The Missing Novelist

"What's wrong with this child's elders?!"

Akemi Miyano suddenly spoke, her words filled with resentment. "When you found her yesterday, she was lying in a puddle after the heavy rain... and it's the same today. They really are irresponsible!"

Upon hearing this, Fujino looked at Akemi Miyano and was momentarily stunned.

Since the birth of the Soul Lotus, she has always seemed to be kind and gentle.

This seems to be the first time she's ever lost her temper.

Could it be because of Ai Haibara?

That's true.

Although they have lost their memories, they are still sisters.

Some bonds cannot be severed.

And so, the day passed uneventfully, and Akemi Miyano stayed by Fujino's bedside taking care of Haibara Ai, who was still Ai Haibara.

This time, Ai Haibara's condition is more serious than before.

The two of them worked until noon before Ai Haibara's body temperature returned to normal.

Before we knew it, it was afternoon, and soon it was almost evening.

"Ding-dong!"

A doorbell rang.

"Have we had guests?"

Akemi Miyano, who was taking care of Ai Haibara at the bedside, was about to get up when Fujino pressed her down again.

"This time period should be the client's."

Fujino slowly stood up. "Sister Akemi, you rest for a while. I'll go open the door."

After saying that, Fujino slowly walked towards the detective agency on the second floor.

Just as Fujino left, Ai Haibara woke up from her dream.

I opened my eyes and was greeted by a familiar room.

She slowly sat up, rubbed her still aching head, and then a wet towel fell in front of her.

"You're still very weak, lie down first."

Just then, a familiar female voice came from beside me.

Ai Haibara turned her head and saw Akemi Fujino sitting on the edge of the bed, looking just like her older sister.

'Have I unknowingly returned here again...?'

Ai Haibara narrowed her eyes.

To be honest, her head was spinning, and she had no idea why she had ended up back here...

Whether it's the woman who looks like her older sister or the kind-hearted High School Detective.

It all gave her a strange feeling.

"Why are you back again?"

Akemi Miyano turned her gaze to Ai Haibara, and asked in confusion, "Was she kicked out by that relative's family?!"

"No..."

Ai Haibara shook her head and said softly, "I sneaked out on my own."

"You slipped out on your own?"

Akemi Miyano frowned upon hearing this.

Is it because you're not used to the environment at your relatives' house?

That shouldn't be the case.

They probably just don't want to talk about it.

After thinking for a moment, Akemi Miyano continued, "Do you know your parents' contact number? I'll help you contact them."

"My parents..."

Ai Haibara paused for a moment before continuing, "They are all no longer alive."

Akemi Miyano was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, and then continued, "Do you have any other relatives or family members?"

Ai Haibara shook her head.

Akemi Miyano remained silent.

For some inexplicable reason, she felt a sense of kinship with the little girl in front of her.

At least she has a younger brother who is not bad.

But this child...

On the other side, Fujino had just come down from the fourth floor to the third floor when he saw a young woman standing in front of the detective agency in the hallway outside the office.

She was a young girl who looked to be about twenty years old. She had long brown hair and slightly squinted eyes. She wore a dark green dress with a beige blazer over it and carried a small handbag. She was quite pretty and had a delicate, girlish charm.

"What can I do for you?"

Turning his gaze away, Fujino asked the girl with a puzzled look.

Upon hearing this, the girl turned around, glanced at Fujino, and then asked in confusion, "Excuse me, are you Detective Fujino?"

"That's right, that's me."

"Actually, I have some things I'd like to entrust to you..."

After confirming that the other party was the client, Fujino warmly invited the girl into the detective agency.

As the girl entered the detective agency, she curiously glanced at the simple yet luxurious furnishings around her before following Fujino to sit on the sofa used for receiving guests.

"My Kaori Niina."

The woman took a business card out of her bag and handed it to Fujino.

Fujino accepted the business card.

The business card has a very simple layout; it's white and includes Kaori Niina's current company, home address, and phone number...

Hmm, so this girl is an office lady.

But then again, he'll have to get a business card someday.

Fujino put away the business card, glanced at Kaori Niina sitting opposite him, and asked in confusion, "Are you the daughter of the bestselling novelist Taro Niina?"

Kaori Niina nodded. "That was my father."

"I see..."

Fujino narrowed his eyes upon hearing this.

If he remembers correctly, this should be the Taro Niina from the mystery novelist's disappearance case.

Taro Niina is a famous mystery novelist, best known for his Detective Saburou *.

Zuo Wenzi is a virtual detective who carries Wooden Sword, wears all black, likes to take out the Wooden Sword to show off, and spouts profound sayings.

Speaking of which, the role he played at the ski resort a while ago was that of Detective Saburou.

Actually, he doesn't need to act. His usual classic trench coat and suit outfit already makes him look like Zuo Wenzi enough.

He also has the nickname "Detective Saburou".

However, he didn't pay much attention to it.

After all, he has so many nicknames that even he himself can't remember them all.

Things like The Black Detective, Poirot of the Heisei Era, Detective Saburou... and so on.

"So she's Mr. Shinna's daughter."

Having confirmed the other party's identity, Goto poured himself a cup of black tea and got down to business. "I wonder what business Ms. Shinmei has with me?"

Kaori Niina lowered her head and pondered for a moment before speaking, "Actually, it was my father who disappeared."

"Mr. Shinna has disappeared?"

Fujino pushed the black tea toward the Kaori Niina, and asked casually.

"That's right."

Kaori Niina picked up her black tea, took a sip, and continued, "Not only my father, but my mother also disappeared without a trace, leaving only a note saying 'I'm going out for a little while' before leaving."

When did they disappear?

Fujino asked next.

After a moment's thought, Kaori Niina replied, "The time of her disappearance was approximately two months ago, on August 12th, the week before Detective Saburou was published in the literary magazine 'Bungei Jidai'."

"August 12th?"

Fujino took out his phone and glanced at the time.

It was October 20th, a Saturday.

Well, the timeline of the Conan World is as bizarre as ever.

Putting his phone away, Fujino continued to ask Kaori Niina, "How did you discover they were missing? Normally, if they've been missing for two months without any contact, even if you don't report it to the police, shouldn't people around them have?"

Although he knew some of the plot details, he still needed to ask for more information.

After all, it would be embarrassing if it deviated from my memory.

"That's how it should normally be."

Kaori Niina nodded in agreement and explained, "I also tried to call the police, but since there were no threatening or intimidating calls and the editorial office was receiving my manuscripts every week as usual, they told me that I didn't need to worry at all."

"They haven't contacted me for two months. I've asked everyone I know, but no one knows where they are... I'm so worried about them."

As she spoke, tears welled up in Kaori Niina's slightly narrowed eyes. "To be honest, I've been to other detective agencies, but their answers were all pretty much the same. I only found you, Detective Fujino, after asking around through acquaintances..."

As she spoke, Kaori Niina raised her head and looked at Fujino with her still tearful eyes, her gaze full of expectation. "Now, the only one who can help me is Detective Fujino."

"Under normal circumstances, this matter is indeed not worth entrusting..."

"How so."

Having received the same answer, Kaori Niina lowered her head, a look of disappointment on her face.

"However, I am different from those detectives who lack professional ethics."

After keeping everyone in suspense, Fujino continued, "I will accept any request from the client, and even if they haven't been kidnapped, I will still help you find them."

"Thank you so much!"

After receiving confirmation that the commission had been accepted, Kaori Niina bowed slightly and expressed her gratitude.

"Regarding the commission... since the nature of this case cannot be determined yet, the commission cannot be confirmed."

Then, Fujino asked Kaori Niina, "After this case is closed, there shouldn't be any problem determining the commission fee based on the nature of the case, right?"

"No problem!"

Kaori Niina immediately agreed.

For her, finding even one detective to help with the investigation was already difficult enough, let alone the commission...

In her opinion, paying according to the specific circumstances of the case is actually quite reasonable.

Sure enough, coming here based on a friend's recommendation was the right decision.

After accepting the commission, Fujino planned to go to the editorial office with Kaori Niina.

He recalled that the editorial office was the key to breaking through this case.

"By the way, Miss Shinming, could you wait a moment?"

Fujino stood up from the sofa and explained, "I need to go upstairs to change my clothes and also tell my sister..."

"No problem."

Kaori Niina nodded, and then Fujino returned to the fourth floor.

The bedroom on the fourth floor.

As soon as Fujino pushed open the door, he saw Akemi Miyano sitting on the edge of the bed.

She held a bowl of porridge in her left hand, scooped it up with a spoon in her right hand, blew on it lightly, and fed it to Ai Haibara, who was leaning against the bedside. Ai Haibara's face flushed, and she silently opened her mouth...

"Sister Akemi, has she woken up yet?"

Fujino entered the bedroom.

"Yes, I just woke up."

Akemi Miyano placed the porridge on the bedside table. "She probably hasn't eaten all day, so I heated up some porridge."

"I see..."

Fujino took a black suit out of the closet.

"Going out so late."

Akemi Miyano looked at Fujino, who had taken out a black suit, and asked curiously, "Is there a request?"

Judging from this period of time, Fujino generally doesn't care about his appearance when he goes out.

He only deliberately puts on a suit when conducting certain commissioned investigations.

"Yes, I just received a commission."

After taking off his tracksuit, revealing a white short-sleeved shirt, Fujino changed into a black suit. "The client is the daughter of a popular novelist, who has asked me to find her missing father."

Before leaving, Fujino added, "Oh, by the way, Sister Akemi, could you go to the Convenience Store to buy dinner? You shouldn't have to wait for me."