Chapter 291: Heading to Osaka Again
"Why are you back so late?" Mary asked, her tone laced with a hint of curiosity. Her sharp gaze then fell upon the object clutched in her daughter's hand. "And what is that?"
Masumi Sera offered a brief, energetic account of her day, focusing on the thrilling process of solving the case. She made sure to highlight the brilliant deductions she'd overheard from Conan on the phone, as well as the uniquely perceptive traits of her new friend, Natsume Natsuki.
As for the item in her hand… Masumi's eyes lit up as she eagerly presented the pass to her mother. "Look, Mom! It seems to be an admission pass for some kind of competition. Natsume said her friends are organizing it, and it's happening this weekend. Plus, Conan and his friends are all going to be there!"
Watching Mary carefully inspect the pass, Masumi pressed on, her expression hopeful. "Since everyone is going, I should probably go along too, right? It would be a great chance to get to know them better. I might even find some important clues!"
Mary took the pass and examined it closely. When her eyes landed on the name of the organizer—the Kamisato Clan—her brow furrowed ever so slightly. 'The Kamisato Clan…'she mused silently.'I don't believe I've ever heard of them. But judging by the quality of this pass, they must wield considerable influence in Japan. I have a feeling this event isn't as simple as it appears…'
Hearing her daughter's eager question, Mary's frown deepened as she seriously weighed the request. After a moment of consideration, she gave a firm nod. "Then go."
However, she couldn't help but add a word of caution, her voice low and serious. "Masumi, you must be careful. From what you've told me, this Miss Natsume is a sharp detective in her own right. She was able to connect you to your eldest brother the very first time she met you. You cannot let your guard down or give anything away in her presence. We must avoid any unnecessary trouble."
Time flew by, and soon the weekend arrived, bringing with it the day of the idol competition finals.
Early that morning, Natsume, Sonoko Suzuki, and Masumi Sera arrived at the Mouri Detective Agency to meet up with the others.
Inside the agency, a knock at the door prompted Ran Mouri to open it, revealing the smiling faces of her three friends. After welcoming them in, she turned back towards the living room with an exasperated sigh.
"Dad, look! Natsume, Sonoko, and Masumi are all here," she urged. "Conan and I are ready to go; we're just waiting for you. Honestly, I reminded you yesterday to wake up early, and you still overslept."
"I lost at the horse races again yesterday," Kogoro Mouri grumbled from the couch, his voice thick with sleep and frustration. "I was too wound up to get any rest. Besides, the competition isn't until this evening. Why are we going so early?" He then called out to his daughter, "I know, I know! I'll be ready in a second!"
From there, the group made their way to Dr. Agasa's house. In preparation for the weekend trip, the Detective Boys had all slept over at the professor's home, making it easier for everyone to set off together.
For this particular group outing, Klee would also be joining the Detective Boys.
And, of course, Okiya Subaru, who felt the need to keep a close watch on Ai Haibara, was present as well.
When Conan first learned of this arrangement, he couldn't hide his surprise.
He had long known that Klee, Albedo, and the Kamisato siblings were all members of the Teyvat Organization and were undoubtedly in contact with one another. It wasn't strange that Klee would be going to Osaka to watch the competition.
But he had assumed Albedo would be the one to take her. He never expected Albedo to entrust Klee to Dr. Agasa, relying on him and the man living next door, Okiya Subaru, to escort her. Meanwhile, Albedo himself had already departed for Osaka a step ahead of them all.
Conan was dying to know what purpose Albedo had for leaving Klee behind and rushing to Osaka early. After some careful, indirect questioning of Natsume, he was astonished to get an answer: Albedo had gone for rehearsals.
According to Natsume, Albedo was scheduled to participate in the opening performance of the competition.
The news left Conan completely dumbfounded. He simply couldn't imagine someone with Albedo's cool, detached temperament performing any kind of song or dance.
Even Haibara, upon hearing the news, was momentarily dazed, her usual composure slipping for a moment.
Thinking about the competition stirred another memory in Conan's mind. Two weeks ago, during his last trip to Osaka, he had heard the news—someone had set fire to the finals venue. It was unclear whether it was an act of revenge or simply an attempt to stop the competition from happening.
Time had been tight back then, and Conan had returned to Tokyo with Kogoro and the others before he had a chance to investigate much. He had no idea how the Osaka police's investigation was progressing.
Before leaving, he had specifically told Heiji Hattori to notify him of any developments. As it turned out, Hattori hadn't so much as sent him a single text.
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