Mori Kogoro: I'm Looking for the Phantom Thief of Hearts? Seriously?!

"Detective Mouri, do you have a moment?"

Mori Kogoro, who was in the middle of eating and discussing the flavor of the dishes with Professor Agasa while holding a piece of duck meat in his chopsticks, turned around. Seeing that it was Chinami Sawaguchi, Mio Tokiwa's secretary, he wiped the expression off his face and grew serious. "What do you need me for?"

"The chairwoman seems to have something she wants to ask you." Chinami Sawaguchi gestured toward the smaller conference room and bar on the other side of the venue.

Mio Tokiwa had prepared quite a few segments for tonight's event, so the small conference room had temporarily been turned into a backstage lounge. At the moment, only the host, Mio Tokiwa, who had disappeared from sight for a while, was inside.

"If this is about the commission you mentioned before, I believe I made my refusal quite clear." Mori Kogoro set down his plate and frowned. "There are so many detectives in Tokyo. I don't think my junior absolutely has to come to me."

It was not that he did not understand Mio Tokiwa's current feelings, but based on his investigation, all he could say was that he was unable to help.

"No, the chairwoman said it's about tonight's banquet." Secretary Sawaguchi hurriedly shook her head. "She said the situation is urgent and she has no one else to discuss it with. She admits she did not think things through before, but she begs you to at least hear her out."

With things having been put this far, refusing such a humble plea would mean completely falling out with her.

Mori Kogoro had no choice but to set down his plate and straighten himself up. "...All right. I'll go with you."

"There's something off about Mio Tokiwa..." Professor