116: Chapter 116: Fujino, Have You Finally Given Up on Trying?!

"Fujino... Akemi?!"

Ran paused, stunned.

Conan paused too, stunned.

Their gazes towards Miyano Akemi turned undeniably peculiar.

If memory served, Fujino was supposed to be an orphan.

For a beautiful older woman with the same surname to suddenly appear in an orphan's home... could it be...?

Ran's brow furrowed, unable to comprehend the situation.

Conan, however, felt his spirits lift, pure joy filling his heart!

Fujino, have you finally given up on trying?!¹

"Akemi-nee, who is it?"

Meanwhile, Fujino, hearing the doorbell, called out to Miyano Akemi.

"It seems to be a girl from the same school as you."

"A girl?"

Hearing this, Fujino thought for a moment before walking to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the door.

Before him stood a familiar unicorn-haired girl and a short elementary schooler.

As expected, it was Conan and Ran.

"Ran, what brings you here?"

"We just finished making dinner at home, and I wanted to ask if Fujino-senpai wanted to join us..."

As she spoke, Ran's gaze shifted towards Miyano Akemi, full of questions.

"This is my cousin."

Noticing Ran's confusion, Fujino explained, "She was in a car accident recently... and her home was destroyed in an explosion case, so she's staying with me temporarily."

"Cousin?"

"Cousin?!"

"Oh, so she's Fujino-senpai's cousin... I thought..."

Inside the room, Ran and Conan sat on the sofa.

After hearing Fujino's fabricated explanation, Ran looked slightly embarrassed.

Conan beside her, though maintaining a neutral expression, subtly radiated disappointment.

Fujino noticed the strange expressions on both their faces and chuckled playfully, "Thought what?"

"Nothing!"

Ran quickly waved her hands, then introduced herself. "Hello, Akemi-san, my name is Mouri Ran. I live in the Mouri Detective Agency right across..."

As she spoke, she didn't forget to introduce Conan beside her. "This child's name is Edogawa Conan. He's currently staying with us."

Ran included Conan in her introduction.

"Ah, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠so it's Mouri-san and Edogawa-kun."

Miyano Akemi nodded back with a gentle smile. "My name is Fujino Akemi. I'll be staying at Fujino-kun's place for a while. Please take care of me."

Conan studied the 'Fujino Akemi' before him, momentarily dazed.

That smile, capable of dissolving any conflict... it felt so much like Miyano Akemi's.

Snapping back to reality, Conan asked Fujino curiously, "Fujino-niichan, how come I never heard you had a cousin?"

"Actually, I didn't know either until recently. My uncle's family passed away in a car accident ten years ago, and we lost contact afterwards."

Fujino rested his chin on his hand, smiling as he replied, "If the hospital hadn't called a few days ago, I wouldn't have known I still had a cousin alive in this world... A silver lining amidst misfortune, I suppose."

"Conan..."

Ran shot Conan a reproachful look.

From her perspective, Fujino finding a living relative was already incredibly fortunate...

Yet Conan had to bring up painful memories.

It was truly impolite.

Being stared at by Ran, Conan realized his words were inappropriate and didn't dare ask further.

At Ran's invitation, Fujino and Miyano Akemi went over to the Mouri residence for dinner.

Uncle Mouri seemed quite pleased by Miyano Akemi's arrival.

Fujino finally understood why Kisaki Eri hadn't returned despite Ran's best matchmaking efforts.

Uncle Mouri's usual demeanor was simply too lecherous.

Truly a pervy old man...

Time passed, and the next day arrived.

Morning gradually shifted towards noon, the early chill dissipating with the rising sun.

Fujino was jolted awake from his sleep by a ringing phone. He groggily reached for the phone beside his bed and saw the caller ID: Megure Juzo.

"Why would Inspector Megure be calling me?"

Puzzled, Fujino answered the call.

"Good morning, Inspector Megure."

"Good morning, Fujino-kun."

After exchanging pleasantries, Fujino asked curiously, "Inspector Megure, what prompted your call?"

"There's a strange case I'd like to trouble Fujino-kun with."

"A strange case?"

"Last night, a woman apparently committed suicide with a gun. Although it looks like a suicide, Takagi, who's handling the case, feels something is off. I'm currently tied up with another case, so could I trouble Fujino-kun to take a look?"

"Suicide by gun?"

Fujino frowned upon hearing this.

He didn't recall any cases involving a gunshot suicide in Beika Town 3-chome from the original story...

[New Detective Profession Task Detected. Please check!]

Just then, a system notification sounded, and a task-related light screen appeared before Fujino:

[Detective Profession Task: Bizarre Suicide Case]

Objective: Solve the bizarre suicide case.

Reward: 500,000 ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Yen, +100 Detective Reputation, +1 All-Profession Skill Point.

"Since Inspector Megure asked, I'll head over and take a look."

Fujino paused, accepting the system task. "By the way, could you give me the specific address of the scene?"

"It's in Beika Town 3-chome..."

After jotting down the crime scene address, Fujino hung up.

Unlike previous cases, this system task didn't ring any bells from his memory.

It must be a case outside the original plotline...

That makes sense.

After all, the Conan world is rife with cases, and not all of them were solved by Uncle Mouri and Conan.

"Looks like I'll have to solve this one myself?"

Fujino shook his head and sat up in bed.

He took out a Reasoning Ability Enhancement Card from his pocket dimension, then glanced at the [Detective Intuition] skill. "Even without knowing the plot, with my current abilities, I should be able to handle this case..."

Moving quickly, Fujino retrieved his motorcycle from the underground garage and headed towards the crime scene.

A dozen minutes later, Fujino parked his motorcycle in front of a villa in Beika Town 3-chome.

Three police cars were parked haphazardly near the villa entrance, surrounded by a small scattering of curious onlookers.

"You must be Detective Fujino, right?"

As soon as the motorcycle stopped, a young man in his twenties wearing a gray suit emerged from behind the police cordon and called out to Fujino.

Fujino recognized him – it was Takagi Wataru, good friend of the Beika death squad.

"You must be Officer Takagi?"

Fujino walked over and greeted him. "Inspector Megure mentioned you on the phone just now."

"Inspector Megure often mentions you too, Detective Fujino."

Takagi Wataru replied politely, then quickly led Fujino into the crime scene.

1. Implying he's now relying on a sugar ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mommy/rich older woman.