14. Let Me Curse Ono Yoko?

That evening, at the Kojima family's dinner table.

Kojima Genta had a white napkin tied around his neck. He shouted happily, "Eel rice! Eel rice! We're having eel rice tonight!"

Shu Yunwen looked up and rolled his eyes at Genta.

That chubby kid was a total foodie. Just hearing about food was enough to get him excited. And of all the things he could eat, eel rice was what got him especially worked up. During his stay with the Kojima family, Genta had practically shouted about wanting eel rice every day. Whenever they actually made it, he could put away at least four bowls—

Even Yunwen couldn't eat that much!

Before long, Kojima Mie brought out the food. Once Kojima Genji had sat down too, he said, "Let's eat," and everyone picked up their chopsticks and dug in. As she ate, Mie didn't forget to look after Genta, and she also served Yunwen some food, the very picture of a gentle housewife.

They were halfway through the meal when the doorbell suddenly rang.

Kojima Mie stood up and opened the door. A few seconds later, she called out, "Yunwen, someone's here for you!"

Yunwen put down his chopsticks. "Got it, Aunt Mie. I'll be right out."

He stood and hurried down the hall. When he saw the two people waiting by the entryway, a smile appeared on his face. "I thought you'd be able to hold out until I went to the agency tomorrow."

With a thud, one of them—a man who looked rather worse for wear—fell to his knees. Stammering, he said, "L-Lord Yunwen, I know I was wrong. Please remove the spell you put on me. And please, don't use a spell like that on my family."

"I'm begging you!" The speaker was Matsushita Heisaburo.

His attitude now was completely different from the way he'd acted that afternoon.

The misfortune he'd suffered that day had filled him with fear and made him tremble. He could hardly imagine what it would be like if an even worse "punishment" fell upon all his family and friends.

He was scared.

Thursday.

"Ran, aren't you going to your club activities this afternoon?" A girl by the shoe lockers called loudly to Mori Ran as she left the school building with her schoolbag.

Ran looked back and smiled, shaking her head. "I'm really sorry. I have something else to do, so I'm afraid I can't."

Sonoko poked her head out from behind her. "All right, all right, don't mind her! Ever since that kid moved into Ran's house, she's started turning into the perfect wife and mother. She's going home early to make a lavish dinner for him again, I bet..." Then Sonoko waved at Ran and shouted, "Ran! Even though Shinichi hasn't been around these past few days, don't go falling for that kid Conan!"

Ran turned around, exasperated. "Sonoko, what on earth are you talking about? Anyway, I have to hurry home!"

As she left with her bag, a trace of worry crossed Ran's face.

Kudo Shinichi had been missing for a whole week, and she was genuinely worried about him. If there was still no news, she had no choice but to call the police.

Yunwen looked around and smiled faintly. Then he saw Tsukamoto Kazumi coming over from nearby. She bowed slightly. "Hello, Yunwen. Are you free after school today? There's a coffee shop near the school. I heard it's pretty good..."

"Oh, Kazumi." Yunwen glanced at his watch, then replied, "If it's just a cup of coffee, I can manage that."

Kazumi had asked Yunwen out twice more over the past few days. But he'd been busy with the agency, so he'd turned her down both times.

At his answer, Kazumi immediately smiled with delight. "Thank you, Yunwen."

After changing his shoes, Yunwen left the school with her amid the students' hushed whispers.

The coffee shop was called Daitou, and it really was close to the school. When they went inside, they glanced around and saw that half the seats were already taken. Quite a few of the customers were wearing Teitan High School uniforms. They took seats at the back, ordered two Blue Mountains and a slice of cake, and chatted casually.

Kazumi mostly asked after his studies and his health.

They were having a pleasant conversation when Yunwen's bag suddenly started ringing.

Yunwen apologized, then reached into his bag and pulled out a cellphone. He pressed the answer button. "Hello, this is Shu Yunwen."

As soon as he'd spoken, the person on the other end said, "Lord Yunwen, this is Matsushita. I'm sorry to bother you, but there's a case at the agency that may require your help..."

"You need my help?" Yunwen frowned. "Did someone die?"

Yunwen had told the people at the agency not to disturb him on weekdays unless someone had died. After all, if someone had died, it might have been murder, and he might be able to absorb the soul and gain something from it!

"Of course not." On the other end of the line, Matsushita wiped his sweat. "It's just a simple job. Of course, if you have something else to do..."

Yunwen raised his wrist to check his watch, then said, "All right. I should be free in a little while. Tell me the time and place."

"Certainly, Lord Yunwen." Matsushita quickly continued, "It's at seven-thirty tonight, at a café in Beika Town, Fourth District."

Yunwen nodded. "I'm at Daitou Coffee Shop near Teitan High School. Please come pick me up at seven."

"Understood, Lord Yunwen."

Yunwen hung up and put his cellphone away, then smiled at Kazumi. "Sorry, Kazumi. I have something to take care of at seven, so..."

"That's all right. If you have something to do, don't worry about me." Kazumi smiled sweetly and took a sip of coffee. Then she asked curiously, "But can you tell me what you have to do?"

Yunwen thought for a moment before explaining. "You might already know. My father was an exorcist. A few days ago, I inherited his exorcism agency and became its new director. The people at the agency just told me there's a job they'd like my help with..."

Kazumi looked surprised. "Are you going to become an exorcist, Yunwen? But I remember you once said you wanted to be a manga artist... And before, you seemed to think exorcism was just a scam..."

"Uh..." Yunwen froze for a moment. "Did I say that? Sorry, my memory..."

He didn't remember his predecessor having such high-minded ambitions!

As for manga, since he'd ended up in a world that was itself based on manga, he'd grown somewhat interested in it. He'd gone to a bookstore to look at some manga and discovered that this really was a distorted world: many manga that had been famous in his previous life didn't even exist here...

If he really had the talent to draw manga, he might be able to make a fortune.

"It's all right." Kazumi shook her head. "Take your time. I'm sure you'll recover completely one day. And then, Hozaka will certainly..."

Kazumi's voice trailed off. After a pause, she asked, "By the way, Yunwen, I've never seen an exorcist at work! Our social studies teacher assigned us to observe a profession and write a report about it. I doubt many of my classmates would think of exorcism. If I wrote about that, my report would definitely stand out. So, Yunwen, would you let me come along and see how you work? I promise I'll do whatever you say and won't get in your way. Please!"

Kazumi pleaded with him.

"Well..." Yunwen hesitated, then nodded. "...All right."

Before they knew it, it was nearly seven. Winter's fading light had given way to night.

A car pulled up outside Daitou Coffee Shop. Matsushita Heisaburo got out and entered the shop. After a quick glance around, he immediately spotted Yunwen and Kazumi sitting in the corner. He hurried over and bowed. "Hello, Lord Yunwen. Hello, miss."

Yunwen nodded, picked up the coffee left on the table, and downed it in one go. Then he said to Kazumi, "Let's go."

"Sure."

The three of them left the coffee shop together. Yunwen and Kazumi sat in the back of the car, while Matsushita Heisaburo took the front passenger seat. Their driver was the secretary, Adachi Roppei.

Yunwen asked what the job was. Matsushita Heisaburo explained, "It's for a woman in show business, Ms. Ikezawa Yuko. She wants someone to put a curse on her rival. Lord Yunwen, ever since Lord Keqin passed away, the agency has kept operating, but business has been much worse. If we can help Ms. Ikezawa this time, the agency's name could get out there again..."

A curse to hurt someone?

Yunwen frowned.

When had he sunk so low that he'd help people curse others for a little money?

"Matsushita-kun, I may have this ability, but that doesn't mean I can use it whenever I like. Do you understand?" Yunwen's tone turned stern.

"This is all for the agency. So, Lord Yunwen, I'm begging you!" Matsushita Heisaburo pleaded again. "The agency has been struggling for two months now. If things don't change, we'll have to lay people off next month. Since Lord Keqin passed away, apart from people who've left of their own accord, I haven't laid off a single person. The Keqin Exorcist Agency represents Lord Keqin!"

"Please, Lord Yunwen, you must help us this time. Besides, Ms. Ikezawa probably just wants to make her rival have a bit of bad luck. Nothing we do would break any laws."

Kazumi looked astonished. "Yunwen, are you talking about Ikezawa Yuko, the famous entertainer? Why would she...?"

Yunwen turned to Kazumi and smiled. "Kazumi, you can't tell anyone what you heard today!" Then he turned back to Matsushita Heisaburo. "Matsushita-kun, I'll agree to this kind of thing just this once. If there's ever another job like it, you have to let me know a week in advance. Otherwise, I absolutely won't do it. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Lord Yunwen!" Matsushita Heisaburo looked delighted. "Thank you, Lord Yunwen! I'm sorry for the trouble!"

Before long, the car arrived at the café they'd agreed on.

They went inside. At seven-thirty, a woman wearing a hat and oversized sunglasses hurried in. After asking a server, she walked over to Yunwen and the others.

"Hello, President Matsushita..." The woman only took off her sunglasses once she'd reached them.

Matsushita Heisaburo quickly stood up. "Hello, Ms. Ikezawa. Also, I'm no longer the agency's director. This is Lord Yunwen, the son of the former director, Lord Keqin, and our current director. He's an incredibly powerful exorcist who can help you with your problem..."

Ikezawa Yuko glanced at Yunwen, who was still wearing his school uniform, and nodded. "Hello, Lord Yunwen."

Yunwen stayed seated and gave her a slight bow. "Hello, Ms. Ikezawa."

After a few polite exchanges, Yunwen got straight to the point. "Ms. Ikezawa, I'm short on time, so let's get right to it. You want me to curse your rival, correct?"

"That's right." Ikezawa Yuko gritted her teeth. "That woman is better than me in every way. And to make matters worse, she stole the lead role in the TV drama that was supposed to be mine. Ono Yoko is simply, simply unforgivable!"

"Mm... Hm?"

Yunwen froze when he heard the name Ikezawa Yuko had just mentioned.

Did she say... Ono Yoko?

The biggest star in the entire Detective Conan world? Mori Kogoro's idol, Ono Yoko?

And now that he thought about it, Ikezawa Yuko's name sounded familiar too! Wasn't there an actress who hated Ono Yoko in the episode where Yoko first appeared? Wasn't her name Ikezawa Yuko?

Beside Yunwen, Kazumi stared in astonishment at Ikezawa Yuko's twisted expression, seeming unable to believe that the woman before her was the idol she admired.

Yunwen was silent for a few seconds before nodding and asking, "So you want me to curse Ono Yoko?"

"That's right. Please help me, Lord Yunwen!" Ikezawa Yuko bowed.

Yunwen smiled faintly, then said, "Since you hate Ono Yoko so much, I'll give you a chance. I can help you curse her to death, and all you'll have to pay is double the usual fee..."

"Yunwen..." Kazumi was startled by his words and stared at him in disbelief.

Matsushita and Adachi also looked at Yunwen in surprise. "Lord Yunwen..."

Yunwen raised one hand to signal for them to be quiet, then waited for Ikezawa Yuko's answer.

Ikezawa Yuko was silent for a long moment before stammering, "N-No, I just want her to have some bad luck. I never meant for her to die. There's a live show at NTV on Saturday night, and Ono Yoko will be on it. I'll be satisfied if she embarrasses herself."

Ikezawa Yuko hated Ono Yoko, but not enough to want her dead. She was only a minor actress, and strictly speaking, her conflict with Ono Yoko was just a career dispute. It hadn't gone that far.

A smile appeared on Yunwen's face too.

He'd only said he could curse Ono Yoko to death to test Ikezawa Yuko. He had no intention of actually killing Ono Yoko. In fact, if Ikezawa Yuko had agreed to his proposal, Yunwen would have refused to take her on as a client.

"All right, then. Ms. Ikezawa, please have the money ready. On Saturday, you'll definitely see Ono Yoko..."

Yunwen hadn't finished speaking when a uniformed policewoman came down the hallway. She flashed her ID in front of Ikezawa Yuko. "Are you Ms. Ikezawa Yuko? I'm Takagi, a detective with the First Investigation Division of the Metropolitan Police Department. We have a case and need you to come to the scene and assist with the investigation."

"A-A detective?" Ikezawa Yuko looked panicked. "W-Why are you looking for me? I haven't done anything..."

Yunwen rolled his eyes.

That expression of hers only made her look more suspicious, didn't it?

Yunwen stood up and greeted the detective. "Oh, it's Officer Chosuke. I'm Shu Yunwen. We met at the Metropolitan Police Department."

Since Yunwen had been involved in two murder cases, he'd had to go to the Metropolitan Police Department to give statements. Takagi Chosuke had been the one to take them.

Takagi Chosuke turned to Yunwen. His narrow eyes swept over Yunwen's face before he said, "So it's you, the high school student with an old man's face. What are you doing with Ikezawa Yuko? Hmm... Were you with her all afternoon too?"

"No, we only got here at seven." Yunwen shook his head. Then, as if something had just occurred to him, he asked, "Officer Chosuke, has something serious happened? For example... did someone die?"

Yunwen thought of the case involving Ono Yoko's ex-boyfriend, who had killed himself.

Could it really be that coincidental?

Takagi Chosuke stared seriously at Yunwen through his narrowed eyes. After a moment of silence, he said, "Since you were with Ikezawa Yuko, you're connected to the case too. If you have time, why don't you come with me to the scene?"

Yunwen stood up and smiled. "Of course. I have time."

This was the first murder case Shinichi solved after becoming Conan!

Of course Yunwen had to go take a look~