.

Chapter 7

(In which Iris comes to tea and Kazuma faces a case he can't lose on his own.)

If nothing else, days spent in Norrington's office were considerably easier than Kazuma was used to. There was less nitpicking, less snide commentary, fewer arguments. The days felt shorter, the atmosphere lighter, and Norrington's affable good cheer was pleasant enough to deal with.

And yet…

Kazuma had never thought he'd miss van Zieks's chilly silences and gruff criticisms, but he did. And while Norrington was friendly and they got along well enough, they lacked the same…understanding. Kazuma and van Zieks had seen each other at their worst, been at each other's throats, and slowly, painfully clawed their way to a mutual understanding. They had only learned to respect each other and get along because they'd fought for it every step of the way.

Van Zieks understood the ugly pieces of Kazuma that no one else did and accepted them without judgment. In Norrington's office, Kazuma no longer had that outlet to just be himself, rough-hewn and unvarnished. He liked Norrington well enough, but there was nothing holding them together past a few weeks of sharing an office and casework. Norrington hadn't been friends with Kazuma's father. He hadn't faced Kazuma's blind persecution and accepted him anyway. He hadn't hurt Kazuma either, and been forgiven. They were inoffensively cordial with each other, friendly on a surface level, but Kazuma missed that feeling of shared understanding. It was harder with van Zieks, ugly and raw and sometimes painful, but it also went so much deeper than this shallow acquaintanceship.

It was probably Kazuma's fault, really. He just couldn't bring himself to put in the effort it might take to develop a deeper relationship with Norrington. He'd sunk so much effort into connecting with van Zieks already that it seemed too daunting to try, even if he wanted to. And maybe that little knot of resentment lodged in his chest didn't want to. It felt like maybe if he didn't settle in here and make Norrington's office home, there was still a chance he could end up back where he belonged someday.

But until then, at least the office was quiet and largely drama free. Kazuma assisted Norrington with his cases and was granted a few of his own to build under supervision, and if he wasn't satisfied with the feedback he got, he closed his eyes and tried to imagine what van Zieks's blunt criticisms might have been.

After hours, he spent more time at Baker Street. He took dinner there more often than not, playing with Wagahai, listening to Sholmes's wild deductions, and marveling over Iris's inventions and tea blends. He had even found that Sholmes was more than eager to box with him, even if his manner of instruction consisted mostly of throwing punches and leaving Kazuma to figure things out himself if he wanted to avoid being hit.

If van Zieks had made himself scarce at the office, he had disappeared entirely from Baker Street. He had not come once since bringing news of Kazuma's transfer. Kazuma knew this because Iris was wildly disappointed that the man had begun declining all of her invitations and was not shy about saying so. Van Zieks would not risk crossing Kazuma's path there.

Kazuma did see him at the office sometimes, though. Mostly from a distance, but they had exchanged pleasantries on occasion, on their way past each other. Norrington seemed to have relaxed after seeing how van Zieks's attitude had mellowed in that encounter after Kazuma's trial, and if he did not want Kazuma bothering the man, he would at least not protest if they shared a few words in the hallway from time to time. They had no meaningful conversations, but at least it wasn't as if van Zieks had somehow vanished off the face of the earth anymore, deliberately going out of his way to avoid his one-time apprentice.

Van Zieks still came to Kazuma's trials and watched from afar, and Kazuma had also coaxed Norrington into letting him observe van Zieks's trials when they had the time. Those were always a good show, but they also made a strange ache burn in his chest. He wanted to be a part of it. He was supposed to be there, the two of them building the case together. It made him feel alone and excluded from that world he had loved. Once or twice, he noticed van Zieks cast a sideways glance towards where his apprentice had once stood and wondered if he felt it too, but it might have only been wishful thinking.

Even the rumors around the office had been dying down. For the first few weeks, he could nearly always catch whispered conjecture when he moved through the halls. No one was sure whether Kazuma or van Zieks was the main culprit or what the story was behind their break, but it had been a hot topic of speculation, undoubtedly because van Zieks had always been a hot topic of speculation and Kazuma had his own smaller brand of infamy from the Reaper trial. The nose-breaking incident had done nothing to discourage the gossip.

Kazuma wondered how van Zieks could stand the constant whispers and ignore them as if he didn't even hear them, as if they didn't bother him. He'd always been good at that, but maybe it was just that he'd had more practice. Kazuma hated it. The stares made his skin itch. The rumors made him want to draw a sword on someone. He hated when people wondered if his work hadn't been up to van Zieks's exacting standards. He hated it more when they nodded knowingly to each other and said they'd always known no one would be able to stand working with van Zieks for long. They didn't know anything.

But after a few weeks, even such juicy gossip became stale, and people found other things to talk about. It was considerably easier when people stopped whispering about the rift all the time, even if it still weighed heavily on Kazuma's mind.

So it did catch his attention when he arrived at the office one morning and heard van Zieks's name making the rounds again. He paused a moment, listening in on two junior prosecutors huddled in the hall and speaking in hushed tones.

Then, with a sudden jolt of worry, he took off at a quick clip, changing direction and making a beeline for van Zieks's office. He threw open the door and was relieved to see van Zieks standing behind the table, frowning down at the model of his latest crime scene. Van Zieks cut a look up at him, eyebrows lifted.

"I heard you were attacked this morning," Kazuma said. "Are you hurt?"

Van Zieks sniffed disdainfully and gestured towards himself airily as he looked back down at the model. "As you can see, I am well. It was a clumsy affair. Hardly worth speaking of."

Kazuma ventured a few steps inside, studying his one-time mentor critically. It was impossible to tell if there might be injuries hidden beneath the stiff jacket and impassive expression. Van Zieks had always been good at hiding those things, plastering over his wounds and pretending they didn't exist. He could do it nearly as well as he did for his intangible hurts. He would never show what he considered a weakness, not as long as he mistrusted the world and expected someone to pounce on him for it.

"But were you hurt?" Kazuma asked.

"Not unless you count a twisted ankle, but I did that to myself. In any case, it is none of your concern. Does Lord Norrington know you are here? You should return to your duties."

"Of course it's my concern," Kazuma said irritably. "I don't have to be your apprentice to care about what happens to you." Van Zieks looked back at him, and Kazuma muttered, "It would still be safer if you hadn't sent me away. You could use someone to watch your back."

"…That is not and never has been your responsibility," van Zieks said slowly, carefully, like he was trying to puzzle out Kazuma's angle and treading lightly until he knew what to expect.

"It doesn't have to be my responsibility," Kazuma said, exasperated. "I can still want to do it anyway. Don't look at me like that. I know the whole point of transferring me was so that I wouldn't. I'm just saying, we wouldn't have to worry as much if you'd let someone help you."

Van Zieks wrinkled his nose. "Who is 'we'?"

"Iris and Mr. Sholmes, of course. And me." Kazuma hesitated and then added, "You've been avoiding them too. Iris has been disappointed that you keep declining her invitations. You don't have to stop seeing her just to avoid me, you know."

Van Zieks sighed. "Let me ask you something. Have you been spending a considerable amount of time there recently? More than before?"

"Yes, I suppose so. Ever since they took care of me after my injury, I guess."

He nodded to himself. "Yes… They are your primary friends in London, aren't they? I hope that you will build a rapport with Lord Norrington too, that you might rely on his support, but until then… Baker Street is your refuge, of sorts. A place of safety in an unfamiliar city, now that you no longer have my office to spend your days in. I will not infringe upon it, as I would like it to stay that way."

Kazuma stared at him. "But that's not… I'm hardly going to stop going there just because I might run across you on occasion."

"You are still angry with me, and hurt. I think it would be best to keep that out of the place that is closest to being your home here. Until things are more settled, I think it wise to limit our interactions to the office."

"…Is that why you asked them to care for me after leaving the hospital? So that I would spend more time there and make it home?"

Van Zieks sighed and plucked a small figure from the model, rolling it in his palm while he considered it. "Our relationship has always been a tumultuous one, but I'd like to think we were able to rely on each other for a time. I thought it might be prudent to be sure you had someone else to rely on more heavily once I was gone. Another place to go."

An uncomfortable feeling churned in the pit of Kazuma's stomach. "As usual, you've really thought out everything, haven't you?" he said softly, bitterly. "Very cunning."

"Yes," van Zieks said heavily. "I've been told I'm quite calculating. But then, Lord Stronghart was something of a mentor to me, so perhaps it was inevitable."

"I didn't say that you were like him," Kazuma said sharply. "Don't put words in my mouth."

"You didn't say that at all, Mr. Asogi. I did." Van Zieks looked suddenly very tired. "We tend to learn from the people we respect, the ones who try to shape us. We carry pieces of them. I hope that if you have picked up any of my less favorable qualities, you will learn something from Lord Norrington to balance them out. He is a good deal less conniving than I am."

Kazuma clenched his hands into fists at his sides. "I expect that all of my less favorable qualities were mine to begin with. Anything I learned from you was an improvement. Although it's bold of you to assume I ever respected you."

One corner of van Zieks's mouth curled upwards. "Pray forgive my presumption."

"…I mean, I do, but you still shouldn't assume it," Kazuma muttered. Van Zieks's unflattering description of himself had left a sour taste in his mouth. "I do not think you are like Lord Stronghart at all. He only ever used and destroyed people. His machinations were always selfish, for his own gain. Yours are not, although I'd prefer you didn't always decide what's best for me without giving me a say. But… I suppose that you were, once again, arranging the best opportunity for me that you could. And I hate it, and you're wrong, but I appreciate it anyway, that you'd try for me."

Van Zieks looked at him for a long moment. "I appreciate your understanding, if not your acceptance. You've had no say in the matter, but your words carry their own weight regardless."

"Just not enough to change your mind."

"No. But I will treasure them nonetheless. While I appreciate your concern, I think it's time you returned to your own duties before Lord Norrington comes looking for you."

Kazuma let out a breath and stepped back. "Just be careful. You wouldn't want to give me the chance to say 'I told you so'."

"Certainly not. I can only imagine how insufferable you would be."

"And you should accept Iris's invitations. She misses you."

"…I will consider it."

This was not an acceptance. More a polite way of saying no without actually saying it. At least Kazuma could tell Iris he'd tried.

"Goodbye, then," he said, backing out of the room.

Van Zieks had already gone back to examining his model. There was a shadowed look to his eyes, and Kazuma wondered what was going on in his head. If he was beginning to spiral again. His mood seemed low, if his offhand comparison to Stronghart was any indication. If Kazuma were still van Zieks's apprentice, he might have pushed back a little more, tested the waters to see if he could get anything else out of the man or find a way to help. Or maybe he wouldn't have. He'd never been very good at those things.

In any case, he wouldn't do it now. It wasn't his place anymore, was it?

The next time Iris complained that van Zieks had declined yet another invitation, Kazuma recounted the conversation they'd had on the matter.

"Sorry," he finished. "I guess it's my fault that he's not coming now."

Iris's expression had grown more and more thoughtful, and now she tapped a finger against her lips in consideration. "No… It's not your fault. That's Mr. Barry's choice, even if he thinks he's trying to help you. He could have still come anyway or communicated with me to find a time when you wouldn't be here. Still… At least he has good intentions and isn't just upset with me or trying to avoid you."

"He is trying to avoid me."

"But not only that. You said he's been talking to you more at the office, right? At least if you go looking for him. So that's good. And here he's really trying to keep the apartment a safe space without all the drama and hard feelings surrounding the transfer. I think it's a kind sentiment, even if he's going about it quite rudely. How do we convince him to come back?"

"We don't," Kazuma muttered. "I already tried, but he's as stubborn as they come. Once he's decided on his course of action, it's impossible to sway him unless you can convince him it's his idea."

Iris pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. "But it was fun having him over to dinner with you! We had a good time, and he seemed to enjoy it too."

"Sorry. He's always been something of a sanctimonious martyr. He's not going to come, even if he wants to."

"Hm. I'm sure I can win him over somehow."

If anyone had a shot, Kazuma supposed it was her. He didn't know if Iris realized exactly how much of a hold she had over van Zieks. But the man was nothing if not good at avoiding his problems, and it wasn't the first time he'd deliberately stayed away from his niece, either to protect her from his reputation or maintain a respectful distance from Kazuma's refuge. She would have her work cut out for her.

But then, she'd never been one to waste time or back down from a challenge.

The very next day, Iris came skipping into the office with a thermos in one hand and a satisfied smile on her face. Kazuma and Norrington abruptly ceased discussing their case and stared at her in bewilderment.

"Iris?" Kazuma said. "What are you doing here?"

"I've just been to see Mr. Barry," she said cheerfully.

"You what?"

"I was thinking about what you said, about how he's declining our invitations because he wants the apartment to be a safe space for you, and I thought that if he won't come to us, we'll just have to go to him! So I brought some tea to his office and asked if he'd drink it with me since I was already there."

"Did he…take it well?"

"Well, I think I surprised him and I'm not sure he was entirely pleased that I came to the office, but he agreed! It was nice. Maybe I'll bring Hurley next time."

"That sounds like a good way to get kicked right back out."

Iris laughed. "You're probably right. Anyway, he said to make sure I came to see you too before I left. He was very insistent about it, actually."

Kazuma considered that for a moment. "Oh. I guess that makes sense."

She tilted her head. "Does it?"

He hesitated. He could hardly say that van Zieks had been careful to give no one cause to suspect their familial connection, but perhaps he could say something close.

"Ah… He's been careful to avoid drawing notice to your friendship. With all the attacks and bad publicity, he prefers to keep his distance from anyone who might become collateral damage. That's why he only started visiting once I invited him to come with me, so that it looked like I was his reason for being there. He wasn't pleased you came to the office because it makes it obvious you came to see him, and he told you to visit me too so that if anyone notices, it will look like you came to see me instead and just stopped in on him too while you were here. He's using your stronger connection to me in order to mask your connection to him."

A troubled frown stole over Iris's face. "Oh. That's…"

"He's very calculating like that. Always thinking ten steps ahead."

"Do you think that's another reason he's declining my invitations? Because he doesn't want to come without you?"

Kazuma paused, frowning. "You…might be on to something. If he's decided he's protecting the both of us… Did he actually talk to you?"

She perked up again. "Yes! I told him about everything he's been missing out on, and he was very polite. I guess he didn't say too much himself, but it wasn't so bad. I have to say, though… I didn't think he was looking very well. He's looking tired and worn down again, and he's very quiet."

Kazuma closed his eyes and massaged his temples. He could feel a headache coming on, and it was undoubtedly van Zieks's doing.

"Yes, I noticed that. He seemed in poor spirits when we last spoke too."

"I'll be sure to bring a nice relaxing blend next time," Iris said wisely. "He seems stressed. I think I might just pop in once a week or so. I'll stop by to see you too. Is it okay if we do tea here sometimes?"

Kazuma glanced at Norrington and raised his eyebrows. The man looked between him and Iris, still looking faintly baffled.

"I don't see why not," he said. "Your friends are always welcome here, of course."

"How lovely!" Iris said, beaming and clapping her hands together. "I'll bring enough tea for you too. I'm always trying new blends, and it's nice to have someone else to test them out. Kazu says you're nice."

Norrington looked more taken aback by the moment but offered her a smile nonetheless. "That's very kind of you. Sorry, but I'm not sure we've been introduced."

"Oh! I'm sorry. My name is Iris! I live with Hurley, and I'm Kazu's friend."

This did not seem to clear up Norrington's confusion at all.

"She's Mr. Herlock Sholmes's ward," Kazuma explained. "She's actually the author of those stories in Randst."

"How fascinating," Norrington said. "Those stories are quite riveting. I didn't realize the author was so young. I'm Lord Norrington, Mr. Asogi's mentor, but it sounds like you already know that."

"Yes! It's nice to meet you." Iris smiled and poured tea for them.

"It's very good," Kazuma said, taking a sip. "As always."

"Thank you."

"If you're planning to keep coming back, maybe bring some snacks next time. Sometimes he stops eating when he's upset or overworking himself, but he won't turn down anything you offer him."

"Ooh, that's quite clever. You're a little calculating yourself. I'll bring tea sandwiches and scones next time."

"I learned from the best," Kazuma said dryly.

Iris laughed. "I'm sure Mr. Barry is very proud."

"Well, don't tell him the reasoning behind it, or he'll dig in his heels out of spite."

"Just to make sure I'm entirely understanding," Norrington broke in, "Mr. Barry is really…?"

"Lord van Zieks," Kazuma said. "But only Iris is allowed to call him that."

Iris pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. "He said he didn't mind."

"He doesn't mind when it's you. He was hardly going to tell you no. The man adores you."

She giggled and said, "He's really a big softie at heart…like you."

Kazuma wrinkled his nose as she laughed at him. She really did get strange ideas in her head sometimes.

He steered the conversation towards safer topics as they sipped their tea, but as Iris packed up her things and headed for the door, he thought to impart one last caution.

"Iris," he said, and she turned back to him with big, politely curious eyes. "Be careful, alright? You're treading on shaky ground now. Lord van Zieks doesn't trust anyone here, so he doesn't want you here either. Just… Follow whatever boundaries he puts on your visits, or you might find yourself banished too."

"Not to worry!" she said. "I think he'll enjoy the company."

Kazuma was not so easily convinced. "Like I said, he's a bit of a sanctimonious martyr. What he wants has very little to do with how he acts. If he decides it's safer that you aren't seen here, I guarantee he'll ice you out. Just follow his guidance, even if it seems paranoid and overly convoluted."

Iris's smile was fleeting and melancholy this time, too old and knowing for a child her age. "I know, Kazu. Don't worry, I'll be good." In an instant, she'd turned her smile back up to full wattage as she waved gaily and bounced off towards the door. "See you later! Are you coming to dinner tonight? You should come. I'm trying a new recipe, and Hurley scarfs his food so fast that he can't give me any meaningful feedback about how it tastes."

"I'll be there."

"Great! And it was nice to meet you too, Mr. Norry! I hope your case goes well!"

She vanished out the door like a wild pink whirlwind, leaving Kazuma and Norrington staring after her.

"She's…certainly a spirited young lady," Norrington said finally. "It's difficult to keep up with her."

"That's Iris for you," Kazuma said, turning back to the evidence catalog he'd been examining before the interruption. "She's wildly brilliant."

A trait that seemed to run in the family, but thankfully manifested itself in different enough ways that the connection didn't seem too glaringly obvious.

"Well… That was unexpected, but it's nice that your friend wants to visit."

"You don't have to sound so surprised that I have friends."

"That's not what I said."

Kazuma huffed out a small laugh. "I probably would have gone mad long ago if Lord van Zieks was my only connection in London."

Norrington drew in a breath and then hesitated. Kazuma could almost feel him debating whether to address the overheard commentary on van Zieks, and he stared very hard at the catalog and didn't look up.

In the end, Norrington only sighed and shook his head. "Where were we, then?"

Kazuma hardly remembered, when his mind was so far away.

Kazuma's next case was tricky. There was enough evidence to go on, but still unresolved questions by the time the court date rolled around. Just enough pieces missing to give the defense an opportunity to make trouble.

It might have been fine. As it turned out, the defense was headed by the most incompetent, insipid barrister Kazuma had seen in all his life. The man couldn't dismantle a house of cards, much less Kazuma's carefully constructed case.

It would have been an easy enough win, if not for the fact that the key witness let slip some new and troubling details on the stand. It came out of nowhere, and suddenly there was another potential witness they hadn't known about before. That would have been enough of a headache in itself, but in the midst of the seemingly inconsequential details uncovered when pressed, a possibility of the defendant's innocence was emerging.

The defense obviously hadn't realized the potential implications yet, still fumbling away with irrelevant questions and bluffs. Kazuma's sharp questions about why the witness had left out such key details were the only thing bringing the information to light at all. The cross-examination was a joke.

Kazuma suddenly felt caught wrong-footed and unsure. He could probably push through a verdict now, as things stood. Or he could acquiesce to subpoena a new witness without a fight and likely still pull out a win as long as the man didn't say anything too damaging. The defense was hardly going to stand in his way.

But now there was a very real possibility that Kazuma was standing on the wrong side of the courtroom, and could he live with himself if he pushed through a guilty verdict while there was still so much doubt?

"Mr. Asogi?" the judge said in a voice that made it sound like it wasn't the first time he'd asked the question. "What is the prosecution's stance?"

Kazuma felt everything spinning out of control, felt the trial slipping away from him. His carefully crafted case felt suddenly shaky, and while he still had enough to argue that the defendant was guilty, he couldn't be entirely sure of that, could he? He'd been wrong before.

"What's the matter?" Norrington asked in a low voice.

Kazuma needed to come up with an answer, a solution. His panicked gaze flitted not to the mentor next to him but up to the public gallery. Van Zieks had stepped closer to the railing, brows furrowed and mouth pressed into a tight line. He had noticed as well, of course.

Van Zieks wouldn't let such a sloppy case rest like that. It was not the prosecution's job to defend the accused, but even though van Zieks had always pushed for the guilty verdict as his role demanded, he had also always pushed for the truth to come out first. When a witness was discovered in a lie, he pushed them harder. He never hesitated to subpoena a new witness or offer new evidence that had suddenly become relevant to the defense's case. He had always been fair and honest about making sure their witnesses and evidence told the truth as best as possible, so that if the defendant was innocent, the defense could prove it.

"The prosecution requests that court be adjourned for the day," Kazuma blurted out. "To give us the opportunity to subpoena this new witness and reassess our theory of events in light of new information."

"What?" Norrington hissed. "Why would we do that?"

"An unusual request," the judge said. "We could take a brief recess to issue the subpoena and reconvene after the witness arrives."

Kazuma bit his lip, unsure of himself. He knew the trial could go on, but with such a hopeless defense attorney and potential new evidence… He could use time to reassess the situation. He had nearly condemned an innocent man once, and the thought of doing so now made his stomach turn over.

He looked back up at the gallery. Van Zieks stared back expressionlessly for a long moment before nodding once.

"The prosecution believes that further investigation is required to rule out new possibilities presented by this witness's testimony," Kazuma said.

"Well…" The judge looked across the courtroom. "Does the defense have any objection?"

"None at all," the defense attorney said quickly. At least he wasn't fool enough to miss a golden opportunity dropping into his lap. "The defense concurs with the prosecution's assessment."

"In that case… Court is adjourned for today. We will reconvene in the morning. Please make sure everything is in order this time."

Kazuma heaved a shuddering sigh of relief as he escaped the oppressive weight of the courtroom. It had been getting hard to think in there. To breathe. More than anything, it disconcerted him how his confidence could have been rattled so severely at the drop of a hat. It was hardly the first time he'd discovered missing information or had to revise his arguments on the spot, but somehow this felt different. Maybe it was because van Zieks wasn't standing beside him this time to make sure he was on the right track. Maybe it was just that Kazuma didn't trust himself as much as he used to, when there was a hint of doubt and he had to make the judgment call about a man's innocence.

"At least we'll have more time to prepare this new witness," Norrington said. "Let's issue the subpoena and conduct an interview at once. But truly, why would you request a full adjournment? We still have the upper hand. No need to give the defense more time to prepare too."

"We might be totally wrong about this," Kazuma said. "You caught it too, right? The things he was saying… They're small, but we might be looking at the wrong person entirely."

"Then I'm sure that would come out in the new testimony."

"I'll feel better about it after doing some more investigation to make sure. If the defendant is innocent, I want to know."

"That's fair," Norrington said slowly. "Just… You are aware that it's the defense's job to prove him innocent? We should ensure we have all the best testimony and evidence presented, but it's the defense's job to put it together."

Kazuma scoffed. "What defense? The man's incompetent. He's fumbled this from start to finish."

Norrington frowned. "That said… Don't overstep yourself. The prosecution and defense have set roles, and you want to give no one the impression that you might be colluding. I know you have a background in defense, but don't stray too far towards that side of the courtroom."

"So I should… What? Let an innocent man be convicted?"

"You should conduct your investigations and present your case so that the court is given unbiased evidence and testimony. It isn't our job to decide whether someone is innocent or guilty. That is up to the jury and judge. We are only presenting the case for why someone could be guilty, while the defense does the opposite. It's our job to win this case, if it can be done through fair means. Anything else is outside of your scope."

Kazuma sneered. It sounded too much like sitting back and doing nothing to him. If he knew that something was wrong, why wouldn't he fight tooth and nail to fix it? But he did know that Norrington was right about being careful. Overstepping himself in the courtroom could lead to losing his right to practice again, and it was never a good idea for the prosecution and defense to look like they might be in league with each other.

But there had to be a way to take a more active role in seeing justice done, and a good place to start would be doing all the investigating he could. He scrambled for the rest of the day, moving so quickly that Norrington struggled to keep up. They took the new witness's statement, reexamined the crime scene, looked over new evidence, and pieced together revised theories. By the end of it, Kazuma was almost entirely convinced that they had the wrong man.

Norrington only shrugged. "That's for the defense to prove. We'll hand over all this new information for him to make use of, and your arguments will obviously be weaker now that they are not so easily substantiated. Every case has a prosecution and a defense, which means that sometimes you will end up prosecuting innocent parties. That's when the defense steps up to exonerate their client. Both roles are necessary, whether you think you know the truth or not."

Kazuma didn't think the defense was capable of doing any such thing, and he was losing confidence in Norrington's guidance as well. He felt jittery and vaguely nauseous, unsure of how to handle tomorrow's trial. How far could he go before crossing the line? What if he made a mistake? A mistake that cost an innocent man his life or let a guilty one go free? His faith hadn't been so shaken since the Reaper trial, and he was so afraid of making a terrible mistake like that again that he felt nearly paralyzed with indecision.

"Maybe you should go home for the night," Norrington said kindly. "Get some rest before tomorrow's trial."

Kazuma glanced at the clock. It was already two hours past the official end of the workday. He didn't expect he'd be getting rest anytime soon, but maybe…

"You're right," he said, jumping to his feet. "I'll be going now. Goodnight."

He rushed through the building, hoping he wasn't too late. Van Zieks often stayed late at the office, but the timing could be inconsistent if he didn't have a current case. It was late enough that he might have left already if he didn't have any pressing projects.

Kazuma had tried doing this on his own and with Norrington's guidance, and it wasn't enough. Van Zieks wouldn't want to be pulled into this, but Kazuma was going to give it his best shot.

The door to the office was closed, and he pushed it open hurriedly and stopped short in the doorway. Van Zieks glanced up from his paperwork. Although he sighed lightly, he didn't look particularly surprised to see his erstwhile apprentice standing there.

"I need your help," Kazuma said. "You saw the trial today. It's looking likely that the defendant is innocent, but the defense is too much of a mess to put together a decent case. I need advice on how to handle it."

"You should ask Lord Norrington for his guidance," van Zieks said. "He's your mentor. Offering this kind of guidance is no longer my place."

"But you're still here, even though you must have known I might show up."

Van Zieks shrugged and looked back down at his reports. "I have my own case to work on."

Kazuma didn't press the point, although he suspected van Zieks could easily have made himself scarce if he wanted to be sure he wasn't bothered. The man had certainly done it before.

"I've discussed the matter with Lord Norrington already," Kazuma said, mouth twisting in distaste. "All he says is to leave it alone and present my case, but with the defense as useless as it is… I'm not confident that if I make a strong case, the defense will be able to overcome it, no matter what evidence he has to work with. You've prosecuted innocent defendants before and walked that line between fulfilling your role as prosecutor and making sure the truth comes out. Like Professor Harebrayne's case."

"I really don't think–"

"Please. If he's– I don't want to be responsible for someone's execution if he's innocent. Lord Norrington only says that it's the judge and jury's job to decide that, but I know there are ways I can help because you've done it before with Ryunosuke. I can't…"

Kazuma trailed off, clenching his hands into trembling fists at his sides. Van Zieks closed his eyes and said nothing for a long moment.

"Come sit down," he said finally. "And close the door."

Kazuma let out the breath he'd been holding and closed the door. The extra chair that had once been tucked away against the wall was long gone, swept away with all the other evidence that a second person had ever occupied this office, and he hesitated. Van Zieks stood and rounded his desk before dropping to the ground, folding his legs beneath him in a surprisingly graceful and accurate seiza form. Kazuma stared at him as if he'd grown a second head. Sitting on the floor had always seemed beneath van Zieks, and Kazuma didn't think he should be able to replicate seiza-style so accurately.

Van Zieks motioned impatiently, and Kazuma shook himself out of his shock and hurried over to drop to the floor in front of him.

"Lord Norrington is right," van Zieks said.

"But–!"

"The prosecution and defense both have very defined roles. There is a reason they should not collude with each other. The push and pull between the prosecution and defense provides a kind of checks and balances, ensuring that all avenues are explored. If both sides present their case to the best of their ability and the judge and jury are competent, then a clear likelihood of innocence or guilt should emerge by the end."

"But what if it doesn't?" Kazuma burst out. This didn't sound like van Zieks at all, with his staunch, unfaltering determination to root out the truth and see justice delivered. "If the defense is failing? I can't just do nothing!"

Van Zieks closed his eyes again and held up a hand to forestall further protests. "This is not like Albert's case," he said tiredly. "I could rely on Mr. Naruhodo to fight until the end and find the proof he needed. Whatever our differences… He and I balanced each other well. When the prosecution and defense are balanced, the system works beautifully. When they are not…"

"They aren't," Kazuma supplied helpfully. "What do I do about it?"

"There are certain…techniques you might use. Abandoning or softening an argument the defense is incapable of dismantling themselves, dropping hints or supplying alternative explanations to make the evidence come together, choosing not to take advantage of a weakness, highlighting flaws in your theories that the defense can grasp on… These are tools we might use if we find ourselves against an unbalanced opponent. However, and I cannot stress this enough, they must be used sparingly and tactfully. It requires a good deal of finesse, because you want to give no one cause to think you are assisting the defense. That and…"

Van Zieks trailed off, lips pursed and brows drawn together in a troubled crease.

"And?" Kazuma prompted, leaning forward in anticipation.

This was what he had been hoping to learn. Van Zieks was a clever man, and his strength lay as much in his subtle machinations as his more blindingly brilliant displays. Maybe Kazuma couldn't openly rise to the defense's aid, but if there was a quieter, unobtrusive way that he could make sure the truth came out, van Zieks would be able to teach it to him.

"It carries its own risk," van Zieks said, looking down at his hands folded neatly in his lap. "As I said, the prosecution and defense are meant to keep each other in check, so if one of us makes a mistake, the other can hopefully correct it. In playing both sides of the courtroom, we are placing a good deal of faith in our own judgment. Without a strong counterpart to act as a balance… If we are wrong, then we have failed in our duties and let a criminal walk free to potentially kill again. Still, the alternative…

"Well. It is safer to do as Lord Norrington says and stick to the confines of our role. But sometimes, when it seems like things are falling apart, it is difficult not to try prodding them back in the right direction. It is easier to know that you are doing the right thing, fighting for the right outcome. I understand that. But you must be very careful."

Kazuma settled back with a frown, that queasy feeling tying his stomach into knots again. He did not want to convict an innocent man, but neither did he want to let a murderer go free. He thought the defendant was innocent…probably. But there was still enough room for doubt, and he'd been wrong before.

"You think he's innocent, don't you?" he asked quietly.

Van Zieks shrugged. "I'm not privy to the same information you are for this case. You would have a better idea than I would."

"I think he is. But if I'm wrong… It would be foolish to purposely lose a trial to let a criminal go free…"

"That's the risk," van Zieks said soberly. "If you choose this path, you have to accept it, along with whatever the consequences might be."

"I…"

"Our job is not an easy one, Mr. Asogi. It is fraught with risks. A miscarriage of justice is not our responsibility unless we are negligent or corrupt, but it does not always feel that way. And when we are positioned to right a wrong, sometimes we feel morally bound to intervene. Lord Norrington is a great man, but his advice comes from his own more rigid viewpoint. You don't agree with it because your dedication to the truth is greater than your commitment to the strictures of the law. I cannot, in good conscience, advise you against following your mentor's guidance. However, I believe you are capable of making your own decision on the matter."

"I don't think I could bear knowing that I likely got an innocent person sent to his death," Kazuma said. "But… I don't know if I can trust my judgment on this."

"Your judgment is generally very sound," van Zieks said with surprising gentleness.

"I was wrong about you."

He stared at Kazuma, brows drawing together again. "Oh. I thought this was about your father."

Kazuma dropped his gaze. It was about his father, in that he couldn't bear to be responsible for something like what had happened then. He had suffered the consequences of that mistake, as had his father. But he had nearly made that very same mistake himself. He had, in fact, come very close to getting van Zieks hanged. If he had been wrong then… He couldn't do it again.

"I…"

"This is different," van Zieks said. "We both made our mistakes because we were too close to the case, blinded by emotion and vengeance and desperation. And…you are not wrong." He swallowed hard, his fingers convulsing towards fists. "The consequences have been very difficult to bear."

Kazuma winced and looked back up. Van Zieks did not generally speak of Kazuma's father or how the uncovered truths had affected him. But Kazuma remembered the gravel in his voice when he'd leaned in close and said he was responsible for Genshin's death and would not be responsible for his son's as well. He was a man still haunted by ghosts, and it seemed his brother was not the only spirit lingering.

"I'm sorry," Kazuma said. "I didn't mean–"

"You don't have those handicaps with this case," van Zieks continued, voice steady. "I trust that your logic is intact. I can't tell you what the right answer is, only… If you are concerned about your last lapse, I suppose you may think of it like this: in truth, you do not know that I am innocent at all."

Kazuma frowned. "What? But–"

"I think it's well established that I never got my hands dirty, but truthfully, could you say without a shadow of a doubt that I knew nothing? Perhaps I was aware of Lord Stronghart's schemes all along or conspired more actively in the Reaper killings. Or maybe I was innocent of it all. You don't know, not really. So the question remains: what is the lesser evil? Setting me free with the knowledge that I may have been complicit all along, simply because there was no substantive proof of my guilt? Or sending me to be hanged because I might have known something, even with so much doubt that I was involved at all? What would you find easier to live with?"

"But you didn't know anything."

"But I could have. Maybe I did. All you have is my word."

Kazuma didn't like the turn this was taking. He knew it was just a hypothetical scenario, posed in order to help him evaluate the moral implications of the choice he was facing now, but he didn't like how casually van Zieks put it out there. How willing he seemed to plant doubts.

"I trust your word, though," Kazuma said stubbornly.

Van Zieks raised his eyebrows. "You didn't."

"…I suppose not. Yes, you're right. Letting you off when we didn't have enough proof to link you to the crimes seems like a lesser evil than executing you for something you didn't do, regardless of what you did or didn't know. I'm glad I didn't get you hanged."

Van Zieks nodded once. "That is the other tenet of prosecution. We rely on evidence. If we do not have enough evidence to prove the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, we cannot and should not push through a conviction. Sometimes that means the guilty walk free. It's frustrating, and half the reason vigilante justice like the Professor and the Reaper exists, but our authority lies within the confines of the law and no further. That is the opposing tenet to Lord Norrington's argument to stay within your role. In a perfect world, the judge and jury would accept that there is not enough evidence to justify a conviction, but evidence is not the only thing that sways them. If you know you don't have enough… So, yes. The right answer was to let me go, even without being sure you knew the entire truth."

"That's not what I meant. Even if you did know something… I'm still glad you didn't hang."

Kazuma didn't believe for a second that van Zieks had been involved in the entire Professor and Reaper debacle past his reckless carelessness in prosecuting his father, letting himself be blinded by grief and betrayal so that he missed the things that were right in front of him. And if he had known something, that betrayal would sting bitterly. But in the end… Van Zieks had been kind to him, a caring mentor and good man and tireless force of justice. Those things would be true either way, and Kazuma couldn't regret saving that.

Van Zieks stared at him for a long time, eyes slightly narrowed as he examined the words from every angle, and then looked away.

"In any case," he said, "there is a balance you can strike. You are not, as you suggested, 'purposely losing'. Doing so would turn the trial into a sham. What you can do is present a solid, fair case and, if necessary, provide a few nudges to make sure everyone understands the implications of the evidence. You are not helping the defense win, merely helping them see the things they ought to notice and make the connections they should be making on their own. It's a subtle distinction and a fine line to walk, but if you do it right, all you are really doing is making the case equitable for both the prosecution and the defense. From there, it is still up to the judge and jury to decide, but you want to give them the fairest possible information to base their decision off of."

Kazuma watched van Zieks with unabashed interest. Norrington's approach seemed coldly practical and constrained, too grounded in the technicalities of the law, and Kazuma's approach was hotheaded and fueled by a driving need to uncover the truth even if it meant going beyond the strict boundaries of his role. Van Zieks's approach was more finely nuanced, something in between. It combined Kazuma's determination to see justice done with Norrington's pedantic adherence to the rules, angling to guide everyone towards the right answer without seizing control of the courtroom and trying to force his way.

Kazuma was not the most subtle person. There was no way he'd be able to navigate such a delicate path on his own.

"Can you help me?" he asked. "I'm no good at that kind of thing, and I foresee it going poorly if I go charging in with my usual tactics."

"If that is the path you wish to take, then I will guide you."

And so they got to work, falling into a familiar pattern they had used many times before. It was nearly disconcerting how easily Kazuma slipped back into his role as van Zieks's apprentice, how comfortable it felt and how natural the discussion seemed. For the first time in ages, he felt entirely at ease again.

He outlined the case, going over what new information he had discovered today and anything that hadn't yet made it into the courtroom. Van Zieks listened patiently and asked thoughtful questions in Kazuma's pauses. Then, as he had always done, he asked how Kazuma intended to present his case and posed careful, leading questions to tweak his perspective and strategy. He was quick to see how a piece of evidence or shred of theory could be presented in a slightly different light to give the defense the edge it needed. When Kazuma offered his arguments, van Zieks noted immediately how a small alteration could leave an opening that even the defense couldn't miss, while still making the prosecution look competent and unbiased.

It was frustrating in that Kazuma saw none of these things himself until van Zieks pointed them out, but fascinating to see the man's mind at work. Van Zieks had a certain genius for these things.

"I was raised in the nobility," he said dryly when Kazuma commented on it. "The art of the subtle manipulation was taught to me young. I'm sure it seems dishonorable to you."

"Maybe," Kazuma said. "But useful. And we're using it for a good cause."

"A better cause than the social intrigue and politicking it's usually used for, at any rate. Truly, being ostracized from high society is probably the best gift Lord Stronghart and his scapegoating ever gave me. I always despised those games."

Kazuma raised his eyebrows. "I'd think you'd be good at them."

Van Zieks grimaced. "I wasn't back then, but I'm more ruthless than I used to be. I would excel at them now, which seems a very good reason to avoid them. Office politics are bad enough. In any case, we are getting off track. What would be your next step?"

Kazuma hardly realized how late it must be getting until he noticed the subtle shifts in van Zieks's posture and growing strain in the lines of his face, speaking of the discomfort seiza often provoked in people unused to it. All things considered, Kazuma was impressed that van Zieks had managed to maintain the position for so long, although he suspected it was more out of sheer stubbornness than anything.

He glanced at the clock and winced. It was, in fact, very late.

"I should go," he said. "It's getting late. Sorry for keeping you so long."

"Not at all. As long as you feel that you are prepared."

"I think so. I feel a lot better about it."

Kazuma rose to his feet and stretched out his legs. When van Zieks did not rise immediately, Kazuma reached down a hand. Van Zieks stared at it for a long moment before taking it.

Kazuma heaved up with an effort as van Zieks unfolded his limbs and staggered to his feet, knees buckling until he found an awkward balance. Van Zieks's entire face was screwed up in blatant pain, a strange sight when he was usually so good at masking it, and he braced a hand on the desk beside him.

"You should have just changed positions," Kazuma said in exasperation. "It wouldn't have offended me. I'm surprised you know proper seiza position at all."

"I've certainly seen you do it often enough," van Zieks said in a tight voice, gingerly stretching out his legs.

"I didn't realize you were watching so closely," Kazuma said dryly. "Your form is very good. Most people unused to the position can't maintain it for nearly that long."

"I have a high pain tolerance." Van Zieks hesitated before adding, "I learned from your father. I learned a great many things from him, in bits and pieces. Although I am certainly out of practice."

The unexpected mention of his father caught Kazuma off guard, making his heart seize. It was easier than it might have been a few months ago to imagine his father and van Zieks kneeling on the floor together, debating some facet of the law or swapping customs.

"Or maybe you're just getting too old for it," Kazuma managed around the lump in his throat, even though age had less to do with it than strengthening the correct muscles.

Van Zieks's glare was unamused. "Careful, Mr. Asogi. Your astounding lack of tact is going to get you into trouble one of these days."

Not for the first time, Kazuma wondered what went through van Zieks's head when he said his name. The words no longer had the same edge to them that had first made him wonder if van Zieks thought of another Asogi every time, but… Van Zieks had sent Kazuma away because he didn't want to feel responsible for another Asogi death. He had thought Kazuma was upset about this case because of Genshin. He had chosen to meet Kazuma in the same position he would have once met his father.

Kazuma wondered again if speaking his father's name, bringing up his memory and the things once learned from him, was resurrecting ghosts.

"I'm not my father," he said before thinking better of it.

Van Zieks's eyebrows drew together in a troubled line as he regarded Kazuma warily. "…You certainly are not. You are far less courteous, for one." He paused and then added, "I removed your chair from the office, and it would be discourteous to make you stand for hours."

Kazuma stared at him for a few seconds longer before nodding and looking away. "Thank you for helping me with this."

"Yes, of course. You should go to Lord Norrington first, but if there is something you truly need me for… My door is open."

"Actually, it was closed," Kazuma said, and van Zieks closed his eyes in a way that made it look like he was praying very hard for the patience not to throw him out a window. Kazuma took a deep breath. "Will you stand with me in court tomorrow?"

"Absolutely not," van Zieks said immediately. "Your mentor will do that. You do not require my assistance there."

"Lord Norrington is fine, but he's not going to help me with this and I don't know if I can do it alone. What if I mess it up? You're the only one who–"

Van Zieks was already shaking his head. "No. I have already overstepped myself severely by providing this much guidance. I am infringing on Lord Norrington's role, and it is unprofessional of me to give so much advice contradicting his own guidance. If you want to maintain a positive partnership with him—and if I want to keep a civil working relationship—I hope you realize that you cannot openly seek my mentorship over his. It would be a terrible insult to him."

Kazuma scowled. The refusal was not unexpected, but he still resented it.

"I was losing control of the trial today, and he was no help at all. I know you noticed. That's why you agreed to help me, right?"

"And now you have a better grasp on the situation and, I should hope, more confidence in your ability to see this through."

"But what if it changes direction again and everything falls apart?" Kazuma asked, a dull sense of panic clawing at his insides. "What if this isn't enough to prop up the defense? What if I–?"

"Mr. Asogi," van Zieks said firmly, drawing Kazuma up short. "I have no doubt that you will perform brilliantly, as always. This case is not so different from all the others you have handled. Stop comparing it to a mistake you made months ago. Keep your emotions out of it."

Kazuma took a deep breath to steady himself. Pushing this would get him nowhere. There was a hard, unyielding edge to van Zieks's expression that hadn't been there when he'd first acquiesced to talk about the case. Kazuma was lucky van Zieks had helped him this much already and had no right to expect anything more.

"Right," he muttered. "Well… I appreciate your help. At least it gives me a good place to start. Are you coming?"

Van Zieks frowned at the clock. "Not yet. I still have some pressing matters to attend to."

"This late? I'm sure it could wait until the morning."

"The first case you were allowed to prosecute again, with the crime ring involved in all those robberies… We have another murder linked back to them, and it goes to trial the day after tomorrow. I think I have a real chance to get the ringleaders this time, but…" Van Zieks shook his head, exhaustion and frustration warring on his face. "They've slipped through my fingers before, and I expect the jury will be bribed if there's any doubt that they'll get away with it. I have very little time and a great deal to do. I'm going to try pulling them out by the roots this time, and the case has grown a wide net because of it. I've already followed up on dozens of secondary leads, and I have a dozen more to work through."

"Can I help? I have experience with the organization too."

"No. It's kind of you to offer, but I have the matter well enough in hand. Focus on your own case."

Kazuma hesitated in the doorway, feeling vaguely guilty that he'd taken up so much time this late in the evening if van Zieks was really as busy as he said. "You should have kicked me out sooner."

Van Zieks waved a hand dismissively and sat back at his desk, already glancing through files again. "I figured you'd feel more confident in your case if we went through it thoroughly. Goodnight, Mr. Asogi. You should get some rest before your trial."

"Goodnight," Kazuma murmured, shutting the door behind him.

The next morning, Norrington seemed unusually frazzled. "I have an errand to run," he said, already halfway out the door. "I will meet you at the Old Bailey for the trial."

Kazuma shrugged and went back to reviewing the case files one more time. Discomfort and worry still writhed in the pit of his stomach, and he couldn't bring himself to care about Norrington's errands. But when he went to the Old Bailey later and pushed open the door to the prosecutor's antechamber, Norrington was not there. Kazuma stopped short in the doorway.

Van Zieks looked up. "Come in, Mr. Asogi."

Kazuma hurriedly stepped inside and shut the door behind him. "You came."

"Lord Norrington had business to attend to. I agreed to stand in for him if he was not able to make it back in time for the trial."

Kazuma's breath caught in his throat, and tears burned at the very corners of his eyes. He couldn't believe it was a coincidence.

"Thank you."

"Don't." Van Zieks looked away. "This is a one-time favor I am doing for Lord Norrington."

Not even that could deflate Kazuma's buoyed spirits. He felt suddenly a hundred times better. The uncertainty lingered, but knowing van Zieks would be at his side to make sure everything worked out eased the worst of his worries. He trusted that van Zieks would step in if anything went wrong and offer advice if things veered off track.

When they entered the courtroom, the judge did a double take. "Lord van Zieks! I was not expecting to see you with Mr. Asogi today."

"I am standing in for Lord Norrington today," van Zieks said. "He is unable to attend due to other business. I am only here to fulfill the requirements of Mr. Asogi's probationary practice."

And that was that.

The trial was every bit as grueling as Kazuma had anticipated, and the defense every bit as weak. He stuck carefully to the points he and van Zieks had discussed the previous night, but it still felt like walking on eggshells, finding a fine line between doing his job and making sure the defense did theirs. If he faltered or was faced with an unexpected challenge, van Zieks murmured advice into his ear. Having that backup helped Kazuma relax a little, until he finally found his stride.

In the end, the defense was able to successfully argue the defendant's innocence, even if Kazuma had to prod him along. The not guilty verdict felt bittersweet.

"You did well," van Zieks said when they retreated to the antechamber.

"Only because you were helping me."

"I know this case did not play to your strengths, but… I do not think you need me as much as you believe you do. You should not doubt yourself so much."

Kazuma opened his mouth, but that was when Norrington came bustling into the room with a large sheaf of papers tucked beneath his arm.

"What a loss," he said. "Still, you were quite sharp today, Mr. Asogi. Thank you for stepping in for me, Lord van Zieks. Here are the files you requested."

"Not at all," van Zieks said, taking the proffered files. "Thank you for pulling these for me on such short notice. I am in your debt."

"I hope you have enough time to review them before your meeting."

Van Zieks looked at the clock and grimaced. "If I hurry. I suppose I still have twenty minutes."

Kazuma looked between the men mentoring him before addressing his question to van Zieks. "You asked him for files?"

"I'm working a complicated case that requires following up on a number of potential leads. Lord Norrington has previously prosecuted cases that might have some relevance, and he was kind enough to go through the files and look through his other cases of a similar nature. I have an important meeting shortly to discuss these matters, for which these should be useful." Van Zieks's gaze flashed back to Norrington. "I appreciate you doing this favor for me, especially with such inconvenient timing."

Truly, he was a cunning man. He had found a way to stand in for Norrington without insulting him, by begging a favor instead. For someone so well versed in the art of trading favors and leveraging relationships, he had to be averse to indebting himself without cause. It was always safer to be the one calling in favors than the one begging them.

If Norrington suspected that van Zieks's request had ulterior motives, he gave no sign of it.

"No problem at all," he said. "I am only sorry it took so long, but some of the documents were being kept at the Yard, and their filing system is atrocious. Well, Mr. Asogi, shall we go and discuss the trial? I missed the first half, and I feel as if I must have missed something of importance for the tide to have changed so dramatically."

Kazuma scowled at the ground. "Well, he was innocent, and eventually the defense was able to prove it. So it's good that we lost. I guess."

Even knowing they had achieved the right outcome, the loss itched at the underside of his skin.

Norrington sighed. "I guess it can't be helped."

His vague disappointment rankled too. Kazuma hoped, in the end, that he had done the right thing.

He started in surprise and looked up when van Zieks clamped a steady hand on his shoulder. Van Zieks looked back at him. Even ringed with shadows, his eyes shone clear and piercing and deadly serious.

"I am very proud of you, Kazuma."

Kazuma sucked in a quick, startled breath. The words were spoken with gravity, with weight. It was the first time van Zieks had spoken them, even if he had shown his satisfaction in other ways, with other words.

It was the first time he had ever spoken Kazuma's given name.

Kazuma wondered if van Zieks had realized last night, when they'd spoken of Genshin. He was a clever man. Clever enough to interpret Kazuma's reaction, perhaps. To say that he had chosen to sit seiza-style on the floor because he was trying to be courteous to Kazuma after removing the extra chair from the office and not because he had once done the same thing with his father. To realize that when you shared a name with a ghost, sometimes it was impossible to tell if you were really the one being addressed. Kazuma was smart enough to know that he was inextricably bound with his father for van Zieks, and not always smart enough to know when van Zieks was speaking to him alone and when he was thinking of someone he had known long ago.

But this time, there could be no doubt. It was Kazuma and only Kazuma who van Zieks was proud of in this moment.

"I–" Kazuma started, before choking on the words. His eyes were burning, and his chest had constricted so tightly that it hurt to breathe.

Van Zieks dropped his hand and turned away, inclining his head to Norrington. "For anything you missed, I can assure you that your apprentice's performance was commendable. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm on a very tight schedule."

"Of course," Norrington said, watching the interaction with his head slightly tilted, mouth drawn into a thoughtful frown. "Good luck with your meetings and trial."

"Thank you." Van Zieks started for the door.

Kazuma lurched forward a step. "Wait! Don't…"

Don't go.

Van Zieks looked back, shaking his head. "You do not need me anymore, Mr. Asogi," he said firmly. "If indeed you ever did. What happened to that boundless confidence of yours? It is time for you to spread your wings. I would caution you against flying too close to the sun, but I never doubted that you would soar."

Despite his neutral expression, he looked worn to the bone. Kazuma wondered how late he'd stayed at the office last night to make up lost time after his erstwhile apprentice's interruption, how early he'd come to put in motion a scheme to take over the supervision of the trial, how tight he'd made his schedule by making room for the trial and everything leading up to it. Maybe it didn't matter, in the end. He was undoubtedly staying late anyway, working on his own case. He had not turned Kazuma away last night or made himself scarce to avoid the inevitable plea for help. He had made the time for Kazuma, just as he always had, somehow scraping together the hours needed when he already scarcely had time to breathe.

He had sat on the floor to meet Kazuma on his level. He had provided guidance past the point he was comfortable doing so. He had noted Kazuma's doubts and insecurities and carefully, painstakingly addressed them as best he could.

And now he was going to walk away again to protect Kazuma from the dangers associated with his reputation. For these few short hours, they had been a team again. Kazuma had missed it dearly. But now they would go their separate ways once more. Kazuma hated it still, but he supposed he owed it to van Zieks to make the most of it.

His smile felt wobbly. "Careful now, My Lord, or you might find one of these days that I've become even better than you."

"Mr. Asogi," van Zieks said gravely, "it is every mentor's dearest wish that their student might one day surpass them. You are not nearly close enough yet, but I have every faith that you will be someday."

Kazuma opened his mouth, closed it again. He didn't know why everything van Zieks had said since last night felt somehow painfully kind.

Then van Zieks looked at Norrington, raising his eyebrows ever so slightly. "Good luck with him," he said in a long-suffering sort of way. "He's been in a mood."

Kazuma coughed out a surprised, breathy laugh.

Norrington smiled a little uncertainly at the unexpected bit of conspiratorial camaraderie. "I will do my very best not to toss him out a window."

"An option that becomes more tempting by the day," van Zieks muttered, turning away and opening the door. "Mr. Asogi, do try to behave for Lord Norrington. Good day to the both of you. If you'll excuse me."

He was already flipping through Norrington's files as he walked away, apparently focused on the next task at hand.

Kazuma had never found it so easy to compartmentalize. He knew he would be turning those few hours over and over in his mind for a good deal longer.