Junko, still adjusting her glasses, finally found her voice, "But, Ranran, doesn't that mean you played a part in breaking up families?"

"It was a matter of later, so I sped up to sooner," Ranran leaned back, her expression unchanged. "Those children, if they were truly innocent, I would've spared them from sending them to that place, but nope, they asked for it."

"But ain't that playing Kami-sama, Ranran?" Ran, always more straightforward, voiced her thoughts, "Playing judge and executioner. What gives you the right to decide their fate?"

Ranran locked eyes with Ran before deciding, "Life."

"Life?" Everyone seated around the table exchanged puzzled looks.

"Life," Ranran repeated before leaning backwards against her chair which tilted on its two back legs, her gaze distant as she remembered something she wished she didn't have to recall, "I once found out someone manipulated me to do things I didn't want to do for their own benefit."

The room fell into an uneasy silence as Ranran's words hung in the air, a revelation that hinted at a deeper layer to her own past.

Shinichi, always attuned to Ranran's nuances, grew shocked in response. Ranran is after all the best 6-year-old manipulative member of Tantei Association he has ever known, so for her to admit that was shocking, "Really!? Who manipulated you!?" He asked with a furrowed brow, eager to know who would be this capable of even outsmarting his own mentor of all people.

"That person isn't malicious, but did it to survive," Ranran replied vaguely.

Shinichi couldn't help but feel a mixture of confusion and concern.

"This person... they saw an opportunity to use me to eliminate obstacles in their path. I was a means to an end. In a way..." Ranran gave a sad smile, "Although it ended up benefitting me and him, it came at the price of his own life."

Shinichi, despite his intellect, found himself unable to grasp the full extent of the situation.

"Tch... how did this person die?" Takuma couldn't help but inquire, his curiosity piqued.

"Manipulation and murder," Ranran replied darkly.

The revelation hung in the air, creating an atmosphere of unease in the room. The Tantei Association members exchanged glances, processing the unexpected depth of Ranran's past.

"Anyway, that is all you need to know," Ranran shrugs off casually with a smile before continuing, "Back to Chika's situation...."She switches her gaze onto Ran and Sonoko, "Tell Chika that the both of you are eager to get to know her new boyfriend, Nori face to face."

"But what if Nori tells Chika he doesn't want to meet any of us?" Ran asks with a frown, "I am worried that he may be wary-"

"Considering if he is someone who could simply 'accidentally' flash his luxury goods in front of Chika to convince her that he too comes from a wealthy family, I am sure he would be more than happy to make an attempt to please some of her friends to prove a point, right?" Ranran pointed out.

Ran and Sonoko exchanged a glance, realizing the truth in Ranran's words. If Nori was indeed trying to impress Chika with his wealth, he would likely welcome the opportunity to meet her friends and prove his status.

Even so, Sonoko is very reluctant. "But, Ranran, how are we supposed to approach Chika about this? I mean, she seems happy with Nori, and I don't want to ruin her relationship just because we have suspicions," Sonoko voiced her concern.

"Approach her with genuine concern. Tell her you're excited to meet Nori and get to know him better. You're not doing this to undermine her happiness; you're doing it to ensure her happiness is built on solid ground. If Nori truly cares for her, he wouldn't mind meeting her friends." Ranran leaned forward, her gaze steady.

"But...." Sonoko wrestled her fingers nervously as she sweated a bit, "I mean..."

"Sonoko, what is stopping you?" Ran who is sitting next to Sonoko questioned her best friend.

"I am going to be upfront and honest here," Sonoko sighed, her hesitation evident. "You know...when Mamiko manipulated me and Ran both against you...the way we try to pry answers from you and Shinichi...if you hadn't noticed...."

At first, Ranran and Shinichi grew perplexed. But then gradually Shinichi figured out, "You...want to get answers from Nori secretly without being too direct?"

"Yes." Sonoko nodded sheepishly, "I... I just want to avoid making the same mistakes again, let alone, being manipulated by others, but above all of that, I don't want Chika to go through the same pain I inflicted on Tantei Geek and you without straightening the facts. Cause in case Nori caught on and I relapse back to my old ways...it will just make Chika distance herself from me and Ran."

The founder and apprentice gave indifferent looks towards Ran and Sonoko, while the other members didn't know how to respond to that.

After a while, Ranran sighed to say, "Then....why don't I supervise behind the scenes?"

Sonoko looked at Ranran with a mixture of surprise and gratitude. "You'd do that for us?"

"Don't get me wrong, I ain't doing it because I want to put our horrible past behind us," Ranran shrugged casually. "But then hearing that someone out there misusing the name of 'Edgewood Academy' honestly makes my blood boil."

"Seriously, Ranran!? How is that more important than Nori possibly exploiting Chika's love through the grief of her mother!?" Junko grew riled up at Ranran's lack of sensitivity.

"In the first place, I barely knew who Chika was to be mad, let alone, we barely had a single shred of proof to figure out whether Nori was in the wrong yet," Ranran replied nonchalantly at Junko's anger, "Second of all, I studied in Edgewood for 2 years, so I know them enough to be mad about it."

Junko, still frustrated, muttered, "You can be so heartless sometimes."

"Technically she has a point," Takuma cuts in to say, "I barely even know who Chika is. Just that she is someone Shinichi, Sonoko and Ran used to know back in Kindergarten."

"Same here," Michio and Emiko nodded in unison.

Junko crossed her arms, clearly still not satisfied with the seemingly callous response from Ranran. Despite her frustration, she couldn't deny that Ranran had a point.

"Think of it as the show 'Squid Game', all of us participate, but others died around me and I won 4.5 million yen-"

"Or won?" Takuma corrected her.

"Whatever," Ranran dismisses the currency mistake, "The bottom line is: After winning without befriending any of them, would you still grieve for them? The rest of the 455 contestants?"

"I mean if you put it that way....?" Shinichi rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "No. I barely even knew any of those clowns. Aside from the supporting characters and the main ones so to speak."

"C-clowns?!" Michio almost choked into fits of laughter, but seeing Junko's glare was enough to make him swallow his thoughts.

"Look, I know you barely know Chika, but please be considerate a bit about her, alright? She lost her mother and all of that," Ran cuts in as she argues.

Ranran rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I get it. It's real life, emotions, blah blah blah. The point I'm making is, that I barely know Chika. If something happens to her, it's not going to ruin my life. But if someone is out there tarnishing the reputation of Edgewood Academy, then that's a different story. Got it?"

Ran sighed, realizing she wasn't going to get a more empathetic response from Ranran. "Fine, let's focus on helping Chika then."

"Seriously? Do we really have to do this case?" Shinichi bemoaned, "I don't want anything to do with girl drama!"

"Same here!" Michio spoke in unison, and so did Takuma.

"Hey! Who was the one who was busy whining about not having anything to do!? Especially after settling all those cases, we solved not long after our 7th major case!?" Junko ranted towards Michio in anger.

Michio scratched his head awkwardly, realizing he had indeed been the one whining earlier. "Well, yeah, but... I didn't think it'd be all about relationships and stuff."

"Love is a mystery too, Michio," Junko said, her voice teasing, "and as detectives, we're here to solve mysteries, aren't we?"

Michio grumbled under his breath, clearly not convinced. Neither were the rest of the boys including Ranran for that matter.

Suddenly, Ran who is sitting opposite noted that a police car pulled up outside their main HQ. "Ah, look like we have a visitor" she announced, "Sergeant Genzo is here."

"Eh, honto nii?"Ranran and Shinichi turned to the direction where she was pointing behind them, and so did the rest of the members.

"Oh, it's him alright." Michio recognizes the man from afar.

Emiko looked up curiously: "I wonder what he wants?

Michio's face brightened as he scrambled to his feet"Maybe there's a case he can't solve that would be way better than Sonoko and Ran's case."

"Or maybe he's coming to see your Okasan about something," Junko thought aloud.

Moments later the car park door opened and Sergeant Genzo strode in. He gave everyone a friendly smile" Am I interrupting anything?" he asked. Without waiting for an answer, he pulled up a spare chair and sat down at the table. "I've got something that might keep you all on your toes."

"Ah right, before announcing a thing, Sonoko," Ranran turned to her, "Leave the association."

Sonoko blinked, taken aback by Ranran's abrupt request. "Leave? Why?"

"You are not a member here, that is why," Ranran sighed, her expression unyielding. "Also, considering you tend to bring your old habits whenever you go, I don't want to go through another episode of getting ambushed, all thanks to you leaking the location to a former adversary through your big mouth, Suzuki Sonoko."

Sonoko flinched at the mention of Ranran having been tasered by Ran's former neighbour, bringing bad awful memories.

"Fine," Sonoko mumbled, slightly crestfallen. She stood up from her chair, casting a glance at the others before making her way to the exit. Ranran's eyes followed her until she was out of sight.

"Now, Sergeant Genzo, what brings you here?" Ranran turned her attention to the police officer.

Sergeant Genzo leaned back in his chair, a playful glint in his eyes. "Well, I've got a case that might pique your interest."

Michio's grin widened, "Really? What is it? A robbery? A kidnapping?"

Sergeant Genzo laughed and shook his head. "Nothing like that, but something you all could help me with if you have some time to spare." He slipped a file from under his arm and placed it on the table. "You see, we have reason to believe that someone stole a car in your area a week ago. We're looking for it, of course, but I thought Tantei association could keep a watch out for it, too."

"A stolen car?" Michio's disappointment showed on their face. Looking for someone's car seemed a terrible waste of time.

"Ah, is that so?"Ranran and Shinichi looked at each on in surprise before looking at Genzo.

Meanwhile, Junko quickly reached for her book, "What kind of car, Sergeant Genzo?" she asked politely. The sergeant opened his file and showed them a photograph of a sleek, silver-coloured sports car, as the kids gathered around to see it.

"It's what they call a roadster," Sergeant Genzo explained "The BMW Z4. Everyone calls it the Zee 4. The one that was stolen has a 3-liter 6-cуinder engine. From a standing start, it can reach 100 kilometres an hour in 5.9 seconds.''

Junko took notes as the sergeant spoke. She glanced up at the photo. The car might be fast, yes but it didn't look very practical to her. There wouldn't be sufficient space to stuff their shop goods, and where would the additional passengers sit then?

"It has been a while since I have seen a low tier car," Ranran reminisces thoughtfully at the photo.

"L-L-low tier car!?" Shinichi is in disbelief, since he who too grew up in privilege was shock at Ranran's comment, "You do know this is a luxury car, right Ranran?"

"Really? Are these cars expensive?" Ran found herself asking before shifting her gaze to Ranran, "Why would you call it a low tier car?!"

"Cause it has a reputation in my old school in Edgewood Academy..." Ranran frowned a bit, "They are usually seen driven by families of Barons."

"I am sorry, Barons?" Michio and the others grew confused at this.

"I will explain," Ranran cleared her throat to explain, "In the world of nobility, there is a total of five ranks of nobles, each with their own distinct responsibilities and privileges. Starting from the lowest, you have the Barons, followed by the Viscounts, Earls, Marquises, and Dukes at the top. Each rank has its own level of prestige and influence."

"Eh....? So there is even ranking about nobles as well, huh...?" Emiko muses at this.

"But if you were to put it this way, that means this BMW car that was stolen....only the lowest rank nobility would drive this sort of thing, right? Since Baron is considered the lowest rank." Shinichi figures.

"So that is the reason why you call it a low tier car!?" Ran decided that Ranran's taste is luxury is a little higher than Shinichi as she blinks, "But it is still a luxury car, no?" Ran figures.

"Oh no, it still is until now," The founder dismisses the long brown-haired brunette, "Just so happen that this car doesn't carry the same weight as the vehicles preferred by higher-ranking nobles."

"Really? Why?" Emiko was dying to understand how does the mindset of nobles work in Edgewood.

"The higher the rank, the higher the earning power. No idiot would want to settle off with a BMW Z4, when they are within their means to fork out more money for a more comfortable yet faster car than the Z4. So it ain't surprising to see why other nobles and royals of higher status will mock you if you were seen driving that car under the school's premises."

"How much is the car in yen by the way?" Takuma questioned the founder.

"Well, the BMW Z4 starts at around 5 million yen and can go up depending on the specifications and additional features," Ranran raised an eyebrow at Takuma's question, "Why do you ask?"

"F-f-five million yen!?" Michio whistled, clearly impressed by the price tag. "That's a lot of money for a car!"

"And people actually still looked down at you!? For driving a what!? Five million yen worth of car!?" Ran is bewildered by the mentality of those nobles, "What is wrong with them!? 5 million is a lot of money!"

Even Shinichi was stunned hearing all of this. Although he grew up in a wealthy family, he didn't think such people would behave that way towards someone who owns a 5 million yen worth of car. "Did they not have their head checked or something?" He found himself blurting all of this out.

"To them, a 5 million yen car is merely a valueless penny on the side of the road one will barely glance at, so it ain't surprising, really." Ranran explained, trying to provide some perspective.

"How is 5 million a penny!?" Junko's jaw remained wide as it was, and so did Emiko who had no idea what to make of it.

"Rich people really think differently, huh?" Emiko decided.

"Oh, you will be surprise," Ranran recalled as she narrated, "When I was a student in Edgewood Academy back then, we had this cool-looking parking spot. There was this particular row around the courtyard whereby students could park their cars in a cool-looking style, that way, whenever the students walked past on their way to class and back, you would be as if you were walking at a car showroom to purchase some exotic level cars."

Readjusting her posture once more, she continues, "One day, and this is a true story: This idiot owner of a BMW Z4, and as you can guess: the owner is a Baron, had this parking spot robbed by none other than a family of an Earl, ok? Now judging the ranks of this story, you can see where I am about to head with this story."

"When you say 'robbed', as in parking the Baron's parking spot, right? What a bastard! I always hate idiots like them!" Takuma cursed at that thought.

"Same, I hate them all the time." Michio and Ran agreed.

"Anyway, when this happened: he went on a rampage," Ranran explained.

"What? The Baron?" Emiko and the others were astounded, as they couldn't imagine the image of someone of prestige to behave in such a manner.

"Yup, and he literally stormed towards the courtyard and demanded that the car be removed from his 'designated parking space' because it's ruining the 'aesthetic.' The students who witnessed this started to record the entire ordeal, thinking it was some sort of prank. It became quite the spectacle, and the video went viral within the school."

"I can't imagine," Emiko chuckled, "That Baron guy must have felt so entitled."

"To be fair, he did pay for the reserved parking, so it wasn't surprising why that Baron was utterly enraged," Ranran responded.

"Really!?" Ran was in shock, before growing angry at this revelation, "And despite this, that Earl had the audacity to park onto his reserve parking that his family paid for!?"

"Yes," Ranran nodded to her, "In fact, The Baron even threatened to take the matter to the higher-ups, claiming that his noble privileges were being violated."

"That's just absurd!" Junko couldn't help but exclaim. "I get it; privileges are a thing, but creating a scene over a parking spot? It's beyond ridiculous."

"I mean he paid for it, who wouldn't go mad? I too would flip if I were him. It would be like parking in front of my house gate whereby my Tousan can't take his car out, all because some idiot parked his car in front of our house! " Takuma justifies.

Junko, adjusting her glasses, spoke up, "So, what happened next? Did they resolve the issue?"

"Well, that's where it gets interesting." Ranran continued the story. "Considering The Earls are of higher rank than him, they shamelessly didn't back down by intentionally pressuring the admins of the school to sell them the parking spot and refund the money back to the Baron."

"So to cut a long story short, they basically pushed the Baron out of his reserved parking spot? Damn, that is a cold heartless move." Shinichi summarized, still trying to wrap his head around the pettiness of the situation.

"Yup, and then they claimed they were just 'exercising their noble privileges,'" Ranran added with a smirk. "It was a whole spectacle, and the video circulated not only within the school but also beyond. The Baron became a laughingstock, and it was a hot topic for weeks."

"That's... wow," Emiko shook her head in disbelief. "I never imagined nobility would engage in such petty disputes."

"Acting like children, really!" Ran was in awe.

"Are there not any more available parking spots in Edgewood Academy?! It is a prestigious school filled with students of nobles and royals, surely the school could afford a bigger parking space, right?" Junko confronted the founder.

"Oh no, they can afford it. Though considering our campus is large, that parking spot was actually suitable for the Baron since it is the closest walking distance between his class to the car." Ranran pointed out, "And anyway, it didn't help that The Earl's family, with an awful sense of humour, put up a small sign on the car that said, 'Parked here just to annoy the Baron.'"

"Seriously, that's the kind of drama that happens in Edgewood Academy?" Michio chuckled, finding it difficult to believe.

Ranran nodded, "Edgewood is a melting pot of eccentric characters. You'd be surprised by the kind of shenanigans that go on there."

Junko shook her head, still trying to process the story. "And these are supposed to be the future leaders of society?"

"Leaders, maybe. But sensible? That's debatable," Ranran replied with a smirk.

"But that poor Baron, I feel sorry for him to be made fun of like that," Ran grew sympathetic.

"No need to, cause this is where the interesting part of the story began: You see, he later contacted our online services: Which is my deceased mentor and I." With a gleeful tone, she revealed, "Enraged of being humiliated, he wanted revenge. Which we did The Earl just that."

"Which is....?" Takuma is dying to know how things turned out, and so do the others as they lean closer to what Ranran has to say.

"You see, we all knew that The Earl drove this 2016 Mercedes AMG C 63 S Cabriolet, he treasured it as if it was his baby so much so, that whenever the sky was about to rain heavily, The Earl would excuse himself from class and rush over to the parking lot to cover his beloved car. It became a running joke among the students, but he didn't care one bit. And if anyone scratches his car in an accident of that sort, he will sue them till the family goes broke, which happened before once."

"So, what did you do?" Junko asked with anticipation.

"Well, the opposite way," Ranran leaned back, a smirk playing on her lips. "I gathered some people to have his car repainted pink when he sent the car to repair one day, it wasn't hard to convince those people to do it, because his family always gave their children who also study in Edgewood a difficult time, then had the car decorated in flowers. And should he ever start the car with the ignition, the song "Barbie Girl' would last loudly so that the attention would be directed at him. Considering his car is a convertible, and that we also tampered with the roof and radio, there is no way he can shut down all the attention. Let alone, whenever he stepped on the gas pedal, there would be a voice recording that said "Ken, you forgot to pick up Barbie!' over and over, it will drive even the sanest of minds nuts!" Ranran finished her sentence with a mischievous grin.

The Tantei Association members burst into laughter, imagining the absurdity of The Earl's once prestigious sports car now turned into a pink, flower-decorated, Barbie-themed spectacle.

"That's one way to make school more entertaining," Takuma remarked, finding the whole situation both amusing and baffling.

"I can imagine the faces of those kids in Edgewood staring in shock over why is it a-wait, hold on a minute, Ranran, how old was the driver?" Shinichi turned to ask.

"17. He is the same age as The Baron in the story."

Ran blinked in surprise, "Wait, your mentor and you accept teenagers as clients too!?"

Ranran shrugged nonchalantly, "Age doesn't matter when it comes to seeking revenge. Besides, he had it coming after what he did to the Baron."

"My Goodness! A pink flower-themed car!? I can only imagine that it was thanks to the two of you, that you both ruined a cool-looking parking spot!" Emiko grew amused at that image, "I can only imagine that the sickening pinky-looking car made the rest of the cars surrounding it look ugly and cheap."

"You really have the balls to do this sort of thing!" Takuma exclaimed.

"Well, yeah, that was the whole idea. To turn his pride and joy into something that would make him think twice before messing with others," Ranran explained, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "And the pink flower-themed car did cause quite a stir. The reactions from the students were priceless."

"I bet! That's a legendary level of revenge," Michio exclaimed, clearly impressed by the audacity of the prank.

Junko, adjusting her glasses, couldn't help but chuckle. "I have to admit, it's a creative way to settle a dispute. But how did he react to the whole Barbie theme?"

"He lost it, of course," Ranran said with a smirk. "The moment he tried to start the car, and 'Barbie Girl' started blaring from the speakers, he was red as a tomato. Then, when he realized he couldn't turn off the song or the attention-grabbing decorations, he just sat there, seething with rage while the entire courtyard erupted in laughter while other students were busy filming all of this on the smartphone."

"Imagine going from a sleek, silver sports car to a pink Barbie mobile, I wish I was there to see it!" Shinichi chuckled, finding the mental image amusing.

"Did he find out you two were behind it? Cause if I were him, I would be digging around to find out who did that to his car!" Ran questioned the founder.

"He didn't, but he suspected it had to be The Baron, cause after that, he ran straight to the Baron's classroom and punched him in the face, and then a feud ensured," Ranran answered.

"Wow, that escalated quickly," Michio remarked, still amused by the turn of events.

"I can't believe he went and punched the Baron just based on suspicion," Emiko shook her head in disbelief.

"Well, it seems like Edgewood Academy was quite the battlefield of noble rivalries," Junko added her expression a mix of amusement and disbelief.

Ranran chuckled, "The drama at Edgewood was always entertaining. You never knew what kind of chaos would unfold next."

Shinichi, always intrigued by such stories, leaned forward, "So, did the Baron retaliate?"

"He did, and it eventually reached the ears of the Principal, who wasn't happy about their shinanigans, so the Principal later called them into his office and scolded them. The Baron and The Earl were given a strict warning and ordered to put an end to their petty disputes, by making each other clean up the principal's car as punishment." Ranran explained.

"That's quite the unique way to settle things," Sergeant Genzo who had been quietly listening to this tale commented, wiping away tears from laughter. "I supposed after that incident, there had been no more such incidents since?"

"Well, not onto them to say the least," Ranran vaguely replied.

"What is that supposed to mean?" The rest of them grew puzzled by her words.

"Well, you see...neither of them enjoys cleaning the Principal's car because he owns this antique black 1996 Mercedes Benz E class, and black itself is a difficult colour to clean because of how easily it shows dirt and scratches," Ranran responded before grinning, "It would've taken them hours to clean unless they do something about it. Which is why they both mutually decided rather than clean up his car, why not create a further mess in his car instead?"

"How did they do so?" Emiko asks.

"Nothing much, just some nice coloured powders, water balloons filled with paint, feathers, confetti, and even glitter. The result was a rainbow-coloured, feathered, glittery mess all over the Principal's car."

The Tantei Association burst into laughter once again, picturing the ridiculous sight of the once sleek and elegant car transformed into a chaotic canvas of colours and textures. Even Sergeant Genzo is having a hard time trying not to laugh at that image.

"The audacity!" Takuma laughed aloud.

"Ooh, they are asking for death!" Michio was amused by how far those teens were willing to take, and so did Junko and the rest of them.

"I imagined the principal is utterly pissed off," Shinichi was in shock over how things had turned out for the two, "I mean they vandalized the car!"

"To be fair, they justified that over the past many years or decades, the principal of Edgewood Academy never once bought a new car and kept keeping the old junk around, kept it up and running since he was a teenager. So vandalizing the car to them would give the principal a good reason to finally buy a new one." Ranran adds.

"Seriously, those two had nerves of steel to pull off something like that," Junko remarked between fits of laughter.

"Vandalizing the principal's car as a solution to their punishment is just next-level creativity," Ran added, wiping tears from his eyes.

"I can't believe they justified it that way. That's some twisted logic," Junko said, shaking her head in amusement.

"So, what did the Principal do when he found out?" Emiko asked, still amused.

"He was furious, of course," Ranran replied, her laughter contagious. "The Baron and the Earl thought they had outsmarted him, but the Principal, in turn, outsmarted them. He called them to his office once again, and this time, he gave them an ultimatum."

"What kind of ultimatum?" Junko inquired.

"He sent the bill of the damaged car to both of their families," Ranran explained, her expression gleeful. "Needless to say, neither parents were pleased with their children's antics. The Baron and the Earl were then forced to work part-time jobs to pay off the expenses incurred from cleaning and repairing the Principal's car."

The Tantei Association members erupted into laughter once more, imagining the priceless reactions of the Baron and the Earl's parents upon receiving the hefty bill.

"That's the perfect twist to the story! They thought they had outsmarted the Principal, but he had another trick up his sleeve," Takuma remarked, thoroughly entertained.

"I can't believe they had to work part-time jobs to cover the costs. Talk about a double whammy," Michio said, his laughter echoing in the room.

"This is what I call self-sabotage! They literally signed their own death warrant!" Emiko lost it at this point.

"Those two really got themselves into quite a mess. I wonder if it finally put an end to their pranks and feuds," Michio pondered.

"It definitely did,"

Ranran leaned back in her chair, a satisfied smile on her face. "Well, after that incident, and months of having their car keys confiscated, not to mention, both of them having lost their parking spots, the two knew they had no choice but to keep a low profile and focus on their studies for the remainder of their time at Edgewood Academy."

"I bet the other students at Edgewood had a field day with these stories," Shinichi remarked, shaking his head in amusement.

"Oh, they did," Ranran confirmed. "It was all over Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!"

"I can imagine the memes and posts circulating online. Edgewood Academy must have been the talk of social media for a while," Junko added, picturing the virtual chaos.

"That's the thing about prestigious schools. Every little drama becomes a spectacle for the entire world to witness," Ranran said, still relishing the memories.

Sergeant Genzo, who had been enjoying the tales, chimed in, "Well, it seems like Edgewood Academy was a hotbed of drama. I've dealt with my fair share of cases, but I never thought noble students would engage in such antics."

"You never know what goes on behind the scenes in those elite institutions," Ranran remarked. "But speaking of cases, Sergeant Genzo, about the car?"

"Ah yes, you know about it?" He pointed at the photo of the stolen vehicle.

"I know of one that has a 2.5-litre version of the car, with manual transmission. It can go from 0 to 100 in seven seconds."

"Really!?"Takuma's jaw dropped. "That's awesome!"

Junko waited for him to fiddle with his cap, but he didn't.

"How many of these models are manufactured?"Shinichi asked Ranran.

"About that...." Ranran thought for a moment before responding, "The specific model I  mentioned, the 2.5-litre version with the manual transmission isn't as common as the standard ones. It's more of a niche choice for enthusiasts who prefer manual gearboxes."

"As in how many in specifics worldwide?"

"Worldwide, there might be a few thousand units," Ranran answered.

"And yet, people in Edgewood make fun of those Barons owning such a car that is not mass produced? Seriously? It's a limited edition car!" Takuma is still gobsmacked by this, wondering how the students of Edgewood functioned within the campus.

"I questioned this part of their idiocy a lot," Ranran explained, her tone tinged with sarcasm.

"That's just absurd," Ran shook her head. "It's a limited edition car; you'd think that alone would give it some prestige."

"Why so little of them are manufactured, by the way?" Emiko asked.

"Because they are too expensive to make, let alone maintain, Emiko. The cars are not meant for average people to afford."

"And yet, 5 million yen worth of car appears to be 'too cheap' for those nobles...." Ran rolled her eyes as she muttered.

"That is right, but regardless of its worth, 5 million is still a lot for people like us, which is why the car got stolen in the first place." The sergeant continued."The owner actually reported the car stolen, it was painted Gold as he parked it outside a restaurant. To cut a long story short: As he is a wealthy businessman, he is willing to offer a reward for getting the car back."He offered the children his theory "My guess is, we are not likely to discover it on the road, probably locked up in a garage or a warehouse somewhere until the heat dies down or until the crooks have had a chance to change their appearance, then later sell it into parts. So far I have sent out my men to look into every single car repair shop and spray paint workshop we could come across to look for the said vehicle, just in case someone had tried to get its colour changed, but we've had no such luck."

"Of course you won't find anything," Ranran scoffed, "Because those criminals normally use their underground network to paint it themselves. Doing it in a legal workshop would be the last thing they do because someone would eventually tip the cops. And even if those criminals manage to get those legal car workshops to do it for them, it would take a hefty bribe to do so."

"So what Ranran says is true...." Takuma stared at the ceiling. "Then there are millions of places to hide a car around Japan," he said.

"Which is why we need lots of extra eyes on the job. Since my men are unable to locate it, and considering you guys are free lately, it only do you guys good to keep an eye out on the car if you discover it." Sergeant Genzo confirmed. "But you never know. I'm hoping the crooks will make a mistake and take it for а drive. So if you guys catch sight of it, just call me."

"It must be hidden somewhere, "Emiko mused, her pencil flying over a sheet of paper as she sketched the car. As she drew its slick, aggressive lines, she imagined herself behind the wheel, the sun on her face, her long hair streaming in the wind rush.

Ran peered at the photo. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Sergeant Genzo scribbled the registration number down on a piece of paper and passed it to Ranran."Well, see what you can do." He got to his feet and scooped up his file. "By the way, Michio," he asked him, "Is your Okasan in her shop? I'll go and say hello."

After he'd left, Michio slumped in his chair."It's not much of a mystery, is it!" he said gloomily"Finding a stolen car!"

"Then again, put it this way, who knows that this may turn out to be our 9th major case?"Shinichi folded his arms as he frowned at the eldest boy, "And even if it isn't, it will put your brain to good use, will it not? For someone who can't even find his missing lunchbox that was evidently tucked away under the shelf of the TV the other day, it won't hurt to see what it takes to locate a missing car, right Michio?"

That comment made Michio blush in embarrassment, as he bashfully replied while giving Shinichi an exasperated look. "You don't have to bring up the lunchbox incident every time, you know."

"Come on, Michio, it's just some friendly teasing," Junko chimed in with a grin.

"But seriously, guys, let's focus on the task at hand. Finding a stolen car might not be as exciting as some of our previous cases, but it's still a responsibility," Ranran said, her tone shifting to a more serious one. "And who knows, there might be more to this case than meets the eye."

Michio perked up a bit, realizing the potential challenge. "Yeah, you're right. We should approach it like any other case and give it our best shot."

Takuma gave him a friendly punch and laughed. "You heard what Shinichi said. Don't bite more than you can chew, Michio. And Sergeant Genzo is right. It's probably hidden in a warehouse or people wouldn't expect to find it somewhere."

"And look on the positive side, there is a reward," Ranran reminded "If we find the car, we can use that extra money to upgrade our equipment here."

"I guess I'd been hoping we'd have a proper mystery to solve....something that The Snake was involved...but, since you mention this...I guess this ain't as bad as I thought."Michio couldn't help but reluctantly agree.

"Neh Ranran, then what about Chika's case regarding her boyfriend?! Are we going to put that aside?" Ran reminded her.

"In the first place, tell Sonoko to try and set up a date when you and Sonoko can convince Chika to bring Nori over to meet face-to-face. Once all of that is sorted out, you get back to me." Ranran suggested.

"Ah right! I almost forgot about that!" Ran facepalmed herself absentmindedly before heading out of the association HQ to meet up with Sonoko about Ranran's suggestion.

"In the meantime, guys," Ranran turned to the rest of the members, "For the carcase, let's discuss the plans for the day before heading out to search for it. I have a gut feeling that whatever we are about to uncover might blow the lid wide open. We'll need to consider all possibilities and strategize accordingly."

The members gathered around, and Ranran unfolded a large map of the city on the table. She pointed out the areas where the car was last seen and the general vicinity where it might be hidden while discussing possible locations.