"Are you perhaps wondering why I'd call these white diamonds blue diamonds?"
Kaito Kid noticed Takato's earlier confusion and spoke up.
"Indeed. No matter how you look at them, they're white diamonds."
Takato said, walking closer to examine the diamonds on the clock face.
"Do you know about the complementarity of colors?"
Kaito Kid asked.
"Defined by optical complementary colors, two color lights mixed in appropriate proportions will produce white light. Simply put, when two colors of light are blended together, white light is obtained. Among these, yellow and blue are such complementary colors with this property."
"You mean that because of the yellow jade's color as a backdrop, the blue diamonds, due to the principle of complementary colors, appear to be white diamonds?"
Takato understood Kid's meaning.
"Exactly, that's the principle."
Kid said, opening the glass cover on the grandfather clock's face and removing the entire dial. When viewing the diamonds on the hour markers from different angles, without seeing the yellow jade background, it was clear that the diamonds had a bluish tint.
"They really are blue diamonds."
Takato said.
After carefully examining the diamonds, Kid suddenly revealed a knowing smile.
"I probably know why someone would break such a large diamond into so many pieces and embed them as hour markers on a clock."
He said, holding the clock face up to Takato.
"Look at the shape of these diamonds. They don't look like they were cut."
Hearing this, Takato looked at the diamonds embedded in the hour positions on the clock face again and understood Kid's meaning.
"Are you saying this blue diamond was smashed?"
Takato concluded, looking at the diamonds that, though polished, were still somewhat irregular.
"I think that's also why Saeki Tadashi would transform the 'tears of moonlight' into a clock face."
Kid said.
"For some unknown reason, the diamond embedded in the yellow jade broke, and they had no choice but to transform it into something else."
Takato offered this explanation.
"However, if that's the case, then this is clearly not the gem I'm looking for."
With that, Kid reinstalled the clock face and affixed a card with Kaito Kid's emblem to the surface of the grandfather clock, indicating his presence.
"Alright, Detective, I'll take my leave now. Thank you for the information this time."
"Eight years ago, Kaito Kid disappeared without a trace. But in that very same year, the great MagicianKuroba Toichi died during a performance."
Takato spoke these words just before Kid was about to leave.
Because of these words, both Kid and his assistant, who were about to use magic to depart, stopped their movements.
They, of course, understood the meaning of Takato's words.
"You don't need to be nervous, I'm not your enemy."
His previous words now gave Takato the upper hand, and in such a situation, it was only natural to press his advantage.
"Oh, but that doesn't sound like something a friend would say."
Kid replied.
"A great Magician has only one assistant, and in some situations, even he might find himself stretched thin. If there were a'shill' for a Kaitou among the investigating Detectives, wouldn't things be more convenient?"
Takato proposed.
"That sounds good, but it shouldn't be free, should it? Besides, Akechi Takato, I've never actually heard of such a Detective."
Kid said.
"Because I've only just debuted."
Takato said, "As for the price, it's simple: I want to learn the Art of Disguise."
"A newly debuted Detective catching a world-renowned thief—that's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for fame. How can I be sure you won't betray me later?"
Kid said.
"I'll have fame sooner or later. Moreover, Kaito Kid isn't an unforgivable criminal."
Takato said confidently, then walked out of the coffee shop.
After Takato left, his assistant, Konosuke Jii, spoke, "Young Master, are you going to agree to him?"
"He's truly an unexpected person. We can only take things one step at a time from now on. And... 'I'll be famous sooner or later,' huh?"
Looking at the door where Takato had left, Kid seemed to have some anticipation.
Leaving the coffee shop and walking down the streets of Ginza, Takato sighed deeply—his first meeting with Kaito Kid had been quite successful.
He had probably gotten the answers he wanted and left a deep impression on Kuroba Kaito, who was Kaito Kid. It wouldn't seem abrupt to approach Kuroba Kaito, the high school student, later.
However, the diamond on the "tears of moonlight" that Saeki Tadashi had auctioned off was very likely a 6-carat blue diamond, and this matter deserved further investigation.
But that actress disappeared about twenty years ago, and the "tears of moonlight" appeared six years ago. There's a gap of about fourteen years in between, making it hard to investigate!
Moreover, this diamond is now smashed.
Is this challenge mission really that difficult?
Sigh! It's better to first figure out if the diamond on the original "tears of moonlight" was indeed the one Nishikawa Taisei gave to that actress.
Thinking this, Takato walked into a nearby internet cafe... The next day, nearing noon, in a coffee shop in Beika Town, a yawning Takato went to the counter, ordered a sugar-free iced Americano to go, and left, preparing to visit Saeki Tadashi's mansion—he hadn't slept all night, and searching for information abroad was truly troublesome!
Just after Takato left, a young woman with wavy brown hair entered the coffee shop and walked towards a table where two women were already seated.
At the table, the blonde woman named Hanada Emi saw the brown-haired young woman, stood up, and waved enthusiastically.
"Shiho, over here!"
The young woman named Shiho Miyano came to the table and sat next to another black-haired woman.
Seeing Shiho's arrival, the black-haired woman, Hirota Masami, smiled with relief, then leaned in and quietly asked, "Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
Looking at Hirota Masami beside her, Shiho Miyano gave a sweet smile and replied—at least, her sister was still by her side!
Seeing the two whispering, Hanada Emi seemed a bit displeased and said in a pouting tone.
"Seriously, I'm the one treating you two, so don't ignore me as soon as you arrive."
"Alright, Emi, after all, Shiho and I haven't seen each other in a long time."
Hirota Masami said.
"Speaking of which, Shiho, why didn't you come yesterday?"
"I was delayed by something at the lab, I'm really sorry."
Shiho Miyano replied politely, seemingly not very familiar with Hanada Emi.
"Alright, alright. Since Emi has to leave for a while, she wanted to treat us to a get-together before she goes, so let's not talk about other things."
Hirota Masami smoothed things over, and the girls' tea party began.
Meanwhile, at Saeki Tadashi's mansion, Takato, visiting Saeki Tadashi as a Detective, was holding a photocopy of a newspaper, placing it in front of Saeki Tadashi.
It only contained one report—"Famous actressHanada Shochi Confirmed to Retire!"