Chapter 23: Just a Little Bit Worse Than Sherlock Holmes
Kojima Genta was frightened by Tayan Katsuo's ugly face.
"Ah, I'm sorry," Doctor Agasa quickly explained, "We just happened to be passing by and saw such a magnificent Castle, so we thought we'd take a look. If possible, we were wondering if we could go inside for a tour?"
"Get out of here!" Tayan Katsuo continued to be irritable. "Outsiders are not welcome here!"
"What's going on now?" Mamiya Mitsuru stepped forward and asked blankly.
Mitsuhiko couldn't help but whisper, "This uncle looks so haggard..."
"Yeah," Ayumi nodded.
Mamiya Mitsuru, with dark circles under his eyes and a slightly pale face: "..."
Children are good, they don't have so many worries.
The day Kuroba Kaito left, he was still glad, life should... probably... maybe... perhaps could be a little more normal.
As a result, they said they would call back, but neither of them called. Instead, Doctor Fukuyama from Aoyama Fourth Hospital called again to inquire about Chi Feichi's situation, and asked in such detail that he was almost developing a phantasy disorder from making things up during this time.
When people came back, the house was not peaceful either. Snakes were running around, and the person was silent.
He and Chi Feichi had only exchanged a few words in the past two days:
'Why aren't you talking today?'
'I talked too much when I went out to play that day, and I don't have much desire to talk these past two days.'
'Cough, that Snake is running around the Castle every day...'
'It's walking its food. Wild Hamsters run at least twenty kilometers a day. Those Hamsters staying in small Cages lack exercise, which makes them irritable, biting people and Cages, difficult to care for, and over time it also affects the taste.'
'...'
'But I will tell it to not scare people.'
'That's good...'
'If I cause you trouble or inconvenience in the future, you can also tell me directly.'
'Uh, okay...'
His attitude was very good, but facing that indifferent face and eyes as emotionless as a Snake's, he sometimes couldn't bring himself to voice his opinions.
In the past two days, he was considering whether to leave, while also being reluctant to part with the Treasure in the Castle, and also thinking about how to communicate with Chi Feichi and how to fool that Doctor next time. He was repeatedly conflicted and had a terrible headache.
He was anxious and had insomnia...
"Grand Lord! Just now, this kid who needs more exercise than a Hamster climbed in without saying hello," Tayan Katsuo pointed at Doctor Agasa, "and this stupid-looking old man even said he wanted to come in for a tour..."
"Stupid-looking?" Doctor Agasa retorted angrily, "Please, I am a Scientist!"
Kojima Genta muttered, "And what does 'needs more exercise than a Hamster' mean..."
"He means, you need a Snake... no, that's not important," Mamiya Mitsuru realized, stepped forward two steps, and stared at Doctor Agasa with burning eyes, "You are a Scientist?"
Doctor Agasa introduced himself, "My name is Doctor Agasa, and I am a somewhat well-known Inventor."
"Then your Brain must be much smarter than ordinary people, right?" Mamiya Mitsuru felt like he saw a savior, and became much more energetic. "Please come in! By the way, it's getting late now, would you like to stay here for the night?"
"We are truly grateful!" Doctor Agasa said quickly.
Doctor Agasa and the Junior Detective League successfully entered the Courtyard, and Tayan Katsuo led them on a tour and introduction.
"...But young master and Grand Lord have been living here ever since, as if they were possessed by something..." Tayan Katsuo looked up and saw Chi Feichi, dressed in black sportswear, standing quietly at the Entrance. He proactively explained, "Young Master Chi! This is Grand Lord's Scientist friend, Doctor Agasa, who brought these children here as guests today."
Chi?
This surname is not common...
Conan's expression stiffened for a moment, and he slowly looked up. Sure enough, a familiar figure he had seen just two days ago came into view, and he couldn't help but turn to look at Haibara Ai.
If this guy is investigating him, he would definitely appear around him... Haibara said that before, right?
Haibara Ai also didn't expect to meet Chi Feichi here, and was stunned for a moment. Facing Conan's strange gaze, she remained relatively calm.
Although their camping trip today was planned long ago, getting lost here was completely accidental. It was impossible for anyone to foresee it in advance, it was purely a coincidence.
Conan also realized this, but still chuckled dryly in his heart. Haibara is really a bit of a jinx, even in this situation they could run into this guy...
"Elder Brother Chi Feichi!" While Conan was surprised, Ayumi had already recognized Chi Feichi. With a surprised smile on her face, she ran up the steps in a few strides, "Why are you here too?"
Chi Feichi's voice softened slightly, "It's Ayumi. I'm temporarily staying here."
Ayumi was happy to see that Chi Feichi remembered her. "Last time I asked that Nurse if I could visit you, she said children couldn't go alone. Later, my mom promised to take me there, but when we went to the Hospital a few days ago, the Doctor said you were discharged..."
Conan was still a bit confused.
Wait, how does Ayumi know Chi Feichi?
Hospital? This guy just came out of the Hospital?
"My name is Haibara Ai." Haibara Ai stepped forward, looking calm, but with a hint of awkwardness in her tone.
She knew Chi Feichi's Name, it was Conan who told her when he came back. It turned out that everyone else seemed to know, except her...
This guy doesn't dislike her, does he?
Chi Feichi nodded, "Then the Name on the Home Delivery wasn't written wrong. Yes... my name is Chi Feichi."
Speaking of Home Delivery, Haibara Ai immediately lost her temper.
After all, he didn't forget to send her a Gift even when he went to Osaka to play...
Thinking this, Haibara Ai's tone also softened a bit, "Yoshida said you were in the Hospital before, were you sick?"
"Sort of," Chi Feichi said calmly, "Aoyama Fourth Hospital."
"Aoyama..." Haibara Ai remembered what kind of Hospital Aoyama Fourth Hospital was, and immediately understood why Chi Feichi specifically mentioned which Hospital it was.
This Hospital... is quite special.
Conan was even more stunned in place, all the Clues in his mind connecting into a line.
If it's Aoyama Fourth Hospital, then the strange behavior Haibara told him about before, Chi Feichi knocking out his companion, also makes sense.
And being mysterious and having an indifferent face is not very strange for patients there.
So, all his suspicions during this time were just him overthinking?
Kojima Genta saw that everyone else suddenly fell silent, raised his hand and touched his head, "What's wrong with you guys? What's wrong with Aoyama Fourth Hospital?"
"Cough," Conan's Brain was still a bit messy, but he didn't forget to explain, "Aoyama Fourth Hospital accepts patients who have Mental Illnesses and psychological problems that affect their lives, such as severe Depression, mania, schizophrenia, disaster syndrome, and other patients who may cause harm to themselves or others."
Moreover, Aoyama Fourth Hospital is known for its strict management and responsibility - admission requires examination, and if patients do not need hospitalization, the Hospital will not agree to hospitalization at all, and will not allow people who want to take advantage of loopholes to stay in. Similarly, to be discharged, one must also pass the Doctor's examination and consent, and confirm that the symptoms have been reduced to the point where they can live outside the Hospital.
Thinking about it this way, Chi Feichi is even less likely to be a member of the Organization.
There is nothing worth scheming for in a Mental Hospital, it's not worth it for Organization members to risk getting sick and not necessarily being able to get out to infiltrate.
As for Aoyama Fourth Hospital having problems?
That's also impossible. Since its establishment, Aoyama Fourth Hospital has had a very good reputation and name, and has not had any reputation-damaging incidents in more than sixty years.
Kojima Genta weakly glanced at Chi Feichi, and just met Chi Feichi's indifferent gaze, he was so frightened that he took two steps back with a pale face, "Then this Elder Brother is a Mental Patient!"
"Genta!" Doctor Agasa stopped him, his expression becoming serious, "Mental Illnesses and Physical Illnesses are the same. Being sick is very uncomfortable, you need to see a Doctor for treatment, take Medicine, be hospitalized for recuperation, and then Recovery. Isn't this very normal? People's bodies get sick, and so does their mind, there's nothing to be surprised about."
Kojima Genta was frightened by Doctor Agasa's serious expression, but still weakly said, "But in the TV Drama my dad watches, the Mental Patients in Mental Hospitals are all so scary..."
"Elder Brother Chi is not scary at all! He even helped Ayumi pick up a Ball that day, and..." Ayumi seemed to be on the verge of tears, her tone softening, "And that day when I went to the Park to play and passed by, I saw Elder Brother Chi sitting alone under a tree. Two hours later when I passed by there on my way home, Elder Brother Chi was still sitting there alone. I think he must be very lonely all by himself, with no Family to accompany him, and being sick is really uncomfortable, no matter what kind of Illness..."
"Ayumi..." Mitsuhiko didn't know what to say to comfort her for a moment.
"And Elder Brother Chi's Reasoning Ability is very impressive," Conan said casually, holding his hands behind his head and pretending to be nonchalant, "The other day when I went to Snow Mountain Villa with Ran and Sonoko, we encountered a murder case. He solved the case, and he's only a little bit worse than Sherlock Holmes."
"Only a little bit worse than Sherlock Holmes?" Mitsuhiko was surprised.
Genta was no longer panicked, and said in surprise, "Even Conan says so, then he must be a very amazing person!"
These people...
Chi Feichi's eyes drooped slightly. Doctor Agasa's values were unexpectedly upright, and the other children were actually quite likable. He spoke up to greet them, "Alright, let's go inside first. Just like Doctor Agasa said, don't be too afraid, but if you encounter dangerous people, you should still run away, don't foolishly approach them. This is the same whether they are patients or not."
The three children:
"We are not afraid of bad guys!"
"Because we are..."
"Junior Detective League!"
Chi Feichi looked blank. With this mentality, the 'Death-Seeking Detective League' is truly well-deserved...
Mitsuhiko didn't forget to add seriously, "Just like Sherlock Holmes' Baker Street Irregulars, and we accept any Commission!"
Doctor Agasa followed behind, smiling like a two-hundred-pound fatty.
Tayan Katsuo also smiled, feeling that the hostility accumulated during this period had lessened a lot. After entering the Entrance, he introduced the Portraits hanging on the wall and talked about some Past Events, "Lord Sadaaki, who married into the family, respected Grand Lord, who was a Historian, very much, but Madam didn't think so. She often said to Lord Sadaaki..."
"She often said, 'Dad is just an Intellectual full of sophistry'," Mamiya Masuyo, who didn't know when she pushed a Wheelchair behind the group, said, "Right?"
(End of Chapter)