After a long while, Shimabukuro Kimie finally managed to calm herself down, and a bright smile appeared on her face as usual. Just as she was about to joke with everyone, she looked up and met Hanyu Nan's calm and deep eyes.
At that moment, time seemed to stand still.
She felt as if she had been pierced by an invisible gaze, and all her secrets were exposed.
His own sorrow, his own pain, and his upcoming revenge plan all seemed to be clearly seen by the other party.
"Is it just my imagination...?"
Kimie Shimabukuro shook her head.
This boy named Yuzuru Nanami is not a god, so how could he know about her complicated and heavy fate and revenge?
.........
While everyone was chatting, Kogoro Mouri, Heiji Hattori, and Conan also arrived at the shrine.
"Huh? Dad? What brings you here?"
Xiao Lan asked in surprise.
Kogoro Mouri scratched his head, looking annoyed, and said irritably, "Don't even mention it! Our client went missing, and we followed the clues all the way here."
Heiji Hattori, hands in his pockets, frowned and said, "Saori Kadokawa, the one who commissioned Uncle Mori to investigate this time, suddenly disappeared three days ago. Her colleagues said that she has been afraid of something lately, and even mentioned the 'mermaid curse'."
As he spoke, Kogoro Mouri turned his gaze to the girl in front of him and asked, "Hey, you must be Kimie Shimabukuro, right? I heard that your great-grandmother not only ate mermaid flesh but also lived to be 200 years old, is that right?"
"ah?"
Shimabukuro Kimie was taken aback at first, then couldn't help but burst out laughing. She waved her hand with a smile and said, "How could my great-grandmother be 200 years old? Actually, my great-grandmother is just 130 years old this year. You can find out immediately by checking the family register."
"Sigh, she just lived a little longer than the average person." Shimabukuro Kimie sighed softly, casually patting the gohei slung over her shoulder with one hand, a helpless expression on her face. "I don't know why it caused such a commotion."
Everyone: "......"
130 years old is already an outrageous age!
Hattori Heiji smirked and pressed on bluntly, "Then let me ask you, where is your great-grandmother now? Can you ask her to come out and see us?"
His eyes were fixed on Kimie Shimabukuro, trying to find some clues from her reaction.
Kimie Shimabukuro looked displeased. "She's in her room, praying fervently for the arrows to be sent out at tonight's celebration."
Unable to contain his curiosity, Kogoro Mouri interjected, "I heard that your great-grandmother ate mermaid flesh. Is that true?"
Shimabukuro Kimie was initially surprised, then burst into laughter.
She laughed as she said, "It seems there's no such thing as a mermaid in this world!"
The girl's behavior was completely different from that of everyone else on the island.
The other residents on the island seemed to believe it wholeheartedly when they heard them talk about mermaids, and the young people even had a fanatical look in their eyes.
As for Kimie Shimabukuro, the shrine maiden who should be the one most likely to believe in the existence of mermaids, she casually and nonchalantly said, "That's all nonsense."
"But wasn't that the dugong's arrow?"
Kogoro Mouri was surprised to hear this answer.
Shimabukuro Kimie shook her head: "Actually, that arrow used to represent a cursed arrow that had been used to cast exorcism spells, but the people on the island got involved with mermaids and changed it into a dugong arrow that lived on the seabed. That's what my late mother told me."
"Ah, so your mother has passed away."
Upon hearing the words "my late mother," Xiaolan realized that she had seemingly touched upon someone's painful past. She looked apologetic and spoke softly.
Shimabukuro Kimie, however, remained calm and replied in a flat tone: "Yes, she and my father perished at sea five years ago. Even my grandparents disappeared when they went out to sea on a boat before I was born."
"What!"
As the daughter of a policeman, He Ye immediately sensed something was wrong: "Your family members all died at sea, there must be some reason for this!"
"There's no reason at all," Shimabukuro Kimie chuckled, her expression frank. "I went to the mainland by boat with Saori before, and nothing unexpected happened."
"Saori?"
Upon hearing this name, the three detectives immediately couldn't contain themselves.
"When was that?" Conan asked eagerly, while Heiji Hattori and Kogoro Mori also stared intently at Kimie Shimabukuro, awaiting her answer.
"Just three days ago..."
Kimie Shimabukuro answered calmly.
Looking at the crowd surrounding Shimabukuro Kimie and asking about the situation, Ai, who was holding the fish tank, freed one hand and gently tugged at Hanyu Nan's sleeve.
"Um?"
“I remember seeing her there before.”
You mean Miss Junhui?
Yuzuru lowered his head and asked curiously.
The little girl nodded and said with a strange expression, "She is the priestess who was almost killed by Gin three years ago, but Gin didn't want to cause any more trouble and ultimately didn't take action."
Yuzuru: "......"
Is that true?
It turns out that this beautiful witch had already walked through the gates of hell without her even realizing it.
Yuzuru looked up at Shimabukuro Kimie in the crowd.
Hmm, it seems Gin has been having too easy a time lately. When we get back, I'll have the youkai target the organization's various bases in Beika.
(Gin: What?)
At that moment, Gin, who was far away, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, as if he sensed that something bad was about to happen.
.........
After asking around for a while, Conan and his friends didn't get any useful clues from Shimabukuro Kimie, so they had to take their leave and continue investigating the whereabouts of Kadokawa Saori on the island.
Yuzuru and his group also prepared to leave.
Before leaving, Kimie Shimabukuro kindly gave each of the two girls, Kazuha and Ran, a number tag.
"The celebration will begin in the evening, when the 'Longevity Granny' will distribute the 'Dugong Arrow,' which is said to grant the recipient the blessing of immortality and eternal youth."
Immortality?
Ai scoffed, "What a boring superstition."
Although Ran and Kazuha were interested in the legend, they did not show excessive excitement.
There was nothing she could do; her boyfriend was just too amazing. Immortality and eternal youth seemed to be no difficult things for Nan.
Kimie Shimabukuro didn't seem to mind and continued to smile brightly: "Yes, but tourists love it, so everyone on the island has continued this tradition."
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