Dinner was lavishly prepared. There were roast turkey pieces baked together with bread chunks, oysters, and fish sourced from the coastal ma
Dinner was lavishly prepared.
There were roast turkey pieces baked together with bread chunks, oysters, and fish sourced from the coastal market, grilled lamb chops, and creamy pasta.
Just as everything was laid out on the table and everyone was excited to begin eating, Conan suddenly noticed sothing.
"Where's the director?"
"That's odd. I knocked on his door earlier and didn't get any response—I thought he'd already co down," said Renzo Koya, looking puzzled.
The group of high school detectives—each of whom had solved hundreds if not thousands of cases—imdiately sensed that sothing was off and agreed they needed to find him quickly.
Renzo, not daring to delay, led the group to Tsuchio Hiroo's room.
No matter how hard they knocked or called out, there was no response. Heiji Hattori tried the doorknob—and found blood on it.
"There's blood on the doorknob?"
"Where's the spare key?"
"There... there isn't one," Renzo stamred. "This cabin doesn't use keys. All the rooms are the sa. They can only be locked from the inside."
Alard, Hakuba Saguru and Tokitsu Junya turned to check through the windows—just in ti to hear Heiji Hattori throwing his weight against the door.
It was an old wooden door and couldn't withstand the force. After a few strong shoves, it gave way—revealing Tsuchio Hiroo lying on the ground, bound hand and foot.
Hayashi Yoshiki stepped into the room calmly.
He watched as Heiji Hattori imdiately ran forward to check for breathing, while the other detectives inspected the scene.
"The window lock is intact."
"The door appears tightly locked as well."
"So, this is... a locked-room case?"
Tokitsu Junya spread his hands with a grin.
It dawned on him.
From the mont he entered the cabin and saw the lavender everywhere, he had been reminded of last year's "Lavender Villa Locked-Room Murder Case." And sure enough, the door and window chanisms here were just like those at Lavender Villa.
Was this fate on my side?
This "Detective Koshien" project was bound to gain national attention among detective fans. And since Tokitsu had once blatantly hyped his theory to the dia despite conflicting evidence, it was clear he craved attention and fa.
He instantly recognized this as a golden opportunity to rise above the rest on cara.
"Luckily, the director isn't dead."
After checking, Conan and Heiji both let out sighs of relief.
Hayashi Yoshiki smiled faintly. "What a surprise. For Mr. Tsuchio to survive under these circumstances... and with Conan here no less."
"…What's that supposed to an?" Conan gave him a dead-eyed glare.
Hiroo soon regained consciousness. When asked what had happened, he looked completely confused.
"I heard soone knocking, but no one was there when I opened the door. As I was turning back into the room, soone attacked from behind with a drug—"
"Detective Koshien: First Round!" Renzo Koya suddenly declared sternly. "Solve this locked-room mystery. Submit your reasoning in written form to . If your deduction is correct, you'll proceed to the second round—and be permitted to leave this island."
Everyone exchanged stunned glances.
"You an... the competition has already started?"
"Looks like the hidden caras were already installed," Tokitsu said, growing even more excited. Hakuba seed ready to dive in, too.
Only Heiji and Conan, who had been tipped off that there was no such program, frowned and glanced instinctively at Hayashi Yoshiki.
"Has anyone already figured out the trick?"
In front of the suspected hidden caras, Tokitsu Junya smiled. "If no one else has... then how about I demonstrate the solution myself?"
"You already know it?" Koshimizu Nanatsuki asked in surprise.
Tokitsu rely smiled in silence.
Hayashi Yoshiki's fa largely ca from his mystery novels and appearance, and his reputation for rapid deductions had beco a point of pride among fans. The dia had naturally dubbed him the "unmatched number one."
If Tokitsu could defeat him here—by solving a trick that even Yoshiki couldn't—it would skyrocket his own fa. He would beco "the high school detective who outsmarted the unparalleled Hayashi Yoshiki."
"That won't do. If you demonstrate it, then everyone will know the solution. Only those who uncover it themselves can proceed to round two. Please write it down, as I just instructed."
Renzo Koya looked serious. "This is only the first round, not the finals."
"What does it matter?"
Hayashi Yoshiki walked over to the window.
He studied its condition, then turned around with a gentle smile.
That warm smile made Conan feel an odd sense of unease—he hadn't shared a cri scene with Yoshiki in a long ti, but the overwhelming pressure the man exuded was sothing he could never forget.
"You already solved it, didn't you, Yoshiki-nii?"
"Yes. The answer lies in the window."
Yoshiki tapped lightly on the glass.
Tokitsu's expression imdiately changed.
He stared at Yoshiki, unable to conceal the shock in his eyes. He had only rembered this trick because of past experience and the lavender as a clue… and yet this guy figured it out just by looking?
This… is talent…
Gazing at the young man just three or four years older, with looks and intellect both far surpassing his own, Tokitsu was forced to admit a pang of envy in his chest.
Koshimizu Nanatsuki grew anxious, too.
She had planned to use this exact thod to kill Tokitsu. And now it was already exposed?
Renzo Koya frowned. "Mr. Hayashi, I already told you—the answer must be submitted—"
"Well, since there's no real program being fild, the competition doesn't matter, does it?"
Yoshiki interrupted flatly.
One of the only people still in the dark, Hakuba Saguru, raised an eyebrow. "There's no program?"
"Yoshiki-nii called the station before coming. Nippon TV has no record of a Detective Koshien project," Conan explained.
"That's nonsense! Of course there is!"
"Cut the act, fake director."
Heiji rcilessly exposed Tsuchio Hiroo's disguise.
Back when they'd first taken the boat to the island, his fake credentials had already been suspicious—he didn't understand any of the industry lingo, and even wore a counterfeit Nippon TV jacket with the wrong logo.
Hiroo couldn't say a word in his defense.
Eventually, he admitted he had been paid ¥500,000 by soone claiming to be a TV employee to play the role. If he wasn't caught, he'd receive another ¥500,000.
"So suspicious… Faking a whole program just to set up this elaborate charade?"
Hayashi Yoshiki frowned. "Whoever's behind this definitely has ulterior motives. I'm starting to think... this whole thing might be a setup to murder soone."
"Murder…?" Renzo's face paled.
"That's a stretch, right?"
"Not necessarily. Especially since Conan is here."
"…Why does it always co back to !?"
Once again ntioned, Conan looked exasperated.
Now that it was clear there was no show, Tokitsu lost all his enthusiasm. The chance to get famous was gone, but his sourness when looking at Yoshiki remained.
Just then, Yoshiki turned to him:
"Mr. Tokitsu, care to confirm your answer? The key lies in the screws on that side. I believe we had the sa thought, didn't we?"
"…Yes. The trick is removing the entire window fra."
"I thought so."
Yoshiki smiled.
He actually looked pleased. For the first ti, he regarded Tokitsu with genuine interest. "Aside from Mr. Yusaku Kudo, this is the first ti I've t soone who thinks that fast. What a sha. If Detective Koshien were real, I'd love to compete against you."
"Y-Yeah… maybe next ti."
Though inwardly relieved there wouldn't be a next ti, Tokitsu managed to keep up appearances.
But he soon noticed everyone staring at him—Conan, Heiji, Hakuba—all looking unsatisfied:
"He's the one Hayashi considers a rival…?"
Koshimizu Nanatsuki, too, stared coldly at Tokitsu—then finally snapped.
"I've had enough of your self-flattery, Tokitsu. You saw this trick before, didn't you?"
Her glare was sharp, like it could pierce him.
Though guilty, Tokitsu barked back: "What, did I ever offend you?"
"A year ago. The Lavender Villa murder—you made it up, didn't you?"
Nanatsuki's eyes were icy. "That girl committed suicide, and yet you… You saw a tampered window and decided to call it murder, just for attention."
Tokitsu's face turned pale.
"Because of you, my friend—who worked there as a maid—was suspected by the family and dia. She couldn't take it and ended her life. You... YOU…!"
Tears welled in her eyes.
Everyone else quickly pieced things together.
Even Tsuchio Hiroo's face went white—he was the thief who tampered with the window that day.
And Renzo, the butler of that sa Lavender Villa, looked somber. He had chosen to stay silent then and bore his share of responsibility.
"W-Who could've known it'd end like that!? I really thought that was how the killer snuck in—how is that wrong!?"
Tokitsu, now red-faced, yelled in defense.
But everyone could see through his bluster.
Nanatsuki laughed coldly. "So, the great detective who noticed a tampered window couldn't tell the timing didn't match the death?"
"I—!"
He wanted to lie. But knowing his audience wasn't full of fools, he couldn't even speak.
Hayashi Yoshiki sighed softly.
Perhaps disappointed or simply speechless, the sound hit Tokitsu's ears like a stinging slap.
Ashad, Tokitsu clenched his fists silently.
At that mont, Heiji Hattori added: "I heard about that case back then. Never imagined the truth would be like this."
"So… Miss Nanatsuki, are you the one behind this entire setup?" Hakuba asked carefully, seeing her tear-streaked cheeks.
"…Yes. I intended to commit murder."
Nanatsuki admitted it bluntly. "That guy—Tokitsu—never revealed his na to the press back then. But I knew he was a high school detective. I needed to confirm it was him."
"So you set this up hoping the familiar trick and lavender would force him to reveal himself?"
"That's right. And he did."
"Then why invite too?" Yoshiki asked gently.
Even a year ago, he wasn't a high school student.
Nanatsuki, still red-eyed, looked a bit embarrassed. "Because I'm a fan of yours, Mr. Hayashi Yoshiki."
"…I see. Thank you."
Yoshiki smiled briefly. Then turned to the dumbstruck Tokitsu.
He sighed again.
"Murder is still going too far, Miss Nanatsuki."
Others agreed, but they could not truly share in her grief. Nanatsuki stood there, quietly wiping her tears.
Yoshiki stepped forward and handed her a handkerchief.
"There's no need to ruin your life over this."
"If Mr. Tokitsu is truly guilty, let's expose his actions and let society pass its judgnt."
"I believe we'll all be willing to help reveal the truth."
As Yoshiki finished, Tokitsu raised his head and glared darkly.
Soone like him, who lived for reputation, would find disgrace more unbearable than death.
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