At this point, the lawsuit was basically resolved.
Observing the judge's expression on the bench and hearing the applause around her, the defense attorney, Ritsuko Usui, sighed and sat down helplessly.
She had to admit that the plaintiff's performance was very moving.
Who could resist the powerful weapon of emotional distress?
If she hadn't known that the other party was playing a trick, as a woman, even she might have been moved by the plaintiff's speech...
If it weren't for her professional stance, she might have even joined in the applause.
"The trial is over, now for the verdict!"
First, the defendant, Edogawa Conan, is found guilty of violating the right to privacy. His guardian, Kogoro Mouri, must pay the plaintiff, Miss Nanatsuki Koshimizu, five million yen and issue an apology.
Second, the defendant, Kogoro Mouri, will bear all the costs of this court session.
"The trial is over. Court is adjourned!"
The judge didn't hesitate for a second.
She seemed excited as she struck the gavel forcefully, announcing the victory or defeat of the case.
"Ahhh, my five million! I'm going to lose a ton of money again!"
Kogoro Mouri banged his head against the table, wailing in despair as if all his strength had been drained.
"Uncle, don't be sad, it's just five million..."
Conan couldn't help but comment.
"Just five million? You sound cheerful, brat!"
When Kogoro Mouri heard that, his temper flared up.
He grabbed Conan by the arm, tucked him under his waist as usual, and treated him to the classic Ansai waist drum performance.
"You're just a kid who only worries about eating and wearing clothes. Do you even know how hard it is to earn money?
Do you know how much an average person makes in a month?
Do you know what it's like for middle-aged office workers who, to support their families and make some money, have to bow to their superiors, socialize with colleagues, leave early, return late every day, and then have their wives ignore them and their children not even respond to them?"
"I told you not to say that five million isn't much. I told you not to say that!"
Kogoro Mouri held Conan tightly with his left hand and smacked his backside with his right.
Conan was hit so hard that he screamed in pain, as if he had been struck by an iron mortar.
"Sorry to bother you during your busy schedule."
A familiar and annoying voice reached his ears.
Without even looking, he knew it was Keisuke Kumiko. Kogoro Mouri couldn't suppress his anger anymore and raised his head to glare at him fiercely.
"You already won the case. What more do you want? Are you here to humiliate us?"
"What? Of course, I'm here to ensure the defendant fulfills the judgment."
Keisuke Kumiko raised an eyebrow, pulled out the verdict, and pointed to a line of words on it.
Conan looked at Kogoro Mouri's waist with a smile.
Conan still stared stubbornly.
However, in contrast, his face didn't look good. He covered his burning backside with one hand and winced. Judging by his expression, it would take a day or two to recover.
Of course, Keisuke Kumiko had no intention of feeling sorry for him.
"Did you hear what the judge just said? Besides paying us five million, you also have to apologize to us."
He nodded toward Nanatsuki Koshimizu, who stood beside him.
Nanatsuki Koshimizu shrugged, not seeming to care much.
She was there to accompany Keisuke Kumiko. All she wanted was the money to pay off her debts. Whether or not there was an apology was just a formality.
"..."
Conan silently looked at Nanatsuki Koshimizu.
Then he looked at the annoying Keisuke Kumiko beside her, who had a smile on his face.
Why should I apologize to you?
He gritted his teeth and spoke each word slowly.
If it were just Miss Koshimizu, Conan would feel a little guilty—after all, he had nearly caused her harm before.
But should the apology include Keisuke Kumiko?
He'd rather die!
"Of course, you have to apologize to me," Keisuke Kumiko smiled. "In this lawsuit, I am Miss Koshimizu's legal representative. Your apology to me is the same as your apology to her. There's no difference, and it has the same legal effect."
This bastard is taking advantage of the system!
Conan's teeth were about to shatter from clenching.
He stubbornly turned his head, unwilling to look at Keisuke Kumiko's hateful face.
"Friendly reminder: if you don't apologize, I can file for judicial arbitration and increase the penalty, forcing you to pay more in compensation."
Keisuke Kumiko added with a smile.
Hearing that he might have to pay more money, Kogoro Mouri couldn't stay put any longer.
"Brat, apologize to me now!"
He grabbed Conan's head and forcibly turned it.
Conan's face turned red, his mouth was tightly shut, and he refused to say a word.
Kogoro Mouri became anxious and reached out again, slapping his backside hard.
"Ahhh!"
Conan couldn't help but scream.
The force was so strong that his already aching backside now felt like it was being scraped by a blade.
"Fine... I'm sorry..."
Finally, he couldn't take it anymore, and tears began to fall.
What truth, what justice!
At this moment, all those words were meaningless. The pain in his body was real.
After all, he still had the mindset of a high school student. His life had been smooth, and he had never faced any real setbacks.
If he hadn't encountered the Black Organization and Keisuke Kumiko, he would still be a high school detective, the so-called "savior of the Metropolitan Police Department."
Suddenly, a clicking sound reached his ears.
Conan opened his tear-filled eyes and looked up.
He saw Keisuke Kumiko holding a digital camera, snapping pictures of him nonstop.
"What a lovely expression!"
Keisuke Kumiko said with a smile while taking photos.
"Conan-kun, please, give me more of that expression so I can capture a memorable shot. Your tearful face is truly a joy to the body and soul!"
Conan glared angrily at Keisuke Kumiko.
At that moment, he still wouldn't stop, continuing to humiliate him in this disgusting way!
At that moment, Ran Mouri finally couldn't take it anymore.
"That's enough!"
She quickly reached out and snatched the digital camera from Keisuke Kumiko's hand.
She clasped it tightly in both hands, then crushed the plastic casing into a ball and threw it to the ground.
"Conan is just a child! He already apologized! Do you really need to take it this far? This is too much!"
Ran Mouri shouted angrily.
"You think I'm going too far?"
Keisuke Kumiko raised an eyebrow and sneered.
"According to Japanese tradition, in a civil case like this, the other party should solemnly apologize while sitting on the floor. I didn't ask him to kneel, just to stand and apologize. Isn't that fair?"
Ran Mouri was stunned. "But you shouldn't take pictures of him like that! Your behavior is just, just..."
She frowned, searching for the right words.
"It's simply a violation of his personal rights, or more precisely, his right to personal dignity, correct?"
Keisuke Kumiko completed her sentence with a smirk.
"However, a woman like you who has no personality at all probably won't think of becoming a lawyer when you grow up. Well, let me think, you might be thinking about what Shinichi would do if he encountered such a thing... or something like that?"
(End)