"Eh?"
Kimie Shimabukuro was slightly stunned.
The expressions of some people around them also turned somewhat unpleasant.
Conan glanced around, his eyes narrowing, and quickly understood what was happening. He whispered, "So that's how it is..."
"I'm sorry, Kimie!"
After a brief silence, a man with a square jaw in the crowd couldn't hold back any longer. He walked up to Kimie Shimabukuro and bowed deeply. "Actually, almost everyone on the island knows about this, except for some of the younger folks."
"You're lying..."
Kimie Shimabukuro stood there blankly, her eyes widening a bit, appearing somewhat at a loss.
"Actually, we've all known that the woman who died in the fire three years ago was your mother..."
"We originally planned not to hold the Mermaid Festival after that, but seeing you appear before us again, disguised as the revered Mermaid Princess, we didn't know how to tell you."
"This island was originally Mermaid Island... Since you're willing to continue impersonating the Mermaid Princess, we are naturally willing to cooperate and continue!"
Spurred on by the square-jawed man, some of the older islanders in the surroundings also gradually began to reveal the truth.
"How could this be..."
Kimie Shimabukuro looked around at the familiar faces, suddenly feeling a sense of unfamiliarity.
"Heh heh... In the end, you're all just doing it for your own benefit."
At this moment, the 'Shadow,' perched on the rooftop, chuckled and then mocked, "You treat this young girl like a clown, playing tricks on her. This entire island is crookedly written with 'cannibalism'!"
"Compared to me, the villain, you islanders who keep an innocent girl in the dark and exploit her for profit... even I, the villain, must salute your expertise!"
A voice of protest came from somewhere in the crowd: "We are indeed doing it for the island's benefit, but it was Kimie's own wish!"
"Her own wish?"
The 'Shadow' frowned. "If this matter had been revealed earlier, would those people have burned someone to test the Mermaid Princess? Would Kimie's mother's remains need to be buried anonymously in the back mountains, without even a tombstone?"
Saying this, he laughed aloud: "In the end, you didn't say anything simply because you profited from the festival. You must have thought it's better not to tell her, to keep Kimie in the dark, and let her continue to be enveloped by years of lies, so you can gain more profits from future festivals, right?"
"..."
The people in the shrine square fell silent.
Most of those present had indeed earned a considerable amount of money, more or less, from the festival.
Just as Fujino said, as long as the festival continued, the island's legends would attract many people who believed in the Mermaid Princess, bringing in a large number of guests for a few days each year.
No matter how you looked at it, their choice not to tell Kimie the truth certainly involved their own selfish motives.
"We're sorry, Kimie!"
"Although it was for the island, we are still very sorry to you!"
"Please forgive us!"
The surrounding islanders lowered their stances, bowing and sincerely apologizing to Kimie Shimabukuro.
"Why didn't you say something sooner..."
Kimie Shimabukuro felt bewildered, looking around at the islanders, feeling somewhat estranged.
If these people had spoken up earlier, she wouldn't have had to live with two identities every day.
Her mother wouldn't have been burned to death for impersonating the Mermaid Princess...
Ultimately, her impersonation of the Mermaid Princess was due to her mother's dying wish, and for the sake of the island.
But now, she felt as if something had been quietly shattered.
Suddenly, she felt as if she had been doing meaningless things all along.
Thinking this, a tear rolled down her cheek.
Like a collapsing snow mountain, the grievance that had been suppressed in her heart finally burst forth at this moment.
"There's even something like this..."
Yuichi Shimura frowned, observing the villagers present.
Hearing what the 'Shadow' said, he also felt a sudden realization.
He just felt that these villagers were a bit too malicious.
However, none of this had much to do with him.
Turning his head, he shouted at the 'Shadow,' "Mr. Shadow, can you put the person down now? Things are very clear. As long as you put the person down, I'll take those three arsonist murderers back to the police station. I guarantee I won't pursue charges against you!"
What he cared about most were the kidnapper who called himself the 'Shadow' and the three arsonists.
He planned to immediately rush forward and arrest the 'Shadow' as soon as he put the person down.
The 'Shadow' was one achievement, and the three arsonists were another.
If he could catch all of them, he'd be ecstatic!
"Of course..."
The 'Shadow' grabbed the back of Nao Kawagoe's collar and jumped down like he was holding a kitten.
Landing steadily, Yuichi Shimura quickly stepped forward, instinctively reaching for his handcuffs from behind.
Just as he was about to exchange the hostage, he suddenly lunged, intending to tackle the 'Shadow' and handcuff him.
But Fujino had long sensed this move. He reached out and grabbed Yuichi Shimura's arm holding the handcuffs. "Officer, what are you trying to do?"
"I'm just trying to handcuff the suspect..."
Yuichi Shimura's face stiffened, and he forced a smile as he explained.
"I see..."
The 'Shadow''s face showed no unusual expression. With a slight flick of his arm, the handcuffs in Yuichi Shimura's hand dropped.
Catching the handcuffs in mid-air with his other hand, the 'Shadow' performed an over-the-shoulder throw, slamming Yuichi Shimura to the ground, and then quickly clamped the retrieved handcuffs onto his wrists.
"Don't harbor any ill intentions, Officer."
The 'Shadow' gave a forceful shove, and Yuichi Shimura, with his hands restrained, stumbled back several steps, falling onto his rear.
While this minor interlude was unfolding, Conan secretly ran up.
Using the crowd as cover, he flipped open his wrist-watch and aimed its scope at the 'Shadow.'
"Even for the purpose of arrest, you shouldn't use such methods..."
Conan was not very satisfied with the 'Shadow''s act of righteous punishment.
This kind of direct, leg-breaking vigilante justice reminded him of a certain annoying big bat.
Without thinking, he pressed the switch, firing the silver anesthetic needle.
"Whoosh—!"
Under the enhancement of Conan's scientific watch, the anesthetic needle was incredibly fast, flying straight towards the 'Shadow''s neck.
"Hmm?"
The 'Shadow,' Fujino, slightly raised his gaze and saw the approaching anesthetic needle.
Instinctively, he turned and dodged.
"Darn it!"
Seeing his anesthetic needle miss again, Conan was so frustrated he wanted to stomp his feet.
Why did his anesthetic needles always get noticed so keenly at times like this?!
It was like that with the annoying bat, and now it's like this with the 'Shadow.'
Even Fujino himself would sometimes just miss for various reasons.
So, was he carrying this anesthetic needle for nothing?
Fujino: "..."
You want to shoot people the moment you see them, huh?
This kid definitely needs some schooling.
Fujino, now wearing the 'Shadow' persona, slowly walked towards Conan.
A persona is a persona. When you put on a persona, you naturally do things you wouldn't normally do.
If he didn't do something a little outrageous, wouldn't putting on this persona be a waste?