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After a whole year his friend has finally returned.
Susato's eyes, teary from the joy and relief, echoed his feelings. Their silent agreement that everything will be alright after the reunion was solidified by the sight of Kazuma, weary-looking in his look and figure, but so dear to them. Both Susato and Ryunosuke were sure he understood their feelings once he was surrounded by warmest of embraces, right in the middle of the solemnly imposing Old Bailey courtroom. Sure, Kazuma looked a little confused at the sudden display of affection.... but there was a person in the room who was even more confused than that.
If only this person knew how twisted and animalistic of a sorrow his learned friend's affiliate would bring him...
The lawyer team's happiness had to end quickly as well - the way their friend coldly turned his back to them and walked away from them really hurt Ryunosuke. For Susato, it seemed like something broke inside of her. It was obvious – London changed Kazuma, uncovered his fangs unnoticed before. Even more apparent was the fact that neither of them were enough to be a reason for Kazuma to become more open with them.
"They lived for years under the same roof, why was Kazuma so negligent to Susato-san?" Pondered Ryunosuke.
"Such close friends... This apathy to Naruhodou-sama is so unbecoming of Kazuma-sama I know!" Angrily mused Susato.
The two sadly trudged to their home in hope that Wagahai would be able to make a much more pleasant company.
Several uneventful days passed. No sign of Kazuma who made such a dramatic return back then, nor there were any prospects of a trial against their bizarrely hostile, but genuinely righteous rival. There was one welcoming change, however – a new old face of Susato's father who found himself unexpectedly comfortable in Herlock Sholmes' apartment. Ryunosuke was eager to ask about the reason behind such familiarity, so being an "act first think second" person as he was, in one of the mornings Ryunosuke made an attempt to do just that.
"So... Professor Mikotoba? Can I ask you something please?"
"Sure!" Mikotoba responded with cheerful smile behind the moustaches. "Go ahead, Naruhodou-kun."
"So about your time in London ten years ago. How it was?"
A quick flash and the ringing voice picked up the question."What about Kazuma-sama? What sort of connection he has with..." Susato, noticing that there was an important conversation held, looked around and accurately gestured to the window, "this... city?"
Ah, right! Why didn't he realize sooner?
As expected, Mikotoba's face turned grim. He looked away and slowly muttered: "It appears that...some things came to light in a trial you were involved with eight days ago. About what happened ten years ago. That... tragedy."
"Yes," Ryunosuke tried to sound as considerate as possible. "Could you tell us any more about it?"
"Kazuma's father... Genshin... He was a close friend at the time. Us and Seishiro were inseparable during out time on London."
"But what happened?"
"As you probably suspected, Genshin got close with members of Scotland Yard and Prosecutor's Office. He was really talented aid to them... Until a certain young aspiring prosecutor made one careless mistake that took our friend forever from us."
Mikotoba paused, clearly being overwhelmed by sad memories. Ryunosuke and Susato tactfully said nothing and awkwardly look away at the window, trying to calm down the gallop of their wild guesses and ideas.
"Naruhodou-sama looks so concentrated... I wonder if he's figuring out this mystery," Susato tried to ease off the mind-bugging tension she felt by focusing on her surroundings.
"I wonder if Asougi Genshin-san hated the chicken as much as his son," were Naruhodou's abrupt thoughts.
Neither of them was able to ponder further, however, because a quiet tap on the window made a quick distraction. At long last, their dear associate found the way back to them.
"Kazuma-sama!"
"Kazuma! You're finally here!"
Ryunosuke and Mikotobas hastily let Kazuma in, offered him some treat, but it looks like the sudden guest was in a hurry. With a meaningful look he slipped a paper clip on the table. Everyone grouped around it.
"'The Reaper's attacked'... Now, what's this all about!" exclaimed Ryunosuke.
Susato fearfully noted. "Prosecutor Van Zieks must be in danger or worse..."
And only Professor Mikotoba was contemplatively looking at Kazuma, as if searching for some sort of an answer in his ward's eyes. To no avail – the young vagabond looked back in the most unabashed manner. "I needed to show them this," was all his eyes were saying.
Apparently giving up on these endeavors, Mikotoba turned to the concerned defense duo and proposed them. "I take it you want to visit Van Zieks, eh?" Ryunosuke and Susato's eyes lit up and they simultaneously nodded. "You do that. Kazuma, would you take them to his office? And I'll go to Sholmes upstairs, and we'll figure something out."
Ryunosuke and Susato nodded and followed Kazuma, who was already behind the door.
A meticulous person Barok van Zieks was. Every bit of his routine, including some unobvious and absurd ones, was a part of his schedule. Arranging the vintages according to weather the grapes were harvested, setting the glasses - or, more precisely, hallowed chalices - in right order from least sturdy to most, picking the time when a suited man would come and clean his boots from the excess of shoe polish so the desk slam would be loud. However, in-between of this charade there was one solace for the hapless Reaper – his pet bats.
Barok's companions in many ways were similar to their master, in their character and the way they spent the day. At morning, orange peels with carbonated water. At lunch – grape leaves. At dinner – whole grapes that were deemed unworthy to fill the Lord's bottle. Between that – sleeping behind the heavy curtain among the casks.
And not even a suspicious black shadow that kept appearing for several months from now could hamper their peaceful lives as keepers of the Prosecutor's last bits of sanity – unwittingly for them.
Barok van Zieks' office definitely felt like it belonged to that man, intimidating, extravagant, and grim. However, the owner of all this machinery and ornaments was absent.
"I guess he's not here, Kazuma... what are you doing out there? Come in!" Ryunosuke hushed. The room itself was deadly quiet, so even people in here were hesitant to disturb this strange ominous aura. Asogi's response was noisy, however, but he himself refused to come in.
After a deep sigh Ryunosuke was pondering about their next destination, when suddenly he noticed Susato fervently cleaning up some orange peels from the floor. "Always at work, aren't you, Susato-san?" Cheerfully asked Ryunosuke. "Although, I doubt Lord van Zieks will thank you for this."
"Sure, but I just can't help it! Cleaning up things eases your mind, that's all. It seems like both you and Lord van Zieks are alike, because you both need do understand this!" she teased, although halfway through she lowered her voice – it really seemed like some incomprehensible force was sleeping in these walls.
After a couple of minutes of standing and wondering about the numerous mysteries, Ryunosuke and Susato decided to move from there and visit Scotland Yard next - maybe Gregson will clear some details at least.
"Come with us, Kazuma-sama!.. No?.. So you'll be here? Okay then," Susato twiddled the roll with the peels, as she watched Kazuma entering the office. Her friend – her family, to be more precise – displayed such a weird behavior lately, but she hoped at last Kazuma's best friend will help her to get back together, to these unburdened chores and this merry life like before.
The conversation with Inspector Gregson was insignificant – at least for Ryunosuke, who didn't bother remembering its details. Even Susato after writing down everything the good detective has said subtly shook her head. Lord van Zieks didn't visit Scotland Yard this morning. Apparently, he was all right, since the policemen arrested the attackers, but after that the pride of Crown Prosecution vanished.
"...But all things considered," Gregson scratched his head, "he just could've visited his office in the meantime, and that's all."
"But he could not do that either? We haven't seen him there" Pondered Ryunosuke.
So it really was a stalling process. Until...
"Susato! Naruhodou-kun!" Mikotoba literally flew into the room. “Have any of you… have you been in Barok’s office today?”
“Father?”
“What’s wrong, Professor…”
Instead of answering, he, heavily breathing, looked at Susato and Ryunosuke, anticipating the answer.
“Something extraordinary just happened there... You should get back there, as soon as possible. Lord Barok van Zieks is beside himself.”
Not being able to comprehend a single thing Ryunosuke and Susato complied. The three of them hastily got back to the office, and once they got there they noticed a stark difference between the solemn atmosphere in the morning and the bustle: so many suddenly appeared people were running around, some things were scattered around.
Contrary to this mess, the owner of this premise sat quietly beside the curtain with as Ryunosuke and Susato approached and saw his face, distorted from the unspeakable grief and rage. For Ryunosuke observing such strong emotion from his ever so morose colleague was akin to seeing fish fly.
“Prosecutor van Zieks?..”
The good gentleman turned to the pair, and seems line the sight of them made him more furious.
“What… what have you done?! You, devil!”
Van Zieks was about to rush to the defense attorney to – most likely – grab him and demand answers, but managed to come to his senses in time, especially with Susato and the professor around, so he just approached Naruhodou.
“What kind of business… did you have in my office?” Van Zieks tried to ask his question more calmly, but the shock he experienced made his voice strained and trembling. It was quite a pitiful sight.
“Lord van Zieks,” diplomatically started Mikotoba, looking at the prosecutor strictly, but sympathetically. “These two young people indeed were in your office this morning. Although, I’m quite sure neither Mister Naruhodou, nor my daughter would even think about harming your… precious pets.”
After hearing these words, Ryunosuke and Susato instinctively turned their attention to the horrifying scene behind Van Zieks. Near the curtain, there were several dark lumps. The closer inspection revealed that these were bats, lying still without any movement. Susato gasped.
“I can’t believe it,” mumbled Ryunosuke.”Lord Van Zieks has bats in his office? We didn’t notice them when the three of us were here this morning. Isn’t this hygienic and all...”
Susato pinched his sleeve and answered with meaningful look and exuding tears. “The bigger tragedy is that someone smothered them… how horrible…”
“Oh…”
“These… were my companions,” quietly said Van Zieks. “Every day I took time to take care of them, even though I didn’t know how they ended up staying in this place.”
“I’m so sorry…”
“But then – who? Who needed to resort to such cruel debauchery?! What kind of a wretched man could think of this?”
Then a sudden voice of reason pierced through this air of woe.
“I believe, Lord van Zieks, there is someone with a rather obvious reason of doing this.” Professor Mikotoba stepped forward. “But… It’s not a man.”
“Doctor Mikotoba?”
“Naruhodou mentioned that there were three of them in the morning: that would obviously mean himself, Susato and their companion – Kazuma Asogi.”
“Wait,” Van Zieks interrupted with agitation. “Did you say… Asogi?”
“Prosecutor van Zieks, you know Kazuma?” Ryunosuke was surprised.
Mikotoba looked at the grieving man, as in inviting him to explain.
Van Zieks turned away and answered. “I don’t know him… But I knew someone named Genshin Asogi.”
“Genshin Asogi! But that’s Kazuma’s father!”
“Yes, I suppose. Although, sadly, due to my omission he’s no longer with us.”
“But what happened?”
Prosecutor van Zieks took a deep breath, and after a moment of silence, as if collecting his thoughts and courage started his tale.
“Balmung. He was a well known hunting dog. People called him a giant. One day I took Balmung for a walk with me and Asogi… I should’ve known better than leaving them alone. At some moment, I distracted myself for some trifling reason – and witnessed the horrible consequences. Balmung… was too good of a hunter. Even Asogi couldn’t match him.”
“That’s so unfortunate…”
“But why?” mused Susato. “Why didn’t he do this earlier. He was in London for several months already.”
Lord van Zieks shook his head. “I have no idea… but maybe the fact that I forgot to feed them had to do with this, however, that’s unlikely.”
“What were your bats eating for breakfast?”
“Orange peels. I usually leave them on the floor, over there. Seems like your friend hated anything from a citrus fruit just like his father.”
Susato’s eyes widened with a horrible realization. She went pale and looked at Ryunosuke with the most pitiable look on her face.
“Susato-san, you were collecting some orange peels today, weren’t you?”
“I did… I-I thought it was just trash that Lord van Zieks forgot to pick up… I’m so sorry…”
“Well, the young lady couldn’t know. It was my carelessness to leave them like that too… so it’s my responsibility too.”
“Thank you for your kindness.”
“Anyway, I can understand why your friend – Kazuma – would loathe me because of that. I wouldn’t mind if he scratched my face – but what did my pets have to do with that unfortunate accident?..”
That question hung in the air, and all four remaining people stayed silent for a while. Everything about this story at long last explained this strange state Kazuma found himself in. Sure, suddenly losing father in a distant land without being able to hear his last words of spend his last moments together is especially painful from this maddening sense of dissatisfaction – and the stronger the dissatisfaction, the stronger the urge to do something to ease the pain… Perhaps, that’s what was driving Kazuma for that.
“Well, that’s a really sad story with a really sad ending… I hope Susato-san isn’t too disappointed in herself because of that too.”
But the young maiden was on her way to redeem herself. Noticing someone entering the room she softly smiled and looked at Van Zieks again.
“It’s indeed our responsibility to take care of our friends, isn’t it, Lord van Zieks? And, maybe not fault, but it was your responsibility that Kazuma-sama’s father had to perish like that…” With these words, she nudged Kazuma, who had suddenly appeared in the room, towards him.
“ Indeed, Lord van Zieks,” Mikotoba picked up his daughter’s words. “I see you’re still feeling burdened by what happened ten years ago.”
“D-doctor Mikotoba…” the prosecutor was clearly flustered by someone acknowledging his feelings.
“Of course, none of that will bring Genshin-sama back.” Susato continued more seriously. “But I think there’s a way for us all to make things better. Taking care of Kazuma-sama could ease your pain and feeling of guilt. And for Kazuma-sama, he will have a new home.”
She brought Asogi closer to him.
“I mean, I don’t mind taking young Asogi in, but… he has to accept that too, otherwise our lives will be difficult together.”
He looked at Kazuma. The latter was staring back, absolutely calmly. The deed was done, and the anger evaporated. In front of him was a slowly growing regret and lack of direction at this moment. Maybe uniting their repent would help them and lead to a better life?..
With that in mind, Kazuma stepped towards Van Zieks himself, as if accepting his new companion.
“I wonder,” Ryunosuke was saying a several days later, when all troubles were behind, “will Lord van Zieks give Kazuma some new clothes to match his… weird style?”
“Lord van Zieks style isn’t weird at all.” answered Susato. “It’s in fact, resembling that of late 18th century gothic garments.”
“So that means the British aristocracy is actually a century behind the modern times?! But that would mean even more behind than Japan! My gokuran, for one, looks like something that people will wear a hundred years later too.”
Susato tried responding as tactful as possible. “Probably some schoolboys will indeed… I think, Lord van Zieks will give Kazuma-sama a jabot. A red one will suit him well.”
“I guess so. Although, it probably will flatter by this wind of change.”