Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

The dim, yellowish light from the wall lamps in the hotel corridor cast a long, narrow shadow of Hattori Heizo.

Upon hearing Konoe Daishi say that Ono Kayoko had already gone to sleep, his brows furrowed instantly, and his sharp gaze was fixed on the face of the classmate in front of him.

Under Hattori Heizo's gaze, Konoe Daishi felt his heart pounding.

His hands unconsciously clenched the hem of his clothes by his side. He swallowed twice before managing to force a smile that looked more like a grimace, trying to change the subject. "If you can't sleep either, how about we play ping-pong? There's a table in the backyard, perfect for stretching your muscles."

"No need." Hattori Heizo's voice was as cold as frost. He gave Konoe Taishi a deep look, as if he had already seen through his lie.

Hattori Heizo then turned and walked straight to the end of the corridor without lingering any longer.

Watching Hattori Heizo's figure gradually disappear into the distance, Konoe Taishi's tense body instantly relaxed, his back already soaked with cold sweat.

He let out a long sigh of relief and raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

Konoe Daishi turned to look at Ono Kayoko's closed door. A small plush toy was hanging on the doorknob, which was Ono Kayoko's favorite style.

He wanted to turn around and leave, but after taking two steps, he worried that someone else would come looking for Ono Yoshiko.

After hesitating for a moment, Konoe Taisho leaned against the wall next to the door, crossed his arms, and pretended to be waiting for someone.

Meanwhile, Hattori Heizo did not return to his room.

He pushed open the hotel door and came to the open space outside the hotel.

The night breeze carried a chill, causing his bangs to sway slightly and clearing his somewhat chaotic thoughts.

Hattori Heizo looked up, his gaze precisely locking onto a window on the second floor—the room of Ono Kayoko.

The room was completely dark, with no light shining through.

Hattori Heizo stood there, caught in a fierce internal struggle.

Breaking into a girl's room without permission is extremely inappropriate, but Lin Xiuyi's reminder and Konoe Daisuke's unusual behavior made him uneasy.

After hesitating for a moment, Hattori Heizo finally clenched his fist, his eyes hardening.

He had to find out the truth, otherwise it would be too late if Ono Kayoko did something irreversible.

Hattori Heizo took two steps back, then suddenly sprinted forward, using his feet to propel himself up and grabbing the edge of the first-floor roof with both hands. He then used the momentum to climb upwards.

In a short while, he climbed onto the second-floor windowsill and squatted steadily outside Ono Kayoko's window.

Hattori Heizo pressed his face against the cold windowpane, squinting as he peered inside.

The room was pitch black; only the outlines of the furniture were vaguely visible, and nothing else could be seen clearly.

Hattori Heizo reached out and gently shook the window handle, quickly discovering that the window was not locked.

He quickly pushed open the window, and without hesitation, he jumped inside.

"Kashiko?"

Hattori Heizo lowered his voice and softly called Ono Kayoko's name, but received no response.

He groped his way to the wall by the door and quickly found the light switch.

"Snapped!"

As the switch was pressed, the room was instantly illuminated by bright lights. Hattori Heizo's gaze quickly swept across the entire room, but Ono Kayoko was nowhere to be seen.

His face darkened, and he was about to walk towards the door when he noticed a note on the table.

Hattori Heizo reached out and picked up the note, slowly unfolding it. On it was Ono Kayoko's neat handwriting, with only one sentence: "Goodbye, everyone in the Mystery Club."

He noticed several dark water stains on the note, the edges of which were already somewhat blurred, clearly traces left by dried tears.

An ominous premonition welled up in his heart. Hattori Heizo suddenly clenched the note, turned around, walked quickly to the door, and pulled it open.

The Imperial Guard, who was still leaning against the wall pretending to wait for someone, heard the door open and instinctively looked up, a fawning smile on his face.

"Young Master Jia, why are you back so soon..."

He stopped mid-sentence, his voice suddenly cut off, and the smile on his face froze instantly.

Standing at the door was not Ono Kayoko, but Hattori Heizo, whose face was so gloomy it could drip water!

"Hattori, you, how could you..." Konoe Taishi took a step back in fright, his words becoming stammered, his eyes darting around in a panic, not daring to meet Hattori Heizo's gaze.

"Where did Prince Kayo go?" Hattori Heizo's already dark face turned even darker, and he exuded a terrifyingly low pressure, causing the Imperial Guard Chief to shiver involuntarily.

"She...she went to sleep a long time ago..."

Konoe Daishi wanted to continue arguing, but before he could finish speaking, Hattori Heizo grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall behind him.

"Did she go to see Mito Shinzo?"

Hattori Heizo's gaze was like a knife, piercing Konoe Taiji's face, his tone filled with suppressed anger.

"I...how would I know?" Konoe Taishi's voice trembled slightly, his eyes instinctively avoiding Hattori Heizo's gaze, his hands flailing wildly, trying to break free from Hattori Heizo's grasp.

Do you think this is helping her?

Hattori Heizo slammed his fist into the wall next to Konoe Taiji's head, making a dull thud that was particularly jarring in the quiet corridor.

"idiot!"

Hattori Heizo threw the note he was holding at Konoe Taisho's face.
"You're sending her to jail!"

The Imperial Guard Commander trembled violently. He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.

Hattori Heizo ignored him, released his grip on the collar of the Imperial Guard Commander, and strode downstairs.

Konoe Daishi subconsciously picked up the note that had fallen to the ground. After reading the words on it, he staggered back two steps. Then, watching Hattori Heizo's departing figure, he was caught in a fierce internal struggle.

On one hand, there was the promise to Ono Kayoko; on the other hand, there was the warning in Hattori Heizo's words.

After hesitating for a moment, Konoe Daishi finally gritted his teeth and chased after Hattori Heizo.

He couldn't let Ono Kayoko get into trouble, nor could he let Hattori Heizo ruin her plans.

The two rushed out of the hotel one after the other. Hattori Heizo opened the car door and got into the black SUV he had rented.

Konoe Daishi followed suit and sat in the passenger seat. Before he could even fasten his seatbelt, Hattori Heizo had already started the car.

The SUV shot off like an arrow, its tires screeching against the pavement. (End of Chapter)