Chapter 96: The Margaux Restaurant in good years is said to be the oldest in London
"What are you looking at?" Vermouth caught her gaze reflected on the slightly reflective metal wall and asked with a smile.
Traditional art in the Conan world: The eye contact from the villain, the older sister.
This metal wall is obviously a high-end mirror with a reflectivity of 99%, specially designed for the Shura Field.
Chinese translation: "Are you peeking at me? Don't think I don't know you're looking at me. I know I don't know you're looking at me."
"I'm thinking," Shiho met her gaze calmly, her voice calm, "this might be the worst thing I've ever done in my life, or...the most interesting thing."
Queen Shiho is online, her emotions as stable as data analysis. Scientists use scientific methods to explain romantic behavior.
Chinese translation: It means "How can I be so afraid and yet love you?" "I know you are poisonous, but I just want to test what kind of poison you are."
Shiho: As a woman who has died three times and faked her own death twice, I have my say on "bad decisions."
After all, the core of science is: "Dangerous women are the spice of life."
Vermouth smiled warmly, her expression rare and sincere. "Oh, dear, to me, these two things are often the same thing."
A battle of skills, full of sweet dialogue. "Bad" and "funny" are synonyms, a dictionary for those with a love-brain problem.
Chinese translation: "When I go crazy, even I am afraid of myself. Are you afraid?"
Famous scene translator is online: Isn’t this the “Detective Conan” version of “Black Eats Black: Love Gatling”?
The elevator doors slid open quietly, revealing the elegant interior of the Jade Leopard restaurant. A shimmering crystal chandelier cast a warm glow over the dark red velvet walls and warm wooden furniture.
This classical decoration...at first glance it's the kind of place where 007 and Kidd would rush to have a date.
Emerald Panther: A high-risk love place near you, with five-star reviews, and the first choice for Black Organization team building.
Welcome to the "Science Dating Library-style Restaurant," where every light is a foreshadowing and every chair can be used as a car. As always: the more luxurious, the more likely something is to happen.
The waiter led them to a table in the corner that had a great view and was hidden enough. Shiho felt as if she was stepping over not only the threshold of the restaurant, but also an ambiguous area between her and Vermouth that she had never really set foot in.
After all, spending a night together is one thing, and it's a private matter. Even a shady multinational corporation like a winery has to respect people's privacy. Otherwise, all the employees will run away, and only the undercover agents with missions will be left. But when you think about it this way, there are still many left. (doge)
However, working on a mission together, one that would likely displease the winery, was another matter entirely. The organization also wanted that map.
Chinese translation: "I know that after this meal, we are no longer ordinary friends."
Stepping into the corner = stepping into a new copy. Will there be more cases later?
The ambiguous zone has been unlocked: please start your performance.
This is just like the "unknown sea" marked on ancient maps. What awaits them is only exploration driven by intuition and curiosity.
Uncharted waters warning, welcome to the dark continent of love, two-player mode dungeon activated. The future is uncontrollable, so let's be ambiguous for now.
The Jade Leopard Restaurant is a place where time has settled. Its atmosphere is filled with history, a setting straight out of a mystery novel. Remnants of London's past celebrities can be seen on the aged wood, and light shimmers beneath the crystal chandeliers.
The dining area in the corner is cleverly separated by a carved wooden screen, like a corner of an old-style study, blocking the gaze of evening diners and creating a world of its own.
The detective perspective is online, and the layout looks easy to "murder at the dining table". The date is followed by reasoning on two small cases, and the process is very streamlined.
Conan looked at it and wanted to take the order, and Kisaki Eri looked at it and wanted to come here to work.
Shiho glanced around with a gaze that could be described as dissecting, recording the environmental data into her mind, but avoiding looking at Vermouth.
The restaurant boasts the distinction of being London's oldest, having opened in 1705, and it holds true. Every luxurious piece of furniture, every time-stained oil portrait on the wall, bears the weight of history. The air, scented with dried roses, wine, and a subtle perfume, feels like a hotbed of bygone intrigue.
Shiho's eyes: not in love, but doing on-site investigation.
The portraits are all NPCs who have witnessed history. If Conan came to this restaurant, his first reaction might not be to go on a date, but to look for a bomb.
Avoiding eye contact = classic "our health bar is at the bottom" behavior.
The chandelier softly shines on the small round table covered with a white tablecloth. The exquisitely crafted silverware reflects the faint light of the candles. The oil painting on the wall depicts an aristocratic dinner in the 18th century.
The two of them sat down, less than an arm's length apart, too close, close enough to touch each other's shadows.
The waiter served the usual bread, butter, olive oil, etc., and introduced the bread, but did not include the onion bread that the restaurant had highly rated on travel apps.
The waiter was quite observant; today's tip must have been substantial. After all, how could you eat anything with onions on a date? Vermouth didn't mention such details when making the reservation.
Of course, it is highly likely that the seat was reserved by Vermouth's assistant, so it is possible that the assistant knows how to read people's expressions.
After all, the person who knows the boss's thoughts, especially his personal life, best is the assistant. Here's a cue about a senior assistant who was ravaged by the years-long love affair between Vermouth and Kudo Yukiko, a melodramatic drama. (Original character, I've forgotten her name, but she'll have a role in the Kyoto arc later.)
Then, the sommelier and his assistant came up, solemnly donning gloves and holding a bottle of Margaux from a good vintage. They opened it ceremoniously and had the two of them smell the cork. Then they began the introduction and the first tasting, speaking English mixed with heavily accented French.
The sommelier, is he a script-killing NPC? What does it mean to appear just when the atmosphere is tense, and simply change the background music? On one side is a cold scientist, on the other side is a beautiful female spy, and the love struggle is suspended, and they drink.
As for Margaux, it is necessary that it is expensive. Once this wine comes out, it is unacceptable not to drink it to get high in the plot.
Shiho thought to herself that a restaurant of this caliber didn't have a dedicated French sommelier. This place still had some room for improvement. Perhaps because of the millennial feud between Britain and France, they still mostly employed British people. In any case, she was just complaining out of habit, not offering any business advice to the owner.
Continuing to follow their process, she secretly complained in her heart that the wine had just been opened and had a very tight taste. What kind of wonderful fruity aroma could be smelled? It still needed to be decanted for a while. In fact, the sommelier's job was to put the wine into the decanter. There was no need to introduce a famous red wine like Margaux.
Then the sommelier who completed this month's sales target with this bottle of wine finally left.
"You're hiding from me," Vermouth said, her fingertips gracefully twirling the goblet, the red wine in it shimmering with the ambiguous candlelight. "What are you afraid of seeing? Or are you afraid that I...will see you?"
The wine in the goblet swirls, creating a perfect atmosphere. The next scene comes with its own background music.
Experts ask: The heartbeat detector has been activated. I'm afraid that love will come too fast like a tornado.
The older sister attacked. A straight ball, Shiho buffered on the spot.
Chinese translation: "Come, open the door of your heart, I promise not to explode."
Who can handle this? He's being interrogated while drinking Margaux. Scientific romance = high IQ + high risk.
Here comes the multiple choice questions.
Shiho, what will you do in the face of Vermouth's attack?
A. Pick up the goblet and calmly respond: "What are you afraid of? Guess."
B. Pretend to cough and successfully change the subject: "Waiter, where's the menu?"
C. Look into her eyes and confess decisively: "I'm afraid of both, but I want to be closer."
D. "I'm not hiding from you, I'm just thinking about how to fight back."
Shiho raised her eyes, her gaze meeting hers directly, her tone a calculated calm: "I'm not afraid of you, Vermouth."
Another straight ball.
People with high IQ are just too lazy to talk nonsense.
Whether it was taking her to the mysterious club of the Cartographers Association today and then starting a spy-like mission to steal maps, or taking her to this high-end restaurant that ordinary people had to book months in advance, these were actually ways for Vermouth to demonstrate her power and control.
Regardless of what Vermouth's starting point is, whether it is because she feels that she has lost too much control in the bedroom and wants to regain it outside the bedroom, or because it is just her personality and she just likes to do things this way, in short, taking her to do a mission that will make the organization unhappy without any warning is a taboo for Miyano Shiho.
The so-called date with some surprises was within the private sphere. At first, Shiho thought she just wanted to take her to ride the London Eye Ferris wheel.
But this so-called surprise touched upon the organization's mission.
In other words, there was no need for Vermouth to bring Shiho with her to participate in the map-stealing mission this afternoon. She could have done it alone or with her assistant. So in Shiho's opinion, this was an attempt to drag her into the water.
Yes, to analyze the molecular formula on this map, we may need Shiho's professional knowledge, but there is no need for her to participate in the process of getting the map.
Everyone has their own expertise, and in the organization, Shiho rarely participates in such field operations.
In terms of professionalism, Shiho is often the one who holds back when participating in field operations, especially when her companion is someone of Vermouth's caliber.
This afternoon, Vermouth took Shiho, who was completely unaware of the situation, and taught her step by step, and she was able to successfully complete the task. This shows that this task actually does not require high professional skills of an agent. For Vermouth, it is like a kindergarten game. There is no need to add another person.
Shiho had already thought all of this through during the short time in the elevator, so her mood towards Vermouth had changed from the... tsundere, sticky feeling she had when she just left the bedroom to a slightly wary one.
Therefore, even in the face of fine wine, she did not look happy and pointed out the problem directly.
It’s just the first rule of science: any character who says “I’m not afraid of you” will probably be kissed forcibly or threatened the next second.
Shiho's calmness and rationality are off the charts, but she pretends to be calm in front of the boss of the winery and the troublemaker who is half of the organization, and the commentators are about to criticize her.
She has always been rational and restrained, while Vermouth is the embodiment of charm and danger.
“Oh?” Vermouth leaned forward, the candlelight dancing on her face, casting a deep shadow on her features. “Maybe you should be afraid. Or maybe,” she softened her voice, breathing softly, “you should be afraid of yourself? Be afraid of what you truly want deep down.”
The atmosphere of the Bayleys is always full of scripts, and the detective novel turns into a romantic suspense film. After all, she has been a movie queen for two lifetimes, so her database is rich.
It is probably the fifth episode of "Collection of Seductive Quotes in Moments of Social Death", titled "You are not afraid of me, but you want to kiss me."
"You always pick good places." Seeing her playing Tai Chi, Shiho was too lazy to argue, so she changed the subject and looked out the window at the night view, which gently enveloped London.
London at night: codenamed "Love Filter LV999", the ambiguity value of this scene has started to punch in.
A certain scientist, while speaking indifferently, was actually thinking: "You picked a great place." His love-brain was on fire.
The lights, carefully adjusted, were a dim and warm illumination, illuminating every table. Among the elegantly dressed guests, waiters shuttled around with practiced dexterity.
Lighting: I am not a lamp, I am an NPC who assists the plot.
The setting is too ambiguous, I seriously suspect that the restaurant will turn into a bedside lamp in the next second. (bushi)
Chrissie Wynyard—or rather, Vermouth—was sitting across from Shiho, looking her most alluring. Her diamond earrings flickered faintly against her blonde hair, giving her the allure of "one look at me and I'll fall for you."
The number one fox demon in the Conan universe, with an extremely charming value and full seduction skills.
“Margaux,” Vermouth shook the crystal glass in her hand, and the deep ruby-red wine left beautiful traces on the glass wall. “1995. I hope it suits your taste, little Shirley.”
Miyano Shiho picked up the wine glass and did not answer immediately. She just stared at the deep Bordeaux red in the glass, as if she could see the surging waves last night.
OS: This is not wine, this is an effervescent tablet of memories from last night.
last night……
The London night is far more ambiguous than the lights in this restaurant.
Intense. Rough.
Vermouth was a completely different person in bed. Compared to the time in the Tokyo laboratory, she was even more passionate and proactive, taking people by surprise. Yet, at the most crucial moment, the allure in her eyes and eyebrows was so alluring that it was impossible to resist the ultimate intoxication.
A deadly enchantress. Her seduction skill has reached max level.
At this moment, she sat opposite him, and her every gesture showed the elegance and composure of a Hollywood actress, as if everything that happened last night was just a beautiful dream.
Yesterday it was the high-end passionate version, today it is the elegant silent version, Beilu Modou, and dual-form version.
Shiho picked up the wine glass and took a sip. The mellowness of the wine and the slightly astringent tannins blended organically and bloomed on the tip of her tongue.
Last night. That same complex, layered, even sometimes rough… lingering lovemaking. Vermouth's passion in bed, and her elegant composure at the dinner table now, were a stark contrast.
Character analysis report: Sister Bei's attribute = SSR-level seducer, rationality cannot function.
While Conan was still doing his elementary school homework in Beika Town, she was directly promoted to the heroine of "Forbidden London Night".
"The wine is very good." Shiho took a sip, letting the complex fruit aroma and the feeling of oak barrels of the Margaux, which had not yet fully awakened, slowly bloom on the tip of her tongue, and then turned into a little bit of bitterness, just like her mood at the moment.
Shiho's voice pack is online: While her rationality is being suppressed, behind the slightly bitter Margo is the scene of the magnitude 9 earthquake last night.
"Just okay?" Vermouth tilted her head slightly and smiled, "I thought you would be more... enthusiastic." She deliberately emphasized the word "enthusiastic".
Sister Bei is a master of rhetoric. The word "passion" is uttered, and her advanced flirting skills are unleashed, burning through the scientist's rational firewall.
Q: Shiho, how would you respond to Bayonetta’s “passionate” teasing at this time?
A. Smile coldly: "Passion? I'm used to responding to emotions with reason." (Venomous counterattack type)
B. Flirting back: "Didn't you get a taste of the passion you want last night?" (Straightforward Queen Attacker type, yes, Shiho is the Attacker.)
C. Inside, he's mad, but outwardly calm: "...Are you the reincarnation of a fox spirit?" (The tsundere, sarcastic type)
D. Just pour the wine on her face and kiss her: "I don't want to talk anymore." (??? Logic-free cool article, crazy criticism of wasting good wine type)
Shiho's face flushed a little.
The "passionate" scene of last night's fierce battle came flooding back like a tide in her mind with an IQ of 200: Vermouth's hot and humid breath, the tangled hair, the slight pain of nails digging into the skin, and those eyes that were blurred but still full of control at the last moment.
She remembered how Vermouth guided each other, hovering on the edge of losing control, and finally sinking completely.
What should I do if I accidentally get taught a lesson by a female devil? Urgent, waiting online
These scenes were fine during the day, but now that they were in the ambiguous environment of the Emerald Leopard Restaurant, and in a corner where the two of them were alone, all of them came to mind through the slight hints in Vermouth's words and gestures.
The young man who is just starting out seems to lack protective weapons such as the "Hollywood Temptress Charm Shield".
Sulli, a highly intelligent woman with unguarded youthful hormones.
After all, at age nineteen, one is at the peak of passion, and physical parameters like hormones are not so easy to control. No matter how high one's IQ is, they are still on different tracks.
Moreover, this time the Logos simulation is set in the real world, not the ABO world, so there are no pheromone inhibitors or anything like that.
Shiho's cheeks felt slightly hot and she put down her wine glass.
"I've always been very picky about wine." She avoided Vermouth's gaze and looked at the glittering street scene outside the window.
Oh my, is the view outside the window more beautiful than the people in front of me? Is Conan chasing the criminal on a skateboard? (Forced crosstalk)
Shiho: I wasn't drinking socially, I was drinking defensively.
Vermouth looked down at the wine in the glass, tilted her head, and smiled: "The owner of this restaurant had a drink with me in Paris 20 years ago - at that time he was not yet a 'gentleman'."
The subtext: "When I was a big shot, the boss here was still playing in the mud." But, twenty years ago? Tsk, tsk, tsk, how old are you, old man? Chris Wynyard's official profile claims she's twenty-nine.
She raised her eyes, her nonchalant manner seeming to remind Shiho of the chain of cause and effect in the history of a secret organization.
This look makes me feel like I'm about to say "A secret makes a woman woman" in the next second. But woman, you have more secrets than Maori Kogoro's anesthetic needles.
Shiho remained calm and said calmly, "You have kept the old people and stories very well."
This level of conversation is flawless.
"Oh, it's not a collection." Vermouth smiled like a big cat on the grassland, "I saved it to remind me in the future what 'the unpredictable changes of time' mean."
It's time to start playing charades again. Riddler, get out of the Beika Town/London instance. (bushi)
There was an indescribable meaning between the lines, and Shiho wondered if she was talking about herself.
What this means is probably: You are the most difficult task for me to handle, and also the failure that I am most reluctant to accept.
Shiho lowered her head and took a sip of Margaux. The red wine slid down her throat, and also slid down the memories of last night.
A drinking party with two A-list ladies from the winery: a glass of Margaux and a psychological PUA.
She remembered how Vermouth turned everything upside down in the bedroom.
The face that always seemed to be in control of the situation was stretched soft and chaotic by the pleasure, and his fingers drew marks on his back, as if making a mark.
She remembered that she called her name, in an intense tone, yet with a hint of tenderness.
She remembered how Vermouth lost control at that moment... and how she regained her composure afterwards.
Oscar-winning actress, master of emotional management. Sage Time is so pro.
But now, the woman who trembled beside her last night was holding up a wine glass and looking at everything elegantly, as if she was the winner of the war.
After all, the young man who is just starting out doesn't understand the heart of the queen. He can cooperate with her during sex to increase the pleasure of the scene. It's just a show according to the situation.
But the heart of a queen like Vermouth is ultimately independent and belongs to her own.
Especially since she has lived two lives, seen too many people who are in trouble, and is an actress by profession, with two film queen careers, filmed many movies, and walked through the lives of countless people. Even if she wanted to let herself be moved, it was not so easy to get into the role.
It's not that she requires herself to have two faces inside and outside the bedroom, but too many small details will make her lose interest. At this age, she can see the doubts and blind spots in relationships too clearly.
Especially when facing people who have less life experience than yourself, they often seem transparent, lacking a sense of surprise and a sense of being a worthy match, so it is difficult to fall in love.
"You're always good at making people forget what you're thinking," Shiho said softly.
Indeed, you can't guess what's going on with Miss Bei. No matter how hard you try, you'll never figure it out. Does she have an anti-detection chip in her head?
But if you think about it carefully, the translation of this sentence might be: You didn't love me at all when you called my name last night, right?
Vermouth smiled softly, as if this psychological analysis was just an appetizer: "Because the 'truth' is a dessert, it will be served to you when you are most relaxed."
Here we go again, the classic riddle man speaks.
But, if you think about it, "the truth is dessert," then doesn't that mean Conan can eat at an all-you-can-eat buffet every day? (There is only one truth.)
"Or" she paused, "would you prefer to leave before dessert?"
Oh my, this is a provocation. "If you don't dare to walk the whole way, just say it, Shirley~"
This feeling of oppression is worthy of Miss Bayonet.
"That depends on who's treating me to a meal," Shiho retorted, her aura fully on display.
One is a screen-killing queen, and the other is a cool science student, but in the game of love, at least between their lips and tongues, it is hard to tell who will win.
Multiple choice questions.
According to Vermouth's "dessert theory", what is the most likely "truth dessert" she is preparing for Shiho this time?
A. The latest clinical side effect report of APTX4869 (with a semi-finished antidote)
B. A collection of historical photos of Gin wearing pigtails when he was young (who wants to see it)
C. She discovered new clues about Conan's true identity (and planned to have fun with them)
D. A heartfelt confession of "I was actually very satisfied last night. Let's do it again?" (Private entertainment disguised as work)
A brief silence.
"To this unexpected collaboration." Vermouth raised her glass, completely in control of the conversation.
What is unexpected is the collaboration, and what is unclear in intention is the affection.
As soon as the word "join forces" is mentioned, flags are raised all over the sky. In the world of science, 99% of the cooperation between winery characters is "joining forces on the surface, but betraying each other behind the scenes."
But something's not right about today's game. Why does it feel a bit like "honey and oil"? Are these two "teasing each other" or "flirting"?
Or, wake up. This isn't a "collaboration," it's a "mutual knowing and willful violation."
The truth of the scientific world: Any collaboration between two intelligent women will inevitably lead to...some bed agreement.
"Does this count as a collaboration?" Shiho asked. Her slender fingertips, which had been exercised for a long time last night, felt a little sore today, but she still let the cup move forward, with a slight ding sound.
Small movements reveal big emotions, the light clink of wine glasses makes a "ding" sound louder than the beating of the heart...
By this time, the wine had begun to sober up, sliding down the throat, and the palate was surprisingly sublime, worthy of a fine vintage of Margaux. Layers of balsamic vinegar and violets unfolded, with a touch of unique earthy minerality beneath, a true gift from the Bordeaux soil.
Once this wine started to sober up, it was layered, delicate, and dangerously intoxicating, just like... the cold and striking charm of the woman sitting across from her.
“What should we call them?” Vermouth put down her wine glass and looked back at her calmly. “Two smart women, both fascinated by ancient centuries-old secrets and molecular structures. If they are not companions… well, then they are rivals who use each other for their own benefit?”
A famous standoff between the two A-listers. Vermouth's blunt question creates a powerful atmosphere. A conversation about "molecular structure"—a seemingly scientific topic, but ultimately sparking excitement. The moment these words were uttered, the entire "Heart Signal" cast went on alert.
Shiho quickly swallowed the wine in her mouth. "You are... really..." She finally uttered these few words.
Miyano's nagging came online, and he couldn't pretend anymore. He was teased to the point of being at a loss for words, and could only say "You are... really..."
The choking on the wine was fake, the being teased was real.
"You are such a person" = If you say that again, I will really kiss you (wrong)
"I think 'incredible' is a more appropriate word," Vermouth said with a smile. "Think about it, after so much has happened, you and I can still sit together like this. The probability of this happening is simply a miracle."
By confessing her love calmly, is Vermouth hinting at a "chosen couple"?
The span from "molecular formula on the science map" to "incredible" is even more psychedelic than the drug A experiment.
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