Chapter 126 Sibling Donburi? Vermouth is extremely submissive...
Shiraki Shun's figure disappeared into the dimly lit corner, and the space, bathed in ambiguous light, sank back into silence.
The dim, yellowish light seemed to have lost its focus, flowing futilely across the empty seats. The aura of shy youth gradually dissipated, yet a certain lingering tension seemed to remain, mingling with the increasingly intoxicating aroma of bourbon whiskey in the air.
Amuro Tooru did not leave.
He sat alone, leaning back comfortably into the soft booth, one hand casually resting on his knee, the other slowly swirling the glass in front of him, still holding a few drops of amber liquid. His purplish-grey eyes were lowered, his gaze following the trickle of liquid down the glass, a faint smile still playing on his lips, as if he were still savoring the afterglow of the hunt.
The light outlined his deep features, his blond hair still gleaming strikingly in the shadows. Amuro Tooru's lowered face was half bathed in the warm, dim light, and the other half sank into deep shadows. Light and shadow intersected and miraculously merged on him, making his dangerous yet captivating aura even more intense.
This tranquil solitude did not last long.
A delicate yet undeniable fragrance arrived before anyone else, carrying a unique floral and fruity scent. The sound of high heels clicking on the floor was unhurried, approaching gradually until it stopped beside the booth.
Amuro Tooru did not look up immediately. Only when the figure completely invaded his field of light did he slowly raise his eyes as if he had just noticed.
She was a graceful woman who seemed to radiate a soft glow as she slowly approached.
She had long, glossy black hair, loosely tied at the side of her neck, with a few stray strands falling down, making her neck appear even whiter and longer. Her face was bright and beautiful, with deep and defined features, and a pair of smiling almond-shaped eyes that sparkled and shone.
She wore a champagne-colored dress that accentuated her graceful figure, the hem swaying as she walked. A delicate platinum bracelet on her wrist swayed gently with her movements, reflecting a dazzling luster under the lights.
Overall, she appears to be a beautiful woman with outstanding looks and impeccable taste, perfectly complementing the languid and hazy atmosphere of this bar.
Her gaze first swept over the empty seat next to Amuro Tooru before slowly settling back on his face, her smile deepening. A perfectly curved red lip added a touch of alluring charm to her look.
"You don't mind if I sit here, do you?" She used a similar opening line to what Amuro Tooru had said to Shiraki Shun earlier, but her tone was more languid, with a drawn-out ending and a hint of barely perceptible teasing.
Upon hearing this, Amuro Tooru slowly raised an eyebrow.
He looked up at the woman in front of him, a slight smile playing on his lips, and chuckled softly. He elegantly gestured for her to proceed. His voice betrayed little surprise, but rather a knowing understanding.
“Of course, please have a seat.” A glint of light flashed in the depths of Amuro Tooru’s purplish-gray eyes. “I didn’t expect to meet you here, Vermouth.”
He directly revealed her identity, his tone so calm it was as if it were no big deal.
Nekono Ikuya's earlier hint that "an unknown person was watching nearby" had already prepared Amuro Tooru. It's hard to say that he's still sitting here now, not waiting for someone to appear.
And to have the leisure to imitate his opening remarks, and to be a "strange face," who else could it be but Vermouth?
Vermouth's smile didn't fade at all; in fact, it seemed to grow even more intrigued by the greeting. She gracefully sat down opposite him, casually ordering a drink from a passing waiter, her gaze remaining fixed on Amuro Tooru's face with keen interest.
“You’re really perceptive, Bourbon.” Her tone was light, and it was hard to tell whether it was admiration or something else. “I thought I could at least keep it from you for a while this time.”
"I hope I didn't disturb your enjoyment?" Vermouth leaned forward slightly, tapped her fingertips lightly on the table, and glanced meaningfully at the empty cup left by Shiraki Shun.
“How could that be?” Amuro Tooru put down his wine glass, his purplish-grey eyes meeting her gaze, then slowly curving upwards. “Meeting you here is the real surprise of tonight, Vermouth.”
He deliberately emphasized the last syllable of "surprise," subtly shifting the tone between sincerity and questioning in his statement.
It's just that he's been encountering this thousand-faced witch quite frequently lately. It's one thing when she's in her original form, but it could be considered that she's keeping an eye on his mission progress—it's said that the appearance of his mission is inseparable from her.
However, Vermouth has recently caught him meeting with various disguised versions of Ikuya quite a few times! This has made Amuro Tooru wary.
Amuro Tooru's meetings with the disguised Nekono Ikuya weren't entirely for relieving their longing or for playing pranks; they also exchanged information each time they met.
Recent information mainly concerns the conflict between the Black Organization and the zoo.
Amuro Tooru's undercover identity is difficult to expose, while Kuroba Toichi's identity is awkward; he is a phantom thief, yet it is impossible for him to openly reveal his identity and cooperate with others.
Thus, Nekono Ikuya, who had the trust of both, naturally became the middleman, allowing two people who did not know each other's identities to learn about the other organization's movements and better assess the current situation.
Amuro Tooru still had the memory card that Nekono Ikuya had given him in a hidden pocket of his clothes. If Amuro Tooru hadn't tested him several times beforehand, he would have thought that Vermouth suspected and was spying on him!
Even so, the presence of a disguised person who could suddenly appear next to you at any time is still enough to make you feel uneasy.
Seeing through Vermouth's disguise was no easy task for Amuro Tooru; it required considerable effort and careful observation. But he couldn't do this to everyone he encountered; even if he had the energy, he simply didn't have the time.
I really miss the time Vermouth spent in America.
Vermouth: "..."
Could she say that most of her previous encounters were truly coincidental? A small portion were intentional attempts to get closer to the boy named Conan Edogawa. And her purpose wasn't related to the boy himself.
Although the boy's records from childhood to adulthood were complete, he grew up in an orphanage, was unfortunately abducted by human traffickers, and was later adopted by Nekono Ikuya.
The Kudo couple's secret grief and their outward pretense that Shinichi was alright, while actually trying to find the person who killed Shinichi, were all flawless.
But for some reason, Belmod couldn't help but harbor hope.
Conan Edogawa looks so much like Shinichi Kudo when he was a child, not just in appearance, but also in his expression!
Vermouth seemed completely oblivious to the implied meaning, a lazy smile curving her red lips as she picked up the vermouth the waiter had offered her: "You always have such a way with words, no wonder so many people like you."
She took Bourbon's words at face value, her smile unwavering, as if he had merely uttered a perfectly ordinary polite remark. Then, her fingertips traced the cold rim of the glass, her gaze shifting with a mixture of admiration and teasing.
“That black-haired beauty who just left,” she swirled her wine glass, “her evasive gaze was like that of a startled fawn, and when she lowered her eyes, she resembled a shy water lily; she was truly a sight to behold.”
She took a sip of her drink, her eyes sweeping over Amuro Tooru's face: "Bourbon, you always have such a discerning eye, and you're always so lucky."
He always encounters outstanding beauties, and many of them eventually fall deeply in love with him.
He was even willing to die for Bourbon.
Bourbon was incredibly lucky; in comparison, those beauties were much less fortunate, as they encountered Bourbon's misfortune in their otherwise blissful lives.
A hint of irony flashed in Vermouth's eyes as she recalled the scattered relics Poirot always carried with him, resembling a sapphire bow tie.
I really don't know whether to judge Bourbon as heartless or deeply affectionate.
...The terrible Bourbon.
Amuro Tooru simply maintained a polite smile and did not respond.
They were not alarmed when Vermouth suddenly mentioned Nekono Ikuya.
Regarding Bourbon's reputation among the organization's members, especially after he adopted mysticism, what was the opinion of Vermouth, one of the few who had close relationships with him and had frequent contact with him...
He knows it very well! (Furuya Rei's heartbreaking moment.jpg)
In short, Bourbon's impulsive act of flirting with beautiful women is not something to be concerned about or questioned; it's actually a good thing... I guess.
Toru Amuro: "..."
“Bourbon, no one doubts your charm. However…” Vermouth changed the subject, “your mission doesn’t seem to be going too well?” She was referring to Nekono Ikuya.
A dark glint flashed in Vermouth's eyes.
She didn't really care about those who had already fallen into or were about to fall into Bourbon's love trap.
However, Nekono Ikuya is Conan Edogawa's guardian, and his being bewitched by Bourbon will inevitably affect Conan Edogawa.
Regardless of whether Conan Edogawa and Shinichi Kudo are related, Vermouth doesn't want to see a child with that face suffer misfortune.
Regardless of whether Bourbon ultimately succeeds, he will inevitably have to get close to Nekono Ikuya in the meantime. He might even get close to that boy first, and then use that to get close to Nekono Ikuya.
In fact, that's exactly what Bourbon did. Vermouth guessed that the reason he didn't leave Poirot's Cafe was because the boy frequented the cafe.
Poirot Cafe was located downstairs from the Mori Detective Agency, and Vermouth felt like she had shot herself in the foot.
The only thing that relieved her was that Nekono Ikuya didn't seem to like Bourbon very much, and was mostly indifferent, only showing enthusiasm occasionally.
Perhaps she could find an opportunity to persuade Bourbon to choose someone else? She could help take care of that gentleman!
Amuro Tooru picked up his bourbon whiskey, took a slow sip, let the liquid linger on his tongue for a moment, and then swallowed it. He met Vermouth's gaze; his purplish-grey eyes appeared deep and unfathomable under the light, and the smile on his lips never faded.
He then put down the wine, leaned forward slightly, rested his elbows on the table, and interlaced his fingers to support his chin. This posture made him look both relaxed and focused.
“Vermouth,” he said softly, as if he were simply wondering, but a deep sense of amusement settled in his purplish-gray eyes.
"You seem particularly concerned about my mission progress?"
The question was asked lightly, yet it caused a momentary, subtle pause in the air.
Vermouth felt a chill run down her spine; Bourbon's sense of smell was indeed terrifyingly sharp. But on the surface, she merely languidly swirled her wine glass, letting the red liquid create alluring eddies within.
“Of course,” she drawled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “It’s rare to see our invincible Bourbon get frustrated. There aren’t many people who can give you a hard time.”
She took a sip of her drink, leaving a faint mark on the rim of the glass with her red lips: "This setback seems quite novel, doesn't it?"
Amuro Tooru chuckled softly, finally looking away. "Indeed troublesome," he admitted calmly.
Then he suddenly raised the corners of his mouth: "And I recently found out that he also has a younger sister."
Vermouth paused slightly in her hand holding the drink: "?"
what are you up to?
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