Chapter 285: Mouri Detective Agency Hostage Incident 2
On the other side of town, inside Dr. Agasa's house, a cheerful energy filled the living room.
Mitsuhiko, Genta, and Ayumi were excitedly packing their belongings for the next day's outing, their chatter a lively backdrop to the more subdued conversation happening nearby.
Conan Edogawa and Ai Haibara were discussing the day's events, specifically the new detective, Masumi Sera.
Haibara didn't seem particularly surprised that Sera already knew Conan's secret. "She probably found out from newspapers, online articles, or some other media channel."
A cold, humorless laugh escaped her lips as she slanted a look at Conan through half-lidded eyes. "After all, a certain someone doesn't seem to grasp the concept of keeping a low profile whenever a case pops up. Even after shrinking into an elementary school student, you still manage to get yourself on the news with alarming frequency. Honestly, great detective, sometimes I truly wish you could learn a thing or two from Natsume. At the very least, try to avoid the cameras."
"Haha, I can't really worry about that stuff when I'm in the middle of solving a case," Conan replied with a dry laugh, quickly trying to steer the conversation elsewhere. "Come to think of it, I can't shake the feeling that the kid, Sera, already knew the truth of the case back then. I think she deliberately got it wrong just to hear my deduction."
"Wait a minute!" Hearing this, Haibara suddenly leaned in close, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You didn't use Kudo Shinichi's voice to lay out your deduction right in front of her, did you?!"
"Ah... it was the only method I could think of at the time," Conan mumbled, his awkwardness growing. He defended himself, though his voice lacked conviction. "That kid... I don't think she's an enemy. Besides, I get this really familiar feeling from her, like I've seen her somewhere before. Maybe she just looks a lot like someone I know."
As he spoke, Conan's voice trailed off and he fell into deep thought. He was certain of it. Masumi Sera had to bear a striking resemblance to someone he knew; otherwise, this persistent sense of déjà vu made no sense.
Haibara was about to press the issue, but the sudden chime of the doorbell cut her off.
"It must be Klee! I'll get it!"
Ayumi, hearing the bell, immediately dropped what she was holding and scampered happily toward the entrance.
"Klee!" she chirped, pulling the door open. Sure enough, the small, red-clad girl was standing on the doorstep. Ayumi beamed. "And Klee's brother! I remember, it's..."
Her bright smile faltered. She froze, her eyes fixed on the person standing behind Klee as her mind went blank. She couldn't immediately recall his name. A wave of frustration washed over her, but fortunately, the name surfaced after a tense moment.
"Brother Albedo!" she called out, her voice filled with evident relief.
Albedo looked down at Ayumi, the corners of his mouth curling into a faint, almost imperceptible smile. He gave her a slight nod. "Hello, Ayumi," he responded, his voice gentle.
His gaze then shifted to Dr. Agasa, who had followed Ayumi to the door. "Hello, Dr. Agasa."
"Hello, hello! Please, come in," the professor said, hurriedly ushering Klee and Albedo inside.
"What were you guys talking about just now?" Ayumi asked curiously, pulling Klee over to where Conan and the others were gathered.
Seeing Albedo, Conan felt a familiar knot of anxiety tighten in his stomach. He had expected the man's arrival, knowing Klee was coming, but having a member of the Teyvat Organization inside Dr. Agasa's home always put him on edge. For some reason, his nervousness was more pronounced around Albedo than it was around Kaeya or Diluc. He constantly worried that the quiet, observant alchemist would notice something was amiss.
In stark contrast, Haibara found herself more relaxed in Albedo's presence than she ever was with Kaeya. There was something about Albedo's calm, scholarly temperament that she found comforting.
Kaeya, on the other hand, was a confirmed contact of the Black Organization. Every time she saw him, Haibara's body would go rigid, her muscles tensing with an uncomfortable, instinctual fear.
"Um..." Conan was still trying to figure out how to answer Ayumi's question when Mitsuhiko and Genta started a new topic.
Mitsuhiko looked at Klee. "Speaking of which, we saw Natsume and Ran with a high school student today."
Genta chimed in, "Yeah, it looked like a guy we've never seen before."
Klee joined the conversation with a nod. "Mm-hmm, Klee knows! Natsume told Klee that she, Ran, and one of Ran's classmates went to the Mouri Detective Agency together."
At this, Klee tilted her head, a look of confusion on her face. "But, Natsume said that Ran's classmate isn't a boy. She said it's a girl, too."
Hearing Mitsuhiko say that Ran was with an unknown guy—even with Natsume present—had immediately sparked a flicker of concern in Conan. Klee's correction, however, only muddled his thoughts further.
Just then, Haibara voiced his inner turmoil with her signature dry wit. "If you're that worried, you could always just call and confirm."
Faced with her teasing, Conan felt a flush of embarrassment creep up his neck, but he still honestly reached for his phone.
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