Conan: Science Cartoonist Kudo Yuji

"So...Mr. Uchitake, although we feel very sorry for your situation, we are forced to face all of this and bring you to the interrogation room to collect a lot of evidence."

In the interrogation room of the Criminal Investigation Department, with Otaki representing Osaka, Kudo Yuji and Conan both looked at Uchitake-sensei drinking water across from them. As police officers, they didn't need to figure out the whole story; they just needed to have plenty of evidence to prove that Uchitake-sensei was the prime suspect.

“I know you are heartbroken right now. Your daughter is dead, your husband is planning to divorce you, and your own students hate you so much. The cruelest things in the world have happened to the same person within a month.”

Kudo Yuji tossed the coffee can in his hand repeatedly, making a promise to Uchitake-sensei.

"After the case is closed, I will include this incident in Japanese textbooks so that the whole country knows what happened to you."

Conan watched as his younger brother pushed Otaki aside, sat down opposite Uchitake, and pushed the coffee can in his hand in front of her.

“I checked, and your daughter plays the piano very well. If that child grows up, she will definitely achieve something. It would be too much for her to just disappear in loneliness. Let hundreds of millions of people in the future know about her.”

The teacher's responsibility, social order, or morality are all unimportant; they cannot move this heartbroken woman. Only that poor child can.

[Yuuji, you're really despicable these days.]

Conan stared expectantly at Ms. Uchitake, hoping she would take the initiative to confess.

"Teacher, Okita-neechan, and Hattori-nii are all out there trying to find a way to help you."

Mentioning Okita, Uchitake's eyes brightened slightly. She slowly raised her head, looked at Kudo Yuuji, hesitated, and then said, "I hope that child isn't the daughter of a murderer..."

"You bombed half of Osaka, something a murderer couldn't do."

Otaki squinted, reminding Uchitake not to push his luck and try to get the police to whitewash the situation. "Don't be so harsh, Otaki. We're talking to a mother right now." Kudo Yuji smiled, glanced at the camera, then placed his hand on his chin and removed his mask.

"I think you should be familiar with this face. As the Prime Minister of the Eastern Capital, I can assure you that this is enough."

"...It all started a year ago, in the spring..."

Outside the interrogation room, a recording device connected to the interior was recording Takeru Uchi's confession onto a backup disk to be used as evidence in the prosecution.

Heiji Hattori listened intently to Takeru Uchi's narration while wearing headphones, ignoring Maki Nohara beside him, who was breathing rapidly because Yuji Kudo's mask had been removed.

"Why is she deliberately downplaying the twisted nature of those three students?"

Sayoko nudged Rize curiously. She couldn't understand why Uchitake-sensei, who should be extremely resentful of Ono Takuya, wouldn't exaggerate what they had done to highlight her own helplessness.

“It’s pointless. No matter how innocent she claims to be, Dad won’t actually follow her story. He’ll definitely embellish it.” Rize stroked her chin and glanced at Maki, whose face was somewhat pale.

"But I don't understand why she would emphasize her own guilt to highlight the innocence of those others... Is she trying to make this incident memorable for others?"

"I think... although she said she was incredibly guilty, the resentment that almost distorted her face when she mentioned Ono and the other two couldn't be hidden at all."

Maki pointed at Takeru's face.

"There must be something we don't know yet." (End of Chapter)