The air in the tea room seemed to freeze, and even the faint chirping of birds outside vanished. Hattori Heizo sat across from Kanjuro like a mountain, with Conan and Heiji Hattori standing behind him like two guardian deities, their eyes locked onto the man who was still calmly sipping his tea.
Hattori Heizo didn't beat around the bush. His deep gaze was like a searchlight, shining directly into Kanjuro's eyes, which always seemed unruffled. His voice was low and full of pressure as he dropped a bombshell:
"Mr. Kanjuro, we might as well start with things from much earlier. For instance... eighteen years ago, at Sacred Scripture Academy, in that so-called 'Occult Research Institute' established in the basement of the Old School Building."
He paused deliberately, observing Kanjuro's reaction. Kanjuro simply set down his teacup, his fingertips tracing the rim. No abnormality could be seen on his face, as if he were listening to a story that had nothing to do with him.
Hattori Heizo continued, his tone certain: "According to the old records we retrieved, you were a student at Sacred Scripture Academy at the time. And on the day that 'accidental' fire occurred at the institute—causing several people involved to suffer mental trauma and resulting in the loss of a large number of files—you were right there at the scene."
"Today, although Sacred Scripture Academy has been renamed Sobu High School, you seem to... still maintain some sort of connection with that school." His words were like peeling silk from a cocoon, revealing Kanjuro's connection to that hidden past bit by bit.
Behind him, Heiji Hattori and Conan were deeply shaken. They hadn't expected their father (Inspector General Hattori) to have investigated so deeply in secret, tracing the timeline back eighteen years! This far exceeded their expectations!
However, Hattori Heizo's next words were like a thunderclap echoing in the tea room, especially striking the heart of Hattori Shizuka, who had kept her head bowed.
Hattori Heizo's gaze was as sharp as a blade, his voice cold and hard: "Coincidentally, my sister—who is also Heiji's nominal mother—Shizuka," he mentioned Hattori Shizuka's name, causing her whole body to tremble violently and her head to hang even lower, "was also at Sacred Scripture Academy on the day of the incident. Furthermore, she participated in the activities of that so-called 'Occult Research Society'."
He stared at Kanjuro and said each word with absolute clarity:
"And not long after that, Shizuka was found to be... pregnant."
"But in the end, she did not choose to give birth to that child."
"Boom—!"
These words were like a bolt of lightning, striking hard at Hattori Shizuka's soul. She jerked her head up, her face turning deathly pale in an instant. Her lips trembled, and her eyes were filled with unbelievable terror and the pain of having her scars laid bare. She hadn't expected her brother (husband) to have discovered even this! This secret she had buried for eighteen years, believing she would take it to her grave!
Heiji Hattori was even more thunderstruck. He stared at his mother in a daze, then suddenly turned to Kanjuro, the fury in his eyes almost turning physical! The woman he had always known as his mother had... had such a past with Kanjuro?! Even... Conan also furrowed his brows; the complexity and darkness of this matter had once again exceeded his imagination.
All eyes were now focused on Kanjuro.
Facing this revelation that was practically an accusation, Kanjuro's reaction remained terrifyingly calm. He wasn't angry, he didn't deny it, and he didn't even show a hint of surprise.
He slowly raised his eyes to meet Hattori Heizo's sharp gaze. The corners of his mouth even curled into an extremely faint, bone-chilling arc, as if he were enjoying an interesting performance.
He didn't refute the matters regarding Sacred Scripture Academy, nor did he offer any explanation for Hattori Shizuka's pregnancy.
He simply spoke in an almost lazy tone, with a hint of approval:
"Inspector General Hattori... you truly live up to your reputation. To think you could investigate to this extent."
He paused and made a "please" gesture, as if it were none of his business:
"Please, continue. I'm quite interested in what else you know."
His frankness and composure in such a situation created an even more powerful, suffocating sense of pressure.
It was as if he were the one leading the interrogation, and Hattori Heizo was merely reporting to him.
Hattori Heizo's pupils constricted slightly. Kanjuro's reaction was completely unexpected. He took a deep breath, knowing that the real confrontation had only just begun. The young man before him was far deeper and more dangerous than he had imagined.
The murderous intent in the tea room grew even thicker and colder due to the revelation of this long-buried past. Hattori Shizuka slumped where she sat, her face ashen. Heiji Hattori's fists were clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. Conan's mind raced, trying to find a flaw in Kanjuro from this chaotic information.
Meanwhile, Kanjuro remained as steady as a mountain, as if sitting in the eye of a storm, admiring the chaos and despair rising around him because of him. Hattori Heizo's gaze was like a hawk's, locked onto Kanjuro, not missing any subtle change on his face. He leaned forward slightly, the pressure he brought making the air feel almost viscous. He threw out another even heavier and more horrifying accusation.
"Now, let's talk about the Yukinoshita Family." His voice was low, carrying the dust of history and the scent of blood. "A prominent family from Chiba Prefecture, the Yukinoshita family was slaughtered overnight eighteen years ago. The methods were brutal, shocking the entire country. The sole survivor was the eldest daughter, who was studying away at the time—Yukinoshita Yukino."
He paused, his gaze as sharp as a knife, piercing toward Kanjuro:
"And according to the information we have, you, Kanjuro, were the only boyfriend Yukinoshita Yukino ever publicly acknowledged at that time."
"After her family suffered such a tragedy, she gave birth to and raised two daughters alone: Yukinoshita Yukino and Yukinoshita Haruno. With such a coincidental timeline, one can't help but wonder if you were involved in that massacre."
This accusation was more direct than the previous ones, practically pointing at Kanjuro's nose and calling him the murderer who slaughtered the Yukinoshita family.
Upon hearing this, the half-smile on Kanjuro's face remained unchanged. He even took his time picking up the now lukewarm tea, took a light sip, and then slowly raised his eyes. His questioning tone carried a hint of pure "curiosity":
"Excellent reasoning, Inspector General Hattori. So, where is the evidence?"
A single, light sentence acted like an invisible wall, steadily blocking Hattori Heizo's surging accusations.
Hattori Heizo's eyes darkened. He didn't answer the question directly but shifted the topic again, throwing out another heavy connection:
"Let's look at the Suzuki Zaibatsu. Also a once-prominent great family, they similarly met with disaster, with almost the entire household slaughtered. And the only survivors were three women—Tomoko Suzuki, Suzuki Ayako, and... Suzuki Sonoko, who has the closest relationship with you."
His gaze swept over Kanjuro, trying to find a hint of wavering in his eyes:
"I also have reason to suspect that there is some unknown, special relationship between you and these three survivors. Perhaps your shadow even lingers behind the tragedy of the Suzuki Family?"
Faced with these successive accusations that practically painted him as a disaster star specifically targeting wealthy and powerful families, Kanjuro's reaction was merely to raise an eyebrow slightly. Then, he actually chuckled softly, his laughter carrying an undisguised sense of almost admiring exclamation.
"Impressive, impressive." He put down his teacup and clapped his hands lightly, as if watching a brilliant performance. "Inspector General Hattori, your power of association and intelligence-gathering abilities are indeed amazing. You've almost... touched the edge of the truth."
He shifted his tone and leaned forward slightly, forming a confrontational stance with Hattori Heizo. The smile on his face remained gentle, but his eyes suddenly became cold and deep, like two bottomless pools of icy water:
"You're quite right. My relationship with Seiga Yukinoshita and the women of the Suzuki Family is indeed... extraordinary."
"The things you suspect may not be entirely groundless."
He was practically admitting it! But immediately following that, his words, carrying a deadly mockery, rang out again:
"But, so what?"
"Where is the evidence?"
He repeated those four words again. His voice wasn't loud, but it struck like a heavy hammer on the hearts of Hattori Heizo, and Heiji Hattori and Conan behind him.
"Everything you have is based on chronological coincidences and interpersonal speculations. It's brilliant reasoning and reasonable suspicion, but..." Kanjuro spread his hands in a helpless gesture, his eyes full of playfulness, "In the face of the law, they are pathetically pale, aren't they?"
"You—!" The aura of Hattori Heizo, which had always been as steady as a mountain, finally showed a crack. His fingers gripping the teacup turned white from the force, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged. His chest heaved violently, showing his suppressed inner rage and... helplessness.
Yes, he had no evidence.
Whether it was the fire at Sacred Scripture Academy, the extermination of the Yukinoshita Family, or the tragedy of the Suzuki Zaibatsu, all clues faintly pointed to this man named Kanjuro. However, all the chains of evidence were broken and blurred, unable to form ironclad proof sufficient for a conviction in a court of law. He was like a slippery venomous snake, slithering along the edges of all the crimes, leaving traces but never leaving a tail that could be caught.
Looking at Hattori Heizo's frustrated expression—clearly knowing who the murderer was but unable to bring him to justice—the curve of Kanjuro's mouth became even more pronounced. He enjoyed this pleasure of playing with the enforcers of the law in the palm of his hand.
(See, this is the limitation of mortals.)
(Even someone as high and mighty as you, in the face of true power, the so-called laws and evidence are nothing more than ridiculous toys.)
The atmosphere in the tea room became increasingly eerie and dangerous due to Hattori Heizo's silence and Kanjuro's composure. The officers lurking in the shadows already had their fingers on the safety of their weapons, waiting only for the final command. And this seemingly calm conversation had already turned into the prelude to a life-and-death gamble. Kanjuro's frank "admission" was more like an open provocation to everyone present, especially to the law. Kanjuro's question, "Where is the evidence?" echoed in the tea room like cold mockery, making Hattori Heizo's carefully constructed accusations appear shaky. However, the seasoned Inspector General did not give up. He took a deep breath, as if to forcibly suppress the surging anger and helplessness in his chest, and threw out another seemingly minor yet equally horrifying related incident.
"Then, let's talk about something more 'recent'." Hattori Heizo's voice was still steady, but if one listened closely, a hint of a wave could be detected, suppressed with great effort. "The school trip of Sobu High School. According to records, you seem to have a rather close relationship with a primary school girl named Tsurumi Rumi. That child is said to have suffered from school bullying."
His eyes were like torches, staring intently at Kanjuro:
"And during that school trip, a horrific tragedy occurred at the primary school students' camp where Tsurumi Rumi was located—all the primary school students and the leading teachers died mysteriously in one night!"
"Only Tsurumi Rumi, because she 'happened' to be at the high school camp with you that night—and even... allegedly spent the night in your room—managed to escape by luck."
Hattori Heizo's voice carried a heavy questioning tone:
"Mr. Kanjuro, how do you explain such a 'coincidence'? I suspect once again that this cruel massacre targeting children has everything to do with you!"
This accusation struck at one's moral bottom line even more than the previous tragedies of wealthy families, as it directly involved innocent children!
"Oh? Tsurumi Rumi..." Kanjuro softly repeated the name. Instead of showing panic at the accusation, a richer, playful, and even... reminiscent smile appeared on his face. He softly spat out three words:
"How interesting."
These three words were light as air, yet they seemed to carry the scent of blood, making everyone present feel a chill down their spines.
At this moment, the one with the most intense reaction was not Kanjuro, who was directly accused, nor the furious Heiji Hattori, but rather the woman who had been consistently submissive and playing the role of a gentle hostess—Hattori Shizuka!
She suddenly looked up, and an abnormal flush actually appeared on her originally pale face. Looking at Kanjuro's posture—composed and even appreciative in the face of such a terrifying accusation—her heart beat uncontrollably. A flash of something mixed with fear, shock, and... an extremely distorted adoration appeared in her eyes!
(He... he wouldn't even let children go...)
(But... he is so powerful... so composed...)
(Faced with such questioning from my brother (husband), he can actually still laugh...)
In her internal world, which had been completely bewitched and distorted by Kanjuro, right and wrong had long since been overturned. Kanjuro's "evil" did not wake her up; instead, because of his "power" and "arrogance," it was even more deeply branded into her heart. Mixed with the forbidden intimacy of last night, it catalyzed a pathological admiration and sense of belonging. She felt that only following such a powerful man who ignored all rules was her true destiny.
In sharp contrast to Hattori Shizuka's distorted adoration was Heiji Hattori's rage, which was almost about to burst through his chest!
"Kanjuro! You beast! Scum!!" He could no longer restrain himself and suddenly took a step forward, his eyes bloodshot, pointing at Kanjuro's nose and roaring, "You wouldn't even let children go! Are you even human?! Just how many innocent people have you killed?!"
Faced with Heiji Hattori's storm-like verbal abuse, Kanjuro didn't even lift an eyelid. He slowly picked up the wine pot and poured himself a cup of sake, his movements as elegant as if he were attending a high-class tea party.
It wasn't until Heiji Hattori finished shouting and stared at him panting that Kanjuro slowly raised his eyes. His calm gaze swept over the enraged Heiji Hattori and finally landed back on the grim-faced Hattori Heizo.
That spine-chilling faint smile still hung at the corner of his mouth.
"Inspector General Hattori, your son seems a bit excited." He first commented nonchalantly, and then, he once again brandished that invincible weapon, his voice clear and cold:
"Regarding Tsurumi Rumi, and those unfortunately deceased children and teachers... I also express my deep regret."
"However..."
He deliberately elongated his tone, his gaze carrying undisguised sarcasm as he repeated, word by word, the sentence that made Hattori Heizo feel incredibly frustrated:
"Ev-ery-thing re-quires ev-i-dence."
"Did you see me do it with your own eyes? Or is there any direct evidence that can prove I am related to their deaths? Just because a child 'happened' to be with me that night, do I have to bear the guilt of this slaughter?"
"The law is about a solid chain of evidence, not... groundless speculation, isn't it?"
He once again used the word "evidence" like a bucket of ice water, drenching Heiji Hattori's burning rage and Hattori Heizo's poised accusations to the bone.
Hattori Heizo gritted his teeth, his jawline tensed. He indeed had no direct evidence. The Tsurumi Rumi incident was just like the previous cases; all suspicions pointed to Kanjuro, and all "coincidences" were too deliberate, but it just so happened that the most crucial link was missing—the irrefutable ironclad proof that could directly tie Kanjuro to the crimes.
Kanjuro watched Hattori Heizo fall into silence again, and watched Heiji Hattori's look of wanting to tear him apart but being unable to do anything. Satisfied, he picked up his wine cup and took a light sip.
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