Archive of Our Own

Mr Naruhodo-

Pray forgive the discourtesy of this sudden letter with its dire topic. I know it has been months since our last correspondence, and I regret that I have not communicated with you in some time.

I send this letter to you out of pure desperation, as I no longer know what to do. It appears that your dear friend, Mr Asogi, is suffering from a great melancholy whose source is yet unknown to me. I have spoken to him on several occasions about his mood, only for him to insist that he is fine. I fear what ails him goes beyond a potential homesickness. At times I even fear it is myself who is the issue. If this is indeed the case, I hope that he would at least confide in you how he is feeling.

I have tried everything within my power to assist him, but he continues to deny any assistance from me. I fear he is only getting worse. I urge you to write to him. I urge you to help him however possible. If there is any way in which I can assist you in this task, you have but to ask.

Sincerely,

Barok van Zieks

Ryunosuke had panicked when he’d received the letter. It was so surprising, so shocking , that he had to read it several times to make sure he’d read it correctly.

He had been writing to Kazuma. Their letters to each other had been frequent and detailed. The most recent one had arrived with van Zieks’s letter, even. And not once had his friend mentioned feeling how van Zieks had described.

Ryunosuke was torn. Kazuma’s letters spoke at length about how wonderful he had found London, and how well his apprenticeship had been going. He had found a nice flat near the prosecution office, and had enough of his stipend to spare to remain comfortable. He even mentioned getting along with van Zieks, which was something that had surprised Ryunosuke at first.

But now, van Zieks claimed none of that had been true. He had claimed Kazuma had been suffering terribly, to the point where he was pleading for Ryunosuke’s help. Though he was reluctant to arrive at the conclusion, Ryunosuke knew what was happening.

Kazuma had lied.

He’d felt a tightness in his chest upon the realization. It wouldn’t have been the first time his friend had lied to him. Their first year of friendship had been built upon a mountain of lies and half-truths. It had hurt him deeply when he’d seen the real Kazuma come out during that trial almost a year ago. The Kazuma who agreed to become an assassin. The Kazuma so focused on revenge that he’d almost taken a life. The Kazuma who’d felt so unworthy of Karuma that he’d left it in Ryunosuke’s care.

Ryunosuke had forgiven him, then. He felt as though their friendship had been started anew, and in the year that passed, he enjoyed rebuilding their friendship through letters.

But now, even those were apparently lies.

He knew sending more letters wouldn’t fix anything. If Kazuma hadn’t already revealed his true feelings already, he likely wouldn’t even if Ryunosuke asked him again. And he didn’t want to wait months for the exchange to take place.

No, Ryunosuke had to take care of this a different way. There was only one way for him to discover the truth and to help his friend.

The journey to London felt longer that time. Perhaps it was because he wasn’t busy studying law, or perhaps it was because of his lingering anxieties about everything, but it felt like an age before the ship finally reached England.

He had told no one of his visit. Not even Sholmes. He knew that if he was expected, it would only mean more lies could be put into place.

Susato had insisted on coming with him, and although he worried she would find it a burden, he was grateful for her company. When he’d first received van Zieks’s letter, he’d had her read it as well. The look of shock on her face had been enough for Ryunosuke to know that she had been fed the same lies as he had.

“Naruhodo-san,” Susato said. “Do you think Mr Sholmes will allow us to stay with him again? Especially since our arrival is unexpected?”

“About that,” Ryunosuke replied. “I was thinking that maybe we will stay at a hotel the first night. I’m sure Mr Sholmes won’t mind, but…” He trailed off, leaving the next thing on his mind unsaid.

Susato smiled with a nod, and Ryunosuke was grateful that she seemed to understand his meaning. “I’m sure we can find a place within our budget.”

It was late morning by the time they arrived in London, and just past noon by the time they found a suitable hotel. After taking a moment to settle in, Ryunosuke joined Susato in the lobby.

“All right, then,” Ryunosuke said, feeling a sense of dread. “To the prosecution offices.” It was time to face Kazuma. Time to face the lies.

The offices looked just as they did the last time Ryunosuke had visited, nearly a year ago now. He moved to the door of van Zieks’s office, finding it ajar. Shouting could be heard from within, making him wince.

“Asogi, that doesn’t make any sense!” van Zieks said.

“Why doesn’t it?!” Kazuma shouted, his voice full of anger. “Why are you like this?!”

“Asogi, please calm down,” van Zieks urged. “This is not—“

“Shut up! Just shut up!”

Ryunosuke exchanged a look of concern with Susato, then looked back toward the door. This was even worse than he thought.

He opened the door, finding van Zieks’s office to be just as he remembered, save for the missing portrait on the back wall and the new desk that sat across from van Zieks’s.

Van Zieks and Kazuma stood across from each other in the middle of the room, still so distracted by their heated argument that they didn’t notice their new visitors standing in the doorway.

Kazuma glared at van Zieks with more rage than Ryunosuke had ever seen from him before. Van Zieks looked back at him with more concern than anger, and Ryunosuke started to wonder just how frequent these types of arguments were for them.

“If you would just listen,” van Zieks said. “I—“

“I’m done listening to you!” Kazuma spat. “In fact, I—“

“Kazuma,” Ryunosuke said softly.

The two of them froze, then slowly turned to Ryunosuke with wide eyes.

After a long moment of silence during which they all stared at each other, van Zieks bowed his head. “Mr Naruhodo. Miss Mikotoba. It is a pleasure to see you. My apologies, I had no idea you would be visiting.”

Any amount of anger that had been in Kazuma’s expression had completely disappeared, replaced with a deep melancholy. He said nothing, his glance downward.

“It’s good to see you both as well,” Ryunosuke replied, forcing a smile. “I received your letter, Lord van Zieks. It inspired us to make a surprise visit.”

Van Zieks’s eyes widened. “I… see.” He glanced over at Kazuma, whose gaze remained on the floor. “Asogi…?”

Kazuma put his hands over his face.

“Kazuma?” Ryunosuke said.

“I can’t deal with this right now,” Kazuma said. Without even a glance toward Ryunosuke, he pushed past him and rushed out of the office.

Ryunosuke shared another look of concern with Susato, then turned back toward van Zieks.

“I am sorry you had to witness all of that,” van Zieks said, shaking his head. “His moods have gotten worse over the past month or so.”

Ryunosuke felt a pang of sadness. “Thank you for writing to me about the situation. I had no idea he was suffering.”

“Has he written to you at all about what ails him?” van Zieks asked.

Ryunosuke shook his head. “Not at all.” He glanced away. “It seems he hasn’t been truthful about anything. He wrote that he’s been getting along well with you, for example.”

Van Zieks sighed. “That could not be further from the truth. Arguments like the one you just witnessed occur at least twice a week.”

Ryunosuke frowned.

“Lord van Zieks,” Susato said. “Do you know where he could have gone just now?”

“He very likely went home,” van Zieks offered. “I can give you the address.” He moved to his desk, then quickly wrote it down on a small piece of paper.

Susato took the paper from him. “Thank you. We will go speak with him.”

Ryunosuke almost turned to leave, but then stopped, taking another look at van Zieks. His normally stern expression gave way to one of genuine sadness. “You… really care about him, don’t you?”

Van Zieks glanced away. “I suppose I do,” he said softly.

Ryunosuke smiled. It seemed van Zieks had softened over the past year. “Thank you for caring about him.”

“I must thank you as well,” van Zieks replied, “for answering my desperate plea.”

“We won’t leave until Kazuma-sama is back to normal,” Susato assured him.

Ryunosuke nodded, although he wasn’t exactly sure what the ‘normal’ Kazuma was even like. He’d never known a Kazuma who didn’t surround himself with lies and half-truths.

They left the office, then headed to the address they had been given. As they got closer to their destination, Ryunosuke noticed how rundown the buildings started to look. Although he didn’t see any with bricks covering the windows like with the Garrideb’s tenants, several had broken windows that were boarded up.

As they approached the building listed on the address, Ryunosuke spotted Kazuma standing outside, his jacket removed. He leaned against the building, cigarette in hand, staring off into the empty street with tired, empty eyes.

Ryunosuke could barely recognize him. Everything about him was so different from the Kazuma he knew. Or, at least, the Kazuma he thought he knew. He had already begun to make peace with the fact that he never actually knew the real Kazuma.

Ryunosuke stopped a few feet away from him, with Susato following close behind. “Kazuma?”

He glared, but didn’t look over at them. “You shouldn’t have come here,” he said sharply.

“We were worried about you,” Ryunosuke replied. “We wanted to make sure you were all right.”

“I’m fine,” he said harshly, then took a long drag of the cigarette.

“I didn’t realize you’d become a smoker,” Ryunosuke commented.

He exhaled a plume of smoke. “I save it for special occasions.”

“What makes today special?” Ryunosuke asked.

Kazuma took a deep breath, then released it slowly. He dropped the cigarette onto the ground, then crushed it with his boot. “It’s the day my life finally fell apart.”

Ryunosuke felt his heart ache. “Kazuma… what happened? Will you please talk to us?”

Kazuma moved toward the closest door of the building of flats, then gestured for them to follow.

Ryunosuke followed him inside, along with Susato. He’d hoped that the outside of the building looked worse than the inside, but the opposite was unfortunately true. The inside of the single-room flat was in shambles. Like many of the other nearby windows, this one was broken and half-boarded up, allowing brisk air to enter from outside. There were buckets on the floor in various locations, likely to catch leaks from the roof. The wooden floors were damaged in several spots, and what little furniture was present was in a similar shape.

Ryunosuke frowned. It was nothing like what Kazuma had described in his letters.

Kazuma silently led them to a beat up table, where they all took seats in rickety chairs.

“Kazuma-sama…” Susato remarked, looking around. “How long have you lived here?”

“Almost a year,” Kazuma replied. “It was the only place I could find. The rent is too expensive, and the landlord never fixes anything.” His eyes remained on the table. “I can barely afford to eat.”

Ryunosuke gasped. “Surely there are more affordable places that are in better condition!”

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “But none that anyone would be willing to rent to a foreigner.”

Ryunosuke felt another ache in his chest. It was one of the same reasons why Soseki ended up in Garrideb’s cursed room.

“Surely Lord van Zieks could help you,” Susato said. “He could vouch for you, and—“

“No,” Kazuma said harshly. For the first time that day, he looked at them directly. “I refuse to ask that man for help.” Then he glanced away. “Enough about that. Why did you come here?”

Ryunosuke decided to be completely honest. “I received a troubling letter from Lord van Zieks. About you.”

He clenched his eyes shut. “What did it say?”

“He said that you seemed to be doing poorly, and wanted me to help you. When I told Susato-san about it, she wanted to help too. So we decided to surprise you with a visit.”

“He probably just wants you to take me back to Japan,” Kazuma replied bitterly.

“He cares about you,” Susato said. “He told us himself!”

Kazuma placed his hands over his face. “Either way, I can’t go back.”

A long silence passed. Ryunosuke glanced at Susato with concern a few times, but it seemed she didn’t know what to say either. Finally, Ryunosuke spoke.

“Kazuma, what did you mean when you said today your life fell apart? What happened?” he asked.

Kazuma was quiet for a minute, his hands still covering his face. When he finally spoke, it was just above a whisper. “My mentor hates me. I’m an utter failure. I can barely afford to live in this cursed city. And then, to make everything worse, my landlord increased the rent. I couldn’t pay it, so he’s kicking me out. In two days, I’ll have nowhere to live.”

Ryunosuke felt his eyes go wide. “You can’t be serious! Surely you could ask Mr Sholmes, or even Lord van Zieks to—“

“No,” Kazuma replied. “I can’t ask them. Not after the things I’ve said to them.”

“Kazuma…”

“And then,” Kazuma continued, removing his hands from his face, “on today of all days, you two show up in time to see how much of a failure I’ve become. How much of a bitter, angry failure I’ve become.”

Ryunosuke looked at him seriously. “Kazuma, please let us help you! It doesn’t have to be like this!”

Tears began to fall from his eyes. “Ryunosuke,” he said seriously. “I’ve done nothing but lie to you. I’ve been a terrible friend to you, if you can even still call me a friend.” He looked up at him, tears streaming down his face. “So why do you care so much about me?!”

Ryunosuke felt uneasy at his words. It was true that he felt a bit betrayed by Kazuma, but even still… he couldn’t imagine a situation where he wouldn’t care about him. “I know we’ve been through a great deal together, and not all of it was pleasant, but despite everything, I still consider you my friend.” He nodded. “I care about you because you’re my friend. Because you deserve to be cared for.”

Kazuma wiped his face with his sleeve, then looked at Susato. “And you? Why do you care about me?”

Susato looked at him sadly. “I agree with Naruhodo-san. I care about you because you deserve to be cared for. Because… because you mean a great deal to me!”

Kazuma pounded his fist against the table. “It makes no sense!”

“Kazuma, please!” Ryunosuke pleaded. “It doesn’t need to make sense for now. Just let us help you!”

Kazuma took a deep breath, then exhaled. He stared at the table for a long moment, his face a mix of emotions. “Fine. I have no other choice, do I?” He looked up at them. “Do what you want. If it means I won’t live on the streets, then I guess I can’t complain.”

Ryunosuke smiled. “Thank you. I promise, we’ll do whatever we can. But first, before we help you, there is one thing you must promise me.”

Kazuma narrowed his eyes. “What?”

Ryunosuke gave him a serious look. “No more lies, Kazuma.”

Kazuma frowned. “Fine. No more lies.”

“All right, then.” Ryunosuke stood, then gestured for the others to follow. Susato immediately got to her feet, but Kazuma stood reluctantly.

“Where are we going?” Kazuma asked.

“First, we’re going to speak with Lord van Zieks. He needs to know what’s going on.”

Kazuma opened his mouth, likely to complain, but then shut it, pursing his lips together. “Fine.”

Ryunosuke wasn’t sure what would happen if he brought Kazuma to see van Zieks so soon after such a heated argument, so he was glad that van Zieks looked relieved to see his apprentice again.

“You’ve returned,” van Zieks remarked, standing from his desk. His eyes immediately fell on Kazuma. “Are you all right?”

Kazuma did not meet his gaze. “I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not,” Ryunosuke argued. “Tell him what you told us.”

Kazuma clenched his jaw, his eyes full of exhaustion. “I… I…” He placed his hands over his face.

Van Zieks stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Asogi…”

“I’m sorry,” Kazuma said softly. “I’m sorry for earlier. I’m sorry for all the times I’ve gotten angry with you. I’m sorry for all the terrible things I’ve said to you.” He shifted, removing his hands from his face. “I don’t hate you. I’ve been struggling a great deal, and—”

“I know,” van Zieks replied. “I’ve been worried about you.”

“I should resign as your apprentice,” Kazuma said. “I don’t deserve—“

Van Zieks shook his head. “Asogi, please just tell me what is wrong.”

Kazuma sighed. “I can’t afford rent anymore and I have nowhere else to go. I’m getting kicked out of my flat in two days.”

Van Zieks’s eyes widened. “Nowhere else to go? Surely you can find another—“

“It’s not so simple. Not for a foreigner.”

Van Zieks frowned. “In that case, you may stay with me until you find somewhere else.”

Ryunosuke exchanged a smile with Susato, pleased with how things were going so far.

Kazuma shifted on his feet, quiet for a long moment. “Are you sure?”

“Of course.”

Kazuma crossed his arms. “You know I could kill you in your sleep, right?”

Ryunosuke frowned.

“You would never do such a thing,” van Zieks replied evenly.

“How can you be so sure?”

“You said it yourself. You don’t hate me.”

“You actually believe that?”

“Yes.”

“But—“

“ Kazuma ,” Ryunosuke interrupted. Did he have to argue with van Zieks about every little thing?! “Please accept his kind offer.”

Kazuma sighed. “Thank you. I accept your offer.”

Van Zieks turned to Ryunosuke. “Where will you be staying for the duration of your visit?”

“Oh, well, we booked a hotel for tonight,” Ryunosuke explained. “But we were hoping Mr Sholmes will allow us to stay with him after that.”

“There is no need,” van Zieks replied. “You may stay with me as well.” His eyes darted to Kazuma, then back at Ryunosuke, as if to add ‘he needs your support’.

Ryunosuke nodded. “Thank you for the generous offer. We would be happy to stay with you.”

“Yes, indeed,” Susato added.

Ryunosuke looked over at Kazuma to see how he reacted, only to find him glancing downward, emotionless.

He supposed the coming days would be interesting.

The following afternoon, Ryunosuke arrived at the van Zieks manor alongside Susato and Kazuma. He was a little nervous about staying with van Zieks, though his concern for Kazuma outweighed that feeling completely.

Ryunosuke turned to Kazuma, who looked just as exhausted as he had the day before. “Have you ever been here before?”

“A few times,” Kazuma mumbled. “Never overnight.”

“Does he keep staff?” Susato asked.

“There’s a maid. She doesn’t live here, though.” He shrugged. “I only met her once.”

Ryunosuke imagined she would probably be a more professional maid than Mrs Garrideb. Either way, it seemed like a nice convenience to have staff. “Why were you so against staying here?”

Kazuma frowned. “Because I can’t stand him.”

Susato tilted her head. “Surely that’s not true.”

Ryunosuke narrowed his eyes. He also guessed that it was not true, though it seemed Kazuma couldn’t even admit that to himself.

Kazuma said nothing in response. He walked up to the door and rang the doorbell.

After a long moment of silence, van Zieks opened the door, then ushered them inside.

“Thank you again for allowing us to stay here,” Ryunosuke said as he took in the grandeur of the manor.

“It is no trouble at all,” van Zieks replied. He guided them down a few hallways and up some stairs, then pointed down another corridor. “The guest wing is that way. You may use whichever rooms you like.”

Ryunosuke watched as Kazuma walked ahead without saying a word.

“Mr Naruhodo,” van Zieks said softly.

Ryunosuke turned around to find van Zieks looking at him with concern. “Yes?”

“Once you and Miss Mikotoba have settled in, I would like to speak with you in the library.”

Ryunosuke nodded. “Of course.”

A short while later, Ryunosuke regrouped with Susato in the guest wing.

“Do you know how to get to the library?” Ryunosuke asked.

Susato gave him a curious look. “Naruhodo-san, we passed it on the way to our rooms.”

“We passed a lot of rooms on the way,” he replied. “More rooms than a single house needs, if I’m being honest.”

Susato laughed softly. “This way.”

Van Zieks was already there, waiting for them in an armchair. He looked up as they entered, nodding. “Thank you for coming.”

Ryunosuke took a seat across from him on a sofa, and Susato sat beside him. “What did you want to speak to us about?”

He sighed. “I wanted to be frank with you about why Asogi is the way he is.” He glanced away. “It is, in part, my fault.”

“What do you mean?” Ryunosuke asked.

He gazed across the room wistfully. “During the months that followed my trial… Asogi and I actually became quite close. I… even began to think of him as a friend. He seemed in good spirits, even despite my misery casting a shadow over everything I touch.” He pursed his lips. “But then I ruined everything.”

“What happened?” Susato asked.

“One day he asked me if I trusted him. It was a troubling question for me, since I have had such a difficult time learning to trust again. Without fully thinking about it, I replied that I trusted no one.” He frowned, his expression so pained that Ryunosuke felt his own heart ache. “It upset him greatly. It completely shattered whatever bond we had built. Ever since then, he’s been cold and distant toward me. I thought it would pass, but even after a few weeks, it did not.”

“And that’s when you sent the letter?” Ryunosuke asked.

He nodded. “Yes. I thought maybe he was plagued with loneliness, and that you could help him. But I fear now what ails him goes beyond mere loneliness.”

Ryunosuke frowned. “Do you… really not trust him?”

He placed his hands over his face. “In truth, I do trust him. I trust him a great deal. But if I were to explain that now, I doubt he would believe me.”

"You must try speaking with him, then,” Susato said.

Van Zieks sighed. “You’ve seen how he is with me. It’s like he tries to be difficult on purpose.”

Ryunosuke thought about what van Zieks had said. “It might be worth speaking to him, even still. He seems to be under the impression that you hate him.”

Van Zieks looked aghast. “Hate him?! How could he possibly think that?!”

Susato glanced down sadly. “He also said he can’t stand you, but… I sense he might be lying about that.”

Van Zieks sighed again.

“There was one other thing he mentioned,” Ryunosuke said. “He called himself a failure.”

Van Zieks looked even more aghast. “A failure ? He is one of the most brilliant minds I’ve ever—“ He froze, eyes going wide with realization. Then he closed his eyes. “I should have realized this sooner,” he said softly.

Ryunosuke looked at him with anticipation.

“A while back, he asked to lead a case,” van Zieks explained. “This was before my blunder with the question about trust. We were working quite amicably together, so I agreed to let him lead.” He sighed. “The trial went terribly. Even though all evidence pointed to the defendant being guilty, he was acquitted.” He frowned. “I suspected the jury had been bribed, and explained that to Asogi. I did not blame him for losing that trial, and yet… he took it very hard.”

Ryunosuke had seen it happen before—Kazuma hated losing. He had always been determined to prove himself, and if he had failed as van Zieks described, Ryunosuke imagined he must have taken it poorly indeed.

“It was about a week or so later when he asked me if I trusted him,” van Zieks continued. “I believe both my blunder and the failed trial weighed on him considerably.”

Everything came together in Ryunosuke’s mind, then. The reason for Kazuma’s strife had become incredibly clear. “I think I understand the source of all his troubles.”

Van Zieks’s eyes widened. “You do?”

Ryunosuke nodded, feeling an intense sadness as he said it. “He hates himself.”

Van Zieks stared at him for a moment, then glanced down sadly. “That is not something I would wish on anybody.”

Ryunosuke guessed he was likely speaking from experience. “I’ll do whatever it takes to help him.”

Van Zieks nodded. “As will I. It will be a difficult task, but one that I will not back down from.”

“What is your plan?” Susato asked. “I don’t think one conversation will fix anything, especially if he has his guard up.”

Ryunosuke nodded. “I’ll try talking to him tonight, and get a sense of how he’s feeling. Maybe I can even get him to willingly have a conversation with Lord van Zieks.”

Van Zieks nodded. “I would appreciate that.”

Kazuma wasn’t sure how much time had passed after he’d settled into his new room. He’d barely noticed the plush bed and well-maintained furniture because all his attention had been focused onto one particular item in the room. One that he was now wishing was not present.

His flat didn't have a mirror. Kazuma couldn’t even remember the last time he took a long look at himself in one. But now, confronted with the shiny, pristine surface, he couldn’t help but stare.

He hated what he saw. He hated who he’d become. His eyes looked tired, his face looked drawn, and his shoulders drooped. As he stared at his reflection, all he saw was a pathetic failure of a man.

When would it end? Would it ever end? Would he continue down this horrid path, suffering all the while?

As he felt his anger stir, he forced himself to finally look away. Shattering a mirror on his first day in his new temporary home was not a good idea.

He opted instead to lie down and stare at the ceiling, trying not to think about where he was and why. He should be happy, he told himself, because Ryunosuke and Susato were visiting. And yet, even still, he couldn’t help but feel lonely.

They didn’t know him. He’d never let them know who he truly was. Only van Zieks had truly seen his true self, and as a result, he hated Kazuma. Surely things would only be the same for Ryunosuke and Susato.

He was finally drifting off to sleep when he heard a knock on the door. He sighed, and considered not answering it. But when the second knock sounded, he reluctantly got out of bed.

When he opened the door, he saw Ryunosuke smiling back at him, holding a tray of food.

“The maid cooked us some food,” Ryunosuke explained. “You’ve been in here all afternoon so… I wanted to make sure you got some.”

Kazuma sighed, then gestured for him to enter. They moved to a small table in the back of the room, and sat across from each other.

“Thank you,” Kazuma finally said, taking a bowl of stew off of the tray. “I hadn’t realized it had gotten so late.”

Ryunosuke smiled, but it quickly faded. “Kazuma, would it be all right if we talked for a bit?”

If Kazuma hadn’t already felt so numb, he would have declined. Given he already felt so terrible, he figured it couldn’t get much worse. “Sure.”

“I want you to know that we all care about you very much,” Ryunosuke began. “I do, Susato does, and even Lord van Zieks does. And—“

“Just get to the point,” Kazuma replied sharply, already beginning to regret his decision.

“You don’t need to be so hard on yourself,” Ryunosuke said.

Kazuma huffed. “That’s easy for you to say. You don’t really know me anymore.”

Ryunosuke glanced down sadly. “I don’t think I’ve ever really known you.”

Kazuma felt like he had been kicked in the gut. He went stiff, anticipating another blow.

“It took me a while to come to terms with it,” Ryunosuke continued. “That you had manipulated me. That you had lied to me and tried to use me for your own gain.” He looked up, his eyes full of an anger that Kazuma had never seen in his eyes ever before. “I used to look up to you, you know. But then I realized that the person I looked up to never existed.”

Kazuma felt a gut-wrenching wave of guilt pass over him.

“At first I felt betrayed,” Ryunosuke said. “I was hurt. I felt like I couldn’t trust you anymore. I still feel a bit like that, if I’m being honest.” He pursed his lips. “But on that morning when we were about to leave for Japan, almost a year ago now, I saw the look in your eyes. When you entrusted me with Karuma, I… I trusted that you wanted to change for the better.”

Kazuma closed his eyes, bracing himself for what would come next.

“You’ve given up,” Ryunosuke said softly. “You’ve completely given up. You’re not even trying anymore. You’ve convinced yourself that you’re a failure and that everyone else thinks you’re a failure.”

Kazuma clenched a fist, unshed tears burning in his eyes. “I am a failure, Ryunosuke.”

“No,” he replied sternly. “You’re not.”

“Maybe you don’t think so, but others do. Van Zieks—“

“He doesn’t think so, either. You really should speak openly with him, Kazuma. I think it would solve many things between you two.”

Kazuma frowned, crossing his arms. Talking to van Zieks was worse than talking to a brick wall, especially when it came to speaking openly about feelings.

Ryunosuke stood, then turned toward the door. “That’s all I wanted to say. I’ll leave you alone, now.”

“Wait,” Kazuma said, jumping to his feet. He stopped next to Ryunosuke. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for… for everything I did in the past. For the lies. For everything.”

Ryunosuke smiled faintly, then placed a hand on his shoulder. “I forgive you.” He nodded. “You should forgive yourself, too.” With that, he turned away and left.

Kazuma stared at the door for a long moment, wondering what he had done to deserve a friend like Ryunosuke.

Days passed, and Kazuma found himself in a new routine. He would journey to the office with van Zieks, saying nothing the entire trip, then sit in the office and do his work also without saying anything to van Zieks. And finally, he would return back to the van Zieks manor without saying anything, and then hide in his room, opening the door only for when the maid brought him food.

During this time, he constantly ruminated on what Ryunosuke had said to him. About how he should have a talk with van Zieks, most of all. In truth, he wasn’t sure how to go about it. He was living in the same house as him now, and yet it felt as difficult as ever to find a chance to speak with him openly. No time felt like a good time. So instead, he stayed quiet, waiting for a chance that might not ever present itself.

Three excruciating days passed like that. In the late afternoon of the third day, the thoughts and the silence became too much for him, and he decided to at least try and speak with van Zieks.

He left his room, wandering around the manor. He had no idea what van Zieks did with his time after working hours, nor where to find him. After wandering around the halls for a while, he began to hear voices coming from one room in particular.

He peered into the room, and given how many shelves of books were present, he guessed it was the library. Most importantly, he spotted van Zieks sitting across from Ryunosuke and Susato, who were chatting excitedly about the cases they’d taken recently.

“I’m glad your career is going well,” van Zieks said. “Japan is lucky to have you.”

Ryunosuke smiled. “It has certainly been a rewarding career, that’s for sure.”

Kazuma felt a tinge of envy, and tried his best to cast it aside. Ryunosuke began talking about another case he’d taken in Japan, and for a moment, Kazuma waited in the hallway and listened, feeling reluctant to proceed with his plans. Maybe now wasn’t a good time.

He held back a sigh. When would it ever be a good time? No, he had to do this now. He took in a deep breath, then entered the room.

“Lord van Zieks,” he called.

Van Zieks looked over at him in surprise, as did Ryunosuke and Susato. “Yes?”

“I need to speak with you.”

Ryunosuke nodded knowingly, then stood with Susato. “It was a pleasure catching up as always,” he said to van Zieks. “We’ll leave you to speak with him.”

“Thank you,” van Zieks replied.

Ryunosuke gave Kazuma a smile on his way out, and Susato nodded at him encouragingly. Kazuma walked forward, taking a seat on the sofa across from van Zieks. He fidgeted nervously.

“Asogi, are you all right?” van Zieks asked. “You’ve barely said anything for days.”

“I’m fi—“ He froze, realizing what he was saying.

No more lies .

Kazuma sighed. “No. I’m not.”

Van Zieks looked at him with concern. “If there is anything I can do to help you—“

“Tell me why I shouldn’t resign as your apprentice,” Kazuma said bluntly.

Van Zieks sighed. “You show such great promise, Asogi. You cannot give up on yourself like that.”

His words reminded him of what Ryunosuke had said. You’ve given up. You’ve completely given up. He frowned. Maybe he had given up, but it was the only option he had.

“If you truly wish to resign, I won’t stop you,” van Zieks continued. “But I care about you a great deal, and—“

“No you don’t,” Kazuma replied sharply.

“What?”

“Why would you care about me? You’ve no reason to. If anything, you should resent me.”

Van Zieks placed a hand over his face. “Asogi, just because you don’t believe me doesn’t mean it’s untrue. I don’t resent you. I care about you a great deal.” He shook his head, looking up at him. “I’ve let you stay in my home, even.”

Kazuma fidgeted in his seat. He had a point.

“Asogi,” van Zieks said seriously. “Is your sour demeanor because of me? Have I offended you so greatly and passed my misery onto you so immensely that you’ve grown to despise both me and yourself?”

Kazuma felt his mouth go dry. He kept his gaze downward, staring at the floor as he tried to find the right response. He wanted the answer to be yes. He wanted everything to be van Zieks’s fault. But deep down, he knew that wasn’t the answer. Deep down, he knew everything was his own fault. “No,” he said softly.

“No?” van Zieks asked in disbelief. “I… I haven’t offended you? That day when you asked me if I trusted you—”

“It hurt,” Kazuma said, painfully recalling the conversation. “It hurt more than I can put into words. But I don’t despise you for that. I don’t despise you at all.” Saying it out loud made the realization truly sink in. It was all his own fault. He’d grown to hate himself so much that he’d given up. He placed his hands over his face, feeling tears well in his eyes. “I only despise myself.”

For a long moment, neither man said a single word as Kazuma wept. All of the pent up emotions from the last several months surged through him, forming more and more tears in his eyes. Just when Kazuma’s thoughts began to spiral further into despair, he felt the seat of the sofa shift as van Zieks sat beside him.

Van Zieks placed a hand gently on his shoulder. “No good will come of despising yourself.”

Kazuma continued to cry. He knew hating himself would only make things worse, but the problem was he didn’t know how to change that. “It’s not exactly easy to just stop.”

“I know,” van Zieks replied. “I know that very well. But you must try. You must forgive yourself. You don’t deserve such misery.”

If anything, Kazuma felt like he didn’t deserve such kindness, especially from van Zieks. “Why do you care about me so much?”

“I believe we are very much alike. I feel as though we can understand each other in ways no one else can. It’s one thing I value greatly about you.” He removed his hand from Kazuma’s shoulder. “You deserve to be cared for.”

It was the same thing Ryunosuke and Susato had said to him, and yet he didn’t feel he deserved it. “Would you still care about me if I didn’t care about you in return?”

“Yes,” van Zieks replied without any hesitation. “Even if you despised me.”

“I don’t despise you,” Kazuma reminded him. “I…” His voice went so soft that it was barely audible. “I care about you, too.”

When silence followed, Kazuma finally looked up at van Zieks, only to find him staring back at him in shock.

He crossed his arms, feeling his face go hot. “You don’t have to look so surprised!”

Van Zieks placed a hand on his chest, bowing his head. “Forgive me. Thank you for telling me how you feel.”

Kazuma fidgeted. “I’m sorry if it wasn’t obvious already. I… I know I haven’t been very kind to you these past few months.”

“It’s what I deserve,” van Zieks replied.

“What are you— No !” Kazuma shook his head. “You don’t deserve that at all. If anyone deserves it, it’s m—”

“Asogi, stop that. You don’t deserve it, either.”

Kazuma frowned, but then realized how humorous the situation was and smirked. “I guess we really are quite alike, aren’t we?”

Van Zieks’s expression relaxed. “It would seem so.” He glanced at Kazuma. “Thank you for speaking with me. I was beginning to worry you’d become mute again.”

Kazuma snorted. “Worried? I thought you would have preferred that.”

“While I do appreciate how quiet the office has been, I do know how much it pains you to not constantly speak your mind.”

Kazuma laughed. “You know me well.” His smile faded as he thought of those who didn’t know him well. Those who he hadn’t allowed to know him well. Those he had lied to again and again. He sighed. “If you don’t mind, there’s something I need some advice on.”

Van Zieks nodded. “What is on your mind?”

“It’s about Ryunosuke and Susato-san…”

Ryunosuke stiffened when he heard his name. When he had decided to listen in on the conversation, he hadn’t expected this. For a moment, he considered finally leaving them to have a truly private discussion, but another part of him was deeply curious what Kazuma would say.

He inched closer to the door of the library, careful to not be seen. Susato stood further down the hall, frowning deeply.

She had tried to stop him, of course, but Ryunosuke couldn’t help himself. He wanted to hear how the conversation between Kazuma and van Zieks went. He also didn’t trust either man to accurately relay what had been said, so he figured it wouldn’t be too discourteous to listen in. At least, that’s how he tried to justify it in his mind.

“I’m worried that I can never redeem myself in their eyes,” Kazuma said. “I’ve been so terrible to them. I’ve lied so much to them. They don’t know me. I’ve never let them know me.”

“They are both very kind and understanding individuals,” van Zieks replied. “I am certain they have already forgiven you.”

Kazuma sighed. “Ryunosuke told me he forgave me the other day, but… I saw the look in his eyes. The look of disappointment. It was as though he finally saw the real me, and it only brought him disappointment.”

Ryunosuke felt a pang of sadness. While he was disappointed with some of Kazuma’s actions, he was not necessarily disappointed with Kazuma as a person.

“I feel like I’ve failed them both,” Kazuma added softly.

“I cannot speak for them,” van Zieks said, “but it seems unlikely to me for that to be the case.”

“You really think so? Even after I lied to them over and over?”

Ryunosuke felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He couldn’t listen anymore. He stepped away from the door, then started moving down the hallway toward the garden.

Susato quickly caught up to him. “Naruhodo-san, what’s wrong?”

Ryunosuke explained what he’d heard Kazuma say about them and how he presumed they felt. Once he was done, they’d finally entered the gardens and found a bench to sit on.

Susato frowned. “How do you actually feel about him?”

Ryunosuke sighed. “In truth, I am disappointed by many of his past actions. I don’t think I’m actually disappointed in him though.” He shook his head. “It’s hard to explain how I feel. And I fear telling him what I just said would only make him feel like more of a failure, and I don’t want that.”

Susato nodded with understanding. “I feel the exact same way.”

A long silence passed as they both considered the conundrum before them. Ryunosuke wanted so badly to work things out with Kazuma. He wanted their friendship to begin anew, free from the lies of the past. But he felt like there were still too many walls between them. It felt almost ironic that van Zieks was now closer to Kazuma than Ryunosuke was.

“Naruhodo-san,” Susato said softly. “Perhaps we are thinking about it the wrong way.”

“What do you mean?”

“We are thinking of all the negative things lingering between us and Kazuma-sama. Perhaps we should focus instead on the positives.”

Ryunosuke rubbed his chin in confusion.

“I think perhaps instead of lingering on the past,” Susato continued, “we should look toward the future.”

Ryunosuke nodded. “You’re right! I… I honestly was so caught up with everything happening, I hadn’t thought about that.”

“What if we gather everyone this evening and play some games together? I believe it would be a good distraction for everyone.”

“An excellent idea,” Ryunosuke agreed. “I’m sure it’ll be a relaxing time for everyone.”

Despite his hope for that evening going well, it had not started out well.

As Ryunosuke sat across from van Zieks and Kazuma, he couldn’t help but feel a tension in the air that rivaled that of the Old Bailey. The two of them had agreed to play some card games with Ryunosuke and Susato, but neither man seemed like he wanted to be there.

A few times Ryunosuke glanced to his left at Susato, who sat beside him at the table. She seemed to sense the tension as well, because every time their eyes met, she gave Ryunosuke a worried look.

They were in the library once again, this time at a small table in the back of the room. As Ryunosuke waited for his turn in the game, he desperately tried to think of something that could begin a casual discussion. Anything would be better than the current dead silence.

In his desperation, he glanced around the room. At the very least, maybe he could strike up a conversation about the color of the sofa across the room.

Before resorting to discussing the physical traits of furniture, he spotted a case against the wall lined with wine bottles and chalices. It reminded him of a similar one in van Zieks’s office. Ryunosuke narrowed his eyes, formulating a plan in his mind.

“Ryunosuke?” Kazuma said. “It’s your turn.”

His eyes snapped back to the table. “Oh, right! Um, before that, I… I was just thinking about how I was in the mood for some wine.”

Kazuma gave him a confused look, but before he could say anything, van Zieks waved a hand. “You are welcome to have some.”

Ryunosuke stood. “Would anyone else like some?”

Susato flashed him a mischievous grin, seemingly understanding his plan. Before the others could see her reaction, she shifted to a neutral expression. “Perhaps you could bring a bottle to the table.”

Ryunosuke grabbed four chalices, then placed them on the table, followed by a bottle of wine. He poured himself a glass, then placed the bottle close to van Zieks.

“Thank you,” van Zieks said, then poured his own glass without hesitation. Then he placed the bottle next to Kazuma.

Kazuma sighed, then poured a glass for himself.

As the game continued, Ryunosuke took only tiny sips from his chalice. In truth, he was not really keen on red wine, but for the sake of getting the others to relax a bit, he would at least pretend to drink it.

At times he had even wondered if van Zieks truly liked it. Given how he crushed his chalice more often than he sipped from it during trials, Ryunosuke didn’t exactly get the impression that he was a fan of it. But as the evening went on, Ryunosuke began to lose count of how many times van Zieks refilled his chalice.

Apparently Kazuma had become a fan as well, because he had refilled his own chalice at least once. Soon, Ryunosuke even found himself fetching another bottle.

“How did you even learn this game, Kazuma-sama?” Susato asked, glancing down at the cards curiously. Her chalice had remained untouched.

“I learned it when I worked on that ship,” Kazuma explained. “The sailors taught me.” He shrugged. “It wasn’t exactly the best time of my life, but I did get some things out of it.”

“It’s a fun game,” Ryunosuke remarked. “Even though I keep losing.”

Kazuma laughed. “Maybe you should find a better strategy, Ryunosuke.”

Ryunosuke smiled, glad to see Kazuma’s mood improving. “I’ve been having unlucky draws, that’s all!”

Van Zieks put down a card, winning the match. “It seems I’ve won again.”

Kazuma laughed again, and Ryunosuke was glad that the awkwardness between everyone seemed to be dissipating.

“Do you recall the time Mr Sholmes invited us over to play card games?” van Zieks asked.

Kazuma sighed. “Unfortunately, I do.”

“What happened?” Ryunosuke asked.

“I swear he was cheating!” Kazuma exclaimed.

“Asogi was a poor loser,” van Zieks explained.

“And I think Iris was in on it,” Kazuma continued. “Those two can be really mischievous.”

“Asogi also lost to Iris,” van Zieks explained.

Ryunosuke and Susato laughed.

“You lost to her too,” Kazuma said.

“Yes, but unlike you, I took it gracefully,” van Zieks replied.

“I didn’t exactly take it without grace,” Kazuma amended. “I was just concerned that cheating might have happened.”

A hint of a smile appeared on van Zieks’s face. “I seem to recall that you were angry about it for several days, even demanding that we play again with your own deck of cards.”

“Did you?” Ryunosuke asked.

“Yes,” Kazuma replied.

“And he lost again,” van Zieks explained.

Ryunosuke laughed. “Did you take it gracefully that time?”

“Of course,” Kazuma said.

“He did not,” van Zieks corrected.

Kazuma crossed his arms, smirking. “Careful, I’ve collected some embarrassing stories about you, too.”

Van Zieks took a sip of wine. “Surely you are not serious. I’ve had no such moments.”

“What about that time Gina and I left you alone with Toby, and when we returned, you had completely forgotten about the investigation because you were too busy petting him and talking to him.”

“He was being exceptionally well-behaved!” van Zieks argued. “I had to praise him for his good behavior!”

Ryunosuke smiled, wishing he could have seen it. “What else?”

“There was that one time I came back to the office early after a meeting, and found him repeatedly slamming his leg onto his desk. I watched him for nearly five minutes before he noticed me.”

Van Zieks glanced away, a hint of red on his cheeks. “I hadn’t been expecting you to return so soon.”

Susato laughed. “I once encountered Naruhodo-san doing the same thing. I think he was inspired by Lord van Zieks.”

Now Ryunosuke felt his own cheeks go hot. “I—I just wanted to try it!”

Kazuma laughed. “Have you tried it in court?”

“No. He’s not very good at it,” Susato added.

“It’s harder than it looks!” Ryunosuke protested.

She laughed along with Kazuma. Ryunosuke glanced at van Zieks for support, only to find him smiling. For a moment, Ryunosuke could only stare in shock. The wine was working, it seemed.

“Would you like a lesson, Mr Naruhodo?” van Zieks asked.

Ryunosuke blinked at him. “Right now?!”

“Why not?” van Zieks stood, then moved toward a desk across the room.

Ryunosuke was surprised at how well balanced he was after drinking so much. He followed van Zieks, standing beside him. Susato and Kazuma stood a few feet away, watching.

“First, you must lift your leg a considerable height,” van Zieks explained. “It will leave more of an impact that way. Then you must aim your heel at the desk as you swing it around, and bring it down with force.” He demonstrated the motion, moving just as adeptly as when he wasn’t drunk. After he slammed his heel against the desk, he placed it back onto the ground. “Now you try.”

Ryunosuke copied the motion, lifting his leg as high as he could. The problem, however, was that his leg was not nearly as flexible as van Zieks’s was. In fact, as he swung his leg around toward the desk, he felt a tinge of pain. And when he brought his heel down, it hit the edge of the desk, causing him to stumble and fall toward the ground.

Kazuma caught him, laughing as he helped him regain balance. “Nice try, Ryunosuke.”

“I’d like to see you try, Kazuma!”

He smiled. “Very well. I’ll show you how it’s done.” Kazuma stepped in front of the desk, and then in one swift motion, lifted his leg and swung it around and slammed his heel onto the desk. It wasn’t quite as smooth as when van Zieks did it, but it was much more impressive than Ryunosuke’s attempt. He flashed Ryunosuke a smirk.

“Well done,” van Zieks said.

Ryunosuke stared in awe. “How!?”

Kazuma removed his leg from the desk, then shrugged. “I’ve seen him do it so many times, I guess I just picked it up.”

“You practiced when no one was watching,” Susato said. “Didn’t you?”

Kazuma let out a hearty laugh. “All right, I’ll admit it. Yes, I’ve been practicing.”

Van Zieks nodded with approval. “You are a good apprentice, Asogi.” He smiled. “And an even better friend.”

Kazuma stared at him, eyes wide. “F-friend?”

“Of course,” van Zieks replied. “My most cherished friend.”

Ryunosuke wondered if he was dreaming. To see van Zieks so effortlessly smile and proclaim Kazuma his friend was the last thing he’d ever expect to witness when he agreed to stay at the manor. He smirked. It seemed his plan had worked flawlessly.

Kazuma smiled, his eyes full of emotion. “I’m honored.”

Van Zieks smiled, gesturing to everyone else. “I am lucky to have such great friends. Thank you for keeping me company.”

Ryunosuke stared back at him in awe. Was this how he was over ten years ago, before he changed into the permanently-scowling Reaper of the Bailey? It was almost too jarring to see him like this. In fact, Ryunosuke almost found it disturbing.

“Lord van Zieks,” Susato said. “Are you… feeling all right?”

Ryunosuke almost laughed, but instead bit his lips together.

Van Zieks placed a hand against his forehead, swaying slightly. “Perhaps I should sit down.” He walked over to the sofa, then collapsed onto it.

“He’ll be fine,” Kazuma said softly. “Just a bit too much wine.”

“Is he always like this when he’s drunk?” Ryunosuke whispered.

Kazuma shrugged. “Either like this, or extremely depressed.”

Ryunosuke was glad it was the former this time.

Kazuma moved over to the sofa, then took a seat next to van Zieks, whose head now hung forward, his eyes closed. Kazuma prodded his shoulder, then laughed. “He’s already asleep.”

Ryunosuke took a seat beside Kazuma, then Susato sat on Ryunosuke’s other side.

“He must trust us all a great deal,” Ryunosuke remarked, “to be able to fall asleep in front of us like that.”

Kazuma tilted his head. “I think he trusts us more than he’d ever admit when sober. He has a difficult time sharing how he really feels.”

“I know someone else like that,” Ryunosuke remarked.

Kazuma’s eyes widened, but then he relaxed, smiling. “I suppose we are quite alike.” He crossed his arms. “But enough about that. Since you’ve both arrived, I haven’t had a chance to ask you how things have been back home.”

Ryunosuke nodded eagerly, then started talking about the various cases he’d taken over the months. He glanced ahead while he spoke, trying to recall every detail, but occasionally glanced at Susato to make sure he was remembering things correctly. He was in the middle of talking about one especially riveting trial when Susato stopped him.

“Naruhodo-san,” Susato whispered. She pointed behind him.

“What?” Ryunosuke turned to his other side, realizing he hadn’t looked at Kazuma once while talking. He found his friend fast asleep, arms crossed, head leaning against van Zieks’s shoulder.

“Oh!” Ryunosuke exclaimed.

Susato laughed softly. “I suppose the wine got to him, too.”

“Should we wake them?” Ryunosuke asked. “Have them at least go to bed?”

Susato frowned in thought, then shook her head. “They might trip up the stairs.”

“I suppose we’ll leave them, then,” Ryunosuke said. “And as comfortable as this sofa is, I think I’ll head to bed myself.”

Susato nodded, and together they lit a candle, then put out the lamp illuminating the room. As Ryunosuke walked by the sofa one last time, he took in the scene before him. Kazuma looked so peaceful resting next to van Zieks that it was hard to believe he’d witnessed them shouting at each other angrily only a few days ago.

He smiled, then followed Susato out of the room and toward the guest wing.

Perhaps Kazuma’s life hadn’t fallen apart after all.

The following morning, Ryunosuke hadn’t seen either Kazuma or van Zieks around the manor. It made sense, of course; he hadn’t expected to see them at all that day if he was being honest. When the afternoon came around and the maid informed him that tea was being served in the garden, however, he wondered if he would see them there.

As he entered the gardens, he began to hear angry voices. He turned the corner, finding van Zieks sitting at the garden table, looking as though his patience was wearing thin. Across from him sat Kazuma, who glared at him intensely, arms crossed. And sitting adjacent to them both was Susato, her brows knit with worry.

Ryunosuke sighed. Could things be simple for just once ?

“I don’t care what you think,” Kazuma said firmly.

“Asogi, if you would just—“ van Zieks paused, looking up at Ryunosuke as he approached, his expression filled with relief.

Ryunosuke took a seat across from Susato. “What’s going on?”

“Mr Naruhodo,” van Zieks said. “Please convince your friend that he needs our help.”

Ryunosuke grabbed a tiny sandwich and placed it on his plate. “Help with what?”

“He wants to help me find a new place to live,” Kazuma explained, emphasizing the word ‘help’ as though he thought it would be anything but helpful.

Ryunosuke frowned, unable to see Kazuma’s point of view. “What’s wrong with that? You said yourself that you’ve been treated unfairly when trying to find a place for rent.”

“Precisely my point,” van Zieks said.

Kazuma huffed. “How would you feel trying to find a place to rent with London’s most infamous prosecutor standing menacingly behind you? I want to be treated fairly, not intimidate everyone!”

Ryunosuke rubbed his chin. He did have a point. “I suppose intimidation could make things worse in some cases.”

“I would stay out of it unless you were being disrespected for being a foreigner,” van Zieks clarified.

Kazuma frowned. “Would you even know if it happened? You don’t exactly have a good history with being respectful yourself.”

Van Zieks winced, his expression pained.

“Kazuma! ” Ryunosuke said. “He’s only trying to—“

“No, I deserved that,” van Zieks said calmly. “It’s true. I have been unkind to all of you in the past. For that, I deeply apologize.” He bowed his head. “I don’t expect your forgiveness, nor do I deserve it, but I do hope you understand how much I’ve come to respect you all a great deal.”

Silence passed as his words sunk in. Ryunosuke was surprised by the sudden apology, especially since it was not one he thought he’d ever receive. Once the silence grew awkward, Ryunosuke spoke. “Thank you, Lord van Zieks.”

“Yes,” Susato agreed. “I appreciate you saying that.”

Kazuma glanced down and sighed. “Fine, I’ll let you help.”

Van Zieks looked up at him, eyes wide. “Truly?”

“Yes,” Kazuma said. “In fact, I’d like all three of you to come along with me.”

Ryunosuke smiled. “I’d be happy to.”

“Yes, we will be happy to support you,” Susato added.

The following day, Ryunosuke accompanied the others on a search to find Kazuma a new place to live. They started early in the morning, with the options that were closer to the prosecution offices.

“I don’t even know why we’re looking at these,” Kazuma remarked as they walked to their next destination. “Even if I could afford it, they wouldn’t want someone like me living there.”

Ryunosuke frowned. He could understand Kazuma’s frustration. Even the most polite of the landlords had given the three of them a curious look. Van Zieks had offered to wait outside, and would only intervene if necessary, so the sight of three foreigners was likely completely unexpected for most.

“Don’t give up hope, Kazuma-sama,” Susato offered.

Ryunosuke tried not to think back on Soseki Natsume and his troubles with renting in London. “At worst, you could always stay in Mr Sholmes’s attic,” Ryunosuke added.

“Or continue to stay with me,” van Zieks said.

“I would prefer not to,” Kazuma replied. “I don’t want to burden anyone,” he added softly.

“It is not a burden,” van Zieks assured him.

Kazuma sighed. “I also worry that we would constantly irritate each other.”

Van Zieks did not reply.

They soon arrived at their next stop. The landlord was some kind of businessman who wanted to rent out a spare flat in the building he owned. Leaving van Zieks outside, they shuffled into his office, finding the landlord sitting at a desk and going through some papers.

“Good day,” Kazuma said.

He looked up with surprise. “Oh, good day! How can I help you, sir?”

“I’m interested in renting the room you have available,” Kazuma said.

He took in each of them with narrowed eyes. “All three of you?”

“Just me,” Kazuma replied. “My friends are just here to support me.”

The man pulled out a paper and a pen, nodding. He asked Kazuma some basic questions, jotting down some notes as Kazuma answered. None of the questions was out of the ordinary, nor were they about where he was from. He was the first landlord that day who seemed indifferent to his potential tenant’s country of origin. And on top of that, the price had been the most reasonable so far.

“So you’re an apprentice prosecutor?” the man asked. He narrowed his eyes. “Wait, I think I’ve seen you before. Are you Lord van Zieks’s apprentice?”

Kazuma blinked at him. “Yes.”

The man frowned. “I’m not sure you’d make a good tenant.”

Kazuma glared at him. “What!? Why?”

The man waved a hand dismissively. “It simply won’t work out. I advise you to leave.”

Kazuma glared at him a moment longer, then turned around and headed for the door. Ryunosuke and Susato followed close behind.

Once they were outside, Kazuma began to storm off down the street.

“Asogi?” van Zieks called out.

“I don’t want to talk to you,” Kazuma said, not even turning to look back at him.

Van Zieks sighed, then turned to Ryunosuke. “I take it that things went poorly?”

Ryunosuke nodded sadly. “That was the seventh rejection today.”

“You should have alerted me,” van Zieks said. “I could have vouched for Asogi’s trustworthiness.”

“Well…” Susato said, frowning. “I think he was rejected for being associated with you, actually.”

Van Zieks pinched the bridge of his nose. “I see.”

“In fact,” Susato continued. “I can’t help but wonder if this landlord is involved in criminal activity, given how he reacted.”

Ryunosuke nodded. “Perhaps so. Maybe it was for the best that Kazuma was rejected. Who knows what kind of shady dealings he would have gotten caught up in.”

“It seems he does not feel the same way, given his behavior just now,” van Zieks remarked. “It wouldn’t surprise me if he blamed me for it.”

“Surely that’s not the case,” Ryunosuke replied. “He probably just got frustrated with getting so many rejections.”

“Speaking of which… where do you think he ran off to?” Susato asked.

“Given the direction he was headed,” van Zieks said, “it seems likely that he went to the office.”

“Let’s go check on him,” Ryunosuke decided.

They took a short walk to the prosecution offices, and once they arrived, they found the door to van Zieks’s office open.

Kazuma sat at his desk, writing something furiously with a deep frown.

“Kazuma?” Ryunosuke said, stepping into the room. “What are you doing?”

Kazuma didn’t look up at them. “I’m resigning.”

“Resigning?!” Ryunosuke exclaimed. “Why?”

“Asogi,” van Zieks said, “there is no need to—“

Kazuma slammed his pen onto the desk, then stood, approaching them. “Once I resign, I’ll go back to Japan.”

“But, Kazuma,” Ryunosuke said, “why are you giving up?” He reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder, but Kazuma shrugged it off.

“It’s for the best,” Kazuma said firmly.

Underneath the fierceness in Kazuma’s eyes, Ryunosuke detected something more. A hint of sadness colored his expression. Ryunosuke reached out again, this time placing his hand on Kazuma’s upper arm. “Kazuma, talk to us. What’s on your mind?”

Kazuma stiffened, then let out a long sigh. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Kazuma-sama,” Susato said. “Will you at least give us an opportunity to understand?”

Kazuma moved his arm so that Ryunosuke’s hand fell away. “I’m tired of being a failure,” he said softly.

Ryunosuke frowned. “Kazuma, you’re not a—“

“I told you that you wouldn’t understand.”

Ryunosuke pursed his lips. “So just like that, you’re giving up?”

“If that’s what you want to call it, then I suppose I am,” Kazuma replied.

“Pray forgive my frankness,” van Zieks said, “but the Kazuma Asogi I know is not one to give up.”

Kazuma glared at him. “Then I guess you don’t know me as well as you thought.”

Van Zieks stepped forward, then placed a hand on Kazuma’s shoulder. “Asogi—“

“Nothing you say will convince me to change my mind,” Kazuma snapped. “And—“

Van Zieks pulled Kazuma into an embrace, cutting him off. The shock of it made Kazuma stiffen, and for a moment Ryunosuke thought he would pull away in anger, but instead he relaxed.

For a long moment, Ryunosuke could only stare. It was not something he ever thought he’d see van Zieks do. It was not something he thought van Zieks capable of. But perhaps he had also seen the despair behind Kazuma’s cracked facade. Perhaps it was a final act of desperation.

And it seemed it was working, too. Kazuma returned the embrace, crying softly into van Zieks’s shoulder. It was as though his outer shell had finally broken away completely.

“I know things have been difficult for you,” van Zieks said softly. “But you cannot give up.”

“It’s too late,” Kazuma said between sobs. His grip on van Zieks tightened. “It’s too late for things to change.”

“No, it’s not,” van Zieks replied. “Kazuma, you are incredibly smart and strong. You are one of the most capable people I’ve ever met. You can’t give in to despair.”

Kazuma said nothing.

“He’s right, Kazuma,” Ryunosuke offered. “You can’t give up on yourself. We haven’t given up on you, so why should you?”

“Kazuma-sama,” Susato said. “I know you can get through this. You’ve gotten through so many other hardships in your life.”

“I don’t deserve this kindness,” Kazuma said softly. “Not after everything I’ve done.”

“Kazuma!” Ryunosuke pleaded. “Stop thinking that way!”

“Would you think the same of me?” van Zieks asked. “I have also wronged others in the past. I scarcely deserve kindness, least of all from you, and yet you’ve continued to show it to me.”

Kazuma lifted his head, then released van Zieks from the embrace, taking a step back. “What are you talking about? I’ve only been repeatedly rude to you!”

Van Zieks shook his head. “That’s not true. Just the other night, when—“

Kazuma glanced away. “All right, fine. I guess I am nice to you sometimes.”

“Besides, you are missing the point,” van Zieks continued. “Would you condemn another to the same fate that you are condemning yourself?”

Kazuma sighed. “I… I guess not.” He looked at van Zieks. “I see your point.” He sighed again, then looked at each of the others. “Thank you. All of you. I’m… sorry you had to see me like that.”

“So you won’t resign?” Ryunosuke asked.

He glanced down, eyes closed. “As tempting as it is to just give up, I won’t.” He looked up, crossing his arms. “I’ll keep going. If not for me, then for all of you.”

Ryunosuke smiled. “Good.”

Susato nodded. “You can’t let us down!”

Kazuma took in a deep breath, then exhaled. “I think I’m done with this for today. I’m tired of getting rejected.”

“We’ll try again another day,” Ryunosuke assured him.

Kazuma nodded. “For now, let’s head back. I’m exhausted.”

Hours later, Kazuma roamed the manor, trying to find van Zieks. After checking the library, the dining room, the garden, and his personal chambers, Kazuma started to curse the size of the house.

Finally, he checked the study near van Zieks’s bedchamber. It was there he finally found the man himself, sitting at his desk and reading some papers.

Kazuma stepped into the room, then knocked on the open door. “Do you have a minute?”

Van Zieks looked up. “Of course. Is something wrong?”

Kazuma leaned against the wall. “I… wanted to thank you for earlier.” He glanced down. “You really helped bring me back from a dark spot.”

“It’s the least I can do,” van Zieks replied. “Especially after the kindness you showed me the other night.”

Kazuma held back a sigh. He never thought he’d find himself carrying van Zieks through his own house, but given how drunk he’d been, he’d felt it was necessary to carry him back to his room. “You know, you really shouldn’t drink so much.”

Van Zieks sighed. “It’s true. I’ve been working on it.”

Kazuma smiled. “Maybe I should stay here indefinitely. I could keep you honest with your drinking habit.”

“You may stay as long as you’d like. It is entirely up to you.”

Kazuma shifted on his feet. “After today, I’ll admit I’m awfully discouraged about finding my own place. I’ll keep looking, but in the meantime… I guess staying here isn’t all that bad.”

“I’m glad you think so,” van Zieks replied. He glanced away. “I will admit that—“ He paused, then shook his head. “Never mind.”

“What is it? You can tell me,” Kazuma replied.

He did not meet Kazuma’s gaze. “Over the past decade, I’ve been plagued with a crushing loneliness,” he admitted softly. “I’ve found that it has lessened significantly since I’ve begun hosting you and your friends.”

Kazuma smiled. “Then I definitely should stay here longer.”

Van Zieks fidgeted. “Please do not feel as though you must live here solely for my own benefit.”

“It would benefit me, too,” Kazuma replied. “As much as I know we’ll irritate each other at times, I think overall it would benefit us both.” He shrugged. “And it’s such a big house, if we do irritate each other we could go entire days without seeing each other.”

A hint of a smile formed on van Zieks’s face. “I suppose you’re right. Thank you.” Then he turned toward the desk. “While you’re here, I want to share something with you.”

Kazuma’s eyes darted to the papers on the desk. Even from a distance, he could tell it was a case report. “A new case?”

“Yes. It involves that same criminal organization once again. The one that—“

“I failed to bring to justice,” Kazuma finished. He frowned. “I remember.”

“You are not at fault for that,” van Zieks said. “I believe the jury was bribed.”

Kazuma waved a hand. “Regardless, at least we have another chance.”

“Yes. And I would like for you to lead the case.”

Kazuma felt his eyes widen. “What?! Are you sure? Me? ” He shook his head. “Don’t you remember last time?”

“As I said, I don’t believe you are at fault for that. You are perfectly capable of leading this case.” He nodded at the papers. “Tomorrow is the investigation.”

Kazuma pondered a moment. This could be his chance to redeem himself. “All right. I’ll do it.” 

Ryunosuke was just about to go to bed when he heard a knock on the door. He opened it, expecting Susato, but instead found Kazuma staring back at him.

“Kazuma?”

“Do you have a moment?” Kazuma asked. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

Ryunosuke nodded, gesturing for him to enter. “Of course.”

Kazuma stepped inside, then closed the door behind him. He glanced down, frowning. “First, I wanted to thank you for your kind words earlier.”

Ryunosuke smiled. “I’m glad it helped.”

Kazuma shifted on his feet. “I also want to ask you for advice.”

Ryunosuke was surprised by the request, but nodded. “Of course. I’ll do my best.”

He frowned, his expression troubled. “A while back, Lord van Zieks allowed me to lead a trial. And it went poorly. I failed completely.”

Ryunosuke frowned.

“He insists it’s not my fault, but… well, I can’t help but think it was at least partly because of my incompetence.” He sighed. “I let a dangerous criminal go free.”

Ryunosuke felt a pang of sadness. “Kazuma…”

“I spoke with Lord van Zieks once we returned, and he told me there is a new case with the same gang from that failed trial.” He sighed. “And he wants me to lead it.”

“Isn’t that good?” Ryunosuke asked. “That means he has faith in you.”

Kazuma did not look convinced. “It means that if I fail again, I really would have to resign.”

“Surely that’s not the case!” Ryunosuke protested. “Besides, you won’t fail!”

“You don’t know that,” Kazuma said sharply.

Ryunosuke sighed. “Kazuma, tell me something. Do you trust Lord van Zieks?”

He crossed his arms, pausing in thought. “I… I do.”

“Then you should trust his faith in you.”

For a long moment, Kazuma shifted on his feet, looking as though he wanted to say something, but couldn’t quite put it into words. His jaw tensed, and his eyes darted back and forth.

Ryunosuke placed a hand on his shoulder. “Relax, Kazuma. It’s going to work out.”

He let out a long sigh. “Thank you. That’s all I wanted to talk about.” He started to turn toward the door, but Ryunosuke gripped his shoulder.

“Wait. One more thing.”

Kazuma blinked at him. “What?”

Ryunosuke stepped forward and wrapped his arms around him.

Kazuma relaxed in his embrace, then returned the hug, pulling him close. “Thank you, Ryunosuke.”

“Anytime, partner.”

Just as Ryunosuke was about to step out of his room to get breakfast, he heard a frantic knock on his door.

This time he was expecting Kazuma, perhaps to discuss more of how he was feeling about everything. But when he opened the door, his assumption was once again incorrect.

Van Zieks stood before him, his eyes full of worry. “Mr Naruhodo—forgive me for coming to speak with you at such an early hour.”

“Is something wrong?” Ryunosuke asked.

“Have you seen Asogi?”

“Not since last night.”

Van Zieks’s jaw tensed. “Did he say anything to you last night about going out?”

“Not at all,” Ryunosuke replied. “In fact, I assumed he went to bed just after we spoke.”

“I cannot find him anywhere,” van Zieks said, his voice tinged with worry. “It seems he may have left last night and never returned.”

Ryunosuke felt his heart begin to race. “He’s nowhere in the manor?”

Van Zieks shook his head. “I have searched everywhere.”

“What if he went to the investigation early?” Ryunosuke asked.

“I suppose it’s possible, but I feel he would have told me if that were the case.”

Ryunosuke heard footsteps in the hallway, and then saw Susato appear beside van Zieks.

“Kazuma-sama is missing?” she asked.

“Yes,” van Zieks replied. “I fear he may be in danger.”

“We must go look for him,” Susato said.

“Where do you think he could be?” Ryunosuke asked.

“He could be anywhere,” van Zieks replied.

“Should we inform the police?” Susato asked.

“Since he has only been missing for a few hours, they won’t be inclined to help,” van Zieks said. “We must begin the search ourselves.”

“Do you think he could have gone to the office?” Ryunosuke asked.

“It’s possible,” van Zieks replied. “Perhaps we should check there first.”

They promptly left the manor, then headed to the office.

Ryunosuke’s heart continued to race during the carriage ride. If Kazuma wasn’t there, then where could he be? Was his absence a sign that he was in danger, or had he just been neglectful in telling someone where he’d gone?

It was still early in the morning when they exited the carriage, and the street was completely empty. As they rushed toward the building, van Zieks suddenly stopped.

“I fear we may be walking into a trap,” van Zieks said.

“A trap?” Ryunosuke asked.

“What should we do?” Susato asked.

“Be on your guard,” van Zieks replied.

They continued inside, and were greeted by a bailiff as they entered.

“Have you seen Mr Asogi?” van Zieks asked.

“No, sir,” the bailiff replied. “Sounded like someone was inside your office, though.”

Van Zieks eyed him warily, then turned toward his office. “Keep watch from behind,” he whispered.

Ryunosuke lingered behind him as he unlocked the door, but the only other person he saw was the bailiff. After he heard the door swing open, he heard van Zieks gasp.

“About time you showed up,” a voice said from within.

Ryunosuke spun around, then gasped. Kazuma sat on the floor against one of the desks, his ankles and wrists bound with rope. Standing over him was a man holding a gun.

The man stepped forward, then placed the barrel of the gun against Kazuma’s head. “Listen closely and no one has to die.”

Kazuma’s eyes darted over to van Zieks, full of warning. His face had a few bruises and scrapes, but he otherwise looked unharmed.

Van Zieks stared at him, eyes wide. “What is this about?”

Ryunosuke spun back around to alert the bailiff, only to find that he’d disappeared. His heart pounded in his chest as he entered a state of panic. Should he run and find help? Should he—

“You in the black,” the man said. “Don’t you dare take another step.”

Ryunosuke turned back around, his eyes darting nervously between the man and Kazuma. Aside from his trembling hands, Ryunosuke went completely still.

“You’ve got a big trial coming up,” the man said to van Zieks. “I really advise you to let the defendant go free.”

“And if I refuse?” van Zieks asked.

“I’ll pull the trigger,” the man replied, gesturing toward the gun still pointed at Kazuma’s head.

Van Zieks’s expression was unreadable. “And if I agree?”

“We’ll keep him safe until the trial is over. As long as the verdict is not guilty, we’ll let him go.”

Kazuma smiled. “He hates me, you know. You’re a fool if you think this would—“

The man kicked Kazuma in the ribs, silencing him. “Do we have an agreement?”

Van Zieks stared at Kazuma for a moment, then glanced at the man, frowning. Ryunosuke wondered what could possibly be going through his head. Had Ryunosuke been in his position, he wouldn’t have known what to do. He would have panicked even more than he was currently as a bystander. He might have even gotten someone killed.

“You’ve overestimated how much his life means to me,” van Zieks said carefully. “He means nothing to me. I refuse your deal. Do what you want with him.”

Ryunosuke stared at van Zieks in shock. He almost said something, but Susato elbowed him, shaking her head.

Before Ryunosuke could see Kazuma’s expression, he heard rapid footsteps approaching from behind. He spun around, finding the bailiff from before rushing toward van Zieks.

He let out a sigh of relief. Finally help had come.

His relief was cut short, however, when the bailiff pulled out a knife. For the briefest of moments, Ryunosuke’s mind swirled with confusion, until he noticed the trajectory of the knife’s tip move toward van Zieks.

Before he could call out to him, van Zieks spun around, deftly dodging the knife. Ryunosuke stepped back instinctively, his heart racing even faster than before.

A gunshot went off, and Ryunosuke’s glanced turned toward inside the office. His panic intensified, meshing together with the most intense worry he’d ever felt in his life. “Kazuma!”

“ Run away, idiot!” Kazuma shouted in Japanese.

Feeling a rush of relief that his friend was still alive, Ryunosuke did just that. He ran away from the door, glancing back just in time to see van Zieks get his arm sliced by the knife. He didn’t even seem to notice as he tried to disarm the man with the gun.

Susato stood in a careful stance beside the knife-wielding false bailiff, and before Ryunosuke could call out to her, she perfectly executed a take-down on him, sending him tumbling to the ground.

Another gunshot sounded, making Ryunosuke run even faster. He moved outside and rushed to the police box, hoping he wasn’t too late.

Pain .

All Kazuma could think about was the pain that spread through his arm, blocking out all other thoughts. He curled up, then focused on breathing.

After a few deep breaths, he considered the situation. The bullet definitely hit his arm, but at least it hadn’t been fatal. The gunman’s aim had been thrown off by both Kazuma rolling over and van Zieks shoving him aside.

“Kazuma-sama!”

He looked up to find Susato standing over him, holding a bloody knife. She immediately knelt beside him, then cut the ropes that bound him.

Once his arms and legs were free, he sat up, trying to take in the situation. The fake bailiff was back on his feet, charging at Susato. In the corner, van Zieks struggled to disarm the man with the gun.

Kazuma grasped at his upper left arm, wincing with pain. His sleeve was now completely soaked in blood, which now began trickling down his hand. 

He tried his best to stay calm. Fatigue began to weigh him down, and the urge to close his eyes became stronger and stronger.

Shouting snapped his attention back to the door. A group of police rushed in, joining in on the struggle to apprehend the two assailants. The two men were pinned down in seconds, and soon the police were hauling them out of the office.

Kazuma let out a sigh of relief, closing his eyes. For a long moment, he blocked out all the voices, instead giving in to the weight of the fatigue.

“—sogi!”

The fatigue overwhelmed him, and for a moment he even forgot about the pain.

“ Kazuma!”

His eyes flew open, and suddenly he remembered where he was. Van Zieks knelt in front of him, looking as though he might start crying at any second. Behind him stood Ryunosuke and Susato, who both looked down at him with concern.

“We’re going to get you help,” van Zieks assured him.

Kazuma nodded weakly, then forced a smile. “I thought I meant nothing to you,” he teased.

Van Zieks scoffed. “That was a bluff !”

“I know. Thank you.”

Van Zieks placed a hand against Kazuma’s face. “You mean a great deal to me.”

“I… I’m glad,” Kazuma said, his eyelids beginning to feel heavy again. He closed his eyes, then leaned his head back against the wall. “I’m sorry for getting you all into this mess.”

Van Zieks said something else, but Kazuma didn’t hear it as he slipped from consciousness.

Barok sat on the edge of his bed, looking down at his bandaged forearm.

Naruhodo had been adamant that he rest now that Asogi had been taken care of, but Barok found himself unable to do anything but worry.

His wound had been minor, especially compared to Asogi’s, and although he knew rest was the best course of action, he found himself unable to do so. He stood, then approached the door. A few hours had passed since he last checked on Asogi. Barok hoped that by now he’d awoken, and he’d also hoped that someone would have reported to him in that case, but instead he’d heard no news.

He left his room and moved down the hallway to the guest quarters. The door to Asogi’s room was open, and he heard Naruhodo speaking softly in Japanese from within. He peered into the room, finding Asogi sitting up in bed with an empty bowl in his lap, with Naruhodo standing beside him.

“Asogi!” Barok exclaimed.

Asogi looked up at him, eyes wide. “Lord van Zieks! I… I’m sorry you were injured.”

He shook his head, then moved to stand next to Naruhodo. “There is no need for an apology. My wounds are minor.” He took a good look at Asogi, looking for any signs of blood. Together with Naruhodo, Barok had cleaned him up and changed his clothes once they’d returned with him from the hospital. Asogi was now in his nightclothes, and his bandaged arm showed no signs of bloodstains. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired, but otherwise fine,” Asogi replied. “Ryunosuke told me what happened after I passed out. Thanks for taking care of me.”

“You’re very lucky, Kazuma,” Naruhodo said. “The doctor said the bullet only grazed your arm. You could have died if it had hit you differently.”

Asogi smiled. “I guess almost dying has become a bit of a hobby of mine.”

“It’s not funny!” Naruhodo replied. “When I thought you’d died on the SS Burya, it broke me! To have to go through that again…” He clenched his eyes shut.

Barok knew very well the pain of losing someone he cared about. To think that it had almost happened that day sent a chill through him.

Asogi glanced down, his voice going soft. “I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful in the future.”

“How did you even come to find yourself in that terrible situation?” Barok asked.

“I woke up early and couldn’t fall back to sleep,” Asogi explained, “so I headed to the office to check an old case report. When I got there, those two men had already broken in to steal some evidence.”

“Were you not able to run?” Barok asked.

“I—well, I guess I could have. But I didn’t.”

Barok shook his head. He could imagine exactly how it went. “You decided to confront them.”

“I realize now that it was a bit reckless,” Asogi said.

“It was incredibly reckless,” Barok corrected. “You could have been killed!”

“He’s right, Kazuma!” Naruhodo added. “We’ve been so worried about you!”

Asogi glanced down, his expression pained. “I knew if they got away with it, I’d likely lose the trial again. And… I didn’t want to disappoint anyone.”

By anyone , Barok realized that Asogi meant him . He felt his chest ache with guilt. “Asogi, I would rather have you lose a trial than get killed. It would take a great deal for you to genuinely disappoint me.”

Asogi looked at him with surprise. “Really?”

Barok couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Yes, of course! To even entertain the idea of you getting killed makes me feel—“

“No, I meant the second part,” Asogi clarified. “What would it actually take for you to be disappointed in me?”

Barok crossed his arms. “I would be disappointed if you resigned.”

“I agree,” Naruhodo said. “I’d be disappointed if you gave up on yourself.”

Asogi frowned. “You say that like you’re not already disappointed in me.”

“I’m not,” Naruhodo said firmly. “I’m disappointed in some of your past actions, but I’m not disappointed in you.”

Asogi stared at him for a moment, then sighed. “You are too kind to me, Ryunosuke.” Then he looked at Barok. “You too.”

Barok frowned, growing frustrated. “Our kindness toward you only seems excessive because you hate yourself so much.”

Asogi winced.

Naruhodo looked at his friend seriously. “He’s right.”

Asogi closed his eyes, then brought a hand to his face.

Naruhodo placed a hand on Asogi’s shoulder. “Don’t give up on yourself, Kazuma.”

“You don’t have to do it alone, either,” Barok added.

“Thank you,” Asogi said softly.

Naruhodo removed his hand, then offered Asogi a smile. “We should let you get some rest. Let us know if you need anything.”

Asogi nodded, and then Barok left with Naruhodo.

He could only hope Asogi’s mood recovered along with his injuries.

Kazuma had no idea how late it was, but he knew it was late. Aside from his footsteps down the hallway, the manor was completely quiet. He held a candle as he navigated the halls, hoping he could remember the way.

When he finally reached his destination, he saw a sliver of light coming from under the door. He sighed. Apparently he wasn’t the only one who wasn’t able to sleep.

He knocked on the door. A moment later, it opened, revealing van Zieks wearing his bedclothes. He looked exhausted.

“Asogi?”

Kazuma hadn’t actually thought through what he’d say if he had made it this far. Part of him figured van Zieks would be asleep and he’d just turn around and go back to his room. “Do you have a moment?”

“Of course,” van Zieks replied. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I just…” He glanced down. “I wanted someone to talk to.”

Van Zieks paused, then opened the door wider for him to enter.

Kazuma stepped inside, then placed his candle on the bedside table next to the lamp that was already illuminating the room. An empty chalice sat on the edge of the table.

He frowned as he turned to van Zieks. “Have you been drinking?”

“No,” van Zieks replied, taking a seat on the edge of his bed. “That’s from a different night.”

Kazuma took a seat next to him. He couldn’t smell any alcohol on his breath, so he assumed van Zieks was telling the truth. “Good.”

“What did you wish to speak about?”

Kazuma fidgeted. He definitely hadn’t thought this far. “In all honesty, I couldn’t sleep and I didn’t want to be alone.”

Van Zieks nodded. “I see. I’m sorry you had to resort to speaking with me. I take it your friends were in too deep of a sleep.”

Kazuma looked at him with confusion. “What are you talking about? I came here first.”

“You… chose to see me over the others?”

“Is that so strange? You’re my friend, too.”

Van Zieks stared at him in response.

“I am quite fond of you, you know,” Kazuma admitted.

“Forgive me, I shouldn’t have assumed.” He glanced down. “Your timing was quite apt. I, too, found myself unable to sleep.”

“Something troubling you?”

His eyes darted toward the chalice, and then back to the floor. “Nothing in particular.”

“You were struggling to not pour yourself a drink,” Kazuma guessed.

Van Zieks placed his hands over his face. “Yes.”

“Then I guess it’s good that I showed up,” Kazuma concluded.

Van Zieks did not reply.

“It’s all right. I’m not going to judge you.” Kazuma thought back to his own bad habits. “I used to struggle with smoking. I noticed it started to affect my breathing, so I quit. But on particularly bad days, sometimes I turn back to it.”

Van Zieks sighed. “My father was an alcoholic. It shames me to know I’ve become like him.”

Kazuma could feel the sadness in his voice. He’d never heard van Zieks speak of any of his family except for his brother. “What was your father like?”

“Others seemed to respect him a great deal. But to me, he was cruel.”

Kazuma felt a pang of sadness. “Only to you?”

He nodded. “My mother died during childbirth. I think he always blamed me for it.” He ran a hand through his hair. “He would become even more cruel when he’d been drinking. One time he told me I was an accident and should never have been born.”

Kazuma couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “That’s horrible!”

“He passed when I was eight,” van Zieks continued. “After that, my brother was the only family I had. He always treated me incredibly well. I think he had always felt bad about how our father treated me and wanted to make up for it.”

Kazuma nodded. Van Zieks’s feelings toward his brother were starting to make more sense. “I don’t think you should compare yourself to your father.”

“And yet I’ve found myself becoming just like him.”

“But you’re not cruel,” Kazuma pointed out.

“Is that truly the case?”

Kazuma placed a hand on his shoulder. “Barok. I know for a decade you were made to be seen as cruel. I know you once held an incredible pain and hatred in your heart. But over this past year that I’ve spent with you, I’ve never seen a cruel side of you. Not once.”

Van Zieks placed both his hands over his face.

“I tried to find a cruel side of you. I tried to find a justification for hating you. But the more time I’ve spent around you, the more I’ve realized just how incredibly kind you are.” He squeezed his shoulder. “You’re also very strong. You can overcome the bad habits. You just need to give yourself a chance.” He paused for a moment, wondering if he should say what he wanted to say next. “And you need to stop hating yourself,” he added softly.

Silence passed. Van Zieks lifted his head, then crossed his arms. A few times, he looked like he might say something, but remained quiet.

“Barok, let’s make a pact.”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I’ll promise to stop hating myself if you promise to stop hating yourself.”

Van Zieks sighed, shaking his head. “And what would happen if either of us were to break the pact?”

Kazuma thought on it for a moment. It would need to be something that would devastate them both. Something that would be so painful that it would force them to keep the promise. “I will resign and go back to Japan. I would also never see you or communicate with you ever again.”

Van Zieks placed a hand over his face. “That is positively brutal.”

Kazuma smirked. “Do we have a deal?”

Van Zieks looked up at him, his eyes meeting Kazuma’s. For a moment they stared at each other, a silent communication passing between them. There were doubts, worries, and concerns—but there was also hope. Finally, van Zieks nodded and held out a hand. “Yes. I promise.”

Kazuma grasped his hand and shook it. “I promise, too.”

Van Zieks crossed his arms, a slight smile appearing on his face. “You are very clever, Kazuma.”

Kazuma laughed. “Clever, or desperate?”

His smile widened. “Sometimes desperation requires cleverness.”

Kazuma nodded. “True.”

Another silence passed.

“Kazuma,” van Zieks said softly. “Would you mind if I told you about your father?”

Kazuma’s eyes widened. It was not a common topic between them, and not something he ever thought van Zieks would bring up so readily. “I don’t mind at all. I would like to hear about him.”

Van Zieks nodded. “As you know, I didn’t have a good relationship with my own father. When I found out my new friend from Japan, who I greatly admired, had a wife and child back home, it surprised me.” He pursed his lips. “The way he spoke about you was so touching. I… hadn’t realized a father could love his child so much.”

Kazuma felt his heart ache.

“I remember feeling a strange mix of envy and joy. I was happy that he treated his son well, but it made me reflect on my relationship with my own father.” He sighed. “That all changed when I thought he’d been the Professor. But now that I know the truth…” He frowned. “I feel a great despair knowing that you never got to see him again.”

Kazuma closed his eyes. “You know I don’t blame you for that.”

“I know. Even still, it is a great tragedy. One I wish I could have prevented.”

Kazuma looked up at him. “Can you tell me about the happy times, too?”

Van Zieks nodded. “Of course.”

Van Zieks told Kazuma all kinds of stories, from investigations he’d done with Genshin, to embarrassing stories he’d told about Kazuma from his childhood.

Kazuma found himself feeling more and more fatigued as he went on, and struggled to stay awake despite wanting so badly to hear the stories. Eventually he found himself resting his head against van Zieks’s shoulder, nodding off to sleep.

“Kazuma,” van Zieks said softly, waking him. “You should get some rest.”

Kazuma sat up, rubbing his eyes. “I guess I should.” He glanced at van Zieks. “Thanks for talking to me.”

He nodded. “Of course. You may speak with me anytime.”

Kazuma stood, then picked up his candle, smiling. “Likewise.”

The next couple days passed quickly, and Ryunosuke soon found himself sitting in the gallery of the Old Bailey.

Kazuma had insisted on leading the trial even though he was still recovering, and van Zieks had relented. The investigation had happened without them, and apparently the detectives had found some helpful evidence for Kazuma to present to make up for the items that had been stolen.

As Ryunosuke sat beside Susato on the upper level of the gallery, he felt the same crushing pressure that he recalled before, even though this time he was merely a spectator. He had positioned himself so that he could clearly see Kazuma standing behind the prosecutor’s bench with van Zieks standing at his side.

The defendant was a middle aged man beaming with confidence. His defense council was a younger man who wore an unreadable expression. Ryunosuke also glanced over at the jury, hoping that this time they had not been bribed.

The judge pounded his gavel, and then the trial began.

Kazuma looked determined as ever. The only other time Ryunosuke had seen him as a prosecutor was during van Zieks’s trial over a year ago, and that trial had been exceptional in many ways. He was glad to have the opportunity to see Kazuma prosecute a case where he wasn’t solely motivated by a revenge that had been simmering for a decade.

Kazuma began to lay out the case. The victim had been murdered in a flat whose address was strangely familiar to Ryunosuke. In fact, he could have sworn it was eerily close to one of the ones he’d visited with Kazuma just a few days earlier.

“And the motive,” Kazuma continued, “is a criminal deal gone wrong.”

“What do you mean by that, exactly?” the defense council asked.

“The defendant is part of a criminal organization that does dealings in the black market,” Kazuma explained. “Which is why—“

“Objection!” the defense council shouted. “There is no evidence that the defendant is part of a criminal organization.”

Kazuma’s jaw went tense. “There is evidence that it is a possibility,” Kazuma clarified. He presented a knife with a distinctive handle. “This is the murder weapon. It has a symbol carved on its handle, which is the sign of this particular criminal organization.”

“You’ve no evidence that my client wielded the dagger,” the defense council said.

“Allow me to call the first witness to the stand,” Kazuma said. He pointed dramatically to the bailiff. “Send for the first witness!”

The bailiff nervously approached the stand and saluted. “S-sir! About the witness!” He fidgeted. “She… she was found dead this morning.”

Gasps echoed throughout the chamber, followed by hushed chatter. Ryunosuke kept his eyes glued on Kazuma, wondering how he would respond.

Kazuma stared back at the bailiff, eyes wide. Then his eyes darted beside him to van Zieks, who gave him a determined nod. He composed himself, then sighed. “Thank you for informing us. That is dire news.”

“Dire news indeed,” the defendant replied.

Kazuma closed his eyes, and for a moment Ryunosuke wished he could shout words of encouragement to him without embarrassing him.

“How shall you proceed, council?” the judge asked.

Kazuma opened his eyes. “Bailiff, bring the man who owns the victim’s flat to the stand. He will be our first witness.”

The bailiff saluted, then left.

The judge pounded his gavel. “We will have a thirty minute recess while we wait for the witness to arrive.”

The gallery erupted in chatter. Ryunosuke watched as Kazuma and the others left the courtroom, then turned to Susato.

“I can’t believe this is happening!” Ryunosuke said.

She gave him a fearful look. “Do you think the witness was… murdered ?”

Ryunosuke felt an intense dread. “It seems likely.”

“Maybe we should go talk to Kazuma-sama,” she suggested.

“Good idea.”

They left their seats, then headed to the prosecution antechamber. Upon entering, Ryunosuke found Kazuma standing in front of van Zieks, arms crossed and frowning. Van Zieks was speaking softly to him.

“You did well to not lose your composure,” van Zieks said. “Don’t give up hope. You can still succeed.”

Kazuma sighed. “But—“ He raised his eyebrows as he saw Ryunosuke approach. “Ryunosuke! Susato-san!”

“How are you feeling, Kazuma?” Ryunosuke asked.

He frowned. “Frustrated, mostly. I shouldn’t be surprised that they murdered the witness, but it’s still maddening.” He sighed. “How many people will have to die before we can finally bring this gang to justice?”

“Have you spoken to the new witness?” Susato asked.

“No. The detectives apparently spoke to him briefly, and he was the only one I could think to call on. I wasn’t able to speak with him myself. I honestly have no idea how this will go.”

“You can do this, Kazuma!” Ryunosuke said.

“Thank you,” Kazuma replied. “I’ll admit, I’m feeling a bit defeated about it all.”

“Remember,” van Zieks said. “The most important thing is to focus on finding the truth.”

Kazuma nodded, though he still looked stressed. “Right.” He fidgeted, then glanced toward the door. “I think I need some fresh air.” He reached into his pocket, then pulled out a lighter.

Van Zieks gripped his shoulder. “Kazuma...”

Kazuma sighed, putting it back in his pocket. “All right, fine. I’ll stay here.” He crossed his arms. “How much time do we have left?”

Ryunosuke glanced at the clock. “About twenty minutes.”

Kazuma frowned.

“Let us go over the facts of the case again,” van Zieks offered.

“All right.”

As van Zieks spoke, Ryunosuke watched Kazuma. He glanced down, his eyes distant, likely not listening to anything van Zieks was saying, but instead ruminating on the stress of the situation.

When van Zieks was done, there were about five minutes left.

“Kazuma,” Ryunosuke said. “You can do this. And even if things don’t work out perfectly, that doesn’t mean you’re a failure.”

“He’s right, Kazuma-sama!” Susato added.

“Thank you,” Kazuma replied. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Ryunosuke didn’t think Kazuma looked convinced, but he didn’t have time to encourage him further. “Good luck, Kazuma.”

With that, Ryunosuke and Susato returned to their seats in the gallery. A few minutes later, everyone returned to their spots in the courtroom and the judge pounded his gavel.

“Bring in the witness,” the judge said.

The bailiff guided a man to the witness stand, and Ryunosuke’s eyes widened when his face came into view. He’d seen this same man just days earlier. He was the last landlord Kazuma had spoken with—the same one who had turned him down for being associated with van Zieks.

Ryunosuke’s eyes darted to Kazuma, who shared the same wide-eyed expression.

Susato gasped. “Naruhodo-san,” she whispered.

“I know,” Ryunosuke whispered.

The man took his spot at the witness stand, narrowing his eyes at Kazuma.

“Please state your name and occupation for the court,” Kazuma said calmly.

“Kurt Riplye, businessman,” the man replied.

“You were brought here to testify because you are the landlord of the flat that the victim had been renting,” Kazuma said. “Can you tell us anything about the victim?”

Riplye shrugged. “Not really.”

Kazuma frowned. “Surely you remember something about him.”

Riplye narrowed his eyes, then glanced away. “Unassuming. Kept to himself. Usually paid rent on time.”

It was a weak testimony, and Ryunosuke hoped the defense council would press for more detail in his cross examination.

“What do you mean by ‘usually’ paid rent on time?” the defense council asked.

Riplye shifted on his feet. “Just that. Usually paid rent on time.”

“Please elaborate,” Kazuma said firmly.

“He didn’t pay it on time a few times,” Riplye clarified.

“Did he pay it on time this month?” Kazuma asked.

Riplye hesitated. “I don’t remember.”

Kazuma narrowed his eyes. “I believe this is important information. I would like to request that the witness testify about the victim’s rent payment this month.”

The judge shook his head. “Council, he said he doesn’t remember.”

“We’ll see just how much he remembers in his testimony,” Kazuma replied.

The judge pounded his gavel. “Very well. The witness will testify.”

Riplye looked annoyed. “I don’t remember.”

“Did you or did you not receive payment from the victim this month?” Kazuma asked. “We can check your ledger if needed.”

Riplye shifted nervously. “Yes.”

“Do you remember when you received the payment?” Kazuma asked. “Or do we need to check your ledger?”

“Yesterday,” Riplye said.

“Yesterday the victim was dead,” Kazuma reminded him. “Unless you stole the payment from the crime scene—“

“Someone else paid on his behalf,” Riplye clarified.

“Who?” Kazuma asked.

“The defendant.”

Chatter broke out in the gallery. The judge pounded his gavel until it went quiet.

Ryunosuke looked at the defendant, who appeared as confident as before. Something about him felt suspicious, but Ryunosuke couldn’t quite place it.

The defense council finished his brief cross examination, and then Kazuma called the defendant to the witness stand.

“You will testify about why you paid rent on behalf of the victim,” Kazuma explained.

“We were friends,” the defendant said. “I was awfully upset when I heard he’d been murdered. I guess he put me as his backup contact, because the landlord here contacted me about the rent payment after he’d kicked the bucket.”

“When someone dies, their payment is no longer due,” Kazuma pointed out.

“Yes, but you see, it had been due when he was still alive.”

“So it had been late,” Kazuma concluded.

“This clearly absolves my client,” the defense council said. “You’ve no evidence that he had a motive to kill the victim. In fact, he had been doing the victim a favor even after death!”

Kazuma crossed his arms. “That is one possibility. The other is that the defendant was hired by Mr Ripleye to collect the late payment from the victim, and after it had gone sour, the defendant killed the victim in order to collect the payment by force.”

Chatter broke out amongst the jurors. Ryunosuke noticed van Zieks leaning over to say something quietly to Kazuma. His eyes widened, and then he nodded.

“Objection!” the defense council called. “Unless you have evidence for your imaginative claim, Mr Asogi, it remains unfounded.”

“If you do not wish to cross examine your client, then we can move on to our next witness,” Kazuma said. “I think my claim will become less imaginative with his testimony.”

The defense council crossed his arms. “Who are you bringing up here now?”

“Brock O’Leigh. He is currently being held in cell eight at the prison.”

The defense council narrowed his eyes. “And what is his relation to this case?”

“I believe he is in league with both the defendant and Mr Riplye.”

The defense council waved a hand dismissively. “Go ahead then. I will conduct the cross examination while we wait for the new witness.”

The bailiffs rushed from the courtroom to retrieve the new witness. Ryunosuke looked at Kazuma, noting just how confident he looked. Whatever van Zieks had told him, it seemed to turn things around.

The cross examination turned up nothing of import. In fact, Ryunosuke thought the defense council’s cross examinations were not very good. It was almost as if he was doing them poorly on purpose.

By the time the pitiful cross examination was over, the bailiffs returned with O’Leigh, and everything started to make sense. Ryunosuke immediately recognized him as the man who had shot Kazuma just a few days before.

O’Leigh stepped up to the witness stand between the defendant and Riplye, and one look at his expression made Ryunosuke nervous. It was obvious from his guarded eyes that he had no intentions of revealing anything.

“Mr O’Leigh,” Kazuma said. “Do you know these two men?”

O’Leigh looked to his left and right, then shook his head. “Never seen them before in my life.”

“This is a complete waste of time,” the defense said. “Did you call this witness out of pure speculation?” He shook his head. “You really are inexperienced, aren’t you?”

Kazuma ignored him, keeping his focus on the new witness. “You do realize that lying will only make your situation worse, right? Considering how you already tried to murder me, things aren’t looking good for you, are they Mr O’Leigh?”

O’Leigh squirmed, not meeting Kazuma’s gaze. Whispers broke out among the gallery.

“I’ll give you one more chance to tell the truth,” Kazuma said. “Do you know either of the two men beside you?”

O’Leigh glanced down, fidgeting. “Might have seen them before.”

“Now you’re just intimidating him!” the defense council complained. He turned to the judge. “My Lord, you must put a stop to this bully of a prosecutor!”

The judge shook his head. “Mr Asogi has said nothing inappropriate.”

Kazuma continued to ignore him. “Where have you seen them before? Remember, lying will only make your punishment worse.”

O’Leigh sighed, then glared at Riplye. “If I’m going down, you are too.”

Riplye’s eyes widened. “What are you saying?”

O’Leigh sneered. “You’re the one who got me all tied up in this mess! You said it was supposed to be an easy job!”

“Is there something you would like to tell us, Mr O’Leigh?” Kazuma asked.

O’Leigh slammed his fist on the stand, using his other hand to point at Riplye. “It’s all his fault! He made me go through with that job the other day. He’s the mastermind!”

“Shut up you idiot!” Riplye said.

The defendant’s confidence did not falter. “Clearly I have nothing to do with this. I just got mixed up in—“

“He went and stabbed that man,” O’Leigh said, “getting us all in this nasty business to begin with! I didn’t kill nobody! Worst I did was a bit of burglary!”

“You also shot me,” Kazuma reminded him.

“He’s lying,” Riplye said, glaring at O’Leigh.

The judge pounded his gavel. “Enough. Defense council, please continue with your cross examination.”

The defense council stepped up his cross examination this time, asking O’Leigh for details on the job he mentioned, as well as what he meant by Riplye being a mastermind. After the entire court heard about the burglary in van Zieks’s office and Kazuma’s near-death experience, O’Leigh continued to go on about how Riplye and the defendant were heavily involved in the entire case.

“I don’t think this witness can be trusted,” the defense council said once he was done with the cross examination.

“On what basis?” Kazuma asked.

“His testimony contradicts the other witness’s testimony.”

“What if the other witnesses were lying?”

“Wait, there’s one more thing,” O’Leigh interrupted.

“Yes?” Kazuma responded.

“That witness that was murdered. Riplye arranged that too.”

“Mr Riplye, is this true?” Kazuma asked.

Riplye said nothing.

“Wouldn’t put it past him,” the defendant said.

“What do you mean by that?” Kazuma asked.

The defendant’s confidence began to wane. “It’s all him. He’s the one who got me involved with the victim. Threatened me to collect some debt he owed.”

“I didn’t tell you to stab him!” Riplye said.

“You told me to do whatever was necessary!” the defendant argued. He paused after saying it, as if the realization of what he’d just admitted finally sunk in.

Kazuma smiled. “So you did stab the victim?”

“Objection!” the defense shouted. “My client has clearly been intimidated by the prosecution! I call for—“

“Objection!” Kazuma shouted in response. In one swift movement, he lifted his leg and then slammed his heel on the desk. “There was no intimidation. The witnesses admitted to this on their own.” He removed his leg from the desk, then looked at the defendant. “I will ask again. Did you stab the victim?”

“Maybe I did! But the victim wasn’t innocent!” the defendant complained. “He was making black market deals!”

“With you?” Kazuma asked.

He did not reply.

“My Lord,” the foreman of the jury said. “I believe we’ve come to a decision.”

Ryunosuke watched as each juror launched their flame onto the guilty side of the scale. Once all six had proclaimed their stance, Ryunosuke let out a sigh of relief. Kazuma had done it.

Things wrapped up quickly from there. The judge gave his final verdict, proclaiming the defendant guilty. The three witnesses were taken away by bailiffs, and Kazuma retreated with van Zieks into the antechamber.

Ryunosuke and Susato left the gallery and rushed to the antechamber to see him. When they entered, Ryunosuke saw Kazuma standing before van Zieks, frowning.

“That entire trial was a mess,” Kazuma said. “If that evidence hadn’t been stolen—“

“It doesn't matter now,” van Zieks said. “You’ve won. You arrived at the truth, even if it was in an unconventional way.”

“Kazuma!” Ryunosuke called. “You did it!”

“Congratulations, Kazuma-sama!” Susato said.

He offered a slight smile. “Thank you. I feel like this is only the beginning of us taking down this gang, but at least it’s a start.” He sighed. “I didn’t think getting shot by that man would have helped me, but I guess it did in the end.”

“Enough of that for now!” Ryunosuke said. “We should do something to celebrate!”

Kazuma’s smile widened. “What did you have in mind?”

“What if we go to that fancy restaurant?” Susato suggested. “I’m sure Lord van Zieks could help pay for it!”

Van Zieks blinked at her. “I—well—I suppose—”

“And then we can go back to the manor and play games,” Ryunosuke suggested.

Kazuma laughed. “That sounds fun! Before we do all that, though… I could really use a nap. I’m exhausted.”

Ryunosuke laughed. “Fair enough!”

Once Kazuma had returned to his room at the manor, he let out a long sigh. In truth, he wasn’t actually very tired at all; he simply wanted some time alone to himself. After waiting a while in his room, he sneaked out of the house through the garden, careful to not be seen. If all went according to his plans, he would sneak back in without anyone even knowing he had left.

After moving a distance away from the house, he took a carriage to Lowgate Cemetery.

He wasn’t entirely sure why he felt the urge to visit his father’s grave. Maybe it was because he knew no one would bother him there. Maybe it was because he missed his father dearly. Maybe it was because he was still thinking about what van Zieks had told him the other night. But no matter the reason, the urge had been strong enough to lead him there.

When he arrived, it had gotten especially cloudy. The sky threatened to rain at any moment, but Kazuma didn’t care. He sat on the ground in front of plot one-thirty-nine and stared at the gravestone.

It had been a while since he’d visited—far too long, in fact. It was as though he had been afraid of facing his father again.

“Father…” Kazuma whispered. “I won the trial. I should be happy, shouldn’t I?” He sighed. “But nothing can erase the failures, especially not a single success.” He glanced up at the sky. “If you can even call it a success. I barely made it through, and it was only because Barok gave me some advice.”

A fat drop of rain fell onto his nose, and he frowned. Rain began to fall around him, increasing in strength until it was outright pouring. Within seconds, Kazuma became soaked. With another sigh, he pushed his wet hair back and out of his face. He tried his best to ignore the rain, and instead focus on what was on his mind.

“I promised Barok that I wouldn’t hate myself anymore,” Kazuma continued, “but it’s been very difficult.” He placed his hands over his face. “I still feel like a failure. I feel irredeemable.” He felt tears well in his eyes. “Would you be proud of me, father? Or would you be ashamed?”

He recalled memories of his father. Of how kind he would be, even when Kazuma had misbehaved, and of how his smile would fill Kazuma with relief. “I miss you,” Kazuma whispered, tears falling, mixed with the rain that continued to soak him through. “I miss you so much.”

He wasn’t sure how much time passed after that. The rain combined with the chilly wind had him shivering, but he didn’t care. He didn’t want to be anywhere else right now.

After his tears had slowed, he stared back at the gravestone. A moment later, he saw someone approach from the corner of his eye.

“Kazuma!”

He turned his head, finding van Zieks standing beside him, umbrella in hand, looking down at him with concern.

“You shouldn’t be out here like this,” van Zieks said. “You’ll catch a cold.” He held out a hand to help Kazuma stand.

Kazuma grasped his hand using his uninjured arm, then slowly got to his feet. “Sorry to worry you.”

Van Zieks pulled him close, allowing Kazuma to fit under both his cloak and the umbrella. “We should return before the others notice your absence.”

Kazuma sighed, then nodded. “All right.”

Together they moved out of the cemetery until they reached the street. Once they’d called for a carriage, van Zieks removed his cloak entirely and placed it around Kazuma’s shoulders.

“Thanks,” Kazuma muttered. After taking a seat across from van Zieks in the carriage, he pulled the cloak around him tighter, trying not to shiver. “How did you find me so quickly?”

Van Zieks shook his head. “It wasn’t difficult. When I noticed you weren’t in your room, I figured this was where you’d gone.” He looked up at Kazuma with concern. “Are you all right?”

He shivered. “Not really.”

“What is the matter?”

“I thought after winning that trial, I would feel more confident in myself. But instead, I still feel like a failure.”

Van Zieks frowned. “Because you are too hard on yourself. You did very well today despite the challenges.”

“But it never feels like enough,” Kazuma replied.

“If you hold yourself to such high standards, you will never be happy with yourself.” He looked at Kazuma directly. “Do you remember our promise?”

“What does that have to do with this?”

“If you hate yourself, you will never be happy with your achievements.”

Kazuma frowned. He was right and it annoyed him.

“Allow yourself to be proud of your accomplishments today,” van Zieks continued.

Kazuma fidgeted, trying to ignore how cold he was. “Barok, be honest with me.” He glanced away. “Do you think my father would be proud of me?”

“Yes,” van Zieks said confidently.

Kazuma looked back at him, eyes narrowed. “Truly?”

He nodded. “Without a doubt. I also believe that it would have broken his heart knowing all the hardships you’ve had to go through.” He glanced down sadly. “And knowing how much you despise yourself.”

Kazuma felt his own heart begin to break. “I… I hadn’t thought about it like that. Thank you for saying that.”

“I hope you know that I am proud of you as well. You’ve grown a great deal this past year.”

“I… I guess I have.” He looked up at van Zieks. “You’ve grown, too.”

His eyes widened. “You think so?”

Kazuma smiled. “You’ve grown soft.”

Van Zieks sighed.

Kazuma laughed. “I meant it in a good way!”

He smiled slightly. “Thank you.”

They soon arrived back at the manor, and once Kazuma exited the carriage, he removed van Zieks’s cloak and handed it to him. “Thanks again.”

“Make sure you change immediately,” van Zieks said. “You’ll catch a cold otherwise.”

“I will,” Kazuma replied.

“And one more thing,” van Zieks said as they entered the house. “Try to enjoy this evening. Your friends are happy for you. Allow yourself to be happy as well.”

Kazuma smirked. “Only if you do the same.”

Van Zieks frowned. “Very well. Just… please stop me if I try to drink too much.”

Kazuma nodded. “Of course.”

Ryunosuke had two goals in mind for that evening. The first was to make Kazuma have a good time and relax, and the second was to see if Kazuma had improved enough for him and Susato to return home.

He didn’t mind visiting, of course, but being away from his work for too long had its downsides. When he first arrived for his surprise visit, he hadn’t known just how long he’d need to stay. He just knew that he wouldn’t leave until Kazuma felt better.

And now things were getting better. At least, it seemed that way to Ryunosuke. Kazuma had improved considerably from that first day they’d arrived.

Their time at the restaurant had gone well enough. It was fancier than Ryunosuke was expecting, which made him feel a bit out of place, but the food was good at least. And somehow, van Zieks managed to only drink a single glass of wine.

Once they returned to the manor, they found themselves back in the library with a deck of cards.

“Ryunosuke,” Kazuma said, smiling. “Did you check underneath your steak at the restaurant?”

Ryunosuke laughed. “I did! But there were no coins underneath.”

Kazuma laughed. “Hopefully the water wasn’t poisoned, either.”

Van Zieks looked at them with confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“Right before I came to Great Britain, I found myself accused of murder,” Ryunosuke said. “The trial was… interesting, to say the least.” He laughed nervously. “I learned to never pick up guns that don’t belong to me.”

Van Zieks nodded. “I, too, have learned this lesson the hard way.”

“Anyway, that trial was what led me to become a lawyer,” Ryunosuke continued. “All because Kazuma encouraged me!”

Kazuma smiled sadly. “I’m glad it worked out for you. I’ll admit, my intentions for encouraging you were… not exactly pure.”

Susato frowned. “Kazuma-sama…”

“You’ve probably already figured it all out, Ryunosuke, but the reason I encouraged you and smuggled you onto that ship was so that you could defend me if I found myself accused of murder.” He frowned. “Although I didn’t actually intend to kill Gregson, I had actually intended to… well…”

“You had intended to kill me,” van Zieks concluded.

“Yes,” Kazuma said softly. “And I would have done anything to get away with it.”

Ryunosuke frowned. “After I realized you’d lied to me, I figured that was the case.”

Kazuma glanced down. “I’m sorry.”

Ryunosuke smiled. “Like I said before: I forgive you, Kazuma. Deep down, I don’t think you’re actually capable of murder.”

“I agree,” van Zieks said.

“Me, too,” Susato added.

Kazuma smiled. “Thank you. All of you. I promise I won’t let you down.”

They continued the game, making small talk about various things. Ryunosuke once again found himself losing most of the time, but he still had fun.

At one point, van Zieks showed them a new card game that they hadn’t yet played.

“I once taught this game to your father,” van Zieks said to Kazuma.

Kazuma’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“He won every single time we played,” van Zieks continued. “My brother and I tried time after time to beat him at it, but we never could. It delighted him endlessly.”

Kazuma smiled. “We’ll see if I inherited his skill.”

“Lord van Zieks,” Susato said. “Did you ever spend time with my father?”

“I only spoke with him a few times, but I recall having a favorable impression of him,” van Zieks said. “He would sometimes appear with Mr Sholmes during investigations.” He sighed. “Uninvited, of course. He was much less abrasive than Mr Sholmes, for which I was grateful.”

Susato laughed. “He has such great stories to tell me from that time.”

“I hope he has been well,” van Zieks said. “I feel we owe him a great debt for the role he played in my trial.”

Susato nodded, smiling. “He has been very well.”

“Ryunosuke,” Kazuma said, “how has your family been?”

“Oh!” Ryunosuke exclaimed, not expecting to be asked such a question. “Well, I don’t speak with them much, but they seem well.”

“Surely they were excited to hear about your exploits in Great Britain,” Kazuma commented.

Ryunosuke shrugged. “A bit. I think it was overshadowed by how disappointed they were in me for dropping out of university.”

“A shame,” van Zieks said.

Kazuma frowned. “But you’re as successful as ever! The fact that you dropped out shouldn’t mean anything.”

Ryunosuke glanced down. “That’s what I thought, too. But… well, my older cousins all got university degrees, and I think my parents wished I’d been more like them. My father has quite a rivalry with his brother.” He glanced over at Susato, who gave him an encouraging smile. “In all honesty, Professor Mikotoba has felt more like family to me than my own.”

“He has a way with that,” Kazuma commented.

Susato’s smile widened. “Naruhodo-san does come over for dinner often.”

Van Zieks looked at him sadly. “I’m glad you haven’t been discouraged by your family.”

Ryunosuke smiled bashfully. “It takes a great deal to discourage me when I’ve got my mind made up.”

Kazuma laughed. “It’s true.”

“Besides,” Ryunosuke continued, “I have the best judicial assistant in the world to keep me motivated.”

Susato’s eyes widened, but then she smiled. “I am honored to work with you!”

“I daresay,” Kazuma began, “I think the two of you work better together than Susato-san and I would have.”

“You think so?” Susato asked.

“You’re both so polite,” Kazuma pointed out.

Van Zieks nodded. “And you are abrasive and discourteous.”

Kazuma laughed heartily. “Exactly.”

Ryunosuke laughed. “Is he really that bad?”

Van Zieks sighed, shaking his head. “You should have seen him when the detective wouldn’t listen to him during an investigation.”

“He was being terrible!” Kazuma argued.

“You were not exactly being a gentleman yourself,” van Zieks quipped.

“Because he was being terrible!”

Ryunosuke laughed. He could imagine it perfectly. “You must be polite to your mentor, at least,” Ryunosuke reminded him.

“I try,” Kazuma replied. “Most of the time.”

“I am very fortunate in that regard,” van Zieks said. “Most of the time he is polite.”

Kazuma smiled proudly. “See?”

Ryunosuke blinked at him. He recalled the arguments he’d witnessed between the two of them, which had been far from polite. “Are you serious?”

“The moments when he is sweet make up for the moments when he is abrasive,” van Zieks clarified.

“I’m only abrasive when you’re being difficult,” Kazuma clarified.

“And at times, I require that harshness,” van Zieks added.

Susato laughed softly. “It appears the two of you work better together than anyone could have expected.”

Van Zieks nodded. “It’s true.”

Kazuma smiled. “And I’m his most cherished friend!”

Van Zieks looked at him with confusion. “I—Did I… say that?”

“You were drunk,” Ryunosuke answered. “But yes. You called all of us your friends, actually.”

Van Zieks glanced down, his face going red. “I see.”

Kazuma laughed, patting him on the back.. “You’re our friend too, Barok.”

Van Zieks smiled. “Thank you.”

They continued with the game, and Ryunosuke continued to lose. But most of all, Ryunosuke was pleased at how Kazuma’s mood seemed to have improved even from earlier that day. Even van Zieks had smiled, which was a miracle itself.

When the conversation had slowed, Ryunosuke decided to bring up the topic of his return home. “I’ve really enjoyed my visit to London,” he began. “And I appreciate your hospitality, Lord van Zieks. It’s been great staying here.”

Van Zieks nodded. “I’m glad you think so. I will admit that I’ve enjoyed having you all around.”

“When do you plan on leaving?” Kazuma asked.

“Well, I wanted to stay until you found a place to live, but it seems like you are intent on staying here for a while,” Ryunosuke replied.

Kazuma nodded. “It’s true. I… think I’ll probably just stay here for some time.” He glanced at van Zieks. “I can pay you rent if you need.”

Van Zieks shook his head. “Nonsense, you may stay here at no cost as long as you need.”

Ryunosuke smiled. “In that case, we’ll probably be leaving in a couple days.”

Kazuma nodded. “Although I’ll miss having you both around, I understand that you have work waiting for you back home.”

“Thank you, Kazuma-sama,” Susato said. “It has been lovely spending time with you.”

Ryunosuke glanced back toward the cards on the table. “Before we leave, I want to win at least one round.”

Kazuma laughed. “You’ll have to change your strategy, then!”

“And perhaps get a luckier draw,” Susato added.

Ryunosuke laughed, and for the first time since his visit began, he felt completely at ease.

The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon as Ryunosuke and Susato said their last goodbyes.

“Thank you again,” Kazuma said. “You’ve all done a great deal for me these past few weeks. I’ll never forget your kindness.”

Ryunosuke smiled. “Remember to write, Kazuma! And remember—“

“No more lies,” Kazuma said with a smile. “I’ll write often.”

“As will I,” van Zieks said. “I will be sure to write more than to plead for your help.”

“Thank you for that letter, Lord van Zieks,” Ryunosuke said. “I feel like it set in motion a great change for Kazuma.”

“It was what I needed,” Kazuma agreed.

The ship’s horn blared, alerting them that it was almost time to depart.

“One more thing, Kazuma,” Ryunosuke said. He stepped forward and embraced his friend, pulling him close. “I’ll always be here for you, partner.”

Kazuma held him tightly. “I’ll always be here for you, too.”

“You should come visit us sometime. I’ll even give you Karuma back.”

Kazuma released him, looking at him with surprise. “Truly?”

Ryunosuke nodded. “You’ve earned it.”

He smiled. “Thank you.”

Susato stepped forward next and gave Kazuma a hug. “My father would like you to write to him as well,” she said.

“I’ll do just that,” Kazuma assured her.

Van Zieks stepped forward and placed a hand on Ryunosuke’s shoulder. “Thank you again, my learned friend.” He smiled faintly. “Your kindness will never be forgotten.”

Ryunosuke smiled. “I’m happy to help.”

The ship’s horn sounded again, and together with Susato, Ryunosuke stepped onto the ship. They offered their friends one last wave as they stood on board. Kazuma returned the wave enthusiastically, grinning widely. Van Zieks nodded, his faint smile still visible.

It had been even better than what Ryunosuke could have hoped for. Not only had he helped Kazuma, but he had been able to start their friendship anew, putting the grievances of the past behind them.

A friendship that he’d once thought had been lost had instead been strengthened. And as England disappeared into the horizon, Ryunosuke knew that even the great distance between them could not weaken the bond they’d formed.