"Prime Minister, Prime Minister, you're awake!"
The surrounding medical staff were overjoyed, looking excitedly at the Prime Minister of Japan, who had awakened from his coma.
The Prime Minister, who had fainted twice in a row, had a vacant look in his eyes. He wished he could just remain in a coma like this, at least earning the reputation of a Prime Minister who worried for the country and its people and worked himself into a serious illness.
How he wished all of this were just a dream, and that nothing like a school hostage incident had ever happened.
"How are things?"
After all, he was someone who had become Prime Minister. He slowly regained his senses, knowing there was no escape and that he had to face it head-on.
"Prime Minister, all the terrorists have been eliminated, and all the hostages have been rescued."
"What? The terrorists have been eliminated, and the hostages have been rescued? Quick, tell me, what are the casualties?"
The Prime Minister of Japan shouted excitedly. He even pinched himself to make sure this really wasn't a dream.
"Aside from some students who were seriously injured, there are currently no fatalities."
"No one died?"
At first, he suspected he was too emotional and was having some kind of hysterical episode.
He quickly asked, "Who eliminated the terrorists and rescued the hostages? Was it the Self-Defense Forces or FBI agents?"
"Neither. It was Fujiwara-kun. It was Toru who saved everyone."
"Fujiwara Toru? Why does that name sound so familiar? Is he the son of Chairman Fujiwara, the one who received a medal not long ago?"
"Yes, it's that Fujiwara-kun."
The staff beside him immediately brought over a tablet and played the footage for the Prime Minister at double speed, showing Toru descending like a divine soldier, taking out numerous terrorists in one sweep and saving thousands of teachers and students.
When he saw this scene, the Prime Minister's expression turned ecstatic.
He's saved, he's saved, he's saved!
Although he probably couldn't remain Prime Minister, his life was more important than that position.
The students of Shuchi'in Academy had not suffered major harm, and his own life, and his family's lives, had been saved.
As for the position of Prime Minister?
At worst, he would just have to resign. That was better than losing his life, and even better than the president of the neighboring country ending up in prison.
At that moment, the Prime Minister faced all the reporters and shouted loudly and forcefully, "Investigate! We must investigate how these terrorists entered Japan and where all their weapons came from!"
All the surrounding government staff nodded vigorously.
Without a doubt, Japan would mobilize the strength of the entire nation to investigate this incident and appease public anger.
The Prime Minister then saw Toru, who was surrounded by the crowd.
He pushed everyone aside and walked over. Immediately, the Prime Minister's security guards opened a path around them.
The excited Prime Minister of Japan clasped Toru's hand and gave a deep bow. His legs bent, and he almost dropped to his knees.
"Fujiwara-kun, on behalf of the cabinet and all the people of Japan, I thank you for your righteous act. Because of you, thousands of families in Japan will not be weeping tonight. Because of you, so many innocent lives have been saved."
There was one sentence he did not say, which was that his own life had also been saved.
The Prime Minister remained bent over without straightening up, while the reporters beside him rapidly pressed their shutters.
Toru also did not move, cooperating with the reporters as they took pictures of him.
This was exactly what he needed.
Someone in the surrounding crowd quietly muttered, "What a show-off."
"Exactly. Since this new Prime Minister took office, Japan's crime rate has been skyrocketing, and there have already been several terrorist attacks."
"If he had any shame, he should resign and apologize."
"Resign? Resigning isn't enough. He should commit seppuku to apologize."
"..."
The Prime Minister heard all of it, but what could he do? He didn't dare say a single word.
Members of the Self-Defense Forces and officers from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department maintained order at the scene. Thousands of teachers and students were sent to major hospitals for medical examinations according to the previous arrangements.
Although Toru felt fine, as Japan's current savior, he was also forcibly dragged to the hospital.
The Prime Minister left in a hurry, preparing to convene all cabinet members for an emergency cabinet meeting.
In the ambulance, Kogoro accompanied Ran.
"Ran, you weren't hurt, were you?"
Kogoro's eyes were still red, and the whites of his eyes were filled with bloodshot veins from not sleeping for the past two days.
Ran said with concern, "Dad, I'm fine, not hurt at all. What about you? Shouldn't you rest first?"
"Haha, your old man is in great shape. Back when I was young, I went three days and three nights without sleep to catch criminals. This is nothing."
He had just heard Ran's account and learned that she had not even seen the terrorists. Toru had hidden her in a secret attic.
"I won't scold that brat anymore. I even have to thank him. Ran, when we get back, give him those few bottles of good wine people gave me from the cabinet. Take it as my thanks."
Kogoro said this with a pained expression.
Ran said helplessly, "What if Fujiwara-kun doesn't like drinking?"
"How is that possible? No man can refuse alcohol!"
Kogoro said, unconvinced.
Ran could not help but laugh.
But she knew that this was truly her father's most sincere gratitude.
Kogoro himself had always been reluctant to drink those few bottles of good wine, preferring to drink the cheapest beer instead.
For Kogoro, who loved alcohol as much as his life, those bottles were his lifeblood.
But no matter how important alcohol was, it was not more important than his daughter's life.
"Hey, Uncle, so you've always looked down on Fujiwara-sama, haven't you?"
Sonoko, who was also in the ambulance, spoke with her hands on her hips and her eyes narrowed.
Kogoro let out an awkward laugh. "Haha, no, absolutely not. Oh, and I should thank you too this time, Sonoko."
"It's all thanks to you for dragging Ran to find that brat Fujiwara. With her personality, she probably wouldn't want to trouble anyone."
Sonoko raised her head and said, "Hmph, of course! That's Fujiwara-sama!"
Seeing Sonoko getting lovestruck again, even Kogoro approved of her this time.
Requesting flowers
On the other side, Yukiko and Eri watched the Mouri father and daughter get into the ambulance and drive away.
"Eri, aren't you going over to check on them?"
"I don't want to see that man. It's enough to know Ran is safe. I'll contact her later."
Wearing glasses and looking intellectual and elegant, Eri said this. Then she looked down at Conan and frowned. "...Is this kid really your relative's child? Why does he look exactly like Shinichi when he was little? You didn't have him with someone, did you?"
Yukiko pretended to be angry and said, "This is my relative's child. It's normal for him to look like Shinichi."
She was actually trying to hide Conan and Kudo Shinichi's identities.
Eri was only joking. She said, "Don't be mad. I'll go find Ran now. You should also take Conan to the hospital for a check-up."
The two women exchanged glances, both seeing through the other's little thoughts, then nodded and parted.
After Eri left, Yukiko took Conan and left as well.
On the way back, Yukiko could not help complaining, "Shinichi, why do things happen wherever you go? You make me worry about you every time."
Although she looked carefree and thoughtless on the surface, she was always deeply concerned about her son's safety.
Conan did not say a word.
Yukiko pinched his face unhappily. "Shinichi, what are you thinking about now?"
"I was thinking about Fujiwara Toru. That man is really amazing. I'm impressed."
Conan came back to his senses and sighed.
"I never thought proud little Shinichi would have a day when he admires someone."
Yukiko was secretly pleased. It was a good thing that her son liked her little lover.
I just wonder if you, Shinichi, will call him Father.
Conan had no idea his mother was already in heat. He said helplessly, "Isn't it normal for me to admire people? I admire several football stars too."
"I think with your footwork, Shinichi, playing football would be no problem."
"If I hadn't become a detective and played football instead, I definitely would have been a world-class striker."
...
At the Prime Minister's official residence, an emergency cabinet meeting was being held.
A case of this magnitude, a major incident of the century, had caused Japan to mobilize all available resources for the investigation.
And this matter was far too easy to investigate. Within an hour, all the detailed information had been delivered to the cabinet.
The source of the weapons and equipment could be traced. Megure and customs personnel had personally witnessed the Special Investigation Department taking away that batch of weapons and equipment.
As for the true identities of those hundreds of terrorists, that had also been discovered. They turned out to be members of a Colombian drug trafficking group.
As for how they had been secretly sent into Japan without anyone knowing, much of that information could not be clarified.
So it could actually be guessed that America was behind this!
"Outrageous!"
The current Prime Minister slammed the table hard.
He pointed at the rising sun flag behind him and shouted, "Go call the American Ambassador to Japan and the commander of the U.S. forces stationed in Japan! I want them to kneel here and apologize!"
A group of cabinet members looked at him as if he were an idiot.
Prime Minister, you haven't been watching too many Korean dramas, have you?
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)