"Uncle, this is bad!"
"Sonoko, you're the second daughter of the Suzuki family. How can you be so rude?" Suzuki Jiroukichi scolded with a stern face.
"Uncle, now's not the time for that. Did you read this morning's paper?"
"You know my eyesight's not great. Just tell me what it says." He was already in his seventies, after all—old age had taken its toll on his vision.
"Kaitou Kid. It's Kaitou Kid, and he's coming for your 'Sky Lady'!"
"What? Is it that thief who stole Mount Fuji?" The old man's eyes widened.
"Exactly, Uncle!" Sonoko was startled to see him suddenly freeze like someone hit pause on a remote. "Uncle? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Of course I'm fine!" Jiroukichi smiled, totally unfazed. "Isn't this great? I'm using America's latest security system this time. I want to see how Kaitou Kid thinks he's going to steal my 'Sky Lady'. Hahahaha! I, Suzuki Jiroukichi, will be the one to catch Kaitou Kid! Hahahaha!"
Sonoko hadn't expected her uncle to be so thrilled, but then again, he always loved a challenge. Even after all these years apart, his personality hadn't changed one bit.
Kaitou Kid's notice was published in the newspaper. Naturally, the police were on alert. But this time, the case wouldn't fall to the Second Division, which handles theft, but to the First Investigation Division—Megure's team—since this wasn't just theft.
Kaitou Kid now had a homicide charge and assaulting an officer on his record. He wasn't a petty thief anymore. He was a criminal and a serious threat.
So Megure Juuzou personally visited Jiroukichi to request permission for the police to board the airship.
The Belle Shirley II—246 meters long, 42.18 meters in diameter—was built using cutting-edge materials. It had 32 crew members responsible for operation and service, and could carry 108 passengers, each with a private cabin. The ship also had a gym, bath, restroom, smoking room, banquet hall, and even elevators for viewing from the upper deck.
Its maiden voyage would fly from Tokyo to Osaka—one day and one night of travel through the sky.
That meant if the police boarded, some passengers would have to be cut. But these were VIPs, and Jiroukichi couldn't simply bump them for officers. Still, once he learned that Kaitou Kid was a suspected murderer, he reluctantly agreed to let five officers board.
Inspector Megure led the team himself, bringing four trusted subordinates: Shiratori, Takagi, Sato, and Chiba.
Sato had been discharged from the hospital just a few days ago. Thanks to Ripple treatment, her wound had completely healed. She'd only passed out before due to blood loss, and a couple of days in the hospital was enough to recover. She volunteered for the mission. Not because she wanted to catch Kaitou Kid—but because she wanted to help.
The Belle Shirley II, painted in bright white and branded with the Suzuki Group logo, was also a perfect flying advertisement. Once it passed over Japan's major cities, everyone would see the power of the Suzuki Financial Group.
"It's huge." Ran was in awe. She remembered how, back in elementary school, the first time she saw an airship, she mistook it for a UFO. Kudo still teased her about it to this day.
"Of course it's huge. The Belle Shirley II is a whole meter longer and wider than the Hindenburg," Sonoko said proudly.
"You don't mean the German blimp that caught fire and crashed, do you?" Mouri broke into a cold sweat.
Sonoko realized it sounded unlucky. "Mmm... well, this airship's built with the world's most advanced tech. Just enjoy the trip, okay?"
Conan thought to himself, 'Miss, can you not jinx us like that?'
"Conan-kun, it's too bad Ayumi and the others couldn't come," Ran said, thinking Conan might be missing his little friends.
"Yeah..." Conan replied awkwardly, though inside he was thinking, 'Finally, some peace and quiet. I've been pestered all vacation. No way I'd bring them along now.'
Luxury. That was everyone's first impression.
Mouri was especially stunned by the decor. Everything was made of top-tier materials. Just the woodwork in one room probably cost more than his entire apartment—including all the furniture and electronics. "No wonder. This is the Suzuki Group's doing..."
Definitely a tycoon—only when Sonoko invited them to a family event like this could Ran and Conan really feel that Sonoko was a true rich girl. Normally, she acted super down-to-earth. She'd go nuts over free cake samples and hesitate over buying cheap accessories. You'd never guess her family was this rich.
"Uncle, my friends are here!" Sonoko introduced them. "This is Mouri Ran, my classmate and best friend. That uncle is Ran's father—the famous detective Mouri Kogorou. And this little guy is Edogawa Conan, who's staying with the Mouris."
"Hello!" Mouri gave a polite greeting to the tycoon.
"Oh, I've heard of you. You're that sleepyhead Mouri Kogorou," Jiroukichi said.
"It's 'Sleeping Mouri Kogorou'…" Mouri corrected awkwardly.
"Hahaha, don't sweat the details. A famous detective is a famous detective. Perfect timing. I'll let you take a look at the ship's top-level security system."
"Honored." Mouri kept his composure—he was still an adult, after all.
Ran and Conan were way more casual, glancing around freely. It was hard to believe they were on an airship. If it weren't for the windows showing the airport outside, they would've thought this was a luxury hotel.
"Ran, this is your room. Once you drop off your stuff, I'll take you to see the 'Sky Lady'," Sonoko said.
Space was limited, so the room was as compact as a sleeper car on a train. Just a single bed and a nightstand. But there was also a small TV mounted on the wall.
"Nice room. The carpet's so soft." Ran stepped in and instantly melted.
"This is pure wool," Conan said, kneeling down to check. "Expensive!"
Ran thought, 'If only we could put this kind of carpet at home… that'd be amazing.' Too bad her dad probably couldn't afford it.
"Ran, you ready?"
Ran and Conan shoved their luggage to one side of the bed and headed off to see the legendary gemstone.
A vertical elevator ran through the ship. The airship's main body was hollow, and the gas cells were divided into several compartments hidden inside the frame. It wasn't like the whole thing was just one giant gasbag with a tiny gondola. The gas cells were more like lungs—they didn't fill up the entire space. That's why they could build an elevator inside.
The elevator had glass walls on all four sides, so passengers could see the internal structure of the airship clearly. But it was pure torture for Mouri. He had a fear of heights, and this totally transparent lift was a waking nightmare. His face turned green.
Luckily, the ride didn't last long. They arrived at the viewing platform set into the top of the ship. It gave a direct view of the sky. The platform even had a retractable glass roof. On clear days, the roof could open, and even if it rained, the view of the sky wouldn't be blocked.