I am in Mihua, and the ladies all like me

"Death threats?"

Serabell uttered a sound.

"Those who can make death threats must have a fundamental conflict of interest or some old grudge. If we want to investigate, we have to start with Fujieda Mikio's network of contacts."

Yukiko leaned slightly against the car door, resting her elbow on the window sill and lightly tapping her forehead with her fingertips: "Well, generally speaking, that's true, but this Fujieda Mikio is really not an ordinary person."

"How to say?"

"He didn't say much, but he did a lot of bad things when he was young. By the way, he was not originally from the Fujieda family. He later used excellent means to capture the eldest daughter of the Fujieda family and married into the family. After that, he relied on the resources of the Fujieda family to secretly run his previous illegal businesses even more vigorously."

"Huh?"

Serabelle raised her eyebrows slightly.

However, he was not surprised. Such operations are very common in many countries with rigid class structures, especially in Japan. If a local prominent family has only daughters in a certain generation, or has sons but the sons are unsuccessful, the previous generation will consider recruiting a son-in-law and bring him in as a candidate for the next generation of head of the family.

The fact that Fujieda Kan'ao was able to run an illegal business when he was young without being left dead on the streets proved his ability. And his subsequent successful marriage into the Fujieda family must not have been the result of the eldest daughter of the latter family being purely in love.

But this also brings up problems.

If this bastard had been running illegal business since he was young, he would have made countless enemies over the years.

The scope of the target that needed to be investigated expanded a lot at once, but Serabelle was not in a hurry. After all, the specific issues had to wait until she asked the person himself in detail before she could worry about them.

"So the person who asked us to investigate was Fujieda Mikio's wife?"

"Well, that's not the case. The person who commissioned us was actually Fujieda Shigeru, the eldest daughter of the Fujieda family and her younger brother."

Yukiko lowered her head and turned the page of the information in her hand.

"And it is said that the eldest daughter of the Fujieda family died of illness half a year ago. Now Fujieda Shigeo probably has a second wife."

Xuxian means the second wife married after the original wife dies.

However, he got married to a second wife not long after his original wife passed away. Needless to say, he had no feelings for his first wife. Isn't this guy quite extravagant?

Although she had never met him, Serabelle already had a rough idea of ​​what kind of person Fujieda Kan'ao was.

But then again——

"So why did you come along, Sister Yukiko?"

"Ok?"

As if she had considerable doubts about this, Yukiko tilted her head with a cute smile, and a question mark appeared on her head like a bubble of a blue catworm.

Serabelle changed her words out of a strong desire to survive: "What I mean is, since the other party is running an illegal business, there may be some risks in investigating him. In fact, as a detective, I can go alone. Sister Yukiko, there is no need for you to come with me."

"Hehe, does this count as worrying about me, your sister? But about this question~"

Yukiko shook her head and deliberately dragged out the tone.

"After all, I am still a female detective."

what?

Serabelle immediately typed a question mark, thinking, since you are also a detective, why do you have to ask me to come along? Can't you just do it yourself?

"…So this time, the big detective sister is going to lead me, a trainee detective, to kill people all the way, and solve the case with ease, showing off her expert style?"

"No no no~"

Yukiko blinked one eye and wiggled her index finger playfully.

"It's a script written by the older detective sister to give the younger trainee detective a chance to perform."

"Alas……"

You are worthy of being able to talk about slacking off so confidently.

Serabelle thought.

After all, it was still within the territory of Tokyo. After about thirty minutes' drive, the black Audi slowly stopped in front of the gate of a villa that was much more magnificent than the Kudo residence.

In fact, if we only talk about the size of the house, the Fujieda house is not much bigger than the Kudo house. The so-called size lies mainly in the yard.

If the yard in front of the Kudo residence is only big enough to plant some flowers and plants, then the yard of the Fujieda residence is large enough not only to plant flowers, but also to dig a swimming pool, set up a fountain, and hold a large barbecue party.

"Oh~ What a beautiful courtyard!" Yukiko couldn't help but exclaim as soon as she got off the car.

Just as it was said, under the golden sunshine, all kinds of flower beds can be seen everywhere in the courtyard of Fujieda's house, from daisies to roses to wild roses, almost everything in colorful colors, and all trimmed very neatly. At first glance, one might mistake it for a European noble family or a palace.

Serabelle wasn't very interested in these things. She simply replied, "Indeed, it's really amazing," and then walked to the door to ring the doorbell.

However, at this moment, a white SUV drove over on the road in the distance.

Although they were coming from a completely different direction from Serabelle and the others, they were very purposeful. They slowed down when they were still some distance away from the entrance of the villa, and then stopped at the main entrance.

Serabel was stunned for a moment, because through the coated car window, he seemed to see two somewhat familiar faces.

The people in the car obviously realized this.

As the car window rolled down, the faces of Xiaolan and Kissing Eri appeared in the car.

"Eri?"

"Has Xizi?"

Chapter 72 Battle between the two queens (eighth update)

It's... quite unexpected.

Serabelle had never expected to meet Xiaolan here, and the intellectual beauty sitting next to the latter, although they had only met each other once, was undoubtedly the lawyer Hime whom they met in the Beika Cafe on the day they first arrived in Japan.

Judging from the situation, it seems that the destination of both parties is the same?

Before Serabelle and Xiaolan had time to discuss their illnesses, two mature beauties with stunning looks, figures and temperament started the conversation.

"Wait a minute, could it be... Eri?" Yukiko was the first to widen her eyes and exclaim in surprise.

"Yukiko?" Hibari Eri, who had just turned off the engine, parked the car and opened the door, was also stunned and blurted out subconsciously.

The two sides looked at each other, and no one spoke anymore. The atmosphere was tense for a while.

Fine beads of sweat oozed from Xiaolan's forehead.

Well...how should I put it? It wasn't the atmosphere that should exist when close friends meet. If I had to put it in a specific way, it was probably more like the feeling of ancient swordsmen who were rivals but also respected each other.

"Do you two know each other?" Serabell asked doubtfully.

Naturally, his question was instantly blocked out by the collision between the two beauties' fields.

The next second, two pairs of slender hands faced each other and clasped their fingers together.

"Oh, I knew it was Eri-chan. I haven't seen her for several years, but she's still as beautiful as ever!"

"No, no, it's Yukiko-chan. If I remember correctly, we haven't seen each other since you and Yusaku-kun went to America. You've taken good care of yourself. You look much younger than me."

Well, it’s a classic business complimenting session.

After a simple greeting, the two beauties each took a half step back and loosened their gripping hands.

Yukiko asked first, "By the way, is Eri here because of a request from the Fujieda family?"

"That's right. It's said that the current head of the Fujieda family, Fujieda Mikio, has recently received death threats, and they want us to help find the culprit..." Ki Eri was slightly stunned, "So, could it be that Yukiko is also involved?"

"Well, I am the same." Yukiko tilted her head and looked at Kisaki Eri and Xiaolan. "But Eri, you are a lawyer, so finding the criminal should be the job of a detective, right?"

"This should actually be Mao... Kogoro's request."

Kisaki Eri stumbled for a moment and quickly changed her words.

"But he's a little busy right now, so Lan and I are here."

Then she glanced curiously at Yukiko and then at Serabelle beside the latter.

"I remember this kid solving the case in the cafe..."

"It's Sera-kun." Xiaolan reminded quietly from the side.

"Serabelle." Serabelle still gave her name, "I know Miss Maori."

"Oh, sorry for being rude." Kisaki Eri smiled, "We were too hasty in the cafe before, now let me introduce myself again, my name is Kisaki Eri, I'm Ran's mother."

Then she turned back to Yukiko and said a little confusedly.

"But Yukiko, how did you get to know Sera-kun? And it looks like you two came here together for this commission?"

"Well……"

Yukiko's eyes wandered slightly, and she brought up an argument that was almost the same as what Kisaki Eri had just said.

"Actually, this commission wasn't mine. I was supposed to find a job...Yusaku to help, but he's currently in the U.S. and can't spare the time, so I came here instead. As for Sera-kun, I asked him to come here to help. Mu can be said to have benefited from our Shin-chan."

"Eh? Do Sera-kun and Shinichi know each other?" Xiaolan captured the key content.

"know."

Serabelle's answer was quite concise and clear.

Just as Xiaolan was about to ask more questions, Serabel looked around her.

"Where's Conan? I didn't seem to see him coming."

"Oh, Conan is at home taking care of his father now." Xiaolan blurted out subconsciously.

After she finished speaking, she realized that she had said the wrong thing, but it was too late to cover it up.

"Take care? Is Mori-kun not feeling well?" Yukiko asked kindly.

"It's okay..."

Kisaki Eri nodded reluctantly, her answer somewhat ambiguous.

"What about Yusaku-kun, how are you doing?"

"He..."

Yukiko curled her lips and wanted to sneer and say that's great, but when the words came to her lips they turned into a light "It's okay."

After just a few words, the atmosphere between the two old friends, which was originally quite good, suddenly took a turn for the worse, becoming somewhat silent and slightly awkward.

Serabel thought it was almost time, and just as he was about to turn around and ring the doorbell, he turned his head and looked through the gap in the iron gate fence and saw someone walking towards him on the central avenue that led from the front garden to the main entrance of the mansion.

He was a white-haired old man in a neat suit. He seemed to have noticed the movement at the door, so he quickened his pace and came over to ask.

"May I ask who are the..."

"Hello, my name is Kudo Yukiko, and his name is Serabelle. We are commissioned by Mr. Fujieda Shigeru to investigate the death threats against Mr. Fujieda Mikio on behalf of Mr. Kudo Yusaku." Yukiko explained with a smile.

"My name is Eri Kisaki, and I'm the legal advisor of the Mori Detective Agency." Eri Kisaki said, "My purpose is the same as Yukiko and the others. I don't know her name, but the client is inscribed on the wife of Fujieda Mikio."

"I see. Sorry for being disrespectful."

Upon hearing that it was an invited guest, the old man immediately took out a controller from his body, pressed the door-opening button, and the door slowly opened to both sides with the sound of iron wheels rolling.

"I'm Ueki Souhachi, the housekeeper of this mansion. Please come in... ahem!"

Before he finished speaking, the old butler glanced away, covered his mouth with his fist and coughed a few times.

"Are you feeling unwell?" Xiaolan asked with concern.

"It's okay, it's okay." The old housekeeper smiled and waved his hand to indicate that he was fine. "I'm just short of breath. It's an old problem."

(The anime translation says "气喘", but I guess it means asthma?)

After briefly explaining their purpose, the four of them entered the front yard of the mansion.

Walking in the sea of ​​flowers, the feeling of being surrounded by flowers becomes clearer and more shocking.

Xiaolan couldn't help but exclaim: "What a beautiful garden, and it's so neatly maintained."

"Haha, yes." The old housekeeper who was leading the way smiled, "The eldest lady loved these flowers and plants when she was alive, so even after she passed away, we still often take care of them like before."

"That's it..."

Xiaolan smiled, but this time there was a hint of sadness in her smile, which was quickly concealed by her turning her head to the other side.

At this moment, she suddenly caught a glimpse of a gardener squatting beside the flower bed in the distance, pruning the flowers patiently and seriously with his head down. She raised her voice and waved her arm.