🎊SCIAW: Chapter 361/363

Chapter 361: Guidance

"Come to think of it, I remember there was a detective who always showed up on TV news."

Sonoko recalled having seen something like that in the news when she was looking into stories about the thief.

A male detective with a mustache and a short haircut. But the impression he left wasn't great. He always appeared behind the thief but never managed to catch him.

Sonoko couldn't remember the detective's name. Even when she was looking into the thief, it was only a casual search. She only picked up the general details.

But now, the daughter of that detective seemed to be standing right in front of her.

In this situation, that detective really did resemble Uncle Mouri a bit... Because of how similar Nakamori Aoko and Ran looked, Sonoko subconsciously started comparing Uncle Mouri to that mustached detective. Overall, the resemblance was quite strong.

She had a vague idea now why someone who looked like Ran would suddenly show up again… Sonoko figured it had something to do with both parents looking alike, which led to this current situation.

"Yes, that detective who often appears in the news is my dad."

Aoko was clearly happy that someone remembered her father. At least it meant that his efforts weren't completely overlooked.

But the downside was that her father was always in the spotlight as the detective getting played by the Phantom Thief Kid.

He obviously worked so hard and almost caught the thief every time, yet the thief always slipped away.

"I was thinking, maybe there's a reason the detective never caught the thief... Maybe even the thief has his own reasons for acting like this."

Just as Aoko's expression began to fall, Ren cut in.

"As Miss Nakamori said, your father has been leading the effort to catch the thief. He's had the most direct contact with him. I believe your father may already have a good idea of the thief's identity. The reason he hasn't caught him might be because he's trying to do so through gentler means."

"Miss Nakamori, think about it carefully. No thief could constantly stay ahead of police intelligence. No matter how skilled he is in disguise, it should be impossible to keep up with the police's real-time updates."

"Then how is it that this thief is always one step ahead of the police?"

"There has to be a reason."

"!?"

Aoko's eyes widened.

Indeed, every time the thief struck, he somehow seemed to know the police's plans in advance. No matter how strong his intelligence-gathering ability was, it couldn't possibly cover everything in real time.

And now that she thought about it, every time her father nearly caught the thief, it was because he'd temporarily changed the strategy last minute.

So the thief's actions weren't luck.

"You mean, the thief is always by my father's side?"

Aoko reacted immediately.

"No. More precisely, the thief may always be by your side, Miss Nakamori."

Ren pointed directly to the heart of the matter.

"That thief made a name for himself in the West 20 years ago. No matter how young he was back then, he must have been around 20. Now it's 20 years later. He'd be a 40-year-old man. With age, his skills should've only grown more stable. There's no way he'd allow himself to almost get caught by a detective multiple times."

"Miss Nakamori, you should know, detectives in the West are even authorized to open fire. So, why has this experienced thief's success rate dropped after 20 years?"

With Ren's guidance, Aoko suddenly understood.

"Because the thief now isn't the same one from 20 years ago!"

"Exactly."

Ren smiled faintly.

"If the thief isn't some middle-aged man, then the only one who could take on his name and stir up this much trouble must be his successor."

"Maybe even his son."

"That would place the thief in a particular age range. Most likely a high school or college student. Definitely no older than 20."

"And if the thief can accurately access so much of the police's operational information, then he's either someone within the Metropolitan Police Department, or someone very close to the detective in the Second Investigation Division. But being a direct insider is highly unlikely."

"I believe that organizing a sting operation like this wouldn't be a solo task. It requires thorough personnel planning. The thief couldn't possibly juggle being both an internal officer and a thief."

"Also, the detectives in the Second Division would be highly aware of the risk of internal leaks. So they would keep plans confidential up until the very last moment. Even if there were a mole, they wouldn't have time to leak a hastily decided plan."

"So, there's a much simpler source for this information."

Following Ren's gaze, Aoko slowly pointed at herself, a complicated look on her face.

"Miss Nakamori made a few comments earlier after learning about Sonoko's identity. And clearly, you care deeply about your father. I think that sometimes, even unconscious remarks are enough to serve as clues."

Ren then shifted the topic back to Aoko.

"I believe your father may have already started to suspect someone. He might even be intentionally leaking false information through you to verify his suspicions."

"When catching an international thief, no one really talks about using gentle methods. A single bullet to the thigh would be enough to reveal their identity. But your father hasn't done that. That probably means he doesn't want to catch the thief that way."

"…"

Aoko's expression darkened slightly.

If she followed that line of thought, she could already think of someone.

Looking back carefully, there were a few times when the information she heard on the news didn't quite match what her father had told her before. And those were exactly the times her father nearly caught the thief.

Kaito… are you really… the thief?

Aoko didn't want that to be the answer.

But now… she couldn't stop thinking about the possibility.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Vester 1 for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉

Chapter 362: First Meeting with Parents

Nakamori Aoko left with a heavy heart and a face full of concern.

Anyone could tell that Aoko was deeply worried, and much of that was due to Ren's deliberate guidance just moments ago.

"So, the person you just kept hinting at—he's the one behind this theft?"

Sanzenin Nagi asked directly.

"Yes."

Ren didn't deny it.

"Kaito Kuroba. The protagonist of another story. A high school magician who chose to become a thief to uncover the truth behind his father's death. His father, Kuroba Toichi, was assassinated by an organization eight years ago. On the surface, at least, it appears that way."

"On the surface?"

"Yes, it's all very superficial."

Ren pulled out a maple-leaf gold coin from Sefirah Castle, flicked it into the air, and it landed face-up on his fingertip.

"In truth, he's not dead. It seems he's another father who didn't want his son caught up in a dangerous conspiracy."

Ren shook his head slightly. Kuroba Toichi's behavior was eerily similar to Kudo Shinichi's father.

"But the one being kept in the dark—Kuroba Kaito—doesn't seem to know his father is still alive."

"Ah…"

Hearing that all-too-familiar story structure, everyone instinctively glanced at Ran.

It really was quite a similar setup.

Only this time, it wasn't the childhood friend version. It was the 'secretly-alive father and son' version.

Facing everyone's eyes, Ran simply pursed her lips and remained silent. She knew it wasn't deliberate.

"So, is this thief also someone important?"

"Important… well, in a certain sense, yes. But maybe not the same kind of importance you're thinking of."

Kaito Kid's position in the Conan universe was rather unique.

"Kind of like how there's a big movie every year based on a long-running series. These movies often include stand-alone stories that are separate from the main plot. And these side stories—unlike the core narrative—exist purely to generate revenue. Like a spin-off film based around this character."

After briefly explaining, Ren looked off in the direction Aoko had left.

"And when those theatrical releases start becoming stale, they throw Kaito Kid into the mix. With his mystery, charm, and 'gentleman thief' appeal, those movies sell remarkably well."

"Especially when Kaito Kid has scenes interacting with a certain elementary school student. Those are always a hit."

So that's how important he is…
The corners of the girls' mouths twitched.

From Ren's explanation, they clearly heard one thing.

Profit.

"One standalone film per year. And every year, there's always some huge spectacle. Explosions, explosions, and more explosions."

As Ren spoke, he put a hand to his forehead.

"Sigh… Every year, there's some landmark building going up in flames. And most of the stories involving the thief seem to tie back to the Suzuki family."

"Huh? Involve my family?!"

Sonoko pointed at herself, eyes as wide as saucers.

"Just like this time. Your mother's strong personality. And your cousin. All of that lines up with most of the stories involving the thief connecting back to your family."

"Ah…"

After hearing that, Sonoko remembered—her mother and her cousin really were alike. Their strong personalities were practically identical, like they came out of the same mold. Anyone who didn't know them would easily believe they were immediate relatives.

"No wonder all those incidents were tied to my family."

"Why do I feel like my family is always the victim?"

Sonoko sighed with a downcast look.

"Pfft~"

That line made everyone laugh.

Because if anyone in this world had the word 'victim' written on their forehead, it was the Suzuki family.

"Sonoko, I think you should go back and talk with Aunt Tomoko. Sometimes it's just not worth it to go head-to-head with a thief."

Ran also felt it wasn't necessary.

She didn't know how much money the Suzuki family had, but no matter how rich they were, constantly doing things that made them targets for theft didn't seem smart.

And based on what Ren said, all future explosions would be linked to Sonoko's family. Ran thought it would be better to rein that in. No amount of money should be wasted on that level of property damage.

"I'll definitely talk to my parents about this."

Sonoko agreed this was a real problem. Or maybe it was time to talk to her sister about it too.

Then, she grabbed Ren by the arm.

"Ren, let's focus on saving that black pearl from our family collection today."

Upon entering the Beika Museum, they saw uniformed patrol officers all over the place. Surveillance cameras at each corner of the building were fully operational.

There were plenty of people inside. Plenty of guards too. But it was all pointless… Ren took one look and instantly knew how to blend in unnoticed.

A Marauder at Sequence 9 level could easily sneak in.

With sharp observation skills, it was easy to identify where every surveillance camera was located. A nimble and flexible body made it simple to dodge them.

Maybe if the number of patrols were doubled, and each checkpoint was thoroughly guarded, it might make a difference.

But… did these regular patrol officers even have that kind of ability? Ren shook his head inwardly.

Just creating a few simple distractions would probably be enough to completely throw these officers off.

As he walked through the museum, Ren's eyes scanned the extravagant necklaces, diamonds, crowns, and other accessories on display. He twitched slightly.

Good grief, most of these were high-end fakes.

Thanks to his thief-level observation skills, Ren could easily judge the true value of each item.

Unfortunately, most of the exhibits were indeed imitations. In Ren's field of vision, nearly all of them glowed with red icons instead of gold.

Red indicated counterfeit. The deeper the red, the more convincing the fake—and the higher its value as an imitation. But no matter how close it came, it was still a counterfeit.

Did the curator swap them out? Ren couldn't help but wonder.

After all, the real items were far too valuable. The curator probably didn't want to bear the responsibility if any were stolen. So, this was his way of preparing.

Soon, Suzuki Shiro, dressed in a beige suit, and Suzuki Tomoko, in a yellow-brown coat and skirt with a black blouse underneath and a modest gemstone necklace around her neck, entered the room.

Suzuki Ayako wore a plain office lady outfit—black skirt suit, no jewelry. Her hair, usually tied up, was now down. Her normally narrowed eyes were wide open, but her face still carried a hint of cold aloofness.

Her presence radiated confidence and a strong-willed aura.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Vester 1 for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉

Chapter 363: It's the Real Thing Again!

Snap!

With a snap of her fingers, the coldness on Suzuki Ayako's face vanished instantly. Her expression quickly became much more animated.

"You're too immersed in the Spectator state. While I can help you with the issue of over-immersion, Miss Ayako still needs to be cautious."

Suzuki Ayako's usual smile returned to her face.

"Sorry, I've recently been seeing through the real thoughts of employees at the company, and I guess I've started to unconsciously slip into that atmosphere during normal interactions."

Ren could understand what that felt like.

"I understand the temptation of power. But Miss Ayako, you must remember the nature of the potion. You're not a true Spectator. You're only playing the role. Never forget you're acting. If you become lost in the sea of power and can't pull yourself out, it won't end well."

"I know."

Suzuki Ayako calmed her spirituality and gave a light nod.

In the past two weeks of experimentation, she had grown quite familiar with the abilities of the Spectator. Once she entered that state, her perception improved dramatically. As her perception sharpened, she started noticing the true thoughts of others with little effort.

When she applied this in her work, she gained clearer insight into employees' attitudes and motives.

It was thanks to this power that she had been able to establish herself so quickly within the Suzuki conglomerate.

But because the ability was so effective and easy to use, she had begun to lose some of her restraint.

"Miss Ayako, you can try entering the Spectator state more frequently. Just avoid maintaining it for too long each time."

"Shorter sessions? Got it, I'll give it a try when I get back."

Suzuki Ayako was still a beginner in mysticism, so she obediently accepted the advice.

After resolving Ayako's issue, Ren turned toward the two elders.

"Uncle, Aunt, nice to meet you."

To be honest, Ren felt a little nervous. After all, this was his first time formally meeting his girlfriend's parents.

For Suzuki Shiro and Suzuki Tomoko, this was also the first proper introduction.

"It is indeed our first time meeting. But even before this, we had heard Sonoko mention you many times."

Suzuki Shiro didn't carry the usual intensity of a conglomerate's leader. Instead, he wore a gentle smile.

"Not just Sonoko, Ayako has also brought you up several times recently. But this is the first formal introduction."

"I just didn't expect it would happen under these circumstances."

Suzuki Shiro looked a little embarrassed.

Honestly, he had hoped to meet his future son-in-law under more appropriate conditions.

The 60th anniversary of the Suzuki Zaibatsu would've been a great opportunity, but the sudden appearance of the Phantom Thief Kid threw everything off.

Still, even if the setting wasn't ideal, the meeting had to happen.

"Uncle, you're too kind."

Ren didn't mind the timing at all.

Though a bit abrupt, this kind of meeting helped ease the pressure. If it had been a formal one-on-one, it would've felt more rigid. At least now, it wouldn't be so awkward that no one knew what to say.

"Your uncle's always like this. He may be old, but he still acts like a child."

Suzuki Tomoko rolled her eyes at her husband, though a smile lingered in her eyes.

"If you think it's not too much trouble, you could give your uncle something to 'play' with. He's been eyeing your powers for a while. Of course, he's too shy to bring it up himself, so I'll just say it directly."

Ren was momentarily surprised, then laughed when he saw Suzuki Shiro's expression of panic.

"While power isn't something to be treated like a toy, if Uncle wants to try it, I can arrange for a temporary gift. Unlike Miss Ayako's permanent potion path, it'll just be a short-term blessing."

"If it's temporary, that's fine."

Suzuki Tomoko let out a soft sigh, looking helplessly at her husband.

"If it were the same situation as Ayako, I'd be worried this idiot would mess around and get hurt. Temporary is safer, less risky."

"What about you, Aunt?"

"Eh?"

Suzuki Tomoko was momentarily taken aback. Unlike her husband, she wasn't particularly curious about power. She valued it, but didn't desire it personally.

Suzuki Shiro nudged Tomoko with his elbow.

"Your son-in-law just offered. What's the point of acting all reserved?"

Tomoko was stunned when she heard the word "son-in-law," and after a brief pause, she realized what that meant—this was a kind of recognition.

"All right, all right, let's talk about it next time. This isn't the right place."

Suzuki Tomoko glanced around.

Although there were no detectives near them, it wasn't the right setting to discuss certain matters.

Of course, there was no real risk of eavesdropping. The sound around them was already distorted through spiritual means, so none of the museum's detectives could pick up anything they were saying.

Sonoko listened to her mother's words, and the bright smile on her face never faded.

"Let's go take a look at the black pearl passed down through our family."

Suzuki Shiro smiled and led the group to a display case, inside which sat a black pearl.

Everyone turned their attention toward the legendary black pearl, said to be the largest in the world.

Its size was indeed extraordinary. The average black pearl was about the size of a thumb. This one was as large as a child's fist.

Its coloration was also rare—pure black, with no other tones mixed in. Though its surface luster was slightly dim, the deep black hue itself was extremely rare.

Seeing the black pearl, Ren looked a bit surprised.

"The real thing?"

Unlike in the original story, this black pearl wasn't a replica—it was genuine.

"That's right."

Suzuki Tomoko wasn't surprised that Ren could tell it was authentic with a single glance.

"That thief talked big, so I decided to show up and challenge him."

You're really bold… Ren hadn't expected Aunt Tomoko to be this reckless. This explained a lot.

Thinking again about the museum's security measures, it seemed like this was the plan from the very start.

But even so, Ren shook his head slightly.

(To be continued.)