Chapter 100: Encounter

It was necessary to help Ran and Sonoko build some resistance to fear.

Among the girls, most of them had slightly stronger mental endurance, Ran was the most reluctant when it came to supernatural matters.

They weren't going to the back mountain, but since evil spirits were active all over the island, finding one wasn't difficult.

Besides, Ren wasn't planning to capture an evil spirit, his goal was to make Ran and Sonoko fully aware of their existence and develop a clearer understanding of what they were dealing with.

"Before you observe the evil spirits in detail, let me help you see them first."

"Hold still."

Ren raised his hand and gently tapped their foreheads, allowing a small amount of his spiritual energy to flow into their eyes.

This temporarily granted them spiritual vision, enabling them to see spirits that were normally invisible.

"Now, look up at the sky—"

"Ran!?"

A sudden voice interrupted him.

A rough, familiar voice.

Ran immediately recognized it.

She turned, eyes wide in surprise.

"Dad? Why are you here?"

Standing before them was Mouri Kogoro.

---

"Obviously, I'm here for a case."

Hearing his response, Ran was briefly reminded that her father was still a detective who took on various private investigations.

But…

Didn't her dad mostly handle missing pets or cheating spouse investigations?

What kind of case had brought him all the way to Tsukikage Island?

"…Wait. Dad, are you investigating an affair on Tsukikage Island?"

"…What kind of question is that?! Do you think all I do is investigate affairs?!"

"Yes."

Without hesitation, Ran nodded firmly.

Kogoro felt an immediate sting in his chest.

Why did his own daughter have such a low opinion of him?

Ever since she moved out to live with Eri, it felt like his reputation had taken a massive hit.

"Dad, didn't you always say that investigating affairs requires a certain level of skill?"

"You also said that only former police officers have the necessary expertise to uncover evidence of infidelity."

I was just bragging!

Kogoro felt a sharp pain in his pride.

He really shouldn't have said those things in front of Ran.

He was only trying to show off, but she had actually taken him seriously.

As a former police academy graduate, investigating and analyzing clues was a basic skillset.

But it wasn't some specialized ability, just standard detective work.

The fact that Ran believed it so deeply was a little painful.

---

At Kogoro feet, Edogawa Conan silently shook his head.

Uncle… next time, don't say unnecessary things in front of Ran.

She tends to take everything literally.

But Conan's attention was quickly drawn elsewhere.

Because standing next to Ran and Sonoko was a certain boy.

The same one from before.

The one he had seen with Sonoko on the street.

And just moments ago, before Kogoro called out to Ran…

That boy had reached out and touched her forehead.

What was he doing?

From Conan's position, he couldn't tell the details.

Had he just touched her?

Had he brushed her bangs aside?

What exactly had happened?

Something about it didn't sit right.

And that bothered him.

A lot.

Especially since Sonoko hadn't reacted at all.

If this guy was taking advantage of Ran, Sonoko would have definitely called him out.

And Ran wasn't the type of person to let someone casually touch her like that.

So… what was that about?

Despite running multiple scenarios through his mind, Conan couldn't figure it out which only frustrated him more.

But above all else—one emotion was clear.

Unhappiness.

It didn't matter who it was.

Conan felt this way toward any boy who got close to Ran.

After all, right now, he wasn't Shinichi anymore.

He was just Edogawa Conan—a child.

As long as he remained in this form, he had no chance to move forward with Ran.

And ever since Ran had come to believe he was dead, she was now completely open to meeting other people.

The thought made him uneasy.

Anyone who got close to her was an enemy.

---

"So, Dad, why exactly are you on Tsukikage Island?"

Ran's question pulled Kogoro out of his thoughts.

The truth was, he also found this case strange.

The client had paid upfront, explained their identity, and given him a vague objective but provided almost no actual details.

It was exactly because of how suspicious it was that Kogoro had reluctantly taken the case.

But he didn't want Ran to know that.

"A case is a case."

"The client's identity needs to be confirmed, and there are still many uncertainties."

"I can't share the details just yet."

Then, shifting his gaze, he turned to Ren.

"…Are there only three of you?"

"Not at all."

Ran shook her head.

"It's a club activity."

"A club?"

Kogoro frowned.

"Ran, aren't you part of the karate club?"

Ran nodded.

"So why are you in another club?"

Ran had anticipated this question.

"I joined as a hidden member."

Kogoro stared at her.

"Does your karate club president know about this?"

"Of course."

Ran hesitated for a second.

Then, remembering the president's unwilling yet powerless expression, she felt… a little guilty.

"She wasn't happy about it, but she accepted it."

This shocked Kogoro.

His daughter was the karate club's ace.

Would any club president willingly let their star athlete join another club?

"Pfft—Uncle, don't overthink it."

Sonoko was thoroughly entertained by his reaction.

"That senior sister didn't want to accept it at first."

"But if she refused, the club's funding would have been revoked."

"So, even if she didn't like it, she had no choice but to accept."

"Besides, Ran isn't quitting, she's just a hidden member."

Kogoro gave Sonoko a skeptical look.

This girl usually hated using privileges why was she involved in something like this?

"Oh, it wasn't me. It was the ice queen."

The moment she saw Kogoro's suspicion, Sonoko immediately shifted the blame.

"I won't say who, but let's just say she's from a family as powerful as mine."

"…Huh?"

Kogoro froze.

Another elite family? In Teitan High School?

He hadn't heard anything about that.

And just like that, the detective was left more confused than before.