Dear Benjamin, I’m Glad To Hear That Barok Is Treating You Well! I Do Hope You Don’t Mind My Curiosity,

How did Naruhodo and the Mikotobas' boat ride home go? How have things been back in Japan?

Hullo, dear friend.

The trip back to our home country was certainly a bittersweet one. It was not my first time having to say goodbye to my second home, but it could be argued that this time was even more difficult. The three of us managed well enough on the boat, with plenty to do to keep our minds occupied, but as I lay awake in an empty bed, I longed to be with my partner.

I feel immense pride for those two fine young adults. They have been getting along better and better as of late, sharing an experience that few could possibly hope to understand. I long for such camaraderie myself.

Things have been successful in Japan. The three of us have worked hard to implement new ideas within our legal system, adding some contingencies in the hopes of stopping any situations like that of The Professor to happen in our country.

I would like to say I do not regret the choice to leave immediately, but I cannot say that in full confidence. I go back and forth on whether or not I made the right idea.

In short, the situation is complex but progressing smoothly. Signed, Dr. Yuujin Mikotoba

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...😳

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...😱!!!

M... M- Mr Asman!!

Well I never imagined this! That this unusual postbox would allow for a contact with the afterlife!

🤯 H- Hello! I- I'm Nos E. Prick, reporting for The Daily Circus, sir! Oh, you sir, have no idea! You are a myth, a legend amongst us young journalists!

QUESTION!!!: What is the secret to effectively utilizing 🎩 gentleman power🎩 to achieve one's life goals?

With great admiration! 😍

Mr Nos E. Prick

Dear Mr. Prick,

It is wonderful to hear from someone who holds me in the regard I have earned over the course of my life. I do not understand the mechanics by which the living are able to contact me in this afterlife, nor have I really figured out how to contact others undead, but I am happy that I was able to hear from an upstanding young man as yourself.

I cannot speak on just any life path, but I do know how to achieve one's goals if such goals are in the esteemed field of journalism. The advice I will give will be obvious, though not easy to follow.

You must do anything you can in order to get the news. You may find yourself causing scandals anonymously so that you can be the one to have the first story out about it. You can bend the truth if it would benefit you, because outright lies are far easier to prove than simple exaggerations.

Involve yourself with those who make headlines. Politicians, criminals, wealthy men... anyone who can give you a leg up on the competitors. Create good relationships with those who are in the thick of conflict or scandal, and they will tell you about it. Do not be afraid to portray their side of the story. Outrage still pays the bills. If you desire more advice, I could go on and on, though I would hate to bore you.

Yours, Odie Asman

mr holmes if professor mikotoba were a worm would you still love him

Ah, my dear Ribbon! That is a rather silly question, one that did puzzle me quite a bit. Mikotoba did inform me that he was asked much the same question, so I would only hope that he would still love me as a worm.

In terms of him being a worm versus a man, I know I would most certainly miss the sound of his dancing. While worms can dance, they do not make a sound while they do it, and I would be unable to see the joy in his face. That would be quite a loss.

But, there is no way I would ever stop loving him, even if he were a worm.

With love, Sherlock Holmes

Enoch, would you believe me if I said that one day man would reach the moon using an as of yet unexplored method of propulsion?

Anon.

You bring up a fascinating concept. I have long wondered myself whether it was possible for man to reach the moon, or perhaps even further. I think I may believe that it is possible, though I do not know how long in the future that may be.

It is something that I myself will have to look into. I know that propulsion could theoretically be used to lift something rather than trying to imitate the flapping of wings or, God forbid, Benjamin's inane ramblings on teleportation. That being said... yes. Yes, I will have to look into the science myself.

Thank you for the idea. Enoch Drebber

Can I hold chuunosuke please?

Dearest Anon:

You are absolutely free to hold Chuunosuke! He seems to have a penchant for chaos, despite me not making him that way, so do watch any snacks you may have on your person!

As Papa sometimes says, he makes for a crumby companion.

Please treat him with care!! Love, Iris

Dear father,

I have a request for you.

Please destroy any case files that has something to do with Victoria Karma.

Henry

My son,

While I understand you may be hesitant to re-experience a difficult time in your life, I will not be a part of any sort of destruction of evidence. I am honestly surprised that you would ask me, of all people, to do something like the conspiracy our family was dragged into all those years ago.

I will not be complicit in this. All I can ask is that you talk to someone about the trouble you are in. Particularly your Uncle Sherlock, if you can manage it.

With care, Lord Barok van Zieks

kazuma, picture this: you ask what ryuuno is making for dinner. he says hes already eaten. what do you do

Ribbonroad,

I think the first thing I would do in such a scenario is just silently stare at him and see if he is going to further elaborate. If he says that there is nothing left from the meal, I would raise a judgmental eyebrow at him. He tends to crumble under the weight of a simple look like that.

If he says that he made chicken for dinner, I would simply sleep hungry. If that bothers him, that is fine by me. My life long vendetta for the foul fowl was not helped by my experience on that boat.

If he feels bad about it, I would then of course assure him that it is not his fault and I would have eaten if I wanted to, but some days I am far too exhausted to make food for myself.

Asougi Kazuma

Lord Barok Van Zeiks,

We are immensely thankful to receive a response from you. The art of science is the art of collaboration. Every little bit propels us further into the future. We are disappointed to hear the falsity of the rumors, but some of our members have expressed concern there has been a misunderstanding. We are seeking information on a "land crocodile". A very large member of the monitor lizard family, theorized to be residing somewhere in the Indonesian islands. While dragons of myth would be ground breaking, all of our members agree that they reside firmly in legend.

We a currently drafting a separate inquiry regarding how how the exotic animals were maintained when they were alive. Our condolences on your fathers passing.

-Zoological Society of London

To the Zoological Society of London,

Thank you for clearing up the confusion. My apologies for believing that you were referring to the mythical beast, I have a friend who is prone to flights of fancy, and quite possibly does believe that dragons, the great winged lizards, do exist. I have humoured him in his search as of late, and thus it has been on my mind.

As for your true question of dragons, I do not know of this large lizard of which you speak. While my parents were world travelers, I have always much preferred to stay in my home country. I have not gone anywhere near such a place where you believe these dragons may be found.

As for the exotic animals, I do not know if there is any particular way to know how he obtained them. I highly doubt it was in any sort of legal way. I regret to say that I do not have any further information that I can give you.

Signed, Lord Barok van Zieks

Barok,

What does Benjamin even study for a living? He seems both enthusiastic but also a little confused

Anon,

Benjamin can be... a bit of a fool. That being said, he is quite enthusiastic about what he does. He studies the sciences. I know that lately, in the field of science, they have started differentiating based on specialties but Benjamin is, at heart, a scientist.

I do not think he necessarily has an end goal. I feel as though he studies simply anything and everything. Whatever interests him, whatever it is that he wants to know, he will do research into the subject. He has a particular fondness for birds, musculature, and machinery.

I do not appreciate when people try to insinuate that what he does is worthless. He already struggles because of what Enoch had done to him, and he does not need more pressure of that kind. I feel as though he simply has an endless fondness for learning. All he wants to do is learn more about the world around him. I see that as a noble task.

Lord Barok van Zieks

dre... bber...

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...

Enoch... Drebber!!!!!

🔥🔥GAaaAaaaaAAAaaaaAaaarrrgh AAAARRRrgggggghhh!!!!!🔥🔥

🔥Do. You. Dare. Mock. Me. Now. 🔥

🔥🔥DO YOU? 🔥🔥

🔥Aha ha ha ha ha haaaaaa 🔥

Well 🔥Do what you will...

You'll see... In due time🔥

I will be watching over her... Closely... As I always have...

And should the thought of deceiving her... Even fleetingly cross your mind...

🔥🔪I WILL NOT SPARE YOU🔥🔪

IT IS ONLY FAIR NOW

THAT I SHOULD PROTECT MY OWN BLOOD THIS WAY

Wouldn't you agree...

Mr Drebber?

🔥🔥🔥🔥AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

To presumably Courtney Sithe, or at least what remains of her,

I am glad to see I can always count on your levelheadedness in any sort of precarious situation. I am certainly thankful that your work is, or at least was, in that of dead bodies, rather than alive.

I am in no way trying to deceive your daughter. As for blood...

I have made my own sacrifice because of my family trying to protect their blood in much the same way. Do be careful of how tightly you hold onto them, as you may be applying a tourniquet to a wound or instead a healthy limb. Is it worth it to tempt the possibility of necrotic tissue that must be removed?

Scientifically yours, Enoch Drebber