Wammy's House, 1997.
Watari swiveled his chair as the girl approached his office door.
"What's the matter, Meri?" Watari asked, noticing her hesitation to come into the office. She seemed uncertain about something, her eyes slightly averting his gaze.
"Come over, my dear."
His voice was low and gentle, finally putting Meredith at ease and encouraging her to approach him.
Her black hair was neatly tied into a ponytail, and she was dressed in her school uniform, suggesting that she had just returned from school. She wore a black uniform blazer, a white shirt, a knee-length grey plaid skirt, and a red plaid bow around her neck, adding a touch of color and sophistication. This uniform differed from the typical attire seen in most schools in England; in fact, it resembled the uniform of a Japanese high school.
Meredith stood by Watari's side, but she resisted looking into his gray eyes. It was difficult not to notice her expressive eyes, with their darting iris, as she cast sidelong glances. Her tightly pressed lips revealed her struggle to hold back the words she wanted to blurt out.
Normally, she would make direct eye contact when speaking, particularly with him. Watari couldn't help but notice that this behavior was unusual for her.
"My dear, what's on your mind?" Watari felt concerned. Had something happened at school? Or was it because of the completely different educational culture at her new school? He wasn't sure, and patiently waited for her to explain what was bothering her.
As if finally mustering the courage, she spoke up slowly and deliberately, "Is it true that you won't be here often? You'll be moving somewhere with L?"
Her gaze focused on Watari as she spoke, but quickly averted his eyes, as if she feared his reply would be piercing. Uncertainty reflected in her eyes, which normally remained devoid of any emotions.
L must have told her, or she figured out herself, or perhaps Roger had informed her.
He let out a sigh inside, but it didn't mean that her question was irrational; in fact, he had been expecting her to seek confirmation from him sooner or later.
"Yes, my dear," he replied. As he had anticipated, her demeanor changed to one of disappointment.
"I have decided to accompany L and join him on his path as a detective. He needs a different location to concentrate on his work and utilize new facilities."
Her heart plummeted as Watari confirmed the news to her.
Everything seemed so logical, so expected, after witnessing L's growth alongside Watari. But deep down, she longed for a different outcome, a reality where the decision wasn't true.
Two years ago, just as he did every day, L sat engrossed in a newspaper that had been handed to him by Watari. As he delved into its pages, his attention was completely captured by an exclusive news story column featuring unsolved and complex cases. This particular volume highlighted a serial murder case that had remained without any clues, and the investigation had long ceased without any leads to identify the killer.
With his eyes fixed on the text, L couldn't help but remark, "This murder case is much more difficult and interesting than any puzzle or game."
And within just three days of L expressing his interest, L sat in front of his computer screen, with Watari serving tea and Meredith by his side, deeply engrossed in a conference proceeding on sociology.
Abruptly breaking the room's usual tranquility, L spoke, "Finally found him."
The ten-year-old unsolved case had been cracked.
In that moment, Watari realized that he, too, had discovered the path he would walk alongside L.
As for Meredith, she knew that their paths would begin to diverge.
A year later, she silently witnessed the intense "detective war", where L emerged victorious, defeating the renowned detectives Eraldo Coil and Deneuve. At the age of 16, L surpassed both detectives, adopting their names and cementing his position as the foremost detective. Now, Eraldo Coil, Deneuve, and L stood as the three greatest detectives in the world, but in reality, all three of them were L.
As L's reputation continued to soar and his unwavering passion for solving cases burned brighter, it became increasingly impractical for him to remain at Wammy's House. The need for new facilities, a fresh location, enhanced privacy, and the freedom to operate outside the constraints of Wammy's regular schedules led Watari to make the decision to officially graduate L from Wammy's, recognizing that the institution had nothing more to offer him.
"Do you have to go with L?"
She did her best not to sound needy, as she saw it as somewhat immature and childish. However, in Watari's eyes, she was still a child, and he understood that their simultaneous departure from the institution would undoubtedly leave her feeling reluctant.
In the span of six years since their first encounter, serving desserts with Watari, the two children had grown somewhat dependent on each other. They found themselves competing to find the right resources for certain subjects in the library, engaging in debates over the potential outcomes if previous leaders had made different policy choices, challenging each other to solve mathematical problems faster, and discovering more efficient ways to conduct tricky chemistry experiments.
And so much more, making six years felt like a mere blink of an eye.
Without any hesitation, Watari replied in his usual calm tone, "You know L, he can't take care of himself properly. But we will come back here frequently. L would want to see you too."
Meredith saw her own reflection in his gaze, in those same gray eyes that brought her peace.
It was true that L didn't prioritize taking care of himself in certain aspects. He had a particular preference for wearing white long-sleeved tops paired with jeans, and Watari had to make sure to have multiple sets of these outfits prepared for him. While young children had their clothing collected and washed together, and older children were responsible for doing their own laundry and going to the laundry room, L was an exception. He never bothered to go to Wammy's House laundry room to take care of his laundry, and thus, the task fell on Watari.
Despite his listless appearance, L was particularly attentive to his hygiene, at least in the sense that he liked to be clean, which was commendable. L made sure to take regular showers to maintain his personal cleanliness. However, the process of taking a shower at Wammy's House presented a challenge for him. This meant he had to leave the comfort of his own room and use the communal bathroom, which irked him due to the lack of privacy and the need to interact with others in such a setting.
Therefore, the arrangement of allowing L to leave Wammy's House and find another location for his detective work and daily life had long been anticipated by Watari.
"Roger will be in charge of Wammy's House after we finish arranging everything."
Meredith nervously toyed with her fingers; her gaze fixated on her feet. It was evident that Watari had made up his mind, and there was no room for compromise. It was a decision that would distress Meredith, but Watari knew she had grown to be self-sufficient over the years, and with the next semester of her first year in the Japanese school starting, she would be occupied.
She never failed to reassure him.
Whether it was academic studying at Wammy's, or exercising her musical talent, or from his observation of her relationship with L over the years, Watari saw her managing it all properly and maintaining a well-balanced life. The once quiet, small girl had blossomed into someone who could confidently engage in conversations with others. When she was around Watari, she displayed the normalcy and affection that any child would have towards a father figure. She sought his guidance, shared warm embraces, and confided in him about her day at school.
Watari was always gratified by her progress.
But L had always been different from the start, and that hadn't changed since the day he entered Wammy's House. He possessed an exceptional intellect that surpassed that of any other child in the institution. Despite his disheveled and languid appearance, he exhibited remarkable powers of deduction. Socially detached and lacking a deep understanding of others on an emotional level, L rarely engaged in interactions with his peers. Even after all those years had passed, the girl standing before Watari was the only exception, as she managed to establish a unique connection with him.
It seemed to be a combination of luck and serendipity.
But now, luck appeared to be slipping away for Meredith, and she felt an urgent desire to hold onto it, to stretch it beyond its limits. She recognized that her initial entry into their lives had been driven by her exceptional musical talent. While she was intelligent for her age, she knew she could never match the extraordinary intellect of L or possess the same detective abilities.
She had to ask, for she was willing to try anything to stay by the side of the two closest individuals in her life.
"Watari, what should I do to remain by your side, to stay by L's side? Am I capable of that too?"
Watari instantly recognized a flicker of something in her typically inscrutable eyes, a spark that had emerged and grown brighter over the years they had spent together. It was a gleam that seemed to appear only in the presence of L and himself.
The fatherly figure looked at her, aware of her proximity to them and the earnestness in her eyes, as well as her accomplishments.
If she insists, perhaps there is a way.
"My child," he spoke gently, "L doesn't fully comprehend the human mind and may cross legal boundaries. If you wish to become his ally, his support, and remain by his side, then prove your ability."
The vulnerability and uncertainty had been replaced with determination, shining in her eyes.
"I will, Watari. I will."
Roger Ruvie stomped through the hallway of Wammy's House, his brown eyes peering through the lenses of his small, round glasses, scanning everyone and everything in the orphanage.
"Matthew, how many times do I have to tell you not to run in the hallway?"
"Elaine, shouldn't you be in class?"
"No, you can't pour hydrochloric acid on the marble counter in the kitchen - no, you don't have to try it yourself to see if calcium carbonate would react with the acid - It will, and then the cook won't have a kitchen to use, and all of us will have to skip supper because of your experiment. And please put that back in the laboratory! NOW!"
"And whoever you are, yes, you over there, DON'T PICK YOUR NOSE AND NO DON'T EAT - " It was too late. "Ah well…go and wash your hands! With soap!"
Children. He disliked them.
The loudness, arrogance, screaming, and capriciousness—God knows why he agreed to take full charge of Wammy's House.
"Shouldn't have agreed Quillsh on this matter - " he grumbled, while picking up a piece of rubbish on the floor that was left by another kid.
But Roger continued his rounds, patrolling the common areas and checking on the children in each area. With his hands behind his back, he had an eagle eye that scanned the space, quickly spotting those who shouldn't be there. He had a remarkable memory for their schedules, believing that it would make things much easier. These children would often try to argue with him, claiming their schedule was something else in an attempt to fool him and deviate from their regular routines.
Although he disliked children, handling administrative work and running an orphanage was not a big deal for Roger. He was well acquainted with how Watari operated things. As Watari's trusted spotter, Roger Ruvie knew the man inside and out.
"Watari" was also an alias, and those who knew him called him by that name. However, when it was just the two of them, Roger preferred to address Watari by his real name, Quillsh.
Quillsh Wammy, born on May 1, 1935, had witnessed the devastating effects of the War and come of age during the challenging period of rebuilding and recovery.
They all experienced it: the incendiary air raids, with explosions lighting up the sky and fires raging in the distance. Civilians scrambled to extinguish the two incendiaries that had landed in their front gardens. It was a stark and unsettling image, revealing the profound impact of the war on suburban Britain. Streetlights were replaced by the glow of fires, and the ordinary rhythm of life was constantly threatened and disrupted. Bombings of towns and cities, along with the relentless onslaught of flying bombs and rockets, subjected children at a tender age to witnessing lifeless bodies and loved ones lying motionless on the ground, unresponsive.
Rationing of food and clothing began in 1940 and continued until 1941. By 1943, nearly every household item was either in short supply, requiring long queues to acquire, or simply unobtainable.
While Britain displayed remarkable mobilization efforts and a genuine spirit of community that often transcended class and other barriers, it was also a country exhausted, dreary, and in a state of disrepair. Some argued that it could never fully return to the pre-war social conditions.
Neither Quillsh nor Roger had witnessed the pre-war era.
The world had been in a state of devastation for as long as they could remember, and the slow recovery of England's society after the war ended was the only aspect of the world they had ever known. The economic recovery was sluggish, housing was scarce, and it was the American loans and Marshall Plan grants that kept the economy afloat.
Shortly thereafter, the Cold War began, reaching its peak from 1948 to 1953 with the news of the Soviet Union exploding their first atomic warhead. Witnessing such dynamics in the world compelled Quillsh Wammy to feel the need to serve his country. As England actively participated in this global conflict, it presented opportunities for individuals with specialized skills to contribute to national security efforts. He then joined the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6, and assumed the alias "Watari." Later on, Roger Ruvie also joined the same unit.
During the post-war years, they underwent rigorous training in intelligence and military skills, with Watari as the team's skilled shooter and Roger as his spotter, providing vital support and surveillance. Roger also carried an automatic assault rifle, ensuring their protection and serving as an additional line of defense.
With limited support from their unit, the weight of their responsibilities was immense, as the success or failure of their missions impacted the safety and well-being of the entire team. They relied on each other for survival, forming a bond beyond ordinary understanding.
In addition to his missions and training, Watari's remarkable abilities and contributions went beyond his expertise in espionage. He became famous for his inventive creations and technological advancements, and made substantial contributions to the intelligence community and advanced technology, earning widespread recognition as both a celebrated inventor and a prominent figure in the intelligence world.
After serving in MI6 for 20 years, Watari had the option to continue, but he made a deliberate decision to retire early.
"Roger, there are other ways to change the world, and I believe I have fulfilled my duty in serving our nation."
That's what Watari had told him.
Motivated by his firsthand experiences of the war's aftermath and his work in espionage, he utilized the wealth he had accumulated as an inventor to establish an extraordinary orphanage in 1980 called "Wammy's House." This exceptional training facility aimed to nurture the talents of gifted children and empower them to create a better world.
Watari's ultimate goal was to prevent another devastating world war from ever happening again.
At Wammy's House, young prodigious children were brought to the institution around the world to receive education. The educational approach involved inviting university professors, researchers, and top specialists from around the world to provide personalized instruction that catered to the unique abilities and potential of each child.
Classes at Wammy's House were primarily conducted remotely to protect the children's identities and provide scheduling flexibility. However, there were also in-person sessions taught by trusted individuals carefully selected for their expertise and ability to meet the specific needs of certain students.
The combination of remote and in-person classes, facilitated by trusted individuals, provided a comprehensive and well-rounded learning experience for the students at Wammy's House.
As Roger continued patrolling, reprimanding children who lingered in places where they shouldn't, Roger realized he was almost halfway done with his rounds.
Then, he arrived at the third floor, where two rooms held special significance. The boy who occupied one of these rooms was the main reason why Roger had taken charge of Wammy's House.
"I heard your assets have multiplied nearly 20 thousand times the original amount since you followed investment instructions provided by the boy you took in a few years ago," Roger inquired. "I remember you mentioning his name was L. What is he like, actually?"
"Well, he is an extraordinary child."
"In what way?"
"To be honest, when he was around eight years old, he single-handedly averted a potential World War III."
"Eight? Isn't that the same age you took him in?"
"Yes, Roger. Somehow, he uncovered an operation linked to a nuclear strike from the Soviet Union and managed to prevent it, just before the Soviet Union dissolved. It was a dangerously close call. I had no idea he was involved in such high-stakes matters when he requested a supercomputer in his room and access to the internet."
Roger's jaw dropped in disbelief.
"From the moment he displayed a keen interest in solving complex criminal cases without any clues, I realized the path I would walk alongside L."
Roger had encountered L on several occasions, and it was safe to say that L did not possess the kind of charm that would make your distant relatives burst with joy and shower you with hugs and kisses. The most recent encounter was when Watari took L to their new location, while Roger assisted to move his belongings onto the car, although there weren't much.
Watari had mentioned L's peculiarities to Roger, and Roger imagined L as a genius wrapped in chaos.
This portrayal wasn't far from reality; in fact, L seemed even more disheveled than Roger had imagined.
The teenage boy, aged 16, often stood hunched over. Roger estimated his height to be around 5 feet 5 inches, though it could have been as tall as 5 feet 7 inches. His jet-black hair was a mess, with strands sticking out at odd angles, as if they had a mind of their own.
A bird could have mistaken his hair for a perfect nesting spot.
While he didn't make much eye contact with Roger, L's round eyes held an intense gaze, like shards of obsidian that revealed little of his thoughts. Despite his pallid complexion, his face remained unblemished and clean, though his figure appeared noticeably underweight.
However, what truly left a lasting impression on Roger were the dark shadows beneath the teen's eyes. Roger suspected drug use, but Watari insisted it was due to insomnia.
It still looks like it, Roger muttered in his mind.
And Watari decided to walk along with this boy, leaving him in charge of the orphanage.
"Would you be willing to take control of Wammy's House for me, Roger?"
"…Quillsh, I've already assisted you in your absence, but asking me to do this - "
It was a role that Roger did not particularly enjoy, mainly because he was the complete opposite of Watari. Watari possessed an abundance of patience when it came to dealing with children, whereas Roger lacked that quality entirely. Little did he know that when he initially stepped in to assist Watari in bringing a child from the other side of the world to Wammy's House, it would eventually lead to him assuming full responsibility for running the orphanage.
Taking full control of the situation was an entirely different matter, and Roger remembered he was reluctant at first -
"Roger. Please."
He remembered seeing the sincerity in Watari's eyes.
"Remember the vision we shared? A world without war, without the tension we've encountered. This boy... he has the potential to create that world. I need to stay by his side, to fulfill our shared dream. We can create a world that embraces diversity instead of viewing it as an enemy."
"Perhaps one day, the world will become a place that can tolerate, or even accept people like us."
"People like us." Roger muttered.
Why is this man, the best marksman in the MI6, is still a hopeless romantic - even after witnessing so much pain and suffering during the Cold War-still envisions a world that can be changed. Moreover, he believes that genius children hold the key to that change- and now he finally found one who is capable of making it happen and making me accept his request -
It was hard to reject him. Eventually, Roger reluctantly gave in and took charge of the orphanage, accompanied by plenty of grumbling under his breath.
He stood by the room that belonged to L, and made sure the room was locked, in case any children accidentally sneak in. The young detective would still return to the institution occasionally, and the room was still occupied by him. L would certainly prefer other children not to invade into his private domain.
Aside from being the primary reason for Watari appointing Roger as the head of Wammy's House, L's success brought about a significant shift in the orphanage's policies. In addition to providing resources to gifted children to nurture their talents, Watari now had the goal of cultivating more individuals like L, who could contribute to justice and society as detectives. The children who were taken in had the potential to become successors to L's legacy. Even those who didn't possess the exact qualities of L would still receive resources to develop their talents and make a positive impact on the world in their own distinctive ways.
Roger glanced at his watch and noted the time. It was 15:50, and he knew that the occupant of the room opposite L's would be finishing school at 16:00 and expected to return at 16:30.
This individual, like L, held a unique and intriguing quality that Roger found to be quite unusual.
On the very first day he assumed control of Wammy's House, Watari introduced her to him.
"Roger, you may recognize her. This is Meredith."
He had recognized her long before he began assisting Watari with the administrative work at Wammy's House. His interest in the girl could be traced back nine years ago to a day when he and Watari engaged in their regular shooting training, which they typically did for recreation.
He patiently sat at the shooting range, meticulously wiping down his rifle with a soft cloth, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Watari.
The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and thin clouds helped to diffuse the sunlight, creating a perfect balance of light and shade. The gentle breeze blew away any heat, and the coolness that it brought was perfect for the shooter to stay focused and comfortable.
All in all, it was a day that seemed to have been tailor-made for shooting training, a recreation that he and Watari shared after both of them retired from the field of espionage.
He heard soft rustles, indicating footsteps walking on the grass. As Roger looked up, he saw Watari walking towards him, and just as he was about to greet him, his attention was quickly drawn to the small girl beside Watari, holding his hand.
Being familiar with Watari as an experienced marksman, it seemed uncharacteristic of him to take such a risk by bringing a child to the shooting range.
"Who is she, Watari?" Roger instantly called him by his alias. "And why did you bring her to the shooting range?"
Watari replied as he pulled out his sniper rifle, "Ah, she's just a girl I'm looking after for the day. Don't worry, she'll just sit at the bench and won't be a bother."
Roger couldn't help but feel suspicious.
As they started their routine, he couldn't help but notice the girl, no older than 5.
She had black hair and a pale face, wearing the earmuffs that Watari had handed her to protect her ears from the noise. She sat quietly, watching Watari snipe a target a mile away.
Roger's attention then turned to Watari, who seemed focused solely on his own shooting, paying no attention to the girl sitting beside him. He didn't offer any guidance or instruction, only gave some glimpses in her direction to check on her.
The girl just sat there. It seemed she was simply there as a companion.
To Roger, the strangest part was not the girl's calm demeanor at the shooting range but rather Watari's willingness to bring her along without even providing any training. Roger had assumed that Watari must have seen some marksmanship talent in the girl, which is why he brought her to the range in the first place.
But no, he did not train her. After several occasions of accompanying Watari, one day he ceased taking her to the shooting range. Those particular occasions were solely about allowing her to stay by his side.
The clock bells rang, indicating that it was 16:00 and bringing Roger back from his memories. He stood outside Meredith's room and opened the door to check.
(Dorms and bedrooms were not allowed to be locked in Wammy's House, to prevent children from locking each other in rooms and requiring Roger to intervene and rescue them. Keys were mostly kept by Roger, with L's room being an exception.)
Inside the room, he noticed piles of papers and books on her desk and the floor, and sheet music she was currently practicing on was also stacked on the piano. Although they weren't scattered everywhere, Roger couldn't help but frown at the somewhat organized-yet-chaotic scene.
I suppose I'll have to remind her again when she returns from school, Roger thought, while closing the door.
He headed to the other dorms and checked the bunk beds of the younger children. He made mental notes of which beds needed a change in the sheets or required the child to tidy up. Watari emphasized cleanliness, but he allowed the children to decorate their beds or have toys and comfort dolls by their sides, and Roger followed that rule.
Roger then headed for the rooms for the teens. Teens were allowed to have their own rooms, but also cannot be locked, and although Roger was resistant to check the teen's room, there were individuals that do not manage their room properly and would cause a nuisance to others.
"Urgh, Ethan again. Full and smelly rubbish bin- "
After finally checking all the rooms and noting who should be reminded, he headed to the gates and waited for those who attended school outside Wammy's House for their return.
For Wammy's House students who possessed higher social interaction abilities and might attract public attention, it was necessary for them to attend a traditional English school in addition to their education at Wammy's House. The choice of school, whether private or public, depended on the child's personality and could be made by the child or by Watari. In most cases, these students would be placed in higher grades, although the curriculum remained quite basic for them.
The purpose was to provide them with a normal school experience, allowing them to blend in and better explain their experiences to others without revealing their true identities. The chosen school served as a smokescreen, deterring anyone attempting to track their identities from directly discovering Wammy's House.
As individuals returned from school, Roger "greeted" them.
"Ethan, your rubbish bin is full. Clean it at once."
"Charlotte, there's hair all over the floor in your room. Please sweep it."
"Fitz, I found snacks in your room. Take them back to the kitchen closet yourself, or I will confiscate them."
Then, Roger noticed Meredith returning. Her school uniform stood out from the others. While they all wore blazers, and some girls wore skirts, Meredith's uniform featured a red plaid ribbon as an accessory, which was not typical in English schools. It was a uniform from the nearest Japanese school.
At the age of 14, Watari had arranged for her to attend a Japanese school in England, and it was undoubtedly unusual.
When Roger asked Watari about the reason behind sending Meredith to a Japanese school instead of an English one, he responded, "I wanted her to preserve the Japanese customs from her original family. Despite being born in England, I wanted her to have the chance to experience a Japanese high school education."
Not very convincing, Roger thought. More likely a display of favoritism towards her.
"Meredith, your room is flooded with documents. Put them back where they belong, whether it's on your bookshelf or in the library."
"But Mr. Ruvie, I am currently studying all of those, and I know exactly where everything is, and they are all within my immediate reach," she innocently gazed at him as she presented her excuse.
It was hard not to accept the excuse. Meredith's room was undeniably clean, and she diligently studied the piles of books. In fact, she was pursuing a double major in psychology and sociology at another university while simultaneously attending her second year of high school. Watari had negotiated with the school on her behalf, allowing her to take classes outside of the regular curriculum while maintaining her status as a Japanese high school student. This arrangement gave her the privilege of not being required to attend school as frequently, considering that her academic progress had already surpassed that of a typical high school student.
"There's something else I wanted to tell you." Roger took a step closer to Meredith and leaned in, lowering his voice. "Watari informed me that he and L will be returning this weekend."
She beamed, her smile blossoming like a flower. "That's great news, Mr. Ruvie."
There was something else about her that made her stand out. It wasn't just her intelligence, as all the children at Wammy's House were intelligent. It was the close relationship she shared with the enigmatic detective.
Roger knew that Meredith had been brought to the orphanage for her exceptional musical talent and was not originally considered a candidate to become L's successor according to the previous policy. However, he couldn't help but notice that whenever Watari and L returned from their trips to investigate cases or simply came back to Wammy's House to access its resources and facilities, L would always make a point to meet with her.
"I wanted to give this to you, Mr. Ruvie," she said, reaching into her school bag and pulling out a folder. "We had a unit on printmaking in art class, and our teacher asked us to carve a print for making bookplates."
She handed him a bookplate featuring the Wammy's House organization's coat of arms, adorned with very delicate monarch butterflies, a caterpillar, and speckled dots and stars around them. However, instead of the typical orange and yellow colors, the butterflies and caterpillars were colored in blue.
"Monarch butterflies aren't blue," Roger pointed out.
"I know, but I like the color blue," she grinned, then headed inside the house.
Author's Note:
As a sadistic author, I made up for my OC by writing about the close bond between Meredith and Watari, filling the void of parental love she lacked in her original family. (YEAH!)
There are several parts of this chapter that I enjoyed.
First, I enjoyed writing Roger's perspective on L, Meredith, and Watari. Roger and Watari were born during World War II and the post-war era (I made some adjustments to the year they were born in, to make the timeline more reasonable, manga+2 years/anime -1 year, so I hope that is acceptable.) which explains Watari's expertise in espionage, marksmanship, and his establishment of Wammy's House. I envision Watari as anti-war, similar to Miyazaki Hayao, who was also born in the same era, 1941, like Watari and Roger.
I see Roger as excellent as Watari, since Watari placed his trust in Roger to run the orphanage. I imagine they shared a relationship that went beyond typical friendship, so that's why Roger, although disliking children, was willing to aid him. Whether it was their comradeship in the espionage field or another kind of relationship, it is up to the readers to interpret.
Drawing inspiration from the one-shot manga "Wammy's House/L: One day," I incorporated elements like Watari's increase in assets when L discovered his passion for solving cases and L's preference for cleanliness. However, I omitted the concept of a human washing machine due to its impracticality in L's relationship with M.
I imagined a separate location for L, distinct from Wammy's House, which explains why Mello and Near had never seen him before. Eventually, they will realize they had encountered L, explaining Mello's claim in DN: Another Note, and Near's puppet and mask that resembled L's face.
L's accomplishment of stopping World War III at age 8 was inspired by L: Change the WorLd. I won't use the Winchester Bombing Case concept from Another Note, as I consider it to have many unreasonable points that deviate from canon. DN: Another Note became canon nonetheless, so I'll incorporate the LABB case in later chapters. But, as I have never written suspense fic, I will briefly go over it…I hope so. There are so many things that could be written, like the detective war and how did L figure out there was a potential WW3, but let's not get to that…
I've also noticed that I am now able to write more, with each chapter possibly exceeding 3000 words. I hope this is an improvement in expressing more. While I aim for each chapter to be above 4000 words, I'm concerned that insisting on the word count might make the passage unclear and lacking conciseness. I'm practicing to write more like other great writers, so I try to read more fics, but sometimes it's challenging to find a fic that interests me. (After filtering out LxLight, and filtering out writing style that I do not like, and when I read into the plot I stop when there are unreasonable parts…and pace…picky reader like me. But I do find some Gen fics that are amazing! I really like the flow and emotions in them.) Do give me comments on where you think improvements are needed, or recommend fics that you think the writing can be referred to.
I read some articles related to how to write a romantic relationship, and I feel I haven't made Meredith unique enough... I'm still thinking about how to improve that, and I'm struggling to write a good pace for their developing relationship, so I am not sure when the next chapter will be posted. Fingers crossed for a good inspiration popping into my mind.
This fanfic is turning out to be much longer than I ever expected...
Feel free to leave other comments on the plot or this note.