(Open POV)
'I begin to think, Watson,' said Holmes, turning his head languidly in my direction, 'that there is more to this case than that which we have observed. Indeed, that there may be another part to this story that we are yet to discover.' His eyes wandered, following the steam rising from his cup of herbal tea, leading him to the distant memory of that snowy evening - to the young lady, collapsed on the pavement along Briar Road, and to the knife in her back. Lit in the soft glow of gas lamps, a most extraordinary scene had been set, and under the cover of a light fog, the curtain had risen silently on the insoluble mystery of our invisible killer.
(Jared's POV)
19th February, 9:47 a.m.
British Supreme Court, Lord Chief Justice's Office…
"Did you sleep last night, Mr Naruhodo?" Susato asked.
"No...not at all." Ryunosuke said, sadly.
"It was an enormous hotel, wasn't it? The rooms were so luxurious! I felt like we were staying in a palace! And with all the gas lights twinkling, it was brighter than day even in the middle of the night!"
"What about the enormous beds? After my time on the SS Burya, I wasn't going to waste a single inch of that space. I spent the entire night rolling from one side of the mattress to the other."
"Oh yes, it really was the sort of night you can only dream of normally. Except... ...when I learnt that we owed three pounds for the rooms, that dream quickly turned into a nightmare."
"Oops! ...Sorry about that. The building was so impressive, and the entrance so inviting, I just...wandered in without thinking."
"In a lodging house in Japan, that sum of money would put a roof over your head for a whole year. I did try, but...I'm afraid I couldn't help my tears when we were presented with the bill."
"Ugh... I really am sorry…"
"Well, never mind. We must find some more affordable lodgings straight away, though. If we're not careful, our entire stipend will be used up in ten days or less."
"Ugh... London is a scary place…"
"Morning guys." I said, entering the Lord Chief Justice's Office.
"Good morning, Jared." Susato said, happily. "Where were you?"
"Hanging out with some friends."
"Ah, good morning to you at this early hour." Stronghart said, entering his office.
"Oh! Yes! Um...we...erm... Well!" Ryunosuke said, worried.
"...Good morning to you, Lord Chief Justice. We have come to report on the outcome of the trial at the Old Bailey yesterday." Susato said, smiling.
"Wow." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Susato-san is amazing. She doesn't bat an eyelid, even in the presence of the imposing Lord Stronghart.'
"Yes, I believe you had a very comprehensive initiation into British courtroom practices." Stronghart said.
"Oh...yes! It was very...eye-opening, thank you!" Ryunosuke said, terrified.
"And...in accordance with your instructions, Lord Stronghart... ...Mr Naruhodo performed his duty to the end." Susato said.
"Yes...I've already been apprised of events. You conducted a remarkable defence. ...You may consider the test passed." Stronghart said.
"Oh!" Ryunosuke said.
"No longer are you a student from the Empire of Japan... You may henceforth claim to be...a fully fledged lawyer! My country is delighted to welcome young talent from such a remote Eastern land."
"Um...thank you very much!" Ryunosuke said, as he thought this to himself. 'So...I'm a lawyer now…'
"Now, in view of your new appointment, I have a fresh case in mind for you. I'd like you to take it on at once. ...I trust that won't be a problem?"
"Another case? Already?"
"Nothing trains a lawyer better than practical experience. ...I'm sure I don't sense dissatisfaction, do I?"
"... It's just that yesterday's trial ended...unusually. I haven't quite come to terms with it." Ryunosuke said, frowning.
"What's to come to terms with? The man was cleared. ...What more were you hoping for?" Stronghart asked.
"..."
Flashback…
"The culpability of the defendant has not, at the present time, been established by this court. Consequently... ...the jury will not be required to proffer judgement." The Judge said.
"Well, Lord van Zieks...it's been a pleasure, so it has. And as for you, my dear fella...I couldn't have asked for a better defence! Wah hah hah hah hah!" McGilded said, laughing a lot.
British Supreme Court, Lord Chief Justice's Office…
"I just can't help wondering... if Mr McGilded really was innocent?" Ryunosuke asked.
"Mr Naruhodo!" Susato cried.
"It's just that I never managed to ascertain the truth. And then the trial ended."
"... Well, you needn't let it trouble you for a second longer." Stronghart said.
"Sorry?"
"What do you mean, Lord Stronghart?" Susato asked.
"Magnus McGilded passed away. Immediately following the trial." Stronghart said.
"No!" Susato said, angrily.
"What?! Mr... Mr McGilded is... ...dead?!" Ryunosuke exclaimed.
"Shit." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
"I have nineteen minutes and forty-one seconds until my next engagement. ...Time enough to talk." Stronghart said.
"I can't believe he's dead. McGilded died. How?"
"Same. I don't understand! What happened?! How can he be dead?" Ryunosuke asked.
"After the trial concluded yesterday, there was a great commotion in the Old Bailey. As you'll presumably recall, an omnibus had been wheeled into the courtroom." Stronghart said.
"Yes, of course. That was the scene of the crime which Mr McGilded had been accused of." Ryunosuke said.
"Precisely. Well, while the bailiff's attention was diverted by some other matter, the omnibus went up in flames."
"No…"
"How could such a thing have happened?" Susato asked.
"That is being investigated as we speak. But already... ...the police have identified a corpse found inside the charred shell of the carriage as that of McGilded." Stronghart said.
"That's awful!" Ryunosuke yelled.
"The man must have slipped inside whilst the bailiff's attention was elsewhere."
"Oof." I said, and Ryunosuke thought this to himself. '...That bailiff really needs to pay more attention.'
"And how could THAT have happened?" Susato asked.
"That is also being investigated as we speak." Stronghart said.
"... Thinking back now... ...immediately after the trial, Mr McGilded did mention going back into the courtroom to look at the omnibus."
Flashback…
"Well, I must be makin' tracks now. 'Tis time for the inspection." McGilded said.
"Sorry? What inspection?" Ryunosuke asked.
"They're goin' to examine the omnibus again, so I'm told. I asked if I could be present for it meself."
British Supreme Court, Lord Chief Justice's Office…
"An inspection of the omnibus? Not to my knowledge. I don't believe Scotland Yard had any intention of re-examining the carriage." Stronghart said.
"But... Then who was Mr McGilded talking about?" Ryunosuke asked. "Jared, do you know?"
"Spoilers." I said, looking down at the floor. "Can't say. It's too soon."
"Never mind that now. The Yard is making a thorough investigation. This matter is no longer any concern of yours. Leave it to the police." Stronghart said.
"Poor Mr McGilded…" Susato said, letting out a sigh.
"Still, the British Supreme Court is different from the one in America." I said, looking up again.
"So...how did you find your first taste of our country's supreme court?" Stronghart asked.
"Oh! Well, um...I don't know... I mean! It was...wow!" Ryunosuke said, excitedly.
"...Mr Naruhodo means that the whole experience was steeped in the solemnity of Great Britain's long history. It's really a world apart from our own judicial system in Japan, which is only a few short decades old." Susato said.
"Wow." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. '...Wow, Susato-san has such a way with words.'
"...And you seem to have a way of failing to find the right ones." Susato said.
"Yup." I said, laughing a lot. "You always do, Ryunosuke."
"The judicial system here is the most advanced in the world. ...Learn all you can." Stronghart said.
"..." Ryunosuke said, as he thought this to himself. 'The most advanced in the world, is it?'
"It was fortunate... ...that your very first trial was a simple affair."
"Simple? That was simple?!" Susato exclaimed.
"As I believe I mentioned yesterday morning...it was a trial you couldn't lose." Stronghart said.
"I don't mean to be contrary, Lord Stronghart, but... the case was anything but simple!"
"..."
"The circumstances of the case were so incriminating, I was stunned when I first heard them. In fact, I'm still finding it hard to believe that we managed to get a favourable verdict." Ryunosuke said.
"... Heh heh heh…" Stronghart said, laughing.
"Is, is something funny?"
"No no, my apologies. However, the fact is that you did receive the not guilty verdict you set out to achieve."
"...!" Susato said, at a loss for words.
"And that can only be attributed to exceptional talent... wouldn't you agree?" Stronghart asked.
"Well, I, I don't know about that…" Ryunosuke said, sadly.
"... Well, never mind. You exceeded my expectations, I freely admit. ...That much at least is an undeniable truth. Which is precisely why I have prepared the new case for you that I mentioned before."
"A new case? What new case?" I asked, and Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'What's going on? What was he going to say before?'
"Could you perhaps give us some more details about the new case you mentioned?" Susato asked.
"Thank goodness it's not." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Don't tell me, it's a murder and the trial starts in ten minutes…'
"Don't worry, it's nothing so alarming or quite so urgent as your last assignment. In fact, this case is completely different." Stronghart said.
"Oh, I see." Ryunosuke said, as he thought this to himself. 'Did, did he just read my mind?'
"That is to say, no one has died...as yet. And the trial will not be today. There is plenty of time to research the case thoroughly." Stronghart said, looking down at his pocket watch. "...Twenty-three hours, forty-three minutes and nineteen seconds to be precise."
"Haah…" Ryunosuke said, and he thought this to himself. 'So the trial's tomorrow then.' He is now speechless. "..."
"Is everything alright?" Susato asked.
"Oh...yes. I'm just a little confused, that's all. Yesterday's trial was... Well, it's left me wondering if I'm really cut out for being a lawyer."
"Oh, Mr Naruhodo…" Susato said, sadly.
"Ryunosuke…" I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'I don't know if I could face standing in that courtroom again after Mr McGilded's trial.'
"Ah yes, I nearly forgot... There is one similarity with yesterday's case. Once again, there is currently no one to advocate for the defence." Stronghart said.
"Oh!" Ryunosuke chirped.
"If the situation remains unchanged, the trial will start tomorrow with the defendant unrepresented. And if that happens, I need not remind you of the inevitable outcome."
"The most terrible end awaits the defendant…" Susato said, frowning.
"Yes...that's right."
"Ugh…" Ryunosuke said, as he thought this to himself. 'Here we go again…'
"...Your time is up." Stronghart said, looking down at his pocket watch again. "You will have to excuse me. I would advise you to begin making preparations for tomorrow's trial. After all, the clock is ever ticking. There is now but twenty-three hours, twenty-six minutes and thirty-nine seconds until the court sits."
"That's not a lot of time." I said, and Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Last time he mentioned the twenty-three hours, he said there was plenty of time…'
"And one more thing...Mr Naruhodo... There is something I should like to ask you." Stronghart said.
"Oh! Um...what's that?" Ryunosuke asked.
"Yesterday, you remarked upon something... That you intend to see through the will of your late compatriot, Mr Asogi."
"...!" Susato said, at a loss for words.
"I would be interested to hear what exactly you mean by that... ...inside thirty-four seconds." Stronghart said.
"Oh, well, erm... Kazuma always used to say, you see... ...that he wanted to learn how the greatest justice system in the world worked so he could change ours in Japan. Now that he's gone, I'd like to work towards that myself. ...And...there's another thing…" Ryunosuke said.
"Oh!" Susato said, in awe.
"'Another thing'? Continue…" Stronghart said.
"On the way here, on the steamship, he said something to me…" Ryunosuke said.
"He said 'There's something very important that I have to do.' I said, looking down at the floor.
"'Something very important'? And what, exactly, would that be?" Stronghart asked.
"He...never had a chance to tell me. Jared knows, but he doesn't want to tell me. I suppose he would have done...if he'd ever made it to Great Britain." Ryunosuke said.
"...You're out of time. Well, thank you for an enlightening discussion."
"Mr Naruhodo! Jared! What's all this about?! Mr Asogi never once mentioned anything of the sort to me!" Susato cried.
"I urge you three to focus your attentions on the matter at hand. I've taken the liberty of summoning the police inspector in charge of the case. He'll be able to apprise you of the details." Stronghart said.
"Gregson." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'How long has he been there?'
"So...I wish you the best of luck...and bid you farewell." Stronghart said, walking away from us.
"... 'There's something very important that I have to do.' Kazuma-sama... What did you mean...?" Susato asked.
"I wish I knew. But honestly, he never told me. Jared, you know because of your foreknowledge. ...Anyway, we had better talk to the detective, don't you think?" Ryunosuke asked.
"Yes, you're right!" Susato cheered.
'I hope I'm just imagining it, but I wouldn't say he looks pleased to see us at all.' Ryunosuke said, thinking that to himself, before speaking aloud. "...Um, could we trouble you?"
"What do you think?!" Gregson exclaimed.
"Agh! Erm... Um... Lovely weather, isn't it?" Ryunosuke asked.
"What's the weather got to do with anythin'?"
"Agh!"
"Listen to me, you young Japanese upstart! Some frippery about the weather doesn't get every English gent eatin' out of your hand, you know?"
"Hey. Gregson. It's been a while. Gonna see Iris later." I said, as Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Ugh... But Susato-san told me it was foolproof…'
"You are?" Gregson asked.
"Yeah." I said, happily. "Iris is amazing."
"Thank you for telling me, Jared. We can have a pint of beer later. It will be on me." Gregson said. "I'm a busy man. A very busy man! There's a crime scene to investigate, but I'm here havin' to give the likes of you a talkin' to!"
"Oh... I'm ever so sorry…" Ryunosuke said, sadly.
"Can you imagine what the other officers there will be sayin'? Hm? 'Haven't seen Gregson anywhere, have you?' 'No, he's too busy with the bigwigs these days.' And all because of some bumpkin who's here on a jaunt from a country I've never even heard of! Hear that rippin' sound? That's my reputation at the Yard goin' to tatters!" Gregson yelled.
"Wow…" I said, and Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'There's no need to rip us apart as well…'
"...I don't believe we've been introduced. This is Mr Ryunosuke Naruhodo, a defence lawyer." Susato said, smiling.
"...Eh?" Gregson asked.
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I'm one of Mr Naruhodo's judicial assistants, Su-"
"...Eh?"
"It's lovely weather we're having today, isn't it?"
"... It is unseasonably fine, I grant you. London winters don't see a lot of sunshine."
"It really doesn't." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Unbelievable! How did she and Jared pull that off?'
"So... Ahem! Lord Stronghart has asked me to fill you in on the case." Gregson said. "The name's Tobias Gregson. Inspector Gregson to you. I'm from Scotland Yard."
"Gregson?! ...Um, Inspector...Gregson...?" Susato asked, looking over at me. "Jared, you know Inspector Gregson?"
"Yeah. He and I go way…back." I said, as Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'What's the matter with Susato-san and Jared? Does this detective's name mean something to them?'
"Inspector Gregson. Haven't seen you since a dinosaur appeared in the Thames." I said, and I clutched the strap of my sling bag.
"Blimey. It has been a while, Jared." Gregson said, his eyes widening.
"Inspector...are you perhaps... ...THE Inspector Gregson?" Susato asked.
"..." Gregson said.
"You're acting like you know this man, Miss Susato, Jared. But he's a London detective." Ryunosuke said, looking between Susato and I.
"Oh, I do know him! Very well, in fact!" Susato cooed.
"Very well?!"
"Yes! He features prominently in 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'!"
"Oh, in that publication. What's it called again? Strand Magazine?"
"That's right. Inspector Gregson and Mr Holmes enjoy a wonderful friendly rivalry!"
"I wouldn't say wonderful friendly rivalry." I said, happily. "They're good friends."
"Really? YOU rival the great Mr Holmes? And they're good friends? That's incredible!" Ryunosuke said, looking at Gregson.
"Oh, um...well, I don't know about that... Mr Holmes isn't a professional like myself, of course. But he does come up with the goods from time to time." Gregson said.
"Mr Holmes is equally complimentary about you, Inspector, isn't he? You've earnt his highest praise! 'Gregson is the pick of a bad lot of all the Scotland Yarders!' Those were his own words!" Susato said, excitedly.
"...That's his highest praise?" Ryunosuke asked.
"Well, Mr Holmes isn't particularly known for giving compliments, you see."
"That he is not! And thanks to that magazine, my name's known all over London town now!" Gregson said, angrily.
"That's great, isn't it?" Ryunosuke asked.
"Hmph. I have to admit that to start with I was a little... well, flattered by all the attention. Everyone wanted to shake my hand, and my reputation at the Yard went through the roof."
"Well that's wonderful!"
"No it is NOT! There's nothin' more sinister than the man on the street! People are always lookin' at me now. They're whisperin' rumours about me under their breath, I'm sure."
"Rumours?" Ryunosuke asked.
"Are, are you quite sure?" Susato asked.
"'He's changed since he started appearin' in those stories... The fame's gone to his head.' Stuff like that." Gregson said, scoffing.
"Gosh, do you really think people are saying such mean-spirited things about you?"
"...Like I said, they whisper! So I can't catch exactly what they're sayin'. But I know what folk are like. I'm sure that's what they're sayin'! As sure as eggs is eggs!"
"..."
"I get the feeling this detective could be very hard work…" Ryunosuke said, frowning.
"Oh dear... Perhaps a sudden rise to fame does change people…" Susato said, letting out a sigh.
"Let's talk about the case." I said, sadly.
"So, um...about the case that the Lord Chief Justice mentioned before…" Ryunosuke said.
"Nothin' to tell, really. As far as we're concerned at the Yard, it couldn't be simpler." Gregson said.
"Oh dear. That probably means... ...that as far as we're concerned as lawyers, it couldn't be more complicated." Susato said.
"I wish you were wrong about that, but I have a nasty feeling you're right." Ryunosuke said.
"A young woman was walkin' along the pavement on Briar Road when she was stabbed from behind. Fortunately, it wasn't fatal, but she's still laid up in hospital, unconscious." Gregson said.
"That's despicable! What sort of coward would attack the poor woman from behind!"
"I suppose you would have finished whoever it was off with a Susato Takedown, would you?" Ryunosuke asked.
"That is neither here nor there, Mr Naruhodo!" Susato yelled.
"Ooo. You're gonna get it now, Ryunosuke." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Brace yourself, Ryunosuke! You've angered her now!'
"Anyway, after somethin' of a whirlwind investigation, the criminal was arrested. He barely had time for a cup of tea after the incident took place, to be honest." Gregson said.
"So...there must have been something left at the scene that led you directly to the culprit?" Ryunosuke asked.
"Or perhaps a reliable witness who recognised the person in question?" Susato asked.
"Let me stop you right there. ...You're wastin' your time on this one." Gregson said.
"Sorry?" Ryunosuke asked.
"There's nothin' you can do. There's no way to help the bloke now."
"Why ever not?"
"Simple... The prosecutor that's been assigned to the trial tomorrow...is Lord Barok van Zieks."
"No!"
"Sounds like you've heard of him then."
"Oh yes, we are very familiar with Lord van Zieks. Believed to be the harbinger of death itself…" Susato said, sadly.
"Yup." I said, as Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'The Reaper of the Bailey…'
"I still can't believe we're dealing with the Reaper of the Bailey again." I said, frowning.
"Lord Barok van Zieks…" Ryunosuke said, and he thought this to himself. '...who we faced in court only yesterday.'
"Mr McGilded told us about him before the trial, didn't he?" Susato asked.
Flashback…..
"When van Zieks stands for the prosecution, they call the accused his 'sacrificial lambs'. And in every single trial in which he's been the prosecutor...the accused has been damned!" McGilded yelled.
British Supreme Court, Lord Chief Justice's Office…
"This Reaper of the Bailey nickname... I suppose he's earnt that because every defendant he advocates against is found guilty, is that it?" Ryunosuke asked.
"..." Gregson said.
"Well, if that's the case, we should inform you, Inspector... ...that in yesterday's trial against Lord van Zieks... Mr Naruhodo secured a verdict of not guilty!" Susato said, excitedly.
"Haah... And what of it?" Gregson asked.
"Oh! Well, um, I think... ...that means that even against the Reaper of the Bailey, it's not impossible to save the defendant!"
"No, you really don't have a clue, do you?"
"...What do you mean?" Ryunosuke asked.
"What happened to that bloke in the end, eh? He's dead." Gregson said.
"Ah!" Ryunosuke said, at a loss for words.
"Magnus McGilded came a cropper in that omnibus when it went up in flames. So you can't rightly say you saved the defendant, can you?"
"What...what are you saying?!" Ryunosuke exclaimed.
"Look, if van Zieks could get the dirt to stick on everyone, he'd be a miracle-worker. But that's not how it goes. He doesn't work miracles; he works magic...black magic. I'd have a good, long think about that, if I were you."
"So what? He does witchcraft?" I asked, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. '...Are we really supposed to believe that?'
"..." Gregson said. "...Right, well, I've filled you in as requested, and I'm very nearly out of chips... So I'll be headin' back to the crime scene now. We're still carryin' out a few investigations there."
"It was Briar Road, you said, didn't you? Where the incident took place." Susato said, frowning.
"That's correct, ma'am. And if you head over to the holding cells you can meet the criminal himself."
"You've branded him a criminal already?" Ryunosuke asked.
"He's as good as. Shakin' like a leaf in his cell, he is. ...It'll give you a chuckle if nothin' else. He's inmate fifty-three. Speak to the jailer and he'll show you the way."
"Inmate fifty-three... Thank you. ..." Ryunosuke said, as he thought this to himself. '...So there's no helping anyone against the Reaper of the Bailey, they say…'
"Is something troubling you, Mr Naruhodo?" Susato asked.
"...." Ryunosuke said.
"To tell the truth, when I recall the trial yesterday, I can't stop myself from shaking. And Jared kept giving you the right things to help speed things along. He was also shaking. The idea of facing the Reaper in court again is... Well, if you think it's too much for you, there's no shame in turning the case down. That takes courage, too."
"... But if the man they've arrested is innocent…"
"...!"
"...You could well imagine he would be shaking like a leaf in his cell. And I for one wouldn't find the sight of that funny."
"So…"
"If I'm honest, I'm still reeling from the shock of yesterday's events myself. And I'm really not sure if I'll be able to help this man, whoever he is. But I'd like to try. So I think I'm going to make some enquiries. ...Will the two of you help?"
"... Did you really think you had to ask? After all...I am your judicial assistant!" Susato cheered.
"And I'm your friend." I said, happily. "I'm as much of a judicial assistant as Susato is. And I'm part of your moral support."
"Thank you... Both of you… So then...shall we?" Ryunosuke asked, looking between Susato and I.
"Yeah."
"Yes! Let's go!" Susato chirped.
19th February
Local Prison, Cell 9…
"So these are British prison cells…" Ryunosuke said, at a loss for words.
"Oh, they're ghastly. It feels just like a dungeon." Susatoo said.
"Yes. And having experienced it in Japan myself... ...I can assure you that our wooden cells feel a lot cosier than these cold, stone walls."
"Oh, don't, Mr Naruhodo! You're making it seem worse!"
"You really are." I said, as Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Apparently, our client is in this cell here. But it's so dark at the back there, I can't make him out. I wonder what he's like…'
"Inmate fifty-three! Your legal representative is 'ere to see you! Stop 'iding at the back of the cell and show your face at once!" The bailiff yelled.
"Am I...? Am I a cat, as yet with no name?! Calling me by a number! It's utterly, unbelievably, unjustly unreasonable! I refuse to answer!" Soseki cried.
"... Mr Naruhodo, Jared, what...? What do you think is going on here?" Susato asked.
"I have no idea. But I wasn't just hearing things, was I? That tirade of complaints was in Japanese!" Ryunosuke said, in awe.
"Definitely Japanese." I said, looking down at the floor.
"..." Soseki said.
"Erm, excuse me, but who…" Ryunosuke said, looking at Soseki.
"Shh! Quiet! ... They're all around. Hiding. I know they are! They're watching...listening...even now... I... I can sense it! ..."
"Um...right... So, could I ask you, who exactly-"
"There you are! You've come to curse me, haven't you? Don't try to hide it! You're a ghost!"
"A ghost?!" Ryunosuke exclaimed.
"..." Soseki said.
"... We mean you no harm, prisoner-san. Are you... ...Japanese, by any chance?" Susato asked.
"... This is... This is... BEYOND MY WILDEST DREAMS!!! Forgive me for that outburst before. I'm so sorry."
"Oh, it's...fine. We were just a little surprised, that's all." Ryunosuke said, letting out a sigh.
"Imagine it! It's been twelve long months since I left my hometown! And here I am, in a frightful fix in a foreign land! So hearing the sweet, sentimental tones of a compatriot's voice here in this damp, dark hellhole was a...a… Most Monumentally Moving Moment!" Soseki yelled.
"Talk about enthusiasm." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Who could have guessed that this new client Lord Stronghart assigned to us... ...would turn out to be a fellow Japanese?!'
"Ah... ...what compassion my fellow countrymen show! To dispatch a first-class lawyer all the way from Japan to defend a mere foreign student! Noble, Nurturing, Never-Failing Nippon!"
"A, a first-class lawyer?" Ryunosuke asked, as he thought this to himself. 'Oh dear, I think there's been something of a misunderstanding here…'
"I wonder... Would you be so kind as to tell us what's happened? Why you've been detained as a suspect, for example." Susato said.
"Yes... Yes! I can! I will! Shan't Stay Sullen and Silent!" Soseki said, excitedly.
"I'm not quite sure I understand what he means, but...he seems happy!"
"Yes, he does…" Ryunosuke said, and he thought this to himself. 'I just hope he actually has a good reason to be…' He then spoke this aloud. "Thank you for your cooperation. I am a lawyer, as you said. My name is Ryunosuke Naruhodo."
"And I am Naruhodo-san's judicial assistant, Susato Mikotoba." Susato said.
"I'm Ryunosuke's other judicial assistant, Jared Shay. From the United States of America." I said, happily.
"I am... ...a visiting student, sent here by our government." Soseki said. "Notably, Notoriously Named Natsume! ...Soseki Natsume."
"Right. He's famous in my time." I said, smiling. "Soseki Natsume. He wrote 'I Am A Cat'."
"Soseki Natsume...san? What an unusual name." Ryunosuke said.
"Call me Soseki, please. I'm a poet, you see. A writer of haiku. It's something of a nom de plume." Soseki said.
"A nom de plume? You mean, an alias?"
"That's right, Ryunosuke." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
"No no NO! Don't be so prosaic! It's MUCH MORE REFINED than that!" Soseki cried.
"...And haiku? That really reminds me of home." Ryunosuke said.
"Did I hear you say that you were a visiting student, sent over here by the government?" Susato asked.
"Yes yes, that's right. A year ago, I was told to go and study English. First I had to suffer that misery, and now this! It's beyond the pale!" Soseki said, worried.
"'Suffer that misery'? Did you not want to study here?" Ryunosuke asked.
"No! I mean, I've had an interest in Great Britain for some years, of course."
"...Oh."
"But! Just because the government tells you to do something, does it mean you CAN do it? No!"
"What do you mean?" Susato asked.
"If they'd told me to study English literature, THAT I could have understood. That's my field. But no, they told me to study the English language! Utterly, Unbelievably, Unjustly Unreasonable!" Soseki said, terrified.
"I see…" Ryunosuke said, sadly.
"Only the other day, I was told to send a report about my first year here. I tendered a blank piece of paper. Wise Words on White Washi!"
"...You must be a man of great standing." Susato said.
"Oh yes! ...So I'm often told." Soseki said, sadly.
"Makes sense." I said, as Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'And often like to be told, it seems…'
"Let's talk about the accusation against the future famous writer." I said, looking down at the floor.
"Could you perhaps tells us exactly why you've been arrested, Soseki-san?" Susato asked.
"I didn't do it! I didn't commit that atrocious murder!" Soseki cried.
"Murder?!"
"Oh! No... No no, it's all alright. The woman didn't actually die, did she? But she was stabbed! With a knife! Right before my eyes!"
"'Before your eyes'? You mean, you saw the attacker?" Ryunosuke asked.
"... I didn't see anyone." Soseki said, frowning.
"What?"
"If I'd seen the person who did it...do you think I'd be locked up in here?"
"Oh dear, it seems this case is becoming rather complicated." Susato said.
"You're telling me." I said, taking out some Pocky to snack on them. "It is one of them."
"Why me? WHY ME?! ...Why did that silly woman have to be stabbed in front of ME?! It's the curse! The curse of London! It's… Incredibly, Inexcusably, Irritatingly Inconvenient!" Soseki said, angrily.
"Wow." I said, as Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'So Soseki-san was there at the scene, but he didn't see the attacker…'
"It's vital that we find out more about the case!" Susato chirped.
"So, how about you tell us about the case? About what you were accused of. What happened?" I asked, tossing a Pocky into my mouth.
"It was an accursed evening, just after the snow had started to clear and heavy with fog. I'd been to the bookshop to buy some books, and I was on my way back to my accursed lodgings." Soseki said.
"What happened during that?" I asked, and Ryunosuke thought this to himself. '...Sure the bookshop wasn't accursed, too?'
"As I was walking along that accursed pavement, I could make out the sole silhouette of another ahead of me. A woman, wearing a green overcoat, she was. And just as I went to overtake her... ...she suddenly let out a little scream, and collapsed onto the cold, hard slabs of stone at my feet!" Soseki yelled.
"How terrible!" Susato said, worried.
"I called out to the woman, but...she didn't move! It, it was like a… Ghostly, Ghoulish, Grim Graveyard!"
"Talk about exaggerated." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Slight exaggeration there, perhaps...?'
"I was terrified! I had to get away from there! So I ran! As fast as my legs would carry me back to my accursed lodgings!" Soseki said, terrified.
"That's...not good." Ryunosuke said.
"They'll, they'll say it was shameful, I know. To run away like that…"
"Tell me, Soseki-san, was the victim an acquaintance of yours?" Susato asked.
"Don't be ridiculous! Do you think I know nay of these fair-haired English?! And a young woman at that! I'm diffident! Shy! Timid! Unsure! I can't TALK to people!"
"I...I see…" Ryunosuke said, as he thought this to himself. 'A young woman, unknown to Soseki-san…' He then spoke aloud. "And at the time it happened... ...who else did you see nearby? Did anybody pass you?"
"... Regrettably... ...apart from myself and the woman...I didn't see a soul." Soseki said.
"No one?!" Ryunosuke exclaimed, and he thought this to himself. 'Oh great…'
"So the victim was unknown to you, and there was nobody else on the street at the time... That creates something of a conundrum, doesn't it?" Susato asked.
"Hm?" Ryunosuke asked, thinking that to himself. 'What conundrum?'
"Yeah. It does create a bit of a problem." I said, munching on another stick of Pocky.
"What do you mean, Susato-san, Jared? What's the conundrum?" Ryunosuke asked, looking between Susato and I.
"Well, if what Soseki-san has just told us is true, there's something I can't explain. He says that he didn't know the victim, and that there was no one else at the scene. Then he apparently fled without having been seen." Susato said.
"I did, I did!" Soseki cried.
"We believe you." I said, and Ryunosuke thought this to himself. '...But if that's the case... ...surely this man has to be the culprit?'
"AAAAAARGH! You... What did you just say?!"
"Nothing! I, I didn't say anything!" Ryunosuke said, while he thought this to himself. 'Oops. Perhaps I thought that a little 'loudly'...'
"Actually, that's not what was troubling me. What I was thinking was, how did Soseki-san actually come to be arrested?" Susato asked.
"Sorry?" Ryunosuke asked.
"He didn't touch the victim, and there was nobody at the scene to see him. So how did the police ever discover that he was there in the first place?"
"Oh yes!" Ryunosuke said, as he thought this to himself. 'She's right!'
"... It... It was him... That accursed 'great detective'... He led the police to me! Of all the bad luck!" Soseki said, worried.
"Accursed...'great detective'...?" Ryunosuke asked, and he thought this to himself. 'Could it be...?'
"I shall never forget that man's name as long as I live! With his haughty laugh and his self-proclaimed greatness! Brash, Big-Headed Busybody Begone! May you be cursed until the end of your days... Herr Lock Holmes!"
"I... I knew it!"
"Mr... Mr Holmes?!" Susato exclaimed.
"Sherlock Holmes? Sherlock arrested you?" I asked, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Well, I didn't expect to hear that name from this man's lips, that's for sure.'
"It was the morning after that nightmare had unfolded on the pavement before me. I was gnawing on a sliver of hard cheese when some men suddenly burst in through the door. They started shouting at me! 'This is the police! Put the weapon down!' Yes, it was a thin sliver, and yes it was hard... But I wasn't eating a weapon! Disgusting Dietary Discrimination Devils!" Soseki said, terrified.
"You...clearly had a trying morning yesterday." Ryunosuke said, sadly.
"And there he was, in the middle of all the policemen, grinning like a Cheshire cat! That...Herr Lock Holmes!"
"It's, it's actually just 'Sherlock Holmes'. He's English."
"I've since found out that he's a famous name in detection here in London."
"Yes, the great detective is really very well known." Susato said, frowning.
"And his overly sharp mind managed to deduce my whereabouts apparently. He thinks I'm the knife-wielding madman! Me?! This weak, stooped kitten of a man!" Soseki yelled.
"Oh, Sherlock…" I said, as Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'I wonder what great deduction process led him to his conclusion this time…'
"Do you mean to say... ...that Mr Holmes's deduction was the only reason the police arrested you? That would be really most unreasonable!" Susato cried.
"... Well, um...the thing is... I was...I was thrown into a panic when they barged their way in." Soseki said, letting out a sigh.
"Of course you were! That's only natural."
"I was terrified and trembling. And they kept throwing question after question at me. In impossible English! Fiendish Foreign Flim-Flammery!"
"Well...we are in England. You can't really blame them for questioning you in English." Ryunosuke said.
"Good point, good point. But my mind went blank. I, I knew I had to answer, but I didn't know what to say. So I just kept repeating things like, 'Yes, I do!' and 'I'm fine!' The next thing I knew, I was in manacles. And before I knew it, I was thrown in here." Soseki said.
"Oh dear. I'm afraid...that's hardly surprising." Susato said.
"It really is." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. ''I'm fine'? He's not fine now…'
"Mr Naruhodo Esquire!" Soseki chirped.
"...Oh, you can just call me Naruhodo. And when we're speaking English, a simple 'Mister' is more than enough." Ryunosuke said.
"Oh. Yes. Um... Alright. Yes... They've, they've really got to me. This country is poisoning my mind! ... But please, I beg you to defend me in court tomorrow. You can tell them what really happened. You'll do it...won't you?"
"Well, erm…"
"Why?! WHY?! Why is it so hard to say 'yes' to me?!"
"Well, the thing is...I'm just a student like yourself. On a study tour."
"A, a student...?"
"I have defended a case in the Old Bailey. Only the one, though. But at this moment in time, I really don't know what I'm supposed to believe in. I'm...confused about what justice in this country even means."
"Oh, Naruhodo-san…" Susato said, letting out a sigh.
"I'm not even the foreign student who was supposed to be here. I'm...a sort of locum lawyer, I suppose."
"But! But that armband! That's the mark of a defence lawyer from our great empire!" Soseki said, angrily.
"It's a keepsake from the man who should have been here. ...He was my best friend." Ryunosuke said.
"A, a keepsake? ... I know exactly what they're saying about me."
"Oh... Who do you mean?" Susato asked.
"The lawyers. All the British defence lawyers. They won't defend me." Soseki said.
"Goodness! Why...why do say that?"
"For the same reason as you noted before. When it happened... ...there was only the victim and myself around. And I ran away from the scene of the crime. I'm not a fool. I know it looks as though I must be the culprit."
"It must be very hard for you, Soseki-san…" Ryunosuke said, sadly.
"And anyway, I'm a student from overseas. I'm just a foreign nobody to them. Someone not to be trusted. I heard them openly laughing about me before. In my earshot, without any compunction at all. 'Any trial for this man would be a waste of time,' they said. And, 'Of course the foreigner did it!' They even had the gall to say, 'The man doesn't understand half of what's being said anyway!'" Soseki said, terrified.
"That's awful...!"
"That's horrible!" I said, worried. "Them treating you like that."
"They're wrong! I've studied more English than half of the policemen out there on the streets! I've travelled halfway around the world to learn about these people's country and its great history! But no one here wants to listen to a man with a strange accent. They all hate me! So...at the very least... ...I'd like to entrust my fate to someone who can listen to me, in my native tongue." Soseki said.
"..." Ryunosuke said.
"You could do it. ...Couldn't you? When I look into your eyes, I can see it. I can see what you've been through."
"...Soseki-san, it's just that... ... Give me a little time, please."
"Hm?"
"I'll do what I can, for the time being."
"What do you mean?"
"We shall investigate the case as thoroughly as possible. If we can find some clues, it will give us a much better chance, I'm sure!" Susato said, excitedly.
"... Oh yes! Yes! Thank you! I'll be here! All alone! Waiting for you...Locum Student Mr Naruhodo Esquire!" Soseki cheered.
"We should be going then, Naruhodo-san, Jared. We have a case to prepare for!" Susato said, looking between Ryunosuke and I.