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His report is missing something. He’s sure of it.
Lord van Zieks has asked him to write a report on Mr. Naruhodo’s trials so far in Britain. The requirements were to list how he went wrong during each of the trials and how the prosecution could take better advantage next time.
As an apprentice, of course he’s done what was required of him. To rid himself of that dreadful feeling of having a less than perfect report, he checked with the librarian several times to confirm the number of trials on record( four). This did nothing to assuage him - he ended up asking Lord van Zieks if there was anything else.
As it turns out, there was a civil suit, somewhat recently, where Mr. Naruhodo acted as a judicial assistant to the so-called Great Detective Sherlock Holmes.
The feeling still didn’t leave. He was sure that there were five criminal trials where Mr. Naruhodo acted for the defense, not four.
Lord van Zieks pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs.
“Are you still on about this missing, non-existent case ? I’m sure I would have remembered if there was a fifth criminal case where that loathsome boy acted as the defense.”
He watches Lord van Zieks. It’s better to wait for his mentor to finish speaking completely.
“If you’re so sure about this missing case, go and get evidence. I happen to know Mr. Naruhodo lodges with Holmes at 221B Baker Street. Or, you can find him haunting the law library.” Van Zieks grips the air, as if he was ready to take a medicinal sip of wine to wash down having to even think about his Nipponese court rival. “You can’t miss him. He has messy hair that sticks every which way and carries a large sword with a red ribbon wrapped around the scabbard.”
“Don’t come back unless you’ve got evidence or if you’ve seen sense and are willing to move on to other, more interesting topics,” Lord van Zieks says crisply.
In other words, get out of Lord van Zieks’ hair until he could behave.
He’ll show Lord van Zieks. All reports must be perfect, and he won’t rest until he has the evidence he needs.
***
To Mr. Naruhodo,
I am compiling a report of all the cases where you have served as a defense attorney in order to better understand your weaknesses.
At present, I have summarized information from the cases against Mr.McGuilded, Mr.Soseki (two cases), and Ms. Lestrade. I am aware that there is a further civil case against Ms. Watson where you acted as a judicial assistant.
I must know if there are any other cases where you have served. If so, tell me the details and where I can find further transcripts for my research.
Attached is a copy of my report so far.
After reading the letter over, he decides the contents are straightforward enough not to cause any difficulties. There is the small matter of not signing his name, but he doesn’t know who he could be.
He’s decided to catch Mr. Naruhodo in the law library. In the library, no one is supposed to be talking. This will put him and Mr. Naruhodo on an equal playing field.
He folds the letter into thirds vertically and writes ‘Naruhodo’ vertically on the front. He gathers his things and heads to the library.
***
Lord van Zieks was correct. It was impossible to miss Mr. Naruhodo with a red ribbon tied around his sword. Mostly, this was because it was a library and no one else was carrying a weapon except for the apprentice himself.
Mr. Naruhodo was sitting by himself at a large table with a moderate pile of books and four piles of paper. He was currently involved in taking notes, and he hadn’t glanced up once.
He stuck his hand over the open book, and Mr. Naruhodo looked up at him.
Instead of speaking, Mr. Naruhodo made a startled yelp before covering his mouth with both hands, eyes wide with shock.
He hands Mr. Naruhodo the letter and sits down.
Mr. Naruhodo’s eyes twitch back and forth as he absorbs the letter. When he’s done, his gaze goes from the letter, to the apprentice, to his sword, back to the letter again, and finally lands on the apprentice’s face, or maybe his mask.
The defense attorney opens his mouth, but before Mr. Naruhodo can speak, the apprentice touches a single finger to Mr. Naruhodo’s lips in warning, or maybe in a reminder that this is a library and there is no talking. His lips are warm, and softer than he expected. He feels a shock of pleasure.
Mr. Naruhodo tears a page from his notebook and begins to write.
To Mister ???
It’s nice to meet you. Could you please tell me your name?
May I ask why you are writing a report on me? Also, I would like to know why you think there are five cases.
Sincerely,
Naruhodou Ryuunosuke
He reads over the response. Of course the defense attorney has zeroed in on the apprentice’s weakness. Well, he wasn’t going to admit that he couldn’t remember his name. He takes the paper from Mr. Naruhodo and writes his reply on the back:
Mr. Naruhodo,
It is nice to meet you too. I am Lord van Zieks’ apprentice. He assigned me to study your cases.
I simply could not let go of the possibility of my report being incomplete or otherwise less than perfect. Since all other points were reviewed meticulously, that left only a case that was unknown to Lord van Zieks. I am determined to finish my report with complete information.
Mr. Naruhodo had been observing him while he was writing. Watching him for a sign of – of what, exactly?
He awkwardly handed over his response. Hopefully Mr. Naruhodo had not noticed his shaking hands. What is he even nervous about?
He watches as Mr. Naruhodo’s eyes scan the letter. A smile breaks out on his face as he reads.
He hasn’t seen a smile in … ever? Maybe in his past life, he saw someone smile but he doesn’t remember it. He watches as the lawyer takes another paper and begins to write.
To Mr. Apprentice,
In my first trial I was accused of murdering Dr. John Watson, a visiting professor at the university I attended.
Originally, my lawyer was going to be my best friend, Asougi Kazuma. He was a brilliant man and he had been selected to go abroad to England for a study tour. However, the judge decided that if I was declared guilty, the study tour would be canceled. I decided to defend myself, and Asougi served as my assistant.
My biggest weakness as a lawyer in this case was repeatedly insisting on my innocence without backing my assertions with evidence.
I’m afraid there is no way for you to get a court transcript. This trial was a secret trial and the records were sealed, likely to protect the true culprit, Jezealle Brett.
I’m sorry for my bluntness. Have you lost your memories as well as your tongue? Please answer honestly.
Sincerely,
Naruhodou Ryuunosuke
He was right, there had been five cases. Lord van Zieks was wrong, and the apprentice had the evidence now to prove it.
But, how was it possible for this man to have understood his circumstances after two short letters? Also, must he put it so rudely?
Before he can gather his thoughts up enough to begin to write a reply, Mr. Naruhodo touches his hand.
“Show me your tongue,” the lawyer mouthed, but not in English. How bold!
He picked up his pen to reply with justified offense, but then Mr. Naruhodo simply repeated himself.
Feeling as if his higher faculties had been shut off, he stuck out his tongue to let Mr. Naruhodo examine it for injury. It was intimate and vulnerable.
Mr. Naruhodo let out a relieved sigh.
He rushed to a new, blank paper to reply before too curious exchange student could insist on any more strange examinations.
Mr. Naruhodo,
Refrain your vulgar curiosity! What in the world is wrong with you that you must examine my tongue?
To answer your question (only to keep you from asking more!) I only have memories dating back a few months. Whoever I was before is gone.
I’ll answer your rudeness with a question of my own. If you won that first case, then where is your friend and what are you doing here?
He had meant to press Mr. Naruhodo’s statement about his friend, but Mr. Naruhodo wrote his reply with a confident, firm hand.
Mr. Apprentice,
What am I doing here? I’m starting to understand how many contradictions I used to ignore but can’t unsee. There’s a miasma of conflicting facts, and I intend to get to the bottom of it.
Asougi Kazuma was a master of the katana, but he was assigned a bodyguard on the journey from Tokyo to London.
He had a mission to complete in London, but he never told me what it was. We were best friends, but couldn’t tell me about what was important to him?
Where is he? I used to think that on January 9th aboard the SS Burya he died from blunt trauma to the neck.
Then his name showed up in an intercepted telegram between the governments Britain and Japan, along with Dr. Watson, Jezialle Brett, and Tobias Gregson.
And then you showed up just now, Mr. Apprentice, with your need for perfection, the determination to see it through, and the audacity to ask me for help on a report about my own weaknesses without so much as a ‘good afternoon’. I’m sure you were him – how else would you have known or felt that there was a fifth case?
There’s a simple way to get the conclusive evidence we need. Let me lift that mask and see if you are wearing Kazuma’s face.
Sincerely,
Naruhodou Ryuunosuke
Ps. I was checking that your tongue was intact. When we first met, Asougi demanded (without giving me an introduction) that I help him with tongue twisters, and he was stubborn enough to practice tongue twisters until his tongue bled.
Lord van Zieks had been correct about this lewd, awful man! How loathsome he was. They had only just met and here Naruhodo was demanding he take off parts of his outfit even though maybe he had started it by touching Naruhodo’s lips.
Naruhodo,
It is unlikely that I was ever your Asougi. He was a defense lawyer – I am learning to be a prosecutor. He carried a katana (the katana you are carrying?) and I carry a saber. You draw parallels between my personality and his, but we’ve just met! You hardly know anything about me.
I can’t bare my face, my secrets, myself to just anyone without even a response in kind. What kind of person do you take me for?
Thank you for helping me. It’s a relief to know I didn’t imagine there being five cases. Now I will be able to complete my report.
He hands the letter to Naruhodo. He waits for Naruhodo to finish before he leaves.
Naruhodo’s gaze flips between him and the letter several times. Finally, Naurhodo’s eyes settle on him firmly.
He’s about to nod goodbye when –
When Naruhodo starts to unbutton his black varsity jacket with trembling hands, starting from the top button down, getting redder and redder in the face, until the white dress shirt beneath is clearly visible. In shirtsleeves, he takes the jacket and lays in on the table between them.
Is a response in kind, a dare, an exchange? A jacket for a cloak, a dress shirt for his red jabot, and … ?
His own cheeks burn, his heart races. This is too much, but he can’t back down, either. Maybe they should get to know each other a little better first.
Decision made, he grabs a fresh paper and writes –
dinner?
Naruhodo smiles at him again, nodding in agreement, still red faced and trembling a little.