Flashback…
"Hold it." Someone said, doing the hold it pose. "You are wasting time!"
SS Burya, Miss Pavlova's Cabin…
"Someone else was there? Da! Of course! We know this!" Strogenov said, angrily.
"What are you talking about?" Ryunosuke asked.
"Bulkhead was bolted shut from inside. There was no way in or out!"
"Oh yes…" Hosonaga said.
"And only other person in cabin when young student died...was you!" Strogenov yelled.
"Yes." Ryunosuke said, raising his hand. "It's true, I was in the cabin when it happened."
"You were shut inside the cabin's wardrobe, to be precise about the details." Holmes said.
"That. And you were waiting in the wardrobe to be given food by me or Kazuma." I said, looking down at the floor.
"But I don't know Russian! There's no way I would have left that message!" Ryunosuke siad, terrified.
"Not 'would have'... There's no way you could have left that message...to be precise about the details." Holmes said.
"...Would you mind?"
"Ah ha ha ha ha hah!" Holmes said, laughing a lot. "Forgive me, my dear fellow!"
"As I was saying... The person in question wrote the word 'wardrobe' in Russian on the floor... ...in an attempt to incriminate me for the crime, even though I had been asleep in there the entire time."
"And then, the same person picked up the broken glass bell that had fallen to the floor... ...for fear of it becoming evidence that would show how Mr Asogi really died." Susato said, her eyes widening.
"But why wouldn't this person have taken all the pieces of the bell away? Leaving half behind was always going to raise questions." Hosonaga said.
"Yes, well, um…" Ryunosuke said.
"It was past one o'clock in the early hours of the morning. The cabin would have been quite dark. The single, small lamp suspended from the ceiling would barely have cast any light onto the floor there. Little wonder then, that the culprit failed to notice a fragment of the tiny item." Holmes said.
"You all suspect me...don't you?" Pavlova asked.
"Hold it." Strogenov said, crossing his arms.
"S-Seaman Strogenov!" Ryunosuke said, worried.
"Nina is woman of sea! She is daughter of strong sailor. Two years ago, they noticed her dancing skills and she went away to join ballet company. But before...she was dancer on this ship. A member of ship's band. You do not accuse ship's angel of being kriminal!"
"Ah, so that's it…"
"You say that when young student died, Nina was there in his cabin. But that is not possible! I give my tooth!"
"Hm, well... This is all most interesting... And why would you 'give your tooth', pray? How can you be so sure?" Holmes asked.
"Hmph! You are great detective! You should know! Look truth in eyes! Cabin bulkhead was bolted shut from inside! Nobody could go into cabin. Not Nina, not anyone! Or you want to tell me that killer can walk through locked doors? ...Nyet! It's impossible!" Strogenov said, smirking.
"Ugh!" Ryunosuke said, and he thought this to himself. 'He's right…'
"But wait! I've read about this in detective stories. People often tie thread around door latches so they can open and close them from the outside!" Susato said, excitedly.
"Oh, the Doctor did that to the TARDIS once, as the blue box flew across a road." I said, happily. "Those were good times. The Runaway Bride. I was there for that."
"Thread? Are you stupid? These bulkheads are not barn doors!" Strogenov said, looking between Susato and I.
"Certainly not. These are watertight doors, as one would expect to find on any modern steamship. Constructed of heavy steel, with not a gap in sight. No threads or needles or magnets could have been used." Holmes said.
"No... No, of course not. I thought so, too. And Jared did too. But Mr Naruhodo suggested it earlier, so…" Susato said, frowning.
"Ryunosuke did make me nostalgic for my first adventure with my super temp." I said, as Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Susato-san! Jared! How could both you shift it onto me like that?!'
"So Seaman Strogenov has a valid point. The cabin door couldn't have been bolted shut from the outside." Hosonaga said.
"Not necessarily…" Holmes said.
"What?" Strogenov asked.
"I put it to you that I could bolt this cabin door... ...without laying a finger on it."
"...!" Pavlova said, speechless.
"And in this very cabin... ...we can see the traces of the method I have in mind having been used before!" Holmes said, excitedly.
"I don't believe it!" Hosonaga said, at a loss for words.
"Well, Mr Naruhodo? Jared? I believe you know what I mean, don't you?"
'A way to shut the bolt of the cabin door from the outside?' Ryunosuke asked, thinking this to himself, before speaking aloud. "One way does spring to mind, yes."
"Same here. Without the use of a sonic screwdriver." I said, smugly.
"Do you really know what Mr Holmes means, Mr Naruhodo, Jared?" Susato asked, looking between Ryunosuke and I.
"Yes. And so should you. Because we've seen it happen!" Ryunosuke yelled.
"Indeed we have! So, would you care to do the honours, Mr Naruhodo? Point out the telling signs of the method that was used to slide the cabin door bolt across from the outside!" Holmes chirped.
"Hmm." I said, looking up at the shelf. "Maybe."
"Yes." Ryunosuke said, presenting the shelf. "Look at the bookcase there. See how all the books and things on it have toppled over?"
"That must have happened when the ship made its emergency stop before." Susato said, in awe.
"Yes, that's right. It's a very powerful vessel, after all. When the engines are thrown into reverse, a violent jolt goes across the entire ship. Any small objects that aren't fastened down are bound to fall over." Hosonaga said.
"I believe…" Susato said, looking down at her book. "Yes, it's what's known as the force of 'inertia' acting on the objects."
'Is there nothing Susato-san doesn't know...?! Or that isn't in her book, at least?' Ryunosuke asked, thinking that to himself, before speaking aloud. "Well, whatever it's called, the same force that pushed over those books on the bookcase... ...also made something else in this cabin move. The bolt on the cabin door."
"Ah!"
"It was very obvious just after the emergency stop that the ship made earlier. We had come into this cabin not long before, and we hadn't bolted the door. But then…"
Flashback…
"Hello! Is anybody in there? Shout if you need assistance!" Hosonaga yelled, nearby.
"Oh, that sounds like…" Ryunosuke said.
"...Inspector Hosonaga." Susato said.
SS Burya, Miss Pavlova's Cabin…
"Oh yes! That's it! When the ship stopped suddenly, the bolt flew across and locked the door!" Susato said, her eyes widening.
"Yes. It's made of metal, but it's small and light enough to be moved by the ship's sudden change of speed. ...Or the force of 'ineptia', if you want to call it that." Ryunosuke said, sadly.
"It's actually called the force of inertia." I said, letting out a sigh.
"Are, are you trying to say that last night... After Mr Asogi was killed... ...the SS Burya made another emergency stop?!" Hosonaga exclaimed.
"When I woke up this morning and looked around the cabin, I thought it looked a little odd. All the books on the shelves had toppled over. And all the ornaments. It was almost as if someone had run their hand across the shelves and deliberately knocked everything over." Ryunosuke said.
"Oh yes, I remember that! And I stood them all up again, didn't I?" Susato asked.
"Then when we came into this cabin, we were surprised to see the same thing in here. All the books and everything had toppled over, just like in Mr Asogi's cabin."
"...Oh my!"
"Do you have anything to say about this, Miss Pavlova?" Ryunosuke asked, looking at Pavlova.
"..." Pavlova said, speechless.
"Are you out of your mind? You say Burya made emergency stop?!" Strogenov exclaimed.
"It does seem a little far-fetched. How could that possibly have happened? Unless you're saying that the culprit is actually someone from the engine room?" Hosonaga asked.
"Oh, it is simple enough." Holmes said.
"Hm?"
"Are you forgetting the button in the passageway outside, used to trigger the emergency alarm?"
"Oh yes, of course... There was a notice, wasn't there? Telling you only to press the button in times of emergency." Susato said, looking at Holmes.
"On dark nights when the fog is dense, the captain cannot afford to rely on the eyes of his lookout alone. Hence the placement of a number of buttons around the vessel to allow any crewman to raise the alarm. The sort of button one is almost compelled to press to satisfy one's curiosity…"
"... Wait! It, it was you?!" Strogenov exclaimed.
"When the button is pressed, two things happen in the interests of safety: The emergency alarm bell rings, and the vessel comes to a complete stop. ...As indeed it did a little earlier today." Holmes said, smirking.
"..." Hosonaga said.
"..." Pavlova said.
"Mr Holmes... Surely it wasn't you who…" Susato said, in awe.
"As I always say, a button has but one purpose in life. To be pressed! Whatever the occasion!" Holmes said, excitedly.
"Sherlock, that is something the Doctor would do." I said, and Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'He sounds almost proud of himself!'
"How dare you mess with ship?! I report you to captain! You are in much trouble now!" Strogenov said, angrily.
"Now, now, I'm sure all that can wait until later. Let us not overlook the fact that we have now learnt a valuable lesson. When the vessel makes an emergency stop, the bolts on the cabin doors slide closed. So...what we must now consider…" Holmes said.
"Yes, it all comes down to one thing now. Last night, after what happened to Mr Asogi... ...did this ship make an emergency stop...or did it not?" Susato asked.
"You are idiots! Burya is huge ship with many passengers. If we make emergency stop, even in middle of night... ...there would be chaos everywhere!" Strogenov said, angrily.
"What are your thoughts, Mr Naruhodo? Jared?" Holmes asked, looking between Ryunosuke and I.
"I want to leave this to Ryunosuke." I said, happily.
"... Well... ...it's certainly possible that some kind of emergency happened last night. We have evidence to support that idea." Ryunosuke said, smiling.
"Really?! What evidence, Mr Naruhodo?" Susato asked.
"Fascinating! Do show us, my good man! What evidence promotes the theory that some emergency gripped this vessel last night?" Holmes asked.
"Let me take it out." I said, taking out the Ship's Log out of my sling bag, then passing it to Ryunosuke. "It's a bit heavy."
"Yes." Ryunosuke said, presenting the Ship's Log. "Seaman Strogenov... ...it's your duty to patrol the first-class area of the ship, isn't that right?"
"Da! That is correct. ...Why?" Strogenov asked.
"And the ship's log here... This would be where you record the details of your duties?" Ryunosuke asked.
"What are you doing with that?! That is mine!"
"Ah, you rather carelessly left it atop the little makeshift bureau in the passageway out there. But as responsible passengers, we took it into our care with a mind to return it to you later." Holmes said.
"I left it there on purpose! That is where I put it always!" Strogenov yelled.
"The point is, looking at what you usually record…" Ryunosuke said, opening the Ship's Log. "...it's clear that under normal circumstances, you write the phrase 'Nothing to report' every thirty minutes. But from two o'clock last night until first light this morning...nothing was recorded at all."
"Nothing recorded in the log?!" Hosonaga exclaimed.
"That is... Da! Because nothing happened!" Strogenov said, smirking.
"But if nothing happened, you would normally write 'Nothing to report', wouldn't you?" Ryunosuke asked.
"..." Strogenov said, gulping.
"Indeed so. Which tells us that shortly after 2 a.m... ...something happened here aboard the SS Burya." Holmes said.
"...!"
"Something sufficiently significant to make you forget to fill in the ship's log, in fact."
"Are you suggesting... ...that the ship really did make an emergency stop in the middle of the night?" Susato asked.
"Stop talking RUBBISH!" Strogenov said, terrified.
"... If I'm perfectly honest... ...I find that a little hard to believe myself." Hosonaga said, sadly.
"Oh? Why?" Ryunosuke asked.
"What's up?" I asked, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
"Well, because if something as major as an emergency stop really had happened... ...surely all of us would have noticed?" Hosonaga asked.
"That's very true. Thanks to the emergency stop we experienced earlier, we all know what it feels like now. The ship lurched so violently. And the alarm bell was so loud... I can't imagine that anybody would sleep through that, even if it happened in the dead of night." Susato said, frowning.
"Well, no... That's, that's a good point…" Ryunosuke said.
"... What of...the throbbing?" Holmes asked.
"Sorry? What do you mean?" Hosonaga asked.
"Your head, man. The throbbing of your head since this morning. We have all suffered with it."
"Ah!" Susato said, at a loss for words.
"Oh, yes... I have had a headache, you're right. In fact, I haven't been feeling myself since I woke up today." Hosonaga said.
"Nor have I! My head has been feeling heavy ever since dawn." Susato said.
"Yes, you've all been afflicted, haven't you? Just as I suspected." Holmes said.
"Which is a great shame. This headache sucks." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'He's right! My head's been throbbing today, too! And since eating dinner yesterday evening, everything has felt sort of hazy. I can't really remember anything that happened after I climbed back inside the wardrobe... Then the first thing I noticed this morning was the throbbing pain in my head. I had already been dragged out of the wardrobe... ...and had those handcuffs put on me by that point... Why didn't I wake up when all that was happening to me?!'
"Tell me, Mr Naruhodo... ...you boarded this vessel as a stowaway, didn't you?" Holmes asked, looking at Ryunosuke.
"Oh, um... Well yes. ...Sorry." Ryunosuke said, frowning.
"The stowaway class of accommodation doesn't usually include meals. ...What did you survive on?"
"Ah, well, Kazuma and Jared looked after me. They were always happy to share their meals."
"So you enjoyed some of the whole roast chicken dish that was served yesterday evening, I take it?"
"Yes! In fact... ...I had all of that. Kazuma wasn't fond of chicken." Ryunosuke said.
"I wasn't happy with it. It was a bit bland." I said, looking down at the floor.
"Oh really? So the victim and Jared here didn't eat any of the chicken at all?" Holmes asked.
"That's right. He didn't touch it. Jared, only you did, because you wanted to check it. ...Is that relevant?" Ryunosuke asked.
"... My dear fellow, does that not strike you?"
"Oh! Mr Holmes! Do you mean to say... ...that there was something wrong with the chicken?!" Susato exclaimed.
"...I do." Holmes said.
"No!" Ryunosuke cried, and he thought this to himself. 'Really? Is that really true?'
"The meal prepared for the passengers last night had been tampered with. Tampered with by the addition of a soporific, designed to induce a very deep slumber in those who consumed it."
"...A sleeping drug?" Hosonaga asked.
"Do you mean...? ...whoever did this laced every meal with a sleeping drug so no one would notice the ship's emergency stop?!" Ryunosuke exclaimed.
"Mr Naruhodo! Of course that's not what Mr Holmes means. What a far-fetched idea!" Susato said, worried.
"...Precisely. Lacing every meal of every passenger on board with a soporific drug would certainly be impossible. ...Unless, that is, every single member of the crew was a conspirator!" Holmes said, excitedly.
"What?!" Hosonaga exclaimed.
"Mr Holmes!" Susato yelled.
"Sherlock!" I said, angrily.
"...Well, Seaman?" Holmes asked.
"Eh...!" Strogenov said, shocked.
"I'm sorry to say that any more deception in this matter will get you nowhere."
"..."
"If you refuse to talk, there would have to be an inquiry made through the shipping company, of course. And were that to happen, every member of the crew, and the captain himself, would be hauled over the coals. ...For aiding and abetting a renegade."
"...! ..."
"Please...no more. I will tell everything." Pavlova said, frowning.
"Eh?!" Strogenov exclaimed.
"I cannot make problems like this for everyone any more…"
"These crewmen are your former comrades, I believe." Holmes said, looking at Strogenov.
"Yes. So when I decided to...run away... I asked them to help me." Pavlova said.
"We all agreed to help. Everyone together. She threw away everything. Her fame in the ballet... Mother Russia... We wanted to help our angel." Strogenov said.
"I don't believe it…" Holmes said, at a loss for wordss.
"You are right. We put sleeping drug in chicken last night."
"Yes, I remember now. I did notice chewing on a lump of something strange and bitter at one point…" Ryunosuke said.
"Da. We could not make all drug... How do you say? ...Dissolve?" Strogenov asked.
"It's as bitter as Retcon." I said, as Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Ugh... Talk about heavy seasoning…'
"...At midnight, in waters near Shanghai, we brought our angel on board. She was helped by comrade on shore with small fishing boat." Strogenov said.
"While all the passengers of the SS Burya slept soundly... ...thanks to the almost magical effects of the slumber-inducing potion their evening meals had contained." Holmes said.
"So, if that's what happened... ...the only people awake on the ship last night... ...were the crew, people who dislike chicken and... ...the newly boarded passenger, Miss Pavlova." Ryunosuke said.
"..." Pavlova said.
"...And that means it would have been possible for you. You could have used the emergency stop trick to lock Kazuma's cabin door!"
"..."
"But how does that make sense? Surely every cabin door would have ended up locked in that case, and there would have been complete chaos." Hosonaga said.
"Oh, I wouldn't say so." Holmes said.
"You're right, Sherlock. That would be impossible." I said, happily.
"What?" Hosonaga asked.
"Ah, of course! Just like us, all the other passengers would have eaten their evening meal of chicken in their cabins. After which they would have been overwhelmed by tiredness because of the sleeping drug." Ryunosuke said.
"Quite. And accordingly, all passengers were already in their cabins for the night." Holmes said, smirking.
"Yes!" Susato said, excitedly.
"The overwhelming majority of passengers would habitually sleep with their cabin doors bolted anyway. And so not one of them would have found it remarkable to find the door locked in the morning. In summary... In order to fasten the bolt of a single cabin door on the ship... ...the culprit brought the entire vessel to an emergency stop in the early hours of the morning!" Holmes yelled.
"...!" Susato said.
"...!" Hosonaga said.
"Wow. Your deductions never get old, Sherlock." I said, smiling.
"... You have talked long time and said many things. What is point?" Strogenov asked, looking at Holmes.
"The point is what I said earlier. There was somebody else present on the scene when the victim lost his life last night. Someone who left a message in Russian on the floor in an attempt to incriminate another. Someone who tried desperately to hide the broken fragments of glass that would reveal the culprit's identity. And someone who abused the ship's emergency stop procedure in order to lock a door. ...All told, a busy night." Holmes said.
"But...but... I...I don't know about any of this! I am just a little girl!" Pavlova cried.
"You like to speak with your long English words and explain your clever ideas. But I am sailor. And sailors don't listen to long, boring stories. We don't believe. Sailors like me, we trust only what we see with our own eyes." Strogenov said.
"... A laudable trait." Holmes said, smirking.
"What?"
"I am quite of the same disposition, my good man. Observation to me is everything. Mr Naruhodo…"
"Oh! Yes?" Ryunosuke asked.
"Do you hear it? That accusatory cry of guilt on the wind?" Holmes asked.
"What 'accusatory cry of guilt'...?" Susato asked.
"S-Sorry, you've... You've lost me." Ryunosuke said, sadly.
"Proof of involvement, man. But you can't hear such a call with your ears. No, you must hear it with your eyes! For observation is the basis of all deduction!" Holmes said, excitedly.
"What are you TALKING ABOUT?!" Strogenov exclaimed.
"I believe the time has come... ...for one final 'Logic and Reasoning Spectacular' to expose the truth! So, Mr Naruhodo, Jared, your assistance, if you please!"
"With what exactly, Mr Holmes?" Ryunosuke asked.
"With observation, my dear fellow! Just as I said. Of these two prevaricators." Holmes said.
"Observation...?"
"If you remember, Mr Naruhodo, Jared, we know that somebody tried to fabricate evidence, don't we? By tampering with the scene of Mr Asogi's death. What we're looking for is some trace of evidence that one of these two was there when it happened." Susato said.
"Precisely! You are delightfully quick to grasp my meaning!" Holmes said, excitedly.
"Okay." I said, walking around the room. "Another deduction."
"Alright, I'll see what I can see! So we're looking for a trace of evidence that shows someone else was there last night when Kazuma died…" Ryunosuke said.
"Maybe this can help." I said, pointing down at the ink stain.
"Oh, look at this! It's some kind of stain...in an unusual place." Ryunosuke said.
"Yes, you're right. It looks like ink, if I'm not mistaken." Susato said.
"Hm... Ink... And look at the colour, too." Ryunosuke said, while he thought this to himself. 'It's clear where this came from!'
"It really is." I said, looking at the ink stain on the back of Strogenov's uniform.
"Yes." Ryunosuke said, presenting the ink stain. "Seaman Strogenov... ...You seem to have quite a large purple stain on the back of your white uniform there."
"Eh? Ah, yes, I, um... I don't know where the dirt comes from…" Strogenov said.
"So nothing in particular comes to mind about the stain?" Holmes asked.
"What are you trying to say?"
"It would appear that the significance of this stain has escaped your attention, Seaman. Allow us to make it plain!"
"It's a very large purple stain on the back of Seaman Strogenov's uniform." Ryunosuke said.
"And I think what made it is clear." Susato said.
"Indeed it is. So, Mr Naruhodo, Jared, present the evidence that proves it!" Holmes said, excitedly.
"My pleasure! Alright then. The evidence that proves what that stain on the back of Seaman Strogenov's uniform really is…" Ryunosuke said.
"This." I said, passing Ryunosuke the Crime Scene Photograph. "
"Yes." Ryunosuke said, presenting the Crime Scene Photograph. "Yes! It's this photograph, and the ink it shows! That's what caused the stain on your uniform!"
"Ink?" Strogenov asked.
"A rather unusual colour of ink, purple." Holmes said.
"It's a bit dark." I said, happily. "And it isn't a light shade color of lilac."
"Agh!" Strogenov said, worried.
"Ah, the penny drops...at last. Now you see the significance." Holmes said.
"The Russian word on the floor next to the victim's body was written in purple ink. And the stain on the back of your uniform...is ink of exactly the same colour!" Ryunosuke said, angrily.
"If the ink had been dry, it couldn't possibly have stained your uniform in that way. Which means... ...you must have been present in the cabin in the moments immediately after the ink was spilt!" Holmes yelled.
"... Alright, yes. It was me. I did it. ...Everything." Strogenov said, letting out a sigh.
"...!" Ryunosuke said, at a loss for words.
"I arranged everything in dead student's cabin to make it look like wardrobe man did it. Then I pressed button to make Burya do emergency stop, and bolt cabin door shut. ...I did everything so no one would suspect our angel."
"Bif, please…" Pavlova said, letting out a lot of tears.
"Don't worry, angel. Let me do talking. It was after one in the morning. I was on duty, patrolling passageway. Then our angel came to me. She was white like sheet." Strogenov said.
Flashback…
"'Bif! Please! You must help me!'" Pavlova cried.
SS Burya, Miss Pavlova's Cabin…
"I went with her. The door to cabin number one was open. When I looked inside...I saw student boy on floor." Strogenov said.
Flashback…
"'Wha-What happened here?!'" Strogenov exclaimed.
"'... Please...don't tell anyone... ...My little one... My little furry friend...'" Pavlova said, sadly.
SS Burya, Miss Pavlova's Cabin…
"Everything that happened in cabin is like angel told you." Strogenov said, frowning.
"The kitten escaped through the ventilator into Mr Asogi's cabin... Then he tripped over it and broke his neck when he fell to the floor?" Ryunosuke asked.
"...Yes. That is right."
"So after the incident when the cat ran away, Miss Pavlova then visited the cabin next to hers?" Hosonaga asked.
"Only to find its occupant lying lifeless on the floor." Holmes said.
"She said she was worried when she heard sound of something falling on floor. That's when she went to look. ...No, angel?" Strogenov asked, looking at Pavlova.
"..." Pavlova said, at a loss for words.
"The door was not locked. So she opened to look, and...you already know what happened after."
"..."
"There's just one thing...if you wouldn't mind?" Susato asked.
"What?" Strogenov asked.
"When you went to Mr Asogi's cabin, Miss Pavlova... ...was he...already dead?"
"Why...?" Pavlova asked.
"I already told you! When Nina opened door of student's cabin and looked inside…" Strogenov said, annoyed.
"I was asking Miss Pavlova." Susato said.
"...!"
"Well, Miss Pavlova?" Ryunosuke asked.
"Was Kazuma Asogi dead or alive when you entered his cabin?" I asked, looking down at the floor.
"... ...Дa…" Pavlova said.
"Oh…" Susato said, her eyes widening.
"Yes...that is right. I saw him... It was dark, and he was wearing black, but... He was on the floor. ...Not moving... I was scared... ..."
"... I understand. And...I believe you."
"Honestly. Same." I said, as Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'So is that finally it now? Have we discovered the real truth about Kazuma's death at last?'
"Ah! Something very nearly slipped my mind!" Holmes said, excitedly.
"What's up, Sherlock?" I asked, looking up at Holmes. "What did you almost forget?"
"This photograph…" Holmes said, looking down at the Crime Scene Photograph. "Yes, I took this myself, you know. The cause of death was a broken neck. Therefore, the victim died instantly. And the unfortunate incident that precipitated these events? A kitten, on which the victim stumbled. ...However, if those are the facts, there is one particular area in this photograph... ...that seems to me somewhat unnatural."
"What do you mean, 'unnatural'?" Strogenov asked.
"What are your thoughts on the matter, Mr Naruhodo, Jared?" Holmes asked.
"Hm? ...Oh! Well…" Ryunosuke said, and he thought this to himself. 'If Kazuma tripped and fell, and by some terrible stroke of bad luck broke his neck... ...which part of this photographic print seems unnatural?'
"It could be the fist." I said, looking down at the fist in the photograph.
"Yes." Ryunosuke said, presenting the fist. "Alright, if he really fell due to an unfortunate accident... ...then this fist just doesn't seem quite right."
"...The exact same thought occurred to me. In a fall, one's instinct is to open the palms flat. Yet here we see the victim with his left hand tightly balled into a fist. Almost, you might say... ...as though he were gripping something." Holmes said.
"...!" Pavlova said, in awe.
"...What do you mean?" Strogenov asked.
"Simply that I took the liberty... ...of investigating the victim's fist a short while ago." Holmes said.
"You did?!" Ryunosuke exclaimed.
"And what, pray, do you imagine I found there... my dear fellow?"
"Mr Holmes... Show us! Please!" Susato cooed.
"Why of course, my dear madam. Would I keep you in suspense? This is what I found." Holmes said, taking out a crescent moon with a gemstone in the middle.
"Oh, a crescent moon with a little gemstone in the middle?"
"Yes, you're right. A crescent moon. It's very pretty, but what does it tell us?" Hosonaga asked.
"Hmph. It tells us nothing!" Strogenov said, scoffing.
"It tells us everything. And it does look familiar." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'I'm not so sure. That crescent moon looks... It looks familiar somehow. I'm sure I've seen it somewhere before.'
"Observation, Mr Naruhodo, Jared. That is the key." Holmes said, looking between Ryunosuke and I.
"What?" Ryunosuke asked.
"The truth is now tantalisingly close."
"...!" Susato said, shocked.
"It is." I said, as Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'How did that crescent moon come to be in Kazuma's clenched fist...?'
"This is the final clue. The last piece of the puzzle! Ask yourself, what does this little crescent moon mean? What significance has it? And observe! Find the answer with your own eyes!" Holmes cheered.
"Hmm. Let's start with her left ear." I said, as I looked at Pavlova's left ear. "What do you think?"
"She has such petite ears among that beautiful hair. Like little pink shells." Susato said, happily.
"Oh, what's that? There's something dangling down from her ear." Ryunosuke said.
"Yes, that's an 'earring'. Wait... Look! It's a crescent moon!"
"She's missing the one for her right ear." I said, smiling.
"Ah!" Ryunosuke said, and he thought this to himself. 'There can be no doubt now, surely!'
"Yup. You're right on the mark, Ryunosuke."
"Yes." Ryunosuke said, presenting Pavlova's right ear. "Miss Pavlova, I notice that on your ear... ...even though you have a metal earring, the decorative part of it seems to be missing. The little link holding it on must have broken, I suppose."
"Eh? What?!" Strogenov exclaimed.
"But looking at your other ear... ...I notice a crescent moon." Ryunosuke said, smugly.
"Ah!" Hosonaga said, at a loss for words.
"I don't believe it!" Strogenov yelled.
"..." Pavlova said.
"Now, the missing crescent moon was found in the victim's clenched fist. ...Clearly there is only one logical conclusion. Wouldn't you agree, Mr Naruhodo?" Holmes asked.
"...Yes. Miss Pavlova... Mr Asogi must have grasped that crescent moon and pulled it from your ear. Perhaps just moments before he fell to the floor." Ryunosuke said.
"...!" Pavlova said.
"In other words... ...last night, in Mr Asogi's cabin, you witnessed the moment when the victim fell with your own eyes. In fact, you were quite literally at arm's length from him."
"..." Strogenov said.
"But then the question is, why did Mr Asogi do that? Why did he pull your earring from your ear, and hold it in his clenched fist during his final moments?" Ryunosuke asked, looking at Pavlova.
"Oh no…" Pavlova said, letting out a lot of tears.
"Angel...?" Strogenov asked.
"No one can protect you now. Please, Miss Pavlova, tell us the truth. Last night... ...WHAT did you do to Kazuma?!" Ryunosuke exclaimed.
"Agh!" Pavlova said, breaking down. "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeт!"
"So, what happened last night?" I asked, looking at Pavlova.
"When I think about everything that happened yesterday... It, it was too much. Running away...the fishing boat in the middle of the night...trying to climb onto this huge ship... And then... ...when I was at last in this cabin and I could relax after this horrible, long day…"
Flashback…
MIAOOOOOW!!!
"Darka! Wait!" Pavlova cried.
"... I couldn't believe it when she disappeared through the...the ventilator. I tried to call her with...a little whistle... I, I tried waving her favourite toy... But nothing worked. Darka would not come back." Pavlova said, as a voiceover.
*Knock knock*
"..." Pavlova said, in awe.
*Clunk*
"What are you doing here at this time of night, Inspector?" Kazuma asked, nearby. "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought it was a friend of mine."
"The young man from your country, he was very polite. And kind. He helped me to find Darka. And...he promised not to tell anyone. But then...when I had my friend in my arms again and I was going to leave the man's cabin…" Pavlova said, as a voiceover.
Flashback - Kazuma's cabin…
"Just a moment! Sorry, but…" Kazuma said, looking at Pavlova.
"Oh... Yes?" Pavlova asked.
"I'm sure I know your face. I've seen you somewhere before…"
"Ah!"
"Ah, of course! You're Nikolina Pavlova, aren't you? The Russian ballerina."
"Huh? N-No! I, I don't know that name."
"My heart nearly stopped when he said that. He knew who I was! How could this man from a land in the faraway East know a Russian ballerina?!" Pavlova exclaimed, as a voiceover.
"Yes, I saw your performance in Japan. The beauty of the ballet made a deep impression on me. But...what are you doing on this ship? I'm sure I read that your ballet company was performing in Shanghai at the moment." Kazuma said.
"'...I can't fool him. ...I have to tell him the truth, and hope he doesn't tell anyone. I have no other choice.'" Pavlova said, thinking that to herself.
"Hm, I see... So you've run away…" Kazuma said, his eyes widening.
"Please! Please keep my secret! Don't tell anyone!" Pavlova said, terrified.
"Give me a moment. I could use another opinion here…" Kazuma said, his hand reaching towards the wardrobe.
"'...He's going to pull that cord! He's going to tell the captain! Why did I think I could trust him?!' " Pavlova exclaimed, thinking that to herself.
"Then it happened... Everything at once... It was only a second, but...it felt like forever... 'Wait!' I shouted. And then…" Pavlova said, as a voiceover.
MIAOOOOOW!!!
"Darka jumped out of my arms and down to the young man's feet. And... ...as he turned around to look at me... ...I, I pushed him! I don't even know why! I don't know why I did it! I, I was just so scared! And... ...I had to stop him from telling anyone about me." Pavlova said, as a voiceover.
SS Burya, Miss Pavlova's Cabin…
"... And that's when you went to fetch help? From Seaman Strogenov, who was on duty out in the passageway." Ryunosuke said.
"I heard Nina cry out, and thud on floor. So I ran to her. She was standing at cabin door, shaking like leaf. She looked at me and said: 'Help me, Bif! If they find out, I will be... Please! I have nowhere to go!'" Strogenov said, looking at Pavlova.
"So you decided to help. And that's when you arranged things in Kazuma's cabin to make it look like I did it... ...so that no one would suspect the passenger in the cabin next door?" Ryunosuke asked.
"...Yes. I went into cabin and I looked around...to make sure there was nothing to show Nina was there. And then I found stowaway. In wardrobe. Still sleeping."
"And that's when you found Ryunosuke Naruhodo." I said, and Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Right. That's when he found me.'
"So you worked out a plan. To lay the blame on the stowaway." Susato said, her eyes widening.
"... I closed wardrobe doors and put back strange paper sign." Strogenov said.
"And that paper sign was in Japanese." I said, while Ryunosuke thought that to himself. 'Luckily for me. That's the only reason Susato-san started to believe me when I said I was innocent. Jared knew I was innocent due to him knowing my future.'
"I dragged young man's body to good place, and used ink that was spilling to write on floor. I wrote 'ГАРДЕРОБ' so that person who found him would look inside wardrobe and find stowaway." Strogenov said.
"And tell me, what of the glass bell?" Holmes asked.
"It was by my feet, so I picked it up." Pavlova said.
"I see."
"But it was dark in the cabin. I didn't notice the other half."
"Then angel went back to her cabin, and I finished job." Strogenov said.
"By pressing the emergency alarm button in the passageway?" Ryunosuke asked.
"...Yes."
"Accordingly, the SS Burya did indeed come to an emergency halt at a little after 2 a.m. Thus enticing the bolt on the cabin door to slide shut, creating the locked room mystery." Holmes said.
"..."
"There's still one thing I don't understand, Miss Pavlova." Ryunosuke said, looking at Pavlova.
"What?" Pavlova asked.
"Well, you said that you told Kazuma about the fact that you'd run away from your homeland. And it's because you were worried he was going to tell the captain that you pushed him. ...Isn't that right?"
"Yes…"
"But even if he had pulled the bell cord and called for the captain of the ship... ...aren't you friends with every member of the crew? Why would that have been a problem?"
"... It was what he said first. That made me scared." Pavlova said, sadly.
"What he said first?" Ryunosuke asked.
"She means Kazuma." I said, sadly.
Flashback…
"What are you doing here at this time of night, Inspector? Oh, I'm sorry. I thought it was a friend of mine." Kazuma said.
SS Burya, Miss Pavlova's Cabin…
"He said an inspector...was his friend…" Pavlova said.
"Ah! Yes, meaning me... ...who was supposed to be acting as his bodyguard…" Hosonaga said, frowning.
"I thought that if police knew about me...they would arrest me. ... So before he could pull the bell cord, I, I…"
"May I stop you a moment, please, Miss Pavlova?" Susato asked.
"...!" Pavlova said, at a loss for words.
"It just...doesn't seem to make sense. I mean, was Mr Asogi really going to pull the bell cord? I don't know…"
"Wha...?"
"What do you think, Mr Naruhodo?"
"... Well, I'm not Kazuma, so I can't know for certain. But... ...he was a man of his word. If he told you he wouldn't give your secret away, then he wouldn't have done." Ryunosuke said.
"No! He, he was walking over to it! He was going to pull the cord! He was going to make them send me back…" Pavlova said, letting out a lot of tears.
"Well, Mr Naruhodo... ...the day's work is not yet done, it seems. There is one more deduction to make." Holmes said.
"What? Another deduction?" Ryunosuke asked.
"Yes. What action was the victim really about to take at that moment? Can we determine whither the young man's gaze was directed? First, consider the victim's location within his cabin."
"That's easy. I remember every detail of that room. I mean, yes, I spent quite a lot of time in the wardrobe, but still... ...that cabin has been my home for this entire voyage."
"So this is how the cabin looked last night, when Miss Pavlova visited Kazuma-sama?" Susato asked.
"Yes. It's exactly how it was." Ryunosuke said.
"Are you ready then, Mr Naruhodo?" Holmes asked.
"Yes!" Ryunosuke chirped, and he thought this to himself. 'If there's one thing I've learnt today... ...it's that a simple gaze can reveal all manner of truths. And not only that. In order to draw the right conclusion... ...you can't afford to be out by even a little bit when you're following the gaze to where it lands.' He then spoke aloud. "So, when he turned away from Miss Pavlova, what exactly was Kazuma looking at?"
"I was in my cabin talking with my friends from the future after giving you some of my leftovers." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag. "So he was looking at something he trusted, someone he trusted."
"Take that!" Ryunosuke yelled, presenting the wardrobe. "Considering everything that had happened last night... ...certainly it may have looked as though Kazuma was going to ring the bell cord."
"Yes. However... ...what is directly beside the bell cord? The wardrobe." Holmes said.
"The...wardrobe...?" Pavlova asked.
"And, more importantly, what was inside the wardrobe? The man's great friend. Sleeping soundly."
"That being Ryunosuke Naruhodo." I said, smirking. "They knew each other when they met in university."
"Ah!" Pavlova said, speechless.
"Miss Pavlova, please, think back very carefully. What were Mr Asogi's exact words last night?" Susato asked.
Flashback…
"Give me a moment. I could use another opinion here…" Kazuma said, reaching his hand towards the wardrobe handle.
SS Burya, Miss Pavlova's Cabin…
"'Another opinion'..." Pavlova said, her eyes widening.
"Yes, but not from a member of the crew. No, Mr Asogi intended to consult his close friend on the matter. To see if, between them, they might be able to help in some way, no doubt." Holmes said.
"Oh no…"
"Sadly, we can't know the truth for certain now. It's too late for that. But I wish you had made sure of what Mr Asogi was looking at. Things may have ended very differently if you had." Susato said, sadly.
"..." Pavlova said, at a loss for words.
"Miss Pavlova... I want to thank you for finally admitting the truth. But, unfortunately... ...the truth is, a man lost his life because of what you did. And that will never change. I hope you'll never forget that." Ryunosuke said.
"I'm sorry... Really... I'm so, so sorry... What have I done…" Pavlova said, letting out a lot of tears.
"And so, at long last... ...the mystery surrounding the tragic accident on the SS Burya... ...was finally laid to rest." Ryunosuke said, as a voiceover.
9th January, 7:14 p.m.
SS Burya, First-Class Cabin Passageway…
"What will happen to Miss Pavlova now then?" Ryunosuke asked.
"Once we reach Great Britain, she'll be handed over to the British police at Scotland Yard." Hosonaga said.
"What about the fact that she ran away from Russia? Won't the Russians try to repatriate her?"
"Apparently the English detective can speak to the immigration office and sort all that out."
'Mr Holmes can do that...?' Ryunosuke asked, thinking that to himself, before speaking aloud. "So she won't be going back to Russia, then?"
"No, I don't think so. Even if she wanted to return in the future, I doubt she would be able to. She ran away, so now she's an exile for life." Hosonaga said.
"I see…" Ryunosuke said.
"I'm sorry…" Strogenov said, sadly.
"Seaman Strogenov?"
"I wanted to help our angel. No matter what. But...I didn't think about you. About how you lost good friend. I will go with Nina. I will give myself to British police."
"...That's kind of you. In the meantime...thank you for letting me go free again. Kazuma's death...feels like such a waste. But... Well...do what you can for Miss Pavlova, won't you?" Ryunosuke asked.
"Da."
"Well, I'm afraid you need to pack now. We're due to arrive in Hong Kong tomorrow. As much as it pains me... ...I'm going to have to hand you over to the consul to arrange your passage back to Japan." Hosonaga said, frowning.
"...Yes." Ryunosuke said, and he thought this to himself. 'I did stow away, after all. I couldn't really expect any different.'
"So, you should get back to your cabin now."
'It looks like my study tour to Great Britain is over before it's even begun, then. To think that only days ago, Kazuma and I were laughing together about how we'd tear up the streets of London... That seems like a distant memory now.' Ryunosuke said, and he thought that to himself, before speaking aloud. "... Oh...what's that?"
"There, there, Susato." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Is it...someone weeping?'
"..." Susato said, as she hugged me tight.
"...Susato-san?" Ryunosuke asked.
"...! Naruhodo-san! I, I didn't know you had returned." Susato said, and she let go of me.
"Oh, erm, well...I haven't been back long. Inspector Hosonaga just told me I should pack. You know...ready to leave the ship tomorrow and all that."
"... ... I still...can't believe this has happened. I can't believe someone's life can be over, just like that."
"Susato-san…"
"He had such grand ideas for this visit to Great Britain. So many dreams. And now they've been cruelly taken away. ...Just as he has. I thought I could never forgive the person responsible. But now... ...now we know the truth. That it was just an accident. Just a silly series of mishaps. It's too much, Naruhodo-san, Jared. It's just too much…"
"... Yes, I know."
"Same. I wish Kazuma was still here." I said, letting out a sigh. "I haven't been to London in a while. But I haven't seen it from this angle before. It was either solving cases with some friends or saving the world from some aliens."
"I wish there was something...I could say…" Hosonaga said, walking towards us.
"Inspector…" Susato said, grabbing my hand.
"My duty was to see Asogi-san safely to Great Britain. But I failed. And caused his three closest friends great pain and suffering as a result. I've let everyone down. And I will do ANYTHING to make up for my terrible blunder!"
"...Nobody blames you, Inspector. And I'm free again now, at leas- Huh?" Ryunosuke asked.
"Ah ha ha ha ha hah!" Holmes said, laughing a lot. "Surprised, Mr Naruhodo?"
"What...is the meaning of this?!" Ryunosuke exclaimed, looking down at his handcuffs.
"Oh, a trifling matter. Simply that in my head, I think I shall always picture you wearing those shackles. Without them, the balance seems all wrong. It's...distracting." Holmes said.
"Sorry?"
"So I decided to restore them. For old times' sake, shall we say? You are a stowaway, after all. Ah ha ha ha ha hah!" Holmes said, laughing still.
"That is a bit funny, Sherlock." I said, and Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'They think this is funny?!'
"Mr Holmes... We do appreciate all your assistance. I'd like to thank you...from the bottom of my heart." Susato said, happily.
"Not at all, not at all. And though it's a little late, may I offer my sincere condolences? The loss of your companion is truly heartrending. I hope that you will be able to fulfil some of his aspirations in his honour." Holmes said.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible. We shall be disembarking at the next port. In Hong Kong. We have to return to Japan and make a full report about everything that's happened." Hosonaga said.
"What? Wait a minute! It's just me that has to go back, isn't it? I mean, I was the stowaway!" Ryunosuke said, worried.
"..." Susato said, squeezing my hand.
"The terms of this study tour were negotiated by the Department of Justice in both Great Britain and Japan. It was to be one lawyer and two assistants." Hosonaga said.
"'Was to be'?" Ryunosuke asked.
"That's different." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag. "It was supposed to be one lawyer and one assistant. How did that change?"
"What do you mean?" Susato asked.
"Oh. It changed due to me being here. So I was meant to come along too."
"In the light of Mr Asogi's unfortunate death... ...I'm afraid the study tour can no longer go ahead." Hosonaga said, looking at Ryunosuke, Susato, and I.
"Crap." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Oh no. I don't care for me, but... ...poor Susato-san and poor Jared.'
"My dear fellows, the majority of problems have an extremely simple solution, you know!" Holmes yelled. "All you require is one lawyer, and the study tour can continue, surely?"
"...!" Ryunosuke said, at a loss for words.
"But there is no one else with the necessary qualifications, Mr Holmes. We know of no other lawyer." Susato said, frowning.
"Qualifications, you say? Any qualifications obtained in your own country will be of little value in Great Britain, I'm afraid." Holmes said, smirking.
"Oh, but…"
"But anyway, the voyage to London still promises a good month of time. Ample opportunity, I would say, to find yourselves another suitable lawyer."
"...Yes…" Susato said, squeezing my hand.
"... Um...Miss Susato?" Ryunosuke asked.
"Yes?"
"Do you think perhaps...I might be able to do it?"
"Ah!" Susato said, her eyes widening.
"You can definitely do it, Ryunosuke!" I said, excitedly. "Susato is a good teacher. And I can help make sure things go the way they're supposed to."
"But you're not a lawyer, Mr Naruhodo. Oh, unless... Are you studying law?" Hosonaga asked.
"No, I'm not, but…" Ryunosuke said, frowning.
"I'm sorry. In that case, I don't think there's even a chance it could work."
"But as I said, there is still more than a month before we reach England's shores. Isn't that right, Mr Naruhodo?" Holmes asked.
"Yes, I have a month in which to study! To learn what I must to become a lawyer in Great Britain." Ryunosuke said, happily.
"Mr Naruhodo…" Susato said, sadly.
"That's ridiculous! Are you seriously suggesting anybody could learn all of that in just forty days?" Hosonaga asked.
"There's only one way to find out! I would work my fingers to the bone, Inspector. Every single day. ...Will you let me try? And if, by the time we reach Great Britain, I haven't learnt enough to be recognised as a lawyer... ...I'll take whatever punishment is deemed appropriate." Ryunosuke said, smiling.
"But...why put yourself in such a difficult position?"
"For Kazuma. He said that there was something he had to do in Great Britain. And that he would sacrifice anything to make it happen."
"...!" Susato said, letting go of my hand.
"He was passionate about it. I can't let all that passion just come to nothing. And anyway, it's for my own benefit, too. I will become a lawyer. I have to. ...What do you say, Miss Susato, Jared?" Ryunosuke asked, looking between Susato and I.
"... ...I think it's a wonderful idea." Susato said, smiling.
"It's a good idea. I haven't seen the Paternoster Gang in a while. That being Madame Vastra, Jenny Flint, and Strax the Sontaran. I should catch up with them at some point." I said, as Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Thank you…'
"So...what does our bespectacled inspector friend say?" Holmes asked.
"Are you serious?" Hosonaga asked.
"One lawyer and two assistants. The numbers are indisputable."
"No no no! It's madness!"
"Yet fascinating, wouldn't you agree?"
"'Fascinating'?"
"Duty and rules are the dull routine of existence that we all abhor. Give us interest! Give us fascination!" Holmes said, excitedly.
"Speak for yourself!" Hosonaga said, angrily.
"Besides... ...qualifications are no measure of a man. What matters is his character...no?"
"...!"
"And you've witnessed ample evidence of this man's exemplary character today with your own eyes. From the early hours of this morning until this very moment now. Despite contending with the passing of his close companion, and despite the accusation of guilt... ...this man has shown resourcefulness, intelligence and above all, courage."
"... Very well. I'll think of a clever way to word my report to the Department of Justice."
"Inspector!" Ryunosuke said, at a loss for words.
"After all, I did just make a promise, didn't I? I said that I'd do anything at all to make up for my shortcomings here." Hosonaga said.
"Oh, thank you, Inspector!" Susato cheered.
"If you'll excuse me, I must pay a visit to the captain's quarters, I think. I need to discuss what to do next, and how best to make my report." Hosonaga said, walking away from us.
"Are you really prepared to attempt this, Mr Naruhodo?" Susato asked.
"Yes, I'm going to try. I wonder... ...would you consider teaching me what I need to know? Everything about being a lawyer?" Ryunosuke asked.
"... I would be delighted to help you! I AM a judicial assistant, after all!"
"Thank you!"
"And...Mr Naruhodo... ...I'd like you to take charge of this." Susato said, handing Ryunosuke Kazuma's sword.
"What? Me?! ...Are you sure?" Ryunosuke asked.
"I'm sure it's what Kazuma-sama would have wanted. Its name is 'Karuma'. It's a great sword, that's been in the Asogi clan for generations."
"...Very well, I accept. I'll treasure it always. So then, Miss Susato… …Jared… ...it seems we'll be working together for some time to come yet!" Ryunosuke said, looking between Susato and I.
"It will be an honour, Mr Naruhodo. And for the next forty days, I shan't grant you a single minute of freedom. We shall fill every spare moment with study!" Susato said, excitedly.
"Yes! That's exactly what I need!"
"You need that. And I'll lend Susato some Agatha Christie books." I said, happily. "Maybe 'Miss Marple' and 'Murder on the Orient Express'."
"That sounds wonderful, Jared. I am looking forward to reading those books that came from the future." Susato said, smiling. "But...before we begin... I have an earnest favour to ask of you, too, Naruhodo-san."
"Goodness. ...What is it?" Ryunosuke asked.
"... Please throw me to the ground. Three times!"
"Wha...?"
"I should never have doubted you. You were Kazuma-sama's closest friend. Of course you would never have done anything to hurt him. That should have been obvious to me from the start. But I allowed suspicion to get the better of me. And no matter how upset I was feeling...it was completely unforgivable behaviour."
"No! No, you were in shock. You'd just found out about me stowing away. And the cabin door was locked from the inside…"
"No! I won't let you make excuses for me! Whatever the circumstances, I should never have thrown you! And not just once, but FIVE times!" Susato cried.
"Haah…" Ryunosuke said, as he thought this to himself. 'That number keeps creeping up, doesn't it?'
"Please, you must! Just take hold of me and throw me! Do it! Don't even think about it!"
"No no no! I don't even know how! I've never thrown anyone in my life!"
"Very wise, Mr Naruhodo. It isn't a skill one acquires without considerable training." Holmes said.
"Oh, Mr Holmes…" Susato said, looking at Holmes.
"I observed your throwing technique several times with great interest. I confess I was most impressed."
"It is impressive." I said, and Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'When did he see that?'
"I presume that would be a form of Japanese wrestling?" Holmes asked.
"Oh, well...in a way. It's not wrestling, but my own interpretation of an ancient jujutsu technique." Susato said.
"Apparently it's called the Susato Takedown. It leaves your head swimming, believe me." Ryunosuke said.
"Hm... How beguiling... I am a practitioner of the combative arts myself. I am a somewhat accomplished boxer." Holmes said.
"Maybe she could teach you." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'There he goes, dancing around again…'
"That is a great idea, Jared. I wonder if you'd be so kind as to instruct me on the technique of your arresting throw?" Holmes asked.
"... Yes! I'd be honoured!" Susato said, excitedly.
"Then let us not dally! Demonstrate, my dear madam!"
"Oh! Of, of course! Are you ready, Mr Naruhodo?"
"Sorry?" Ryunosuke asked.
"Haiiiiii-YA!" Susato yelled, doing the Susato Squash on Ryunosuke. "...As you can see, you throw from the abdomen."
"Oh yes, arresting indeed! And that is what you term the Susato Takedown, is it?" Holmes asked.
"Actually, no. That was a Susato Squash!" Susato said.
Flashback….
"In my groggy state of consciousness... ...a scene from an evening recently spent with Kazuma and Jared flickered into my mind…" Ryunosuke said, as a voiceover.
"...'Karuma'...?" Ryunosuke asked, looking down at Kazuma's sword.
"That's right. It's a prized sword that's been passed down through generations of the Asogi clan." Kazuma said, holding his sword.
"I can't believe you managed to get permission to bring it with you! I mean, taking a katana on a study tour is more than a little irregular, surely?"
"A Japanese man's sword is his soul, Ryunosuke. I can't be parted from my katana. Karuma guides me. I truly believe that."
"So its name compels its wielder to slice evil in two? Not that you would need much compelling…"
"On that subject... ...there's something very important that I have to do in Great Britain. And I'll sacrifice anything to make it happen. I'd appreciate you and Jared seeing it through with me."
"Of, of course we will. Whatever it is, Jared and I will see it through to the end with you." Ryunosuke said, happily.
"We really will." I said, phasing through the door, and making myself visible. "Sorry about not knocking. I wanted to make sure you two are okay."
"...I knew you two wouldn't let me down." Kazuma said, looking between Ryunosuke and I.
"That important thing he had to do... I still don't know what that was. But I'm going to see the place for myself and work it out. Jared knew what it was, hence why he wanted to come. In Great Britain's capital...London." Ryunosuke said, as a voiceover.