Conan: No, why aren't you following the script?

Upon hearing Conan Edogawa's question, Kogoro Mouri and the others' expressions immediately changed...

Yes, they have been trying to contact the Magic Manor, but the only person they can contact right now, Kitagawa Isao, is on his way to the manor.

If something happens to him because of this...

Thinking of this, Kogoro Mouri quickly parked the car on the side of the road and then took out his cell phone from his pocket.

He wanted to call Kitagawa Isao, but then he realized...

It turns out that I never knew Kitagawa Isao's contact information. After we met once at the National Stadium, we didn't exchange business cards.

This made Kogoro Mouri feel somewhat embarrassed, but fortunately Conan stepped in at that moment.

"Uncle, give me the phone quickly! Cough cough... I have Ai Haibara's phone number!"

He learned Ai Haibara's phone number yesterday at the school gate, and now it's time to put it to use.

Although Conan Edogawa didn't know what Kitagawa Isao's mentality was in equipping Ai Haibara with a mobile phone.

However, at this moment, he answered the phone without hesitation, wanting to remind and warn Ai Haibara.

However, the busy tone on the phone caught him off guard.

Left with no other choice, Kogoro Mouri had to change his plans. He decided to drive the group to the Magic Manor first, and then report the case to Inspector Megure by phone on the way.

……

Meanwhile, Kitagawa Isao, who had set off early and had already driven across the Magic Mountain Villa suspension bridge, was in a rather good mood.

Everything proceeded as he had planned.

Yes, Nishiyama Tsutomu's body was reported to the police anonymously last night via a public telephone after his voice was altered with helium.

The purpose was to let Kogoro Mouri and the others know about the murder at the Magic Manor before they set off, thereby changing their itinerary and fundamentally disrupting the direction of the plot.

As it turned out, his plan went very smoothly.

Listening to the news playing in his car headphones, Kitagawa Isao smiled and turned his head to look at Haibara Ai sitting in the passenger seat.

So far, the only thing that has somewhat surprised him is that little girl Ai Haibara, for some reason, insisted on coming to the Magic Manor party with him today after hearing Conan Edogawa's invitation yesterday.

Kitagawa Isao was worried that his actions would be affected, so he wanted to find an excuse to refuse her. However, Haibara Ai said with certainty that if he didn't take her with him, was Kitagawa Isao planning to leave a little girl alone at home for two days?

This was such an irresistible reason that, after weighing the pros and cons, Kitagawa Isao finally nodded in agreement.

Even if he could send Ai Haibara to Professor Agasa's house, at this stage, he still hopes to solidify his position as her guardian.

After all, compared to Professor Agasa, he still has a long way to go.

……

A short while later, the two parked the car in the open space in front of Magic Villa. After glancing at the villa, which was mostly covered in snow, Kitagawa Isao opened the car door and prepared to get out and go inside the villa to warm himself by the fire.

Just then, the gate of the manor opened, and a kind-looking middle-aged man looked at the composed Kitagawa Isao and Haibara Ai, and for a moment he was hesitant to make a decision.

After hesitating for a long time, he tentatively asked, "Um... I don't know your name, young man..."

The name he was referring to was, of course, the online name used in the chat room.

Kitagawa Isao had never joined their chat room, so he introduced himself quite naturally.

"Hello, I'm here at the invitation of the famous detective Kogoro Mouri, accompanying his daughter and classmates to this party. My name is Isao Kitagawa, and I'm also a detective. Although I haven't joined your chat room, I do know a bit about magic."

"Oh, so it's Mr. Kitagawa..."

The middle-aged man named Ara Yoshizawa goes by the online name 'The Taciturn Ventriloquist' and is also the owner of this magic villa.

Upon hearing that Kitagawa Isao had accompanied two girls to the party, he immediately guessed Ran and Sonoko's identities.

"Mr. Kitagawa, you must be talking about 'the magician's apprentice,' right? That's a girl who pretends to be a middle-aged man online... Oh right, I forgot, Mr. Kitagawa, you should go inside and warm up."

Araki slapped his forehead and chuckled as he invited Kitagawa Isao and Ai Haibara into the Magic Manor. This signified that, as the organizer of the gathering, he had accepted the participation of these two "uninvited guests."

However, some of the other chat room members were not entirely satisfied with this.

"Hey, ventriloquist, what are you doing? Why are you letting outsiders get involved? This is a gathering of magic enthusiasts, this is so unprofessional!"

In the restaurant, Hamano Toshiya, whose online name is 'Disappearing Bunny Girl', was quite critical of Kitagawa Isao's addition. However, after the others mediated, he didn't say anything more. Instead, he pulled Kitagawa Isao aside and said that he wasn't deliberately targeting him, but just had some complaints about Ara Yoshinori's decision.

Kitagawa Isao generously said that he didn't mind. After wandering around the restaurant, he quickly set his sights on a chubby boy.

The boy said his name was Takuki Doi and that he was a college student.

But Kitagawa Isao knew very well that all of this was just a disguise.

In reality, this seemingly simple-minded man with a somewhat gentle personality is none other than Kaito Kid.

Kitagawa Isao was quite impressed that such a small gathering of magic enthusiasts had attracted so many important figures.

However, before he could prepare his next course of action...

Then, Ai Haibara suddenly walked towards him mysteriously.

Although the little girl had a rather aloof personality, her adorable appearance had already made her the darling of the magic enthusiasts present.

Wearing a green leaf crown, a glass pendant made of woven ribbons around her neck, and even holding a candy stick in her left hand, she looks absolutely adorable.

Seeing Ai Haibara walking towards him in this state, Kitagawa Isao quickly squatted down.

As soon as the little girl walked up to him, she frowned and asked a question.

"Brother Kitagawa, when we passed that suspension bridge just now, didn't you smell a strange odor?"