(The author will tell you a secret at the end of this chapter.)

Just then, a burly male staff member walked into the security checkpoint. He was wearing a standard conference uniform, and his hat brim was pulled low, obscuring his face.

Heiji Hattori glanced at it casually before burying himself in the online argument on his phone.

Conan took a closer look and felt that the other person looked somewhat familiar.

However, before he could even check, several men in black walked in from the security checkpoint, immediately drawing his attention. Officer Otaki went to greet them right away.

Conan, who gets agitated at the sight of someone wearing black, immediately followed.

From the conversation between the man in black and Inspector Otaki, it was learned that the man was from the Ooka family, but he declined to comment on the reason for his visit.

The sensible Officer Otaki naturally didn't ask any more questions.

After all, in Japan, the three families you can't afford to offend are the Imperial Family, the Ooka Family (representing power), and the Suzuki Family (controlling wealth).

The Ooka family wields immense power, and their every move may have profound implications, making it inconvenient for the police to interfere excessively.

...

Inside the competition venue, the readers began reciting new waka poems:

"Spring has already passed, and summer is still far off."

Kazuha's ears twitched slightly, and he locked onto the location of the target card as soon as the poem began.

She didn't make a move immediately, but instead adjusted her breathing and waited for the best opportunity. This was a technique that Master Jinghua taught her: "Listen to the tiles as if listening to the wind, and make a move as if throwing a punch."

Karuta? She can't do that.

Throwing a punch? She knows that all too well.

Do you even know what the true value of a genius Aikido girl is?

As the reader read the word "summer," Kazuha shot out like an arrow, the cuff of his white taekwondo uniform tracing a graceful arc.

"Smack!"

Her palm swept away the correct card with perfect precision, the force just right—neither damaging the card nor too intimidating to her opponent.

"pretty!"

Sonoko jumped up excitedly, "Kazuha has won another game!"

Xiao Lan clapped excitedly, "She's found her rhythm, and her reactions are getting faster and faster!"

Yuzuru smiled as he gazed at Kazuha on his phone screen.

The drone's perspective allowed him to see every subtle change in her expression—the slightly upturned corners of her mouth, the fighting spirit flashing in her eyes, and the stubborn, defiant look in her eyes.

The girl is fighting for the one she loves.

"Deep in the mountains, where no one ventures, only the mournful cry of deer echoes—Snap!"

"In the deep of night, a lonely soul lies heartbroken—slap!"

"Autumn fills the autumn fields, I build a small hut—snap!"

As the readers recited one waka poem after another, the contestants were eliminated one by one.

Kazuha's performance surprised everyone.

This Osaka girl, participating in a karuta tournament for the first time, emerged as a dark horse, decisively defeating one opponent after another.

Finally, Kazuha was shown a close-up shot on the big screen.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on the girl's forehead, but her eyes remained as firm as ever, and her white taekwondo uniform stood out brightly under the lights.

Ooka Akane, not far away, glanced sideways.

She hadn't expected that this little leaf could hold on until now. No wonder her husband liked her; Nan Jun's taste was indeed excellent.

But that's where it ends.

After easily sweeping away yet another karuta in front of her opponent, Ooka Momiji gracefully stood up, straightened her skirt, and walked off the court.

As she passed the referee's table, her gaze lingered for a moment on Achiba, the chairman of this Satsuki Cup.

For a noble family like the Ooka family, with its centuries-old heritage and profound foundation, there are some things they simply choose not to investigate. But once they decide to investigate, nothing can escape their notice.

Because they don't need evidence, they only need suspicion.

Last night, at Ooka Momiji's request, and especially after learning that Hanyu Kusunoki was involved in the matter, the Ooka family head wrote a letter of censure to Hattori Heizo while personally ordering the entire family machine to start running immediately.

A large number of intelligence personnel were mobilized and quickly found the real culprit who planted the bomb in the convoy.

Kaieda Toutake – former secretary of Chairman Achiba.

A burly man who specializes in handling shady dealings for Achiba Realty.

At the same time, more clues were uncovered.

Nagoro Shikao, former president of the Nagoro Association and karuta teacher of Ooka Momiji, mysteriously disappeared five years ago on the eve of a match with Lady Satsuki. An investigation revealed that she was suffering from a terminal illness at the time and was suspected to be dead.

Lady Satsuki, the wife of Chairman Achiba, passed away shortly after the competition five years ago, presumably due to depression.

Five years later, on the eve of the Satsuki Cup, all members of the former Meiseikai were attacked by a bomb, and the perpetrator was none other than Kaieda Toutake, the former secretary of Chairman Achiba.

When these clues are connected, things start to get interesting.

While the police and detectives like Conan were still clueless and thought the culprit was Shikao Aoi, the Ooka family had already identified Chairman Achiba as the suspect.

The aristocracy, passed down through generations, is no joke.

If they wanted to, they could easily investigate a person thoroughly. In their eyes, Achiba, the chairman of the real estate empire, was just a nouveau riche.

"I hope you won't affect my betting game..."

As she walked out of the venue, a cold glint flashed in Ooka Momiji's eyes.

The reason she kept Achiba as the president was because he was the organizer of this Satsuki Cup, and she needed him to host the Satsuki Cup so that she could present a perfect version of herself to her husband.

...

...

"She does have some skill; no wonder she dared to make my sister her concubine." Looking at Ooka Momiji, who had advanced first on the big screen, Suzuki Ayako narrowed her eyes, her voice soft yet carrying an undeniable sharpness.

“Speaking of which…” Akiba Reiko held up a sheet of music and flipped through it: “This song that Nan wrote for me looks really good.”

The sheet music was given to her by someone on a whim that morning.

They said she should sing when the Satsuki Cup ends.

"That's great! Sister Kazuha has advanced too!"

Ayumi, Mitsuhiko, and Genta jumped up and clapped. This time, Mrs. Yoshida didn't stop them and joined in cheering for Kazuha.

"You passed the first battle, which is a pretty smooth start." Ikeba Shizuka appeared behind Yuzuru at some point, her voice filled with satisfaction. "It seems my teaching has paid off."

Yuzuru smiled: "Because she has a reason to win."

Ai crossed her arms and coldly interjected, "For example, not being a concubine?"

Akemi immediately exclaimed "Oh dear!" and pretended to be heartbroken, clutching her chest: "How could you say that, Ai-chan? Young Master Yuzuru treats us sisters equally!"

"Sister..." Ai rolled her eyes, took out her phone again, and added to the previous post:

[Update: The older sister is beyond saving; cremation is recommended.]

.........

.........

(Happy April Fool's Day~ (???????)?)