All 08.3 - Legal Matters

There was a polite, sharp knock at Victor’s front door. Opening it, he saw a smartly-dressed young man looking back at him. Victor gave a small smile, “Good afternoon, Mr. Komatsu. Can I help you with something?”
He bowed his head in greeting, “Good afternoon, Mr. Erzebet.” He looked at him; his expression was neutral and polite, though there was a hint of something that might be distrust in his eyes. “I was wondering if I might discuss matters with you.”
Victor gestured for him to enter. Ryuji entered the house, removing his shoes. “There aren’t many Asonians who take their shoes off indoors,” he commented. “I’ve found it’s more of a practice in Yeto.”
“I still haven’t determined my exact relation to that country,” Victor replied. “I think I’m happier leaving that unresolved, for the moment.”
Ryuji made a ‘hrm’ noise. Victor led him into the sitting room, where Virgil was laying in a cradle, grabbing at a mobile that dangled above him. A violin lay on a small table by a chair, and a large pile of blankets had been folded and stacked on the floor beside the couch. Gesturing for the guest to sit, Victor asked, “Can I get you anything?”
Sitting down on a chair, posture straight, Ryuji replied, “No, thank you, I’m fine.” His eyes scanned about the room, looking into the hallway.
“...The other two aren’t here,” Victor offered, sitting down as well. “Caitlyn is never here; it was unlikely that she was when you first arrived. Lucca is here more often, but he’s out for the afternoon.” Ryuji felt something brush against his leg; looking down, a tortoiseshell cat returned his gaze. Victor rolled his eyes, “His cat is still here though.”
“Hmm, yes, well,” Ryuji fumbled. He took a deep breath, composing himself, then sighed. “Alright. Can I be perfectly honest?”
“Of course. State your mind.”
“After the events on the 9th, I have found the whole...situation regarding this case distressing. It is testing me morally and spiritually, and I would like some things straightened out before I can continue.”
“By all means,” Victor nodded. “You have all of the pertinent...secret details, I suppose. I can clarify anything that’s bothering you.”
“Alright. First, let me state the details as the case knows them. Viscount Erzebet died in a fire on Av 26th, 4826. His widow, Viscountess Erzebet, inherited his title, property and possessions upon his death. Five months later, on Tevet 14th, she apparently signed a contract with Kamun Property Management of Yeto. They immediately took over the administration of the Erzebet holdings, for a percentage cut of profits. In addition, in exchange for various services and imports, Lady Erzebet signed over all of her worldly assets to them, to be claimed after her death. At some point in her life, Lady Erzebet’s sanity became strained. This might have been after the signing, before the signing, at her husband’s death, or even beforehand. We can’t know for certain. She committed a string of murders, selecting targets that would not be immediately missed, and destroyed the evidence thoroughly. On Elul 16th, 4827, she attempted to murder two CSIS agents, Caitlyn Desire and Lucca Wakiya, while they were investigating the disappearance of one of her past victims. She was killed in self-defense by Mr. Wakiya. The pair discovered a man, you, who had severe amnesia and who appeared identical to the late Viscount, who had been kept as a prisoner in the basement for an unknown period. You admitted to being moved once, suggesting that you were kept at both the summer and winter estates, wherever Lady Erzebet spent most of her time, meaning that you were taken captive well before early Sivan, when she moved house. You have no memories prior to your incarceration, and have made no claims one way or another regarding your identity. The questions remain: are you legitimately Viscount Victor Erzebet, and if so, does that devalue the will and contract with the Kamuns?”
Victor considered this and nodded, “That sounds correct.”
“Now, there is the additional information. The three of you, without informing any officials, have in your possession an additional contract, written in Infernal and signed by the late Viscountess. Based on your personal translation efforts, and the words of...a small servant devil," he said with some hesitation, unwilling to admit that that was in fact what had spoken, "the contract outlines a similar deal to the one in Common. In exchange for property management services, a group of devil-worshippers, implied to be the Kamuns, would receive a profit percentage in payment; upon Lady Erzebet’s death, the group would receive complete ownership of her worldly goods. The main difference is that Lady Erzebet, in exchange for her possessions, would receive not goods and services, but rather, command of a devil, summoned, bound and enchanted to appear as her late husband, who would remain sealed until his natural death. There was also additional mention of a second contract to be made in Common, implied to be that which was submitted to my office. Now, you possess extensive tattoos of Infernal words. Again, based on translation efforts, they appear to comprise some sort of infernal-arcane ritual for devil binding, implying that you are the payment mentioned in the contract, and not, in fact, the true Viscount.”
Again, Victor nodded, “Yes.”
Ryuji paused for a moment. “You...appreciate the unlikelihood of this situation, yes?”
“Oh yes. I didn’t have it all thrown at me at once though. I understand if you’re having issues with it.”
“Well, regardless of my issues with the facts, such as they may be, I am still assigned to this case. If I accept all of what I just outlined to be true, I find myself at a crossroads. I don’t want to lie on record. I don’t want to throw out one of my first cases. But above all else…” he paused, hardening his gaze at Victor, his expression somewhere between defiance and trepidation, “I don’t want any of Hell’s minions profiting at the end.”
Victor gave a vague smile, “Are you including me?” The sarcasm was apparent.
“Yes.”
The older man was unfazed, and replied with his same sarcasm, “Well, you won’t be a very good defense lawyer, admitting to not wanting to help your client.”
“You aren’t really my...”
Victor cut him off, “You can rest easy, I don’t want the estate.” A squeal came from the cradle; Victor turned towards Virgil and picked him up. “I never wanted it, really,” he continued, looking at the baby but addressing Ryuji, “I just didn’t want to ignore or abandon a responsibility that was meant to be mine. Now that it has been confirmed that I am certainly not the rightful owner, I have no desire for it.” He held Virgil up and smiled at him as the baby cooed and babbled.
“Oh,” Ryuji said with some surprise, “Well, then.” He coughed. “That’s good…yes, good.”
“You expected different?” Victor looked past Virgil to grin slightly at Ryuji.
Ryuji’s face was slightly sheepish. “Well, yes, but can you really blame me? Most men spend their whole lives fighting over wealth, and they’re not…” he trailed off a bit, seeming to reconsider the end of his sentence.
“I don’t think greed is my particular vice,” Victor replied.
“...At any rate,” Ryuji made to change the topic, “this mess needs to be straightened out, and the sooner the better. This case needs to be closed before the finalization of the Kamun contract if there’s any hope of the property not being given over to...a foreign family of dubious moral quality,” he said, obviously trying to maintain both a sense of polite language and a semblance of normalcy.
“So,” Victor replied with the same formality, readjusting his hold on Virgil, “what would you like from me?”
“The way I see it, the best way to approach this is still the defense I suggested earlier: if the Viscount was alive at the time of the contract signing, it is void; the Viscountess did not possess that which she signed away. If we can prove that you are the Viscount, and that you were alive at the time of signing, then you are the legal owner. Even if we can just prove that you’re the Viscount, then the case is won, because you were never dead. However, the stumbling blocks are the infernal contract, and your own admission. I think everyone will be happier if the contract is never found. I can’t imagine the Kamuns bringing it up, it would draw too much suspicion to themselves. Unfortunately, if you actually stand as a witness, then you will be subject to a Zone of Truth, and I somehow doubt your ability to go an entire questioning period without admitting your nature, based on what little I’ve talked to you. I will need some sort of case that doesn’t involve you talking. At all.”
“Yes, that was one of the factors behind me stressing that I didn’t want anything to do with the legal proceedings.”
“Because you thought people might be a little upset that you admit to being an infernal summon?” His tone made it hard to tell if he said this as a joke or as a fact.
Victor rolled his eyes, “More so because I didn’t want to have to stay in custody for two years while people decided if I was legitimate or insane. I’ve had my fill of captivity. You never answered my question, though. What do you want from me?”
Ryuji stiffened. “If I construct this case, if I lie to prove that you are the rightful owner, then when the case is won you will immediately sign over everything, the title, the property and all possessions associated to the Erzebet estate, to Dimitri Erzebet, who I honestly believe is the only one who has a legitimate claim to it at this point.”
“Of course,” Victor said, dangling his fingers for Virgil to grab at. “That is acceptable.”
The young man’s demeanor didn’t soften. “I will have you sign an agreement to this effect. If you agree to cede to Dimitri, then the representatives of the younger Mr. Erzebet will have less reason to argue your legitimacy, and the affair might go smoother.”
“Agreed,” Victor consented again.
“I…” he clenched his hands, “I dislike this whole situation, and it goes against my principles. You must swear to cede to the rightful owner. I will not lie on behalf of someone who is in the wrong.”
Victor put his full attention on Ryuji, mirroring his seriousness, “I have said that I will, and I so I will. I am a man of my word. You will have it in writing.”
“I have no proof that you’re trustworthy. For all I know, you’re a manipulative liar. But, I have no other alternatives, besides quitting, and I won’t quit until I have no other choices. So you must swear, swear, that you will do this, and I will risk my honour to ensure that this ends the way it should, with the rightful owner getting his due.”
“...You have very strong principles, don’t you,” the way Victor said it, it wasn’t a question.
“Some people have to.”
“I agree.”
“Swear, and with God as my witness, I will hold you to your word.”
“I swear on my life that any property, effect or other boon that I might gain from this ordeal, I will immediately sign over to Dimiti Erzebet.”
Ryuji made a strange face, looking away for a moment, “...Bluntly put, if you are a summon,” he paused and looked back to Victor, “I’d like you to swear on something that matters.”
Victor regarded him for a second, then replied with gravity, “Then I will swear by my son then, if that is enough for you.”
Ryuji sat stiffly before nodding, “...I will hold you to your words.”
Victor turned his attention back to Virgil, “I doubt it will be as difficult as you seem to think it will be.”
The young man relaxed some, “I apologize if you are offended. This is...difficult, for me to reconcile. I’m doing my best to do what I think is right.”
“I can tell. It’s alright. I am difficult to offend.”
The two sat quietly for a few minutes, the only sound coming from Virgil, playing with the buttons on Victor’s cuff.
“...Who is his mother, if you don’t mind me asking,” Ryuji asked, trying to change the topic.
“He has none,” Victor replied, then looked up and continued, “I don’t mean that metaphorically. We went to the mountains, Lucca, Caitlyn and I; we helped a fey, and it insisted we use a deck of magical cards as a reward. My ‘reward’, was Virgil, apparently made from my hair and delivered by a stork.” He lightly tapped Virgil’s nose, making him giggle. “Which is going to make for a rather unbelievable explanation when he gets older.”
“Do...the other two have children then?” Ryuji’s face was concerned.
“No no, they received entirely different gifts. You can ask them about it yourself. It’s not my place to talk about their business behind their backs.”
“Of course,” Ryuji agreed. “...Are you going to...tell him, what you are? For that matter, what is he? If he was made from you, that is.” He looked slightly bemused, “I don’t know what’s odder, this whole situation, or that I seem to believe it.”
Victor smiled at Virgil, “I don’t know. It seems to be a strange thing to tell a child, but, much more believable to a young child than a young man. I suppose I will decide that later. As for your second question, the enchantment seems to have made me entirely mortal, so I assume he is as well.” Victor chuckled, “By blood and circumstance, he’s probably closer to being the real Victor Erzebet than I am. But that is certainly not something we are going to pursue. And as for your final point,” he looked over to Ryuji again, “I should think that being able to believe odd things will be an asset for you.”
“No offense, Mr. Erzebet, but I think I’ve had quite my fill of oddity for some time.”
Victor laughed.
“What?”
“Oh, couldn’t you tell?” he said, still chuckling, “I believe the others were quite taken with you, and your numerous talents that don’t include silence. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of you in the days to come.” Ryuji blinked in confusion, and fumbled his words in protest. “I think you’ll need a better excuse than that for them,” Victor said, his expression amused, “and I’d keep a bag packed as well. You never really know what you're going to do next.”
Category:Advent of the All