Conan: Science Cartoonist Kudo Yuji

"This is Shangzhu's home."

Ono's new homeroom teacher timidly introduced the abandoned detached house to the students in front of him. Unlike the ignorant boys and girls who occasionally mocked Hattori Heiji, the teacher, being highly educated, naturally had an understanding of the actual controllers of Kansai.

"Is this teacher the new homeroom teacher who is taking over from Mr. Uchitake?"

Kudo Yuji suddenly spoke up and stopped the teacher who was about to leave and return to school with the police. This person was obviously aware of what had happened at the Kamisuke's house, but the look in his eyes when he looked at the house seemed a little unfamiliar.

According to what Otaki said at the meeting, the deaths of Kamisuke and his mother occurred after Uchitake resigned. Therefore, the school would definitely find a new homeroom teacher to replace her within three days. According to regulations, this new homeroom teacher should be required to visit all families with problems within a week.

“I remember that after Mr. Uchitake resigned, Mr. Kamisuke stayed at home and didn’t go back to school. So you must have visited him at home, right?”

"Actually, there was another teacher between me and Mr. Uchitake, who had visited Mr. Kamisuke's home. I didn't have one. When I took over as the homeroom teacher, Mr. Matsuki had just committed suicide less than three days ago."

The teacher glanced at Shangzhu's house, as if it carried an aura that ordinary people could not perceive.

“I went to Ono’s house, but no one was home. I knocked on the door but no one answered. I had arranged to visit his home at school that evening, but when I arrived, he wasn’t there at all.”

The teacher felt somewhat aggrieved. Obviously, as a new homeroom teacher who was not yet familiar with the situation, he did not dare to openly express his dissatisfaction at being tricked to Ono, lest the school or other students misunderstand him.

"Even so, you still agreed to let him speak at the assembly as an outstanding student representative? Doesn't that require the homeroom teacher's approval?"

“He was just joking with me. It’s not right to erase the honor he deserves. This is not something an educator should do.” The teacher said seriously, “Ono is a very talented person, especially in mechanics and invention. He has a pride that is rare among students.”

“I see…” Hattori Heiji put on his gloves. “Please go back and reassure your students. Also, please don’t tell anyone that you came here with us today.”

"Okay." The teacher and the two accompanying police officers quickly disappeared.

"Judging from the outside of his home, his mother should be a well-behaved person with a high sense of morality."

Conan, who hadn't said much earlier, pointed to the yard of the Kamisuke family, which could be seen through the fence. There were some weeds growing a little. Although they had sprouted because they hadn't been cleaned for a while, the yard should have been completely clean before. The leaves of the trees in the yard looked like they had been deliberately trimmed into the same shape.

Below the mailbox outside this courtyard, there is a small box for putting change, usually to provide some help to the elderly who clean the streets, but not many people actually put it there, except for the Shang family who put in a lot.

In addition, there was an empty water bottle and a disposable plastic cup in the perforated box on the mailbox. The water bottle was tied with a rope to the fence of the Kamisuke family.

"Is it possible for someone like that to raise a child who kills his own mother? I think it's very difficult."

Conan shook his head, followed Hattori, and stood frozen in place as he pushed open the door to the house.

"Why is the first floor so clean? What happened to the murder traces inside? Didn't you keep any of them?"

Turning his head, he could see neatly arranged slippers on the shoe rack. If Conan didn't know that a murder had occurred here, he would have thought this house was incredibly cozy.

"The police left after collecting information from the scene; it's not some unsolved case. The male homeowner entrusted the house to a real estate agency, who secretly cleaned the house from top to bottom without the police's knowledge."

Heiji Hattori ignored the first floor and went straight to the second floor. (End of Chapter)