Case NOT Closed

There was a long silence.

Conan silently reached out and dialed a number.

After a series of beeps, a calm and friendly voice answered on the other end.

“Hello, this is Inspector Megure. What can I do for you?”

Yes, after thinking it over.

The person he chose to call was a police officer.

Someone he had often encountered at murder scenes, with whom he had no personal relationship but had considerable interaction.

“Inspector Megure, this is Shinichi Kudo.”

“Oh, it’s you, Kudo! It’s late. What’s the matter?”

“Nothing much, I just wanted to talk.”

“Uh, Kudo, your voice sounds quite low. Is something bothering you lately?”

“It’s like this…”

Conan lowered his head.

“Suppose, just suppose, I encountered a case, deduced the murderer, and was absolutely sure she was the killer. But in the end, it turned out the real culprit was someone else…”

“I see.”

Inspector Megure seemed to understand.

“Kudo, a few failures don’t mean anything.”

He comforted him.

“In the past, you often helped us solve cases. With your help, our case-solving rate kept going up. You’re called the savior of the police department! So cheer up, and do better next time.”

“The savior of the police department…”

Hearing this term, Conan’s small body trembled.

He raised his head slightly.

Yes, he is the savior of the police department.

That term used to be so glamorous, so honorable.

But now, does he really deserve it?

Conan lowered his head again.

Kensuke’s words from earlier that day echoed in his mind, swirling and entangling.

“If I were just helping the police solve cases with a playful attitude, would I still be me, would I…”

“So what?”

Inspector Megure chuckled slightly.

“No matter what your motive is, whether it’s a game, sincerity, or just a teenager trying to show off, it doesn’t matter.”

“The important thing is the result, not the process.”

“Kudo, in the past, you indeed helped the police solve many cases. The culprits in these cases were very cunning, some even set traps to make the truth elusive and to frame innocent people.”

“Your presence helped exonerate the innocent. Your pursuit of justice and truth was unwavering, inspiring all officers.”

“So, please keep going no matter what difficulties you encounter. Don’t give up. Face them bravely.”

“Always be steadfast in your pursuit of justice and truth.”

Inspector Megure’s heartfelt words made Conan lift his head again.

“The important thing is the result, not the process…”

He muttered to himself.

At this moment, the light that had vanished from his eyes reignited.

He finally understood what was wrong between him and Kensuke.

That’s right, what he has been doing might not be right, but that doesn’t mean he is wrong either.

He had done a lot of illegal things in the past, but all of that was done with the intention to pursue the true result and bring justice.

What he did might be wrong in the eyes of the law, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong.

Same as what Kensuke has been doing, he’s doing all the right things, but that doesn’t mean it’s right.

“Thank you for your guidance, Inspector Megure.”

A relieved smile appeared on Conan’s face.

“You’re right, a mistake or two doesn’t mean what I have been doing so far is wrong. It just shows my personal skills are lacking. I’ll keep working hard to improve my deduction abilities and strive for the truth and justice I believe in!”

After hanging up the phone, Conan lifted his head, walked with his head held high, and headed toward the Mouri Detective Agency.

From this incident, Conan learned a lesson.

Perhaps, besides deduction, he should also improve his knowledge of modern criminal investigation.

Maybe it was necessary to contact his long-lost father abroad.

…

More than three days had passed since the Detective Koshien lawsuit.

In those three days, the media had been in an uproar.

“Shocking Scandal! The Son of the Police Commissioner Falsified Evidence?”

“Osaka’s Image Shattered Again, Son of Osaka Prefectural Police Chief Expelled from Court!”

“Detective Wrongly Accuses Innocent Person, Nearly Causing a Miscarriage of Justice!”

“Should Detectives Be Removed from Court Proceedings?”

“High School Detective Becomes a Laughingstock!”

The headlines of major newspapers and news websites were all similar.

Public opinion was also very intense, with almost everyone condemning and expressing their emotions.

“High school students should focus on studying, not playing detective!”

“Look at that poor girl, crying like that. She must be innocent!”

“These second-generation officials are just relying on their parents’ status to do whatever they want!”

“Fire their dads!”

The police department and the prosecutor’s office were also in a mess.

In just a few days, they had received countless complaint letters from the public.

During this period, they also used some official propaganda, but the public opinion only grew stronger and couldn’t be suppressed.

— Komemon Law Firm —

“The situation is getting more serious.”

Ai lay on the sofa as usual, legs together like a salted fish, holding a smartphone.

“What are you going to do? This matter has already involved the highest levels of the Japanese police.”

She turned her head to look at Kensuke sitting in the boss’s chair, with a gloating expression.

“What to do? Just do what I need to do.”

Kensuke, as usual, was holding a Nintendo game console, playing Zelda.

In just a few days, the map was fully unlocked, and all the Dragon Tears memories were completed. Any gamer would be amazed.

“You are really…”

Ai sighed, looking at him engrossed in the game.

“I mean, aren’t you afraid of higher-ups coming after you?”

“Coming after me? How?”

Kensuke raised an eyebrow, “Everything I do is legal. Who can find any dirt on me? Unless they send someone to monitor me day and night, but the consequence would just be me writing more lawyer’s letters to those people.”

He paused.

He raised a finger and gently shook it.

“Besides, this is Japan, not some other country. If someone comes after me, someone else will protect me, get it?”

“Alright then.”

Ai pouted.

Indeed, that’s the way Japan is.

The roots are rotten, and the bugs inside keep gnawing.

The main thing is, these bugs will also attack other bugs to get more sap.

“You are really pathetic. Talking so big, but in the end, you still rely on others.”

Ai never missed a chance to mock Kensuke.

“So what? Life is hard enough. Just live as comfortably as you can.”

Kensuke waved his hand nonchalantly.