As night drew closer, Princess Mira's mood sank lower and lower.
In fairy tales, Cinderella had to return in her pumpkin carriage once the clock struck twelve.
For Princess Mira, the start of the evening banquet marked the moment she and Ran Mouri had to swap their identities back.
Once that happened, the Princess would be a Princess again, and Ran would be Ran.
With at most an hour remaining before the banquet, Mira felt the warm, powerful body behind her. A flash of infatuation crossed her eyes, but it was quickly overshadowed by sorrow.
She desperately wanted to keep leaning against Yuu Hoshimiya, but she knew there would be no more chances after today.
The people of the Kingdom of Vespania were waiting for their Queen to return and govern; it was impossible for Mira to stay in Japan.
Because she had known from the start that her time with Yuu would be limited to a single day, she cherished every second.
Mira turned her body. She possessed a delicate, angelic face, and her two expressive large eyes were like emerald pools on a high plateau—clear, quiet, and heart-breakingly beautiful.
Her long eyelashes were like butterflies fluttering in autumn, their wings beating with the lightness and joy of youth.
In the pristine years of her youth, the Princess had met her lover.
Yuu Hoshimiya read the grief in Mira's eyes.
He reached out and pulled the helpless princess into his arms, his large hand gently stroking her soft back, his heart filled with pity.
Yuu naturally knew what was about to happen next. He knew Mira was currently devastated because of the staged deaths of her mother and brother.
But he couldn't reveal the truth just yet.
Mira was, after all, only a nineteen-year-old girl. If she slipped up, the two people currently "fake dead" back in Vespania might actually end up truly dead.
Even Mira herself would be in mortal danger.
Of course, his day-long accompaniment of the Princess served a dual purpose: to clear the gloom from her heart and to take advantage of her vulnerability to conquer her directly.
He couldn't help it; Yuu couldn't stand to see a woman who looked exactly like Ran being sad, nor could he let such a beauty fall into anyone else's arms.
Princess Mira had to be his!
Mira's head rubbed gently against Yuu's chest, her voice turning soft and tender.
"So warm... Yuu-kun, your chest is so warm! I wish I could hold you like this forever!"
Yuu smiled. "Princess Mira, didn't you say our progress was moving too fast?"
He tried to use teasing words to break the sorrow in her heart, but he clearly failed.
Mira's fingers lightly traced Yuu's sexy Adam's apple, the corners of her mouth curling up.
"Yes, it's so strange. We only just met, and you already have a girlfriend, yet here we are together like a real couple."
"Tell me, Yuu-kun, does this count as me seducing someone else's boyfriend? Or are you just a two-timing, unfaithful playboy?"
"Neither," Yuu stated firmly. "The situation is complicated. To put it simply, I have many girlfriends, and Ran allows it. Now, you've simply become one of them."
Had she heard this at any other time, Mira would have been furious.
But now, with their separation imminent and the likelihood of never seeing him again being high, she didn't have the energy to be angry.
Rather than worrying, she only wanted to enjoy the few remaining moments of her freedom—to enjoy their sweet world for two.
Yuu's words dispelled the last shred of guilt and doubt in Mira's heart. Her exquisite face flushed red, and she quietly lowered her head.
"I heard that you haven't truly visited Japan unless you've soaked in a hot spring."
"Yuu-kun... how about we go to a hot spring inn next?"
Hearing this, Yuu couldn't help but be stunned for a moment. A hot spring and a hot spring inn were two very different concepts!
Yuu knew exactly what it meant when a girl proactively invited a man to a hot spring inn.
He hesitated for a second. "Mira, that might not be appropriate."
"But I don't want to leave with any regrets!" Mira lifted her head, her eyes resolute.
"No, what I mean is... isn't the time a bit too short? The banquet starts at 7:30. We have less than an hour. You're really underestimating my stamina and combat effectiveness."
"How about this: I'll talk to Ran, and you call your subordinates. We'll tell them to postpone the swap until tomorrow. We can spend the entire night resting at a hotel. What do you think?"
Hearing this, Mira's face turned a shade of red so deep it looked like it might bleed. She hissed, "You big wolf! You bad man! You pervert! I'm ignoring you!"
Mira turned and hopped off the carousel, running toward the exit of Tropical Land.
She was, after all, an inexperienced girl. Discussing such an explosive topic with Yuu was naturally more than her modesty could handle.
Yuu quickly followed after her.
...
Meanwhile, Count Keith had finally lost his patience and begun to move.
Using a combination of carrots and sticks, he intentionally had a maid spread rumors that Princess Mira was in danger, attempting to lead Ran Mouri directly back to the Kingdom of Vespania.
Count Keith was loyal to Queen Sakura. He intentionally wanted Ran to take Mira's place so that Ran would bear the risk of assassination instead of the real princess.
Ran was still kind-hearted, but under Yuu's "firm" education and having seen many of the world's dark sides, she was no longer a naive, innocent girl who only understood kindness.
Faced with Count Keith's manipulation, no matter how much she sympathized or wanted to help, she never agreed to go to Vespania.
Just as Count Keith was about to lose his temper and plan a forced kidnapping onto the plane, Ran checked a message on her phone and suddenly changed her mind.
Seeing this, Count Keith was overjoyed, and his actions were decisive.
The moment Ran stepped onto the plane, he immediately ordered it to take off.
Because it was a diplomatic aircraft of a friendly nation, the Japanese authorities didn't dare interfere, watching helplessly as the plane flew toward Vespania.
At that moment, Yuu also put down his phone, focusing on the group of uninvited guests chasing him from behind.
A few minutes ago, he had caught up with the embarrassed Mira and planned to head straight to a hotel to book a room.
Even if he couldn't help Mira fulfill her wish and complete the contract right now, there was no reason to pass up the meat delivered to his lips.
Unfortunately, there are always people who don't understand romance and insist on ruining a good thing at the critical moment.
As soon as the two got in the car and left Tropical Land, Yuu sensed vehicles following them.
He had spent the day with Mira, fulfilling Inspector Megure's request to provide close protection for the Princess.
Now it seemed the masterminds behind the scenes really couldn't hold back any longer.
Yuu wasn't entirely clear on the plot of this specific movie event, but after Noah's investigation over the last few days combined with key memories, he had pieced together the causes and effects.
Most importantly, he knew exactly who the enemy hiding in the shadows was.
Mira also noticed the approaching vehicles—three black sedans in total.
Suddenly, the windows of the three cars rolled down, submachine guns poked out, and bullets began to spray recklessly toward them.
"Yuu-kun, watch out!"
Mira reflexively lunged toward Yuu, trying to grab the steering wheel, but she was pinned down beneath him instead.
Yuu performed a horizontal drift, dodging every single bullet.
The window rolled down. He pulled a handgun from his coat, narrowed his left eye, and fired a single shot.
The bullet instantly struck the tire of the leading car. The sedan lost balance, spinning uncontrollably and smashing into the vehicles behind it.
Two of the cars crashed through the guardrail and plunged into the river beside the road, sinking completely in moments.
Yuu fired another shot, and the bullet hit the gas tank of the last car.
The rear of that car exploded instantly, erupting into flames. The driver panicked, jerking the steering wheel and crashing through the rail into the river as well.
Luckily, hitting the water early extinguished the fire, preventing further explosions, though pillars of black smoke billowed from the river.
Mira looked up, her eyes full of worship as she gazed at Yuu.
"Yuu-kun, you're so incredible!"
"It was nothing. Just a bunch of idiots who have submachine guns but don't know how to aim at tires. They can only spray and pray."
"They look like small-time mercenaries. I just sent them for a quick bath."
"However, this is strange. You and Ran swapped clothes in a restroom; theoretically, no one should have known. Which means..."
Yuu's left hand moved onto Mira's delicate body, beginning a thorough search, not sparing a single part of her.
The contact caused Mira's face to flush with shame, and she screamed repeatedly.
"Ah! Yuu-kun, you can't! We're in a car!"
"How can you be like this! I'm a Princess! Even if we don't go to a hot spring hotel, we can't do it in a car! There's no sense of ceremony at all!"
However, Mira's hands barely offered any resistance. She looked the picture of "refusing while wanting," and finally even blurted out:
"No, Yuu-kun, I beg you, let's find somewhere more private! We can't let anyone see us, or I'll never be able to show my face again!"
At that moment, Yuu's large hand pulled a locket from deep within Mira's cleavage. The sensation was excellent. Inside the locket was a photo of Queen Sakura.
Hearing her words, Yuu tapped Mira's small head, looking speechless. "Am I really that horny in your eyes?"
He then disassembled the locket, removing the Queen's photo. A blinking red signal transmitter was instantly exposed to their eyes.
"Mira, you were tagged with a tracker and didn't even know it. Keep the photo."
Yuu tossed the remains of the locket into the river.
Only then did Mira realize she had misunderstood. Recalling her own bold words from a moment ago, a massive blush rose to her cheeks. She quickly covered her face and turned away, not daring to look at Yuu.
Seeing that even her ears were red, Yuu couldn't help but chuckle.
However, he quickly turned solemn again.
Noah informed him that Ran had successfully taken off for Vespania. Now, the final step of his plan could begin.
The Kingdom of Vespania was a small nation, only having stepped onto the international stage because of the discovery of a very "Conan-esque" new energy resource.
At the same time, the previously stable country had fallen into a precarious state.
Ambitious men from all sides, backed by other nations, began plotting to seize power and profit.
Even the Queen and the Prince were forced to fake their deaths just to temporarily preserve their lives.
When Yuu learned about the new energy and the situation in Vespania, he felt the urge to take it for himself.
But he wasn't just interested in the energy; he wanted the entire Kingdom of Vespania.
No matter how small Vespania was, it was still roughly the size of Japan, and the royal family held absolute power.
Yuu planned to transfer all his forces and resources—including Angel's Wings—directly there. He would step onto the international stage using Vespania and its new energy as his platform.
This way, everything would be legitimate. He wouldn't have to be an underground power, and he could develop much faster than hiding in Japan.
In the future, it would be much more convenient if he wanted to facilitate a "Reiki recovery" or an evolution of the entire Conan world.
Furthermore, he was on the same side as Queen Sakura and Princess Mira when it came to making Vespania better and improving the lives of its citizens.
Rather than a chaotic country, Yuu wanted a stable, peaceful, and powerful nation.
After all, he didn't need to overthrow the royal family to gain control of the country; he just needed to "overthrow" the Queen.
So he wouldn't cause trouble; instead, he would help Mira secure her throne and govern the country even better.
Of course, it would be even better if he could successfully save Queen Sakura.
Compared to the young Mira, Queen Sakura—who had governed for years and possessed mature prestige and methods—was more suitable to remain in power.
Besides, Yuu was very interested in a mother-daughter pair like a Queen and a Princess.
At 35, Queen Sakura was a few years younger than Eri Kisaki, a quintessential young milf in her prime.
And a widowed one at that.
The only issue was Mira's brother, Prince Gill. He would have to find a way to send him far away.
But that wasn't a big problem. Mira's entire family, starting from Queen Sakura, yearned for freedom.
Given the chance to escape the shackles of royalty, Prince Gill... or rather, Prince "Pee-pee"... ahem, Prince Gill would likely be quite willing.
If Prince Gill wasn't willing, Yuu would just have to make him "un-willing" (physically) until he became willing.
After all, he didn't want Mira to take the throne years later only to have to deal with another prince and suppress another rebellion.
Ran's sudden agreement to go to Vespania was done under Yuu's instructions.
Everything is hard at the beginning. Turning Vespania into his own "back garden" required massive amounts of manpower and resources.
Now, under the guise of "rescuing Ran," he could fly to Vespania legally while bringing a large amount of weaponry, equipment, and personnel.
As for Ran's safety, there was no need to worry. If he wanted to, he could teleport to her side at any moment.
Once Angel's Wings established a foothold and he successfully contracted Queen Sakura and Mira, things would become much simpler.
With the Suzuki Corporation and the highest level of the royal family working in full cooperation, the transfer of resources and people could easily be completed under the name of "transnational trade."
Reviewing the plan one last time and confirming there were no issues, Yuu had Noah send out the orders to begin the operation.
At the same time, he turned to look at Mira and asked, "Mira, when are you going back to take over as Queen?"
Upon hearing this, the blush on Mira's face faded, and her mood plummeted. Her large eyes were full of reluctance.
"Originally, the council members wanted me to take office immediately, but it was postponed because of this visit to fulfill my mother's dying wish. I'll likely have to inherit the throne as soon as I return."
"My mother's name was Sakura, just like the cherry blossom. That's why she had such an affinity for Japan."
Between different languages, names usually have two translation methods: transliteration and free translation.
Transliteration is a direct translation based on sound, while free translation translates the meaning of the word.
Which one to use depends on personal preference and which one carries more beauty.
The Japanese word for cherry blossom is "Sakura," so Queen Sakura was also called Queen Sakura.
"In our capital, there are still cherry blossoms that my mother transplanted from Japan. They've grown quite tall now."
A bitter smile appeared on Mira's face, and she stared intently at Yuu, as if trying to imprint his image into her mind.
"Yuu-kun, I won't forget you!"
"Time is almost up. Take me back."
As she spoke, tears began to flow from those beautiful big eyes.
"That won't do. Ran has already been taken out of Japan by your Count Keith. I can't give you back now."
"Huh?!" Mira was dazed.
Yuu chuckled softly.
"I said Ran was taken by your people to the Kingdom of Vespania. So, I can't let you run away now."
"I hereby declare that you are now being hijacked by me!"
His large hand gently wiped away Mira's tears. Mira instantly broke into a smile through her tears.
"So Yuu-kun, what do you plan to do next?"
"I'm going back to your country with you to trade for my girlfriend. And if they don't give her back... don't blame me if I 'kill the hostage'!"
Yuu pinched Mira's cheek like he was grabbing a small steamed bun.
Knowing she could stay with Yuu, Mira's eyes curved into beautiful crescent moons.
A shy look then appeared on Mira's face. "Then Yuu-kun... are we still going to that hot spring inn?"
Yuu's eyes sparkled with amusement, and he was just about to agree.
However, Fujiko Mine sent a message saying she had already made contact with Queen Sakura and was ready to depart at any time.
When it comes to matters of life and death, sex has to take a back seat for a moment!
As for whether Mira would be unhappy...
When Yuu revealed that Queen Sakura was still alive and just needed them to rescue her, Mira was even more anxious than he was. She had no mind left for sex.
The next step in Vespania would be a pure contest of hard power. Yuu's side had overwhelming strength, plus the support of Queen Sakura's royal faction.
Acting under the banner of legitimacy, Prince Gerard wouldn't have a single chance of winning; he wouldn't even be able to resist.
So there was no need to worry about Mira slipping up.
Prince Gerard was Queen Sakura's younger brother. If the Queen's direct family all died, he would be the sole royal bloodline and could legally become King.
Taking down Fujiko Mine earlier was definitely the right move. It once again proved the logic that it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
One can never be too prepared.
The Vespania incident was heavily connected to Lupin's crew, and Fujiko Mine was an acquaintance of both Mira and Queen Sakura.
Mira even called Fujiko "sister."
Queen Sakura's successful faked death to fool Gerard was largely thanks to Fujiko's help.
Now that Fujiko was his woman, her connections were naturally his.
With Fujiko as a link, contracting Queen Sakura would be even easier.
As for Lupin III and his companions, Yuu sent word for them to stay out of it.
He wanted a quick resolution, ideally solving the incident quietly before any other major powers noticed.
Lupin's gang had recently been harshly disciplined by Yuu, nearly losing their lives. They were quite unhappy about it, but they didn't dare refuse.
In truth, if Yuu hadn't seen them as decent people and wanted to use them to train his own women, he would have killed them long ago for their repeated interference.
Lupin's group was strong and had a kind of "protagonist aura," but in the face of absolute, crushing strength, they were nothing but clay chickens and pottery dogs.
It only depended on whether Yuu felt like it.
It would be the same when they reached the Kingdom of Vespania.
The moment his people arrived, it would be over.
He hoped Gerard would be sensible. If so, Yuu would grant him a dignified end. If not...
Heh.