Outlaw in the World of Conan, Tokisaki Kurumi

That's right, that's the reason!

Sensing that Aso Narumi didn't intend to let Curacao go, Kurumi waved her hand and explained, "It's fine. This guy is already in my hands. As compensation for trying to attack us, I've decided to train Curacao into our household's exclusive maid!"

With a bold and unconvincing declaration, both Miyano Akemi and Aso Narumi had the same thought as they looked at Kurumi.

She's serious!

"But... Kurumi, can you really trust her? Or rather, will she really cooperate?"

Miyano Akemi voiced her concerns.

"Don't worry, train... cough! I'm a professional at training new recruits!" Kurumi said with great interest while sitting on the sofa. "Besides, our cafe will be opening soon. When that time comes, I'll have Curacao wear a maid outfit and serve as a maid in the shop!"

Imagining a scene where both Miyano Akemi and Aso Narumi, two beautiful women, would be wearing maid outfits and she could have them both by her side, perhaps even feeding her fruit intimately, Kurumi couldn't help but let out a smile that didn't seem very bright.

"Kurumi, you're drooling!" Seeing Kurumi's silly grin, Narumi, who had been with Kurumi for so long, knew exactly what she was thinking.

98 I'm back!

Curacao, a trusted subordinate of Rum, the second-in-command of the Organization.

With the ability to store memories, she could use unique methods to awaken stored memories through five differently colored cards.

Her abilities and strength gave her a position among the Organization's high-ranking members.

But now, this high-ranking Organization member lay on the sofa like Sleeping Beauty, unconscious, while five pairs of eyes in the living room stared silently at the tightly bound Curacao.

Honestly, if you wanted it, I would have accepted any kind of play~ Aso Narumi, pouting, looked at Kurumi and asked with some displeasure, "So what are you going to do, Kurumi?"

From a rational perspective, Aso Narumi knew that Curacao, as Rum's confidante, wouldn't be easily swayed to their side.

Moreover, there was a risk of being dangerously backstabbed by this woman.

However, Narumi believed that the clever Kurumi wouldn't have overlooked this, so she decided to hear Kurumi's thoughts.

Miyano Akemi, on the other hand, cowered on the sofa, appearing somewhat frightened of the assassin sent by the Organization.

"About that~" Kurumi looked at Curacao, reached out, and untied the ropes binding Curacao, as well as removing the gag and blindfold.

"Let's wait for her to wake up first!"

Kurumi pulled over a stool and sat in front of Curacao, patting her smooth cheek. Finding that she was still unresponsive, Kurumi took a can of iced cola from the refrigerator and, with a mischievous grin, slowly stuffed it into Curacao's collar amidst the confused gazes of Aso Narumi and Miyano Akemi.

"Uh, this..."

"Uh, this..."

Seeing Kurumi's rather unethical method, the eyes of the other two twitched.

Ignoring the speechless pair, Kurumi grinned at the unresponsive Curacao and said, "Good endurance~ Unfortunately, the details of your facial expression have already betrayed you, Curacao." As she spoke, Kurumi inserted her index and middle fingers into Curacao's nostrils, blocking her ability to breathe through her nose.

Hearing Kurumi say that Curacao was actually awake, Narumi and Akemi, sitting on another sofa, jumped up excitedly, staring at Curacao with wary eyes.

On the sofa, just as Kurumi had said, Curacao, now unbound, had actually woken up when Kurumi and the others started talking about her.

However, in order to find out what they intended to do with her after kidnapping her, Curacao had pretended to be unconscious, listening to the sounds around her.

But now that her pretense of unconsciousness had been exposed by Kurumi, and her nose was being plugged in such a malicious way, Curacao had no choice but to open her eyes and look warily at Kurumi in front of her.

"What do you want?" Since Kurumi hadn't let go yet, Curacao's voice sounded muffled and comical.

Sensing the intensifying smile in Kurumi's right eye, Curacao reacted quickly, batting away Kurumi's hands and glaring at her angrily.

"Honestly," Kurumi said, rubbing her hand. "Your boss's plan failed. As punishment for him attacking me, Curacao, you now belong to me, understand?"

"Belong to you?" Although Curacao knew she had been thoroughly defeated, as someone loyal to Rum, she couldn't accept what Kurumi was saying.

Glancing around, Curacao's eyes widened in shock when she noticed two other women standing in the room. She muttered in disbelief, "Miyano Akemi? Is Akai Shuichi here too?"

Before she lost consciousness, Curacao clearly remembered that Kurumi had encountered Akai Shuichi, who had suddenly appeared while she was dealing with Miyano Akemi, and a fierce battle had ensued between them.

Therefore, when Curacao saw Miyano Akemi, her first reaction was that Akai Shuichi, who protected Miyano Akemi, must also be here.

Seeing that she was being ignored, Aso Narumi, who was already annoyed with Curacao, suddenly had an idea.

Attaching the voice changer Kurumi had given her to her throat, Aso Narumi emitted a voice exactly like Akai Shuichi's and said mockingly, "Yes, I'm here!"

Hearing that the other woman could imitate Akai Shuichi's voice just by touching her throat, the intelligent Curacao instantly understood.

"So it was you!"

After speaking, Curacao glared at Kurumi and indignantly questioned, "Bloody Mary, I didn't expect you to betray the Organization!"

"Betrayal?" Kurumi, sitting in her chair, crossed her legs and replied dismissively, "You, who intended to kill me along with everyone else, have the nerve to say that?"

As she spoke, Kurumi opened the iced cola she had brought back, took a sip, and leisurely continued, "However, I know your boss, Rum, that bald idiot, has disliked me for a long time. You were just following orders, so I won't dwell on it."

"But!" Kurumi said, a strange smile appearing on her face. "Although you were subjectively just following Rum's orders, your actions have deeply hurt my loyalty to the Organization. So, it's not too much for me to ask you two for some compensation, right?"

"Compensation?" Curacao's expression turned sarcastic upon hearing Kurumi's words. "Even if you want compensation, you saved Miyano Akemi against the Organization's wishes. Don't you know that already qualifies your actions as betrayal?"

"So?"

Seeing Kurumi looking at her with an innocent expression, Curacao felt a surge of anger.

However, she patiently said, "Aren't you afraid I'll report this to the Organization?"

Beside them, Aso Narumi, who considered herself Kurumi's keeper and couldn't stand Curacao's audacity to speak so boldly on Kurumi's territory, couldn't take it anymore.

"Hmph! You're a captive and you're still so arrogant. No wonder you couldn't beat Kurumi!"

Narumi's taunts successfully drew Curacao's attention to her. However, since Curacao had no idea who this woman was, she merely glared fiercely at Narumi.

But in an instant, Curacao suddenly recalled her experience before she lost consciousness.

The bizarre scene, where she felt like a giant was choking her neck, yet there was nothing in front of her eyes, made Curacao believe that her encounter hid a huge secret of Kurumi and her group.

It was definitely not an illusion, nor was it the power of technology.

Curacao firmly believed this.

Thinking this, Curacao felt she should lie low for a bit.

Seeing Aso Narumi stand up for her, Kurumi gave Narumi a 'you know what tonight' look. It was clear Kurumi was very happy about this.

Noticing the meaning behind Kurumi's gaze, Aso Narumi's fair face flushed slightly.

99 Rum Backs Down

"Oh, and if you were planning to call for backup using that signal transmitter hidden in your clothes, forget it." Kurumi shifted her attention back to Curacao, crossing her arms and unconsciously highlighting her ample chest. "While you were unconscious, I thoroughly searched you from head to toe. All your little gadgets have already been thrown away."

Speaking of which, Kurumi's gaze playfully shifted to Curacao's lower abdomen. "But I really didn't expect you to be so clean down there, Curacao. The color and shape are great!"

Kurumi's sudden, in-your-face innuendo made the three women present let out screams.

Curacao, as the person involved, covered the spot Kurumi was staring at, her face bright red, and glared at Kurumi, stammering furiously, "You... what did you do to me!"

Although Curacao had long abandoned all her feelings as a woman and dedicated herself wholeheartedly to the Organization, she hadn't given up her feminine modesty. So when Kurumi suddenly spoke of her private parts, Curacao couldn't help but reveal a hint of feminine shyness.

The other two were stunned.

Facing Curacao's question, Kurumi shrugged innocently. "Why are you angry? It was just a normal check-up, and besides, I'm a girl too! You didn't lose anything~"

Seeing Kurumi's complete lack of self-awareness, Curacao took a few deep breaths, forcibly suppressing the shame and anger in her heart.

"Fine!" Curacao gritted out the word, squeezing it from between her teeth, and asked Kurumi, "I'll let your actions towards me slide for now, but I have to ask, aren't you afraid of the Organization finding out about this?"

Curacao decided that she would expose this matter to the Organization at the first opportunity.

For now, she just needed to wait for a chance to escape.

That is, if Kurumi didn't kill her to silence her.

Facing Curacao's question, Kurumi retorted, "Afraid? Why should I be afraid?"

As she spoke, Kurumi counted on her fingers. "Look, ever since that bald guy first came after me until now, did he gain anything?"

The bald guy Kurumi was referring to was, of course, Rum.

Since what Kurumi said was undeniable fact, Curacao truly had no reason to argue.

"Besides, I believe you're not stupid enough to threaten me with this, are you, Curacao?" Kurumi said, leaning in close and staring into Curacao's eyes. "As my spoils of war."

Facing Kurumi's breathtaking beauty up close, Curacao could sense a life-threatening danger in Kurumi's eyes.

This woman is serious! Curacao's pupils contracted. In that instant, she felt like she was looking not at a beautiful young girl, but at a terrifying beast that had consumed countless lives.

For self-preservation, Curacao backed down.

"Even so, as one of Lord Rum's people, I think I need to know Lord Rum's thoughts on this matter," Curacao said, deciding to endure for now.

Kurumi shrugged indifferently at Curacao's request. Under the worried gazes of Miyano Akemi and Aso Narumi, she handed over the mobile phone she had found on Curacao.

"Go ahead and call. But I don't care if that bald guy Rum agrees or not. You're not leaving," Kurumi said, exuding an aura of supreme confidence.

Frowning, Curacao took her phone and dialed Rum's number.

The call was quickly connected.

"Remember to put it on speakerphone!" Kurumi reminded her as she sat down again.

Hearing this, Curacao nodded and, as Kurumi instructed, pressed the speakerphone button on her phone.

"Curacao." Rum's voice came through.

From Rum's voice, it was clear he wasn't in a good mood.

But it made sense. His plan to kill two birds with one stone had not only been effortlessly thwarted by Kurumi, but she had also counter-attacked and eliminated the elite squad he had sent. Worse still, his most capable subordinate, Curacao, had been captured by Kurumi and was missing.

And now, Curacao, who had been taken by Kurumi, was actively calling him. This alone was enough to make Rum lose his composure.

"Lord Rum, I'm currently..." Curacao glanced at Kurumi, who was still smiling at her with a seemingly indifferent expression. Curacao continued, "I'm at Bloody Mary's hideout. She..." At this point, Curacao hesitated, unsure how to explain Kurumi's words to Rum.

Kurumi, sensing Curacao's hesitation, spoke into the phone, "I told you, Rum."

Although Kurumi's expression was still sweetly cute, the tone of her voice, coming from those tender lips, was cold and dangerous.

"As compensation for your failure this time, Curacao is mine from now on."

As Kurumi finished speaking, Rum's heavy breathing could be heard from the phone, as if he was struggling to contain his anger.

After a moment of silence, Rum's voice returned. "Bloody Mary, I admit I lost this time. From today onwards, not only will I not target you, but as you said..." Rum said, as if squeezing the words through his teeth, "Curacao is yours from today!"

Rum's words completely shocked the three women in the living room.

Especially Curacao, the person involved, who stared blankly at the phone in her hand with an expression of disbelief, unable to believe that Rum had actually sold her to Kurumi.

"No way! Bloody Mary, no! Did Kurumi really succeed?" Miyano Akemi cautiously tugged at Narumi's sleeve and whispered in her ear.

As Aso Narumi, a devoted fan of Kurumi, heard Rum back down and Miyano Akemi speak, she instantly felt overjoyed. She excitedly replied, "Of course! Kurumi is the strongest!"

As she spoke, Aso Narumi looked at Kurumi with eyes that seemed to sparkle with adoration.

Curacao, utterly shocked, froze. Kurumi continued, "Very well, then I promise you this: as long as you stop making and selling that kind of thing, all our past grievances will be settled."

It was clear that Kurumi's tone and words, which implied she was getting the better of the deal while also acting magnanimous, made Rum, whose blood pressure was already high, feel like she needed to take a few more blood pressure pills immediately.

To avoid a sudden hypertensive crisis, Rum stopped talking and hung up the phone.

Turning to look at Curacao, Kurumi could see the pain and confusion on her face, realizing she had been completely abandoned by Rum, their boss.

Curacao's dazed eyes were filled with confusion and bewilderment. Having always been loyal to Rum, she couldn't comprehend why she had been so easily discarded by her superior.

The hung-up phone, showing a black screen with no operation, left the three in the living room in silence. They quietly watched Curacao, who seemed to have lost her ideals and hope in an instant, until Kurumi took the phone from her hand and patted Curacao's shoulder comfortingly, saying, "It's okay. You know as well as I do that people in the Organization only care about profit."

Curacao's shoulder, having been touched, showed no reaction.

Seeing this, Kurumi shook her head helplessly. "Curacao, I don't know if that Rum guy is worth your loyalty, but he's already given up on you. So, starting today, Curacao, you don't have to think about that bald man who abandoned you anymore."

"Is that so?"

Curacao murmured.

"Of course!" Seeing that Curacao had finally reacted, Kurumi smiled.

Although Kurumi couldn't recall most of the plot from the Conan anime or movies, she did have some impression of Curacao.

After losing her memory due to an accident, Curacao revealed her true personality under the enthusiastic attention of the "Young Trouble Makers."

It was a kindness and gentleness that Curacao, as a member of the Organization, had long forgotten.