Wha-What is the matter?
The unbelievable content of the messages made Isaac Adler sweat heavily in panic. And seeing Adler in this state, the girl tied to the chair asked him, her voice trembling with fright.
Oh, it is nothing.
Her words finally broke Adler’s reverie and heposed himself. Turning on his heels, he faced the girl before responding,
It is just... I felt a sudden chill for some reason.
With a voice mixed with resignation, Adler muttered to the woman. Meanwhile, the tied-up woman looked at him with a suspicious gaze before bowing her head.
Thank you for helping me. But...
The help you have provided up to this point is sufficient.Eyes cast down, she began murmuring with a gloom that seemed to exude from her very being.
After all, I am a captive. Even if by some miracle I escape this ce, there is no way I will be able to leave this foreign and unfamiliarnd.
So, it would be better for you to give up on helping me and just abandon the idea as soon as possible.
Hearing her plea, Adler stared at the frail woman with a vacant gaze.
Hey...
And, to be honest... I cannot trust you.
As he was about to speak, the woman preemptively continued.
It is true that you have helped me yesterday and even today, and I am indeed grateful for it. I also understand that you have a mixed heritage of both British and Joseon… However, that does not mean I can fully trust you.
Why can you not trust me?
How would I know if your kindness is just to win my favour and lower my guard? For that reason, I can no longer ept your goodwill.
Umm...
Hearing her reasoning, Adler began scratching his head.
This is problematic...
Wh-What do you mean by problematic?
<em>- Swish…</em>
... Huh?
Then, still full of suspicion, she watched as Adler approached her and quietly leaned his head forward.
Wha-What are…!
With their faces close enough to feel each other’s breath, he stared into her eyes and stroked her cheek. His action immediately caused her eyes to widen and she raised her voice. ??
How dare you touch a woman''s body so recklessly, what is this madness?
Are you truly offended by such a trivial action after enduring numerous horrific tortures up to this point?
A-At least they did not caress me with such a look in their eyes! Just as I thought... a lecher of the worst kind... Are you finally showing your true colours, huh?
As her face turned crimson, Adler, with a bitter smile, lowered his hand.
Yes.
… What did you just say?
I said I''m finally showing my true colours.
He began to whisper in a low voice as he lightly touched the crimson engraving etched on her lower belly.
We share half of the same blood, so I genuinely wish to save you if I can. But I am under orders and must find out the location of those documents.
So, are you prepared for what’s toe?
As he fidgeted with his hands and faced her, the woman swallowed dryly as she paled with horror.
... J-Just kill me already.
Oof, why react so violently?
Stop groping my body before saying that, you lecher.
I’m just checking your body for wounds before I start. It’s too much to jab at the wounds again.
That is an incrediblyme excuse. Just go die already.
As Adler lifted her shirt, the woman twisted her body and spat venomously at him. A sigh soon escaped his lips before he muttered,
It seems you have been a bookworm all your life... how did you end up like this?
St-Stop, no more... Uh?
There are wounds everywhere...
Adler clicked his tongue at the numerous scars and bruises that covered her shoulders and chest. Soon, he turned to face the woman who had been shouting at him with a flushed face.
If you don''t mind me asking, how old are you?
Ah, why would I tell that to you, huh?
Ah, alright, I''ll tell you!
As she spoke with a defiant look in her eyes, Adler just silently moved his hand lower down her body. Immediately, she squeezed her eyes shut and hurriedly opened her mouth.
All you need to know is that I am almost of age…
... Huh.
As she answered with a slightly sullen expression, Adler quickly took his hands off her body, a vacant look washing over his face.
Then... are you 20 years old?
Ah, not yet...
Then 19?
Instead of answering the question, the young woman, nay, the girl, deeply bowed her head.
… I almost did something irreversible.
Do-Don’t stroke my head like that! Isn''t it just as shameful whether you stroke my body or my head?
Then, is it perhaps because of your age that they didn''t sexually harass you?
Relieved that they hadn’t crossed that line, Isaac Adler, while still petting the growling girl’s head, posed the question.
… Even so, I passed the civil service exam two years ago. I am a legitimate adult and an official of Joseon, no, the Empire of Korea.
However, the girl shook her head in response.
You are more impressive than I thought. Could there be another reason then?
Probably because of those despicable Japanese...
She gritted her teeth as she began recalling an incident from a few days ago.
When I was still dazed from the sudden attack, I overheard a bit of the conversation between the two men and their client.
Is that so?
He had an interpreter with him, and I was sure he was speaking in Japanese. He ordered them to only torture me with pain as he would take me with him afterwards…
“Hmm…”
Hearing her reply, Adler’s expression grew exceptionally sombre.
Have your curiosities been satisfied? Then please leave. And for the love of god, stop stroking my head!
Lastly, let me make it clear that I have no intention of telling anyone the location of the documents, so whatever you do to me will only be futile.....
As she was about to finish her sentence with trembling eyes,
<em>- Whoosh…</em>
“…..!?”
Quietly rummaging through his coat, Isaac Adler suddenly pulled something out and presented it in front of her.
Ah...
Startled, the girl jerked her head back as an elongated object was thrust in front of her. Soon, however, her gaze focused intently on the item presented to her.
Beforeing here today, I bought this bread from thergest bakery in London.
It''s still warm, so you should eat it before it cools down.
Gently stroking her head again, Adler whispered to her in a soothing tone.
... Uh.
Initially, the girl had firmly shut her mouth, stubbornly refusing his offer. However, it did not take long for her gaze to waver.
There’s syrup insi... no, rather, it’s actually filled with honey.
<em>- Gulp…</em>
Having been subjected to torture and starved extensively over the past fifteen or so days, the warm bread in front of her was an irresistible temptation.
I''m not really asking about the location of the documents, nor am I trying to win you over.
This is merely a bit of pity shown towards your emaciated self.
Don’t... need.
Yet, she desperately turned her head, resisting her instinctual desires.
Pity is something I have already had my fill of.
And for all I know, that bread might beced with a confession-inducing potion or magic. So...
Oh,e on.
Uh?
Sighing, Adler suddenly reached out with his other hand to grasp her chin.
Open your mouth.
Uh? Uhmp!?
Holding the bread in his hand, Adler forcefully stuffed it into her mouth.
Chew.
If you do not chew, I am going to chew and feed it to you mouth-to-mouth like a mother bird. Surely, it is better if you do it yourself, right?
Immediately after he said those horrific words with a bright smile, the girl, with eyes sharp and fierce as an enraged cat’s, began silently chewing on the bread.
<em>- Chew, chew…</em>
A brief silence ensued afterwards.
... Ugh.
Ah, are you alright?
As she continued to chew the bread, tears began welling up in her eyes, and Adler started muttering with confusion in his voice.
I ced a digestion spell on it so it shouldn''t be a problem even on an empty stomach...
Ugh, ugh...
Perhaps it’s stuck in your throat? Here, have some milk as well...
As Adler reached into his coat to pull out a packaged milk, he paused upon seeing the expression on the girl’s face.
Uh, uh...
Tears streamed down from the eyes of the girl who had bread stuffed in her mouth, bulging her cheeks.
… Drink.
It’s delicious…
Finally, unable to hold back her tears, the girl began to cry out loud, finally acting like someone her age.
If I die like this... I won''t be able to taste delicious things anymore, right...?
No… I don''t want to die so miserably...
… Then, why don''t you tell me where the documents are?
Adler looked at her with a pitying gaze and gently made the suggestion. However, the girl shook her head and replied with a tearful voice.
But, but I hate the idea of losing my country even more.
So please, just stop... Please...
Her sobs echoed in the room for a long time afterwards.
… Oh dear, that was a failure.
Adler, wearing an awkward expression, muttered under his breath as he listened to her prolonged crying.
A devil that fails to tempt someone must grant the person''s wish.
… Wh-Whot did yo sai?<sup>1</sup>
There''s nothing to be done about it. Yes.
Ignoring the still-sniffling girl’s question, he soon stepped backwards.
Tsundere.
“Shut your mouth.”
I don''t have a mouth, though?
“….. Tch.”
.
.
.
.
.
That evening at 221B Baker Street,
“Holmes, was there no case today…?”
Having just returned to the boarding house from the hospital, Watson entered their home with a puzzled expression.
“Hello thele.”<sup>2</sup>
“I am just a legr interpleter specializinge in Asiannguages.”
It was because a man, who was excessively disguised even to Watson’s untrained eyes, was presenting a request to Charlotte in an utterly ridiculous manner.
“Today, I havee to entluste a case to the gleat detective Challotte Holmes.”
“… What the hell are you doing?”
At that moment, Charlotte coldly questioned him while resting her chin on her hand as he enthusiastically gestured and continued his request.
“… Do you know I, yes?”
After a long silence that followed, the man, noticing her cues, began to speak.
“Well, I, I am meeting Miss Holmes for filste time today…”
“It would seem you mighte have mestakene I for someone else, yes…?”
Even Watson, who loathed the supposed person under the heavy disguise with all her being, felt a surge of pity for the disguised man.<ol>1. Her words are broken since she cried so much.2. Adler is trying to mimick a fake Asian ent from this point on. Please note that the reason the words are so messed up is because Adler is trying to overdo it in nervousness. That''s why you will almost get an aneurysm trying to read it. Trying to fake it, he isn''t able to do it properly at all. Mf seems to have forgot he is an interpreter so he should have been able to speak usible English, sigh...</ol>