Multiple choice system: Conan World

The officers from the Metropolitan Police Department were well aware that Itakura Misaki knew almost nothing about what had transpired two days ago.

After verifying Misaki Itakura's alibi and asking about her previous visit to the Metropolitan Police Department to give a statement, they concluded her questioning.

The focus of the inquiry this time, naturally, was Akikawa Kyousuke—the victim.

---

Akikawa Kyousuke had already prepared an explanation to handle the police's questions.

He acted as a confused victim who didn't know the truth.

He told Miwako Sato a general version of the events from two days ago:

How he was forced by Toda Kyouji to go to Soma Miho's exhibition hall.

How, after arriving there, Kyouji induced and coerced him into confessing to a crime.

And finally, how Kyouji stabbed him with a knife after he refused to admit to the accusations.

---

Of course, when it came to how Toda Kyouji had known his itinerary or other details, Kyousuke avoided revealing anything at all.

"That level of insight doesn't fit my personality," he thought.

"Anyway, the 'handsome' detective and the elementary school 'God of Death' will definitely piece everything together.

There's no need for me to volunteer anything."

---

Originally, Akikawa Kyousuke had anticipated that his fabricated version of Kyouji's attack would provoke Kyouji to deny it furiously.

However, since Toda Kyouji was killed two days ago, Kyousuke's story essentially became an established fact.

---

"Alright, this concludes the questioning. Thank you, Mr. Akikawa, for your cooperation."

Miwako Sato closed her notebook and thanked Akikawa Kyousuke.

"Mr. Akikawa, is there anything you would like to ask?"

"Although it doesn't concern this case, Officer Sato, I want to ask—has the murderer who killed my mother been found?"

---

Akikawa Kyousuke looked at Sato Miwako intently as he asked.

"Not yet."

Miwako Sato shook her head.

---

"When will the results be available?"

Kyousuke pressed on.

"I can't guarantee that," Sato Miwako replied.

---

"Oh, there's one more thing," Sato added as she pulled out a mobile phone from her bag and handed it to Kyousuke.

"Thanks to the camera you installed in your home, we were able to expose Toda's illegal activities."

---

"Huh? What does that mean?"

Kyousuke looked at the phone, then at Sato in front of him, his face full of confusion.

---

"It's a bit complicated," Sato began.

"While Kyouji was attempting to coerce a confession from you, he also sent someone to your home to forge evidence."

"If you hadn't installed a camera with an alarm function, we might never have known that Kyouji could stoop to such shameless actions."

---

"Something like that actually happened?!" Kyousuke feigned shock.

"How did they get into my home? I rented a very high-end apartment! And who broke in? Was it another officer?"

"You're familiar with the officer who entered your home," Sato admitted reluctantly.

"His name is Nakajima Takuto."

---

The revelation stunned Kyousuke momentarily.

The same detective who had tried to coerce his confession had now entered his home to forge evidence.

---

The implications were severe.

For such incidents to occur repeatedly, it signaled deep-rooted issues within the Metropolitan Police Department.

---

"Nakajima approached the management of your apartment building, presented false authorization, and obtained the key without a search warrant," Sato explained.

"He then used the key to enter your home."

---

"But I already moved out," Kyousuke pointed out.

"The police can easily access your updated address," Sato noted.

---

Hearing this, Kyousuke fell silent.

He understood that, in his mind, the credibility of the Metropolitan Police Department had taken another significant hit.

---

After all, trust is fragile. Once it's broken, repairing it is nearly impossible.

Especially for someone like Akikawa Kyousuke, who had almost lost his life because of detectives from Division 1.

---

"But rest assured, Mr. Akikawa, this matter has been fully resolved, and it will not happen again."

"Thank you, Officer Sato," Kyousuke replied softly.

---

After confirming that Kyousuke had no further questions, Miwako Sato and Wataru Takagi took their leave.

Left alone, Kyousuke reviewed the video recorded by the camera in his home.

He thought to himself, "I'm truly fortunate that the person Kyouji sent to my home was Takuto Nakajima."

---

"In this way, all those who knew my secrets have been imprisoned."

"Kyouji was even killed by someone."

"Now, all the threats I faced from within the Metropolitan Police Department have been neutralized."

---

Earlier, when Kyousuke asked Miwako Sato about the progress of his mother's case, his phrasing was deliberate.

He had asked whether the police had "found" the murderer.

Sato's denial confirmed that not only had they failed to catch the culprit, but they hadn't even identified them.

---

Though it was possible that the police had simply deemed investigating every camera too cumbersome, Kyousuke had a different perspective.

From his brief interaction with Miwako Sato, he could tell she wasn't the type to approach her work half-heartedly.

---

"I never expected the murderer I invented would turn out to be real," Kyousuke mused.

"If the Metropolitan Police Department is truly investigating, the delay might be because the killer is skilled in evading detection."

---

"If that's the case, the person who killed Akikawa Ryoko isn't ordinary either."

"But investigating this means delving into her past."

---

"I've already examined everything the original owner left behind, as well as her mother's belongings.

Beyond the insurance policy and medical records, there are no other clues."

---

"Directly asking Yoko Okino would clearly be the easiest route."

"Unfortunately, Okino Yoko won't tell me the truth, so I'll have to rely on Sera Masumi's investigation."

---

Just as Kyousuke was lost in thought, a knock at the door of the hospital ward interrupted him.

He quickly turned off the recording on his phone and looked up to see Itakura Misaki walking toward him.

"Mr. Akikawa, the doctor just informed me that you can be discharged this afternoon!"

(End of Chapter)