The last judgment

      I went to bed “early enough,” as Edgeworth had requested. The sun was just rising, and the morning light flooded the room, and with it the vague echoes of something disturbing and incomprehensible began to creep into my mind. They made me uncomfortable, but I tried to ignore them. Today one could not afford to be uncertain, one could not give in to fear — it could be ruinous. We had to act quickly, and for that, it was important to be focused and sober. So I took all the time I had to get ready — I showered, ironed my suit, polished my lawyer’s badge and shoes to a mirror finish, and pulled my tie tighter than usual. After all, I was about to go on trial, not with anyone, but with the international prosecutor herself, Franziska von Karma. It was a crucial day for the three of us. And yet, she was going to have a hard time — I had my own ace up my sleeve.

***

      It was about twenty minutes before the trial started. We stood with Edgeworth in the waiting room, listening to the sounds coming through the ajar doors of the courtroom. The room became a humming cloud of distorted voices that were hard to discern, but it was obvious what was being said: “The best prosecutor in the country is a murderer! That’s what it is, the highest justice! And how many people have died at the hands of this demonic prosecutor! Guilty! The punishment is death!” Miles turned to me, and I read on his face an expression of such unspeakable anguish that I felt uneasy.       “No, no, no! Look at me,” I tried to put on the most sincere and confident smile I could muster. “When the trial is over, I promise they’ll forget everything they said. No one will dare call you a murderer, of that there can be no doubt.”       “That’s too lame support, Wright. Be realist, focus on the present. There’s nothing I can do to save my reputation. No one will believe I’m innocent. I’ve done too much wrong to have any hope of forgiveness,” Miles clutched the sleeve of his jacket restlessly and looked away.       “Look, let’s talk about this after the acquittal, okay? Maybe even over a glass of something strong. Just hear me out. I know you don’t like to have your soul invaded., especially like this…” He looked up at me slowly, trying to keep a serious expression on his face. “But… there’s something I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time, Miles. I’m eternally grateful for your constant presence in my life. You’re the person who inspired me to become an attorney. And even if the whole world turns against you, I will not give up for a second, and I will stand shoulder to shoulder with you.”       Obviously, not expecting such a turn of events, he was confused, his cheeks blushed slightly, and his lips opened involuntarily, as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. Such seductive and inaccessible lips… Phoenix, pull yourself together!       “Prosecutor Edgeworth!” We both turned to see Gumshoe coming towards us. He had his usual cheerful grin on his face. “Sir! It’s so good to see you! How are you? You look pale and sad. I hope I haven’t offended you with my intrusion.”       “Detective, you haven’t changed at all…” Miles didn’t take his eyes off me, but he lowered them with a sigh. “Did you take good care of Ms. Von Karma?”       “Yes, sir! Really… it looks like I’m getting another pay cut. Ms. Karma found out about my help to the defense attorney and threatened to fire me,” the inspector frowned and became visibly sad, but turned to me and smiled again. “Pal, I’ve got all your stuff on the evidence list, so don’t worry! But I’m sorry, I can’t tell you about the knife, and otherwise I’ll get fired!”       “It’s fine,” I gritted my teeth, looking at Edgeworth’s serious face. He was obviously thinking about something else. “It’ll be fine, don’t worry,” I put my hand on his shoulder, making him flinch.       “You guys are weird today,” Gumshoe concluded with a wink, and we just looked at each other in confusion.

***

      “The case of Mr. Miles Edgeworth is now open!” the judge banged his gavel on the table and looked at me expectantly.       “The defense side is ready, Your Honor?” My voice sounded clear and loud, and seemed to echo off the walls. On such a note, the courtroom was completely silent — only the air conditioner could be heard muttering softly. All the attention of those present was directed at the prosecutor.       “And the prosecution? Are you ready, Ms. von Karma?” the judge asked anxiously, and moved a little away from the table, knowing that these words were going to embarrass the passionate prosecutor. But she just nodded her head, shrugged her shoulders, and stepped forward resolutely.       “Mr. Phoenix Wright, I hope you realize that you can’t win. It would be better if you quit now. You don’t want to leave an irreparable mark on your career, do you? So think before you speak.”       “I don’t care about my career, I’ll put anything on the line for Edgeworth… and endure her terrible habit of calling people by their full names again…”       “Ahem… Ms. Karma, if you want to discuss personal problems, do it in priva…” the judge intervened and jumped up on the spot. “Ouch!”       “If you interrupt me again, you will be dealt personally with a whip. Do you understand me, Phoenix Wright?!” she glared at me with such anger that I didn’t risk an argument, knowing how it might end, then she glanced quickly at the dock. “I will not allow you, Miles Edgeworth, to continue to desecrate the honor and nobility of the von Karma lineage! You will not escape punishment. Now we can stop wasting my valuable time. The prosecution requests that the chief investigator of this case be called.”       The inspector, who could barely fit there because of his size, took a place behind the tribune. Instead of his usual friendly smile, his face was frozen with an angry tension, which he tried hard to hide.       “Investigator Dick Gumshoe! You will clear this up for the court right now!”       “Uh, yes, indeed, ma’am! The murder took place late last night at the prosecutor’s office. The body of forty-six-year-old Attorney Harold Horton was found right in prosecutor Edgeworth’s office. He had what looked like a steel knife sticking out of his chest. The intruder’s fingerprints on the knife match Mr. Edgeworth’s right hand. Four thousand dollars in cash was stolen from the victim, along with evidence suggesting the killer had a motive for the murder. The evidence was found in the safe of the prosecutor’s safe. After committing the murder, the perpetrator left the scene and locked the office door with a key that was later found in Mr. Edgeworth’s jacket pocket…”       “That’s enough!” Karma stopped the policeman with a firm voice, crossing her arms over her chest. “There’s a security camera at the entrance to the prosecutor’s office, and when someone walks through it, it automatically takes a picture. Here are the pictures of Harold Horton entering at nine hours and twelve minutes, and Miles Edgeworth leaving at twenty-four hours and two minutes. Let’s get them into the case file. At this point, the prosecution has no reason to doubt Miles Edgeworth’s guilt. All of the above evidence provides ample proof of his guilt.”       “Yes, I completely agree with you, Ms. von Karma,” the judge nodded and raised his gavel over the stand, preparing to accept the verdict.       “Objection! The defense didn’t cross-examine the witness!” I came out from behind the pulpit and stood in front of the witness stand.       “Mr. Phoenix Wright, there’s no need for that. Your cross-examination is idle chatter and a waste of time,” she said, smiling and wagging her slender finger at me.       “I have the right of cross-examination and I will gladly exercise it.” My palms clenched into fists of their own accord with a sense of irritation, and I turned to the judge.       “All right, defense, you may proceed with your cross-examination,” the judge said, squinting anxiously at the prosecutor.       “Inspector Gumshoe, can you tell us who called the police, what time the call came in, how long it took you to get to the scene, and how exactly did you get into my client’s office if it was closed?” I went over to the table where the evidence list and the evidence itself were, put on my gloves, examined it carefully, and did not find my “discovery” from yesterday.       “Karma! She got rid of the real murder weapon! Oh, come on!… Okay, calm down, I’ll prove Edgeworth’s innocence without it.”       “Sure thing, pal. The call came from the guard station at twenty-four hours and eight minutes, and we were there in just five minutes. Since there is only one key to the prosecutor’s office, and there was none in the key box, we had to crack the door.”       “Objection! Did you say, “the key exists in a single copy?” Then how do you explain this?” I pulled out of my jacket pocket the exact same key that was on the evidence table. It had been found in a roll with the knife, but I had decided to keep the key, and apparently for good reason. The courtroom buzzed with excitement. Gumshoe stared at me in confusion.       “Objection! This is strong evidence, Mr. Phoenix Wright, but proves that this key is somehow involved in this case. Maybe you made it yourself,” Karma slapped the whip on the table, drawing it taut in her hands and preparing to strike again, looking straight at me.       “The very existence of this key proves his involvement in the case. But if it pleases you, Ms. Von Karma, the defense requests a fingerprint check. The key has a rough enough surface that it’s difficult to wipe fingerprints off. If my client’s fingerprints are found, it will be enough to convict him as a participant in this crime.”       “The quick test takes no more than three minutes,” the inspector interrupted the conversation and was immediately embarrassed when he noticed the prosecutor’s sharp gaze.       “It is decided, respected Inspector Gumshoe, take care of this evidence,” the judge banged his gavel, I handed him the key, and he left the courtroom, with undisguised relief, almost jumping up and down.       I looked at Edgeworth: he was sitting in his usual posture, with his foot on his leg, biting his lower lip, but his face was perfectly calm. The mask that hid his feelings, and from which he never let go for a moment, was impenetrable. But when our eyes met, my heart clenched into a lump. What I felt for him was far more intense than I could put into words.       “Your Honor, I know we’re now considering Mr. Edgeworth’s case, and yet I can’t help but mention it. You will recall that in the case that gave my client “motive,” Attorney Horton presented “irrefutable evidence,” but I have proof that this evidence is false.”       “Mr. Wright, what do you mean by that?”       While the judge listened to the tape, I carefully examined the photos Karma had provided. Something about them really bothered me, although I couldn’t find any clear evidence of it. Franziska had stood stone-faced and completely silent the entire time. “Apparently it runs in the family.”       “Well… this record sheds some light on the situation. It will certainly be considered at the retrial. The question then becomes, if Mr. Edgeworth had dirt on the victim, why did he have to kill him?”       “I did it! I was able to shake the judge’s faith in my side!”       “Objection! Your Honor, how can you believe such dubious 'discoveries' by the defense? This is ridiculous!”       “Ridiculous? Ms. Karma, your photos can also be considered questionable 'discoveries'!” After I said that, a sharp pain shot through my right shoulder and radiated throughout my body. I swayed and grabbed the evidence table with my hand to keep from falling. She hit me with the whip. “Ms. Karma! You can whip me all you want, it won’t change the weight of the evidence you’re giving me. Explain this contradiction: the photo of Mr. Horton shows the date and time, but the photo of Mr. Edgeworth only shows the time. Why is this? The answer is simple: this picture was taken on a different day! As you know, my client is the chief prosecutor, and he has an extremely high level of work, so he often stays at the prosecutor’s office late into the evening. You printed out the photo at a more convenient time, Ms. von Karma, and you removed the date because it did not correspond to reality.”       Franziska was almost speechless with indignation. But she quickly pulled herself together, stepped away from the table, and without letting go of the whip from her tightly clenched fingers, came almost right up to me. Her anger was terrible. Her eyes, staring straight into mine, had the same icy horror in them as her appearance, which made me shudder.       “Hold it!” Gumshoe ran into the courtroom, breathing heavily. “Wait! Don’t convict Mr. Edgeworth! His fingerprints were not found on the key! Here’s the forensic report.”       “I knew it!”       “Now you’re going to claim that the key belongs to the real culprit, Mr. Phoenix Wright?” she wagged her finger at me again and turned her back dramatically. “Only this key doesn’t change anything — the murder weapon, with Miles Edgeworth’s fingerprints on it, is right in front of your stupid nose!”       “It’s not real, and you know it perfectly well…”       “Still, Mr. Wright is right, the evidence is still strong, let it be admitted into the case file, and the pictures be seized for further examination,” the judge suddenly woke up. “Prosecution, you may call your next witness to testify.”       “Yes, Your Honor,” Karma gave me a hateful look, then curtsied and returned to her seat behind the pulpit. “Bailiff, call the second witness who called the police.”       “Inspector, you are my savior!” I also returned to the pulpit and opened the file I had already put aside from yesterday.       A gray-haired, middle-aged man in a plaid shirt with rolled-up sleeves and black jeans stood before us. His sideburns and hair were slicked back, and the look in his black eyes was calm and slightly distant.       “Witness, state your name and occupation,” the prosecutor ordered in a cold tone.       “Lloyd Swits, I’m a security guard at the prosecutor’s office.”       “Please tell us what you saw that night. What were the circumstances?”       “I got it, baby,” Franziska frowned at these words and tightened the whip in her hands. “So, I was hanging around the building, on the twelfth floor, not touching anyone, and suddenly, I heard rumbling, stomping, screaming. I ran over, and there, just like in the movie, was a whole fight. The whole floor was covered with blood. The chief prosecutor and some unknown geezer. The latter, by the way, was already finished: his pockets were empty, but there was a bloody mess on his chest. Not a pretty sight. Well, I stood there and then hurried to make a phone call. So here it is.”       “God, I’m going to have to interrogate him?!”       “It seems you saw Mr. Edgeworth at the scene of the crime! Well, Mr. Wright, you may begin your questioning.”       “Ahem… yes, Your Honor. Mr. Swits, can you elaborate on what “hanging around the building” means? What were you doing on the twelfth floor at this Exactly at this time? I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. “So you heard a noise… can anyone confirm what you said?” He hesitated, and shook his head uncertainly. “What was that noise?”       “Detour, what else? We go around the building every shift, checking all the floors, all the nooks and crannies….”       “Exactly at this time?” I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. “So you heard a noise… can anyone confirm what you said?” He hesitated, and shook his head uncertainly. “What was that noise?”       “Well, how can I tell you… There were some screams and groans, then a bang and silence, just echoes. It was so ringing in my ears. It was a very powerful impression.”       “Objection! According to the autopsy report, the cause of death was stab wounds. No signs of a struggle were found on the victim’s body. I’m also confused about the “The whole floor was covered with blood” part. I personally inspected the crime scene — it looked completely different. The amount of blood was negligible for two wounds… What nonsense are you talking about?”       “Mr. Wright! Watch your language!” the judge yelled at me.       “The witness should be watching his language, not me. The defense requires the witness to present the facts truthfully and impartially!”       “Why didn’t Karma prepare the perfect testimony for him?”       “Your Honor, there must be something the witness has forgotten or confused since then. After all, he saw an indecent scene, and that’s something to consider. Mr. Phoenix Wright, you are showing extreme insistence on my witness, which could be detrimental to the trial, and believe me, I will make sure that this situation does not happen again.”       The judge ran his hand over his gray beard, and there was a sigh in the silence, sad as always. Then he stared at Mr. Swits. It was hard to tell from his expression whether he did not believe a word he said, or whether he believed him wholeheartedly. Finally, he nodded: “Say your version of events again. And clear up any misunderstandings right away. This is a serious case, and Prosecutor Edgeworth himself is a suspect!”       “Yes, I’m sorry, I’m really confused. In general, the case went like this: I was walking down the hallway and I heard a commotion in the next office. I went over and saw a man lying unconscious on the floor and the prosecutor standing next to him. He told me to keep quiet, or I could lose my job. When he left, I called the police and told them what had happened. That’s the whole story. I never saw anything else. I swear.”       “Hold it! You’re contradicting yourself. First you say something that can’t be true, and then you claim it really happened because you were told not to say anything. How can I believe your testimony? Especially since I have proof that you’re lying. A check from my client’s parking lot, time stamped 10:13 p.m. Mr. Edgeworth never returned to the prosecutor’s office again.”       “Objection! What a foolish fool you are, Phoenix Wright. You can use this piece of paper to wipe away bitter tears after a guilty verdict, that’s the only purpose of this paper. The defendant was perfectly capable of returning to the prosecutor’s office without the use of an automobi…”       “Objection! This makes absolutely no sense, Franziska von Karma!” I slammed my palm on the desk, forgetting all about the burn — the pain immediately reasserted itself, and I hissed. “…you mean Mr. Edgeworth locked Mr. Horton in his office, left, and then returned on foot?! That… that’s impossible! There are too many contradictions in the witness’s testimony…!”       “You’re right, Mr. Wright. I don’t suppose this witness can help us now.”       “Hold it! Your Honor, please don’t interrupt me, I’m not finished! Nevertheless, the defense may state the following: I have reason to believe, based on the analysis of all available information, that Mr. Swits is involved in the crime.”       “What’s the reason? You’re too stupid to understand such a thing,” Karma grinned haughtily. “Provide the court with evidence of your right.”       “Unlike Mr. Edgeworth, Mr. Swits has a motive for murder. And the motive is serious: six months ago, his mistress, to whom he was engaged, came under suspicion for the murder of a business partner. Prosecutor Edgeworth, according to the investigation, made some very serious accusations against Miss de Ville, that’s the name of the woman in the documents, for which she had to answer with her life. The sentence was carried out two months ago. Lloyd Swits, you wanted revenge for Miss de Ville’s death, didn’t you?”       The more I talked, the more confident I felt. The witness’s face began to change. His eyes were bloodshot, and I could see that my story was affecting him more and more. He opened his mouth and suddenly laughed wildly, the way a madman would laugh. I looked at Karma. She was leaning over the pulpit, smiling slightly. “What a madhouse…”       “Evidence, Attorney? Where’s your evidence?” the laughter stopped as suddenly as it had started.       “I assure you, the evidence exists, but in order to present it, I have to start from afar. There’s no need to rush into it. I’m only stating your motive now, but it’s not the most important one. There is another person who can help us solve this case. This man was involved in a questionable episode.”       “What other questionable episode? Are you saying this man is a murderer?”       “No, that’s not what I meant,” I wagged my finger at her, as she had done when she had spoken to me. “I urge the court to call Ms. Clarice Wanner immediately, as her testimony is crucial to clarifying the events.”       “Actually, why does this person have to do with these events?” the judge became enthusiastic.       “This woman was in the prosecutor’s office for an extremely short time, when, in fact, the events we are interested in took place, and also met personally with Mr. Edgeworth!”       “Call Ms. Wanner to the stand immediately! For the time being, I declare a forty-minute recess!” the judge shouted angrily and banged his gavel.

***

      I walked out of the conference room like a lunatic and casually sat down on the couch by the door to the waiting room. I ran my fingers through my hair, found a strand sticking out at the back of my head, fixed it with my hand, leaned my head back and stared at the specks of dust swirling in the sunlight. Edgeworth stood at the window watching me in silence, then walked over to the water cooler and poured a glass of water into it before sitting down next to me and handing it to me. Sighing, I took a few greedy sips, my mouth feeling disgustingly dry. I was strangely absent-minded, my thoughts scattering in different directions.       “It’s going to be okay, don’t worry,” his warm hand gently cupped my palm. His face was right next to mine, so my eyes met his. Miles looked very calm, but he also seemed to be fighting with himself.       “Too lame support, Edgeworth,” my lips curled into a smile against my will, and he answered me with the same soft, slightly sad smile, lowering his eyes.       “You are… shivering,” he breathed heavily and slowly, as if trying to retain something of his equanimity. “Do all court sessions make you so nervous?”       “You won’t,” Miles laughed softly, barely audible, but continued in a serious voice: “Don’t you dare touch that table with your burned palm again.”       “Okay…” I exhaled and fell silent. I don’t know how long we stared at each other in silence before I realized that I could still feel the weight of his arm. With my other hand, I ran it around my neck to check for a pulse. It was there. It was pretty good. “I’ll go freshen up.”       He didn’t say anything, just shook his head and looked at me as I walked down the hall to the bathroom. It was a small room with a tiny window, two sinks, and a mirror on the wall. My reflection was haggard and tired — I shook my head some more and opened the faucet, hastily beginning to wash my face. The cold water was pleasantly refreshing and sobering, and the shaking I had just experienced was gone.       When I felt my muscles loosening up, I relaxed a little and looked around me as I walked back to the hall. As I walked down the stairs, I ran into Karma. She was staring at me intently. By some inner force, I shook myself, chased away the lingering and anxious feeling that was sweeping over me, and walked over to her and grabbed her hand. She panicked and tried to pull away, but I held her back.       “The knife! Where did you put it?!” I shouted, tugging the girl by the elbow and turning her around to face me.       “Phoenix Wright, what do you think you’re doing?! I don’t know what you’re talking about…”       “You know what I’m talking about! You’re… You’re insane! Edgeworth was the only person you had left after your father died, who was a bastard, and he was the only one who cared about you! And now you’re trying to get your brother convicted, even though you know he didn’t commit the crime! What the hell does that mean?! About what a heartless, inhuman monster you are, willing to needlessly destroy someone else’s life for some petty ambition… A monster like your father!” I couldn’t stand it anymore and let go of her hand, turning to leave. The emotions still overwhelmed me. I wanted to get away from this crazy and, to be honest, annoying girl who had bored me for three years.

***

      “This court will now resume the trial of Miles Edgeworth! Prosecutor Karma, you may call your next witness.”       “Understood, Your Honor,” she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at me thoughtfully. “Clarice Wanner, come to the podium!”       There was no need to tell her twice. She walked confidently to the podium. The girl was dressed in a short black dress that accentuated her figure, revealing the clean lines of her hips and slender legs. Red high heels added to her eroticism.       “Did she come straight from the highway to the courthouse?!”       “Witness, identify yourself to the court and tell us what you do for a living.”       “Clarice Wanner, I work at the front desk as a receptionist, but I am currently on vacation.”       “Mr. Wright states that you were in the prosecutor’s office that night and even saw the defendant. Tell us more about that.”       “Oh, Mr. Wright, you never cease to amaze me — how could you think of such a thing? I was there. My man has a friend in the prosecutor’s office who is currently on trial, and he needed to see him urgently, even though we had plans of our own. The meeting took place in the parking lot, but first I went into the building itself because I hadn’t seen my colleagues for a long time and decided to find out what had happened during my absence. Then I went back to the men, who had already finished their conversation, and after saying goodbye, we parted ways.”       “Turns out, she’s not aware that I’m also a friend of her 'man'.”       “The defense may proceed with the examination of the witness,” the judge said, almost falling asleep on the last words.       “How long did all this take you?”       “No more than twenty minutes, I guess,” she smiled sweetly at me, and I took my time walking over to her and standing across from her.       “That’s what Larry said too…”       “What exactly were you doing in that building for twenty minutes? And another question: who has access to the keyboard?”       “Chatting with a colleague, I told you. Only security and reception have access.”       “I mean… anytime you want, you can get a key from there. What did you and your colleague talk about? Can she confirm that?”       “Objection! Phoenix Wright, these questions have nothing to do with our case and are your silly ramblings with the witness.”       “Yes, I agree with Ms. Karma, counsel’s last question will be stricken from the record,” the judge nodded.       “You’ll have to play the game by my rules, Ms. Wanner.”       “Then I’ll ask you another question. Did you hide the knife and the key in the painting you gave to your 'man' the night before the event?”       “What? How do you know that?” when she said that, she opened her eyes wide and immediately covered her mouth with her hand.       “Gotcha! The best tactic is an attack.”       “Yes, you did just that!” I took a photo of the broken painting from the evidence table and gave it to her. “You, in collusion with the guard, hid the murder weapon and the key to the prosecutor’s office in the painting and gave it to a man who had no idea what was going on!”       “Objection! It’s all your silly fantasies caused by a complete lack of evidence!” Karma growled, striking the poor table with her whip. “What motive could this lady possibly have?!”       “Yes, Mr. Attorney, what motive could I possibly have? Besides, the victim is none other than my father,” Wanner tossed her dark hair back smugly.       The courtroom gasped, making such a ruckus that the judge had to bang his gavel three times, repeating: “Silence! Silence! Silence in the courtroom!”       “I’m already aware of that, Ms. Wanner. I spent several hours yesterday researching the matter. Your parents were divorced, and as far as I can tell, not on good terms, because your father stopped supporting your family financially. And recently, your mother was diagnosed with leukemia. The operation and all the necessary medications required a very large sum of money. Mr. Horton flatly refused to pay for his ex-wife’s expensive operation, so you decided to take the rather risky step of seeking help from an equally eccentric man, Mr. Swits. He had a grudge against Mr. Edgeworth, so he wanted to frame him at any cost, and you wanted to save your mother’s life by agreeing to the terms, taking your father’s money, since he worked as a lawyer and made a relatively good living… I think that this point of your deal was agreed upon and achieved by you in advance.”       “Mr. Wright, this is certainly a very interesting story, but you haven’t presented a single piece of evidence that could in any way point to me or the guard as the perpetrator,” her face remained completely impenetrable.       “The evidence is the contents of the painting. A knife wrapped in a rag and a key. Incidentally, you made the key beforehand, and during the meeting with Mr. Edgeworth you discreetly placed it in his jacket pocket, so that all suspicion would fall on him.”       “But there is no other knife on the evidence list, Mr. Wright!” the judge came to his senses.       I sighed, shook my head, and glanced at Franziska, waiting for her reaction. She nodded as if in agreement, folded her arms across her chest, and looked away. It looked like she wasn’t going to meet me. That didn’t surprise me. I couldn’t change anything else.       “Objection! Your Honor, this evidence exists! I asked for a re-examination, so it was not added to this list!” Karma turned around uncertainly, clearly nervous and clutching the sleeve of her dress. This made me stunned for a few seconds. “These records here…”       “Why didn’t you say so before, Ms. Karma?!” the judge finally pulled himself together and looked at the sheets spread out in front of him. “Hmmm… yes, same thickness… same length… and unknown prints were found on the handle! Urgent examination of the two witnesses' prints!”       The bailiffs, following orders, led the witnesses to the exit. There was an oppressive silence in the courtroom. Franziska stared at me as if she had seen the eighth wonder of the world, and I could have sworn her eyes were filled with tears. She seemed to have a real sense of conscience and shame about her behavior. I could see her lips tighten in annoyance.       “Mr. Wright, why don’t you tell us what really happened?!”       “What? You see, Your Honor, it’s likely that Mr. Horton, while leaving the prosecutor’s office, caught the eye of Lloyd Sweets and… well, you know. The murder took place somewhere in the building because there were no abrasions or bruises on the body. The body was simply moved to room 1202 and stabbed a second time with a knife belonging to Mr. Edgeworth. That’s probably what happened.”       “These stories coming out of your mouth are so interesting, and look so convincing!” the judge admired me, making me embarrassed.       “Thanks, Your Honor…”       Some time later, Gumshoe appeared in the hall with such important papers that the matter was finally settled: the prints matched those on the knife. There was no longer any doubt.       “Ms. Karma, where are your witnesses now?” scratching his beard, the judge asked.       “At the police station, Your Honor. They have been arrested.”       “Well, in that case, it was time for the verdict. The defendant will please take the stand.” Miles took his seat, gazed intently at the bronze-rimmed emblem of the scales of justice that adorned the wall, and placed his palm over his heart in a bow. “This court finds the defendant, Miles Edgeworth, not guilty.”       There was applause in the hall, shouts of agreement and disagreement with the court’s decision. I felt an indescribable mixture of elation and excitement. The joy of victory was mixed with incredible fatigue, the trial dragged on unbearably long, it seemed it would never end. I was morally exhausted to the limit. I felt dizzy and staggered, leaning on the table. Someone took me under the arm, but when I opened my eyes I saw a burgundy suit in front of me, familiar to the last crease. It was Miles. His face expressed genuine relief and even some joy. Our eyes met. He gave me an encouraging smile. “That’s the smile I’ll defend with my last breath.” He led me to the exit, where familiar faces were waiting for us: Inspector Gumshoe, who was glowing with enthusiasm, Larry Butz, whose gaze was expressive of sadness and universal sorrow, and suddenly, next to a column, as if hiding in a thick shadow, Franziska. I felt Edgeworth tense nervously, and looked at me as if asking for support. I nodded, and he released my hand and moved toward his sister.       “Yeehoo! Pal! You were great! Congratulations!” Gumshoe exclaimed, putting his arm around my shoulder. “Today is my treat! I won’t get paid this month, but damn it! We should celebrate.”       “Oh, no, no, I’d rather sit at home in silence,” I shook my head, horrified by such a proposal, but the investigator affectionately touched me on the shoulder, hinting that now was not the time to refuse. “All right, so be it.”       “I lost to Phoenix Wright!” Franziska said loudly, causing everyone to turn to look at her, and she clung to Edgeworth’s chest without restraint, while he held her shaking body close to him and said something softly, trying to calm her down and somehow explain that the courtroom was not a battlefield for lawyers and prosecutors where only one of them could come out alive.       “Nick! How am I supposed to live! My baby, she’s… she’s!” blocking the view, squealed Butz. “I don’t want to live like this! Let them give me a death verdict, too!”       “Ahem… Larry, calm down, death is the least you can do for us. I don’t think you have any need to worry about that. After all, you’re a heartthrob, aren’t you? You’ll get yourself some new girlfriends.”       “Yeah, you’re right, I do, but you have no idea how much. You know, maybe I should hit on that sexy devil with the whip. Her BDSM tendencies turn me on,” Butz licked his lips and nudged my side.       “Uh, if you survive, tell me how it went,” I was confused, and I noticed Karma and Edgeworth coming toward us with a steady stride. They looked quite grim. “Thanks, Franziska, I couldn’t have done it without you.”       She grunted, and Miles stepped up to me, his hand outstretched, and I reflexively extended mine. My eyes widened in surprise when, instead of the usual handshake, he pulled me to him, pulling me into a tight embrace. I didn’t resist, surrendering completely to his arms, and I felt myself blushing. His bangs were down, covering the part of his face I’d longed to see. And I couldn’t stand it, so I ran my fingers through his hair, tucking it away as gently as I could, as if afraid to frighten him. I stared into his devilishly attractive gray eyes, which looked at me with such tenderness and awe at the same time.       “I’m grateful for your constant presence in my life as well, Wright. You were my hero today,” he whispered, pulling me even closer to his body. “You made me see the obvious, as usual.”       “Y-you’re welcome, Edgeworth! I was doing my j-job,” I breathed back, feeling very awkward. He grinned confidently, but there was no mockery in the smile, and let me go.       Everyone looked at us, reluctant to interfere with what was happening. From the look on their faces, they hadn’t expected such a turn of events. Gumshoe even raised his eyebrows. In the silence that followed, the distant rumble of thunder and the sound of the wind outside the window were clearly audible.       “I’m sorry… sir, you have to go back to the detention center before the paperwork is done,” Gumshoe mumbled. “I’ll walk you out.”       “Yes, of course, I’m sorry to keep you waiting,” Edgeworth gave us a parting glance and turned to leave.       “I’ll meet you at the bar around the corner, friends,” the inspector whispered, following Miles down the long corridor.       “Nick, you go ahead, I’ll catch up… I’m gonna… stick around a little longer,” Butz, also whispering it above my ear, walked off in Karma’s direction.       There was nothing left for me to do but follow the direction indicated, imagining how the alcohol coursing through my bloodstream would dull my senses and thoughts, temporarily blunt the pain and, of course, dispel the nauseous sensations.       As I stepped out of the building and onto the street, I was greeted by a downpour that had started quite suddenly, as the sun had been shining brightly in the morning. Maybe this was exactly what I wanted. Finally, I loosened the knot of my tie, sighed, stepped out from under the roof of the building, and raised my face to the wind. The slanting raindrops now seemed only a welcome reminder of the fear I had felt that morning, and the wind caressed my face pleasantly, bringing with it the scent of leaves and rain. The rain had a freshness to it that I hadn’t felt in all those hours. I walked on, ignoring the cool water running down my skin. But my thoughts were still with the one person in the world who was dearest and closest to me.