Seeing the settlement panel appear, Takato was a bit confused. Although the description for "Phase Three" only allowed him to investigate the car accident, had it already ended just by inferring the cause of the accident?
Moreover, the matter of Mr. Nishikawa's illegitimate daughter had not been definitively concluded. Although the mission only mentioned that he just needed to bring back the evidence, the two cases were clearly not completely finished, so why did the mission end?
"Knowledge: S"
"Logic: A"
"Observation: B"
"Phase Three Overall Rating: A"
"Promotion Challenge ended. Starting to calculate overall ratings for each phase."
"Overall ratings for each phase: A, A, A"
"Settlement complete."
"Promotion Challenge Overall Rating: A"
"Score qualified, promotion successful, reward money 100, reward promotion bonus."
Looking at the series of panel texts, Takato breathed a sigh of relief. The promotion challenge was finally completed successfully, and the promotion reward indeed existed.
However, why was the "Observation" for "Phase Three" only "B"? Did he miss some important information? Never mind, since the case was closed and the overall rating was qualified, there was no need to dwell on it. Since Logic was "A," it meant that the inference result was basically correct. The key was to successfully get promoted and receive the reward.
Moreover, since the panel had already determined that all missions were completed, he would just wait to see if he could get the "wealth" mentioned in the mission name.
"Detective Rating: Assistant Detective"
"Bounty: 270"
"Promotion Reward (Unclaimed)"
While he was thinking, all the settlement text on the original panel disappeared, replaced by these three lines of text.
Seeing "Promotion Reward" with the words "Unclaimed" on it, Takato decisively chose to claim it immediately, and then new text appeared:
"Promotion Reward: special item"
"Name: Famous Detective's Monocle"
"Special Effect: Wear it, and you will become the center of attention! When you wear this monocle and begin to deduce, everyone you look at will temporarily stop their actions and focus their attention on you, listening to your deduction."
"Claim Method: Feel your trench coat's right pocket!"
Seeing this text description, Takato couldn't help but be stunned—this special item seemed a bit interesting!
However, the claim method this time actually changed? He thought it would be like the previous trench coat, where he had to buy one himself.
Thinking this, Takato reached into his trench Coat's right pocket and indeed felt a round lens with a metal chain. However, since Hattori Heiji was beside him, he decided not to take it out yet.
"Since that's the case, we Police will take over the investigation from here."
After listening to Takato and Hattori Heiji's deductions, Officer Otaki said, "Heiji, I'll take you back to school first."
"Indeed, all a Detective can do is this much. It's up to the Police to find the culprit now."
Hattori Heiji agreed with Officer Otaki's statement.
Takato also did not object. After all, he had already completed the promotion challenge, so there was no need to cause more trouble. Leaving it to the Police was the safest option.
Back at the hotel where he was staying, Takato took out the monocle, his promotion reward, from his pocket.
It was a round monocle with a nose pad, seemingly only for the right eye. A silver metal chain hung from the outer side, with a star-shaped ornament at the end of the chain.
He tried wearing the monocle and found that the lens had no prescription; it was just a regular mirror.
As soon as he thought of the description of this special item, which seemed to only work when he was deducing, Takato lost interest and put it back in his pocket.
Now, the functions that were originally in the game "Bounty Detective" had basically all appeared in this settlement panel. Takato had also tried and confirmed that the function to purchase the special item "Time Hourglass" for 100 Bounty could be triggered. Only the specific use of the "Detective Rating" was still unknown.
After spending another day in the hotel, Takato was also following the subsequent developments of the car accident case. However, before he received news from the Police, Attorney Shimada Kaoru contacted him first.
Arriving at Shimada Law Office, Takato, who was about to enter, was guided by the front desk to the parking lot.
In the parking lot, Takato saw Lawyer Shimada waiting for him in the car. Shimada Kaoru immediately told Takato to get in the car without a word, and the two drove together to a certain place.
On the way, Takato asked in confusion.
"Lawyer Shimada, what happened?"
"The DNA identification results are out. The DNA remaining on the cup you brought back has been confirmed to be Mr. Nishikawa Taisei's illegitimate daughter."
Shimada Kaoru replied, "So we are going to the Hospital to find Mr. Nishikawa now to finalize the will."
"The identification was that fast?"
Takato was a bit surprised, because in his impression, didn't private DNA identification agencies usually take a long time to issue reports?
"I entrusted a friend to have the identification agency expedite the process, as Mr. Nishikawa's condition is not optimistic. But fortunately, the critically ill Mr. Nishikawa was rescued last night."
Shimada Kaoru explained.
"So now, without considering Mr. Nishikawa Hiroaki's feelings, can we directly find Mr. Nishikawa Taisei?"
Takato asked.
"You don't know? This morning, Mr. Nishikawa Hiroaki was taken away by the Police."
Shimada Kaoru said, "I heard from a friend in the Police that yesterday, an Detective Akechi and the Chief's son helped the Police solve the car accident method. The Police, based on new clues yesterday, found the perpetrator's truck that was submerged in the lake and the group of assailants. And according to the assailants' confessions, the one who hired them to commit the crime was Mr. Nishikawa Hiroaki."
Shimada Kaoru paused as she spoke, then glanced at Takato, who was sitting in the passenger seat.
"That Detective Akechi you mentioned is you, isn't it?"
Hearing Shimada Kaoru say this, Takato couldn't help but feel a bit speechless—is this the network of a famous lawyer?
"Indeed, I had some thoughts on the car accident, so I gave the Police some suggestions."
"You really have a knack for it. You will definitely become a Famous Detective in the future."
Shimada Kaoru praised.
Soon, the car drove into the private Hospital where Mr. Nishikawa was staying. After registering and confirming their identities at the front desk, the two arrived at Nishikawa Taisei's ward.
This was a private ward, with only one Hospital bed in the entire room.
On the Hospital bed, an old man lay there, on an IV drip, looking somewhat weak—because Takato had seen photos of Nishikawa Taisei, he recognized this person as the "wealthy man" Nishikawa Taisei mentioned in the mission name. He just didn't expect to meet the real person only after the promotion challenge ended.
Seeing the two enter, Nishikawa Taisei said faintly, "Lawyer Shimada, what are the results?"
His tone was very flat, and his speaking speed was very slow, as if this old man had already seen through everything.
"The results are out. The lady Akechi found is your biological daughter!"
Shimada Kaoru replied.
"Is that so? That's good."
Nishikawa Taisei said, then looked at Takato, "Detective Akechi, you've worked hard. The agreed-upon remuneration will be given to you as originally promised, and additionally, there's a one million yen reward. Please don't hesitate to accept it. Lawyer Shimada will handle the specific matters."
Upon hearing this, Takato was pondering how to respond politely, but then he heard Nishikawa Taisei continue.
"As for the will... sigh, since Hiroaki did these things, then seven-tenths of his share will also be divided and given entirely to my daughter, whom I've never met. Consider it my final compensation to her and her mother."