Chapter 241: Visitors from the Kamisato Clan
The journey was uneventful, and the group arrived safely in Osaka.
As they stepped out of the station, they spotted Heiji Hattori in the distance, waving his arm enthusiastically to get their attention. Ran Mouri, Sonoko Suzuki, and the others broke into smiles, excitedly waving back.
However, as the crowd of familiar faces drew closer, Heiji's energetic wave faltered. His eyes widened in surprise. He had expected a handful of people at most, not an entire delegation.
He stared at the group, his mouth hanging slightly open, looking as if he wanted to say something but had no idea where to begin. Among them, Subaru Okiya, Kaveh, and Zhongli were meeting the Osakan detective for the first time.
After a round of brief introductions, Heiji scratched the back of his head, a troubled look clouding his features. "Ah, I'm really sorry about this. I had no idea so many of you were coming. I only brought one car… there's no way we'll all fit."
Natsume quickly stepped in to explain. "Don't worry about it. Kaveh and Zhongli have other arrangements; someone else is coming to pick them up."
"Even without two people, that still leaves…" Genta began counting on his fingers. "That's still nine of us!" He looked up at Heiji. "Brother Hattori, can your car fit nine people?"
"Of course not!" Heiji shot back.
"Then what do we do?" Mitsuhiko asked, his brow furrowed with worry.
"Please, do not concern yourselves. We can have our ride take all of you to your destination first. We are in no hurry," Zhongli offered, glancing at Kaveh for confirmation. Seeing his companion nod in agreement, he finalized the suggestion.
"Even then, that's only two cars. It still seems like we'll be short on seats," Heiji pointed out, his frown deepening.
"It's fine," Kaveh said with a reassuring smile. "According to our host, the car he arranged is on the larger side. Besides, most of our group are children, so we should be able to squeeze in."
"Well, if you're sure. That's a relief," Heiji sighed, finally feeling less stressed. His attention then drifted to the ornate glass accessories hanging from Kaveh's and Zhongli's waists—the very ones Kudo had mentioned. He eyed them with a flicker of intense curiosity.
Seeing that the others were preoccupied with their own conversations, he sidled up to Conan and whispered, "Hey, Kudo. Are those the Teyvat people you were talking about? They definitely stand out."
Conan nodded, keeping his voice low. "Mhm. Which is why you need to be more careful. Stop calling me by my real name so casually."
"Yeah, yeah, got it," Heiji agreed dismissively before leaning in again, his voice dropping further. "So, do they have any connection to the Black Organization?"
Conan shrugged, a hint of helplessness in his posture. "I don't know. From what I've gathered, the different departments within their organization don't seem to share much information with each other. Those two aren't in the same division as Kaeya, so I have no idea if they have ties to the Black Organization. I'm not even sure if they know Kaeya at all. The intel I have on Teyvat is still far too limited."
"What's the big deal? We can just ask them and find out," Heiji said, rubbing his hands together as a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes.
"Don't you dare," Conan warned sharply. "They're incredibly sharp. Be careful or they'll figure you out."
"Relax, I know my limits," Heiji replied, his tone brimming with confidence.
Across the way, Zhongli and Kaveh noticed the two boys whispering while glancing in their direction, but they paid them no mind.
After a short wait, their ride finally pulled up to the curb.
"Whoa! So this is the 'slightly larger' car Brother Kaveh was talking about…" The Detective Boys stared, their mouths agape, at the sleek, extended limousine that had just arrived. Their eyes were glued to the vehicle, sparkling with a mixture of awe and excitement.
"Yeah… Forget fitting a few extra people, it looks like it could fit all of us," Ai Haibara murmured, her analytical gaze sweeping over the luxurious car.
Even Paimon was stunned. [Wow! Are Ayaka and Ayato this rich now?]
Natsume thought for a moment before replying. 'They probably weren't short on money to begin with, given their status. Plus, they own an entertainment company, and Ayato has a natural talent for that industry. After a bit of maneuvering, I'm sure they made a fortune.'
Paimon still seemed a little puzzled. [Then why doesn't Master Diluc have a car this nice? He's been in this world longer than Ayato and the others, but the car he uses for daily travel looks pretty ordinary.]
Natsume rubbed her chin thoughtfully. 'Maybe the Darknight Hero is just used to keeping a low profile.'
"Natsume, it's been a long time," a voice called out. After the car came to a complete stop, a tall, handsome, blond-haired man emerged from the driver's seat. "The Young Miss will be thrilled to hear you've come."
To everyone's surprise, his first words were directed at Natsume.
The moment they registered that the newcomer knew her, Conan and Subaru Okiya instinctively sharpened their focus on him. After a subtle appraisal, they both spotted the familiar red Vision hanging from his waist and exchanged a silent, knowing glance.
Sonoko gave Natsume a deadpan look. "'The Young Miss'? So, Natsume, you even know the Young Miss of the Kamisato Clan… At this point, I'm more curious about who you don't know."
"I've just been to a lot of places. When a person travels a lot, they naturally meet more people," Natsume explained with a small smile.
"That's right," the blond man couldn't help but add. "That's why some of us who know Natsume also call her 'Traveler.' We all met her while she was on her journey."
"'Traveler'… that has a nice ring to it," Sonoko mused, a thoughtful expression on her face. She secretly wondered if she should take some time off to travel, too. Maybe then she'd run into more handsome men like this driver and Kaveh.
"I can't believe even the Kamisato Clan's driver is such a handsome guy," Sonoko said, her eyes sparkling eagerly. "Natsume, hurry up and introduce us!"
Hearing this, Natsume couldn't help but chuckle. She turned to the man and said with a warm smile, "This is Thoma, the housekeeper for the Kamisato Clan. Not only is he handsome, but he's also incredibly smart and capable."
"Hello, everyone. I'm Thoma," he said, raising a hand in a friendly greeting. "At the Kamisato Estate, I'm mainly in charge of cleaning, cooking, and various other affairs. Since you're Natsume's friends, you're my friends, too. If you run into any trouble in Osaka, feel free to contact me anytime."
His gaze then shifted to the two men he was sent to retrieve. "You two must be the distinguished guests invited by the Head of the Kamisato Clan," he said with a polite smile.
Kaveh and Zhongli both nodded in confirmation.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Kaveh suddenly remembered their earlier conversation. "Thoma," he began, "we might have to ask you to drop the others off somewhere else first."
Hearing this, Thoma didn't hesitate for a second. He nodded readily, his expression one of complete understanding. "That's certainly not a problem."
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