The Adventure of the Great Departure:Trial, Part 3-1

(Jared's POV)

22nd November, 1:14 p.m.

Supreme Court of Judicature, Courtroom 2…  

"Well? I understand you are the judicial assistant to the defence, but why this sudden ingress into my courtroom?" The Judge asked.

"Ha! A judicial assistant? And a woman, no less! The rules state...that females are not permitted into this court of law other than to testify!" Auchi yelled.

"Yes, I fully understand. I ask only for five minutes of time. I have some vital evidence that I must hand over to the defence." Susato said.

"Hah! You're too late, little girl! This trial has already been concluded!"

"Five minutes. I will not allow a moment more." The Judge said.

"But...Your Excellency!" Auchi cried.

"I am most grateful." Susato said, happily.

"Um, who exactly are you?" Ryunosuke asked.

"I'm sorry, there's no time. Please, simply accept this for now." Susato said, handing the wrapped package to Ryunosuke.

"Thanks, Susato." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'What is it? A report about something... Written in English…'

"It's Jezaille Brett's research." Susato said.

"...! The Englishwoman's?!" Ryunosuke exclaimed.

"After the trial resumed earlier, I hurried back to the university. I went to Dr Watson's laboratory in the medical faculty and...borrowed this paper."

"Oh yes, that's right. Miss Brett was studying under the professor, wasn't she?" Kazuma asked.

"So...does this research - whatever it is - have something to do with the case?" Ryunosuke asked.

"I'm afraid I don't know. I haven't been able to listen to the proceedings of the trial myself." Susato said, sadly.

"It's okay, Susato." I said, as Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Oh...no, of course not.'

"'Special Characteristics of Curare and its Effects on Human Subjects'... Interesting." Kazuma said, reading the cover of the report.

"'Curare'? What's that?" Ryunosuke asked, and he thought this to himself. 'I've never heard that word before…'

"Time's up. The prosecution demands the immediate removal of this female trespasser from the courtroom!" Auchi said, angrily.

"There was too little time for me to read it in detail. But I've summarised what I could on a note just inside the cover. If you think it could be valuable, please cast your eye over it." Susato said, frowning.

"This is wonderful. Thank you!" Ryunosuke said, excitedly.

Jezaille's report has been entered into the Court Record.

"Goodbye, then. And good luck." Susato said, leaving the courtroom.

"You have had long enough, Counsel. We cannot detain our English guest any longer." The Judge said.

"..." Brett said.

"I ask the prosecution and the defence now one last time... ...does either side have any further evidence to present to the court? I presume not, but…"

"The prosecution has made its case convincingly enough already. Nothing more to add, Your Excellency!" Auchi said, angrily.

"Ryunosuke, we're out of options here. This really is our very last chance." Kazuma said, letting out a sigh.

"Yes, I know. Your Excellency! The defence does have new evidence!" Ryunosuke yelled.

"... Hm, that look... The unyielding stare of a true Japanese warrior... Well, Miss Brett?" The Judge asked.

"Yes, Your Excellency?" Brett asked.

"If you wouldn't mind, perhaps you could grace us with your presence a little longer?"

"It's a delightful invitation. But I'm afraid... ...it's not so very long until tea time. I'll have to politely decline…" Brett said, sadly.

"Forgive me, Miss Brett, it seems I wasn't clear. I realise it was phrased as a question. However... ...I must ask you to treat that as an order." 

"... I've said it many times before, but... The Japanese language makes no sense."

"My apologies, dear lady. So, Counsel... What is this new evidence that demands the court's attention?"

"Show them Jezaille's report." I said, smiling.

"Yes." Ryunosuke said, presenting Jezaille's Report. "Miss Jezaille Brett... ...we understand you were studying under Dr Watson at Yumei University. Doing research."

"..." Brett said, at a loss for words.

"Research, by sheer coincidence, perhaps...into a deadly poison." Ryunosuke said.

"What?!" Auchi exclaimed.

"Poison?! Where are you going with this, Counsel?" The Judge asked.

"A toxin known as curare, Your Excellency. Even the slightest amount of this deadly poison entering the body leads to instant death." Kazuma said.

"Objection." Auchi said, doing the Objection pose. "What, what complete and utter nonsense! Cu-curare, you say? I've never even heard of it!"

"You wouldn't have." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag.

"What do you mean?" Auchi asked.

"You wouldn't have known about curare before because it doesn't exist in your country of Japan."

"It doesn't exist...?" Hosonaga asked.

"Correct. Which means... ...no matter what tests the police can do for toxins, they'd never identify curare. Why? Because there IS no test available here that can identify the presence of this highly deadly poison!" Ryunosuke chirped.

"Whaaaaaaaaaaat?!" Auchi exclaimed.

"Order! Order! Order! Counsel, does this deadly poison truly exist?" The Judge asked.

"According to this report authored by the visiting research student from England... ...curare has long been used by the tribespeople of South America as a poison to lace their arrows. It seems that it's reasonably well known among European doctors and scientists." Kazuma said, reading the report.

"To, to lace their arrows...?" Auchi asked.

"The report states that it is produced from the extract of a tree that grows deep in the Amazonian jungle. And it was first brought back to Europe at the turn of the century by explorers. It claims that animals shot by arrows laced with curare suffer instant death. Doesn't that about sum it up, Miss Brett?"

"..." Brett said, speechless.

"Objection." Auchi said, doing the Objection pose. "Trumpery! These aspersions are utter trumpery! To start with! If the victim had been administered some of this so-called deadly poison... ...he would have been squirming and writhing in pain and the other diners would have surely noticed!"

"Hm, that's true. What do you say to that, Inspector?" The Judge asked.

"Obviously I would have noticed a disturbance like that." Hosonaga said.

"Kazuma, tell them the effects of curare." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Hm, I don't remember anything like that, either. I didn't notice the professor being in any kind of pain…'

"I will. According to this, however...it's the other way around." Kazuma said, looking down at Jezaille's report.

"What do you mean, 'the other way around'?" Auchi asked.

"The very fact that the victim didn't show any visible signs of distress... ...is evidence that curare was used." 

"Explain yourself, Counsel." The Judge said.

"The moment this toxin enters a person's system, it causes instant paralysis. In other words, afflicted victims lose all strength and are completely unable to move. Even if they were in total agony, there would be no visible signs of pain at all." Kazuma said.

"How terrible…" Hosonaga said, frowning.

"Obviously, if a man lost all strength in his muscles, he'd collapse on the floor. But with a chair under him for support, as Dr Watson did, the effects could go largely unnoticed."

"But I don't follow, Kazuma. That's just paralysis. I thought the poison caused instant death." Ryunosuke said.

"... The full explanation is extremely unpleasant. The poison causes immediate paralysis, as I said, leaving the victim unable to move. But after a short time, the paralysis is so severe, it causes the muscles that control respiration to fail."

"Respiration...?" Ryunosuke asked.

"In other words, the actual cause of death...is suffocation. And all the while, the victim is conscious and aware. Just unable to move." Kazuma said.

"That's...hideous…" Auchi said, at a loss for words.

"To the observer, it would look almost like the victim was slipping peacefully into an endless sleep. But for the victim himself, his final moments would be a living hell. That is the true nature of this deadly curare poison." Kazuma said.

"..." Brett said, in awe.

"And you're suggesting that this bottle, Counsel... ...actually contains this terrifying poison?" The Judge asked.

"Yeah." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag. "We do."

"Objection." Auchi said, doing the Objection pose. "This, this... This is all very convenient, isn't it? A hitherto unknown poison for which there is no means of testing? What a happy tale for the defence!"

"Ahem. If I may…" Brett said.

"All these 'facts'... You think you're so clever! But you must be taught some manner…"

"Shut up!" Brett yelled. "It is you! ...Who must be taught."

"Of, of course... ...dear ladyyyyyyyy!" Auchi said, worried.

"... So. This is how you Japanese behave, is it?" Brett asked.

"What?" Ryunosuke asked.

"You steal another's honest hard work and then announce the results as if YOU discovered them! I'm appalled! What a loathsome act!"

"Well, Miss Brett, the feeling is mutual." Kazuma said, smirking.

"Whatever do you mean?" Brett asked.

"Capitalising on the unfortunate circumstances of an innocent man to frame him for a heinous crime? That really is a loathsome act. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Objection." Auchi said, doing the Objection pose. "Enough of this! I, for one, refuse to accept it! The idea of some poison that doesn't even exist in the great Empire of Japan is...is...breaking the rules!"

"...Hah hah hah…" Brett said, laughing a lot.

"What's so funny?!" Ryunosuke exclaimed.

"Oh, excuse me. Your...Excellency…"

"Y-Yes, Miss Brett?" The Judge asked.

"May I borrow that bottle for a moment, please?" 

"Um, well... Yes, I don't see, um...why not."

"Don't get too big for your boots, you insignificant little island boys." Brett said, grabbing the bottle from the Judge.

"Sorry?" Kazuma asked.

"To an Englishwoman such as myself, this whole affair is a farcical comedy. Your little police games, and these foolish courtroom antics... It's laughable, really."

"...!" Ryunosuke said, at a loss for words.

"But I'm getting bored of it all now. It's time for the games to end. ...Cheers!" Brett said, drinking whatever was in the bottle.

"What! Wha-What are you doing?!" Ryunosuke exclaimed.

"Hm... No sparkle left at all. How appropriate for this shabby affair." Brett said, frowning.

"..." Ryunosuke said.

"..." Auchi said.

"..." The Judge said.

"..." Kazuma said.

"Um…" I said, looking down at the floor.

"Goodness... Whatever is the matter? You all look quite stunned." Brett said, looking at us.

"..." Ryunosuke said, at a loss for words.

"So...no curare... 'The bottle was clean,' is that what you're saying?" Kazuma asked.

"Hahahaha…" Brett said, laughing a little. "You look quite incredulous, little boy. But of course...that's the simple truth. Thank you for presenting the findings of my research so concisely here in this grand venue. Most kind."

"Grrr…" 

"Thank you, waiter. Now then, Your Excellency…"

"... Ah! Um, yes, Miss Brett?" The Judge asked.

"I should like to be excused now, please. I think I've given more than enough of my time...for the furtherance of friendship between our countries." Brett said.

"Ah, yes, dear lady. We are most gratified with all the assistance you have given." The Judge said.

"..." Ryunosuke said.

"This doesn't make sense... There had to have been poison in that bottle! So how...? How did she...? How did she swallow a whole glass and live to tell the tale?! I don't understand it…" Kazuma said, speechless.

"Well, I suppose if nothing else, this little Far Eastern charade... ...will make for interesting conversation at the next party I attend in London." Brett said, smiling.

"Come on, Ryunosuke. We have all the clues we need. Like with the bottle of water." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself.  'There, there has to have been poison in that bottle... doesn't there...? But there can't have been...because otherwise she would have keeled over dead…'

"Come on, you can prove it contained poison." I said, happily. "I know you can do it."

"The culprit did put curare poison into Dr Watson's carbonated water! I... The defence refuses to change its position!" Ryunosuke said, angrily.

"You're serious?" Kazuma asked.

"Objection." Auchi said, doing the Objection pose. "Fool! Are you blind? There is no possible way that bottle could contain poison! I mean, we just saw…"

"Miss Brett drinking the water from it?" Ryunosuke asked.

"That's right. Which rather complicates your argument, I think." Brett said.

"And I believe that 'complication' can be explained!"

"How, exactly?" Auchi asked.

"..." Brett said.

"Come on…" I said, as Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'I need to think through all the things that don't quite add up here. One by one. I'm sure the answer is in the evidence we have in the Court Record somewhere. It has to be!'

"Very well. If the defence truly intends to assert this claim…" The Judge said.

"...!" Ryunosuke said.

"...then I must ask you to support the assertion with evidence. What explains how the witness was able to consume this supposedly poisoned water unscathed?"

"Here you go." I said, passing Ryunosuke Jezaille's report. "This should have the answer.

"Yes." Ryunosuke said, presenting Jezaille's report. "The answer to this riddle...is right here in Miss Brett's own research report!"

"Objection." Auchi said, and he did the Objection pose. "That's not a valid explanation!"

"No?" Ryunosuke asked.

"After all... ...we don't speak English! That report is utter gibberish! This impudent young scoundrel is trying to ridicule the court, Your Excellency!" Auchi said, terrified.

"Don't let him make you angry." I said, as Ryunosuke thought this to himself.  'I'm not trying to ridicule anyone... Honest. I'm just reading Susato-san's notes…'

"I concur. This report is too extensive to be considered in its entirety by the court. You will direct us to the pertinent section, Counsel. Which section of the report reveals the alleged answer to this riddle?" The Judge asked.

"I think it's the 'Special Characteristics' section." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag.

"Jared's right. We've been hearing a lot about this curare poison. And it's left me curious about something…" Ryunosuke said, looking down at Jezaille's report.

"Oh, Counsel?" The Judge asked.

"Well, it sounds as though indigenous hunters have been using this poison for years and years... ...to lace the heads of the arrows that they shoot at whatever prey they're hunting."

"So we've been led to believe, yes."

"And...the point of hunting is to catch prey to eat."

"Get to the point, please!" Auchi yelled.

"But...if they were to use these laced arrows... ...doesn't that mean there would be traces of poison left in the prey the hunters were going to eat?" Ryunosuke asked.

"Yes! Good point!" Kazuma said, excitedly.

"So surely the hunters wouldn't want to eat their prey, would they? Because then they'd be eating poison." Ryunosuke said.

"Good gracious, Counsel! No, that would be madness!" The Judge said, worried.

"But I actually found the answer to that conundrum in this research paper here. Under 'Special Characteristics', it says this: 'The poison starts to work after entering the body through a wound.'" 

"Through a wound, you say? I see, that makes sense."

"Yes. The mention of that particular detail seemed a little strange to me, though."

"..." Brett said, at a loss for words.

"But it all makes sense when you interpret what's written like this: When curare enters the body through an open wound, it has terrifying poisonous effects. However... ...when it enters the body via the mouth, it has no poisonous effects whatsoever!" Ryunosuke said, angrily.

"What?" Auchi asked.

"Miss Brett! You authored this research! You knew curare's special characteristics! And you knew! ...That you could make a spectacle of drinking that water without any danger to yourself!" 

"... You...meddling...little... ...rapSCALLIOOON!" Brett cried.

"Well, Ryunosuke, it turns out... ...you're an even better lawyer than I thought you'd be." Kazuma said, happily.

"Really?" Ryunosuke asked, and he thought this to himself. 'Me...? A lawyer...?'

"Objection." Auchi said, doing his Objection pose. "All, all this poison talk is fascinating, I'm sure... But I fail to see how it possibly…"

"Shut up!" Brett said, angrily. "So...the ill-bred little puppy has a new toy to play with. Some facts he read in a book. But I'm afraid knowledge doesn't suit you, little boy. It only makes you look silly."

"What are you trying to say?" Ryunosuke asked.

"Your schoolboyish logic has a fatal flaw."

"Sch-Schoolboyish?"

"Flaw?" Kazuma asked.

"What flaw?" I asked, clutching the strap of my sling bag.

"As even your brain has managed to deduce, curare is safe to ingest. It seems likely that its effects are neutralised by the acidic nature of the gastric succus." Brett said.

"Oh, yes, well...of course!" Ryunosuke said, while he thought this to himself. 'Gas trick suckers? What are they?!'

"So, if this lethal poison is completely harmless when drunk... ...the professor wouldn't have died when he swallowed it...would he?" Brett asked.

"Ah!"

"That's...right…" Auchi said, at a loss for words.

"Good gracious!" The Judge said, shocked.

"That's basic science. Science that even a schoolboy should be able to understand, no?" Brett asked.

"Order! Order in court! Order! The logic holds. If the lady and the professor drank the same poison, they would be affected in the same way."

"Are... Are you trying to suggest…" Kazuma said, looking between Brett and Auchi.

"Yes! This curare poison is completely irrelevant to the case on trial!" Auchi said, excitedly.

"That's right. Surely even a little cockroach like you could understand something as simple as that!" Brett said, scoffing.

"..." Ryunosuke said, as he thought this to himself. 'What is this, welling up inside me...? I've never felt like this before. It's a sort of conviction to break down all the discrepancies... It's so intense. Almost rage-like... And more than anything else, it's an animalistic desire... to take down my prey!'

"She's really pissing me off." I said, crossing my arms.

"Objection!" Ryunosuke said, doing the Objection pose. "I don't think so, Miss Jezaille Brett!"

"How... How dare you use that tone with me?!" Brett exclaimed.

"You know very well that there is no fatal flaw here. You know exactly why, even though both you and the victim swallowed the same poison... ...you are alive, but Dr Watson is dead!"

"...!"

"Counsel, I'm sure I don't need to remind you... You must provide compelling evidence. As we now know that this poison is completely harmless when ingested... ...why would Dr Watson alone have been killed by the curare?" The Judge asked.

"This is the evidence he's looking for." I said, passing Ryunosuke the Medical Report Card. "I just want this to work out."

"Take that!" Ryunosuke yelled, presenting the Medical Report Card. "As Miss Brett so readily pointed out, she drank the same water as the professor. However...there was a fundamental and fatal difference between the two diners."

"A fatal difference?" The Judge asked.

"...!" Brett said, at a loss for words.

"The toxic effects of curare are only felt when the poison enters the body through an open wound. So, for a healthy person with no injuries, drinking it is completely harmless. But... ...what if there was a wound inside the mouth of the person drinking the poisoned water?" Ryunosuke asked.

"Inside...?" Auchi asked.

"Yes. Like the wound you might have... ...if you had just been to the dentist and had a tooth extracted, for example."

"Ah…"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" The Judge said, at a loss for words.

"Miss Brett! You've acknowledged many times in your testimony already... ...that you were well aware of Dr Watson's dental appointment that day." Ryunosuke said, looking at Brett.

"Agh!" Brett said, annoyed.

"So that's it... You used that knowledge to orchestrate this…" Kazuma said.

"... Heh...heh...heh…" Brett said, laughing a lot.

"Why is she laughing?" I asked, and Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Is, is she...? ...laughing?!'

"I don't like to repeat myself, but honestly, I can't resist. These childish courtroom games and your half-baked arguments are all so puerile." Brett said.

"What, what do you mean?" Ryunosuke asked.

"Don't worry, little schoolboy, you'll find out soon enough. You see, when you leave vital evidence lying around, you never know what might happen to it."

"No!" 

"I mean, it could just...slip. Oh dear, how careless of me. I'm afraid some crucial evidence may have just been tragically destroyed." Brett said, destroying the bottle.

"N... NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Ryunosuke said, worried.

"What is it? What just happened?" Kazuma asked.

"It's the Englishwoman! She just smashed that bottle!" Auchi said, terrified.

"And in the Supreme Court." I said, sadly. "This sucks. This really sucks."

"Officer! What are you waiting for?! Collect up as much of the water from that broken bottle as possible! At once!" The Officer said, angrily.

"You're wasting your time. This delightful carpet under my feet here was a gift from the British Empire. I assure you, it will soak up the water beautifully. You have neither the technology nor the presence of mind to recover it. Ah ha ha ha hah!" Brett said, laughing a lot.

"How could you?! You... You won't get away with this!" Ryunosuke yelled.

"You can thump the bench and shout as much as you like, little boy. But I'm afraid we'll never know now, will we? If there really was poison in the bottle...or not."

"You…" Kazuma said, annoyed.

"She's a dick." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag. "I don't like her."

"And let us not forget... ...we still have some very compelling evidence left intact. Isn't that right, Counsel for the Prosecution?" Brett asked.

"Oh, of course, of course! You're referring to this photographic print, I presume, dear lady?" Auchi asked.

"That's right. And really, looking at this photograph, it's as clear as day, isn't it? The poor professor was sitting with his back to me. So of course the only person who could have shot him from the front...is the little schoolboy."

"Objection." Kazuma said, doing the Objection pose. "No! You killed the victim that day. Using curare. And then, in order to frame Ryunosuke Naruhodo for the crime... ...you waited until he picked up the pistol you'd arranged for him to find on the floor... ...before you shot the professor's dead body in the chest with your own hidden gun! Then, in the confusion that followed, all you had to do was turn the dead professor and his chair around. You see? You had every opportunity to commit this crime!"

"Heh...heh...heh…" Brett said, giggling. "What a wonderful imagination you have, young man."

"...!" Kazuma said, bewildered.

"A hidden gun, you say? And I shot the professor's dead body, did I? Well, I'm terribly sorry, but...you don't have a shred of evidence." Brett said.

"Exactly! And as you have nothing to support your wild claims, the prosecution's stance remains unchanged. The victim, Dr John H. Watson, was killed by a gunshot to the chest... ...delivered in cold blood by the accused, Ryunosuke Naruhodo!" Auchi cheered.

"Ugh…" Ryunosuke said, annoyed.

"Hmmm…" The Judge said, sadly.

"Um…" I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'This is unbelievable! How can this be happening?! We had her! But now... Is she really going to get away with it? The way she destroyed that evidence was obscene!'

"Ryunosuke!" Kazuma said, angrily.

"Yes?" Ryunosuke asked.

"We've come this far, but now... Now you're the only one who can finish it."

"What? What do you mean?"

"We've lost a vital piece of evidence, it's true. So if there are any clues left for us to use now... ...they must be in your head!"

"He's right, they're in your head." I said, as Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'In...my head?'

"You told me before that your powers of observation were the one thing you could really depend upon." Kazuma said.

"Well yes, that's true, but…" Ryunosuke said, and he thought this to himself. 'But I didn't manage to notice that this woman was a foreigner with a swan on her head…'

"So think back again now. Try to remember every last detail about the scene that day. Everything you saw. Everything you felt. Every colour, every smell…" Kazuma said.

"...!"

"Yeah. Think about the crime scene." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'What I saw... What I felt... Every colour... Is Kazuma right? Somewhere in the vibrant memory of this same scene in my head... ...could there be another clue to expose the identity of Dr Watson's killer?'

"Ryunosuke. There's definitely a clue." I said, looking down at the floor.

"Actually, Kazuma, Jared... ...I think I might have something. Thinking back over everything i saw, I think I might have uncovered another clue!" Ryunosuke said, looking between Kazuma and I.

"Haha. You always have something up your sleeve, don't you, Ryunosuke? Come on then! Let's wipe the smug smile off that Englishwoman's face with some evidence!" Kazuma chirped.

"Alright, I can't wait!" Ryunosuke cheered, as he spoke aloud, before thinking this to himself. 'It's been niggling me for a while that something feels amiss in my memories of that day... Whatever it is could be the key to arriving at the truth about all this…' He spoke this aloud. "It's here somewhere. The clue that shows who Dr Watson's real killer must have been is…"

"It has to be the bloodstain." I said, happily.

"Take that!" Ryunosuke said, presenting the bloodstain. "Inspector Hosonaga! Answer me this!"

"... Y-Yes? What is it?" Hosonaga asked.

'Ugh, he's still miles away. Probably thinking about that bottle being smashed…' Ryunosuke said, thinking that to himself, before speaking aloud. "As you've said a number of times now, you strive for perfection in your investigations, don't you?"

"Absolutely!" 

"I wonder, therefore, if perhaps you took anything else from the scene of the crime. Like, for instance, the plate of steak that you took to the victim's table that day?"

"Objection." Auchi said, doing the Objection pose. "Wait a minute! Where are you going with th…"

"Shut up!" Brett said, angrily. "Where are you going with this, little boy?"

"It's just a memory that's been troubling me." Ryunosuke said.

"What memory?"

"I saw the crime shown in this photographic print with my own eyes that day. And I saw that on the wooden base of the plate that the steak was served on... ...was a spattering of blood."

"What?!" Auchi exclaimed.

"... Oh really? And what of it? Obviously that must have happened when you shot the professor." Brett said, scoffing.

"No, that can't be the case." Ryunosuke said, frowning.

"...!"

"Take a good look at the photograph, and the relative position of everything there. The plate of steak is almost directly behind the victim. If I'm supposed to have shot Dr Watson in the chest from the front... ...there's no way that blood from the victim could have ended up directly behind him!"

"Ah!" Auchi said, terrified.

"Hm, yes... For blood to have made it onto the plate, it implies the plate was between the victim and the shooter. Which means the shooter must have been sitting opposite the professor, as you were... ...Jezaille Brett!" Kazuma yelled.

"I beg your pardon?!" Brett exclaimed.

"Objection." Auchi said, doing the Objection pose. "This...this is beyond ridiculous! Fabricated nonsense! Is the court seriously expected to believe something the accused has apparently just 'remembered' seeing?"

"Hold it." Hosonaga said, doing the Hold it pose. "This... This could be the moment that my entire career in the police force has been leading to."

"Inspector! You mean...?" Ryunosuke asked.

"Yes! I took the plate! In the interests of preserving evidence from the scene of the crime! I took it, meat and all! And I don't CARE if they call me a crime scene thief because of it!" Hosonaga chirped.

"You did WHAT?!" Brett exclaimed.

"I took the steak that you had been eating, Miss Brett. I took the steak that the sergeant had been eating. And I did it all...in the name of justice!"

"Then we can find out for sure whether or not there's a bloodstain on Miss Brett's plate! We must examine it! Now!" Ryunosuke said, angrily.

"Inspector! The court wishes to examine the plate from the victim's table, immediately!" The Judge yelled.

"Yes, siiir!" Hosonaga said, running out of the courtroom.

I took out my phone and called Sayaka Miki.

"Hey." Sayaka said, her voice coming out of my phone. 

"Hey." I said, my iPhone 15 Pro Max near my ear. 

"What's up?"

"In the middle of a court case. You know, the one with Jezaille Brett."

"Do you mean the one with Asa Shinn?" 

"Yup. It was good. I forget how many puns Ace Attorney has."

"Tell me about it." Sayaka said, her voice coming out of my phone.

"I got to go. Thanks for the chat, Sayaka." I said, ending the call with Sayaka, and placing my phone back inside my sling bag. "See you later."

"Sorry for the delay. Here is what you ordered... The steak." Hosonaga said, entering the room with the plate of steak.

"Well? What about the blood? Is there blood on it?!" Ryunosuke exclaimed.

"Of course there isn't!" Auchi cried.

"Quickly, Inspector! The blood, man! Show the court!" The Judge said, angrily.

"Of course. Examine the plate at your leisure." Hosonga said.

"Let me take a look at that." I said, walking over to the steak and taking out my sonic screwdriver. I scanned the steak with my sonic. "Ryunosuke, there's no blood. No blood anywhere."

"But... But no, that's... Impossibleeeeee!" Ryunosuke said, and he thought this to himself. 'I know I saw it! I'm sure of it! It was right there on the table behind the professor. There was blood on the side of the plate!'

"...Heh...heh...heh… What an unbecoming expression, little boy! You see! This is why I always say you can't trust what the Japanese tell you!" Brett cooed.

"Agh!" Ryunosuke yelled, while I placed my sonic screwdriver in my sling bag.

"Tsk, I couldn't agree more! ...In the case of this disgrace to the empire!" Auchi said, angrily.

"I believe we may finally have reached a conclusion in this trial." The Judge said.

"Let's hope so. This 'let's pretend' attempt at courtroom proceedings is painful to watch. But I do promise to do my best to forget all about it when it's over." Brett said.

"..." Ryunosuke said, at a loss for words.

"Hah! This sorry-looking steak reveals the facts all too clearly! If the sorry-looking accused wishes to examine it again, be my guest!" Auchi said, excitedly.

The plate of steak has been entered into the Court Record.

"We now have a plate of steak as evidence. That's good." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Was the plate I saw - or thought I saw - just a figment of my imagination? This is it now. I've lost…'

"Ryunosuke, we need to examine the plate of steak in more detail." I said, as I walked back to the defense side of the courtroom.

"Ryunosuke... It's not over yet. Not until the final gavel." Kazuma said.

"Hm?" Ryunosuke asked.

"Never stop believing in yourself. Keep looking forward, no matter what."

"And the worst of times are when lawyers have to force their biggest smiles." I said, and Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'Believe in myself...? The biggest smiles…? Really? Hm, maybe I should at least examine the evidence for myself.'

"As the evidence requested by the defence has not been shown to be problematic in any way... ...I presume any further examination of evidence in this trial will be unnecessary. Does the defence have any objection?" The Judge asked.

"Come on, Ryunosuke. You got this." I said, while Ryunosuke thought this to himself. 'That bloodstain was going to clinch the trial for me. Can this plate of steak reveal any other clues at all?'

"There's another clue." I said, as I looked down at the floor. "Let them know."

"Your Excellency, please, wait! This plate of beef is hiding another clue! Another clue that will reveal the shocking truth!" Ryunosuke cried.

"Objection." Auchi said, doing the Objection pose. "The only thing that's shocking here, is your unhealthy fascination with beef steak!"

"Your Excellency... I think I've made myself clear, haven't I? I will not be able to turn a blind eye to any more unnecessary procrastination in this trial." Brett said, sadly.

"I'm sorry, Miss Brett, but we must ensure a thorough examination of the evidence. I will not give a ruling until I'm completely satisfied that all reasonable doubt has been dispelled." The Judge said, frowning.

"I see... As a newly affirmed ally of my country, that's still your position, is it?"

"Thank you...Your Excellency." Ryunosuke said, looking at the Judge.

"Counsel for the Defence! You will now clearly show the court to what you are alluding! Where precisely on this plate of beef steak is this new clue to be found?" The Judge asked.

"Ryunosuke, look at this." I said, examining the steak, looking under the meat, finding a koban coin, and passing it to Ryunosuke. "It's a koban coin."

"Got it!" Ryunosuke said, presenting the koban coin.

"Good, good gracious! That's…" The Judge said, in awe.

"A-A-A...koban?" Auchi asked.

"What on earth...?" Brett asked.

"A Hoei-era one, at that." Hosonaga said.

"Miss Brett... This...is in fact the beef steak that you ordered at the restaurant on the day in question, is it?" Ryunosuke asked.

"..." Brett said.

"Tell me, why is there an old coin seemingly hidden underneath the meat?" 

"Shut up!" Brett said, angrily. "What a ridiculous question! How should I know? I've never seen that thing before in my life! I don't know what this is, but I want no part of it!"

"Objection." Auchi said, doing the Objection pose. "I fail to see how this is relevant! A coin under the meat? That could simply have been a careless mistake by the chef in a moment of distraction."

"Objection." Kazuma said, doing the Objection pose. "Don't be absurd! We're supposed to believe that this happened by accident in the kitchen? A rare Hoei koban just happens to be hidden underneath that piece of steak? If this turns out to be irrelevant to the case... I'll rip up my ticket to Great Britain right now!"

'He's right. It can't be a coincidence.' Ryuonsuke said, thinking this to himself, before speaking aloud. "Your Excellency!"

"Yes, Counsel?" The Judge asked.

"A rare Hoei koban just happens to be hidden underneath that piece of steak? If this turns out to be irrelevant to the case... I'll give up my lawyer job right now!"

"Objection." Auchi said, doing the Objection pose. "By all means, don't let us stop you! No one invited you, anyway!"

"Shut up!" Brett yelled. "Perhaps, little boy, you should realise that it is you who is irrelevant."

'Even though I'M the one on trial here...?' Ryunosuke asked, thinking this to himself, before talking aloud. "The point is! It's essential that we ask the owner of this coin if he can explain what it's doing under that steak!"

"The owner...?" The Judge asked.

"Yeah. The owner. It's pretty obvious." I said, happily. "And there's only one person it can belong to."

"The owner of the koban that was found underneath the beef steak is…" Ryunosuke said, presenting Kyurio Korekuta's profile. "Take that!" He looked at the Judge. "Obviously, it can only be... ...the antiques dealer and owner of Rasu-tei, Kyurio Korekuta-san!"

"Kyuri...? As in 'Mr Cucumber-something'? Honestly, these ridiculous Japanese names are quite unfathomable." Brett said, scoffing.

"Ah, yes... ...the old man who testified earlier alongside the military sergeant, correct?" The Judge asked.

"Yes, Your Excellency." Ryunosuke said.

"I remember him saying that he was up to something with his koban coin when it happened. At exactly the moment the gun was fired." Kazuma said.