In the hall, Ren slowly opened his eyes.
They were clearly two very different kinds of people from Kaguya, with differing perspectives on many things, and yet—
Their actions were strikingly similar.
They really are relatives.
This outcome was truly interesting.
Being able to pull someone directly into a dream, to converse with the dreamer within that dream, and extract a great deal of information from them… The extraordinary ability of Nightmare was indeed like a long dream. It could even erase the dreamer's memory of the event afterward.
Of course, Ren knew that part of Maki's memory had remained intact, which caused her to retain a fragment of the dream upon waking.
But this kind of memory had its limits.
Even so, Maki was a truly admirable girl. Despite the limited window, she still managed to pass on the contents of the dream to someone else.
She was even more competent than Ren had imagined.
As for the risk of others learning about the contents of that dream, it wasn't a big issue.
The crucial part of the memory was still hidden. That portion would only resurface once Maki fulfilled the necessary conditions.
By that time, she would likely have already become a believer.
Ren adjusted his condition slightly.
Then once again appeared before the others.
Kaguya asked immediately with a hint of curiosity.
"Miss Shijo gave the same answer you did. Though unlike you, who made the decision based on personal resolve, she chose on behalf of her family."
"And she exceeded my expectations."
"Even with some control exerted over her, she still managed to tell her brother what happened in the dream while barely conscious."
Kaguya hadn't expected that, even under Ren's influence, Maki could retain partial memory. That she was even able to contact her brother, Shijo Mikado, and relay part of the dream—that came as a surprise.
The memories from Kaguya's childhood slowly surfaced.
She had met Mikado when she was young, but only for a short while.
Even now, after all these years, she still wasn't sure how much he had grown since then.
"Yeah, don't worry too much. I've always had a grasp of what Maki remembers post-dream. She's already forgotten most of the conversation in the haze. Her memory is under restriction. There won't be any problems."
After all, Ren wasn't someone who liked trouble.
Memory-related issues had to be tightly controlled. Otherwise, they'd just cause unnecessary complications.
Before reaching the level of Demigod, exposing oneself too early would be a foolish decision.
Suddenly, the cruise ship's horn sounded.
It was the signal that the ship was about to depart. It served as both an external alert and an internal notice.
The ship soon began to move, and those on board could feel the gradual motion.
At the same time, the doors at the entrance to the hall began to close after the last few people entered.
The police had blocked the entrance both inside and out to prevent Kaito Kid from sneaking in.
After the two previous incidents, the police were convinced that Kid had already infiltrated the group. This time, they were more determined than ever to capture him.
But Kid wouldn't appear unless he was certain he wouldn't be caught.
As a Phantom Thief, knowing when to advance and when to retreat was essential. Charging forward recklessly would only bring ruin. He wouldn't be able to maintain his identity for long that way.
The last few ladies who walked into the hall looked around, observing the situation.
"There are barely any familiar faces. Just a bunch of strangers."
Asakaze Risa took note of the people invited to the party.
"Honestly, most people don't care about these kinds of banquets. And with the way the Suzuki Zaibatsu handled things this time, most would rather watch it all play out on the news tomorrow."
Miki Hanabishi said it bluntly.
And it was true. After all, this time the Suzuki Zaibatsu had directly accepted Kid's provocation.
"There was a big commotion on the cruise ship while we were checking in."
Izumi Segawa touched her chin thoughtfully, recalling the disruption she'd noticed earlier as they boarded.
"This means the thief has already made his move."
Risa immediately deduced the situation. She glanced around the hall.
"There was such a fuss outside, but it's so quiet in here. The thief must be in hiding."
A familiar voice interrupted their conversation.
The three of them turned around instinctively—and saw Kasumi Aika standing there in a pink and purple kimono.
"The thief already entered the hall and blended in with the crowd. But for some reason, he chose to retreat."
The three looked surprised at the idea that Kaito Kid had backed off.
"There was a cloud of smoke earlier. That was probably his doing."
"But to me, it looked like he chose to surrender."
Kasumi gave her explanation calmly.
"Though I don't know why he gave up, I'd guess it was all orchestrated between the police and the Suzukis."
At the same time, she was certain the Suzuki Zaibatsu wouldn't be embarrassed this time.
Not because of their own strength—but because of the group of extraordinary individuals currently present at the venue.
As long as they were here, whatever advantage Kid may have had would likely come to nothing.
"I can't imagine Mr. and Mrs. Suzuki taking on a world-famous thief without a solid plan."
"Besides, I don't think the police are completely helpless either."
The three nodded, agreeing with Kasumi's analysis.
They didn't believe two high-profile businesspeople would act so recklessly.
For businessmen, making a move without a solid chance of success was a losing proposition.
As they acknowledged her point, their eyes naturally drifted to Kasumi.
"Aika, you look great today."
Miki noticed that Kasumi looked unusually radiant today, not at all like her usual frail, delicate self.