138: Chapter 138: Getting Bigger and Smaller

Fujino: "?"

Under Fujino's watchful gaze, Ai Haibara's body suddenly trembled.

Then, streams of transparent steam began to emanate from her.

Amidst the steam, her originally petite figure started to grow larger.

The somewhat cumbersome clothes were gradually filled out, enveloping her form.

The steam dissipated, revealing a familiar young woman before Fujino – Miyano Shiho.

However, the growing magic lasted only a moment. After another puff of steam, Miyano Shiho reverted back to Ai Haibara.

"Got bigger?"

Fujino stared at the figure before him, who had transformed from Ai Haibara to Miyano Shiho and back again, momentarily stunned.

"Could it be because of that fever reducer shot just now?"

He glanced at the syringe in his hand, diluted it further, and gave Ai Haibara another shot.

[Detected Host performing healing action: Triggering White-Clad Angel skill effect, increasing healing effect on others by 100%.]

A moment later, steam filled the air again.

She got bigger again.

And smaller again.

"What's the principle behind this?"

Fujino looked at the fever reducer syringe in his hand, utterly baffled.

"Fever reducers have this effect?"

He decided not to dwell on it.

Although bio-engineering was beyond his understanding,

practice revealed the truth. After two trials, he could ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠confirm that the fever reducer could indeed temporarily transform this little loli into a well-developed older sister.

But ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this kind of super-transformation trick was fine occasionally.

If played too often, this little loli Ai Haibara wouldn't be able to handle it.

After all, for a child of Ai Haibara's current age, the dosage of the fever reducer was still too potent.

Generally, half the dose would suffice.

He had now administered roughly four-sixths of the dose... still within acceptable limits.

Although it likely wouldn't cause harm, too much could still be dangerous.

And that burst of steam just now had startled even him.

How much body fluid must have been lost?

It defied logic that she hadn't turned into a dried husk.

Perhaps this was just the delightful 'Conan Science' of this world.

Collecting his thoughts, Fujino opened his system inventory and found a set of pink loli-style clothes for girls.

Casually recycling the original sweater and lab coat, he took out a towel, wiped down her mud-covered body, then dressed her in the new outfit. Afterward, he found a blanket and covered her.

Having done this, he touched Ai Haibara's forehead again. Confirming her temperature was dropping, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"But why hasn't the system task been completed yet?"

Murmuring this, Fujino opened the system interface, staring at the still-incomplete task, puzzled. "Normally, the person's saved, the shot's given, shouldn't the task be completed directly?"

After thinking for a moment, a bold conjecture emerged: "Could it be... I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠have to take down those pursuing Organization members?"

"That's a bit difficult..."

But before he could finish, a system notification sounded:

"New Combat Expert profession task detected. Please check."

"Combat Expert profession task?"

Opening the system interface, Fujino saw a new task appear:

[Fighter Profession Task: Take Down the Men in Black]

Objective: Subdue the ten individuals dressed in black.

Location: Marked on Host's HUD.

Reward: 1,000,000 Yen, +100 Fighter Proficiency Points.

Fujino looked at the task reward and suddenly felt it wasn't so difficult anymore.

Beating up ten guys earns a million yen?

Meaning beating one earns a hundred thousand.

Money's coming in a bit fast...

Not difficult now.

Compared to using his brain, Fujino found using his lovely wooden sword to help others drift into a wonderful sleep much easier.

But dealing with Organization members... using a wooden sword wasn't quite appropriate.

Then let's use lovely little fists for a lullaby instead.

Could conveniently gain some proficiency points too, striving to max out the Fighter profession.

Thinking this, Fujino retrieved the Assassin's Robes from his pocket dimension, expertly donned the mask, activated the voice changer, paused, then pulled out the life-saving windbreaker and wrapped it around himself.

Preparations complete, he pushed open the car door and leisurely walked towards the direction indicated by the system target guidance.

Thirty minutes later.

Screams echoed endlessly within a small alley.

The patter of rain muffled the sounds.

[Congratulations Host for completing Fighter Profession Task: Take Down the Men in Black]

[Congratulations Host for completing Bodyguard Profession Task: Escaped Researcher from Aoyama Pharmaceutical]

[System Rewards: 1,100,000 Yen, +100 Fighter Proficiency Points, +100 Bodyguard Proficiency Points Distributed.]

[Current Balance: 2,800,000 Yen]

"Rewards received?"

Fujino silently retracted his fist, the size of a sandbag. "Looks like the condition for completing the Bodyguard task really was taking down these pursuing outer Organization members..."

His clenched fists were now stained with blood.

Not his own, but from the ten outer Organization members he had just brutally beaten.

Fujino casually wiped his hands on his robes, removing the bloodstains, then opened the profession interface:

[Fighter: High-Level (860/1000)]

[Professional Bodyguard: Intermediate (100/500)]

"Didn't max out the Fighter points?"

Fujino looked at the system interface, sighing softly.

When going all out in a one-sided beatdown like this, you don't gain much Fighter proficiency.

Mainly worried about them having lethal weapons.

Did they? Fujino didn't know.

Had to be ruthless.

"If I hit them anymore, they'd probably die..."

Thinking this, Fujino glanced at the outer members lying on the ground, eyes rolled back, surrounded by rain-diluted pools of blood. He shook his head, abandoning any thought of finishing them off.

He then turned and vanished into the heavy rain.

Braving the downpour, the Ford Taurus drove through the streets of Beika City.

The car stopped in front of a shopping mall.

Fujino carried Ai Haibara, now dressed in the pink dress, into the mall, heading straight for a women's clothing store.

Inside the mall, a female salesperson in a professional suit and pencil skirt eyed Fujino strangely as he purchased cute pajamas... various items, and small-sized clothing.

"Excuse me, what is this child to you?"

After thinking for a moment, sensing something amiss, the suspicious salesperson approached and asked.

Fujino, who was examining a pair of panda pajamas, paused slightly, looked up at the salesperson, and replied calmly, "My younger sister."

The saleswoman glanced at Fujino's black hair and black eyes, then at the sleeping Ai Haibara's fair, rosy face and brown hair, asking warily,

"Then why are your hair colors different?"

Fujino stated calmly again, "Half-sister, same father."

The saleswoman clearly remained skeptical of Fujino's explanation, growing even more wary.

"Then why is she asleep?"

Fujino glanced at Ai Haibara, then explained earnestly, "My sister has narcolepsy."

The saleswoman silently took out her phone.

"I'm a detective."

The saleswoman silently put her phone away.

Fujino watched the saleswoman put away her phone, relieved. He then glanced around and asked,

"Where are the fitting rooms here?"

"That's... not quite appropriate, is it?"

The saleswoman frowned.

"Even if you are her older brother..."

But before she could finish, Fujino pointed towards a bag nearby.

"By the way, wrap up that Fusae brand bag for me. My sister really likes those bags."

"You really are a good brother who cares so much about his sister!"

The saleswoman immediately became enthusiastic.

After a round of shopping, Fujino spent over three hundred thousand yen.

With the discount, it still came to over two hundred sixty thousand.

Damn it, picking up a loli didn't make money; instead, he lost one hundred sixty thousand.

An hour later, Fujino returned home with Ai Haibara, now dressed in panda pajamas.

"Fujino-kun."

Miyano Akemi paused, her gaze falling on the large and small bags Fujino carried, and then on the little brown-haired loli in panda pajamas cradled in his arms. She frowned and asked puzzledly,

"This child is..."

"Picked her up off the street."

Fujino changed out of his shoes, put on slippers, and carried Ai Haibara into the bedroom.

"Oh, picked up off the street..."

Miyano Akemi breathed a sigh of relief. She had thought her little cousin... cousin had gone down some illegal, criminal path. Turns out, just picked up off the street.

Pausing, realization hit her, and she asked astonished, "What did you say?!"

Afraid Miyano Akemi hadn't understood, Fujino elaborated, "Mhm, I found her by the roadside when I was out for a drive, so I picked her up."

"That's not the point..."

Miyano Akemi was somewhat speechless.

"I found this child in a puddle by the roadside. She had a fever at the time, so I gave her a fever reducer shot."

Saying this, Fujino carried the bags to the sofa and continued explaining,

"Her clothes were unwearable, so I bought her some new ones."

Fujino gently placed Ai Haibara on the sofa, then put the shopping bags on the coffee table in front of it. "I wiped her down with a towel when I changed her clothes, but she's still a bit dirty. Akemi-nee, could you help give her a bath?"

"Uh... Got it."

Alright, she had no more words to complain.

Ignoring the details,

she walked over, first looking at Ai Haibara, then glancing at Fujino. Taking a deep breath, she lifted Ai Haibara and walked slowly towards the bathroom.

On the way to the bathroom, Miyano Akemi couldn't help but look closely at Ai Haibara in her arms.

This child... from the first moment she saw her, she felt a sense of familiarity.

Like she knew her, yet didn't.

In short, a strange feeling.

Although not related by blood, she somehow felt this child was her younger sister.