Inside, nestled among packing material, were real-life guns of all kinds.

The sight of the weapons sent a chill through the room. The reality of their mission was starkly laid out before them. Ran who was shocked to the core, demanded to know, "Ranran, where did you get those guns from!?"

"It is for us to use it against them: Landon, his father, and General Stefan," Ranran stated matter-of-factly.

The gravity of the situation was not lost on anyone. "Ranran, you are not joking, are you!?" Michio was in shock or in awe, he didn't know what he was feeling.

"No, it ain't a joke. We are using it tonight." Shinichi announced.

The gravity of the situation was not lost on anyone. They were now facing not only a cunning adversary but the possibility of confronting a full-blown coup attempt. The members exchanged uneasy glances, realizing that their mission had taken a perilous turn.

"W-w-what!?" Emiko stammered before eying on the gun, then at Ranran and Shinichi, "Onto....them!?"

"Yes, tonight, if anything goes wrong, no more paintball guns: We are using real ones," Ranran declared, her expression firm.

"But....the only time we used the real ones was at the shooting training centre!" Junko spoke up, her voice quivering slightly.

"Well it is about time we put that training to good use," 6-year-old Shinichi's tone was resolute, leaving no room for doubt before inspecting which gun to bring, "Considering 10-year-old Landon didn't hesitate to point at 9-year-old Emiko, us 6-year-old need to use this for urgent use."

"I had to admit it, but Shinichi is right," Takuma, while apprehensive, understood the necessity of the situation. "We can't afford to underestimate Landon's determination. If he's willing to go this far, we need to be prepared."

"Now hurry up, what are you all waiting for?" Ranran urged them to pick a gun.

With a shared determination, they equipped themselves with the guns, each member taking a moment to familiarize themselves with the weapon in their hands. Of course, Emiko took a smaller one, since she is about to be the bait. The training they had received earlier was their lifeline, and they knew they needed to trust in their abilities.

"While everyone is attempting to familiarize themselves with a gun, I would also like to announce that I have gathered a good piece of intel," Ranran decided to share with the group, "That warehouse Landon wanted Emiko to meet apparently is well-known among underground criminals to do a lot of exporting of illegal goods."

"So in other words, Landon is likely there to collect the guns for the military coup plans in Norway, am I wrong!?" Junko speculated.

"I'm sure of it," Ranran said firmly.

"Why did he pick Japan to collect the guns, I wonder? Why not Norway, his hometown is there anyway." Michio grew confused over this matter.

"First, as Landon mentioned before: His half-uncle owns the secret police of Norway, so anything they do there would be reported straight to General Stefan. And second of all, this is a mere guess, but Japan provides a less scrutinized environment for such transactions, so it ain't surprising why he flew all the way here." Shinichi suggested, his brows furrowing in thought. "And no one would suspect a 10-year-old boy, since he can slip under the radar more easily here."

"Seriously, why is it the more I hear about him, the more irritated I am eager to shoot him with a gun?!" Junko was getting irked by the minute, before something odd surfaced in her head, "Chotto matte, Ranran, did your Edgewood friends not mention anything about Landon knowing how to use a gun?"

"It ain't surprising that they didn't report anything about it, because he is considered too young to own a gun, so no one would suspect a thing. However," Ranran rubbed her chin in deep thought, "Usually it wouldn't be surprising that children of rich families like Landon, especially since he is from a royal family, were trained how to use it to protect themselves from being kidnapped and stuff."

The atmosphere in the room was tense, each member of the Tantei Association grappling with the weight of the real firearms in their hands. "But seriously, Ranran, where the hell did you get those guns!? You are only 6!" Ran again demanded to know where she obtained them from.

"I have my ways, Ran. Rest assured, I made sure they were obtained legally and safely. The last thing we need is any kind of trouble with the law." Ranran met Ran's demanding gaze with a determined look of her own.

"No, I doubt the word 'legally' was one of them," Shinichi and the rest of the children's heads sweated nervously at her choice of words.

"Ranran, if anything goes wrong," Junko began and then stopped. She could see the fixed look in Ranran's eyes

Emiko then reached across and calmly took her hand."It's okay, Junko. I'm the one who is taking the risks. After all the lies Landon told me, after all his ploys and cheating, I'm happy to spring the trap on him. In fact," she grinned, "I am looking forward to Ranran's proposal about letting us do whatever we want with him once this is over."

Ran, though still uneasy about the guns, recognized the gravity of the situation. "Alright, let's focus on the task at hand. Our priority is to stop Landon and prevent any further harm from coming to Emiko or anyone else involved."

The members of the Tantei Association listened intently, their expressions serious and resolute. They knew the stakes were high, and failure was not an option.

With the guns in their hands, they left the headquarters, ready to face the challenges that awaited them.

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

As soon as the children gathered into 2 separate groups, the first thing Emiko noted was the role chart.

Now whenever Ranran drags them onto such missions, Emiko noted, Ranran always had a meticulous plan in place. The role chart was a testament to that.

And the thing that made Emiko's eyes widen, was the emergency cause involving a hostage situation, especially when the person in charge of this...is none other than 6-year-old Kudo Ranran.

Emiko's eyes widened when she saw the role chart, and her heart pounded in her chest. "What is with your expression, Emiko?" Junko, Ran and Michio are sharing the same cab, while Shinichi, Ranran and Takuma are in the other.

Emiko hesitated for a moment before answering. "It's just...Ranran is in charge of hostage negotiation should I become one, and she sends it to everyone in the group chat."

"Say what now!?" Junko, Ran and Michio exchanged looks before each of them eagerly fish out their smartphones to check.

As they huddled together, Junko, Ran, and Michio scrutinized their phones with wide eyes. The message from Ranran was clear: "In the event of a hostage situation involving Emiko, I will be in charge of negotiation. And should negotiation fail, I will deal with the shooter."

"Whoa," Michio breathed, clearly impressed. "Ranran really thought of everything."

"Or, she must have lost her damn mind!" Ran and Junko exclaimed in horror.

"I mean, it's good that she's thinking ahead, but...she's just a kid like the rest of us!? How on earth is she going to 'deal with the shooter' if talking isn't working!?" Ran added, her voice filled with concern and confusion.

"I really have a bad feeling about this, that aside from our dreams in danger, everything is in the hands of 6-year-old Ranran!" Junko and Ran exchanged uneasy glances, still struggling to wrap their heads around the idea of a 6-year-old taking on such a crucial role.

"Let's just hope it doesn't come to that," Michio's worry for Emiko is evident at the moment.

"But judging Ranran....." Ran added, her expression grave. "I am pretty sure it will."

As the cab continued its journey towards the warehouse district, the atmosphere was tense.

Half an hour later, the two cabs had dropped the children on the street behind the rendezvous spot.

As part of Ranran's plan, she had had Takuma scour the area around the warehouse discreetly. Takuma moved through the shadows with precision, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. He was aware of the gravity of their mission and the importance of securing the surroundings.

After a thorough sweep, Takuma returned to the group, his expression serious. "The area is clear for now, but we should remain vigilant. There's no telling what might happen."

"That is not good." Shinichi glum.

"Why is that so?" Junko blinked.

"In case anything goes wrong, there is no one to scream for help." The apprentice pointed out.

Junko's eyes widened in realization. "You're right. If we're in trouble, there won't be anyone around to hear us."

"No public phones nearby? In case they snatch our smartphones?" Ranran inquired.

"No, there ain't any." Takuma sighed.

"Really? This is some extreme devious planning just to kidnap Emiko!" Ran pouted as she hissed.

"A smart royal will not let anything get in the way to ensure no one pries off their right to the throne," Ranran concluded, "Landon is definitely one of those royals."

Ranran's assessment hung heavily in the air. The cruelty of the situation was becoming clearer with each passing moment. "This is all King Leif's fault!" Junko ranted, "What sort of a monster is he?! To pit two of his half-sons against each other for the throne!?"

"He is definitely not winning The Father of the Year award, that's for sure," Takuma muttered, his gaze fixed on the darkened warehouse.

"How is it that this is the 21st century that he is using his own children as pawns in his power game, and yet, he isn't thrown in prison?" Ran added, her voice laced with anger.

"Let's not forget how he abandoned his first wife to marry his mistress," Michio chimed in, his tone reflecting the collective disgust of the group.

"Royalty or not, that's just plain evil," Junko declared, her fists clenched.

Ignoring the disgruntlement from the other children, Shinichi asked Takuma, "Are you sure there is no one around?"

"No one," A look of triumph shone in Takuma's eyes as he shook his head at the apprentice, "The warehouse is closed for the day. So far, I don't even see any of the vehicles General Stefan is often seen with across the street, which means we can secretly move in before them."

"Are there any good hiding spots then?" Shinichi asked.

"Of course, I checked it myself with the birds," Takuma looked pleased with himself "The building across the road is open and the ground floor is empty. Nobody uses it. We can go inside and watch from there. We'll have a good bird's eye view of everything that happens."

"Wait, birds!?" Junko shivered at that thought, "What birds?"

"Er....I mean drones, that is right! Drones!" Takuma hurriedly corrected

Takuma's quick correction caused a wave of relieved chuckles to ripple through the group. "Drones, right? That makes more sense," Junko replied, a smile quirking at the corner of her lips.

Though Shinichi was sensing something was off with Takuma's choice of words.

"Alright, let's move," Ranran urged, her tone focused and determined. "We need to get into position before they arrive."

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

With Ranran leading the way to the corner, the members stationed well.

And Takuma had chosen well, Shinichi decided.

Apparently, the building opposite the warehouse was only partly occupied. While lights shore in some of the top floor windows, the ground floor was empty, strewn with litter and old boxes. The investigators took up their positions by the front windows and gazed across the street.

As the shadows slowly lengthened and the sky grew darker, the streetlights came on.

Shinichi checked his watch. "Seven thirty," he whispered through the smartphone.

Ranran nodded, her gaze never leaving the warehouse. "Keep your eyes peeled, everyone. They could arrive at any moment."

The group's tension mounted with each passing second. The weight of their mission hung heavy in the air. They were on the brink of a dangerous confrontation, and the outcome was far from certain.'

While everyone waited in anticipation, Takuma whined, "I am bored."

"Same," Ranran sighed, "Stakeout sucks."

"Patience, guys," Shinichi whispered back, his eyes still fixed on the warehouse. "When this is over, all of us can go home."

Time seemed to stretch on, each second feeling like an eternity. The members of the Tantei Association remained vigilant, their senses on high alert.

"When this is over, can I punch Landon, Ranran? Cause you say we can do just about anything if all of this goes well?" Junko asked.

"Yes, you can," Ranran responded.

Junko's eyes sparkled with a mix of determination and anticipation. "Good, because I have a lot of pent-up frustration I'd like to take out on him."

"But as under association rules, with proper justification. So what is yours if you want to strike Landon?" Ranran questioned the member."

Junko's eyes narrowed with determination. "My justification is simple: If I were in Emiko's shoes, he probably would've done the same to me, and that wouldn't be right."

Ranran nodded, her expression firm. "Fair enough."

"Can I join too?" Ran questioned over the smartphone.

"You are still on probation because of what you did to me and Shinichi, Mouri-san." Ranran replied as she heard Ran groaning in disappointment, "But considering he was despicable towards girls, I will turn a blind eye once. What would be your justification?"

Ran took a moment to think before answering. "Aside from putting Emiko in danger, the girls he fooled back in your old school deserve some justice through my fist!"

Ranran considered her response for a moment before nodding. "Alright, you have my permission to join."

Ran's eyes gleamed with determination. "I am going to teach him a lesson that girls like us are not to be messed with!"

"And so would we," Takuma and the others swore in silence, "It's one thing if he was a conniving Prince, but it's another to keep manipulating others to secure his status!"

With the tension in the room slightly eased, they all returned their focus to the situation at hand. The minutes continued to tick by, the members of the Tantei Association growing more and more anxious.

Then, at last, they heard the sound of approaching vehicles entering the warehouse.

"They're here," Ranran murmured, her voice steady.

The team's focus intensified as the vehicles pulled up to the warehouse. The tension in the room soared, each member's heartbeat echoing in their ears. This was it—the climax of their mission.

A heavy truck with canvas sides pulled up outside the warehouse and two shadowy figures leapt out. They ran across, pushed open the warehouse doors and disappeared inside. They emerged moments later carrying wooden crates and began loading them into the truck.

"What a wimp, I know he is royalty, but still...it annoys me that a 10-year-old Prince would be getting the adults to push open the doors of this warehouse." Takuma spat quietly over the smartphone.

The group watched in silence, their eyes trained on the activity unfolding before them. Takuma's observation about Landon's behaviour elicited a quiet chuckle from Shinichi. "Guess even royalty has its quirks."

"Strip him out of his privileges, and he would end up as a nobody like us." Junko once more spoke in disgust.

"Those crates they are stacking...they are the guns they plan to ship to Norway, are they?" Ran guessed.

The members of the Tantei Association watched with focused intensity as the figures loaded crates into the truck. "That's very likely," Shinichi replied quietly. "It fits with what we know about Landon's intentions."

"It also explains why he flew all the way to Japan for this," Emiko added, her eyes narrowed in determination. "He needed a location with less scrutiny to gather the weapons for his coup attempt."

"But Ranran, legally....can a child be arrested for attempting to stage a military coup?" Shinichi questioned his mentor with worry.

"Considering he is a royal, nothing much would happen. At worst, he would only end up being placed in protective custody or facing psychological evaluation." Ranran scoffed.

"Screw Landon, seriously," Michio spitefully say.

"But I have a backup plan for that when we get that," Ranran concluded.

"That plan on whatever you have towards Landon better be worth it, Ranran! Cause I am eager to throw some punches myself!" Takuma snarled to no one in particular as he growled while he had his fist hit his palm, "I don't stand it when boys like Landon don't treat girls with respect!"

At 8 pm sharp, a car drew up and Landon stepped out from the back as he surveyed the street anxiously.

"Ah, dead on time," observed Shinichi, though he later immediately regretted his choice of words.

"Emiko, now is your time to show up before him, over," Ranran instructed over the smartphone.

Emiko listened intently to Ranran's instructions over the smartphone. The moment had arrived, and she knew she needed to act with confidence and precision. Without speaking, Emiko rose to her feet and hurried across the road, as Landon moved forward to greet her.

The association members watched as the last crates were stacked into the truck. Once they were on board, one man lashed the canvas sides securely while the other closed the warehouse doors. Landon called something to them before steering Emiko toward the car.

Suddenly she stopped. From where Ranran was hidden, it seemed as though Emiko and Landon were arguing. "What is going on, Ranran?" Shinichi spoke over the phone.

"They are arguing, both Emiko and Landon, over."

They strained to see, their eyes fixed on the unfolding scene. They couldn't make out the details of the conversation, but it was clear that something significant was happening. As the tense moments passed, the members of the Tantei Association watched with bated breath. Emiko and Landon were locked in a heated exchange, their gestures and expressions conveying the intensity of their argument.

"Was this part of the plan, Ranran?" Ran questioned.

"It is to get Landon to remain on land a little longer before the cops arrive. Now, all of you, as soon as you all hang up, call the police on cue," Ranran ordered.

Takuma and the others nodded in acknowledgement, their eyes still fixed on the unfolding scene. They knew that this moment was crucial. They needed to be ready to act swiftly.

Emiko's voice rose, sharp and determined, as she argued with Landon. It was clear that she was standing her ground, refusing to back down. The association members couldn't hear the words, but the tension in the air was palpable.

Suddenly, Junko could be heard gasping when Landon produced a gun, directly pointing at Emiko before she could draw out hers. The revelation sent a shockwave through the association members, their hearts pounding in their chests. The situation had escalated dramatically, and the stakes were higher than ever.

"Ranran!" Junko's voice came through the smartphone, urgent and concerned. "Emiko is in big trouble!"

"Should we fire? Over?" Shinichi questioned Ranran.

"Don't, we will lose in terms of how many weapons they possess with them at the moment." Ranran hurriedly replied.

Soon, they watch Landon bundled her into the back of the car, climbed in after her and slammed the door.

The car sped off and the truck's engine coughed into life, ready to follow.

"Now..." Ranran whispered and pulled out her smartphone to call Sergeant Genzo, but then froze when something cold and metallic was rammed into the back of her neck.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, little girl!" The single word in English was like a gunshot in the silence.

It was then Ranran turned and saw the whites of the man's eyes in the dark. Then he saw the other men. They had circled around behind the rest of the members and held their guns at the ready.

She turned slowly to face the man behind her, her eyes meeting his in the darkness. The situation was dire, but Ranran refused to show fear. She kept her expression steady, her mind racing to find a way out.

At that moment, they were all ambushed. The men had circled around and now held the rest of the members at gunpoint. The gravity of the situation was overwhelming.

Ranran's mind raced, searching for a solution. She needed to keep everyone safe, but she was outnumbered and outgunned. She knew she needed to buy time, to find an opening.

"I suggest you lower your weapons," the man behind her spoke again, his voice dripping with menace. "Or things could get very messy."

Ranran weighed her options. She knew that making any sudden moves could escalate the situation further. She needed to be careful, to find a way to turn the tables in their favour.

The man who was known to be an assassin hauled Ranrato to her feet. "We're taking you and your friends for a ride," he announced. "With General Stefan's compliments..."

With the assassin's gun jabbing in her back, the little girl outside to where a second car had quietly arrived. She glanced across at the truck. Beside it, men in army uniforms were looking at two figures sprawled unconscious on the road.

"Yes, the coup has begun," the assassin told the little girl. His accent had a strange, singsong quality. "Although it is not going quite the way Landon and his father had planned it..."

"How did you know where we were?" Ranran asked.

"One of my men has a night vision scope on his rifle. When the girl came out, he trained it on the windows to see if she was alone. He saw your heads. He didn't shoot because that would have alerted Landon to our presence. However, he could easily have taken you out," the assassin added, "You wouldn't have known what hit you.:

"What are you going to do with us?" demanded Shinichi angrily in English, his voice filled with defiance.

The assassin regarded them with a cold, calculating gaze. "You'll find out soon enough. For now, you'll do well to stay quiet and cooperative. Any funny business and it won't end well for either of you."

Soon, Ran yelped in horror when the assassin's gun jerked in Ranran's direction, "And as for you, it was about time you put your cunning brain to an end!" The man sneered. "General Stefan said you are the most dangerous little girl, and he is glad that he can finally put an end to your nonsense......"

As they were herded towards the waiting car, the reality of their situation sunk in. They were being taken captive, their fate uncertain.

Yet, for some odd reason, Ranran remained as chill as she was.

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

Armed soldiers forced the children into the back of the truck. They were made to sit cross-legged on the floor among the crates of guns.

"I told you right from the start, that this ambush idea was by far the most idiotic idea in the history I have ever known, Ranran!" Junko whispered angrily to Ranran in Japanese, as her words were echoing in the cramped space."I knew something would go wrong!"

"It will be your fault if we can't save Emiko!"Ran hissed.

"Quiet! I don't know what you girls are speaking about, but shut up!" commanded the assassin. "And if it was about that girl, forget her! You won't even be able to save yourselves!"

He lifted one of the canvas flaps and called an order. Then Ranran heard the car drive off. Then with a shudder that sent her head banging into a crate, the truck rumbled forward and Ranran slumped back dizzlу. "My goodness! You guys suck in driving!" Ranran cursed them under her breath in English.

With a gun pointed at her, the assassin hissed at Ranran, "What did I tell you about keeping quiet!?"

"Maybe if you guys were not so cocked eye about driving, I would've said otherwise!" Ranran snapped in English.

Ranran's reply had some of the soldiers looking at them with mocking yet amused grins.

And even when the truck had left the city far behind, Ranran and the rest of the kids rode on in silence.

The truck lumbered along a rough road and finally rolled to a stop. The assassin shouted orders. The canvas sides were lifted to reveal a desolate clearing in the jungle soldiers began unloading the crates of weapons, carrying them along a path to where a small private jet sat on a concrete runway

Finally, the truck came to a stop, the abruptness causing Ranran to sway. The back doors were thrown open, revealing the armed soldiers once more.

"Out," commanded the assassin, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Eying around their surroundings, Takuma whispered to Ranran, "We are screwed."

"Why?"

"I know this place," Takuma whispered to Ranran. "It's an old emergency airstrip. Nobody's used it for years because multiple accidents involving plane crashes took place here, which is why it was later abandoned."

The assassin trained his gun at Takuma, "Enough talking! Get out, all of you!"

As they were ordered out of the truck, the children were met with a desolate clearing in the jungle. The sounds of insects and distant wildlife filled the air, and the sense of isolation was palpable.

When the children climbed down from the truck, they discovered the car Landon and Emiko had left in. Its tires had been shot to shreds. Its windscreen was splintered with bullet holes.

Two shadows emerged from behind it. Moonlight silvered The General's shaved head. His immaculate suit gave him the appearance of having stepped out of an office. His huge, powerful hand dwarfed a sleek pistol that he held trained on his companion.

Landon shuffled forward, bound in rope and General Stefan shoved him down onto the ground.

"Where is Emiko?!" Ran asked in a trembling voice.

"She is on board," The General replied with a nod toward the jet. "You need not concern yourselves about her welfare for the time being."

Once more, 6-year-old Ran aimed a kick at his knee but the huge man swiftly avoided it with a laugh. He wrapped an arm around her neck and pulled her to his side. "Oh no you don't!"

"Hey! How can you do that to a little girl!"

Shinichi leapt forward, but The General rested his pistol against the side of her head.

"I think not, my friend," he advised the little boy calmly."Unless you want her death on your conscience."

The General surveyed the guns being loaded aboard the jet. He spoke with crisp triumph.

"As you can see, Landon's little revolution has failed before it even began. My men have taken over the guns and the plane."The General informed them."I must thank you, especially you, Kudo Ranran, for your assistance."

Junko shot a horrified look at Ranran, "What is he talking about?" she demanded.

"Well, I think I owe all of you besides Shinichi an explanation," Ranran replied evenly, folding her arms and facing The General."Takume's father and General Stefan are brothers, and because of that, some unusual problems arose."

"What sort of problems?" asked Junko, irritated not so much by Ranran acting too calm but by her secrecy. "General Stefan is third in line to the throne, which is why he did all of this, right?"

"I mean General Stefan is the son of the first ex-wife, who was unfortunately put in that place because King Leif is legally married to Landon's grandmother, who is also the homewrecker, hence, this revenge coup took place!" Ran recalled in detail.

"That would've been way too straightforward, except even that itself is the least of their concern," Ranran chuckled before deciding to ask a specific question, "Mina-san, in all of your opinion, who do you all think is the older brother? Thomas Lockwood or General Stefan?"

Junko and the others exchanged puzzled glances at Ranran's explanation. The complexity of the royal family dynamics left them somewhat bewildered.

After Ranran posed her question, the members of the Tantei Association pondered for a moment. It was a difficult question, given that they didn't have much information to go on.

"I mean it is pretty straightforward, it has got to be General Stefan, since King Leif married his mother before Landon's grandmother." Takuma offered tentatively, trying to piece together the information.

"But I thought Landon said before King Leif divorced, Landon's grandmother already had Landon's Tousan, Thomas Lockwood early on. So that means Thomas is the eldest, no?" Ran grew confused at this.

"Neither of you were wrong," Ranran smiled, clearly pleased with their cautious approach. "Yet, neither of you were right, depending on how you look at it."

Ranran's explanation left the members of the Tantei Association in a state of mild confusion. The intricate web of royal family dynamics was far from straightforward.

"I made a call to Mr Moseby, the Lockwood royal tutor hours ago," Ranran told her, "And he told me a rather astonishing story so shocking, that it would make a game of throne look like child's play."

The children listened intently, their curiosity piqued by Ranran's revelation.

"When General Stefan was brought in around the age of 7 into the palace, this was around the time his maternal family had passed away during the boating incident, a lot of the royal staff, including the former ones, can't help but keep making mistakes around him due to one unusual reason: Appearance wise, General Stefan and Thomas Lockwood for some odd reason despite having different mothers...strongly resembled each other."

Takuma raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "What does this have anything to do with what we are dealing with at the moment!?"

"It gets better," Ranran muses at this, "Although their personalities are very different from the other, people back then kept mistaking one for the other. It wasn't until that when the staff members recalled that Landon's grandmother used to work as a IVF doctor, that a strange rumour began to circulate, that perhaps General Stefan could've been....not the son of the ex-wife, but rather, the biological son of Landon's grandmother besides Landon's father, Thomas."

The revelation startled the members of the Tantei Association. They exchanged wide-eyed glances, trying to process the information. "No way! That can't be possible!" Junko was in disbelief, and so were the rest of the children.

"I mean if that were the case, wouldn't people have figured it out early on? Including the ex-wife when she was still alive?" Michio too was stunned for words.

"Exactly! Cause no woman who was betrayed by a two-timing cheater would simply raise someone's child who ruined her own marriage!" Ran barked.

"I agree with you, but let's take a step back and wonder....supposed, if the ex-wife has no idea about it, it would make things different, would it not?" 

Ranran's question hung in the air, leaving them all in a state of confusion. It was a puzzle they hadn't anticipated. "Is it even possible?" Takuma found himself asking.

"It is, and I can even tell you how." Ranran starts with, "Imagine a queen who has to produce an heir to keep the throne running but couldn't. In a last-ditch effort, she has no choice but to rely on someone who is good at IVF, someone who she would least expect to betray her by giving her own eggs to the doctor. But later she realizes, that her eggs would not only be replaced with the IVF doctor's, it also ended up ruining her marriage that not only left her with nothing, but also the fact that the kid she bore wasn't even hers."

"But wait a minute... if that is the case..." Michio began, but his voice trailed off as he tried to make sense of the situation.

"That is right," Ranran nodded solemnly. "You just need to switch the ex-wife's eggs into the mistress's eggs, then put it in both women, that way....it is a win-win situation for the IVF doctor, who is also known as Landon's grandmother."

The revelation left them all in a state of disbelief. The intricate plot involving the royal family's succession was beyond anything they could have imagined.

"B-but if that is the case....that means...General Stefan isn't the ex-wife's biological son!? But rather, Landon's grandmother is his real mom!?" Junko finished, her eyes widening with realization.

"S-seriously?!" Michio stammered, clearly taken aback.

"Not possible!" Ran corrected them, "Still half-siblings! They both have different mothers!"

"How can this be!?" Takuma was bewildered. "Wait a minute, that also means-"

"You got it right, this means Thomas Lockwood and General Stefan....are biological brothers who share the same parents, and that they are not half-brothers," Shinichi confirmed.

The room was filled with a mixture of shock and awe. The truth they had uncovered about the royal family's convoluted lineage was almost too much to comprehend.

"Wow, this is like something out of a soap opera," Michio muttered, his mind still racing to process the revelation.

"But how is this even plausible?" Junko wondered aloud, her brow furrowed in thought. "And why....why would Landon's grandmother do that!? Do something this evil?!"

"I mean aside from being a homewrecker, I can only naturally assume she got greedy in wanting to secure her right as the mother of King Leif's children, as well as become the Queen of Norway. I guess in case King Leif lied to her about not wanting to divorce his ex-wife, Landon's grandmother had plans on using General Stefan who was growing inside his ex-wife as a pawn," Shinichi thought about this, "I can only assume the Ex-wife didn't think much when the cells were put back in her, thinking it was biologically hers instead of the mistress, cause she wouldn't have suspected her eggs to be switched by her."

"No way!?" Takuma added, shaking his head in disbelief. "The lengths people will go to for the throne..."

"When did you figure this out, Ranran?" Ran wanted to know.

"The Appearances of both half-siblings bore a strong striking resemblance despite only sharing one parent is not high, to begin with, but with medical science, anything is possible." With a wry smile on her red lips, she pointed out, "Landon's grandmother used to work as an IVF doctor, correct? So did King Leif's ex-wife. Since they are work colleagues in the same hospital, it wouldn't be odd for the ex-wife to suspect that her own husband was seeing their IVF doctor."

The revelation left the members of the Tantei Association in stunned silence. "But wait a minute....no wait, something doesn't add up!" Ran grew frazzled and more confused by the minute before confronting Ranran, "Why would General Stefan's mother rely on a homewrecker to do this for her!?"

"Perhaps at that time, she had no idea about her cheating husband seeing the IVF doctor at that time," Shinichi deduces, "It was only until the affair situation was exposed, that things came to this."

"Is it actually possible? To ensure that there would be two people born genetically with similar appearance?" Junko inquire.

"When you create a dish with cells, anything is possible. However," Ranran pauses, "You can even go as far as to split a separate twin cell each, then put it in two different women, that way, when the child is carried to full term...their faces will still look alike regardless of the mothers they are born into."

"In other words....they share the same biological origin, deshou!?" Junko finally grasped the concept.

"Even if that is the case, why did Thomas Lockwood and General Stefan end up with different mothers then!?" Even Michio was perplexed about the entire ordeal, "And what do you mean when you say depending on how you think who is the eldest between Landon's Tousan and General Stefan?"

"I can explain," Ranran bluntly states, "Based on the rules of the throne, the oldest only gets to be the first-in-line, correct?" The rest of the kids nodded to her, "If General Stefan is biologically the son of King Leif and his ex-wife, then he would have nothing to contest on. Even if was born earlier than Thomas, it wouldn't make a difference, since Landon's grandmother is already made the legal wife by King Leif. Switching him as the Crown Prince won't do everyone good," 

Shinichi rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "But if General Stefan shares the same mother with Thomas Lockwood, especially if he was born before the mistress gave birth to Landon's Tousan, it will change the game, will it not?"

With the jaws of the children dropping one by one like dominoes, Ran yelped, "Then....are you saying.....?"

"Sou, in other words....General Stefan had the right to contest against Landon's father for the throne because he is older than him." Ranran hit right in the nail, "Moving him from 'third-in-line' to 'first-in-line' of the throne."

"What the hell!?" Junko was bewildered, "How can this be!?"

"This is so messed up," Ran muttered her expression a mix of anger and disbelief.

"It's diabolical," Michio added, shaking his head in disgust.

"How did you figure this out?" Takuma asked.

"As soon as one of you mentioned that Landon's grandmother worked as an IVF doctor, and as soon as I saw Emiko's artwork on Thomas Lockwood looking like General Stefan, I knew I made the right decision to get my friends in Edgewood to secretly do a DNA test report. Since the hospital where both the ex-wife and the IVF mistress are tightlipped, I had them do a secret DNA test, and they efficiently confirmed my theory in many ways unimaginable." Staring at the shock General Stefan in the eye, "Am I wrong?"

After a while, The General gave a low laugh. "I heard rumours about you being exceptionally cunning, but to think you are even able to notice all of this!"