Kanjuro seemed to have put his words about "playing around with pure feelings" into practice with Ooka Momiji. He didn't make any further transgressive or overtly oppressive moves; instead, he behaved like an extremely gentlemanly and charming travel companion. When Ooka Momiji accidentally knocked over her water glass during a meal, he timely handed her a napkin with natural movements. When she looked out at the sea of clouds with a hint of bewilderment, he would use a soothing tone to share some trivia about cloud meteorology or geography in a pleasant voice. Even when she occasionally became despondent while remembering Heiji Hattori, he wouldn't provoke her with words but would instead quietly hand her a cup of warm black tea, saying, "Sugar might help ease your mood."
This delicate, just-right "kindness" was inconsistent with the legendary image of a cold and cruel devil, yet it was extremely deceptive. Ooka Momiji's inner defenses began to crumble unknowingly. The hatred still existed, and the thought of avenging Heiji had not been extinguished, but another more complex and hidden emotion—confusion over this "special treatment," a hint of a flutter that shouldn't be there, and an instinctive curiosity toward a powerful unknown existence along with a bit of twisted vanity—grew quietly like vines. She began to subconsciously notice Kanjuro's actions, and sometimes her cheeks would even flush slightly under his gentle gaze, only to be immediately overwhelmed by a strong sense of guilt.
Saguru Hakuba saw all of this and was anxious. He repeatedly took opportunities to whisper warnings to Ooka Momiji: "Momiji, wake up! It's all a disguise! He's playing with your feelings! Think about Heiji, think about those rumors!" His detective intuition and the warnings he had received from his father made him wary of every one of Kanjuro's smiles.
However, what confused and even terrified Saguru Hakuba even more was the change in Kanjuro's attitude toward him.
Kanjuro no longer viewed him as a "little detective" to be guarded against or ignored; instead, he took the initiative to converse with him. At first, it was about "harmless" topics like logical reasoning, criminal psychology, and even classical literature. Kanjuro's insights were often sharp and scholarly, causing Saguru Hakuba, despite his wariness, to occasionally be drawn into the discussions involuntarily. Kanjuro even praised the sharpness of his reasoning a few times, his tone sounding quite sincere.
This "appreciation" made Saguru Hakuba feel as if he were sitting on pins and needles. On one hand, he responded cautiously, trying to extract some information; on the other hand, he worked harder to play the role of an ordinary high school detective who was "talented but inexperienced and completely ignorant of Kanjuro's true identity," hoping to lower Kanjuro's guard.
After an analysis of a historical cold case, Kanjuro refilled their cups with black tea. He suddenly looked up at the tense Saguru Hakuba, his lips curling into a faint, enigmatic smile.
"Hakuba-kun," Kanjuro's voice was calm and steady, "you always seem very tense. Does being friends with me put that much pressure on you?"
Saguru Hakuba's heart leaped. He forced a smile and said, "Mr. Ye, you must be joking. It's my honor to communicate with someone as knowledgeable as you. It's just that I have a cautious personality."
"Caution is a virtue," Kanjuro nodded, took a sip of tea, and then set the cup down. His gaze suddenly became sharp and direct, as if it could pierce through all disguises. "However, in front of me, some disguises are actually unnecessary."
He leaned forward slightly, his voice lowered but clearly audible to Saguru Hakuba:
"I know you are the son of the Superintendent General, and I also know you are very aware of who I am—Kanjuro, the 'devil' in your police files."
The smile on Saguru Hakuba's face froze instantly, and his blood seemed to flow backward at that moment. He almost couldn't control himself from reaching for the miniature alarm or defensive weapon hidden on his person.
Kanjuro, however, seemed not to notice his instantly pale face and stiff limbs, continuing in that calm, almost cruel tone:
"It would be very easy for me to kill you. Right here on this plane, now, in the next second. All your vigilance and little movements are transparent to me."
He paused, looking at the cold sweat breaking out on Saguru Hakuba's forehead, a hint of unfathomable emotion flashing in his eyes.
"But, there's no need."
"No need?" Saguru Hakuba repeated with a dry voice, his mind somewhat blank from extreme tension and shock.
"Mhm." Kanjuro leaned back against the seat, returning to his previous somewhat lazy posture. He looked out the window at the boundless sky, as if talking to himself or explaining to Saguru Hakuba, "Killing, controlling, collecting... after doing these things for a long time, one occasionally feels it's... monotonous. Even the most exquisite collection, after being looked at for too long, inevitably makes one long for a bit of... different scenery."
He turned back to look at the dumbfounded Saguru Hakuba, then glanced at the nearby Ooka Momiji, who was looking over with an uneasy expression, and said slowly:
"You and Momiji are quite interesting. A clever detective who is clearly scared to death but feigns composure, racking his brains to deal with me; a proud young lady who harbors hatred but can't help being attracted... This complex and vivid state is much more interesting than simple fear or obedience."
"So," Kanjuro concluded, his tone carrying the indifference of someone announcing game rules, "before this journey to the Twilight Mansion ends, I don't want to spoil this 'fun' for the time being. We can temporarily get along as 'friends'—on the basis, of course, that we both know each other's backgrounds. You can continue your observations and deductions; you can even carry out your naive 'protection' and 'investigation,' provided you don't cross my bottom line. And I will enjoy this... rare, not-so-one-sided interpersonal interaction."
He raised his teacup and gestured toward Saguru Hakuba, as if making an absurd pact.
"How about it, Saguru Hakuba? Are you willing to play this... brief game of friends with me? Until we arrive at the mansion, until the end of the game comes naturally."
Saguru Hakuba sat there stunned, his entire body cold. Kanjuro's words had completely shredded all his luck and pretense, laying the cruel truth and the absolute gap in power bare before him. He understood that this so-called "game of friends" was merely a demon's whim for entertainment; he and Ooka Momiji had become impromptu characters in his script, their lives and deaths entirely dependent on the other's whim.
Refuse? Provoke him? He didn't doubt Kanjuro's ability to do exactly what he said.
Accept? To play along with a demon, dancing on the edge of a knife?
Looking into Kanjuro's bottomless eyes, which seemed to contain the entire abyss, and catching a glimpse of Ooka Momiji's worried gaze, Saguru Hakuba finally, extremely slowly, picked up the teacup in front of him. With a slightly trembling hand, he lightly clinked his cup against Kanjuro's.
There were no words, but this action was already a humiliating, helpless acquiescence.
Kanjuro smiled with satisfaction. Under the soft light of the cabin, that smile appeared both elegant and incredibly cold.
"Have a pleasant journey, 'friend'," he said softly.
The plane continued flying toward the Twilight Mansion, maintaining a strange and fragile peace within the cabin. The true storm was temporarily restrained beneath elegant conversation and gentle smiles, waiting to be completely unleashed within the gold-forged cage. Meanwhile, Saguru Hakuba and Ooka Momiji had already stepped, against their will, into this dangerous game dominated by a demon with an uncertain ending. By the time the plane landed at the small airport nearest to the Twilight Mansion, it was already evening. The distant mountains were like dark ink, the forests were dyed in layers, and the air was fresh but carried a chill and loneliness unique to deep mountains. From the airport to that legendary mansion, there was still a significant mountain road to travel by car.
Kanjuro's entourage had already arranged a vehicle—a black SUV that looked low-profile on the outside but had undergone heavy bulletproofing and comfort modifications on the inside. Saguru Hakuba and Ooka Momiji originally had their own arrangements, but Kanjuro invited them to "travel together" in an indisputably gentle tone. Under the absolute gap in strength and the atmosphere of that strange "game of friends," the two could only silently get into the car.
The mountain road was winding and tortuous; the deeper they went, the fewer people there were, and the scenery became increasingly strange and profound. However, to Saguru Hakuba and Ooka Momiji's surprise, they actually encountered other vehicles one after another on this road that should have been remote. These vehicles varied in brand and model, but the people inside caused the pupils of the heir to a detective family to shrink slightly.
He recognized several private detectives and criminal researchers who were quite famous in Kanto, Kansai, and even nationwide. Some were alone, while others brought assistants. They didn't seem to be completely acquainted with each other, but their direction of travel was surprisingly consistent—all pointing deeper into the mountains, toward that Twilight Mansion said to be made of gold.
"It seems Mr. Renya Karasuma's 'invitation letters' were distributed quite widely," Kanjuro remarked flatly, leaning back in the comfortable back seat as his gaze swept over another passing car outside the window.
Saguru Hakuba's heart tightened. As expected, Kanjuro knew the true nature of this "gathering." He deliberated for a moment, remembering Kanjuro's previous attitude of "meeting with total honesty," and felt that concealment was meaningless and might instead provoke the man. Thus, he spoke cautiously:
"Indeed. Rumor has it that the Twilight Mansion was one of Renya Karasuma's most important residences in his later years. It's not only full of traps but likely hides art treasures and technological data he spent a fortune collecting—enough to shake the world—and even... secrets regarding his 'longevity' research. For detectives, treasure hunters, adventurers, and even certain big shots with ulterior motives, the attraction is fatal." He glanced at Ooka Momiji and added, "Momiji's family also seems interested in certain ancient books or contracts that might exist within the mansion."
Ooka Momiji nodded, confirming Saguru Hakuba's statement, but her mind was clearly not on it. Her gaze was somewhat vacant, as if lost in thought.
Hearing this, Kanjuro laughed softly. That smile appeared somewhat blurred in the dappled shadows of the trees passing outside the car window. "Treasure? Longevity? Very tempting gimmicks." He paused, his fingers aimlessly tapping the leather armrest, and suddenly threw out a question with a hint of playful inquiry:
"Hakuba, why do you think Renya Karasuma chose this time to leak word and attract so many people to his 'treasure vault'? Isn't he afraid of inviting wolves into his house and destroying a century of foundation?"
This question plunged Saguru Hakuba into deep thought. This was also one of his biggest doubts on this trip. Given Renya Karasuma's legendary suspicious, cautious, and controlling personality, opening the Twilight Mansion with such fanfare was absolutely abnormal.
"Perhaps... the mansion itself is a screening mechanism, or... a trap?" Saguru Hakuba speculated. "Using treasure and secrets as bait to attract specific people to achieve some purpose. It's also possible that internal problems have arisen, requiring external forces to stir the waters..."
Kanjuro remained noncommittal, his gaze fixed on the deepening twilight outside and the faint outline of a strange building emerging among the distant mountains—one that was out of place with the natural landscape and reflected the last light of the sky.
"Is there a possibility," he spoke slowly, his voice not loud, yet it seemed to make the air in the car freeze for a moment, "that Renya Karasuma himself is inside. He isn't 'leaking word,' but... waiting. Waiting for some people he deems qualified, or necessary, to 'meet'."
This speculation was bolder and more terrifying than a "trap" or "internal strife." Renya Karasuma, that legendary "king of crows" and founder of the Black Organization—if he was still alive and actively appearing at the Twilight Mansion... Saguru Hakuba sucked in a breath of cold air, feeling a chill rise from the soles of his feet. If that were true, the danger of this "gathering" would far exceed his initial estimates. This was no longer a simple treasure hunt or adventure, but potentially a direct confrontation with a dark emperor who had lived for over a century!
Ooka Momiji also understood the implication in Kanjuro's words. Her face turned slightly pale, and she subconsciously shrank toward the car window.
Just then, their vehicle turned a sharp corner, and the view ahead suddenly opened up. A relatively flat mountain valley appeared before them, and in the center of the valley sat a grand complex of buildings with a style mixing Western castles and Japanese gardens. Under the last rays of the setting sun, the dark yellow buildings shimmered with a heavy, dull metallic luster that seemed to radiate from within.
The Twilight Mansion had been reached.
In the wide courtyard in front of the mansion, many early-arriving vehicles were already parked. All sorts of people were getting out, either talking in low voices or warily sizing up their surroundings and each other. Among them were many figures famous in the detective world or related fields, and even several who looked distinguished, suspected of having political or business backgrounds.
Kanjuro's gaze swept calmly over the crowd like he was taking inventory of prey. When his eyes passed over a few detectives gathered together who seemed to be arguing about something, the corner of his mouth curled into an extremely subtle, cold arc.
Saguru Hakuba followed his gaze and recognized those people, his heart sinking again. Those were several of Kogoro Mouri's friends or rivals from the detective circle during his lifetime. Clearly, Kogoro Mouri's "accidental death" had caused quite a stir and suspicion within the circle.
"Speaking of which," Kanjuro suddenly spoke, bringing it up as if in casual conversation, yet his voice was clear enough for Saguru Hakuba and Ooka Momiji in the car to hear, "that 'Sleeping Kogoro'... it's a pity."
Ooka Momiji's body trembled, and she snapped her head toward Kanjuro. Saguru Hakuba also held his breath.
Kanjuro continued, his tone as relaxed as if he were critiquing a piece of art: "After investigating, I discovered that Ran is actually my daughter. Eri Kisaki, the lawyer... well, she and I have a deeper history. As for Kogoro Mouri and Kudo Yusaku..." He smiled, a smile filled with unmasked malice and cruelty, "their feelings for each other were truly 'deep' enough to be moving. So I had no choice but to give Yusaku a little 'lesson,' to let him experience what it feels like to lose a beloved 'dear friend'."
He turned his head to look at the pale-faced Saguru Hakuba and Ooka Momiji, whose eyes had reignited with flames of anger, and asked gently:
"Do you think the 'lesson' I gave was appropriate?"
There was dead silence in the car, save for the low rumble of the engine. Outside the window, the golden walls of the Twilight Mansion reflected a cold and luxurious light in the sunset, like the open mouth of a giant beast waiting to swallow everything.
The true gathering had not yet begun. But an invisible bloodiness and oppression had already shrouded this land cursed by legend and wealth. And Kanjuro, the man who brought the deepest darkness, was smiling, prepared to step into it.
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