As 6-year-old Mouri Ran and Suzuki Sonoko slowly regained consciousness, their surroundings were hazy at first. Gradually, their vision cleared, and they became aware of their situation. They found themselves tied to chairs in what appeared to be a dimly lit room. The air was heavy with tension, and the room felt stifling.

Ran's head throbbed as her memory began to piece together the events leading up to this moment. She remembered searching Shinichi's hotel room, the taser baton, and then darkness. Confusion and fear swept over her as she realized they were now restrained and at the mercy of whoever had captured them.

Sonoko's groggy mind struggled to catch up with reality. She blinked her eyes, trying to focus on her surroundings. Her heart raced as she took in the unfamiliar room and the fact that she was tied up. Panic surged through her as she glanced around, her eyes finally falling on Ran, who was similarly bound.

"R-Ran! What's going on? Where are we?" Sonoko's voice trembled with fear and confusion.

Ran turned her head to meet Sonoko's gaze, her own expression a mixture of worry and determination. "I don't know, Sonoko. But we need to stay calm and figure out a way to get out of here."

As their senses fully returned, they noticed a figure emerging from the shadows. It was a young girl, around their age, with striking blue eyes and an air of authority. She approached them with a calm and composed demeanour, her gaze steady and unflinching.

"Who are you? Why have you tied us up?" Sonoko's voice quivered, her fear evident in her words.

The young girl stopped in front of them, her gaze piercing as she studied them while speaking in Japanese in a weird accent. "You are both here because of the actions you took against my friend, Kudo Ranran."

"Eh!? Who is that speaking Japanese!? Why is she speaking so funnily!?" Sonoko can't help but ask no one.

Ran's eyes widened in recognition at the name. "Ranran? You know Ranran?"

The little girl in a tied-up elegant ponytail's expression remained impassive as she nodded. "Yes, I do. And I know the pain and suffering she's endured because of the two of you."

"Wait, why did you look familiar.....?" Sonoko gave a good look at the girl that stood before them, then her memories flashed in her head.

"Remember to honour your word as said on the contract. Don't forget, every single child you saw Ranran with the other day...their parents had business with your father. Any stupid moves...tell your family to kiss your financial status goodbye. As well as Mouri Ran....she too will pay the price should she know."

"It's you!" Sonoko suddenly remembered, attempting to attack the girl. However, her efforts were in vain, as her restraints prevented any meaningful movement.

The girl calmly sidestepped Sonoko's attempt, her eyes never leaving their captives. "I suggest you save your energy. It appears that for you, with age, wisdom doesn't come with it for you."

Ran's mind raced as she tried to piece together the puzzle. "Who are you, kids!?"

It wasn't until she spotted the uniform the other girl was wearing, Ran's heart raced as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. During the events of 'The King of Rubies', when Ranran showed her photos of her extravagant birthday when she was around 3 on her smartphone, she was photographed in that uniform. This can only mean one thing for Mouri Ran.

"That uniform...Edgewood Academy school uniform, right?! That means...you are all Ranran's second family from her former school!? Am I wrong?!"

The young girl's expression remained inscrutable, neither confirming nor denying Ran's deduction. Instead, she maintained her calm composure, seemingly unperturbed by the situation.

"What do you want from us?" Ran asked, her voice a mix of concern and urgency. "If it is Ranran-did she orders all of you to do this?!"

"Order? Who do you think we are? Simple-minded minions?" The girl's tone carried a note of scepticism. "No, Ranran didn't 'order' us to do this. We are acting out of our own volition, driven by a shared understanding and a determination to protect her," the girl replied, her voice firm and unwavering.

Ran's brows furrowed as she tried to comprehend the situation. "Protect her? Why did you say we caused her pain? She is the one who is causing us pain! That she-demon-Ah!"

The long brown-haired girl had her face struck hard by a black glove, which Tiffany was wearing earlier before she hastily removed it to do so. The impact of the blow stunned Ran into silence, her cheek stinging from the unexpected hit. She looked back at Tiffany with a mixture of shock and anger, her eyes narrowing.

"Ran!" Sonoko's eyes widened as she watched the interaction between Ran and Tiffany, then growls at the girl angrily, "You coward! I am going to kill you!"

To the heiress's shock, even she too was struck with a glove. If only Sonoko wasn't restrained by the chair, she would have lunged at Tiffany. The impact of the blow left her momentarily disoriented, her vision swimming as the sting of the hit radiated across her cheek.

"You both brought this upon yourselves," Tiffany's voice remained composed, though her eyes held a cold edge. "After what you did to Shinichi, especially with all of the manipulating you did to him which lead him to end up harassing Ranran, who are you to say you both are innocent?"

"We were not manipulating anyone!" Ran retorted, her voice fiery despite the pain in her cheek. "She was the one manipulating him against us!"

"Really?" Tiffany taunted them, "By trying to manipulate Shinichi's emotions, guilt-tripping him, and pushing him to quit his dream as a Tantei to marry him years later? Is that your definition of help?"

Ran's eyes widened as the realization hit her. "Did Ranran tell you all of this!?"

"We know a lot more than you might think, even if she had kept her red lip shut. After all, nothing escapes us," the girl replied cryptically. "But let's get one thing straight: Until you all felt remorseful about it, neither of you is leaving this building, whether you both like it or not."

"You pricks...!" Sonoko's voice trembled with a mixture of anger and defiance. "Do you know who my father is!?"

"Oh, I am sorry? Did you forget who your father relied on to get to where your fortune from?" Tiffany taunted before her, and the 6-year-old girl grew pale when she remembers, "That is right, us."

Tiffany's words hung in the air, the weight of their past actions and connections settling heavily on the room. The atmosphere was charged with tension, anger, and a sense of reckoning.

Getting ambushed by Ranran's friends, Reina and Takuma was one thing, but to be put in this situation sent a surge of anger and determination coursing through Ran's veins. She refused to let them get away with this.

"You won't stop us. We'll expose the truth about Ranran as 'The Fox', no matter what you do."

"Go ahead, do it," Tiffany's expression hardened, and she took a step closer. "Cause I got plenty more where that came from, Ellis! Bring your machine over!"

Ran's eyes widened at the mention of a machine. Her heart raced as she wondered what Tiffany was referring to. The situation had escalated far beyond what she had expected, and she felt a growing sense of unease. Soon, a boy who is at the age of 10 arrives with the machine, hearing the electric noises generated from it, the machine was covered with a cloth. Happily, he gleefully tells Tiffany, "I have been dying to use this on them after hearing what these two did to Ranran, especially after watching 'that anime' Ranran sent to me the other day, that torture scene was epic. Ready to strap it?"

"Be my guest, Ellis." Tiffany grins.

Ran and Sonoko exchanged alarmed glances as the boy named Ellis began to uncover the machine. Fear gnawed at their hearts as they tried to decipher what kind of device could evoke such satisfaction and confidence in Tiffany and her group.

With a swift motion, Ellis unveiled the machine, revealing a contraption that seemed both intricate and ominous. It had an array of buttons, dials, and wires, along with various attachments that they couldn't immediately identify. The sight of it sent shivers down their spines, and a cold sweat broke out on Ran's forehead.

"Wh-What is that thing?" Sonoko's voice trembled, her eyes fixed on the machine.

Tiffany's grin widened, her eyes gleaming with a mix of anticipation and malice. "This, my dear, is a truth-extraction device."

Ran's heart pounded as her mind raced to comprehend the implications. "A truth-extraction device? You can't be serious."

"Oh, but I am." Tiffany's tone was chillingly casual. "You see, we've had enough of listening to both of your b*llsh*t after investigating the both of you and learning what you have done to Ranran. Considering you both had a history of not speaking out the truth when the situation is dire at times, it only seems fair that we....shall we say: Get you to talk?"

Ran's mind raced, and a surge of anger mixed with fear coursed through her. She couldn't believe the situation had escalated to this point. "You can't just force the truth out of us like this! It's wrong!"

"Really?" Tiffany's expression remained unyielding. "Then was it any different when you decided to force Ranran to a corner by digging around to pry Shinichi away from her? Even though he voiced out that he wanted nothing to do with you or this brute here?"

"That is because we are his friends and he needs to know he is making a mistake with her!" Ran clenched her teeth, struggling against her restraints in a futile attempt to free herself. "You won't get it, just because you are Ranran's friends."

"Friends?" Tiffany's voice grew colder. "That is a entire different thing. If she is in the wrong beyond return, the first thing I would do is to put her in the same seat where you both are seating it right now."

Sonoko's eyes darted between Tiffany, the machine, and Ran. She could feel her heart racing, the fear and uncertainty overwhelming her. "You are joking, right?! She is your friend!"

"It is because she and I are friends, that we both mutually decided we will go there if we have to. After all," Tiffany shrugs casually as she goes, "That was how she managed to straighten me out later on."

"You are both sick! What sort of idiot would agree to torture one another and remain friends!" Mouri Ran grew furious.

"Only those who understand the true pains of reality while they remain glued to one another...that is her and my way of caring for each other," Tiffany's gaze was unwavering, and her smile took on a sinister edge, "Unlike how the both of you did towards Shinichi."

Sonoko's voice trembled with desperation. "I used to wonder back then....when I heard about what Ranran did to Shinichi last year....I decided that she must be a true psychopath to be able to trick others into liking her true nature. But who knew....who knew even her own hometown friends are psychopaths as well!! AH~!"

"Sonoko!"

Again, the pony tail little girl slap at her coldly with her gloves with a calm expression. "I heard from Ranran that you have a big mouth that brought nothing but trouble to others. Clearly, she hit right on the mark."

Sonoko's face reddened with the sting of Tiffany's slap, her eyes welling up with a mix of pain and frustration. She glared at Tiffany, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and desperation. "You monster!"

"The real monster is the one who barely admits they are one," Tiffany's eyes were cold and unfeeling as she wiped her gloved hand on her side and she took a step closer. "And I am going to make sure for my friend's sake, that she will be getting the justice delivered on a diamond platter. Ellis, you know what to do, right?"

As Ellis prepared to activate the machine, Ran's mind raced for a solution. She needed a way to defuse the situation, to buy them some time, to prevent this truth-extraction device from being used on them. She knew that once they started, the consequences would be irreversible.

Soon, one child after another dressed in Edgewood Academy uniform showed up, and the two girls could tell they were either noble or royalty, judging the way they walk and carried themselves. Ran and Sonoko felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of children gathering around them, all wearing the same determined expressions and revealing that they were part of a united front against them.

"So these two idiots are the ones who messed with Ranran, huh?" Samantha mused in Japanese as she mocked, "Such a shame, how is it such low lives could end up in the same class as Ranran? Not to mention, the smartest class in the entire school?"

"Right?" Tiffany scoffed, "You would've assumed that the schools in Japan would've known better. Clearly, they can't tell the difference between a parrot, a buzzing mosquito and a diamond."

"L-l-low lives!? Parrot!? Hey! Who are you calling me a parrot!?" Sonoko yelled in anger.

"And how the hell I resemble a mosquito!?" Mouri Ran was flabbergasted by Tiffany's choice of words.

"You guys are being too generous at your choice of words, no? A mosquito can even enter any privilege places where one likes it or not. If anything, they reminded me of those scamping street rats at No.10 Downing Street outside I was so accustomed to seeing," Nicolas commented, pointing at the two girls while facing his fiance, Samantha, "I mean just look at the way they behave, they behaved way worst than any ill-mannered peasant I have ever come across."

The remarks from the surrounding children fueled Ran and Sonoko's anger. 

"Enough of your high and mighty act!" Ran retorted, her voice laced with defiance. "You all think you can just judge us just because you call us pests? You're nothing more than a bunch of spoiled brats who've probably never faced real challenges in your lives!"

The gathered children exchanged surprised glances at Ran's outburst. They were accustomed to false accusations, but the way they say it was so pathetic that it would've been the joke of the century. Veronica who was also there was stunned before muttering in anger, "So.....this is the infamous accusation Ranran had to deal with for the past 2 months, huh?"

"How funny," Isabelle, Walter's adopted sister muses before they nonchalantly tell Ellis, "Kick up the dial on the machine, I want everyone in this room to inhale the burning smell of flesh rotting in them."

"Good idea," The rest of the Edgewood kids nodded to her suggestion, including Tiffany.

The captives' hearts raced as they listened to the chilling conversation around them. The atmosphere had turned even darker, the threat of the truth-extraction device looming over them like a shadow. The room was filled with palpable tension, and the realization that their captors were dead serious about using the device sent a wave of fear and desperation through the two girls.

Before this incident, they used to think Ranran's cunning ways were the worst thing to ever deal with in life. But considering the situation now, it was pretty evident that Ranran's second family are way worst twisted children compared to her now they look back.

With the situation growing increasingly dire, Ran decided to scare them by shouting, "You will all go to jail, you hear me?! Kidnapping, assaulting us, and even about to taser us all!? Don't you have any conscience?"

"Well look who is talking," Dominic chuckled at the girl's petty words, "So it's fine for you to simply oust Ranran's identity as The Fox, at the risk of having a 6-year-old girl be brutally murdered by them, but it's not ok for us to torture the two of you who are planning to murder her?"

That shut Ran up.

"Good one, Dominic," Teddy clapped, and so did the rest of the Edgewood Academy children's mocking applause echoed through the room, adding another layer of humiliation and desperation to Ran and Sonoko's already dire situation. The realization that they had fallen into the grasp of a group of children just as ruthless and manipulative as Ranran herself was a bitter pill to swallow.

Ran's face flushed with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. She had been so sure that her words would strike fear into their captors, but now she felt utterly powerless. The hypocrisy of her accusation, given the circumstances, hit her like a punch to the gut. Sonoko, though equally humiliated, was also filled with a growing determination. She had always been known for her fiery spirit and stubbornness, and this situation only fueled her resolve to find a way out.

"You think you're so clever, don't you?" Sonoko retorted, her voice dripping with defiance. "You're just a bunch of twisted kids playing with power you don't understand."

"Look who is talking," Walter scoffed at their words, "The same girl who last year stormed into our deceased friend's memorial at the hotel and attacked Ranran, talking all so high and mighty about the cancelled birthday party in the very venue that your father personally cancelled because he refused to pay up the inflation price, tell me, Suzuki, are you not abusing power before others as well?"

Once more, Sonoko shut up, feeling very embarrassed.

The Edgewood Academy children's words cut deep, exposing the flaws and contradictions in Ran and Sonoko's own actions. The room seemed to close in on them as their own behaviour was thrown back at them, leaving them with a sense of helplessness and vulnerability. The tables had turned, and now they were the ones being judged and condemned.

Soon, Ran and Sonoko were nicely strapped with wires hung up to the machine.

"Alright, so this is how things are going to go," 10-year-old Ellis chuckled before pacing around the room, "You are going to be upfront and honest about the things you did to Ranran and Shinichi. If the machine detects your lie, you both get electrocuted. Even if one tells the truth and one lies, it just takes one lie to electric turn the other person next to you."

"You really think this is justice?" Sonoko's voice trembled with a mixture of anger and fear. "This is just twisted revenge!"

Ellis chuckled, his expression is cold and calculating. "Call it what you want. All we care about is getting the truth out of you."

Ran's voice hardened as she addressed Tiffany and the rest of the Edgewood children. "You think using this machine will absolve you of your own twisted actions? You're no better than Ranran herself."

Tiffany's gaze remained icy, her resolve unshaken. "Our actions are driven by the desire to protect our friend, not manipulate and hurt her."

As the situation became increasingly tense, the machine's wires and electrodes hung ominously over Ran and Sonoko, a stark reminder of the power the Edgewood children held over them. The room was heavy with the tension of impending pain, the knowledge that even the slightest misstep or misspoken word could result in a painful shock.

"And in case you guys here," Ellis turned to the rest of the Edgewood children, "Can't understand computer, I made it user-friendly." He then approaches the monitor hooked to the machine, "If anyone lies, an angry red frown emoji face will appear. If it were the truth, a smiley green face."

"But what if they believed the 'lie' they were told is the 'truth'?" Samantha inquired.

"Blue gasped emoji," Ellis swiftly replied. "I had someone programmed the facts we had gathered through the report into this machine. So if the nature of their answer is perceive that way that matches the fact, but in a twisted perception, that will tell us how delusional they are."

"You might have your machine, but that doesn't mean we're going to give in to your twisted demands. We won't be your puppets!"Ran's voice hardened as she addressed the Edgewood children.

"Sure," Nicolas rolled his eyes in response, "Just like how you treated Shinichi as your personal puppet, you all lied about it anyway."

"I did not!" Ran exclaimed.

The monitor showed a blue gasped emoji, "Seriously? What a delusional girl," Samantha shook her head in disgust."

Ran's face flushed with frustration and anger. The situation had taken a twisted turn, and now the tables had completely turned against her and Sonoko. The truth-extraction device hung over them like a sword of Damocles, ready to strike with painful consequences if they misspoke.

"Listen, all of you!" Ran's voice took on a tone of desperation, addressing not just the Edgewood children but the lingering doubt within their own minds. "You're falling into the same manipulative trap that Ranran set for all of us. Don't you see? She wants to divide us, to turn us against each other, just like she did with Shinichi."

"2 months," Teddy mused before turning to Dominic who is sitting next to him, "How many days are that in total roughly?"

Dominic quickly calculated, "That would be around 60 days."

Teddy nodded, "Yeah, for 60 days we had to hear and see Ranran's suffering because of these two, right?" Narrowing his eyes at those two simpletons, Teddy knew he had to ask that question, "For Suzuki Sonoko, I had to ask this: Are you happy if Shinichi ended up with another girl besides Ranran?"

"Of course! I rather he ends up with someone else besides-kyaaaaaah!!!!"

Sonoko's defiant answer had been cut short by a sudden, ear-piercing scream of pain as an electric shock surged through her body. Her whole frame convulsed against the restraints, her muscles tensing and contorting as the pain engulfed her. Her face contorted in agony, tears streaming down her cheeks as she gasped for air. Even Ran was electrocuted as Ellis said it would.

The truth-extraction device had done its job, exposing Sonoko's lie and delivering a painful consequence in return. "The screen showed red, it's actually working!" Walter commented in amusement, while the rest of the Edgewood kids were pleased with the results, unfazed by the fact that the two girls before them are suffering.

"So that meant Shinichi was telling the truth about Sonoko manipulating him, to forcefully get him to quit his dream as a Tantei just to marry him to her best friend, Mouri Ran," Tiffany decided.

"Damn, I didn't think in the new school Ranran is enrolled in, they would be psychotic 6-year-olds there as well." Isabelle shook her head at the two girls.

"Wait, how did you know Shinichi by the way!? Was he the one who contacted the whole lot of you!?" It suddenly dawned on Sonoko as to why Ranran's friends know all of these details.

If Ranran didn't contact them, it must be the apprentice/former friend of theirs, Kudo Shinichi.

"N-no way! Shinichi-he would never do this to us!" Ran's eyes grew wide at that thought.

"Unfortunately, even if he didn't call us, we would've taken action regardless. We had people follow your daily activities, it was enough to bring the both of you here." Samantha shrugs.

"You pushed him to his limit, especially after that delusional friend of yours attacked Ranran at the HQ till she was unconscious, and she had to be hospitalized for a concussion," Ellis gave a judgemental look to them, "To put it bluntly, you both attempted murder indirectly."

"It was just a minor head injury! It ain't as if her brain is damaged!" Sonoko screeched.

Once more, the blue light lit up.

"Minor or not, she ended up in the hospital because of your reckless actions," Samantha's voice was cold and unforgiving. "And you're still trying to justify your behaviour?"

Ran's chest tightened as the weight of her actions pressed down on her.

"I swear these two imbeciles are utterly speeding up the demise of intelligent children," Tiffany decided.

The room was filled with a mixture of satisfaction and coldness as the Edgewood children watched Ran and Sonoko's suffering. The truth-extraction device had served its purpose, and it was clear that the captives were no longer in control of their fate. Ran and Sonoko were left gasping and trembling from the electric shock, their bodies still convulsing as they struggled to regain their composure.

"Tell us, Sonoko," Tiffany's voice was cold as she addressed the heiress, "What did you hope to achieve by manipulating Shinichi and forcing him to abandon his dreams?"

"I wasn't manipulating him!" Sonoko's voice trembled as she spoke, her defiance shaken by the recent shock. "I... I thought I was doing what was best for him. I wanted to protect him from getting hurt again. After watching how detectives in real life don't have an unlimited life span, it only makes sense to discourage him."

The monitor showed a blue gasped emoji again, indicating Sonoko's statement was seen as a twisted truth.

"As truthful as it may sound, he doesn't appreciate your meddling," Samantha sneered.

"Let's try the next question," Nicolas gave the two girls a hard look, this one directed at Mouri Ran, "Mouri, right? How do you justify your actions in manipulating Shinichi's emotions and trying to push him away from Ranran?"

Ran's hands still trembled from the shock, but her determination remained unwavering. She had to stand up for herself and try to break through the twisted web of accusations and manipulations. "I wasn't trying to manipulate him. I was trying to make him see that Ranran was just using him for her own selfish reasons when she offered him the Tantei Apprenticeship. That is why I try to expose Ranran as The Fox since he hates being compared to The Fox.

The monitor displayed a red angry emoji, indicating that Ran's statement was perceived as a lie as once more, Ran and Sonoko were pathetically electrocuted.

The electric shocks surged through Ran and Sonoko once again, sending waves of pain coursing through their bodies. Their cries of agony filled the room as their muscles tensed and contorted against the restraints. The truth-extraction device had once more exposed their lies, leaving them vulnerable and humiliated.

"You really are persistent in your denial," Dominic commented, a cold smile playing on his lips. "It's almost impressive how far you're willing to go to protect your own twisted version of reality."

"This is a word of a jealous girl after all," Isabelle shook her head at them.

"As a former twisted jealous girl, we can vouch for that," Tiffany and Veronica nodded in unison.

Ran and Sonoko were left gasping and trembling, their bodies still convulsing from the shocks they had endured. The truth-extraction device had effectively stripped away their defences, leaving them exposed and defeated.

"Anyone wants to ask further questions?" Ellis announced.

Every single Edgewood child's hands were raised eagerly, though, in their eyes, Ran is certain they were far more interested in torturing them than getting to the bottom of the truth.

But she wasn't completely in the wrong, since the children of Edgewood had obtained the legitimate report to suggest that Ranran is in fact the innocent party, it was better to simply torture them while they have the chance.

This will at least show those two....not to mess with their friend.

....................................................................................

The room was heavy with tension as the Edgewood children eagerly raised their hands, eager to ask their own questions and further expose the captives' supposed lies. Ran and Sonoko were left hanging in their restraints, their bodies still shaking from the recent electric shocks. Their resolve to defend themselves was faltering, and the weight of their situation bore down on them.

Ellis scanned the eager faces before him and pointed to a young girl with curly hair. "Yes, Isabelle, go ahead."

Isabelle's gaze was cold as she addressed Sonoko, her voice dripping with disdain. "You claim to have been trying to protect Shinichi by manipulating him, but isn't it true that you were simply trying to eliminate any competition for your best friend's affection?"

Sonoko's breath caught in her throat as Isabelle's accusation hit home. She had always been fiercely protective of her feelings for Shinichi, and the realization that her actions could be interpreted as selfish and possessive sent a pang of guilt through her. She swallowed hard, her voice trembling as she responded. "No, that's not true. I just wanted to spare him from getting hurt by Ranran."

The monitor displayed a red angry emoji once again, and the room was filled with the sound of Sonoko and Ran's pained cries as the electric shock coursed through their bodies.

"Next question," Ellis prompted, and this time, it was Samantha's turn.

Checking the notes she had gathered on her smartphone, she presses, "Mouri Ran, do you wish for Ranran to die so that you can have Shinichi all to yourself?"

Ran's heart raced as she heard Samantha's question. The accusation was both shocking and deeply unsettling. It cut right to the core of her feelings for Shinichi and Ranran, and the implication that she might want harm to come to Ranran was a painful blow.

"No, that's not true!" Ran's voice wavered with a mixture of frustration and desperation. "I don't want anyone to die. I just... I wanted to protect Shinichi from getting hurt by Ranran's manipulations."

The monitor once again displayed a red angry emoji, and the room was filled with the agonizing cries of both Ran and Sonoko as they endured another round of electric shocks.

"You are one heartless 6-year-old, you know that?" Samantha's voice was cold and unyielding. "So that report of your mother who slapped you in the principal's office when you said those things about Ranran was also true."

As the electric shocks subsided, Ran and Sonoko were left hanging in their restraints, their bodies trembling and their faces contorted in pain.

"Let's try a different approach," Teddy chimed in, his expression calculated. "Sonoko, tell me, were you aware of Ranran's identity as The Fox when you tried to manipulate Shinichi?"

Sonoko's breath caught as she faced Teddy's piercing gaze. She knew that this question could be a turning point, a chance to redeem herself if she told the truth. She hesitated for a moment before finally speaking, her voice soft but steady. "Not really, I only suspected after Ran told me her suspicion that Ranran seems too experienced for a child Tantei."

This time, the monitor displayed a green smiley face emoji, indicating that Sonoko's statement was seen as truthful. The room was silent for a moment, "Well, that is the first truth you have told." Demonic sighed.

"Any questions?" Ellis peered across the room for anyone.

"Yeah, but this is unrelated," Tiffany pinched her nose while admitting, "I knew you said the smell of burning flesh will come up each time we taser them, but is there a way to mask it up."

A lightbulb moment lit up in Walter's head, "I have an idea."

....................................................................................

The unexpected sight of a popcorn machine being dragged into the room was a bewildering contrast to the dire situation. The captives exchanged confused glances, their anger momentarily overridden by a sense of disbelief.

"What the hell is going on now?" Sonoko's voice was laced with both confusion and frustration.

"Where did you get that machine, Walter?" Ellis wondered.

"I saw this man outside at the square earlier, I paid him to lend me his machine for the night, told him I'm having a sleepover party, he agreed."Walter, the one who had brought in the popcorn machine, had a mischievous smile on his face.

He turned to face the captives, his tone dripping with mockery as Ellis set up the machine to connect to the popcorn machine. "Oh, don't worry. We're just trying to make this little interrogation session a bit more enjoyable for everyone."

Ran's brows furrowed as she struggled to understand Walter's intentions. The atmosphere was already tense and fraught with pain, and the introduction of a popcorn machine seemed out of place and surreal.

As Ellis was almost done setting up the popcorn machine, the Edgewood children watched with anticipation, their expressions a mix of amusement and curiosity. The captives' confusion deepened as they exchanged puzzled glances, wondering how a popcorn machine could possibly fit into the current situation.

"Behold, the Edgewood Academy Truth-Extraction Popcorn Challenge!" Walter announced with a flourish, a dramatic wave of his hand.

The captives could only stare at him, utterly perplexed.

"As you both endure our little truth extraction process, we thought we'd add a fun twist to it," Walter's grin widened. "Every time you both lie and get shocked, the popcorn machine will start to cook and pop some delicious popcorn. It's a win-win situation, really. While we get to watch your suffering, the rest of us here will get to enjoy some tasty snacks. And since the popcorn is cooking, the smell of it will end up masking the smell of your rotting flesh, sounds pretty neat, right guys?"

Ran and Sonoko's faces shifted from confusion to disbelief as they processed Walter's words. The absurdity of the situation, the mix of pain and amusement, left them speechless for a moment. The tension in the room seemed to have taken a surreal turn, and they exchanged incredulous glances.

"You insensitive bastards!!!!"

Ran and Sonoko screamed in anger, but still being bounded to a chair each, and with the wires strapped to them, they could only simmer in anger as one of the children of Edgewood dragged in a popcorn machine

"You have got to be kidding me!?" Ran's voice was a mix of disbelief and frustration. "You're treating this like it's some kind of sick game!"

"Oh, it's definitely a game worth playing," Nicolas's tone was light and mocking. "A game where you both pay the price for your actions, while we are having popcorn. Which reminds me," He turned to the others, "Which one of you knows how to operate the popcorn machine?"

"Me!" Tiffany raised her hand.

"Can you add caramel to it?" Nicolas requested.

"Oh, me too!" Samantha hurriedly raised her hand.

"Same here!"

The captives watched in a mix of disbelief and exasperation as the Edgewood children eagerly discussed the logistics of adding caramel to the popcorn. "You think this is some kind of joke? We're not here to amuse you, damn it!" Ran's voice was laced with frustration as she addressed the Edgewood children.

"Oh, don't worry. We're well aware of the seriousness of the situation. But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy dinner and a show along the way." Veronica's gaze remained cold as she responded to Ran's outburst.

The captives exchanged helpless glances, trapped in their restraints and at the mercy of the Edgewood children's twisted sense of amusement. The popcorn machine stood as a bizarre symbol of the distorted power dynamics at play.

Walter's grin remained wide as he activated the popcorn machine. "Let the Truth-Extraction Popcorn Challenge Begin!"

The room was filled with an eerie combination of tension and anticipation as the machine hummed to life. The captives knew that each shock they received would be accompanied by the sound of popping popcorn, an unsettling reminder of their own vulnerability.

....................................................................................

Back in the NASA event, while Ranran continued to be blissfully unaware that her second family is busily tormenting her enemies as she was done questioning others, a notification pinged on her phone. She excused herself from the conversation she was having and checked her phone, curious about the notification.

Shinichi still had a couple more people to ask about before noticing from afar that his mentor was chuckling while staring at her smartphone.

Approaching Ranran, Shinichi's curiosity was piqued as he saw the image of caramelized popcorn on Ranran's smartphone. He raised an eyebrow, a mix of amusement and confusion evident on his face. "Caramel popcorn? Is that a new case you're working on, Ranran?"

Ranran grinned mischievously, holding her phone up for Shinichi to see. "Nope, not a case. Just a little surprise from my second family who knew I love to eat caramel popcorn as a child."

"Is it?"

"Do you remember Amelia the contortionist?

"Ah yes, also your schoolmate from Edgewood Academy, right?" Shinichi remembered seeing her during Tantei Association's first major case.

"Yeah," Ranran beamed, recalling fondly of her younger days, "Around 3 years ago, when I was around 3 years old, I used to drop by the circus where Amelia worked. This was before the circus she worked for became a travelling circus, and back then, the laws weren't quite strict when it comes to ownership of exotic animals. When I head there after school, she always prepared for me a huge fresh box of it, but she always made sure to have the nut removed, because since I was so young, she worry I may die of a choking hazard."

Shinichi chuckled at the memory Ranran shared. It was a glimpse into her childhood that he hadn't known about before. "Sounds like you had a pretty sweet deal back then, getting custom-made caramel popcorn from a circus performer. And it's heartwarming to know that she cared so much about your safety."

Ranran nodded, her expression fond. "Yeah, she was like a big sister to me. Always looking out for me and making sure I had a good time whenever I visited. Those were some really fun times. But then...my second family found out about me skipping school to keep eating that popcorn, so to prevent me from doing so, my friend Tiffany whom I told you before once opened a bubble tea shop known as 'The Viscountess Tea'...well, that was how it happen actually. For healthy reasons and concern I may end up having lost my tooth at an early age, she self-thought herself how to use the popcorn machine before reducing the level of sugar, she was around 6 when she started it."

Shinichi chuckled, amused by the connections and stories that seemed to intertwine in Ranran's life. "So, your love for caramel popcorn actually led to your friend opening a bubble tea shop just to make sure you have a healthier alternative to your popcorn addiction?"

Ranran grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of her head. "Yeah, pretty much. I guess they were worried about me getting addicted to popcorn and wanted me to have a more balanced diet. But I still have a soft spot for caramel popcorn, even now. It's like a nostalgic treat that brings back all those fun memories."

Shinichi smiled warmly, appreciating the glimpse into Ranran's past and the friendships that had shaped her.

Which reminds him, "Who sent you the photo, by the way?"

"Tiffany does it once in a while," Ranran warmly looking at the photo, "It's her playful jab on me, since after moving to Japan that I can't simply buy popcorn whenever I want. Of course, she will ship the expensive ones to me here whenever she does this for free, which I am glad. But....."

Suddenly the tone shifted to sadness, missing her time in Edgewood Academy.

Shinichi noticed the shift in Ranran's tone and expression. He could tell that the memories of her time at Edgewood Academy held a special place in her heart.

"I still miss Edgewood Academy whenever I see it. Why did my mother make me leave...I love that place," Ranran's bitterly expressed her words.

Shinichi's gaze softened as he saw the sadness in Ranran's eyes. Sensing the apprentice noticed this, Ranran's expression changed to the usual, "Ignore what I just said, let's just wrap up and finish the rest of the investigation."

The blue-eyed boy understood that Ranran was trying to shift the conversation away from her emotions.  "Of course, let's get back to work. We still have a couple more people to interview."

Ranran appreciated Shinichi's understanding and determination to continue with their investigation. She managed to put on a brave face and nodded as well. "Right. We need to gather all the information we can. Once we have a clearer picture, we can decide how to proceed."

With a renewed focus, they continued their interviews, gathering insights and information from the remaining individuals.

As Shinichi conducted the interviews and gathered information from the people at the NASA event, the idea of buying Ranran a packet of gourmet popcorn lingered in his mind.

The last group of people was to ask other Edgewood kids who are attending this NASA event, honestly, he had some concerns after that training he had through Ranran yesterday that he may screw up.

Fortunately, he hadn't screwed up, and those kids in the event didn't happen to be arrogant or haughty, though their British accent seems rather pushy a bit. With all the right questions asked, he was about to call an end till whispers began to exchange among the other people of this event.

Wondering why all of the attendees' eyes were staring in a different direction, he and the others stare to see what was going on, till a boy in a wheelchair showed up being pushed by some adult.

At first glance, Shinichi noted that the boy was rather strange. The ones he used to see in the wheelchair usually are either sad or overly positive that things will get better regarding whatever medical condition.

But this one particular boy, whom he thinks is around 10-years-old of age, has red curly hair.

He looked very different, in a way, his expression seemed....frozen.

And the way he seemed disconnected from his surroundings made Shinichi wonder what is with him. As they continued to observe, the boy in the wheelchair was approached by a woman who appeared to be an adult caregiver. She leaned down to speak to him, her expression a mix of concern and tenderness. Despite her attempts to engage him, the boy remained unresponsive, his gaze fixed on some distant point.  It's like he's trapped in his own world.

"Ah, look who is back," One of the Edgewood kids whom Shinichi is with and spoke to earlier scoffed in disgust.

"Nathaniel, why am I not surprised," Another one too spat in disdain.

Sensing they recognize this boy, Shinichi can't help but ask, "Nathaniel....that is the boy on the wheelchair's name?"

"Ah, it is, and he was a bad kid." One girl said to him.

Shinichi's curiosity was piqued by the reaction of the Edgewood kids.