Chapter 280: Fontaine's Unique Flora
Neuvillette.
He was actually sitting in the Royal Box.
'Just what is his identity?'
Conan's mind raced, his focus completely torn away from the tennis match unfolding on the court below. He stared across the stadium, a thousand questions swirling in his thoughts. Suddenly, a new line of inquiry struck him, and he gave the sleeve of Ran's jacket a small tug.
Mouri Ran was in the middle of consoling her father, who was still stewing over his unrestrained behavior at the banquet a few nights prior. Feeling the insistent pull, she turned, her expression softening with concern. "What is it, Conan? Is something wrong?"
"Ran-neechan, who is that white-haired uncle over there?" Conan asked, pitching his voice into the most innocent and adorable tone a child could muster. "Did you and Uncle Kogoro see him at the party the other day?"
Ran followed his gaze and her eyes widened in recognition. "Oh, you mean Mr. Neuvillette. Yes, he was at the banquet. But you should really ask Dad for the details," she said, a hint of mischief in her voice. "He and Mr. Neuvillette had a very... memorable chat that night."
With that, she nudged Kogoro Mouri's arm. "Isn't that right, Dad?"
Snapped back to reality by his daughter's prodding, Kogoro heard the question and grimaced as the memories from that night resurfaced. "Yes," he affirmed, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Chatting with him was quite pleasant."
He then muttered under his breath, so low he thought no one could hear, "...Except for the part where he threw me over his shoulder."
"So, Uncle, do you know what he does?" Conan pressed, seizing the opportunity while the topic was hot. "And what about his friend, the one named Furina? What's her identity?"
Hearing the rapid-fire questions, Kogoro reflexively thumped the boy lightly on the head. "Sheesh, why are you so nosy!"
Though he grumbled, Kogoro didn't see any harm in it and gave a brief summary of what he knew. "Neuvillette and Furina are both citizens of Fontaine. I don't know their exact positions, but Neuvillette is probably some kind of high-ranking government official. They were invited by Lady Diana to visit London, so don't go bothering them. You'll cause trouble for our host."
Kogoro shot Conan a final, warning glare.
"I know who Miss Furina is, though!" Ran chimed in. She was fiddling with her phone, and she nervously held up the screen for everyone to see. "She mentioned it briefly when we were talking, and I got curious, so I looked her up. It was easy to find her." She scrolled through a page. "And it looks like she's a very famous opera and dance actress in Fontaine."
'So, Neuvillette and Furina are both well-known figures in Fontaine,'Conan mused.'That must be it. The similar-looking characters in the 'Cocoon' game must have been based on their public images by Noah's Ark.'
Having reached a temporary conclusion, Conan shelved the matter for the time being and turned his attention back to the court.
The match itself held little suspense. The opponent was simply no match for Minerva Glass. Before long, the game concluded with a decisive victory for the "Queen of the Grass Court."
Although it was a shame they would miss Lyney and Lynette's magic show the next day, Ran made sure to say a proper goodbye to them in person before they all left the stadium.
"What's this?" Kogoro asked, his brow furrowing. Ran had left empty-handed but returned carrying a delicate bouquet of dried flowers. A sudden, dreadful thought struck him, and his voice grew tense. "Don't tell me some brat gave that to you?"
'Didn't they say that kid from the Kudo house had already left London?'he worried internally.'Could he have come back?'Conan, too, stared intently at the bouquet in Ran's hands, his own heart clenching with a familiar pang of jealousy. He didn't remember sending any flowers as Shinichi. If it wasn't from him, then it must have been some other clueless suitor.'Damn it,'Conan thought, his inner detective already fuming.'I didn't sense any romantic intentions from Lyney when we met... but you can never be too sure with the people from the Teyvat Organization. They're clearly up to no good. I'll have to make sure Ran keeps her distance from them.'
"No, it's not what you think," Ran said, handing the dried arrangement to her father. "Dad, Lyney gave these to me."
"Lyney?" Kogoro and Conan exchanged a sharp, suspicious glance.
Kogoro grumbled, his face a mask of displeasure. "Hmph. And why would that guy suddenly give you..."
"Dad, where is your mind wandering?" Ran cut him off with a light, amused laugh. "I just mentioned that I thought the flowers in their room looked really special, so he gave me some."
She pointed to the bouquet. "Lyney explained that this flower is called a Romaritime Flower, and it only grows in their country. Since the fresh ones can't be preserved for long, he figured out how to make them into these dried arrangements so they could be enjoyed even when they're abroad."
"Oh, so that's it." Realizing that the gift wasn't a declaration of love for his daughter, Kogoro's mood instantly improved, and he was finally willing to properly admire the flowers Ran had handed him.
And he had to admit, the Romaritime Flower was indeed quite beautiful.
"This blue-purple color is quite rare," Kogoro remarked, turning the bouquet over in his hands. "Even the leaves are blue." It was the first time he had ever seen such a strange and striking plant.
Even Conan, his anxieties about a new rival quelled, couldn't help but lean in curiously for a closer look. "Yeah... Romaritime Flower... judging by the name, it sounds like a plant that grows near water."
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