Solving cases with Detective Conan's science? No, I'm a cultivator!

Sonoko chimed in from the side, "That's right, that's right, let's not be so formal!"

"Look at me, I'm so happy to see everyone that I forgot to invite you all inside first."

With that, Ayako Suzuki invited everyone into the house.

At that moment, Xiaolan remembered the bandaged man and asked Suzuki Ayako, "Ayako-nee, were any of today's guests wearing bandages on their heads?"

Ayako Suzuki didn't know why Ran asked that. "Bandages? No, I only invited a few of my college classmates. None of them are injured, and they are all resting in their rooms right now."

Xiaolan explained, "We just encountered a strange person on the suspension bridge whose head was wrapped in bandages, with only his eyes showing."

"Could it be someone who lives nearby?" Xiaolan murmured.

Ayako Suzuki pondered for a moment and said, "There is indeed another villa nearby, but it is quite far from here and has been uninhabited for many years."

"Maybe someone suddenly moved in!" Sonoko had a strong heart and quickly forgot about being scared by the bandaged monster.

"Alright, everyone, go to your rooms and put your luggage away!"

After Sonoko said that, Ran put her worries aside.

"You guys go and tidy up first. I'll go make some snacks for everyone. Remember to come down for tea later. By the way, your rooms are the two innermost ones."

With a few hours to go before lunch, Ayako Suzuki planned to make some tea and snacks first, and also introduce everyone to each other.

Chapter 27 Is Ayako Suzuki a conversational genius?

The four went up to the second floor and found two empty rooms at the end of the corridor, each with two single beds.

Conan wanted to follow Ran and Sonoko, but unexpectedly, Sonoko slammed the door shut as soon as she entered the room, almost hitting his nose.

'That Sonoko!'

Conan tried to knock on the door, but Kitagawa Taki grabbed him by the back of his collar.

"Hey kid, there are two girls there, what are you doing running over there? You're sharing a room with me."

After saying that, without waiting for Conan's reaction, he threw her onto the bed.

Conan glared at Kitagawa Taki with resentment.

He couldn't understand why Kogoro Mouri and Taki Kitagawa were being so rough with him. He was just a kid!

But there was nothing he could do about the two of them.

Before long, the group finished packing and went downstairs one after another.

Sonoko and Kitagawa Taki walked behind. Kitagawa Taki handed three golden talismans to Sonoko and whispered in her ear, "Sonoko, take these three talismans. Give one to Ran and one to your sister later. Remember to keep them with you at all times."

The Golden Light Talisman can be used for self-defense; it was given to the three women as a precaution.

As for Conan, even if that kid acts recklessly, nothing will happen to him.

Sonoko found it a little strange, but she didn't ask any further questions; she trusted Kitagawa Taki completely.

When the group arrived at the restaurant, Ayako Suzuki's classmates were already seated at the table, where cookies and tea were laid out.

Ayako Suzuki greeted them, "You've come down! I was just about to go up and call you! Please have a seat."

After saying that, he introduced the group to the others, saying, "These are my classmates from university, and also members of the same film club. We get together every two years."

The one with long hair and wearing a headband is Masaru Ota, who used to be a club executive.

The man holding the camera, with his hair parted in the middle, is Hiroki Kakutani, who used to be in charge of photography.

The man with slightly curly hair and a plump figure is Ryoichi Takahashi, who used to be a prop master in the club.

Finally, there's Chikako Ikeda, with short hair and a choker collar, the former president of the film club.

Kitagawa Taki remembered that the bandaged monster who led the charge was disguised as a fat man, and that was none other than Takahashi Ryoichi, who was the fattest person present.

As for the victims, according to the "president is bound to die" law, unless the president is as lucky as him, he would definitely not have a good time if he encountered Conan.

The film club president, Chikako Ikeda, is most likely doomed, but Taki Kitagawa has no time to deal with such trivial matters, as long as Ryoichi Takahashi doesn't provoke him.

After introducing her old classmates, Ayako Suzuki had Sonoko introduce Taki Kitagawa and the other two.

At that moment, Ran, who had just heard the name Chikako Ikeda, asked, "You wouldn't happen to be Chikako Ikeda, the screenwriter of the currently showing 'Blue Kingdom,' would you?"

Ayako Suzuki laughed and said, "That's right, that's a film she made during her student days, and it's finally being released now!"

Chikako Ikeda seemed a little embarrassed and said, "Let's not talk about the past."

Afterwards, the old classmates caught up on old times.

Ayako Suzuki seemed to be affected by the atmosphere and sighed softly, "If Atsuko hadn't had that incident, she would be here today too..."

However, this sentence seemed to touch a nerve with everyone, and their expressions all changed.

Chikako Ikeda reacted particularly strongly, standing up abruptly, slamming her hands on the table, and shouting, "Don't mention Atsuko anymore! What's the point of bringing up someone who died two years ago!"

Ayako Suzuki murmured, "Chikako..."

Kitagawa Taki found it rather strange. Suzuki Ayako didn't seem like someone with low emotional intelligence, so how could she be such a conversational genius? She changed the atmosphere completely with just one sentence.

Seeing this, Ryoichi Takahashi tried to smooth things over, saying, "Alright, alright, everyone, stop talking."

"It's getting late, I'll go make lunch for everyone! You can play for a while," Ayako Suzuki said, getting up.

Ryoichi Takahashi scratched his head and said with a simple smile, "I'm going to fix the broken roof; it looks like it's going to rain outside."

Ayako Suzuki smiled apologetically: "I'm sorry to have troubled you, Takahashi."

The two then left the living room.

Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Hiroki Kakutani suggested, "Let's play cards!"

"You guys have fun, I'm going upstairs to rest for a bit." Ikeda Chikako ignored everyone's reactions and went straight upstairs.

"I'm going to the restroom." The long-haired handsome man, Katsuya Ota, left.

Hiroki Kakutani was left alone, awkwardly laughing, before he finally made an excuse and left.

Now only Sonoko, Ran, Kitagawa Taki, and Conan are left.

Conan was speechless. It seemed that his old friends, whom he had only met once every two years, were nothing special after all!

Kitagawa Taki was quite concerned about Takahashi Ryoichi's roof repairs. After all, what kind of logic is it to let a guest act as a repairman? Besides, this is the Suzuki family's villa; surely they maintain it properly?

So, he asked Sonoko in a low voice, "Does your villa not get any maintenance?"

Sonoko wasn't sure either, as it was her first time here. She said, "I don't know either. My older sister has been coming to this villa quite often lately."

Kitagawa Taki nodded; he felt there was something wrong with this.

After that, the group started chatting.

"Sorry, I have to go to the bathroom."

Since Ota Masaru hadn't come out, Sonoko had to go to the bathroom in her room on the second floor.

As Sonoko passed the second-floor balcony, she noticed Ryoichi Takahashi doing something on the railing, next to a ladder used to access the roof. She asked him:

"Mr. Takahashi, aren't you repairing the roof? What are you doing here?"

Sonoko, wearing slippers, walked almost silently on the carpet. Takahashi Ryoichi was startled, quickly turning around with his hands behind his back and chuckling awkwardly.

"I dropped a tool just now, so I came down to pick it up."

Sonoko, unsuspecting, warned, "Then you should be careful, Mr. Takahashi."

"Uh-huh."

As Takahashi Ryoichi watched Sonoko's departing figure, his expression changed drastically, and his eyes flashed with a fierce light.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

After lunch, everyone gathered together to play board games for a while.

A light rain began to fall outside, the sky darkened, and there were occasional claps of thunder.

Seeing this, Ota Katsumi suggested to Ran, "How about we go for a walk outside?"

Conan immediately tensed up, staring at Ota Masaru with displeasure.

Xiaolan naturally didn't want to go, "But, it's raining outside."

"Wouldn't it be more atmospheric if it rained?" Ota Katsu pressed on.

Kitagawa Taki saw that Ran was in a difficult position and knew at a glance that she couldn't say no, so he spoke up to help her out of the predicament.

"Ran, Conan seems to be sick."

As he spoke, Kitagawa Taki forcefully pulled Conan's hair.

Conan, realizing what was happening, sneezed in perfect unison: "Achoo—"

Ran glanced gratefully at Kitagawa Taki and said, "Mr. Ota, I have to take care of Conan, so I won't go."

"Tch." Ota Katsu glanced at Conan, then turned and left.

Conan tidied his messy hair and rolled his eyes at Ota Katsuichi.

Chapter 28: They had a secret, kept a backup plan, and split up.

Around 4 PM.

Several close old classmates almost got into a fight over some trivial matter.

Chikako Ikeda went straight back to her room, and Ayako Suzuki followed her with concern.

Ayako Suzuki asked with concern, "Chikako, are you alright?"

"It's okay, I want to rest for a bit, I won't eat dinner." Chikako Ikeda looked tired and was about to open the door when she noticed a note under the door.

She bent down, picked up the note, and immediately her expression changed drastically, as if it contained something terrifying.

Seeing this, Ayako Suzuki asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's alright, it's alright, Ayako, you can go ahead and do your work." Chikako Ikeda gave an awkward smile and then went into her room.

Back on the first floor, Ayako Suzuki went to the kitchen to get busy, and Ran helped her.

Taking advantage of the temporary cessation of the rain, Ryoichi Takahashi went to the roof to continue repairs.