Chapter 40: You must persist in following the Orthodox Unity!

In this murder, there were no winners between the killer and the victim.

However, Shoichi seemed to be the sole victor.

Just after being investigated by Matsumoto Kiyonaga of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, the inspector's daughter was poisoned. And the one who administered the poison was none other than her fiancé, whose fate remained unknown to this day.

If this wasn't a warning, what was?

Even Conan, who had seen through the entire truth, could not help but begin to doubt.

This was identical to the incident involving Yotsui's daughter.

When Yotsui refused to pay his debts, his daughter was murdered, and the subsequent investigation proved that Shoichi had nothing to do with it.

Yet Shoichi indeed profited from it, as a terrified Yotsui finally paid up.

It was the same this time. Matsumoto Kiyonaga investigated Shoichi, and Matsumoto Kiyonaga's only daughter was poisoned. The subsequent investigation once again showed that Shoichi had no connection to the crime.

Shoichi was forever the innocent one, yet he was always the one who benefited.

For the first time, Conan began to doubt his own deductions.

Was the conclusion he deduced truly the truth?

"Um."

A greeter suddenly spoke up. He cast a timid glance at Shoichi and whispered, "When Mr. Shoichi first arrived, he said something to the groom. He said that when the groom gets married next time, he'll send another gift. I wonder what he meant by that."

Having said this, the man shrank back into himself.

"Did you really say something like that?" Matsumoto Kiyonaga asked.

"I did," Shoichi replied.

He had no reason to lie.

Matsumoto Kiyonaga's gaze turned dangerous once more. The title of the mastermind pointed directly at Shoichi yet again.

However, Shoichi said with an innocent expression, "I simply figured that with a father-in-law like you, Toshihiko would sooner or later be driven to divorce. I didn't mean anything else by it."

This perfunctory explanation could fool no one.

Toshihiko's eyes flickered evasively.

It wasn't because he was acting under Shoichi's instigation, but rather because he suspected that Shoichi had long guessed he intended to commit murder and had merely been fanning the flames.

Toshihiko frowned, yet Shoichi seemed to have done nothing whatsoever to fan the flames.

Seeing that no one believed him, Shoichi could only say helplessly, "An accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty, Officer. Without evidence, you can't do anything to me."

As soon as these words left his mouth, he sounded like he was playing the rogue again.

"Superintendent Matsumoto, the hospital just called. Miss Sayuri is out of danger," a police officer burst in and announced.

Everyone visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

Toshihiko also lowered his head deeply. Thank goodness Sayuri was alright.

Shoichi could not understand such a convoluted person.

Clearly, things could have been resolved through proper communication, yet they had to push it to the brink of taking a life.

Still, since the man had helped deliver a 'warning' to Matsumoto Kiyonaga on Shoichi's behalf, Shoichi felt obliged to offer him some comfort. "Sayuri is fine, so you can set your mind at ease."

Toshihiko sighed.

Sayuri was fine, but he was heading to prison.

By the time he got out, he had no idea what the outside world would look like.

Shoichi gave Toshihiko a pitying look.

Because of Conan, those fellows who got locked away in prison undoubtedly had zero hope of ever getting out.

A three-year prison sentence was abruptly stretched into decades.

"Don't worry, I'll have a lawyer represent you and try to minimize your sentence as much as possible," Shoichi said.

After all, Sayuri had drunk the lemon tea of her own accord, and coupled with the fact that she was a romantic fool willing to die for love, obtaining a statement of forgiveness from her should be no problem at all.

There was also Eri Kisaki available to defend him—a woman who practically had an undefeated record in Beika Town.

Furthermore, Conan's deduction alone was enough to make the killer confess, which often led to missing links in the chain of evidence and could have some impact on the conviction.

Toshihiko might not need to spend decades behind bars after all.

"The case has been perfectly solved once again. Shall we go to the hospital to see how the bride is doing?" Shoichi said to Matsumoto Kiyonaga.

Matsumoto Kiyonaga did not answer Shoichi. Instead, he stared at Toshihiko and said, "If you still have even an ounce of feeling left for Sayuri, tell me the truth: was there anyone else instigating you to poison her?"

Before Toshihiko could reply, Sonoko chimed in impatiently, "Do you have some kind of personal grudge against Brother Shoichi? You're dead set on pinning a crime on him."

Matsumoto Kiyonaga ignored the young girl's clamor and stared straight at Toshihiko.

Frowning, Toshihiko said, "There's no such thing."

He hadn't sunk so low as to frame someone else just to plead for Sayuri's mercy.

Since Toshihiko refused to confess, Matsumoto Kiyonaga had no choice but to close the case with a sense of helplessness.

Just as Shoichi had said, an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

His daughter had been poisoned by Takasugi Toshihiko, and it had not the slightest bit to do with Shoichi.

Toshihiko was taken away by the police, and Shoichi, bringing Ai along with him, went to visit Sayuri on his behalf.

Sayuri's condition looked quite good; she should recover very soon.

On the way back, Sato hurried over to Shoichi and said, "Although there's no evidence, and I don't know how you pulled it off, this whole affair must be your doing."

Shoichi neither confirmed nor denied it.

Instead, he said ambiguously, "Let's hear your theory?"

"The outcome has proven everything. You can't possibly profit from every single murder case," Sato stated. "I will keep investigating until I bring the truth to light for all the victims."

"Isn't that a detective's job?" Shoichi taunted.

Sato's eyebrow twitched slightly. That had always been the police's duty.

Shoichi said softly, "If you can dig up any clues linking back to me, you can do whatever you want with me. That's my promise."

Sato clenched her teeth.

He was far too arrogant.

Was it because he was confident he had left no trace for anyone to find?

Or was he so confident that he could eliminate anyone who managed to track down a clue?

It couldn't possibly be that he truly had done nothing at all.

Shoichi opened the car door, sat in the driver's seat, poked his head out, and asked Sato, "Need a lift? Your driver's license seems to have been suspended."

"No need!" Sato spat out through clenched teeth.

"Then farewell. I sincerely hope Officer Sato manages to uphold justice." Shoichi expressed his genuine wishes.

Sato frowned.

What did that remark mean?

She thought of Inspector Megure. Previously, he had been entirely indifferent toward Shoichi, yet this time he had suddenly replaced Kogoro Mouri's position and openly rooted for Shoichi.

The Inspector Megure in her memory was absolutely not like this.

Sato's brow knitted into a tight knot, her chest rising and falling as she watched Shoichi drive away.

No matter how you try to corrupt me, I will never yield!

I will uphold the justice in my heart!

...

"Inspector Megure, I knew your previous reprimands and dissatisfaction were just ways of pushing me to do better. Deep down, you've always recognized my professional competence."

Inspector Megure woke up in a haze. Before his consciousness had fully cleared, he saw Chief Forensic Examiner Munezo talking to him about something incomprehensible.

All around him, his colleagues stood gathered in a dense crowd.