Chapter 30: The Beika City Museum of Art

Two days later.

After the recent commotion, Beika Shrine returned to its usual quiet state.

A few groups of eccentric people had checked into the inn. They were supposedly writers who had come to investigate the scene, deeply interested in mystical elements and firm believers in the existence of the Grim Reaper, convinced that the world possessed a hidden, darker side. Gao Mo had wondered if any dramatic cases would break out among them, but in the end, everything remained peaceful.

The hype died as quickly as it had arrived, and soon, other events diverted everyone’s attention.

"Time to get ready and head over."

Gao Mo set aside the morning paper and changed into the clothes the landlady had washed for him. The headlines in the paper were sensational, all centered on the Beika Art Museum.

"Medieval Knight Armor Walks!"
"The Vengeful Knight Returns from Hell!!"
"..."

It was truly an era of gimmicks; regardless of the actual content, the headlines were designed to shock first.

Opening Toyoeko’s toolkit, Gao Mo began to tinker in front of the mirror, once again pulling out the fake mustache he had used before. He hadn't been idle during his two days at the inn. Aside from researching his system, he had spent most of his effort practicing makeup. He could now complete the disguise independently, and to the casual observer, it looked perfectly natural.

"Swish!"

Luminous text projected onto the newspaper with the sound of turning pages.

[Book Badge: Rank 1 Bronze]
[Supernatural Ability: Eagle Eye Vision]
[Professional Talent: Rapid Role Immersion]
[Book Abilities: Shooting Lv1, Makeup Lv1]
[Storage Pool: 16 Stars]
[Professions: Actor Lv1, Detective Lv1, Butler Lv0, Supermarket Cashier Lv0] (Talents are gained per level; Detective Lv1 is overridden by Eagle Eye Vision)
[Books: 4-Star "Metropolitan Police Department Pistol Shooting Guide," 4-Star "Toyoeko’s Makeup Guide"]

(Book star ratings only apply to the target from whom they were extracted and are unrelated to specific ability levels. 1-star: Miscellaneous; 2-star: Daily life; 3-star: Career; 4-star: Professional skill; 5-star: ...)

The Death Note had recorded a new book ability, and both his shooting and makeup skills had reached Level 1. However, Toyoeko’s "Makeup Guide" had a low ceiling. Judging by his actual experience over the past two days, he estimated it could only bring his makeup skill up to Level 2.

On the other hand, the "Shooting Guide" from the mustachioed man seemed bottomless; he felt its limit was likely Level 4. He didn't know the exact progression of later levels, but compared to the difficulty of Toyoeko’s book, the mustachioed man’s guide was on a god-like level.

The main cast members were all massive treasures. It seemed he couldn't afford to abandon his connection with Furuya Rei; perhaps a better relationship would increase the odds of "farming" books. There seemed to be a trend there, as he hadn't managed to get a single book from any of the minor characters.

...

By the time Gao Mo put on his hat and left the inn, he had transformed back into the murderer persona he had played earlier. He had also insisted on taking the trench coat. If the prop gun in his pocket were to accidentally fall out, it would likely terrify a few people. Of course, without the prop gun, he just looked a bit odd—this style of dress wasn't uncommon in Tokyo, especially among detectives or detective enthusiasts.

Gao Mo wasn't playing the murderer anymore; he simply looked like an ordinary, bearded middle-aged man.

Rapid Role Immersion.

...

Beika Art Museum.

Since it was a bit far, Gao Mo begrudgingly took a taxi. After getting off by the side of the road, he was met with a square-shaped art building. A banner for the "Medieval Art Exhibition" hung down, and a few tourists were walking by the entrance. The museum, which was usually quite deserted, still lacked popularity despite the rumors of the resurrected knight.

It probably only attracted strange types.

"You're the one, right?"

A man with a center-parted hairstyle in a suit was waiting at the entrance. Seeing the invitation in Gao Mo’s hand, he called out impatiently. "Hurry up. I thought you'd be here in the morning, but you dragged it out until now. This is ridiculous... Wait, what was your name again?"

"Uh, Kurosaki," Gao Mo replied casually, taking a few more looks at this man, who appeared to be the one who had invited Kubota. He had a withered, long, bird-like face and a strange odor when he spoke, making him hard to like.

"Forget it, just come in with me! There’s a mountain of work to do!" Pressed for time, Kubota grabbed Gao Mo and pulled him along.

The museum was quite large, and the interior was exceptionally spacious. The art exhibition spanned several floors, and judging by the floor plan, there were several large exhibition halls inside.

"Director!"

Near the hall, an old man with a white beard and a suit was patrolling the exhibition with his hands behind his back. He was smiling and squinting, but his expression darkened as soon as he heard Kubota shout. "I’ve told you how many times now? Keep it quiet inside the museum!"

"It’s not like that, Director," Kubota said, clearly afraid of the old man. He quickly introduced Gao Mo, saying, "This is the newcomer who will be replacing me... I really need to get home soon..."

"Hmm?"

The director squinted to look at Gao Mo. Despite looking over 70, his frame was unusually sturdy, and he wore his suit upright—a completely different impression from the bumbling old butler of the Hatamoto family.

"You’re replacing Kubota?"

Perhaps because of his association with Kubota, the director didn't seem to like Gao Mo much either. His brow carried an air of natural authority, tinged with scrutiny. "This place is being demolished next month; I’m afraid I can’t offer much of a salary..."

"We’ve already discussed that, Director!" Kubota interrupted, wiping away sweat. "I’ve already paid him."

Gao Mo glanced at Kubota out of the corner of his eye. When had this stingy guy paid anyone? He’d better be careful about talking nonsense, or he might get hit by a car.

"Fine, let’s go, let’s go," the director said, turning his back and waving a hand. "Kurosaki, go to the breakroom and find a suit to replace that trench coat. This isn't the place for a trench coat."

"Whew!"

Gao Mo inexplicably felt a surge of malice. What was wrong with wearing a trench coat? This job didn't seem as simple as he had imagined. It felt... significantly more dangerous than his last role as a butler.

...

When he returned to the hall after changing clothes, Gao Mo didn't see Kubota anywhere. This irresponsible guy hadn't even bothered with a proper handover.

"You must be Mr. Kurosaki, right?"

A young man with a square face, who looked even more honest and simple-minded than Takagi, noticed Gao Mo. "I’m also an employee here, Iijima... Could you help me replace the painting on this wall? Some of them need maintenance."

"Oh, sure!"

Gao Mo didn't bother looking for Kubota and reached for the frame of a painting leaning against the side. He couldn't appreciate art, and he knew nothing about it...

"What are you doing?!"

Before Gao Mo’s fingers touched the frame, a loud roar from the director erupted behind him. "Didn't Kubota teach you anything? You must wear gloves when handling the artwork! Can you afford to pay if you damage it?!"

"Huh?" Gao Mo felt a bead of sweat on his forehead. That jerk Kubota had just run off...

"Forget it! Iijima, show him properly, and don't let such low-level mistakes happen again!"

The old man’s eyes were wide for the first time. His anger frightened Iijima, who hurriedly ran to Gao Mo’s side. "I understand, Director, it’s my fault..."

"Hmph!"

The old man turned away with a cold snort, only returning to his smiling, amiable expression when he greeted the visitors in the hall.

Just now...

Gao Mo watched as the old man walked away, his back slightly hunched. In that instant, he had felt the scent of death. This job... was becoming terrifying. The trouble wasn't how to play the role, but this museum director who looked like a handful. He didn't know the specifics of this world, but in the original *Detective Conan* story, this director was the culprit in the "Art Museum Murder Case," a person with extremely high combat prowess.

His second role-playing mission was actually this dangerous. Gao Mo’s expression turned thoughtful.

"Sorry about that, Mr. Kurosaki," Iijima sighed softly. "I should have reminded you... but don't take it to heart. The director is usually quite nice; he’s probably just in a bad mood because the museum is closing soon."

"How many days until the museum closes?" Gao Mo asked, turning his head. He started to miss having his own bodyguard.

"About 10 days," Iijima said, lowering his head in distress. "The previous owner went bankrupt due to the financial crisis and sold the museum to Mr. Manaka... It was supposed to continue operating as a museum... but that bastard Manaka now says he wants to renovate it into a large hotel! This 50-year-old museum is just going to be... damn it..."

"Ahem, that is pretty despicable."

Gao Mo hadn't expected his casual remark to trigger such a reaction. Had that Mr. Manaka poked a hornet's nest?