A faint, musical chime signaled an entry into the vast Sky Lounge.
Kaito didn't need the System's new Aural Acuity Skill (Acquired passively during the tea break) to know who it was. Only two people were allowed to interrupt his observation hours.
One was a butler who looked more like a European special-forces operative. The other was the only person who held power over Kaito's schedule and, occasionally, his temper.
A girl entered, gliding across the marble floor with the quiet confidence of someone who knew exactly how much she was worth.
She was seven years old, like Kaito, but carried herself with the severe elegance of a corporate executive. Her black hair, tied back with a simple but undeniably costly silk ribbon, framed a beautiful, intelligent face.
This was Akiyama Shiori, Kaito's childhood sweetheart and, unofficially, his personal manager.
Her family, the Akiyama Zaibatsu, was the only one in Japan capable of matching the Tenryuu name in historical prestige, though not in sheer, brutal wealth.
"Kaito-sama," she greeted him, her voice perfectly modulated, "I trust your observation period was productive?"
She already knew the answer. Shiori missed nothing. She knew the moment he activated a System function by the subtle tightening of his jawline.
Kaito merely nodded, pushing his empty teacup aside. "Beika is predictable, Shiori. But the System is not. I acquired a piece of property."
Shiori's eyebrow arched—the only visible sign of surprise. She was already holding a minimalist, tablet-like device encased in aerospace-grade ceramic.
"I see. Dragon Throne Holdings just reported a four-point-five billion yen liquidity shift, flagged under 'Discretionary Asset Acquisition, Sector Beika 1.' That was fast, even for you."
She walked toward the window, pulling up a schematic on her device that only their customized Tenryuu servers could access.
"A three-story building, designated Asset 001. Current cover identity: 'The Azure Blend Coffee House.' The previous title-holders have been successfully reassigned to non-existent government positions in Guam."
"Excellent work, Shiori," Kaito said, a genuine warmth entering his tone. He didn't just trust her; he relied on her organizational genius.
"It is my job to handle the noise, Kaito-sama. You handle the strategy." She looked at him seriously. "Why a coffee house? And why that location, two blocks from Teitan High School?"
Kaito smiled, a chillingly insightful look on a seven-year-old's face.
"Because Teitan is where the high-profile mysteries happen. That's where Detective Kudo plays. And a coffee shop offers several strategic advantages."
He ticked them off on his small fingers.
"One: Observation Point. High-foot traffic, perfect for monitoring targets without being noticed. Two: Cover. Who suspects a barista? Three: Logistics. The underground laboratory can be masked as storage, and the coffee shop façade provides an endless excuse for deliveries and late-night 'inventory' shifts."
Shiori studied the schematic again, tapping the surface of the tablet, already plotting the interior design and surveillance routes.
"Very well. I will have the construction teams move in tonight. They will be Tenryuu-vetted personnel, operating under extreme non-disclosure agreements. The entire build-out, including the lab and comms center, will be complete in three days."
"Three days?" Kaito questioned.
"Our construction division specializes in military rapid-deployment shelters. They view this as a leisure project," she deadpanned. "However, we need an operator. Someone completely loyal."
Kaito stood up, walking to the edge of the window overlooking the vast urban landscape. His System was still humming, anticipating the next move.
He knew exactly who he needed. Someone who looked harmless, yet was utterly competent. Someone who could handle the subtle intrigue of Beika without drawing attention.
"The System has an Acquire People function, Shiori. But I already have someone in mind who is... pre-vetted."
He turned back to her.
"My mother, Mei. She has a former colleague. A silent genius with a background in advanced profiling and covert operations. He retired early, runs a small private consulting business, hates publicity, and needs a purpose."
"Name?"
"Hayashi Kazuya. Tell my mother to arrange an offer he cannot refuse. The kind of offer that involves perpetual financial security and a lifetime supply of rare-edition manga."
Shiori gave a slight, satisfied nod. "The offer is in progress. Now, Kaito-sama, your afternoon schedule."
"No more strategy for now," Kaito decreed, pushing away the high-level planning. "It's time for the Slice of Life module."
He grabbed a sleek, specialized key fob from the table. The fob controlled the private elevator leading directly to the tower's underground parking garage.
"I need to test the performance of the new Bugatti Chiron we had imported last week. We need to ensure the anti-tracking countermeasures are correctly calibrated."
Shiori looked at the time. "It is four-thirty p.m. You are seven years old. And you are going to drive a $3 million hypercar on public roads."
"Yes," Kaito replied simply.
He walked toward the exit, his posture radiating the quiet authority of the Tenryuu name.
Shiori didn't argue. She knew arguing was futile. The Tenryuu influence ensured that traffic cameras malfunctioned, police patrols were rerouted, and all evidence of a seven-year-old boy driving a luxury vehicle at obscene speeds simply ceased to exist.
She simply updated her schedule.
[4:30 PM: Client is conducting 'Anti-Tracking Countermeasure Calibration' (Code: Joyride) in Sector Beika 3. Ensure all NPA and private surveillance nodes are running Protocol: Blind Spot.]
As Kaito stepped into the elevator, Shiori glanced back out at the city, at the silent, newly acquired coffee shop now under the Tenryuu umbrella.
The detective's game had just found its quietest, wealthiest player.