I'm in Detective Conan, and the system has assigned me a succubus.

"Eat this too. If you can't finish it, I'll pack it up for you. It'll be perfect with porridge tomorrow." Uesugi Tetsu raised his head and met Uesugi Eri's gaze. "Don't be shy, have a taste. There are some shrimp in it."

Looking into his eyes, Eri Kisaki lost her will to refuse.

She picked up a spoon, scooped up a spoonful of steamed egg custard, and put it in her mouth.

The still-warm egg, with its rich aroma, a touch of sesame oil, and chopped scallions, enters the mouth, followed by a subtle salty and savory flavor. On the tip of the tongue, you can feel a soft protrusion in the steamed egg custard—it's a shrimp.

The overall freshness was just right.

'So delicious...'

Eri Kisaki couldn't help but widen her eyes, but a question began to form in her mind—

Is Toru Uesugi really just a psychologist?

Why are your cooking skills so good? This is a skill that only a professional chef would have.

So... it's definitely not because I'm a glutton, it's all because Uesugi Tetsu's cooking is too delicious?

No, how can you think like that?

Eri Kisaki was lost in thought as she ate her shrimp and egg custard while glancing at Toru Uesugi, who was still writing with his head down.

When she heard the other person talk about the inspiration for writing, Eri Kisaki became a little curious. A book written by a psychologist should be related to psychology, right?

Eri Kisaki asked again, "Are you still writing books?"

“Yes, but it’s just a hobby. My main job before was as a psychological counselor, and I write mystery novels.” Uesugi Tetsuya didn’t even look up, his pen still moving on the paper. “It’s a bit strange for someone who studied psychology to write mystery novels.”

"Mystery novels?" Hearing the other party's answer, Eri Kisaki was taken aback, but it was within her acceptable range. She then became even more curious. "Could you tell me which ones? I usually like to read mystery novels too."

“This…” Uesugi Tetsuya paused, seemingly considering his words.

Eri thought it was because his book wasn't famous, and was about to say, "If it's inconvenient, then forget it."

Then Uesugi Tetsu began, "The Astrological Magic and the Puppeteer," "Elementary and Sherlock," "The Mysteries of Agatha Christie..."

After only reciting three book titles, Eri Kisaki choked violently, almost dropping her spoon. She quickly covered her mouth, her cheeks turning bright red.

Seeing this, Uesugi Tetsu quickly put down his pen, strode into the kitchen, and poured himself a cup of tea: "Drink slowly, don't rush."

Seeing that she was still coughing lightly, he hesitated for a moment and said softly, "Excuse me."

Then he reached out and gently patted her back, his palm against her shirt.

You could feel the soft, delicate back beneath the thin fabric, and the slight rise and fall of her body as she coughed.

Through her shirt, Eri could clearly feel the warmth of Toru Uesugi's palm.

She quickly took a sip of tea to suppress her cough, her cheeks turning even redder.

Today was so embarrassing. I choked and lost my composure in front of a young man I had just met.

But the other person was so gentle, not pointing out her embarrassment, and even taking good care of her.

This made Eri Kisaki feel really comfortable being with him.

After confirming that Eri Kisaki was alright, Toru Uesugi breathed a sigh of relief, almost thinking that his house was about to turn into a murder scene.

It's truly a rare sight to see Eri Kisaki, the queen of the courtroom, in such an adorable and embarrassed state.

So...

Eri Kisaki is also a treasure of this world.

After confirming that Eri was alright, Toru Uesugi took an empty cup into the kitchen, poured himself another cup of chamomile herbal tea, and placed it in front of her.

As Eri watched his retreating figure, she finally voiced the question that had been lingering in her mind:

"You...you are Light Yagami-sensei?"

023 - Consider this an IOU.

Eri Kisaki had read all three books that Toru Uesugi mentioned.

More accurately, she read and translated every single one of Light Yagami's published works.

Firstly, the law firm had previously handled contracts related to works featuring "Light Yagami," and as the person in charge, she needed to understand the details.

Secondly, those mystery stories are really captivating, with ingenious foreshadowing and unexpected endings.

However, Eri Kisaki had never met this mysterious author; all of the author's requests were handled by the publishing house's exclusive editorial team.

The editor had mentioned to her that the author had long resided in the UK and rarely returned to Japan.

The entrusted matters were all communicated via email, so there was still no definite news about the autograph session that fans had been looking forward to for so long.

Eri Kisaki had guessed countless times that the person who could write with such a steady hand must be a middle-aged man with slightly graying temples and sharp eyes.

But to her utter surprise, it was this gentle-looking young man in front of her.

However, upon further reflection, Uesugi Tetsu's composed demeanor is exactly the same as the calmness conveyed between the lines of the book.

But this youthfulness was far beyond her expectations.

“It seems you are also one of my readers; I am truly fortunate.” Uesugi Tetsu sat back down opposite him.

"It is truly a great honor to have such a beautiful lady as you read my work."

Eri Kisaki recalled what had happened that night.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing both emotion and reflection).

It's such a coincidence that we both fainted at each other's doorsteps and then ate the porridge each other made.

In the end, he discovered that this considerate neighbor was actually the mystery novelist he secretly admired.

She took a small sip of chamomile tea, the bitter taste of which calmed her anxiety.

"It really is fate."

"Would you like me to sign your name?" Uesugi Tetsu asked with a hint of self-deprecating humor.

"It sounds a bit boastful, but I practiced my signature for a long time in private. Unfortunately, I've been staying in the UK and haven't had the chance to sign for readers. I've almost forgotten how to write it nicely."

Upon hearing that Uesugi Tetsu had been practicing privately for autographs, Eri Kisaki looked at the composed young man in front of her.

It seems that only at this moment did it shed that composed demeanor and take on a unique vibrancy.

"Is that alright? I would really appreciate it if it were your autograph."

“Of course.” Uesugi Tetsu’s eyes instantly turned serious as he looked into her smiling eyes. “I’m glad to have a reader like you.”

These words felt like a feather gently tickling Eri's heart. Looking at the earnest expression on the young man's face, she gave a shy smile.

What's going on... It's just an autograph... Why are you taking it so seriously?

She subconsciously smoothed the strands of hair that hung by her ears, and when her fingertips touched the tips of her ears, she could clearly feel the burning heat.

Eri quickly withdrew her hand, took another sip of chamomile herbal tea, and looked out at the scenery outside the living room, where a bright moon hung high in the sky.

The moonlight tonight seems exceptionally beautiful, and the night view that I'm used to is now more colorful and unique.

Seeing that Eri Kisaki had suddenly fallen silent, Tetsuya Uesugi did not speak again.

Instead, she got up and went into the kitchen, and when she came out, she had a jar of freshly baked cookies in her hand.

The cookies were printed with tiny detective hat designs, and he put the jar into his cloth bag.

Store it together with the previous insulated bowl.

The bag now carries an extra weight.

"Eh..." Eri Kisaki was puzzled by Toru Uesugi's actions.

My gaze fell on the cookie jar, judging from the pattern on the cookie box.

These are quite different from the gifts that were given between neighbors earlier.

Does this have any special meaning?

"This is a small gift for the readers, as compensation for their long wait," Uesugi Tetsu explained.

"I have already discussed it with the publisher, and we will be holding a book signing event soon."

"Of course, not every reader will have one. After all, my family doesn't own a cookie factory, so we can't make that many."

Eri Kisaki then understood what he meant when he said he would be making a lot of cookies soon.

This man can even consider readers he's never met; his mind is frighteningly meticulous.

He could have used ready-made gifts from the mall, but he chose to bake them himself.

Moreover, both the packaging and the design reveal his unique ingenuity.

You really can't buy such a unique gift if you go to a shopping mall.

This man truly considered his readers as friends.

"It's a pity I can't make too many. If there were more people, I might only be able to give one piece to each person." Uesugi Tetsuya paused, then added a joke.

"If no one comes, I'll just have to squat by the roadside with the editors and eat cookies..."

"No, it won't happen." Eri Kisaki covered her mouth and chuckled.

It seems that the image of Uesugi Tetsuya squatting by the roadside with the editors of the publishing house, looking rather aggrieved, was quite amusing.

"You're very popular in Japan, so there might not be enough cookies to go around."

What Eri Kisaki didn't say was that she had seen many people watching Light Yagami's works more than once.

Tetsuya Uesugi probably doesn't know just how popular he is in Japan.

In Japan, an environment with a strong affinity for mystery novels.

Because of mystery novels, the profession of "detective" has even emerged in reality, albeit in a gray area.

It's easy to imagine that many readers hold Light Yagami, this mysterious mystery novelist, in awe.

If we add Uesugi Tetsu's handsome face to that, it will truly be revealed to the readers.

This will likely elevate his fame to another level.

"But why did you give me an extra one?" Eri asked again.

“You are special,” Uesugi Tetsu replied, his tone becoming more serious. “Like in a game of hide-and-seek, you are the first reader to find me, so of course you have to be special.”

Eri Kisaki was stunned...

Special?

Looking into Uesugi Tetsu's clear eyes, she suddenly found the metaphor of hide-and-seek particularly endearing.

Only then did she realize that she had finished the steamed egg custard in the bowl. Her stomach felt warm, and most of her previous fatigue had dissipated.

Uesugi Tetsu glanced at the wall clock; the hour hand was pointing to 11 p.m.: "It's getting late. Let me take you home."

At this point, Eri's complexion had improved considerably and was no longer as pale as before, which reassured Toru Uesugi.

Eri put down her spoon and bowl, only then realizing how late it had gotten.

My attention was completely drawn to this man tonight.

Everything that happened tonight made her feel relaxed and excited.

"No need to trouble you, I've already bothered you enough tonight." Eri Kisaki shook her head, intending to decline the other party's kindness.

“It’s alright, your house is right next to mine, isn’t it?” Uesugi Tetsu stood up.

He picked out the chamomile tea and calming aromatherapy diffuser from the cabinet and put them in a cloth bag. "It's only a few steps away. I can only feel at ease when I see you come in."

Looking at his serious profile, Eri swallowed back the refusal that was on the tip of her tongue: "Okay, thank you."

"You're too kind."

"Then let me wash the dishes for you?" Eri looked at the empty bowls on the table, feeling a little guilty.

She rolled up her sleeves. "After eating so much of your food for free, I should do something."

“No need. You are a patient and have the right to receive care.” Uesugi Tetsuya pressed down on her wrist.

"If you'd like to do the dishes, please come again next time. I'd love to see you again."

Eri Kisaki listened to this joke and thought, "What do you mean by 'come again next time'? This isn't a restaurant."

And judging from the other person's tone, they seemed quite certain that they would come again next time?