Conan translates: Gin is a waste.
He: "..."
Although Ichijō Mirai's words seemed to make sense, and his tone of voice was justifiably flat, as if he were stating a fact.
However, as he listened, he had a subtle feeling, a subtle illusion that Ichijō Mirai was talking from the perspective of a criminal.
There was also a bit of unintentional pity, and the sincerity of a heartfelt belief that Gin was really kind.
If Gin wasn't a loser who couldn't handle an underage high school student, then surely it's just a case of good intentions being overlooked.
It's kind of weird.
So weird that Conan's mind flashed for a moment with the speculation that, no, Ichijō Mirai wouldn't be...
The suspicion was shattered before it could be fully formed.
Ichijō Mirai couldn't be a black man, and if he was, then there was only one possibility: he was working undercover.
That's exactly what happened.
With that in mind, Conan thought for a moment and spoke, "He was in the middle of a transaction with a president, seemingly holding something hostage for extortion for about 100 million yen, at an amusement park with a number of security guards patrolling the surrounding area, who would have come to detect any movement, and even if there was no movement, they would have been patrolling the neighborhood shortly after, so-"
He emphasized, "Gin didn't mean well."
"It was the lack of time to deal with me, the haste, that gave me a chance of survival."
That was the bottom line: Gin was not nice, really not nice.
Ichijō Mirai ignores the emphasis and focuses on the point, "One hundred million yen?"
"Amusement park?"
What's with the amusement park? We're not going to an amusement park in the dark again, are we?
And why 100 million yen?
The failure of a friend is heartbreaking, but the success of a friend is even more so. Ichijō Mirai was relieved: good, good, not only was he getting worse, but his classmates were getting worse, and even Gin was getting worse, and the Tokyo head of an international illegal organization was working so hard for a mere 100 million yen.
Even if 100 million yen is just a reason to start a long term partnership with the president, it still sounds like a lot!
No wonder you smoke to drown your sorrows.
"The economy's not so good right now," Ichijō Mirai said, "so please understand."
Don't make fun of Gin's growing popularity.
Oh wait, he's the one who's laughing at Gin, that's okay.
He immediately changed the subject and made a straight forward remark, "How long were you out after taking the drug? As I recall, the drugs the organization developed have a high probability of being lethal."
It's a very high probability of death.
The number of times Ichijō Mirai has gone back to the files is proof of that.
Though they weren't taking the exact same drug in terms of potency.
"I wasn't unconscious for long, I was quickly woken up by the patrol, I was still wearing adult clothing..." Conan perked up at the mention of the drug and offered to take Ichijō Mirai's arm, his eyes darting back to his face, "Do you know anything about it?"
'I was still wearing adult's clothes at that time'.
Ichijō Mirai realized: Oh, it's a case of 'a high school student's body shrinking to become a child'.
He restrained the thoughts and ideas that had been spreading freely during his previous speculation, and answered in a moderate manner, "I don't know much, but I've seen people who have taken the drug, and they didn't shrink like you did, and there were no significant changes in their bodies that could be observed."
Significant changes that aren't normally observable, like resilience.
Though it's just as outrageous.
"According to the organization, they researched the drug for the sake of humanity's eternal future," Ichijō Mirai flatly paraphrased Belmode's previous words, "and to that end, they researched it for a long time, probably like a spider's web, with immortality as the centerpiece of a number of by-products, and the drug you're taking is probably one of those offshoots."
Or the organization's more important branch.
Otherwise, the drug wouldn't be in the possession of a codename of Gin's stature.
Last time, Gin was carrying the same drug that Ichijō Mirai was taking, so it's obvious that the drug has a place in the organization.
However, for Gin to use the drug as an extermination poison...
Either the drug has reached a critical point and is being tested for efficacy, or the organization has decided to abandon this branch of research.
Ichijō Mirai remembered the file on the hospital incident, the point in time when he had taken the drug, and the point in time when Gin had carried it with him, and favored the former.
He explained it briefly.
Almost visibly, Conan became frustrated, and didn't put his hand back on Ichijō Mirai's for thirty seconds after he wrenched it away, his face flushed again, and the air seemed to be damp with a low tide.
But soon, he pulled himself together and put his hand on it again, carefully observing Ichijō Mirai's face, "So, the person who took the same medication with different symptoms than me, is..."
Ichijō Mirai's face didn't change, "A member of the organization."
"A member of the Organization who is not in this world."
He didn't look away.
Because he was telling the truth: 'Messiah' is indeed not in this world, but in the game world, a memory.
It's the truth, but it's a somewhat convoluted truth, and Conan reacts for a moment before consciously responding: it's a member of an organization that's already dead.
A member of the organization who had a close relationship with Ichijō Mirai.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so careful with his words.
I don't know if it's a positive or a negative relationship, and while his brain was racing, Conan immediately apologized, "I'm sorry, Mr. Mirai."
"Well."
He raised his hand, and under Ichijō Mirai's gaze, dutifully put his hand, which had been wrenched away again, over it, "This medication that I take."
"...Do you have any information on the medication that can undo it?"
There must be an antidote, right?
Even if it's not a poison, since someone who took another drug didn't die instantly, but survived long enough for Ichijō Mirai to know the effects of the drug, the organization should know about it, right?
If they know, they're working on it, right? Maybe there's a drug that can neutralize the effects of APTX4869!
Ichijō Mirai shook his head and told the truth, "I haven't heard of it."
"In fact, I haven't even heard of the rumor that 'by taking a certain drug, humans will return to the state of a toddler' in the organization."
As Conan lost it again, he changed the subject, "But, I can ask for you."
Conan: "!"
For a moment, Ichijō Mirai's willingness to help seemed to shine in his eyes!
He quickly said, "Really? Thank you!"
After hesitating for a moment, he whispered, "I've heard that the organization's internal rules are very strict, and that the members of each code do not interfere with each other, and many of them don't know each other, and basically don't cooperate with each other except for a few tasks, and rarely deal with matters outside of their own, and that drug-related matters are a relatively sensitive existence in the organization..."
"Please be careful when tracing, and if there's anything I can do, please do not hesitate to say so."
Huh?
How did Conan know?
Ichijō Mirai didn't even know that the organization had strict rules, he thought it was quite tolerant and harmonious, and everyone was soft-hearted and kind-hearted.
"I," since Ichijō Mirai was so sincere and intended to help him after realizing the truth, Conan didn't hide it, and after giving his advice, he organized his words and gave an honest account, "Actually, I know a member of the organization who defected."
Still a member of the organization of the scientific research group, was one of the main researchers of APTX4869, took the drug and faked his death to escape from the organization, and is currently an elementary school student.
"She told me some information about the drug, said the name of the drug I was taking was APTX4869, and said something about the organization being scary, and threatened me not to pursue it or I'd be doomed."
Huh?
The pupils of Ichijō Mirai's eyes moved, rounded and fixed in the center of his eyes, and curved up as he smiled, they looked natural and vivid, the vivid eyes of a human being.
He whispered, "APTX4869?"
That was the name of the drug Ichijō Mirai took in [Organization Newcomer].
It was also the name of the drug Gin was carrying in [Organization Newcomer].
It was ten years ago.
Ten years is enough time for a drug in development to take on a completely different light, and for the effects to go from A to B.
Ichijō Mirai and Kudō Shinichi were taking the same drug, though with different results.
Ichijō Mirai's interest, which had just dipped, rose again, and he looked Conan in the eye for a few moments before generously sharing the information, "ATPX4869? Then I take back what I said before, you and that member of the organization who is not in this world right now were taking the same drug."
"But he took it ten years ago."
"The effects are different, probably because there have been new advances in the drug in the last ten years."
He didn't pay much attention to the Organization defector, didn't approve, didn't disapprove, just didn't care, didn't even ask a question or two.
Conan thought for a moment, and realized that Ichijō Mirai's power would have made it easy to find the defector 'Sherry' after just a few words.
Sherry is still living at Dr. Agasa's place next to Kudō's house, so it's like having an arrow in your head.
Moreover, Ichijō Mirai didn't necessarily realize his true identity only tonight, but he might have sensed something strange before, and if that's the case, there's a high probability that he'll find Sherry, and it's only natural that he won't react to it.
While thinking about it, Conan was again honest: "I might know why the same drug has two different effects, because there were two researchers in charge of the study, and she was the one in charge of continuing the study."
One more thing came to mind. "By the way, the police."
You know about Sherry?
She's an ex-convict, an enemy of the police, and if she's arrested by the police, even if she can be used as a tainted witness, she'll still have to face the law.
"Don't know," Ichijō Mirai guessed what Conan was going to ask, and denied it outright, adding, "I mean, I don't know."
I don't know if the police know.
He'd had enough of the second-best hand-holding game for now, pinned Conan's hand down with his arm, signaling that he didn't need to play any more, and got to the point, "Didn't you say that Sherry was a researcher working on the drug? Why are you asking me for the antidote?"
It's interesting that Sherry took ATPX4869, but with Conan around, Ichijō Mirai is more interested in Conan.
Ichijō Mirai was more interested in Conan, and whether or not Conan would grow up to be a criminal's nemesis.
"Since you were killed by the Organization, and she defected from the Organization and contacted you," he got excited, "you're companions now, aren't you?"
He was so excited that his rounded crimson pupils had a tendency to rise up, "So, does she have a research site now, even if she didn't succeed, she must have made some progress, how is the progress so far?"
After defecting from the organization, she contacted Conan because she thought Conan would grow up to be a criminal's nemesis and wanted to help him destroy the organization? I think so.
But why didn't the companion give him the drug and made Conan so anxious that he asked for it?
I don't know...
"Sherry's only just learned that ATPX4869 can turn people into children," Conan explained, "she's only been working on the drug for a few years, she didn't realize it could do that, and the organization didn't know about it either, it's a very recent development, it's not very productive."
Then corrected, "We're not 'companions'."
"Companions, not to say like-minded, but at the very least, should have the same goal?" He pondered, "Hattori and I are companions."
Then he explained for Ichijō Mirai, "Hattori is a high school detective I know, who came to me for a competition not long ago, and found out my identity..."
As she spoke, Conan's eyes widened to pea eyes, and he laughed a couple of times before continuing.
"Sherry is very strange, may be because was a member of the organization, very afraid of the organization, not only do not track the organization, only want to avoid the organization's pursuers, but also threatened to threaten me not to track."
But the detective, simply not because the target is too difficult, will be afraid to retreat, only to live a little longer creature, but know that there is a tiger in the mountain, even if the criminals are more powerful, no longer difficult to deal with, but also will be obsessed with looking for solving the case of the creature.
"She didn't come to you after defecting from the organization because she thought you were so powerful that you might grow into a criminal's nemesis, and she was going to provide you with information that would allow you to destroy the organization more quickly?" Ichijō Mirai was confused.
He looked at Conan in confusion, remembered the Valentine's Day party, and thought hard: Wasn't it obvious that Conan was smart and had 'criminal nemesis' potential?
...No, it's obvious.
It's so obvious that Ichijō Mirai noticed it the first time they met, and couldn't help but pay attention to it, so much so that Suzuki Sonoko noticed that he was paying attention to Conan.
"Probably doesn't trust me, doesn't think I'm up to it," Conan measured his tone, carefully observing Ichijō Mirai's puzzled reaction, and after eating up the foreplay one bite at a time, he finally began to bite into the point, "What about Mr. Mirai?"
He was a little nervous, "Do you think I can help?"
Good news: a succession of encounters with Organization-related figures.
Bad news: the first organization-related person treats the organization like a tiger, usually fine, but when he mentions the organization, he loses his will to fight, doesn't seem to want to fight back, and even grits his teeth, knows a lot of important information about the organization, but refuses to disclose it, and doesn't intend to do his part in destroying the organization.
Worse news: the second Organization-related person is a police officer, a very powerful police officer, who is currently undercover in the Organization and does not need the help of a victim who does not know much about the Organization.
Even worse news: it's a good bet that this police officer will whip him up like butter!
Ichijō Mirai would probably help him with drugs, help him with information, help him really, but also take him out of the danger zone and put him safely under police protection.
Conan didn't want to be protected, he didn't want to be creamed and dismissed.
He held his breath, temporarily blocked out the throbbing in his temples and the dizzying heat and swelling in his brain, and said earnestly, "I've solved a lot of cases, I won't drag my feet."
After thinking about it, he added, "I've fought with Gin more than once, and I've obtained information about the organization under him several times, so I really won't drag my feet!"
"I can help you with Gin!"
Ichijō Mirai: "?"
"What are you talking about," He replied as his pupils rounded into square circles of confusion, rightfully so, "and why would you think that I would protect you from ever coming into contact with a dangerous organization again?"
"Of course not."
"In fact, I'd like to help you deal with it."
Why else would he be talking to Conan? Was he just trying to make fun of a kid?
...It's true that children are fun to tease, but after Conan let his guard down, it's no longer fun to tease him!
Ichijō Mirai's goal is simple: 'Criminals' Nemesis'.
He doesn't really like the Nemesis, he doesn't like the Nemesis that chases after him and bites him so hard that he gets a fatal wound if he's not careful, leaving him in a state of fatigue and fleeing all the time.
But he likes the one who stares at other criminals and bites them wherever he wants.
Very funny ^^^
"But forget Gin, don't make him a target," Ichijō Mirai curled his red eyes, "he's too soft-hearted to worry about."
"There is one person you need to watch out for in Tokyo."
Conan: "A person?"
He somehow felt that Ichijō Mirai's tone of voice had risen a little more, and that it showed a hint of malice.
"Well, that's a ruthless, honey-tongued, lying, very good at fooling people," Ichijō Mirai said, rather gravely, "I've suffered a great deal at his hands."
Conan was astonished, "At your expense?!"
Although Ichijō Mirai didn't know him well, he had been observing him for a long time, and was well aware of the police officer's strength.
"That's a man who holds a very high position in the organization," Ichijō Mirai added, very seriously, "He's so beloved by the chief that the organization won't punish him even if he makes a terrible mistake."
Conan stared, "A very high position..."
"And most coincidentally," Ichijō Mirai spoke again, grave to the core, serious, "the heinous crime he committed was in Tokyo."
"Gin, it's nothing to worry about, but in order to operate in Tokyo, you'll have to get rid of that cold-blooded, heartless member of the Codename first."
Conan was stunned.
He wanted to correct Ichijō Mirai for using the odd word 'get rid of' as if the two of them were black members.
He also wanted to correct Ichijō Mirai for using the word 'activity', which was also a bit odd, as if he were an invasive species that wasn't native to the area.
But before doing so, he focused on the point: Tokyo, the crime.
There weren't many cases that could be called 'heinous crimes', but there were quite a few, and just as well, there were three of them.
Is it possible that...
Conan's face turned pale, and he subconsciously gripped Ichijō Mirai's wrist, looking over at him in a daze, not sure if it was excitement to make the culprits pay, or nervousness at the prospect of being attacked that made him feel dizzy for a moment.
He held his breath, only to feel his throat dry, "Heavens, heinous crimes... it won't be the cases I thought of..."
"Well," Ichijō Mirai nodded seriously without blinking, and agreed without a trace of weakness, "it's just what you're thinking of, a heinous crime."
A shameless man who dares to fool the great player!
The executioner who committed three bloody hells!
Conan's heart was beating fast, but his eyes were calm.
He looked into Ichijō Mirai's eyes, saw red eyes that seemed to glow with fire, and also saw his own eyes that seemed to glow with hatred, and nodded his head vigorously, taking a deep breath and forcing himself to calm down from the extreme trembling and exhilaration, "I see."
And then he asked, "What's his code name?"
"Rum."
Ichijō Mirai answered carefully, word for word, "His code name is Rum."