After all of them are reborn, who would still want to marry 2.5 Jo Satoru?

Edogawa Ranpo stood on the street of Fuyuki, struggling to find his way by looking at the map.

He was also wearing a Western-style shirt and trousers, an oilcloth cloak, and a detective hat on his head. This was the complete set of clothes that Liuli had provided him with back then.

Fuyuki City was as peaceful and tranquil as usual, and since the Holy Grail War had not yet begun, there were naturally no frequent gas leaks and gas explosions.

However, judging by the appearance of God and Nidhogg this time, it would be hard for anyone with a brain to believe that a gas explosion could produce such an effect.

"Mr. Ranpo, you're going the wrong way."

Yosano Akiko snatched the map helplessly and simply stopped Ranpo from doing this kind of work that he was not suitable for, and found the way himself by looking at the landmarks.

"The Tohsaka family is just ahead. Their house is quite obvious in this area." Yosano breathed a sigh of relief as he looked at a villa not far away. "I hope we're not too late."

Edogawa Ranpo curled his lips, "Of course we're not late. The quarrel inside will continue for a while."

The people he was talking about for quarreling were naturally Matou Kariya and Tōsaka Tokitoki. Although he did not understand the twisted and complicated emotions between the two, he could guess from their personalities that their conversation would not produce any results.

An arrogant person who looks down upon untalented magicians and ordinary people.

Another is a girl who is both proud and self-deprecating, resentful of her love rival but wants to save her beloved's daughter.

It's obvious that they will never get along.

Edogawa Ranpo simply sat on a bench not far away and picked up the map that Yosano Akiko no longer needed to block out the glaring midday sunlight.

"Yosano, please be patient. We all need to learn to get used to waiting, don't we?"

He said this with a hint of meaning.

Yosano Akiko hesitated for a moment, then sat down next to him. After a long silence, she softly asked, "Mr. Ranpo, although this question is a long time late."

"But I still want to ask you, why did you stop me from going back to Yokohama that day?"

Her smile was tinged with fatigue. "Although I'm not as smart as you, I don't think it's simply because you don't want Mr. Lan Tang to live."

Edogawa Ranpo raised his head, the sunlight shining through the map onto his face, which inexplicably brought a bit of pain.

He said frankly: "No, I just wanted to kill him. I have thought about this for a long time."

"Actually, if Dazai Osamu doesn't take action, then I will also choose a time to take action, but I will be more cautious than this time and not leave any loopholes."

He even felt a little regretful at this point, and sighed softly, "Dazai Osamu acted too suddenly. If it weren't for the support of several groups of forces behind him, he might not have succeeded."

"He also asked me to clean up after him, that's why Liuli found him."

"If we follow my plan, this won't be possible at all."

Yosano Akiko was stunned when she heard this. She turned to look at Edogawa Ranpo, but his face was covered by the map and she couldn't see his expression at all.

"But why?"

Yosano Akiko asked blankly, "Actually, after thinking about it, even if Mr. Rantang really wanted to take Miss Liuli away, it wouldn't be a bad thing."

"Mr. Lan Tang is very powerful, but Miss Liuli is not happy here. She is always nervous and tired."

"Maybe she'd be happier if she left here?"

"No." Edogawa Ranpo finally pulled off the map covering his face. He sat up straight and looked at Yosano Akiko, his dark green eyes full of clarity.

"She won't be happy. Even if she has a short period of happiness, she will be sad for a longer time."

"Because Lan Tang is Lan Tang and Arthur Rimbaud is Arthur Rimbaud. Even if there are similarities, they are definitely not exactly the same."

"His power is not her power."

After saying this, he leaned back on the bench, as if recalling something, or wondering where to start explaining to Yosano.

"Liuli is a very strange person. I realized this from the moment I met her."

Edogawa Ranpo stared at the white clouds drifting in the sky, listened to the intermittent chirping of cicadas, and said slowly: "She is out of tune with this world, just like me."

"So at that time, I ran to her without hesitation."

"You may not understand, but people like us know very well that black sheep in the flock can recognize each other at a glance. They know that they are different from the white sheep."

“It’s just that some black sheep know what’s different, while some black sheep haven’t realized it yet.”

The people like us that Edogawa Ranpo mentioned were himself, Dazai Osamu, Fyodor, Ayatsuji Yukito, and Shibusawa Tatsuhiko.

They are born with a lack of a sense of belonging to this world, for various reasons, but in the final analysis the outcome is the same.

They are tired of the world, have lost interest in it, and can no longer see any beauty in it.

"But Liuli is another kind of difference."

It is hard to say what Edogawa Ranpo thinks of Ruri. She is a mother he can rely on, an elder sister he can act like a spoiled child to, a younger sister he needs to be protected, and a partner he wants to spend his life with.

The first friend in my life.

It was the one who taught him the rules of this society and let him know how to survive.

It's apocalypse.

"She is tired of this world, she is afraid of it and loves it, she can see all the beautiful places in this world, but..."

"But she's afraid."

"Because she has no power."

"She's like a wounded child who believes candy is sweet even though she's been hurt. But because she's been hurt, even if the candy is sweet, she doesn't dare to reach out for it."

"Because she's afraid of getting hurt again, it would be too painful."

Edogawa Ranpo remembered that Ruri had once talked about her own death. At that moment, her face turned pale and she trembled uncontrollably. At that moment, he was filled with anger and wanted to set the whole world on fire.

"This kind of pain is hidden, long-lasting, and difficult to heal."

"It will not disappear because of the so-called good life, nor will it be forgotten because of the efforts and love of others."

"There's only one thing that can wash it off."

“That’s the power.”

"Power that belongs only to oneself, power that cannot be controlled by others, power that cannot be affected by any factors."

Edogawa Ranpo's sensitive nerves made him understand the purpose of Rando earlier than anyone else. Although he seemed dull in emotions, he could always easily see the connections between other things.

A Frenchman, well-educated and well-mannered, keeps the house he lives in extremely clean, deliberately avoiding leaving too many traces of himself.

When walking, you will subconsciously observe your surroundings. When talking to people, you will unconsciously imitate their pronunciation skills. Even when fighting with others, you will choose a more labor-saving and lighter way.

He is a spy.

A spy who has received high-standard training.

This was the information that Edogawa Ranpo gathered through quick observation after learning of Randou's existence.

A French spy who lost all his memories after the explosion on Leibo Street is most likely here to investigate the military laboratory. He is so young but has taken on such a heavy responsibility and has been well trained.

Proves that his strength is definitely extraordinary.

So the question is, why would Liuli become siblings with such a secretive person?

The other party obviously has so many problems, and Liuli herself is full of defense against this world, so what makes her risk getting hurt and become relatives with him and cultivate feelings?

Edogawa Ranpo remembered what she had said:

She plays the role of a fool who wants to be a genius, a weak person who wants to be strong.

It is difficult for a fool to become a genius, but there can be other geniuses to help her.

This is not impossible, because being able to use people and get their help willingly is a kind of ability and wisdom.

Anyone with such ability is certainly a genius.

But if the weak want to become strong, they cannot rely on the help of others.

Because the weak are still weak even if they accept help, the power held by others will never belong to them.

Humans are fickle creatures. Today's decision may change tomorrow. How can you pin all your hopes on someone else's oath?

"There are many ways to gain power, but the most convenient and quickest way is to steal it from others."

Edogawa Ranpo does not have much morality, or rather, he is not very clear about the basic rules between humans, let alone being bound by so-called morality.

So he easily guessed Lan Tang's purpose, and chose to give in early on, willingly becoming a wild cat.

He's going to die sooner or later anyway.

Why should the living bother with the dead?

This is what Edogawa Ranpo thought at first.