Chapter 20: Case Closed, Death Confronts Death

Tokyo Port.

As the luxury cruise ship docked, the police, long prepared, immediately boarded to begin their investigation.

Leading the team was the familiar officer Megure, though Takagi was absent.

Kōmu still assumed the role of the butler “Kindaichi,” wary that Megure might suddenly call him “Brother Kido.”

To avoid any trouble, Kogoro Mori took his place to liaise with the police, while Ran and Conan assisted with recording statements.

“Kindaichi? Butler? What’s going on here?”

Megure froze momentarily, somewhat puzzled, but did not expose Kōmu’s true identity.

The routine investigation commenced.

The forensic team wasted no time—clicking photos swiftly, collecting and packaging various pieces of evidence, and carrying the covered corpse off the ship.

As for Ichirō Sasamoto…

According to Shoji Sasamoto’s confession, Ichirō was indeed knocked unconscious and pushed overboard; they still needed to search for the body—if it could be found.

Upon hearing this, Mariko completely broke down. Had the police not restrained her, she would have lunged at Shoji in desperation.

“Why did you do this, Shoji? Ichirō was such a good boy…”

“Good? That kid killed Dad and Akie.”

Shoji Sasamoto showed little sympathy for his sister’s family, sneering as officers escorted him away. Only when passing by Kōmu did he pause briefly, casting a particularly complex glance at Natsue Sasamoto.

“I’m not trying to deny anything, but Dad bears a lot of responsibility for how things turned out. Ever since my brothers died unexpectedly last year... he’s always been so domineering and self-righteous. If he’d supported me in becoming a French chef, maybe none of this would have happened.”

“Turning your own kitchen tools into murder weapons—maybe old man Gōzō was right not to back you becoming a chef,” Kōmu muttered under his breath.

Shoji, who had much more to say, fell silent once again, his troubled thoughts reduced to a sigh as he lowered his head and allowed the officers to escort him off the ship.

He now felt uncomfortable around Kōmu and chose to ignore him altogether.

He still believed Kōmu was a detective sent by the old man.

Even more detestable than the one who knocked him out, Kogoro Mori…

Meanwhile, Natsue was confiding in her husband, Kotake.

They paid no heed to each other’s identities, simply mourning the tragedy at sea.

The police cars at the port and the gathering crowd weighed down the sorrow enveloping the ship.

[Case Closed.]

Kōmu stared at Natsue embracing her husband until the glowing text appeared, finally allowing him to relax.

It was as if the sound of a notebook rapidly flipping echoed in his mind.

[Task complete. Extracting rewards…]

[Obtained “Former Metropolitan Police Detective’s Pistol Shooting Guide,” 4 stars.]

[Role played satisfactorily, reward 1 star.]

[Death involvement level 3, extra reward 3 stars.]

...

A 4-star book?

Kōmu had never seen a 4-star book before.

But it wasn’t the judo or karate manual he had longed for—it was a shooting guide…

The mustachioed one’s pistol shooting?

This guy was no good at deduction but top-notch in combat, and his shooting skills were once second to none.

But he didn’t have a gun.

Even the system encouraged him to become a police officer?

Right now, the only way to get a gun seemed to be by joining Public Security through Rei Furuya.

Kōmu scratched his head in confusion.

For some reason, the mere thought of agreeing to Rei Furuya’s suggestion gave him a premonition of death.

...

Additional information:

Role played satisfactorily, reward 1 star… He had thought it would be “excellent.”

It was probably because the mustachioed family’s involvement threw him off, preventing a perfect portrayal of the butler.

Death involvement…

Kōmu’s gaze narrowed again.

It was the first time he had seen a detailed note about extra rewards.

“Shh-shh!”

The sound of pages turning continued by his ear, drowning out even the chaotic noises of the port.

The entire world seemed to exist solely for Kōmu.

Except for the Yoko case, which had no extra rewards, previous ones seemed linked to the number of deaths.

Neighbor Yamada was killed, and Kōmu had killed the murderer, earning 2 extra stars.

---

A female colleague murdered her manager in the supermarket case, granting 1 star.

The Yoko case was probably classified as accidental death, so no extra reward.

The more deaths, the higher the rewards…

What kind of twisted system was this?

Kōmu suddenly recalled the first time he saw the Death Note.

Mysterious and eerie, it seemed to carry the aura of death itself.

Could it be that there were two kinds of death gods in this world?

One belonging to the Death Note, another to “Death Comes”…

“Hoo!”

Whether it was his imagination or not, the surrounding sunlight suddenly dropped in temperature.

The whole world darkened…

Kōmu took a deep breath to calm his scattered thoughts.

He was far too weak now; there was no need to overthink.

Grow, develop quietly, and just do his best.

...

“Mr. Kindaichi?”

Natsue Sasamoto arrived with her husband Kotake, faces still marked with fatigue.

“We still have to arrange Grandpa and the others’ funerals. I’m afraid there won’t be much time to entertain you... I’ve already contacted Butler Suzuki; the final payment will be increased to one million yen.”

Natsue exchanged a glance with Kotake.

“I wonder if Mr. Kindaichi would be willing to continue serving the Sasamoto family as butler. Butler Suzuki is getting old, I think…”

“No, thank you,” Kōmu politely declined.

Had he just arrived in this world—or if this were just an ordinary deduction world—he might have agreed. But now, being a butler was merely a temporary role for him.

He didn’t want to be someone’s butler forever.

“Thank you, Mr. Kindaichi,” Natsue said with some disappointment. “Though I don’t know why, I could feel from the start that you were protecting me... You’re a good person.”

“My wife and I have decided,” Kotake expressed gratefully, “after settling things here in Tokyo, we’ll move out of the Sasamoto household and start a new life running a ranch in Hokkaido.”

“Congratulations.”

Kōmu smiled, watching the newlyweds disembark.

His hawk-like vision caught Kotake’s smirk as he left.

He already knew the full story of Isao Zaijō.

He and the Sasamoto family were arch-enemies.

He wondered if this bloody massacre truly involved the son of his nemesis, or if he played some hidden role.

Kōmu’s smile faded.

This world was extraordinary.

It completely shattered his understanding of Detective Conan… like an alternate version of it.

Why had old man Gōzō only spoken to Kotake after the wedding? Why did Kotake’s boutonniere fall off at that moment, and why was he framed so clumsily?

He had a feeling this guy deliberately let himself be locked in the warehouse…

But it was just a guess.

No evidence.

And probably no need to investigate further.

...

The series of murders on the cruise ship came to an end.

Kōmu prepared to leave the scene, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Conan stepping out of the cabin, his face wearing a depth beyond his years.

The case seemed resolved, but Conan felt the solution was too hasty.

His passion for deduction had no outlet.

Something was off.

Of course—based on past experience—Shoji Sasamoto should have escaped smoothly at that point.

Then he would have gathered all the clues and called everyone to the dining hall for a grand deduction showdown, exposing Shoji’s trick on the spot.

This time, because of Kōmu, it was all left hanging.

Though all clues were later filled in, no one listened to his deductions.

“Mr. Kido,” Ran approached furtively behind Kogoro, holding a signature board from somewhere, her face full of anticipation. “Could you sign this for me? I grew up watching your TV show!”

“...”

Kōmu’s expression stiffened.

That really didn’t make him happy.

“Please!” Ran bowed her head, holding the board with both hands.

A lively, energetic high school girl, showing no signs of a violent model, nor the mature, saintly aura she would have in later adaptations.

Thinking of Ran’s small hands capable of splitting stone and metal, Kōmu signed his name from the heart: “No problem.”

The male idols Ran liked didn’t seem to have great fates, but he had already “died” once—should be fine?

No death premonition.

“That’s great,” Ran said excitedly, clutching her hands as she waited. “Can you write ‘To Ran and Shinichi’ below?”

“Sure…”

Kōmu nodded calmly.

Since he was signing anyway, adding a few words was no trouble.

“How’s your detective boyfriend?”

“Oh, no,” Ran blushed and waved her hands energetically. “He’s no detective boyfriend... that guy’s just a deduction fanatic. He hasn’t called me lately, hasn’t even been to school for a long time—definitely caught up in some case… But come to think of it, those cases used to get solved so quickly. Has his ability declined?”

“...”

Kōmu stared blankly at Ran, who was full of inner drama, and hurriedly handed over the autograph board.

He had just casually asked—why such a big reaction?

After Ran shyly walked away, Kōmu tilted his head toward Conan, who was still deep in thought.

His hairstyle had somehow returned to normal.

“I’m rubbing it!” Kōmu clapped his hands, satisfied as he messed up Conan’s hair.

“What are you doing?” Conan vented his frustration.

“Time to go.”

Kōmu cast one last glance at the cruise ship, then turned and followed down the deck stairs.

“The case is important, but you should cherish Ran properly.”

“Huh?” Conan’s small body stiffened. “Kido-nii, what are you talking about? I don’t understand…”

“You know.”

Kōmu’s steps paused.

Both the mustachioed detective and Ran were fine; he truly didn’t want this guy to get into trouble in the end.

“On the ship, you didn’t act like a child at all. Your acting was terrible—you weren’t scared at all seeing the corpse, and you calmly deduced and analyzed… You get so absorbed in cases you forget everything else, turning into a deduction fanatic…

“Also, no one else thought a person could turn into a child, right? Suddenly disappearing and then reappearing at the Mori Detective Agency—Kudō Shinichi?”

“You’re no simple has-been idol yourself, Kido-nii.”

Conan stopped pretending to be a kid, his face serious as he quietly opened his anesthetic watch.

Only Professor Agasa knew about his identity as Shinichi Kudo.

Unless those black-suited men discovered something and came investigating…

“Are you an accomplice of those black-suited men?”

“I’m just a powerless ordinary person. No accomplices here. I just want to remind you—being flashy will get people killed—not just you, but the Mori family too.”

Kōmu waved his hand tiredly and stepped off the ship down the escalator.

Having been on edge the whole night, his body could barely keep up.

Now, he just wanted to go home and sleep well.

“Bang—!”

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from the other side of the port.

It appeared to be a car accident; at an intersection, a police car’s door was mangled. Ryūnosuke Sasamoto, who should have been taken to the police station for questioning, widened his eyes in terror, trapped inside.

As if he saw some horrifying presence.

The next moment, a cargo truck unloading at the dock overturned, and a steel beam pierced right through Ryūnosuke Sasamoto.

Blood sprayed everywhere.

“What’s going on?!”

“Save him!”

...

From afar, Kōmu watched the chaotic accident scene.

The sound of pages flipping in his mind ceased.

The final message appeared before his eyes.

[Recorded professions: lv0 Butler, lv1 Detective.]

It seemed the incident had officially drawn to a close at this moment.