Kanjuro looked at Ran, who was trembling in his arms from anger and betrayal. He didn't comfort her immediately but asked softly in a nearly coaxing tone:
"Ran, perhaps... Shinichi Kudo hid his identity and lurked by your side to protect you from certain dangers?" He deliberately proposed this possibility as if testing Ran's final hesitation, and as if enjoying the process of personally snuffing out her last shred of illusion.
Ran jerked her head up from Kanjuro's embrace, tear tracks still wet on her face, but her eyes were a cold wasteland. She twitched the corners of her mouth, revealing a bitter and mocking smile.
"Protection?" Her voice carried a bone-chilling coldness. "No, that's just a high-sounding excuse. In the end, he didn't trust me. He didn't believe I had the ability to face it with him, didn't believe in my strength. He chose self-righteous concealment and deception, keeping me in the dark, letting me be observed like a fool... perhaps even pitied."
Her tone became increasingly agitated, filled with long-suppressed grievances and resentment:
"Father, do you know? If he didn't tell me the truth, I could only live in hopeless waiting forever! One year? Two years? Or ten? Was I supposed to be like a 'waiting stone,' guarding a 'ghost' who would never show his true face, wasting my youth and consuming my feelings?!"
The more she spoke, the more she felt her anger was justified and Shinichi's deception unforgivable. In comparison, although Kanjuro's methods were cruel, he had never deceived her about his identity or goals (in her perception). This twisted comparison made her lean even more firmly toward the dark side.
Hearing her words, a smile that could truly be called "gentle" appeared on Kanjuro's face. He reached out and gently stroked her hair, his movements full of possessive comfort.
"Alright, alright, it's all in the past." His voice was deep and magnetic, like a hypnotic spell. "From now on, no one will make you so sad or make you wait so painstakingly. Forget those unworthy people and those unworthy feelings."
Under these extreme emotional fluctuations and Kanjuro's manipulation, Ran's last bit of attachment and old feelings for Shinichi seemed to completely vanish along with her adoptive father's death and the cruel truth. She felt an unprecedented emptiness and exhaustion, and the powerful father before her, who would never "deceive" her, became the only driftwood she could grab onto.
She tilted her head back, looking at Kanjuro's face close at hand, his deep eyes seemingly reflecting only her at this moment. A mixture of dependence, gratitude, and a distorted sense of filial devotion driven by his guidance prompted her to make a bold move.
She stood on her tiptoes and proactively pressed her lips against the corner of Kanjuro's mouth.
"Only Father Kanjuro..." She leaned into his embrace, her voice as light as a feather yet filled with unquestionable determination. "You won't lie to me, right?"
Kanjuro felt the fleeting cold touch at the corner of his mouth and saw the look of dependence and trust in his daughter's eyes. He satisfiedly tightened his arms, pulling her deeper into his embrace.
"Of course, my Ran." He responded in a low voice, a deep and unfathomable curve hooking at the corner of his mouth. "Papa will never lie to you."
Only, behind this "non-deception" was an even deeper, more complete control and utilization. While Ran severed all ties with her past, she also personally locked herself into a darker and more desperate cage named "Kanjuro." And she was completely unaware of this, even relishing it.
Eri Kisaki stood to the side, watching the intimacy between Kanjuro and Ran that transcended the usual boundaries of father and daughter. Instead of showing shock or opposition, a complex smile of nearly relief and gratification appeared on her face. She pushed up her glasses, the look behind the lenses carrying a sense of liberation after casting off worldly shackles, and said softly:
"Now thinking about it, perhaps this is for the best. As long as we, mother and daughter, can be with you forever, without outside interference or being bound by those hypocritical rules... this is also a unique kind of happiness." Her tone was calm, yet it carried a sense of resigned devotion. "The rules and regulations of the world only limit our... love for you."
Hearing this, Kanjuro smiled elegantly and wrapped his arms around Ran and Eri Kisaki respectively, pulling both mother and daughter into his embrace. His gaze shifted between the two of them with a controlling charm, as he suggested in a low voice: "Then... shall we..."
Two unnatural blushes instantly rose on Eri Kisaki's well-maintained cheeks. She instinctively avoided Kanjuro's gaze, her tone carrying a trace of imperceptible fluster and excuse: "I... I haven't been feeling well lately, so..."
Before she could finish, Ran, leaning on Kanjuro's other side, seemed to suddenly remember something. She looked up, her brows slightly furrowed, and said in a somewhat coquettish and puzzled tone: "Speaking of which... ever since that time at Kiyomizu Temple... with Father Kanjuro... I also feel like my body is always sluggish and uncomfortable. Sometimes I even feel a bit nauseous..."
Ran's words were like a bolt of lightning, instantly striking Eri Kisaki. Her expression also changed slightly, as if she had thought of something.
Hearing their words, Kanjuro's eyes flickered. He didn't answer immediately but quietly circulated his power. Invisible spiritual tentacles, like the most precise detectors, simultaneously delved into Ran's and Eri Kisaki's brains, reading their recent physical sensations and subconscious information. At the same time, a finer energy perception brushed over their abdomens like flowing water.
A moment later, a rare flash of genuine surprise appeared on Kanjuro's usually calm face, which was then replaced by a deeper, more indescribable pleasure. He slowly withdrew his perception, and when his gaze fell on the mother and daughter in his arms again, it carried a heat and possessiveness as if he had discovered a peerless treasure.
He clearly "saw" the faint but tenacious signs of new life quietly gestating within the wombs of the two women. Moreover, with his perception that transcended common sense, he was almost certain that what was being nurtured were the life fluctuations of two female embryos.
This meant... The corners of Kanjuro's mouth curled into an incomparably deep and satisfied smile. He lowered his head and pressed a kiss onto the foreheads of Ran and Eri Kisaki respectively, his voice carrying a certainty and pleasure as if announcing a divine oracle:
"It's not that you're unwell..."
"My Eri, my Ran..."
"You aren't sick."
He paused, then clearly declared word by word:
"It's that... you are both pregnant."
"And, they are both my children."
This news was like a bolt from the blue, exploding in the minds of Ran and Eri Kisaki.
Ran's eyes widened instantly, and her hand subconsciously moved to her flat lower abdomen. Her face was filled with disbelief, confusion, and a deep-seated, twisted joy that even she hadn't realized was there. She was pregnant... with her father's child?
Eri Kisaki's body stiffened abruptly, and her breathing stopped for a moment. She understood what this meant even better than Ran—mother and daughter were actually pregnant with the same man's children at the same time, and that man was... Kanjuro.
The massive shock left her speechless for a time. Complex emotions surged in her eyes: shock, absurdity, but ultimately, in the depths of her already fallen heart, a strange, dark sense of satisfaction emerged. It was as if this way, the bond between them and Kanjuro could never be severed by anyone or any rules again.
Kanjuro looked at Eri Kisaki and Ran, who were caught in immense shock and complex emotions due to the pregnancy news, and a calculating glint flashed in his eyes. Their current physical condition was special, and they needed a relatively quiet environment under absolute control. After a brief thought, he made arrangements.
Using his power, he summoned another woman he had subdued—Yukinoshita Yukino. This woman, with her cold temperament and outstanding abilities, owned several secret and heavily secured residences in Tokyo.
"Seiga," Kanjuro commanded in an unquestionable tone, "take Eri and Ran to your courtyard in the western suburbs and take good care of them. They need quiet rest now." He didn't state the reason explicitly, but Yukinoshita Yukino keenly noticed the unusual expressions on Eri and Ran's faces and the importance Kanjuro placed on them. She immediately bowed and took the order without asking a single question.
Eri Kisaki and Ran were still immersed in the shock of their pregnancies, dazed and muddled. They could only allow Yukinoshita Yukino to lead them away from this blood-stained place of trouble.
After handling things here, Kanjuro didn't linger at all. He turned and returned to Akemi Miyano's apartment.
Seeing Kanjuro return, a light of anticipation immediately ignited in Akemi's eyes. She rushed forward eagerly: "Brother Kanjuro, is there news about Shiho?"
Kanjuro nodded and spoke succinctly: "Yes, I have a lead. Come with me."
He didn't offer much explanation. He took Akemi Miyano directly to the location he had cross-analyzed from the information obtained from Conan (Shinichi Kudo) and Gin, arriving outside Dr. Agasa's house.
After he pressed the doorbell, Dr. Agasa came to open the door. When he saw Kanjuro standing outside, the color instantly drained from his kind, round face, and his pupils contracted in fear. He had clearly learned of Kanjuro's terror from Conan. Seeing him in person now, he was almost suffocated by the oppressive, dark aura radiating from him.
"Who... who are you looking for?" Dr. Agasa's voice carried an uncontrollable tremble. His obese body subconsciously tried to block the doorway.
Although Akemi Miyano was anxious, she remained polite. She bowed slightly and spoke earnestly: "Hello, excuse the intrusion. We are looking for someone. She might go by the name Sherry, or Shiho Miyano. She is my younger sister. May I ask if she is here?" Her gaze peered hopefully behind Dr. Agasa, because Kanjuro had told her that her sister was very likely here.
Kanjuro, however, didn't have much patience. He directly pushed aside the stiffened Dr. Agasa and stepped into the house. His gaze swept across the living room like a scanner, and his voice was flat yet possessed a heart-pounding penetration:
"Sherry, Shiho Miyano. Come out. Your sister has come looking for you."
Just then, a small figure emerged from the hallway leading to the inner rooms. It was Ai Haibara.
She was wearing a well-fitting set of children's clothes. Beneath her short auburn hair, that exquisite little face, which always carried a sense of detachment, was now covered in frost. She had already learned of Kanjuro's dreadfulness from Conan and knew that her sister seemed to have fallen into this demon's hands. She hadn't expected Kanjuro to bring her sister directly to the door.
Her gaze fell on Akemi Miyano first. Seeing her sister safe and sound—even looking quite healthy—her tensed heartstrings relaxed for a moment, but were immediately replaced by even greater concern. How could her sister be with Kanjuro? Their relationship didn't seem... tense?
However, when she turned to Kanjuro, her ice-blue eyes held only total vigilance, coldness, and deep-seated fear. She felt no joy of reunion, only the sense of crisis of being found by a natural predator. She worried that Kanjuro was using her sister as a bargaining chip to force her into submission.
"Shiho!" Akemi Miyano cried out, about to rush forward upon seeing Ai Haibara.
Ai Haibara subconsciously took a small step back. This subtle movement made Akemi freeze for a moment.
"Sister..." Ai Haibara's voice carried a calmness and raspiness that didn't match her apparent age. "How can you be with him?" Her sharp gaze shot toward Kanjuro, full of distrust.
Looking at Ai Haibara's defensive posture as if facing a great enemy, Kanjuro actually smiled. He put his arm around the shoulders of the somewhat bewildered Akemi Miyano, his tone carrying a leisurely sense of total control:
"It seems your sister doesn't quite welcome us, Akemi."
His gaze fell on Ai Haibara, like looking at a small bird caught in a net.
"But it doesn't matter. I only brought Akemi to confirm your safety. And while I'm at it... to invite you back to your sister's side. Naturally, as 'Shiho Miyano,' not this ridiculous disguise."
Ai Haibara's heart sank. Kanjuro indeed knew her true identity, and his goal was clear.
Seeing that her sister showed no resistance in that demon's embrace, and even seemed to depend on him, a chill rose from the bottom of her heart. She understood that simple resistance and running away would likely be ineffective and might even enrage Kanjuro, dragging her sister and Dr. Agasa into it.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. Her brain worked rapidly, thinking of any possible escape plan, or... a temporary compromise.
Ai Haibara (Shiho Miyano) straightened her small back. Although fear was like ice water being poured over her head, her face maintained its usual coldness and detachment. She looked at Kanjuro, then at her sister who was full of expectation, and shook her head firmly.
"I'm fine here. Dr. Agasa is very good to me." Her voice had the clarity of a child's but the decisiveness of an adult's. "I don't want to leave, and I don't need to return to anyone's side. Sister, you should understand, the Organization is still..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear: she didn't believe Kanjuro could truly oppose the Organization, nor did she believe in this seemingly 'harmonious' situation before her eyes.
Hearing her sister's refusal, a flash of anxiety and confusion appeared in Akemi Miyano's eyes. She took a step forward, trying to persuade her sister: "Shiho, Brother Kanjuro... he's really good to me. He's not like those people in the Organization. He protects me, and he even helped me find you... He's not a bad person." Her tone was pleading, hoping to dispel her sister's doubts.
Seeing Ai Haibara's stubborn and vigilant look, Kanjuro didn't get angry. Instead, he looked as if he had seen something interesting, a faint smile playing on his lips. He gently pulled back Akemi Miyano, who wanted to keep persuading, his tone surprisingly peaceful:
"Akemi, it's alright." He patted the back of her hand, signaling her to stay calm. "Your sister has just been through a lot. She needs time to adapt and think. We don't need to rush."
He turned to look at Ai Haibara, his gaze deep, as if he could see through all her disguises and fears:
"Haibara Ai, you can continue to stay here. We respect your choice."
He paused, his tone carrying an unquestionable power of control, yet cloaked in a gentle exterior:
"However, since we've found you, your sister and I will come to visit you at any time. I hope you... won't mind."
These words sounded like a discussion, but in reality, it was a declaration. He gave Ai Haibara a seemingly free choice, but used 'visiting at any time' to draw an invisible cage around her.
Hearing Kanjuro being so 'reasonable,' Akemi Miyano's gratitude and trust in him deepened. She nodded gently, her gaze toward her sister full of affection and reluctance: "Yes, Shiho. As long as you're okay, I'm happy. Take good care of yourself here. I... I will come to see you often."
Looking at her sister, who was completely bewitched by Kanjuro and oblivious to the danger, Ai Haibara's heart felt as if it were being squeezed by an invisible hand, aching with both bitterness and pain. She knew exactly what kind of existence Kanjuro was. Her sister's current 'happiness' was like a castle built on shifting sands, liable to collapse at any moment.
She suppressed the tears that were almost bursting out and nodded forcefully, responding to her sister's concern. The moment Akemi Miyano turned to follow Kanjuro out, Ai Haibara used all her strength to lower her voice and quickly issued a final warning to her sister, her voice choking:
"Sister... watch out for him! Kanjuro... he's very dangerous!"
This warning took almost all of her courage.
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