"Ah? Something like that happened?"
After school the next day, Conan went to Professor Agasa's house before going home.
He told Professor Agasa what had happened yesterday and what those children had done.
Professor Agasa was also very surprised to hear about this.
"Those children…"
After his surprise, Professor Agasa sighed helplessly.
He knew that Shinichi told him what happened yesterday to make sure he would not involve those children in trouble anymore.
Conan shot Professor Agasa a sidelong glance.
Professor Agasa paused, then quickly corrected himself.
"Conan, then those children later…"
"Just maintain a normal classmate relationship. If they want to play, they can play, but Professor Agasa, don't give them the things you research. Giving them things will only bring a lot of trouble."
Conan only had this attitude toward those children.
What happened yesterday was enough for him to realize that those children would definitely become a problem for him.
He certainly did not want to experience something like that again.
"I'm not blaming them, it is just that as children, they really aren't suited to be involved in such troublesome matters."
"Once they get involved, even if I try my best to help them, if they pull another stunt like that, they will really screw me over."
As a famous detective who had fallen into a trap once, he did not want to experience it a second time.
Even thinking about it now, Conan still felt a chill down his spine.
If another detective had not found the location of those two kidnappers yesterday and arrested them, he would have been on a direct collision course with two armed criminals, which would have meant certain death.
After all, he only had one tranquilizer dart and could not face two people at once.
Therefore, regardless of whether he had returned to his high school age or not, yesterday's situation would have been a dead end.
Having understood this point, Conan immediately realized that those children were unstable elements.
If only those children had listened to him yesterday, and if Inspector Megure had been following him, he would not have been completely helpless against those two kidnappers.
But it was those three children who almost ruined his path to survival.
He was already mentally exhausted and truly could not continue to look after these three very unstable children.
Indeed.
Professor Agasa also had to admit this point.
Just as Conan said, if those three children had listened to instructions, yesterday would not have almost pushed Conan into a desperate situation.
"Conan, since you've made up your mind, then don't bring those three children into danger."
"Actually, they've always been so fearless precisely because they are always by your side, facing all sorts of situations. They trust you too much, believing that as long as they are with you, everything will be fine, no matter what they encounter."
Conan also admitted what Professor Agasa mentioned.
"Indeed, this is also the idea they developed after I consistently took them along on my cases."
Because they had grown accustomed to him easily solving case after case, those children believed that he could handle all cases with ease.
It is just a pity that there are many things he cannot easily solve.
And coincidentally, they encountered one yesterday.
"After this, I will cut ties with them in that regard. If they want to play detective games, I can accompany them, but I will never bring them into real cases again."
Regarding this, Professor Agasa looked at Conan.
"You need to control this yourself."
"Which time did they encounter those cases that was not caused by your own interest? If you acted like a child, they would not think that following you can solve all problems."
"I know, that is why I am already reflecting."
Conan also knew that it was his own curiosity that led to the current situation, which is why he fully realized it yesterday.
"Of course, besides discussing the children, I also came to tell you some secret information that Hattori revealed to me before he left this weekend."
Professor Agasa nodded slightly. He knew that Hattori Heiji taking Conan out must have been for a reason.
Of course, Professor Agasa was also aware that the two were in contact. In fact, he was the first to know from Conan.
Although he also opposed Conan revealing his identity, he knew that the child alone could not find clues about that organization. Having someone capable to help him was not a bad thing.
He was just afraid that these two would get carried away and directly confront that organization.
Therefore, he would occasionally offer a reminder.
"Not long ago, a pharmaceutical base of that organization was raided by the Police."
"!?"
This news startled Professor Agasa.
"Such a big deal? Why wasn't there any report about it?"
"It was reported."
Conan jumped off the sofa, then went to pick up the newspaper placed on the nearby table. In an insignificant corner of the newspaper, a line of text read:
"Shirohato Pharmaceutical Hid Large Quantities of Weapons."
From the literal meaning, it was clearly not a small matter. Just the mention of a large quantity of weapons was enough to warrant serious attention.
Yet this news was in the most inconspicuous corner of the newspaper.
"The report is four days old? And it is in such a small space?"
Professor Agasa rubbed his eyes before he noticed that corner of the newspaper.
"You were reminded, weren't you?"
After Conan handed the newspaper to Professor Agasa, he jumped back onto the sofa.
"Such a big matter as hiding weapons should not be placed in such a small space."
"However, it is precisely because the Police wanted to minimize the impact that they took this approach."
"All 213 guards inside Shirohato Pharmaceutical died, and there was also a reduction in Police officers from a special operations unit. The newspaper also implicitly mentioned it."
Professor Agasa carefully read the newspaper, and only at the very bottom did he see the mention of the reduction in personnel, but there was no mention of the guards inside Shirohato Pharmaceutical.
"So, those guards are also a secret?"
"Hmm. I am not entirely clear on the specifics, but Hattori said there was also a third party involved. Those guards might have been drugged. The Police suppressing information about those guards is probably because they want to conduct a deeper investigation. Of course, it is also to suppress the public's attention. After all, 213 deaths would cause too much public pressure."
Indeed.
Professor Agasa nodded in understanding.
"So, that Shirohato Pharmaceutical is very important?"
Conan nodded slightly.
"The person who created the drug that shrunk me is there."
Professor Agasa's pupils contracted, but even in his shock, he reacted.
"The Police also know about this?"
After a moment of silence, Conan nodded slightly.
"Not only do they know, they even know the detailed information about that drug. I suspect it was intentionally left behind by a third party."
"According to Hattori, there was a list of people killed by that organization using that drug, as well as the detailed formula for the drug."
(To be continued.)