Conan had been watching Kisaki Eri closely since the beginning of the trial. The longer he looked, the more uneasy he felt. Something was off. Then, all at once, he realized exactly what it was—and immediately slipped out to follow her.
In the emergency stairwell, he finally called out in a sharp voice, "Kaitou Kid!"
A familiar chuckle echoed back. "Ohoho, little detective, your eyes are getting sharper. What gave me away this time?"
"Your expression when you looked at Uncle Mouri," Conan said bluntly. "It was all wrong. Guess you really are a weirdo with some messed-up hobbies." He crossed his arms. "Still cross-dressing, huh? And pulling it off that well… if you hadn't avoided Mouri's gaze, I might not have noticed."
"Heh." Kid flicked a coin through his fingers with a grin. "Take it as a lesson, kid. The true masters are always the ones you'd never suspect." His tone carried a hidden jab, one Conan instantly caught—an unspoken reference to Dr. Araide, who was actually Belmode in disguise.
Conan frowned. "What are you planning? Satou's case can't be overturned. Even if you disguised yourself as the judge, it wouldn't make a difference."
"You're right," Kid said, his tone calm but confident. "That's what I thought too… until just now. But then—something came to me in court. A way forward." He spun the coin once more, the silver glint reflecting off his monocle. "I am Kaitou Kid—the legend who makes the impossible possible. Just sit back and enjoy the show."
Conan stared at him, unconvinced. "Helping Officer Satou is a good thing, but don't do anything underhanded. If you take shortcuts, she'll never forgive herself. She's too upright for that."
Kid's smile softened. "And that's exactly why she doesn't belong in prison. To ruin herself over some scum like that? Not worth it. Don't worry, little detective—I know what I'm doing." He leaned closer, whispering with a wink. "Don't forget… I am a hero."
Conan snorted. "You can't call yourself a hero while still being a thief."
"Why not?" Kid said, mock-offended. "Show me one so-called 'hero' who's never broken into private property during an investigation, never stolen classified documents, never roughed up a suspect for answers. Stealing, my dear detective, is an essential skill in hero work."
Conan's face darkened. He decided it wasn't worth arguing.
Two tense hours passed. Everyone in the courtroom waited anxiously for the recess to end. Satou's colleagues were especially restless. They had all placed their hopes on Kisaki Eri—the Undefeated Queen—but her earlier performance had been so disorganized that it had shaken their confidence.
"Takagi, it'll be fine," said Chiba, patting his friend's shoulder. "Don't worry too much." Out of everyone at the police department, only he and Takagi seemed to truly care this deeply.
Chiba was a bit of a nerd, a man more at home in his hobbies than his job, while Takagi was an ordinary, earnest soul. Maybe that's why they got along—they both lived quietly, grounded in a world that didn't always make sense.
"Chiba," Takagi muttered, "did I really make the wrong choice?"
Chiba hesitated. "Honestly? I don't know." He adjusted his glasses. "It's one of those things that'll always come down to emotion versus duty. But… I do know this—whatever you did, you did it for Satou's sake. So don't beat yourself up over it."
Takagi looked up, a faint smile breaking through. "Thanks, Chiba. You're right. I did it because I wanted to protect her. And no matter what happens to Satou… I'll wait for her."
The clock ticked down, and after the long, uneasy wait, the courtroom reconvened. Everyone returned to their seats. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation. This time, the verdict was near.
Kisaki Eri—still Kid in disguise—had already used every stalling tactic possible. Without hard evidence, there was nothing left to save Satou. Unless a miracle appeared, the Undefeated Queen's streak was about to end, and Satou's fate would be sealed.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The judge's gavel struck three times. Silence fell instantly.
"Defense counsel," the judge said, "has your witness arrived?"
Kid, still wearing Eri's composed expression, stepped to the center of the courtroom. "Your Honor, members of the jury, Prosecutor Kujo," she began with that same formal greeting.
The judge frowned. "Counselor, if you cannot produce your supposed evidence or witness to support your claim of innocence, I will hold you in contempt of court." His tone was stern but not unkind. "You and I are well acquainted, Kisaki, but even friendship has limits. I ask again—do you still insist on entering a plea of not guilty for your client, Satou Miwako?"
Kid felt the weight of every eye in the room pressing down on him. For a moment, even his usual confidence wavered. Then, he smiled.
"Yes, Your Honor. I stand by my client completely. I firmly believe she is innocent."
"Then," the judge said slowly, "please bring your witness to the stand."
"Of course, Your Honor." Kid adjusted his collar, his voice steady. "Once my witness takes the stand… everything will become clear."
Everyone could feel it—the lawyer standing before them was completely different from the one two hours ago.
Conan narrowed his eyes. Kaitou Kid, what on earth are you planning? He clenched his fists at his sides. Fine. I'll wait and see. Just… please, don't hurt Satou in the process.
"Call the witness!"
The clerk's voice echoed through the silent courtroom.
But what followed was not just silence—it was dead silence, so heavy it seemed to choke the air itself.
Every head turned toward the side door.
A man walked in slowly.
And in that instant, it was as if everyone in the courtroom had their throats gripped tight—no one could speak, no one could even breathe.
Not a single person was spared from the shock.
"Heh…" Kaitou Kid—still in Kisaki Eri's guise—finally exhaled quietly. Good thing I'm quick on my feet. Relief flickered across his face for just a moment. Everything had come together just in time.
He couldn't help but feel proud. To think I came up with this under pressure, right in the middle of a trial… genius, absolute genius.
With a confident smile, he turned toward the stunned courtroom and declared, "This is my key witness—Mr. Bomber himself!"
Gasps erupted from every corner of the room.
The victim—the supposed dead man of this entire case—was standing there, alive, beneath the bright courtroom lights.
The impossible had happened.
Conan's pupils shrank. He had seen Satou shoot this man with his own eyes. He had examined the body himself. He had confirmed the death. There's no way… no way he could still be alive.
Then realization struck. It has to be one of Kid's disguises. He must've found someone who looks just like the bomber. Another one of his ridiculous tricks.
But the others weren't thinking so logically. Murmurs spread like wildfire—half disbelief, half fear. To most of the people in the courtroom, this wasn't a trick. It was a supernatural event.
The judge, however, stayed composed. "Counselor," he said firmly, "please explain what's going on."
Kisaki Eri—no, Kaitou Kid—smiled coolly. "As you can all see, Your Honor, there is no deceased victim in this case. Therefore, Officer Satou cannot be guilty of murder."
The entire courtroom erupted in chaos.
"How can that be?!" Prosecutor Kujo Reiko slammed her hand on the desk, flipping through her files in disbelief. "The autopsy report clearly confirms the bomber's death. He was examined, dissected, and declared deceased by official forensics!"
"Prosecutor Kujo," Kid said, unfazed, "to prove that this witness is the same bomber, I've already submitted his DNA for testing. The results will be out soon. But in the meantime, perhaps you'd prefer to hear directly from the witness himself?"
The man—"the bomber"—stood at the center of the room, glassy-eyed and dazed, like a puppet whose strings had only just been pulled. He seemed utterly lost. He had woken up in the freezing cold of the morgue, only to be escorted straight into the courtroom. Even now, he looked around, confused and pale, as if unsure what world he had returned to.
When questioned by the judge, he answered clearly and directly—his full name, occupation, and past history matched perfectly.
Satou stared at him, speechless. The man she had shot—the man who had died right in front of her—was alive and talking. Her mind spun. No… this must be another disguise. Kid must have staged this.
But as the interrogation went on, the man revealed detail after detail that no imposter could have known. Every answer matched the original bomber's profile exactly.
For the first time, doubt crept into even Satou's heart. Could it be… she thought, her pulse racing, that the world really does hold things beyond reason?
Her thoughts flashed back to that night—to the moment when Kaitou Kid had somehow summoned a soul to speak to her. Maybe… maybe he's done it again. Maybe he brought this man back… just to save me.
No victim meant no crime. And no crime meant no trial.
The courtroom dissolved into chaos. Judges, clerks, and spectators alike spoke over one another, their voices rising in disbelief.
Because when the dead walked into court—
there was no longer a case to be tried.