Case NOT Closed - Chapter 48: Civil Commission

Kensuke raised an eyebrow, looking at the girl in front of him.

It seemed she had come prepared.

“After the conclusion of this case, I investigated the relevant witnesses, such as the shops where the perpetrator bought props on DVDs and books,” Natsuki Koshimizu said, looking into Kensuke’s eyes.

“As I continuously questioned them, their memories seemed a bit fuzzy. For example, they might not actually remember whether the perpetrator bought related props in their shops, but they feel like they might have seen the perpetrator buying something,” she continued.

“So?” Kensuke chuckled. “What are you trying to say?”

“No, no, no, you misunderstand. I didn’t mean that. After all, I don’t have any evidence, and the law is based on evidence,” Natsuki Koshimizu shook her head.

She stared at Kensuke intently, remaining silent for a moment.

Then, she suddenly stood up, took a step back, and bowed deeply to Kensuke.

“Komemon-san, I need your help because the case I’m entrusting you with is very special. The law… cannot punish them,” she said.

“I see,” Kensuke rested his chin on his hand, becoming increasingly interested in the girl’s story.

This was intriguing.

In Kensuke’s worldview, detectives were supposed to pursue justice in the name of the law and find the truth to bring criminals to justice.

But this detective girl in front of him seemed to lack this concept of justice and instead wanted him to do something straightforward.

“Go on, tell me about the commission,” he said.

“Alright,” Natsuki Koshimizu nodded, sitting back down on the sofa and began recounting.

“A year ago, I had a friend who worked as a maid in a villa. The distinctive feature of that villa was the lavender growing all over it…”

As the girl spoke, Kensuke began to understand.

It turned out to be an incident from an anime. (Referencing the anime “Three Days with Heiji Hattori”.)

Kensuke remembered this case more clearly than others because it was a famous wrongful case in Conan.

This girl, Natsuki Koshimizu, had a friend named Kana Mizuguchi who worked in the villa.

The daughter of the villa’s owner committed suicide a year ago. The police were about to close the case when a high school detective suddenly appeared out of nowhere and claimed it was a murder case.

Her friend Kana Mizuguchi was suspected and subjected to various police interrogations.

Those familiar with the police in Kansai, Japan, knew what was going on.

In the end, Kana Mizuguchi couldn’t bear the pressure and jumped off a cliff.

After listening, Kensuke nodded. “So, you want me to help you sue that high school detective who spoke nonsense? Because your friend committed suicide, and the law couldn’t punish the real culprit.”

“Yes, and also the villa’s butler at the time, Renzo Koya!”

Natsuki Koshimizu said resentfully, “Renzo Koya knew that his mistress committed suicide and knew the real reason, which was an overdose of illegal drugs. But he kept saying that he wanted to protect her reputation, so he colluded with that detective and didn’t tell the police the truth! He’s also the main culprit in my friend’s death!”

Natsuki Koshimizu was visibly agitated, tightly gripping the glass teacup in her hand, causing the water inside to sway, and her fingers almost turned white from the pressure.

“Well, I understand what you mean,” Kensuke nodded.

Then, he stood up.

“Haibara, escort the guest out,” he said.

Natsuki Koshimizu blinked in surprise. “You— You’re not accepting my commission? Oh—! I see—”

She suddenly seemed to realize something.

Then, she placed her bag down and unzipped it.

Inside were stacks of ten thousand yen bills.

“Here’s five million as a deposit. After the job is done, there will be another five million as a reward, totaling ten million!” Natsuki Koshimizu said earnestly.

But Kensuke, who was usually materialistic, didn’t even glance at the money.

“Take it, it’s not about the money,” he said.

“Oh, did you suddenly change your mind?” Haibara, on the side, couldn’t help but comment.

“Why?” Natsuki Koshimizu looked puzzled. “According to my investigation, you should be a very materialistic person because you’ve charged quite high fees for the three commissions you’ve taken, all of which are recorded at the National Tax Agency.”

“Tsk, this is why I hate detectives,” Kensuke sighed. “They are so eager to dig up people’s dirty laundry, leaving no privacy.”

“Coming from you, that’s rich,” Haibara retorted from the side.

Kensuke rolled his eyes. “Enough, go play somewhere, kid.”

After a pause, he scrutinized Natsuki Koshimizu up and down for a moment.

Immediately, he chuckled.

“What identity do you plan to use to sue them? The long-lost sister of Kana Mizuguchi? Or her cross-dressing brother? Or maybe a transgender member of the family?” he teased.

“You— You got it wrong, I’m a girl!” Natsuki Koshimizu’s face flushed, and she stood up abruptly.

Kensuke’s tongue was indeed sharp; after all, her appearance often led people to mistake her for a boy.

“That’s not the point. I mean, what identity of Kana Mizuguchi do you plan to use for the lawsuit?” he clarified.

“I— I— Can’t I sue them?” she stuttered.

“Of course not, because you’re not her immediate family member,” Kensuke sighed, raising a finger and shaking it gently. “Miss Detective, could you please educate yourself about the law before coming here to commission me? In civil litigation, only the direct relatives of the parties involved can directly file a lawsuit. Anyone else, unless authorized by the party, won’t be accepted by the court! Are you so focused on digging up people’s privacy that you forget such a simple thing? Your friend is already dead; it’s a miscarriage of justice that can’t be rectified. Understand?”

Kensuke’s blunt words almost seemed sarcastic, leaving Natsuki Koshimizu pale and devoid of confidence.

“Yes, is that so…” she muttered, collapsing back into her seat, looking lost.

After a while, she struggled to lift her head and forced a grim smile.

“I’m sorry for bothering you.”

Natsuki Koshimizu picked up her bag and clumsily made her way to the door.

“Wait.”

At that moment, Kensuke’s voice came from behind her.

Natsuki Koshimizu turned her head silently.

“Koshimizu-san, although I can’t assist you with civil litigation, if in the future you find yourself in an irreversible situation— then, the doors of Komemon Law Firm will still be open to you.”

Natsuki Koshimizu looked deeply into Kensuke’s eyes.

“I understand. I will remember that.”

With a bow, she left the law firm’s premises.