Two days later.

-Naomasa's car-

I'm riding in a car that Mr. Sakura is driving.

(We're supposed to be investigating Jack again today...But as usual, he won't tell me what's going on.)

Y/N: "Um... where are we going today?"

Naomasa: "To see my client."

(What...? By his client, does he mean...?!)

I can't help but gulp.

(The one the chief was talking about, who's paying them a million dollars?)

-House-

We pull up somewhere that's neither a hotel nor an embassy.

Y/N: "What... here?"

Naomasa: "Yeah."

(No matter how I look at it, this seems like it's just some ordinary house. Is there a secret base for a foreign organisation here in this quiet neighbourhood...?)

*ding dong*

???: "Yes?"

The person who answers the door is a refined old woman.

Housewife: "Well, now, if it isn't my lawyer. Thank you for coming out all this way."

(What? Her lawyer...?)

Naomasa: "Hello, Mrs. Tatsuno."

Mrs. Tatsuno: "Please, come inside."

Naomasa: "Thank you."

(When she says lawyer... she means Mr. Sakura, right?)

Having learned for the first time that Mr. Sakura is also a lawyer...I stand in the entryway for a while, stunned.

-Inside-

After we've all reached the living room and exchanged greetings once again, Mrs. Tatsuno sighs deeply.

Mrs. Tatsuno: "Oh, this is such a problem..."

Mr. Sakura nods at the exhausted-looking Mrs. Tatsuno.

Naomasa: "So I gather."

Mrs. Tatsuno: "And even though I knew this would happen eventually, it's still so hard to take."

From what I hear, the apartment complex Mrs. Tatsuno owns is getting old, and she would like to rebuild it, but there's one tenant who just won't move out.

Mrs. Tatsuno: "But they're not bad people, you know. They say they really like my apartment...that they couldn't imaging living anywhere else."

Naomasa: "..."

Mr. Sakura takes notes as he listens. His expression is the same as ever, but...

Mrs. Tatsuno: "My neighbour told me that you'd dealt with this kind of problem before...that you solved it by explaining things very cordially... That's why I contacted you."

Naomasa: "Thank you. I'll try to think of a solution that does no harm to your relationship with the tenant, and if possible allows you to continue to interact with one another in the future."

Mrs. Tatsuno: "Yes, that would be wonderful!"

Naomasa: "And... in this case I will do my best to keep my own role in the background."

Mrs. Tatsuno: "Oh...But why?"

Naomasa: "If this tenant were to learn that I was a lawyer, they would certainly be upset. So I will think of what actions would be best for you to take and the inform you of them. Should you act in accordance with my suggestions, all will likely be well."

Mr. Sakura's tone is reserved but sincere.

(He... really is a lawyer.)