"Pandora's Tears!"
Toichi said with certainty.
Toru did not speak.
But that attitude already proved what he wanted to say.
Toichi sighed softly. "Sure enough, you came looking for me because of Pandora's Tears. You are so young and so outstanding, yet even you are this obsessed with eternal life?"
Toru smiled. "It would be strange for someone not to be interested in eternal life, wouldn't it? You are the strange one."
Toichi did not speak. He only took a small sip of the red wine in his glass.
Toru did not urge him.
He believed that Toichi would definitely give him the answer he wanted.
Because he had already grasped Toichi's weakness, his son, Kaito.
After a while, Toichi said, "May I tell a story?"
"Please."
"I started doing magic tours all over the world when I was in my teens. About twenty years ago, I met a woman in Paris. In order to save her, I became a phantom thief."
Toichi said, "...I suppose you can guess that this woman is my wife, Kaito's mother."
"And in order to save my wife, I clashed with an organization that collected gems all over the world, and came into contact with them."
"Of course, this organization is no match for the organization behind you, but based on my years of investigation and research, I can roughly guess that the mysterious organization collecting gems should also have the support of certain wealthy conglomerates."
"In the process of battling wits with that organization, I also discovered their purpose. They were searching for a gem called Pandora's Tears."
"This gem is said to be connected to the first woman Hephaestus created from clay in Greek mythology, the legendary Pandora. That is why it is called Pandora's Tears."
"And this gem is said to grant eternal life. It is Pandora's Box."
Toru did not speak. He only listened quietly to Toichi's story.
"And during one confrontation with that organization, I obtained a gem fragment from them. It was said to be a fragment of Pandora's Tears."
"My intuition is strong, and I could sense that this fragment did indeed possess incredible power, but I am only a magician. I did not know how to use this gem fragment."
"I gave this fragment to a friend of mine, someone known as a mad scientist in the scientific community, hoping he could help me research the function of this gem fragment."
Toru had to interrupt him. "Wait a minute, what is your friend's name?"
"Atsushi Miyano."
Toichi's words shook Toru's mind, and everything instantly fell into place.
So that was how it was!
Haibara's father, Atsushi Miyano. Just from his title as a mad scientist, one could tell this person's talent and the content of his research.
Atsushi Miyano had obtained the fragment of Pandora's Tears from Toichi, and from that, researched the prototype of APTX4869!
Vermouth had also gained the ability of eternal youth around that time.
Rum's father was a member of the Black Organization, and the Black Organization should have existed for a very long time, likely founded by Renya Karasuma in his youth.
It would be almost impossible for an organization from a defeated country like Japan to gain the support of America's major financial groups. They would not care about a mere Renya Karasuma.
However, according to the CIA's information, the Black Organization had only truly risen to prominence in the last twenty years.
In other words, twenty years ago, the Black Organization was likely still just a regional organization, only sponsored by the Karasuma Group.
But twenty years ago, after obtaining the fragment of Pandora's Tears and researching the possibility of immortality, the organization began to develop rapidly.
Renya Karasuma likely exchanged the research results for the support of those major financial groups, thereby gaining America as a backer.
Renya Karasuma himself had also gradually disappeared from the public eye around twenty years ago, and had even been declared dead.
Toru did not let Toichi continue speaking, because he had already understood some things.
He said directly, "Kuroba Toichi, you can take what I say next as a threat."
"I do not want to harm your son, Kaito, but sometimes, certain things force me to make choices."
"If you want your son to stay safe, I need you to do one thing for me."
Toichi narrowed his eyes and said, "Find Pandora's Tears for you?"
"No. If that were the request, it would only make you try to resist me. My request is not that difficult. Finding just one more fragment for me is enough."
Haibara was even more talented than her parents.
Toru believed that as long as he found the most important material for APTX4869 for Haibara, she would be able to perfect the drug, and even directly glimpse the secret of immortality.
Toru did not need the complete Pandora's Tears. All he wanted was the fragment!
Toichi thought for a moment, then slowly nodded. "All right. If it is only one fragment, I can do that for you."
"I hope you keep your word. You should understand that I was once with the CIA. Do not take any chances with the CIA's methods."
Toru had no choice but to use this kind of threat to make Toichi comply.
Because apart from this method, he had no other way to control Toichi.
It was also not easy for him to cooperate with Toichi.
Toichi was not Kaito. He was very difficult to fool.
Toichi stood up. He was not planning to stay here for long. Before leaving, he suddenly said to Toru, "I am not very educated, but I have learned many strange things."
"What do you want to say?"
Toru frowned slightly.
"I once traveled abroad to a country with a long history and studied physiognomy under a master there for a while. Fujiwara-san, it seems you have been entangled by something recently."
"You are not going to say there is a shadow over my face and that I am being haunted by a female ghost, are you?" Toru joked.
"A shadow over the face... well, that was indeed one of their terms, and the meaning is roughly the same. During my years as a phantom thief, I have encountered many strange and bizarre things. Pandora's Tears itself is quite metaphysical."
"I am not saying this to curse you. I only want to remind you, Fujiwara-san, to be careful recently."
After speaking, Toichi bowed and left the restaurant, disappearing into the crowd.
"Is this guy serious, or is he messing with me?"
Toru frowned, unable to guess Toichi's purpose for a moment.
Just then, his phone suddenly rang.
"Curacao, did you call because something happened?"
Curacao's emotionless voice came from the phone. "...This mission has been under investigation for a long time, and just now, I finally obtained accurate information."
"This urban legend points to a high school girl living in Tokyo. Her name is... Tomie Kawakami."
Huh?
Wait a minute, did I hear that correctly?
Kawa-what? Kawakami... Tomie?!
(To be continued.)