Chapter 110: Kid's Notice Letter
Greenland Exhibition Center.
The moment Natsukawa arrived, he sensed something was amiss.
The atmosphere was tense. On the surface, everything appeared normal, but Natsukawa felt as if several subtle gazes were monitoring them.
These watchful eyes had been present since the entrance and continued even after they entered the exhibition center.
It was strange.
"Excuse me, Director Ozawa, has something happened here?" Natsukawa asked.
Standing beside him was a man in his fifties—the exhibition center's director, Ozawa Yuki.
"I didn't expect you to notice." Director Ozawa gave an embarrassed smile, speaking with concern. "Actually, the gem we're exhibiting this time has caught the attention of Phantom Thief Kid."
"Phantom Thief Kid?" ×3
Hatamoto Natsue pressed urgently, "A gem? It wouldn't be the one our Hatamoto Group submitted, would it?"
Director Ozawa nodded sheepishly. "Yes, it's that 'Eternal Bloom' gemstone."
"But please rest assured, Miss Hatamoto, we've already notified the police. With the Metropolitan Police Department involved, I'm confident Phantom Thief Kid won't succeed! This thief hasn't appeared in eight years—perhaps someone is impersonating him. This matter still needs verification. This time, we've invited an expert to handle Kid. Miss Hatamoto, please be at ease. I, Ozawa Yuki, guarantee with my life that the theft will absolutely not succeed!"
An expert to handle Kid?
Natsukawa could only think of two people: the first was naturally Inspector Nakamori, and the second was Conan.
There was also Hakuba Saguru, who was clever but a bit pretentious—something Natsukawa didn't particularly care for.
Seeing Mouri Kogoro's completely bewildered expression, it was clear this had nothing to do with Conan.
"This expert—could it be Inspector Nakamori Ginzo from the Metropolitan Police Department's Second Division?" Natsukawa asked.
Director Ozawa looked visibly surprised. "I didn't expect Mr. Natsukawa to know Inspector Nakamori. It seems my friend wasn't exaggerating. If you encounter Phantom Thief Kid, just contact Inspector Nakamori—you'll definitely be able to retrieve the jewel."
Retrieve it?
Natsukawa was speechless. Was it really being retrieved? Phantom Thief Kid always returned items himself!
But thinking about it now, he hadn't heard anything about Phantom Thief Kid before this. Was this Kuroba Kaito's first time impersonating Phantom Thief Kid?
"Could I see Phantom Thief Kid's notice letter?" Natsukawa asked.
Mouri Kogoro and Hatamoto Natsue also looked on curiously.
Director Ozawa nodded—that was perfectly acceptable.
After all, the gemstone belonged to the Hatamoto Group, and now that the Hatamoto family had gifted it to Mr. Natsukawa, he had every right to know.
However, the notice had arrived last night, and he'd been so anxious that he only remembered to contact the Metropolitan Police Department, completely forgetting to inform the Hatamoto Group.
Perfect timing now.
The three, guided by Director Ozawa, arrived at the central exhibition hall.
The room was over 200 square meters, yet only the central area contained a display case.
An inverted glass dome covered the white pedestal, showcasing a dazzling gemstone.
Under the illumination of the spotlights, the facets of the oval gemstone emitted a kaleidoscope of colors.
From every angle, the gemstone's hues shifted dramatically.
Its shape resembled a blooming flower, its colors vibrant and alive.
This was the origin of its name—"Eternal Bloom."
This gemstone had been acquired by Hatamoto Gozo at an exorbitant price from a foreign collector to showcase the Hatamoto Group's wealth and prestige.
Now, it would benefit Natsukawa instead.
"This is it!"
Director Ozawa pointed to a white card embedded in the side of the display case. "The notice was discovered yesterday evening when the museum closed for the day."
Natsukawa pulled out the card, feeling its surface. It was surprisingly elastic and resilient. He wondered what material could be embedded so cleanly into solid wood.
God gave humanity vibrant colors.
Yet humanity was blinded by those very colors.
Tomorrow, under the witness of Artemis, I shall make this brilliance vanish from the world.
The Magician Under the Moonlight, Phantom Thief Kid.
The material was unusual, and the notice was rather theatrical. It seemed authentic—the real Phantom Thief Kid, the Magician Under the Moonlight.
The phrase 'The Magician Under the Moonlight' felt a bit redundant. Natsukawa vaguely remembered it not being mentioned in the anime.
"Besides the police, does anyone else know about this?" Natsukawa asked.
Director Ozawa rubbed his hands awkwardly. "Nobody knew before, but somehow the news leaked today, and reporters are starting to appear near the exhibition center. I heard that Kid's fans have also gotten wind of it. It won't be long before they gather at the entrance."
Natsukawa thought for a moment and arrived at the answer: Kid himself must have leaked the information.
With more people around, his disguise skills would become a significant advantage.
However, he vaguely remembered the first heist involving the butler, Terai Konosuke.
So was it Kaito Kid or Butler Konosuke this time?
"Mouri, what are you doing here?"
A sudden voice interrupted their conversation.
Turning around, they saw a middle-aged man with a distinctive mustache.
"Inspector Nakamori, it's been a while. I didn't expect to run into you here."
Mouri Kogoro stepped forward and greeted him.
Although Mouri Kogoro had been in the First Division before leaving the Metropolitan Police Department, the elite detective circle was actually quite small, so it was natural they knew each other.
Before his departure, Mouri Kogoro had indeed been an excellent detective. His resignation was probably related to Kisaki Eri.
Perhaps his separation from Eri had made him somewhat despondent, turning him into a down-on-his-luck detective who spent his days gambling on horse races, drinking, ogling idols, and taking mundane cases involving lost cats, dogs, and cheating spouses.
However, the two only exchanged brief greetings before falling silent, standing on opposite sides with their arms crossed—clearly not on the best terms.
Natsukawa didn't know the reason and didn't particularly care.
Right now, all he cared about was the gem.
It was so beautiful—it would look stunning on Yor.
No, he couldn't let Kid's grubby hands touch his gem.
"Inspector Nakamori, I request to participate in your capture operation tonight. This time, we absolutely cannot let Kid steal Eternal Bloom!"
Who was this guy?
Nakamori Ginzo looked at Director Ozawa with a question mark practically floating above his head, his skeptical gaze fixed on Natsukawa. "Who is this guy? Capturing Kid is of paramount importance—we can't afford any slip-ups. This guy suddenly wants to get involved—could he be Kid in disguise?"
Thinking this, Nakamori Ginzo was about to refuse without hesitation.
"Inspector Nakamori!" Director Ozawa quickly intervened. He roughly knew what the inspector was about to say.
"This is the new owner of Eternal Bloom—he certainly has no connection to Kid!"
During their earlier conversation, he'd already learned that the Hatamoto Group had gifted Eternal Bloom to this gentleman named Natsukawa.
Apparently, Hatamoto Natsue had given it to Natsukawa to thank him for saving her life.
Many people knew about the Hatamoto Group, especially since the exhibition center had a partnership with them, and he'd even attended the funeral a few days ago.
However, he was still quite surprised that the Hatamoto family would send such an expensive gift as thanks for a life-saving favor.
The owner of Eternal Bloom?
Nakamori Ginzo frowned in thought. If that was the case, it was impossible for him to be connected to Kaito Kid—otherwise, there'd be no need for a heist.
However, having a civilian present might interfere with the capture operation.
Director Ozawa then approached and spoke quietly, explaining the pros and cons, before Nakamori Ginzo finally nodded.
"Alright, Mr. Natsukawa, I'll allow you to be present tonight. Just watch—I'll definitely make sure Kaito Kid suffers a crushing defeat! I'll absolutely protect the Eternal Bloom you treasure."
A crushing defeat, not an immediate arrest.
Natsukawa immediately understood—Nakamori Ginzo wasn't confident he could actually capture Kaito Kid.
This wasn't really his fault. After all, he'd been chasing Kaito Kid for years and hadn't caught him even once.
"Then thank you, Inspector Nakamori."
Natsukawa then looked at Mouri Kogoro. "Uncle Mouri, want to join us?"
Mouri Kogoro raised an eyebrow, glancing sideways at Nakamori Ginzo, and immediately straightened up when he noticed the inspector also glancing at him.
"I'll pass. I've got a lot of work piling up at the agency, and I have to meet with a client tonight. I don't have any spare time."
Nakamori Ginzo seemed satisfied with this answer, nodded, and walked away.
Strange, these two really don't seem to get along well.
Were they rivals at the police academy?
No, that doesn't make sense. Mouri Kogoro and Kisaki Eri are childhood friends.
Not wanting to overthink it, Natsukawa stayed at the scene for a while longer, observing the police deployment.
Afterwards, the three left together.
End of Chapter 110