The Organization had its own unique way of training assassins.
From firearms, driving, hand-to-hand combat, and survival skills, to trace elimination and emergency crisis response, the training program was all-encompassing.
According to Hayashi Yoshiki, the Organization even maintained a training base on an overseas island. Every year, fully "graduated" operatives from that island were deployed across the globe… Elite snipers like Chianti and Korn were products of that facility.
When Hayashi Yoshiki first learned this, he simply took note—he said nothing aloud.
Lately, he had been busier than ever.
Each afternoon was consumed by intense training at the Organization's private training grounds. In addition to physical combat, the curriculum included emergency scenario simulations and decision-making under duress.
At night, he spent time on a new installment of The Case Files of Young Kindaichi.
And whenever he went out, he often carried pages from the Death Note—for "testing."
Of course, his weekly psychological consultations were still ongoing. In fact, this week he had doubled his visits. According to Dr. Fudō from Mika Pharmacy Hospital, Hayashi Yoshiki remained "perfectly healthy, both physically and mentally."
"I saw in the report that you had two psych consults this week?""Yes. Is there a problem?""Why did you schedule two?""I forgot I had already booked one."
This was Gin questioning him during a call. Hayashi answered without a moment's hesitation.
Gin paused.
He couldn't tell whether Cointreau was telling the truth. From what Gin had gathered, although Cointreau often forgot dates, he had a precise grasp of spans of time—days, weeks, months. So either his condition had worsened, or he simply sought out extra therapy for personal reasons.
Either way, both outcomes pointed toward deterioration.
Another factor: due to increased Japanese public safety operations, the Organization's activities in Tokyo (Beika City) had slowed. As a result, Cointreau hadn't received a mission assignment in a while.
Perhaps...
"Has the training been too stressful lately?" Gin suddenly asked. "Do you need a mission to ease your nerves?"
"...?"
Hayashi Yoshiki didn't answer. The question was so unexpected that he was at a loss for words.
"You'll be given a mission soon. Also, a new psychological evaluation is scheduled in four days."
Gin hung up immediately after that.
What's with him?
Hayashi Yoshiki couldn't understand what Gin was imagining. In truth, the reason for the double appointments was simple—he just wanted to accelerate the timeline.
He was now just one step away from changing the name of Fudō Kyōsuke.
So he wanted to speed things up.
As for the mental evaluation scheduled four days from now—would it be conducted at the same research facility Shiho Miyano was sent to before?
If so… it might just be an opportunity.
The Blue-Roofed Castle
A silver Mercedes-Benz E-W210 sped down a winding suburban road.
The area was known for its mountain stream camping and fishing grounds, but Hayashi Yoshiki wasn't heading there.
His destination was a blue-roofed castle, nestled deep within the forest beside the fishing site.
Eventually, the vehicle pulled up to the castle gates. A gardener opened the gate without resistance and let Hayashi Yoshiki through.
"You must be Mr. Hayashi from Beika Town, right? The master is expecting you. Please follow me."
"Yes. Thank you."
The castle's current proprietor was Mamiya Mitsuru.
Hayashi Yoshiki had written to him several days ago, and now, upon receiving a formal reply, he was paying a visit.
Once inside, Mamiya Mitsuru greeted him warmly.
"You really are Mr. Hayashi. I've seen your name in the newspapers quite a bit recently!"
"Good afternoon, Mr. Mamiya," Hayashi Yoshiki replied with a cordial smile. "This castle is magnificent. With all its mystery, I can see why rumors of hidden treasure spread so easily."
"Haha, well then I hope you can help us uncover the secrets left behind here."
Just then, the castle's old lady rolled into the reception hall in a wheelchair.
She had been alerted by the arrival of a guest.
Her face was deeply wrinkled, like tree bark, and her eyes squinted with age. Upon seeing Hayashi Yoshiki, she turned to Mamiya.
"A detective from Tokyo… Aman, did you summon him here?"
"No, Mother," Mamiya Mitsuru replied with an awkward smile. "He heard about the mystery surrounding the castle and contacted us on his own."
"Hmm?"
The old woman stared at him suspiciously.
"I get the feeling you're obsessed with the treasure and brought in this detective to help find it."
"That's not it," Mamiya sighed, but added truthfully, "Though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious about my father-in-law's hidden treasure."
"Hmph. I always said my daughter married a greedy man. I'll be sure to speak with her when I return."
The old lady turned her gaze toward Hayashi Yoshiki.
"Since you've come, then try uncovering what mystery my husband left behind…"
With that, she rolled away.
Mamiya and the gardener exchanged glances, and the former offered a wry, apologetic smile to Hayashi.
The Mamiya family tree was complex.
The castle's original owner and builder had died fifteen years ago, leaving behind the message:
"To the one who solves the mystery of this castle, I will give my greatest treasure."
The old lady from earlier was his first wife.
They had one daughter—now deceased—who died in a fire four years ago.
Mamiya Mitsuru was her husband, the current son-in-law of the family.
But in truth... no one realized that the real old lady had already been replaced by an imposter.
Years ago, a woman had applied to be a housekeeper at the castle. Upon learning about the rumored treasure, she murdered the real lady of the house and underwent plastic surgery to imitate her appearance. With no one the wiser, she quietly assumed her identity.
The only one who couldn't be fooled was the daughter—so the imposter burned her alive in a fire four years ago.
Thinking about how someone could go so far as to reshape their entire identity to steal another's wealth...
Hayashi Yoshiki couldn't help but grow more interested in Kaito Kid's disguise techniques.
But more pressing right now was identifying the original name of the woman who replaced the old lady.
That information could be easily obtained—especially from the talkative gardener beside him.