Ayato Kawomoto only got up at noon, as he had done for years. His job as a night watchman always let him go to bed at seven o'clock in the morning. Then he slept until at least 3 p.m. and then got up and first went to the altar, which he gave to his wife, who had died 20 years ago. Had erected. As he did every day, he had a loud conversation with her.
"Good morning Ninaka. Did you sleep well?"
Of course he got no answer, but he didn't seem to realize. Somewhere in him a statement arose that he attributed to her without thinking twice.
"Yes! My beloved! But I am glad that you are with me again now!" he heard.
He smiled. "Of course I'm back. I always come back!"
"I know! But you haven't eaten anything! You should make up for that. I want you to be fine!" the answer was audible only to his ears! "
He beamed all over his face. "You're right!" he agreed. "And I have to stay strong so that I can do my responsible job!"So he turned from his wife's altar and went into the kitchen. With skillful hands he prepared what would otherwise have been called breakfast. But it was clear that his daily routine was a little different than that of people with a different job. That's why he only got his daily newspaper out of the mailbox now. As usual, he brought her to the table, where she lay there for the time being. Because at first he ate his bread with pleasure. Only when he was done with it and reached for his cup of coffee to slowly enjoy it did he pick up the newspaper. But no sooner had he read the headline than, furiously, he threw the cup with the coffee against the kitchen cupboard, where it naturally broke into 1000 pieces and the coffee poured down on it. But that didn't interest the man at all. His gaze was fixed on the headline, which struck him as a mockery.

"Is the masked woman who fought a magical duel with the Kaito Kid really the thieving magpie that disappeared 20 years ago?"he read the article loud and boiling with anger.
"As an elderly employee of our editorial team told us, the masked woman we mentioned in our warranted article looked exactly like a well-known thief who was up to mischief 20 years ago. When we checked our archives, it was confirmed the information from our well-deserved employee. Apparently, their first appearance even took place in front of the Kaito Kids. At that time it was suspected that he was even a copycat. The two thieves also clashed constantly and there were magical duels like the one in the restaurant " The golden dove "happened. That's how it went back then, until one day she just didn't show up. Only since then is the Kaito Kid the only known thief who commits his crimes with magic. Since then, one hasn't heard of the Thieving Magpie and such we all ask ourselves: Is the stranger really the criminal from back then and if so, why has she reappeared now and is now risking it after all still to be arrested, because of course their former thefts have long since become statute-barred.Nobody could harm her. But if she now commits another theft or maybe even has already committed in the Golden Dove, the police will also hunt her down.
Inspector Nakamori, known as the Kaito Kid's hunter, does not provide any information. But we stay on the ball for you, dear readers, and will find out the truth. "

Ayato Kawomoto jumped up furiously and tore up the newspaper until only small snippets remained.
“She's still alive! I'm quite sure. It is!” He ran to his wife's altar. "Did you hear? She's alive. And she just dares to perform again. She'll pay for it!"
"Yes! My beloved!" he heard the voice of his dead wife again. "You will punish them!"
"And whether!" he gasped. "It is her fault. Only she and she must not live any longer. I will avenge you, Ninaka! The thieving magpie will disappear and this time forever. This time she should not be allowed to slip away so easily. No!I, Ayamoto Kawomoto, will bring you to justice! "His eyes were shining insane by being trapped and he was holding his head, suddenly aching like crazy." You are going to die. Like you killed my wife, you murderess! "
He laughed madly. "For this I am going to my death with you, so that I can finally go to my beloved wife and not only meet her at this altar!"
"I'm waiting for you!" he heard her voice inside him again.

***

Over the next few days he bought every newspaper he could get his hands on and read everything that was written about Die Diebische Elster. When inspector Nakamori gave the interview, they assumed that it really was the criminal from 20 years ago, as a young magician had attested her great experience after viewing a film.
"Hah! I knew it!" he grumbled. "She can't hide from me!"
For a long time he had thought about how to lure it out.He did not have great riches to lure them with great prey. So he had to resort to other means. He laughed madly. He didn't care if he was putting others in danger or not. The main thing was that he could fulfill his vengeance and so he began to carry out his cruel plan. First he got himself a time fuse, which he put on in a belt so that the time fuse started when the belt buckle was opened. At his job it was no problem to get the part. His boss gave him full confidence and gave him free access to all possible and impossible weapons. Then he put on a baggy jacket that hid the dangerous instrument well.
"You will come, murderess, if I put the right people in danger. And then I will not hesitate. Then we will both follow my beloved wife. She will be happy to see you!"
Then he left the house, having been happy with his wife many years ago, and went to his destination without hesitation.It was a relatively small, well-run kindergarten with around 20 children between the ages of three and five. Here, he had once wished, his son, whom he and Ninaka had been expecting, should also have been prepared for life. But that never happened. His wife had died in the eighth month and the child could no longer be saved either. So why should other children be allowed to live carefree?
Increasing pain ran through his skull and he held his head with a groan. Why has he had such headaches lately? For a moment it went black before his eyes, but then the image in front of him cleared again and he saw clearly.
He snuck into kindergarten without being noticed. The weather wasn't that special and that's why the supervisors preferred to keep the children busy inside. His luck was unbroken. Nobody met him until he pushed the gaming room door wide open. The heads of everyone present turned to him.One of the kindergarten teachers rose in surprise.
"Who are you? Can I help you?"
Ayato Kawomoto gave a scornful laugh. "Of course! You will all help me!" He opened the jacket, slipped out and let it fall on the floor. "Help with my revenge!"
"What?" stuttered the young woman. "What's that supposed to mean? You can't ..."
"Of course I can!" he grinned with a devilish expression on his face. "You are all my hostages and this ..." he pointed to the belt "... is a bomb that goes off when I want it!"
"But ... the children ..." interjected her colleague. "At least let the children go. They have us!"
"No!" the man cried out wildly. "You are not enough for me! It is precisely because of the children that the person I want will come. Then ... but only then, will I let you all go together!"
The woman swallowed. "But who do you want?" she wanted to know. "That they endanger even innocent children for doing so!"
His laugh sounded slightly crazy."I want Diebische Magpie!"
"What?" she marveled. "The Thieving Magpie? But nobody knows who she is. And whether she will appear again at all!"
“That's exactly why you all remain my prisoners.” He pointed to the children, who were now huddled together in fear. "Take good care of these brats. I don't want to hear or see anything from them!"
"But how is Diebische Elster supposed to find out that she should come here, if she does it at all. She is a criminal. Why should she endanger her life for strange children?" she threw in.
He looked at her wildly. "She'll come. At least you should hope so. Otherwise we'll all die. And how should you hear about it? I'll just call the police. They'll make sure that all of Japan knows about it. After all, there is television and newspapers . She will hear it! I'm quite sure of that! "
It was clear to the kindergarten teacher that the man could not be so normal with her.So she did not dare to speak any further in order not to cause him to act abruptly. She would rather turn to the children and try to distract them and herself by playing.
Ayato Kawomoto grabbed his cell phone and called the police. He was put through to a certain Inspector Megure when he yelled at the woman on the telephone system and raised his issue. After explaining everything briefly, he ended the conversation.
Shortly afterwards, police sirens sounded and policemen surrounded the kindergarten, but no one dared approach.
It was clear to Kawomoto that he had to be patient now, because finding a masked criminal who no one knew who she was would have to cost time. But he was sure that his patience would be paid for. He would get his revenge.

***

Inspector Megure was deeply affected after the blackmailer ended the conversation. He felt sorry for the children and their parents. And then the demand.He wanted The Thieving Magpie to come to him. It wasn't something they could get that easily. How should you get there? About the press? That would only be the very last resort, because then panic would break out among the children's parents. First he had to find out which children were in kindergarten and had to get in touch with the relatives. But there was one more thing he could do. He informed Inspector Nakamori, who had finally been assigned to the Kaito Kid and now also to the Thieving Magpie. And then there was someone else he liked to call when he didn't know what to do. Someone who had often