Chapter 194: There's a Ghost
Trailing behind Conan, Noelle let out a quiet sigh, a pang of guilt striking him. Why could he never react as quickly as a child like Conan?
Worried that the boy might be in danger, Mouri Ran had to end her phone call, preparing to follow him with Sonoko.
It was Kaeya who stopped them. Citing the potential for danger, he suggested that Ran, Sonoko, and Lisa remain nearby to call the police and secure the scene until they arrived. Meanwhile, as the only man present—a title he gave himself with a wry smile—he would go and assess the situation.
Seeing Ran still gazing worriedly in the direction Conan had vanished, Lisa offered a comforting word. "It's alright. Kaeya is quite skilled. With him there, Little Brother Conan will be just fine."
At this, Lisa's tone shifted slightly. "However, Little Sister Ran, you really should have a serious talk with Conan later. He can't just run off like that; it's far too easy to stumble into danger."
Lisa's words struck a chord. Though her heart was still knotted with worry for Conan, Ran couldn't help but feel a flicker of anger. Conan truly had been thoughtless today. She resolved to give him a stern lecture later, one that would ensure he never ran off without a word again.
Sonoko rolled her eyes and grumbled, "That little brat with the glasses is exactly the same as that Detective Idiot."
Running far ahead of the others, Conan was oblivious to the conversation happening behind him. His entire focus was fixed on reaching the source of the sound that had torn through the quiet woods.
Before long, two figures materialized in the distance.
The sun was already beginning its descent, and the dense canopy of maple trees filtered the fading light, casting long, deep shadows. The distance was still considerable, so Conan could only make out vague silhouettes—one tall and thin, the other short and stout. They stood close together, seemingly locked in conversation.
He instinctively slowed his pace, his footsteps becoming as silent as the falling leaves as he crept closer. Faint, fragmented voices began to drift towards him.
"You... who are you?... Stop me... call the police..."
"You... murder... catch... don't run... call the police..."
As the tall figure's voice registered, Conan's eyes widened in shock. That was Albedo.
Just as he was about to take another cautious step forward to hear more clearly, a hand shot out from behind and seized the collar of his jacket.
Conan's breath hitched, his body freezing at the sudden ambush. He only managed to exhale when he heard a familiar voice from behind him.
"Conan, you can't keep running around like this." Noelle looked down at the boy, his expression a complicated mix of relief and exasperation. He was beginning to feel that this child was quite the handful.
Running off was one thing, but the boy paid absolutely no attention to his surroundings. Noelle had been following him the entire time, even standing directly behind him for a moment, yet Conan hadn't noticed a thing. If he hadn't grabbed him just as he was about to press forward, Noelle was certain the boy wouldn't have noticed him until he was hit over the head with a club.
Noelle made a firm mental note: if he ever found himself responsible for this child again, he would have to be doubly vigilant. He couldn't allow him to slip away under his nose a second time.
Realizing the person behind him was Noelle, Conan's tense shoulders relaxed.
He turned his head, gesturing with his eyes for Noelle to let go. Then, he pointed urgently toward the figures ahead, trying to convey that there was a situation and they needed to approach stealthily.
Suddenly, a thought struck him—Albedo was over there. Conan's movements stiffened, and he whipped his head back to look at Noelle with wide, questioning eyes.
Noelle, however, didn't catch the boy's momentary panic. He simply shook his head, silently refusing Conan's suggestion to sneak forward.
"What are you two doing? Not saying a word... are you performing a mime?" Kaeya's voice, not lowered in the slightest, boomed as he strode towards them.
"Master Kaeya!" Noelle hissed, his voice rising with a note of dissatisfaction. He was trying to warn Kaeya, to remind him that he shouldn't be so careless as to expose their position, regardless of the potential danger.
"My apologies." Kaeya raised his hands in a placating gesture, then glanced past Conan and Noelle. "You're being a bit too cautious, Noelle. I think with the few of us here, there shouldn't be any danger to speak of."
Conan followed Kaeya's gaze and saw that Albedo and the stranger had indeed heard the commotion. Both were now turning to look in their direction.
"Albedo, what are you doing over there? And who's that with you?" Kaeya called out, waving cheerfully. Conan could only watch with a deadpan expression.
Although he felt Kaeya's approach was a bit like poking a snake with a stick, the man's casual behavior also put him at ease. It seemed Albedo wasn't involved in anything nefarious with the other person. Or, more likely, the stranger wasn't from the Black Organization.
With that fear quelled, he could finally think clearly. Based on the disjointed words he'd overheard, he deduced that the person with Albedo was likely the murderer who had killed the owner of the notebook.
"As I was leaving, I saw a suspicious person from a distance. He stabbed someone and then ran away in a hurry, so I stepped in to stop him," Albedo replied calmly, his gaze meeting Kaeya's.
Kaeya's eyes flickered to the "suspicious person," then scanned the woods behind him. The corner of his mouth curved into a subtle, knowing smile. Things were getting interesting.
Though there were more people than he had anticipated, he wasn't the least bit concerned.
Observing the figures hiding behind the trees with his Elemental Sight, Kaeya could easily see that while there were many of them, they were utterly untrained. Their movements were uncoordinated, their skills nonexistent. They were clearly just a disorganized rabble.
No matter how many people like that showed up, Albedo could handle them alone, to say nothing of the fact that he and Noelle were also present.
Kaeya led Noelle and Conan over to Albedo's side, gathering the group together and preparing for whatever might happen next.
Now that he was closer, Conan finally got a clear look at the man's face.
The suspicious person Albedo mentioned was a white-haired old man, somewhat stout, with glasses perched on his nose. At first glance, he looked like a kind and gentle grandfather.
"What suspicious person?" the old man said, his voice laced with indignation. "I was just in a hurry to get down the mountain, which is why I was walking so quickly."
"You're the one who stopped me for no reason and nearly injured me! I should be asking you what you're trying to do!" The old man clearly possessed remarkable psychological fortitude, managing to twist the situation and shift the blame even when confronted by a potential witness to his crime.
Conan frowned. He believed Albedo's account; this man had to be the murderer. But without evidence, if the man stubbornly refused to confess, the police wouldn't be able to arrest him.
Conan was about to interject with a few pointed questions to probe for a weakness when, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a faint yellow light flashing in front of Albedo.
He stared intently at the space before Albedo, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Just as he was beginning to wonder if he'd imagined it, he heard the suspect let out a bloodcurdling shriek of terror.
"Ghost! There's a ghost!"
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