Winning is everything: Conan

Of course, there was no such thing as Haibara Ai having dinner with Sakaguchi Masayoshi.

Since Sakaguchi still had some matters to deal with, he couldn't go home immediately after being acquitted and had to return to the detention center temporarily.

There were officers from the Metropolitan Police Department in the hallway, ready to escort him back to complete some procedures.

So the two parted ways in the hallway.

However, as he left, Sakaguchi seemed troubled.

"Could this guy have been persuaded again by that young detective's words?"

Keisuke Kumiko muttered, then shrugged.

The case was closed, the lawsuit was won, the fee was paid, and the relationship between them ended there. What remained was just a trivial favor.

It had nothing to do with him whether Masayoshi Sakaguchi had a change of heart and turned himself in or if he was simply wandering around with no psychological burden.

It was far more practical to think about how to spend that million.

Humming a Mai Kuraki song in good spirits, Keisuke walked out of the hallway and into the court's waiting area.

A noisy commotion could be heard from afar.

Keisuke Kumiko saw that the center of the room was surrounded by many reporters. Whether they were journalists who had come to try their luck before the trial or those who had arrived after hearing the verdict, they had completely encircled the space.

—"Is it true that the Metropolitan Police Department arrested the suspect without conducting a thorough investigation?"

—"Officer Megure, please tell us your thoughts on this trial!"

—"Prosecutor Ryusu, I heard that you and your opponent, Attorney Keisuke, were law school classmates and that you lost to him in your first trial. What do you think about that?"

Inside the circle, people from the Metropolitan Police Department and the Prosecutor's Office were overwhelmed, struggling to keep the reporters at bay.

Seeing this, Keisuke Kumiko quickly hid behind a screen.

He only stepped out with a smug expression after most of the troublesome reporters had left.

However, before he could take a few steps, he was stopped by a chubby police officer wearing a jacket and a hat.

—"You, unscrupulous lawyer, stop right there!"

—"Well now, are you calling me, officer?"

Keisuke Kumiko raised an eyebrow, turned around, and looked at the chubby policeman.

Inspector Megure—he had been addressed by that name by one of the reporters earlier.

Megure Juzo was a long-time character in Detective Conan. Most murder cases in the series were handled by him, yet without the help of detectives, he could hardly solve any cases. He was a representative example of the incompetence of the Metropolitan Police Department.

—"Do you know that the person you defended today is the real murderer?"

Officer Megure spoke in a serious tone.

—"Oh boy, here we go again."

Keisuke scratched his ear with his hand.

The red team's values about killing, justice, and similar matters were all the same—stubborn, rigid, and unwilling to listen to anything else.

Judging from Conan's obstinate expression, Keisuke could already guess what he was thinking. It was nothing more than "Everything you said is wrong, and one day I'll catch you."

—"Officer, this has nothing to do with me, does it?" Kumiko said with a smile. "A lawyer's duty is to safeguard their client's interests and help them win the case, isn't that right?"

—"But there are some cases that lawyers shouldn't win!"

Inspector Megure shouted angrily.

—"The consequence of your actions is that a real murderer will walk free! The purpose of the law should be to reveal the truth to the public and ensure that criminals receive the punishment they deserve! You unscrupulous lawyers are simply mocking the judicial system!"

—"Officer, let's clarify a few things."

Keisuke sighed and looked at Ryusu Masami, who was standing beside him.

—"First of all, how do you know he's the real culprit? Just because the detective said so? Then what's the point of your police department, your prosecutors, and your courts?"

—"Secondly, even if he is a criminal, the reason he hasn't been punished by the law is because of the failures of law enforcement, the prosecution, and the courts—not because of us lawyers. Isn't that right?"

—"What did you just say?!"

Ryusu Masami was so furious that he raised his fist, ready to punch Keisuke Kumiko.

He had just lost a trial, and now this guy was humiliating him. Who could tolerate this?!

—"Enough!"

A cold voice came from the side.

It was Kujo Reiko, who firmly grabbed Ryusu Masami's hand.

—"Master Kujo!"

Ryusu Masami was so anxious that he was about to cry.

—"Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough?" Kujo Reiko glared at him. "Go back and learn how to prosecute others properly. Your performance today really disappointed me!"

—"...Yes."

Ryusu Masami gritted his teeth. Though unwilling, he could only swallow his anger for now.

He cast a resentful glance at Keisuke Kumiko, then turned and walked out of the courtroom.

—"Kumiko, you're right. This was indeed our fault."

Kujo Reiko's face was expressionless, her beautiful eyes gazing indifferently at him.

Setting aside Ryusu Masami issue, the biggest flaw in this case actually lay in the final piece of evidence.

Regardless of the reason, the prosecution should not have allowed the evidence—the German Shepherd—to end up outside of their control, giving the defense an opportunity to exploit a legal loophole.

The courtroom was like a battlefield—any small oversight could easily lead to a complete loss.

—"You've taught us a lesson, and we won't forget it."

Kujo Reiko looked deeply at Keisuke, then turned around and left the courtroom.

Now, only Keisuke and the members of the Metropolitan Police Department remained.

—"Excuse me, Officer Megure, may I leave now?"

Keisuke grinned at the chubby officer in front of him.

Megure Juzo was filled with indignation, but there was nothing he could do, so he had to step aside.

Without even glancing back, Keisuke Kumiko left the courtroom.

After this lawsuit, he definitely wouldn't be on good terms with the red team.

But that didn't matter.

Could the profession of a lawyer ever mix with that of detectives, police officers, prosecutors, and the like?

Impossible.

They were natural rivals.

---

In Beika City, inside an oval-shaped building.

—"Dr. Agasa, has the new recording device been invented yet?"

Conan sat on a chair, set down his backpack, and urged the fifty-year-old man in front of him.

The elderly man had graying hair and was mostly bald, with only a small ring of hair on both sides—his last shred of dignity as a middle-aged man.

—"Don't worry, Shinichi, I'm still in the research and development stage,"

Dr. Agasa said as he fiddled with a pile of equipment in front of him.

Conan nodded. "Alright, but try to finish it as soon as possible. The previous recording device you gave me, Doctor, had a terrible sound pickup. It couldn't record anything properly."

—"Kudo, you've been acting a little strange lately."

At that moment, a girl's voice with a hint of sarcasm came from the side.

The girl had short brown hair, ice-blue eyes, and a delicate face like that of a porcelain doll.

Ai Haibara, the girl living in the doctor's house.

Conan glanced at her and shook his head, saying, "This has nothing to do with you, Haibara."

—"But I'm very interested."

Haibara Ai smirked slightly.

—"It's rare to see you so anxious... Care to tell me, great detective? I really want to know what kind of problem has got someone as brilliant as you so worked up."

(End of Chapter)