"Truthfully, when General Stefan was taken in, he was quite young to understand. Also, there was an age gap between him and his sister at that time, I wouldn't say they were close enough to a point, that when she died with his parents, it would be to the point of hating my grandfather." Landon admits.

"So would you say General Stefan, your uncle through the failed marriage of his sister and The King, had a close relationship?" Shinichi suggests.

"I supposed so, I mean he kept getting invited for every single family outing within the royal family. Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays, you name it. He's always there." Landon's gaze held a distant look as if recalling the memories. "He became a constant presence, and honestly, he irks me in many ways unimaginable."

"Let me guess, he dropped snide comments about your grandmother belonging to a family of con men and women? Or your poor decision-making with your colourful love life?" Ranran adds.

"Oh no, he didn't do any of that which irked me. As I mentioned earlier, he was too young at that time to understand everything that had happened to his family, so he bore no grudge over that matter." Landon shook his head at the founder, "What irked me, is the amount of influence he was gaining through grandfather."

"How would that be a bad thing? Your father is the Crown Prince." Ran pointed out. "Nothing can change that."

"It's because he is one, it became a problem," Landon's eyes darkened with a mixture of frustration and concern, "As I mentioned previously, my late step-grandmother, who is also grandfather's ex-wife, is loved by the people of Norway, way more than our grandmother, who was the mistress who ruined everything. Perhaps the people can't move on from her demise, they projected the idea that her brother would be a way more befitting king, than the son and grandson of the mistress."

"Tha bad?!" Takuma blinked before rolling his eyes, "Seriously? Why can't the people move on? Especially since it happened decades ago, mou!"

"Certain things in life, there are people that will leave you an impression so deeply impactful, that even if they were gone for good, their legacy will never be forgotten, and the impact they have on the world, it won't fade away with their demise," Shinichi added, before bringing up, "Think of Princess Diana in the U.K., even after her tragic death, she's still remembered and loved by many. Why? Because the things she did made her humanly flawed, especially the way she treated the people of lower society with kindness and devotion, unlike those haughty royals who would barely interact with them, thinking of themselves as above them while seeing those people in disgust."

"You all raise good points," Landon admitted a hint of resignation in his voice. "Anyway, things are what it is because of this. Last month...was the beginning of everything when my grandfather....is about to knock on death's door."

Shinichi frowned, understanding the weight of the situation. "That doesn't sound good."

"Why?" Michio blinked profusely.

"That means a power struggle is in the works," Shinichi answered.

"What power struggle? There shouldn't be any, since the grandfather named Landon's dad the king to begin with. As long as the king gets the final say, there shouldn't be a power struggle right from the start." Junko wondered where was Shinichi heading with this. 

"True, but that doesn't always mean everyone will agree with what the king has to say," Shinichi leaned forward, his expression serious, "Kings, queens, princes or princesses...they all will die at a certain point in their lives, and they are not Kami-Sama. While they die, the rest still need to make a living as long as they live, therefore, therefore, they would want someone who will benefit them in many ways unimaginable."

"Ah yes, if not, you get things protests, uprisings, and civil wars, right?" Michio figured.

"True, true, true," Emiko nodded along with Michio, "That kind of scenario did happen to certain kings and queens in the past. If the citizens felt that the king or queen was not fit for the job, there would be consequences for that."

"I don't think war would take place," Ran argued, "We are living in the 21st century. And as Ranran mentioned before, royal families nowadays don't have such power anymore, aside from being ceremonial in Norway."

"Even if they don't wield political power, there are many things at stake which can lead to a power struggle," Ranran listed out her points, "Number 1, let's talk about multiple people losing their jobs after one becomes king. Tell me, do you think any new king would want to keep the staff members of their parents to work for them?"

"Why wouldn't they!? They had remained loyal all their lives to their dad!" Ran grew fired up.

"But that doesn't mean the loyalty sticks to their son or grandson nevertheless, people in general are selfish and only go for anything that benefits them. Cause the new king might reduce their benefits for selfish purposes," Shinichi argued as he listed, "Then let's talk about the elephant in the room: The assets and privileges that come with being a royal."

"Ah yes, the distribution of wealth and resources, not to mention the influence over various institutions, is a delicate matter." Ranran explained to the rest of the members in front of Landon, "If General Stefan becomes king, any family member related to him, especially the close ones, will stand to benefit greatly from his rule. They might be given high-ranking positions, control over resources, and more."

"In other words, they all be rich for life?!" Takuma's eyelids blew up.

"Better, so would their future grandchildren." Ranran grins.

"Phew!" Takuma whistled, "Now that is the kind of freeloader life I would wish to have."

"Indeed," Shinichi continued, "And let's not forget about alliances and foreign relations. If General Stefan takes power, it could affect the economy. But it may not be good if he is a selfish kind."

"Anyway, as you guys listed, you are all in the right." Landon sighed before revealing, "Thanks to such factors, this may not end well for me, as well as my father. And honestly, ever since grandfather brought General Stefan over, there has never been a day where we have known what peace is, at least within the family so to speak."

"Did you not voice your concerns to your grandfather about this? Or did your father not bring this up? Surely he did?" Takuma frowned.

"Of course he did," Landon explained, "But his relationship with grandfather hadn't been good since taking General Stefan in. And if I were to be honest, General Stefan is closer to my grandfather, unlike my father is to him. cause he trusts him." Landon told him, "That's what makes him so powerful. The General can do anything he likes. He can kill anyone who gets in his way. He has had thousands of people arrested and put in jail. Some of them have never been seen again."

Junko controlled her anger "Surely at some point, people probably should've wanted him to be thrown in prison at least!?"

"A lot of people have tried," Landon said sadly, "Very good people, very honest people. And they've all vanished. If you speak out against General, you will find yourself in great danger one day you will simply disappear. You will never be heard of again. And if your family causes trouble, they, too, will suffer."

"That's awful," Ran shuddered. "How can they silence the truth like that!?"

"Just get straight to the point," Ranran confronted Landon, "Why are you here in Japan of all the countries you could've travelled to seek help?"

Fidgeting his fingers, Landon admits, "A few days ago in Edgewood Academy back in the U.K......I went out to the restroom after leaving art class," Landon replied. "In recent months, things haven't been going well at home, so in case you were not aware, I have been living at the school's dormitory since then. My father told me when he got things smoothed out, he would bring me back. And he always sent money to me every month. Then a day ago before I fled, he video-called me to say things with him and grandfather had finally sorted out, so he will be picking me up the following week to head home."

The room grew sombre as Landon shared his story. 

"To cut a long story short, as soon as I returned to my class....." Landon's eyes clouded with terror "That's when I saw The General arrive with the men in suits. So I decided to run away. If I had stayed at the school, otherwise, they would have taken me to my country's embassy and by now I would probably be dead."

"Wait a minute, something doesn't add up with your story." Emiko scowled. "First and foremost, how can one just simply walk in and kidnap you like that!? It doesn't work in real life."

"In Edgewood Academy, however, that is a different story," Ranran interrupted, "Secret police of any royal family are allowed to enter and grab the kid who is next in line to the throne and drag them back to their home country if they are discovered to have done something awful within the family, one of the reasons include escaping discipline."

"EEEEEH!? What sort of stupid rule is this!?" Junko gasped along with the others.

"Royal heirs to the thrones are a different breed of kids," Ranran reasoned with them, "Because their intelligence and early education tend to give them higher influences within social circles, they tend to easily evade getting punished by their own family members. And normally the teachers, staff and principals are not born of royalty, which gives them access to avoid getting disciplined. Which is why this secret police rule in Edgewood still stands today, it is the parent's duty to do so if the kids grew out of line." Ranran explained to them.

The members of the Tantei Association listened intently, their faces showing a mix of shock, disbelief, and growing concern.

"That's... incredibly harsh," Shinichi commented, his brows furrowing.

"I can't believe they have such a system in place," Ran added, her expression a mixture of sympathy and frustration.

"It's a cruel way to handle things," Emiko muttered, her gaze hard.

Takuma's eyes were wide with astonishment. "So, you really had no choice but to run."

"Exactly," Landon nodded, relief washing over him as he saw the understanding in their eyes.

"Wait, but what if the parents are evil and stuff?" Michio confronted, "That itself wouldn't be fair if the kid is innocent, right?"

"To pinpoint whether those parents are evil and all, it is very difficult given their high influence in society, which is why you wouldn't be surprised to find kids and the adults of Edgewood steer clear of the way whenever the secret police rush into the building to capture a royal heir. Cause it will get messy." Ranran reminisced her past time in Edgewood, "I seen a total of 24-no, probably more than that of such incidents taken place when I was there."

The room fell into a heavy silence as the weight of the truth settled on them. They were faced with a reality that was both shocking and deeply unsettling. Well, probably not more than Shinichi, who is beginning to wonder what sort of life Ranran was dealing with when she was a student there.

"As Ranran said, you don't know how Edgewood Academy works," Landon said harshly."As for General Stefan, all he needed to do was produce some documents to prove that my father had sent him, or that our ambassador wanted to see me because of some family emergency. He is very clever. Nobody would have asked any questions or tried to stop him."

"Wait, how did the General know where to locate you?" Demanded Junko in confusion, "There is no way your father would tell him any of this."

"He has his way of knowing things." Landon nodded grimly. "Even one of the best-kept secrets can't remain in the palace for long." For a long moment, he was silent. Then out of the blue, he later revealed, "In addition to this, something strange happened about a month ago."

Without warning, he took out a crushed envelope from his pocket before pushing it in front of them on the table. "This letter is from my father, whom he presumably sent someone to send it to me at school a month ago. I did send people to look around, but so far, he was nowhere to be found."

The members of the Tantei Association leaned in to get a closer look at the envelope. It was crumpled and worn as if it had been through a lot.

"Did you get a good look at whom your father sent to have this letter delivered?" Ranran asked.

"I don't know, I didn't see him," Landon replied. "Usually due to strict security protocol within Edgewood Academy, any gift or letters had to be sent through the school's office and then to the dormitory staff. I was told that the letter arrived, but I never saw the person who delivered it."

Ranran carefully examined the envelope, looking for any clues or signs that might shed light on its origins. "Did you notice anything unusual about the letter, apart from its condition?"

Landon hesitated for a moment before responding. "Before coming Crown Prince, my dad had plans to become an engineer," he began.

"Hah!?" Takuma at the others are in disbelief, "Wait, how can he be Crown Prince if he had different dreams?"

"When my late grandmother was...seeing my grandfather at that time," Landon refrained himself from stating the word 'affair', "She had my father away from the public eye at that time before grandfather divorced his ex-wife, so it ain't odd that he had planned on becoming one as a child. He was so smart at an early age, that he studied college early as his grandfather secretly shipped him to study in America. During his time there....he learned a lot about mining. That's right, Father actually shared with him that there might potentially be the presence of diamonds in the wilderness of Norway. If a mine was set up, it would be worth billions of dollars."

The room grew silent as they absorbed this revelation. The idea of a secret diamond mine in the wilderness of Norway was a concept that seemed almost surreal.

"Diamonds in the wilderness?" Shinichi finally spoke up, his voice laced with intrigue. "That's sounds very Indiana Jones style."

"Did your grandfather and father ever locate it? Those diamonds?" Ranran found herself asking.

"Originally, they had plans to do so. But then the scandal of grandmother's affair with grandfather reached the public, and the backlash was instant." Landon pouted, "With the press surrounding them, the plan was abandoned. It was deemed too risky and too controversial at the time."

"In what way was it?" Michio questioned.

"Well, I ain't going to lie....but when grandmother was secretly seeing him at that time, there was a lot of luxurious jewellery purchased for her." Again, Landon fidgeted his fingers, "A lot of people in Norway...didn't like the fact that they are forced to sacrifice their tax money to the royal family, who did 'nothing' for them, unlike what the first queen did for them."

"So, they saw it as a misuse of public funds, huh?" Emiko summarized, "If the royal family dug around for diamonds in the wilderness of Norway...considering the funds of the royal family were earned through the taxpayer's money if the diamonds can't be confirmed to be located there...it would be a huge waste, right?"

"Exactly," Landon nodded. "So, the idea was scrapped, and it became a forbidden topic within the family. However, recently, my father secretly visited the location where the mine was supposed to be. He didn't tell anyone about it, besides me, cause he said this would transform the economy, create jobs, and improve the lives of many once he can verify it."

"How many people knew about this mine?" Ranran pressed.

"Aside from grandfather, my late paternal grandmother, plus father and I, that is about it," Landon confirmed.

".....but General Stefan has no idea?" Shinichi tilted his head.

"He may have been close like a son to him, but not to the point of letting him know about the diamond mind. And if he did know, it probably got to know about it, thanks to what happened a couple of months ago." Landon continued, his expression saddening at the moment, "My grandfather King Leif...he is showing signs of....getting old to a point, he is forgetting things."

The revelation hung heavily in the room, "Oh, that is bad." Ranran cringed.

"It got so bad....he is saying things he shouldn't. Which is why...he had been hospitalized for a while." Landon then says, "Anyway, I believed...that it is no longer a secret anymore, the diamond mine."

Opening the envelope, the members of Tantei Association noted that it was partially burned by a fire. "Did the letter inside contain....the location of the diamond mine?" Shinichi pointed as he held his pen poised over his notes.

"Yes and no, it's him telling me he found it and instructing me not to search for him no matter what, even told me to burn it after I'd read it. But no specifics as to where he put the coordinates," Landon replied, "It wasn't until I overheard from the other kids about Ranran's service in Japan, that I risked my life coming here, even put out the flames the other day, hoping you guys can figure things out."

"A letter that confirms the existence of the diamond mine...." Ranran paused to think deeply before confronting, "The person who delivered the letter on behalf of your father....can they be trusted?"

"It has to be," Landon insisted, "My father is cautious about who he trusts and doesn't. And in addition to that, it also came with this." The boy then fingered the silver key that hung from the chain around his neck.

"What's the key for?" Junko asked, curiosity piqued.

"The key to the coordinates my father locked up somewhere, once it is keyed into any smartphone, it will take me to the location where the diamonds from the mine he had collected were tucked away somewhere in Japan." Landon held up the silver key "And that's why my father gave me this key. Without this key, nobody can obtain the coordinates. He said that when the time was right, I would be told where to find whatever the key unlocks that led me to those coordinates."

"Wait, your father hid the coordinates there!? Why!?" Takuma was appalled, "That is risky!"

"It's possible that he wanted to keep them safe and hidden in a location he trusts," Emiko suggested. "Data hacking nowadays is too unpredictable, hence, writing the coordinates elsewhere and hiding it in a country like Japan would be something no one would've suspected a Crown Prince from Norway would do that sort of thing, especially if he didn't trust the security at his own home country, considering General Stefan is put in charge of the entire thing."

"And you've no idea what that key unlocks?" Shinichi questioned him.

"If I had known, I wouldn't have flown all the way here!" Landon shrugged. "A safe deposit box, a locker...I wish I knew the answer to where this key could take me if it could lead me straight to my father! But I am unable to contact him or anything, my grandfather is still in the hospital back in Norway, and now General Stefan is out to kill me, assuming that he probably found out about the mine and all....."

The gravity of Landon's situation weighed heavily on everyone present. The key, the letter, the diamond mine - it was all part of a puzzle, and they held some of the pieces. But the danger was real, and they needed to tread carefully.

"Ok, Landon, I know this question is kind of unrelated, but I have to know does Japan mean anything to your father to end up hiding the coordinates?" Michio probed.

"Well....I think because it brought him memories of my late mother." Landon thinks.

"Your deceased mother....." Ranran muses, "The one who died of ALS, right?"

Landon nodded, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Yes, that's right. She was a wonderful woman, kind and caring. She spent a lot of time in Japan during her youth, and it held a special place in her heart. Actually, this is where my parents met for the first time. I think my father wanted to keep a connection to her through this key and the coordinates because of this."

"I see," Junko polished her glasses, her expression sympathetic. "Your father must have loved her very much."

"He did," Landon replied, a small smile touching his lips. "He always spoke of her with great fondness. She was his anchor, especially during difficult times."

"How did The General even know of our HQ location, by the way?" Takuma frowned, "We haven't published the address yet."

"Everyone in Edgewood knew about the exploits of Ranran who is a former student of Edgewood having run the association," Landon revealed, "Especially after hearing through the press about the 7 major cases you were all involved in, that was all they ever talked about. Also, General Stefan was formerly a student in Edgewood, so it ain't odd how he was able to ask about the association's address."

"But it is odd," Emiko said, "Considering your family is from Norway, you all are able to converse with us in Japan fluently."

"It ain't, in Edgewood, covering the language of Japanese is the base mandatory class all of us had to learn," Landon answered before revealing, "Anyway, I remembered General Stefan used to study in Edgewood too, which isn't surprising why he too was able to converse in Japanese."

"Eh!? Even though the school is based in the UK?! Why!?" Shinichi grew perplexed.

"No clue, but there had been rumours that the previous principal of the school loved the culture of Japan so much so, that she put it down as mandatory in our syllabus." Landon thinks gloomily, "Anyway, General Stefan has spies everywhere, so it ain't surprising how is able to obtain the address here."

"How were you able to fly all the way here on your own? You are 10 years old, no?" Ran wanted to know.

"I had to rely on the help of one of my private tutors, who arranged everything for me," Landon explained.

"What is his name?" Ranran asked.

"Mr Magnus Moseby, he is one of the few people I trust, since he too dislikes General Stefan," Landon replied. "He's been with the family for many decades. When I told him about my situation, he agreed to help me find a way to get to Japan safely."

Then Ranran looked up sharply, "About this letter, is Mr Magnus aware of the letter and the key?"

"He knows I received it, because he was the one who told me about the messenger. He told me someone came over to the office when Mr Magnus was hanging out with his friends who worked as teachers in Edgewood to drop this to him, said it is meant for me." Landon hesitated.

"But does he know the specific contents of the letter?" Ranran persisted. "As well the key you showed us earlier?"

Landon looked away "No," he replied, and Ranran knew she was upfront lying.

As always, the moment Junko set down her notes, she suggested, "Michio, we should call Sergeant Genzo," she said urgently "He'll know what to do.''

Landon leapt to his feet in panic. "No! You mustn't call the police!"

"But our police aren't like your police," Ran assured him. "They're the good guys. And Sergeant Genzo is our friend. We've worked with him on all our 7 major cases."

"No, that ain't the issue," Landon shook his head wildly, "I ain't your ordinary student!"

"What he is attempting to imply is, that the ambassador of Norway in Japan would be notified if word gets out since he is a prince after all. Not to mention, 10 years old." Ranran explained to the group, "Although Sergeant Genzo is on our side, the higher-ups are likely to tip them off whether Sergeant Genzo likes it or not."

"Exactly!" Landon looked at the circle of faces watching him and shuddered with uncontrollable fear, "You don't underestimate the level of influence a royal can make. The moment they knew where I was heading, they would be forced to hand me over to the ambassador!" he said helplessly, "I'll be as good as dead!"

"And explain to me why we should take your case? In case you aren't aware, our resources....are probably not as good as your homeland." Ranran reminded him.

"I remembered overhearing from the kids in Edgewood Academy that you will take in cases with collateral, right?" Landon recalled.

"That's correct," Ranran nodded.

"I know after....that incident in the U.K. 2 years ago, you have been dying to get your hands on 'that book'."

Ranran's eyes narrowed, recognizing what the prince was referring to as the other children's eyes grew wide in confusion. "Which 'book' are you referring to?"

"That 'Pandora Book', it's records had been sealed since 'that incident', no? I heard that even the royal connections you have had no access to it. If anything goes wrong, you can have it."

Ranran's gaze remained fixed on Landon, her expression unreadable. The mention of the "Pandora Book" held significant weight, and she knew that this was a delicate situation. The other members of the Tantei Association exchanged curious glances, clearly intrigued by what they were hearing.

"You've done your research, I see." Ranran finally commented, her voice measured. 

"So do we have a deal?"

"I don't do deals," The 6-year-old girl's eyes hardened at Landon, "But I do it on paperwork."

Landon's eyes widened slightly, clearly caught off guard by Ranran's response. "Contracts?!"

"What? Are you scared? I won't do your case unless I see it in full-proof paperwork."

 Landon's surprise quickly turned into determination. "Fine, I'll give you whatever you need in writing. Just help me, please."

Ranran nodded, satisfied with his response. She turned to Michio. "Michio, get the contract form from the red box. Let's lay out the terms."

Michio reached into his bag and pulled out a small stack of papers along with a pen. He handed them to Ranran, who began filling in the details.

"Alright, here are the terms," she began, her tone businesslike. "You will provide us with all relevant information regarding the case, including any documents, letters, or keys. You will cooperate fully with our investigation and follow our instructions. In return, we will do our utmost to assist you in your situation, to the best of our abilities."

Landon nodded eagerly. "I agree to the terms. I'll do whatever it takes."

"Wait, read one term below." Ranran directed his gaze at one of the clauses, "This one, you better read it 10 times in a row before signing it."

Leaning over the contract, scanning the clause that Ranran had indicated. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he read the words. The room was silent, each member of the Tantei Association watching him closely, aware of the gravity of the situation.

Finally, Landon straightened up, his expression resolute. "I understand the terms. I'm ready to sign."

Michio handed him the pen, and with a steady hand, Landon signed his name on the dotted line. The contract was now binding, sealing their agreement.

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

As soon as Landon was escorted to wait outside the hallways of Tantei Association, with the curtains pulled by the members and all, Ranran made a surprising announcement, "This case....I think I may have to do it on my own."

The other members of the Tantei Association exchanged bewildered glances. They had just signed a contract to take on Landon's case, and now Ranran was suggesting she would handle it alone.

"Ranran, why?" Shinichi questioned, his brows furrowing in concern.

"Shinichi, I know that you and the rest of us had dealt with 7 major cases with dangerous twists of their own, but this case is about to put all of the hell we had to deal with in combination with shame."

"Because it involved royalty, doesn't it?" Emiko sighed.

"Yup." Ranran nodded.

Emiko exchanged a glance with the others, understanding the weight of what they were about to embark on. Dealing with a case involving royalty meant navigating through a web of secrecy, power, and potentially dangerous individuals.

"Before any of you decided to voice out that emotional speech about unity and stuff, I want you all to know what is at risk for all of you should you all decide to deal with Landon's case," Ranran pointed out, her voice steady. "First and foremost, how many of you have dealt with royalty in real life, please raise your hand."

One by one, the members of the Tantei Association exchanged uncertain glances and didn't raise their hands. None of them had ever dealt with royalty before, and they were acutely aware of the challenges and potential dangers that could come with it.

"Exactly. None of you besides me," Ranran continued. "Know first-hand how royalties harm people, especially on a major scale."

Ranran's words hung heavily in the room, each member of the Tantei Association absorbing the gravity of the situation. They were about to venture into a world they were unfamiliar with, facing challenges that went beyond anything they had encountered before.

"I am going to tell you a case I worked on many years ago when I was a 4-year-old, after that, you all decide all of your own volition over whether you all want to get involved in this case or not."

The room fell into a hushed silence, the members of the Tantei Association waiting with bated breath for Ranran to continue. They were about to hear a story from her past, one that held significance and weight in the context of the case they were now facing.

Ranran took a deep breath, her gaze focused and determined. She began to speak, recounting the case that had left a lasting impact on her.

"I once dealt with a princess in Edgewood Academy, and though she was 7 years old and I was 3 at that time, she was...by far, the most despicable royal princess I have ever known. If I were to say we put 100 spoiled nobles and royal children together and compare them to her side by side, they lose to her greatly."

The members of the Tantei Association listened intently, their eyes fixed on Ranran as she recounted the story from her past. The weight of her words hung heavily in the room, and they could sense the significance of the case she was about to share.

"As I said, if I said she had a mentality that could put Marie Antoinette to shame, she could definitely be her new BFF." Ranran continued, her tone measured. "She had a way of getting what she wanted, no matter the cost to others. Despite her actions, no one dared to stand up to her, not even the teachers or staff at the academy. They were all too afraid of the repercussions that could come from challenging a member of royalty. She made...Edgewood Academy's toxic environment and left a lasting impact on everyone around her."

With further silence, "And if you're wondering what happened to her..." Ranran's voice grew even more measured. "She continued down her path of entitlement and manipulation, her actions affecting countless lives. One day, with a lot of effort thanks to one kid in Edgewood, she lost everything."

Ranran's words hung in the air, each member of the Tantei Association absorbing the weight of her story. They could feel the gravity of the situation they were now stepping into. 

"If you assumed that was the end of her manipulation and stuff, think again, she murdered the kid in cold blood." The room fell into stunned silence. The members of the Tantei Association exchanged wide-eyed glances, their faces a mix of shock, disbelief, and horror. "And what did she get? No jail time, but years of ending up at a mental hospital."

"No way..." Ran's voice was barely a whisper, her eyes wide with shock. "That's...she murdered a kid!"

"How could this be!? She murdered someone!" Shinichi was appalled, and so were the others.

"This is the reality we might be facing," Ranran continued, her tone unwavering. "After talking to Landon, it is clear that he isn't being truthful about anything. Especially as I mentioned about his previous reputation regarding rumours of him gaslighting others, if we do uncover any evidence that the things he says were lies, especially if he is truly involved in shady nonsense, it's one thing that he ends up in a mental hospital, but it's another if you guys were dragged into a dangerous situation." Ranran's eyes held a serious warning. "Solving cases involving the rich and powerful compared to this....is nothing. If you guys really insist on wanting to get involved in this royal case, now is your turn to turn back if you all have any doubts. Because doing this case, you are all about to witness the darkest side of royalty and politics, which none of you are equipped with. Once you witness it, your chances of getting traumatized regarding injustices are very high." 

Shinichi's brows furrowed in deep contemplation. He was aware that this case was unlike any they had faced before, and the risks were higher than ever. However, the determination in his eyes was unwavering. "I will do it."

Ranran's gaze held Shinichi's, searching for any hint of doubt. "Are you sure?"

"I dealt with plenty of injustices these past 2 months, and yes, it was a rough difficult journey." Shinichi admitted, "Regardless of when I decided to pursue this apprenticeship under you, I meant to take the bad in the good out of this. If it involved royalty and politics, and yes....trauma? I dealt with plenty thanks to what Ishibashi Mamiko and her brother did to me, and I am already as traumatised as it is! But that shouldn't be a reason to not get involved!"

"Alright, Shinichi," Ranran said, her voice measured. "Your commitment to seeking justice is commendable. I have no doubt that you'll face this challenge head-on."

Shinichi nodded a sense of resolve in his features. He was ready to confront the darkness that awaited them in this case.

"I'm with you too," Takuma declared, his voice steady. "If there are any lies Landon did, I won't hesitate to go dirty against him if he unfairly did us wrong."

"So would I!" Michio joined, "I don't like it when anyone manipulates others, I don't even bloody care if he is the bloody prince of Norway if he is discovered to have done something in the wrong, I ain't afraid to confront whatever punishment awaits for him should that be the case!"

"Same here!" Ran and Emiko exchanged determination.

Finally, it was Junko's turn to voice her thoughts, and with much reluctance, she declared, "Fine, I'm in too. But I think Landon is innocent in all of this, though!"

Studying each of their faces, Ranran decided, "Alright, welcome to the world of royalty everyone."

The members nodded in agreement, their expressions resolute. They were prepared to face the darkest side of royalty and politics, fully aware of the risks and potential trauma that awaited them. As they began to discuss their plan of action, the rain outside continued to fall, a steady reminder of the challenges that lay ahead.

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

General Stefan sat in the black limousine, staring out the tinted window at the gates of the Edgewood Academy located in the U.K. through the TV embedded on the back seat at the driver's seat.

Considering it is 4 pm in Japan now, it should've been 8 pm in the U.K.

He stroked his strong jaw, deep in thought. 10-year-old Landon was proving a bigger problem than he'd anticipated. The General knew Landon's stronghold was the subject of politics, but he didn't think he would go as far as to fly all the way to Japan.

Landon wasn't a fool for a child of a royal, flying to a foreign country would normally mean any foreign powerful figure's hands are tied overseas. This covers royals, nobles and military politics alike. Which is why The General despise being in a foreign country. Sure, although he can call the cops in Japan to simply hand over Landon to him through the ambassador, he knew that it wouldn't be so straightforward. Japan had its own set of rules and protocols, and getting involved in a case like this could bring about unwanted attention and complications.

And he is certain Landon knew that for that reason, his powers were limited. 

Unlike in the U.K., he could not summon up his special police, nor could he send people to abduct him to drag him to his secret prison for interrogation. Although he knows where Landon is at the moment, it's better to let him think for now, he is in control, and when he least expects it, General Stefan will capture him on cue.

Suddenly, his body stiffened. He turned to the man beside him, the man who was a very trusted sniper shooter in the royal family of Lockwood, "Notice anything?"

"Look," He whispered back to the General, indicating a short figure bustling toward the gates with a bundle of papers under his arm on the TV attached to the driver seat. "Mr. Moseby, Landon's private tutor rushed over to the school to collect his things, since Landon fled here to Japan." The General's eyes narrowed as he watched the figure of Mr. Moseby on the screen. It seemed that the boy had a trustworthy ally in his tutor. It was a wrinkle in his plans, but not an insurmountable one. He would need to proceed with caution. "Should we do it?"

"Not in front of the school grounds back in the U.K, you know right now we are in Japan at the moment." General Stefan decided, "But get some of our men who are stationed there to ask him....a couple of questions."