SCIAW: Chapter 313/314

Chapter 313: Investigation!

Sure enough, this is turning into a troublesome matter… Hattori Heiji muttered inwardly.

He could understand why Mouri didn't want him getting involved—it clearly meant that there was a huge mess behind Kudo Shinichi's situation. If someone got involved recklessly, it might set off a chain of uncontrollable events.

"Uncle, I promise I'll just conduct a simple investigation. I won't dig too deep into Kudo Shinichi's situation."

"If this matter really has major implications, I don't believe the police and public security would be completely unaware of it."

That statement softened Mouri Kogoro's stance a little.

Even though he didn't know the full extent of what was behind Kudo Shinichi's disappearance, if it really was such a serious issue, there's no way the Tokyo Metropolitan Police and the Public Security Bureau wouldn't have caught wind of something.

But it was exactly because he didn't know the extent of it that made Mouri Kogoro hesitate all the more.

If this thing escalated, it would be a real headache. Not to mention how Yukiko and Kudo Yusaku had even gone so far as to prepare to entrust their son to others. Only God knows how serious this mess really is.

Mouri Kogoro paused and gave a slight shake of his head.

"No. Even if Kudo Yusaku and Yukiko are prepared, I can't let a kid like you get involved. You're too impulsive when it comes to cases. The moment you dig in, you'll end up in the same boat as that kid."

Edogawa Conan, who was sitting beside him, lowered his head and didn't comment.

He knew all too well how dangerous this matter was. What the organization was researching was completely unnatural. Investigating it too much would easily cause unforeseen complications.

He no longer dared to act recklessly.

Even if he got some clues, he wouldn't act on impulse. Otherwise, it wouldn't just be him who'd suffer, but also Uncle Mouri and Ran.

The identity of Kudo Shinichi did allow him to move more freely, but that didn't mean he could act recklessly.

Investigating openly was too dangerous. He could only rely on his cover as an elementary school student. That was his one true advantage. Even the organization wouldn't suspect that he had turned into a child.

Hattori Heiji didn't argue further after hearing Mouri Kogoro's refusal. He knew this uncle had his principles. He gave off the same firm aura as his own father and Uncle Toyama—like a seasoned cop.

But this also proved just how serious the situation surrounding Kudo Shinichi really was.

Think about it—Kudo Shinichi, a high school detective famous across Kanto, just vanished. It was probably only because the people close to him noticed the problem early that things hadn't exploded publicly. Most likely, this was done to avoid provoking retaliation.

And just now, the uncle mentioned that "Kudo Yusaku and Yukiko are ready"...

Hattori Heiji speculated that Kudo's parents were already prepared to carry out an investigation, but that kind of investigation might even require preparations concerning personal safety.

Or worse, final arrangements.

Hattori Heiji took a deep breath. He felt that he really needed to talk to his father about this.

No—he had to talk to him right now. Otherwise, he'd continue operating blindly, completely unaware of what he was stepping into.

With that in mind, Hattori Heiji took out his phone, turned on speaker mode, and directly dialed his father's number. The call connected almost immediately.

"Why are you in such a hurry to run off to Tokyo?"

Before Heiji could say a word, the voice on the other end came through.

It was calm and steady—not loud, but authoritative enough to make one instinctively straighten up.

"Dad, I went to Tokyo to investigate Kudo Shinichi's case."

"Kudo Shinichi… that high school detective from Kanto? The one people always compare to you? Sounds like something major happened. Otherwise, someone like you wouldn't come asking me for help."

"Yeah... the situation behind Kudo Shinichi is pretty complicated. I just want to get a clear understanding, but even that seems like enough to attract unwanted attention."

"…You went to his house, didn't you?"

"Yeah."

"Idiot!!!"

The voice on the other end suddenly roared, clearly angry and laced with scolding.

"No matter what's behind Kudo Shinichi's case, you went to someone's house and shouted about wanting to know everything. What were you thinking? You trying to drag others down with you?"

"If you want to investigate, then use your own skills to dig out the truth. You already sensed how serious this is, right? And now you want me to step in, make a call, and get someone to just hand you clues?"

"Idiot! If he tells you anything, he'll get implicated too!"

Hattori Heizo's voice was filled with rare fury, and Hattori Heiji instinctively shrank his neck.

"Now apologize to them. If you're determined to investigate Kudo Shinichi, then go ahead, but I'll say it again—don't drag anyone else into this. Understand?"

"Got it…"

Not only had he failed to get the information he wanted, but he got chewed out by his old man too. Heiji felt utterly dejected.

"And you're not allowed to come home these next two days."

"Huh?"

"If you think Kudo Shinichi's case is that deep, then bring back solid evidence. If you come back empty-handed, I'll break your legs."

Hattori Heiji shuddered at the words, and then the call was cut off.

The flat beeping of the disconnected call left Heiji standing awkwardly in silence.

He could only pocket his phone, stand up, and bow deeply toward Mouri Kogoro.

"Sorry, Uncle. I was too reckless this time."

Mouri Kogoro crossed his arms and nodded slightly. He wasn't particularly angry.

He didn't want this reckless kid getting involved, but if there was someone like Hattori Heizo behind him, then letting him try a solo investigation might be acceptable.

Of course, it had to be his own investigation—not information pulled from him.

"Fine. Just be more careful with things like this in the future."

Then, Mouri Kogoro turned to Edogawa Conan, who had been silent this whole time.

"Conan."

Conan immediately looked up.

"This kid can't go back for the next couple of days, and he doesn't know the area. Go show him around."

Conan hesitated slightly, surprised by Uncle Mouri's words, then gave a small nod.

"I know a few cheap hotels. I'll take you there."

"Huh? Oh... thanks."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 314: Comfort

Edogawa Conan was well-acquainted with Beika City and knew of several affordable temporary hotels.

He took Hattori Heiji to a reasonably priced hotel in Beika.

The room had all the basic amenities, including a single bed, a clean and spacious bathroom, and a separate toilet. It was fully sufficient for short-term accommodation.

"Oh~ This place feels pretty good."

Hattori Heiji looked around the room. It was clean, well-equipped, and free of any strange odors. The price was reasonable too. All in all, a solid choice.

As the guide, Edogawa Conan smiled faintly, then quietly leaned closer to Hattori Heiji and whispered:

"The roller coaster murder case at Tropical Land, two months ago."

Hattori Heiji's expression remained unchanged, and he only gave a slight nod.

"Hattori, don't go too far. Those people are dangerous."

After saying that, Edogawa Conan turned around with a friendly smile on his face.

"I'll come back in two days. Don't forget you promised to take me to the amusement park."

"Yeah, I'll definitely keep my word."

Once the door shut, Hattori Heiji walked over and began drawing the curtains.

Huh... I didn't expect Kudo Shinichi's situation to be this complicated.

But he must've gotten involved for a reason. Two months ago... the one who triggered Kudo Shinichi's downfall probably showed up then.

If he wanted to investigate the truth behind Kudo Shinichi, he'd have to do so without alerting others—especially those connected to Kudo Shinichi.

And that kid…

Hattori Heiji recalled the child who just gave him that clue.

Was he related to Kudo Shinichi too?

Is this "two days" timeframe just a way to test whether I can be trusted before giving me more clues?

If so, then that kid's identity definitely isn't simple.

Hattori Heiji took a deep breath and calmed himself. Over the next two days, he had to gather as much information as possible. After that, he'd have a proper conversation with his father.

Meanwhile, Edogawa Conan, having left the hotel, was also lost in thought.

Can Hattori Heiji be trusted?

And… is it time to let him in on part of the truth?

He simply didn't have enough power to handle this alone.

Even though he acted as his uncle's assistant at the detective agency, helping him solve cases, and had his parents' support to maintain his "genius" identity, it didn't change the fact that he couldn't handle this situation by himself.

Kogoro often brought him along to investigations, and in turn, provided him with a protective cover.

It was like the relationship between Holmes and Watson, except in this case, he was the hidden Sherlock who needed his Watson to take the spotlight so he could solve the case from the shadows.

Kogoro understood his intentions. That's why he always spoke to him more than he let on.

Conan was genuinely grateful for Kogoro's shelter and support. That's why he knew he couldn't recklessly put him or Ran in danger.

Because of that decision, he couldn't act under Kogoro's name in certain situations. He needed outside help.

Hattori Heiji, with his father as the chief of the Osaka police headquarters, might be a good option.

But investigating those people was extremely dangerous, and some things needed to be made clear to Hattori Heiji first.

He also needed to prepare. The deadline was two days from now.

After leaving the Mouri Detective Agency, Ran immediately called Ren.

"Ren, do you know a high school detective named Hattori Heiji?"

"Hattori Heiji… did he come to our place?"

"Yeah, he seems to have noticed something's wrong with Shinichi, so he came straight to our house."

"Well, since Kudo hasn't appeared in the news for two weeks, it makes sense for Hattori Heiji to show up once he noticed something off. Even if it's a bit nosy, he's pretty direct."

Hattori Heiji's appearance surprised Ren slightly, but considering he and Kudo Shinichi shared the same profession, it wasn't that unusual.

For a detective, being suspicious was only natural.

"Will this affect Dad?"

That was what Ran was most worried about…

"No. Hattori Heiji's father told him to investigate on his own. That sets up a buffer for Mr. Mouri to remain uninvolved. Otherwise, why would his father make such a request?"

"Hattori Heiji only got suspicious because he hadn't seen Kudo Shinichi for two months. So of course he'd come to Tokyo and look around where Kudo was last active. If he finds anything from old clues, that's on him. It doesn't involve anyone else."

"Mr. Mouri had Edogawa Conan reach out to Hattori Heiji. In a way, it's like giving him clues through Conan."

"But like I said, children are easily overlooked."

"As long as those two people don't find out about the side effects of the poison, the organization won't think to start investigating children."

That's a relief… Ran finally felt at ease.

"Also, Mr. Mouri is extremely cautious. He knows the situation behind Kudo Shinichi is complicated, so he has no intention of investigating."

"But Edogawa Conan is more dangerous. He's like a walking time bomb. Still, he clearly understands the risks better than before, and his actions have become much more measured."

"In the end, no one really courts death in real life. Edogawa Conan knows his situation is extremely dangerous, so he's not going to do anything reckless."

Ren trusted his judgment.

Maybe before he was knocked out and drugged, Edogawa Conan was overconfident. But after that incident, he'd definitely grown more cautious.

If he moves too conservatively, he might miss the chance to gather certain information. But it's still better than getting killed.

When someone has things to protect, they naturally become more careful.

Right now, Edogawa Conan had too many variables to consider. Most importantly, his parents who arranged everything for him, and Mouri Kogoro who took him in.

He may be proud, but he's not so arrogant that he'd throw everything away.

(To be continued.)