Chapter 107 This isn't right, is it?

If this move succeeds, the organization's power, both overt and covert, will be greatly enhanced. Even if the final result is not as desired, it will only be a harmless attempt, costing only a member with a code name a little effort and time, with almost no other costs.

Vermouth was certain that this was a sure-fire deal, and that man had no reason to refuse the offer.

And Bourbon...

Vermouth took a sip of her drink; this was also Bourbon's chance to climb the social ladder.

Bourbon wasn't a member the organization had cultivated from childhood, so his level of trust in that person's eyes wasn't as high as Gin's or others. Even if he was exceptionally capable and had made many contributions to the organization, given his background as a 'latecomer,' his current position in the organization was almost the limit. For a long time, without a special opportunity, his position was unlikely to be promoted further.

This proposal provided the opportunity. Even if it ultimately failed, as long as he was careful not to ruin himself, the potential gains along the way would be enough for Bourbon to accumulate more capital within the organization and pry open the door to higher levels.

While the organization wouldn't go all out to help, it would grant Bourbon some access to its intelligence network and resources to help him understand and 'conquer' his targets. She even kindly suggested to the boss that they try to choose a good-looking target for Bourbon to approach.

(Bourbon: I really thank you, fake smile.jpg)

The crimson liquid swirled gracefully in the glass, reflecting the unfathomable thoughts in Vermouth's eyes. Her suggestion to that man was less about organizational expansion and more about diverting Bourbon's attention from Angel.

Bourbon's abilities are undeniable, but precisely because of this, danger lurks wherever he uses his keen insight to investigate Ran Mouri and those around her. She cannot tolerate her angel being exposed to any potential risks, including being approached by Bourbon, or even being innocently 'killed' by Bourbon, who may be intentionally seducing her!

(Bourbon: ? Has my reputation in the organization gotten that bad? *choking up*)

Vermouth thought that it was enough that cool guy's name appeared on the death confirmation list of APTX-4869 once.

APTX-4869...Sherry...

I just hope you can continue to be valued by that person, otherwise...!

Unaware that Cool Guy was not dead and happened to be hiding near the target chosen by that person for Bourbon, Vermouth, who had dug her own grave and then filled it herself, had a cold look in her eyes. She brought the rim of her glass close to her crimson lips and drank the deep red liquid in the glass in one gulp.

Poirot Cafe.

The afternoon sun was warm, baking the shop into a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere. Conan Edogawa was munching on curry rice, listening to Ran and Sonoko at the next table discussing amusing things that happened at school. Teru Akashi sat quietly beside him, casually flipping through a magazine, a cup of coffee in front of him.

Conan Edogawa scooped up a spoonful of curry rice and stuffed it into his mouth. His cheeks immediately puffed up, and he chewed like a little hamster, his eyes squinting contentedly.

I have to say, although the suspicious blonde waitress at this restaurant seems to have no feelings for Ran, her cooking skills are really good!

No, Conan's heart tightened. Damn it, but wouldn't this make the other party even more threatening? While thinking, he unconsciously scooped up another spoonful of curry and put it in his mouth.

Mmm, delicious! (Conan hamster chewing.jpg)

"jingle--"

The crisp ringing of the doorbell heralds the arrival of a new guest.

Almost as soon as the door was pushed open, a clear, cheerful voice came in: "Oh, looks like I'm in luck, Conan is here after all."

Everyone instinctively looked up and saw a young man in a simple light gray trench coat push open the door and enter. His dark hair and emerald eyes stood out even more in the sunlight. The young man had a smile on his lips, and his moon-like aura blended wonderfully with the warm atmosphere of the coffee shop, striking yet not jarring.

"Nekono-nii-san?" Conan Edogawa swallowed the food in his mouth and called out in surprise, "What brings you here?"

Nekono Ikuya walked over in a few steps and naturally reached out to ruffle Conan's hair.

Conan: ...Not again?

The little detective silently let Nekono Ikumi rub his head, thinking to himself, what is Nekono-nii-san so obsessed with his hair that he keeps rubbing it?

Nekono Ikuya smiled slightly: "I just happened to be passing by and heard from Akashi that you've been quite fond of this coffee shop lately."

He glanced at the plate in front of Conan and smiled, "I figured the food must taste good to make Conan like it so much, so I came over to try it too."

"Eh? Mr. Nekono?" Sonoko Suzuki, who was chatting with Ran Mouri, turned around upon hearing the voice and immediately showed a surprised expression.

"What a coincidence, to run into you here!" She waved enthusiastically to Nekono Ikuya.

Nekono Ikuya nodded slightly to Suzuki Sonoko: "Ms. Suzuki, it's been a long time."

Conan Edogawa glanced at Ikuya Nekono, then at Sonoko Suzuki.

Do Nekono-nii and Sonoko know each other? Oh right, Nekono-nii's family seems to be quite wealthy, so it's not surprising that they've met at a business gathering.

Sonoko Suzuki clearly had a good impression of Ikuya Nekono. She smiled and explained to Ran Mouri, who was looking a little confused, "Ran, do you remember? Mr. Nekono was at the party we had at home last time. He's a very impressive person!" She paused, seemingly looking for the right word, but ultimately only used a simple summary, "He's a very impressive person!"

Except for the period immediately after he took over the group's affairs, Mr. Nekono rarely went to the group and delegated most of the authority to the CEO. However, he always kept the group's development direction and final decision-making power firmly in his hands. All the employees and senior executives in the group admired him. Even her father said that Mr. Nekono was a very capable person.

The party that Sonoko Suzuki mentioned wasn't a very serious business party; it was just a gathering of young people to get to know each other. Everyone brought friends, so Ran Mouri was also there.

Nekono Ikuya smiled modestly: "Ms. Suzuki, you flatter me." His gaze then fell on Ran Mouri, and he looked at Sonoko with a hint of inquiry.

"Ah, this is my good friend Ran Mouri!" Sonoko immediately introduced.

She linked arms with Ran Mouri, her eyes crinkling with a smile—yes, they're best friends!

"Hello, Ms. Mori," Nekono Ikuya greeted politely.

"Hello, Mr. Nekono." Ran Mouri quickly returned the greeting.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Sonoko Suzuki's attention naturally turned to Conan. She looked curiously at Ikuya Nekono and asked, "Mr. Nekono, who is this cute little brother...? I don't think I've seen him before."

Ran Mouri also looked at Conan curiously. She had a vague memory of the little boy, as she seemed to see him occasionally in the vicinity.

When her gaze fell on Conan's face, she was momentarily dazed.

This child...does he look a bit like Shinichi when he was little? But they're both cute little kids with black hair and blue eyes, so it's normal for them to look a bit alike before they've fully grown up.

The thought flashed through her mind, but Ran Mouri immediately smiled and realized she was overthinking it.

Nekono Ikuya glanced at Conan, who had unconsciously begun to sit up straight, and briefly introduced him: "This is Edogawa Conan, and I will be taking care of him for the time being."

"Wow! What a unique name!" Sonoko was immediately drawn in and bent down to greet Conan with a smile, "Hello, little Conan! I'm Suzuki Sonoko, and this is Mouri Ran!"

"Hello, Ran-neechan! Hello, Sonoko-neechan!" Conan immediately raised his innocent smile and greeted them obediently in his childish voice.

Inside, however, his lips were twitching; not only his height, but even his seniority had shrunk.

It hurts, it hurts so much!

Of course, he was also nervous because of Ran Mouri's gaze. He thought, "She probably won't recognize me, right?"

"He's quite cute." Sonoko Suzuki, with her cheerful personality, immediately developed a liking for the sensible Conan.

Ran Mouri responded gently, "Hello, Conan."

She looked at Conan and felt that the boy's eyes seemed very clever and quick-witted.

At that moment, Tooru Amuro walked over with a glass of lemonade.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, this is lemonade." He gently placed the glass in front of Nekono Ikuya.

His gaze then naturally turned to Conan, his tone warm and familiar: "Conan-kun, did you enjoy today's meal?"

"Mmm! It's delicious, Amuro-nii!" Under Ran Mouri's gaze, his smile became even more innocent and naive.

The acting skills are up!

After greeting the child, a regular customer who was clearly a new customer, Amuro Tooru then looked at Nekono Ikuya, his purplish-gray eyes carrying just the right amount of curiosity and friendliness.

"This gentleman seems to be a first-time customer? I am Tooru Amuro, a waiter here."

Nekono Ikuya looked up at him, her emerald eyes appearing clear and calm under the lamplight. He nodded slightly, his tone distant yet polite: "Nekono Ikuya."

His gaze lingered on Amuro Tooru's face for a moment, a couple of seconds longer than when he looked at anyone else.

This is normal. Anyone who sees a handsome blond, dark-skinned, baby-faced man with outstanding looks and a blend of Eastern and Western features will inevitably take a second look.

But he quickly looked away, his gaze not lingering long.

Amuro Tooru's smile seemed to deepen even more, the smile even reaching his eyes, making him look exceptionally radiant.

In Conan Edogawa's view, this smile was clearly more sincere and enthusiastic than when he treated other guests.

Conan Edogawa: Huh?

"Mr. Nekono." Amuro Tooru took out a menu from his apron pocket and presented it with both hands. "This is our menu. Would you like me to recommend some of our signature dishes?"

Conan Edogawa continued eating his curry rice while silently observing. Was this blonde waitress's smile a little too bright today?

Hmm, that's really strange.

Nekono Ikuya took the menu and casually flipped through it: "I'll have a sandwich, Conan's been nagging about it a lot since we got back."

After ordering, Amuro Tooru didn't leave immediately. Instead, he bent down and smiled at Conan, saying, "It seems Conan-kun is one of our loyal customers. Even Mr. Nekono was recommended by you."

"Because Mr. Amuro's sandwiches and cakes are super delicious!" Conan immediately replied, praising the performance.

Amuro Tooru's smile grew even more genuine: "It's truly an honor to receive such high praise from Conan-kun. Now, please wait a moment, the food will be ready soon."

He bowed slightly and turned to walk towards the kitchen.

Only Conan Edogawa was left with a face full of confusion.

Hey, it seems like this blonde waitress has become much warmer towards him since meeting Nekono-nii.

This doesn't make sense, does it?