Detective Conan: Death Note

When summer comes, the most unavoidable thing is a beach vacation. The most famous island this summer is Koumi Island. Two weeks ago, an und

When summer comes, the most unavoidable thing is a beach vacation.

The most famous island this summer is Koumi Island. Two weeks ago, an underwater palace was discovered in the waters surrounding the island. Diving enthusiasts even uncovered a set of valuable silver tableware from the site.

Koumi Island quickly became a hot topic, attracting tourists and treasure hunters alike.

"Three adults, two students, and five children."

"Okay, please wait a moment."

Kogoro Mouri, who had rarely changed out of his suit, had opted for a summer outfit and was checking in at the lobby of Koumi Island.

The three adults he mentioned included himself, Hayashi Yoshiki, and Dr. Agasa. Along with Sonoko and Ran, plus the five members of the Junior Detective League, the group made for quite the entourage.

"I really owe Uncle Mouri this time," said Hayashi Yoshiki with a smile, waiting behind the group.

He too had changed clothes. A loose, white, short-sleeved T-shirt paired with black cropped trousers—simple yet refreshing. Compared to his usual mature look, he now resembled a college student.

The kids started to get restless again.

Ran gave Yoshiki a wry smile. "Rather than relying on my father, it's actually all thanks to Conan."

Recently, Nichima News had been publishing a weekly puzzle to boost sales. The puzzle was incredibly challenging—if no one solved it, the prize money would roll over to the following week. By the time Kogoro Mouri submitted the winning answer, the reward had accumulated to 300,000 yen. But in truth, it had been Conan who cracked the code.

"But I didn't expect Uncle Mouri to take everyone on a beach vacation. It just so happens I wanted to go to the beach myself," said Ran.

"By the way, didn't you notice the puzzle in the newspaper, Brother Yoshiki?"

"I did," Yoshiki replied with a soft smile to Conan. "But I'm not too interested in 300,000 yen."

"That's 300,000 yen...!" Kojima Genta muttered in awe.

"That's just pocket change to Brother Yoshiki," Ayumi quickly added.

"I heard best-selling novelists make ridiculous amounts of money," Mitsuhiko chimed in. When asked by Genta how much eel rice they could buy, he answered, "Even if I ate three eel rice meals a day, I could keep it up for several lifetimes."

"Just the bank interest alone would pay for endless eel rice," said Haibara Ai.

Genta swallowed, eyes full of desire for eel rice.

"Then I'll become a novelist when I grow up!"

"No, that's not going to happen."

"Let's not forget about your grades, Genta."

"What did you say!?"

Meanwhile, at the front desk, Mouri Kogoro's expression darkened upon hearing that his reservation couldn't be found. He distinctly remembered making one. With Koumi Island in peak season, finding a spare room would be nearly impossible. Were they really going to have to sleep outdoors?

Luckily, help arrived just in time.

"I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Mouri. I'm Iwanaga Shiro, from the Tourism Department. Due to the sudden surge in tourists, all hotels are full… But don't worry! I went to great lengths to book a hotel just for you. After all, we can't let the famous Mr. Mouri Kogoro sleep outside!"

Wearing black-framed glasses and an honest smile, Iwanaga Shiro's words hit the mark. Mouri's sour expression softened immediately.

Then Shiro's eyes caught someone else.

"Oh! Are you the super famous one?!"

"Hello, I'm Hayashi Yoshiki," Yoshiki said, offering a handshake.

"Mr. Hayashi!" Shiro beamed. "I actually sent an invitation letter to your firm on behalf of the official Koumi Island—but I never received a reply. I thought you weren't interested."

"Ah, was it a physical letter? My assistant is currently on leave. Without him, I've been overwhelmed by the pile of mail… I haven't had the chance to see or respond to everything," Yoshiki explained with a slightly embarrassed smile.

"I see," said Shiro, nodding with understanding.

Ran smiled teasingly. "So Mr. Amuro is on leave?"

"Yeah… Without his help, I get a headache just looking at the mailbox. I ran off on this trip without thinking it through. Hopefully, he won't scold me when I get back."

Ran laughed. Yoshiki's mix of maturity and vulnerability made him oddly endearing.

"You know, if things get overwhelming, you can always ask us to help," she said.

"That's right! I've always been curious about what Yoshiki's office looks like," Sonoko added.

"Then I won't hold back when we return," Yoshiki said with a grin.

Ran and Sonoko both looked pleased.

Meanwhile, Haibara Ai quietly observed them. Yoshiki noticed her gaze.

"Hmm?" he asked, but Ai turned her head away without responding.

Later, Iwanaga Shiro took the group out of the hotel and into his car to head to the inn.

"There are a lot of treasure hunters on the island right now. Some of them seem... difficult to deal with. But with Mr. Mouri and Mr. Hayashi here, we're not too worried," said Shiro, chuckling.

"If so many treasure hunters are here, the treasure must be real, right?" asked Ran.

"Yes. That underwater palace doesn't look fake at all," Shiro confirmed. As head of local tourism, he seemed excited about the island's growing appeal.

They were driving around a coastal roundabout. Outside, the sea sparkled under the sun. In the distance, a small island stood out.

"Look, that's Koumi Island. About 200 meters east of it, a structure made of giant stones lies submerged. Scholars came to investigate ten years ago, but couldn't agree whether it was a man-made palace or a natural phenomenon. That changed two weeks ago, when someone discovered something very valuable there."

Hayashi Yoshiki silently recalled the two robbers he and Amuro Toru had apprehended a few nights ago. Just before losing consciousness, the criminals had muttered the name Koumi Island...