Conan: I've been linked to the tech tree system.

......

The silver-white Bentley Continental was not rented; it was a brand new car that had just been purchased.

He's not like Kogoro Mouri; he doesn't have the habit of renting cars, and the price of several hundred thousand dollars is just a drop in the ocean for him now.

Actually, I'd rather get a McLaren F1 and drive it, to finally satisfy a craving I've had for so long in my past life.

After some research, seeing the eight-figure price tag on the auction website, Toru Tono decisively abandoned the idea.

Sure enough, only rich kids who don't care about money can afford this kind of car... We self-made rich kids can only look on with envy.

......

As Tono Tosai stepped into the luxurious auditorium, the warm air from the central air conditioning blew onto his face, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

After waiting a short while, I heard the crisp sound of high heels hitting the polished marble floor behind me.

Tohru Tono turned around, and Shiho Miyano, wearing a disguise veil, slowly walked over.

Overall, her facial features haven't changed much; she's just changed her signature brown short hair to long, straight black hair, made her nose bridge a little more prominent, and made some minor adjustments to her lips and chin.

However, the feeling it evokes is completely different from Shiho Miyano's original image.

If Shiho Miyano originally gave the impression of a cold and beautiful unattainable flower, making people feel inferior and dare not take the initiative to approach her, then now she gives the impression of a more direct arrogance and indifference, keeping people at arm's length.

It has to be said that every woman, regardless of her background, is quite adept at adjusting her appearance.

No wonder so many freebie machines with terrible original skins can still turn the tide by replacing parts.

They're all expert car mechanics.

"Excuse me, is your definition of a gentleman simply leaving a woman with mobility issues behind?"

Shiho Miyano's voice, which had become much more mature, came from behind her. To conceal her identity, she had deliberately worn a burgundy evening gown that she would never normally wear, making her look like a bright rose with thorns.

The consequence was that, having grown accustomed to casual wear, she found the tightness uncomfortable and felt a bit breathless.

And he couldn't even take a step, unable to keep up with Tohru Tono's quickening pace.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Tohru Tono said insincerely. "But, a gentleman is someone who, even when single, maintains his integrity and remains chaste for the sake of any future girlfriend he might have."

"Just now in the car, you were saying that 'as a gentleman, I would never embarrass a beautiful lady.'" Shiho Miyano was gradually getting used to Toru Tono's contradictory statements; when this person wasn't doing anything serious, he never spoke credibly.

"That was me five minutes ago. Each stage has its own tasks."

Tohru Tono made up a story on the spot, opened the glass door leading to the party center, and gestured for someone to go ahead: "Please?"

Shiho Miyano rolled her eyes at him, then haughtily raised her head, ignoring the gazes of others, and walked in with her head held high like a princess of some duchy.

Tohru Tono walked behind her, feeling like a little lackey holding up her skirt.

'Why does Shiho Miyano seem to be exuding such a powerful aura today...? Her status as my older sister's best friend seems a bit inappropriate.'

While secretly plotting how to give her a more appropriate identity, Tohno Toru walked into the center of the party.

"Hello, Tono-kun."

Somewhat unexpectedly, the first acquaintance I met was Misaki Ichijo, the host. When I saw her, she was wearing a royal blue evening gown, holding a glass of bright red wine, chatting with a portly middle-aged man. Her delicate face wore an impeccable smile, but I could see the impatience in her eyes.

When she saw Tono coming through the window, her eyes lit up, and she found an excuse to come over and greet him.

"Hello." Toru Tono nodded in acknowledgment and then introduced Shiho Miyano, who was standing silently beside him. "This is a friend of mine from my time in Kyoto. She just returned from studying in the United States."

In a sense, his second half of the statement wasn't a lie either.

"This is Ms. Misaki Ichijo." Toru Tono turned around and introduced her to Shiho Miyano as well.

"Hello, I'm Misaki Ichijo, nice to meet you." Misaki Ichijo gracefully extended her hand, a smile playing on her lips.

“…Ai Haibara.” Shiho Miyano extended her hand, shook it symbolically, and then withdrew it, uttering the name of Toru Tono, a name that was widely known.

"..."

So history has inertia, right?

Tohru Tono couldn't help but think.

I need to find a time to ask Shiho Miyano about her thought process in choosing the name "Ai Haibara".

I don't know if it's based on the female detective Cordelia Grey and V.I. Wolschusky, as I remember.

"It's...a very unusual name." Misaki Ichijo made a difficult assessment of this name, which was just as fabricated as "Conan Edogawa".

"Hmm." Shiho Miyano uttered a short syllable, then fell silent.

"Miss Haibara is quite aloof," Misaki Ichijo said with a smile, looking at Toru Tono. "Are you two a couple?"

"Of course not." Tohno denied the second half of the statement first, and then said apologetically, "That's just her personality. She doesn't really like crowded places. Please don't mind."

“I completely understand. If it weren’t for inheriting my father’s company, I wouldn’t want to be a regular at any party.” Misaki Ichijo said sadly, her words making people grit their teeth. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed someone calling her over from upstairs.

"Then I hope you have a good time. I have something to attend to, so I won't bother you any longer." She smiled apologetically.

"Ok."

Tohno watched as Misaki Ichijo gracefully departed with her wine glass in hand.

"Is she the host of the party?" Shiho Miyano asked abruptly.

“Hmm.” Tohno frowned. “Inviting me under both my identities at the same time makes it hard not to suspect that they know something through some means.”

"The question now is whether it was Misaki Ichijo who had this suspicion, or her father."

"Or perhaps both."

"While I'm not afraid of such a not-so-large conglomerate, it would still be a big problem if they linked 'Starlight' to my public identity."

"When you were making deals with the Black Organization, I didn't see anything about you being afraid of trouble." Shiho Miyano gave a sarcastic smile.

"..." Toru Tohno chuckled speechlessly, "Making money, what's so troublesome about that..."

"That's true."

Chapter 92 The Ichijo Family Party (Part 2)

"Tousang? Over here!"

A familiar female voice came from behind him. He knew without even looking that it was Sonoko Suzuki who would call him by that name and tone.

Tohru Tono picked out a Moscato from the food bar and handed it to Shiho Miyano, while he asked the bartender to pour him a glass of sherry before going over.

Although her codename is Sherry, she probably wouldn't be used to this kind of strong liquor.

On the contrary, white wines like Moscato, with their sweet taste and subtle floral and fruity aromas, are more suitable for women.

"Thank you," Shiho Miyano said, glancing at the sherry in his hand, but said nothing more.

Tohru Tono walked over to Sonoko Suzuki, who was sitting in the corner.

Today, the second daughter of the conglomerate also wore an evening gown, which looked very beautiful, but the headband was still stubbornly on her head, which was annoying.

Logically speaking, given the size of the Suzuki Group, the heir should be the center of attention at any gathering... Unfortunately, Sonoko Suzuki is only the second daughter and still a high school student, not yet in charge of the family business, so relatively few people came to try and establish connections with her.

The garden was happy to have some peace and quiet, and the gardener ate alone in a corner.

Almost everyone at the party was a much older person than her, and as a high school student, she already had to deal with the etiquette expected of her juniors.

"Come quick, these peony cakes are so delicious!"

Sonoko Suzuki's voice was somewhat muffled because she had food in her mouth.

Tohno walked over with a smile.

There were many dishes on the table: foie gras, Kobe beef, tuna sushi, and various desserts—a wide variety and complete selection.

Why did she choose to eat peony cakes there? The young lady is really down-to-earth.

Tohru Tono found a plate, stuck a slice of steak into it, and brought it to his mouth. The meat was tender, with a rich yet refreshing flavor. The delicate marbling melted in his mouth, making it an excellent taste.

Without realizing it, I picked up another piece.

Looking back at Shiho Miyano, it seems she's eating a plate of boiled broccoli.

emm......

Tohru Tohno questioned his life for a second: Are girls these days not interested in food?

"And who is this lady?" Sonoko Suzuki followed his gaze and saw Shiho Miyano, immediately showing a wary look.

"She is my sister's best friend, Ai Haibara, who has just returned from studying in the United States."

"Oh, okay." Sonoko Suzuki nodded. Hikaru Hoshihara's best friend...

Then she suddenly felt something was off: "Did Miss Haibara also receive an invitation to the party?"

“Uh…” Tohno paused. Right, he hadn’t come up with a reason for bringing her here yet.

“I’m his assistant,” Shiho Miyano interjected from the side.

"Oh right, because she graduated with a master's degree from a university, she's now my lab assistant."

Tohno Toru followed up on her words and added some details.

Shiho Miyano glanced at him, clearly displeased that he had lowered his educational background without permission.

Tohru Tono pretended not to see it.

So what if you have two doctorates? You're just relying on the Black Organization's resources...

After that, the group didn't say anything more and started eating the food on the table to replenish their energy.

......

Misaki Ichijo's father, Kenji Ichijo, is a middle-aged man with a square face who looks very dignified.

He doesn't seem like an inventor; he's more like a civil servant or a police officer.

After most of the guests had arrived, he gave a speech in a place on the second floor where everyone could see him. Tohno Toru didn't listen carefully; it was mostly empty words of thanks and platitudes, nothing substantial.

After Ichijo Kenichi stepped down, Ichijo Misaki took over. As the current president of the Ichijo Group, her speech was slightly more meaningful, as she outlined the company's future development path and business expansion scope.

Toru Tono listened more carefully this time, after all, he still had plans to start a company, and it would be good to learn from successful existing cases as soon as possible.

Misaki Ichijo spoke for a very long time before leaving the stage, much like a school principal giving a speech.

"I'm going to the restroom," Toru Tono said casually to Sonoko.