Chapter 108: Starting the Investigation
As for the other children, the sight of the strange, motionless robots by the roadside was an irresistible draw. They had already gathered around, their earlier squabbles forgotten. Even Conan was no exception; after all, what boy could truly resist the allure of a real, moving robot?
"Whoa! This robot is so cool!" Moroboshi exclaimed, his eyes wide. "I wonder if it can move?"
Mitsuhiko, his mind now completely detached from the pre-game conflict, stared in fascination. "It should be able to," he reasoned, his voice filled with excitement. "There are similar ones walking around nearby..."
"But I don't get why this one is just standing here," Kikukawa chimed in, tilting his head. "Is it really charging? Then where's the plug?"
"You're so dense," Emori scoffed. "A place with technology this advanced wouldn't still be using plugs for charging. It must be wireless!"
Genta, however, paid no attention to their debate. His eyes were glued to the automaton before him, a curious and mischievous impulse bubbling up inside him. "I wonder if I can touch it?" he murmured, a grin spreading across his face. "It should be fine, right...?"
Before Conan, standing right beside him, could even utter a word of caution, Genta reached out and prodded the robot's metallic leg.
Conan and the others watched with bated breath, their bodies tense. When the machine remained perfectly still, a collective sigh of relief escaped them. Unable to restrain themselves any longer, the other children followed Genta's lead, their hands and feet curiously tapping and touching the robot's chassis.
After a few moments, simple touches were no longer enough for Moroboshi. Convinced the immobile robot posed no threat, his eyes landed on an exposed gear. With a mischievous glint in his eye, he reached out, preparing to pry it loose.
"Attack intent detected. Activating self-defense mode."
A synthesized voice suddenly emanated from the robot. As the children were swarming it, its optical sensors flared to life, and its joints began to whir and click.
"Not good! Everyone, scatter!"
The moment the robot spoke, Conan's blood ran cold. "Get away from it! Now!" he yelled, his voice sharp with urgency.
Genta and the other Detective Boys didn't hesitate, scrambling away from the robot the instant they heard Conan's warning. But Moroboshi, Kikukawa, Emori, and Takizawa, the four boys from the rival team, were less inclined to take orders from another child. They froze, their reaction fatally delayed.
Conan instinctively slapped the button on his belt buckle, intending to inflate a soccer ball to intercept the machine. To his shock, nothing happened. A cold dread washed over him as he remembered: this was a game. His Power-Enhancing Kick Shoes, his Stun-Gun Wristwatch, his Voice-Changing Bowtie—all of Professor Agasa's gadgets were useless here.
His expression turned grim as he realized how powerless he was.
By the time Natsume and Ran noticed the commotion and rushed over, it was already too late. A child named Takizawa had been caught by the robot, which tagged him lightly before he dissolved into a shower of light—eliminated from the game.
Only then did Moroboshi, Emori, and Kikukawa finally grasp the danger. Pale-faced, they stumbled and crawled away from the spot.
Natsume arrived like a flash of lightning. With a single, powerful kick, she struck the robot's primary motor joint, sending it crashing to the ground, its limbs twitching uselessly.
Just as everyone let out a shaky breath, the patrolling Clockwork Meka nearby detected the disturbance. Their optical sensors glowed red as they changed course, surrounding the small group.
Natsume and Ran immediately placed themselves in front of the children, bracing as the ring of metal guards closed in.
Though Mouri Ran was a formidable martial artist, her karate chops and kicks barely dented the robots' reinforced plating. She was forced onto the defensive, skillfully deflecting their advances to keep them from reaching the children behind her.
The true offensive force was Natsume. Under the astonished gazes of the children, she moved with an otherworldly grace. A single, precise strike to a joint, a swift kick to a balancing gyroscope—each of her movements disabled a Meka in seconds. Seeing that fighting bare-handed was inefficient, she darted to a nearby prop blacksmith shop, emerging a moment later with a longsword. With the blade in hand, she became an unstoppable whirlwind. The surrounding Clockwork Meka stood no chance, collapsing one by one under her fluid, decisive assault.
Despite Natsume's overwhelming prowess, the robots were a persistent nuisance, with new ones continuously arriving to replace the fallen.
Just as Conan, growing anxious, began wracking his brain for a strategic solution, the Garde that Natsume's contact had left with them came running over from the distance. Tailing her was a small, timid staff member who introduced herself as a Melusine.
Upon her arrival, the Garde issued a sharp command, and the Clockwork Meka immediately ceased their advance. She then turned to assess the situation.
It was then that the full story came out. The robot had activated because it detected Moroboshi's "attack intent," triggering its self-defense protocols. The Garde, seeing the situation escalating, had immediately called for a Melusine from the Maison Gardiennage to help de-escalate and control the machines.
With the danger passed, Genta couldn't help but turn on Moroboshi. "Honestly! This is a serious situation! Why are you still messing around like you were in the lobby? Can't you just keep your hands to yourself?"
"He didn't do it on purpose!" Kikukawa shot back, stepping in to defend his friend. He was also unhappy that Moroboshi's carelessness had gotten their teammate eliminated, but he wouldn't stand for an outsider yelling at him.
"It was his fault to begin with, so why can't I say it?" Genta retorted, puffing out his chest.
"That's also..." Emori started to add.
"Alright! Stop talking!" Moroboshi's voice cut through the argument. He stood with his fists clenched, his face a mask of shame. "It's my fault," he admitted, his voice low. "I shouldn't have touched that robot. I'm sorry."
Seeing that Moroboshi had apologized, Conan stepped forward to act as a peacemaker. Now was not the time for internal strife.
The Garde, seeing their argument had subsided, gently guided the Melusine forward. "This is Mademoiselle Tsuista," she said. "She can answer your questions regarding the case of the missing Melusines."
The mention of a clue to clearing the game instantly dispelled the remaining tension. The children swarmed Tsuista, their questions tumbling out all at once, some of them completely unrelated to the case.
Conan pushed to the front. "How many victims are there in the Melusine disappearance case so far?"
"Currently, we know that seven of my sisters have gone missing," Tsuista replied, her voice soft and melodic.
"Ah?! So many!" Ayumi cried out, her hands clasped to her chest. "Which sisters were they?"
"There's Kaisa, Vigne..."
Before Tsuista could finish her list, Mitsuhiko interjected, "Is there any commonality between the victims?"
"We have not yet found any common link between the missing Melusines..."
Even Haibara couldn't help but ask, her scientific curiosity piqued. "Is there any difference between you Melusines and ordinary people? In terms of senses or abilities?"
Tsuista blinked her large, luminous eyes. "We possess a unique form of perception. It allows us to see things that are difficult for ordinary people to observe."
"Hey, Haibara, what are you asking that for?" Conan shot her a helpless, half-lidded look. He couldn't believe she was asking questions unrelated to the case at a time like this.
Seeing the chaotic questioning and Tsuista's overwhelmed expression, Natsume stepped in. She clapped her hands once, the sound sharp enough to silence the group. "One at a time," she commanded, her voice calm but firm.
Slowly, with Natsume moderating, they were able to piece together the clues about the Melusine disappearance case in an orderly fashion.
After sharing most of what she knew, Tsuista looked at the strange group of visitors. "I have shared all the preliminary clues," she said. "Now, if you would follow me, I can take you to the Maison Gardiennage to examine some of the physical evidence we've collected."
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