Conan: Science Cartoonist Kudo Yuji

"Sir, our system indicates that your car was recently purchased. I would like to know why you are attending Mr. Sasaki's memorial service."

At the main gate of the Sasaki residence, the signing staff arranged by the Sasaki Group stopped the Nohara father and daughter. They were holding tablets and would scan the vehicle identification number of every car that stopped at the gate to prevent unauthorized people from sneaking into the memorial service.

"You know, there are always some people who try to get into places they shouldn't be in by all sorts of methods. Just now, a young man came in with two children in a four-seater car, saying that he has been a loyal fan of Sasaki cars since he was a child."

“This brand…doesn’t it only make five-seater cars?” Nohara Maki’s eyelids twitched because she saw an off-site parking lot not far from the gate, where a grown man was being scolded by Sayoko, while Conan leaned against a four-seater car and sighed.

Let's just pretend we didn't see it.

“I have several other cars at home, but I only bought one because I was in Osaka temporarily and I wasn’t used to driving other brands. It’s in my daughter’s name. It’s time to buy her a car since she’s a young woman working.”

“This…” The person signing the document hesitated.

"You only sold thirty RX790s last year, right?" Kudo Yuji adjusted his sunglasses. "The VIN is JP9TCGC86&$000017."

"Eh?!"

The people signing the papers looked like they'd seen a ghost and immediately stepped aside to let the car pass, only breathing a sigh of relief after it disappeared from their sight.

"Is it really necessary?" His colleague glanced at him strangely. Most of the people who came to the memorial service were either rich or powerful, and they were pretty much used to it. Besides, he was Sasaki's former mistress and secretary. How could this scare him?
"What do you know? The license plate number 17 was taken directly from President Sasaki by Prime Minister Kudo. I was the one who transferred the call. At the time, it was said to be a 17th birthday gift for his second daughter."

"So the person in the passenger seat earlier was wearing a high school uniform..."

The two immediately shut up and each made a phone call to inform the person in charge of the memorial service.

On the Nohara father and daughter's side, after the car entered the manor, it was driven to the garden inside the manor by the staff. It can be seen that the original flower garden has been leveled and used as a parking lot for outside vehicles.

"How rude of us! We didn't even know that Mr. Kudo's daughter was here."

Wearing a well-fitting black long dress and a hat decorated with black sheer lace, Sasaki Chiyo, who had met Kudo Yuji before and was the deceased's wife, came out to greet the two. She was clearly focused entirely on Nohara Maki, leaving her bewildered.

Who is the Kudo family's daughter?

Maki Nohara glanced back at the door to make sure Sayoko hadn't come in, and was about to point at herself when her father interrupted her.

"Mr. Kudo is dealing with various matters concerning the Segawa family in Tokyo and is unable to attend in person, so he asked Ms. Kudo to attend this memorial service."

"Thank you so much. I'm sure my late husband would be incredibly moved if he were still alive." "If he were alive, we wouldn't have needed to come."

A cold voice sounded from the side, and a man wearing a brown woolen coat and a red plaid apron walked up to the father and daughter.

“Mr. Sano, please be more polite. This is, after all, a memorial service.”

Sasaki Chiyo said seriously, "Even if you are from a branch of the Sasaki family, you have no right to inherit my husband after he dies, so there's no need to be so aggressive."

"You've misunderstood. I have no intention of inheriting any company. Inheriting a factory that produces killing machines would only make me indirectly become an executioner."

"If I were to criticize you from the perspective of someone who benefits from the status quo, I might actually think more highly of you if you didn't receive that five million yen monthly allowance from your family."

The woman, also dressed in a long black coat but younger, appeared to be Sasaki's daughter.

“Mr. Sano is an idealist who talks about romance. It’s not romantic to bring up money in this kind of topic.”

The other woman had wavy hair and wore heavy black makeup to make herself look haggard, but Nohara Maki could tell at a glance that she was not saddened by Sasaki's death at all.

"However, Miss Kudo has indeed inherited Mr. Kudo's handsomeness. She looks very dashing, and the man beside her is also quite outstanding."

"Don't misunderstand, I'm just a bodyguard they sent." Kudo Yuji frowned. "Please watch your words and don't joke about a girl's character, or I'll report you to Mr. Kudo."

"That would be troublesome." The woman walked up to Kudo Yuuji and tugged at his tie. "Gentleman, would Mr. Kudo send someone to assassinate me?"

"I can't stand it, Hideko Ono. Someone like you is only fit to be a mistress. You're already looking for someone else as soon as Sasaki dies?" Sano pushed his way between Yuji Kudo and Ono.

"Let's go inside first and let her pose here all by herself."

Kudo Yuji naturally agreed and walked ahead, with Nohara Maki following behind. Around the crystal corridor from the garden to the venue, the three separated. Sano and Sasaki went to the left to the back of the venue, while Nohara and his daughter entered on their own and waited for the welcoming speech to begin.

"Why do they say I'm Yuji Kudo's daughter? Dad, who are you really behind that mask?!"

Maki Nohara asked her father in a low voice.

"Answer me!" (End of Chapter)