The Phantom Thief of Heart! But Conan

"Eh?" As if she had not expected this question, Shitara Renki briefly broke free from the mood of telling ghost stories, thought seriously for a moment, and answered uncertainly, "Everyone seems to say so. Grandpa Genzaburo, and Uncle Kyosuke..."

"Because they all died on your grandfather's birthday?"

"Yes, and both of them have played this violin in front of your grandfather! This year it's my turn, is it normal for me to worry..."

Shitara Renki touched the violin case in front of her reluctantly, a little afraid, and a little stubborn.

"...Does your grandfather have any imperial blood? Or, is your family a large family with many taboos and rules that has been passed down for centuries?" Tang Ze tried to hold back, but couldn't help it, and began to use his bloodline expertise.

"Ah? How is it possible? At most, we have a few celebrities in our family..." Shitara Renki shook her head blankly.

"Yes, so he has to celebrate his birthday..." Tang Ze's expression was subtle.

To be honest, it was only because he was sure that the main unscientific elements of this world were on his side. Otherwise, if he told him that this was a cult ritual, Tang Ze might believe it.

No, brother, your birthday has been celebrated for decades, and the incident has happened for decades. Is this birthday a big day that needs to be celebrated by everyone?

If you didn't hold a big banquet 30 years ago, this recurring tragedy in your family would have been cut off from the source.

Shitara Renxi, who had never imagined such a development, was stunned and couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

It sounds quite reasonable...

Maori Kogoro scratched his ears and agreed with Tang Ze's statement. He couldn't help but nod: "You can just take it out like this for the guests to play, can't you play it whenever you want?"

Must it be played at this birthday party? Your family thinks it's weird and starts to curse it. Why don't you just avoid this day...

"No way!" Shitara Renxi widened her eyes, "How can I let anyone take it out? This is so that I can get as familiar with this piano as possible before playing it, so as not to disappoint its reputation. I specially borrowed it. I begged my grandfather for a long time."

She also pointed to the half-open door of the living room, where she could see the Jinqu housekeeper walking back and forth in the corridor with slow steps.

"You see, everyone cares about it. Now it can be regarded as the treasure of our house." Shitara Renxi emphasized seriously, "I have lived in this family for so many years, and this is the first time I have the opportunity to touch this piano."

She touched the smooth and oily surface of the piano in the piano case reluctantly, and the yearning was completely revealed on her face.

It can be seen that what she said is true. For this family that has lost its former glory, this piano that carries wealth and reputation is like an old medal representing glory, a treasure that must be carefully bound by rules.

Tang Ze, who knew the story behind this zither very well, lowered his eyelids and pulled the corners of his mouth with some sarcasm.

If he didn't know the whole story, he might be moved by this attitude of cherishing it.

Stolen glory will not become true just because it has been repeated for thirty years. What is fake is fake.

Shitara Renxi, who was still caressing the zither reluctantly, did not notice his gaze, but continued to talk about why she would rather ask a detective to investigate than give up the opportunity.

"This zither was given to grandpa for safekeeping, mainly because grandpa is the head of the family. When grandpa dies, it will be handed over to grandpa Genzaburo." She said with emotion, "Grandpa is 72 years old and his physical condition is not good. I may not be able to touch it many times."

"But the curse is not something that a detective can solve, right?" Maori Kogoro smiled bitterly, "The police closed the case as an accident, so even if you give it to me to investigate, I can't solve this problem."

"Hey, isn't a detective a profession that can help with anything?" Shitara Renxi said blankly.

Now not only Maori Kogoro, but even Conan, who was originally thinking, twitched his mouth a few times.

Sure enough, this girl has read too many detective novels...

"Please, I really want to play it..." Shitara Renxi clasped her hands together, clasped them tightly, and looked at Maori Kogoro with shining eyes, "Or, if you are willing to accompany me to the performance tomorrow, and make sure that I don't die tomorrow, it's okay."

"...Just tomorrow is fine?" Maori Kogoro held his forehead, "If this is really a curse, then even if it's after tomorrow, you are not out of danger."

"Of course it can be done!" Shitara Renxi clenched his fists, "For so many years, no one in our family has died except on grandpa's birthday!"

Several people who felt that there was something wrong with this sentence: "..."

What Karasawa said is really right, this birthday, must it be celebrated...

————

"Of course he insisted on celebrating this birthday."

Haga Kyosuke leaned against the piano, watching Asai Narimi take back his hands on the keys after finishing the performance, and said leisurely.

"Thirty years ago, for this birthday, for the so-called family and honor, he killed my father. If this birthday cannot continue year after year, and the Stradivarius cannot be repeatedly displayed, then wouldn't all the price he paid for it and the sins he bore be in vain?" Yuga Kyosuke said with mockery.

"So, the two cases in the past two years were also your work?" Asai Narimi narrowed his eyes.

He knew that the topic had reached a critical point, and he had no intention of relaxing.

I am afraid that this was the real reason why Tang Ze arranged for him to contact Yuga Kyosuke.

Theoretically, the fall from the building two years ago should indeed be an accident. At least Yuga Kyosuke at that time did not make any subjective plans or pushes. However, it is an indisputable fact that the athletic Shitara Eimi rolled down the stairs and the cautious Shitara Kyouto leaned on the balcony railing that was just decaying.

In the description, Yuga Kyosuke called them "God's instructions", believing that this was the inspiration given by God to himself who knew the grudges, so he decided to send his enemies away in one wave this year, on the day when he also had to take out the Stradivarius to play.

From this vague narration, Asai Narumi smelled a familiar smell.

...Just like when he went to Tsukikage Island two years ago as a false female and heard the truth from the village chief at that time.

At that time, he thought that the village chief was overwhelmed by the double stimulation of discovering his true gender and the fact that he was actually Aso Keiji's son, and his heart was overwhelmed and he died of a sudden myocardial infarction. Since the former village chief's heart condition had been bad, he didn't think deeply about it, and his attention was all on how to avenge his father.

But Tang Ze told him with facts that it was not an accident, it was a special cognitive space in the closed environment of Tsukikage Island, combined with his potential cognitive ability, and he unconsciously completed a murder in another world.

Could it be a similar situation with Yuga Kyosuke?

Presumably, Tang Ze had doubts in this regard, so on the one hand, he revealed the effect of supernatural power to Yuga Kyosuke, and on the other hand, he did not fully tell him his true identity, wanting to observe and examine whether this person was suitable to become a member of them.

Similar to the time when he assisted him and observed him on the island, it was the probation period of the Phantom Thieves.

"I can't say it has nothing to do with me." Yuga Kyosuke crossed his legs and leaned leisurely beside the piano. The soundproofing of the piano room was very good. He was not afraid that the conversation would be heard by others, so he was quite relaxed. "If I hadn't kept asking Aunt Eimi, she might not have fallen from the upstairs."

"Were you asking her about the piano at that time?" Asai Narimi tilted his head.

"Yes. As you know, since my parents passed away, I returned to the Yuga family. After I became an adult, due to differences in career planning, I reduced contact with my father's relatives. Except for Renxi, who was still young at the time, I was not very close to them." Yuga Kyosuke lowered his head, his messy hair covering his eyes, "Until two years ago, Aunt Eimi wanted to play the Stradivarius at the birthday party, so she specifically asked me to help tune the piano."

Since the Shitara family has not produced a master who is worthy of using this famous piano for a long time, the Stradivarius has not appeared for several years until it was reopened two years ago.

Perhaps it was to boost the family's reputation and prepare for Genzaburo to take over the position of head of the family after Choichiro's death, or perhaps it was because Genzaburo's orchestra finally had a chance to stand out at that time. In short, after Shitara Eimi coordinated with many parties, she took out the piano again and called Yuga Kyosuke, who had a sensitive ear and was famous for his absolute pitch since childhood, to help tune it.

Yuga Kyosuke not only has a keen ear, but also, as he said to Kitagawa Yusuke, has an excellent memory for timbre, and his talent in this area may be even better than absolute pitch.

"I only tuned one string, and I could hear it. This timbre, this touch, and this mellow vibration... This is the piano that my father said he would give me when I was very young..." Yuga Kyosuke lowered his head and looked at his hands, "So after the banquet, I asked her if she knew what was going on..."

"Then, you heard the truth that had been hidden for thirty years from her?" Asai Narimi rolled his eyes with a strange look on his face.

Now there was no need for Karasawa to explain, he also felt a sense of déjà vu.

Indeed, what he faced at that time was really a similar scene.

"Yeah, I don't know why, she just can't control herself, and keeps telling me about that night thirty years ago." At this point, the smile on Yuga Kyosuke's face completely disappeared, "She described the wonderful sound of the piano that shocked the whole audience, and how the surrendered man was reluctant to take it away from his hands. Of course, it also included the sound of my father and uncle arguing, and how he fell down, and how blood was spilled all over the ground..."

"...It was as if something was strangling her neck, forcing her to tell the whole truth?" Asai Narimi raised his eyebrows, straightened his back, and raised his hands again.

This time, the light and sad ethereal melody of "Moonlight Sonata" flowed from his fingertips.

Yuga Kyosuke raised his eyebrows in surprise, and looked at the grand piano from which the music came.

His surprise was both for Asai Narimi's overly accurate description and for the song he played.

It was not difficult for him to hear that Asai Narimi was more familiar with this piano piece and had a deeper understanding of it. A cool feeling of the sky falling and the night approaching was being described in detail in this piece of music.

"You are right, it is this feeling. She couldn't stop trembling while she said it. I have never seen her like this. She likes outdoor sports very much, and her body is healthier than Uncle Genzoro..."

Asai Narumi listened to his story, closed his eyes, and let his hands follow muscle memory, pressing the black and white keys smoothly, his body swaying with the melody.

He put a lot of energy into studying medicine, and he was unfamiliar with many piano pieces in the past. It was only after rejoining the Phantom Thieves that he had the leisure to pick up this childhood dream again and re-experience and feel the world of music.

Only "Moonlight" is different.

During those two years, whenever he had the chance, he would secretly practice it at night, and even if he couldn't use the piano that belonged to his father in the activity center, he would find ways to play it.

His proficiency in this set of songs is unique, and the emotions he has are even more gushing.

Perhaps two years ago, it was because he had just finished playing that he awakened such a murderous ability under the stimulation of the truth.

Yuga Kyosuke is still telling his story.

"... and the surrendered man. Strictly speaking, I didn't kill him, but I am also involved in this matter. His performance reminded me of the banquet thirty years ago that Aunt Eimi talked about. He should have been young at that time, and he might not understand what happened, but I hope he can honestly tell me what happened to the piano that passed through his hands that night. Then..."

Haga Kyosuke took a deep breath and fell silent again in the soothing and energy-accumulating tune of "Moonlight".

He looked at the floor under his feet in silence, just like before, silently watching them fall in front of him, with distorted expressions and blood flowing.

Without saying those scenes, he suddenly said in a gentle dreamy tone: "Your piano playing style is similar to Kitagawa-kun, Mr. Asai."

"Of course." Asai Narimi opened his eyes, "I taught him piano. Although, he didn't learn it very well."

————

"You can play the piano, Tang Ze."

"Not really." Tang Ze retracted his fingers from the keys and shrugged, "I just know this friend who taught me to play a few. I can only play some simple exercises, my posture is not stretched, and the rhythm is not smooth... Anyway, he said that my playing is pretty bad."

"It's already very good." Mao Lilan, who can play some, patted his shoulder encouragingly, "You probably just don't have enough time to study, so you don't have the opportunity to study in depth. You can complete the song without even learning the basics. I think you have a good talent."

Tang Ze's posture just now was indeed amateurish and a little cramped, but the momentum of the performance was there, and it was much more impressive than many beginners who just pressed the keys.

"Karaze is very good at everything he learns." Conan, who sat on the windowsill with his chin propped up, said listlessly without turning his head, "Karaze had never learned fighting when he was in Kyoto."

He has reached this level in a few months, and can still laugh at his fighting level from time to time. When talking about this, Conan can't help but want to have a half-moon eye.

Is there a possibility that this is not my problem, but your problem, Karasawa?

"Huh?!" Mao Lilan, who doesn't know much about piano, but really knows fighting, suddenly widened her eyes.

"I haven't learned it, but I still have some basics." Karasawa, who mainly relies on cheating, lowered his head in embarrassment and made up a shield casually, "You also know that Souji is a famous kendo master. I was dragged by him to participate in club activities and so on, and I did have a little experience."

"But you didn't know Okita-kun before high school. It's amazing, really amazing..." Mao Lilan said, while retracting her hand on Karasawa's shoulder.

Don't comfort others, genius doesn't need comfort, comfort your own wounded heart...

While the three of them were chatting, there was a sound of the door opening, Maori Kogoro finally came back.

"Have you negotiated, Dad?" Maori Ran asked, "Did old man Choichiro agree that we can attend the banquet?"

"Agreed. You are right, I took out the famous piano just to show it to people. If there is no audience, it would be boring for only family members to listen." Maori Kogoro waved the paper card in his hand, "I have the invitation."

"This will make it easier to protect Miss Renxi." Maori Ran was relieved, "As long as you make sure she is fine tomorrow, your commission will be completed, right?"

"Yes, that old nun, cough, that housekeeper arranged a room for us. I will contact their family members and ask about the accidents in the past two years." Maori Kogoro touched his chin, "If you say that in the past 30 years, every death happened on this day, the coincidence is too much."

The latter words are more speculative, so Maori Kogoro did not say it.

Generally speaking, there are connections behind these serial deaths, and the key is often the first person who died.

Even detective novels are arranged according to this logic, so it is necessary to fully understand Shitara Danjiro who died that year.

"A robbery case thirty years ago..." Maori Kogoro thought of this and pressed his temples twice.

For such a long-ago case, except for the parties involved that night, there is no trace that can be verified. Everything can only be done by questioning, and it is inevitable that there are difficulties such as identifying lies.

For the first time, he had the idea of ​​staying away from such a high-net-worth commission.

Alas, it is really hard to make money and hard to eat shit. How can he make the easy money? It is not so easy to be a high-paid detective...