Inspector Megure noticed the situation and comforted her: "Ms. Isayama, don't be discouraged. Once we return, we'll investigate the relationships of these people. Perhaps we'll find more clues."
Mei sighed. "That's all we can do."
At that moment, Conan suddenly said: "I heard those who died of cardiac arrest were all bad people. Could it be someone is acting as a vigilante?"
Kogoro immediately smacked Conan on the head, scolding him angrily. "Shut up, brat. This has nothing to do with you."
Conan winced in pain.
Miwako crouched down and said seriously: "Conan, even if the dead were bad people, our country has laws to punish them. Taking matters into your own hands is wrong. We must uphold the law, not break it."
Conan quickly nodded.
Standing nearby, Kael heard that those who died of cardiac arrest were all bad people. His mind flashed to a very particular anime. A banned anime.
Death Note.
If he remembered correctly, anyone whose name was written in that notebook, without a specified cause of death, would die of cardiac arrest. More importantly, the notebook's owner, Yagami Light, was an obsessive perfectionist. In the original story, Light found the notebook and used it to kill countless criminals.
The Inugane Group boss was a true yakuza. From his cruel act of sending his men to Thailand for gender reassignment and forcing them to debut as idols, it was clear he was no better than a criminal. Even if not convicted, his actions were criminal in nature If Light had known of him, his name being written in the notebook would be expected.
And in this crossover world, with so many anime fused together, the existence of a Death Note was entirely plausible. At that moment, Kael was sixty percent certain this was connected to Light and the Death Note.
But he didn't share his suspicion with Mei. The reason was simple. He was very interested in the Death Note and wanted to seize the chance to obtain it. So he planned to investigate alone.
Just then, Conan walked up to Kael, looking at him curiously. "Hey, big brother, I saw your confident expression just now. Did you already figure out a clue?"
Kael froze. This kid's observation was too sharp. No wonder he was the famous detective Shinichi.
"Conan, that was rude," Ran quickly pulled Conan back and apologized. "Sorry, Renjou-kun. Conan is just a child. His words were nonsense. Please don't take it to heart."
Kael chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm not that petty."
Inspector Megure, however, half-believed Conan's words. He said sincerely: "Renjou-kun, if you discover any clues, please contact us."
He handed over a business card. Kael smiled, accepted it, and said: "If I do find something, I'll let you know."
After a few polite words, Inspector Megure left with Miwako and Wataru, taking the yakuza boss's body. Kogoro and the others also departed.
Only Mei and Kael remained in the hall.
"Would you walk with me, Renjou-kun?"
"Of course." Kael agreed with a smile. They left the hall and strolled along an artificial lake in the resort.
They walked side by side in silence.
After circling the lake, Mei finally spoke. "Renjou-kun, what do you think of what that child Conan said?"
Kael replied: "Just a child's nonsense."
"Oh? A child's nonsense? Do you really think so?" Mei looked at him meaningfully.
Kael knew she was probing him. He smiled. "What else could it be? Surely you don't believe a child's words?"
"That's no ordinary child," Mei said. "Though he looks like one, in truth he's a famous detective…"
Detective? Kael's face showed genuine surprise. From her words, he realized Conan being Shinichi was no secret to her—or to the entire Supernatural Countermeasures Bureau.
Thinking carefully, it wasn't strange. Conan hadn't changed his face, only reverted to childhood. He looked exactly like Shinichi as a boy. That alone was enough to raise suspicion.
In Detective Conan's world, reverting to childhood was unthinkable, a legend. Ordinary people wouldn't believe it, even if they noticed the resemblance. But in this crossover world, where gods existed, methods of reverting to childhood were not rare. Many legends spoke of such potions or wines. Kael remembered in Natsume's Book of Friends, a yokai had such power, even turning Natsume into a child.
So Conan's secret being known to the Bureau was not surprising.
"Has the detective title become so cheap that even children can hold it?" Kael muttered, showing off his acting skills.
Mei laughed. "Renjou-kun, has anyone told you your acting is terrible?"
"Really?" Kael asked curiously.
She sighed. "Since you don't want to say more, I won't press. But let me remind you—not everyone in the Bureau is as easygoing as I am. Hundreds of deaths have drawn much attention. Everyone is desperately hunting the killer. If you have nothing to do with it, you'd best stay clear."
Kael said: "Thank you for the warning, Ms. Isayama. But rest assured, I have no connection to this matter and won't be involved." If all went well, he thought, the Bureau wouldn't even realize before he had already solved it.