Case NOT Closed (Patreon)

Chapter 23: I'm a Lawyer

The value of the newspaper reports was indeed genuine.

After all, in his debut trial, Kensuke defeated the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office, which claimed a win rate of over 95%. Moreover, without any adjournments, he completely triumphed in the first trial. Such a record was rare nationwide in Japan.

Unfortunately, the buzz from this news lasted only a day or two.

Well, this world Japan does have a lot of murder cases every day, after all, so it’s not surprising.

However, in persuading the client this time, it proved to be a valuable asset.

After some internal struggle, Nakamichi Hito finally made up his mind.

"Alright, I agree to have you as my brother's defense lawyer."

Kensuke smiled.

He saw above the other person's head that the approval level had reached two bars.

This time, convincing the client was much easier than the last time.

That's how humans are. No matter how much eloquence and evidence you provide, it's often easier and more convincing to slap a few so-called papers on the other person's face.

"Very well, let's sign the contract then."

Kensuke glanced at Ai, who was kneeling beside him and had been calm the whole time—actually, she just couldn't be bothered to speak.

Ai nodded and took out the newly revised contract, handing it to Nakamichi Hito.

Hito took it and, as expected, exclaimed in shock and surprise, "Three million!"

Kensuke raised an eyebrow, "Of course, this is the most favorable price I can offer."

"This is the price of the best lawyer in japan,  do you really think you are capable enough to ask for this price?"

“Let me tell you, even  Norifumi Saku, the lawyer who defended us in the first trial, recommended by the undefeated queen of the legal world, Prosecutor Kisaki Eri, only charged one million!"

"Nakamichi-san, they are them, and I am me," Kensuke said with a smile.

"And besides, you can’t compare me to Norifumi-san, our skills are worlds apart, with him as your lawyer, didn't your brother still get sentenced to 20 years? Instead of throwing money at those incompetent lawyers who can't change anything, it's better to take a gamble, put the chips on the right person."

He paused.

"I can get your brother acquitted!"

"What!"

Nakamichi Hito was genuinely astonished this time.

Honestly, he had never seen such a... well, arrogant lawyer.

He originally thought that during the appeal, they might be able to reduce the sentence by a few years. To think of an acquittal? He didn't dare to even think about it!

"If I can't get an acquittal, even if there's just a reduction in sentence in the end, I won't take a single penny! Where else can you find such a good deal?"

In his ear, Kensuke's confident and slightly tempting voice sounded again.

Now, Hito no longer hesitated and nodded directly.

"Fine, let's do it as you say!"

He swiftly signed his name on the contract, stamped it with his seal, and handed it back.

Kensuke smiled and neatly stored the contract away.

"Nakamichi-san, you will be grateful for your cleverness today in the future."

So, the deal was officially settled.

Next, Kensuke had to do something very important—

Go meet the person involved in this trial, Nakamichi Kazushi, and gather some specific information from him.

This was a given; as mentioned before, in legal proceedings, lawyers need to know every detail of the case at the time of the incident. It's not possible to go to court based solely on the bits and pieces in the anime, not to mention that Kensuke had mostly forgotten the original work.

The detention center where Kazushi was held was located among the rustic homes within Chiba Prefecture.

Chiba, Chiba, as the name suggests, has numerous trees, making it a place rich in greenery.

Here, you could see a vast expanse of wild fields.

The trees were lush, the scenery enchanting, and the breeze carried the fragrance of the earth.

Along the way, Haibara Ai, who was accompanying them, walked and stopped, bathing her body and mind in the beauty of nature. She couldn't help but close her eyes.

Unfortunately, a voice that killed the mood came from beside her.

"Can you walk a bit faster? We don't have time to dawdle here. It's almost noon, and the detention center staff will need a break for a shift change."

Ai opened her eyes and looked at him with a calm expression.

"Throughout one's life, one is only busy. Occasionally taking a break to appreciate the beauty of nature is also full of elegance, isn't it?"

Without thinking, Kensuke said, "If you want to appreciate elegance, I'll buy a potted plant for the office. You can stick your hands in the soil as much as you want. We don't have time now; there's a 14-day deadline to apply for an appeal to the court."

"Is that so? If you were born in a country on the other side of the ocean, you would be hanged from a lamppost."

"Before being hanged, I'll hang you up as a backing."

"Oh, then you'd better find a few fatter ones; I'm afraid there won't be enough pressure if you don't."

The two exchanged sarcastic remarks and continued on their way. Unconsciously, they arrived at the Chiba Prefecture detention center before noon.

After informing the on-duty police officer inside, they were taken to the meeting room to meet with the suspect.

Soon, a bald man was brought in on the other side of the glass.

The bald man was under forty, tall and robust, exuding a somewhat imposing aura. However, his appearance was somewhat disheveled, and he wore a look of discontent on his face.

"I am Attorney Komemon. Your brother entrusted me as the defense attorney for your appeal to the second trial."

Kensuke first introduced himself to his own side.

"This is my sister, Komemon Ai. She came from the countryside to help me with things here."

"Oh? You are the second lawyer my brother hired for me."

The bald man, also known as the person involved in this case, Nakamichi Kazushi, casually glanced at them and shook his head in disappointment.

Judging by his attitude, it seemed that, like his brother, he was disappointed with Kensuke's age and had no hope for the appeal.

Kensuke didn't mind. To be precise, the client was his brother, not him. He didn't care about this person's attitude; he wasn't the one paying. As long as he didn't mess things up like a liability, it was fine.

"Tell me in detail about what happened at that time, leaving out no details," Kensuke said in a very formulaic manner, gesturing for Ai to take out the pen and paper she carried with her.

"Damn, such an arrogant guy..."

The bald man muttered.

In the detention center, when someone meets with a suspect, there is no one else listening, and there are no recording devices. This is to ensure the privacy rights of the suspect.

Normally, there would be no disturbance, and telling the truth would not matter. However, Kazushi said it like this:

"I absolutely didn't intend to commit murder!"

"Hmm?"

Kensuke lifted his head, looking at the bald man's face with interest.

His appearance didn't seem like he was lying.

This was interesting because it seemed different from what was said in the anime.

Could it be that, due to the butterfly effect, some plot changes were triggered?

"It's all because of that woman! If Yumi hadn't interfered with my marriage, if she hadn't treated me like a cash cow..."

"Stop! I have no interest in your emotional journey."

Kensuke frowned, waved his hand, and decisively interrupted the bald man's lament.

"..."

The bald man can only stare at Kensuke in surprise.

Slapping the table, he roared, "You were hired by our family! What harm would it do to listen to my complaints for a bit?"

"Please understand, I am your lawyer, not your therapist."

Kensuke shrugged, looked at him expressionlessly, and said, "If you want to say anything unnecessary, it'll cost extra. I charge by the minute here."