Chapter 249: Nilou's Friend
"Ah? Is it my turn?" Barbara asked, snapping back to attention and looking to the officers for confirmation.
Once she received a nod, Barbara recounted the time and reason she had entered the practice room.
"It's just that... I happened to run into Nilou yesterday, and I realized she might be connected to my sister's current work. So, after I finished my singing practice today, I wanted to use the lunch break to find her and ask about it."
According to Barbara's testimony, she had gone looking for Nilou at around 11:30 AM. However, after pushing open the practice room door and finding it empty, she had simply turned around and left.
The surveillance footage corroborated her story, showing her presence in the practice room was fleeting—just long enough to peek inside before departing. It was clear she wasn't lying.
"What does Nilou have to do with your sister?" Heiji Hattori asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. He couldn't grasp how Barbara's sister had become entangled in this affair. He muttered to himself, a seed of suspicion planted in his mind, but Barbara pressed her lips together, refusing to disclose any more information.
"That's my sister's private business. It has nothing to do with what happened today, so I can't say anything more," Barbara stated, shaking her head. Her refusal to answer the seemingly irrelevant question was firm.
Seeing that she was resolute, Heiji let out a sigh of helplessness. Just as he was about to press the three of them for more details, a police officer hurried over, announcing that Nilou had returned.
A measure of relief washed over Heiji's expression. With the person at the center of this mystery now present, he was confident he could get to the bottom of things.
A moment later, a young woman with long, crimson hair tied into twin pigtails that cascaded past her waist walked into the practice room, following the officer.
Sonoko and Ran's curiosity had already been piqued by Kazuha's earlier praise for the girl's dancing. Hearing that Nilou had arrived, they couldn't help but turn their heads, eager to see the dancer whose grace was so highly lauded.
The instant their eyes fell on Nilou, they were captivated by her brilliant smile. Her emerald-green eyes shimmered with the charming radiance of fine gemstones, making it difficult to look away.
Nilou was dressed in a practice outfit that perfectly accentuated her slender figure. The top and skirt were a refreshing sea-blue, evoking a sense of tranquility and mystery. Cleverly placed gradient effects gave the entire ensemble a rich depth and dimensionality. The design not only made Nilou appear even more beautiful and vibrant but was clearly intended to highlight her movements on stage. As she stood there, it was also apparent that she wasn't wearing a Vision.
Heiji Hattori, Conan Edogawa, and Okiya Subaru also turned their attention to the dancer. While they, too, noted her unique attire, their minds remained firmly fixed on solving the case. Seeing that the person in question had finally returned, they were eager to begin their inquiries.
"Nilou, is there any other information you can provide regarding this incident?" Heiji asked, his face set in a serious expression.
Conan listened intently, nodding along from time to time.
Just then, he felt a sudden, sharp tug on the back of his shirt. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Ai Haibara, who was hiding behind him with a look of raw panic on her face.
Conan was puzzled. Although Haibara disliked Okiya Subaru and had been actively avoiding him, her anxiety hadn't been this acute. Why had her expression shifted so drastically in a single moment?
He shot her a questioning look and saw her eyes were wide with a fear that bordered on terror. He followed her gaze and realized she seemed to be staring, horrified, at someone near the doorway.
Conan's brow knitted. He looked up, tracing her line of sight toward the entrance.
At the same time, Okiya Subaru, who had been keeping a subtle watch on Haibara, also noticed her abnormal reaction and turned his head toward the door as well.
Conan's eyes widened in astonishment as a tall man with smoky gray hair slowly walked through the doorway.
"Alhaitham, over here!" Nilou called out, waving cheerfully.
The sudden appearance of a Black Organization member who had no business being there sent a jolt of pure shock through Conan. A cry almost escaped his lips.
He was on the verge of blurting out the man's name, but thankfully, Nilou's voice cut through the tension first, preventing anyone from realizing that Conan recognized him.
"This is Alhaitham," Nilou said with a bright smile, introducing him to the room. "He's a friend I invited to help with the stage setup."
"Oh, I see. Is he the friend you mentioned, Nilou? The one who can handle the technical preparations in such a short amount of time?" Murata Yoko asked, her brow slightly furrowed. Her eyes, filled with a hint of skepticism, drifted over to Alhaitham. "Can he really do that?"
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