"This air conditioner..."
Inside a high-end luxury apartment, Tsuneo stood against the wall, head tilted back as he inspected the unit above.
It clearly hadn't been purchased very long ago; it should still be under warranty. Besides, these things don't break down that easily.
"What's the matter? Can't fix it?" Ikumi Kyoda asked. Her hair was damp, and she was wrapped in a bathrobe with the belt tied loosely—so loosely that the slightest movement offered a rather spectacular view.
This woman had called the repairman over for three consecutive days to "fix" various things. Her attire had grown bolder each day; today, she was clearly wearing nothing underneath.
Tsuneo shot her a sidelong glance before opening his stepladder to check the issue. In the world of Conan, seasons changed at a dizzying pace—yesterday was late autumn, today was suddenly winter. This woman truly had no fear of the cold.
"I had someone bring this bottle of red wine back from abroad specifically for me," Ikumi Kyoda said, sitting on the sofa with her long legs draped over the coffee table. She was painting her nails a shimmering color, smiling as she introduced the wine.
"..." Tsuneo gripped the remote and pointed it at the unit.
Beep!
The air conditioner hummed to life, blowing warm air directly into the repairman's face—which was currently looking very dark.
I brought a whole ladder, and it turns out the batteries were just dead?
"Oh! You fixed it so quickly!" Ikumi heard the hum of the machine and cheered without even looking up. Her pale toes wiggled slightly, a small tell of her good mood.
Tsuneo turned his head, took a silent, lingering look at the "scenery," and then reached out to pull the curtains shut.
Be that as it may, I'm not giving you a discount on the repair fee!
"Why are you sitting so far away?" Ikumi crossed her legs, swirling her wine glass as she leaned against the sofa, patting the spot beside her.
"Who was it yesterday who said they were 'about to die'..." Tsuneo muttered with an exasperated expression.
The repairman's physical stats were high, and his stamina was incredible—he could handle high-intensity combat—but the enemy across from him wasn't strong enough. Rebuilding defensive fortifications took time. The current display was purely her teasing him.
This is a scam!
"When did I ever say such a thing!" Whether it was the wine or the memory the words triggered, Ikumi's face flushed red. She leaned in closer to interrogate him.
"At that moment, you—" Before Tsuneo could finish, his mouth was silenced.
After a brief "exchange," Ikumi gave the repairman's cheek a sharp pinch and carried her wine glass into the kitchen. She had to make something to eat.
Seriously, this man's appetite is bottomless!
Tsuneo wiped the lipstick from the corner of his mouth and picked up a letter sitting on the table. Beside it lay a check for three million yen.
It was a request. The client's name was Shinji Nagayama.
The Nagayama family of Fairy Island had run into trouble recently. They had received three threatening letters within a month. The third letter, which arrived just a few days ago, contained a name tag belonging to their eldest daughter, who was currently studying abroad.
"A treasure passed down through generations?" Tsuneo mused.
The sender's goal was clear: they wanted the family's ancestral treasure. However, Shinji Nagayama apparently had no idea such a thing even existed in his house.
"Strange, isn't it? A treasure the victim doesn't even know about," Ikumi said, leaning over the back of the sofa to look at the letter. The kitchen behind her was filled with the bubbling aroma of food.
"Wouldn't it be easier to just call the police?" Tsuneo tilted his head, brushing aside a lock of her long hair to peer through the gap at the well-contoured peaks before him.
Don't misunderstand. I'm not looking at the scenery; I'm just exercising my neck.
Ikumi smiled and straightened the repairman's head. "They called the police, of course. But there were no results. No one can keep a guard around one family twenty-four-seven."
In times like these, hiring a reliable detective to investigate was a sound move.
"Be careful. To get a name tag from that far away, it's likely organized crime," Tsuneo cautioned, placing the letter back on the table.
The main issue was that the Nagayamas didn't know what the treasure was. They might eventually have to rely on hints from the blackmailer.
"You're right. Finding the treasure is the priority," Ikumi nodded.
"When do you leave?" Tsuneo asked.
"The payment is already in hand... so, tomorrow."
The following day.
Inside a bus.
"Achoo!"
Professor Agasa pulled down his mask, covering his face as he sneezed twice.
"Hey, Professor, are you sure you can go skiing in that condition?" Conan asked, leaning out from his window seat to look at the Professor across the aisle.
"He brought it on himself," Haibara said with a smirk, sitting in her red coat next to "Director" Conan. "I told him not to push it since he has a cold, but he just had to stay up half the night practicing his skiing form in front of the TV using an instructional tape."
"How do you practice in front of a TV?" Tsuneo asked from the seat behind them. He couldn't quite picture the scene.
"What else was I supposed to do? I'm taking the kids skiing; I can't be the first one to collapse!" The Professor's nose was beet-red as he looked back at the repairman. Should I give you a live demonstration...?
"When we get there, you have to stay inside and sleep!" Ayumi reminded him from the seat next to the Professor.
"They say you have to be most careful when a cold first starts!" Mitsuhiko added.
"You better not go running outside and making it worse!" Genta chimed in from the row in front of Agasa.
"I wonder who's really taking care of whom here..." Tsuneo chuckled.
For this ski trip, they hadn't driven; they chose to take the bus instead. Akemi also had a slight cold and stayed home, so it was just Tsuneo and the Professor looking after the Junior Detective League.
The bus had just passed the 3-chome stop, and quite a few people had gotten off. Aside from Tsuneo and his group, there were only five or six other passengers left.
"By the way, didn't that lady accept a case? Is it okay for you not to go?" Conan asked, turning toward Tsuneo. The Great Detective was well aware of the repairman's recent activities and his apparently good relationship with Ms. Kyoda.
"She said she didn't need my help," Tsuneo's lip twitched. Not only did she not need his help, she told him to keep the check for himself to spend...
"So, does this mean you two are dating with marriage in mind?" Professor Agasa turned around, delivering a checkmate of a question. The old man was genuinely curious. Ms. Kyoda seemed about five or six years older than Tsuneo, but that was hardly an issue!
But where should they buy a house? Staying nearby would be convenient. Maybe I can help look after the kids when I'm free!
Tsuneo looked at the five kids and the old man, all staring at him intently. For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
Where are they even getting this from?
"Next stop: Beika Park!" "Next stop: Beika Park!"
The announcement rang out, and the bus slowly rounded the corner, coming to a steady stop beside the signpost.
(End of Chapter)
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