Coincidence?
To Conan's surprise, the two people walking ahead with their backs to him actually did stop and turn to look back at him — but their faces were not the ones he had seen in the Cocoon game.
Just as he was about to apologize for mistaking them for someone else, the tall man with long white hair among them spoke up. "And you are? How is it that you know my name?"
Huh?! So this gentleman really is named Neuvillette?
Was it a coincidence?
Conan felt a flicker of doubt and unease.
After a moment's hesitation, he gave a brief account of the incident that had taken place involving Noah's Ark. After all, that case had never been kept especially secret, so there was no harm in mentioning it.
Once he understood why Conan had called out his name, Neuvillette seemed to let down some of his guard against a stranger who had suddenly shouted it.
He gave a slight nod. "I am indeed called Neuvillette. I have heard something of the incident you describe. But I come from Fontaine, and I had no connection to that affair — sharing a name with a character in a game must simply be a coincidence."
Furina, who had been standing quietly beside Neuvillette listening to Conan's explanation, smiled and took a few steps forward, adding, "Yes, it must be a coincidence. Take me, for instance — my name really is Furina. You see, it's not even the same as Focalors' in the game."
Then, with a faint smile, she went on. "Besides, the idea that people who look alike must be related is something that only happens in stage plays. In the real world, it's hardly rare for two complete strangers to wear similar faces, wouldn't you say?" Her gaze settled on Conan, a sly gleam dancing in her eyes as she posed the question with a smile.
Conan couldn't help but give her a second look.
It was true — an identical name could be a coincidence, a similar face could be a coincidence, but for even their bearing and presence to match as well seemed too much to brush off as chance.
Could it be that Neuvillette's character data in Noah's Ark had been modeled on a real person?
Then again, setting aside their looks, Furina and Focalors differed in plenty of other ways.
Her aura especially — Furina gave off a far more lighthearted, cheerful impression...
While Conan was still turning the matter over in his mind, unsure how to respond, Furina glanced at the time. "Ah! It's almost time. We have somewhere to be next."
With that, she offered a simple farewell to Conan and Professor Agasa, then turned and walked away.
It had all happened so suddenly, and Conan's attention had been so fixed on Neuvillette and Furina's faces and manner, that for a moment he failed to notice the Vision he had been keeping an eye on all this time, hanging from the bow ornament at Furina's waist.
Watching the two of them hurry off into the distance, Conan still felt a lingering curiosity — but what mattered more right now was Hades, whose whereabouts had, as it happened, just fallen into their hands.
By the time Conan caught up with Ran and the others, she had already recovered from her disappointment at learning that Shinichi had left London ahead of schedule due to some sudden emergency.
Meanwhile, the Scotland Yard police had arrived on the scene and were now monitoring Hades' location in real time through their computers, arranging for personnel to keep watch, aiming to apprehend him safely if at all possible.
Fortunately, thanks to the transmitter Lynette had planted, Scotland Yard had been able to locate Hades' hideout without difficulty.
And through careful tailing and investigation, having confirmed that he had no accomplices, they arrested him at the very moment he had finished making the bomb and was about to deliver it to his designated target.
It was only then that everyone learned Hades' target was none other than the grass court queen Graf's mother. The reason: Graf had once lost a match her mother had failed to attend, which caused him to lose his bet and leave him unable to pay for his mother's medical treatment — and his mother had died.
So he had wanted his revenge on Graf, to make her taste the same pain of losing a loved one.
Thankfully, though, with the help of Mouri Kogoro, Lynette, and their companions, the police had managed to catch the culprit before disaster could strike.
With the case wrapped up, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.
"There we go — now we can enjoy tomorrow's match with peace of mind."
Hearing that the case was resolved, Ran was glad that Graf's family had been spared a terrible crisis.
Thinking back to what Shinichi had asked her to pass along to Graf in front of Big Ben — that "love is zero, and zero is also where things begin" — Ran resolved that she would tell her before tomorrow's match, no matter what.
Suddenly, standing beside Ran, Conan sensed a strange gaze upon him. He turned his head and spotted an odd woman standing in the crowd, watching him with an unsettling look in her eyes.
The moment she realized Conan had noticed her, the woman pulled down the brim of her hat to hide her face, turned, and walked away.
"Wait!" Conan gave chase without a moment's thought.
He suspected she was Hades' partner — the one whose death was still unconfirmed.
If he let her slip away, Graf's family would be in danger all over again.
Unfortunately, Conan was one step too late; by the time he pushed out of the crowd, her figure had already vanished.
Just as he was cursing his luck, a pair of hands reached out from behind and closed around his neck.
Conan: "!"
......
