Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

"This……"

Inspector Megure was speechless for a moment, staring down at the swirling liquid in his glass, remaining silent for a long time.

“As the state’s violent apparatus, the police’s duty has never been to uphold justice, but to maintain social order,” Lin Xiuyi’s voice softened. “You think of the police job as too sacred.”

"is it?"

Inspector Megure gave a wry smile, tilted his head back, and downed the remaining wine in his glass in one gulp.

“From a young age…” his voice choked up a little, “the adults told me that the police are messengers of justice, heroes who protect the weak… and I have always believed that.”

"Who isn't?"

Lin Xiuyi sighed softly, recalling the passion and ideals he had when he first became a policeman in his previous life, which were ultimately worn down by reality.

"Everyone is the same."

"Same?"

Inspector Megure glanced at Hayashi Hideichi with surprise, misunderstanding his meaning.
"No wonder you refused when Inspector Samezaki first invited you to join the Metropolitan Police Department... Have you encountered something like this before?"

"More or less," Lin Xiuyi said, not wanting to continue the topic. "You've probably heard a lot about how powerful people in the upper class have used legal loopholes to get away with their crimes."

"Although what Ms. Murakami did this time went against your principles, do you really want to see her waste several years in prison because of a moment of impulse?"

“In this day and age, there are very few teachers like her who are willing to protect their students with their lives.”

The two chatted for a while longer before Inspector Megure finally stood up, albeit unsteadily.

As he was leaving, he leaned against the doorframe, looked back at Lin Xiuyi, and his eyes were no longer as confused as before, but rather more determined.

"I will pretend I didn't see this, but this will not happen again!"

Inspector Megure's voice suddenly rose.
"Perhaps you're right, the police's duty isn't to uphold justice..."

His hands unconsciously gripped the door frame tightly.

"But I will uphold justice as my principle."

The doorbell rang crisply, and Inspector Megure disappeared into the night.

Lin Xiuyi sat alone in the empty izakaya, staring at the remaining wine stains on the table, lost in thought.

……

July arrived before we knew it.
That morning, Hayashi Shuichi, Mouri Kogoro, and Kisaki Eri arrived at school together.

Kogoro Mouri stopped in his tracks as he looked at the empty school gate.

“Sigh,” he scratched his messy hair, “Lately, I haven’t seen the dean of academic affairs carrying a bamboo knife at the school gate in the mornings, and I feel a sense of emptiness inside.”

“You’ve clearly been taught a lesson by him and have developed masochistic tendencies,” Eri Kisaki pushed up her glasses, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

"Perhaps there really is a little bit,"

Kogoro Mouri scratched his head sheepishly, then nudged Hideaki Hayashi beside him with his elbow.

"Hasn't the car accident involving Ms. Murakami been dealt with yet? She hasn't been to school for a while now."

"It should be soon."

Just as Lin Xiuyi finished speaking, a sharp whistle rang out from the side.

The three turned around and saw that Yui Murakami was standing at the school gate at some point, holding a rather familiar bamboo sword in her hand.

"gross profit!"

The female teacher shouted sternly, pointing her bamboo sword directly at Kogoro Mori.
"Your tie is crooked, tie it right now! And your hair, comb it neatly before you go out next time, or I'll shave it short!"

Then, her gaze turned to Lin Xiuyi, "And you, don't act so nonchalant. High school students should be more energetic in the morning!"

"Teacher, can you please stop being so nitpicky..." Lin Xiuyi rubbed her face helplessly.

"Murakami-sensei," Eri asked curiously, "you've taken over Takeshita-sensei's job?"

“That’s right,” Murakami Yui planted her bamboo sword on the ground, straightened her back, and looked piercingly at me. “You’d better watch yourselves from now on, or you’ll embarrass me!”

"Yes……"

Kogoro Mori responded in a comical, drawn-out voice, and was immediately smacked on the buttock by Yui Murakami with a bamboo sword.

"Study hard these days, final exams are coming up soon, don't just think about the holidays,"

Yui Murakami's gaze swept across the three faces, finally settling on Kogoro Mouri.
“I haven’t been to school recently, so I don’t know how you and the students in the class are doing.”

"If you all fail the final exams this time, I, as your homeroom teacher, will lose face big time."

"Don't worry, teacher," Eri Kisaki, the class's academic representative, assured with a smile, "Shuichi and I will definitely be fine, and most of the other students in the class will be able to as well..."

Her gaze turned meaningfully to Kogoro Mouri.
"Only some people, because the holiday is coming soon, have been unable to concentrate in class lately."

Following her gaze, Murakami Yui looked at Mouri Kogoro: "Come to my office at noon. I need to check on your recent studies."

Kogoro Mori responded dejectedly, his shoulders slumped.

"Alright, let's go to the classroom." Murakami Yui waved her hand, signaling the three of them to leave.

As Lin Xiuyi passed by her, the female teacher turned slightly to the side and whispered "Thank you" in a voice that only the two of them could hear.

Lin Xiuyi didn't reply, but just smiled and pointed to his chest.

Murakami Yui immediately understood his meaning, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up.

She immediately composed herself and turned to check the appearance of the other students.

As soon as the homeroom teacher left, Eri Kisaki narrowed her eyes suspiciously and stared at Hideaki Lin: "What was that interaction between you and Mr. Murakami just now? Do you two have some kind of secret?"

"Really?" Lin Xiu initially pretended to be confused.

“I saw everything you two did just now,” Eri Kisaki sneered. “Tell me now, what exactly happened!”

“Last time, Ms. Murakami fainted in the classroom, and I took her to the infirmary,” Lin Xiuyi began to explain, racking his brains. “She just said thank you to me.”

"Then why did you point to your chest?" Eri Kisaki pressed.

"I was just reminding her to take care of her health and not to faint like last time," Lin Xiuyi replied without thinking.

"It's that simple?"

Eri Kisaki felt something was off. This womanizer, could he also be with the teacher…?

"Have you two noticed that Ms. Murakami is much more proactive today than before?" Kogoro Mouri said thoughtfully, rubbing his sore bottom. "She used to be so lazy at school."

Seeing that Eri was still staring at him with a probing gaze, Lin Xiuyi quickly changed the subject, patting his friend on the shoulder.

"If she gets too enthusiastic, you're in trouble. You'd better pay attention in class from now on."

"Ugh……"

Kogoro Mouri sighed deeply, and his schoolbag strap slipped off his shoulder.

"I thought things would be easier once Chief Takeshita left..."

His gaze drifted to the figure of Murakami Yui wielding a bamboo sword not far away.
"I never imagined the good days would end so quickly." (End of Chapter)