Conan: Science Cartoonist Kudo Yuji

“Ms. Sasaki, I think it’s time for you to start speaking to your late husband. The sooner this memorial service ends, the more peacefully we can return to Osaka.”

A middle-aged woman in her thirties was talking to Sasaki and her daughter. The woman had a handkerchief in her breast pocket that was the same color and style as Ookahara Mi's, so the trainee detectives in the venue could easily tell the status of these guests.

Nohara Maki, with her almost unique handkerchief, is someone that ordinary detectives dare not approach. On one hand, Hattori Mamoru, a famous senior in the Osaka juvenile detective world, is by her side. On the other hand, some people have already subtly inquired about Nohara Maki's "true identity".

"The reason why Prime Minister Kudo's daughter is here must be the Sasaki family's factory."

Two middle school students talking next to Conan glanced at Ms. Kudo, who was chatting happily with Mamoru Hattori, and brought up a topic that made Conan's heart skip a beat.

"Do you think it's possible that the Prime Minister was behind Sasaki Kiyoyori's death?"

"It can't be that bad. The Southern Army still needs Sasaki to provide them with weapons."

The two talked about the weapons produced by Sasaki Factory. The boy who knew the inside story looked around and was relieved to see that only one elementary school student had his back to them.

"Throughout the Kansai region, none of the major families that openly support the Tokyo government have built factories to supply weapons. They have only put forward Sasaki, who is nothing special, and it is said that the quantity and variety of his products are particularly small."

"Didn't the head of the persuasion department believe that building factories on a large scale would lead to Osaka becoming too militarized and causing economic instability, while Kyoto couldn't open such factories due to its geographical conditions? My father always said that this was the reason why the major families in Kansai were unwilling to take sides rashly."

The boy looking at Ms. Sasaki thought for a moment and said, "Looking at it this way, it is indeed possible that the Prime Minister could kill Sasaki Kiyoyori."

In the public eye, the major prefectures north of Tokyo have become the front line of the battle, and Tokyo, being geographically located in the north compared to Kansai, should no longer tolerate the ambiguity surrounding Kansai.

After listening to a few words, Conan walked to the side, deliberately passing by the guests of higher status. Most of them treated Sasaki Kiyori's death as a trivial matter, except for two people with obvious Kyoto accents who kept a close eye on Sasaki and her daughter.

Conan couldn't get any closer to the Sasaki mother and daughter, or the middle-aged woman beside them; he simply couldn't get past them. He had no choice but to return the way he came and focus his attention on Mr. Nohara. [This guy is definitely Yuuji.]

Mr. Nohara checked his phone in the banquet hall and saw Conan walking towards him, so he waited for him with peace of mind.

"Hattori asked us to help investigate Sasaki Kiyoyori's case. That guy sent Hattori's son to bring me and Sayoko to investigate because he knows you're here, right?"

The guy Conan was referring to was, of course, Shinichi Kudo at this point in time. In his view, this case was definitely solved by his younger brother and him working together, so after going around to get a general understanding of the situation, he still needed to find Yuuji.

“I am not clear about the cause and effect of the case, but I can only start from the existing conditions. The fact that this family was in such a hurry to dispose of Sasaki Kiyori’s body, coupled with the data on the car Sasaki Kiyori’s body at the time of his death provided by Hattori, makes me think there are three possibilities.”

Conan looked at Yuuji: "The first possibility is that Sasaki Kiyoyori committed suicide for unknown reasons. Perhaps he encountered some desperate predicament that led him to take his own life. But someone like him must have already bought insurance for himself, which is why he attacked himself while driving, faked the wounds, and showed a strong will to survive after falling into the water."

“The second one,” Yuji continued Conan’s words, “was killed by his wife and daughter. In order to cover up any suspicious things that might be found in the body, they hurriedly disposed of Sasaki Kiyoyori’s body, just in case the police found out.”

Given the Sasaki family's special status as a gesture of goodwill from Osaka to the Eastern Metropolis during the civil war, even if they did this, the Osaka police would never be able to stop them.

"The third possibility is that a high-ranking official killed Sasaki Kiyoyori for unknown reasons, either to completely alienate Kansai from Tokyo or to force Kansai to take sides in the war. The current highest level in Tokyo is highly suspicious."

Conan looked at Yuuji suspiciously.

"Was it...you?" (End of Chapter)