The Famous Potter's Invitation

Conan watched Fujino and Sonoko leave, then turned around and looked at Ai Haibara hair, and was immediately shocked.

"Ara..."

Ai Haibara smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I was just helping you, shouldn't you thank me?"

'Thanks my foot...'

'I think you're just making excuses, aren't you?'

Conan gave a deadpan look and couldn't help but mentally complain.

On the other side, there was Candy Apple stall.

The two quickly bought the Candy Apple.

On the way back, Fujino carried two portions of Candy Apple.

One for myself, and one for Ai.

He opened his mouth, took a bite of the Candy Apple, and chewed the apple coated in syrup.

Candy Apple doesn't actually taste very good.

It's a bit of a hassle to eat a big one, and you might end up with your mouth covered in candy.

It's similar to candied hawthorn berries...

It's just an apple coated in syrup.

However, in his previous life, he thought Candy Apple was candy mixed with apple-flavored juice, but he never expected that apples were actually wrapped inside the candy.

Turning back to Sonoko, he asked, "Speaking of Sonoko, Sonoko, you chose that hotel just now, probably because of Ran, right?"

"We've been discovered... cough cough?!"

On the other side, Sonoko, who was also eating Candy Apple, exclaimed in surprise and choked on the Candy Apple.

"Is such a big reaction really necessary?"

Fujino was slightly speechless for a moment, then patted her on the back.

"I was just a little surprised. I didn't expect to be discovered by Fujino- Senior."

Sonoko took a deep breath, catching her breath, and explained, "Ran doesn't have much pocket money left this month. I checked before we came out, and if we stay at the Queen Hotel, she'll run out of pocket money, and she'll probably be eating dirt for the rest of the month..."

"So that's how it is."

Fujino lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment.

I still don't understand how the moon is calculated in this world.

"By the way, Senior."

Sonoko was a little worried and added to Fujino, "Don't tell her about this, okay? If she finds out, she'll definitely be upset again!"

"Don't worry, I know what's important in some things."

Fujino nodded slightly, without saying much. In fact, he had already noticed that Sonoko was acting strangely, but he hadn't had a chance to ask her about it before.

Now that I asked, it turned out to be pretty much what he had guessed.

To be honest, Sonoko is indeed a nice girl.

—On the level of good friends.

"Excuse me, are you Detective Fujino?"

A woman's voice suddenly came from behind.

Fujino, whose thoughts were interrupted, turned around and saw a middle-aged woman with wavy hair walking towards him.

The woman looked a bit chubby with a double chin, but her skin was very delicate and fair.

This kind of affluent appearance clearly indicates a wealthy family that could raise a lady of high social standing.

Fujino stared at the other person for a moment, then searched through his list of acquaintances.

Although there are quite a few wealthy middle-aged women, I don't have much of an impression of this one.

So he asked with a puzzled look, "Excuse me, ma'am, who are you?"

"My name is Masuko Tsuchiya!"

The middle-aged woman bowed slightly, politely introduced herself, and then said, "I thought I had mistaken you for someone else, but it turns out you really are the Great Detective, Fujino."

"So it was Ms. Tsuchiya..."

Fujino nodded slightly, then asked with a puzzled look, "May I ask what brings you here?"

"There is indeed a small matter, but it's not my business."

Masuko Tsuchiya forced a smile onto her plump face, "Actually, my dad is a big fan of you. He's a huge fan of your detective work. By the way, his name is Bankichi Tsuchiya... and there's another name you've probably heard of, Kikuemon."

Fujino: "..."

Um, I'm a little embarrassed by what you're saying.

Q: What if I've never heard of either of these names?

Are you deliberately picking a fight?

How am I supposed to answer that?

"It's Kikuemon?!"

Sonoko was surprised at this moment. "Is it that Ceramics Master Kikuemon?!"

"That's right, that's how it is."

Masuko Tsuchiya nodded and invited Fujino, "If you have time, would you be willing to come to my humble abode for a chat?"

"As for time, I do have some."

Fujino thought for a moment, "Is tomorrow okay?"

"OK."

Masuko Tsuchiya chuckled and joked, "It wouldn't really matter if you came tonight. If I told my grandfather about your upcoming visit when I got home, he probably wouldn't be able to sleep all night..."

"Then I'll go tonight?"

"Ah...?"

Just kidding.

Fujino smiled and then said, "Tomorrow afternoon, to be honest, I came here for a seaside vacation. I haven't been to the beach yet today. After I go to the beach tomorrow, I should have time in the afternoon."

"Okay, I understand. It'll be good for me to prepare dinner. I'll go home and tell my father right away."

After agreeing on a time, Masuko Tsuchiya turned and slowly walked away.

She seemed quite happy about her chance encounter with Fujino, the High School Detective her grandfather admired.

"I never expected that Kikuemon would also be a fan of his Senior..."

Sonoko, somewhat surprised, muttered to herself while holding the half-eaten Candy Apple.

"Is Kikuemon really that good?"

Fujino looked at her and couldn't help but ask a question.

"Of course..."

Sonoko nodded, recalled for a moment, and explained, "He is a very famous Ceramics Master, I think he is a national treasure, and he is the fifth generation of Kikuemon. Speaking of which, we have a few of his works at home... Although a single piece is not very valuable, the most important thing is that he is one of the few Ceramics Master who are still making ceramics even in his eighties!"

"I see..."

Fujino rubbed his chin, finally understanding what Sonoko meant.

In other words, this guy is a well-established ceramic artist.

Moreover, even at over eighty years old, he can still make pottery.

After he dies a few years later, all the ceramic pieces he makes now will become rare and irreplaceable.

So what he made became valuable...

It can be said to be the most collectible investment item!

"Um!"

Sonoko nodded, then rubbed her chin. "Judging from that woman's expression, Kikuemon seems to really like you, Fujino- Senior. If that's the case, he might just give you a couple of your works!"

"How much are his works worth now?"

Fujino asked in confusion, "I just heard you say..."

"For something more ordinary, it would probably cost a few million yen..."

Before Fujino could finish speaking, Sonoko thought for a moment and explained, "The expensive ones can cost tens of millions of yen, but there aren't many works like that, and they're all in collections. We have a few in our family."

Fujino: "..."

A few million or tens of millions of yen is not worth much?

In the eyes of you rich people, it is indeed quite cheap, right?

I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that question.