The Treasure Map

Gin turned a cold eye on Alhaitham and issued his warning. "From now on, this is your laboratory. Whatever you intend to research, whatever you need — file your requests in advance. I expect results, and I expect them soon. Otherwise..."

He let the threat hang unfinished in the air, watching Alhaitham with those frigid eyes before continuing. "Oh, and one more thing. The Boss has heard you can handle yourself in a fight. From time to time, you'll be expected to support the action team on their assignments."

Alhaitham refused on the spot. "As I recall, I already made myself clear — I am nothing more than a frail scholar. Field operations fall well outside my job description."

"Then you'd better pray your research bears fruit quickly, and that the Boss grants you a codename as one of the core members. That's the only qualification that entitles you to refuse an assignment."

With everything he needed to say delivered, Gin left without another word — he had no intention of lingering to absorb any more pointless chatter — leaving Alhaitham ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to familiarize himself with the laboratory on his own.

And so, while Alhaitham waged his battle of wits against the Black Organization, Xia Yu — thanks to her own diligence and hard work — was finally on the verge of saving up enough Primogems for a ten-pull.

Just as she was hoping a fresh batch of quests might appear, something that would let her gather the rest of the Primogems in one go, the long-dormant World Quest finally triggered.

That day, Xia Yu was working one of her daily commissions — the search for a lost cat.

"Paimon, tell me — why is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it that cats go missing every single day?"

"Hmm... maybe it's because cats are just that curious by nature," Paimon mused. "Word is you can lure one away with nothing more than a few butterflies. And that's when — hm, hm! — it's time for us detective Travelers to take the stage! When it comes to finding cats, the Traveler's got quite the knack."

Xia Yu didn't quite know what to make of being praised on that particular front. "Paimon, don't you think Diona would be even better with cats? If I ever pull her, couldn't I just hand all the cat-finding jobs over to her? And that way the ground floor of the tavern finally earns its keep, plus we'd make money off it. A win-win-win, really."

"Mm-hm, when you put it that way, Diona really does sound super useful. But—" Paimon stretched the word out long and slow, "—that all depends on you actually pulling her, Traveler. Honestly? Paimon doesn't have high hopes for your luck. Tsk, tsk." She shook her head for emphasis, over and over.

Just as Xia Yu was absorbed in her cat hunt, a little girl's voice called out from behind her. "Hey! Big sis!"

She turned around to find the three-member Junior Detective League from the amusement park — with one extra little boy in tow. So this, presumably, was Kudo Shinichi turned small child.

He did look pretty cute, actually. At the very least, he seemed less insufferably smug than he'd been back at the amusement park.

Conan, for his part, was a little startled to run into his witness from the amusement park so coincidentally. She'd left too early last time, and he still didn't know her name. Besides, this woman had appeared at that place — and she'd been able to make out everyone's movements in pitch darkness, no less. Conan was genuinely curious what she did for a living, and he planned to fish for information while he had the chance, to see if there was any possible link to the Organization.

That was the plan, anyway — though privately, Conan considered the odds vanishingly small. She clearly lacked the air of someone who had killed in the dark.

As it happened, Ayumi asked the very question he'd been circling.

"Oh, oh right! Big sis, back at the amusement park you never told us your name!"

Xia Yu crouched down to their level. "Oh, it's you and your friends, Ayumi. That was my fault — I left before we got around to introductions. My name is Natsume Xiayu. You can call me Xia-yu-neechan." Her eyes shifted to Conan. "Hm? You've picked up another kid today. A friend you just made?"

"Yep! Conan just transferred in," Ayumi said, hauling him forward by the arm. "Big sis, Conan is really, really smart!"

Watching Conan's helpless expression as he got dragged along, Xia Yu felt a mischievous impulse well up inside her — the urge to scare him a little. She fixed her gaze on him and spoke. "Ohh — so you're a transfer student, Conan. Now that you mention it, you do look kind of familiar. I could swear I saw someone who looked just like you a few days ago."

Conan, who had been just a touch curious about this big sister who'd seen through the darkness at the amusement park and whom he'd meant to pump for information, broke out in a cold sweat at her words.

Oh, come on. We only crossed paths a couple of times at the park, and I was an adult then. No ordinary person would connect the dots... right? Right. He kept telling himself that, over and over.

Even so, he couldn't help stammering out an explanation. "I-I don't think I've ever met you, nee-san. With hair as distinctive as yours, I'd definitely remember if I had."

Watching him scramble to explain himself, Xia Yu decided to let him off the hook this time. "Mm, fair point. It must've been my imagination, then."

As he talked his way through it, Conan kept stealing glances at her face. Only when he saw no trace of suspicion there did he let out the breath he'd been holding. Any appetite he'd had for probing her had evaporated completely.

Meanwhile, Mitsuhiko and Genta were none too pleased to hear Ayumi showering Conan with praise. What's so smart about him, huh? Where's the proof? He'd gotten the treasure cipher wrong just now, hadn't he?

Thinking along those lines, Genta waited for Xia Yu and Conan to finish talking, then hastily produced the note that had been blown over by the wind. "Xia-yu-neechan, look, look! This is the treasure map we found! Once we dig up the treasure, we're gonna have more unagi donburi than we can eat — and we'll treat you too!"

Conan sighed inwardly at Genta's big talk. Hey, hey. We haven't even confirmed the map is real. There's not a single lead on the cipher yet, and you're already planning how to spend the loot?

"Oh my, well, thank you in advance, Genta." Xia Yu smiled. "But it's just you kids hunting for treasure all on your own? That's awfully impressive." She clapped a few times in mock admiration.

Conan observed her reaction and clicked his tongue mentally. What, so she's not taking it seriously at all. She's just humoring the kids. Well, of course she was — who in their right mind would believe a treasure map held by a bunch of children was the genuine article?

"Would you let me have a look at that map?" Xia Yu said. "Maybe I can give you a hand."

She vaguely remembered a treasure-map incident from Conan's early days, though she couldn't recall exactly where the treasure had been buried. If she took a look, there was a chance she could beat Conan to the prize. That would give the Organization a bit of seed money, too — an organization that couldn't even produce a million yen would just be pathetic.

Genta handed the map over without a moment's hesitation.

The instant Xia Yu's eyes fell on the markings ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠note, the World Quest — silent for so long — finally refreshed. She stole a glance at the quest details: