Chapter 39: You call yourself an Onmyoji?

"What kind of punishment do you hope your son receives after death?"

The deep voice echoed in the basement.

"No, don't, I don't want my son to suffer, please, Lord Death, let my son go."

"We will turn ourselves in, we will go turn ourselves in right now."

"Please, don't torture my son after he dies."

The old woman completely collapsed.

Akaso Kaze stepped over the old woman crawling on the ground and went to meet the children.

Little Ayumi threw herself into his arms.

"Akaso-niisan, thank you for saving me."

【Ding, Ayumi has developed a favorable impression of you. Current favorability: 3 stars.】

A phone call, and the matter was quickly resolved.

The police came and took the criminal away.

The case from five years ago was solved, and the Young Detective Group made the newspaper.

Akaso Kaze was, of course, in it too.

This was a great opportunity to advertise his identity as an Onmyoji, and he certainly wouldn't miss it.

"Akaso-niisan, why did that old woman keep screaming about hell, ghosts, and the god of death when she was arrested?"

Conan furrowed his little brow, looking puzzled.

The curse had worn off, and the kid was no longer unlucky.

But the bruises and swelling on his face hadn't faded yet.

"I'm an Onmyoji, I manage seven or eight ghosts under me; isn't it easy to scare her?"

This is the world of Conan Science; where would there be ghosts?

Conan curled his lip disdainfully.

That line might work on the other kids, but it was absolutely impossible to fool me.

"I get it now," Conan said with a smile that showed he understood everything.

"I heard many Onmyoji know a bit of hypnosis; they can make clients see illusions to charge more money."

"Does Akaso-niisan know hypnosis too?"

Hypnosis?

Ghost hypnosis, yeah.

Looking at the smug Conan, Akaso Kaze really wanted to show him a ghost.

But even if he showed him, he would just call it hypnosis.

Need to think of another method.

"Akaso-niisan, where are we going to explore next time?"

Ayumi asked excitedly.

Looking at Genta and Mitsuhiko, who were also full of excitement, Akaso Kaze revealed a mischievous smile.

"Have you heard? There's a gloomy house in 2-chome where a boy once lived alone."

"Suddenly one day, he disappeared inexplicably."

"Since then, that house always makes eerie sounds, and ghost fires often appear."

As Akaso Kaze described it, the eyes of the young detectives grew brighter and brighter.

"After school, let's go explore the haunted house together."

"2-chome is very close, we can just walk there."

"2-chome?"

Conan furrowed his brow.

My house is in that area, how come I haven't heard of it?

"Akaso-niisan, whose house is that?" he asked curiously.

"Whose house? I don't actually know."

Akaso Kaze suppressed a laugh, "But there's a sign hanging outside the house that says 'Kudo'."

"Ku, Kudo?"

Conan was dumbfounded.

A boy living alone...

Disappeared inexplicably...

Kudo...

Isn't that my house?

Akaso Kaze didn't plan to participate in the Young Detective Group's subsequent actions.

He was very busy now.

Because he was in the newspaper, his fame as an Onmyoji spread rapidly.

Some people even came to his door specifically to request his services.

"Respected Lord Onmyoji, hello, I am Suzuki Kenji, the butler of the Hatamoto family."

"There is an urgent commission, please, you must come with me."

The person speaking was an old man who looked very dignified, bowing slightly.

"Here is the advance payment for the commission, sorry for the trouble."

Taking the check, Akaso Kaze raised an eyebrow.

Just showing up earns ten million yen; this money is really easy to make.

"Let's go."

Akaso Kaze stood up.

"Are you... not going to make some preparations?"

Suzuki Kenji looked at him hesitantly.

"Prepare what?"

Akaso Kaze was a bit curious.

Suzuki Kenji looked at him for a moment, said nothing more, and bowed to lead the way.

They got into a luxury car and arrived at the pier.

They boarded a luxury ship docked there.

Only then did Akaso Kaze understand why the old butler had asked that question.

There were already three Onmyoji on the ship, all wearing ancient clothing, holding fans, bells, divination plates, and other ritual tools, and some were holding a stack of talismans, muttering incantations.

This was an Onmyoji brawl.

Compared to them, Akaso Kaze was wearing ordinary modern clothes and holding nothing, looking nothing like an Onmyoji.

"Hmph, not wearing hunting robes, not carrying ritual tools, not carrying talismans—you call yourself an Onmyoji?"

"The incident that happened here is not something a young person like you can handle. Retreat quickly."

"If you don't want to leave, just stay on the side and watch honestly; the profound secret arts of an Onmyoji aren't something you can see just anytime."