Chapter 83: The Wager''s Conclusion


    Morning of a certain unspecified day, several days after Carolines mansion was besieged by a group of uninvited guests,


    In the rendezvous point near Windsor Castle, where Adler and his party had recently arrived in a secret carriage


    There, once again gathered, were Charlotte Holmes and Professor Moriarty, maintaining silence as they red at each other openly.


    Why such a fierce gaze, Miss Holmes?


    Just fatigued, which has made my eyes somewhat sharp, thats all.


    Nobody knew how much time had psed as their silent confrontation continued


    Is that how I seem in the professors eyes?


    As Professor Moriarty, starting the conversation, reached for a cookie, prepared on the table for them, Charlotte, sitting opposite, interrupted with a sarcastic remark.


    Honestly, you just look like a puppy desperately holding back its poop.


    Now youve abandoned all decorum, havent you?


    Have we ever been in a situation to maintain decorum between us?


    And so, another round of their verbal sparring began anew.


    This is just how our rtionship is, isnt it?


    I dont know what youre trying to say, but it gives me the creeps seeing how chummy youre acting, so could you please stop?


    Oh dear me, Holmes.


    The professor, having topped the cookie with a lump of sugar, popped it in her mouth and began to chew, tilting her head from side to side as she savored its taste.


    You heard what Adler said back then


    Im not quite sure if I did, actually. So save the sweet act for Adler and keep your head still, please.


    Charlotte, frowning at the professors characteristic habit of bobbing her head, cut her off with a decisive huff.


    Its a personal habit.


    Do you think I care?


    Friends overlook each others habits, dont they?


    What did you just say?


    She cocked her head with a baffled expression on her face.


    I want to be friends with you, Holmes.


    Thats the most horrible joke Ive heard all year.


    Its not a joke.


    However, seeing the professor continue her farce with her trademark smirk, Charlottes expression grew progressively distorted with time.


    You and I are opposites. I have no desire to mix with someone like you.


    When extremities reach beyond their limits, they eventually converge. The heads and tails of a coin seem opposed at first nce, but in reality, theyre just parts of the same coin.


    Yet, the professor merely continued with a rxed smile on her face in response to her vehement refusal.


    In the end, arent you and I doing all this to quench our unfulfilled thirst? Its just a matter of the methods we employ, that are different.


    Respectfully, thats quite typical of you, dont you think? You are just forcing it at this point. Everything in this world has simrities and differences inherent in their traits. Youre just exaggerating coincidental simrities and ignoring the differences.


    Is that so?


    Its an obvious fact if you think about it logically. The back alley forces youve been quickly subduing over the past few weeks dont seem to think so though.


    Charlotte, having said that, took a moment to catch her breath, her gaze mirroring frigid ice.


    But not everyone in this world is a fool who falls for a few words from you. Remember that and drop some of that arrogance of yours.


    Despite that, some officers who sensed something off and were keeping tabs on me were quickly influenced by my words though.


    Londons police are a bunch of dolts, indeed.


    However, as she leaned back and muttered with clear annoyance in her eyes, Professor Moriartys eyes shined silently with a dangerous hue.


    Why deny the truth? Its not only the Londons police who are dolts.


    In a few years, London will be my yground. Do you really think you alone can stop me?


    Charlottes expression turned progressively more frigid as she heard her arrogant words.


    As expected, you arent confident in stopping me, right? Then why continue this farce? Just be friends with me and both of us will have a lot of fun together.


    Theres nothing Id hate more than that, no matter what.


    You have as much potential to be a criminal as I do.


    And you have as much potential to be a detective as I do.


    Thus, their conversation continued, running on the parallels they enacted with their lives.


    Its a shame. I once dreamed of being a detective too.


    Changed your strategy, have you? From excluding me to corrupting me?


    Think what you will.


    Howcking in confidence must you be to have changed your whole strategy! If it were me, Id be too ashamed to even lift my head.


    Charlotte, feeling disgusted with that fact, whispered with a dark expression, while the professor looked at her with her characteristic smirk.


    Im looking at the bigger picture, something that you clearly cant see.


    Ah, is that so?


    And at the center of it is none other than Adler.


    Im not sure how long you n to pretend to care for someone whose eyes havent even been dyed in your colors.


    Mimicking her, Charlotte wore a brazen smile and spoke with her arms crossed.


    You should win the bet before you start speaking.


    Do you actually believe youve won, Holmes?


    Their gazes began to shine with frigid cold.


    Ive definitely won this bet.


    Thats unfortunate. I thought you were sulking because you lost the bet, but you were simply under the delusion that you have won.


    As their eyes shed, a chill akin to the arctic frost spread throughout the room despite the recent cessation of the heavy snowfall and the subsequent return of the summer weather, as it should.


    Excuse me.


    Just then, a familiar voice emanated from behind.


    Could you both stop fighting now?


    Isaac Adler stood behind Charlotte and Moriarty with a cheerful expression on his face.


    Shouldnt we be deciding the oue of the bet soon?


    As he said those words, scratching his head, the two women quietly leaned back and straightened their postures.


    So, who will make the judgment?


    Thats a valid point. All three of us are parties participating in the bet, so a fair judgment would be impossible.


    Then the professor casually asked, and Adler responded with a smile.


    But dont worry. We have just the right person for it.


    <i> Creeeak</i>


    The moment those words were spoken, the door of the inner room began to open, ever so slowly.


    The client of this case will make the judgment personally.


    And a veiled girl walked out from within, drenching the room in a profound and deep silence.


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    Should we address you as the royal representative, or as royalty?


    As the veiled girl sat before them, Charlotte, who had been quietly observing her, broke the silence with a bold question.


    Indeed, you all catch on quickly.


    ..


    Officially, I am merely an anonymous royal emissary.


    Then, an archaic voice began emerging from behind the veil.


    So please dispense with the formalities and honors, and report the results quickly.


    Then, I shall go first.


    Upon hearing her demand, Charlotte Holmes took something out of her pocket and ced it before the client.


    What is this?


    Its a key.


    The client quietly cocked her head to the side.


    To be precise, its the key to a secret door disguised as a bookshelf in the library of Caroline Augustus Milvertons mansion.


    How did you find it? Our forces have checked several times for this item already, however, they were never able to procure it.


    A few days ago, I coated her hands with a fineyer of powdered magic stone, and the residue was all over the bookshelf. The keyhole is only revealed when the books are inserted and removed in a specific order, so it wasnt easy to find.


    And the contents of the room?


    All the ckmail material she has collected over the years.


    Charlotte shrugged her shoulders, speaking with a triumphant expression.


    I have moved all the documents that were inside the room to a secret location under my management. I n to burn all of them in the presence of a royal official.


    In other words, Caroline is finished. With all her collected ckmail materials taken, even the faintest possibility of hereback has beenpletely extinguished.


    The client nodded silently upon hearing those words.


    Doesnt this make it clear? The one to neutralize Caroline i


    Why did you omit the most essential part?


    At that moment, while Charlotte sported a triumphant look, Professor Moriarty, quietly observing the exchange till then, interjected.


    I was in the middle of discussing with the client


    You failed to secure the letter sent to Miss Caroline by the clients sibling no, a pitiable party who was entrapped in her allure, did you not?


    Charlotte frowned visibly at those words.


    Even if that one letter is snatched away, Caroline is not neutralized. As long as she holds assets in the form of ckmail material, she can always make aeback. It is my victory solely because I havepletely sealed off that possibility.


    Thats for the client to judge, Holmes.


    The professor looked at her with a pitying gaze and took out a letter, handing it to the client.


    What is this?


    The client leaned forward to check and murmured in a slightly surprised voice.


    The letter that caused you to seek the <b>neutralization</b> of Caroline Augustus Milverton has been secured by me. Therefore, it is clearly my victory.


    No matter how you y it, its only a half-victory. With just that, you cannot im to have <b>neutralized</b> her, who had a grip on London as much as Isaac Adler did


    How did you obtain it?


    The client interrupted Charlottes protest with a low voice and asked, to which the professor responded with a subtle smile.


    Is that really important?


    Pardon?


    What matters is that I got the letter, not the process or method of how I obtained it, dont you think?


    The client then gazed at the professor silently, without saying a word.


    How did you get your hands on it, Professor?


    I ckmailed a certain thieving cat.


    In the ensuing silence, Charlotte whispered with a hint of curiosity, and the professor, with gleaming eyes, whispered back to the client in front of her.


    I attacked and confined her subordinates, who were scattered all across London, and warned that if the letter wasnt sent to me, I would be shooting one of them every single hour that passes after the warning has been issued.


    ..


    By the time I was halfway through the killing, the letter arrived.


    Charlotte began to re coldly at the professor upon hearing her exnation.


    Of course, I havent killed half of them. I meant that I was halfway through killing the first one, so only one of the subordinates is dead.


    Then, patting Charlottes back with a firm hand, a reassuring smile on her face, the professor turned her gaze back to the client.


    Indeed, I was the one who said not to mind the means and methods.


    It seems that were on the same page.


    At the reply that returned from behind the veil, the professor began tapping on the desk with a chilly smirk on her face.


    Then, do you agree with me that there is no more <b>definite</b> neutralization than this?


    But theres something strange.


    However, the clients voice began to grow heavier.


    Why do you not mention the possibility of the existence of a <b>duplicate</b> of the letter?


    We searched Caroline Augustus Milvertons mansion thoroughly, but no such evidence of duplication or a duplicate existed.


    Were sure of it, having searched everything ourselves.


    And what about the probability that the duplicates are stored elsewhere?


    Reading the rapidly deteriorating atmosphere, the professor and Charlotte began to exin simultaneously, but the client continued pressing them with a voiceced with the frigidness of the arctic sea.


    You know well that she trusts no one. Even the servants were unaware of the storing location of the letter. Its unlikely she would entrust anyone else with duplicates of such extensive materials.


    Then, why did she disappear from her mansion a few days ago?


    That is


    Who knows if she, having vanished without a trace, is now hiding in a secret hideout with the duplicates, mocking us?


    Upon hearing the clients challenging question, the eyes of Charlotte and Moriarty narrowed simultaneously.


    It doesnt just end there. While most of the knowledge she possesses is mere ckmail material, the information leaked this time is rted to national secrets.


    I havent heard about such information?


    The matter itself is a significant secret of the royal family, which made me hesitant to discuss it at all.


    The client, looking back and forth between them, let out a sigh of disappointment.


    If she who holds the information speaks carelessly, we will still be in a sizeable dilemma.


    Oh, that shouldnt be a problem.


    As Moriarty was about to speak with a smile growing progressively frigid,


    Because, on that day, Caroline Augustus Milverton


    is with me.


    Finally clearing his throat, having been silent until that very moment, Isaac Adler spoke up and joined the battle.


    At his words, the gazes of Charlotte and Professor Moriarty focused on him in unison.


    Tell her toe in.


    Adler, directing a bright smile to the looks of confusion directed at him, quietly pped his hands to signal someone outside.


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    <i> Swish</i>


    A momentter, the entrance door of the heavily guarded secret meeting ce opened, making way for someone to enter.


    ..


    The people inside inadvertently turned their gazes toward the neer and their eyes couldnt help but widen in shock and bewilderment.


    Come here.


    A woman fitted with dog ears and tail, her head bowed low, started to approach Adler at his call; her body twitching ever so slightly throughout her shameful march.


    <i>Pant, pant</i>.


    Like a puppy, she crawled, panting as she came to Adler.


    Good.


    Reaching the feet of Adler, the woman kneeled modestly with the handle of the leash around her neck in her mouth. Seeing the submissive disy, Adler smiled and stroked her head lovingly, like a satisfied pet owner.


    <i> Swish, swish</i>


    For a moment, the womans face distorted in shame, but then she closed her eyes tightly and started rubbing her cheek against his leg.


    <i>Woof</i>.


    A small but distinct sound, one indistinguishable from a puppys, escaped her lips.


    Ta-da~!


    .


    This is the little bitch that seduced half the men of London.


    As Adler gazed down at her, leash in hand, and spread his arms with an innocent deration, the expressions on Charlotte Holmes and the professor turned cold as the antarctic breeze.


    Just days ago, she had a name, <b>Caroline Augustus Milverton </b>she was called, but as a result of several days of training, she has given up on being a person from henceforth.


    <i>Hooh</i>.


    However, unlike their expressions, the client behind the veil wore an intrigued look.


    <i> Press</i>


    Eek.


    Adler, who had been smiling slyly at her, pressed his foot against the womans belly. She, steeped in a chilling sensation, bit her teeth and groaned.


    ..


    Adler then looked down at her frigidly for a brief instant.


    <i>Growl</i>.


    Whos the victor now?


    As the womans grunts and groans transitioned into a submissive growl, he smirked and posed the question to the client before him.


    It seems the decision has just been made.


    Surely not?


    Id advise you to think again, as one of the potential future leaders of the British Empire.


    Charlotte and Moriarty both red at the client with serious expressions on their faces, but the conclusion had already been reached.


    This is a perfect neutralization.


    Youve crossed the line.


    Britain is doomed, indeed.