Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, the end of the year was approaching.
Japan and China defined the New Year completely differently. Because Japan had fully Westernized back then, it actually placed more importance on New Year's Day on the solar calendar, treating it as the New Year holiday. Its year-end celebrations were almost as grand as the New Year celebrations in China.
But compared with the increasingly lively, bustling holiday atmosphere outside, Sherlock's home strangely began to grow quieter.
Satoru Gojo ultimately failed to escape the fate of being dragged back to the Gojo Clan to be worshipped as a god. Under the clan's round-the-clock barrage of phone calls, he gradually visited Sherlock's home less often, cursing and grumbling all the while.
Suguru Geto also had to prepare the Time Vessel Association's New Year festivities, as well as celebrate the holiday with his two adopted daughters, so he likewise visited Sherlock's home less often.
That left only Shoko still living at Sherlock's home, leading her slovenly life. Occasionally, she even used Sherlock as a taxi, having him take her out to treat patients.
It was something of a coincidence. Given how busy Shoko was, she should never have had this much free time from the moment her vacation began, but Sherlock's deterrent effect on the Three Great Families and those Old Orange-Peels was simply too strong.
Thus, once they discovered that Shoko was hanging around Sherlock, those members of the Three Great Families who used to summon her to treat even a scraped finger with Reverse Cursed Technique instantly backed off.
The reason was simple: Sherlock's Cursed Technique.
Did you really think those Old Orange-Peels and the Three Great Families paid no attention to Sherlock? No, they had actually been watching him very closely, even