Time flew by. Three hours later.
It was already dark outside, but the atmosphere in the living room was rather quiet. Everyone was gathered tightly around a square table. Ran and Kurosawa Hoshino sat on chairs, facing Dojima Katsuki and Kuroda Naoko.
"Red Herring, are you actually any good? You said you were a card expert, so I teamed up with you, and we haven't won a single game. Are you really an expert?" Kuroda Naoko used Dojima Katsuki's online name. After losing for three hours straight, she couldn't hold it in anymore and finally complained.
Dojima Katsuki—Kaito Kuroba—didn't answer. His hand holding the cards trembled slightly. He looked at Ran, who was smiling across from him, and swallowed hard. He screamed inwardly, Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
This girl—this girl—
She's cheating! She's definitely cheating! Otherwise, why can't I beat her even when I cheat? Is her technique better than mine?
Dojima Katsuki's confidence was crumbling. In his eyes, Ran's figure seemed to grow taller and taller, like a giant blotting out the sky, while he became an ant that could be crushed at will.
He didn't believe Ran was winning by luck. He hadn't cheated at first, but after losing to her several times in a row, he finally came to his senses and started cheating. Since Kurosawa Hoshino was watching right beside him, he didn't dare cheat too obviously—just during the shuffle, he'd stack some of the higher cards on his side.
But even so, he couldn't win against Ran no matter what. No matter how good the cards he stacked, unless he could deal himself a hand that let him play out everything in one go, he simply couldn't beat her. So he was certain this girl was cheating. Otherwise, how could anyone win like this?
Damn it, why can't I see through her technique? Why does she win no matter who shuffles? Is my teammate her accomplice?
No, no. Even if my teammate were her accomplice, I should still be able to see her technique when my teammate shuffles.
That's it. She must be a world-class cheat. No wonder I failed when I ambushed her on the cruise ship last time—it wasn't Kurosawa Hoshino's warning at all. She saw through my disguise completely.
"Hiss~" Dojima Katsuki sucked in a cold breath. His eyes darted back and forth between Kurosawa Hoshino and Ran, then finally landed on Sonoko. It was as if he understood something, and his body trembled. He smiled bitterly and thought, As expected. A detective that brilliant wouldn't have ordinary people around him. A world-class cheat and a world-class rich girl. Sigh, I only just realized—
Having been thoroughly crushed to the point of delirium, Dojima Katsuki—Kaito Kuroba—after all that imagining, had successfully led himself astray.
He put down his cards, looked at Ran with sincere eyes, and lowered his head. "I lose, Teacher Ran. Compared to you, I'm as naive as a child. I'll definitely hone my skills, and one day, I'll see through your technique and make you acknowledge me."
With that, he got up and left his seat, waiting for the next team to play.
"?!" Ran stared at Dojima Katsuki blankly, a giant question mark practically floating over her head. Is his brain broken?
Kurosawa Hoshino also had a phrase from his past life pop into his head. He looked at Dojima Katsuki speechlessly, wondering what nonsense this idiot had imagined this time—or if he'd just lost so hard his brain had short-circuited.
He shook his head and looked at the others. "Anyone else want to challenge me and Ran?"
Hearing that, everyone looked at each other and shook their heads in unison. Honestly, they were starting to get cured of their card addiction. It was pointless—completely pointless. They couldn't win at all. What was the fun in that?
They had gone from thinking they were experts, to getting excited, to calming down, to going blank, and finally to having only one thought: win one game and then rest. In the end, even winning one game had become a luxury. Then they'd started looking for Ran's cheating technique, but even staring at her from all angles, they still couldn't see any cheating moves.
"Cough." Arata Yoshinori forced a smile. "This is a gathering of magic enthusiasts. Let's stop playing cards. How about everyone shares who their most admired magician is?"
"I'll go first." Hamano Toshiya smiled. "The magician I admire most is Kuroba Toichi. His performances were truly masterful."
Vermouth, of course, admired Kuroba Toichi—after all, he had been her teacher. She had learned disguise and ventriloquism from him.
"Coincidentally, me too." Dojima Katsuki's chubby face wore a simple, honest smile.
"Huh~" Arata Yoshinori glanced at the two of them and said in surprise, "You might not believe this, but actually, the one I admire most is also Kuroba Toichi."
Tanaka Kikue spoke up. "Mine is Kinoshita Kichiro, who, at just twenty years old, had already collected every title and honor."
Ran and Sonoko were startled at the name and instinctively looked at Kurosawa Hoshino. Kurosawa Hoshino was also looking at them. He moved his chair closer and said quietly, "That's Tsujimoto Motoyasu—the one from that case."
Ran and Sonoko nodded.
"Why are all the people you mention dead?" Kuroda Naoko looked at the four across from her with amusement. "The one I admire most is the currently popular Sanada Kazumi. Though I heard his teacher, Mr. Tsujimoto Motoyasu, passed away for some reason."
Because no reporters had covered Tsujimoto Motoyasu's death, no one had actively revealed the truth. The most common speculation was still the same as the police's initial investigation: suicide by poison.
"Kurosawa-kun, Mr. Mouri, who are the magicians you admire most?" Arata Yoshinori asked.
Kogoro Mouri waved his hand. "Sorry, I don't really pay attention to magicians."
"I'll pick Kaitou Kid." Conan chimed in—finally, after more than three hours of silence, he got a line in.
Dojima Katsuki asked curiously, "Little boy, why Kaitou Kid?"
"Because—" Conan curled the corner of his mouth and said confidently, "I want to catch Kaitou Kid. One day, I will catch him."
Dojima Katsuki: "..."
He stared at Conan for a moment, filed the brat's boastful words away in his mind, and temporarily shut his mouth.
"I don't pay attention to magicians either," Kurosawa Hoshino replied.
Hamano Toshiya had been secretly watching Ran and Kurosawa Hoshino when he felt a tug on his clothes. He turned and saw Tanaka Kikue, who was winking at him—apparently wanting to whisper something.