Although the process of turning around had been a bit complicated, fortunately, the danger Hashimoto Maya had imagined never materialized.
Following Conan's gesture, he looked over and saw a long cylindrical object fixed horizontally to the room's ceiling.
"This..." Hashimoto Maya examined it for a moment and recognized it. "A Projection Screen? Why is it installed in such a completely random place?"
Projection Screens were usually hung by the wall. When needed, one could pull down the hook and unfold a white screen. Yet this room's Projection Screen was a full two meters away from any wall.
Hearing their discussion, Iida Tsutomu smiled. "That isn't an ordinary screen. It has a concealed slit that people can pass through."
Hoshikawa Togo added, "If you like magic shows, you've probably seen that kind of trick before—during the opening act, an animation plays on the stage, and then a real person suddenly jumps out of the screen... This is specialized equipment for practicing that sort of opening trick."
Once the subject turned to magic, Mrs. Masakage, who had known nothing whenever asked before, became chatty. She said nostalgically, "Back when my husband hadn't left yet, Iida and the others used to huddle in here practicing—ten years have passed now, and all three of them have become remarkable Magicians. They no longer need these beginner's props."
Hashimoto Maya: "..." Three? Something about that was off. Had she included the remains of a remarkable Magician among them?
And perhaps there was also a hidden prison tycoon. He wondered whether magic tricks could be used to break out of prison...
Iida Tsutomu had no idea about the faintly malicious thoughts of a certain organization member. Hearing his teacher's wife, he said emotionally:
"Our achievements today are all thanks to Teacher Masakage, as well as this Trick