In light of this situation, Senichi directly called Eri Kisaki, the "Queen of the Courtroom," to explain the circumstances.
Aside from hoping that she would lend a hand to defend Sakurako Niigata, minimizing her legal responsibilities as much as possible, he also wished for Sakurako Niigata to obtain what she rightfully deserved.
After all, it was what her father had worked so hard for to let his family live a good life, but in the end he paid for it with his life.
Upon Senichi's request, accompanied by Ran's plea, Eri Kisaki, having listened to the entire case, agreed not long after.
Upon learning this news, Haruhiko Hanyu left the mansion with a dark expression, but he had nothing to say; after all, his uncle's actions were indeed disgraceful.
After resolving the follow-up matters, although there was some comfort in everyone's hearts, they still wore somber faces, devoid of any cheerful atmosphere.
Seeing everyone with stern expressions after breakfast, Senichi, after some consideration and discussion with Jirokichi Suzuki, wondered if they should all go out to relax together.
However, Jirokichi Suzuki mentioned having other matters to attend to, and eventually left in another car.
Senichi, driving the luxury car that Ayoko and the others had arrived in, took them out for a brief journey.
Since they were in Aomori, it was only natural to visit some famous spots.
After discussing, they ultimately chose to go to Lake Towada.
The platinum-colored water reflected the deep blue sky and thick white clouds. The vast lake mirrored the sky like a mirror, seemingly connecting the two.
Arriving here, their mood visibly improved upon seeing this beautiful scenery.
"This place is really nice~" Ayako took a deep breath, looking completely relaxed. "The air is so fresh; I feel like my whole body has relaxed a lot."
"I heard this lake was formed by the eruption of Mount Towada and is the third deepest lake in all of Japan." Ran, looking at the information in the tourist brochure, smiled as she spoke.
"There's also a sightseeing boat; let's take a ride!" Sonoko, looking at the small boats on the lake, couldn't wait to try it out.
Everyone unanimously agreed to Sonoko's suggestion because Lake Towada is quite large, and touring the entire lake would be a good idea. After all, they had the money, so why not be a little extravagant?
After boarding a small sightseeing boat, Sonoko pulled Ran and Ayako onto the boat for some photos, while Senichi and Conan leaned on the railing, gazing into the distance in a daze.
Of course, Senichi wasn't simply lost in thought; he took the opportunity to check and assess the gains from this case.
[ "Kaito Kid" Murder Case ]
[ Congratulations to the host on obtaining Trace Analysis (Two Years) and Profiling (One Year) ]
[Evaluation: In the beautiful Lavender Manor, a shocking tragedy occurred, evoking sorrow. Rescuing Sakurako Niigata, who harbored suicidal thoughts, might be the last touch of color in this unfortunate tragedy.]
Looking at this substantial reward, Senichi raised an eyebrow, and the heaviness in his heart dissipated slightly.
As for the reasons behind this generous reward, Senichi had some speculations.
Clearly, the difficulty of the case was one aspect, but ultimately saving Sakurako Niigata from suicide accounted for the lion's share of the reward.
Senichi even guessed that if he hadn't intervened, even if the case had been solved, considering Sakurako Niigata's determined suicidal mindset, it might have ultimately led to her demise by suicide.
Finding the culprit but also pushing the person into a corner, that was not the outcome Senichi wanted to see.
"What are you thinking?"
Just as Senichi was contemplating, Conan, who was gazing at the lake, suddenly spoke, "Are you thinking about Sakurako Niigata?"
"Well, sort of." Senichi nodded without denying, then asked, "And you, are you thinking about Sakurako Niigata too?"
"Yeah, I am." Conan sighed and said, "The scene of her decisively choosing to end her own life keeps flashing in my mind. Thankfully, you reacted in time; otherwise, it would have been a complete tragedy..."
"I hope she can genuinely seek redemption afterwards."
Senichi took a deep breath, tasting the fresh air with a hint of lake water, and then exhaled slowly, as if expelling the frustration in his heart along with it.
"Actually... this case had a significant impact on me."
After a moment of hesitation, Conan spoke, "I'm reflecting on my detective philosophy. I realize that, though I also respect life, I lean more towards the thrill of pursuing the truth... So when Sakurako Niigata took that action in front of me, I felt a bit lost. I think I might need to change... but for now, I haven't found a more straightforward path forward."
Facing Conan's question, Senichi raised an eyebrow; he hadn't expected Conan to have such thoughts after experiencing this case.
Because he had preemptively stopped Seiji Asoh's criminal actions and prevented the tragedy, Conan, although had undergone changes through solving cases, he had not fully awakened yet.
And in this case, the scene where Sakurako Niigata decisively took her own life had a profound impact on Conan.
While he was focused on Senichi's brilliant deductions, the act of suicide was like a sudden wake-up call, making him realize how flawed his previous detective principles were.
However, perhaps because Sakurako Niigata's suicide was prevented by Senichi, Conan, who hadn't personally experienced the profoundness of it, felt a bit lost at the moment.
Therefore, after some hesitation, Conan couldn't help but ask Senichi, seeking guidance on how he should change.
Even if Conan hadn't voiced his question now, when his low spirits subsided, and he could objectively and calmly reflect on things, he would have figured it out on his own.
However, due to the significant impact of Sakurako Niigata's suicide attempt on him at the moment, recalling his own mindset at that time, Conan felt troubled by these complex emotions, and his restless mind prevented him from thinking calmly.
So, with this opportunity to have a private conversation with Senichi, Conan couldn't help but ask, wanting to hear some insights from Senichi.
Although Senichi became famous later than him, he was, after all, older, and since engaging in criminal investigations, he had experienced various cases of all sizes, including those that were regrettable or deeply painful. Perhaps he would have a different perspective.
In response to Conan's question, Senichi answered without hesitation:
"There's nothing to be confused about. If you used to prioritize pursuing the truth, then I can tell you without hesitation that it's something that needs to change."
Senichi turned to look at Conan and said earnestly, "A detective who uses his deductive powers to corner a suspect, and then does nothing to stop them from committing suicide, is no better than the murderer himself."
Hearing Senichi's words, Conan suddenly woke up, and the fog in his mind seemed to dissipate in an instant.
"Is that so..."
Seeing Conan's expression of being enlightened, Senichi couldn't help but feel pleased.
Is there anything more satisfying than using one's own words to show off in front of oneself?
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