Saturday is Teitan High School Festival.
The school festival is also a school open day, and people outside the school can also enter and visit.
The theme activities are for each class or club to showcase themselves—whether it's a performance or a stall at the park—but they are basically organized by the students themselves.
"Come on, Ran, try to beat everyone else!"
Backstage at the gymnasium, Kogoro Mouri clenched his fist toward Ran, who was about to perform on stage.
"What? This isn't a karate match."
Ran was speechless for a moment, then looked at Conan, who was following beside her with a smile.
Conan was a little afraid to meet her eyes.
—The person standing here now is really him, not Haibara Ai pretending to be him.
"It's great that Conan can be discharged from the hospital."
Ran just said this at last, then raised her head and asked:
"Speaking of which, where is Yoshiki brother?"
"That kid, Yoshiki, was harassed by a bunch of people right after he came in."
Kogoro Mouri pouted and complained.
He had come here with Hayashi Yoshiki, but before they even reached the gymnasium, he was pestered by a group of female students for autographs.
"...There are many people in school who like Yoshiki-nii."
Ran smiled.
After waiting for a long time, Hayashi Yoshiki finally arrived.
He looked a little disheveled—it was obvious that he had run.
"Luckily I made it in time. Come on, I just bought a drink at the stand at the door. Are you confident when you go on stage later?"
"Yes! We have rehearsed for a long time, there will be no problem," Ran said with a smile.
"Thank you, Brother Yoshiki."
"Okay. As for Conan, he should not drink cold drinks when he has just recovered."
"Thanks…"
Very thoughtful, Yoshiki brother.
Holding a cool drink in her hand, Ran smiled at Hayashi Yoshiki.
"Where's the garden?"
"She went to the back to prepare, because Sonoko is playing a knight, and the costume will be more troublesome."
"Ran, please come here for a moment."
At this time, a handsome young man called out to Ran.
Hayashi Yoshiki looked over and saw the man also smiling and nodding to him in a friendly manner.
Shinichi… or rather, Vermouth?
In order to investigate the disappearance of Kudo Shinichi, and perhaps to keep an eye on her "angels," Vermouth had replaced Tomoaki Araide and infiltrated Teitan High School.
Now, she also worked part-time as a consultant for the school play. As an Oscar-winning actress, this kind of thing was naturally no challenge.
"Let's go sit down first, Uncle Mouri."
"Oh, okay."
Hayashi Yoshiki and his companions left the backstage and sat in the front row.
Conan, sitting next to Hayashi Yoshiki, had a gloomy expression, probably worrying about how to deal with the issue of his identity.
Soon, the packed venue darkened.
A voice came from the stage:
"The show now is 'The Black Knight' brought to you by Class 2-B. Please stay tuned."
Wow~
The red curtain opened, revealing an exquisite castle windowsill, and Ran, dressed as a princess, appeared on stage.
She read her lines with palms together.
Just as she finished speaking—
"Good! Good! Well acted, well acted!!"
Kogoro Mouri's loud voice startled the audience.
Conan was speechless.
Hayashi Yoshiki also took advantage of the chaos and shouted:
"Come on, Ran!"
How come even you…?
He looked at Hayashi Yoshiki in astonishment.
That wasn't something Yoshiki would usually do.
"That's my daughter, my daughter…"
Kogoro Mouri scratched his head awkwardly as the audience chuckled good-naturedly.
On stage, Ran smiled warmly and continued to act, encouraged by her father and Yoshiki.
In the audience, Vermouth, disguised as Tomoaki Araide, stared at Hayashi Yoshiki in surprise.
He actually did such a thing?
He shows two completely different faces depending on who he's with…
Being so gentle to the people around him—is this his true self?
As a member of the intelligence team, Vermouth had been informed about Cointreau's increasing involvement.
Almost all his victims were confirmed scum.
Though Rum and Gin speculated that Cointreau only targeted such people to avoid scrutiny from the task force…
But maybe—just maybe—he really is a "good guy"?
Vermouth's eyes flickered.
If Cointreau is essentially a good person, it would explain why he saved Sherry.
But how did he pull it off?
According to intelligence, Sherry escaped using APTX4869, shrinking her body and disappearing. But the subsequent attacks on Gin's group—especially the Haido Hotel incident—how did Cointreau orchestrate that?
Is he colluding with another organization?
The more she thought, the more complicated it became.
Cointreau seemed shrouded in a fog Vermouth couldn't pierce.
Meanwhile, the stage play continued.
After the princess was kidnapped by soldiers, Sonoko, playing the black knight, appeared and dispatched the enemies with over-the-top moves.
According to the script, she was supposed to wait for the princess to finish her lines before kissing her.
"If you have not forgotten the oath we made when we were young, please write your testimony on my lips!"
The princess's delicate face, moist eyes, and soft cherry lips—
"Aiya!"
Sonoko staggered slightly.
"Woo-ah?"
Her tacky voice from beneath the helmet confused the audience.
And then—
Screams.
The crowd turned.
A man had collapsed.
His drink cup rolled on the floor.
The ice scattered.
The liquid slowly spread across the polished gymnasium floor.
Someone is dead.