Detective Conan (名探偵コナン)

Detective Conan Episode 1014 "The Novelist Known as the Demon King"

Crap, it's 3:30.

I need to get home soon, or I'll miss out on my snack.

Your snack? Seriously?

Huh? What's going on?

I believe the author Tawake Shintaro's mansion is around there.

Oh, the mystery writer.

Every book he publishes is a success.

It's no wonder he's got such a nice place.

Inspector?

You again?

If Division One is here, then...

That's right.

The author Tawake Shintaro was found shot to death inside this residence.

What? Shot to death?

A journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step!

Solve 1,000 mysteries and enter a new world!

Shots are fired at a popular author!

The shady room is its own mystery!

Always determining the one truth

with the body of a child and the mind of an adult,

his name is Detective Conan!

The Novelist Known as the Demon King

"The Novelist Known as the Demon King!"

Tawake Shintaro (55) Mystery Writer

The victim is Tawake Shintaro-san, 55 years old.

As you know, he was a mystery writer.

The cause of death was blood loss from a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

We believe the weapon was this shotgun found on the floor near the body.

I see.

The victim was shot while sleeping on the sofa.

The windows of this study face north, so the lights were kept on even during the daytime.

A room doesn't get sunlight with north-facing windows.

According to forensics, the estimated time of death is around noon.

He was shot with that shotgun, right?

Most likely, since it was left on the floor there.

Let's review the case.

While Tawake was sleeping on the sofa, the culprit entered the room,

killed him with a shotgun, dropped the murder weapon, and fled the scene.

Is that right?

Most likely. Since the glass door in the living room was partially open,

we believe the culprit entered and exited through there.

Take the body away for an autopsy.

We found no signs that the culprit searched the room, so we don't believe they were a thief.

Could the motive have been hatred?

What's this?

It's a bloodstain.

This must've splattered here when he was shot.

But since there's no blood on the curtains, that means they were open then, right?

Did the culprit take the time to close them?

If that's the case, then why did they do that?

They were probably trying to delay the discovery of the body.

It would give them more time to get away.

But who'd be looking in through this window?

Huh?

Isn't it visible from the next house over?

What's up with that house?

The weather's so nice, but all the shutters are closed.

Apparently the neighbors moved away last week. It's currently unoccupied.

It's empty, huh?

Inspector.

There's blood on this as well,

but there isn't a drop on the floor or wall around it.

Was that stand located elsewhere during the murder

and moved afterwards by the culprit?

Why would that be necessary?

Inspector Megure, I'm back from questioning the neighbors.

Nobody saw any suspicious persons.

Also, in the neighborhood...

There wasn't anyone who heard a gunshot.

I'm not surprised no one heard anything with this racket.

The body was discovered by Tawake's apprentices, right?

We're having them wait in the living room.

Tawake Shintaro had apprentices, huh?

Akaike Naoya (38) Tawake's Apprentice

These four are Tawake-san's apprentices.

Degawa Miyuki (30) Tawake's Apprentice

Bito Ryunosuke (35) Tawake's Apprentice

Chigasaki Haruo (33) Tawake's Apprentice

These two found the body.

I'm Akaike Naoya.

I'm Degawa Miyuki.

These two are apprentices as well.

They came as quickly as they could once we reached out to them.

I'm Bito Ryunosuke.

I'm Chigasaki Haruo.

We took turns on a daily rotation performing odd jobs for Tawake-sensei.

It was my turn today, so I'd been at the mansion since this morning.

You can leave for now, Akaike.

There's something I'd like you to do for me later.

Come back around three.

I've got something to tell you then, so bring Miyuki with you.

Yes, sir. See you later.

When the two of us returned...

We rushed to call the police.

Naturally, we haven't touched the crime scene.

Then it was the culprit who touched the curtains and stand.

By the way, Akaike-san, we should probably call them.

7 PM

Shiga Dentist

You're right.

If we don't call them soon, it'll cause trouble later.

Excuse me for a moment.

Who would it cause trouble for?

The dentist.

Akaike-san was told to make an appointment yesterday.

Damn molars.

Thank you.

I was able to make an appointment for tomorrow night at seven.

But now that he's dead...

I'd like to cancel the appointment I made yesterday.

Yes.

Tawake-san had bad teeth, huh?

The Demon King won't have to worry about cavities anymore.

Demon King?

Why did you call him the Demon King?

They'll find out as they continue their investigation.

Officer, to tell you the truth, Tawake-sensei was considered a brilliant hitmaker,

but there's no way he could've written more than ten books each year.

The books he published over the past few years were actually written by us.

What?

He'd make us write them and then make a few changes.

He barely wrote anything himself?

It was an open secret in the industry.

We were paid for our work,

but we didn't want to be ghostwriters.

But we couldn't defy him.

If you keep working for me, I'll help you debut when the time is right.

But if you run away from me, I'll make sure you never debut!

In any case, his books are popular.

His influence in the publishing industry was absolute.

But he lied about helping us debut.

We jumped at the opportunity to apprentice with an author we admired,

but this place was like a labor camp.

So that's why you called him the Demon King.

All four of you had problems with Tawake-san.

The only way you could become independent was if he went away.

What?

In other words, you resented him.

You had motives for murder.

You're saying one of us killed him?

Inspector Megure, the forensics team is leaving.

We'll stay here a little longer.

He was shot using that?

That gun...

It's not inside the locker.

I knew it. That gun belonged to Tawake-sensei.

The weapon belonged to the victim?

He secretly stored his unlicensed gun here.

And you all knew about it.

I'm telling you, we're innocent.

We know suspicion would fall on us if we used it.

There's no way we'd do something so foolish.

Yeah.

Perhaps that's exactly why you used it.

If you were the culprit, there's no way you'd use that gun.

You planned to use that excuse.

Once you start thinking that way, there's no end to it.

But won't suspicion be cleared once your alibis are verified?

That's true.

Then could you tell us where you were

and what you were doing around noon?

We were able to confirm Akaike-san's alibi.

We found several people to verify it.

However, we were unable to confirm Degawa-san, Bito-san,

and Chigasaki-san's alibis.

Of course you couldn't. We were writing.

Yeah.

Yeah.

For now, we've narrowed down four suspects to three.

Wait a minute! You mean...

Naturally, we're not assuming one of you is the culprit.

But without clear alibis...

Chigasaki, it's because of your stupid actions that the police suspect me.

What? But it's Miyuki who seems like she could've done it.

Bito-san is a hundred times more suspicious than I am.

Cut it out, guys. Don't point fingers at each other.

I know forced infighting when I see it.

Did the three of you scheme to kill Tawake together?

What?

Why is this happening?

Don't cry.

You're able to say that because you have an alibi.

You're responsible for this, Akaike-san.

You did nothing about the Demon King's tyranny even though you're the oldest.

That's right.

Yeah.