"So, I transported him here with the Doctor and helped him construct that riddle hidden within the book, hoping someone would see through it and find this place."
As she spoke, Mrs. Niimi could not help wiping away her tears. "As The Apex of 1/2 gradually took shape, my husband's condition worsened. Two weeks ago, he could not even raise his hands. So for the recent manuscripts, he dictated them while I wrote everything down, then had him review and finalize them."
Hearing this, Inspector Megure finally processed the facts before him and felt that he understood everything. "No wonder the handwritten signatures in Chapters 6 and 7 were completely identical. So you copied them on..."
Mrs. Niimi nodded, then looked at her daughter with pity. "I'm sorry, Kaori. You had your own job and couldn't disappear with us for two whole months. And to ensure the riddle was convincing, your father specifically insisted that we absolutely not tell you."
Niimi Kaori: "..."
Although that old man, whose joke had alarmed a huge number of police officers, was infuriating, the dead deserved respect. Inspector Megure ultimately just sighed and led his subordinates considerately out of the house, leaving the space to the family of three who had finally reunited inside.
Before leaving, Conan peeked through the door crack and sighed. ...So that was the truth. No wonder something had vaguely felt wrong throughout the entire case, yet he could not put his finger on what it was.
"Thinking back, Mr. Niimi's status as the 'mastermind' had actually been obvious—whether it was emphasizing beforehand that the editor was not allowed to change a single word, being kidnapped yet still able to write novels, or demanding to be paid afterward... Those inconsistencies could barely be explained by other circumstances, but 'staging