The Bearer of Bad News

Lan Zhan has had his injuries treated, and after some protest, has been convinced to take some time to recover. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say he was guilted into taking the time.

In any case, Lan Zhan and Lan Yuan are now asleep on adjacent futons in Seimei's room. Seimei has left his retainer Shizuka, the seven-tailed fox, to wait in attendance in case they should need anything. Someone needs to deliver the bad news to Zenigata, and in Seimei's view, giving Rae Seddon this task - when she is already so weary from her own grief and the other burdens she has to bear - would be selfish and unkind. So he takes it upon himself.

Seimei goes up to Inspector Zenigata's door, takes a deep breath, and knocks.