faintly, Ren sensed that Kaito's luck was truly down today.

"Although it was a very reckless move, the meaning of the black pearl is greater than its monetary value."

Kaguya didn't approve of such impulsive actions. After all, the black pearl symbolized good fortune. But as she said this, she paused.

"Ren, does this black pearl really have the power to enhance luck?"

Her question made both of Sonoko's parents pause as well. They too were curious.

Ren, intrigued, activated his spiritual vision and examined the essence of the black pearl.

The spirituality of the original organism hadn't completely faded. There were no extraordinary properties, but what remained radiated an undeniable sense of good fortune.

"It does. A black pearl is rare to begin with, and this one—pure, natural black—is even rarer. Its very existence holds significant luck. Even after decades, it still retains residual spirituality. That, in itself, is a form of good fortune."

"Inanimate objects don't have spirituality. But because Auntie and Uncle preserved it so carefully and passed it down as a family heirloom, it's absorbed some of your faith and sentiment. That's why the black pearl still holds spiritual resonance."

"That, too, is a kind of luck."

As Ren explained, he placed his hand on the display case. His fingers passed straight through the barrier and touched the black pearl.

He gently injected a trace of spiritual energy into it.

A faint swirl of gray mist appeared around the pearl, and its previously dull surface began to grow translucent. A soft glow radiated from it.

After finishing the process, Ren withdrew his hand from the case.

Seeing Tomoko and Shiro still scanning the area, Ren smiled and added,

"Auntie, Uncle, no one else could see what just happened."

"I just sealed the pearl's luck inside. It's safe to carry around, no problem. It now emits its original radiance, and outsiders wouldn't guess it's a family heirloom."

"You don't have to worry about it oxidizing anymore. At this point, this black pearl is no longer just an ordinary black pearl."

With everything done, Ren suddenly remembered Tomoko's earlier remark about gambling with the black pearl.

"By the way, Auntie, were you planning to do something with the pearl? If so, I can reprocess it—"

"No need."

Tomoko shook her head lightly, staring at the glowing black pearl in the display case.

She no longer had the urge to use it for gambling.

"Now that its luster has been restored, let the public think it's a fake. If even that Marauder was fooled into believing it was counterfeit, then that's good enough."

Earlier, Tomoko had dared to use the black pearl as bait because she was confident no thief could actually steal from the Suzuki family—not with both her daughters protecting it.

But now, with her son-in-law restoring the pearl's glow and imbuing it with actual spirituality, Tomoko had no intention of ever using it as a gambling chip again.

If she were to gamble with it again, she really would have something wrong with her head.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 365: Early April Date Invitation

The next morning was a weekend off.

As soon as Ren woke up, he turned on the TV and saw the morning news.

The screen was fixed on a hotel illuminated by a helicopter. Under the bright lights, a white figure stood out prominently.

A white suit, a white cape, and a white top hat — the identity was unmistakable.

"The police still didn't catch him in the end. Inspector Nakamori is still going easy on him. If he'd just aimed for the guy's thigh, there'd have been almost no chance of escape."

No magic trick can work in the face of an unavoidable bullet.

Unfortunately, just as he'd said yesterday, Ran's father, Inspector Nakamori, suspected the thief's identity, so he deliberately held back.

Even without a detailed investigation, Ren knew that the credibility the First Investigative Division had only recently regained had been completely lost again.

"Ring ring ring!"

Ren picked up his phone and glanced at the caller ID — it was Sato Miwako. He answered.

"Did you see the news this morning?"

"I did. The Second Investigative Division almost caught him. The higher-ups must be furious, right?"

"Yeah. The good reputation we managed to rebuild after the major bombing case has been blown away again."

There was a trace of helplessness in Miwako's voice.

She was a police officer, and she didn't want the people she protected calling her a tax thief. She always felt she had to be worthy of the salary she received.

Ren shook his head slightly.

"Officer Sato, this isn't something you need to worry about at your level. This time, it was the Second Division that failed to catch the culprit, not your First Division in charge of violent crimes."

"Your reputation online is still pretty good. Especially after the recent bombing case. Oh, right, has the bomber been dealt with yet?"

"Not that quickly."

Miwako had also been concerned about the bomber's trial, but the legal process was long. The sentence wouldn't be handed down so soon.

"But I heard the impact of this bombing case was huge. The court's verdict might lean toward the death penalty."

"Eh?"

That result caught Ren a bit off guard.

"I thought he'd get life imprisonment at most."

"I thought so too at first."

The death penalty was indeed rare. In all her years as a detective, Miwako had only seen a handful of such cases. Most of the time, the worst outcome was life imprisonment.

"I think it's because the severity of the case was beyond imagination. The museum bombing in Shinjuku caused unthinkable casualties. But I believe the biggest factor was the massive social impact."

"If it weren't for your help, the Loop Line would've also been hit. And there was the Municipal Building incident at night. The range and impact were both massive. I think those were all taken into consideration."

Miwako felt that the media and public response were driving the pressure toward a harsh sentence.

Ren also thought that was likely the case.

The damage was widespread, and the social impact was enormous. There was no way the police could go easy on a criminal the entire public despised — that would destroy their credibility completely.

And there was probably another reason — regaining the prestige that had been trampled by Phantom Thief Kid 1412… Ren sighed inwardly.

"But isn't this exactly what Teiji Moriya wanted?"

"He did all this, even prepared for his own downfall. I guess he'd be happy to die by his own plan."

"No, I think he'd be pretty miserable."

Miwako answered seriously, but then couldn't help chuckling.

"He originally wanted to die as a brilliant architect. Now he's going down as the culprit of a massive bombing case. I doubt he can accept that gap."

"That's his own problem."

Ren had no sympathy for a lunatic. What was the point of him being dissatisfied? The outcome was already set in stone.

Ren had no intention of investigating Teiji Moriya further.

The guy's fate was sealed. He did what he did, and now he had to face the consequences.

"Officer Sato, are you off duty all day today?"

"Yeah. It's the weekend, and also my birthday. Inspector Megure told me to take a proper two-day break."

If Miwako were still just an assistant inspector, she probably wouldn't have been able to rest much on the weekend, especially with how many patrols were needed lately to maintain security in Tokyo.

But Miwako had been promoted, and she had been the biggest contributor in solving the bombing case. Plus, it was her birthday, so Megure Juzo talked it over with Matsumoto Kiyonga and gave her the day off so she could properly enjoy her weekend and birthday.

"So… you're planning to spend the whole day at home?"

"Hmm? Are you planning to ask me out?"

Miwako asked with slight surprise.

"Sort of. I'm not just planning for your birthday. Tomorrow is Hayasaka's birthday, the day after is Aizawa's, and then it's Sonoko's. I need to do some birthday prep."

Ren held a notebook that listed the birthdays of several girls. April was packed — four birthdays total. He had to prepare gifts.

"I see. In that case, sure. I don't have any other plans today anyway. Shopping sounds nice."

Miwako didn't think too much about the excuse he gave. She'd planned to go out anyway, and now she could also help pick out gifts.

"In that case, I'll get ready to head out. See you in an hour."

"Okay, sounds good."

After setting the time, Miwako hung up.

"See you in an hour… Should I also dress up a little?"

This… was probably a date, right?

Miwako thought about it and felt more and more that it was definitely a date. Since it was a date, she had to put effort into her appearance.

(To be continued.)