Winning is everything: Conan

"Let's begin discussing the final verdict now!"

The judge and jurors from both sides confirmed with each other.

"This court declares that the public prosecution request submitted by the prosecution is rejected. The defendant is not guilty of intentional homicide and is acquitted."

"The trial is over, and the court is adjourned!"

The sound of the gavel marked the end of the proceedings.

In reality, under normal circumstances, it might not have been this easy.

For example, some jurors might be talkative and ask random questions.

Witnesses would be questioned to confirm whether their testimony was correct, and the defendant would be asked about their opinion of the victim.

After all, according to the information provided by Ryusu Masami at the end, there seemed to be hatred between the defendant and the victim, meaning there was a possibility of a motive for murder.

But these jurors finished without doing anything.

Because from the very beginning, not only the prosecutors but everyone else had been led by the nose by Keisuke.

Of course, the matter wouldn't be resolved so easily.

After all, a dog had killed a person.

Therefore, according to the law, Sakaguchi would be held civilly liable under the principle of strict liability.

"Was it really this simple?"

Defendant Sakaguchi Masayoshi still hadn't fully processed everything as he left the courtroom.

Was he really acquitted just like that?

Although he might have to pay compensation later, he wouldn't have to go to prison, which was great news.

"Of course, people's eyes and ears always have intermittent dysfunctions."

Keisuke smirked and glanced at the heads of the several jurors who were about to leave.

Their favorability and recognition levels had reached three or four bars.

He had to admit that Keisuke Kumiko's performance in court was still highly persuasive and could easily sway people's emotions.

Excessive blind sensitivity clouded these people's judgment.

"Alright, Mr. Sakaguchi, now that you've been acquitted, it's time to fulfill your previous promise."

Keisuke smiled and rubbed two fingers together.

Masayoshi Sakaguchi snapped out of his daze and nodded.

"Don't worry, Mr. Kumiko, I'll send the check."

"Oh, you're such a generous and kind person!"

The two of them left the courtroom and continued their conversation in the hallway.

At that moment, a calm voice suddenly sounded behind them.

"Is this really okay?"

Turning around, he saw Conan standing there.

His hands were in his pockets, and he looked directly into Sakaguchi Masayoshi's eyes.

"Uncle Sakaguchi, do you think you can escape the condemnation of your conscience and live in anxiety every day? Are you really going to continue like this?"

Under Conan's questioning, Sakaguchi Masayoshi hesitated.

After all, he had killed a man.

"I..."

"Hey, kid, can you stop spouting nonsense and go home to act cute for your mom, okay?"

Keisuke raised an eyebrow and directly interrupted Sakaguchi.

He waved at Conan as if shooing away a stray dog, then turned to leave with Sakaguchi Masayoshi.

"Did you tamper with John's commands?"

Conan's voice rang out again, this time serious.

"For the past twenty days, you've been following the same routine every day."

"In the morning, you visited Uncle Sakaguchi at the detention center and absorbed his scent."

"In the afternoon, you came to Uncle Sakaguchi's house and trained John to eliminate commands."

"Because John was familiar with Uncle Sakaguchi's scent, he listened to you a lot. Training him wouldn't have been difficult. Even though it was only twenty days, you only needed to erase the last command. That way, the entire logical chain would collapse, the evidence wouldn't hold up, and Uncle Sakaguchi would escape the murder charge because of your defense."

Keisuke stopped.

"You talk as if you saw it with your own eyes, kid."

He turned around and walked back toward Conan, smiling.

"So, do you have any proof? Or are you secretly recording and filming other people's private matters here?"

"Don't worry, I don't have a recording device, and I have no proof."

Conan pulled his hands out of his pockets and turned them inside out.

"Even if I took pictures of the evidence, they wouldn't be of any use," Keisuke said with a grin.

"Because everything I did was legal. Once the dog was out of the prosecution's control, it was no longer strictly protected as evidence. That was the prosecution's biggest oversight.

I was simply visiting my friend's dog every day and messing around with it."

Conan remained silent for a moment.

"Indeed, the law can't punish you for what you did."

He looked straight into Keisuke Kumiko's eyes.

"But I just want to ask you one thing—you're walking on the edge of the law. Do you despise the law?"

Keisuke Kumiko looked at him, listening to his serious tone.

He smiled and suddenly said,

"Conan, I also have a question for you. That is—detectives like you… are you afraid of the law?"

Conan frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Some things can only be understood if you study them in depth,"

Keisuke Kumiko said.

"Before studying law, I thought the role of the law was to uphold justice, punish evil, promote good, and bring criminals to justice.

Well, that's the public perception!

But after actually studying law, I deeply understood what its real purpose is… Do you know what that is?"

Conan thought for a moment and said,

"It's justice. The law must uphold justice for everyone, including the rights and interests of criminals."

"You do have some brains, but that's only one aspect."

Keisuke snapped his fingers.

Pause.

"Before upholding justice, it has another, more important function—deterrence."

"The so-called enforcement of the law must be strict, and violations must be punished.

When someone refrains from committing a crime out of fear of criminal penalties, that is deterrence.

And that is the true purpose of the law."

"In every case your detective agency has solved, before their crimes were revealed, the criminals did everything they could—using elaborate schemes, covering up the scene, shifting suspicion, employing various means to avoid being caught."

"This is the deterrent effect of the law. Its purpose was actually achieved.

Even though criminals still killed people, they feared getting caught and going to prison.

They feared the law, so they acted cautiously, walking on thin ice."

"So, if we put you in the same position…"

"Let me ask you, Conan—are you afraid of the law?"

"..."

"..."

Conan fell silent.

Keisuke Kumiko continued,

"You detectives—unlike lawyers and ordinary people—aren't afraid of the law.

So, aren't you the ones who actually despise the law?"

"..."

"..."

Conan lowered his head and fell into deep thought.

The lenses of his glasses gleamed.

Yes, what Keisuke Kumiko had just said was almost like a question of self-reflection.

After a while, he suddenly raised his head.

"No matter how much you say, it won't change the fact that you tampered with evidence and helped the real criminal escape legal punishment."

"Oh, I told you it wasn't evidence tampering. Why don't you understand? I'm a proper lawyer! I've never done anything illegal or criminal!

Kid, you need evidence when making accusations!"

Keisuke Kumiko started laughing again, as if the serious words he had just spoken were said by someone else.

He turned and patted Sakaguchi Masayoshi on the shoulder.

"Alright, let's ignore this little detective.

Now, it's time for the adults.

Mr. Sakaguchi, after everything I've done for you, you have to treat me to a good meal!"

"..."

Sakaguchi Masayoshi opened his mouth but, in the end, said nothing.

He sighed, took one last look at Conan, and left the hallway with Kumiko.

Conan remained silent, watching Kumiko's departing figure.

He unconsciously clenched his fists.

No matter what, even if this person hadn't broken the law, he was skirting its edges—helping criminals defend their innocence and escape punishment.

And from the looks of it, he intended to continue doing so for the rest of his life.

Conan could never accept this.

Just wait. No matter what, I'll catch you committing a real crime and expose your true colors!

One day, I'll send you to prison!

(End of Chapter)