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

Kitagawa Taki nodded. "That's right. Last night, thanks to her help, the Yuki-onna caused an avalanche, which is why there was such a big commotion."

Ai Haibara clenched her fist and rested her chin on it, deep in thought. "Have you figured out Koizumi Akako's motives for approaching you?"

I've figured it out by touch, but I can't say it out loud!

Kitagawa Taki said calmly, "I don't know yet, but she probably doesn't mean us any harm."

Akemi Miyano also said, "Akako is a really nice person!"

Ai Haibara shook her head helplessly; her sister was just too trusting.

"I'll keep a close eye on her," Kitagawa Taki said with a smile. "Let's not talk about that. Ai, has there been any progress in your antidote development?"

"Not yet. It will probably take a long time to truly develop an antidote for APTX-4869."

Haibara sighed. She couldn't do many things now that she was small. Although she wanted to develop an antidote as soon as possible, it was something that couldn't be rushed.

To make progress more quickly, she needed to obtain crucial information and data from the Black Organization, but she didn't want Kitagawa Taki to put himself in danger.

"It's okay, take your time! Don't rush things. Don't spend all your time in the lab. Go out with your sister more often when you have free time. Otherwise, what's the difference between you and what you did in that black organization?"

Kitagawa Taki looked ahead and spoke as he drove.

“Taki-kun is right.”

Akemi Miyano hopes that Ai Haibara can make more friends.

Ai Haibara was silent for a moment, then said, "But what if the organization finds out?"

She didn't want to cause Kitagawa Taki any more trouble because of herself.

Kitagawa Taki comforted him, "They don't know you've shrunk, so how could they find out so easily? Even if one of them does find out, I'm still here. I'll take care of him for you."

"Thank you."

Ai Haibara agreed with Kitagawa Taki's statement, but she still felt she should be more cautious and try to avoid appearing in places where the organization's people might be.

As they were talking, they unknowingly arrived at the office building.

The three of them went upstairs, and found that the mailboxes next to the entrance on the second floor were all full.

"Why are there so many letters? We've only been gone for three days."

Kitagawa Taki took out the letter as he spoke.

Akemi Miyano opened the door and said with a smile, "That's a good thing, it means your fame is growing!"

"Akami, Ai, could you help me look at some of these? Let me know if there's anything important."

As he spoke, Kitagawa Taki distributed some of the letters to the two of them.

So the three of them opened the letters and began to read them.

A few minutes later.

"Taki-kun, here's a note. It's from Hattori Heiji who left it for you last time." Miyano Akemi handed the note to Kitagawa Taki.

Kitagawa Taki took it, somewhat speechless. Why is it Osaka Black Chicken again?

It turns out that Heiji Hattori came to see him again last weekend, but he wasn't home, so he left a note saying that if possible, he should stay at home next weekend, and he would visit again then.

Is this a case of visiting Zhuge Liang three times?

Kitagawa Taki didn't understand why Hattori Heiji was so persistent in looking for him; if he was going to look for someone, he should be looking for Kudo Shinichi!

However, he didn't take it to heart. If he was free this weekend, he would see him; otherwise, it would be a different story.

At that moment, Ai Haibara handed over a letter, saying, "Here is a letter inviting you to a tea party tomorrow afternoon."

"Huh?" Kitagawa Taki took the package and saw that the sender's name was "Moritani Teiji," a guy he didn't know at all.

"Mr. Kitagawa, I apologize for writing to you so suddenly. Actually, after reading about you in the newspaper, I became very interested in exorcisms. That's why I thought that if I had the honor, I would like to meet you and ask you some questions. I will be hosting an afternoon tea at my humble abode at 3:30 pm on Tuesday, April 29th, to entertain distinguished guests from all walks of life. If you are available, I hope you will kindly attend and offer your guidance."

His writing is very literary; he's clearly a cultured person.

Kitagawa Taki tossed down the letter and asked, "Moritani Teiji, do you know this person?"

Akemi Miyano thought for a moment, "Ah, I remember now, he is a professor in the Department of Architecture at Tokyo University, and also a very famous architect in Japan, who has designed many landmark buildings."

"architect?"

After Miyano Akemi's introduction, Kitagawa Taki still didn't have much of an impression, but the name Moriya Teiji was quite interesting because its pronunciation was very similar to "Moriarty".

"Taki-kun, are you going?" Miyano Akemi picked up the letter and read it.

"No, it's not fun."

Chapter 90 Gradually Drifting Away, Books Fading Away

Kitagawa Taki had absolutely no interest in any tea parties for social elites.

Even the most famous celebrities can't match the level of the banquets hosted by Sonoko's family.

……

at the same time.

Ran, who had just returned home, received a call from Shinichi Kudo.

Ran was a little surprised. Apart from the last time Shinichi Kudo called to explain that the person she met in Shibuya that day wasn't him, this was the second time she had received a call from Shinichi Kudo.

"Hey, Shinichi, what's up?"

Conan is currently at Professor Agasa's house. He briefly explained, using his voice changer, that he had received an afternoon tea invitation from Teiji Moriya.

"So, you want me to go in your place?"

Ran laughed self-deprecatingly. She thought Shinichi Kudo would call to ask her some questions, but it turned out he just wanted to ask for her help.

Do you only think of her when you need help?

Shouldn't such friends have a very shallow relationship?

“That’s right. I have a very troublesome case on my hands right now and I can’t get away to participate. You can go with Uncle Mori and Conan.”

Conan, unaware that Ran was acting strangely, continued talking to himself.

"I have already put that invitation in your mailbox."

Xiaolan quietly replied, "Okay."

"Okay, that's settled then, I'll hang up now." Conan was afraid that Ran would ask him all sorts of questions and give him away, so he hung up the phone as soon as possible.

Xiaolan listened to the busy tone on the phone, remained silent for a long time, and then let out a long sigh.

May 4th is Shinichi Kudo's birthday, and she originally wanted to ask him out to give him a gift.

But now it seems impossible.

Perhaps she and Shinichi Kudo have drifted further and further apart...

Xiao Lan got up and went outside to retrieve the invitation letter, then quickly read it.

The time is tomorrow afternoon, and she needs to ask for leave first.

"Dad, let's go to the Moriya Teiji family's tea party tomorrow." Ran handed the letter to Kogoro Mouri, who was lying on a chair.

"They invited that brat, what would I do there?"

After giving the letter a cursory glance, Kogoro Mori tossed it aside.

Ran played her trump card, "Just go for a bit, Teiji Moriya is a very famous architect, you know, maybe Yoko Okino will go too!"

"Miss Yoko!"

Kogoro Mouri, "startled awake from his deathbed," grabbed the letter, his eyes fixed on the words "celebrity from all walks of life."

Xiaolan shook her head helplessly. She wished her father could get rid of this bad habit, then maybe her mother would agree to come back.

……

April 4st morning.

Kitagawa Taki unexpectedly encountered Ran, who was carrying a plastic bag, downstairs.

"Xiao Lan, did you just come back from grocery shopping?" Kitagawa Taki glanced at the bag in Xiao Lan's hand.

Xiao Lan smiled and said, "Mm."

Kitagawa Taki nodded, then realized something and said, "Wait a minute, don't you guys have class today?"

Xiaolan explained, "Oh, I see. I've taken the day off. We're going to a tea party this afternoon."

"A tea party?" Kitagawa Taki thought to himself, "Could it be such a coincidence?"

"Is this a tea party for the Moriya Teiji family?"

Xiaolan asked in surprise, "Hey, Kitagawa, how did you know?"

Okay, it seems that's true.

Kitagawa Taki asked, "He wrote me an invitation, and he invited your father too?"

"I see. But he didn't invite my dad, he invited Shinichi. He just couldn't go, so we went in his place."

The invitation is for Shinichi Kudo? Then he'll have to go.

Kitagawa Taki said with a smile, "Then let's go together this afternoon!"

"Okay, I'll go upstairs now."

……

Kitagawa Exorcism Office.

"To the tea party this afternoon?"

Kitagawa Taki told Miyano Akemi and Haibara Ai about his plans to attend the tea party at Moriya Teiji's house that afternoon.

Ai Haibara looked at Taki Kitagawa suspiciously. "Didn't you say it was boring and you weren't going?"

"Since I have nothing to do at home anyway, I might as well go."

Of course, Kitagawa Taki wouldn't say that he decided to go because he ran into Ran.

Akemi Miyano said, "Taki-kun, you and Ai go, I won't go."