“A—a ‘skill user’? You mean like from the play?”
“Uh-huh,” Ranpo said with a nod.
Oh, great. I wasn’t expecting that.
“Officer, wait. Allow me to handle the interview at the station. As you can see, Ranpo is still a boy. He’s new to this and exhausted from the investigation. He gave me his version of the incident, so I should be able to—”
“The heck? I’m totally fine. If anything, I feel better now than when we got here.”
Ranpo curiously tilted his head. He was telling the truth. His skin had seemed to be glowing ever since he stole the show.
“Wai
t… This amazing young detective is a skill user?” The officer’s eyes opened wide.
“That’s right! The skill user capable of knowing the truth behind every case, the master detective Ranpo Edogawa!”
“Wait… Wait.” Fukuzawa stopped him in a fluster. “Ranpo, I wasn’t going to tell you this, but you’re not a skill user. You were able to uncover the truth through observation and reasoning alone. That’s why—”
“Huh?” Ranpo seemed bewildered. “What are you talking about? That’s impossible. Besides, you were the one who told me it was a skill in the first place.”
“Yes, but—”
“The reason I’m special is because I’m a skill user. Do you really think it would be possible for me to see things that others don’t, otherwise?”
“I sure don’t. I am just a dumb cop, though.”
“Listen, you—”
“Oh, hey! Is that a police car?! Whoa! Are we gonna get in that and go to the station?”
“If that’s what you want, I can make it happen.”
“Hold on. Listen to me.”
“Ha-ha-ha! You cops better start buttering me up while you can! I’m sure it’s obvious, but I could steal all your jobs! A skill that can solve cases is a godsend! On second thought, it’s better than that! It’s God itself! I am God!”
“Oh, I’m not worthy! Thank the heavens for bestowing you upon us!”
“H-hold on, you two…”
Fukuzawa was at a loss. The lie he told to save Ranpo was slowly growing. At this rate, the white lie was only going to get bigger until the damage was irreversible.
However…
“I feel so alive. I finally understand who I am!”
When Fukuzawa first met Ranpo, the boy was a cynic who had turned his back to the world, but now he was carefree, smiling, and so full of life.
Forget it.
Just because it was his extraordinary mind and not a skill didn’t make Ranpo any less exceptional. If anything, his talents would make even a skill user goggle. So one could argue that he was being humble whenever he called himself a skill user. Besides, Ranpo wasn’t always going to be able to solve mysteries with such ease, and when that happened…was he going to find out the truth for himself? Or would Fukuzawa be there to break it to him?
That was when Fukuzawa finally realized his thoughts were heading in a bizarre direction:
—Ranpo solving more difficult mysteries.
—Fukuzawa, right there with him.