"Treasure!"
"Where's the treasure!"
Nishikawa Mutsumi went fully mad.
Megure struggled pulling her arm—strength unfit for an octogenarian.
"Brother Tsuneo?"
Fat orange puzzled by repairman's intent.
Such evil—why show treasure?
Let her regret forever, never see or touch!
"Officer Megure, don't be cruel; she chased so long—one glance?" Tsuneo laughed, words too kind.
Even kids exchanged glances.
"Weird, Brother Tsuneo eat wrong?"
Not his style.
Last burglar at Ayumi's—countless broken bones.
"Mr. Tsuneo, solved the puzzle?" Son-in-law Mamiya Man interjected.
"Yeah, let the kid explain." Tsuneo pushed detective forward.
Conan side-eyed Tsuneo.
No way he knows chess.
Mutsumi stared wide-eyed, desperate at Conan.
"Ahem, chess uses A-H letters, 1-8 numbers; from knight's view, correct board orientation."
"White pieces in order: EGGHEAD." Conan showed notebook.
"EGGHEAD?" Takagi muttered, blank; eyed Tsuneo.
Tsuneo turned away.
Don't ask...
"egg head"
Ai read, eyed huge hall oil painting.
"Heh, know-it-all egghead."
Late wife's view of father.
"Yes, answer: puzzle-maker himself."
Conan smiled, nodded; group to painting.
"Rotate portrait right per black pieces pattern..."
Tsuneo twisted it.
Secret entrance appeared.
"Let the old lady admire treasure first." Repairman seemed considerate...
"Ts-Tsuneo?"
Megure holding Mutsumi, stunned—really?
Last time: go easy on culprit, but now...
"No, she should see." Conan eyed Tsuneo, climbed ladder up passage.
"Treasure, treasure..."
Guarded by Megure and Takagi, Mutsumi muttered nonstop.
Twenty years as butler, handling affairs; four years ago, full crone surgery—for this treasure!
Finally here!
Before me!
"Treasure where?!" At end, in darkness, she scanned.
"Heh, right here?" Detective hands in pockets, by stone door, smiling.
Megure saw this far, said nothing; with Takagi, dragged crazy hag to door.
"I'll open!" In dark, Tsuneo's smile odd, meaningful.
Mamiya Man and Takato crowded.
Door opened; all froze like statues.
"Where?"
"Where?" Mutsumi turned, hideous, to Tsuneo.
"Admire your treasure!"
Repairman sneered, grabbed head, forced view outside.
Midnight: pitch black, howling wind; distant forest lake moonlit, clearer.
"Door says?"
"I bequeath this castle and view to first finder." Conan prompted puzzled crowd.
Raining all night; just cleared—view meh.
Better than his prior climb.
How'd Tsuneo know treasure?
Chess? No. Grilling outside—no time search.
Kindness to fulfill wish?
Ghosts wouldn't buy.
"Impossible!"
"Killed so many—for this..."
"Ruined face to ugly crone—for this..."
"For this..." Mutsumi head gripped, couldn't shake; eyes tearing, murmuring, denying.
Mamiya Man backed complex, regret plain.
Megure felt her go limp; needed propping by him and Takagi.
Seeing true treasure: inwardly aged fully.
No wonder Tsuneo insisted.
Worse than death...
"You're right; puzzle-leaver total egghead." Ai arms crossed, eyed Tsuneo.
egg head
Know-it-all.
Few, even kids, like such romance.
"Let's go..." Megure took broken Mutsumi.
Fifteen lives—no, seventeen.
Mamiya Man's forest-starved servant; imprisoned real lady.
"Spectacular!" Dr. Agasa finally at open door, viewing.
"Doctor, too slow!" Kids beside, wind-blowing, scenery-gazing.
Only they four liked the treasure...
(End of Chapter)
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