BWDC:SDDK Chapter 128: One Look and You Can See the Ambition of Cao Cao!
"A-choo!"
Conan sneezed subconsciously.
Mouri Ran, standing beside him, concernedly handed him a tissue and said with heartache, "Did you catch a cold? Honestly, stop wearing this suit out all the time."
"Look, the snow outside is starting to fall harder. The temperature has plummeted, you know?"
Conan took the tissue, feeling a small wave of emotion in his heart.
However, mentioning this topic made him mutter to himself. He recalled telling Ren Ichimonji earlier that once Mouri Kogoro arrived at the Dracula Villa, the scene would become a classic "Blizzard Mansion" mystery profile. Now that they were actually here, a literal blizzard had started?
Given the intensity of this wind and snow, if they called the police now, it would take hours for a patrol car to even make it inside.
Is this a case of a jinx coming true?
No way, right? I'm a Great Detective; the bad luck should belong to Uncle Mouri... this must just be my accurate prediction!
Conan grumbled internally.
He was currently in the living room of the Dracula Villa with Mouri Ran.
Mrs. Torakura, who had been outside painting an oil canvas, had been forced into the living room by the intensifying blizzard. She was now sipping tea to one side. Besides himself, Ran, Mrs. Torakura, and Shunsuke Tadokoro, there were two other people in the room.
They were Shuichi Hamura and Fumio Doi.
The former was a folklore researcher from North Kanto University with deep insights into various horror legends. The latter was the editor-in-chief of the Special Edition: Horror Novelist Daisuke Torakura magazine that Ren Ichimonji had been reading in the car.
To be precise, the official name of that magazine was Monthly Horror Times.
The two had come to the Dracula Villa as guests specifically to assist Daisuke Torakura in creating a new horror novel. However, Conan glanced at the magazine Ren Ichimonji had brought in and felt a bit strange.
---It seemed Daisuke Torakura had already pivoted.
He was no longer primarily writing horror novels, but rather superhero-themed novels with supernatural elements. This was a complete departure from his previous style and subject matter. Why would Shuichi Hamura and Fumio Doi still come here to visit?
It was too strange. Creating a superhero-themed horror novel?
Thinking about how those terms mashed together would look, Conan found it a bit hard to witness.
If Ren Ichimonji—who had just seen Daisuke Torakura wake up and was now walking from the room toward the living room—knew what Conan was thinking, he might have hissed in a stress response.
Because DC Comics once had a "grand masterpiece" of this very genre.
A group of hideous vampires infected a large number of superheroes. The setting and plot were so chaotic, and the character assassinations so profound, that it was unprecedented and unparalleled. It reached a point where readers who had tasted that publication would hiss in an involuntary physical reaction.
"Sir, why did you come out from the hallway?"
Shunsuke Tadokoro, who was drinking tea nearby, turned his head and saw Ren Ichimonji emerging from the deep hallway leading to the inner rooms. His eyes widened instantly as he stood up, looking quite respectful.
---Daisuke Torakura's room was isolated.
A specific hallway had been built in the living room leading to his room. Aside from passing through here, the only other possibility was climbing over the walls from the outside.
But Ren Ichimonji had just been standing at the hallway entrance with Mouri Ran and Conan.
He hadn't seen Ren Ichimonji enter the hallway, so how was he now coming out of that room along the corridor?
"Um, excuse me, sir..."
Shunsuke Tadokoro said nervously.
He looked as if he was worried that Daisuke Torakura would come out later and hold him accountable.
However, in the end, Tadokoro said nothing more and sat back down in his original seat with trepidation.
In response, Ren Ichimonji simply patted Tadokoro on the shoulder, signaling him to relax.
He then joined the conversation of the others in the living room.
They talked about the Dracula Villa and Daisuke Torakura.
However, only a portion of Ren Ichimonji's attention was on the dialogue. The rest was focused on the briefcase placed by Fumio Doi's hand, which seemed very important.
The briefcase was bulging; through the gaps, one could see it was stuffed with manuscript paper.
As for the other man, Shuichi Hamura...
Ren Ichimonji only needed one glance at the suggestive glances exchanged between him and Daisuke Torakura's wife, Etsuko Torakura, to see that this was likely another case of an extramarital affair.
This wasn't surprising.
Theoretically, when Mouri Kogoro didn't encounter a murder case, he was usually investigating things like infidelity. The reason Daisuke Torakura had called Mouri Kogoro here this time was likely to investigate Etsuko.
However, Etsuko Torakura looked thirty at most, perhaps even younger.
Daisuke Torakura, on the other hand, was already fifty and appeared even older. The fact that these two were married likely suggested some hidden agenda. Combined with Shunsuke Tadokoro from earlier, it felt like everyone here was a "special character" in their own right.
If a violent murder actually occurred this time, the investigation might be quite troublesome.
Or maybe not.
---Ren Ichimonji had already made preparations.
He just wanted to gain a deeper understanding of these people's information.
"Mr. Ren Ichimonji, did you just go into that pitch-black room with Dad?"
"What was it like inside that room?"
Mouri Ran, sitting nearby, asked curiously.
Since the last time she had consulted Ren Ichimonji regarding cooking, their relationship had become much better than before. This caused the "reaper" elementary student next to her to narrow his eyes, casting a look of disapproval.
An unscientific white light flashed repeatedly across Conan's lenses, but in the end, he took no further action.
Conan simply resolved to find Ren Ichimonji when no one was around to ask about his intentions.
---It was said that Batman had many, many girlfriends in the comics.
If Ren Ichimonji, who saw himself as Batman, had that same philandering nature, then even Ran might be in danger. He had to be on guard!
"Projector, bookshelves, crosses, a desk, closed windows, lights off. Ordinary, unremarkable," Ren Ichimonji answered succinctly.
Just by hearing his description, Mouri Ran could more or less imagine the specific scene in that room, and a sense of fear rose in her heart.
This sounds quite scary, doesn't it?
It felt similar to the rooms where vampires lived. To think he discussed business with her father without turning on the lights or opening the windows—talking in total darkness—could it be that Mr. Daisuke Torakura really is a vampire?
Ran leaned in and asked in a low voice, "Mr. Ren Ichimonji, if I encounter a vampire, do you think I can deal damage using a Bible?"
To this, Ren Ichimonji replied, "That might be a bit difficult. I also brought a flail."
"When the time comes, you can attach the Bible to the flail. Use the corners of the book as striking points. I think solving one or two vampires won't be a problem, and it should be enough to deal with Dracula."
Mouri Ran: ?
Huh? You brought a flail? Where?
I sat in the car with you the whole way here and didn't see it at all?
End of Chapter
Like this story Leave a review ; it would really help me out a lot.
Want to Read Ahead in Advance?
Join my Patreon!
+75 Chapters
Support me in
Patreon.com/BestElysium