"You went too far."
"I didn't want to," Takahashi sobbed. "But that woman—she didn't knock. She just pushed the door open. She saw me without my disguise."
"I was scared. I was afraid I'd be exposed before I even acted. And I was even more afraid that afterward, she'd remember and report me…"
"You still went too far."
Shimizu Koji shook his head, unsure how to describe the man before him—completely broken down, crying uncontrollably.
From Takahashi's perspective, if everything had truly been for the sake of committing murder and escaping punishment, then perhaps his actions could be considered logical.
But still—
You were far too extreme.
A single strike.
Fast as lightning, almost soundless.
Takahashi Ryoichi felt a sharp pain at his neck before his vision went black, his body collapsing to the ground.
Koji hadn't killed him. There was no reason to, and he had no intention of dirtying his own hands—nor of dragging Takahashi back to the villa.
Once Takahashi lay unconscious on the ground, Koji stood there for a moment before silently turning toward the pitch-black forest.
"To whoever's in the tree," he said calmly, "I'll leave things to you."
Without waiting for a response, Koji picked up his bamboo sword and walked back toward the villa's front entrance.
Back inside, Sonoko and Xiaolan casually asked him what had happened. Koji brushed it off with a few vague answers and passed it off easily.
Soon after, however, a certain elementary schooler blocked his path.
"Shimizu-brother, did you find anything?" Conan asked.
"No. I waited outside for a while. I think it probably wasn't anyone from the villa."
"I see," Conan said, frowning slightly before letting out a small sigh of relief. He stepped aside and didn't stop Koji from heading upstairs.
Koji had already figured out Conan's personality fairly well. Combined with his own ability to keep a straight face, Conan sensed nothing out of the ordinary.
Downstairs, Ayako's classmates sat together with Sonoko and Xiaolan, nervously speculating about the identity of the bandaged figure. Koji hadn't explained anything in detail—only that he'd found nothing.
On the second floor, Koji returned the bamboo sword to his room, then stepped back out into the hallway.
He walked all the way to the room at the end of the corridor. After a brief pause, he decided it was time to talk to Suzuki Ayako.
Knock, knock.
"Oh? Shimizu-kun," Ayako said when she opened the door. "It's quite late—what brings you here?"
"Miss Ayako, may I come in for a moment?"
Koji offered what he considered a fairly gentle smile.
Ayako stood at the door, eyes narrowed as if thinking something over. After only a brief pause, she chuckled softly and stepped aside.
Once Koji entered, she naturally closed the door behind him.
She had changed into orange-red pajamas—conservative enough that she could have gone outside in them without issue.
There was no chair in the room, but that hardly posed a problem. Koji sat down on the edge of her bed without hesitation.
Ayako was momentarily surprised, but only smiled and said nothing, instead taking a seat on the stool by her vanity.
She had been sitting there before.
"What made you want to come see me, Shimizu-kun?" she asked, picking up the nail polish she hadn't finished applying.
"Haven't you received the news yet?" Koji asked calmly.
Ayako paused mid-motion. After a moment, seeing that Koji wasn't going to elaborate, she let out a quiet sigh.
"They're only responsible for protecting Sonoko's and my lives. If you hadn't pointed out their presence earlier, I might not have known about what happened at all."
Koji narrowed his eyes—then immediately relaxed them again. He felt he was being influenced; squinting like that wasn't a good habit.
"Then during dinner, you brought up that deceased member on purpose, didn't you?"
"Hm? You mean Atsuko?" Ayako looked up, clearly surprised.
At that point, she gained a new appreciation for Koji's sharp mind and powers of observation.
"And if I say I did?" she asked lightly.
"Then that tells me enough," Koji replied.
He stood up and headed straight for the door, leaving Ayako momentarily stunned.
That definitely wasn't how this was supposed to go.
"W-wait—don't you have—"
"Setting aside what I originally came to say," Koji interrupted calmly, "this was just to satisfy my curiosity."
He had assumed the hidden bodyguards would report what happened in the forest—or that Ayako would already know about the bandaged attacker.
But since she said she had only just learned of it, there was nothing more to discuss.
His purpose had been simple.
"I see…" Ayako smiled faintly. "Then, Shimizu-kun, you truly are a very interesting person.
But since you're already here, won't you stay a little longer? There are some things I suddenly feel like saying. After tonight, I may never have another chance."
Koji stopped in the middle of the room, watching as Ayako rose from her stool and offered it to him.
"…Why tell me?" he asked casually.
"Hehe," Ayako laughed softly, covering her mouth. "The fact that you ask that tells me I made the right choice. Please, sit."
Koji sat down. Ayako took a seat on the bed, turning her hands as she admired her freshly painted nails.
"Sonoko mentioned it at dinner," she began. "I'm currently looking for someone to marry."
"Though 'looking' isn't quite right. It's more like choosing the least objectionable option from a limited list—what people call a 'political marriage.'"
Koji watched her carefully. Her expression didn't change; she continued smiling gently, as though discussing someone else's life.
"This is the fate of children born into major conglomerate families. I accepted it long ago.
Even someone like me will soon become a sacrifice to such an arrangement. Yet Chikako never seemed able to see herself clearly—she believed she stood above fate.
But the power she claimed to use to defy fate was built on other people's effort… and their lives."
"Atsuko was our dear friend," Ayako continued. "Chikako stole her work using something called 'trust.'
The betrayal was so severe that Atsuko never even came to us for help. She chose to end her life instead."
"Atsuko could have asked you for help," Koji said quietly. "And Miss Ayako—you could have said 'no' as well."
"Well," Ayako replied with a small smile, "you're not wrong. With the Suzuki family's position, I do have the power to refuse.
But if I indulge my own willfulness, that burden would fall on Sonoko instead. That much is unavoidable—we only have two daughters in this generation."
"I did bring it up deliberately at dinner," she admitted. "I only wanted to remind Chikako. I never expected Takahashi to have planned her murder so early—or to act so brutally. Still… considering his relationship with Atsuko, I suppose I can understand it."
Even as she finished speaking, Ayako's eyes remained gently narrowed, her smile unchanged.
Koji understood then—while she may have been surprised by the outcome, Chikako's life itself had never truly weighed heavily on her heart.
And perhaps that was exactly how a daughter of a powerful family was meant to be—elegant, intelligent, hiding her true feelings behind the soft grace of a traditional lady.
If Ayako had been more like Sonoko, the Suzuki family might have been devoured long ago.
As Koji thought of Sonoko, Ayako smoothly changed the subject.
"Shimizu-kun, I know you don't feel that kind of 'romantic interest' toward Sonoko. But now… I'm not sure I can let her like you anymore."
"Fortunately, her feelings come quickly and fade just as fast. Since you attend the same school, I'd like to ask you something as her sister—if Sonoko falls for someone again, please help the Suzuki family. Help me… look over that person for her."
Koji fell silent.
After a moment, he asked, "Why?"
"You're mentally mature, Koji-kun," Ayako said with a smile, sidestepping the question. "I believe you're more than capable."
To Koji, Ayako's behavior was undeniably strange. And judging by her confidence, this wasn't simply trust in his character.
Her final words felt intentional—perhaps idle talk, or perhaps a subtle tease. Maybe she wanted him to taste what "fate" meant as well.
He had no doubt Ayako already knew about his "sister" from Sonoko—but choosing not to mention it made things far more interesting.
"I'm also very good at judging people," Ayako added lightly. "Just like how I recognized my fiancé at first glance. He may have the flaws of a spoiled rich boy, but his personality suits me best."
She toyed with the smooth white pearls around her neck, her tone growing lighter.
As she said, these thoughts had been buried deep inside her for far too long.
Only someone like Shimizu Koji—cold-faced, guarded, morally unconventional, and clearly capable of keeping secrets—combined with the events of tonight, had given her the chance to finally speak them aloud.
Watching her fingers trace the necklace, Koji suddenly understood something.
Someone suitable…
Perhaps this young lady wasn't as obedient to fate as she claimed.
Koji took one last long look at the smiling, sharp-eyed "dangerous woman" before standing to take his leave.