[TL/N: New Book -
Anime Group Chat in a Doomsday World!]
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Thanks to Ayako's efforts, the atmosphere in the villa gradually lightened, and conversation picked up once again.
The former college classmates, now successful members of society, eagerly caught up with one another.
For Bartolomeo and Ran, however, it was a different story. Apart from Sonoko's bubbly chatter, they could only sit quietly nearby, observing the lively exchange without participating.
But before long, the room was interrupted by a sudden outburst.
Chikako Ikeda, one of the guests, abruptly slammed the table and stood up.
"She's been dead for so long! What's the point of bringing her up now!?" she snapped, her voice filled with anger.
Without waiting for a response, Chikako stormed out of the room, heading toward the villa's front door.
"Hey, where are you going, Chikako!?" a long-haired man called after her, rising from his seat.
"I'm going to get some air!" Chikako shouted back, barely pausing as she stepped outside into the woods. The darkening sky seemed to reflect her mood.
"Wait up, Chikako!"
Another guest, a tall man with a passion for photography, quickly followed her into the forest, leaving the rest of the group behind.
An awkward silence fell over the villa.
The remaining guests exchanged uncertain glances, eventually brushing off the tense moment with polite, strained smiles.
What was supposed to be a cheerful reunion had turned into a somber and fragmented gathering.
Bartolomeo watched the drama unfold with mild disinterest, shaking his head.
"This is boring," he muttered under his breath.
Compared to the chaotic and passionate world of pirates—where people loved, hated, and fought with unfiltered emotion—the subdued, personal conflicts of this world felt utterly trivial to him.
Yawning, he stretched lazily and turned to Sonoko.
"Well, since the party's pretty much over, I'll head upstairs to rest. Call me when dinner's ready, Okay?"
"Got it, Bartolomeo-san!" Sonoko said with exaggerated enthusiasm, standing at attention like a dutiful maid.
Bartolomeo chuckled at her antics, grabbed his Rotom phone, and made his way to the second floor.
But what Bartolomeo didn't notice was a pair of sharp eyes fixed intently on him as he left the room.
Edogawa Conan, despite his childlike appearance, had already pieced together enough to grow suspicious.
"Why can his phone see the picture?" Conan muttered under his breath.
"And… those photos included them—those two men in black!"
His gaze darkened as he recalled the images he had glimpsed on Bartolomeo's device.
Initially, Conan had dismissed Bartolomeo as nothing more than another one of Sonoko's impulsive choices for a male companion. She'd done this before, after all.
But now, Conan's thoughts were a tangled mess. His instincts screamed that Bartolomeo was anything but ordinary.
Unable to contain his curiosity, Conan hopped down from his seat and ran after Bartolomeo.
"Big Brother Bartolomeo, wait for me!" he called out, his tone cheerful and innocent as he raced up the stairs.
Catching up to Bartolomeo, Conan wrapped his arms around the older man's waist, pretending to seek affection while discreetly planting a small bugging device on Bartolomeo's trouser leg.
But just as Conan was about to think up a plausible excuse to distract him, Bartolomeo suddenly stopped.
Without warning, Bartolomeo grabbed the boy by the collar and lifted him off the ground.
"Hey, kid," Bartolomeo said coolly, staring at Conan. "What did you just stick on me?"
Before Conan could respond, Bartolomeo raised his leg and plucked off the tiny bug Conan had planted. Holding it in his palm, he examined it closely.
Right on cue, his Rotom phone vibrated, displaying a notification: "Technological Item Detected: Sound Transmission Device."
"Sound transmission? So… this little thing's a listening device?" Bartolomeo mused, glancing at the screen.
His initial assumption had been that Conan was just playing a harmless prank.
But planting bugs on people wasn't child's play. If it weren't for his heightened observation skills, Bartolomeo might not have even noticed it.
This wasn't the work of an ordinary child.
Narrowing his eyes, Bartolomeo smirked. His gaze turned sharp, almost predatory, as he sized Conan up.
"Well, well…" Bartolomeo muttered.
"Uh, Big Brother…" Conan stammered, trying to conjure an excuse, but Bartolomeo didn't give him a chance.
Swinging Conan over his shoulder like a sack of rice, Bartolomeo called down the stairs.
"Hey, Miss Ran! I'm borrowing this kid for a bit!"
"Huh?"
Ran, who had been distracted by her worries over Chikako's disappearance into the forest, froze in surprise.
She watched with wide eyes as Bartolomeo casually swung Conan around like a plaything and carried him toward his room.
Before Ran could stop him, Bartolomeo disappeared into his bedroom, leaving her flustered and unsure of what to do.
"Uh… Bartolomeo-san, please be careful with him…" Ran murmured hesitantly, raising a hand but not daring to intervene.
Meanwhile, Sonoko, oblivious to Ran's concern, clasped her hands together and beamed.
"See, Ran? Bartolomeo is so sweet! He's actually willing to spend time playing with that little rascal!"
Her dreamy expression made it clear that she had completely fallen under Bartolomeo's spell.
Ran, on the other hand, could only sigh to herself, thinking: This best friend of mine is hopeless.
...
...
Inside the villa, in Bartolomeo's room.
Bartolomeo tossed Conan onto the bed without much care, then dragged a stool over, sat down, and crossed his legs. A mischievous, almost sinister smile played on his lips as he eyed the boy.
"All right, kid," Bartolomeo began, holding up a small button-shaped object, "care to explain why you have this?"
With a flick of his thumb, the tiny bug flew through the air and struck Conan's forehead with a soft thunk, causing him to stagger slightly.
But Conan maintained his composure, feigning innocence as he rubbed his forehead.
"Ah, Big Brother Bartolomeo, what are you talking about? I don't understand."
"...Really?"
Bartolomeo's smirk widened as he leaned back in his chair. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. But playing dumb won't get you anywhere."
Conan remained silent, his expression unreadable.
This wasn't frustration on Bartolomeo's part. If anything, he was thoroughly entertained. His otherwise dull life had suddenly become much more interesting.
Instead of pressing further, Bartolomeo calmly pulled out his Rotom phone and began typing. Within moments, a wealth of information appeared on the screen.
"Let's see…" he muttered.
"Conan Edogawa. Seven years old. First-grade student, Class B, Teitan Elementary School."
He scrolled further and continued aloud:
"Assisted the police with solving several major cases recently. A robbery…"
"Currently residing with the famous detective Kogoro Mori."
"Oh, this is interesting," Bartolomeo mused, his eyes narrowing. "Ever since you showed up, that so-called detective Kogoro Mori has been solving murder cases left and right."
Bartolomeo leaned closer to the screen. "And your registered address is 2-chome 22, Beika City… A new household registration filed just a month ago? Hah!"
He let out a low chuckle. "Looks like there's something fishy about your identity, kid."
Conan's expression faltered as beads of sweat formed on his brow.
Bartolomeo's grin widened as he continued to dig. Soon, another discovery popped up on his Rotom phone.
"Well, well… Dr. Agasa." Bartolomeo raised an eyebrow. "A renowned scientist in Tokyo's tech community. So he's the one who registered your identity."
Looking at the bugging device in his hand, he smirked. "I'm guessing this little gadget was his work too, huh?"
"Who… Who are you!?" Conan demanded, his voice tense.
His composure was cracking. This information should've been protected, buried deep in official databases. Even the doctor had gone to great lengths to ensure that his new identity was untraceable.
And yet, Bartolomeo had uncovered it all effortlessly, rattling it off like he'd known it for years.
By now, Conan's back was drenched in sweat.
Bartolomeo, noticing the boy's reaction, shut off his phone and leaned back, still smiling.
"Relax, kid," he said, waving the Rotom phone lazily. "There are no secrets in this world when it comes to me."
"But," he continued, "you've caught my attention. It's rare to find someone as interesting as you."
He leaned forward, his tone turning playful. "How about we play a little game?"
Conan narrowed his eyes. "What kind of game?"
Bartolomeo studied Conan's serious expression and couldn't help but laugh inwardly. This kid wasn't like normal children—his mind was clearly racing with plans.
"If you can tell me something I don't know," Bartolomeo explained, "something I find interesting, I'll grant you a request. As long as it's not too unreasonable, of course."
Conan considered the proposal carefully. After a pause, he asked, "What counts as interesting?"
"Hmm…" Bartolomeo leaned back in his chair until it tilted dangerously. "For starters, why did you plant this bug on me? What were you trying to find out?"
Conan hesitated. He weighed his options before finally speaking, albeit slowly.
"I… I noticed you appeared out of nowhere and got close to Sonoko. I wanted to make sure you weren't a threat to her."
He added quickly, "You know her family's background is pretty… unique, so I thought—"
"Hey, kid."
Bartolomeo's voice cut him off sharply.
"Lying isn't fun, is it?"
With a flick of his fingers, Bartolomeo brought up an image on his phone screen and turned it toward Conan.
It was a photo of two men—one with a sharp, angular face and long silver hair, the other with dark sunglasses and an ominous expression.
Gin and Vodka.
"You weren't investigating me because of Sonoko," Bartolomeo said, his voice dropping. "It's because of them, isn't it?"
Conan's eyes widened ever so slightly.
Bartolomeo had noticed the slight shift in Conan's expression earlier and pieced it together. Back then, it had seemed unimportant. But now, it was all falling into place.
"Come on, kid," Bartolomeo said, his smirk growing. "Tell me the truth."
Under Conan's wary gaze, Bartolomeo glanced back at his phone screen, his voice calm but chilling.
"Well… according to this, those two men are part of a secret organization."
He tapped the screen lightly and continued.
"This organization is developing a drug that's supposed to grant immortality. But there's a catch…"
Bartolomeo paused, as if for effect, before smirking.
"The only thing it seems to do so far is kill people. Invisibly, no less."
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes glinting with intrigue.
"According to the organization's data, their most recent test subject was none other than the famous detective—Kudo Shinichi."
Conan's heart sank, but Bartolomeo wasn't finished.
"Funny coincidence, isn't it? Kudo Shinichi just so happens to be Sonoko's classmate… and Mori Ran's childhood sweetheart."
"That's enough!"
Before Bartolomeo could say more, Conan shot up from the bed, his expression sharp as he interrupted him.
"Who are you?!" he demanded, his voice filled with tension.
"Me?" Bartolomeo leaned back with a casual chuckle.
"Didn't I already tell you? I'm a dimensional investigator from the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce."
"…"
Conan stared at him, his confusion evident. Bartolomeo's words sounded ridiculous, but something about his calm demeanor made the situation all the more unnerving.
Yet, despite the absurdity, one thing was clear: Bartolomeo wasn't a member of the Black Organization.
But then…
Even Dr. Agasa, with all his technological genius, had been unable to unearth any concrete information about the organization.
So who was this man?
As Conan's thoughts raced, Bartolomeo rose from his stool, stretching slightly before turning to the boy.
"All right, enough guessing," Bartolomeo said, his tone almost amused. He met Conan's gaze, and his smirk returned.
"I didn't expect you, a little brat, to actually be Kudo Shinichi—'the savior of the Japanese police,' as they say."
He chuckled softly, his eyes taking on a more sincere, respectful glint.
"This world just got a whole lot more interesting."
Conan tensed but said nothing.
Despite his earlier playful tone, Bartolomeo's demeanor shifted. He seemed genuinely intrigued, almost impressed by Conan's intellect.
Of course, what Bartolomeo had just laid out so smoothly wasn't entirely his deduction—it was largely thanks to Rotom, the AI in his phone.
Had Bartolomeo been left to analyze the clues on his own, even with all the information laid out before him, it's doubtful he would've connected the dots to Conan's true identity.
Still, now that he knew, an idea began to form in Bartolomeo's mind.
If he was stuck in this world for the foreseeable future, there was no point in sitting around doing nothing.
Why not team up with this remarkable kid and have a bit of fun while he was here?
Turning back to Conan, Bartolomeo grinned.
"Hey, kid. I've got a proposal. Want to hear it?"
By evening, night had fallen over the villa.
After hours of talking, the two finally emerged from Bartolomeo's room.
Bartolomeo, clearly energized by the intriguing conversation, descended the stairs with a spring in his step. Behind him, Conan trailed along, his mind in disarray.
It was clear from his dazed expression that whatever Bartolomeo had said had shaken him to his core.
Bartolomeo, on the other hand, was beaming. "Finally, dinner time!"
Reaching the dining table, he eyed the spread with delight. The Suzuki family had gone all out, preparing a feast worthy of a grand celebration.
Ayako, ever the gracious host, had made sure to accommodate Bartolomeo's supposedly enormous appetite, as Sonoko had warned her.
"Looks amazing," Bartolomeo remarked, his grin widening. "Let's eat!"
As Ayako began calling everyone to the table, the rest of the group filtered into the dining room one by one.
Just as Bartolomeo was about to dig in, however, a loud voice rang out from upstairs.
"Hey! Who are you?!"
Everyone's attention snapped toward the source of the voice. It was Takahashi, who had emerged from the second-floor corridor, staring out the window.
"Huh?" Bartolomeo raised an eyebrow, but before anyone could ask, Takahashi shouted again.
"Someone's out there!"
All eyes turned toward the window.
In the dim moonlight, a shadowy figure swayed outside. The figure was wrapped entirely in bandages, its appearance grotesque and unsettling.
Cradled in its arms was something horrific—the severed head of Chikako.
"AHHHHH!"
Several of the women screamed in terror. Even the men couldn't hide their shock.
Conan, however, was the first to react.
Suppressing the thoughts that had plagued him earlier, he dashed toward the window and jumped out without hesitation.
"Conan-kun! Where are you going?!" Ran cried out, rushing toward the window in a panic.
Before she could follow, Bartolomeo's calm but urgent voice cut through the chaos.
"Hey! These dishes won't stay hot forever," he said casually, gesturing at the table.
"It's just a severed head. Let's eat before the food gets cold."