《Becoming Professor Moriarty’s Probability》 Chapter 1: First Encounter Chapter 1: First Encounter ¡®Is it only this much?¡¯ August Detective Academy, London¡¯srgest detective training institute, was established to tackle the bizarre cases that unfolded around the whole world. ¡®I thought this ce would be a bit different than the rest.¡¯ In the midst of delivering her lecture to the freshmen ss, Jane, a newly appointed professor, couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as she witnessed the incident unfold before her very own eyes. She deduced, ¡°The method of the crime must have involved the use of poison.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. His condition seemed bad from some time ago, in fact, so it must have been a slow-acting poison.¡± Earlier, a male student in her ss rose from his seat to answer the professor¡¯s question but then¡­ he suddenly copsed, vomiting blood in the process. At August Academy, hailed as the sanctuary of detectives, a cmity thus ensued¡ª a ¡®murder¡¯ had taken ce on the academy grounds. Naturally, all aspiring detectives in the ss would be drawn to such a big case. ¡°The motive for the crime¡­ could it be a love affair?¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s London¡¯s greatest scoundrel and scumbag after all. There must be plenty of people out to kill him.¡± Seeing the lifeless body of the student, the atmosphere grew increasingly serious, with aspiring detectives attempting to piece together the puzzle pieces to solve the crime and figure out the identity of the killer. Yet, the professor, with an apathetic expression on her face from start to finish, quietly averted her gaze from this scene and muttered to herself. ¡®I never thought that they won¡¯t be able to find the culprit even when I am right in front of them.¡¯ Indeed, the culprit behind this case was none other than the professor herself. ¡®There are so many detectives, howe no one noticed?¡¯ Across Europe, nowhere else harbored more detectives than London¡ª the ce where the prestigious academy is located. Therefore, she firmly believed that someone would notice and uncover her crimes in this haven of detectives. If not, then, she surmised that she might at least encounter a promising detective. At least a single person. However, her expectations had been shattered, already making her lose all hope in this gathering bunch of detectives after a year at the academy. Boldly and unscrupulously, shemitted the tant murder right in the heart of the detectives¡¯ camp. Yet, the aspiring detectives, the so-called investigators, failed to connect the dots¡ª utterly oblivious to their proximity to the victim. For someone who had been disappointed with these detectives for a year already, their ineptitude in this murder case had been the final straw. ¡°I¡¯ll have to hand in my resignation today,¡± she concluded thus. There was no point in staying in this ce any longer, knowing that these substandard students were meant to be future detectives. Calmly withdrawing her gaze from the scene of the crime that she enacted with her own hands, the professor started collecting the documents and organizing her thoughts. Seemingly, there was no one in this academy who could quench her thirst for a challenge. It was unlikely that such a person existed anywhere else in the world. . . . . ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Wh-What?¡± ¡°Bloody hell!¡± Just as the professor was about to depart from the scene, an unexpected event unfolded before her. ¡°¡­My head hurts.¡± For some inexplicable reason, the male student she had targeted and had presumably killed, stood up from his copsed state, wiping the blood off his mouth in the process. ¡°¡­?¡± The male student then stared at the professor with a hazy expression on his face amidst the terrified crowd of detectives. Theposed image of the professor began to waver ever so slightly at the paranormal incident before her. It was confirmed that the blond-haired male student had departed for the afterlife right before her eyes. She had witnessed and confirmed it herself, so there was not a shadow of a doubt that the student was dead. Yet, miraculously, right in front of her very own eyes, he just stood up¡ª alive and breathing as if he had just awakened from a particrly long slumber. She couldn¡¯t even fathom how he may have realized the danger or the trick he had used to survive. This was the first time in the professor¡¯s life that such an urrence transpired. Throughout her childhood, misdemeanors, and felonies, she had never failed in any of the crimes she hadmitted. Nobody escaped her grip¡ª a relentless curse that was seemingly inescapable. Seemingly inescapable till now, that is. The curse had been shattered, all thanks to the unpredictable blond-haired male student who hadpletely evaded her crime. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you have told me you weren¡¯t feeling well?¡± As her heart quickened, the professor inquired the student in a low-pitched voice. ¡°How about I take you to the infirmary?¡± Her expression remained as stoic as ever, but her eyes, usually devoid of vitality, now glinted like a snake, a predator, that had just spotted its prey. ¡°¡­?¡± However, for some reason, the male student¡¯s condition didn¡¯t seem much severe. His eyes appeared to be unfocused as he kept staring nkly ahead. ¡®¡­Is something wrong with his head?¡¯ The professor furrowed her brows, pondering this unusual and almost otherworldly development. For the first time in her life, she felt a desire to engage with someone who was seemingly beyond her grasp. Thus, any aftereffects of the incident mightplicate things and hinder her future enjoyment. ¡°Student, what¡¯s written here?¡± To ascertain his condition, she pointed to her name written on the ckboard. The one she wrote during the self-introduction. ¡°Uh, well¡­¡± Soon, annoyance shed in the male student¡¯s eyes, even though they seemed to retain the haze that reflected his mind. ¡°What should I do if you don¡¯t know even know that?¡± After a moment, the male student, still somewhat hazy and lost, began to exin in a voice tinged with clear annoyance. ¡°¡­James Moriarty is Sherlock Holmes¡¯ most famous nemesis and his archenemy.¡± His voice reverberated throughout the ssroom. ¡°A genius who published a paper on the Binomial Theorem at 21, causing a sensation across Europe. However, due to his criminal bloodline, he¡¯s also considered to be London¡¯s most dangerous man.¡± The chaotic ssroom grew tense. ¡°His nickname is the ¡®Napoleon of Crime¡¯, and he is behind half of the crimes and is responsible for attempting the most number of crimes in London.¡± Yet the male student continued to exin, looking more and more weary. ¡°But even this perfect guy ends up at the Reichenbach Falls eventually¡­ Ugh, just forget it.¡± Abruptly, he ceased his exnation, letting out a deep sigh in the process. ¡°I should¡¯ve told you to do your own research. Is game development a joke to you? You can¡¯t even do basic character research and keep bothering me like this¡­¡± ¡­ ¡°¡­Huh?¡± As all eyes focused on him, the male student seemed bewildered by something unknown. Meanwhile, the corners of the professor¡¯s mouth curved upward. ¡°What¡¯s this ce?¡± It appeared that the time for her to submit the resignation letter might need to be dyed a bit. ¡°You seem to be misunderstanding something, student.¡± For the first time in a long while, the professor found what she had been seeking, her thirst finally quenched. She felt as though destiny had brought this person right before her. . . . . As my mind cleared from its haze, I beheld the person who started questioning me. Tall, slender, with well-groomed ashen hair, and an impably neat attire. Though appearing very young at first nce, she still emanated a professorial aura in her every gesture and demeanor. Deep dark circles adorned her pale face, perhaps from immersing herself in her studies, but they were still unable to conceal her attractive features. ¡°I don¡¯t know all the detectives, but I¡¯m certain that there¡¯s no detective named ¡®Sherlock¡¯ Holmes in London.¡± As she gazed at me, a mix of awkwardness and familiarity washed over my being, while she slowly began to speak further. ¡°And my name is ¡®Jane¡¯ Moriarty, not ¡®James¡¯ Moriarty, student.¡± She gently tapped the name written on the ckboard, fixing her eyes on him. ¡°I haven¡¯t even published the paper on the Binomial Theorem that you just mentioned. In fact, it¡¯s scheduled to be published tomorrow, and no one else knows about this except for me.¡± As I met her unwavering gaze, cold sweat began to trickle down my forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll pass on the ridiculous nickname ¡®Napoleon of Crime¡¯ and all those malicious insinuations that you¡¯ve made in my name.¡± Her curious gaze locked onto me, and she bobbed her head slightly like a young lizard before posing a question seemingly filled with exasperation but undeid by deep interest. ¡°But what in bloody hell is up with this Reichenbach Falls?¡± If someone unfamiliar with her observed her, she would appear cute at first nce. However, at that moment, I couldn¡¯t help but realize¡­ ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to me there?¡± As described in the original work, Professor Moriarty before me habitually tilted her head as though deeply curious about my words. ¡°Uh, well¡­¡± The improbable final boss of the game¡ª the one I had criticized so harshly in the ssroom just now, must be Jane Moriarty. ¡°Come to my office after ss.¡± My first encounter with her couldn¡¯t have been worse. I was sure of it. Chapter 2: The Grey Research Chapter 2: The Grey Research ? Sender: KIM573 ? ? Subject: To the Story Department, please read the contents of this email if you don¡¯t want to ruin the game any further. ? ¡º This game¡¯s illustrations, graphics, and optimization are more or less wless. Nearly everything about the game is perfect. Except for one thing¡ª the story that your department is responsible for. To be honest, with the quality of this game, as long as the story isn¡¯t abysmally bad, it should be an absolute hit. However, that doesn¡¯t mean you can neglect the consistency of the narrative as you have done¡­ well, consistently, unironically. Let¡¯s set aside the fact that all main characters are turned into females. We can just brush it off as a unique feature of the game. However, the fact that the majority of the characters seem to have low intelligence is something I simply cannot overlook. To make the protagonist shine, you should¡¯ve nned out a more well-thought-out trick. What¡¯s the point of nerfing the intelligence of practically all the characters, except for the protagonist, in a mystery game? And why do all the events that unfold feel like a sloppy photocopy of the Sherlock Holmes series? Ate 19th-century London with supernatural abilities. Detectives tracing bizarre incidents in this urban fantasy setting that the game world revolves around. With such a captivating premise, I truly don¡¯t understand why you are basically fumbling the execution itself. There are countless characters and stories you could draw inspiration from, yet you are stubbornly fixated on the Sherlock Holmes series. And although the game spans from thete 19th to early 20th century, does it make sense that the detectives don¡¯t even know about fingerprints? Surely, this isn¡¯t an attempt at being historically urate, right? If it is then you have sessfully failed. The London Police adopted the fingerprint investigation paradigm in 1901. Even in the fundamental Sherlock Holmes series, the ones written by Arthur Conan Doyle himself, the importance of fingerprints was first mentioned not by Holmes, but by a constable instead. For ordinary people, maybe it¡¯s excusable, but even the professional detectives of that era not knowing the importance of fingerprints is a ring historical error. Of course, this isn¡¯t the only issue present. Your story has a myriad of consistency issues and historical inuracies. However, the most ring issue, the icing on the cake of this clusterfuck, is the ultimate viin who suddenly emerges at the end to conclude everything¡ª Professor Jane Moriarty. To use a character as charismatic as Moriarty in a one-off manner like this, and in the worst possible way at that too, if you¡¯re failing to be historically urate elsewhere, why have you chosen to be so pinpoint urate with here? As a story consultant, I simply cannot ept this abomination of a narrative. You should start from scratch and redo basically everything until every inconsistency in this nonsensical storyline is addressed. Until then, I cannot possibly give my approval. I would even stake my life in preventing this game from being released. With that said, have a good day¡­ ¡» ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ To summarize the passionate 2500+ characters that I had sent to the story department of the gamepany I work for a few days ago, it went something like this. After a few phone calls that followed, I was eventually summoned to their meeting room. I lost consciousness while delivering a heated speech in front of the buffoons who were seemingly unable toprehend my words. When I came to and regained my senses, I deeply regretted sending that official document to them. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s wrap up the lesson now.¡± The final boss of the game we had been developing. The pinnacle of a story with no coherence. Yet, for all its numerous ws, the impact of Professor Jane Moriarty inside the jarring storyline was undeniably immense. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to stop by my office.¡± Somehow, I found myself in front of ¡®her¡¯, having dered that she would eventually fall to her death at the Reichenbach Falls in herter years. As an added bonus, I had also grandly referenced some of her achievements that didn¡¯t even take ce yet. ¡®This has to be a case of possession¡ª one of those fantasy tropes.¡¯ I sat silently, seemingly out of my wits, until everyone had left the ssroom. Once alone, I couldn¡¯t help but quietly think to myself. ¡®Damn piece of shitpany! I knew that something was off.¡¯ I had never met the developers or the CEO in person. Not even once. Since my role in thepany was a mere story consultant, I mostly worked from home. Come to think of it, today was my first visit to thepany. The expressions of the people in the meeting room when I ranted incessantly also seemed to be unusual. I should have been more careful in epting the job. Blinded by the high sry and stable work environment, I jumped right in, and now¡­ I found myself in this horrific situation. ¡®¡­I should go, shouldn¡¯t I?¡¯ I had already realized that this situation wasn¡¯t a dream. I had pinched my cheek far too many times to confirm that fact already. It seemed to me that, somehow, I had been transported into the girl detective game ourpany had been developing¡ª based on the Sherlock Holmes series. Not during the era when Professor Moriarty reigned as the Napoleon of Crime, but when she was still appointed as a professor at the academy. It was now time for me to act to the best of my abilities in order to survive. Honestly, considering the situation I found myself in, I wanted to sit in shock for a few days, but my life was currently in danger. I had, after all, attracted the attention of the final boss of the game. Honestly, I wanted to run away from this detective academy and practically everything else rted to the main storyline. However, considering Professor Moriarty¡¯s nature, escape seemed both improbable and impossible at the same time. In a few years, or perhaps even a few months, I would probably end up as a mere specimen that would be grandly disyed at her home as one of her collections. Therefore, with reluctance and clear tears brimming in the corner of my eyes, I made my way to Professor Moriarty¡¯s office. Reciting the old saying, ¡°If you keep your wits about you, even when entering a tiger¡¯s den, you can survive.¡± on my way to said tiger¡¯s den in this scenario. ¡®¡­Perhaps, unexpected as it may be, everything might go smoothly.¡¯ And thinking about it, I realized that I might just have been overly concerned about this. While I knew what Moriarty would be, which made me frightened out of my wits, the current her was not the lord of the underworld. She was merely a professor at a prestigious academy. Who could tell? Even if Moriarty was born for a life of crime, perhaps in her early twenties, she might have still had a somewhat kind heart. And even if she intended to do something to me, at least within these sacred grounds of the detective training institute, she wouldn¡¯t be able to touch me. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Iforted myself with that thought, but as her office door came into view, I naturally began to feel tense once more. As the story consultant, I was familiar with most of the characters in the game. However, Jane Moriarty, who suddenly appeared at the ending of all times, was still a great mystery to me. Therefore, I couldn¡¯t predict what would happen once I opened that door. ¡°¡­Whew.¡± ¨C Knock, knock, knock¡­! After hesitating outside the door for a while, I finally took a deep breath and knocked several times. ¨C Come in. Hearing Professor Moriarty¡¯s voice, I braced myself and entered the room. ¡°Huh.¡± Before I could fully take in the room¡¯s surroundings, what I came face to face with was¡­ ¨C Drip, drip¡­ On the sofa opposite of the chair Professor Moriarty was currently sitting on, was the academy¡¯s dean, bleeding from a hole in his head. ¡®Damn, that man was one of the mid-level bosses.¡¯ My mind went nk for a moment, but my strong survival instincts made me instinctively step back toward the door. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you.¡± But as I did so, the professor, with a weing expression on her charming face, flicked her finger. ¨C ng¡­! Before I knew it, the door had been locked tightly. ¡°I thought you were smart. Did I perhaps misjudge you?¡± Immediately after, while wiping the bright red blood sttered on her beautiful face with a towel, she smiled at me and spoke. ¡°It¡¯s not a particrly good habit to fidget with the mana umtor hidden in the pocket of your school uniform now, is it?¡± Her words were true. Just as Holmes had felt threatened by the sudden appearance of Moriarty, I too had secretly prepared a means of self-defense in anticipation of a dangerous situation like this. If my life was threatened, I intended to use the mana umtor, a tool possessed by the original owner of the body I had taken over, as a weapon. ¡°If you¡¯re not careful, the mana could flow in reverse and be dangerous for you instead. Isn¡¯t that right, student?¡± However, just like how it was in the original work¡ª Moriarty, who had easily seen through my actions, was staring piercingly at me while pointing to her desk. ¨C Click¡­ Trying my best to remain calm, I ced the mana umtor on the desk, precisely, on the location where she was pointing with her finger. ¡°You won¡¯t die alone. That¡¯s amendable stance.¡± She spoke, my hand never leaving the mana umtor that I had ced on the desk. ¡®This isn¡¯t looking good.¡¯ I was barely able to maintain a stand-off with Moriarty with the suggestion that I might self-destruct if pushed to a corner. But the situation I was in was very unfavorable for me. Seeing the blood continuously flowing from the corpse of the elderly man behind me, it seemed that she had justmitted a murder. Yet, she deliberately let me in under such dire circumstances. I couldn¡¯t fathom why she had done something like that, but judging by the sharp look in her eyes, masked by that characteristic cold smile of hers, it seemed to me that she was testing me. The real question was what she was testing me on. ¡®Calm down, just calm the fuck down.¡¯ The fear of potentially losing my life at any moment¡­ The nausea from seeing a dead body for the first time¡­ The anxiety of not even knowing how to use the mana umtor in the first ce¡­ Despite everything that was working against me, I mustered all the strength I had to remainposed. I had the intuition that if I showed even a hint of weakness or panic right now, my life would instantly be at risk. ¡°What do you want?¡± But I couldn¡¯t keep up this charade forever. Since any external intervention was blocked in this scenario, as time went by, the situation became increasingly unfavorable for me. ¡°On the contrary, what do you want from me?¡± I tried to ask her with as calm a voice as I could manage, but what came back was a counter-question from Professor Moriarty. ¡°You managed to escape from my grasp perfectly. But instead of using me, you chose to ept my invitation ande to my office¡­¡± As I nkly listened to those iprehensible words of hers, Professor Moriarty shifted her gaze to the mana umtor and added, ¡°Moreover, you¡¯re now trying to threaten me in return.¡± And then, a chilling silence ensued between us. ¡°I¡¯m dying of curiosity to know what someone like you wants from me.¡± Breaking the silence, Moriarty began to tilt her head like a lizard, looking at me with eyes filled with endless curiosity. ¡°Won¡¯t you give me an answer?¡± Once again, a palpable silence enveloped the office. Within that quiet and eerie atmosphere, I began to forcibly rack my bleached brain as hard as possible. Judging from her reaction, Moriarty seemed quite interested in me. But the issue was, I had a rough idea of how this interest might conclude. What response would prevent her from killing me right here and now? How should I reply to turn her fickle interest into a favorable one? What did Moriarty like in the original work? What could possibly make me endearing to the professor? ¡°Why the silence, student?¡± I was already out of time. For better or worse, it was the moment that I had to say something, anything to her¡­ ¡°I want to be a graduate student¡­¡± With eyes tightly shut, I blurted out the first idea that popped into my head. ¡°Specifically, under your guidance.¡± To survive, I decided to sacrifice my dignity. That was the conclusion I had reached after my elerated thinking. ¡°What do you think?¡± Hoping desperately that the young Moriarty held a strong sense of identity as a professor, I began waiting for her response. . . . . . ¨C Ding! That was the moment. ?Viin Maker? ¨C Description: Fulfilling the probability of Professor Moriarty¡¯s appearance. With a cheerful tone, unidentified messages began to pop up in front of my eyes. Progress: 1% ¡°¡­Huh?¡± What the hell was this now? Damn it! Chapter 3: The Grey Research (2) Chapter 3: The Grey Research (2) At the unexpected remark of the blond-haired male student in front of her, Moriarty, who had been tilting her head, stopped and stared straight at him, deep in thought. ¡®Interesting.¡¯ It had indeed been a long time. In this dull world where evenmitting crimes had be a tedious chore, he was a presence that amused her so¡­ ¡®What could his motive be?¡¯ For the first time in her whole life, a being had slipped from her grasp. To gauge his reaction, she, who was not part of the n, hadmitted a murder. It was quite an impulsive decision, but since the victim had been the ever-annoying dean, it turned out to be a murder she rather likedmitting. ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯spletely immune to fear.¡¯ The look in his eyes when he first saw the prepared corpse clearly contained clear traces of fear. From that look, she felt he was certainly not one of her kind. However, the student standing in front of her now, fiddling with the mana umtor on the table, had a remarkablyposed expression on his face. It was as if an amateurish appearance and a savvy demeanor coexisted simultaneously inside this mysterious boy. For Moriarty, that too was intriguing. ¡°We¡¯ll have to talk a bit more.¡± What purpose he held, what he was thinking inside that head of his¡ª even as a professor, she had no way of knowing them. However, in this very situation, it was clear that she, the professor, held the upper hand. To understand the unknown entity before her, it was time to make the most of that advantage. ¡°Why should I?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Moriarty, quietly tilting her head to the side, gazing at him deeply, posed that question after some time. ¡°Why should I ept you?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°I can roughly guess the benefits you¡¯ll gain by bing a graduate student under me. However, what benefits can I obtain by taking you in?¡± What she said was practically a straightforward point. Of course, graduate students were valuable assets to the professors. But in Moriarty¡¯s case, she didn¡¯t feel the need for any subordinates. Because of the blood of an inborn criminal, she had always been alone until now. She had never even considered having someone by her side. ¡°If you can¡¯t exin that¡­¡± Thus, Moriarty was about to press further, looking intently at the student in front of her. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± But then, she suddenly stopped speaking, her eyes lighting up as she got lost in thought. ¡®What has this student been looking at all this time?¡¯ Ever since he dered his wish to be her graduate student, his gaze had been fixed not on her, but rather on the thin air in front. At first, she thought he might be deliberately avoiding her gaze. However, his pupils were periodically contracting and expanding, and there was an unmistakable hint of confusion mixed within his expression. It seemed as if he was reading something from the empty space before him. ¡°Student, are you reading something out of thin air?¡± ¡°Ah, no?¡± ¡°Then why have you been staring nkly into space?¡± ¡°¡­You must have seen it wrong, Professor.¡± Hearing the student¡¯s flustered voice in response to her probing question, she quietly furrowed her eyebrows. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t reveal my hand so soon.¡¯ She had found an oasis in a barren desert. At least until her thirst was quenched, she wanted to immerse herself in this feeling. ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s hard for me to ept your proposal right now.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°However, if you were to solve my dilemma, I might consider epting it.¡± However, before diving in, she needed to discern whether the entity before her was indeed an oasis or a mere mirage. ¡°What would that be?¡± ¡°Simple. What should I do from now on?¡± To address the issue, Professor Moriarty began pouring out her longstanding concerns to the student before her. ¡°Thanks to this cursed talent that I possess, every crime Imit bes a perfect crime.¡± A deep darkness began to settle in her grey eyes. ¡°At first, it was quite fun. It felt like everything was in my grasp.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°But over time, the fun started to fade, didn¡¯t it? It felt like I was cheating to win in a game.¡± ¡°Have you ever thought about breaking that curse?¡± ¡°Of course, I tried. I took various measures to break the curse and met countless people. However, none of them could shatter my curse.¡± In the eyes filled with that profound darkness, the blonde-haired student before her was reflected. ¡°Except for you alone.¡± Upon hearing her words, the hand of the student holding the mana umtor twitched ever so slightly. ¡°To be honest, I wished you would oppose me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yet, for some reason, instead of standing against me as a detective, you are saying you want to serve under me.¡± A peculiar tension that had been between the two began violently undting at this instant. ¡°Because of that, I¡¯ve lost my will to live again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really unfortunate.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯ll ask you once more.¡± The professor posed a question in a soft voice to the blonde boy, who was discreetly wiping away his trickling sweat. ¡°How can I quench this burning thirst?¡± Depending on the boy¡¯s response, it could be the final question of the day. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± After Moriarty finished speaking and stared intently at the student, a chilling silence began to flow in the room. ¡°So¡­ if I understand correctly, Professor, you wish to engage in a breathtaking battle of wits with a detective.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But because of the curse that makes every crime youmit a ¡®perfect crime¡¯, so to speak, such a scenario can¡¯te to fruition, which is your dilemma, right?¡± ¡°Exactly that.¡± As the student, breaking the silence, began to speak, Moriarty started to tilt her head slightly with a hint of anticipation in her eyes. ¡°Um¡­..¡± ¡®Maybe he¡¯s not up to the task after all.¡¯ However, as his words momentarily faltered, the hope that had filled Moriarty¡¯s eyes slowly began to fade away¡­ ¡®¡­I got uncharacteristically excited.¡¯ Due to encountering such an alien presence for the first time, she had been unusually agitated. But once she calmed her excitement and looked again, all she found in front of her was a student who had just entered the academy. Considering that he wanted to be her assistant rather than a detective, it seemed improbable that he could solve her long-standing problem. ¡°It¡¯s quite simple, actually.¡± Yet, he clearly thought otherwise. ¡°Start offering crime consultations.¡± ¡°¡­Crime consultations?¡± After a moment of contemtion, with a resolute expression forming on his face, the words sprang from his lips. ¡°If the problem arises when you personallymit the crime, Professor, what if the perpetrator isn¡¯t you, but someone else?¡± It was, even by her standards, a highly appealing and persuasive suggestion. ¡°Provide crime advice using your knowledge to those who need tomit the ¡®perfect crime¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°The only way to quench your thirst, Professor, lies therein.¡± Having finished speaking, he offered her a gentle smile, then added as if he¡¯d just recalled something. ¡°And that is why you need to take me under your wing.¡± Hearing those words, Moriarty burst into a roaringughter¡ª something she hadn¡¯t done in a long, long time. ¡°Just as detectives need assistants, crime consultants also require their own aides.¡± ¡°Ha, hahaha.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Professor?¡± ¡°Ahahahaha!!¡± Seemingly, she didn¡¯t just discover an oasis, but rather, she had stumbled upon a vast ocean. ¡°Regrettably, I can¡¯t immediately make a freshman like you a graduate student. It would go against the procedure.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Afterughing heartily for a while, Professor Moriarty began speaking once more, wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes. ¡°But remember this one thing.¡± There was a visible fondness in her face, a face that was still drenched in the dean¡¯s blood. ¡°From this moment on, you are the assistant to the crime consultant Moriarty.¡± As Moriarty finished her sentence and leisurely leaned back in her chair. ¡ºViin Maker¡» ¨C Description: Fulfilling the probability of Professor Moriarty¡¯s appearance. ¨C Progress: 10% Another unidentified message appeared before my eyes. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Looking at the top of the message, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. You are the probability of this world. Fill thecking probability at the risk of your life and prevent the world from copsing. ¡®These damned bastards.¡¯ Was it because I had so stubbornly insisted on risking my life to prevent the confirmation of the plot? I had be the very probability of this world¡­ ? Quest List ¨C Viin Maker: Fulfilling the probability of Professor Moriarty¡¯s appearance. ¨C Love-Hate Rtionship: Be ¡®that man¡¯ for Holmes. ¨C Lady of London: Complete one sham marriage with Watson. ¨C Phantom Thief¡¯s Treasure: Get kidnapped by the Phantom Thief Lupin. ¨C Freeze: Receive a confession from Inspector Lestrade. (¡­ truncated ¡­) The considerably long list of quests at the bottom attested to that fact. I had no idea when I¡¯d be able toplete all of these. Thus, as I nkly skimmed through the daunting and challenging list of quests¡­ ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± A particr question popped into my head, and I began to scratch the back of my head in contemtion¡­ ¡®Why is Irene Adler missing?¡¯ One of the few individuals who made Holmes, the detective, taste defeat in the original stories. Moreover, the only woman Holmes had ever acknowledged. Consequently, in derivative works, she was a character poprly linked with him. While all sorts of notable people were present as quests, for some reason, her name was conspicuously absent from the quest window. ¡®Could it be?¡¯ ¡°Ah, you.¡± Just as I was about to rise from my seat with a slightly uneasy feeling, Professor Moriarty¡¯s voice suddenly rang out. ¡®Right, I was in front of this person.¡¯ Although she had just be an ally mere moments ago, she was undeniably someone to be wary of. ¡°If you¡¯re going to carry such an important photograph with you, be more cautious in the future.¡± Feeling tense, as I straightened up, she pulled a photograph from her possession and handed it to me. ¡°¡­..!?!?¡± Inadvertently taking the image from her hands, I was immediately struck with horror and found myself frozen in ce. ¡°This, this is¡­¡± A stunningly beautiful woman, wearing a tiara on her head, was lying down as if she was a leashed dog. And standing beside her, trampling on her hair, was the blonde-haired boy whose body was now mine. ¡°The man who can leash the queen of the Kingdom of Bohemia and take her for a walk is probably only you.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± While I stared in shock, Professor Moriarty said in a voice tinged with amusement, ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Adler?¡± Wait a minute, what did she just call me? ¡°Ah.¡± With a sinking feeling and cold sweat forming between my brows, I then read thest line of the message that appeared before my eyes and couldn¡¯t help but close them shut¡­ tightly¡­ Best of luck, Isaac Adler. I was ying the role of Irene Adler. ¡°But remember this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Even a dog, when cornered, might bite its master.¡± In my dazed state of mind, Professor Moriarty¡¯s warning echoed in my ears. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that very moment, in the streets of London¡­ as the sunset bathed the city in its waning light. ¨C Tap, tap¡­ A woman, her figure concealed by a ck robe and mask yet unable topletely hide the air of elegance about her, hurried along. 221B Baker Street The old boarding house on Baker Street wasing into view. Chapter 4: The Scandal of the Bohemian Queen Chapter 4: The Scandal of the Bohemian Queen A few dozen minutes before ady of unknown identity knocked on the door of the boarding house¡ª ¡°Hello, Mrs. Hudson.¡± ¡°Miss Watson. You came quite early today.¡± Dr. Rachel Watson, who had returned home earlier than usual, was scratching her head in response to the inquiry of the housekeeper¡ª Mrs. Hudson. ¡°Yes. There weren¡¯t many people at the hospital today.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know whether to be happy or sad about that.¡± ¡°Ahaha¡­¡± Watsonughed at Mrs. Hudson¡¯s light joke as she made her way to her room. ¨C Bang! Boom! She frowned slightly at the sound of gunfireing from a distance. ¡°What is she up to now?¡± Normally, when one heard a gunshot, themon reaction would be to panic or call the police. But at 221B Baker Street, where she resided, suchmon sense didn¡¯t apply. ¡°Holmes. What on earth are you doing now?¡± The most entric figure in the entirety of London. The reason for the shattering of the averagemon sense was because her roommate¡ª Holmes, who was significantly older than Watson in age, lived here. ¡°¡­Watson? You came early today.¡± Opening the door, as Watson asked with a puzzling look on her face¡­ A young woman, sprawled out like a corpse on the armchair with a white robe loosely draped around her body, picked up a cigarette and waved her hand in greeting. ¡°Want to try some Arcadia tobo?¡± Watching her, Watson quietly leaked a tired sigh. Usually, her sharp grey eyes would shine brightly with luster, but now they were dull and clouded. Simrly, her once lustrous ck hair had lost its shine and looked very dry and brittle at this moment. Yet, even as Holmes offered her a cigarette with a dark smile on her face, an unmistakable air of charm and mystery could be felt from her very being. ¡°What were you doing just now?¡± ¡°As you can see, I was decorating the room.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Had she not been shooting the wall in front of her in the shape of a phallus, it would¡¯ve looked quite enchanting. ¡°Why did you drop your usual manner of speaking and start doing this absurd thing?¡± ¡°Well, isn¡¯t a softer tone nice sometimes?¡± Watson, looking down at Holmes with a look of disdain, shook her head in disbelief and sighed once more. The longer there was no case for Holmes to tackle, the more bizarre her behavior seemed to get. ¡°Wait, were you experimenting with Mana Stones again?¡± Thinking about this, Watson, who was heading to her usual spot, noticed the traces of an experiment on a table in the corner of the room. She frowned and spoke up. ¡°I distinctly told you that excessive experimentation can lead to mana poisoning, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Watson.¡± Holmes, carelessly throwing her gun onto a distant sofa, responded with anguid expression on her face. ¡°For the advancement of investigative science, such a risk is a trivial matter. In fact, I¡¯ve been conducting the experiments safely¡­¡± ¡°Holmes, I was a military officer. I¡¯m now a practicing doctor. Do you think I can¡¯t recognize the symptoms of mana poisoning when it¡¯s tantly disyed right in front of me?¡± However, at the sound of Watson¡¯s icy tone, Holmes stopped speaking and quietly looked away. ¡°Pretending not to know won¡¯t help. No matter how skilled you are, in this matter, you have to listen to me.¡± ¡°Just cut me some ck, Watson.¡± Upon Watson¡¯s firm deration, Holmes, letting out a deep sigh, stood up and began toment. ¡°If I don¡¯t conduct Mana Stone experiments, I might die of sheer boredom.¡± ¡°Then take on a case¡­¡± ¡°A case. Exactly, there¡¯s no case. Not a single case in London to satisfy me, Watson.¡± Murmuring as such, Holmes, with a slight tremble in her hand, offered the newspaper to Watson. ¡°For the past few months, there hasn¡¯t been any significant case. The few strange incidents that did ur were mostly natural phenomena. The requestsing in or the incidents reported in the newspapers are all trivial.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°It feels as if my brain is getting stiff from disuse. Maybe it¡¯s actually solidifying. It¡¯s trulymentable.¡± And after grumbling for quite a while, whether exhausted or not remaining unknown, Holmes eventually sank back into her armchair. ¡°When bizarre incidents began happening all over the world, how was I back then, Watson?¡± ¡°You were brimming with energy. You didn¡¯t even nce at those experimental tools that cause mana poisoning.¡± Responding to her query, Watson looked at Holmes with a slightly regretful expression. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I used to believe that, without praying for incidents every single night, significant cases that would make my heart race would greet me.¡± Holmes, who had continued her words while gazing listlessly at Watson¡¯s rosy eyes, eventually turned her gaze quietly towards the window. ¡°But Watson, I feel as though I¡¯m living in a world of fools.¡± Before they knew it, the streets of London were enveloped in a thick fog. ¡°For months now, every night, this unidentified fog has covered the streets, yet not a single crime exploiting this situation has emerged. The criminals of London really are¡­¡± Holmes, who had been nkly staring out and murmuring out in a lethargic tone, suddenly stopped speaking. ¡°Why is that?¡± A momentter, seeing that a smile had manifested on her previously stiff lips, Watson tilted her head and inquired about the reason for her sudden behavior. ¡°Did you witness a crime or a bizarre incident?¡± ¡°No, not exactly¡­¡± Vitality could be seen returning again to Holmes¡¯ previously listless eyes as she responded to that question. ¡°¡­I¡¯m nning to witness it indirectly, though.¡± This was because an unidentifieddy, knocking on the door of the boarding house, hade into Holmes¡¯ view. . . . . . ¡°Come in!¡± A little whileter, as a knocking sound came from the door, the previously listless demeanor of Holmes hadpletely vanished, and she called out with a lively squeak in her voice. ¨C Creak¡­ Then, the door cautiously opened, revealing a guest wearing a ck robe and a mask. Hesitating for a moment at Holmes¡¯ gesture, thedy sat on the sofa. As she removed her robe, she revealed extravagant clothing and a voluptuous figure. ¡°Which one of you is Charlotte Holmes?¡± Thedy posed the quiet question to Holmes and Watson, who had been intently observing her. ¡°I am Charlotte Holmes.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯d like to speak with you alone. I apologize to your friend, but could she please step out for a moment?¡± Watson was about to rise from her seat upon hearing those words, but Holmes stretched out her hand to stop her and opened her mouth. ¡°If she cannot listen, then I won¡¯t either.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Thedy began to ponder, biting her lip. For some reason, a faint blue tinge was noticeable on the part of her face that peeked out from beneath her mask. Even Watson could easily deduce the emotion hidden behind the eyes shielded by her mask. ¡°Alright, but promise me that you won¡¯t speak of this to anyone, at least until I die. It¡¯s a matter of such gravity that it could turn the entirety of Europe upside down.¡± ¡°I see.¡± With that, thedy began to speak in a slightly trembling voice. ¡°It concerns a grave matter involving a royal family of Europe.¡± ¡°The House of Ormstein of the Kingdom of Bohemia, am I correct?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. Though I am here as a representative and cannot reveal it to you¡­¡± But thedy halted her words before finishing it in full, fixing her gaze on Holmes. ¡°What did you just say¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty, if you wanted to conceal your identity, you shouldn¡¯t have worn such a luxurious outfit.¡± Upon hearing Holmes¡¯s words, thedy¡¯s eyes widened in utter astonishment. ¡°Trying to deceive me, when you are so well-known throughout the whole world was a mistake, to begin with.¡± A momentary silence then engulfed the room. ¡°¡­You¡¯re right.¡± Thedy, who had been quivering slightly as she looked at Holmes, threw off her mask and began to speak with a resigned look. ¡°I am the Queen of the Kingdom of Bohemia.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I¡¯ve known from the moment you entered our humble boarding house that you are Lillia Goetzreich Zigeismund von Ormstein.¡± ¡°I apologize for my indiscretion. But I had no choice¡­¡± ¡°Well, there are situations that can¡¯t be helped in this world. So, would you please begin by telling us what has transpired for you toe to me?¡± Interrupting her, Holmes began to speak with as much politeness as she could muster in her being. ¡°To summarize briefly, it¡¯s like this¡­¡± The queen, momentarily furrowing her brow, began her story while covering her face with both of her hands. ¡°Isaac Adler. I¡¯m on the brink of ruin because of that infamous young man. Do you happen to know him?¡± ¡°Watson, check my index.¡± Holmes gestured to a file containing information on numerous individuals. However, Watson shook her head in response to that gesture before speaking. ¡°No need. I¡¯m quite familiar with him.¡± She then began to exin to Holmes in a chilling tone. ¡°The biggest rascal in London. A charmer who has beguiled countless women. A despicable person who takes pleasure in destroying the women he gets involved with, both physically and emotionally.¡± ¡°You seem to know quite a bit about him?¡± ¡°My patients, at the hospital I work at, are his victims.¡± Holmes, sneaking a nce at Watson, whose face was burning with anger, soon shifted her gaze to the queen and posed a question. ¡°So, what kind of leverage does this Isaac Adler have over you?¡± ¡°A handwritten¡­ um¡­ that is¡­ no, ve contract¡­¡± The queen stammered with a look of unbridled embarrassment on her face. ¡°¡­He has something resembling a love letter from me.¡± As she avoided eye contact and stumbled over her words, Holmes, who was scratching her head, began to pose another question. ¡°Did you perhaps have a secret marriage with the young man? Or did you engage in any legal contracts with him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the case.¡± ¡°Then I don¡¯t see a problem. Handwriting can easily be imitated, and even if there¡¯s a seal or stamp, you can im it¡¯s a forgery.¡± The queen responded, her head lowered. ¡°He has a photograph.¡± ¡°Any photograph of Your Majesty can easily be procured¡­¡± ¡°He has a photograph of the two of us together.¡± ¡°Oh, dear¡­ What exactly is in the photograph, Your Majesty¡­?¡± The queen, her face a shade of deep red at this point, hesitated for a moment before continuing her statement in a faltering voice. ¡°To be precise¡­ I¡­ I¡¯m lying face down on the floor with a cor around my neck¡­ and the young man is stepping on my head¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Holmes and Watson looked at her with a stunned expression. ¡°Why on earth did you do such a thing?¡± ¡°I¡­ I was out of my mind back then. I was young. Despite being a princess of a country, I believed I could give my everything to him.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t reallyprehend this situation.¡± ¡°Looking back now, neither can I. However, it definitely happened, and since yesterday, Isaac started to use this incident as a pretext to ckmail me.¡± The queen, now with her ears turning the same shade as her face, poured her heart out to Holmes with a pleading voice. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no time to discuss this. My wedding is set for the day after tomorrow. But if he releases that photograph and the document¡­ it will be the end of my life.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m asking for your help. I know it¡¯s a quite challenging favor, but please retrieve the photograph and document within 36 hours.¡± ¡°How do you intend topensate?¡± ¡°If you want, I can even give you half of my kingdom.¡± ¡°What about the immediate expenses required for the task?¡± As Holmes raised an eyebrow inquisitively, the queen took out a hefty purse from her attire. ¡°I¡¯ll pay 300 pounds in gold coins along with 700 pounds in cash as a down payment.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Holmes ripped out a page from her notebook to write a receipt and handed it to the queen, wearing a satisfied smile. ¡°Please write the man¡¯s address here, and Your Majesty should go back and get some rest.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll bring you good news soon.¡± Only then did the queen, seemingly relieved, rise from her seat. ¡°¡­Be careful.¡± As she put on her mask and robe again, she warned Holmes in a soft voice, despite her confident demeanor. ¡°Although he looks innocent and pure-faced, there¡¯s a devil lurking within Isaac.¡± With that being said, the queen quietly left the room. ¡°Anyway, I just can¡¯tprehend it.¡± Holmes, who had remained seated in silence for quite some time after she left, murmured as she rose from her chair. ¡°People get carried away by this inefficient emotion called love, ruining everything.¡± Then, suddenly looking at Watson, Holmes spoke. ¡°I believe I will never understand such people, not till the day I die, Watson.¡± By now, her tone had reverted to its usual self. Considering Holmes¡¯ age, her previous manner of speaking was more natural, after all. ¡°Well, at least this case should serve as a distraction.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t the timeframe too tight? What are you nning to do?¡± As Holmes was getting ready to hastily head out, she answered Watson¡¯s question with a gleam in her eye. ¡°I have a good n in mind.¡± . . . . . The day after the first encounter with Professor Moriarty¡ª On the weekend, I was on my way to what would soon be my home. ¡°Hey, you there. Stop for a moment.¡± ¡°Give me everything you have, and I¡¯ll spare your life.¡± As I entered an alleyway in the neighborhood of my home, a group of vagrants suddenly surrounded and began to threaten me. ¡°No!¡± I looked with a troubled expression at the thugs brandishing a club and a knife when suddenly a voice echoed from afar. ¡°Stop this at once!¡± A seemingly frail young nun was approaching the scene, heading towards me and the vagrants. ¡®This¡­¡¯ Only then did I fully grasp the situation. ¡®¡­This is 100% Holmes.¡¯ It was as if the unfolding of the ¡®Scandal in Bohemia¡¯ was being reenacted right before my eyes. Even though Holmes was dressed as a nun instead of a priest, regardless. ¡®¡­I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ As a die-hard fan of the Sherlock Holmes series, this was truly a bittersweet moment for me. Chapter 5: The Scandal of the Bohemian Queen (2) Chapter 5: The Scandal of the Bohemian Queen (2) ¡°Move, move out of the way!¡± ¡°¡­aargh!¡± The young nun who had rushed in to fend off the menacing vagrants screamed in pain as she fell down, struck by the de they had brandished as a threat. ¡°Mr¡­ Mr. Adler!¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± And, just then, from the distance, individuals presumably my household servants started running toward us. The vagrants immediately bolted as fast as their legs could carry them, swiftly getting out of our sight. In the end, all that remained at the scene were me and the blood-soaked young nun. If an oblivious bystander had witnessed this incident, they would have sung praises for the young nun¡¯s otherworldly bravery. ¡®Holmes was right all along.¡¯ While pretending to check on the nun, as I knelt beside her, that was the conclusion I drew. Carefully tasting the blood she was shedding with my finger, I realized that it was red paint. Regardless of gender, Holmes was still Holmes. If I had been unaware of this plot, I would¡¯ve been thoroughly fooled by such a startling act. ¡°Please forgive our ipetence, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°We, we made a mistake. We should havee further out to greet you¡­¡± ¡°I, I have nothing to say.¡± In this overwhelming situation, as I was pondering how to navigate through it, thete-arriving maids and servants began to kneel one by one in front of me. ¡°We, we¡¯re sorry¡­¡± ¡°Please forgive us¡­¡± Observing them closely, some maids seemed to have turned pale in fright, tightly shutting their eyes and trembling incessantly all over. ¡°I admit I failed to properly lead everyone. I will take the punishment on their behalf, so please forgive the others, Mr. Adler.¡± The maid speaking in front of them, while kneeling, had dark bruises and wounds on her neck region. ¡®¡­This is absolutely insane.¡¯ I vaguely understood why people at the detective academy gave me such cold nces when they looked at me. Isaac Adler, whom I havee to possess, seemed to be quite a despicable human being. ¡°¡­How is this nun doing?¡± ¡°She seems to be badly injured.¡± ¡°She looks like she¡¯s dead.¡± In an attempt to change the subject, I directed my gaze toward Holmes and posed a question to the arriving entourage of servants. The maids, after momentarily ncing at me, began to murmur amongst themselves. ¡°She¡¯s not dead yet. However, she might notst until she¡¯s moved to a hospital.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Judging by the butler¡¯s assessment, it seems Holmes also knew how to imitate certain medical conditions. ¡°She, she was a brave nun. Without her, Mr. Adler would have been in danger¡­¡± ¡°We can¡¯t leave her lying on the street like this. May we take her to the mansion?¡± Listening intently while looking down at her, I could hear the voices of the head maid and the female butler. ¡®That¡¯s exactly Holmes¡¯ strategy.¡¯ Holmes orchestrated this event to gain entry into the mansion, aiming for the photograph of the Bohemian Queen that I possessed. The rogues from earlier must have been actors hired by Holmes. Once we bring her inside, it¡¯s very likely that themotion of a fake fire will erupt shortly after with Watson¡¯s assistance. Holmes, who would be lying lifeless in the room till then, would seize that opportunity to track my movements. ¡°Support her and bring her to my room.¡± I must capitalize on this very aspect. After all, the ¡®Scandal in Bohemia¡¯ was an episode where Holmes had been defeated for the very first time. If I were to just mimic Irene Adler¡¯s actions from the episode, the photograph would be safe and I would be able to deliver a heavy blow to Holmes. ¡°Sh, should we clean her up¡­?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll bring her right away.¡± The female butler, stifling the murmuring maid¡¯s surprised voice, started carrying Holmes toward the house. ¡®Just follow the original story, just follow the original story.¡¯ I might not be aware of the specifics since the game was still in active development, but this world was based on the Sherlock Holmes series. Having read the four novels and 56 short stories multiple times, I was confident I could survive in this world. Of course, surviving and tackling the absurd quests that made me want tough like a hysterical fool just by looking at them were two different things. For now, I should focus on the incident unfolding before me. ¡°Where are you heading, Mr. Adler?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± As I moved with that resolve, I had to halt my steps and widen my eyes when the butler called out to me. ¡°Pleased to meet you, Mr. Isaac Adler.¡± ¡°¡±Pleased to meet you too.¡±¡± Several dozen servants hade out to the front of the mansion to greet them. And among them, not a single one was male. ¡®He really is something else.¡¯ I began to wonder intensely just what sort of diabolical deeds Isaac Adler had done in London. . . . . . Holmes, carried by the butler and Adler, entered the vast mansion. ¡®¡­Good, just as Holmes nned.¡¯ Dr. Watson, who had been hiding and watching from behind an alley, suddenly recalled the conversation she had with Holmes just moments before. ¡°The photograph is probably inside the mansion. Adler might carry it on weekdays when he¡¯s not at home, but since it¡¯s the weekend, it¡¯s likely stored somewhere in the house.¡± ¡°But I heard that the scandalized Queen has searched the house several times before.¡± ¡°Heh, if the issue could¡¯ve been resolved by thatscivious Queen, I wouldn¡¯t have taken up this matter.¡± ¡°So, how do you n to find it?¡± ¡°Simple. I¡¯ll make the other party reveal the hiding ce directly.¡± While remarking about this matter, she changed into a nun¡¯s outfit that clung tightly to her body. Once done, she continued articting her thoughts. ¡°When faced with a crisis, he¡¯ll naturally head to secure what is most valuable to him. Men are inherently like that.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Of course, being called the scum of London, Adler will certainly, in his madness, head to where the photograph is.¡± ¡°Yes, that makes sense.¡± Watson didn¡¯t entirely agree with everything Holmes said, but she wholeheartedly agreed that Adler would exhibit such behavior. ¡°When I go inside the mansion, depending on the situation, I¡¯ll open a window and signal you. At that moment, you should throw a smoke canister inside the mansion through the opened window.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°Shout loudly, ¡®Fire! There¡¯s a fire!¡¯. That¡¯s your mission for today.¡± Recalling the n she and Holmes had formted, Watson took a deep breath and looked ahead. ¡®Those women¡­¡¯ The maids¡­ Most of the maids appeared to be around the same age as Holmes. As they weed Adler into the house with bowed heads, Watson noticed bruises and wounds on their necks and arms. ¡®Are they being abused?¡¯ Being a doctor, she recognized the signs immediately. Those marks weren¡¯t made overnight. ¡®What a trashy human¡­¡¯ Watson¡¯s eyes began to burn with a sense of justice. The kind-hearteddy, until a moment ago, had felt guilty about involving innocent people in the matter. But upon reflection, she realized that there was no need for such concerns. If they seeded in retrieving the photograph through this operation, the queen herself would surely deal with that scum. Then, freedom would undoubtedlye to those poor children. ¨C Thud¡­! Lost in her thoughts while wandering around the vicinity of the mansion, Watson suddenly looked up when she heard the sound of a window opening. ¨C Whoosh¡­ Shortly after, having seen Holmes¡¯ signal, she steeled herself and pulled a smoke canister from within her coat. ¡®Please let it be sessful this time, Holmes.¡¯ Then, with force, she threw the canister into the room. ¡°¡­Inhale¡­¡± Subsequently taking a deep breath, she prepared to shout out loud, cupping her hands around her mouth like a megaphone. ¨C Boom!!! However, out of the blue, a massive explosion urred right before her eyes and the shockwave sent her flying backward. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Tumbling on the ground for a while, Watson eventually mmed hard against a wall. ¨C Whoooosh¡­ Her vision was filled with the sight of Adler¡¯s mansion beingpletely engulfed in massive mes. ¡°Fi, fire¡­ Why is it real¡­?¡± Muttering with a weak gaze, the impact of hitting against the wall caused Watson to lose consciousness soon after. . . . . . ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Holmes, who had been lying in Adler¡¯s room till now, gripped her throbbing head as she tried to get up from the bed. ¡°I¡¯ll be damned!¡± Then, entering her field of vision was the fiery interior of the room and her own head, now genuinely bleeding. Could it be that Watson had thrown not a smoke canister but a firebomb into the room instead? While examining the room with such thoughts, Holmes¡¯ eyes caught the sight of the smoke canister rolling on the floor, emitting viscous smoke. From the looks of it, it seemed that the canister Watson threw wasn¡¯t the issue leading to the current dire situation. ¡®The origin of the fire isn¡¯t here; it¡¯sing from the living room.¡¯ Holmes, trying to identify the cause of the situation, noticed the dense smoke seeping in through the gaps in the door. ¡®The windows in the living room were all closed. So, it wasn¡¯t an external factor but an internal one.¡¯ She could think of two usible situations. Either Isaac Adler had sensed Holmes¡¯ n and took preemptive action, or someone, given Adler¡¯s notoriously bad reputation, hadmitted an act of terror against him. ¡®¡­This has gotten problematic.¡¯ Either way, it was an unfavorable development for Holmes. Having taken a paralytic drug for a perfect act, her body had now be unresponsive. The effects of the drug,bined with the st that hit the mansion, left her in a severelypromised state. It seemed unlikely that she¡¯d be able to get up from the bed any time soon. ¡°¡­Tsk.¡± Holmes¡¯ expression turned icy cold. If this explosion was intended by Adler, he would have already taken the photograph and fled the scene. Even if Adler hadn¡¯t intended this, if he were dead or the photo wasn¡¯t in this room, the oue would be the same for her. In other words, a very grim situation where one could only hope that the narrative was¡­ Adler getting caught up in this incident and meeting his demise. ¡®¡­There¡¯s no way a mana user would die here.¡¯ To make matters worse, Adler was one of the extremely few mana users in the world. His audacious behavior was possible because Adler was one of the few mages in Ennd, treated with the same respect as the nobility themselves. Rumors had it that his skills were rather poor, but it still seemed unlikely for a mana user to die in such a manner. ¡®I need to change the n before it¡¯s toote.¡¯ Thus Holmes, faced with apletely messed-up situation, clicked her tongue in frustration and began brainstorming to find a way out of this scenario. ¨C Clomp, clomp¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± She then tilted her head, alerted by the sound of footstepsing from beyond the door. ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡± At that very moment, a coughing sound echoed right in front of the door. ¨C Creak¡­ As Holmes quickly closed her eyes and pretended to sleep, her vision caught Adler, staggering into the room after opening the door with hasty movements. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Covered in serious burns all over his body, he was also drenched in blood, likely from being caught directly in the ensuing explosion. ¡®So the photo is here, huh¡­¡¯ Despite her battered appearance, Holmes felt certain about the presence of the photograph, seeing Adler forcing himself into the room. Internally, a quiet smile formed on her lips, but she soon held her breath. Adler, in deep contemtion and ncing around the room, fixated his gaze on the bed where Holmes was lying and started to approach it urgently. ¡°¡­Found you.¡± In order to avoid giving away that she was awake, Holmes shut her eyes tightly, and Adler¡¯s relieved voice echoed near her ears. ¡®Did he hide the photograph in the bed itself?¡¯ In a moment of uncertainty, having already searched the bed when no one was around, Holmes was internally questioning whether to open her eyes when suddenly¡­ ¨C Whoosh¡­ Adler¡¯s arm gently wrapped around her waist. ¡°¡­.? ¡­¡­.??¡± For the first time in her life, being held by a man, Holmes¡¯s thoughts momentarily froze and her brain seemed to have stopped processing altogether. ¡°That was a close call.¡± Adler, holding her tightly, murmured with genuine relief in his voice as he moved toward the exit. ¡°¡­Bloody Hell¡­!¡± Soon after cing Holmes down in the mansion¡¯s courtyard, Isaac Adler, with his limping body, headed back into the mansion. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± The mansion¡¯s servants, who had been outside, watched Adler with a look of disbelief. Faced with a crisis, he will opt to save what is most valuable to him. Holmes, having observed the entire scene, suddenly recalled what she had said with a shrug to Watson earlier. Men are inherently such creatures. The gaze of the proud genius girl, who had never once changed her views since birth, was subtly shaken at this very moment. Chapter 6: The Scandal of the Bohemian Queen (3) Chapter 6: The Scandal of the Bohemian Queen (3) The day after Isaac Adler¡¯s house was reduced to ashes for reasons unknown¡ª ¡°Haah, haah¡­¡± Having received Holmes¡¯s message toe to the hospital Watson worked in, the Queen, who had been staying at a hotel, rushed out hastily and was thus catching her breath heavily in the hospital lobby. ¡°I came immediately upon receiving your message, as you said.¡± ¡°Yes, you did well.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the urgent matter that you want to talk about?¡± Holmes, who had been waiting for the Queen on the lobby¡¯s sofa, answered her question. ¡°It¡¯s naturally about the photo.¡± ¡°¡­ You didn¡¯t already get your hands on the photo, did you?¡± ¡°Not yet, but it¡¯s as good as in our possession.¡± ¡°Oh, oh! Is that really true?¡± The Queen, with a sh of excitement, then took Holmes¡¯ hands in hers. ¡°I knew I did the right thing entrusting this to you. How can I ever repay this favor¡­¡± ¡°The case isn¡¯t over yet. Please calm down and listen to my story first.¡± However, Holmes spoke to her in a cold voice, suggesting that the Queen sit down for the moment. ¡°¡­Holmes.¡± ¡°What is it, Watson?¡± From beside Holmes, Watson, who had been quietly observing the situation, began to whisper cautiously to her. ¡°Are you really okay?¡± Whenever a case seemed on the verge of being resolved, Holmes usually maintained a calm demeanor and immersed herself in her hobby of cracking down thest crucial part of the case and then delivering the breadth of events to the client. However, for some reason, she was now irascible, almost like a girl going through puberty. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Watson.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°¡­I said I¡¯m fine.¡± It was a noticeably different behavior from the always mature and knowledgeable Holmes that everyone was used to seeing. ¡°Exin what happened quickly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯m so on edge that I feel like I might go mad any moment now. We don¡¯t have much time left before Adler¡¯s deadline.¡± But the Queen, seemingly unfazed by this unusual behavior, started to press Holmes with an anxious expression on her face. ¡°To start, we failed to find the photo yesterday.¡± With that, Holmes, still in that irritated mood of hers, began to exin to the Queen. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°But now, I know where the photo is.¡± ¡°Is¡­ is that true?¡± The Queen, whose eyes had widened in surprise at Holmes¡¯s statement about failing to find the photo, showed a hint of color upon hearing that she knew the location of the scandalous photograph. ¡°Where the hell is that damned photo?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in room 102 on the 3rd floor of this hospital.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Because Isaac Adler is admitted there with full-body burns.¡± The Queen¡¯s expression changed to one of shock upon hearing thosest words. ¡°Why would he¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡± Holmes, with her eyes shut for a moment, tapped on the desk with her fingers and let out a long sigh. ¡°¡­Very long.¡± And then, Holmes began exining the events that had urred the previous day. ¡°Isaac did that?¡± ¡°That damned rascal did?¡± As Holmes¡¯ narration reached the part where Adler jumped into the mes to save her and his servants, not only the Queen but also Watson showed absolute disbelief in their expressions. ¡°You couldn¡¯t see with your own eyes yesterday since you passed out, so it¡¯s understandable.¡± ¡°But still¡­¡± ¡°However, Watson¡­ Prejudging a situation based on bias is a direct path to distorting the truth.¡± With that, Holmes somehow raised her voice, chiding Watson. ¡°However, even I find it strange. Isaac, who regarded women merely as toys to y with and then discard, why would he¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I apologize, but that¡¯s not the point I¡¯m trying to make.¡± Holmes, cutting off the Queen who was still muttering in disbelief, continued her exnation. ¡°I had guessed that the photo would be in his mansion. But, Adler moved in and out of his mansion several times without taking the photo.¡± ¡°How could¡­¡± ¡°He nned to release the photo within 36 hours, so he wouldn¡¯t have used a bank or private safe, considering theplicated procedures to retrieve items from those official ces. And of course, he wouldn¡¯t have hidden it in an insecure ce with no security measures.¡± As Holmes continued with her crystal-clear exnation, the Queen listened with a dazed expression. ¡°Taking all that into ount, it bes clear where the photo is. From the very beginning, Adler had been carrying the photo on his person.¡± ¡°On¡­ on his own body?¡± ¡°He already had his most valuable possession with him, so he had the luxury to rescue others even amidst the mes.¡± However, Holmes, who usually enjoyed confidentlyying out her deductions to clients almost as if lecturing them on how she was able to reach said conclusions, appeared unusually less confident than usual. ¡°Even so, the reason he saved me remains unexined¡­¡± Holmes added, her expression furrowed as if she were a girl stuck on a challenging math problem. ¡°So, if we approach Adler now, we can retrieve the photo?¡± ¡°¡­Well, presumably.¡± But ignoring thatment, the Queen hastily posed another question, to which Holmes replied in a soft voice. ¡°Dr. Watson and I will retrieve it on your behalf.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that¡­¡± ¡°Adler is a mana user. What if you face a counterattack?¡± Initially, the Queen, showing a bit of hesitation on her face at Holmes¡¯ proposal, began to contemte after hearing the next set of words that escaped her lips. ¡°Watson and I have extensive experience dealing with bizarre cases and mana users. You, Your Majesty, don¡¯t have that experience.¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ that¡¯s true.¡± Finally, she seemed convinced. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll wait here for you both.¡± ¡°A wise decision.¡± Holmes and Watson, rising from their seats, gave a nod to the Queen and then made their way toward the third floor, where Isaac Adler was currently located. ¡°Holmes, why did you insist oning along?¡± Suddenly, Watson posed a question to Holmes. ¡°Adler was prescribed morphine and sedatives to alleviate his pain. The Queen would have been more than capable on her own¡­¡± ¡°You tend to talk too much sometimes, Watson.¡± Holmes, curtly brushing off Watson¡¯s question, hastened her pace. She tilted her head slightly and then nced back. ¡°¡­That nurse¡­¡± She found the nurse who had just passed by them oddly familiar. . . . . . ¡°¡­Damn.¡± Never had he imagined that he¡¯d run into Holmes and Watson just as he was leaving a patient¡¯s room in the disguise of a nurse. ¡®That was close. Too close¡­¡¯ The shock he felt when Holmes turned around and eyed him suspiciously, thinking he¡¯d been caught, was just indescribable. Could it be because, in the original work, Holmes failed to recognize Irene Adler when she greeted him in disguise? Fortunately, it seemed that Holmes hadn¡¯t recognized mepletely as I was disguised as the nurse. ¡®Anyway, it really was Holmes.¡¯ There wasn¡¯t much sentiment when he saw her disguised as a nun lying down. But seeing her approaching from the other side of the hallway in Holmes¡¯ signature coat with a cape draped over his shoulders, it finally felt real. Holmes truly was a woman. A rather young one at that, with a brash yet simultaneously weary gaze. In short, she was a beautiful girl. Perhaps all the characters I¡¯d meet subsequently would have their genders changed as well. And somehow, I¡¯d have to be involved with most of them. ¡°Phew.¡± I sighed lightly and then steeled myself, eyes opened wide in determination. There are two main things I needed to do now. Firstly, I had to settle my rtionship with the client Holmes was keenly interested in¡ª the Queen of Bohemia. If I didn¡¯t resolve it soon, just as Professor Moriarty said, my life will be in danger. And then, next would be¡­ Be ¡®that man¡¯ for Holmes. I had toplete this quest. Otherwise, this world would crumble and shatter. ¡®Never thought I¡¯d see the day.¡¯ I never dreamed that I would be the one to hand Holmes her first defeat in life. But I hoped she would understand that all of this was for her sake. Though her abilities may match those of the original Holmes, Charlotte still had the weakness of being mentally immature. For her to rise as the only one to confront Moriarty, this failure was indeed necessary for usible growth. ¡°Ah, ah. Can you hear me?¡± Though I was of different age and gender, I somewhat alleviated my guilt of using knowledge from the original work to defeat a figure I deeply respected. ¡°If you can hear me, please respond, Professor.¡± Before leaving, I murmured softly while wearing the miniature mana receiver that Professor Moriarty had given me. ¨C I hear you loud and clear, Mr. Adler. Then, I started to hear Professor Moriarty¡¯s voice in my ear. ¨C So, what should I do now? From the caf¨¦ on the opposite block, Professor Jane Moriarty sat with an excited look, waving at me. ¡°Think of this as a rehearsal before officially engaging in criminal consultation.¡± ording to the narrative of this world, I have a duty to help the protagonist¡ª Charlotte Holmes, grow. ¡°From now on, I will act ording to the orders you give, Professor.¡± But at the same time, I also had the duty to develop Professor Jane Moriarty, her arch-enemy and final boss, into a usible existence. ¡°Don¡¯t get too nervous about it, just take your time and do it without pressure.¡± Turning her, who has just entered the world of criminal consultation, into an emperor who will rule over London¡¯s underworld. Because that was my other main quest. ¡°If anything happens, I¡¯ll take full responsibility.¡± ¨C That¡¯s quite a romantic statement you made there, Mr. Adler. In my field of vision appeared the Queen of Bohemia, nervously sitting on a chair in the hospital lobby. ¡°As your assistant, let¡¯s try to topple the Queen of Bohemia, Professor.¡± To escape from this absurd situation, it was time to use Moriarty as a cheat code of sorts. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment. The hospital room where Isaac Adler was admitted. ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Carefully opening the door and entering inside, Charlotte Holmes looked down at the bed with a look of disbelief on her face. ¨C As soon as you see this, please open it immediately. Instead of Isaac Adler who should have been lying there, there was a lone envelope on the very middle of the straightened bed. ¨C To Miss Charlotte Holmes. On the envelope, her name was written in Adler¡¯s handwriting. ¡°Holmes, what on earth happened?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± It was the moment when the very first failure was etched into Charlotte¡¯s wless detective career. Chapter 7: The Scandal of the Bohemian Queen (4) Chapter 7: The Scandal of the Bohemian Queen (4) ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°¡­..?¡± With an anxious look, the Queen, who had been waiting for Holmes and Watson, turned her head slightly at the voice that came from the side. ¡°You, you are¡­!¡± And soon, her eyes widened in surprise and shock. ¡°Should I say it¡¯s been a long time?¡± When the nurse in front of her removed her nursing uniform and brushed her hair back, a presence she feared so much that her soul would shiver in fright appeared right before her. ¡°Ah, Isaac.¡± Isaac Adler. A boy who, even if considered a childhood mischief, had left a deep mark on the Queen was now standing right in front of her. ¡°How, how did youe here¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve sent Holmes and her assistant away. I wanted to talk with you, just the two of us, I mean.¡± Seemingly something caught inside, Adler, who had momentarily picked his ear, soon took a seat opposite the Queen. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t know?¡± Adler¡¯s cold gaze pierced the Queen. ¡°In the end, Your Majesty, you went on to disappoint me to the very end.¡± The Queen, with a terrified expression on her face, looked at Adler. ¡°Why, why are you doing this?¡± She then, with trembling hands, posed her question to him in a hurt voice. ¡°Why are you putting me through such trials?¡± The always dignified and majestic demeanor was nowhere to be seen at this instant. ¡°You mean to give me unbearable pain¡­¡± All that was in front of him was a young woman in her early twenties, naive to the ways of the world, caught in the trap meticulouslyid out by the man before her for a long, long time. ¡°¡­It¡¯s simple.¡± If Adler had even been the slightest bit sarcastic or oppressive at that moment, the Bohemian kingdom might have lost its current Queen forever. ¡°I did it out of jealousy.¡± However, oddly enough, instead of his usual malicious demeanor, a rather blunt statement came from the lips of the boy as he nonchntly nced outside the window. ¡°¡­What?¡± The Queen, with tears pooling in her eyes, tilted her head in confusion. ¡°I wanted to stop Your Majesty¡¯s marriage,¡± Adler confessed to her at that moment. ¡°What does that¡­¡± ¡°As you know, I¡¯ve had experiences with numerous women in my lifetime.¡± Adler started, gazing intently at the Queen. ¡°But the only person I truly loved was you and only you.¡± ¡°Lies!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a lie, Your Majesty.¡± Then, Isaac pulled out something from his possession. ¡°That¡¯s why, when I heard the news of Your Majesty¡¯s engagement to the second prince of Scandinavia, I couldn¡¯t contain my dismay.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Thinking about what might happen if you married that old man who¡¯s a full 30 years your senior, I felt I had to do something.¡± ¡°It was for the national interest. What would you know¡­¡± Murmuring thus, the Queen nonchntly took the documents that Adler handed to her and began to skim through them. Her demeanor immediately stiffened once she looked at the content within. ¡°What is all this?¡± ¡°These are hard-earned pieces of evidence recording the misdeeds of the Scandinavian prince.¡± The Queen scrutinized the documents with an incredulous look on her face. ¡°ording to these documents, the prince uses drugs in bed.¡± ¡°This is a fabrication. You think I¡¯ll be swayed by such forged evidence¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s been divorced three times, and the reason for those divorces being his spouses¡¯ drug addiction is already a publicly known fact.¡± With that piece of fact, her gaze began to waver ever so slightly. ¡°If you say it¡¯s a forgery, I have nothing to say in response. But did you really want to marry that old man, who¡¯s 30 years your senior in the first ce?¡± ¡°For the nation¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me that nation¡¯s interest crap. Tell me what you truly desire.¡± Hearing that, the Queen took a while before she could respond. Seeing this, Adler heaved a deep sigh. ¡°Well, it seems my role here is done.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°My threats seem to have reached their limit as well.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Suddenly, Adler pulled out a familiar photo from his pocket and ced it on the desk. ¡°Uh-oh.¡± Upon seeing the photograph of herself sprawled out as if she were a dog and stripped bare, the Queen swiftly snatched it and clutched it near her chest. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve handed over the evidence, there¡¯s no need for further threats.¡± ¡°You¡­.¡± ¡°Whether you break off the engagement with that information is up to you, but please, take a look at this.¡± Adler, a smirk quietly gracing his features, yet again pulled something out from his belongings. ¡°That is¡­¡± From several years ago, back when she was still na?ve and immature, the ve contract she had drunkenly handwritten while in Adler¡¯s embrace wasid out on the table before her. ¡°Your Majesty, if you¡¯re alright with it, would you please sign this contract?¡± ¡°You call that a request?¡± ¡°It¡¯s thest wish of my life, Your Majesty.¡± Upon hearing his words, the Queen¡¯s face turned ashen. But as she processed what he said, her expression took on a bewildered look. ¡°As you know, in my attempt to protect you, I recklessly gathered evidence, making me a target to countless enemies.¡± ¡°Is that¡­ is that true?¡± ¡°I doubt that I¡¯dst long if I went to the August Academy. So, before it¡¯s toote, I wish to receive onest gift from the only one I¡¯ve ever loved.¡± Hearing his words, the Queen¡¯s gaze wavered once again. ¡°¡­After all, it¡¯s entirely possible to forge a signature, so you could at least do that much for me.¡± It was then that the Queen truly noticed the burn scars covering the entirety of Adler¡¯s body. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to, that¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Even without that, the fact that Miss Lillia loved me will forever remain in this world.¡± Yet, when the Queen hesitated, Adler, a bitter smile marring his face, stood up from his seat and began to whisper in a sorrowful tone. ¡°That¡¯s enough for me.¡± ¡°Wa¡­ Wait¡­¡± ¡°If only there were no difference in our status, I would have wanted to spend my entire life with you.¡± And with that, Adler quietly left his seat. ¡°Wa¡­ Wait a minute!¡± It was at that exact moment that the desperate voice of the Queen echoed inside the hospital lobby. ¡°Just wait a moment, Isaac!¡± Hearing her voice, Isaac momentarily halted his steps and turned around. The Queen, her eyes filled with immeasurable guilt, gazed at him and spoke. ¡°I have something to give you.¡± Then, the Queen pulled out a pen from her belongings and began signing the contract. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll cancel the engagement with the prince.¡± Once upon a time, they had made that ve contract as a jest, but now she had etched her signature onto it. Approaching Adler, she handed the document to him and whispered softly. ¡°Isaac. How wonderful would it have been if we had the same status?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°But as the ruler of a nation, this is the only thing I can offer you.¡± As Adler epted the contract, the Queen hesitated for a moment before embracing him. ¡°Isaac. Although this is merely a symbolic document, I¡­¡± Just as she was about to murmur something with her eyes firmly closed¡­ ¡°Kneel.¡± Adler whispered themand softly into her ear. ¡°¡­Huh!?¡± Almost instantly, she began to feel a chilling sensation coursing through her body. Before she knew it, the Queen found herself involuntarily kneeling,ying down at Adler¡¯s feet. ¡°What¡­ What have you done?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. I¡¯ve ced a spell on the contract.¡± ¡°What does that¡­¡± ¡°People¡¯s hearts can change at any moment.¡± As the cold sensation from the floor seeped into her, the trembling Queen¡¯s eyes widened in realization upon hearing his words. ¡°In this perilous world where even the few mages of Europe are subjected to daylight terror, shouldn¡¯t one at the very least have some reliable means of self-defense?¡± Adler¡¯s exclusive seal, now engraved on the lower abdomen of the Queen, illuminated the hospital floor with its ominous glow. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll forgive my rudeness.¡± The dazed Queen, staring nkly at the scene before her, began to chuckle softly when Adler started to stroke her head. ¡°Ha, haha.¡± Only now did she realize the futility of her efforts to escape from him. The situation had be even graver than before. As the ruler who should have all of Bohemia under her feet, she had now be Isaac¡¯s eternal ve. ¡°Hahahaha¡­¡± But now, it somehow felt right. With the guilt of not being able to offer him anything more than this meaningless contract now gone, her face strangely flushed, and her heart raced even faster than it had ever before. ¡°Whichever prince I marry, my child will surely have blonde hair¡­¡± It was the moment when the sun of Bohemia hadpletely set beyond the horizon, darkening the skies. . . . . . To Miss Charlotte Holmes. From the moment you threw yourself at the church in the guise of a young nun, seeking salvation, I had somewhat suspected that you were Miss Charlotte Holmes. Who would save a notorious scum like me in London? Not to mention, I¡¯ve been warned multiple times by those around me to be wary of London¡¯s genius girl. Hence, upon waking in the hospital at dawn, I resolved to verify this fact with my own two eyes. Acquiring a nurse¡¯s uniform discreetly was easy. Lengthening and shortening my hair was also a piece of cake for a mana user like me. Disguised as a nurse, I sneaked down to the hospital lobby at dawn and saw a young girl, nodding off on a sofa with sleepy eyes. Having witnessed with my own eyes that I was being pursued by London¡¯s mostpetent detective, I realized that I stood no chance. Therefore, I¡¯ve decided to move my residence to the August Detective Academy¡¯s dormitory from now on. Even the genius girl of London, Charlotte Holmes, won¡¯t be able to enter the August Academy without mana. However, I will hand over the photograph, which was my target, to the client before leaving this hospital. In truth, I had nned to use it as a more definite method. But from now on, it will be used for self-defense purposes rather than a threat, based on mutual agreement. Being targeted by London¡¯s best detective, I shouldn¡¯t cross any further lines, should I? Well, I wish a good day to you, Miss Holmes. After reading Adler¡¯s letter over and over, Holmes closed her eyes for a moment and gently ced it on the table. ¡°He¡¯s truly an exceptional man, isn¡¯t he?¡± Next to her, the Queen, with her face still flushed, continued to mumble. ¡°If only we were of the same status, I would have done anything to have him by my side¡­¡± ¡°In my opinion, Mr. Adler seems to belong to an entirely different ss than Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Is that so? Do you see it that way as well?¡± Holmes said sarcastically, but the Queen only agreed even more fervently. She looked just like a teenage girl smitten with love. ¡°I wonder what kind of conversation you had with Adler to react in such a way.¡± ¡°Sometimes, Watson, ignorance can be bliss.¡± In response to Watson¡¯s muttered question, Holmes quietly answered and then slightly bowed her head toward the Queen. ¡°I deeply apologize for not satisfyingly resolving the matter you entrusted to me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. You did your best.¡± However, the Queen shook her head vehemently, seemingly trying to reassure Holmes of her effort. ¡°So, what do you wish as yourpensation?¡± ¡°¡­Compensation? I hadn¡¯t thought I was entitled to one.¡± ¡°You worked your best for me. And it¡¯s also the cost of asking to coborate on this matter. Please feel free to say what you wish.¡± With her kind smile, as she articted those words, Holmes seemed lost in thought for a while. ¡®I just can¡¯t understand.¡¯ ording to the letter, Isaac Adler knew her identity from the very beginning. A detective employed by the queen, who was eagerly trying to get hold of her lifeline. A threatening entity, to the point that he felt the need to move his residence to the August Detective Academy. To him, someone like her would have been quite ufortable to bear, an existence that needed to be excluded from his life at all costs. ¡®Why did he save me back then?¡¯ Why on earth did he risk his life to save someone like her? ording to the servants, the path to her room was particrly perilous. It was so dangerous that the servants who hade to save her from her room had given up and turned back to save their own lives. Yet, Isaac Adler endured the mes for a whole ten minutes to rescue her. And if you exclude the servants who managed to escape the mansion with Isaac¡¯s help, he was the very first to do so. Unless Holmes herself was Adler¡¯s most valuable possession, it was an act that couldn¡¯t be exined. ¡®I don¡¯t know.¡¯ It was a first in her life. In front of her, who had always treated every event in the world merely as a pastime puzzle, an inscrutable enigma had appeared. ¡°If you can¡¯t decide, how about the ring I¡¯m wearing? If this ring speaks to you¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty possesses something more valuable than that ring.¡± Holmes, who had been engrossed in that unsolvable puzzle for a while, piled one thought on top of another. ¡°¡­And what might that be?¡± ¡°The photograph that was our target.¡± ¡°What?¡± With that, she suddenly began to request the photograph aspensation for the assignment. ¡°Are you out of your mind? Of course, this won¡¯t do.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you could give half of your kingdom?¡± ¡°That¡¯s mine.¡± But, naturally, the queen fervently refused. ¡°Is it because the photo has you in it?¡± ¡°Well, of course. No matter how much I trust you, that¡¯s a bit¡­¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s do it this way.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Before the queen could react, Holmes swiftly snatched the photograph from her grasp and, without hesitation, tore it in half. ¡°I don¡¯t need this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Holmes then handed back to the queen the part of the photograph with her image lying on the floor. ¡°This should resolve any issues.¡± ¡°You want Adler¡¯s part of the photograph? May I ask the reason why¡­?¡± ¡°Watson¡¯s hobby is writing and publishing novels about the cases we¡¯ve encountered, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, I see.¡± With a slightly reproachful look, the queen, who had been staring at Holmes, cleared her throat and rose from her seat upon hearing Holmes¡¯ meaningful statement. ¡°If that¡¯s what you truly desire¡­¡± ¡°Also, I have a personal favor to ask.¡± ¡°¡­A personal favor?¡± Holmes, likewise rising from her seat, added to her statement. ¡°Could you write a rmendation letter for the August Detective Academy?¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Holmes?¡± Watson, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, widened her eyes in surprise and questioned Holmes. ¡°Just a few months ago, you were harshly criticizing them, saying you wouldn¡¯t associate with such people. Why the sudden interest in going to that ce?¡± Holmes, whose gaze had been fixed on the photograph in her hand, responded in a soft voice. ¡°The mystery I need to solve has fled to that ce, after all.¡± Reflected in her deep grey eyes was the image of Isaac Adler, looking down from the window in the photograph. Chapter 8: Summary Chapter 8: Summary ¡°Have you arrived, my dear?¡± Exiting the hospital lobby and heading to the caf¨¦ where Professor Moriarty was currently located, she greeted me after sipping her freshly brewed coffee. ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot. How does it feel to have made the queen your ve?¡± Suddenly, she paused mid-sentence, frowned, and started rummaging through her pocket. ¡°¡­The coffee is quite bitter.¡± Subsequently, Professor Moriarty, having torn the portable sugar packet she took out from her pocket, unhesitatingly dissolved the sugar into her coffee. ¡°Do you know, Mr. Adler, what sugar and crime have inmon?¡± As I nkly watched her, she posed that question while opening a second sugar packet. ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure.¡± ¡°Both stimte the pleasure center of the brain, causing it to release dopamine as a reward.¡± Saying so, Professor Moriarty, with a sip of her now modified coffee, expressed a joyful countenance and lightly nodded her head from side to side. ¡°Ahem¡­ Would you like some of this natural drug?¡± A woman in her early twenties¡ª looking ordinary and cute as she swayed slightly after eating something sweet. From just that sight, she appeared no different from anyone else in the world. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying when youmit a crime, you feel the way you do now?¡± ¡°In reality, it¡¯s many times more intense. A shiver runs through my entire body, to the point where I can¡¯t even control myself any longer.¡± However, no matter how cute she appeared, Moriarty was still Moriarty. She was the embodiment of pure, undiluted evil. ¡°But recently, I seemed to have lost that feeling. Even if I put 12 sugar cubes into my coffee, there was no joy in life.¡± And then, she, cing her coffee to the side, began to stare intently at me. ¡°You appeared before me in such times. Just by looking at you, you stimte my pleasure center.¡± Her gaze deepened. It was hard to describe, but if I had to, it was shining with a dark gleam. ¡°It¡¯s an emotion I hadn¡¯t felt in a long time.¡± I inexplicably felt a chill run down my spine, but I tried to maintain aposed expression. The professor mumbled, tapping her finger on the table. ¡°Actually, I wasn¡¯t the one who directly subdued the queen or made her lie down and surrender. Yet my heart is still pounding this much.¡± Her voice was as intense as when we had first met. ¡°Even though I didn¡¯tmit heinous crimes like murder, kidnapping, or confinement¡­ It¡¯s truly astonishing.¡± ¡°I turned the queen of an entire kingdom into a ve. Isn¡¯t that a major crime in itself?¡± ¡°Is it? Regardless, this is the charm of criminal consulting. I¡¯ve realized it clearly now.¡± The feeling of tainting Moriarty, who still disyed the somewhat awkward demeanor of a newbie in society, with my own hands was quite peculiar. It wasn¡¯t to the extent of feeling pride, but for some reason, I felt as if we were both being swept away by a powerful current¡­ together. ¡°Professor.¡± Unable to articte the inexplicable emotions I was feeling, I momentarily closed my eyes and soon opened my mouth to change the subject. ¡°You might gain weight that way.¡± Upon hearing those words, she, sipping her sugary coffee, cocked her head to the size and then froze in ce then and there. ¡°¡­Do I look like I¡¯ve gained some?¡± In truth, she didn¡¯t look like she had gained any weight at all. Given her eating habits, it seemed all the sugar she consumed probably went straight to her breasts instead of her stomach. ¡°¡­A little?¡± However, if she were to be the final boss and copse due to poor health, the world would be in danger. Hence, I had to ry those words to her. Professor Moriarty started to contemte with a grave expression on her face. ¡°I¡¯ll reduce it by one packet from now on.¡± She then dered this with a slightly gloomy expression and rose from her seat. ¡°Shall we slowly withdraw from the crime scene?¡± It was indeed time to leave this ce, as Holmes was still on the other side of the street¡ª inside the hospital, to be exact. If the professor and Holmes were to meet right now and things got tangled up, it¡¯d be disastrous. ¡°So, how was my criminal consulting today?¡± As I walked the streets of London with Moriarty, having both risen from our seats, she posed a question to me. ¡°Would you like me to give an assessment?¡± Upon my query, she made an intrigued expression. ¡°It¡¯s the first time someone is evaluating me.¡± ¡°First, I have a question.¡± With anticipatory eyes, she looked at me, and I posed a single query to her. ¡°What exactly was in that document?¡± Professor Moriarty finally contacted me in the early hours of the morning. There were only a handful of hours left before the promised time of deadline at that time¡ª I was pressed for time. However, just before the queen arrived, she had sessfully bribed a nurse and handed over some documents to me, detailing various misdeeds of the Bohemian Queen¡¯s prospective husband. How exactly did the professor obtain that crucial document that yed a decisive role in subjugating the queen? ¡°It¡¯s a document I roughly fabricated.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°No matter who I am, I can¡¯t possibly obtain legally recognized evidence documents in just a few hours.¡± The answer given by Professor Moriarty was quite shocking, to say the least. ¡°But now, the contents of that document will be a reality.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°By now, the second prince of Scandinavia would have departed from this world, poisoned by an unidentified ¡®mana¡¯ mentioned in an anonymously delivered letter.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°His death will likely be announced as a drug overdose. The evidence submitted by the queen will be epted as truth. After all, the dead cannot refute the ims superimposed upon them.¡± In short, she meant that she had silenced him permanently. Speaking of mana, could it be that Professor Moriarty was also a mana user? ¡°How about it, Mr. Adler? This perfect crime that I¡¯ve specially crafted for my dear assistant¡ª you.¡± As I was lost in thought, Professor Moriarty, filled with a sense of anticipation, posed the question to me. ¡°The score for this rehearsal¡­¡± If the aim was to make her a usible ultimate viin, I had to be firm here. ¡°Out of a full 100 points, I can only give you 50, Professor.¡± Hearing my words, Professor Moriarty¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as she tilted her head. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What do you think the reason is?¡± ¡°¡­For killing a bad person?¡± To her, who seemed to have a different line of thought than what normalcy would dictate, I began speaking in a tone reminiscent of scolding a mischievous child. ¡°It¡¯s because you, Professor, directly intervened in the case.¡± ¡°Aha¡­¡± ¡°Due to that curse of yours, isn¡¯t it so that all your wrongdoings end up bing perfect crimes? If you overuse that trick, you will quickly be bored.¡± ¡°That makes sense. You¡¯re right.¡± She nodded in agreement, a look of realization dawning on her face. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t help it, Mr. Adler. It looked risky.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t have my little bag of sugar melting away now, can I?¡± Hearing her subsequent words, I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mr. Adler? Are you feeling ill?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite unexpected. I didn¡¯t expect someone like you ¨C who can walk through the downtown of London and bed practically any woman you fancy within a day ¨C to have such a reaction to my words.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sexually harass me, Professor.¡± ¡°Ha-ha, hahaha¡­¡± Leaning back with a tilt of her head, the professor, who had previously been inquiring about my feelings, burst out into an uncontroble fit ofughter at myst remark and took the lead in this calm walk of ours. ¡°Professor, I might have given you 50 points earlier, but in reality, there wasn¡¯t much else to criticize.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°The lines you instructed me with and the psychology of the queen that you have so masterfully captured, knowing that she still had me in her heart, were precisely on point. You just shouldn¡¯t step in directly from the next time.¡± ¡°So, what should I do if such a situation arises again?¡± Upon hearing my words, she suddenly looked back and posed the question. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get any deducted evaluation points from you again.¡± I pondered for a moment upon her smiling inquiry and then replied in a soft tone. ¡°Let¡¯s start spinning webs in the back alleys of London.¡± ¡°Webs?¡± It¡¯s a given that a credible final boss would have charismatic subordinates. ¡°We are crime consultants, after all. We need underlings to get their hands dirty on our behalf.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s create an underworld organization that will plunge London into darkness in the future, Professor.¡± Upon hearing those words, the eyes of Professor Moriarty began to gleam with a renewed dark intensity. ¡°Indeed, you are the best assistant I could ask for.¡± Was getting used to that look a good sign or a bad one? I didn¡¯t know¡­ . . . . . A few days after ¡®The Scandal of the Bohemian Queen¡¯ had concluded. ¨C This is the story of a scandal that shook the Bohemian kingdom and Charlotte Holmes¡¯s cunning n that was brutally shattered by one man. At the boarding house of 212B Baker Street, Rachel Watson was intently typing away on her typewriter. ¨C Holmes often scoffed at men for theirck of wisdom, shing her distinct arrogant smile. However, since this incident urred, one hadn¡¯t heard her utter such remarks any longer. As she reached that passage, she licked her lips, suppressing a smile and focusing intently on her writing. ¨C And whenever the topic of Isaac Adler or that half-taken photograph came up, Holmes would always refer to him with the honorable title of ¡®that man¡¯¡­ ¡°Look here, Watson.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Suddenly, from behind her, the neutral emotionless tone of Holmes¡¯ voice echoed. ¡°When did you arrive?¡± ¡°Just now. Speaking of which, didn¡¯t you promise the queen? We agreed not to release the case as a novel.¡± ¡°I¡¯m writing it just for fun. So that our future descendants can read it someday.¡± ¡°¡­Do you really have to write it?¡± Holmes, with a long frown on her face, asked Watson, who merely responded with a mischievous smile. ¡°It¡¯s the story of our dear Holmes¡¯ first love. Of course, it should be recorded.¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s a misunderstanding here. I am not in love with ¡®that man¡¯. He¡¯s just an unsolved puzzle to me¡­¡± ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s call it the ¡®story of your first defeat¡¯ then.¡± Holmes blushed upon hearing that remark. ¡°Watson.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t lost yet.¡± A heavy silence thus ensued. ¡°I¡¯ve just received admission documents for the academy. I¡¯ll probably be enrolling in a few weeks. So, if I go in there ande across him who has run away from my grasp¡­ then¡­¡± Holmes, trailing off, subtly averted her gaze to the side. Watson, watching her closely, licked her lips again and murmured to herself. ¡®So Holmes has this cute side to her as well.¡¯ The arrogant genius girl who, from their very first meeting, looked down upon August Academy¡¯s founder¡ª Dupin, as a dim-witted woman. And just as if to prove that her statement wasn¡¯t false, she was a monstrous child who managed to solve a myriad of cases in just a matter of days, often returning the majority of the credit to the police as if it were a gift from her to the ipetent forces of London. With a physique and age that didn¡¯t match her always mature manner of speaking, and hernguid, weary eyes that seemed to pierce through everything, she had been an untouchable entity for Watson¡­ up until just a few days ago, that is. ¡°¡­If I do that, it would at least be a draw. Do you understand now?¡± Yet, this world-weary child was now talking passionately, almost like an adolescent girl hit by puberty. ¡®I¡¯m relieved.¡¯ Holmes, when there was no case to solve, would always be listless and lethargic. In such times, no matter how much Watson protested, she would continue with her perilous chemical experiments. But recently, Watson couldn¡¯t see that side of her any longer. The current Holmes was ame, thanks to Isaac Adler¡ª the first being who had managed to deal her a defeat. ¡®¡­But that man is dangerous.¡¯ Yet, on the other hand, Watson was worried about this new side of Holmes. It¡¯s true that in this recent case, she had witnessed unexpected facets of the man named Isaac Adler, but he was still undoubtedly the biggest scoundrel and trash that roamed in the city of London. ¡°And me going to the academy isn¡¯t solely because of ¡®that man¡¯.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There are rumors circting that suspicious incidents have been happening within the academy recently. Therefore, I thought I might as well investigate while I¡¯m there¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Holmes. Everything you say is right.¡± Thus, with a hint of worry in her gaze, Watson, observing Holmes till now, soon sported a sly smile and struck an encouraging pose. ¡°Stay strong!¡± Now was the time to trust Holmes. Although she was still mentally immature, the fact that she was the best detective in London remained unchanged. ¡°Hehe.¡± And then, Holmes, narrowing her eyes while looking at Watson, proved that fact once again. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to tease me, Watson.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°After all, it¡¯s not me who¡¯s gotten a man. It¡¯s you.¡± Upon hearing those words, Watson froze, hands still poised over the typewriter. ¡°What, wha¡ª what are you talking about, Charlotte?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re meeting a man secretly, my dear Watson¡ª When you hurriedly left in the middle of the night, iming there was an emergency patient at the hospital, you wouldn¡¯t have been emanating the scent of perfume, would you?¡± ¡°That, that? The perfume I sprayed in the day just had a strong scent¡­¡± ¡°And I suppose instead of a stethoscope in your haphazardly-thrown-together medical bag, there wouldn¡¯t have been a bouquet of flowers sticking out?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°If such situations continued for several weeks, even that dimwitted Inspector Lestrade would have noticed, not just me.¡± ¡°What, what are you on about?¡± As Holmes continued, Watson¡¯s face grew redder. Soon, she hurriedly stood up, pushing Holmes from behind. ¡°Come on, time to leave. Weren¡¯t you preparing to fit into a school uniform?¡± ¡°I just did.¡± ¡°Then go have your meal downstairs. Mrs. Hudson has prepared food for you.¡± With that, Watson ushered Holmes, who was scratching her head, out of the room. ¡°We¡¯re not even dating¡­¡± Pausing to look around, Watson, with a blush on her face, began to type again. ¨C It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it? ¡°Still, I can¡¯t help but worry about Holmes.¡± Switching the typewriter mode from writing to receiving, she murmured as she inserted a lower-grade crystal. ¡°¡­It would have been nice if Isaac Adler was as kind and innocent as she is.¡± . . . . . ¡°Why do you look like that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± As I was about to enter August Academy with Professor Moriarty, an unexpected incident urred. ?It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it?? Unthinkingly lifting my tingling hand, I saw the message that had appeared. ?Evening of the 21st. Let¡¯s meet at the usual ce at 7 pm.? Feeling dazed, I clenched my eyes shut. ¡°¡­Who even are you, damn it.¡± I hadpletely forgotten the fact that the original Irene Adler had a fianc¨¦. Chapter 9: The Organization Chapter 9: The Organization A few days after moving into the dormitory of the August Detective Academy. ¡°¡­This is driving me crazy.¡± Having gone through the student files I obtained with the help of Professor Moriarty for quite a while, Iid down on the bed, sighing softly. ¡®Who on earth was that?¡¯ The mysterious message thatnded in my hand a few days ago¡­ The one who sent it was probably Adler¡¯s fianc¨¦e in the original work or, at the very least, someone he was seeing on the premise of an engagement. Because ever since I possessed this body, all contacts from women came through letters. However, only this person¡¯s contact came through the transmission magic engraved on Adler¡¯s hand. And the name saved in that transmission magic by Adler was, precisely, ¡®Fianc¨¦e¡¯ and nothing else. ¡®I really don¡¯t know.¡¯ The problem was that I had absolutely no idea who that person is. Adler¡¯s fianc¨¦e in the original work was a Britishwyer called ¡®Godfrey Norton¡¯. Of course, in this world, the gender of the characters was reversed, hence she would be a woman, not a man. However, there was no woman with the surname ¡®Norton¡¯ and with the profession of awyer in the entirety of London. Even considering the possibility, I had thoroughly checked all the female students at the academy who majored inw, but there was no such person. As ast resort, I had written letters to the mansion¡¯s servants who were hospitalized due to the recent fire that broke out. However, when the butler visited me in the hospital she said that she was clueless about this fact, the chances didn¡¯t seem promising. ¡®It¡¯ll be the 21st in a few days.¡¯ Who on earth was the person who contacted me to meet somewhere unknown on the evening of the 21st? Just who was it that had the only contact channel registered by Isaac Adler? Isaac Adler, in the story I reviewed, was already deceased from the perspective of the original work, so there wasn¡¯t much information about him. In other words, it was a headache-inducing situation for me, where no lead could be seen even with the knowledge of the possessor. ¡®No, it might be better not to meet her at all.¡¯ However, on second thought, it might be better not to contact her¡ª someone that I didn¡¯t even know. It¡¯s clear that the good-for-nothing Adler, with clearly impure intentions, must have been trying to woo this person. Because getting involved with me now would be quite risky for her. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± These burn marks that were irritatingly painful even now were the proof of that im. The arson case at my mansion was currently under police investigation, but they were unable to find any leads as of yet. And if the police couldn¡¯t find any leads, there was only one usible answer¡­ A deliberated terror with the usage of mana. Considering none of the servants were mana users, it seemed likely that someone from outside had secretly infiltrated the mansion and set up such a trap for me. It seemed that not only the women of London but also among the mages, there were those who detested Isaac Adler enough to want him dead. It was indeed a good decision to move my residence here. ¡°Phew.¡± While lying on the bed and sorting through myplex thoughts, I soon sighed and got up. ¡®I should handle the immediate problems first.¡¯ Dwelling on issues that just couldn¡¯t be resolved by thinking would leave me neither dead nor alive. So, I should tackle what I am able to do right now. ?Mr. Adler, there¡¯s an urgent matter.? For instance, meeting our professor, who had been sending messages to the receiver embedded in my hand ever since I registered for the transmission magic. ?Come to my office.? I had a feeling that I could clearly see the hardships that awaited me in the future. . . . . . ¡°Have you arrived, Mr. Adler?¡± Upon arriving swiftly at Professor Moriarty¡¯s office, I could see the Professor sitting upright on her seat and quietly waving her hand to me in greeting. ¡°What¡¯s the urgent matter, Professor?¡± ¡°Actually, there isn¡¯t any urgent matter.¡± Watching her, I asked a question. Meanwhile, she only showed me a sly smile before responding with those words¡­ ¡°I just wanted to see you, so I contacted you.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± ¡°ying with a professor who feels like dying of boredom at any moment is one of the main duties of a graduate student, Mr. Adler.¡± With a flick of her finger, the office door locked automatically, just like before. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered, are you also a mana user, Professor?¡± ¡°Well, what do you think?¡± The ¡®unknown mana¡¯ presumed to be used on the prince during thest incident, the ¡®curse¡¯ said to be on her, and so on and so forth¡­ I was brimming with questions about her. ¡°Let¡¯s discuss thatter. Shall we continue the conversation we hadst time?¡± ¡°The conversation fromst time?¡± ¡°The criminal organization. The one that will engulf the entirety of London in the future.¡± However, judging from Professor Moriarty¡¯s reaction, pressing her at the moment seemed not feasible. ¡°I had high hopes when I heard you were organizing such a formidable group. Yet, there hasn¡¯t been much progress for days already.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something that can be created overnight, Professor.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Hearing my response, Moriarty disyed a faint look of disappointment while rummaging through a sugar packet on her desk. ¡°It must be nice being detectives. Clientse to them willingly, and they can promote their services legally.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Certainly, being a criminal consultant for you was fun, but this prolonged waiting is getting troublesome.¡± Upon closer inspection, her shoulders were slouched, and there was ack of vitality in her eyes. It reminded me of the way Holmes from the original story appeared during periods of case shortages¡ª a simr form of withdrawal could be seen in Professor Moriarty. ¡°Isn¡¯t there some way or method we could employ?¡± In truth, her concerns had also upied my thoughts over the past few days. While Professor Moriarty was set to be a global figure thanks to the binomial theorem paper she published a few days ago¡­ at the moment, she was merely a first-year assistant professor. And as for me, who was employed as her assistant, I was quite well known in London, but it was as a form of infamy. To sum it up, wecked brand recognition. Not to mention building an organization, even finding clients for criminal consultation proved challenging for us. If such circumstances persisted for a few weeks, or even just a few more days, Moriarty¡¯s interest in criminal consultation would undoubtedly wane to an all-time low. Even now, wasn¡¯t she, like a case-deprived Holmes, somberly chewing on sugar lumps? ¡°There is a way,¡± I proposed to her while thinking till here. ¡°¡­What did you say?¡± Fortunately, after racking my brain intensely over the past few days, I hade up with a rather promising idea. ¡°We can establish a foundational backing for our organization and simultaneously find our first client,¡± I exined to her in simple words. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°And we can do it immediately.¡± Upon mentioning this idea, Professor Moriarty, who had been listlessly munching on sugar, ceased her actions and her eyes began to sparkle once more. ¡°Mr. Adler, you always show me something new,¡± she remarked in a subtle tone. ¡°You tter me.¡± ¡°So, what is this method?¡± I responded by handing her a document that I had kept in my pocket. ¡°Just stamp your seal here.¡± ¡°Oh, finally nning to make me your ve?¡± ¡°Please refrain from making such inappropriate remarks, Professor¡­¡± Professor Moriarty took the documents that I had offered with an animated expression while tilting her head thoughtfully ¡°This is the method?¡± ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Her reaction was understandable. ¡°A mock crime consultation club. I¡¯ll be the supervising professor, and you¡¯ll be the president. It¡¯s intriguing, to say the least.¡± The document I presented to her was none other than a club establishment permit. ¡°How does this be ¡®the method¡¯ that you are speaking of?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you understand?¡± ¡°To be honest,¡± she replied, ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Moriarty, who had been tapping her desk till now, looked down at the permit and began to speak. ¡°So, because we currentlyck reputation, you¡¯re proposing we use this method to scout the talent needed for our organization?¡± ¡°In a nutshell, yes.¡± ¡°Nevertheless, posting such a notice in this academy which is teeming with detectives seems quite the audacious act.¡± Her argument certainly had merit. If one were to establish a ¡® mock crime consultation club¡¯ at the foremost detective academy in all of Europe, the ones who would likely join out of sheer curiosity would be the detectives with abundant free time or a penchant for novelty. ¡°Even if by some otherworldly stroke of luck, a student genuinely interested in crime were to approach us, distinguishing them would be near impossible. And getting them to entrust us with a request would be even more challenging.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°And if there were students with such intentions, to begin with, it¡¯s simply illogical for them to be at a detective academy in the first ce.¡± Faced with Professor Moriarty¡¯s sound logic that refuted my proposal, I could only¡­ ¡°¡­Ha-ha.¡± Before I knew it, a chuckle escaped my lips. ¡°Why do youugh so, Mr. Adler?¡± Because oddly enough such logical reasoning had no ce in this academy. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Professor.¡± The August Detective Academy. The main stage of the game and the ce where the protagonist¡ª Holmes, would enroll in a year¡¯s time. This ce was also home to the culprits of a series of incidents that would unfold about a yearter. And I was certain¡­ Although we might not be able to capture the attention of all of them, I was confident we could at least pique the interest of one student in our club. And if we¡¯re talking about the real culprit behind the original ¡®The Red-Headed League¡¯ story ¨C the fourth smartest woman in London ¨C she would be the one. Even if she wasn¡¯t quite on the level of Colonel Moran, the iprehensible confidant of the original Moriarty of the novels, she would still be more than suitable to be a member of our organization. ¡°Please stamp it already.¡± ¡°Even after all I¡¯ve said, you still ask?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not satisfied with this venture you can kill me, Professor.¡± As I spoke those words while looking straight at her eyes, Moriarty began to tilt her head from side to side with a faint smile on her face. A habit she often disyed when she was deep in thought or intrigued by something or someone. As she stared back intently, not hiding her characteristic mannerism, I wondered what she was thinking about me right now. ¡°Please be assured.¡± I felt a slight chill down my spine but even so, I managed to stayposed. The event I was about to instigate would undoubtedly be a highly satisfying one for Professor Moriarty. ¡°I will make London a paradise just for you, my dear Professor.¡± Even though I spoke as such only half of it was true. Because the young genius residing at 212B Baker Street would also be granted admission to that paradise. ¡°Is this the ticket to enter that promisednd, Mr. Adler?¡± Of course, the first to enter was Professor Moriarty, who stamped her approval on the permit with an uplifted corner of her lips. ¡°Thank you, Professor.¡± It was time to recruit followers to participate in the tightrope walk that would unfold between the two geniuses of London. . . . . . That evening, in the lobby of the August Detective Academy¡ª ¡°Why are there so many people over there?¡± ¡°Did the new transfer studentse?¡± ¡°No, if that were to be the case, everyone would have gathered by the wall.¡± Students who had finished their sses began to whisper among themselves, noticing the crowd around the bulletin board. ¡°¡­Ignore it. It¡¯s just those detective wannabes getting excited about something.¡± ¡°But seeing that many people makes me curious.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go check it out.¡± And from behind that crowd, ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± A girl stared at the board with a cold expression on her face. Mock Crime Consultation Club Our mock crime consultation club aims to be the perpetrator of a case and construct a crime. The interview location is at Professor Moriarty¡¯s office on the 3rd floor¡­ Specifically, her gaze was fixed on a part written inrge red letters at the bottom of the board. ¡ù Students who can use red mana will pass the interview automatically. All activity fees are waived. ¡°Is this a coincidence?¡± The girl who murmured in a soft voice, began to move towards the 3rd-floor interview location, gently touching a mark on her forehead. ¡°There are people who think like me out there, huh¡­¡± Chapter 10: The First Request Chapter 10: The First Request ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± A few hours after the recruitment notice for the ¡®Mock Crime Consultation Club¡¯ was posted all over the academy. ¡°It was I who trusted you and stamped the permit and it was also I who willingly epted your request and participated in the interviews.¡± Professor Moriarty, who had been dealing with the students that hade to the office for interviews with me, spoke to me in a low voice. ¡°But now, I¡¯m starting to regret that decision.¡± As she spoke, she twirled a strand of hair around her finger and turned her gaze forward. ¡°I¡¯m saying this as I watch those pathetic antics.¡± ¡°Eeeek¡­¡± A student seated in front of us was desperately using all their strength to wield mana in the meantime. ¡°Well, how is it? Isn¡¯t it red enough?¡± ¡°Does the student not know the difference between orange and red?¡± At Moriarty¡¯s words, who was watching the charade with a bored expression, the student stopped their mana maniption and started scratching their head. ¡°I, I tried my best¡­¡± ¡°Next.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± With that, he received the notification of his failure and stomped out of the office, grumbling under his breath. ¡°Thanks to that peculiar condition you have set up, the interview room has turned into a mana demonstration site for students aiming for extra points in the club.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°How much longer do I have to watch those idiots strain themselves to produce a red mana that surely doesn¡¯t exist in London?¡± Professor Moriarty, leaning on her desk with sleepy eyes, throws this question at me while staring at me with an intense gaze. ¡°Here, have one of these.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± She seemed quite drained, so I took out a sugar cube from the bag I had confiscated from her due to health concerns and handed it over to her. ¡°Just wait a little longer. The person I¡¯ve been waiting for will definitelye.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you another sugar cube, so please wait patiently.¡± She didn¡¯t seem too satisfied by my proposition, but after I took out one more sugar cube and ced it in her hand, she finally popped it into her mouth and chewed contentedly¡ª nodding her head in the process. ¨C Eeeek¡­ Around this time I found myself entranced by a strange feeling, as if I had somehow be her dedicated tamer. ¡°Ah, hello?¡± Before even being told to enter, the door to the interview room opened, and a girl stepped in. ¡°Is this the Mock Crime Consultation Club?¡± A neat and earnest-looking girl with reddish-brown bobbed hair was timidly posing a question to us. ¡®Just as the saying goes, ¡°Speak of the devil and they shall appear.¡±¡® After briefly observing the student, who looked like a model student to just about anyone, I murmured to myself and wore a satisfied smile. ¡°I am in the second year, affiliated with the student council. My name is Victoria Spaulding.¡± ¡®I knew she couldn¡¯t resisting to this ce.¡¯ ¡°I look forward to working with you!¡± It was because the fourth smartest girl in London, who had her Red-Headed League case stolen by me, had finally appeared before us. ¡°Professor, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? When you meet a client for the first time, you should start with an analysis.¡± In response to her greeting, I nodded slightly as a gesture of acknowledgment. Then, while Moriarty was still leaning over the book, I tapped her lightly and began to whisper softly into her ears. ¡°Understanding a client¡¯s information is fundamental for a crime consultant, Professor.¡± ¡°¡­Understood, Mr. Adler.¡± At that moment, her eyes began to shine quietly. ¡°Please take a seat, Senior Spaulding.¡± After briefly observing Moriarty¡¯s eyes, which looked as though she had spotted her prey, I shifted my gaze to the girl in front of me. ¡°The interview will now begin.¡± It was time to find another victim to relieve the professor¡¯s boredom along with me. . . . . . ¡°Now, would you first demonstrate your use of mana, Senior?¡± ¡°Do¡­ Do I have to?¡± The girl, who introduced herself as Victoria Spaulding, threw a slightly bewildered question at Adler¡¯s request. ¡°You don¡¯t have to, but is there a specific reason why you¡¯re avoiding it?¡± ¡°Is there a reason? Student?¡± Then Adler, tilting his head to the side asked her another question. Meanwhile, Professor Moriarty at his side, mimicked Adler¡¯s words like a trained parrot. ¡°I, I¡¯m still not good at handling mana¡­ Hehe.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. As long as we can see the color, there won¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°Then¡­ I will try.¡± Watching Adler and Moriarty¡¯s expressions, the girl eventually sumbed to their pressure and extended her right hand, beginning to summon her mana. ¨C Zzzz¡­ And shortly after, a faint, match-me-sized, rosy aura began to emanate from her hand. ¡°As, as you can see¡­ this is my limit.¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± ¡°Originally, the inherent color of mana follows the user¡¯s hair color. In this London, where red hair does not exist, it would be impossible¡­ wouldn¡¯t it?¡± With that pitiable appearance, the girl quietly made excuses, pointing to her own crimson hair. ¡°But¡­ why did you include such a strange condition?¡± ¡°Although it is a mock club, it is still a crime consultation club, isn¡¯t it? We need someone who can use red mana to simte a crime scene.¡± At that moment, in response to her timid question, Adler replied. ¡°¡­I see.¡± Quietly mumbling to herself, the girl suddenly stood up from her seat. ¡°¡­I just remembered I have something urgent to attend to.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should get going¡­¡± ¡°Before you leave, I have one question for you, senior.¡± And then, toward the girl who was hastily trying to leave, Adler threw one question. ¡°If you were to join our club, what crime would you like to consult on?¡± At his words, she paused for a brief moment and then replied with a bright smile on her face. ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m not sure? But robbing London¡¯s top bank has been a childhood dream of mine.¡± ¡°Really?¡± At her words, Adler, quietly lifting the corners of his mouth, whispered to her in a low voice. ¡°For Princess Joan y, of royal blood, what could possibly becking that would drive you to such an act?¡± And then, a tense silence began. ¡°¡­I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Standing frozen in ce, the girl, who had been staring intently at Adler, soon broke the silence with a puzzled expression on her face. ¡°I am just a simple farmer¡¯s daughter. I was admitted to this academy merely because I happened to be born with the ability to use mana¡­¡± ¡°Student, it isn¡¯t a good habit to put your hand in your pocket and focus all your mana there now, is it?¡± But in the middle of her monologue Professor Moriarty¡¯s voice, tinged with amusement and intrigue, interrupted her. ¡°Someone might misunderstand and think you¡¯re preparing for a battle.¡± When the girl closed her mouth at that voice¡­ Professor Moriarty soon added, tapping her finger on the table¡­ ¡°Especially when a vampire, known throughout Europe for nearly being hunted to extinction, exhibits such behavior¡ª it¡¯s highly inappropriate.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Even if you are a noble youngdy hiding your status¡­ At the very least, within this academy, the authority of a professor is superior, you know¡­¡± And right after she finished speaking, ¡°¡­Haah.¡± The girl let out a cold sigh and sat back down in the chair. ¡°How did you figure it out?¡± The once seemingly inadequate appearance waspletely gone as the girl crossed her legs arrogantly and asked that question in a haughty tone¡­ ¡°The faint smell of hair dye. The red stubble on the back of your neck that you failed topletely get rid of. ¡°Unlike the other fools trying to turn their mana red, your efforts to somehow make your mana appear orange. When you put all these clues together, there can only be one answer, can¡¯t there?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure how my adorable assistant knew, but red mana is a characteristic that only vampires can possess. Am I wrong in saying that?¡± As Moriarty¡¯s exnation ended, the girl wore an expression as if to say that was quite impressive, and spoke up¡­ ¡°I thought you were just some nobodies, but you are clearly not ordinary.¡± ¡°You are far from ordinary as well. You used a very unique perfume to counteract your scent, and you meticulously removed the hair on your body to the point where I almost didn¡¯t notice for a second¡­¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡°But that very meticulousness became your downfall. A poor farmer¡¯s daughter wouldn¡¯t be able to use such an exotic perfume, and wouldn¡¯t be able to shave so cleanly either.¡± Professor Moriarty, having finished her exnation, wore a greatly excited expression on her mesmerizing face. ¡°By the way, the part about the smell of the hair dye was a lie. The scent of the perfume was so unique that I just made a random guess. Next time, try developing a habit of persisting to the end.¡± Her face looked like that of a young girl who was riding a rollercoaster for the first time in her life. ¡°¡­This is irritating.¡± Capturing that expression with her eyes, the girl, Joan y, began to murmur in a cold voice, ¡°I never expected there to be a hunter in this academy as well.¡± And in the next moment. ¨C Goooooooo¡­ A deep red aura began radiating from her body and surrounded her on all sides. ¡°But for someone with a sharp mind, you¡¯ve made a quite foolish choice¡­¡± y, who filled the room with her mana that burned like red blood, whispered in a voice that sounded amused rather than frightened at being discovered. ¡°To face me, you should have brought at least a hundred hunters. What can you two possibly do?¡± ¡°Did youe here this unguarded because you are confident that you can escape?¡± ¡°I have no desire to continue talking with hunters.¡± y¡¯s mana, which firmly rejected Moriarty¡¯s question, began to surge like waves. ¡°Hmm.¡± At the same time, Professor Moriarty, wearing a chilling smile, raised her finger. ¡°I must respectfully disagree, Lady y.¡± At that critical moment, Adler, who urgently pulled down Professor Moriarty¡¯s hand, began to speak. ¡°We are not hunters.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. As long as you know my true identity¡­¡± ¡°We are criminal consultants, sincerely willing to assist you, Lady y, in your plot to resurrect vampires in the 19th century.¡± At those words, Princess Joan y furrowed her brows and looked at Adler. ¡°The initial reason we lured you here Lady, was to receive a request from you.¡± ¡°I can manage perfectly well on my own; why should I need your help then?¡± ¡°Because a genius girl in London will stand in your way.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Even if that weren¡¯t the case, now that we know your n, executing it would be more or less impossible.¡± At Adler¡¯s words, y scoffed. ¡°As I said just now, I can simply kill all of you here¡­¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t send a cancetionmand, by tomorrow morning, the newspapers will be stered with articles about you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± But Adler, too, did not back down easily. ¡°Ah, of course, that is insurance for our lives. We are not exactly forcing you to entrust us with a request. If you choose to leave without doing so, there will be no harm done. ¡°But let me make this clear now, without our help, your n is doomed to fail.¡± After Adler¡¯s exnation concluded, Professor Moriarty, with a smile lingering on her lips, added some more words to Adler¡¯s ims. ¡°Because your n is wed from the very foundation.¡± And then, silence once again began to flow through the room. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I will tell you that after you have entrusted us with the request, my dear student.¡± At Professor Moriarty¡¯sposed voice y, who had been ring at them with an annoyed expression soon opened her mouth. ¡°What¡¯s the fee for the request?¡± ¡°I have more than enough money so I must receive something special. How about you bing my familiar, Lady y?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as you saying you want to die right now.¡± ¡°On the contrary, if you are dissatisfied with the results in any way, I will be your servant instead.¡± Once again, y, who had been sending out ripples through her mana, began to ponder quietly upon hearing that proposal. ¡°If you write down exactly what you just said in a contract and sign it, then I will specifically entrust you with my request.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°Of course, it will be a contract bound by Contract Magic.¡± ¡°Naturally, that is how we must proceed.¡± When Adler agreed all too easily, y looked at him with a momentarily dubious expression, then soon whispered with a chuckle. ¡°If you¡¯re so keen on bing my servant, I could make you one right this instant.¡± ¡°Rather than just bing a servant, it would be more certain through a contract.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± With that, she took out a quill pen from her bosom, murmuring in a soft voice. ¡°Having the scum of London at my beck and call like a dog could be quite entertaining.¡± The criminal consultation contract with Adler and y¡¯s signatures waspleted a few minutes after that. . . . . . ¡°Well, then¡­ Farewell!¡± y, who had somehow returned to her usual naive demeanor loudly bid them goodbye as she stepped out of the office. ¡°¡­Professor, you must be pleased.¡± Finally feeling rxed, I sighed and quietly spoke to Professor Moriarty, who was sitting beside me. ¡°Because our first case has finallye to us.¡± Our first case, which wouldter be called the Red Mana League. ¡°I see.¡± Facing that case atst, Professor Moriarty replied with a faint smile and a soft voice. ¡°I will kill¡­ if you be someone else¡¯s, Adler dear.¡± No, it wasn¡¯t a reply; it was a murder threat. How could someone make such a chilling statement while wearing such a radiant smile? ¡°Me? Or her?¡± ¡°Consider it as both of you dying.¡± ¡°¡­To avoid dying, I suppose we must work hard on this case.¡± While having such a thought I too was bing quite adept at dealing with this kind of situation, which felt rather astonishing to me, to say the least. ¡°But earlier, why did you grab my hand?¡± Professor Moriarty, who seemed to be inwardly smirking, suddenly posed this question. ¡°Because it would be bad if a pointless fight led to injuries.¡± Of course, the one who would be injured from a pointless fight would have been Lady y. Regardless of who she might be, the final boss of this world ¨C whose powers were unknown till now ¨C was not someone that the likes of Joan y could best. I didn¡¯t particrly want to subdue her from the very beginning¡ª the one who would be the professor¡¯s top-tier servant along with me. ¡°Why are you grinning at me like that?¡± ¡°You really are amusing.¡± ¡°That kind of gaze is definitely sexual harassment, Professor.¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± As I was about to stand from my seat, exchanging light banter with Professor Moriarty¡ª ¨C Creeeak¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± As the office door began to open again, I turned my eyes in that direction, wondering if Lady y had returned. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± I soon spat out a light curse under my breath and froze in ce at the scene that registered in my eyes. ¡°Is this the Mock Crime Consultation Club?¡± Because standing before my eyes, wearing the uniform of the August Detective Academy paired with a cold smile on her cute face, was none other than Charlotte Holmes. ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± Why the hell was she here now, fucking dammit! Chapter 11: Declaration of War Chapter 11: Deration of War ¡°How did you get here, Miss Holmes?¡± I threw out that question while trying hard to suppress my flustered emotions. Holmes, ncing around the room till now, walked forward and opened her mouth after hearing my words. ¡°I am nning to enroll in this academy.¡± ¡°¡­Are you serious?¡± ¡°Since the puzzles that need to be solved aren¡¯t appearing elsewhere, it only seems right for me toe here.¡± Holmes¡¯ grey eyes fixed on me. There was an inexplicable feeling that her gaze was able to pierce through everything in existence. While I was staring back without avoiding that gaze, she suddenly shifted her eyes toward Professor Moriarty. ¡°Do you have a fondness for sugar?¡± With that, she shed a subtle smile while asking that question. ¡°It¡¯s almost obsessive, how frequently and cleanly you tidy up the room, but there¡¯s a lot of sugar powder scattered around the room.¡± At that remark, Moriarty wore an intrigued expression and opened her mouth. ¡°Not all people who enjoy cleaning have an OCD, student.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But it¡¯s too perfect to be just a hobby.¡± Holmes, who had swept her finger across the sofa where the dean had copsed with a hole in his head a few days before, tilted her head and mumbled. ¡°Considering the cleaning was done so immactely that no evidence would be found even if someone had died here, I must have been mistaken about something.¡± Then, she looked at me and Professor Moriarty, a yful smile dancing in the depth of her eyes. ¡°I can understand. A mild case of dissociative identity disorder and delusions are among the initial symptoms of a patient afflicted with mana addiction.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also a chronic issue for detectives. Aren¡¯t you reacting too aggressively to a light joke?¡± With her hand resting on her chin and tilting her head forward, Moriarty began to whisper in a low voice to Holmes. ¡°Judging by your fingernails and the area around your eyes, it seems you enjoy experiments involving Mana Stones. Mana Stones are an energy source remarkable enough to shake human history, but continuous contact with them can induce symptoms of mana addiction.¡± ¡°There¡¯s really no need for your advice. It¡¯s something I constantly hear from my roommate.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying this because it seems you¡¯re already halfway there into the realm of a severely addicted patient. If you don¡¯t take care of your health and continue these experiments, even those brilliant eyes of yours might be dizzy and dull pretty soon.¡± Seemingly out of nowhere, Moriarty pulled a sugar cube from the pocket of her shirt and handed it to Holmes with a gentle smile on her face. ¡°If you have nothing to do in your free time, why not indulge in sugar like I do?¡± ¡°I will have to decline for the advancement of investigative studies.¡± ¡°Not quite as much as my assistant, but you are quite an interesting individual as well, student.¡± However, after gracefully being refused, Moriarity popped the sugar cube into her own mouth as if she had been waiting for this very moment and spoke while savoring the taste of the sugary delight. ¡°Have you no ns to be a graduate student, like Mr. Adler?¡± ¡°I have no intention of participating in a ve system that is being legally implemented in the 19th century,¡± ¡°Ahaha. Hahaha¡­¡± Bursting intoughter, Professor Moriarty suddenly posed a question to me in a soft voice. ¡°Is that child the one you referred to as ¡®Holmes¡¯ back then?¡± ¡°Uh, yes. That¡¯s right, Professor.¡± Recalling now, on the first day I possessed this world, I unintentionally spoiled Moriarty¡¯s life by mentioning ¡®Sherlock Holmes¡¯. And I even called her Professor Moriarty¡¯s ¡®nemesis¡¯, her antithesis. ¡°You quenched my thirst, and now you¡¯ve brought a sweet beverage as well¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m reaching the point where I might not be able to live without you, Mr. Adler.¡± Had she not been the final boss, and had she not been my assigned professor, I would have been quite delighted by that statement. But her poker face, which always had a faint smile as its base, had never wavered for even a second, making it impossible to tell whether her words were sincere or not. ¡®Anyway, what should I do about this?¡¯ That aside, the current situation was quite dangerous for me, although I haven¡¯t shown it outwardly. In the original game, Charlotte Holmes was supposed to set foot in this academy only a yearter, but here she was now, already present on the academy grounds. ¡°So, are you a first-year freshman starting from now on?¡± ¡°Actually, I haven¡¯t enrolled yet. Due to a slightplication, I am currently considered an outsider, but I will be a student here from the next semester.¡± Even Professor Moriarty, who should have left the academy by now under normal circumstances, was still in this ce. An unprecedented situation truly unfolded at this moment¡ª one that was utterly unpredictable. ¡°But I don¡¯t sense any mana from you. How were you able to enroll in this academy without the ability to use mana?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say, a rmendation letter from the Queen of the Bohemian Kingdom, and some discreet pressure from a person who is essentially the British government itself, was sufficient enough for that.¡± ¡°Are you admitting to having fraudulently enrolled in front of me?¡± ¡°Being a fraudulent enrollee who broke the all-time high score on the entrance test, that sounds a bit off, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Watching the two geniuses, who even at this moment were engaging in a sharp battle of wits with radiant smiles on their faces, cold sweat broke out on my body. For now, right in this instant, I needed to settle the situation before it escted further. ¡°Miss Holmes, I¡¯m sorry, but the enrollment into the club just ended,¡± I interjected. Because of my timing to step into their conversation, both of their gazes focused on me. ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange. ¡®Red¡¯ mana is extremely rare. There shouldn¡¯t be anyone in London who can wield it.¡± In the midst of this back and forth, Holmes moved right in front of me and disyed her open right hand. ¡°Except for me, of course.¡± Soon, from her hand, a fiery red mana began to rise, as if blood was being burnt, taking on the form of mes. ¡®What?¡¯ Could it be that Holmes was a vampire? Did the insane story department add some backstories without my knowledge? No, more than that, she wasn¡¯t supposed to be a mana user, was she? ¡°Miss Holmes, it is not eptable to impersonate a mana user while hiding magic stone powder between your fingers,¡± Lost in my thoughts, it was only through Professor Moriarty¡¯s words that I was finally able to grasp the truth. In the original work, Holmes, who loved chemical experiments and even published papers in scientific journals on the path of alchemy, was a master of magic stone research in this game. The red mana she had just manifested was likely artificially created using magic stones, replicating only the color of the mana. Although that alone was quite impressive¡­ If she were to publish what she was doing now as a paper, the academic world might be turned upside down. ¡°It¡¯s strange,¡± Holmes argued, ¡°The announcement clearly stated that anyone who can wield ¡®red mana¡¯ is eligible. It didn¡¯t say anywhere that using magic stones is not allowed, nor that they would select only one person.¡± ¡°Your point is entirely valid, Miss Holmes.¡± But that didn¡¯t mean I could just admit her into the crime consultation club. So, I began to slowly counter her argument. ¡°However, if expensive magic stones are needed every time you use mana, that would be quite burdensome, even for me,¡± ¡°I can bear that burden.¡± ¡°But it would still be a burden on my conscience. And the number of members we recruit is after all within my authority as the club president.¡± Upon hearing these words of mine, Holmes began to stare at me intently. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± she asked in a low tone. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Even though she had asked me that question, Holmes didn¡¯t press further. She just kept her mouth shut and continued to scrutinize me closely. ¡®Come to think of it, is this the first time I¡¯m seeing her up close?¡¯ When we first met, she had been disguised as a nun, and when I saw her briefly in the hospital, there had been no chance for me to take a closer look. But now, as we faced each other at such close range, I could clearly see why she was the protagonist. ¡®¡­She¡¯s beautiful.¡¯ Apart from appearing slightly haggard due to her mana addiction from excessive magic stone experiments, she had the kind of appearance that anyone would acknowledge as that of a beautiful girl. Her shiny, short ck hair. The cool smile gracing her plump lips. The quietly shining grey eyes that seemed to suck in the soul. And atop her uniform, she wore what seemed to be her trademark¡ª a ck detective coat. As a huge fan of the original Sherlock Holmes series, it was hard for me to look away from her. ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± As a result I, who had been nkly staring at her for a while, soon realized that her gaze was directed downward. ¡°¡­Holmes?¡± Wondering what she was looking at, I was about to ask her a question when Holmes suddenly and wordlessly lifted my left hand. ¡°This wound is¡­¡± ¡°Oh, this?¡± It seemed she was looking at the burn mark I had received while rescuing her during thest incident. ¡°The mana circuit was damaged, Other parts have recovered but this spot just couldn¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± While holding my hand and inspecting it from various angles, she asked in a faint voice after hearing my exnation. ¡°Does this mean you can never use magic with this hand for the rest of your life?¡± ¡°Sacrificing the ability to use magic in one hand is a small price to pay for saving London¡¯s genius girl.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Upon hearing that reasoning of mine, Holmes who had lowered her eyes quietly, seemed to be on the verge of speaking something. ¡°About that incident¡­¡± ¡°Holmes, it¡¯s time for you to leave.¡± At that moment, the voice of Professor Moriarty, who had been resting her chin on her hand until then, reached my ears. ¡°I have a long discussion to have with my assistant, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°I see. Then I should be on my way as well.¡± Only then did Holmes gently release my hand which she had been holding till then. She withdrew her gaze from me and turned around. ¡°¡­But, Mr. Adler¡­¡± As she was heading towards the exit, she suddenly threw a question. ¡°What exactly is your rtionship with that genius professor standing next to you?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± ¡°Are you with her against your will, perhaps? If that is the case¡­¡± ¡°Miss Holmes, you should break the habit of blindly bing jealous when the person you are fond of isn¡¯t your own assistant.¡± At those words, Holmes tilted her head and asked back, ¡°Are you suggesting that I am fond of Mr. Adler?¡± ¡°Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have secretly attached a miniature mana receiver to the handle of the office door as you were leaving.¡± With a flick of Moriarty¡¯s finger, there was a snapping sound, and the door handle was thus enveloped in smoke. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll admit to that, but I can¡¯t agree with what you said about Mr. Adler. I am simply curious, nothing more.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Mr. Adler chose to be ¡®my possession¡¯ of his own free will,¡± ¡°Well, a person¡¯s free will can easily be obscured if they are in a mentallypromised state.¡± ¡°We even drafted a contract not long ago. Both legally and magically, he is mine and mine alone¡­¡± ¡°Could I review that contract? I have a feeling that there might be dozens of potential legal issues with it¡­¡± Holmes and Moriarty¡¯s gazes crossed once again. ¡°I never expected someone as wise as you to be so irrational.¡± ¡°In this world nothing is absolute and in fact, I am a very emotional person.¡± ¡°No, there is an absolute and that absolute will be me.¡± While I was watching this unexpected verbal duel unfold with an anxious heart, Moriarty turned her gaze to me and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Mr. Adler?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± In that fleeting moment, after considering countless thoughts, I finally nodded in response. Moriarty frowned slightly as she looked at me. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± And then, Holmes, who was standing on the other side of the room, did as well. ¡®What the fuck¡¯ I wasn¡¯t sure why but in the settling silence, I felt like I was being suffocated to death. ¡°Ah, right.¡± How much time had passed since then? ¡°Mr. Adler, you should be careful.¡± ¡°Inspector Lestrade, who had applied to the London Police Department, will be returning to the academy soon.¡± Hearing those words, my already aching head seemed to throb even more painfully. ? Quest List ¨C Freeze: Get a confession from Inspector Lestrade. ¡°When she sees you, she might try to beat you to a pulp.¡± I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine Lestrade, the strongest fighter at the academy, confessing her feelings for me with a flushed face. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 12: The Red Mana League Chapter 12: The Red Mana League ¡°Mr. Adler. Do you know what the easiest thing in the world to deduce is?¡± It was the morning of the second day since I had taken on the very first request of our little crime consultation charade. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It is simply whether someone likes or dislikes you¡­¡± As I was walking down the corridor of the academy with Professor Moriarty, she told me this fact with a smile on her face. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Take a look around.¡± For a brief moment, I doubted her but following her words, I quietly looked around and could immediately understand the reasoning behind those words of hers. ¡°¡­You are certainly right.¡± Most of the male students in the corridor and half of the female students who were passing by were giving me a look as if they had seen an atrocious bug. And the remaining half of the female students were avoiding my gaze with their faces blushing. ¡°The reason you are still alive is probably because you have won over half of the women in London to your side.¡± ¡°Is that supposed to make sense?¡± ¡°Indeed, you are the greatest child actor who has stolen the hearts of women all over Europe.¡± At first, I thought it was just her making a joke and intended to ignore it, but upon her following words, I found myself unable to do anything but stop in my tracks quietly. ¡°But I would like to think more highly of your acting skills than the appearance you possess as an actor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve kept that frightening true nature of yours hidden, until the moment you met me when it finally surfaced.¡± Professor Moriarty¡¯s eyes were once again shining darkly. ¡°Mr. Adler. But why did you reveal your true nature to a child named Charlotte?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s a misunderstanding, Professor.¡± Feeling an inexplicable sense of crisis dawn upon me from her ensuing words, I quickly shook my head in response. ¡°I have revealed my true nature only to you, Professor.¡± ¡°Then why is she showing an obsession toward you?¡± ¡°Because she is a genius akin to you, Professor. It seems that she has caught the scent of the storm we are about to brew.¡± At those words, Professor Moriarty, who had habitually been tilting her head to the side, stopped in her tracks and stared straight at me. ¡°I might need to double as Charlotte¡¯s assistant as well. Of course, only if she uncovers my true identity¡­¡± At that moment, as I looked at her and tried to lighten the mood by cracking a joke with a smile¡­ ¡ºViin Maker¡» ¨C Description: Fulfilling the probability of Professor Moriarty¡¯s appearance. ¨C Progress: 10% ¡ú 15% A message suddenly appeared before my eyes. ¡°¡­You know that it was a joke, right, Professor?¡± Seeing that the eyes of Professor Moriarty, wearing a bright smile, were still as dark as before, I started to exin myself while breaking into a cold sweat. ¡°We have already made a contract and even swore on mana. I am solely your¡­¡± ¡°After this case is over, I¡¯m nning to embark on a long-term research project.¡± ¡°What?¡± But a bolt from the blue hit me with those words. ¡°It¡¯s expected to be a very demanding research project so inevitably, you will have to sleep in myboratory for a while.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that great? You will be safe from assassins. And you won¡¯t be bothered by a mana-poisoned detective either.¡± Having unexpectedly been burdened with the workload of a graduate student just because of a careless slip of the tongue, I had no choice but to force a smile and respond. ¡°I am truly delighted, Professor.¡± ¡°Ha ha.¡± Next time, I need to think a bit before I speak anything. ¡°¡­By the way, they¡¯re starting to show up.¡± While making that resolution and quickening my steps, I spotted our client sitting in the lounge up ahead and began to whisper to Professor Moriarty in a hushed voice. ¡°As I said earlier, the overall n should beid out by you Professor. I will just act ording to the n you¡¯ve devised.¡± As I delivered those words, the terrifying demeanor that Moriarty had donned earlierpletely disappeared and she began to wear an excited expression on her face¡ª like a child who hade to an amusement park. ¡°My heart is truly racing for the first time in a while. It feels like I havee to an amusement park made just for me.¡± ¡°It is indeed an amusement park made for you, Professor.¡± This rookie criminal consultant who was openly revealing her excited heart would someday be the Empress of London¡¯s underworld without my help, I presumed. Would I be the only privileged one to be able to see her in such an innocent state? ¡®Somehow, it feels like I¡¯m ying a princess-raising game right now.¡¯ For a brief moment, I entertained such a frivolous thought and then walked toward our client¡ª Princess y while mumbling to myself ¡®But what was the ending of that game?¡¯ I seemed to recall something about the game¡­ A lesson stating that the more diligently one raises a princess, the more careful one should be during the end of that path. . . . . . ¡°Ah, h-hello¡­ Yo, you¡¯re a bitte¡­¡± As Moriarty and Adler approached Princess y who had been impersonating the fake identity of Victoria Spaulding, she extended a greeting toward them while fidgeting with her fingers. ¡°Th, that¡­ You know the story we talked aboutst time¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve cast a cognitive dissonance magic barrier around us. So, please befortable with your speech.¡± ¡°¡­Tsk. You should have said that sooner.¡± However, as soon as Adler said those words after arriving near her, she took off the sses that she had been wearing, crossed her legs, and put on a cold and stern expression on her face. ¡°Before you speak, you should first kiss my ring. Then kneel and show your respect by bowing to me.¡± ¡°I will do that once I be a part of the royal family, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I have the blood of the British royal family flowing in me. A lowly creature like you does not have the right to refuse.¡± ¡°At first, it¡¯s always fun to be rebellious without knowing the stakes, so thatter the taste of making one submit is more enjoyable, Your Highness.¡± Hearing those words, Princess y twisted her lips and spoke up. ¡°Thatment just now, it somehow sounded like it was directed at me.¡± ¡°Why would it be? In any case, shall we stop bickering among ourselves and get to the main point?¡± ¡°Haa.¡± As Adler made that suggestion while ncing at Moriarty, who was wearing an inscrutable smile on her face while standing at her side, the princess sighed and quietly straightened her posture. ¡°First, you should know about the target.¡± And then, she pointed to the window at the back. ¡°The target I want is right there.¡± A massive bank, maintained under strict security, came into view for Moriarty and Adler. ¡°It¡¯s the City & Suburban Bank.¡± ¡°Yes, as I said yesterday, it¡¯s the top bank in London.¡± ¡°So, is the student nning to rob that bank?¡± ¡°Robbing? Such an inelegant way to put it.¡± At Moriarty¡¯s words, she bristled for a moment but soon corrected the Professor¡¯s response in a stern tone. ¡°¡­I am simply trying to retrieve a certain item that is in the underground vault of that bank.¡± ¡°What is that item?¡± At that question, Princess y¡¯s eyes turned red in an instant. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± With a look that clearly meant not question any further she red at the Professor and Assistant duo and then continued in a more subdued tone. ¡°But if I get my hands on it, I can assure you that the era of vampires will return to all of Europe.¡± ¡°Just thinking about it sends shivers down my spine.¡± ¡°Enough, will you tell me now?¡± Ignoring the sarcasm thrown by Adler, y began to interrogate them, her eyes narrowing as she spoke her next set of words. ¡°Why do you think that my n will fail?¡± ¡°Before exining that, why don¡¯t you share the n you¡¯ve thought of with us?¡± ¡°People are so annoying.¡± With an exasperated expression on her face, she pulled out a map from her belongings and spread it on the table, then began exining in a confident tone. ¡°ording to this map, the building closest to the bank is right here.¡± Then she pointed to a ce she had previously circled. ¡°A pawnshop on Covent Garden?¡± ¡°They are almost back to back.¡± ¡°I am already working part-time there under the identity of Victoria Spaulding.¡± Hearing this piece of information, Moriarty asked a question with a smile on her face. ¡°While working part-time, are you nning to secretly dig from the basement of the shop?¡± ¡°¡­Not bad.¡± ¡°For a noble young duchess to be digging, covered in dirt like that¡ª it¡¯s very hard to picture.¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple, but it¡¯s the most surefire method.¡± With a slightly reddened face, y responded in such a manner and continued her exnation. ¡°Even while taking only half the normal pay, I work diligently. The owner of the pawnshoppletely trusts me. And I can use disintegration magic as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I suppose even if I keep doing this alone, the work will be finished in a few months, right? So what you two may be able to help me with, as far as I can think of, should be on the digging procedure at most.¡± Having finished her exnation, she then wore a haughty expression on her face and lifted her chin before asking. ¡°So, will you start talking now?¡± A lopsided smirk appeared on y¡¯s lips as she asked, alternating her gaze between the two. ¡°What is the w in this perfect n of mine?¡± And then, silence began to flow in the surroundings. ¡°If there isn¡¯t one, then we will have to fulfill the contract right here and now.¡± Beginning to wear an ¡®I knew it woulde to this¡¯ expression, she extended her ring-adorned finger toward Adler,manding him with an arrogant tone. ¡°Kiss my hand.¡± However, for some reason, Adler was merely wearing a smile on his face while quietly sitting on his spot. ¡°What are you doing? Swear your obedience.¡± Just as y, infuriated by his attitude, was about to rise from her seat while speaking¡­ ¡°If you break the contract, I won¡¯t stay idle either¡­¡± ¡°There is a fatal w in your n, as I have stated before¡­¡± Professor Moriarty spoke up at that instant, tilting her head slightly while uttering slow and deep words. ¡°First of all, there is a high likelihood that someone will find the passage you¡¯ve oh-so suspiciously dug before your work is evenpleted.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Were you nning to create a massive hole using disintegration magic and sustain the soil from copsing using magic stones?¡± ¡°H-How did you¡­¡± ¡°Anyone could deduce this just by checking your first-year ss records and supply application,¡± She whispered such words, tapping the table in front of their seats with her finger. ¡°However, because of the characteristics of the red mana possessed by vampires, you won¡¯t be able to control its power.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°If, as a result, arge hole is made without any support to cover it up, even tapping your wand once might be enough for a loud sound to echo across the hole and notify others of its presence.¡± Hearing such words, y responded while lowering her gaze and quietly furrowing her brows. ¡°If arge carriage happens to pass by there around the time everything ispleted, there will likely be a number of suspicious individuals appearing to demolish your so-called perfect n, Princess.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s absurd. I am aware of that, but not many people pass by this ce.¡± She, who had been biting her lip till now, attempted to counter Moriarty¡¯s argument. ¡°And if it reallyes down to it I can just reduce the size of the hole. Of course, it will take more time since I need to modify the n now, but still¡­¡± ¡°There is also another critical issue.¡± But when Moriarty mentioned the next problem, she had no choice but to close her mouth shut. ¡°Have you ever seen Mrs. Wilson, the owner of the pawnshop, going out?¡± ¡°Well, that¡­¡± ¡°Try to recall. I believe that she never did leave the shop premise.¡± After pausing to think for a moment, y spoke with an incredulous expression on her face. ¡°Come on, surely¡­ everyone goes out at least once.¡± ¡°ording to the testimonies of those around her, she hasn¡¯t left once in the past three years.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Then, at Moriarty¡¯s words, she wore an utterly shocked expression on her face. ¡°How can a person¡­ Wait, hold on. How do you know about Mrs. Wilson to such an extent?¡± ¡°Your n was impressive for a student but to me, it seems no different from a mere child¡¯s y.¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about¡­¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t your entire n exposed to me in my office yesterday? That too while I hadn¡¯t taken a single step outside of my office to boot.¡± At that decisive statement, y, with her eyes tightly closed, clenched her jaw in fury. ¡°But you are quite fortunate. Since you¡¯ve met me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°From now on, we will take charge of your n. Any objections?¡± When Moriarty asked her this question, y nodded quietly and rose from her seat. ¡°In that case, I will get in touch with you soon.¡± As she was about to turn around and leave, she heard Moriarty¡¯sposed words and decided to respond in a soft voice. ¡°If this fails, you¡¯ll have to take responsibility, Professor.¡± With that, a bitter smile quietly spread across her lips before she finished herst set of words. ¡°Keep that in mind.¡± . . . . . ¡°So, what do you n to do now?¡± After Lady y left, Professor Moriarty remained deep in thought for quite a while, tapping her finger on her knee as she had done on the table mere moments ago. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. After pondering throughout the entirety ofst night, I found a way to infiltrate the bank without going through that pawnshop.¡± She resembled Holmes when she was lost deep in thought. I casually threw out a question her way and only then did Moriarty, with a smile beginning to y at the corners of her lips, started to unfold her tale to me. ¡°Quite coincidentally, there is one more ce in London that perfectly matches the elevation coordinates of our target bank¡¯s basement.¡± ¡°Where is that?¡± ¡°The basement of the August Academy¡¯s dormitory. It¡¯s where a student, who can¡¯t afford to pay the dormitory fee, is staying with permission from the Academy.¡± With that said Moriarty produced a document from her belongings. ¡°Coincidentally, she is the daughter of Mrs. Wilson, the owner of the pawnshop where our client works.¡± Behind the document, which featured a sullen-looking female student with exotic orange hair, Professor Moriarty¡¯s eyes could be seen shining in a cold light. ¡°It¡¯s an astonishing coincidence, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­Indeed.¡± Of course, I already knew the reason for this ¡®coincidence¡¯, but seeing that the professor seemed quite delighted, I decided to just leave it be. After all, for her to grow, she needed to figure out the puzzles that the clients would be deliberately hiding on her own. ¡°With the elevation coordinates being the same, we canplete a teleportation magic circle quickly if we calcte correctly. The academy is overflowing with magic stones that can be used to forge the needed items, so it should take¡­ at most, two weeks, I reckon.¡± ¡°In other words, it is the perfect location for infiltrating the bank.¡± ¡°But right now, it is the worst possible location.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± At the question I asked her, Professor Moriarty gestured me to turn the page of the document. ¡°As stated in that document, ¡®Diana Wilson¡¯, who resides in the basement, suffers from severe social phobia andmunication disorders,¡± she answered in a leveled tone. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I tried to talk to her out of curiosity once, a long time ago. She was startled and ran back into her room, can you even believe it? She¡¯s an odd student, sometimes not attending sses at all and staying in her room all day.¡± ¡°In that case, drawing a magic circle there for the same reasons as the pawnshop will be very difficult.¡± Hearing those words of mine, she slowly shook her head. ¡°Nothing is impossible in this world, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°Well, it is so like you to say something like that, Professor¡­¡± ¡°It would be the case, as long as you are there,¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± I was about to nod appreciatively but all of a sudden, Professor Moriarty, pointed at me and began whispering in a hushed tone of voice. ¡°Diana Wilson, who lives in the basement of the dormitory, is a female student, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± ¡°And you are London¡¯s foremost expert on female students, aren¡¯t you, Mr. Adler?¡± she continued with a smile. ¡°Wait just a moment.¡± This was absolutely absurd. I had agreed to do as Professor Moriarty instructed, but this was genuinely absurd. ¡°Start immediately from today.¡± I¡¯ve been engrossed in my work and haven¡¯t dated anyone before throughout my life. Just how was she expecting me to charm a woman? Moreover, it was a reclusive female student suffering from severe social phobia andmunication disorders at that. ¡°Mr. Adler, didn¡¯t you say you would follow my directions to a T?¡± ¡°Professor, isn¡¯t there another way¡­¡± ¡°We need to work hard to uncover the secrets that our client is hiding,¡± But even so, I couldn¡¯t refuse Professor Moriarty¡¯s request. I didn¡¯t want to lose the hard-earned favor and trust that I had built up with her and be a fixture in her office, after all. ¡°Ah, and one more thing,¡± she started adding some more words. So, I gritted my teeth and quietly nodded. However, Professor Moriarty, suddenly darkening her eyes, whispered in a low voice and started adding some more words. ¡°Needless to say, don¡¯t give her your heart.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Graduate students have no right to be in a rtionship,¡± At that joke, I nodded once again and then stood up from my seat, letting out a deep sigh in the end. ¡®Maybe I should just be part of y¡¯s family?¡¯ To charm a reclusive female student within two weeks. No matter how hard I racked my brain, I just couldn¡¯t see a solution to this problem. . . . . . Exactly two weekster¡ª ¡°Pl, please help me¡­!¡± A girl, who had rushed into the lodging house at 221B Baker Street without warning, was desperately pleading with Charlotte Holmes. ¡°Yes, first, please calm down. Would you like a smoke¡­¡± ¡°Adler is in danger!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± While leaning back on the sofa and trying to calm the client down with a rxed expression, Charlotte¡¯s face slowly began to contort upon hearing those words. ¡°I¡¯ll, I¡¯ll give you anything. I have nothing, but I¡¯ll give my life if I have to¡­¡± Despite this, Diana Wilson, a second-year student at August Academy, continued to speak through the tears that showed no signs of stopping for even a moment. ¡°Please, save him¡­¡± The curtain was rising on what wouldter be known as the Red Mana League case. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 13: The Red Mana League (2) Chapter 13: The Red Mana League (2) ¡°¡­Holmes?¡± Dr. Rachel Watson, having closed the hospital early to wee her day off, had finally arrived at the boarding house. ¡°Were you talking with the client?¡± As she asked the question, she had no choice but to tilt her head at the sight of a girl sitting on the sofa, shivering in fright. ¡°Wh, who, who are you?¡± ¡°Miss Watson. She is my assistant and partner, so please rx.¡± At those words, the girl started to murmur in a soft voice, her eyes tightly closed shut. ¡°Two, two people¡­ there are two people here¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Wh, whew. Whew¡­ Let¡¯s calm down¡­¡± Watson, who had no choice but to stare nkly at this bizarre scene spoke to Holmes who was sitting quietly in the armchair. ¡°So, what exactly is this girl¡¯s story?¡± ¡°Well.¡± Holmes then began to whisper with keen eyes as though she had already seen through the truth of the matter. ¡°She seems to be under the delusion that she is a member of the Freemasons. She is deeply immersed in various conspiracy theories and the ult. Not to mention, she also has a strong interest in Chinese culture. That¡¯s about all I can deduce at first nce¡ª she¡¯s a student at the academy by the way.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Watson, as if ustomed to this routine, pulled out a notebook from her bag and began to record those words in said book. Meanwhile, the girl who had be the subject of Holmes¡¯ analysis began to send a gaze toward her with her eyes wide open in shock. ¡°Is, is it by any chance, a form of divination?¡± Was the question asked by Diana Wilson, in a flustered and meek tone. ¡°No. I¡¯ve merely cut out all the intermediate deductions and told only the starting point and the conclusion.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Well, I suppose you could consider it a rather cheap form of divination per se. Let¡¯s just leave it at that for now.¡± Concluding the charade, Holmes leaned weakly against the sofa. Watson, in a soft voice, posed a question to her. ¡°How did you figure all that out?¡± ¡°The imitation pin that is shaped like a triangle andpass ¨C the symbols of the Freemasons ¨C she has that pinned to her chest. The fish tattoo that¡¯s inked on her right wrist. The numerous superstitious behaviors she exhibited before entering this boarding house. Coming to that conclusion is rather simple once you put it all together.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Watson merely nodded her head; as if convinced by her words, but soon had to furrow her brows slightly and pose another pressing question to Holmes. ¡°But today¡­ your attitude seems oddly off, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Watson. Dealing with a client who is filled with illogical and fanciful thoughts¡ª someone who can be said to be the exact opposite of me, aposite of rational thinking, turned out to be more challenging than I previously surmised.¡± ¡°To say that to her face¡­¡± ¡°Not to say, this client mentioned ¡®that man¡¯, after all¡­¡± As Watson was about to scold Holmes to stop talking¡­ she had no choice but to make a surprised expression upon hearing that statement of hers. ¡°¡­Isaac Adler?¡± ¡°Do-do-do, you know him?¡± As she cautiously uttered Isaac¡¯s name with a dubious expression on her face, Ms. Wilson reacted vigorously. ¡°What on earth is going on here¡­?¡± ¡°Senior Wilson. I apologize for this, but could you please exin everything from the beginning once more?¡± As curiosity rose on Watson¡¯s face, Holmes, sitting beside her, propped her chin on her hand and made the suggestion to the client. ¡°It¡¯s quite a peculiar story, so I¡¯d like to organize my thoughts while hearing it again. And sometimes¡­ Watson points out perspectives that I hadn¡¯t considered, so it will undoubtedly be helpful for your request.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll tell you everything, for as many time as it takes, to help solve the case.¡± Watson and Holmes¡¯ eyes were now fixated on her form, as she straightened her back and began to steady her voice. ¡°I first met Isaac two weeks ago from now.¡± . . . . . ¡°So, that Isaac Adler¡­.¡± As soon as the flushed Ms. Wilson¡¯s exnation ended, Watson who had been wearing a nk expression on her face from one point of the story quietly opened her mouth. ¡°He confessed to you abruptly, his face blushing, when you opened the door in response to his knock?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. He said he had had a crush on me for a long time¡­¡± ¡°¡­That seems highly unlikely.¡± With a puzzled expression on her face, Watson tilted her head and, with Holmes still deep in thought with her eyes closed, took the initiative to ask some questions to the client. ¡°What was the reason he gave?¡± ¡°At the library¡­ he said he fell for me while I was reading a romance novel¡­¡± ¡°And you epted that?¡± At those words, Wilson bowed her head in shame, her face reddening. ¡°It was the first time¡­ The first time someone had approached me like that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°And so, I was so taken aback that I missed the timing to refuse¡­ and since that day, he kepting to my room without fail¡­¡± Knowing full well about the notorious reputation of the infamous Isaac Adler, Watson who had been ring at her with a frown asked with a worried expression. ¡°He didn¡¯t do anything strange to you, did he?¡± ¡°No, no!¡± At that question, she just vigorously shook her head in response. ¡°No, it was actually fun. He brought me books from the library that I had been too shy to visit recently¡­ and sometimes we yed board games together.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And, and he¡­ he talked with me too. I was scared at first so I just rambled about anything¡­ but then it started to be fun as we kept doing it over and over¡­¡± Listening quietly to her disjointed words, Watson cast a fleeting nce toward Holmes. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± And as always, Holmes was already lost in her own world, her eyes closed. ¡°He was pure and kind, contrary to what people say about him.¡± ¡°¡­That doesn¡¯t seem to be the case.¡± ¡°On the contrary, when he was with me¡­ he seemed to be even more embarrassed than I was. But, but that side of him was oddly endearing¡­¡± As Wilson spoke, her face morphed into an even deeper shade of red and the blush even reached all the way up to her ears. ¡°It¡¯s like a romance novel. The Scum of London is Clumsy Only in Front of Me. That would be the perfect title for this story.¡± ¡°That, that might¡­ be a hit if it gets published.¡± ¡°¡­Well, with that face, if he acted awkward, just who wouldn¡¯t fall for it?¡± Having thought the story to be highly imusible, Watson then muttered, realizing that Adler¡¯s very face was imusibility itself. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve heard enough about your small love story. Can you now focus on exining why you are here?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± At that moment, Watson who had been deep in thought asked a question imitating a detective instead of the preupied Holmes. In response, Ms. Wilson took something out of her belongings. ¡°It was about a week ago. When he came to see me at the usual time, he handed me this.¡± Watson¡¯s eyes fell on a club announcement from the August Detective Academy that Ms. Wilson had taken out for them to see. ¡°A Mock Crime Consultation Club?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a club that was created a week ago. Isaac is the president of it.¡± ¡°What did he say when he handed this to you?¡± ¡°He, he told me to take the test¡­¡± As Wilson spoke she began to sweat; as though she was still feeling nervous. ¡°I, I was going to refuse, of course. I wasfortable with Isaac, but¡­ other people still scared me¡­¡± ¡°It seems like you have a severe case of social phobia.¡± ¡°Yes, but he said then¡­ That he has be very busy with club activitiestely so he won¡¯t be able to see me as often.¡± With that, she murmured, her hands tightly clenched. ¡°I didn¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t fun to be cooped up in my room like before. I found myself waiting only for the time when he woulde to mingle with me.¡± After arriving at this point, her voice, which had been shaky the entire time, finally steadied. ¡°I had a good reason to do so.¡± ¡°What was that reason?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll exin that after I tell you the whole story.¡± Having said that, she switched to a clearer voice that was different from before and began her tale. ¡°Anyway, taking advantage of the time in the evening when there were fewer people, I entered the interview room on the third floor, and they were all waiting for me.¡± ¡°Do you remember who was there at that time?¡± ¡°Um¡­ let me see¡­¡± As Ms. Wilson tried to recall, she hesitated for a bit but soon answered. ¡°Professor Jane Moriarty, Isaac, and¡­ Victoria Spaulding.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t ask earlier because your story was so scattered, but who is this Victoria Spaulding?¡± At this point, Holmes, for the first time in this second recounting of the client¡¯s tale, opened her mouth to ask a question. ¡°She is a student who works part-time at my mother¡¯s shop. Before I got close to Isaac, she was probably my closest friend.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ So you¡¯re saying that this student was a member of the Mock Crime Consultation Club, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I was quite surprised when she greeted me with a warm expression and offered a handshake.¡± ¡°¡­She offered a handshake, huh¡­¡± Having recounted till that point, Diana nodded and nced toward Holmes whose eyes were still closed shut, and then continued her story. ¡°After finishing the handshake with Victoria, Professor Moriarty asked me to demonstrate my mana.¡± ¡°Was that because of the special regtion written in the club announcement?¡± ¡°Yes, well¡­ I didn¡¯t have high expectations, given my orange color of hair.¡± At this point, she paused momentarily. ¡°¡­Strangely enough, it appeared. Red mana appeared when I tried to summon it.¡± She scratched her head and with her hand extended, continued her story while showing off the orange mana. ¡°I tried several times afterward, but I just couldn¡¯t reproduce that fiery; not even once.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± ¡°But at that time, it was a perfect red to my eyes. And I passed the test.¡± Watson, who had been examining the orange mana back and forth, scratched her head for a bit and then opened her mouth. ¡°It looks orange no matter how I look at it¡­¡± ¡°I know, right? I have absolutely no idea what happened. At this point, I wonder if I might have had a hallucination at that moment¡­¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a hallucination.¡± In the midst of their back and forth, Holmes interjected for the second time. ¡°Ah, please continue. I¡¯m just talking to myself.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Anyway, after that, I was assigned a rather strange role in the clubroom¡­¡± ¡°Such as blindly copying iprehensible forms, perhaps?¡± ¡°C-Correct! Did I exin that earlier? Or is it your deduction-sh-divination again?¡± ¡°¡­Please continue your story.¡± Wilson, who was looking at Holmes with sparkling eyes, cleared her throat and resumed her story. ¡°It was work unrted to crime consultation as far as I could tell, but it was still nice. I received a rather generous allowance and above all, I could see Adler for longer periods of time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°However, that small happiness ended abruptly today, as we reached the two-week mark of the club¡¯s founding, without any warning whatsoever.¡± With that, she pointed to a crumpled memo that she had previously ced on the table. Due to the personal circumstances of the club president, the Mock Crime Consultation Club will be disbanded, effective today. ¡°¡­How unfortunate.¡± Only just discovering it, a sigh escaped from Watson¡¯s mouth. ¡°Of course, I went looking for Adler everywhere. But he was nowhere to be found.¡± ¡°¡­Wait, but it could really be due to unavoidable circumstances, couldn¡¯t it?¡± Watson, as if suddenly struck by a doubt, tilted her head and threw that question after hearing out her words up to that point. ¡°You¡¯ll think differently when you see this.¡± ncing at her, Wilson then pulled something out of her pocket. ¡°Is this¡­?¡± ¡°An ult ornament?¡± What she pulled out was nothing other than an hourss, with golden sand falling downward as if emitting smoke inside the ss chambers. ¡°It¡¯s not just an ult object. You, Charlotte Holmes, must already know that magic and mysteries are no longer mere fabrications.¡± ¡°Regrettably, I have to admit that fact,¡± Holmes replied with a sigh. ¡°This clock shows the remaining lifespan of a person.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Holmes, who had been frowning at the appearance of the ult item, asked with her eyes wide open in surprise. ¡°Of course, it requires the subject¡¯s blood, among other things¡­ and external interventions could alter the fate¡­¡± ¡°Is that really authentic?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. I have one for myself as well.¡± Saying those words, Wilson took out another hourss from her pocket. ¡°There, Ms. Wilson¡¯s is almost entirely drained¡­¡± ¡°I am suffering from an unexined incurable disease.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve tried everything to cure it, even dabbling in all sorts of ult practices. But in the end, nothing worked out for me.¡± That was the moment Watson fully understood the reason why the girl before her had so easily given herself to Adler. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time left.¡± ¡°So the reason you epted Adler is, then¡­¡± ¡°¡­Well, perhaps because he broughtughter into my life? A life that had been listless every day and didn¡¯t have much time left.¡± With a forced smile on her lips, Wilson murmured those words and then pushed the sandss forward. ¡°This sandss, it was quite difficult to obtain. I don¡¯t know if it will be enough for the fee, but¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the case.¡± Before Wilson could even finish speaking, Holmes had already begun to write a receipt, tearing a page from her notebook. ¡°So we just need to find Isaac Adler and change his fate, right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°As for the payment, I¡¯ll ept these two hoursses.¡± With her mouth agape, Wilson¡¯s eyes started to well up with tears. ¡°Th-Thank¡­ Thank you¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Thank you so much¡­¡± And for a good while afterward, Wilson¡¯s tearful words of gratitude echoed throughout the walls of the boarding house. ¡°What do you make of this case, Holmes?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± As Diana Wilson repeatedly bowed her head in gratitude before taking her leave, Watson casually threw a question toward Holmes. ¡°It¡¯s rather perplexing for you as well, isn¡¯t it?¡± Hearing those words, a faint smile began to grace Holmes¡¯s lips. ¡°The cases that seem most perplexing are precisely the ones I adore the most, Watson dear¡­¡± Uttering out that line, Holmes rose from her seat and brushed her shoulders lightly as she began to stride forward. ¡°Finding a clue that leads to the truth is exceedingly difficult but once you grasp it, everything tends to unravel in an instant.¡± ¡°Are you saying¡­¡± ¡°While there are still some unresolved questions left, I think I¡¯ve definitely grasped a clue that may unravel this mystery¡­¡± And just like that, she donned her overcoat that had been hanging on the wall and pocketed a pair of handcuffs. ¡°I¡¯m nning to verify that clue now. From Wilson¡¯s residence, the pawnshop, to the academy¡ª I have many ces to visit today.¡± ¡°Uh-huh. I see.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still early morning now, so if we move quickly, we should be able to verify everything before the evening ends.¡± Saying her piece, she headed toward the door, extending a hand to stop Watson as she attempted to rise and follow her. ¡°And I¡¯m genuinely sorry¡­ but for this case, I have to handle it alone. Because this matter is¡­¡± ¡°Alright, take care Charlotte.¡± As Holmes scratched her head in an attempt to apologize to her partner, she had no choice but to scowl at the sight of Watson, wearing a content expression on her face. ¡°Why are you making that face?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t one avoid feeling overly jealous when their unrequited love seems to be straying away from them? She has such a sad story too¡­¡± ¡°Watson, I¡¯ve told you time and again that I¡­¡± ¡°Charlotte, just look at your face right now.¡± As Watson called her by her first name and pointed toward the mirror, Holmes turned her gaze in response. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± On the face of the usually cool andposed woman, a displease and slightly puffed-up expression had surfaced unknowingly. ¡°Our Charlotte is so cuuuute, right now¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°To think that the great Charlotte Holmes is being jealous. Living long enough does bring some surprising sights to you as they say. I thought for sure that you¡¯d never go through a teenage phase in your whole life.¡± ¡°Be quiet, Watson.¡± With those words, Charlotte swiftly shifted her steps toward the exit and quietly murmured to herself under her breath. ¡®¡­This time, you won¡¯t be able to run away from me, Adler.¡¯ In her grasp, the handcuffs she had picked up a short while ago were clinking busily. . . . . . Sometime after that, the day was gradually beginning to darken. ¡°Miss Holmes, it has already gotten thiste.¡± For some odd reason, Charlotte was walking the streets of London, now nketed in darkness, with her steps perfectly matching those of Isaac Adler¡ª the very person her client had been so desperately searching for. She was now closely attached to his side. ¡°How was it, conducting a cross-examination with the suspect?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± With handcuffs binding their wrists together, they had caught the attention of people throughout the day. ¡°If you found it enjoyable, would you mind finally uncuffing us, as promised?¡± It should be noted that the key to those handcuffs was not with Adler but with Charlotte instead. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 14: The Red Mana League (3) Chapter 14: The Red Mana League (3) ¡°Who could this be?¡± ¡°Hmm, oh no.¡± A few hours before the n was executed¡ª Upon the orders of Professor Moriarty, as I was investigating to uncover what Princess y was hiding from us¡­ ¡°If I had known the request would end this ndly, I would have asked for more fees from Senior Wilson.¡± By sheer coincidence, I had run into Charlotte Holmes who had received a request to find me from Diana Wilson. ¡°So, why were you lurking around the pawnshop run by my client¡¯s family?¡± Judging by her appearance, it seemed that she had just started investigating the new case. ¡°¡­This is a good opportunity.¡± I couldn¡¯t afford to miss this chance. It was a golden opportunity to elerate the growth of Charlotte Holmes in front of me by helping her out. Honestly, it was indeed a bit funny that I, of all people, was helping her but given the situation, I had no choice. In the original, Holmes solved his first case around 3 years after this age. And about 20 yearster, he used the prestige umted over the years to fiercely battle with Moriarty and narrowly secure a victory in their final confrontation. But Charlotte, although she retained the brilliant mind and deductive reasoning, she stillcked the experience and prestige that the original Holmes had. Thus, she faced a few failures in the game. And one of them was the game¡¯s first case, ¡°Red Mana League.¡± ¡°I should help her out.¡± Of course, it was an event that greatly contributed to her mental growth, but in her current state of mind¡­ there was a severely high chance that it would be game over if she were to lose this case. It was quite early but because of the appearance of an enemy who ranked at the top tier in both intelligence and power, Princess Joan y, and¡­ ¡­For some reason that I could not fathom, it seemed that Dr. Rachel Watson, whose presence often posed to be crucial in dangerous cases, was not apanying her today. ¡°¡­It¡¯s a problem if I only focus on nurturing Moriarty.¡± Only by bncing the opposing forces of the two geniuses can peace be maintained in London. But right now, Professor Moriarty was growing at a terrifying rate due to my full support. And thus, at this point where the bnce might easily be disrupted, it seemed that I need to gradually intervene and make sure to maintain the bnce. Yes, if thest case was the crime introduction scenario of Professor Moriarty, then this case would be the growth period for Charlotte Holmes. ¡°Seeing that you¡¯re silent, it seems that you¡¯re quite taken aback?¡± ¡°Miss Holmes.¡± After gathering my thoughts I spoke in a soft voice to Holmes, who was confidently smirking in front of me. ¡°It¡¯s quite the coincidence. I was also investigating this case.¡± ¡°You were investigating your own disappearance?¡± ¡°Miss Holmes, you¡¯ve already noticed, haven¡¯t you? The intricate underlying details of this case.¡± Then she asked with a curious smile, ¡°But why is someone who ims to be a criminal consultant investigating those details?¡± ¡°It seems my client is hiding something from me. So, I decided to find out.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯d be a problem if it interferes with the case.¡± Just as I was about to subtly suggest that we investigate the case together to her, she sightly furrowed her brows while tilting her head to the side and¡­ ¨C nk! I suddenly felt the cold touch of metal on my wrist. ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s investigate it together. Mr. Adler.¡± Holmes abruptly handcuffed my wrist, then cuffed her own and crossed her arms, dering those words. ¡°I¡¯m offering to hire you as my assistant for the day.¡± ¡°¡­What is this about?¡± While I was slightly pleased to receive the grand title of ¡®assistant for the day¡¯ from her, what on earth was this restraining y all about? ¡°I¡¯ve secured an aplice in the case, or perhaps a crucial witness.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t run away, even if you don¡¯t ¡®secure¡¯ me. And, don¡¯t detectivesck the authority to arrest someone?¡± ¡°You never know. Just like thest time, you might leave a note and escape leisurely without a care in the world.¡± She spoke such words with a smirk on her face, yfully shaking our cuffed wrists together in the process. ¡°And regarding the arrest, there¡¯s no issue. If anything, I¡¯ll testify that I was threatened by a mage and was taken hostage.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit much.¡± ¡°Shall we then start our investigation, Mr. Assistant for the Day?¡± With that, Charlotte Holmes and I, handcuffed together by the wrists, began walking down the busy streets under the gaze of many. ¡ºViin Maker¡» ¨C Description: Fulfilling the probability of Professor Moriarty¡¯s appearance. ¨C Progress: 15% ¡ú 17% ¡°What the fuck?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Amidst all this, why had the progress of the main quest slightly increased for seemingly no reason? ¡°But, why did youe to the pawnshop?¡± ¡°Here?¡± As Charlotte walked in sync with the detained Isaac Adler, she responded to his question. ¡°I came to meet Miss Victoria Spaulding.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Perhaps because thest time I barged into the interview room, I happened to eavesdrop on your conversation through the door¡¯s gap?¡± ¡°You managed to catch the gist, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°And she seemed quite familiar.¡± Saying so, she took out a wanted poster from her possession and waved it before him. ¡°Joan y. Thest survivor of the y ducal family, all of whose members were annihted a few years ago due to treason against the state.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s now known as the leader of a group nning the resurrection of vampires, the ¡®Red Mana League¡¯. A rather dangerous individual.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°She¡¯s currently disguised as the naive country girl, Victoria Spaulding.¡± Hearing those words, Adler widened his eyes in shock. ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re the genius girl of London. Impressive.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± ¡°How did you figure it out?¡± Charlotte raised her shoulders with a hint of pride and began to exin. ¡°When you frequently use disguises to solve cases, youe to recognize certain things about disguises themselves. Like the discrepancy between natural hair color and the hue changed artificially using mana. Or the awkwardness that arises when trying to hide one¡¯s original physique.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And always hidden behind her hair, just below her forehead, doesn¡¯t she have a white spot that looks like a scar from a burn?¡± As Adler nodded, Holmes added; as though already certain that he would agree in response to her question. ¡°Why would someone like her would do leisure work in this pawnshop for half the usual wage? It doesn¡¯t make sense, right?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°If I had to guess the reason, it would likely be the bank situated right next to the pawnshop. Maybe it¡¯s where her little organization¡¯s funds are kept, or perhaps it contains the relic that the vampires have been coveting for generations. It¡¯s thergest bank in London, after all, so there¡¯s plenty of reasons to target it.¡± Saying as such, Charlotte took out a cane from her overcoat. ¡°I came here to investigate, but¡­ the pawnshop is closed today. Well, can¡¯t be helped, I suppose.¡± Then, she lifted her cane high and murmured to herself in a confident tone¡­ ¡°But there¡¯s always a way.¡± Holmes began tapping the ground with her cane. ¡°Miss Holmes, what are you doing?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Are you doing that because you can¡¯t hear an echo from the floor?¡± After a moment of continuing her action, Holmes, who had been tilting her head soon after, was questioned in a soft voice by Adler. She merely shot him a quiet re in response before speaking. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°In truth, just tapping the ground with a cane wouldn¡¯t produce an echo. If the space below was hollow enough to echo by the mere tapping of a cane, the road would¡¯ve copsed already.¡± ¡°It could have been stabilized with mana stones.¡± ¡°If that was the case, the mana stones Miss Holmes has would have already reacted, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Upon hearing those words, Holmes stared intently at Adler. ¡°Mr. Adler, you seem to know quite a lot.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t actually. As you already know I was in charge of guarding Miss Wilson, so I¡¯m not really well-versed in the know-hows of the case.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± As Adler continued walking, Holmes followed him, lost in thought. ¡®He¡¯s not falling for it.¡¯ In truth, Holmes had tapped the ground with her cane to elicit a reaction from Adler. Unable to enter the tightly closed pawnshop, and also unable to visit the bank¡¯s security room without proper evidence¡­ Thus, the only remaining method was to observe Adler¡¯s reactions. ¡°Well, what will you do now?¡± However, all Adler did was offer a sly smile in response to her trap. ¡°Are you going to give up verifying the existence of the underground passage?¡± His expression and gaze seemed almost taunting to her. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Typical Charlotte Holmes. Even in such a situation, you still managed to determine the existence of a passage.¡± Holmes, whose eyebrows were twitching at his condescending gaze, lowered her eyes and became lost in thought. ¡°¡­I suppose I should prepare to face the vampires.¡± Watching her, Adler murmured with a look that seemed to find her adorable, before clearing his throat. ¡°If our client really is up to some nefarious scheme, we¡¯ll need toe up with a way to counteract the red mana of the vampire race¡­¡± ¡°¡­Exactly!¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± At that moment, a spark ignited in Holmes¡¯s eyes. ¡°The mana of a vampire is several times more powerful than other types of mana. However, they can¡¯t control the intensity. That¡¯s why it¡¯s easy to discern crimesmitted by vampires.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Joan y began her part-time job here just a month ago. Hence, if there¡¯s an underground passagepleted by now, it must¡¯ve been done using magic.¡± Holmes¡¯ expression began to brighten as she continued. ¡°However, the nature of the mana presents a problem. Precision control is necessary for excavation. Pouring such a massive amount of mana would likely cause the surrounding area to copse, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°But what if, as mentioned before, they used mana stones to prevent it from copsing?¡± ¡°Then when I tapped the ground with my cane, it would have resonated.¡± Holmes finished her sentence with a confident expression on her youthful face. ¡°There¡¯s no underground passage, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°Well done, Miss Holmes.¡± As she shrugged her shoulders, Adler suppressed a chuckle and patted her head, and whispered in a gentle voice¡­ ¡°Shall we move to our next destination?¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Adler.¡± Charlotte followed him, her heart fluttering like never before. ¡®¡­Wait a moment.¡¯ She suddenly realized that she was being gently patted by Adler¡¯s hand mere moments before. ¡®He imed he was unaware of the know-hows of the case.¡¯ Moreover, he had also tantalizingly dropped hints after provoking her just then. ¡®¡­It¡¯s likely that what he said was true.¡¯ Whether it was true or not, ording to Wilson¡¯s testimony, Adler had been by her side almost all day. But then, how did he know even before her that there was no underground passage? Could it be that he had deduced it even before her? ¡°Miss Holmes?¡± With a slightly flustered expression on her face, she intently stared at his retreating back and at that moment Adler¡¯s gentle voice reached her ears. ¡°What are you doing standing there? Aren¡¯t youing along?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The next riddle awaits us.¡± Adler, having said those words, shed a teasing smile at her. ¨C Thump¡­ And at that very moment, Charlotte¡¯s heart began to race like never before¡­ ¡®Is he of the same kind as me?¡¯ The look in Isaac Adler¡¯s eyes referring to the case as a ¡®riddle¡¯ was filled with joy and anticipation. And that look was strikingly simr to the excited gleam reflecting off the bank¡¯s window across the street¡ª that is, her own gaze. Thus even though their purposes might differ, there was a high probability that at their core they belonged to the same kind. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Someone she had never met before, someone she believed didn¡¯t exist in this world¡ª her true counterpart. A prime candidate for that role was smiling right in front of her. ¡®And moreover, he seems to be on par with my skills.¡¯ And this counterpart, astonishing as that may be, was an individual who had bested her at least once. ¡®¡­Perhaps even more.¡¯ No, it might even be beyond that. If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, he, just like her elder sister, had swiftly deduced the answer and subtly handed her a clue to reach that very answer. Yet, unlike her hateful sister, his approach was incredibly gentle¡­ ¨C Thump, thump¡­ Charlotte¡¯s heart began to beat even more fiercely as her thoughts reached that point. It wasn¡¯t certain yet. It could just be a coincidence, and she might encounter a less impressive show of deduction at the next location, leading to inevitable disappointment¡­ But if her hunch was correct, numerous riddles would unfold before her in the future toe. Riddles that might finally free her from the ¡®curse¡¯ of the terrible boredom and aimlessness that had tormented her since childhood. Riddles meant exclusively for her, as a detective. ¡®¡­But why is he consulting on crimes?¡¯ With her head bowed, hiding her expression from the world, Charlotte quietly followed Adler and suddenly had such a thought¡­ ¡®He seems to have a kind nature.¡¯ Her gaze rested on Adler¡¯s burned left hand, a mystery that remained unsolved to this date. ¡®¡­No.¡¯ She soon shook her head. ¡®Of course, he¡¯s not doing it for me.¡¯ Only her sister and Watson knew about her ¡®curse¡¯. Thus, there was no way for Isaac Adler to know about it, and even if he did, there was no reason for him to go to such lengths to try and solve it by sacrificing his own self. ¡®¡­Was it Professor Moriarty?¡¯ Suddenly, the image of the young female professor who had been sitting next to Adler in the office popped into Charlotte¡¯s mind. ¡®I should look into her background.¡¯ Holmes, recalling the professor¡¯s name with a frown on her face, murmured silently to herself. ¡ºViin Maker¡» ¨C Description: Fulfilling the probability of Professor Moriarty¡¯s appearance. ¨C Progress: 17% ¡ú 20% ¡°This is driving me mad, really¡­¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing.¡± A solid narrative coherence was forming in the stories of Charlotte and Jane, interlocking them in a web that was spun unknowingly by a blond-haired womanizer. . . . . . ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I felt a bit dizzy for a moment.¡± Adler, who momentarily stopped walking and gazed into space while perspiring for some reason, responded with a smile to Holmes¡¯s question. ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± Holmes murmured, harboring doubts upon seeing Adler¡¯s somewhat uneasy demeanor. ¡°¡­¡­.Ah.¡± She then remembered the events from a few hours ago and quietly slipped her hand into her pocket. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± The hourss she pulled out from her pocket was nearing its end, with only a fingernail-sized amount of sand left within. ¡°Um, I need to use the restroom.¡± Adler, who was in a daze for a while, suddenly asked Holmes with an innocent look on his face¡ª scratching his head in the process. ¡°Can you please undo the handcuff for a moment?¡± Holmes, who had been intently staring at his pale face for a while, finally spoke. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I need to stop by as well.¡± And that was the moment when Holmes¡¯ long obsession with Isaac Adler came to a start¡­ You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 15: The Red Mana League (4) Chapter 15: The Red Mana League (4) ¡°Miss Holmes. Did you really have to go this far?¡± Adler, having juste out of the restroom, sighed out loud as he spoke to Holmes. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to mention, but isn¡¯t this practically sexual harassment?¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Yet, Holmes unyieldingly pulled him by the handcuff and they began to walk the streets once again. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°There¡¯s Adler too. Have they finally caught him?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t those two juste out of the restroom?¡± Hearing the murmurs from the people surrounding them, Adler could only form a bitter smile and whispered once more into her ear. ¡°Bad rumors might start to circte because of this, Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°Bad rumors?¡± ¡°Rumors in London spread surprisingly fast, you know¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure what you¡¯re getting at, Mr. Adler.¡± Nheless, Holmes, feigning ignorance, continued to walk ahead and soon softly posed a question to him. ¡°By the way, Mr. Adler. Are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Your face looks quite pale.¡± Hearing those words, Adler touched his face and tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Do I look that way?¡± ¡°Even if we were to take the picture taken a few years ago at your mansion as aparison, it is still quite different from the one taken just a few months ago.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What caused you to be so frail in thest few months?¡± Faced with Holmes¡¯ sharp question, Adler stared at her with a taken-aback expression on his face. ¡°¡­You¡¯ve been looking at my pictures?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Adler, tilting his head and showing a cold smile on his face, posed a counter-question to Holmes. ¡°Well, because¡­¡± Holmes, intending to reply with a look that asked why he would question such a thing, suddenly lost her words. ¡°And the picture from a few years ago at the mansion? Why do you have that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Seeing her like that, Adler posed another question and then softly and soothingly said in a gentle voice. ¡°Miss Holmes; stalking is a crime.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s not what I was doing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do it next time, okay?¡± ¡°I told you, I wasn¡¯t.¡± Holmes, dodging his hand that was trying to pat her head, soon muttered to herself. ¡®He deliberately changed the topic.¡¯ Although his diversion was quite slick and hardly noticeable, he clearly and intentionally avoided talking about his physical condition. That could only mean that there was definitely something wrong with his health now. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Suddenly, the image of the hourss she had seen earlier popped into Holmes¡¯ mind, and she began to bite her lip silently. ¡®That hourss with an unclear origin¡ª it can¡¯t possibly be true¡­¡¯ ¡°Miss Holmes, we¡¯ve arrived at our destination.¡± Snapping back to reality upon hearing Adler¡¯s words, Holmes remarked in an uncertain voice, ¡°This is¡­¡± The entrance to the City & Suburban Bank now loomed in front of the duo¡­ ¡°¡­I intended toe hereter.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Holmes, realizing that she had somehow been led by Adler to this location, spoke with a slight frown on her face. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can immediately obtain from here. Only after gathering all the evidence can we head to the basement¡­¡± ¡°I see.¡± Holmes then stopped speaking. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± For some reason, Adler was looking at her with a disappointed expression on his face right now. ¡®¡­Why?¡¯ For a moment, Charlotte began to break into a cold sweat. ¡®What did I miss?¡¯ Surely, she should have been the one evaluating and being disappointed by the riddle that the blond-haired boy had prepared for her. However, seeing Adler¡¯s disappointed gaze, she realized something¡­ ¡­That she wasn¡¯t the only one capable of feeling disappointment. ¡°If that¡¯s Miss Holmes¡¯s opinion, then we¡¯lle back hereter¡­¡± Adler, the one who set the challenge for her to face, could also be sufficiently disappointed in her for not meeting his expectations. ¡°Oh, no.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°This is the right ce.¡± As that thought struck her mind, a hurried voice sprang out of Charlotte¡¯s lips. ¡°¡­The ce I intended to go.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Words that she blurted out without much thought. But there was no time for her to regret them. Having spoken those words, she had to follow through no matter what. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± She closed her eyes for a moment, her pupils darting around behind the blockade of her eyelids, and then fixed her gaze upon Adler after opening them wide. ¡°¡­Mr. Adler, you are my assistant now.¡± ¡°Temporary assistant, to be precise. But for now, let¡¯s say that¡¯s the case.¡± The gleam in her eyes seemed to indicate that she had found an answer in that brief instant. ¡°Then, please assist me when I give the signal.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll naturally know when the timees.¡± Having said that, Holmes began walking towards the counter, hiding the side of her arm that was handcuffed to Adler¡¯s arm. ¡°What can I assist you with?¡± ¡°I have something I wish to entrust to your bank.¡± The bank employee at the counter, upon hearing her words, inquired with a smile, ¡°What might our youngdy wish to deposit in our bank?¡± ¨C Swoosh¡­ Holmes then presented a ring she was wearing. ¡°Oh my, what a beautiful ring¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to deposit the ring.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Holmes, speaking in a whisper, addressed the employee who had been examining the ring from all angles. ¡°It¡¯s merely a symbol to prove who my representative is.¡± Upon hearing those words, the bank employee, who had been tilting their head to get a better look at the ring, stiffened all of a sudden. ¡°This is¡­¡± The bank employee, who had dealt with numerous high-ranking individuals while working at London¡¯srgest bank, surely would not fail to recognize the crest of the Bohemian royal family. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about impersonation. I¡¯m showing my face this clearly¡ª if it¡¯s a lie, I¡¯d face execution without a shadow of a doubt.¡± The Bohemian queen who had initially only agreed to send a photograph, eventually sent her the ring too as a token of silence the following day. ¡°By the way, does this bank have a rule or a manual of behavioral customs that allows one to make rude remarks just because they look young?¡± Holmes, presenting the high-grade ring with an embedded gemstone she usually wore as a sign of credit, began pressuring the bank employee with a smirk on her face. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I apologize¡­ but this alone cannot confirm your identity.¡± Yet, despite sweating profusely, the bank employee tried to do his due diligence. ¡°We¡¯d need at least an official document with a seal¡­¡± ¡°Would this suffice?¡± However, to the employee¡¯s surprise, Adler pulled out a folded document from his pocket, hiding its contents from his eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t show you its contents as they¡¯re ssified, but it¡¯s sealed with the queen¡¯s personal insignia, protected by magic.¡± ¡°Ah, um¡­¡± ¡°It seems like this should suffice as proof of our identity now. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Seeing the queen¡¯s seal at the bottom of the document, the employee looked absolutely dumbstruck. ¡°Uh, I will bring the bank manager¡­¡± The flustered employee quickly bowed his head and then hurried inside the chambers. ¡°Oh my, greetings, esteemed guests.¡± A momentter¡­ ¡°My apologies for the inconvenience. Hehe¡­¡± Upon receiving the call, the bank manager swiftly appeared, greeting Holmes and Adler with a bright smile on his face. ¡°So, what exactly would you like to entrust us with?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that this bank has an underground vault.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve also heard rumors that not just anyone can use it. At the very least, one has to be of royal lineage to ess the vault.¡± Upon hearing those words, the bank manager widened his eyes in surprise and questioned. ¡°How did youe to know about this¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the intelligence of the one who hired us.¡± ¡°Ah, hmm. Understood.¡± ¡°Would it be possible for us to take a look inside?¡± The bank manager, clearing his throat moments ago, responded while rubbing his hands together. ¡°I¡¯ll check the reservation list right now. Please wait a moment.¡± Upon hearing that remark, Holmes quietly whispered to Adler with a subtle smile on her face. ¡°If we can¡¯t get into the basement, we can simply be customers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Once we have valuables stored inside, we can visit at any time and even enter immediately for investigation.¡± ¡°You did well, Miss Holmes.¡± Adler began to pat her head once more. ¡°¡­Such things are merely basic.¡± Pushing Adler¡¯s hand away, Holmes muttered, her heart racing a mile a minute. ¡®This is fun.¡¯ Investigating with Adler waspletely different from any case she had ever dealt with before in her life. It felt like she was unraveling a well-crafted riddle¡ª an adventure like no other. Especially in the tense situation just now, the sense of aplishment felt when it was resolved made her whole body tremble ever so slightly in glee. The euphoria she felt was so great that she even momentarily forgot that she was beingforted by Adler. ¡°Hmm, dear customer. I have good news.¡± The bank manager, returning to a now wide-eyed Holmes, began to speak. ¡°At the moment, no one is using the basement. So, you¡¯ll be able to have the space all to yourself.¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be any thefts either. The security will be focused solely on your belongings¡­¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Hearing the remark, Holmes, uncharacteristically, showed a bewildered expression on her face. ¡°You mean there¡¯s nothing inside right now?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯spletely empty.¡± Yet, the bank manager¡¯s words kept echoing in her ears. ¡®¡­What happened?¡¯ Charlotte had deduced that Joan y¡¯s objective was something hidden in the basement of the bank. The peculiar part-time job at a pawn shop near the bank, that too under such strange conditions. When she secretly essed the interview room, just before the anti-eavesdropping spell was activated on the office, she overheard y¡¯s remark about her wish to rob London¡¯srgest bank and obtain the object that would help her lead the vampires to an age of glory. The fact that the coordinates were nearly identical to those of the underground area of the August Academy¡­ And in that ce, by taking advantage of their client¡ª Miss Wilson, intricate forms of magic circles were being inscribed. Considering all these factors, she could only conclude that y¡¯s target was this very bank¡¯s basement. ¡°Miss Holmes, you can¡¯t steal anything from an empty basement now, can you?¡± But that deduction had just been negated by what she had just learned. ¡°For your information, the n that Joan y told me about also involved infiltrating this bank¡¯s basement.¡± The soft voice of Adler from the side was driving that fact home. ¡°Our main premise has just copsed.¡± . . . . . ¡°Miss Holmes.¡± Exiting the bank, Adler began to address Charlotte. ¡°It seems like a new riddle has just emerged.¡± Hearing that remark, Holmes looked intently at Adler. ¡°Do you, Miss Holmes, perhaps know the answer to this riddle?¡± ¡°¡­And you, Mr. Adler?¡± As she posed that question, Adler shrugged and replied in a clear tone, ¡°How could I possibly know an answer that even Miss Holmes isn¡¯t aware of?¡± ¡°Liar.¡± Charlotte responded, chuckling softly to herself. ¡°You¡¯ve already realized it haven¡¯t you, Mr. Adler?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The truth of this case.¡± Adler¡¯s eyes began to shine quietly at that remark. ¡°Well then, here¡¯s the question¡­¡± As those words sprang from his lips, Charlotte¡¯s heart started to beat reflexively. ¡°Hah.¡± A brief, sarcasticugh escaped her lips. ¡°¡­Why do you react that way?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Mr. Adler.¡± A few years ago. No, just a few months earlier, if Charlotte were to look at her current self¡­ ¡­What would she think? ¡®She would have thought that my current self was drugged.¡¯ Or she might have tried to strangle the current her on the spot. But now, she had no choice but to admit it. ¡°What truly was Joan y¡¯s objective?¡± She enjoyed the riddles posed by the enigmatic man before her. ¡°¡­Joan y¡¯s goal wasn¡¯t a mere bank heist.¡± And she enjoyed answering those riddles. ¡°Diana Wilson. She was the real target from the very start.¡± Seeing Adler¡¯s expression light up upon hearing her answer was satisfying to her. ¡°From the beginning, Joan y had her eyes on Diana Wilson.¡± ¡°You¡¯re truly remarkable, Miss Holmes.¡± Afterward, she relished the genuine praise that he offered to her. ¡°You truly are the best.¡± She relished this feeling more than any other case she had solved up to now was able to offer her. ¡®If I¡¯m not careful¡­¡¯ Knowing the side effects of alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs better than anyone else, she could easily surmise. ¡®¡­I might be addicted to this feeling.¡¯ If she got too ustomed to this newfound pleasure, she would undoubtedly walk a path from which there was no return. ¡®Well, does it even matter?¡¯ But she didn¡¯t care either way. And neither did Adler. As if she had a curse on her, she was certain Adler had his own curse as well. And for each other, they were the perfect tokens and sources of amusement, capable of lifting those curses. Finding happiness in each other¡¯s destruction, wasn¡¯t it quite ironic? ¡°So, where should we go now?¡± ¡°To August Academy.¡± While quietly smiling at her own thoughts, Holmes instinctively responded to Adler¡¯s question. ¡°To be precise, we need to head to the basement dormitory of that ce.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not even surprised anymore. You¡¯re indeed remarkable.¡± Following Adler who walked ahead, Charlotte mused silently to herself, ¡®I wonder if three people can live in the boarding house.¡¯ If circumstances allowed, she thought it wouldn¡¯t be bad to take him as her assistant before they destroyed each other. . . . . . With an inexplicable chill running down her spine, Charlotte Holmes smiled and trailed closely behind me. ¡°By the way, I should mention in advance.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± As the case¡¯s conclusion drew near, I began to whisper softly to her. ¡°Solving and investigating the case, as you can see, is the role of Detective Holmes.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m well aware, Mr. Adler.¡± The lesson she needed to grasp¡­ ¡°But, you see, the job of protecting such a detective is precisely the role of an assistant.¡± To ensure she wouldn¡¯t recklessly step in and end up with a game over in the future¡­ ¡°If it bes dangerous I¡¯ll protect you by any means, Miss Holmes.¡± I promised that I would undoubtedly protect her as we approached the conclusion of the case. ¡°You understand, right?¡± Holmes seemed to have grasped what I was saying, silently nodding her head without uttering a word. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..?¡± But, what¡¯s with that hourss she was holding in her hand? ¡°¡­Mr. Adler.¡± While observing her with a tilted head, Charlotte, who had stopped in her tracks, quietly posed a question to me. ¡°Was what you just said sincere?¡± Charlotte¡¯s face bore an expression of disbelief on her face; as if she couldn¡¯t understand something. ¡°Yes, it was.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Why was she suddenly acting like this? I wondered in my head¡­ You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 16: The Red Mana League (5) Chapter 16: The Red Mana League (5) Entering August Academy was easier than expected. Of course, there were manyplications for Adler, who was skipping school without permission and Holmes who was an outsider, to enter the academy through the regr route. ¡°Still, how about we change our clothes separately?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Miss Holmes?¡± However, Adler was a genius of disguise magic and a great actor while Holmes was London¡¯s top detective with equally impressive disguise skills. ¡°Is it alright for a detective to behave like this?¡± ¡°¡­A detective is someone who teeters on the edge between legality and illegality.¡± In just a few minutes, having transformed themselves into quite ordinary-looking new students in a bathroom near the academy, they managed to divert the security guard¡¯s attention and smoothly infiltrated inside the Academy. ¡°Miss Holmes.¡± In order to prevent the idle curiosity of aspiring detectives, the two of them were holding each other¡¯s hands to hide the handcuffs binding them while heading toward the underground. ¡°You¡¯ve been looking a bit off since earlier.¡± ¡°¡­Have I?¡± In the midst of their infiltration, Adler quietly posed a question to Holmes, walking beside him. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± However, her response was noticeably colder than before. ¡°Was thement about watching over the detective as an assistant that upsetting to you?¡± ¡°Of course not, Mr. Adler.¡± Holmes then quickened her pace with a cold smile on her face. ¡°I¡¯m quite happy right now.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Adler, scratching his head while feeling that something was truly off about Holmes, soon smiled quietly. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re acting like this, but we¡¯ve finally arrived at our destination.¡± Then, Adler extended his hand, pointing forward. ¡°It¡¯s the basement where Miss Wilson has worked for over a week.¡± A dark basement where no one treaded for a long, long time. Unlike the past, when it was only covered in dust, now the floor was filled withplex forms, giving off a rather ult atmosphere. ¡°As you can see, there¡¯s quite a bit here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°This ce will likely be ourst chance to find a clue. So¡­¡± Adler, taking this scene in cautiously, stepped further inside. ¡°Huh.¡± However, he couldn¡¯t move forward any further. That was because Holmes, who had been standing beside him with the other part of the handcuffs, had stopped moving and was nowpletely immobile. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Her eyes were quietly shining in the dark. ¡°Miss Holmes?¡± When Charlotte Holmes encountered any crucial evidence, she would unconsciously fall into a kind of trance. Once in this state, the passage of time and the sensations around her would significantly slow down, and her already extraordinary cognitive abilities would amplify to their very limits. Usually, she could only enter this world by sitting in afortable chair for an extended period of time, focusing all of her senses, or utilizing the effects of hallucinations that certain stones would provide her with. However, for some reason, the current Holmes was able to deeply engross herself in that world, standing rigidly in ce. ¡°Miss Holmes. Miss Holmes¡­¡± ¨C Snore, snore¡­ Despite Adler poking her cheek with a curious expression, she showed no response. ¡°Come on, snap out of it¡­¡± However, the moment he was yfully stretching Charlotte Holmes¡¯ soft cheek¡­ ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Suddenly, she jabbed his side with a curved smoking pipe she took out from her pocket and then brought it to her mouth. ¡°¡­These aren¡¯t good for you. Especially not when your body is in a state of Mana Poisoning.¡± Adler, who was rubbing his side and getting up from the ground, snatched the smoking pipe from Holmes¡¯ hand. ¡°That¡¯s not tobo; it¡¯s a remedy for Mana Poisoning.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t call masking the symptoms of Mana Poisoning with nicotine a remedy, Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°Are you worried about me now?¡± At her question, Adler smiled brightly in response. ¡°You¡¯ve seemed quite fatigued for some reason since earlier.¡± Into Adler¡¯s line of sight came the weary look in Charlotte¡¯s eyes, perhaps from walking around all day. ¡°Given your usual health condition, you get tired easily. You should take some time off for recovery.¡± ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Adler genuinely voiced his concern, but upon hearing his words, Charlotte once again offered him a cold smile. ¡°Even for an actor, is this really the time for pretense?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°¡­Never mind.¡± With those words, Holmes started moving forward while leaning back slightly. ¡°Perhaps, I enjoyed our time together too much? Or maybe every time you posed a riddle, my heart raced.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ ttering¡­¡± ¡°I wanted to y with you a bit more.¡± With that, Holmes made her way toward the center of the basement and soon halted her steps. ¡°It seems, Mr. Adler, you wish to end this game soon?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I thought we could have a good rtionship.¡± At her remark, Adler, tilted his head while looking quite perplexed. Holmes smirked in response to that reaction of his. ¡°Well, saying this now seems pointless.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s solve the final riddle, Mr. Adler.¡± The Red Mana League case was nearing its climax. . . . . . ¡°At first, I deduced that Joan y was targeting the hidden underground vault of the bank.¡± Holmes beganying out her deductions as she stood facing Adler. ¡°I believed that the part-time job with rather suspicious conditions at the pawnshop right next to the bank was definitely for the purpose of digging a tunnel to the vault.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why you went to the pawnshop as soon as you took the case, Miss Holmes¡­¡± ¡°Yes. However, the pawnshop owner rarely came out of her house, so a different means of entering the bank was needed. That means was using the academy basement which is the ideal location for creating a teleportation magic circle.¡± ¡°So, naturally, there would¡¯ve been a need to either remove or capture Miss Wilson, who was living there?¡± As Adler nodded in agreement with his own statement, a fleeting moment of joy appeared in Holmes¡¯ eyes. ¡°I thought you were hired to capture her, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Without taking unnecessary risks, capturing her and having her draw the teleportation magic circle in the basement would simplify the matter.¡± However, she soon continued with a colder gaze and an even colder tone. ¡°But my deduction was refuted by one fact.¡± ¡°Is it because there was nothing stored in the basement of the City & Suburban Bank?¡± ¡°Yes, quoting your words, Mr. Adler, the premise was turned on its head. I was quite taken aback at first¡­¡± ¡°But once you reversed your perspective, the answer became clear rather quickly, didn¡¯t it?¡± Interrupted by Adler¡¯s whispered words, Holmes, who had been staring intently at him, nodded silently and began speaking again. ¡°Joan y¡¯s objective wasn¡¯t the basement. It was merely a diversion. Her real goal was for Diana Wilson to draw the magic circle of her own free will.¡± ¡°You mentioned that earlier. But you couldn¡¯t exin the basis for that.¡± ¡°¡­Because Icked the evidence for it.¡± Then, Adler, with a voice as gentle as a teacher questioning a student, asked her, ¡°So, now that you¡¯ve seen the evidence with your own eyes, can you exin the basis of your remark?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Holmes¡¯ response was still icy, but there was an unusual fervor in her eyes. A prodigious girl who, since her youth, grew without needing anyone¡¯s guidance or teachings thanks to her innate talent and disposition¡ª For such a prodigious girl to encounter a mentor of her own caliber for the first time, it was only natural that she couldn¡¯t easily control her emotions. ¡°I just found out about Miss Wilson¡¯s true identity.¡± Holmes spoke, watching Adler¡¯s reaction as she continued her words. ¡°She is a vampire.¡± To which, Adler merely showed a faint smile. ¡°A pure-blooded vampire at that, which is believed to bepletely extinct.¡± ¡°And your basis for that?¡± ¡°If you think about why Princess y was working part-time at the pawnshop for a meager wage, you¡¯ll understand it clearly.¡± Holmes, perhaps wanting to savor the moment for as long as possible, slowed down her speech as she continued. ¡°If she wasn¡¯t trying to dig a tunnel in the basement, then there must be some business with the owner of the pawnshop and her daughter, Miss Wilson, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Did you know that the pawnshop owner, Mrs. Wilson, hasn¡¯t gone outside her shop in thest 3 years?¡± ¡°How did youe to know that?¡± ¡°Inquiry is the basis of a detective¡¯s work. By conducting simple question and answer sessions around the crime scene, you can find out about many facts.¡± Holmes, as she spoke those words, was not filled with her usual sense of superiority and omnipotence but rather a range of different emotions, emotions that she couldn¡¯t quiteprehend. ¡°Unlike the hybrid vampires, including Lady Joan y, awakened pure-blooded vampires are fatally allergic to sunlight.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Before meeting with you, Mr. Adler, I heard testimonies from vagrants in the alleys.¡± Holmes mused over the man before her, who had deduced, anticipated, and even unraveled unexpected variables much faster than she could. There was a desire in her to be recognized by him, to work alongside him and on another note, a wish to someday surpass him. ¡°They said they¡¯ve seen the pawnshop owner sneaking out of the shopte at night.¡± ¡°That alone isn¡¯t sufficient evidence.¡± ¡°There¡¯s more evidence.¡± Even though she hade to realize what he intended to do to her in the end, she couldn¡¯t calm her emotions right at that moment. ¡°Miss Wilson mentioned during the interview that red mana sprang out of her hand. At first, I thought it was a trick by Joan y.¡± ¡°Why did you think so?¡± ¡°While talking with Miss Wilson, I could sense a faint mana stone reaction from her hand.¡± Holmes, saying so started demonstrating using a ring¡¯s mana stone, producing a faint red mana on her hands. ¡°Even as I am, I¡¯m an expert in the study and usage of mana stones. Even dayster, I can detect the traces of its usage easily.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Perhaps during the interview, when shaking hands with Princess y she must have gotten mana stone powder on her hand.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Using the mana stone powder as a medium, she remotely interfered with the mana to change its color to red. This serves as a usible excuse for Miss Wilson to join the club. Quite a convincing story, isn¡¯t it?¡± As Adler nodded, Holmes wagged her finger before speaking. ¡°But, that wasn¡¯t the case. Miss Wilson had mentioned that her mana was¡­ distinctly¡­ a zing-like red.¡± ¡°She must have said that, then.¡± ¡°It¡¯s challenging to create a zing-like red mana remotely. Even for an expert like me, it¡¯s nearly impossible to ovey it with orange mana and make it appear.¡± ¡°In that case, how was Miss Wilson able to wield the red mana?¡± ¡°That¡¯s another proof that she¡¯s a vampire.¡± Holmes, who had intensified the red mana she had been conjuring, continued her exnation. ¡°The role of the mana stone powder wasn¡¯t for mana jacking, but an amplifier.¡± ¡°You¡¯re suggesting that the vampire mana lurking inside Miss Wilson¡¯s body was amplified by the mana stone?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°But the evidence is still insufficient.¡± Then, upon hearing that remark, Holmes pulled something out of her coat. ¡°Crucially, since Miss Wilson started using the magic circle a few days ago, her health has deteriorated rapidly.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You can tell by looking at the spaces where the sand in the hourss sticks.¡± Holmes, intently examining the hourss which showed the rapidly diminishing lifespan of Miss Wilson, spoke while looking at the magic circle behind Adler. ¡°Mr. Adler, I¡¯m not a mana user, so I can¡¯t decipher that magic circle.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s truly unfortunate.¡± ¡°But if you consider the purpose of the Red Mana League, where Joan y is the leader, one doesn¡¯t need to be a mana user to guess the use of that magic circle.¡± Her breathing began to quicken ever so slightly. ¡°The goal of the Red Mana League is to usher in the era of vampires in the city of London.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Miss Wilson, being of pure vampire lineage and yet not fully awakened as a vampire, would have been the ultimate sacrifice for them.¡± Upon hearing this, Adler began to look down at Holmes with a look of admiration on his face. ¡°My mana stone ring is reacting intensely to that magic circle. From what I see, it seems a given that there¡¯s a formidable energy contained within that small circle.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°From here on, it¡¯s purely my conjecture but perhaps Miss Wilson, over the past week, unknowingly stored the powers of a vampire in that magic circle?¡± The corners of his mouth slowly began to rise. ¡°Miss y isn¡¯t someone who¡¯d arrange such an event for the good of others. The reason she approached thest pure-blooded vampire in Europe, who was living quietly and in hiding, must surely be to harness that power.¡± Her deductions were gradually approaching a conclusion. ¡°And, she¡¯ll being here soon.¡± Thus spoke Charlotte, looking straight into Adler¡¯s eyes as she whispered out herst set of words, ¡°Because you disbanded the club today.¡± ¡°How is that relevant?¡± ¡°Disbanding the club implies that Miss Wilson is no longer needed. In other words, the magic circle has beenpletely formed, hasn¡¯t it?¡± The moment those words were concluded¡­ ¡°Ah, this is truly Holmes.¡± Adler began to mumble, his face betraying relief. ¡°The problem was with the game¡¯s story, after all. The great Charlotte Holmes couldn¡¯t possibly fail to solve a single case like this.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°Damn those story department bastards! Damn them all!¡± As Holmes tilted her head in confusion at the sudden and iprehensible muttering of the enigmatic man before her, Adler, the said man, cleared his throat and spoke again, ¡°Now, it¡¯s my turn to ask questions.¡± Holmes then tilted her head to the side, as she was being inquired by Adler¡­ ¡°Why do you think I want to end this game?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t think of it as a mere game, but I¡¯m curious why you, Miss Holmes, would.¡± Once she finished speaking, Holmes replied with a sarcastic expression on her face, ¡°It¡¯s a simple fact.¡± ¡°And that is¡­¡± ¡°From the moment you promised to protect me at all costs, you secretly started casting a sleeping spell on me, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t notice because I¡¯m not a mage?¡± Adler, with widened eyes, looked utterly baffled when he heard her words. ¡°And at the same time, you had someone tailing us. Their blood lust was so palpable that it would have been impossible not to notice.¡± ¡°Someone tailing you?¡± ¡°Enough with the act, Mr. Adler. I already know that your follower has neutralized all the police I had prepared in advance.¡± The umted power of the barrage of sleeping spells slowly began forcing Holmes¡¯ eyes to close. ¡°I had hoped for some twist, but it seems there isn¡¯t one in the end.¡± ¡°Wait, just a moment¡­¡± ¡°Turns out, you were just another ordinary criminal after all.¡± Holmes, who was stumbling due to the effects of the spell, lost her bnce and started to fall. In a hurry, Adler caught her in his arms. ¡°Even though it wouldn¡¯t be a conventional rtionship, I thought we could still have a good one.¡± ¡°Listen¡­¡± ¡°I even considered hiring you as an assistant.¡± Holmes, gazing up at Adler with half-closed eyes, retorted bitterly, ¡°But to you, I was nothing more than a toy to be enjoyed and then discarded.¡± As she finished those words, Holmes¡¯ eyes fully closed. ¡°¡­I¡¯m truly disappointed, Mr. Adler.¡± At thest word she managed to utter before losing consciousness, Adler¡¯s expression became vacant. ¨C Squeak¡­ The basement door opened, and someone stepped inside the room. ¡°Well done, Mr. Adler.¡± The client of the case, Lady Joan y, approached them with a captivating smile on her face. ¡°I had to get rid of an obstacle, I hope that¡¯s alright with you?¡± Adler¡¯s features began to subtly contort in displeasure after seeing Lady y. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Charlotte Holmes, limp and drained of strength,y cradled in Adler¡¯s embrace. To any onlooker, she unmistakably appeared to be unconscious. ¡®¡­Good.¡¯ Yet, astonishing as it may be, she was murmuring internally despite her seemingly unresponsive state. ¡®Everything is going as nned.¡¯ What Charlotte had puffed from the smoking pipe she had prodded into Adler¡¯s side a few minutes ago wasn¡¯t actually tobo at all. What she had inhaled was none other than a mana gas that was able to induce a trance-like state. Before she could fall under the sleeping spell, Charlotte had intentionally intoxicated herself with the gas, cing herself into this trance. ¡®The opportunity will surelye.¡¯ This versatile mixture she had stumbled upon during her mana research had been frequently used by her¡ª she had even used it when she had disguised herself as a nun and feigned death during the Scandal of the Bohemian Queen case. Of course, back then, she had consumed it in the form of a pill, which meant she couldn¡¯t awaken her bodily senses onmand. However, after the fire incident at that time and through repeated research, she was sessfully able to develop an improved version that fixed the inability to awaken her bodily senses. Now, with just a bit more time, she could awaken and move about whenever she wished. ¡®I¡¯ll have to time it right, waiting for Lady Joan y to absorb the mana from the magic circle.¡¯ Even for a vampire, there¡¯s an inherently vulnerable period they would go through when absorbing such an immense power. If she could exploit that moment to strike, she could subdue her much more easily than anticipated. ¡®Next up is Isaac Adler.¡¯ If thates to pass, victory would be hers. Though Isaac Adler was a mage and his intelligence matched her own, hisbat abilities were ratherckluster inparison. Moreover, she had simted countless battle scenarios with Adler in her mind. In any given situation, she believed she could win. ¡®¡­It¡¯s a pity.¡¯ As Charlotte sorted through her thoughts and steadied her mind, a sudden realization dawned upon her. ¡®The reason your hourss is almost empty is because you¡¯re destined to lose by my hands, in this very ce.¡¯ Any aplice to a vampire, regardless of their status, faced execution. Aw, though old and forgotten by many, still existed. ¡®If you were going to introduce me to such excitement and then abandon me, you should have just let me die in the mes that day.¡¯ As she thought how delightful it would have been had he considered her a source of long-term entertainment, she began to tune in to the conversation that had started to drift into her ears. ¡°Were you following us the entire time?¡± ¡°I gave you the task, but if you¡¯re seen with a girl like that, I can¡¯t help but be concerned.¡± A mere few minutester, she could hardly imagine the expression she would be making. . . . . . ¡°Why did you use the sleeping spell? Isn¡¯t it just like poisoning? It¡¯s not good for the one who is affected.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± As the question was posed with a hint of anger in my voice, Princess y standing in front of me, cocked her head to the side. ¡°I was going to kill her anyway. What does it matter?¡± ¡°¡­Kill her?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to taste blood once I became a pureblooded vampire. I may not like being deprived of mana, but I can¡¯t harm you because of our contract, can I?¡± Hearing those words, it felt like the thread of reason had snapped inside my mind. ¡°I¡¯ve put the police who were waiting outside to sleep. No one will being here for a while. ¡°Anyway, I intended to exin my real n, but it seems you have already figured it out on your own.¡± Gathering my wits, I realized I was speaking to her in a cold tone, ¡°As soon as your purpose was revealed, you requested a decoy mission to use my talents to rob a bank. This not only diverted our attention, and that of the detectives, but also allowed you to exploit the situation to obtain Miss Wilson¡¯s powers.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°You truly are deserving of the title of the fourth smartest woman in London.¡± Upon hearing that, Princess y furrowed her brows and responded. ¡°Fourth¡­? What do you mean by¡­¡± ¡°But you see¡­¡± I had no intention of letting her continue. ¡°You made two grave errors.¡± ¡°I might not know what you¡¯re referring to, but it¡¯d be wise not to step on that magic circle.¡± Approaching me with those words, Princess y said in a soft voice. ¡°It¡¯s not something a mere mortal like you can handle. If you even touch it by mistake, you¡¯ll be on borrowed time.¡± Facing her, I responded in a calm tone. ¡°Firstly, you didn¡¯t trust our criminal advisory service and used it at your own discretion.¡± ¡°¡­Did you even listen to what I said?¡± ¡°Secondly¡­¡± Quietly taking off my outer garment, I wrapped it around Charlotte who was nestled in my arms. ¡°How dare you, without understanding the gravity of your actions,y your hands on the hope of London.¡± The price for carelessly messing with my favorite character would be quite excruciating, to say the least. ¡°You really think Holmes is someone you can handle?¡± Finishing that thought and taking a step forward, my foot which touched the magic circle, started to burn as it was engulfed in a fiery red mana. ¡°You fool.¡± Princess y began to scoff after seeing my condition. ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve grown attached to that little one, haven¡¯t you?¡± She said that without even considering the thought of retaliation, merely sitting on a nearby chair and crossing her legs. ¡°Forgetting about the contract and risking your life, it¡¯s trulyughable.¡± It was understandable why she would react that way. Having a mana of a golden hue ¨C a color that was the opposite of her own, the adversary who could potentially be a threat to her ¨C and willingly jumped onto the path of my death by stepping on the magic circle¡ª How amusing this scene must have been for her¡­. ¡°I had no choice.¡± However, there was one thing she didn¡¯t know. ¡°In order to protect the most precious thing, sometimes one must risk their own life.¡± That I was the very being who had designed the magic system of this world. ¡°Remember this deeply in your heart.¡± It was time to show the arrogant vampire the greatness of the Creator of Magic. . . . . . ¨C Shiver¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡­?¡± But why had Charlotte, nestled in my embrace, been shivering since a while ago? It was bing worrisomely concerning to see her in this state. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 17: The Red Mana League (6) Chapter 17: The Red Mana League (6) ¡°How foolish.¡± Looking at the man in front of her, Joan y murmured to herself. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more important than life.¡± The magic circle under Adler¡¯s feet emitted a zing red mana, akin to mes, engulfing his entire body. The idiot in front of her probably thought that by obtaining that power, he would be able to defeat her. ¡°What a delusion.¡± However, the power in front of her wasn¡¯t something mere humans were capable of handling. In a few seconds, that foolish man would probably disappear without a single trace. Including the girl who had been cautiously nestled in his arms. ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± But several seconds, no, tens of seconds had already passed¡­ The event she was waiting for did not ur. ¨C Ssshh¡­ The burning red mana that seemed to have engulfed Adler before had now stabilized before she even knew it, and was being absorbed into his body without any issues. ¡°You, you¡­¡± ¡°Why are you doing this, Princess?¡± ¡°What have you done?¡± No matter how much she thought about it, it was simply impossible. Even for vampires, obtaining the powers of a pureblooded vampire was something they risked their lives for. And even then, sessful cases were extremely rare. If mere humans were able to aplish such a feat, countless vampires wouldn¡¯t have lost their lives over the centuries, coveting this power. ¡°I am fulfilling Princess y¡¯s request.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°To resurrect a pureblooded vampire in this world. Aren¡¯t I directly receiving the powers?¡± Yet, the man before her was making the impossible possible. Even if Princess y was exceptionally intelligent, this was a realm she couldn¡¯t possiblyprehend. ¡°How could¡­ a mere human possibly¡­¡± ¡°Princess.¡± Adler, who was stepping into that realm, whispered softly to her. ¡°Did you really think I wouldn¡¯t know?¡± Hearing those words, the Princess¡¯ expression turned into one of disbelief. ¡°How many times have I had the opportunity to observe the magic circle till now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a magic circle that a mere human mage could understand just by looking at it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Even our kind couldn¡¯t fullyprehend it.¡± A smile appeared on the corner of Adler¡¯s mouth. ¡°So that¡¯s why¡­ The reason the magic circle looked like that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The meaningless intricate structure. The antiquated loops unnecessarily consuming the capacity. Codes that were hastily patched in every time there was an error, including the syntax.¡± Princess y¡¯s eyes widened at the uttering of those words. ¡°It¡¯s only natural for it to overload when the design itself is wed, to begin with.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­ you modified this magic circle?¡± ¡°To be precise, I optimized it. With its current state, even a passing ant could quite easily be turned into a vampire.¡± Sweat began to stream down her forehead at that remark. ¡°The structure and characters of magic are still being deciphered in academic circles.¡± ¡°If I were to be the creator of the magic system that is being so painstakingly deciphered, would you believe me?¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± Although she responded that way, deep down she had begun to realize something. The man smiling before her seemed to be familiar with thews of the magical system that no one had ever managed to uncover. No, it wasn¡¯t just a level of understanding. He had quite literally mastered it and made it his own. ¡°¡­When did you notice?¡± She, who had never felt threatened in her life, bit her lip as an unfamiliar sense of danger washed over her being. Soon after, she posed the question in a quiet and heavy tone. ¡°To be honest, I wasn¡¯t certain about what n you were devising. But I knew the true nature of that insubstantial magic circle.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying you knew everything all along.¡± ¡°Did I?¡± Princess y quietly observed Adler, who merely chuckled in response. ¨C Krrrrack¡­! In the next moment, the red mana she had been umting in her hand since she asked her question blew toward Adler like a gust of wind. ¡®He may have considerable intelligence and knowledge, but he¡¯s still human. In terms of raw power, I am significantly ahead of him.¡¯ Watching Adler extend his hand forward with a slightly troubled expression, Princess y murmured to herself, ¡®That means I still have the upper hand¡­¡¯ ¨C Zzzzzz¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± However, when she suddenly witnessed the deep grey hued mana bursting out of the magic circle and calmly swallowing her red mana, she was at a loss for words. ¡°You had nted the Professor¡¯s mana in advance, hadn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡­ anticipated it to this extent?¡± There couldn¡¯t have been another person other than Adler with the intellect and knowledge to meddle with the ancient magic circles. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± This too, was probably something Adler had pre-calcted. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s just say that for now.¡± Seeing Adler scratching his head with an inexplicably flustered look on his face, Princess y¡¯s expression slowly twisted. ¡°Damn it.¡± The tranquil grey mana contained within the magic circle, which seemed to devour everythinging into contact with it. It quite literally looked like a tangible form of death itself. That daunting barrier seemed imprable, even if she poured out all her strength into it. ¡°¡­Wait.¡± Given the circumstances, Princess y had only one option left to take. ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal.¡± Upon hearing that, the corners of Adler¡¯s mouth began to rise quietly. ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡± . . . . . ¡°¡­What did you say?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see why I should make a deal with you in this situation.¡± Faced with Adler¡¯s response, she momentarily felt at a loss for words. ¡°Are you asking because you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Yes, I truly don¡¯t understand, Princess y.¡± Even though she inquired with a tilted head, Adler simply looked back at her with a genuinely puzzled expression on his face. ¡°Assuming you manage to fully integrate that power. Still, as long as you¡¯re human, you can¡¯t avoid living on borrowed time at best, can you?¡± Even if he sessfully improved the magic circle and safely took the power into his body, the fact that he would be living on borrowed time wouldn¡¯t change. What he had managed to achieve was, at best, containing the power within his body without overloading it. However, even if one manages topletely house the power inside, a human body cannot bear the burden of having the ability to subdue all vampires. ¡°It might not be today or tomorrow¡­ but you¡¯ll die within a few months, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine with me.¡± Yet, the man before her seemed strangely indifferent to such a fate. ¡°My body is already in tatters. Such matters don¡¯t really concern me.¡± His confidence was baffling, but I soon realized the reason. ¡®¡­Was he dying from the start?¡¯ Upon closer inspection, his body alreadycked vitality. It was as if he was beyond caring, even if death was imminent to him. ¡°I¡­I can heal you.¡± Suddenly, she found herself speaking in an urgent tone. ¡°Transfer the power to me. You can still do it. In return, I¡¯ll take you under my wing and grant you immortality.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t trust me, let¡¯s make a pact. Your specialty is contract magic after all.¡± Growing anxious, she could feel that over half of the power had already transferred to him. If they were to dy any longer, it might be irreversible. Throughout her life, she had been preparing for this very moment, and she couldn¡¯t let it all go to waste just like that. ¡°I decline.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you half of London.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± ¡°Fine. Not just London¡­ I¡¯ll give you all of Ennd.¡± ¡°No matter how many times you ask, my answer will remain the same.¡± Thus, she began to speak in a tone of despair, setting aside even her pride and practically begging. However, Adler simply shook his head in response to her pleading. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Are you asking about what I desire?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you whatever you need. Ask as many times as you wish. Even if it seems impossible, I¡¯ll make sure you get it¡­¡± She, who had been droning on with a hollow voice, stopped speaking upon seeing his serene smile. ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t need anything.¡± It was then that I suddenly realized why he remained impervious to any form of temptation. ¡°You already have it, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The thing most precious to you.¡± The girl with short raven-ck hair, who was asleep and nestled in Adler¡¯s embrace, now came into the Princess¡¯ view. ¡°But, I just don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°What don¡¯t you understand?¡± ¡°Does that girl truly hold that much value to you?¡± Seeing this scene, her anger surged momentarily. ¡°Worthy of trading most of your remaining life for her?¡± What value could that self-important, yet iplete girl possibly possess? ¡°Worthy enough to bear a horrific curse that would haunt you until yourst breath, even if by some chance you were able to survive through it?¡± What kind of man, capable of easily ruining a lifelong n, would risk his life so intensely to protect someone like that? ¡°While you might not die because you¡¯re human, from now on, you¡¯ll experience unbearable pain under the sun.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you go even a day without drinking blood, your body will twist in agony, and as a human wielding such power, symptoms of mana poisoning will spread throughout your body.¡± After uttering that line, she looked for a reaction from Adler, but he simply looked back at her with an undisturbed expression on his emotionless face. ¡°So, won¡¯t you change your mind even now?¡± ¡°Heh.¡± ¡°Kill that girl who discovered our n and hand over the power, Adler.¡± There was no other way now. It was time for her to use thest resort. ¡°I offer myself in exchange.¡± Upon hearing this, Adler tilted his head. ¡°Be mypanion. Let¡¯s form an equal rtionship and together, rule the world.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking.¡± It might have sounded like a desperate plea, but there was considerable merit to the idea. ¡°With the power of the Pureblooded Vampire I wille to control stably,bined with your intelligence and magical knowledge, we can dominate not just Europe, but the entire world.¡± Perhaps this offer might just work out for both of them. The man before her wasn¡¯t a fool to miss out on the chance to control the entire world just for the sake of a single woman. ¡°No¡­¡± She was certain that he would be able to see through the merit of her proposition as well. ¡°It¡¯s a pity it hase to this but I will still decline.¡± However, he really was a fool in the end. ¡°Our time has run out.¡± The once red-illuminated magic circle cooled, and for a brief moment, the man¡¯s eyes in front of her turned blood-red before reverting back to its usual state. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The power she had pursued her entire life was now entirely his. ¡°You damned fool.¡± Her legs gave out and she had no choice but to slump to the ground. Looking up at the approaching man with a loathsome gaze on her face, she spoke. ¡°To think you¡¯d throw away a chance to own the world, all for just one woman.¡± ¡°Well, what can you do, huh?¡± He responded with a slight chuckle on his face. ¡°There are things in this world, that even if everything were offered in exchange, cannot be reced.¡± She was at a loss for words at that remark. ¡°Doesn¡¯t everyone have at least one such irreceable thing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a breach of contract.¡± Clutching onto her veryst hope, she mumbled in a faint voice. ¡°What breach are you talking about? After all, the pureblooded vampire has been revived, and under mymand, the vampires will be active once again. Isn¡¯t that the Princess¡¯ goal as well?¡± ¡°I¡­ I am not satisfied with this oue.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± If she wasn¡¯t satisfied, then the absurd terms of the contract where he would be my subordinate would¡­ When she had first drafted this use, she believed that he desired to be the Princess¡¯ possession. ¡°¡­Joan, if you wish to work under me, you¡¯ll need to learn to ept defeat gracefully.¡± But that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. ¡°How dare you. I am of royal blood, a Princess¡­¡± ¡°A fallen duchess, at most. Perfect to be made into a ve.¡± From the very beginning, the loathsome boy had intended to have her under his control. ¡°How¡­ how dare¡­¡± ¡°If you keep this up, I won¡¯t give you any blood.¡± ¡°¡­.Stop.¡± Being a half-blooded vampire, she could no longer resist him¡ª now that he possessed the power of a pureblooded vampire. Even if he was a mere human with not much life left in him. She was already about to faint from the scent of the blood coursing through his veins. ¡°Oh, what did you say back then?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Right, that¡¯s what it was¡­¡± Adler, taking off the red ring that was on her finger, slid it onto his own and then extended it toward her. ¡°Kiss it.¡± Then, he repeated the words she had once said to him. ¡°And, make the oath of a servile demon.¡± Though she tried with all her might to back away from the loathsome man, she only found herself kneeling before him. ¡°Stop.¡± The coldness of the ring and the warmth of his finger touched her lips and tongue soon after. ¡°Well done.¡± As he began to gently stroke her head, a tingling sensation started spreading throughout her body. The overwhelming desire to dominate that filled her mind was reced by the pleasure of being caressed by the boy¡¯s hand. ¡®¡­I didn¡¯t want to know of this feeling.¡¯ She wanted to leap up immediately and pierce his heart with her magical powers. ¡°From now on, you are my servant.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± But contrary to such feelings, her body was already fully obedient to him. ¡°Now, drink.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Though she tried to resist in any way possible, the moment his finger entered her mouth¡­ She found herself tightly closing her eyes and biting down on it. ¡°Good.¡± With a metallic taste, his blood began to spread throughout her mouth. ¨C Sssss¡­ And at that very moment, a golden seal began to engrave on her stomach. ¡®No¡­¡¯ ¡°Since you¡¯ve awakened by drinking my blood, I can¡¯t simply let you be.¡± Yet, as she sucked on his intoxicatingly sweet blood with a dazed look in her eyes, he mumbled, looking intently down at the Princess. ¡°I might have to keep you in the ring for a while.¡± Then Adler pointed the ring at the Lady. ¡°It might be cramped and ufortable, but you¡¯ll understand, right?¡± ¡®How dare he¡­¡¯ ¡°Still, continuously carrying you around in this ring doesn¡¯t seem quite right.¡± His words, treating her as though she were an object, made anger rise in her chest. But¡­ ¡°Soon, I¡¯ll adopt a red cat, it seems¡­¡± Despite this, her body, which had been greedily sipping his blood, was trembling with pleasure until the veryst moment when it began to be pulled into his ring. ¡°Just wait inside for a while.¡± ¡®This is the worst.¡¯ That was the moment Princess Joan y became the possession of Isaac Adler. . . . . . ¡°¡­Sigh.¡± After a while, the vibrations of the red-glowing ring began to gradually subside. Only then did I exhale a deep breath and slump to the ground. ¡°Somehow, I¡¯ve won.¡± For now, with no other ce to hide her, I¡¯ve sealed her inside the ring. But since we have a familiar contract, I can call her out whenever I wish. There were quite a few twists and turns here and there, but in the end, I sessfully obtained Joan y. ¡°It¡¯s a relief¡­¡± Thankfully, Charlotte Holmes was unharmed. I was sessful inpletely preventing the unfortunate events that urred in the original game. ¡°Truly¡­ a relief¡­¡± Perhaps it was due to the overwhelming sense of relief, but my eyes began to droop. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± It would be problematic if I fell asleep now. I tried to shake off the drowsiness, but it seemed too much for my body. ¡®¡­Considering everything, this isn¡¯t so bad.¡¯ If my current physical condition wasn¡¯t under such unique circumstances¡­ If there weren¡¯t secrets hidden within Adler¡¯s mana¡­ I might have been in grave danger right now. ¡®With Holmes in a slumber, maybe I should also take a short rest¡­¡¯ As I thought about this fact and tried to close my eyes for a moment, a strange sight began to unfold before me. ¡°¡­¡­¡­?¡± ¡®Am I dreaming right now?¡¯ Charlotte Holmes, who should have been asleep due to the sleeping spell, was standing before my half-lidded eyes for some reason. ¡®Ah, it must be a dream.¡¯ Thus, after a brief moment of confusion, I soon smiled gently and closed my eyes. ¡®¡­That Charlotte Holmes wouldn¡¯t ever make such a face.¡¯ Although it was merely a teary face of hers within a dream, it felt like a sufficient reward for everything that I had done. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 18: The Red Mana League (7) Chapter 18: The Red Mana League (7) ¡°¡­.Hmm?¡± Adler, who was lying on the floor, frowned and got up from his ce. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Then he wiped the damp corners of his mouth with his arm. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± A red liquid could thus be seen smeared on his arm. ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes?¡± Upon realizing that the liquid was someone¡¯s blood, Adler looked surprised and was able to immediately notice Holmes sitting in front of him. ¡°What is that wound?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you fed me your blood?¡± Only after discovering the wound that was trickling blood from her arm did Adler understand what had transpired. ¡°Miss Holmes, human blood isn¡¯t brandy.¡± ¡°To you, it¡¯s as good as brandy now, isn¡¯t it?¡± Holmes, who had been wearing a somber expression on her face, responded to his dull voice. ¡°You¡¯ve be a vampire, after all.¡± ¡°¡­You noticed, I see.¡± Adler then scratched his head and spoke with an awkward smile on his face. ¡°I suppose I got bitten while subduing Princess y?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°But don¡¯t worry. I managed to seal her inside here after all.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Holmes then posed a question as Adler shook the red ring that was on his finger. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡± ¡°Miss Holmes?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you can¡¯t perform magic. You could have easily lifted the sleeping spell I was under.¡± Her piercing gaze was directed at Adler. ¡°We could have fought together, exnations could have waited. But why didn¡¯t you¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking as if you don¡¯t know?¡± Adler pointed at her as he answered; as if his actions were obvious from the start. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? Protecting the detective is the assistant¡¯s job.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°And as anyone can see from those eyes of yours, Miss Holmes, you¡¯re currently in a severe state of mana poisoning. If you engaged inbat with a formidable opponent like Princess y, you would undoubtedly overuse your magic stones. That would surely endanger your life¡­¡± ¡°In the end, it¡¯s my fault again.¡± ¡°¡­Again?¡± Only then did Adler read Holmes¡¯ expression and wore a look of concern as a result. ¡°Are you alright, Miss Holmes?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be asking you that, Mr. Adler?¡± However, she dodged his concerned look and threw the question back at him. ¡°Your life is going to be difficult now that you¡¯ve be a vampire.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s fine.¡± Adler then spoke with a buoyant smile on his face. ¡°Anyway, my body isn¡¯t normal as is. It¡¯s practically a corpse, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± Upon hearing those words, Charlotte¡¯s eyes shook violently. ¡°And my mana is a bit special, you see. So there shouldn¡¯t be any problem.¡± With that, Adler took her hand, stood up, and spoke again. ¡°So don¡¯t worry. At this point¡­¡± However, in the middle of speaking, his hand began to tremble weakly. ¨C Drip¡­ The red blood still trickling down Holmes¡¯ arm was reflected in Adler¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­If you want to drink, then drink.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Charlotte, who had been watching him keenly, weakly extended her arm toward him. ¡°If you want, take it all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡®If it could extend your life, even just a little.¡¯ Charlotte lowered her head, unable to voice thatst thought. ¡°¡­Miss Holmes.¡± Caught in an overwhelming impulse while holding her arm, Adler clenches his eyes shut and responded. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Then Adler, turned away while wobbling. ¡°Life extended by your blood is not worth having.¡± He, who nced back at her, added with a pale smile on his face. ¡°And besides, I won¡¯t die.¡± He then took the lead and began to walk forward. ¡®¡­A lie.¡¯ Holmes, who was still handcuffed to him, followed behind with faltering steps and suddenly took out an hourss from her pocket. ¡®You¡¯re going to die soon.¡¯ The golden hourss, now half-filled with red sand, was still trickling down. ¡®¡­Because of me.¡¯ . . . . . Some timeter¡ª ¡°Miss Holmes, it¡¯s already thiste.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°How was your cross-examination with the suspect?¡± In the darkened streets of the dawn-lit London. ¡°If you¡¯re having fun, how about you finally unlock these handcuffs?¡± Adler, who had been walking in sync with Charlotte, who still had her head bowed, spoke up in a sharp tone. ¡®¡­I was wrong.¡¯ But she was too deep in thought to hear him out. ¡®It¡¯s all because of me.¡¯ Isaac Adler had never considered her as a ything or a mere object for his amusement. Rather, it was Charlotte who had misunderstood him as a form of amusement. And the price of that arrogant misunderstanding was the life of a man who had not much time left in this world¡ª a man who had chosen her over everything else in the world. ¡°Miss Holmes, why have you been acting like this since earlier?¡± The man, whose condition had worsened thanks in part to her, was even holding back his vampiric urges, worried for her health. ¡°If you can¡¯t hold back and just want to attack, I¡¯m confident I can give you all my blood willingly.¡± ¡°You have a good sense of humor.¡± And that made Charlotte feel even worse. ¡°As I said earlier, I¡¯d rather not harm you¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± And at the moment when her agony surpassed its threshold. ¡°Why do you go so far for me?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± The young girl waved the white g and asked. ¡°Why did you risk your life to save me from the mes back then?¡± The girl, who had always considered solving puzzles on her own as the only pleasure in life¡­ ¡°Why did you risk your life to protect me from the vampires?¡± For the first time, demanded the answer to the greatest puzzle of her life. ¡°Why on earth can you do so much for me; someone who is your enemy?¡± And upon being asked for the answer, the one imprinted on her heart as that man readily delivered¡­ ¡°For a riddle that even Miss Holmes can¡¯t solve, the answer is quite simple.¡± As if he had been waiting for this moment all along, he looked at her softly and replied in a gentle voice. ¡°Because I love you.¡± And then silence descended on the streets. In the fogden streets of the night, empty of people, the gazes of the boy and girl met. ¡°It can¡¯t be that simple.¡± Charlotte¡¯s voice broke through the ufortable silence, echoing through its stillness. ¡°How could you possibly have a problem with the straightforward answer that I happened to fall in love with you at first sight, and that feeling remains unchanged to this day?¡± ¡°The answer to a riddle I couldn¡¯t solve can¡¯t possibly be just that.¡± Having said that, she mumbled with a confused look in her eyes. ¡°It can¡¯t be that you could do all that just for that reason. You must want something from me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°You have a curse too, don¡¯t you? Your ultimate goal is to lift that curse. Or else, even this very moment is part of some n of yours¡­¡± ¡°I do have an ultimate goal I¡¯m pursuing.¡± Adler chimed in. ¡°See, you eventually are¡­¡± ¡°But the reason I¡¯m pursuing that goal is because of you.¡± ¡°You are¡­¡± ¡°From the very beginning, the reason I came here and have been going through this insane ordeal withoutint is, in a way, because I liked you a bit too much.¡± Adler, wearing a smile on his face, whispered in a soft voice to Charlotte, who was at a loss for words. ¡°Love is like that, Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Love is not logical. It¡¯s not rational. It utterlycks coherence.¡± The dim moonlight breaking through the fog reflected in Adler¡¯s eyes, illuminating them in their gentle hue. ¡°It¡¯s natural that you, who are virtually the embodiment of all those things, would find it difficult to understand.¡± As Charlotte remained silent, Adler, sensing her mood quietly added, ¡°But you don¡¯t necessarily have to understand.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because it wasn¡¯t done out of a desire for understanding. It¡¯s simply my unteral feeling.¡± Then, Adler quietly shook his arm still bound by the handcuffs. ¡°I¡¯m confessing for the first time in my life, and now I feel like hiding in a mouse hole.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So would you kindly unlock these for me?¡± Holmes, who had been staring nkly at him, took out a key from her pocket and unlocked the handcuffs. Adler rotated his wrist and waved as he turned around. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about your client, Miss Wilson. I have a solution for her situation.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± Watching his retreating figure, she hurriedly spoke¡­ thinking that if not now, she might not get another chance. ¡°Please be my assistant.¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± But before she could even borate, a resolute voice of refusal reached her ears. ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°Miss Holmes.¡± The moonlight that had been captured in his eyes dimmed, losing its luminosity as it became obscured by the fog of the city. ¡°I am a viin.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s about the Professor, I¡¯ll deal with her. So¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already realized that it¡¯s not just about her, and you¡¯re not currently in a state to beat her either.¡± At the sound of his voice, different from what she had heard before, Charlotte¡¯s gaze began to waver as she closed her mouth again. ¡°Soon enough, this London will be steeped in a deep shade of dull grey.¡± To her, Adler asked in a gentle voice, ¡°Can you really stop that from happening?¡± A heavy silence hung between them. ¡°¡­Then I¡¯ll see you soon with the next mystery, Miss Holmes.¡± Having said all he wanted to convey, Adler gave a slight bow and began to walk away. ¡°Let¡¯s enjoy this together, as far as my power can reach, that is.¡± As the thick fog slowly obscured his retreating figure, an atmosphere of destion returned to the streets once more. . . . . . Left alone, Charlotte stood in silence in the street for a considerable amount of time afterward. Something extraordinary happened to her not long after he left. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± The first negative oue was brought about by her actions. The man¡¯s confession that targeted her. Along with it, the ominous challenge he had left behind. A tangled web of emotions and thoughts derived from these events surfaced, revealing an oue that no one could have foreseen. ¨C Rooooaaar¡­ The dark mana, which should have manifested only in the final stages of the game, yearster, was faintly emanating from Charlotte Holmes¡¯ body. Whether this darkness would swallow the faint light seen in the distant man or be a mere shadow consumed by that light¡ª no one knew. ¡°¡­Watson would probably faint if she saw this.¡± However, the most significant change was not that. ¡°Or maybe she would tease me about it for a lifetime.¡± From that day on, the grey hues of Charlotte¡¯s eyes began to slowly transform, taking on the color of someone¡¯s hair that had now beenpletely obscured and disappeared into the fog. ¡ºLove-Hate Rtionship¡» Chapter 1 ¨C Complete You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 19: Conclusion Chapter 19: Conclusion ¡°Holmes?¡± Late at night, when the door to 221B Baker Street opened, Watson, who had been dozing off on the sofa, lifted her head. ¡°Why have youe home sote?¡± Watson, after checking the clock while rubbing her eyes, posed the question to Holmes. However, Holmes just silently passed by her and took a seat in her armchair. ¡°Did you solve the case?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± In response to Watson¡¯s sessive questions, she answered in a soft voice. ¡°Even though our dear Holmes has solved the case, why does she look like that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I think we might need a doctor¡¯s examination.¡± Noticing that something was amiss, Watson switched on themp and approached Holmes. ¡°Hmm.¡± After a brief pause, Watson examined Holmes, who was absentmindedly seated in the armchair. ¡°Holmes, what the hell happened today?¡± ¡°¡­Do you want to know?¡± ¡°Seeing your current state, I definitely need to hear it.¡± At her words, Holmes lowered her gaze silently and began her tale. ¡°I made a mistake while solving the case.¡± ¡°You made a mistake? What on earth¡­¡± ¡°And that mistake left an indelible scar on a young man.¡± Watson was about to speak, but instead, she closed her mouth and continued to listen intently to Holmes. ¡°Probably for the rest of his incredibly short life, that scar will consume him whole. And I will have to watch it happen until the very end.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Because he stands against me, we are bound to sh eventually. Either I win or the side he belongs to does. Whichever it is, the fate of London will be decided on the day of the final verdict.¡± Holmes¡¯ eyes gleamed softly under the light of themp. ¡°But the problem is, he¡¯s in love with me.¡± In her eyes, there was a hint of confusion¡ª something she had never felt before in her life. ¡°Watson, I can¡¯t possibly understand why.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no apparent reason or usible cause for him to love me. It¡¯s neither rational nor logical.¡± Holmes was candidly pouring out these feelings to Watson, her only friend in this world. ¡°For the past few days, no matter how hard I think about it, I am not able to understand the rapid changes in situations and emotions that surround me.¡± Saying so, she frowned slightly, pouring out her grievances to her. ¡°Is that why? My chest feels heavy, and sometimes it churns severely. Irritation rises for no reason and I feel on edge.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably because I¡¯ve been overthinking. Watson, if it¡¯s okay I¡¯d like to get a prescription for these symptoms¡­¡± Then Holmes trailed off suddenly. ¡°¡­Why are you staring at me like that, Watson?¡± It was because Watson was looking at her with a smile on her face; as if she had finally understood something. ¡°The diagnosis is over.¡± With that confident voice, Holmes looked at Watson with a challenging expression as if daring her to exin it to her. ¡°I never imagined that I would be saying this to you.¡± Watching her, Watson murmured and then cleared her throat and began. ¡°Holmes, do you realize that everything you just described is the symptoms of love?¡± ¡°I wondered what you were about to say¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not always the case in every situation. But most love is irrational and illogical,ing in moments we can¡¯t simply fathom or make sense of.¡± Holmes turned her gaze away with a flustered expression on her face, but Watson continued resolutely, recalling her own experiences. ¡°But aren¡¯t you proving it better than anyone else right now?¡± At Watson¡¯sughter-tinged remark, Holmes made a face as if she couldn¡¯t believe it and said to her, ¡°I can say with certainty, that¡¯s not the case here.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be swayed by such illogical, unproductive emotions that only cloud one¡¯s judgment.¡± ¡°Then, what do you think you¡¯re feeling right now?¡± However, as Watson stared intently at her, Holmes avoided her gaze and replied to her, ¡°A sense of duty, guilt¡­ ambition¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°A bit of sympathy, responsibility. And¡­¡± ¡°You want to say that all of those feelingsbined aren¡¯t love?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Watching her respond sharply, discarding her usual tone, Watson let out a snicker. ¡°No matter how I think about it this time I believe you¡¯re wrong, Holmes.¡± ¡°Without objective and clear evidence, it¡¯s not worth discussing¡­¡± Then, Watson extended a hand mirror that had been on the table toward Holmes. ¡°Look at your eyes right now, Charlotte.¡± Holmes, whose eyes had always been a deep dark gun-metal hue of gray, found herself momentarily at a loss for words when she saw them this time. They were still dark but nheless tinged in the shades of yellow. ¡°It¡¯s said that when a mana user undergoes a significant emotional change, it manifests in the color of their irises.¡± Watson continued softly, exining the phenomenon to her. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why a non-mana user like you would show these symptoms, but it¡¯s usible if, due to your constant handling of the magic stones, you have umted arge amount of mana within you.¡± Hearing the exnation, Holmes pushed the mirror aside and said, ¡°You seem to be mistaken. This is simply a symptom of mana poisoning, Watson.¡± ¡°Newlyweds often misunderstand in the same way ande to my clinic.¡± Yet Watson remained firm in her reply. ¡°After visiting a few times, many of them simply give up and move on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that. After resting well for a few days, I¡¯ll return to my usual self.¡± With that, Holmes rose from her seat, heading toward the makeshift bed beside the chair. ¡°And, not every ¡¯emotional change¡¯ necessarily means love.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to deny it till the end, won¡¯t you, Detective?¡± ¡°I simply think logically.¡± And with that, she soonid down and covered herself with the nket. ¡°I should close my eyes now. To quickly alleviate the symptoms of mana overdose¡­¡± As she habitually reached out for her curved smoking pipe, she hesitated for a moment and then lowered her arm. ¡°Did someone tell you to quit smoking?¡± ¡°You seem especially keen on teasing me today, Watson.¡± Seeing her surprising behavior, Watson asked in a jesting tone. Holmes, with a weak voice, replied and further covered herself with the nket. ¡°Watson.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± After watching her with a smile on her face for a while, Watson, who was about to get up from her seat, tilted her head at Holmes¡¯ muffled voiceing from under the nket. ¡°¡­Is there absolutely no way to cure someone afflicted with vampirism?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Immediately, Watson answered her question. ¡°I¡¯m no expert in that field, but if there were any sort of cure there wouldn¡¯t be any vampire hunters out there.¡± Upon hearing that, the nket Holmes was under trembled ever so slightly. ¡°But if we¡¯re talking about methods to alleviate the symptoms of vampirism even a little, I do know of some.¡± Watching her, Watson was reminded of the papers she had read during her university days. ¡°I once read a paper that imed vampires who drank the blood of their loved ones were stronger and more rational than other vampires.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite old so I¡¯m not sure if we can trust it but if it¡¯s necessary for the case, I¡¯ll look it up for you.¡± Charlotte Holmes quit her research on tobo and mana stones from that day on. ¡°¡­Thank you for the answer, Watson.¡± It was because of a mistake she had made. There was a man who, due to her mistake, was facing a life that would soon be hell without her presence. ¨C Sigh¡­ And in a way, Charlotte felt the same. ¡®For me, it¡¯s a curse, for you it¡¯s vampirism.¡¯ Whether it was due to her inherent nature or something she hadn¡¯t even fully realized yet¡­ ¡®In the end, we need each other.¡¯ Deep within her eternally frozen heart, something illogical and improbable nted by Isaac Adler was already stirring waves. ¡®Even if I put aside emotions and make a rational judgment, the conclusion is the same.¡¯ ¡°Holmes? Are you smoking in there?¡± ¡®You have to spend the rest of your life as my assistant. That¡¯s the most logical, probable, and justifiable oue at this moment¡­¡¯ However, the fact that this oue would grow a bit skewed¡­ ¡°Why is there so much ck smoke¡­¡± ¡®¡­not belonging to that gray-haired woman.¡¯ Even Adler hadn¡¯t anticipated that oue. ¡ºViin Maker¡» ¨C Description: Fulfilling the probability of Professor Moriarty¡¯s appearance. ¨C Progress: 20% ¡ú 51% . . . . . ¡ºLove-Hate Rtionship¡» Chapter 1 ¨C Complete ¡ºViin Maker¡» ¨C Progress: 20% ¡ú 51% ¡°It feels somewhat eerie for some reason.¡± Seeing the message that popped up in front of me, I brushed aside the fog on the roadside of the streets. Overwhelmed by the suddenly eerie sensation, I shivered a bit and swiped the message away. ¡®¡­Well, at least I feel more reassured now.¡¯ The end of the first incident, signaling the start of the main storyline. The oue was quite sessful if I say so myself. ¡®It¡¯s the perfect start for our organization.¡¯ A wless takeover of Princess Joan y, one of the top mid-bosses of the game. This led to the sessful absorption of the Red Mana League. And there was significant progress in two main quests as well. ¡®¡­Mybat power has also significantly increased.¡¯ What particrly pleased me was sessfully obtaining the abilities of the pureblooded vampire. Of course, the penalty was no joke as well. However, due to a body that¡¯s as good as dead and on top of that¡­ if the original owner¡¯s golden-hued mana ¨C which had been mistaken for a different color all his life ¨C was appropriately utilized, such a penalty shouldn¡¯t be a problem for me. The case hase to a close. Feeling rather exhrated, another message appeared before my eyes. You can now check your karma. Seeing that message, I finally understood the nature of this system. Would you like to check? YES NO ¡°This is the karma system I proposed, damn it.¡± It was the karma system I had passionately advocated for during a meeting thatsted a whole hour. Unlike generic systems that grant stat bonuses or overpowered skills, its unique feature was solely focused on showing the yer¡¯s current situation and progress, aiming to boost their motivation and enjoyment. ¡°¡­Tsk.¡± Naturally, for me who had been dropped into this world, it wasn¡¯t a favorable thing in the least. While showing the current situation and progress was a good thing, on the flip side, it meant a system that only disyed such things without intervening in any situation. I should have suggested something like a shop system if I¡¯d known this would happen. ¨C Shiver¡­ Although I couldn¡¯t avoid checking it, as I tried to extend my hand forward, I suddenly felt a tingling sensation in my hand. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± When I turned over my palm, wondering what could cause pain in a body that¡¯s as good as dead, I couldn¡¯t help but widen my eyes. ?Adler,e to my office immediately.? It seemed that I¡¯d have to check my karma a bitter. . . . . . Several minutester¡ª ¡°Have you arrived?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Hastening my steps, I reached Professor Moriarty¡¯s office only to instantly furrow my brows. ¡°Professor?¡± The reason was Professor Moriarty, who was pouring some alcohol from a whiskey bottle that was already half empty, and dropping a sugar cube into the ss, was staring intently at me. ¡°What are you doing here at this hour?¡± ¡°I have something I want to ask you.¡± However, in her sharp gaze and demeanor directed at me, there wasn¡¯t a trace of intoxication whatsoever. ¡°In this recent case, I took a risk and hid my mana within the magic circle.¡± So, with growing tension as I looked at Moriarty, she began speaking in that unwavering voice of hers. ¡°It was something I¡¯d never done before. I don¡¯t want anyone to know that I¡¯m a mage.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°But aren¡¯t you my one and only assistant? That¡¯s why I could take the risk.¡± As Moriarty said those words, she tilted her head to the side in her habitual manner. ¡°However, Mr. Adler, it seems to me that you value that girl, Charlotte Holmes, more than you do me.¡± ¡°Ah, about that¡­¡± ¡°You imed that you couldn¡¯t rece her even if you were given everything in the world. You even offered the rest of your lifespan for her.¡± And without giving me a chance to exin, her deep grey colored eyes sparkled as she questioned me. ¡°After hearing that, I was genuinely curious.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Does that everything in the world include me as well?¡± The air in the room began to gradually freeze as she uttered those words. ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± In an atmosphere that felt reminiscent of the first day I met her, with cold sweat trickling down my face, Professor Moriarty posed a question to me with a bright smile on her lips. ¡°You can answer slowly. We have a very long night ahead of us.¡± It was a question that not only concerned my life but also the fate of this world. ¡°To you, just what kind of being am I?¡± ¡®Someone save this grad student from his scary professor, please¡­¡¯ You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 20: Wagging Tail Chapter 20: Wagging Tail ¡°Professor, I¡¯m sorry but I¡¯m quite tired right now.¡± Having been under Professor Moriarty¡¯s eerie grey-hued gaze for a while, I slowly opened my mouth. ¡°It seems you¡¯re enjoying a drink too, Professor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°So, can we postpone the answer to that question and the report on this case for ater time?¡± Even to me, it didn¡¯t seem like a suggestion she would ept but I needed to buy some time right now, dammit! If I misspoke even slightly or let the fear I felt surface, my life could be in danger. Being worn out from various events, even a single slip of the tongue could be the end for me. Thus, I desperately needed a moment to gather my wits. ¡°Oh, if that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s no problem.¡± However, seeing the chilling smile that appeared on Professor Moriarty¡¯s lips I couldn¡¯t help but abandon that thought. ¡°I always carry a confession drug with me. You can talk even in your sleep.¡± ¡°¡­Damn.¡± There wouldn¡¯t be a second chance. If my response was even slightly dyed, I might have to say goodbye to this world forever. ¡®I was still practicing that trick.¡¯ So, I began to gather mana in my eyes using all my might, bringing to mind the magic circle I had devised recently. ¡°If you¡¯re that curious, I¡¯ll just tell you now.¡± ¡°Good judgment.¡± I walked over to Moriarty in front of me and began speaking in a quiet voice. ¡°To be honest, there¡¯s not much to it that calls for a tedious thing like an exnation.¡± It was time to begin the pivotal maneuver that would determine the fate of this world. . . . . . ¡°You are everything to me, Professor.¡± Isaac Adler, having said that, continued his speech while resting his hands on Professor Moriarty¡¯s table. ¡°The core principle of my actions and the irreceable nucleus is Professor Jane Moriarty sitting right in front of me.¡± His heartfelt voice reached her ears. ¡°I want to make London a kingdom of crime, Professor. And I want to see you sitting on top of the throne of that kingdom.¡± ¡°Why me?¡± ¡°Because I knew it the moment Iid my eyes on you. That you¡¯re the most suitable person for that position.¡± The pupils of Isaac Adler shone, reflecting the dim light of the room. ¡°And that thought, you see¡­¡± Watching Adler intently, Professor Moriarty tilted her head in curiosity as Adler began to rub his eyes. ¡°It has never changed, not even once.¡± A momentter, when Adler lifted his head, his eyes which had originally been blue now appeared clouded and of a grey hue. ¡°¡­Mana Corrosion phenomenon. I think this is proof enough.¡± At the same time, Adler, pointing at Professor Moriarty¡¯s deep gray hair, spoke those words. ¡°I¡¯ve already been tainted by you, Professor.¡± Upon hearing that, Moriarty silently looked at Adler. Even faced with such a situation, her expression was remarkably unchanged. Even if it had been Charlotte in front of her instead of Adler, deciphering her innermost feelings would have been impossible right now. ¡°Do you also have a ¡®curse¡¯?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll keep that a secret for your amusement, Professor. But what¡¯s important is that I act solely for you.¡± However, upon hearing the curious tone emanating from the professor¡¯s lips, Adler sensed a sliver of hope for himself and continued his speech. ¡°For instance, in this case, I risked my life to secure Lady Joan y. Not to mention, acquiring the powers of a vampire was also part of building an organization for you, Professor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Thanks to that I overextended myself, but I¡¯m not dead yet. At least not until I make you the Napoleon of crime that I have mentioned before.¡± Upon hearing this, Professor Moriarty¡¯s eyebrows subtly twitched. ¡°The events involving Charlotte Holmes were also solely for you, Professor. She has the potential to be your arch-nemesis.¡± ¡°That immature girl?¡± Meeting her gaze head-on, Adler responded. ¡°Professor, she will undoubtedly be our foe. She¡¯s London¡¯s hope, the one to fully alleviate your boredom and desires. That is what Charlotte Holmes¡¯ purpose is.¡± ¡°You seem to be overestimating her, quite uncharacteristic of you.¡± ¡°If you were observing this case from afar, you¡¯d have had a decent grasp of her abilities.¡± Professor Moriarty replied with an intrigued smile. ¡°I did watch. She¡¯s indeed impressive. However, she¡¯s still raw. To be a ripe fruit she needs quite a lot more time.¡± ¡°You saw it urately.¡± ¡°So, did you start tending to that fruit for an early harvest?¡± ¡°To be precise, not for me but for you, Professor. Perhaps this incident has shortened the time of harvest.¡± After pausing to catch his breath, Adler, with a yful glint in his eyes, looked back at Professor Moriarty and resumed speaking. ¡°Do you understand now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I am solely your possession, and everything I do is entirely for you.¡± And then, there was silence. ¡°I heard you, Mr. Adler.¡± After staring intently at Adler for a while amidst the silence, Moriarty raised the ss she had been swirling in her hand. ¡°How about a drink?¡± ¡°Professor, you¡¯re offering alcohol to a student?¡± ¡°I want to see you in a more vulnerable state.¡± And then, she disyed her usual radiant smile to him. ¡°In that state, perhaps what you say might differ from now.¡± ¡°Professor, I¡­¡± ¡°But for now, I will choose to believe your words.¡± Before Adler could say anything, Professor Moriarty continued with a delighted expression on her face. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, I¡¯m choosing to believe your words. After all, you¡¯re my adorable assistant.¡± Feeling a chilly sensation run down his spine, as if he was being toyed with by someone far above him in the food chain, Adler forced a smile. ¡°Oh, and I recorded everything you said.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± However, as Moriarty continued her words that smile began to slowly crack. ¡°I quite liked it. What you said to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I wanted to keep it aspelling evidence, just in case you decide to renege on your words.¡± Saying so, Moriarty chuckled softly. ¡°So, Mr. Adler, whose possession are you?¡± ¡°¡­I am the possession of the Professor.¡± In response to Moriarty¡¯s yful question, Adler answered thoughtlessly. ¡°But why did you deplete your lifespan without my permission?¡± Her voice suddenly turned sharp and piercing at the mention of the recent event. ¡°Professor, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Your remaining lifespan and life are entirely mine. Our agreement dictates as such.¡± ¡°As I said before, everything is within my calcted range. So you don¡¯t need to worry¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the issue here.¡± At that, Adler closed his mouth and Moriarty quietly added more words, ¡°The very fact that a single minute or second of your lifespan, which belongs to me, was expended for someone else is quite displeasing and distasteful.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Especially since it was wasted on that bratty and shadowy detective¡ª it¡¯s all the more irritating.¡± Moriarty then shed him another sly smile. ¡°Do not do it again.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Professor.¡± As Adler nodded with a weary expression, Moriarty gestured for him toe closer. ¡°Mr. Adler. Come and sit by my side.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Although looking rather baffled, Adler dragged a chair next to her and sat down as shemanded. Moriarty then whispered to him in a soft voice, ¡°Just stay seated next to me.¡± ¡°¡­For how long? ¡°Until you¡¯ve reviewed all these reports.¡± As she handed the entire stack of reports that were in front of her to Adler, a flicker of dismay passed through his eyes. ¡°Are you joking?¡± ¡°The door won¡¯t be unlocked until you¡¯re done with them.¡± Thus began what felt like an endless hellish ordeal for Adler. ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm? What is it?¡± Half-asleep while stamping the reports in front of him, Adler reflexively responded to Moriarty¡¯s voice from the side. ¡°End things with Diana Wilson.¡± ¡°¡­I was already thinking of doing just that.¡± And then, Adler looked at Moriarty with sleepy eyes and spoke, ¡°We¡¯ll have numerous cases waiting for us in the future. I can¡¯t possibly have a romantic rtionship with every client now, can I?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Except for special cases that might benefit the organization, like the Queen of Bohemia or Princess y, I n to clear out any and all rtionships after each case.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wise. Otherwise, I might have had to kill again.¡± ¡°¡­Professor¡­¡± At Moriarty¡¯s words, Adler let out a deep sigh. Looking straight into her eyes, he began to speak in a calm tone. ¡°I¡¯m not sure who you¡¯re implying you¡¯d kill, but if it¡¯s me, then that¡¯s not much of a threat.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because dying at your hands would be nothing short of an honor for me.¡± Jane Moriarty, who had maintained a neutral expression until then, started to intently gaze at him and her face shifted ever so slightly. ¡°If you really wish to threaten me, you should say you¡¯d break our contract and discard me.¡± While stretching and seemingly missing her reaction Adler continued, his voice growing drowsy. ¡°Speaking of which¡­ I¡¯m truly at my limit now¡­¡± Adler¡¯s head then began to droop. ¡°Professor¡­ I apologize but¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Adler?¡± ¡°I need to rest just a bit¡­¡± Having been pushed and pulled by various people all day, it took mere moments for him to sumb to sleep. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± A palpable silence thus ensued. ¨C Whoosh¡­ In the midst of that silence, Jane Moriarty began to tenderly caress the sleeping Adler¡¯s eyelids. ¡°Indeed, upon closer look, they¡¯re clearly grey¡­¡± She continued to stare intently into Adler¡¯s eyes until dawn. Just before leaving the room for her lecture, she murmured in a soft voice, ¡°¡­except for the specks of ck mixed in.¡± An image of a detective with short ck hair, representing the space between her and Adler, floated in Moriarty¡¯s mind. ¡ºViin Maker¡» ¨C Progress: 51% ¡ú 75% . . . . . ¡ºViin Maker¡» ¨C Progress: 51% ¡ú 75% ¡°¡­Is this for real?¡± Early in the morning, upon waking up in Professor Moriarty¡¯s office, I found that the first main quest had once again progressed by a significant margin. ?It¡¯s cold outside. Take care of yourself.? And then, I was able to see the message from Professor Moriarty which was left in the palm of my hand, and her coat which was draped over my body. ¡°This is embarrassing.¡± ¨C Ding! Rubbing my somewhat stiff eyes and muttering to myself, I suddenly heard a cheerful sound ring out in front of me. Would you like to check your current karma? YES NO Having postponed checking the message from yesterday, I sleepily gazed at it and without much thought, reached out to press YES. ¡®There¡¯s no harm in checking.¡¯ After all, it¡¯s just the beginning; there shouldn¡¯t be anything significant, right? . . . . . Karma (¡­ truncated ¡­) ¨C Gia Lestrade is following your trail. ¨C Mycrony Holmes is keeping an eye on you. ¨C Phantom thief Lupin acknowledges your existence. ¨C ??? feels a strong animosity toward you. Warning ¨C Probability of being Imprisoned¡ª 36% ¨C Probability of being Kidnapped¡ª 21% ¨C Probability of being Killed¡ª 69% ¨C Probability of Getting Involved in a Crime¡ª 99% ¡°¡­What the hell, seriously.¡± I should¡¯ve just not checked. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 21: The Tiger’s Lair Chapter 21: The Tiger¡¯s Lair ¡°¡­What did you just say?¡± Just a few hours after realizing that my life was on the line owing to the karma system that I had received as a reward for solving the case¡­ ¡°As you have already heard, Miss Wilson¡­¡± I was meeting Diana Wilson, who had been a victim of the Red Mana League incident, at a cafe near the August Detective Academy. ¡°I have no more business with you.¡± To be precise, I was breaking up with her. ¡°Let¡¯s part ways here.¡± Upon hearing that, Wilson looked at me with a shocked expression on her face. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± Almost simultaneously, gazes poured in from all around us. Most people gave me cold looks as if they expected me to do this again, and then soon looked away as though they had lost interest. Given that the general public in a cafe, not a school, was reacting this way, it truly seemed that Isaac Adler was quite famous for such antics of his. ¡°Why¡­ at least?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Please tell me why.¡± I let out a quiet sigh as Diana Wilson asked me such a question with a pale face. ¡°¡­You want to know the reason?¡± In truth, the reason itself was quite simple. As I was already overwhelmed with just the task of aplishing the main quests, I couldn¡¯t possibly handle her on top of that. This wasn¡¯t just about her; it also applied to the stakeholders and clients of the unfolding cases ahead. The original Sherlock Holmes series alone had up to 60 individual parts¡ª 56 short stories and 4 novels. All of which had been adapted to the game into 60 individual episodes. On top of that, there were also the absurd original episodes that had been added by the story department into the game. It was overwhelming enough to deal with the main characters associated with the main quest, let alone maintaining rtionships with everyone involved in the numerous episodes. I couldn¡¯t even fathom how exhausted I¡¯d be if I were to try to do something absurd like that. Thus, I needed to set a rule. From now on, when one case ended, my rtionship with the characters rted to that case would alsoe to an end. Except for cases like the Queen of Bohemia or Lady Joan y¡ª people that might be of assistance in my future endeavors and survival. Given my age and the challenge of dealing with the main characters rted to the main quest, it was just an inevitable decision. ¡®And, getting involved with me is quite risky to begin with.¡¯ Moreover, this was for the sake of Diana Wilson and the connections that woulde into my life in the future. I was under the threat of an assassination by an unidentified entity¡ª someone that even the reputation system wasn¡¯t able to identify. Starting from the previous mansion explosion incident, countless dangers would probablye my way in the future. I didn¡¯t want others to get dragged into these incidents only due to being associated with me. Especially not a girl who had just escaped a ticking clock, that sparked the countdown of her life, and was now envisioning her future. ¡°I¡¯m tired of you now.¡± With my eyes tightly shut, I spat out harsh words at the trembling girl seated in front of me. ¡°From the start, you were just bait to lure out Charlotte Holmes.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± ¡°What I was interested in was solely her.¡± As she heard those words, the gaze she directed toward me was one of disbelief. ¡°Thank you for ying the link between her and me, Miss Diana.¡± Suppressing the overwhelming guilt I felt, I finished uttering those words. After a while, Diana Wilson, who had been shivering as she looked at me, moved her hand to the ss of water ced beside her. ¨C Ssh¡­! Momentster, I was drenched in ice-cold water. ¡°I had hoped¡­ to go on myst journey with you.¡± With tears forming in her eyes, she stood up and looked down at me, whispering. ¡°You trash of a man.¡± Leaving those words behind, Diana Wilson withdrew her gaze from me and turned around. ¡°¡­Just drop dead.¡± After leaving that short yet powerful remark, she quietly exited the cafe. ¡°Take care, Miss Wilson.¡± Amidst the sea of people who sneaked nces at me and then looked away soon after, all I could do was chuckle bitterly and murmur. ¡°Stay safe.¡± Although it had only been a week, the time I spent with her was quite enjoyable for me. I wonder if she received the anonymous letter I sent, suggesting a clue to lift the curse that had been guing her was in Romania? If she were to live in the country that is known to be the origin of vampires, she, being a pureblood vampire by nature, might be able to extend her lifespan. ¡°I sincerely pray that she finds peace and happiness in her life at that ce.¡± . . . . . ¡°Hello, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Just as Adler was about to quietly get up from his seat, a male student approached and addressed him at that very moment. ¡°May I sit with you for a moment?¡± Wearing a puzzled expression, as if wondering if he knew this individual, Adler only recognized the male student upon hearing a soft whisper in his ear. ¡°Ms. Nurse, we¡¯re now tied, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°¡­Miss Holmes?¡± Charlotte Holmes, disguised as a male, said so with a triumphant look and then took a seat right next to him. ¡°Um¡­¡± Specifically, not across from him, but right beside him. ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s not.¡± Adler wanted to ask about the reason, but overpowered by Holmes¡¯s piercing gaze he swallowed his words. ¡°What you just said, is it true?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± After observing Holmes for a moment, Adler cocked his head at her even-toned voice. ¡°Your reason for courting Diana Wilson.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Was it truly just to establish a connection with me?¡± Of course, Adler¡¯s reason for courting Wilson wasn¡¯t solely for that purpose. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± However, there was some truth to it and for some reason, Adler felt the need to nod in agreement to this query of hers. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Then, Charlotte subtly avoided his gaze, rested her chin on her hand, and began to swing her legs back and forth under the table. ¡°You¡¯re truly the worst.¡± For a fleeting moment, a blush seemed to rise on her face but Adler only chalked it up to his wild imagination. ¡°So, the reason you never revealed that you lifted her curse and saved her life was also because of this?¡± ¡°Having achieved my goal, it¡¯s only right to end a half-hearted rtionship, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Scum.¡± ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡± Adler, after rubbing his eyes for a moment, smiled coldly and smirked at Charlotte, who was always so assertive with her words. ¡°I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t send a telegram revealing the truth to her.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Suddenly, Adler widened his eyes in surprise at the unexpected statement that she made. ¡°When you showed up at the academy the next day, and the incident was passed off as a mere coincidence, I didn¡¯t have the time to tell the truth to our client, Miss Wilson.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°And since she suddenly decided to leave Ennd today, I had nned to send a telegram to the hotel in Romania where she would be staying, revealing everything to her.¡± Upon hearing her remark, Adler began to break out in a cold sweat. ¡°Had I sent it, Miss Wilson would only have realized upon her arrival, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That a man, who wore the vampire¡¯s curse on her behalf and became a time bomb for her, was the one she had just doused with water and told to drop dead before leaving.¡± Then, struggling to maintain hisposure, Adler spoke out. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, I am not living on borrowed time. And anyway it¡¯s something that wouldn¡¯t happen to me.¡± ¡°That was a close call. Given Miss Wilson¡¯s weakened state, she might not have been able to escape Romania even if she knew the truth.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And what if those members of the radical faction called Red Mana League, who had rejected and distanced themselves from Mr. Adler, approached such a weakened Miss Wilson?¡± However, Holmes continued her hypothetical story¡ª a smile still lingering on her androgynous face. ¡°In Romania, the homnd of the vampires, she might have be the new leader of the Red Mana League and might even target Mr. Adler for the rest of her life.¡± ¡°Miss Holmes, I didn¡¯t know you also had the talent of a novelist.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking. It¡¯s a scenario that could very well happen.¡± With that, Holmes¡¯ eyes shone darkly as she leaned in closer toward Adler. ¡°What if I, who knows the whole truth, were to send a telegram to that Romanian hotel right now?¡± ¡°¡­Are you threatening me?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve hit the nail on the head, Mr. Adler.¡± Hearing this, Adler let out a sigh and asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I need you toe somewhere with me.¡± ¡°Excuse me, but I¡¯m quite busy today.¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright with that?¡± For some unknown, ominous reason when Adler adamantly refused, Holmes began to whisper in a hushed tone into his ear. ¡°That woman at the table over there is watching you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A few months ago, she devoted everything to you and was subsequently discarded by you.¡± Following her words, Adler¡¯s gaze shifted to the table she pointed toward, and he caught sight of a woman in a corner, looking at him with a spine-chilling stare. ¡°There are two more women just like her. The second table to the right and the third table to the left.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a man¡­ It¡¯s female¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡± ¨C Ssshhh¡­ Beside her was another woman with a distasteful expression murmuring to herself, and a schoolgirl, looking at him with lifeless eyes fiddling with her dining knife. ¡°Did you not notice they¡¯ve been tailing you?¡± ¡°Uh, well¡­¡± ¡°By the way that person over there, sneakily peeping at us behind arge newspaper is Miss Gia Lestrade.¡± ¡°Ah, I know that one.¡± With a humorous disguise, Lestrade had been spying on Adler for a while already. As Adler murmured while looking at Lestrade, Holmes once again whispered into his ear. ¡°If you don¡¯t follow me right now, you¡¯ll die.¡± Warning ¨C Probability of Assassination ¡ª 69% It was then that Adler realized the credibility of the probabilities he had checked a few hours earlier. ¡°I guess I have no choice.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± As he linked arms with Holmes, she rose from her seat with a quiet smile on her face. ¡°I¡¯ll hold off on sending that message to Miss Wilson for now.¡± Unbeknownst to her, Professor Moriarty had already executed the n she had told Adler about that morning. Warning ¨C Probability of Confinement ¡ª 36% ¡ú 40% ¨C Probability of Kidnapping ¡ª 21% ¡ú 25% Due to this, in a few months, without anyone¡¯s knowledge, a secret organization directly under Moriarty would be born in Romania. ¡°Damn, what¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± And this was something that even Adler, who would be both a target and a person under the organization¡¯s protection, had no clue about. . . . . . ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± ¡°¡­Holmes.¡± Not long after he shook off the crazed women with eyes hungrily set on taking his life, and Gia Lestrade, who poorly tailed them even after leaving the caf¨¦. ¡°Where is¡­¡± I froze as I followed where Holmes was pointing and saw the signboard of the building. Diogenes Club ¡°It¡¯s the quietest ce in Ennd. Perfect for a hideout.¡± I prayed that my suspicions were wrong, but the following words from Charlotte shattered those hopes. ¡°For your information, myzy older sister is the president here.¡± It seems I¡¯ve willingly entered the den overseen by a woman who might as well be the British government itself. Mycrony Holmes is watching you closely. ¡®Please save me, Professor Moriarty.¡¯ You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 22: Mycrony Holmes Chapter 22: Mycrony Holmes Mycroft Holmes. Sherlock Holmes admitted that his older brother by seven years was smarter than himself. Naturally, in this world based on the Sherlock Holmes series, Mycroft existed too. Of course, she had undergone a gender change and was renamed Mycrony but that¡¯s just how it turned out due to the premise of the game. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to meet her so soon.¡± However, that didn¡¯t mean that her stature and significance changed in the least. To me now, she was no different than a final boss¡­ even more so than Professor Moriarty herself. Being the British government itself and the hidden power behind the throne of Ennd, there¡¯s no way she would treat me kindly while I was diligently building a kingdom of crime in London. ¡°Miss Holmes, what is your sister like?¡± ¡°My sister?¡± So, before entering the club, I quietly asked Charlotte that question. Of course, I had reviewed the story and had some information about her, but it was just fragments at best. To ensure that I was not delivered to Professor Moriarty¡¯s office in a state simr to a canned sardine by tomorrow morning, verifying the information was essential. ¡°She¡¯s quite remarkable.¡± Thus, as I looked at Charlotte while demanding an answer, she spoke with a mischievous smile on her face. ¡°Her observational and deductive skills are honestly better than mine. If it weren¡¯t for her excessive and insubstantial weight, she might have been a better detective than me.¡± ¡°Your sister has a bit of weight on her then?¡± ¡°She¡¯s had a weak constitution since birth. She doesn¡¯t exercise throughout the year and apart from her work and the Diogenes Club, she doesn¡¯t go anywhere else.¡± ¡°Aha¡­¡± ¡°She also has severe anhedonia and apathy. Even if she took a lethal dose of cocaine, she probably wouldn¡¯t feel a thing.¡± Saying so, she brought her finger to her lips and whispered to me in a soft tone. ¡°Now we must be quiet from here on. Otherwise, we¡¯ll be kicked out.¡± ¡°This is quite an unusual club.¡± ¡°My sister made this club for people like her who dislike socializing with others. Shh, from now on, not a single word can be uttered.¡± I wanted to get a bit more information but due to Charlotte Holmes¡¯ haste, I wasn¡¯t able to gather much. Perhaps, just the bit about her being somewhat heavy? I felt that the image I reviewed in the initial draft seemed a bit different from the description that Charlotte gave me. Could the setting have changed midway? ¨C Swooosh¡­ As I pondered about this, following Charlotte¡¯s lead to the guest reception room where we could converse, people reading newspapers sneaked nces at me. Some seemed quite surprised to see me here but fortunately due to the club¡¯s rules, no unpleasant situations arose. ¨C Eeeeek¡­ As I entered the guest reception room without any issues, the entity I most feared at this moment finally came into my view. ¡°Hello~¡± Mycrony Holmes, who was waving at me with bright eyes and a cheerful smile on her face indeed had the substantial weight Charlotte had mentioned to me before. ¡®The setting hasn¡¯t changed.¡¯ The considerable presence of her ample bosom, resting atop the table, was emitting an overwhelming aura. ¡®¡­So, there¡¯s only one way to approach this, huh¡­¡¯ It¡¯s do or die now. The only way to break someone suffering from severe anhedonia and apathy was quite clear to me. One way or another, since it was a matter of life or death, I had no choice but to take a shot in the dark. . . . . . ¡°That massive and insubstantial flesh of yours seems to be growing day by day, sister.¡± As Adler stared nkly at Mycrony Holmes, Charlotte Holmes, sneaking nces at him from the side, suddenly spat out a sharpment about her sister. ¡°Yes, you must feel good being so sleek, Charlotte.¡± Mycrony Holmes replied in a leisurely tone. ¡°It¡¯s strange. Isn¡¯t this the time for you to say something along the lines of you wouldn¡¯t ept such a useless part even if offered?¡± ¡°Be quiet.¡± Charlotte, who momentarily gazed down at her own chest, frowned deeply at her sister¡¯s teasing voice filled withughter. ¡°I never imagined our younger sibling could be this adorable¡­ cough¡ª.¡± Mycrony, who was looking at Charlotte with a fond smile, suddenly started coughing with a slight grimace on her face. ¡°Has your health worsened?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the secret to making my sister this cute, Mr. Adler?¡± ¡°¡­Stop spouting nonsense.¡± Holmes, who had asked with a slightly concerned expression while looking at Mycrony, colored up in a cold light with Mycrony¡¯s subsequent remark. ¡°Holmes. When you regrly observe people here, there¡¯s something you can see without necessarily looking into their hearts.¡± However, Mycrony just pointed beyond the window, unfazed by her words. ¡°For instance, look at that person crossing the street over there.¡± ¡°¡­A woman from a brothel.¡± ¡°But recently, she¡¯s been seeing someone while hiding her true identity.¡± ¡°She¡¯s already married.¡± ¡°No, it would be more urate to say she¡¯s engaged. You still have a way to go, Charlotte.¡± In just a few seconds, various deductions spilled out of their mouths like bullets from a machine gun. ¡°¡­She¡¯s quite far away, how can you know all that?¡± ¡°The essories she¡¯s wearing are all obviously gifts. But they¡¯re merelyvish without any consistency or harmony.¡± ¡°If such a woman, at this early hour, is touching up her makeup while moving from amercial area to a residential one, her profession is quite obvious for anyone to see.¡± As Adler posed a question to them, Mycrony and Charlotte began to exin alternately. ¡°If she was just heading home, she could¡¯ve removed her makeup entirely. But she¡¯s altering her shy makeup to a more regr look, implying she¡¯s meeting someone she doesn¡¯t want to reveal her true identity to.¡± ¡°Also, on the fourth finger of her left hand where she¡¯s touching up her makeup, a jewel catches the light and shines. So that person is either engaged or married.¡± ¡°Charlotte, it seems to me we can safely deduce that she¡¯s engaged.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± Charlotte, upon hearing her sister¡¯s words wore a puzzled expression on her face. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell us the reason, Mr. Adler?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Meanwhile, when Adler responded with a seemingly unsure expression to Mycrony¡¯s question, the corner of her lips slightly curved up. ¡°It¡¯s a bit strange for Adler, the UK¡¯s top romance expert, to not know the reason, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Unless the person inside has suddenly changed, that is.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, I think I understand now.¡± Feeling a sudden chill creeping up his spine at those words, Adler averted his gaze and began speaking. ¡°Typically, a ring with a prominent jewel in the center like that is an engagement ring. Most wedding rings tend to have a simpler band design.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°And if she had been married, she would wear a wedding ring. For someone working in a dangerous back alley, she¡¯d likely prefer wearing the rtively less expensive wedding ring over the pricey engagement ring.¡± Upon finishing his exnation, Adler scratched his head and added, ¡°Well, it¡¯s odd in the first ce for a woman from a brothel to even wear such a thing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But then again, love sometimes paralyzes even one¡¯s reasoning.¡± Then Mycrony, with a voice tinged with amusement, looked at Charlotte who stood quietly beside her and spoke up. ¡°Charlotte, who has always imed to be asexual and a misandrist, could it be that your eyes are betraying you now?¡± ¡°I still stand by that im. And let me just add one more thing.¡± ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± However, when Charlotte whispered that in a soft voice, Mycrony leaned back in her chair, wearing a pleased smile. ¡°You know, I¡¯m quite envious of Charlotte¡­ getting cheered up by such simple logical thoughts. I can¡¯t seem to feel the emotion of ¡®fun¡¯ no matter what I do.¡± ¡°So, why did you call me here¡­¡± Adler, sensing the atmosphere lighten a bit, was about to ask that when his eyes caught the sight of her heaving breasts, causing him to quickly avert his gaze to the side. ¡°Well, I just wanted to see you.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I wanted to see the face of the man for whom Charlotte sent a letter to me, iming he was her destiny.¡± ¡°Sister, I really don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re twisting that one word from the request for cooperation so much¡­¡± Just as Charlotte was about to burst with frustration¡­ ¡°Excuse me¡­ could it be.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± ¡°Are you Miss Charlotte Holmes?¡± From behind came someone¡¯s hesitant voice. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­ I¡¯d like to have a word with you¡­¡± ¡°A case consultation?¡± Upon hearing that, the uninvited guest who peeped into the reception room nodded silently. Holmes who had momentarily furrowed her brow soon rose from her seat. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± With that, she left a quick message for Adler and stepped outside. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Silence then pervaded the room for some time. ¡°Our Charlotte, who typically can¡¯t resist a case, made such an annoyed face when she saw that client.¡± A momentter, Mycrony began to mutter, breaking the silence, with her chin resting on her hand. ¡°It really is quite surprising.¡± In a voice that was heavier than the soft tone from moments ago, Adler who had been looking away until then, shifted his gaze to her. ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, Mr. Adler?¡± The usually sharp-eyed woman had her eyes slightly widened. ¡°I am¡­¡± ¡°You are an anomaly.¡± Before Adler could say anything ¨C he felt a chill run down his spine at the sudden shift in her demeanor ¨C Mycrony continued in her silky-smooth voice. ¡°A variable far more unpredictable than the August Detective Academy and the unsolved cases that have taken ce on London¡¯s dark streets over the past year.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And if left unchecked, a variable that could potentially disrupt the seamless system of Ennd under mymand.¡± Of course, the gleaming sharp yet faintly grey eyes that looked at him through those slightly widened lids were anything but soft. ¡°Crucially, my precious sister¡ª the only one who can feel the emotion called joy, has be far too infatuated with you.¡± Mycrony, who momentarily had a cold expression on her face murmured those words and then gave Adler a sweet smile with her eyes getting sharp once again. ¡°So, can you please convince me in the next 5 minutes?¡± ¡°Convince you of what?¡± ¡°Why I shouldn¡¯t kill you right here and now.¡± As she finished speaking, there was a palpable tension in the air beyond the door. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that the Diogenes Club was a club of assassins.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve rented it out for the entire day. They¡¯re the elite agents of the British Secret Service, so even a magician like you will find it hard to escape from this ce.¡± The gazes of London¡¯s puppeteer in the light and the shadow silently met. ¡°Aren¡¯t you rushing things a bit?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice. I don¡¯t have much time left.¡± Mycrony answered Adler¡¯s question with a slightly pale face, then began to cough up once again. ¡°Already one minute has passed.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Use any means necessary to convince me in the time that remains.¡± Mycrony, lifting her head once more and donning anguid smile uttered those chilling words, prompting Adler to quietly rise from his seat. ¡°You were the first to suggest such a thing.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± As Adler began to approach her, Mycrony raised a hand, signaling the assassins waiting on the other side of the door to hold back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m already married to Britain.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I also suffer from an extreme case of apathy and anhedonia1Anhedonia is theck of enjoyment or pleasure. Apathy is ack of energy or motivation to do things.. Therefore, regretful as that may be, the tactics you¡¯ve always employed will never work on¡­¡± ¡°Mycrony.¡± Suddenly leaning close to her neck, Adler whispered to her in a soft voice. ¡°You should be my blood bag.¡± ¡°What?¡± His eyes were now donning a shade of red. . . . . . A few minutester. ¡®¡­Another one of these pointless pranks.¡¯ Believing that the strange case mentioned by the client who had called her and thus made her wait outside the club for a long time only for the said client to not show up was just a prank of her sister, Charlotte Holmes returned to the club, clearly irritated. ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± Within her line of sight, a bizarre scene was captured. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± The agents, who were reading newspapers just a moment ago and were clearly prepared by her sister, were blocking the entrance to the reception room, sweat dripping profusely from their brows. ¡°What the¡­.¡± Seeing the odd situation, Charlotte tilted her head and approached them in haste. However as she reached the door, the agents urgently shook their heads and pushed her away. ¨C Heuhh¡­ Then, a voice, both familiar and awkward reached her ears. ¨C Hnghh¡­ Wondering if she¡¯d heard incorrectly, the sweet, cooing voice rang out once again¡ª far more clearly now in Charlotte¡¯s ears. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± It was unmistakably the voice of Mycrony Holmes. ¨C Go oonn¡­ As Charlotte gazed intently at the reception room with her head slightly tilted, ck smoke began to rise from her trusty cane. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 23: Quite the Sight Chapter 23: Quite the Sight ¨C BANG!! As the previously closed reception door swung open, Charlotte Holmes entered the room in haste. A brief silence thus permeated the room with her entrance. ¡°¡­You¡¯re here, Charlotte.¡± ¡°It seems that the client has already left.¡± Soon after, Mycrony began swiftly fixing the buttons of her disheveled blouse, while Isaac Adler averted his gaze in a rush while wiping the corner of his lips. ¡°What on earth¡­¡± Charlotte posed a question looking at Mycrony while scrutinizing them intently. ¡°¡­What were you two doing sitting together like that?¡± ¡°Mr. Adler expressed his wish to join the Diogenes Club.¡± ¡°So, we were just filling out the membership application Miss Holmes.¡± Their responses flowed naturally, akin to water. Even if the one asking was prone to bouts of paranoia, their answers were convincing enough for an individual to nod in agreement. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Had her sister not been blushing up to her ears and wearing an expression like that of a girl she¡¯d never seen before with clear bite marks on her neck, Charlotte might have unconsciously nodded as well. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The flustered Adler, who had been stared at intently by Charlotte for quite some time, tilted his head and asked her the question when she approached him. ¡°¡­Miss Holmes?¡± Charlotte, grabbing Adler¡¯s arm and pulling him up from his seat, ushered him out of the room, not replying to his words. ¡°Stay there for a moment.¡± Leaving thatmand, she quietly closed the door. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± Back in the silence of the room, Charlotte, who had been staring intently at her sister, began to speak in haste. ¡°You orchestrated people to sneak me out didn¡¯t you, sister?¡± To which Mycrony just silently nodded. Seeing her sister¡¯s face still flushed with heat, Charlotte posed a question in a cold voice with a furrowed brow. ¡°In here, what exactly did you do with Adler?¡± At that question, Mycrony went wide-eyed and shifted her gaze for a moment. ¡°¡­Charlotte.¡± She began to whisper in a soft voice, resting her chin on her hand¡­ ¡°I never imagined I¡¯d have to say this to my adorable and beloved younger sister¡­¡± Recalling the most intense moments of her tasteless life. . . . . . ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Up until the moment Isaac Adler leaned in, Mycrony felt nothing out of sorts. The unfolding events were merely one of the dozens of scenarios she had yed out in her mind. ¡®Even so, I probably won¡¯t feel anything.¡¯ However, even if it was Isaac Adler who had half the women of London under his grasp, she was sure that he couldn¡¯t satisfy her. Because just like her sister, Mycrony Holmes too bore a ¡®curse¡¯. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m already married to Ennd.¡± Because of that curse, Mycrony could not easily feel stimtion or amusement in anything. In other words, she was born with inherent apathy and anhedonia. The only things she had genuine interest in were her beloved homnd Ennd and her adorable younger sister¡ª Charlotte. By managing an entire nation like Ennd and forcing herself into its busy routine, she could somewhat alleviate her boredom and apathy. And observing her sister, an entity that was somewhat on par with her on the scale of intelligence was quite an intriguing pastime. ¡°That¡¯s why, regrettably¡­¡± Hence, for her¡­ Isaac Adler was an obvious target for elimination. Although they were nearing a state of ennui, Adler was still a threat to the interesting state of Ennd. Moreover, just a few days ago, he had even bewitched her only adorable and beloved sister. Truly, he deserved the nickname of the fox that ensnared London¡ª the quintessential yboy. She had given him a chance, a mere 5 minutes in the hope that maybe he could entertain her as well. But watching his actions, she felt the conclusion was already evident. ¡°The methods you¡¯ve always employed will never work¡­¡± It meant that a man named Isaac Adler would vanish from London today. ¡°You should be my blood bag.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± However, her conclusion which seemed undoubtedly unchangeable¡­ ¨C Sigh. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Unexpectedly, the moment Adler, with his eyes dyed in a deep shade of red, bit into her slender neck¡­ the conclusion she had drawn slowly began to crumble. ¡°What are you doing right now, Mr. Adler?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°For a kiss, that was quite aggressive¡­¡± With Adler still holding onto her neck and gazing up at her, Mycrony questioned him with aposed expression on her face. ¡°¡­But.¡± A brief look of surprise shed across her face. ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± She felt a tingling sensation running along her neck. Soon after, she began to distinctly feel Adler¡¯s sharp teeth buried deep into her skin. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Simultaneously, she began to feel a prickling pain spreading from her neck, coursing through every nerve in her body. That sensation was something Mycrony had never felt before in the entirety of her life. ¡°Huh.¡± For others¡ª drugs potent enough to incapacitate the brain, pain intense enough to extract any information, even a drug reputed to offer visions of the afterlife¡­ None of these ever managed to elicit any emotion or sensation from her no matter what she tried. ¡°Ahem¡ª¡± However, Adler¡¯s act of vampirism¡ª sinking his teeth into her neck and then drawing blood with his eyes closed¡­ For the first time in her life, his brutish act was able to provide Mycrony with ¡®stimtion¡¯. ¡°Now, just a moment.¡± Like a machine with a malfunctioning intricate logic circuit, the previously rigid Mycrony quickly regained her senses and pushed Adler away. ¨C Slurp. Adler. stealing a lick of the blood that flowed down her neck, calmly met her gaze as he wiped his mouth with his sleeve. ¡°What¡­ did you do?¡± ¡°I drank your blood.¡± ¡°I know that. But why¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Are you asking why you felt ¡®stimtion¡¯?¡± As Mycrony quietly nodded, Adler replied in a soft voice. ¡°Recently through some method, I became a genuine vampire. I can bestow upon those I bite my mana and vampirism.¡± ¡°¡­Vampire.¡± ¡°And by adjusting the concentration, I can also maximize the sensation of the bitten area.¡± His eyes were still shining with a red hue. ¡°To exin the principle, think of it as temporarily bing a vampire, subdued by my weakened mana when bitten.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°No matter how cursed a body is, it tends to obey its master¡¯smands.¡± ¡°¡­Is such a thing even possible in magical terms?¡± At this strange method she hadn¡¯t even considered, Mycrony tilted her head to the side, confusion and doubt evident in her eyes. ¡°Infectious code¡­ infiltrating mana to seize control of the other. It¡¯s a strategy I¡¯ve contemted since long ago.¡± ¡°Unless one can create new magic, such a method would be impossible¡­¡± ¡°You talk a lot, don¡¯t you?¡± But before she could finish speaking, Adler leaned in once again. ¡°Just be a good little blood bag.¡± ¡°Wait a moment¡­¡± Mycrony reached out towards Adler whose eyes shone in an ominous light but her hand was effortlessly seized by his own. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you, Miss Mycrony, who said not to discriminate in means and methods?¡± Thanks to her naturally frail constitution, having never exercised in her entire life, and with the few nutrients she asionally consumed gathering mostly in her breasts, she had no way of shaking off Adler¡¯s hard grip. ¡°¡­..!¡­..!!¡± Moreover, the agents outside seemed to be in frantic chaos, unaware of what was transpiring inside the room. ¡°Hold on¡­ ugh.¡± At that moment, as her vision wavered from the unexpected turn of events, Adler¡¯s fangs found the other side of her neck. ¡°¡­ahhh¡­¡± With both her hands captured and Adler leaning over her, Mycrony couldn¡¯t help but close her eyes without any resistance while having her blood drained by the boy. ¡®¡­It hurts.¡¯ A girl with severe anhedonia who had wished to feel even a single sensation throughout her life. ¡®So this is what pain feels like.¡¯ To her, the pain of the bite, enough to make most people scream in agony, felt like an unstoppable torrent. ¨C Shiver¡­ ¡®¡­I never knew it would be this perilous.¡¯ Swept away helplessly by that torrent, her mind, for the first time in her life, whited out and came to a halt. No drug or hallucinogen had ever replicated the pure stimtion that now dominated her entire being. ¡°Ah¡­ uhh¡­¡± And so, Mycrony, caught in the throes of this overwhelming sensation, gasped for air for what felt like an eternity. ¨C Rustle¡­ ¡°¡­..?¡± She began to blink slowly, feeling a sudden emptiness at her neck. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Adler, after licking his lips and lowering his head, looked directly into her eyes. ¡°Five minutes have passed, Miss Mycrony.¡± With a dazed expression, Mycrony looked nkly at Adler, absorbing his words with all her being. ¡°¡­Have you nowe to understand why you cannot kill me?¡± Still gripping her arms, Adler added those words, prompting the previously hidden glint in Mycrony¡¯s eyes to emerge once more. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m neither convinced nor satisfied.¡± A cold voice then flowed from her lips. ¡°¡­However.¡± Just as Adler, hearing her tone began to close his eyes in resignation. ¡°Five minutes haven¡¯t passed yet.¡± Once again, her quiet meticulous reasoning began to fill the air. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Adler, looking perplexed at her statement, lost words upon seeing the time on the clock she pointed to. ¡°It¡¯s only 12:10.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°There¡¯s still about 55 minutes until 1:05.¡± While naturally, she should¡¯ve been averse to the pain, for the first time in her life, Mycrony wasn¡¯t in a position to shy away from this sensation¡­ Regardless of what mighteter, she wanted to be submerged in that intense stimtion right now. ¡°But continuing to bite might endanger your life.¡± ¡°Why so?¡± ¡°Your skin is so delicate that even if I bite the sturdiest part of your neck, your blood vessels might not hold up.¡± To her surprise, Adler started to exin himself¡ª beads of cold sweat forming on his brow in the process. ¡°Then, I suppose you can just avoid the lower part of the neck.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± However, the determination of a woman experiencing immersion for the first time in her life was more terrifying than one might think. ¡°I never thought my ample flesh woulde in handy.¡± Just like her younger sister had been helpless to it before her. ¨C Rustle¡­ Charlotte entered the room after a brief moment from then. . . . . . ¡°¡­Your boyfriend is quite something.¡± Mycrony,ing out of her reverie and fully opening her eyes for the first time in a long while spat out a sentence that seemed almost unbelievableing from her. ¡°What?¡± To Charlotte, who momentarily wore a stunned expression, Mycrony added in a faint voice. ¡°I want to try it too.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯ve lost your mind.¡± The dark gazes of the two sisters silently intersected in mid-air. . . . . . Outside the reception as the tension eased and I felt deted, a wee message popped up before my eyes. ¨C Probability of Assassination ¡ª 69% ¡ú 33% ¡°Huh?¡± Judging by that, it seemed I was quite adept at thinking on my feet. Warning! ¨C Probability of Confinement ¡ª 40% ¡ú 60% ¨C Probability of Abduction ¡ª 25% ¡ú 50% ¡°¡­Oh.¡± But not in a good way it seemed. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 24: I’ll Borrow Him for a Bit Chapter 24: I¡¯ll Borrow Him for a Bit ¡°Isaac Adler is mine to handle.¡± Charlotte began to speak in a delicate voice breaking the silence that had been permeating the room till now. ¡°To be precise, so that you don¡¯t misunderstand, I mean I will be solely responsible for taking him down.¡± ¡°Yes, and I¡¯ll just borrow him sometimes.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were so stupid that you wouldn¡¯t understand the meaning of taking sole charge of someone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m beginning to wonder, Charlotte¡­ What is the real problem here?¡± Mycrony, for the first time ever, tilted her head with a smile toward her lovely younger sister. ¡°You know very well that I dislike intervening in anything and just enjoy observing, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± ¡°There will be no interferences from my side in your detective work. Unless you want me to, no matter what happens in the future, I won¡¯t interfere or give advice and I won¡¯t influence the outside world either.¡± Seeing Charlotte¡¯s eyebrows increasingly furrow, a quiet smile appeared on her lips. ¡°I just want to be bitten by a mosquito once a week.¡± ¡°¡­Sis.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t love him, you just see him as an enemy that needs to be taken down right?¡± When Charlotte didn¡¯t respond, Mycrony quietly tilted her head to the other side. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be thanking me then?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°At this point, who else but I can provide him with the blood that he requires without anyplications?¡± ¡°¡­I can do it too.¡± ¡°Charlotte, if you periodically feed on the blood of someone who still has symptoms of mana poisoning, it might actually shorten their lifespan.¡± Mycrony shook her head vigorously and added her next set of words. ¡°You can¡¯t just attack anyone at night like in the old days. Since the foundation of the August Detective Academy, the quality of investigations has been constantly improving.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°That¡¯s why, I am your nemesis¡¯ most stable blood bank, Charlotte.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m actually making it more convenient for him to confront you, but it seems our lovely little sister doesn¡¯t appreciate that very much.¡± Seeing a speechless Charlotte ring at her with a chilling gaze, Mycrony slightly flinched with her eyes closed. ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to recall the sensation from earlier.¡± Saying so, a faint blush appeared on her delicate face. ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t really work out¡­ as expected.¡± However, Mycrony, whose expression seemed a bit off, soon staggered and stood up from her spot. ¡°I¡¯ll borrow him a bit more for now.¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± With that, Charlotte blocked Mycrony¡¯s path. ¡°I want to make something clear here.¡± Even though Mycrony¡¯s imposing breasts pressed down on her, Charlotte refused to be cowed and stood her ground. ¡°Don¡¯t interfere in the story between him and me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°He is my destined nemesis, prepared for me by this world. He¡¯s both the fate that will undo my curse and the evil that needs to be vanquished by me.¡± The eyes she had, with great effort, camouged in a grey hue were once again turning golden as she spoke those words. ¡°No one, by any means, is allowed to intervene between us.¡± ¡°Oh my¡­¡± ¡°If he needs blood, I¡¯ll purify mine and give it to him, so just back off.¡± Spotting the ck smoke emanating from Charlotte, Mycrony covered her mouth with her hand and chuckled. ¡°I had my doubts but you¡¯ve really fallen in love, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Think what you will. But I can¡¯t allow your hidden perverse desires toplicate my matters with him.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Our conversation is over. Adler and I will look for another hideout. Goodbye¡­¡± ¡°Well, if my little sister says so, what can I do?¡± As Charlotte was about to leave with a flustered look, she flinched at Mycrony¡¯s words. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°If my lovely little sister dislikes it, there¡¯s nothing I can do now, can I?¡± Mycrony suddenly changed her attitude and made a sullen face. ¡°I¡¯ll gracefully give in, like an adult.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­?¡± ¡°You can continue using the club as a hideout. There¡¯s no ce as safe as the club in the entirety of Ennd.¡± Confused by Mycrony¡¯s sudden change in stance, Charlotte furrowed her brows and asked, ¡°¡­What¡¯s your game here?¡± ¡°Game? Thinking so of your sister, who has devoted her life to looking after you, is a bit much, no?¡± With that, Mycrony put on a pitiful expression, as if she was about to cry. ¡°¡­It¡¯s because your attitude changed so suddenly.¡± ¡°Seeing that you can¡¯t even distinguish a simple teaseing from your sister, who hasn¡¯t seen you in so long, I¡¯m genuinely hurt, Charlotte.¡± ¡°Fine, then.¡± Charlotte, who had been looking at Mycrony with suspicion, sighed at her yful tone and turned away. ¡°You should¡¯ve just done that from the start.¡± ¡°Go call Adler who¡¯s outside.¡± However, at Mycrony¡¯s words, Charlotte turned her head back once again. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we finish our conversation first?¡± ¡°¡­I have things to do as well.¡± ¡°No, as your sister, there are things I urgently need to ask your nemesis.¡± To that, Mycrony made a gesture with her hand as if to say there was no need for concern. ¡°It¡¯ll be over quickly, so just wait a moment.¡± A quiet smile yed on her lips. . . . . . ¡°Do I need to repeat what I did earlier?¡± ¡°Take a seat.¡± As Adler entered the room, he sat down, slightly tense from Mycrony¡¯s changed demeanor. ¡°Isn¡¯t Miss Holmesing in?¡± ¡°I had questions I wanted to ask when my sister wasn¡¯t around.¡± To him, Mycrony asked in a soft voice, ¡°What is your purpose?¡± At that, Adler scratched his head quietly, prompting Mycrony to press further. ¡°I know very well that you want to establish a small kingdom here in London¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°With that professor of yours, who you have a hard time getting along with due to her entric personality.¡± Her discerning eyes narrowed further. ¡°But what¡¯s your n after that?¡± ¡°After¡­ you say?¡± ¡°Will you expand your kingdom to epass the whole of Ennd and then the world? Or perhaps, will you enve all the people of London?¡± As Mycrony leaned forward after uttering those concerning words, Adler was simultaneously faced with her looming chest and had no choice but to show her an ufortable expression. ¡°I¡¯m not threatening you. It¡¯s just pure curiosity.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°From my seat here, I can see the entirety of the world¡¯s workings¡­ but for the life of me, I cannotprehend why you¡¯re going to such lengths.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°What, exactly, is the end goal of this peculiar journey of yours?¡± Hearing those words, he closed his eyes for a moment, lost in thought as he pondered to find the answer to her question. ¡°I wish¡­¡± A momentter, a soft voice began to flow from Adler¡¯s lips. ¡°I wish to be defeated by Miss Charlotte Holmes.¡± Upon hearing those words, Mycrony¡¯s grey-hued eyes began to shine quietly in the dim room. ¡°I want to see a single girl bring down the massive empire that the professor has built.¡± ¡°Ahem¡­¡± ¡°I long to see her stand tall as the hope of London.¡± To anyone familiar with her true nature, the look she was giving Adler right now would¡¯ve been a chilling sight. However, Adler merely continued his tale,pletely undeterred. ¡°I wish to witness the birth of an unparalleled hero whose legend persists and is spoken of, even after centuries have passed.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°That is all I truly desire.¡± Having concluded his story, Adler discreetly cleared his throat. ¡°Please keep this a secret from Miss Charlotte Holmes.¡± Mycrony began to chuckle softly upon hearing his addedment. ¡°You turned out to be a more interesting variable than I expected.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°You¡¯re always filled with anxiety and fear on the surface, yet you seem to be a different person at crucial moments.¡± ¡°I tend to think on my feet. By the way, when did you observe my usual demeanor?¡± ¡°I thought maybe your soul had changed, but apart from the ck hair¡­ the soul inside looks the same, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Adler, who had been calmly responding to herments, frowned upon hearing that remark. ¡°¡­Since the damn design department copied me without permission.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°How did youe to know of such a thing?¡± After murmuring to himself for a while, Adler posed a question to her with a sly smile on his face. ¡°The ability to see through everything, yet feeling no interest or thrill in any event. That¡¯s my curse.¡± ¡°¡­Another curse?¡± ¡°What are you muttering to yourself this entire time?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± With that, Adler, who had been tilting his head thoughtfully, straightened up his posture. ¡°So, does that satisfy any curiosity you may have for my purpose?¡± ¡°For an improvised response mixed with lies, it was somewhat convincing.¡± ¡°My words were sincere.¡± ¡°People tend to mix truth with their lies to make it seem sincere, yes.¡± Mycrony¡¯s eyes tinted with amusement as she spoke. ¡°¡­From what I can see, it looks like you might have a slight affection for the professor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unlikely.¡± ¡°If that reaction isn¡¯t an act, it seems that my younger sister is not the only one who is unaware of their own feelings.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ It truly is an intriguing love triangle.¡± Suddenly, her smile faded and she murmured in a cold voice, ¡°¡­Had my physical condition been slightly better, I would¡¯ve loved to turn it into a square.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± But, as if nothing had happened she reverted to her usual affable smile, taking out a decorative object with a ma stuck on it, which had been attached under the table till now. ¡°I¡¯m just curious about the expression my younger sister would have when she hears what you said; right around the time everythinges to an end, of course.¡± ¡°¡­It seems that recording without consent has be a trend these days.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Adler watched her with a resigned expression on his face and then began to rise from his seat. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my leave now, Miss Mycrony. Of course, if you¡¯d allow me to.¡± ¡°Just a moment.¡± Hearing Mycrony¡¯s changed tone, he halted in his steps. ¡°¡­Give me a parting gift.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Mycrony, who had maintained an overwhelming presence up until now, whispered with a slightly fluttered expression on her face. ¡°Give me a bite.¡± Seeing Adler¡¯s shocked expression, she averted her eyes before pointing to the clock. ¡°It¡¯s not yet 1:05, is it?¡± A silence began to fill inside the room. ¡°This time, please bite the front of my neck.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Do it with the intent to kill¡ª with all your might.¡± Adler, after ncing briefly at the agents outside, slowly turned toward her once more. Mycrony, with a hint of fervor in her voice, requested him in a quivering voice. ¡°That area is densely packed with blood vessels; it¡¯s risky. Perhaps¡­¡± Upon hearing that, Adler made a troubled face. ¡°The lower partcks sensation due to the flesh.¡± At her subsequent words, he momentarily lost his words and, avoiding Mycrony¡¯s dark gaze, he suggested in a quiet tone, ¡°¡­Then, how about a bit lower?¡± ¡°You mean the belly?¡± ¡°No, on second thought, that was a rather foolish remark¡­¡± Realizing his blunder, Adler tried to correct himself. ¨C Swoosh¡­ However, before his very eyes, Mycrony slightly lifted her top, revealing a soft, pale patch of skin. ¡°Bite me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Cold sweat began to form in the shape of small beads on Adler¡¯s forehead. . . . . . A few minutester. ¡°Sis, you finished your talk yet?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As Charlotte, who had been lingering outside the reception room, suddenly opened the door and entered¡ª Mycrony, who was sitting at the desk with a dazed expression on her face, had her eyes flutter ever so slightly. ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°You know, big sis has had a weak heart since birth. If you just barge in without warning, of course, I¡¯d be startled.¡± After hearing that Charlotte tilted her head scanned the room, and asked ¡°Where¡¯s Adler?¡± ¡°He went to the restroom for a bit.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see him leave.¡± ¡°He must have left through the back door, so you didn¡¯t see him go out.¡± Sensing a somewhat suspicious atmosphere, Charlotte, about to step further into the room, changed her direction after hearing Mycrony¡¯s subsequent words. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll know for sure when I check myself.¡± Leaving thatment behind, she headed toward the restroom. ¡°¡­¡­Phew.¡± As Charlotte¡¯s footsteps faded away, the sound of a suppressed breath being released came from under Mycrony¡¯s desk. ¡°Are you satisfied now?¡± From inside the desk, Adler, who was kneeling and wiping off the saliva connected from the spot he had bitten, looked up at Mycrony and posed the question. ¨C Rustle¡­ Staring down at him, Mycrony reached into her breasts and handed something to him. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my home address.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Adler, who had taken it without much thought, soon looked puzzled and asked in a shocked tone, ¡°Isn¡¯t this a state secret?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°What if I lead my subordinates to raid your ce?¡± Mycrony replied with a yful glint in her eyes, ¡°I suppose I¡¯d be captured by a cute vampire, feeling the sharp bite he¡¯d inflict on my neck, and die slowly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Come to think of it, that might not be such a bad way to go.¡± To Adler¡¯s puzzled expression, Mycrony whispered in a soft voice. ¡°Visit that address every week from now on.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You need a blood bag, don¡¯t you?¡± Her eyes were shining brighter than ever. ¡°I need a personal Adler too.¡± At her words, Adler unconsciously swallowed and tried to muster a smile. ¡°¡­And if I refuse?¡± ¡°I have hundreds of ways to destroy you, Mr. Adler.¡± She quickly replied to his teasing query. ¡°You can make the choice on your own, without me forcibly taking ownership of your body or your autonomy.¡± Adler¡¯s smile faded slightly at her simple yet terrifying threat¡ª a message that was so clear that one would not have to give much thought to interpret it. ¡°Having awakened the eyes of a pitiful anhedonic who has been searching for stimtion her entire life, you should take responsibility, don¡¯t you think?¡± Mycrony, who had returned the gaze to him, tilted her head and asked in a yful tone. ¡°Didn¡¯t you approach me with that intention from the very beginning?¡± Naturally, there was only one answer Adler could give. ¡°¡­I will see you in a week.¡± ¡°Take care.¡± Thus concluded the breathtaking conversation between London¡¯s main figures in the light and the shadows. ¨C Why are youing out from there? ¨C Pardon? ¨C I guess that¡¯s the restroom for Mr. Adler. Charlotte, visible through the slightly opened door, sharplymented while grabbing onto Adler¡¯s sleeve. Mycrony¡¯s lips began to quiver at the sight. ¨C It¡¯s okay, let¡¯s go. ¡°¡­I¡¯m truly sorry, Charlotte.¡± Soon after, Mycrony gently caressed the vivid bite marks that were visible on her abdomen, where an odd mix of fiery red and majestic golden mana was radiating out even now. ¡°Sister, I¡¯ve realized something.¡± Her expression was now tinged with a mischievous delight. ¡°Having a secret rtionship is more stimting than one that¡¯s already out in the open.¡± In her monotonous life, surrounded only by Ennd and her younger sister, an irresistible thrill was etched on this day. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll borrow him for a bit; secretly, of course¡­¡± You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 25: Piling Karma Chapter 25: Piling Karma A few hours after the breathtaking events that urred at the Diogenes Club¡ª ¡°¡­Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± An odd tension flowed between Adler and Holmes, who were currently seated inside a coffee house. ¡°Why have you been acting like that since earlier?¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°Your expression looks rather glum.¡± Adler, who had been uneasily gauging Charlotte¡¯s mood amidst the tense atmosphere, quietly asked that question. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Then, Charlotte began to silently stare at Adler with an intense gaze. ¨C Slide¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly, she leaned forward and inserted her finger into Adler¡¯s mouth. ¡°¡­¡­???¡± Startled by her abrupt move, Adler couldn¡¯t help but blink his eyes as he bit onto her finger. Charlotte then whispers with a cold gaze, exerting force on her hand. ¡°From now on, drink only my blood.¡± From the wound on her finger, the sharp scent of blood dispersed into Adler¡¯s mouth. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± Charlotte tilted her head and rested her chin on her hand, her dark gaze fixed on Adler, making him instinctively avert his gaze to the side. ¡°That¡¯s how it should be, right?¡± ¡°¡­Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°Keep biting, Mr. Adler.¡± Adler, who had slowly been trying to pull his head back, heedlessly sucked on her finger upon hearing Charlotte¡¯s icy voice. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± And then, an ominous silence enveloped the coffee house. ¡°Your drink has been served¡­¡± The server, who came to serve drinks at their table ¨C upon witnessing the eerie and bizarre scene ¨C trailed off his words and took a few steps back. ¡°¡­Pfft.¡± It was several minutester that Charlotte¡¯s blood donation event came to an end. ¡°Just a moment.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± As she was about to gently pull her finger away, she looked at Adler with a puzzled gaze when he suddenly grabbed her hand. ¡°It¡¯s bleeding; the wound, I mean.¡± Adler took out a handkerchief from his pocket and began to bandage her finger. ¡°By the way, it seems that you¡¯ve quit smoking, judging by the soft scenting from your fingers.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done really well. And the symptoms of Mana Poisoning have also greatly reduced. At this rate, in a few months time, you¡¯ll be no different from an ordinary person.¡± Adler started to speak in a gentle voice to Charlotte, who was staring nkly at him. ¡°¡­But, what is this scent?¡± Suddenly, he tilted his head slightly, murmuring to himself. ¡°It somehow has a sweet scent¡­¡± ¡°Saying something like that to a woman¡­ it¡¯s bad, Mr. Adler.¡± As he slowly leaned closer, Charlotte hastily pushed him away. ¡°If we¡¯re going by that logic¡­ Miss Holmes, who suddenly put her finger in someone¡¯s mouth, is even more¡­¡± ¡°Stop being noisy.¡± Of course, Adler had a point but there was nothing she could do about it. She didn¡¯t want him to find out that the source of the sweet scent was a perfume she had randomly tried on from Watson¡¯s dressing table before leaving the boarding house. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t stare at me like that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± And so, an awkward tension began to flow between the two once again. ¡°Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°¡­What is it?¡± ¡°I have a question for you.¡± Adler, who had been continually watching Charlotte¡¯s reactions in that awkward atmosphere, softly posed that question to her. ¡°What exactly is a curse?¡± Charlotte then began to gaze intently at Adler. ¡°What¡¯s your intention, Mr. Adler?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any ulterior motives. I¡¯m genuinely asking because I don¡¯t know.¡± She, who had been looking at Adler with a suspicious re, soon sighed and replied. ¡°Discussing information ssified as confidential in various countries in a caf¨¦ like this doesn¡¯t seem appropriate.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°From the beginning, you¡¯ve also been afflicted with a curse, so you should be knowledgeable about it already.¡± As Charlotte said this at that moment,ughing softly while looking at Adler¡­ ¨C Shaaa¡­ Suddenly, a golden message began to manifest on his hand. ?The 21st has passed already, why haven¡¯t youe to meet me?? ?I waited there for several days.? ?Is something wrong with you?? Adler, who was nkly staring at the message, began to leak out a steady stream of cold sweat as he felt an unusual atmosphere in front of him and raised his head. ¡°¡­Look at that.¡± Charlotte Holmes was murmuring in a soft voice, with a slight smile on her face. ¡°You too are tormented by a curse.¡± ¡°No, Miss Holmes. I don¡¯t know about this¡­¡± ¡°Do you know how many crimes I prevented while walking the streets today?¡± ¡°Just one¡­¡± With aposed expression, Adler tried to exin himself, but seeing her increasingly dark smile, his words trailed off. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me, Mr. Adler, you would have been chopped up and rolling in London¡¯s sewers by now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Or perhaps tied up from head to toe, trampled under the feet of your enemies.¡± The faint smoke rising from Charlotte¡¯s body, only now did Adler able to notice that eerie phenomenon. ¡°¡­Am I dreaming?¡± ¡°Um, I¡¯m thinking of taking a brief rest in the countryside for a few weeks.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Rubbing his eyes for a moment and looking again at Charlotte for good measure, Adler couldn¡¯t help but shake his head in disbelief while hearing her whisper. ¡°Why don¡¯t youe along, Mr. Adler?¡± ¡°¡­Me?¡± ¡°While I¡¯m recuperating, I can¡¯t bear the thought of my nemesis being killed by amateurs whock even the basics of the basics.¡± And with that, she grabbed Adler¡¯s sleeve and began to stand up from her seat. ¡°After all, I¡¯m the only one who can dispel the curse that¡¯s been so annoyingly following you around, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Pack your things. I¡¯ve made train reservations for tomorrow.¡± ¡°Wait, just a moment, Miss Holmes.¡± Looking like he was about to be pseudo-kidnapped on the spot by Holmes, Adler hastily stood up from his seat and spoke out, ¡°I urgently need to use the restroom right now. Let¡¯s talk in a bit.¡± ¡°¡­Alright, then.¡± Charlotte nodded, gazing at Adler. ¡°After all, London itself is no different from a vast prison for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t foolishly disappear and be found as a corpse;e back to me soon.¡± Staring nkly at Charlotte, Adler quietly responded with a hint of amusement in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re awfully persistent, Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a joke.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to threaten me so. I¡¯ll provide you with the next riddle soon enough.¡± With that whispered exchange, Adler headed out to the restroom outside the cafe. ¡°¡­I¡¯m truly not joking.¡± As she watched his retreating figure, Charlotte unknowingly murmured with a slight tinge of worry in her voice. ¡°Oh dear, Miss Holmes.¡± From behind her, a voice tinged withughter reached her ears. ¡°Who¡­¡± Frowning, Charlotte started to shift her head while posing that question, only to stop mid-sentence as her eyes widened in surprise at the sight that registered in them. ¡°You really look out of sorts.¡± From the seat behind her, Professor Moriarty, who was spooning her sherbet, waved at her with a sly smile on her face. . . . . . ¡°Since when were you sitting there?¡± ¡°You¡¯re truly failing as a detective. Asking a question to the very person you should have deduced like that.¡± As Charlotte took her seat with an uncharacteristic tension in her expression, Moriarty, previously toying with her drink, rose gracefully from her spot. ¡°But considering your skill level, I¡¯ll personally give an answer to that question. I¡¯ve been here from the very beginning.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°London doesn¡¯t have just you as its brilliant mind, Miss Holmes.¡± With that, a cold glint began to shine in Moriarty¡¯s eyes. ¡°I too have just recentlye to realize that fact for certain.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± ¡°A telegram arrived at my office a few hours ago.¡± Saying that, Moriarty, who was seated opposite Charlotte, began to probe with a soft voice. ¡°Do you happen to have someone close to you who is, in essence, the British government itself Miss Holmes?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Otherwise, there¡¯s no reason for the government to send an audit for a professor who¡¯s only been appointed at August Academy for a year.¡± Upon hearing that, Charlotte clenched her fist and murmured to herself. ¡®¡­I told you not to interfere, sis.¡¯ ¡°Even so, you won¡¯t be able to touch my im over Isaac Adler.¡± Meanwhile, with her eyes still shining, Moriarty whispered those words. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to worsen Adler¡¯s curse, you might want to hand him over as my assistant sooner rather thanter.¡± ¡°You seem to be under a rather arrogant misconception. You¡¯re not the only one who can neutralize his curse.¡± Two greyish gazes began to fiercely intersect. ¡°While he¡¯s asleep, there are others besides you who can silently drip blood into his mouth.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°And you¡¯re not the only one who can discreetly deal with those pests who were after my dear assistant.¡± ¡°You seem to be quite annoyed by me, Professor.¡± As Charlotte posed the question with a sardonic smile on her face, Moriarty parried it with a rxed expression. ¡°I¡¯m not bothered by a youngdy who doesn¡¯t even know how to properly apply perfume.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Is today, perhaps, the first time you¡¯ve tried makeup? It looks ratherical and excessive.¡± Feeling a sting of humiliation from her words, Charlotte¡¯s face slightly contorted as she responded with an annoyed voice. ¡°Regardless, you¡¯re nothing but a tool.¡± To which Moriarty looked down at her with an expression that seemed to say, how cute. ¡°No matter how much you smile like that, the riddles he wille up with in the future are solely for me.¡± ¡°Have you never considered that perhaps¡­ you are just a device for my amusement?¡± ¡°Sorry, but there¡¯s absolutely no chance of that.¡± ¡°I believe I mentioned before that absolutes do exist, Miss Holmes.¡± Having said her piece, Moriarty began to whisper in a soft voice to Charlotte. ¡°This conversation seems to be going in circles.¡± ¡°I think so too, Professor.¡± With that, Charlotte began to rise from her seat. ¡°It seems we have no choice but to end our conversation for today.¡± ¡°We probably won¡¯t have any more conversations in the future.¡± ¡°It seems that way.¡± Moriarty, rising from her seat following Charlotte, whispered with a sly smile on her face. ¡°We¡¯ll never have anything to do with each other again.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such dreadful things.¡± ¡°If you hade under my wing, I might have shown some special consideration.¡± ¡°That¡¯s rather presumptuous of you.¡± Just as it seemed the two women¡¯s positions were beingpletely rified¡­ ¡°Be prepared. I¡¯ll be giving my all from now on.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been hoping for.¡± At that exact moment¡­ ¡°Aaaahhhhhhhh!!¡± A piercing scream echoed from outside the coffee house. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Both Holmes and Moriarty, startled by the sudden event, turned their heads, their expressions quickly turning cold at the sight. ¡°¡­..Ugh.¡± Isaac Adler, who had been the topic of their conversation just moments before, was now staggering, having been stabbed by a knife held by a young girl. . . . . . ¡°Mr. Adler¡­¡± ¡®I knew it would be this person.¡¯ While returning to the caf¨¦ from the restroom, I was ambushed by the girl who had been following me with a knife since earlier. Silently, I smirked to myself and murmured¡­ ¡°The Speckled Band.¡± ¡®Now Holmes and the Professor won¡¯t have to worry about being bored.¡¯ ¡°It was the Speckled Band¡­ that thing.¡± At that very moment, a message shed before my eyes. Probability Error! ¨C Case: The canon event¡ªThe Secret of the Speckled Band has a critically low probability of transpiring! ¨C Key: Ensure the case¡¯s probability to prevent the erosion of the world! Reading that message, I smiled triumphantly, then turned my head to face the two approaching women, spreading my arms wide with a bright expression on my face. ¡°It¡¯s a new mystery, everyone!¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± Detective Holmes and Professor Moriarty coldly stared at me in response. Warning! ¨C Probability of Being Imprisoned ¡ª 60% ¡ú 70% ¡®Wait, why?¡¯ You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 26: The Secret of the Speckled Band Chapter 26: The Secret of the Speckled Band ¡°Hmm?¡± It was an unfamiliar ceiling. ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± No, it was a somewhat familiar ceiling¡­ A bedroom that I seemed to have visited once before unfolded before my eyes. ¡°Are youing to your senses now?¡± As I was nkly looking at my surroundings, I turned my head toward the voice that came from beside me and froze in ce. ¡°You¡¯ve been unconscious for several days after being stabbed.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°We even suspected some mental abnormalities due to yourst response, but fortunately, it seems that¡¯s not the case.¡± The reason I froze was because Charlotte Holmes¡¯ soul partner, Rachel Watson, was sitting beside my bed with her hand ced on her chin. ¡°Holmes is investigating with a fire in her eyes, believing that you are severely injured. If it wasn¡¯t for her request, we wouldn¡¯t even be allowed in this VIP room¡­¡± ¡°Dr. Watson?¡± ¡°¡­You know my name? Even though you¡¯ve never seen me before¡­¡± As I was staring nkly at her and murmured her name, Rachel Watson squinted her eyes and asked me that question¡­ ¡°I saw the name tag on your medical gown.¡± ¡°The gown with that name tag is hanging by the door right now, so it has nothing to do with me.¡± ¡°I should also mention that your fingertips smell of disinfectant, there¡¯s a mark of a stethoscope on your neck, and I can slightly see a trace of a gunshot wound on your shoulder.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± ¡°And on the medical gown, there is also a Medal of Honor. All of these characteristics match Dr. Watson, as described in the recently popr case files.¡± Upon hearing my exnation, Dr. Watson looked at herself for a split instant, made an expression as if to say I see, and quietly scratched her head. Only then did her appearance clearly enter my field of vision¡­ for the very first time since I had arrived in this twisted world. She was the epitome of what one would call a Lady of London, diligent and neat in appearance. Short brown hair tinged with a hint of orange framed her beautiful face. However, there was also an unexpectedly tough look about her, befitting a military officer. It was indeed the Rachel Watson I had investigated and had even seen in the game development phase. ¡°You¡¯re using a style of deduction I¡¯ve seen many times already¡­¡± Soon, she cleared her throat and spoke¡­ ¡°It¡¯s the style of someone I¡¯ve watched over and over. I liked it so much that I¡¯ve managed to somewhat mimic it.¡± In reality, I had simply quoted lines from a game, but I couldn¡¯t say that so I fumbled my response somewhat. ¡°You¡­¡± Then, all of a sudden, Watson¡¯s eyes turned icy cold. ¡°Tell me the truth.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your real intention behind getting close to Charlotte?¡± Unbefitting the image of a Lady of London, she crossed her arms and even crossed her legs as she looked down at me with a chilling gaze and threw her question. ¡°What intention are you talking about?¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re trash. You¡­¡± Then came a slightly heart-wrenchingment. ¡°That¡¯s a bit harsh.¡± ¡°Is it something that someone who approaches seemingly vulnerable women to rece everything in their lives with himself, and then leaves them without a backward nce, would say?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Moreover, you even enjoy observing the woman you have ensnared crumble into pieces after you¡¯ve left her alone.¡± The problem here was that¡­ from Rachel Watson¡¯s perspective, all of this waspletely true. ¡°You human garbage¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Just die already.¡± ¡°¡­Is that something a doctor would say?¡± ¡°You should just end up in a vegetative state due to an ident.¡± Hearing such a cold statement from the most diligentdy in all of London was, truly strange, to say the least. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but making a pitiful face like that won¡¯t work on me.¡± So, as I quietly scratched my head while looking at Watson with a sullen gaze, she suddenly whispered, shaking her finger from side to side. ¡°I already have someone I¡¯ve given my heart to.¡± As she spoke that line, and looked down at me with a self-assured expression, a single fang even protruded from the corner of her mouth¡ª smug about that deration of hers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯re not my type either.¡± ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re pretty good with words. To someone like me who¡¯s been through an elite course and usually doesn¡¯t lose to anyone¡­¡± ¡°If you were to marry a gambler who dumps half of their military pension on horse races, you¡¯d never know when you might get kidnapped in their stead.¡± Upon subtly leaking information about her from the original Sherlock Holmes story, Watson looked at me with a startled expression on her face. ¡°H-How do you know¡­¡± ¡°Even the timing on the betting slip sticking out of your pocket is perfect for a romantic weekend evening. Seems like you prefer horses over a romantic partner.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not¡­¡± ¡°Or perhaps, do you have some hidden self-destructive tendencies?¡± ¡°Be quiet!¡± As I looked at Watson who had shouted those words with an utterly flushed face, filled with a crippling sense of embarrassment, I whispered to her in a hushed tone. ¡°Shall I ruin you, Dr. Watson?¡± ¡°A-Are you threatening me right now?¡± ¡°Secretly plotting behind Holmes¡¯ back when she is always beside you¡­ Wouldn¡¯t that be¡­ thrilling?¡± Upon hearing those words, Watson, as if not immune to such talk, trembled and stood up from her seat. ¡°I already had my suspicions, even if slight, when Charlotte gave up smoking and experimenting with mana stones¡­ As expected, you¡¯re utter trash.¡± ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡± ¡°Enough. You¡¯re a rude person.¡± So, did this mean I would have to go through a sham marriage with this righteous and upstandingdy? ¡°If you truly love Charlotte Holmes even a little, in that dark and wretched heart of yours, it would be best for you to give up on her and disappearpletely.¡± Just when my vision was darkening due to this absurd condition, I heard Watson¡¯s icy voice in my ear. ¡°And keep this in mind.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I will never fall for your tricks.¡± It was precisely at that moment. ¨C Bang!!! ¡°Ah!?¡± The door to the VIP hospital room burst open, and in walked a towering woman. ¡°¡­¡­..¡± With a single nce, she subdued the flustered nurses behind her. Exuding an aura that gave me chills, she stepped into my room. ¡°So¡­¡± She was also someone I knew quite well. ¡°Who is Holmes here?¡± The culprit from The Secrets of the Speckled Band incident, Lady Grace Roylott, was ring at Watson and me, alternating her focus between us. . . . . . Her attire was wildly inappropriate for 19th-century London¡ª tanned skin and toned muscles on full disy, looking both fearsome and beautiful at the same time, akin to a queen of the Amazons. ¡°I won¡¯t ask twice.¡± Wrapped around her legs were leg guards, and in her hand, she swung a whipmonly used for hunting. With a voice full of menace, she asked the question once again, directing it toward us. ¡°Among you two, who is Charlotte Holmes¡­¡± Then, Lady Roylott shifted her steps, her face suddenly adorned with a feral, cold smile. ¡°Never mind. There¡¯s only one woman here, after all.¡± ¡°Wha-What are you¡­¡± Just as Watson started to back away, breaking into a cold sweat under that overpowering atmosphere¡­ ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Adler, raising his hand, spoke with a thin smile. ¡°I am Charlotte Holmes.¡± ¡°¡­No matter how I look at you, you look like a man from any and all angles.¡± ¡°When I was young, I was quite frail, you see. My parents tried to twist fate by giving me a female name.¡± Having finished his exnation, Adler looked toward Watson and whispered in a soft voice. ¡°This is my assistant, Dr. Watson. I apologize, but could you step out for a moment, Watson dear?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I have a visitor who hase looking for me. I¡¯d like to speak with her privately.¡± Upon hearing that cunning request, Watson hesitated for a moment and saw Adler¡¯s discreet gesture to get out of this ce and thus stepped outside with cold sweat drenching her forehead. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± Thus, with only Lady Roylott and Adler remaining inside the room, a deep silence ensued. ¨C p!! ¡°Speak now.¡± Breaking the silence was the muffled sound of Lady Roylott, who had pped Adler across the cheek with all her might. ¡°Where is my daughter now?¡± As her sudden action prompted a deep intake of breath from behind the door, Lady Roylott gripped Adler¡¯s cor, unfazed by her violent act, and questioned him once again in that fierce voice of hers. ¡°Are you talking about Helen Stoner, the youngdy who caused a knife disturbance on the street a few days ago?¡± ¡°What did she say to you?¡± ¡°The weather has gotten quite coldtely.¡± ¡°You think you can gloss over this?¡± After that, a brief nerve-wracking standoff between the two ensued. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± ¡°Holmes, youpdog of the London police.¡± The tension escted as Lady Roylott, still gripping Adler¡¯s cor, climbed onto the bed and began to strangle him then and there. ¡°Ugh¡­..¡± Just then, at the very moment Adler was on the verge of losing consciousness atop the bed¡­ ¨C Buzz¡­ ¡°¡­Hm?¡± Letters of a gray hue began to appear on Lady Roylott¡¯s hand. ?This is not Holmes, Roylott.? ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Staring intently at the message which seemed hastily written despite its elegant script, she finally let go of Adler¡¯s throat, her expression as if the air had been let out of her. ¡°What a waste of effort.¡± With that, she twisted her wrist and descended from the bed. ¡°Are you an associate of Holmes?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°If so, then convey this to her¡­¡± At that moment, a message appeared before Adler¡¯s eyes. ¡°Withdraw from this affair and¡­¡± ¡°¡­This shouldn¡¯t be happening.¡± ¡°What?¡± Upon reading the message, Adler tilted his head to the side, adopting a serious expression on his face for the first time. ¡°You bastard, when someone is talking¡­!¡± ¡°Madam.¡± Just when Lady Roylott was about to unleash the anger she had been holding back, seeing Adler maintain his silent and pensive expression for some time¡­ ¡°I have a favor to ask.¡± Suddenly, Adler, his eyes lighting up in an instant, pulled himself up from the bed. ¡°What¡­¡± ¨C Buzz¡­ Lady Roylott, who had been tilting her head at Adler¡¯s demeanor, widened her eyes when she saw Adler¡¯s eyes start to convert into a fiery red. ¡°¡­Please make me a part of your collection.¡± Adler, revealing his true form as a pureblooded vampire, was whispering those words while gently swaying his tail from side to side. . . . . . Rachel Watson Charlotte Holmes Professor Moriarty As soon as I dared to make these statements, a flood of messages started to appear before my eyes. Probability Error! Description: The conclusion probability of the canon event¡ª The Secret of the Speckled Band case is severelycking! But at this crucial moment, when the fate of the world hung in the bnce, there was no time to pay attention to such messages. If the probability is not maintained, the world¡¯s erosion rate will increase! Current Case Progress: 56% Warning! Erosion Rate ¡ª 5% An increase in the erosion rate in this world was extremely fatal. Therefore, in the current situation where my ns had gone awry due to being incapacitated for a few days from merely being stabbed by a knife, I had no choice but to forcefully intervene in the case. ¡°¡­A vampire?¡± ¡°A pureblooded one at that.¡± And the way to do that was to be part of Lady Roylott¡¯s collection. Inheriting some elements of the original setting, she was London¡¯s top collector and trainer who would lose her mind over rare animals and magical beasts. Seeing my true form, she couldn¡¯t help but bepletely captivated. ¡°What are you scheming?¡± Therefore, as I wagged my tail eagerly, thedy asked with a glint in her eyes. ¡°I find myself in a rather dangerous situation.¡± Her eyes, which had gently lifted my chin trembled upon hearing my words. ¡°¡­So, I would like it if you could raise me in secrecy.¡± Upon finishing my sentence, grey and ck letters began to shimmer on the palm of my hand, tingling as they appeared there. ¡°Alright.¡± However, there was no time to shift my gaze to them. ¨C Click¡­ Because Lady Roylott, pulling a spotted cor from the travel bag she had brought, whispered as she carefully fastened it around my neck. ¡°Get into the bag.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± As I started to feel her murky mana spreading around my neck, I stepped into the bag. ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± As the zipper closed, I absentmindedly watched the disappearing light, then quietly tilted my head at the sudden notification. Warning! ¨C Probability of ??? ¡ª 10% What could this mean? I wondered in the darkness filled with utter silence¡­ You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 27: The Secret of the Speckled Band (2) Chapter 27: The Secret of the Speckled Band (2) A day after Isaac Adler disappeared from the hospital room with Lady Roylott¡ª ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Professor Moriarty, who had arrived at the front gate of the mansion where Lady Roylott resided, stepped down from the carriage and walked into the garden of the residence. ¨C Rumble, rumble¡­ ¨C Growl¡­ No sooner had she entered, the beastly cries of ferocious animals began to emanate from all around. The ce, considered by nearby residents as a danger zone, was rumored to not only harbor wild beasts but also mythical creatures. ¡°Be quiet.¡± However, as Professor Moriarty softly whispered those words while emitting a faint gray-colored mana, the garden immediately quieted down as though the feral cries had been a lie all along. ¨C Plod, plod... With a cold gaze, she surveyed the quickly silenced garden and just as she began to move her steps again¡­ ¡°Ah, who do we have here?¡± A voice came from in front of her, one that had by now be all too familiar to her. ¡°You should be out of your mind by now, busy preparing the audit trail for the thesis panel1The audit trail is like the information you include in your thesis so that the panel members easily know just what information that you have included in the thesis. And the thesis panel is the board of members that judge the validity of your thesis and thus ept and recognize it. You can learn more here¡ª https://patthomson/2014/08/14/the-audit-trail-a-toomon-omission-in-methods-chapters. What brings you here, Professor?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Moriarty¡¯s expression turned even colder than it already was upon confirming the presence of Charlotte Holmes ¨C who had been wandering around the mansion for a few hours already ¨C after her arrival, and the presence of Rachel Watson, who cautiously followed Holmes around. ¡°¡­What are you doing here, yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯vee to resolve an issue someone caused due to their curiosity.¡± Charlotte sported a sly smile as she spoke those words and then looked at Moriarty dead in the eyes before adding. ¡°But, it¡¯s quite surprising, isn¡¯t it? You showing up at the scene yourself, I mean. Why would you take such a risk after going through the trouble of setting all this up?¡± ¡°Ms. Holmes. It seems to me that you¡¯re still in a severe state of Mana Poisoning. It¡¯s quite serious, isn¡¯t it?¡± Moriarty also met Charlotte¡¯s gaze, whispering to her in a subdued voice. ¡°I am simply a newly-appointed professor at a rather ordinary detective academy. Nothing more, nothing less.¡± ¡°For someone who has presented a groundbreaking thesis on the binomial theorem at such a young age, causing a stir in the entire academic world, I don¡¯t understand how you can im to be ordinary.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t particrly want to exin to you why people treat me with respect and formality. However, that doesn¡¯t mean your delusions that I am the mastermind behind all of this is justified.¡± ¡°There is a saying that the perpetrator always returns to the scene of the crime.¡± ¡°I¡¯m simply here to retrieve a graduate student who has breached the terms of his contract with me. It¡¯s a perfectly legal and straightforward act.¡± As their conversation continued, the smiles on both of their faces became increasingly chilly and cold. ¡°Upon reviewing the records of incidents that have urred at the academy over the past year I found that you, whether directly or indirectly, were seemingly involved with them, Professor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s simply because I hold the special position of being a professor at August Academy.¡± ¡°Or perhaps, you know¡­ You were the real culprit behind those series of incidents.¡± ¡°If you continue to insist that such biased delusions are true without a shred of evidence, I will have no choice but to take legal action against you.¡± ¡°Do you think you could win?¡± ¡°Well, if you still think the same way after receiving years of psychological therapy and counseling, I might be willing to consider it.¡± As the conversation seemed on the verge of heating up to an extensive degree, Moriarty, who moved her gaze away first, began walking again and whispered in a voice that was far more subdued and deeper than before. ¡°¡­Adler might just be disappointed in you, you know¡­¡± Hearing that deep yet cheerful tone, Charlotte Holmes stopped in her tracks. ¡°Enough is enough.¡± ¡°Over there, was it Watson? Your partner doesn¡¯t seem to be in the best of conditions right now¡­¡± ¡°You dare talk about endangering Isaac Adler, while trying to beat me¡­¡± Professor Moriarty, who had been speaking in a soft voice to Watson, shivering next to Charlotte due to the tension between the fatal duo, suddenly stopped talking at Charlotte¡¯s sharp retort. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be friends with him now.¡± ¡°¡­Ho, Holmes?¡± Emitting a faint smoke from her body as she finished her talk, Charlotte passed by Watson, who looked stunned at her current appearance. ¡°¡­I am going to pay another visit to Lady Roylott, so you maye along if you wish.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± And thus, utter silence ensued. ¡®¡­How unpleasant.¡¯ In the midst of that silence, Moriarty started walking forward with the corners of her mouth twisting quietly. ¡®Adler is the one who ignored my warnings and recklessly got himself into danger.¡¯ The reason Professor Moriarty had risked appearing at the scene in person was quite clear to just about anyone. Naturally, it was because of Adler, who had willingly let himself be abducted by Lady Roylott the night before. ¨C Zzzz¡­ Truth be told, Moriarty was in a rather foul mood at the moment. Usually, she would have indulged Isaac Adler, but depending on how this situation unfolded, she was ready to mete out punishment as well. ¡®¡­I must instill in him the reminder as to whom he truly belongs.¡¯ And perhaps, she might even do something far more severe if pushes to shove. ¡°Guests? Take a seat up front.¡± However, any resolve Moriarty might have had crumbled the moment Lady Roylott, who had been unresponsive despite Charlotte Holmesbing through the mansion for hours, finally opened the door to her house. ¨C Lap¡­ ¡°Very well.¡± The reason was because Adler, with a cor lodged around his neck, was kneeling andpping at the milk in Lady Roylott¡¯s hand. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± Upon seeing the tinge of mana that had seeped into his body, the ns of Professor Moriarty and Charlotte Holmes rapidly began to align. ¡®Let¡¯s lock him up.¡¯ ¡®We must lock him up.¡¯ . . . . . ¡°So, you wanted to discuss some matters with my pet here and share some stories, I assume.¡± Lady Roylott arrogantly leaned back in her chair while crossing her legs, smiling as she looked at Charlotte and Professor Moriarty, who were staring back at her with dark and chilly eyes. ¡°Well, I suppose I could permit that for a brief moment.¡± Adler, snuggled close by her side, had his eyes tightly closed as she rubbed his cheek with her hand. ¡°If you act foolishly, I will make you like this.¡± As Lady Roylott gently stroked Adler¡¯s head and rose from her seat, the expressions of Charlotte and Moriarty darkened even further. ¨C Keeekekekeeeee¡­ In front of them, Lady Roylott began to distort the iron wrench that was beside her chair using only her grip strength. ¨C ng¡­ Soon after, she dropped thepletely crumpled iron wrench onto the desk and lightly stroked Adler¡¯s chin before leaving the room. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± And then, silence ensued. ¨C Keeekekekeee¡­ keeekekekeeee¡­ In such a silence, the previously bent iron wrench suddenly trembled and lifted into the air. ¨C Kekekeee¡­kekeee¡­ After screeching for a while, enveloped in gray and ck mana, the iron wrench ultimately broke into two separate pieces. ¡°What¡­ what is going on here?¡± While Watson looked on in shock at the ominous scene, Adler, for some reason only he was aware of, appearedpletely unfazed. ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± Of the two women, who were ring intently at him with a dark gaze, Charlotte was the first to speak. ¡°I¡¯ve already discovered the truth.¡± Saying this, she leaned forward. ¡°So, stop this act right now.¡± However, Adler simply shook his head slightly in response. ¡°¡­It seems I must share my deductions for you to change your mind.¡± Charlotte, who briefly clenched her teeth at his response, took a deep breath and began her exnation in a subdued voice. ¡°The reason Helen Stoner, Lady Roylott¡¯s stepdaughter, stabbed you was because of Lady Roylott¡¯s brainwashing.¡± ¡°Why do you think that?¡± Adler asked quietly in response to her deduction. ¡°Thest thing she remembered before falling asleep was a low whistling sound and a speckled band.¡± At his subtle question, Charlotte paused for a brief moment before her eyes lit up and she began to exin her reasoning. ¡°I was pondering what those things could be when I entered Lady Roylott¡¯s room. I saw a small safe, and on top of it was a dish filled with milk.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Strange, isn¡¯t it? The cheetah and exotic animals she keeps could hardly be satiated by such a small dish of milk.¡± Adler, who had been watching her, carefully wiped the milk from the corner of his mouth and nodded his head meekly. ¡°¡­That¡¯s not the only strange thing. This mansion has an odd venttion system.¡± Charlotte, momentarily showing a flustered expression at his meek and embarrassed response, continued speaking with her eyes tightly shut. ¡°It seems to have beenpleted quite recently. The problem is that¡­ it doesn¡¯t serve its purpose as a venttion system.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°The venttion system connects Lady Roylott¡¯s room with Miss Stoner¡¯s room. Naturally, it can¡¯t function properly for venttion.¡± For a long while after hearing that remark, Adler¡¯s eyes slowly began to narrow further and further. ¡°And then there¡¯s the long rope at the exit of the venttion system. Even the bed that¡¯s directly adjacent to the venttion system is fixed in ce so that it can¡¯t be moved.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Miss Stoner said that when she woke up with a bad feeling over thest few days, she saw something resembling a rope disappear into the venttion system.¡± Charlotte momentarily tilted her head to the side at Adler¡¯s odd reaction, keeping his silence throughout her exnation, then immediately donned a serious expression and mmed her hand on the desk before delivering in a resolute voice, ¡°When all these facts are taken into ount, there can be only one answer.¡± And then, a moment of silence ensued in the room. ¡°Lady Roylott sent a snake from her safe into her daughter¡¯s room via the venttion system after feeding it milk. And then, she made the snake bite her own daughter.¡± In that silence, Charlotte¡¯s confident voice reverberated throughout the room. ¡°Watson examined Miss Stoner and found that she was suffering from a high degree of hallucinations. Most likely, the snake¡¯s hallucinogenic venom was the cause of her strange condition.¡± ¡°So, are you saying that Miss Stoner, who harbored a grudge against me, was bitten by the snake, began hallucinating, andmitted the criminal act as a result?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± With that assertion, Charlotte crossed her legs and added some more words, ¡°As London¡¯s top animal trainer and exotic animal expert, it would be no problem for Lady Roylott to control the snake with a whistle.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Do you have any objections? The secret of the speckled band was a venomous snake carrying hallucinogenic toxins.¡± ¡°And the motive for the crime?¡± ¡°¡­ For some reason, Lady Roylott, who discovered that you are a vampire, orchestrated all the events to acquire you.¡± With that, Charlotte briefly nced at Professor Moriarty¡­ ¡°You create the perception that you are in a very dangerous situation, vulnerable to being attacked at any given time, and make yourself reliant on her expertise in exotic animals.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°However, Mr. Adler you should know this much¡­¡± With that, she began speaking to Adler in a grave tone. ¡°The person who can protect you is not her, but¡ª¡± ¡°Disappointing.¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± But then, to Charlotte¡¯s astonishment, an astonishing word flew out of Adler¡¯s mouth. ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m wrong?¡± Getting up from her seat with a look of disbelief in her face, she asked again, to be sure¡­ ¡°¡­Completely wrong.¡± Just then, Professor Moriarty who had been quietly sitting next to them, broke into a slightly pleased expression. ¡°Go outside and reconsider from the beginning. You¡¯ve missed something.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°Miss Holmes, I don¡¯t want to be more disappointed in you.¡± As Charlotte hesitated, the corner of Moriarty¡¯s mouth had already curled up into a subtle smile. ¡°If you can¡¯t figure out what went wrong¡­ it seems to me that we¡¯ll have no choice but to end our association.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll investigate again.¡± In the midst of this, as Adler issued his final warning, Charlotte hurriedly stood up from her seat. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Watson.¡± ¡°Huh? Uh¡­¡± Charlotte grabbed Watson¡¯s arm, who had been sitting there nkly all this time, and started to leave the room with a flustered look on her face¡ª on the verge of despair. ¡°Should¡¯ve just ended it now, eh, Mr. Adler?¡± Watching her retreating figure with inner satisfaction, Professor Moriarty finally spoke. ¡°You said she is my nemesis but, to be honest, whenever I see her, I feel nothing but difort.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure why, though¡­¡± With a faint smile on her lips, she extended her hand toward Adler. ¡°I¡¯ve roughly grasped your intentions. It was clearly to test that insolent child.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Now, let¡¯s also slowly make our way ou¡­¡± However¡­ ¡°¡­Mr. Adler?¡± For some reason, Isaac Adler stepped back, avoiding her handpletely. ¡°Why are you doing this¡­?¡± ¡°¡­I apologize, Professor.¡± The words that sprang from Isaac Adler¡¯s lips froze Professor Moriarty, who had been watching him with a puzzled expression on her face. ¡°Professor, you¡¯ve also made a fatal mistake.¡± Was it just her imagination? Adler¡¯s eyes looked somewhat cold at the moment. ¡°A joke¡­ perhaps? Mr. Adler?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a joke, Professor.¡± At that unexpected demeanor, Jane Moriarty blinked her eyes and twitched her head side by side. ¡°While I was unconscious, you approached the client and took on the case which is indeedmendable, Professor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And alsomendable is the fact that you didn¡¯t expose the most crucial twist to Charlotte Holmes.¡± To her, Adler whispered in a low but chilly voice¡­ ¡°But Professor, you¡¯ve made the same mistake as Charlotte Holmes.¡± Upon hearing those words, Professor Moriarty stopped twitching her head and began to wear a nk expression on her face. ¡°I¡¯m disappointed, Professor.¡± Isaac Adler¡¯s words pierced her like a sharp de lodged straight at her heart. ¡°I can understand Holmes¡­ she¡¯s still an inexperienced little girl after all. But you, Professor¡­ You too¡­?¡± ¡°¡­Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°Never mind, I don¡¯t want to speak further about this matter.¡± Professor Moriarty¡¯s hand reached out into the empty air as Adler stood up from his seat. ¡°Perhaps, I¡¯ve misjudged some people.¡± The moment that her grey eyes caught sight of Adler¡¯s face, which now clearly bore a cold gaze¡ª ¨C Adler, is your conversation over dear? The gentle voice of Lady Roylott came from beyond the door. ¡°¡­Yes, my Lady.¡± Responding in an equally gentle voice, Adler affirmed her words. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now, Professor Moriarty.¡± As if bidding her farewell, he looked back for a moment before taking his leave. ¡°If you go out now, you could die.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± Though Professor Moriarty warned him in a dispassionate voice, his immediate response followed suit without a trace of hesitation. ¡°The more disappointed I am, the less I hold onto regrets.¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± ¡°Please use an ingenious method if you¡¯re going to kill me.¡± Adler, who had his hand on the doorknob, softly added further¡­ ¡°Or whisper to me quickly that it was all just a joke.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Surely, Professor Moriarty, you wouldn¡¯t be unaware of something this simple, right?¡± Having spoken til this point, Adler, who briefly shed her a smirk, began to move away from the professor¡¯s sight. Soon, his waist was wrapped in the arms of Lady Roylott who had been waiting outside for his arrival. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Thus, Jane Moriarty was left alone in the silent room. ¡°¡­Isaac.¡± Her utterance of Adler¡¯s name echoed emptily in the room, where she sat in a daze for quite a while afterward. . . . . . . ¡®¡­This should be enough.¡¯ To prevent the world¡¯s destruction, I had hinted to Holmes and Professor Moriarty that there was a w in the logic of the case. In reality, I wanted to tell them exactly what the problem was, but I was left with no choice but to refrain from doing just that due to the warning messages that the erosion rate could increase in that scenario. Of course, there was no need to worry. Once they recognized the problem, they would be able to swiftly clean up the colossal mess made by the story department that had integrated the illogical errors into the game, ruining the logic of the case. Now I could finally breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°¡­Adler.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± However, as soon as the immediate worry disappeared, I slowly began to realize something. ¡°My dream is to fill this mansion with half-blooded vampires as servants.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± That¡­ whatever it was that I was doing all this time to save this world¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s go to the basement.¡± Warning! ¨C Probability of ??? ¡ª 10% ¡ú 15% Would I be able to handle the repercussions of those actions? You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 28: The Secret of the Speckled Band (3) Chapter 28: The Secret of the Speckled Band (3) ¨C Squeak¡­ The door to the previously closed waiting room opened and as Professor Moriarty stepped out. Charlotte, who had been leaning against the corridor with a dazed expression on her face, fixed her gaze on her. ¡°You¡­¡± Then, echoing in the corridor was Charlotte¡¯s voice, cold as ice. ¡°What trick did you use?¡± At that, the professor stole a subtle nce at her. ¡°An illusion using a venomous snake. If you¡¯re not a murderous professor who used something like that then what trick did you¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± But that moment was brief. She diverted her gaze and moved on pretending she didn¡¯t hear Charlotte¡¯s words. ¡°I wasn¡¯t done speaking!¡± ¡°A detective begging for answers¡­¡± Moriarty replied in a cold voice to Charlotte¡¯s childish outburst. ¡°How pathetic.¡± Charlotte was momentarily lost for words at that sharp retort, her hand trembling violently. ¡°¡­I feel the same way.¡± The professor who was walking ahead of her, murmured in a voice that was barely audible. ¡°How did I overlook such an obvious fact?¡± After Adler¡¯s shocking revtion, Professor Moriarty, who had been left alone and had sat in a daze while thinking intensely for a while, finally realized what she had missed. She had made the same basic, foolish mistake that the silly detective behind her had made. ¡°¡­¡­..¡± And now, she was on her way to correct that mistake. Not with her usual smirk, but with a serious expression donned on her face for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. At the same time, she felt a mix of unease and impatience¡ª feelings she had never experienced before in her life. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± As Moriarty quietly moved further down the corridor, Charlotte stared intently at her retreating figure while grinding her teeth. ¡°What did I miss?¡± However, just thinking about it didn¡¯t improve the situation for her. Hence, she soon closed her eyes and deeply lost herself in her thoughts. ¡°There¡¯s definitely¡­ something wrong¡­ somewhere¡­¡± Thus began her deep meditation. In the past, it was a state she could only reach through intense experiments or with the use of narcotics or other drugs, but now¡­ if there was any matter rted to him with that man she could easily reach this state. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± However, despite reaching her most optimal state, there were no signs of the situation getting any better. Even though she tried to find a w in her deductions there wasn¡¯t a single conclusive point for her to chase. It felt like revving an engine without moving the vehicle, just straining it for no reason. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± This stagnation continued for quite a while. ¡°Um, Holmes. Come to think of it, there¡¯s something strange¡­¡± The unexpected individual who broke the frustrating silence was¡­ ¡°Do snakes even drink milk?¡± None other than Rachel Watson, who had been thinking hard next to Holmes. ¡°¡­¡­¡­Ah.¡± Charlotte Holmes with her mouth slightly ajar, began to stare at Rachel Watson with a nk expression on her face. Several minutes of silenceter¡ª ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You are right, Watson.¡± Charlotte, who had uwfully broken into Inspector Lestrade¡¯s library to search for materials rted to the case, began speaking in an unusually excited voice, abandoning the usual tone with which she spoke to Watson. ¡°No snake in the world drinks milk. They eat things like rats or insects. Thus the bowl of milk that was in the vault wasn¡¯t for feeding a snake.¡± ¡°I thought as much¡­¡± ¡°Moreover, snakes can¡¯t hear a whistle. They can feel vibrations but their sense of hearing is severelycking.¡± Charlotte, having said that, lifted her head to look at Watson. ¡°And snakes can¡¯t move backward. That detail contradicts Miss Stoner¡¯s testimony.¡± Then with a spark in her eyes, Charlotte asked in a haste¡­ ¡°Watson, do you have the examination reports of Ms. Stoner, who copsed with Adler on the day of the crime?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ here.¡± When Watson pulled out the examination report from her belongings and handed it over, Charlotte read it with a fiery intensity and soon clenched her eyes shut. ¡°Excluding the marks suspected to be signs of abuse, there are no visible signs of external injuries. Right, I shouldn¡¯t have overlooked this fact.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say earlier that the fang marks weren¡¯t visible because the snake¡¯s fangs were too small for us to notice?¡± ¡°I thought so too. Actually, I was too engrossed in my deductions to fully understand the shorings of my assumption.¡± And then, Charlotte, drained of all energy, slumped down to the floor. ¡°Adler would be so disappointed in me.¡± Seeing Charlotte in this unfamiliar self-reproaching state, Watson¡¯s eyes widened in utter shock. ¡°Watson, maybe I¡¯m just stupid¡­¡± Charlotte murmured in a gloomy tone, gazing forlornly at Watson. ¡°That¡¯s absolutely not the case, Holmes.¡± Watson, almost bursting into a chuckle at her demeanor, gently stroked Charlotte¡¯s head and spoke. ¡°You¡¯re justcking somemon sense. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Charlotte furrowed her brows in response to Watson¡¯s seeminglyforting words that were more sharp and blunt than anything else. ¡°But it¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it? Even when we first met, you didn¡¯t even know that the Earth rotates¡­¡± ¡°Why are you bringing up that old story?¡± Charlotte hastily interrupted Watson¡¯s attempt to dredge up her embarrassing past. Watson, who momentarily smiled while looking at her embarrassed state, continued the conversation. ¡°Our little detective here might be a genius that appears once in a millennium, but she¡¯s still not quite there yet¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s okay to be inexperienced.¡± Then, Watson reached out her hand toward Holmes and spoke in a soothing tone. ¡°As for general knowledge, I can always fill you in.¡± ¡°¡­Watson.¡± As Charlotte grabbed the hand and stood up, Watson whispered with a slightly mischievous expression on her face. ¡°But when ites to romance, I¡¯m still a bit clueless.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about that boyfriend of yours that you¡¯ve been tiptoeing around. He looked a bit disappointed. You might need to win his heart again¡­¡± However, Watson suddenly stopped speaking. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± The unpleasant behavior exhibited by Isaac Adler a few days ago, contrasting with Charlotte¡¯s sacrificial actions towards him, tangled in Watson¡¯s mind,plicating her thoughts. ¡°Right.¡± Charlotte¡¯s soft voice reached Watson¡¯s ears as she pondered on what to say. ¡°¡­The riddle that man prepared for me isn¡¯t over yet.¡± Charlotte, as lively as ever, leaned back and spun around in thought. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°The snake with the hallucinogenic venom wasn¡¯t the trick that was deployed here. Then, what caused the hallucinations in Ms. Stoner?¡± While Watson looked at her with a resigned expression and shook her head in dismay, Holmes, with sparkling eyes, murmured to herself. ¡°¡­A cor?¡± Images began to form clearly in her now-focused mind. ¡°No. That would merely restrain the victim. It doesn¡¯t have a brainwashing effect.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Then, the milk? No. She wouldn¡¯t leave such crucial evidence out in the open. It¡¯s not something to provoke one¡¯s suspicions either.¡± Thus, Charlotte rapidly narrowed down the possibilities. ¡°A brainwashing spell? No, Ms. Roylott has pathetic mana abilities, she¡¯s a non-mana user. A curse? But it¡¯s unlikely that such a convenient curse exists¡­¡± Her pupils suddenly began to dte. ¡°¡­Holmes?¡± Seeing her in that state, Watson wore a slightly worried expression. As she reached out to touch Charlotte¡¯s shoulder¡­ ¡°Ha.¡± Charlotte burst outughing with a clear exhale¡­ ¡°Ha-ha, ha-ha-ha¡­¡± ¡°¡­Did you finally figure it out?¡± Hearing that refreshing yet somewhat incredulousughter, Watson tilted her head and asked. ¡°Yes, thanks to you.¡± Charlotte then shed a confident smile, one she hadn¡¯t shown in a while, as she looked at the person who contributed the most to this case. ¡°So, what happened?¡± ¡°¡­In reality, Ms. Stoner wasn¡¯t hallucinating at all.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Watson, you are indeed intelligent¡­ but your ability to synthesize fragmented information and draw a conclusion seems to be stillcking somewhat.¡± Seeing Watson¡¯s bewildered expression, Charlotte spoke with a hint of exasperation in her voice. ¡°Well, Watson¡­ Among all the people on the street, why did Ms. Stoner happen to stab just Isaac Adler? Why do you think she did that?¡± ¡°It could have¡­ been a coincidence.¡± ¡°It might seem like a fatal wound because it was close to the heart, but the autopsy report you gave me earlier states that all major nerves had been ignored on the trajectory of the knife.¡± ¡°Yes, it was quite the stroke of luck for Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°But what if it wasn¡¯t luck or coincidence?¡± With that, Charlotte looked at Watson with a refreshing smile on her face. ¡°Think about it, Watson.¡± And then, Charlotte began to rapidly fire questions at her. ¡°Who was the first to mention information about the speckled band when Isaac Adler was stabbed?¡± ¡°That was¡­¡± ¡°And the person who testified that thest thing they remembered before losing consciousness was a low whistle and a speckled band?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°And even the person who imed that they clearly saw something like a spotted rope or a speckled band moving away from the vent?¡± As Watson tried to answer seriously, her mouth began to gape in realization. ¡°That¡¯s not all. If Lady Roylott didn¡¯t design the vent that way, who among the mansion¡¯s remaining residents had the authority to do so?¡± ¡°Could it be¡­..¡± ¡°Unlike the stepmother whose mana abilities are dismal, who is the one with exceptional mana abilities¡ª enough to even be admitted to the August Academy?¡± ¡°Oh my God.¡± ¡°And crucially, who in this mansion is a student of the Detective Academy and thus has easy ess to Professor Moriarty?¡± Having said that, Charlotte took a brief pause to catch her breath, then instructed Watson in a sharp tone. ¡°Watson, contact your hospital immediately.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°We need to check if Ms. Stoner is still calmly lying in her hospital room or¡­¡± A momentter. ¡°¡­Holmes.¡± Watson, who had sent a message via a portable mana crystalmunicator to a staff member of the hospital, responded in a quivering voice. ¡°They¡¯re saying¡­ Helen Stoner disappeared from the hospital this morning.¡± ¡°I figured as much.¡± Hearing that, Charlotte wore a satisfied smile and began to draw her conclusion. ¡°Using testimonies and tampering with the evidence, she cleverly crafted the illusion of a speckled snake, shifting the me of her attempted murder onto her stepmother. ¡°Perhaps, she might have brainwashed the stepmother a long time ago already. ¡°And if that¡¯s true, she¡¯s the one pulling the strings behind the scenes, using the stepmother to get Isaac Adler into her clutches.¡± Charlotte¡¯s eyes, which had been so focused till now, began to take on a golden hue once again. ¡°The hidden mastermind behind this case was none other than Helen Stoner herself.¡± ¡°But why?¡± Watson, who was looking at Charlotte with a slightly puzzled expression on her face, soon tilted her head and posed that question. ¡°That¡¯s not important, Watson.¡± But Charlotte brushed past her and started to move in haste. ¡°What matters is that I¡¯ve now discovered the truth.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°And based on my predictions¡­¡± Realizing the gravity of the situation, Charlotte¡¯s face rapidly turned pale. ¡°¡­That man is in danger.¡± . . . . ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± In a basement void of any light, I found myself bound to a chair as I slowly opened my eyes. ¡°You¡¯re awake, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°You were undressed, so I just dressed you back.¡± The first thought that crossed my mind as I took in the scene before me was that I was in deep trouble. ¡°Now, this ce is your home, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°That being said, I¡¯ve realized the mistake I have made.¡± Before me¡­ Lady Roylott was lying on the floor, naked and unconscious. ¡°What you wanted to do with my stepmother, do it with me instead.¡± Miss Stoner, straddling myp and pointing a knife at me, spoke in a bright tone. ¡°¡­So, whisper to me the mistake I have made, dear assistant.¡± Professor Moriarty, who was leaning beside me and whispering in a honeyed voice into my ear suddenly tilted her head with a dark look in her eyes. ¨C Bang! Bang bang! Bang bang bang!! ¡°Open the dooooor!!!¡± Charlotte Holmes¡¯ shouts reached a fever pitch as she pounded on the door of the basement, which was firmly sealed with mana enchantments, with all her might. ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°Young Adler.¡± ¡°Adler!!!!¡± All these elements were proving that I was definitely screwed. ¡®¡­Should I just bite my tongue and feign death?¡¯ Even if I couldn¡¯t die, I began to yearn for an escape from this twisted reality. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 29: The Secret of the Speckled Band (4) Chapter 29: The Secret of the Speckled Band (4) ¡°¡­What are you looking at, Mr. Adler?¡± Helen Stoner, sitting on Adler¡¯sp, noticed his eyes darting around with his face colored in a pale hue. ¡°Why are you looking at my employee?¡± Then, Stoner carefully extended her hand to shift Adler¡¯s gaze from Professor Moriarty to herself before adding. ¡°That woman is just someone I hired.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Talk to me now.¡± Though Professor Moriarty had began to intently watch the interaction between Stoner and Adler, he found himself unable to tell the girl on hisp that he wanted to speak with the professor first. ¨C Swoosh¡­ He was fully aware that if the knife pressed against his neck were to move just a fraction more, everything coulde to an end. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. That¡¯s exactly it.¡± As Adler began to look at Stoner with slightly quivering eyes, she started whispering in a voice filled with gentle warmth. ¡°If you can look at me like this now, why haven¡¯t you done so before?¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you for a long time.¡± Upon hearing herst words, Adler made a somewhat bewildered expression and tilted his head to the side. Professor Moriarty, who had been leaning next to him, began to whisper in a soft voice, clearing his confusion about this matter. ¡°Ms. Helen Stoner, here, has been a long-time fan of yours.¡± ¡°¡­My fan, you say?¡± ¡°Talk to me.¡± Then, Stoner¡¯s icy voice flew in without fail. ¡°Mr. Adler, do you remember who was the one that watched your debut performance from the very front row?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Who was the president of your initial fan club?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Who holds the most of your autographs in London?¡± With her eyes deepening further with each word she uttered, Adler quietly averted his gaze to the side¡­ ¡°That would be me.¡± And in the next moment, suddenly advancing her head closer to his own, Stoner whispered. ¡°I enrolled in the August Detective Academy, which I had no interest in, all thanks to you. I even studied mind-control magic just in case I needed to use it for you.¡± In that maniacal state, she asked him in a quivering voice while gently stroking Adler¡¯s cheek. ¡°But then why didn¡¯t you even spare me a nce, let alone a conversation?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°You were always surrounded by women, so why only me?¡± Avoiding her gaze till now, Adler finally frowned slightly and couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°¡­Were you stalking me?¡± In the world of the game, Stoner and Adler had no points of intersection. Hence, he had unconsciously asked the question to her. ¡°Stalking?¡± However, Stoner only replied with a creepy smile on her face. ¡°That¡¯s a harsh way to speak to your future wife.¡± At the utterance of that statement, Adler decided to give up on gathering more information from her and simply closed his mouth. Meanwhile, Stoner continued the conversation with gleaming eyes. ¡°I have no intention of filling the mansion with vampires like my stepmother did.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°So let¡¯s have just one son and one daughter and live peacefully ever after.¡± As she was speaking, Adler, who had momentarily been at a loss for words and had interrupted her in a meek voice, soon regained hisposure and posed another question. ¡°¡­So, did you orchestrate all of this?¡± ¡°Why do you want to know?¡± Stoner then responded with an expression that showed she was genuinely curious why he asked that question. ¡°The conclusion has already been reached. You¡¯ll live happily with me in this basement forever.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m just curious how things unfolded.¡± To understand the significantly altered developments, whenpared to the original game, Adler began to employ all of his acting skills at this moment. ¡°¡­Shouldn¡¯t I know how hard my wife worked to obtain me?¡± Having said that, Adler added with a slight grin on his face. ¡°From the standpoint of a husband.¡± ¡°¡­Husband.¡± Repeating hisst word to herself, a curious warmth appeared in Stoner¡¯s previously chilly eyes. ¡°Now that I hear it, you do have a point.¡± ¡°¡­Do I?¡± ¡°Then, let me exin from the start.¡± A momentter, she began to exin the series of events¡ª her face tinged with a faint blush. ¡°The first time I hatched the n was a few days ago from now.¡± ¡®¡­I figured as much.¡¯ Ignoring the momentary sense of danger he felt from the gray aura emanating next to him, Adler was lost in thought. ¡°To be precise, it was when I tried to kidnap you as you were walking alone through the foggy streets of London at night.¡± ¡®Of course.¡¯ Upon hearing that, he smiled as if he had suspected this development already. ¡°At that time, while I was quietly following you with a leather sack, someone grabbed my arm.¡± However, Helen Stoner, absorbed in her recollection of that time, didn¡¯t notice Adler¡¯s subtle reaction. ¡°That person was¡­¡± ¡°The one who advised her on this whole affair was none other than me, of course¡­¡± Moriarty interjected, who had been leaning against the wall next to her until now. ¡°Surprisingly, you had already noticed that¡­¡± And then, in a voice low enough that Stoner couldn¡¯t hear, she added. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Adler dear?¡± ¡®¡­I had my suspicions.¡¯ Only then could Adler confirm all of his guesses. In fact, he had been somewhat certain from the moment a gray-colored message appeared on the palm of the woman who had attacked him in the hospital. The entire incident was, in essence, a surprise party that Professor Moriarty had prepared for him. ¡°Professor Moriarty told me a more efficient way to get you.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°It was, specifically, to exploit my stepmother¡¯s criminal ns.¡± However, that didn¡¯t mean he could overlook any mistakes made by him in assessing the situation¡­ ¡°My stepmother had nned to kill me by sending a snake through the venttion duct. Her aim was to be in sole possession of our newlywed home.¡± A trick with a plot hole that appeared in the original story, and which Moriarty had exploited brilliantly. ¡°¡­So, you turned that n around and used it to brainwash her.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You were nning to use it again today, weren¡¯t you? Probably targeting either Charlotte Holmes or thedy herself. Then framing the remaining one as the culprit¡­¡± This trick was a critical mistake that could potentially lead to the world¡¯s downfall. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± However, Adler¡¯s line of thought was abruptly cut off by a bewildered voice¡­ ¡°Executing such a foolish n is impossible.¡± At Professor Moriarty¡¯s statement, Adler couldn¡¯t help but feel defeated. ¡°A n involving a professional snake charmer feeding the snake milk and controlling it with a whistle, it¡¯s quite a ludicrous thought.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°It is such a clumsy trick that only stupid detectives or policemen would find such a thing usible.¡± After that, Adler stared nkly at Professor Moriarty for quite a while. ¡°¡­Surely, the mistake you referred to wasn¡¯t the misunderstanding that I had directly utilized such a low-grade trick?¡± At hearing those words, Adler broke into a cold sweat and shook his head from left to right. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. It was an unnecessary worry.¡± Moriarty then looked at Adler with a slight expression of relief on her face. ¡°The terrible mistake Imitted couldn¡¯t possibly be such a trivial misunderstanding.¡± ¡®¡­I¡¯m truly fucked¡­¡¯ A sense of dread began to well up in the eyes of Adler, who had forced a smile to appear on his face at Moriarty¡¯s subsequent words. ¡®I did misunderstand her n, dammit¡­¡¯ All of a sudden, he thought of the moment he had pushed Professor Moriarty aside, who had been brimming with pride thinking she would be praised by him, when she hade to Miss Roylott¡¯s home and had embraced Lady Roylott with open arms. . . . . . ¡°My stepmother¡¯s idea was creative, but that was all there was to it. Due to her foolish intelligence and misced confidence in her abilities, the likelihood of sess was precisely zero.¡± Stoner, who had climbed onto myp in the meantime, was muttering something, but I wasn¡¯t quite listening to her as I had been lost in thought. ¡°Well, actually, 90% of that person¡¯s talent was just an illusion created by my brainwashing magic, so it¡¯s understandable that she would resort to such pitiful actions.¡± I had realized the gravity of what I hadmitted. ¡°In any case, the n was foolish but thanks to the professor¡¯s excellent advice, I was able to repurpose it.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°My stepmother has weak mana ability, but her mental resistance is strangely high. That¡¯s why, even as an expert in brainwashing magic, I can only apply simple suggestions to her.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I will frame my stepmother¡¯s foolish n as an attempted murder. It¡¯s a n that will surely work with the foolish London police covering it, don¡¯t you think?¡± Contrary to my expectations, it seemed that Professor Moriarty hadpletely eliminated the probability of the breakdown of the plot, created due to the stupidity of the story department, by simply intervening in the case. However, why then did the probability warning message remain unchanged? Because of that, I had assumed that the original snake-using method had not been corrected and had embarked on this dangerous endeavor. Wouldn¡¯t my actions, including the bondage date with Lady Roylott, turn into a huge waste then? ¡°So I immediately put it into action. In order to get my stepmother into prison as quickly as possible, I was wandering the streets, having ced a slight hallucination on myself¡­¡± As I was enveloped in doubt about why the assimtion rate had increased, Stoner¡¯s voice, sounding even more delighted than before, reached my ears. ¡°And when I saw you, my goodness¡­¡± Her eyes were shining even more than before. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t resist.¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Stabbing you with a knife.¡± What kind of bullshit was she spouting? ¡°It wasn¡¯t pre-arranged with the professor, but I naturally stabbed you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­Because I love you.¡± I tiltied my head to ask the question, however, I gave up trying to understand her after hearing her subsequent answer. ¡°Of course, I felt a bit of regret afterward¡­ However, it was also the perfect opportunity to have you for myself.¡± Right now, rather than wasting mental energy trying to understand this mad woman, I had to think about how to get out of this royally fucked-up situation. ¡°So, I sent you to the sick room after giving my stepmother a suggestion to get you under her control¡­¡± ¡°¡­Instead, she choked me with her hands. I guess if the suggestion is weak, the intent can get twisted, right?¡± In order to buy myself a little more time, I yed along with her words. Stoner nodded quietly in response. ¡°Yes, I was quite troubled at the time as well. Fortunately, thanks to a message that Professor Moriarty had activated as a safety measure, I was able to regain control.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°But after that, I was at a loss for what to do next. And then, a miracle happened.¡± She began to smile, a chilling smile of nightmares graced her lips. ¡°Amazingly, you came to this mansion voluntarily.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­It would have been wonderful if not for the reason that you wanted to be trained by my mother.¡± Then, she cautiously lowered the knife. ¡°However, none of that matters anymore.¡± In the next moment, for some reason, she picked up a bowl of milk that had been sitting on the floor and started attempting to feed it to me while gently stroking my head. ¡°ording to the foolish detective outside, Lady Roylott will be apprehended.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Now that the obstacle is gone, I will give you a sweet suggestion.¡± For some reason, unlike what Lady Roylott used to give me, the liquid she was offering felt like something I shouldn¡¯t consume at any cost. Desperately, I turned my head away only to hear her voice turn colder. ¡°After the case is settled and a few months have passed, when everything calms down¡­ quit the academy.¡± ¡°Ugh, heup¡­¡± ¡°Ande back to this ce, then we can live happily¡­¡± Just as the sweet liquid began to seep between my lips and my consciousness started to grow hazy, it happened. ¡°¡­Adler.¡± I began hearing the voice of Professor Moriarty in my ears. ¡°¡­Is it time to whisper those words yet?¡± ¡°Professor Moriarty, what are you doing?¡± Hearing the softest voice I¡¯ve ever heard from the professor and Stoner¡¯s abruptly sharp words simultaneously, I began to tremble uncontrobly with my eyes closed at what followed. ¡°I havemitted a grievous mistake toward you.¡± ¡®What the hell is it, fuck¡­¡¯ So this was the feeling of unknown terror. . . . . . ¡°¡­¡­¡­.Huh?¡± At that very moment, Stoner, who was just about to pour the milky liquid into Adler¡¯s mouth with a shiver-inducing expression on her face, suddenly dropped the bowl from her hands and clutched her own throat¡­ ¡°Heu¡­ Heuk¡­?¡± The spotted cor that was enveloping Adler¡¯s neck just seconds ago began to coil around her neck like a snake in an instant. ¡°Yo-You¡­¡± Pale-faced and clutching her throat, fighting for every breath, Stoner looked around frantically and was finally able to discover the source of her predicament. ¡°What are you¡­ doing now¡­.¡± Professor Moriarty lifted a single finger, exuding a cold gaze, and emitted a gray-colored mana toward her. ¡°¡­I am correcting it.¡± ¡°Huh!?¡± As she slightly bent her finger in that state, the not-yet-fully-coiled cor stretched even longer, beginning to crawl into Stoner¡¯s mouth. ¡°Uh? Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°Adler.¡± As the room fell silent, Professor Moriarty flung Stoner, who had been sitting on Adler¡¯sp, onto the floor with a mere gesture of her hands. ¡°The basic and foolish mistake Imitted against you ends now.¡± With that, she began to whisper those eerie words, leaning her face just short of touching Adler¡¯s face. ¡°You, who chose me.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°You, who rolled into my life which was as cid as a calm sea, and created powerful ripples that I have never witnessed before.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You, who are more precious than anything and whom I can¡¯t allow to be taken away by anyone.¡± Just as Adler, visibly distressed and at a distance where even his breath could be felt by Professor Moriarty, tried to avert his gaze, Jane Moriarty grabbed his face, forcing him to lock eyes with her. ¡°Like that witless detective, or rather, at an even more severe level¡­¡± As she slowly climbed onto hisp in that state, she nced at Stoner, who was struggling on the floor, and whispered to him in a sweet tone¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve made you dangerously uneasy.¡± And then, silence began. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that right, Adler?¡± As Adler, trembling in Moriarty¡¯s embrace, nodded his head, she began to gently caress his neck with a smile on her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll correct it right now.¡± ¨C Swish¡­ Just then, Moriarty¡¯s mana began to rapidly envelop the murky mana that had been lingering around Adler¡¯s body. ¡°Stay still.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..Yes.¡± And at that very moment, eyes mixed with shades of gray and gold were nkly staring through the gap in the partially destroyed basement door. ¡ºViin Maker¡» Chapter 1 ¨C Complete ¡ºLove-Hate Rtionship¡» Chapter 2 ¨C Begin You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 30: Fait Accompli Chapter 30: Fait Apli ¨C Whirrr¡­ ¡°¡­Excuse me, Professor.¡± Adler, sweating coldly as he watched Moriarty¡¯s grey mana spread throughout his body for a while already, hesitantly spoke up. ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough now¡­?¡± The violet mana of Lady Roylott, which had coated his body in its purplish hue before, was alreadypletely extinguished and reced by Professor Moriarty¡¯s murky grey mana. ¡°Professor?¡± Taking this phenomenon into consideration, it was evident that enough mana had already been utilized to do the simple act of releasing the previous bindings of his body. Yet, Professor Moriarty continued to push her mana into Adler¡¯s body without rest. ¡°Um, isn¡¯t it about time¡­?¡± Soon, as the mana circuit inside his body started dyeing in the hues of her mana, Adler felt a chilling sensation all over and proceeded to hurriedly open his mouth to ry his troubled thoughts. ¡°It feels strange.¡± ¡°Adler.¡± However, Professor Moriarty, who was sitting on hisp, looked straight into his eyes while tilting her head and whispered to him in a soft tone. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stay still?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Hearing those words, Adler momentarily wore a dazed expression on his face. And soon, he rxed his tensed body, deciding to listen to her words for now. ¡°Well done.¡± With that, she smiled gently and stroked Adler¡¯s head with her palm. ¡°¡­But what are you doing right now, Professor?¡± Hearing the slightly fearful question hesitantly leak out of Adler¡¯s mouth, Moriarty just tilted her head in response. ¡°Well, what do you think I¡¯m doing?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Try to wager a guess.¡± As she spoke, she embraced Adler and whispered to him in that same soft tone of hers. ¡°You like riddles, don¡¯t you?¡± It was true that he liked riddles, but at that very moment, Adler was in no state to make use of his thinking capabilities. Since he was enveloped by the touch and warmth of Professor Jane Moriarty, and her silky smooth hair. For a soul that had no experience whatsoever with women, the sensations her fatal physique enacted in him were overwhelmingly intense and stimting. ¡°¡­Are you trying to poison me to death?¡± Even in such a situation, Adler, who desperately clung to his rationality, managed to ask while feigning a smile¡­ even though his ears had already taken on a bright shade of red. ¡°You¡¯re good at posing riddles but terrible at solving them, huh¡­¡± ¡°So¡­?¡± Adler, slightly dazed from it all, heard Jane Moriarty whisper softly in his ear. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to kill you, but to protect you.¡± ¡°¡­So you¡¯re admitting you¡¯re making me addicted to you, right?¡± Hearing that, Adler chuckled lightly and said in response. ¡°Do you intend to dye my entire being with your colors?¡± Looking at his own pallor, Adler inquired with a resigned smile on his face. ¡°Are you some kind of human love potion?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But with this¡­ Charlotte would¡­¡± Then, Adler trailed off, drooping his head soon after¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Moriarty gazed down at him, who nestled silently in her embrace. ¨C Whirrr¡­ Shortly after, Jane Moriarty cautiously retracted the mana she had been operating, circting it through Adler¡¯s body. His mana circuit had beenpletely dyed by her overwhelming grey mana already. And it didn¡¯t just end at that¡ª the boy named Isaac Adler himself was practically coated in her colors. Moreover, thanks to that effect, he was showing symptoms of Mana Poisoning¡ª a condition said to manifest only after years of exposure to mana stones. Having symptoms of poisoning due to immersion with a human¡¯s mana was a phenomenon deemed to be unprecedented in the history of magic. ¡°¡­Adler.¡± After concluding such a historical event so casually, she began to murmur to him in that same soft tone of hers. ¡°Have you now be mine?¡± However, there was still a hint of doubt lingering in her voice. ¡®What is this restlessness that I am feeling?¡¯ Magically, she had solidified Adler as her possession and simultaneously ced a powerful protection on him, ensuring that no one could even dare to harm him. Yet, holding Adler in her smothering embrace, she couldn¡¯t help but feel an unsettling feeling creeping up through her body and mind. Why? What could be the reason behind that feeling? ¡°¡­¡­¡­?¡± Lost in thought for a long while with such questions whirring in her mind, Professor Moriarty¡¯s gaze shifted to the basement door, which had be eerily quiet for some time. ¨C Swish¡­ Then, in the blink of an eye, the gaze that was felting from between the slightly ajar basement door vanished without a trace. ¡°¡­¡­Ha.¡± However, a momentter, she was once again able to feel a faint gazeing from the cracks of the door and it was only then that Professor Moriarty finally realized¡­ ¡®So that¡¯s what it was.¡¯ She started feeling uneasy since she recognized the fact that Adler might abandon her. ¡®Even if I don¡¯t ever get bored of you¡­¡¯ She remembered the sight of Adler, wearing a cor given by Lady Roylott whilepping up the milk pooled in her hand. ¡®¡­You might get tired of me first.¡¯ The image of Adler, with cold disappointed eyes, whispering his disillusionment and leaving from her side, surfaced in her mind. ¡®Even without consent, he could be taken away arbitrarily.¡¯ ¡®What would be the solution then?¡¯ After pondering for a moment, Professor Moriarty quickly came to a firm conclusion. ¡®¡­That would be the best method, yes¡­¡¯ She mumbled inwardly, and as she gazed at the eyes appearing once again through the gap in the basement door, her lips began to slowly curl into a faint smile. . . . . . Just how much time had passed since I was overwhelmed by the professor¡¯s mana and had dozed off? ¡°¡­..Ouch.¡± Awakened by the sharp pain that had started to emanate from my neck, I was left frozen by the sight that registered in my eyes. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Pro¡­ Professor?¡± Professor Moriarty, who had been seated on myp all this time, was oddly biting my neck, gnawing on it with considerable force. ¡°W-What are you doing right now?¡± Inplete surprise, I gently pushed her away from me. Drawing her face slightly back, Professor Moriarty began to cutely tilt her head, just as she usually would. ¡°I was just asserting my ownership over you.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I had something I originally intended to do, but it would hold no meaning unless you were awake for it. Regrettably, I started by asserting my im of ownership first.¡± Who was she even trying to assert her ownership to? Wait, how does biting my neck equate to asserting ownership? ¡°Haven¡¯t you bitten the neck of a woman you desired to possess already?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°There must be some metaphorical meaning or effect. Merely biting the neck wouldn¡¯t make someone fall for you.¡± As I stared at Professor Moriarty with a nk gaze, she in turn stared intently back at me and whispered those words. ¡°When¡­ When did I ever do that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t deny it.¡± Finishing her words, she nestled into my embrace once more. ¡°Ouch.¡± A momentter, a prickling pain began to be felt at the front of my neck once more. ¡°Ow, ow, ow, that hurts¡­¡± Watching me frantically utter those words and writhing under her, she widened her eyes in surprise and pulled her head back. ¡°¡­Did you hate what I did?¡± ¡°A little.¡± ¡°Then, I apologize.¡± With that, she gently caressed my neck and whispered. ¡°Adler.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°I have a request.¡± Feeling the distance between us be even closer than before, I quietly turned my gaze away, but her soft voice still managed to reach my ears. ¡°I want you to cooperate with me in creating a Fait Apli1Basically, a Fate Apli here is like a contract of sorts but not really. What Moriarty wants here is to make Adler into her soulmate, her destined partner, one whopletes her and she in turnpletes him, and one that would not be able to ever leave her. So, she wants to basically bind them in a lover¡¯s contract that would make them both inseparable and would also ensure that everyone knew just who Adler belonged to. Just that there won¡¯t be any written contract. I know it is a bit convoluting but this is the best exnation I cane up with to get the meaning across..¡± ¡°¡­What did you just say?¡± For a moment, I doubted my ears and asked again but her answer remained consistent. ¡°I want to create a Fait Apli that only you and I share.¡± ¡°Why¡­ Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the conclusion I¡¯vee to in order to not repeat the mistake I made with you.¡± Now, even my hair had begun to turn into a shade of greyish-white. ¡°And also, to clearly show our rtionship to the uninvited guests.¡± ¡°What does that mean¡­¡± ¡°Stay still.¡± However, regardless of my reaction, Jane Moriarty began to approach me while holding both of my arms. ¡°Regrettably, I have no knowledge of this side of things. I don¡¯t even understand it.¡± ¡°Wha, what¡­¡± ¡°The only thing I¡¯m somewhat familiar with is the act that¡¯s universally shown among lovers¡ª so popr that it is even described in papers.¡± Only then did I realize what she intended to do, and I hurriedly tried to dissuade the professor. ¡°But a Fait Apli should be enough. It will be memorable in many ways¡­¡± ¡°No, we can¡¯t stop at that.¡± Then, as she hade close enough that her nose was almost touching mine, she quietly tilted her head. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°This is something you only do with someone you love.¡± I whispered those words to her with a flushed face and Professor Moriarty merely stared intently at me before asking in a subdued tone. ¡°Don¡¯t you love me?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I do love you.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just my unrequited love, isn¡¯t it?¡± Upon hearing that, her brows furrowed. ¡°Do you love me, Professor?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Then, Professor Moriarty seemed lost in thought for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She quickly responded with a slightly gloomy expression on her face. ¡°I haven¡¯t yet understood the emotion called love.¡± ¡°See? In such a state, acting on such things carelessly¡­¡± ¡°But without you, I feel like I¡¯d suffer immensely and perhaps even die.¡± Suddenly smiling intently, she grabbed my arms once again. ¡°That¡¯s how precious you are to me.¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­?¡± ¡°To establish a Fait Apli¡­ to protect such a valuable person, is love even necessary in this case?¡± Now, with her face so close to mine, I couldn¡¯t bear to look at her and chose to tightly shut my eyes. ¡°If it still feels awkward, I¡¯ll tell you just this once.¡± In the next moment, hearing her whisper, I couldn¡¯t help but realize¡­ ¡°¡­I love you, Isaac.¡± Realize that my very first kiss would belong to Professor Jane Moriarty and her only. ¡°Now, is there a problem?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s my first kiss¡­¡± I blurted out the truth btedly, but it was already toote to do anything. ¡°¡­Same here.¡± And just as she finished, her soft tongue dug into my lips and entered my mouth. . . . . . Only a few minutes had passed since then¡­ ¨C KOOOOOOMMM!!! The silent basement was suddenly filled with a deafening noise. The door, which showed no signs of breaking before, fell apart like paper and a massive cloud of dust billowed up in the room. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± And then, a heavy silence ensued. ¡°Oh dear, Holmes.¡± From within the cloud of dust, a girl shrouded in ck smoke staggered forward. Professor Moriarty¡¯s cold voice reached her ears soon after. ¡°You have made a considerable effort, but you¡¯re still a step toote.¡± Her lips were still connected to Adler¡¯s by a line of sticky saliva. ¡°You¡¯re still not fit to be a detective.¡± At that instant, a murderous intent like no other started swirling in Charlotte¡¯s eyes. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 31: Hope of London Chapter 31: Hope of London ¡°It was you.¡± In the basement, where silence had lingered for a long time already, Charlotte Holmes¡¯ youthful voice echoed in a subdued manner. ¡°You nned all of this.¡± The ck mana surrounding Charlotte was anxiously swirling as she spoke. ¡°You put Adler in danger, even brainwashed Lady Roylott and Helen Stoner from behind the scenes, and prepared the ploy for this incident.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all your doing, isn¡¯t it Jane Moriarty.¡± Hearing those words, a small smile cracked on Moriarty¡¯s lips. The same vacant smile she always wore, devoid of any emotions whatsoever. However, in Charlotte¡¯s eyes right now, that wordless smile appeared almost like a mockery¡ª a mockery directed solely at her. ¡°I¡¯m going to turn you over to the police.¡± Charlotte, whose clenched fists had been trembling at the sight, muttered and approached Moriarty with powerful strides. ¡°On what charges?¡± ¡°The charges of being an aplice in the attempted murder of Isaac Adler. Brainwashing Lady Roylott. And finally, the attempted murder of Helen Stoner as well.¡± Upon hearing those usations, Moriarty¡¯s eyes grew even colder. ¡°Holmes, frankly speaking, I don¡¯t understand how you managed to get a perfect score on the entrance test for the August Detective Academy.¡± Now wearing a genuine smirk on her lips, she looked down at Lady Roylott and Helen Stoner who were sprawled on the floor. ¡°Did you manipte your scores?¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡± ¡°It seems the one talking nonsense isn¡¯t me, but you.¡± Approaching right in front of Professor Moriarty, Charlotte stopped upon hearing those words uttered with conviction. ¡°I simply came to this mansion to find my assistant who had been unreasonably absent from his work. I just happened to witness Helen Stonermitting a crime and subdued her in good faith.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Lady Roylott and Helen Stoner, a household affair between the pair of mother and daughter. Isaac Adler and I just got entangled in that affair. That¡¯s the whole story behind this incident.¡± ¡°Fuck¡­!¡± After quietly listening to Moriarty¡¯s words, Charlotte spat out a curse. ¡°What exactly is the problem here?¡± ¡°For a mere domestic drama, the scheming behind this case is just too borate and intricate. Almost as though someone skilled dipped their hands into it. Someone like you¡­¡± ¡°If you analyze the diary and psychological assessment of Helen Stoner, who is currently unconscious, it could very well be a premeditated crime, however.¡± ¡°Signs of someone¡¯s tampering are also abundantly clear. And deliberately so at that.¡± Moriarty, who had been listening to her words with a smile, momentarily showed a faint hint of irritation on her face. ¡°Someone clearly intervened from behind to thoroughly revise a creative but doomed-to-fail scheme for the crime. Almost as if they were consulting the crime¡­¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯ve gone overboard with your delusions, little girl.¡± Then, once again, she whispered with a faint smirk on her lips. ¡°Delusions? Don¡¯t make meugh. Seems like you¡¯re just stung by hearing the truth¡­¡± ¡°Then you must have evidence to prove that truth, right?¡± Hearing Moriarty¡¯s questionced with tant hints of mockery andughter, Charlotte couldn¡¯t muster a response and closed her mouth quietly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Charlotte Holmes? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve been bbering your mouth without any evidence to back up your ims?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°If not, why not present it now? Evidence that I was even remotely involved in this case.¡± Of course, there was no evidence. Well, actually, there was¡­ but it had been erased already. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Helen Stoner¡¯s eyes were vacant, having lost consciousness already due to her neck being strangled by the cor that Lady Roylott had owned. Even if she were to regain consciousness, her brain deprived of oxygen for an extended period would likely not recover to normal levels of awareness. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Lady Roylott, who was gradually regaining consciousness, was clearly under the influence of Helen Stoner¡¯s brainwashing. Therefore, even if she fully regained her senses, not only would she be unable to remember what had just happened¡­ but it was also clear that there would be no way to establish any connection with Professor Moriarty¡ª being someone who was never deeply involved in the first ce. ¡°¡­Let go of Adler.¡± Knowing this fact better than anyone, Charlotte, who had been tightly sealing her lips, finally spoke with her eyes closed, defeated by the woman before her. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to get a testimony from him. That you orchestrated all of this¡­¡± ¡°Ha¡­ haha~¡± Then, Professor Moriarty, as if she could not contain herself any longer, burst intoughter. ¡°Ahahahahaha¡­¡± Herughter powerfully echoed through the basement for a while. ¡°It seems that you¡¯re too far gone into your delusions.¡± Suddenly stopping herughter, Professor Moriarty spoke again while stroking Adler who had been quietly nestled in her arms all this while. ¡°It¡¯s me who saved Isaac Adler from danger.¡± Saying that, she nced intently at Charlotte. ¡°Is that simple fact so difficult to understand for you?¡± ¡°Would you remove your filthy hands from him?¡± The fire in Charlotte¡¯s eyes reignited while ring at Moriarty, who was caressing Adler with her hands, with such intensity that it felt like there was nothing she wanted to do more than to kill the woman in front of her right there and then. ¡°If someone who doesn¡¯t even love me were to caress me, then I would get the chills¡­¡± ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± The professor eventually lifted the corner of her lips after watching that interesting response ¡°So enough of that! Hand him over when I¡¯m asking nicely¡­¡± ¨C Swish¡­ Just then, Professor Moriarty quietly flipped her long hair back and gently locked eyes with Adler, leaning in closer to him. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± The next moment, their tongues softly intertwined. ¡°¡­Stop it.¡± With a pallid expression, Charlotte watched the heart-wrenching scene unfold and murmured in a creeping voice. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± However, with their eyes closed and their tongues entangled in a steamy exchange of bodily fluids, they did not stop their intimate act. ¡°Stop it.¡± While staring as if she¡¯d lost her very soul, Charlotte stumbled and reached out her hand toward Adler. ¨C Zzz¡­ ¡°Ah.¡± However, the greyish mana filling his body sparked up and rejected her advance. ¨C Drip¡­ As a result, Charlotte involuntarily stepped back and Jane Moriarty pulled her head back, stretching the viscous saliva line once more. ¡°Mm¡­¡± Moriarity looked at her assistant, keeping the stretched line of saliva connecting their mouths, and tilted her head again before inserting her tongue back into his mouth. ¡°Enough¡­.¡± As this act continued unceasingly for a long while, the choked-up sounds from Charlotte began to reverberate through the basement. ¨C Groooan¡­ With her head bowed in defeat, Charlotte was engulfed in ck smokey mes, and the corners of Professor Moriarty¡¯s mouth quietly lifted up. ¡°¡­Do you understand now?¡± Finally removing her tongue from Adler¡¯s mouth, she wiped the corners of her lips with her sleeve and whispered in a subdued voice. ¡°This is no ce for a meddling child to interfere¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Our rtionship, I mean.¡± Saying that, she wore a victorious smile as she headed out of the room. ¡°¡­Did a woman named Watson go to call the police?¡± Then, Professor Moriarty nced back and muttered to her assistant. ¡°You should get going as well. It¡¯ll be problematic if the police arrive¡­¡± ¡°Professor.¡± Adler, who had remained in his seat even as Moriarty went out, spoke to her in a soft voice. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you in a little while.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t we have to clean up the crime scene?¡± Adler¡¯s gaze was still directed at Charlotte, who remained enveloped in a viscous coating of smokey ck mana. ¡°¡­Understood.¡± After briefly watching him with a furrowed brow, she soon smiled and nodded her head. ¡°Then, I leave it to you.¡± Given that her mana was imnted within him, there was no way that arrogant girl could interfere with Adler. ¡®No, she should be worrying about her own safety first.¡¯ She didn¡¯t particrly see her as apetitor. However, for some odd reason, the idea that the girl might be retiring from approaching her assistant made her feel inexplicably light. ¡®¡­Anyway.¡¯ As she moved with a cheerful smile on her face, she savored Adler¡¯s lingering taste in her mouth then muttered internally¡­ her smiling face morphing into one of slight disappointment. ¡®The notion that a kiss is sweet was a lie.¡¯ Despite these thoughts and her expression, a slight blush could be seen on her cheeks. ¡®Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ . . . . . ¡°¡­.Umm.¡± How much time had passed? ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± Lifting her heavy eyelids, Charlotte looked around with a dazed expression. ¡°Where am I¡­¡± Thest thing she remembered was the smokey ck mana, akin to gaseous mes, engulfing her whole body. Soon after, she was swept away by a flood of enormous emotions that she had never experienced before in her life. She lost control in an instant and was left with no choice but to lose consciousness, engulfed in the mes of smokey ck mana. ¡®What happened?¡¯ It was a situation where, at the very least, her life, or perhaps even everything surrounding her could have been consumed by her rampaging mana. Yet, she was fine now. Why? ¡°You seem to have woken up.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Her questions were immediately answered the moment she saw the familiar man¡¯s twinkling eyes before her. ¡°You were in great danger. You could have lost control there.¡± Adler held her hands in his own and said this with a quiet smile on his face. ¡°When did you awaken your mana? It was quite a surprising sight.¡± Looking at his clothes, torn to shreds already, and the ck scars covering his skin, it was clear that he had saved her once again. ¡°¡­I¡¯m disqualified.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m disqualified as a detective.¡± Staring nkly at him, Charlotte murmured while lowering her head. ¡°By the time I realized everything, it was already toote.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Even worse, instead of helping you, I ended up causing you more harm.¡± Then, she quietly lifted her head and looked at him with a lifeless gaze. ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± And from her mouth, an equally lifeless voice escaped. ¡°I¡¯m not qualified to solve your riddles and mysteries.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± However, Adler began to encourage her instead. ¡°You¡¯ve done far better than I expected.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your sympathy. I¡­¡± ¡°Not only did youpletely expose Professor Moriarty¡¯s schemes, but you also forced her to get directly involved in the case, did you not?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I am sure that her involvement in the case will be recorded.¡± His hand began to gently stroke Charlotte¡¯s disheveled hair. ¡°It might merely be a minor record¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°But for her, who has never been implicated in any case before and has remained wless throughout, this is the very first record of her implication and involvement.¡± At his warm touch, Charlotte started to nkly stare at Adler. ¡°As these records umte, who do you think will eventually win in the end?¡± Looking at Charlotte, Adler gave a gentle smile, filled with warmth. ¡°In that sense, this case is your victory, Ms. Holmes.¡± After nkly staring at his smile for a long while, Charlotte slowly opened her mouth. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Why are you¡­ so kind to me?¡± Her voice trembled ever so slightly as she uttered the words. ¡°You are my enemy; it should be normal for me to be an annoyance to you like I am to the professor. You¡¯ve helped me so many times¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I love you.¡± ¡°Lies.¡± Suddenly, her voice turned icy cold. ¡°The one you love is Jane Moriarty, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­Ms. Holmes.¡± ¡°I saw it with my own eyes. You couldn¡¯t shake her off¡­¡± For a moment, a sharp and sinister look appeared in her eyes, making Adler momentarily break into a cold sweat. Soon, he lowered his eyes and began to speak in a subdued tone. ¡°¡­Of course, I can¡¯t shake her off.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t defy her.¡± Simultaneously, his face turned solemn. ¡°No, it¡¯s impossible for anyone in London to defy her.¡± ¡°¡­I know many people.¡± ¡°Even if the entire Knights Order of the Queenes for her, they could vanish with a single gesture from the professor.¡± Adler shook his head in response to Charlotte¡¯s words, who had no choice but to sheathe the sharpness of her gaze at the pitiful sight, invoking a sense of maternal instinct, shown by Adler. ¡°There is no one in this world who can stand against her.¡± Then, a firm voice echoed throughout the room. ¡°¡­Until now, that¡¯s what I believed.¡± Just as Charlotte began to sag at his words, a gentle smile appeared on Adler¡¯s lips, and he tightened his grip on her hand. ¡°A moment ago, however, I changed my mind.¡± Then, Adler moved her hand to his chest. ¡°Check the mana within my body.¡± Caught off guard, Charlotte ced her hand on his chest and her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s your mana.¡± Just a moment ago, his body had been filled with Professor Moriarty¡¯s murky greyish mana. ¡°Since I was holding back your mana, which had gone berserk, with my entire body, it started mixing in.¡± However, things were different now. ¡°Now, half of my body is the professor¡¯s, and the other half has be yours.¡± Just as he said, the professor¡¯s grey mana and Charlotte¡¯s ck mana were perfectly divided in half, coloring the inside of Adler¡¯s body. ¡°Wait, if this continues, your body won¡¯t be able to¡­¡± ¡°Charlotte Holmes.¡± Staring at the two types of mana fiercely fighting for dominance inside his body, Charlotte looked at Adler with an even more pallid expression than before. ¡°There really is no one but you.¡± But Adler, cutting off Charlotte¡¯s words stepped closer to her. ¡°You are the very nemesis of Professor Moriarty.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Because the only mana that can stand equal to hers is yours.¡± Momentster, Adler¡¯s warm body temperature began to seep into her own. ¡°The only one who can topple Professor Moriarty¡¯s kingdom and pull her down from her throne is you.¡± Adler, gently holding Charlotte in his arms, tilted his head and whispered softly in her ear. ¡°You are the hope of London.¡± The moment she heard those words, her breath came to a halt. ¡°So, hang in there.¡± Adler, looking at Charlotte gave her a slight smile and patted her back. ¡°I¡¯ll being with the next riddle soon.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°And after that, I will create many wicked and dreadful incidents for you.¡± Then, Adler, who had by then caught her full attention, whispered softly to her once more. ¡°Please be reborn as the being I have envisioned.¡± His pupils had inexplicably turned into a shade of grey, shining as they did in the darkness. ¡°I love you, Ms. Holmes.¡± Of course, to Charlotte Holmes, it was all but clear just to whom that dirty grey mana ¨C which Adler¡¯s eyes now bore ¨C belonged. . . . . . ¡°Then¡­ take care.¡± After leaving those words behind, I stood up from my seat. Focusing on my mana, I gently rubbed my bloodshot eyes and began to head outside. ¡®The result is better than expected.¡¯ Though the incident arose due to my misunderstanding and foolishness, the oue had been quite favorable for me. Charlotte Holmes, who was only supposed to awaken her mana in the veryst stages of the story, had sessfully enacted the feat in the early stages instead. If she continued to hone her mana, she might even be able to stand toe-to-toe with the final boss¡ª Moriarty pretty soon. ¨C Probability of ??? ¡ª 15% ¡ú 0% And with the neutralization of Lady Roylott and Helen Stoner, this suspicious probability had also disappeared. The fact that the canon event¡ª The Secret of the Speckled Band case, which could have endangered the world due to the logical inconsistencies incorporated by the game developers, had somehow sessfullye to its conclusion was an added bonus. ¡®¡­Well, time to find out why the erosion rate suddenly increased.¡¯ What remained now was to ascertain the cause of the increased erosion rate before the police arrived here. ¡®Wait, but how should I exin my current circumstance to the professor?¡¯ ¨C Swish¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± As I was about to hurriedly move outside, breaking into a cold sweat due to the sudden thought of exining the current state of my body to the professor, I began to sense a chilling presence from behind. ¡°Uh?¡± The moment I turned around to see what it was, the world started to spin around me. ¡°¡­¡­¡­?¡± In the blink of an eye, I was lying on the basement floor. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Bartitsu1Bartitsu is an eclectic martial art and self-defense method originally developed in Ennd in 1898¨C1902,bining elements of boxing, jujitsu, cane fighting, and French kickboxing..¡± As I wore a dazed expression, unable to make sense of the situation, a bass-less voice came from above me. ¡°It¡¯s a Japanese martial art; my specialty, if you will.¡± ¡°¡­Ms. Holmes?¡± Charlotte Holmes was straddling me, holding both of my arms down. ¡°What are you doing right now¡­?¡± As I looked up at her with a bewildered expression, a message suddenly appeared before my eyes. Warning! ¨C Probability of ??? ¡ª 0% ¡ú 20% ¡°Take a guess.¡± Behind that message, the look in Charlotte Holmes¡¯ eyes was bing increasingly murky with each passing second. ¡°You like riddles, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡®Say whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!?¡¯ You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 32: Prelude to Confrontation Chapter 32: Prelude to Confrontation ¨C Screeeech¡­ ¡°Ah, Holmes!¡± As the tightly closed door to the basement was forced open, Watson, who had been restless outside, hurriedly moved in. ¡°The police have already been called. They¡¯ll be arriving here shortly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°By the way, are you really okay? That ck aura around you¡­¡± She had no choice but to stutter upon seeing Charlotte and Isaac Adler emerging from the very insides of the basement. ¡°What¡­¡­¡± Charlotte and Adler, covered in dust, avoided each other¡¯s gaze and wiped their mouths off using their sleeves. ¡°¡­Holmes?¡± Noticing the faint blush on their cheeks, Watson¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°¡­Ms. Holmes, this is a crime.¡± In the midst of this, Adler, as he softly spoke those words, bowed his head and exited the room soon after. ¡°Don¡¯t do it again next time.¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± And then, there was utter silence. ¡°So¡­ you¡­ umm, uh¡­¡± Should she first ask why Adler was wiping his mouth as if he had rolled on the ground for a while? Or should she first ask why a faint ck smoke was still emanating from her partner¡¯s body? ¡°Watson.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Caught in such a dilemma and wearing a bewildered expression on her face, Watson snapped back to reality at Charlotte¡¯s voice originating from in front of her. ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°You, you do? For me?¡± ¡°¡­In terms of general knowledge, you¡¯re more knowledgeable than I am after all.¡± Surprisingly, Charlotte was seeking an answer from her. ¡°In all my life, I never thought that something like this would happen.¡± Momentarily surprised by this fact, Watson soon approached Charlotte with a gentle smile on her face. ¡°So, what does our genius girl want to know?¡± To that, Charlotte posed a question to Watson with a low and serious voice. ¡°How do you establish a Fait Apli?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Watson doubted her ears for a moment, but Charlotte inquired with her usual steady voice without a hint of fluster. ¡°How do you establish a Fait Apli?¡± ¡°A, a Fait Apli?¡± Caught off guard by those words, Watson was about to ask back when Charlotte quietly touched her lips and muttered with a sigh. ¡°I couldn¡¯t make further progress because I don¡¯t have the relevant knowledge.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I asked because I thought you might know.¡± Her only rival in this world¡ª Professor Jane Moriarty. A criminal consultant and an investigative consultant¡ª contrasting professions, a rtionship of opposites. Yet, both geniuses possessed simr abilities, considered to be neck and neck by Isaac Adler. Perhaps it was due to this peculiar rtionship they shared¡­ ¡­That the conclusion Charlotte reached in this case was almost identical to the one Professor Moriarty arrived at. ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t know either?¡± Regardless of what kind it was, she needed to create a Fait Apli, a permanent bond holding the two, that Isaac Adler couldn¡¯t escape from, and she had to do it as quickly as possible. ¡°¡­Are you high, perchance?¡± ¡°I quit a long time ago¡­¡± That was the key to ending the enormous blood feud that enveloped London. ¡°¡­You¡¯re insane.¡± It was the moment the two geniuses, having simultaneouslyprehended the same truth, began their direct confrontation. ¡°Sometimes you have to be insane to obtain what you desire.¡± . . . . . After leaving the basement, I wandered around the mansion for a while, but I was ultimately unable to discover the reason behind the increased erosion rate. ¡°Professor, you¡¯ve been waiting for a while.¡± ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± Having left the mansion without much gain, Professor Moriarty, who had been waiting outside, waved at me. ¡°What were you up to?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ there¡¯s something slightly bothering me right now.¡± As he climbed into the carriage where she had been waiting for him, Professor Moriarty began to scrutinize him all over. ¡°Are you talking about Charlotte Holmes?¡± ¡°No, not her¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never been good at lying.¡± She smirked and reached out to me. ¨C Zzzzzt¡­ Then a electrifying ck spark blocked her hand. ¡°I¡¯ve painstakingly infused each of your mana circuits with my mana, yet now half of them have been tainted ck.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve essentially lost half of your ownership rights. Isn¡¯t this a breach of our contract?¡± I had already anticipated that I would be found out, but I didn¡¯t think that it would be so immediate¡­ It was a perilous situation that would have made me sweat with nervousness just a few days ago, but by now, I was slowly beginning to see what needed to be done in order to save myself from the professor¡¯s wrath. ¡°Charlotte Holmes is¡­¡± ¡°Charlotte Holmes is your nemesis, Professor. It¡¯s quite a mistake to disregard her now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Just as I was about to speak some more with my eyes tightly shut, Professor Moriarty interrupted my speech. ¡°Wine bes more delightful the longer it¡¯s aged. So, are you suggesting that now is not the time to open it? Do you want me to wait for the wine to mature? Is that what you¡¯re implying?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± I nced at her, slightly taken aback as she seemed to have snatched away the words I was about to say to her. Professor Moriarty then gave a dark smile and bowed her head slightly before uttering. ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Then, she quietly locked eyes with me. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t fancy Charlotte Holmes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you just be my assistant, y the detective role, and be my nemesis as well?¡± ¡°You¡¯re being too greedy, Professor¡­¡± ¡°But I like you, not Charlotte.¡± Had we been lovers, this would¡¯ve been a profoundly flirty statement. However, given that the one saying it was Professor Moriarty¡­ ¡°¡­You¡¯re blushing.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lost in thought, I unwittingly touched my cheek in response to her words. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± My cheek had indeed gotten warm. ¡°This is indeed strange.¡± Unable to respond, the professor whispered in a soft voice with a slight smirk on her face. ¡°What are you¡­ talking about?¡± ¡°When you¡¯re by my side, you tter me, saying Professor is the best. But when you¡¯re next to that youngdy, you sing praises, iming Ms. Holmes is the best.¡± I wanted to offer some excuse in response, but she had hit the nail on the head leaving me speechless once more. ¡°¡­Anyway, It seems to me that you¡¯re fond of both her and me.¡± ¡°I think of you, Professor, as¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you think I haven¡¯t noticed you¡¯re walking on a tightrope with your lifespan?¡± Then, a momentter, a gentle voice reached my ears. ¡°Still haven¡¯t made up your mind?¡± Hearing that voice, I closed my eyes and quietly sank into my thoughts. ¡°On which side to lean on?¡± ¡®¡­It seems like that¡¯s the case.¡¯ Although I had no intention of ying both sides, I still hadn¡¯t decided whose side to take. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I was without purpose. My ultimate objective, at the moment, was to prevent the erosion of this world and save it from inevitable destruction. ¡®I absolutely cannot allow a game-over scenario.¡¯ I wasn¡¯t entirely sure through what mysterious machinations I hade to be here, but this world was a masterpiece that encapsted everything that was my broken life. From Charlotte Holmes to Professor Moriarty, and even the magic system and all the extras that were added in between, there was scarcely a corner untouched by my influence. Hence, if they were said to be obsessed with me, then I was obsessed with the entirety of this world, including them. It was almost as precious as a child to me. ¡®¡­Things have been going rtively smoothly so far.¡¯ To prevent the erosion of such a precious world, whose side should I ultimately take? Right now, as the Professor said, I¡¯m barely managing by walking on a tightrope. But the tightrope I¡¯ll have to walk from here on will likely stretch even further and make it even harder for me to bnce. ¡°Professor, I¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± Wearing an awkward smile, as if I had be the protagonist of a cheap romance novel, I was contemting whom to choose when Professor Moriarty suddenly spoke up with a gleam in her eyes. ¡°I finally understand theplete rules of the game you¡¯ve created.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± With that, she grabbed both my arms and pinned me against the wall. ¡°Ultimately, the person who fully possesses you bes the master of London.¡± Held tightly and pinned against the carriage¡¯s wall, Jane Moriarty leaned in toward me. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Had I gone mad already? ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure.¡± If not¡­ why was my heart suddenly fluttering while looking at the smiling face of Professor Moriarty? ¡°I really don¡¯t know.¡± I was certain my favorite was Charlotte Holmes. Then¡­ why? ¡°¡­Well then, let me enlighten you.¡± Caught in an inexplicable mood with my expression growing increasingly numb, her tongue naturally prated into my mouth with practiced ease. ¡°Heup¡­¡± With eyes shut tightly, the professor swirled her tongue inside my mouth for quite some time. Eventually, she pulled her head back and spoke again. ¡°Although I might not know how to love someone, I believe I can make you fall in love with me.¡± ¡°¡­Professor.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My ambition is strong. A little bit of this is nothing if it¡¯s for the sake of victory.¡± With that said, she stole another kiss from my lips leaning in closer once more. ¡°¡­And Isaac, remember this.¡± I flinched, thinking she was going for another kiss, but instead, she whispered softly into my ear. ¡°The curse upon me ensures that every crime Imit bes a perfect crime.¡± But the impact of that whisper was far greater than the previous kiss. ¡°Be prepared, anytime, anywhere.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If things go awry, even I¡¯m uncertain of what I might do.¡± Warning! ¨C Probability of ???: 20% ¡ú 40% Slowly, I was beginning to get a sense of what this probability was all about. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment, in Lady Roylott¡¯s room, ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Even though Isaac Adler had thoroughly searched the ce, for some reason, an unidentified ck shadow still stood at the very heart of this whole case. ¡°Ha-ha.¡± A momentter, the shadow reached for the securely locked safe. ¡°It even withstood an explosion. Not even breaking after all that.¡± From that safe, the shadow effortlessly pulled out something wriggling like a snake and began to disy a chilling smile on her face. ¡°I love you, Isaac Adler.¡± Simultaneously, a message appeared in front of Adler, who was riding away from the mansion in a carriage with the professor. ??? feels an uncanny affection toward you! Warning! ¨C Probability of Assassination: 33% ¡ú 40% Warning! Erosion Rate: 5% ¡ú 6% ¡°¡­Bloody hell¡­!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mr. Adler?¡± The shadow, which had stood there for quite a while, quickly melted into the floor and hid its presence when the footsteps of the guards began to echo from the staircase. ¡°¡­I will definitely ughter and kill you.¡± The shadow spat out that single sentence in an ecstatic tone in its raspy voice. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 33: The Man with the Twisted Lip Chapter 33: The Man with the Twisted Lip A few weeks after the conclusion of the The Secret of the Speckled Band case. ¡°Mr. Adler¡­¡± ¡°Professor?¡± Upon rushing to the office due to a surprising urgent summons, I was greeted with the sight of Professor Jane Moriarty sprawled out on the sofa. ¡°Help me¡­¡± ¡°What on earth happened? Were you attacked?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡± As I approached her with shock evident in my eyes, Professor Moriarty murmured in a weak voice. ¡°Then?¡± ¡°¡­ I feel like I¡¯m dying of boredom.¡± Hearing those words, I stood there with a dumbfounded expression. Meanwhile, the professor, lying on the sofa, began to speak in a defeated tone. ¡°There¡¯s no case¡­ No case to consult on¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I never imagined I woulde to understand how detectives feel when they have no clients¡­¡± The sight of the professor rolling about on the sofa, mumbling to herself so, reminded me of Holmes and Watson who would be sullen due to theck of cases¡­ I never imagined I would see such a sight in a ce like this; it was truly unexpected. ¡°Professor, please be patient for just a bit longer. Haven¡¯t we just started this whole crime consultation gig?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°If we sessfully advise on just a few more cases, our names will surely spread in the underworld. By then, there¡¯ll be no time to be bored with all the iing requests, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m well aware of that¡­¡± Regardless, the professor¡¯s boredom was a serious matter, so I tried my best tofort her. ¡°But we can¡¯t resolve the boredom immediately, can we?¡± The professor slightly lifted her head, looked at me with drowsy eyes, and spoke. ¡°All this is because of you.¡± Her eyes, which gleamed darkly, were directed toward me. ¡°¡­ Because of me?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you lead me to three consecutive stimting experiences from the get-go?¡± For some reason, I shivered as I remembered the day I first met her; thinking of the dean here, dead with a hole in her head made me feel goosebumps all over. ¡°Now my body doesn¡¯t react unless it¡¯s that level of stimtion.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Take responsibility.¡± ¡°What would you like me to do?¡± She slightly leaned in, patting the seat next to her, and whispered in a soft voice. ¡°How about ying a kissing game?¡± ¡°That¡¯s sexual harassment, Professor.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s a good idea.¡± A smile spread across her lips as she spoke those words. ¡°Topletely seduce you and make you mine, I must persistently engage in this act of kissing.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Looking at the change in your facial color and heartbeat, it¡¯s clear that the act greatly affects you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°But kisses aren¡¯t as sweet as they seem in books. That¡¯s why it¡¯s a bit of a problem.¡± After speaking to herself for a while, she took out a sugar cube from her pocket. ¡°¡­ Wouldn¡¯t this make it sweeter?¡± Then, she ced it on her tongue. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± I stared intently at the professor, who had tilted her head and spread her arms toward me by then. ¡°¡­ Uh.¡± ¡°You must be truly bored.¡± While pushing the sugar cube into the professor¡¯s mouth with my finger, I spoke those words. ¡°However, regrettably, I don¡¯t have time to entertain you today.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a matter I must attend to.¡± Professor Moriarty, who had been quietly chewing on the sugar, began to gaze expressionlessly into my eyes. However, I didn¡¯t have the time to indulge her whims. ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡± ¡°It¡¯s rted to the organization.¡± ¡°Exin to me in more detail.¡± But upon reflection, hiding information from the professor, who was the head of the organization, seemed ludicrous in intself. ¡°I need to retrieve a new body for Princess Joan y.¡± ¡°Princess Joan y?¡± So after clearing my throat briefly, I started exining and showed her the ring I wore on my finger. ¡°It¡¯s about our client who I subdued and sealed in this ring during the Red Mana League case.¡± ¡°Ah, right. I remember now.¡± Jane Moriarty blinked and nodded thoughtfully for a moment. ¡°Though I would personally prefer to keep her sealed in the ring a bit longer due to her slight rebellious streak, the Princess seems to have a particr fondness for my blood.¡± ¨C Ziiing¡­ ¡°Since I wear it on my finger, she frequently takes my blood all the time.¡± The ring on my finger, where Princess y was sealed, began to glow and started drawing my blood as soon as I finished speaking. ¡°Such a naughty mosquito.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine for now. I do experience symptoms of anemia asionally, however¡­¡± ¡°If you lend her to me for a bit, I can train her perfectly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass on that. Whether by ident or intention, you¡¯ll surely ruin her professor.¡± Staring intently at the ring, Professor Moriarty extended her hand and spoke those words. In response, I quietly lowered my head and uttered a retort. ¡°¡­ You got me.¡± She chuckled and began tapping her desk with her finger. ¨C Ziiing¡­ The ring, which had been fervently sucking my blood, suddenly started to tremble as if it were frightened. Surely, it must have been my imagination. ¡°In any case, because of these reasons, I intend to ce her in a new body and continue her training.¡± ¡°What do you mean by a new body? A sickly ve? A hunting dog? Or perhaps, a stray cat?¡± ¡°I did consider cing her in a living body, but then, I realized that would shorten her lifespan considerably.¡± Scratching my head as I continued exining, I pulled out a blueprint from my bag and handed it to the professor. ¡°So, I specially ordered a doll powered by a mana stone, virtually indistinguishable from a living being.¡± ¡°There are craftsmen who can make such things?¡± ¡°Typically, no. But there are a few in the underworld.¡± The design of the doll I conceived was, as previously promised to the Princess, shaped like a cat. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t ept requests for humanoid shapes, so I ordered a cat-shaped doll.¡± ¡°Pffft.¡± The thought of the fourth smartest and most powerful woman in London being reduced to a cat made Professor Moriarty burst intoughter. ¡°That would certainly be a sight for sore eyes.¡± Her eyes shone full of anticipation as she murmured to herself. For someone who often seemed emotionless, she surprisingly had a rich range of emotions, didn¡¯t she? ¡°So, are you departing now?¡± ¡°Yes, probably¡­¡± ¡°Perfect timing. I don¡¯t have any lectures this morning, so I¡¯ll join you.¡± Pondering for some time, I responded to her question, which was quickly followed by Professor Moriarty¡¯s proposal. ¡°That¡¯s not possible I am afraid.¡± I had no choice but to refuse her offer. ¡°Why so?¡± ¡°Because given your impable and pristine status as a professor of the August Academy, you absolutely cannot be seen in the ce I¡¯m going to.¡± ¡°¡­ Where exactly is this meeting ce that you speak of?¡± Because the ce I was about to head to was¡­ ¡°The Opium Den.¡± One of the most dangerous ces in London. ¡°¡­ So, you¡¯re saying you want to bepletely deprived of your free will and be imprisoned forever, huh?¡± ¡°Please calm down, Professor.¡± Expectedly, once I finished speaking, Professor Moriarty whispered in a dark tone, binding me with mana in an instant. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll be prepared. Very thoroughly at that.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re thrown into the river adjacent to that ce, your body will disappear without a trace. No matter how well you prepare.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Especially someone like you, who has the most enemies in London. They¡¯d likely throw your dismembered body in the rivers. And if that happens, even I would question if it was possible to find a single finger of yours.¡± Professor Moriarty might have been a bit aggressive with her words, but she was right in the end. At the moment, I was a prime target due to numerous past transgressions, for scorning women, and there was even an unidentified person who brazenly interfered with the world¡¯s erosion rate. In such circumstances, willingly entering an opium den would be akin to publicly advertising my desire to be endangered to the entire neighborhood. ¡°¡­ There¡¯s always a way around everything.¡± However, that only applied when I assumed the appearance of Isaac Adler. ¨C Zzzzzz¡­ ¡°Uhm?¡± When I used the original body owner¡¯s signature disguise magic to change my appearance, the situation took a turn. ¡°Ta-da~!¡± What if it was a perfect full-body disguise, stored in the mana slot of Isaac Adler, who was hailed as a great actor? A disguise that clearly took years to perfect? Even in that notorious Opium Den, there would be no one who could see through my true appearance. ¡°Are you still worried now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± When I disyed the transformation to Professor Moriarty, where the sharp aura of Isaac Adler waspletely gone, reced by an appearance that seemed honest and naive, she quietly tilted her head. ¡°Certainly, you don¡¯t look like Isaac Adler.¡± ¡°Do I not?¡± ¡°Did you deliberately make your lips that way to hide your true appearance as much as possible? But your inherent appearance remains unchanged; it¡¯s quite a high-level disguise.¡± Then, she finally released the restraint and nodded her head. ¡°But remember, even if you aren¡¯t Isaac Adler, the Opium Den is still a dangerous ce.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s not just empty words. I¡¯ve killed a few people there myself.¡± As I turned away, giving her a smile in response to such a statement, I shuddered at the chilling words that followed. ¡°Just kidding.¡± Professor Jane Moriarty then grinned and spoke. ¡°Take care of yourself.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± ¡°¡­ If you get hurt again, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°It would be an honor of mine.¡± After hearing her stern farewell, I made my way out of the office. ¡®¡­ There won¡¯t be any problems, right?¡¯ To the setting of that bizarre incident from the original novels, the opium den¡­ . . . . . Several hourster¡ª ¡°Well then, enjoy your time.¡± ¡°¡­ Thank you.¡± Upon arriving at the Opium Den, I was able to safely enter by handing a purse of money to the Indian Manager of the ce who had been leaning near the entrance, waiting for me. ¡®¡­ Ugh, the smell.¡¯ As I cautiously moved forward, a pungent smoke stung my nostrils. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± As I continued walking through the smoke, the eyes of the addicts sprawled on the floor began to focus on me all at once. ¡®As expected, this isn¡¯t just any ordinary opium den.¡¯ While the majority of them were mere addicts, scattered among them were individuals who showed no signs of addiction. ¡°Heh¡­ heh¡­¡± For instance, a handsome young boy who pretended to be intoxicated by the drug, sloppily moving his body, but still sneaking nces at me with a disturbing smile on his face. ¡°¡­ Look at thatd. Seems like he might fetch a good price.¡± ¡°Forget it, I can sense mana flowing in him. It¡¯ll be troublesome.¡± ¡°Tsk, what¡¯s a mage doing here¡­¡± Or the thugs who were openly evaluating my worth with glinting eyes. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Or the individuals who merely stared intently at me without uttering a word from a while ago. ¡®¡­ This is intimidating.¡¯ Given the fact that I could sense mana and sword energy within them, I came to the conclusion that most of them were skilled assassins or criminals. I¡¯m d I utilized the disguise stored in Isaac Adler¡¯s mana slot. Had Ie in the true form of Isaac Adler, by now, wouldn¡¯t I be dismembered? ¨C Creak¡­ Shivering at that thought, I could only breathe a sigh of relief after unlocking the door with the key given by the manager and stepping into the assigned room. ¡°¡­ Phew.¡± Once inside the room, I could finally feel at ease. All I had to do was quietly wait here until the doll-maker arrived. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± As I looked around the room, two windows caught my attention. ¡®They¡¯ve recreated this from the original novels as well.¡¯ One window faced a rapidly flowing river, and the other offered a view of the street outside. No matter how I looked at it, the room resembled the one from the incident in the original novel titled The Man with the Twisted Lip. ¡®While they¡¯ve omitted the actual event, they¡¯ve replicated these unnecessary details so urately.¡¯ It was truly puzzling why they meticulously designed the opium den but left out The Man with the Twisted Lip episode in its entirety. Well, I was relieved not to get entangled in a pointless incident, but still¡­ ¨C Creak¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± As I was opening the window, lost in thought, I suddenly had to pause, my expression turning into a frown. ¡°¡­ Why is my mouth like this?¡± My reflection in the window showed my lips being twisted. Did I make a mistake when casting the disguise magic? ¡®If it¡¯s not that¡­¡¯ ¨C Shiver¡­ ¡°¡­¡­!¡± As a chilling thought raced through my mind, I was suddenly startled by the sound of the door opening behind me. ¡°W, what!?¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Panicking, I hurriedly closed the window and turned around to face an astonishing sight. ¡°What brings you here?¡± The young boy, who had earlier nced at me with that unsettling smile of his, was now tearing the skin off his face. ¡°Mr. Isaac Adler?¡± Lost in the boy¡¯s familiar voice, I wore a stunned expression, wondering how my impable disguise had been seen through. ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes?¡± Before I knew it, I was speaking to Charlotte Holmes who had suddenly appeared before me. ¡°Stalking is a crime, don¡¯t you know?¡± She responded, her eyes shining darkly, as she stepped forward. ¡°¡­ I know.¡± ¡°Surprising someone is a crime too.¡± If she surprised me again, I would definitely report her to the police. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that very moment¡ª ¡°What have I¡­¡± Upon hearing the news that her friend¡¯s younger sibling hadn¡¯t left the opium den, Rachel Watson, armed with a pistol, braved the dangers and went to the location. ¡°What have I witnessed?¡± She mumbled, staring nkly at the window that had been hastily shut a moment ago. ¡°¡­Why are you here?¡± That man, who had been missing for over a month, was, for some bloody reason, spotted in the top room of the opium den. ¨C Click. The pistol in Watson¡¯s hand, which she hadn¡¯t used since retiring from the military, was loaded once again after a long hiatus. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 34: Push and Pull Chapter 34: Push and Pull Charlotte approached Isaac Adler after revealing her true self and whispered to him in a soft voice. ¡°I won¡¯t eat you, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°¡­ Really?¡± Adler then took a step back with a slightly frightened smile on his face, but his expression changed upon hearing her subsequent words. ¡°Even if I were to eat you, would you have anywhere to run from my grasp?¡± ¡°¡­ No.¡± Hearing Charlotte¡¯s meaningful words, he then sat down on the chair next to him with a resigned expression on his face. ¡°Please be gentle this time.¡± ¡°I told you, I won¡¯t eat you.¡± ¡°After you pounced on me in the basement, I lost all my trust in Ms. Holmes.¡± Adler then nced at her and muttered with a sigh. ¡°¡­ Beast.¡± Charlotte, who was at a loss for words just kept silently staring at him. ¡°Well, how on earth did you see through my disguise anyway?¡± Then Adler chuckled as if it were a joke, scratched his head, and threw out that question. ¡°It was quite a perfect disguise, you know.¡± In reality, Adler was actively analyzing whether or not Charlotte would pounce on him right now. ¡°I filled the inside with my own stuff, so it would be weird for me to not know.¡± ¡°¡­ The phrasing¡­ is a bit weird, no?¡± ¡°Now, no matter where you hide, you can¡¯t escape from my clutches.¡± Charlotte continued on with her statements that made Adler feel ufortably anxious. ¡°¡­Since when have you been following me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. You showed up where I was.¡± Hearing those words, Adler momentarily narrowed his eyes. ¡°Why were you in this dangerous ce?¡± ¡°I was investigating a case.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about your partner, Watson, isn¡¯t it?¡± Charlotte then let out a tired sigh and began to exin her circumstances. ¡°It wasn¡¯t directlymissioned to me, but it¡¯s easy for anyone to see. There¡¯s a problem with a man.¡± ¡°You mean Ms. Watson?¡± ¡°Probably her partner has been missing for about a month? So, as a friend, I was personally investigating this matter.¡± Her eyes lit up with a dark shine. ¡°There¡¯s no better ce for someone to disappear overnight in London than here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So, will you tell me now, Mr. Adler?¡± Then, she suddenly stepped closer to Adler. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Adler, who reflexively hugged himself to protect his chastity from the beast in front of him, replied with a slightly awkward smile. ¡°Personal matters.¡± ¡°What kind of riddle are you creating this time?¡± ¡°I said it¡¯s personal matters. It has nothing to do with riddles or mysteries this time.¡± At that moment, Charlotte leaned in toward Adler and whispered in a dark and heavy tone. ¡°So, it¡¯s alright if we stay together?¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Adler, who was looking at her with a troubled expression, finally turned his gaze away as he replied. ¡°I have someone to meet in private.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± And then, the silence began once more. ¡°Hmph.¡± Surprisingly, Charlotte, letting out a snort for the first time in her life, quietly turned her head away after hearing his response. ¡°¡­ Once you said I was your favorite.¡± Then, she muttered in a cold tone. ¡°So besides your professor, who is your master, you also have someone else to meet?¡± ¡°Ms. Holmes, I¡­¡± ¡°Forget it.¡± With her lips forming a petnt pout, she nced at Adler, who was scratching his head, and then stepped out of the room. ¡°Try doing well without me.¡± And then, the door closed behind her. ¡°¡­You¡¯ll surely regret this.¡± The corners of her mouth quietly rose as she added thatst sentence. Push and pull is important in rtionships between men and women, Holmes. Push and pull? Right, you¡¯ve only been pulling all this time. It was a good opportunity to use the advice she had received from Watson a few days ago. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s time to push?¡¯ . . . . . ¡°When is she going to show up?¡± Quite some time had passed since Charlotte Holmes had left the room, but there had been no knock on the door from the doll-maker. Thanks to that, I, who had been lying on the bed idly, eventually got up from my spot with a quiet yawn. ¡°¡­ Hmm?¡± Just at that moment, I felt somethinging under my foot. ¡°Ah.¡± As I carelessly looked down, I couldn¡¯t help but wear a disappointed expression on my face. ¡®When did she put that there?¡¯ The cat doll that had been ced under the bed was now knocked over, lying beside my foot. Looking at that, it seemed that the dollmaker had been here first. ¡®¡­ Well, I did pay the down payment in advance.¡± While it was a bit strange, this clean approach was actually more to my liking. And besides, there were other important matters at hand. ?Hold on.? ¡°¡­?¡± Just as I was about to remove the ring from my finger, a voice started toe from somewhere. ?Stop it.? ¡°¡­Is that you, Princess?¡± I asked the question nervously, and immediately, the ring started vibrating intensely. ?You would put me in such a lowly body? You must be out of your mind.? Then, a voice that was even more furious than before began to echo in my head. It seemed to me that she was capable of telepathic magic as well. Judging from the fact that she had been hiding this ability until now, it appeared she really didn¡¯t want to be a cat. ?I¡¯m warning you, return me to my original form immediately. Then I might spare your life¡­? ¡°¡­It seems our little princess still hasn¡¯t grasped the situation.¡± However, that didn¡¯t mean I could afford to not use the expensive doll I had invested in. With that thought, I quietly curled the corner of my lips and began to remove the ring from my finger. Soon after, I lifted the ring up in front of me. ?Wait, what are you doing¡­? ¡°Hmph.¡± And then, as I tossed the ring into my mouth, her voice got abruptly cut off. ¨C Swirl, swirl¡­ ?¡­..hngh?? As I rolled the ring around with my tongue, strange moans began to reverberate inside my head. ?Stop it. Stop this at once! What on earth is¡­? ¡°¡­Should I swallow you like this?¡± I rolled her around in my mouth for quite a while and when I whispered such words while still holding her in that ce, Princess y went silent again. ¡°Even if you¡¯re slowly digested in my stomach, you won¡¯t be able to resist.¡± ?You¡­? ¡°Or shall I throw you into the river you see now? I don¡¯t really care either way.¡± After taking her out of my mouth, I opened the window facing the river and shook her above. The violent vibrations of the ring began to gradually subside. Clearly, she had been quite shocked by the first rough treatment in her life. Or perhaps she finally understood her predicament. ¡°Princess, consider yourself fortunate.¡± Either way, it was good news for me. Leaning against the windowsill I smiled and pushed the now-subdued ring into the mouth of the doll. ¨C Zing¡­ Then, the cat doll began to glow and was soon enveloped in a blood-red light. ¡°¡­Instead of devouring or discarding you, I¡¯ll raise you by my own hand.¡± ¨C Purr¡­ The moment I finished speaking, the kitten doll I held in my hand began to tremble. ¡°However, from now on you are neither a noble princess nor a proud vampire.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± As she red at me with hateful eyes, I squeezed and gently pressed her belly, causing the princess to widen her eyes into saucers. ¡°You¡¯re just a pet cat.¡± I softly whispered to her, and for a moment, the princess stopped resisting and looked down at her feline body with a bewildered expression on her feline face. ¡°Now, say meow.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t do it, there won¡¯t be any blood for you.¡± As I whispered that threat in a soft tone, she let out a reluctant cat-like mewl; her expression filled with utter shame and hostility. ¡°¡­Meow.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Finally rxing my expression and extending my hand, she swiped at it with her eyes full of defiance. ¡°Ow.¡± As I tended to the deep scratch on my palm, the once-haughty creature began to lick the blood on my hand with her raspy tongue. ¡°¡­You¡¯re a spoiled vampire cat.¡± ¡°Meow.¡± Being the first day, I simply extended my hand, and the now settled creature looked at me with haughty eyes as she licked up the blood. ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± However, not much time passed before I noticed her pupils gradually rxing. ¡°Now, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± Pulling my hand away, she stared at me with a look of deprivation on her face. ¡°From now on, blood will only be given as a reward.¡± There was a specific reason why I had allowed her, in her ring form, to continuously suck my blood. My blood, now that of a true vampire¡¯s, was practically a drug to her. She had likely developed a severe dependency on my blood without even realizing it. ¡°As I said before, if you behave in a manner that¡¯s not befitting of a cat, or if you defy me, you won¡¯t get any blood.¡± What would happen if I employed blood as a disciplinary measure in such a situation? ¡°Of course, in the opposite case, I will give you rewards.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± ¡°You¡¯re intelligent, so you understand, don¡¯t you, Princess?¡± The oue was more than just predictable. ¨C Sssk¡­ The princess, who had been gritting her teeth and rolling her eyes, closed her eyes tightly and walked toward my legs. ¨C Swish, swish¡­ And then with an expression full of humiliation, she began to nuzzle her cheek against my leg. ¡°¡­Meow.¡± She looked up at me and let out a fairly convincing cat sound. ¡°Good.¡± I inserted my finger into her mouth and soon enough, I felt a tingling sensation there. ¨C Swish, swish¡­ The princess, who had once again be dazed and was sucking on my finger, started to rub her cheek against my leg, her tail swishing back and forth. ¡®¡­This actually works.¡¯ Bringing down a haughty vampire princess turned out to be easier than I had thought. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Could it be that I have a talent for this kind of thing? ¨C Bang, bang, bang!!! ¡°¡­Huh?¡± It was right at that moment, as I was lost in trivial daydreams and smirking to myself that¡­ ¨C Open the door. ¡°What, what¡¯s going on?¡± A chilly voice began to emanate from outside the door. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment¡ª ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Charlotte Holmes was hiding among the addicts, with her face still twisted due to her disguise, checking out with her own eyes to see who Isaac Adler¡¯s visitor was. She had been here from the moment he had kicked him out of the room. ¡°Huh?¡± An unbelievable scene unfolded before her eyes. ¡°¡­Watson?¡± Someone she hadn¡¯t expected to see here, her only friend¡ª Rachel Watson, was knocking on Isaac Adler¡¯s door. ¡°Excuse me.¡± As the door finally opened, Watson stepped right in. ¨C Creak¡­ Squeak¡­ A momentter, the sound of creaking began to emanate from inside the room. ¡®¡­She told me to push.¡¯ Charlotte, who had been standing there with a dumbfounded expression, felt her heart begin to die just a bit more. EP Note: Hello guys, Paradox here. So, it hase to my attention that many of you guys don¡¯t really understand what the Probability in the title means and what is Adler¡¯s significance to the story. If you already know then you don¡¯t need to read this note because the exnation will be lengthy¡­ So, from what I have surmised reading through quite a bit into this novel, the probability is more like usibility here. Let me exin what this means. So, in the very second chapter of the novel we see the MC rattling on about how the game was abysmal and how it didn¡¯t make sense if hepared it to the original Sherlock Holmes novels. The characters were dumb and many things just didn¡¯t add up since the writers and the development team made such a shitshow of a story. Hence why the MC had raged about the story in his passionate email that we see in the first part of Chapter 2. So, what MC is really doing here is to get the story and the world to make sense. Let me be clearer, in the Viin Maker quest it is described as¡­ Fulfilling the Probability of Professor Moriarty¡¯s Appearance. Here, what the author really meant was his mission is to make Moriarty being the final boss have a usible meaning or be usible in ordance with the world. In the game, it is mentioned that Moriarty suddenly appeared as the final boss of the game, had a battle in the Reichenbach Falls, and was defeated by Holmes, at the end. Her being the final boss had no meaning. It was all a bit too abrupt, and her appearance and defeat were more of aical cameo rather than a full-blown ending fight. It was a fatal w of the game and MC was very angry about it as he mentioned in Chapter 2. So, by that mission, essentially, MC was tasked with giving her a backstory with the flow of the world and giving her a purpose in the world which she did not really have in the game. So, you see guys, what Bing Professor Moriarty¡¯s Probability really means in essence is that he needs to make Moriarty being the final boss in the game be an event that has a usible reason in the world and not just be some one-off event that served no purpose at all other than to be some final hurdle for Holmes to topple with some struggle and ultimately add no meaning to this world. Adler is here to make the world have usibility, have a meaning, and have every character go through a believable development to reach their respective roles. That is what being the probability of the world means and he is that. Hope this made some sense to you guys even though I am dogshit in exining things. So, the final point I am making here is that every time you see a probability modifier, except for the warning messages showing the probability of him being kidnapped or murdered or whatnot, then it means that he has to steer the event in a direction that would make it have some sense and if he is unable to the world would lose its rationality, its meaning, its purpose, its usibility, and thus its probability, ultimately meeting its end. Since there really is no need for a world that doesn¡¯t have any sense now, is there? If you want to talk more about this topic, you can hit me up on the discord channel in Genesis. Peace! You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 35: The Wrong Encounter Chapter 35: The Wrong Encounter ¨C Are you going to open the door when I¡¯m still asking nicely? ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¨C I¡¯ve seen everything you¡¯re doing in there. As I stared wide-eyed at the violently shaking door, a voice came through from beyond. ¨C Before I break the door ande in, it¡¯d be better if you just opened it willingly. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¨C Just so you know, I¡¯m armed right now. You know what that means, right? In other words, the message was, ¡°Don¡¯t resist and just open the door.¡± ¡®¡­Who is it?¡¯ Just by listening to the cold voiceing from behind the door, it was nearly impossible to identify the intruder. After all, it wasn¡¯t like there was just one or two people who bore a grudge against Isaac Adler. Could it be one of the ex-girlfriends of his? Was it just another one of those regr attacks? ¡®Wait, but I¡¯m in disguise right now.¡¯ As I was pondering how to handle the situation, I suddenly remembered that I was currently in disguise. Meaning, there was no reason for me to be targeted as Isaac Adler. ¡®¡­ Was my disguise undone?¡¯ I wondered for a moment if my disguise had slipped off temporarily, but recalling my memories told me that wasn¡¯t the case. I vividly remembered the relief I felt when I was momentarily freed from the usual icy or piercing gazes directed at me. And decisively, the reflection in the mirror showed that my lips were still twisted, as they had been. ¡®Then why the hell¡­¡¯ ¨C Cracklecrackle¡­ I was momentarily lost in a daze, but as an unsettling sound began toe from the doorknob, I snapped back to reality. ¡®¡­ Maybe even in this disguise of mine, I¡¯ve umted quite a bit of bad karma.¡¯ It was none other than an alias identity of Isaac Adler after all. A regr person would have managed their reputation but there was a chance that Adler, being Adler, would have gone aroundmitting even more reckless acts under this alias. Although it was quite hard to believe, given that an unidentified assant hade looking for me just because I revealed this identity of mine for a moment, there was no room for doubt here. ¨C Cracklecrackel¡­ So, what should I do to get out of this shitty situation? ¡®No other way.¡¯ As I was quickly racking my brain, I eventually reached a single conclusion. ¡®The only option was to undo the disguise.¡¯ It was a simple solution. If this disguised form of mine was being targeted by someone then all I had to do was revert back to being Isaac Adler. Of course, revealing my true identity in the middle of this opium den would be akin to suicide. I could just briefly show my true self to the woman who sought me out. Then, once her misunderstanding was cleared, she would leave and I could put my disguise back on. ¡°¡­ Meow?¡± If things seemed truly dangerous, I could always use Princess y who was still hanging from my hand and sucking blood. ¨C Hiss¡­ ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know what this is about.¡± Having finished my calctions, I quickly undid my transformation and slightly opened the door. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± Soon, I couldn¡¯t help but regret that choice. ¡°¡­ Ms. Watson?¡± The identity of the person who had been pounding on the door as if to break it down was none other than Rachel Watson, who wore a pale expression on her face. . . . . . ¡°Wh-why are you here?¡± When Adler, who had opened the door spoke in a flustered voice, Watson¡¯s eyes became even colder. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s what I should be asking.¡± Then, she quietly pulled a pistol from her purse and aimed it at Adler. ¡°Why are you in the room where Neville was?¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°Are you pretending not to know? Neville St. ir. He¡¯s someone who is extremely precious to me.¡± Adler¡¯s pupils began to quiver subtly as he raised his hands and took a step back. ¡°So you do feel guilty about something, don¡¯t you¡­?¡± ¡°No, I¡­¡± Not missing that small change, Watson, who had pressed the gun against his chest, began to aggressively interrogate him. ¡°Don¡¯t dodge the question. I saw everything clearly from the building below.¡± ¡°What are you¡­ talking about?¡± ¡°The man who has been missing for a month despite searching throughout all of London¡ª I saw that same man standing by the window of this room.¡± Upon hearing those words, Adler couldn¡¯t help but wear a stunned expression. ¡°He looked quite distraught. Even though I was right below, he just stared down with a vacant look.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And then, when someone from behind entered the room, he seemed startled and quickly shut the window?¡± As Watson spoke, she closed the door behind her. ¡°Tell the truth, Isaac Adler.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°What on earth did you do to my Neville¡­?¡± And then, she grabbed Adler by the cor with a menacing aura. ¡°¡­¡­¡­ Uh.¡± Her gaze shifted to what was behind Adler, where the window that led to the river was. ¨C Creak¡­ creak¡­ The window, notorious in rumors that if one fell through they¡¯d be lost forever, was wide open and fluttering in the wind. ¡°¡­ It can¡¯t be?¡± Realizing this fact, Watson, who had her gun pointed at Adler, hurriedly moved towards that spot. ¡°No way¡­¡± In her eyes appeared the window frame, stained with stters of blood. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Of course, the reason the window was open was to threaten Princess y sealed in Adler¡¯s ring, and the reason for the blood on the frame was because of feeding Princess y, who was now hiding under the bed. ¡°Isaac Adler¡­¡± However, in Watson¡¯s mind, who was unaware of the sequence of events, one conclusion rose to the surface. ¡°¡­ Did you kill him?¡± The horrifying notion that, at the end of a struggle, Isaac Adler had pushed out the very Neville St. ir whom she had so frantically been searching for¡­ ¡°Was the threat you made to me back then about this?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re mistaken.¡± ¡°Was it like this?¡± Watson¡¯s hand, holding the gun, began to tremble. ¡°Ms. Watson, let me exin¡­¡± And in the next instant. ¡°¡­Kuheuk!?¡± Isaac Adler was suddenly grabbed by the cor and thrown onto the bed. ¨C Clink¡­ Standing over him was Rachel Watson, her eyes filled with tears as she aimed her gun at him. ¡°Our meeting may have been trivial and the time we spent together was short.¡± ¡°Heuk¡­¡± ¡°But to me, it was nothing less than fate.¡± He tried to shake off her grip but Adler soon realized that it was impossible. His inherently frail body couldn¡¯t possibly ovee the strength of Dr. Watson, who was a former military officer. ¡°Do you even know that I was nning to confess to him on the 21st?¡± Even if he wanted to, he couldn¡¯t utilize the powers of the vampire or the Princess y. Regardless of how much he controlled his strength, it was clear that if he engaged inbat with an agitated Rachel Watson, she would sustain severe injuries which could also be life-threatening. ¡°¡­ You wouldn¡¯t know¡± However, if he remained still, it would be a desperate moment likely ending with a bullet hole in his head. ¡°You human trash.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± In such a dire situation, there was only one option left for Isaac Adler. ¡®¡­ It¡¯s do or die for me.¡¯ ¡°I guess someone like you¡­¡± ¡°Wait!!¡± Having made up his mind, Adler quickly extended his hand causing Rachel Watson, who had her finger on the trigger, to hesitate for a moment. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry for deceiving you, Rachel.¡± ¡°What?¡± Seizing that brief opportunity, Adler hastily rubbed his lips against the nket and began to whisper in a hushed tone. ¡°But I had no other choice.¡± And then, in the next moment. ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± Watson saw it, Adler¡¯s twisted lips that she knew all too well. ¡°That, that shape¡­¡± ¨C Whoosh, swish¡­ Taking advantage of her stunned expression, Adler hurriedly covered his face with the nket and pretended to rub it. ¡°Hmm, ahem.¡± And a momentter. ¡°¡­ Ta-da.¡± Isaac Adler, now transformed into the visage of Neville St. ir, who Watson had been so desperately searching for, spread his arms and muttered with an awkward smile. ¡°Actually, it was me all along.¡± A heavy silence began to fill the room. . . . . . ¡°What on earth are you doing now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Neville St. ir.¡± ¡°Lies.¡± For a long while, Watson stared down at the face she had so desperately been searching for, then murmured in a chilly voice, ¡°You couldn¡¯t possibly be Neville.¡± ¡°¡­ Then, let¡¯s send a telegram and see.¡± Despite the chill running down his spine at her eerie voice, Isaac Adler managed to maintain hisposure as he whispered back. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about the contactwork that Rachel had inscribed on my hand.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.!¡± Upon hearing that, Watson¡¯s eyes began to quiver. ¡°How did you¡­?¡± ¡°Because I am Neville St. ir, that¡¯s how.¡± Meanwhile Adler softly grasped Watson¡¯s arm, which had been gripping his cor and whispered. ¡°Would you like to send a message to verify?¡± For a long time, Watson gritted her teeth, still aiming the gun at him and then she took out a portable typewriter from her bag. ¨C Tap¡­ tap-tap¡­ And so, in a room that had gone eerily quiet, the sound of typing began to echo. ¨C Wooong¡­ ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡± The moment the sound ended, a message began to appear on Adler¡¯s palm. ?Is it really you?? ¡°Do you believe me now?¡± Seeing the message she sent appear on his palm, a shocked Rachel Watson lowered her gun. ¡°.. .So you were Isaac Adler?¡± ¡°No, no, not at all.¡± Hearing her trembling voice, Adler began to speak with panic in his eyes. ¡°Isaac Adler is my junior.¡± ¡°What?¡± He was finding the only route to get out of this crisis. ¡°¡­ Did I ever mention that I once worked in a theatre troupe?¡± ¡°Come to think of it¡­ you did mention it a few times¡­¡± As Watson slowly nodded her head, recalling the memory, Adler continued with a triumphant smile. ¡°He was a nobody back then, merely a newbie of the troupe at the time.¡± ¡°Re-really?¡± ¡°Actually, the disguise magic he uses I taught him that for free. Hahaha¡­¡± Adler scratched his head and chuckled, noticing the nk expression on Watson¡¯s face. ¡°Anyway, he was hardworking and talented so as I kept teaching him, we naturally became pretty close.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°Even now, he and I are on good terms, close enough for small personal favors.¡± Then, Adler cleared his throat momentarily. ¡°¡­ But a little while ago, he asked me for a favor.¡± ¡°A favor?¡± ¡°Yes, he asked me to stand in for him for a month.¡± After pausing to think, Adler resumed his story with a serious expression. ¡°It was a simple task, to periodically receive some items from the opium den.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s something he can¡¯t do himself. If a famous actor like him were found in a ce like this, it would lead to aughable scandal.¡± At this, Watson¡¯s expression began to harden. ¡°But I¡¯ve disguised myself as him a few times over the years while teaching him.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°It was a matter ofing here in my own appearance and only disguising myself as Adler once inside the room.¡± Adler, sensing Watson¡¯s mood, continued his exnation with a slightly tense expression on his face. ¡°Anyway, today was thest day but little did I know that as soon as I opened the window, I would see you, Rachel¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I hadn¡¯t even disguised myself as Adler yet. Even worse, that was exactly when the messenger arrived¡­¡± ¡°Are you insane?¡± Before he could even finish speaking, Watson¡¯s icy voice cut him off. ¡°Don¡¯t you see the blood smeared on the window sill? People can die here, you know.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m aware.¡± ¡°Then why on earth¡­!¡± Just as she was about to raise her voice, she clenched her eyes shut and swallowed her anger. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m disappointed.¡± Then, she looked at Adler with eyes that had gone cold. ¡°I¡¯ve been desperately waiting and praying for you for the past month while you¡¯ve been out of contact.¡± ¡°¡­ Rachel.¡± ¡°And you were out of contact because you were helping some asshole criminal?¡± Watson¡¯s tone made it clear how deeply Adler¡¯s actions had hurt her. With those words, Watson stood up from her seat. ¡°¡­ I can¡¯t even stand to look at you.¡± And then, she quietly began to step toward the door. ¡°Rachel.¡± As she was leaving, Adler, who had been sitting on the bed, hastily grabbed her arm. ¡°Let go.¡± Watson nced at him and muttered coldly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were this kind of person¡­¡± ¡°¡­ But I had no choice¡± Holding onto her once more, Adler quietly reached under the bed. ¡± I had to prepare this in the shortest time possible.¡± ¡°¡­ What!?¡± Then, Adler pressed hard on the stomach of Princess y, who was lying t on the ground. ¡°What is that¡­?¡± Momentster, when he pulled out a ring adorned with a shimmering red gemstone, Watson¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°On the 21st, I noticed that you were nning to confess to me.¡± Adler softly spoke, avoiding eye contact, as he carefully took hold of her hand. ¡°However¡­¡± A blush rose on his cheeks. ¡°How could I make the woman I love confess to me first?¡± And in the next moment, the ring, which had sealed Princess y till now, began to slowly pass onto Watson¡¯s ring finger. ¡°¡­ So I looked into engagement rings, but nothing was affordable on my sry¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s a once-in-a-lifetime ring so I didn¡¯t want to give you something cheap.¡± Adler, who had pushed the ring all the way onto her finger, murmured in a subdued voice. ¡°So that¡¯s why I secretly epted Adler¡¯s request¡­¡± Then, Adler sank to his knees on the bed. ¡°I think I was too short-sighted.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I failed to consider your feelings.¡± Until then, Watson had been silently listening to Adler¡¯s words but her eyes began to shake violently. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rachel.¡± Adler bowed his head with a heartfelt apology towards Watson. ¡°¡­ Perhaps you¡¯ve already moved on because of my foolish actions.¡± Adler, who had been bowing his head for a long while, gently took Watson¡¯s hand, who was standing in front of him. ¡°But there¡¯s something I really want to say.¡± Then Adler looked up at her and awkwardly smiled. ¡°¡­ I love you, Rachel.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Will you ept this engagement with me?¡± As his words concluded, a different kind of silence began to fill the room. ¡ºLady of London¡» ¨C Description: Complete one sham marriage with Watson. ¨C Completion: End of Episode 1¡­ ¨C Progress: 20% ¡ú 70% . . . . . A few minutester¡ª ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Charlotte Holmes, who had been pacing in front of the room where Watson and Adler were, soon realized that the door was not locked. ¡®¡­Right.¡¯ After hesitating for a while with her hand on the doorknob, breaking into a cold sweat, she finally decided to trust the two and slightly opened the door. ¡®Just because they¡¯re alone in the room doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re in that kind of rtionship¡­ that would be a stupid assumption.¡¯ However, not even a second after opening the door, the sharp mind of Charlotte came to a screeching halt. ¨C Squeak¡­ Creak¡­ This was because her only friend Watson and Adler were on the bed, holding hands with their bellies touching, sharing bodily fluids. ¡°¡­Guys?¡± You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 36: SAVE ME Chapter 36: SAVE ME How much time had passed since I proposed to Rachel Watson with an all-or-nothing mindset?? ¨C Ggueug¡­ ¡°¡­ Rachel?¡± Watson, who had been staring at me so intently that it could even be deemed frightening, suddenly leaned toward me and began to softly hold down both of my arms. ¡°Ow, it hurts.¡± Caught off guard by her abrupt actions, I tried to wriggle away slightly but she unceremoniously shoved me, who was sitting on the bed, against the wall with a nk expression on her face. ¡°Um, excuse me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Unless I used magic, my frail body stood no chance against Watson¡¯s strong grip. ¡°¡­ I messed up.¡± Having been helplessly pinned against the wall, I could only look up at Rachel Watson, who had climbed onto the bed and was pinning me down, and whisper in as pitiful a voice as possible. ¡°Tell me, what did you do wrong?¡± She then tightened her grip on my arms and posed the question in a quiet voice. ¡°¡­ Everything.¡± At that moment, I should have noticed that the look in her eyes had slightly changed from before. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡± But consumed by the anxiety that the game might be over just like that, I continued to whisper while making a face that would hopefully evoke sympathy in Watson. ¡°¡­ Please forgive me.¡± In hindsight, that action of mine seemed to have awakened something within Rachel Watson. ¡°Hmm.¡± Heat started to rise in Watson¡¯s eyes, which had been holding onto my arms until then, right at that moment. ¡°Why do you keep making me angry?¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡± While I was looking into Rachel Watson¡¯s eyes with a bewildered expression, she suddenly leaned a little closer to me and whispered in my ears. ¡°You keep making me worry then suddenly cut off all contact, only to reappear in such a dangerous ce a monthter.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°You risk your life toe here, and you¡¯ve turned into the kind of idiot I hate so much. And then, out of nowhere, you even propose.¡± What followed were her all too reasonable words. ¡°Do you know what makes me the angriest?¡± As I was lowering my figurative tail and bowing my head like a puppy who had done wrong, Rachel Watson, looking down at me, whispered into my ears in a soft voice. ¡°¡­ From the moment you put the ring on my finger¡­¡± When I lifted my head at those words, I saw that her cheeks were already dyed in a deep shade of crimson. ¡°¡­ My heart has been pounding like crazy.¡± That was the moment when the atmosphere in the room started to shift to a strangely tense state. ¨C Whoosh¡­ ¡°Ra, Rachel.¡± By now, even Rachel Watson¡¯s ears were turning red, as she began to climb on top of me. ¡°Did you ask for forgiveness?¡± ¡°I, I did¡­?¡± ¡°Then stay quiet.¡± I felt a momentary inexplicable sense of unease and tried to get up from my position, but Watson, who had started to press down on me with her body weight, whispered to me to stay put. ¡°Are you nning to make me angrier?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Can you handle the consequences if you do?¡± The moment I heard those words, all strength left my body involuntarily. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± Before I knew it, Watson and I were lying on the bed holding hands and staring at each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­ I love you too.¡± How much time had passed like that? ¡°Let¡¯s get engaged.¡± Rachel Watson whispered that to me, her face now donning a bashful expression¡­ quite different from her usual self. ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± When I quietly nodded in response, she spent some time avoiding eye contact as if she were embarrassed and then she tightly closed her eyes. ¨C Whoosh¡­ Not long after, she soon burrowed into my arms. ¡°¡­ So, you¡¯re going to do it now?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As she asked me in a trembling voice from within my arms, I tilted my head and then heard a shy voiceing from Rachel Watson¡¯s lips. ¡°¡­ You said you believed in premarital purity.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­?¡± ¡°You even said that we can¡¯t even hug, let alone kiss.¡± My mind went utterly nk at that shocking statement. She lifted her head while wriggling within my arms. ¡°But you just said it yourself, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°You asked to get engaged.¡± Her expression had changed into one I had asionally seen on Professor Moriarty and Charlotte till now. ¡°Engagement is almost the same as marriage, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What does that mean¡­¡± ¡°Do you want to make me angry again?¡± I tried to exin logically but seeing her icy expression and the words she spat out, I could only be speechless. ¡°Do you know how hard it was for me to just hold hands with you?¡± ¡°That may be true, but¡­¡± That¡¯s when Rachel Watson started to lean her head closer to me. ¡°Words are pointless now.¡± Her ragged breath reached me as she reached the vicinity of my nose. ¡°It¡¯s essentially the same as saying you want physical contact now.¡± Her warm and soft abdomen and her pillowy breasts, not quite as big as Mycrony¡¯s but still fairly sizable, pressed against me¡ª transferring their zing warmth. ¡°¡­ There¡¯s no way out now.¡± She who had coldly criticized me, suggesting I became a vegetable, whispered such loving words with a rxed face and closed her eyes. ¡®¡­ This shouldn¡¯t happen.¡¯ Hesitation rose in my head when I realized what might happen next. ¡®Professor and Charlotte definitely¡­¡¯ But such hesitationsted only for a moment. Upon checking the messages that appeared before my eyes, I had no choice but to close my eyes and ept Rachel Watson¡¯s advances. ¡ºLady of London¡» ¨C Description: Complete one sham marriage with Watson. ¡®¡­ Just how many parts do I need to divide myself into for these women?¡¯ Right after that, her soft tongue began digging into my mouth. . . . . . ¡°¡­Phew.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Rachel Watson and Isaac Adler pulled their heads back simultaneously after entangling on the bed, exchanging body fluids for quite a while. ¨C Drip¡­ Then, a string of sticky saliva stretched between their lips and tongue, connecting them. ¡°¡­ You didn¡¯t hear any noise, did you?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± Holding each other in that state, they both directed their gaze toward the closed door. Then they wiped their lips with their hands and sat down. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± Soon after, both of them looked at each other with their cheeks flushed. ¡°It seems like there are quite a few prying eyes around here.¡± ¡°It appears so. This ce is not of great quality to begin with.¡± ¡°¡­ I would¡¯ve liked to go all the way, if possible.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Adler tilted his head with a dubious expression at Watson¡¯s murmur. In response, she just blushed and returned to whispering in a polite form of speech. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s leave now. It¡¯s too dangerous here.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ You¡¯re right.¡± As she began to get up, a bewildered Adler also stood from his seat. ¡°¡­ You.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± As he was about to head toward the door, Rachel Watson momentarily stopped him. ¡°Cut all ties with Isaac Adler.¡± And then, she spoke with a serious expression. ¡°¡­ Why?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s human trash.¡± When Adler, who was disguised as Neville, scratched his head and asked, she began to exin without a hint of hesitation in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve seen some unexpected sides of him recently¡­ but that doesn¡¯t change his innate character.¡± ¡°Uh, um¡­¡± ¡°And I can¡¯t bear to see someone like you getting involved with him.¡± Saying that, she folded her arms around Adler, and her mouth was once again adorned with a gentle smile after momentarily going cold while thinking of the trash of London. ¡°¡­ Because I love you.¡± Staring nkly at Watson¡¯spletely melted expression, Adler bowed his head in silence, caught between guilt and treachery. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ The Isaac Adler she so despised and disdained was the same person as Neville St. ir, with whom she had just been intimately sharing bodily fluids mere moments ago. ¡°Do you know?¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°That was my first kiss.¡± Whether she knew of his troubled heart or not, Rachel Watson murmured softly into Adler¡¯s ear. ¡°Take responsibility.¡± ¡°¡­ Rachel.¡± ¡°Once we get married, you¡¯ll have to take responsibility anyway.¡± Adler, who was about to say that he was clearly the one who had been kissed, closed his mouth quietly at her continued whisper. ¡°So when shall we have the engagement ceremony?¡± Gazing at Adler with a loving look, Watson started to mumble with a slightly ted expression. ¡°Tomorrow? Right away? No, that would be too hasty. How about in a few months then?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Adler, who had been slightly sweating, merely responded with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s start with dating and take it slowly from there.¡± Upon hearing that, Watson blinked her eyes and stared at Adler. ¨C Swish¡­ Then, she fidgeted and reached out and held Adler¡¯s hand. ¡°¡­ Can I look forward to it?¡± With that said, she asked in a quiet voice, gauging his reaction. ¡°It¡¯s fine to look forward to it now, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­ Perhaps.¡± Seeing her demeanor that was unusually timid and cute, something one couldn¡¯t find in her usual strong-willed persona, Adler turned his gaze aside and responded. ¡°¡­ Hehe.¡± Then, with lighthearted giggles, she rested her head on Adler¡¯s shoulder. ¨C Squeeze¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Of course, since Rachel Watson was taller, she ultimately ended up burying her cheek not on Adler¡¯s shoulder but near his neck. However, Watson, who had her eyes gently closed and was wearing a shy smile, seemed to not mind that at all. ¡°It made me so happy just holding hands, but this is definitely far better.¡± After nestling her head against Adler¡¯s neck for quite some time, she lifted their entwined hands and began to mumble. ¡°¡­ Everything suddenly escting like this, my body is getting hot.¡± She, who had been looking up at Adler, began to walk while leaning on him. ¡°We can stay like this throughout the date, right?¡± ¡°¡­ Of course.¡± Simultaneously, Isaac Adler began to walk forward matching his steps with hers. ¡°¡­ Even until the moon rises?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Thus began the intensely emotional date between Isaac Adler and Rachel Watson. ¡®¡­ How much time is left before the disguise wears off?¡¯ . . . . . ¨C Squeak¡­ Realizing that not much time remained to maintain the disguise, I left the opium den with a headache-inducing expression on my face. ¡°¡­.. Ah.¡± I soon realized that wasn¡¯t the main issue here. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± It was because Charlotte Holmes, who had hidden her form in a cloud of ck smoke, was staring intently at me while holding a pipe between her lips. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, dear?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Are you not feeling well?¡± Watson, who was wearing a worried expression while leaning on me, asked the question as I stared at Holmes¡¯ empty eyes with a pallid face. ¡°Do you want to have a check-up before going on the date?¡± ¡°¡­ No, I¡¯m fine.¡± I hastily answered back and started to move forward, when a chilling voice suddenly echoed in my ears. ¡°Isaac Adler.¡± Charlotte Holmes, who had been walking beside me before I knew it, tilted her head and asked the question. ¡°¡­ You can see me right now, can¡¯t you?¡± ¡®Save me¡­¡¯ Her questioning continued throughout the date. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 37: Hidden Route Chapter 37: Hidden Route ¡°Why have you been acting like this since before, Neville?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± A few hours after the date between Rachel Watson and Isaac Adler had begun¡­ ¡°You¡¯re not feeling well again, are you?¡± Seated in a private room provided inside the coffee house, Watson opened her mouth as she looked at Adler, sweating profusely across from her, with unadulterated concern in her eyes. ¡°¡­ No, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re fine?¡± Adler, who was sitting a little away, waved his hand dismissively in response to her question. However, to the trained eyes of Watson, he looked more than a bit suspicious right now. ¡°Your face turned pale and then red continuously throughout our date, you were even shivering on your own.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s with that anxious look in your eyes?¡± With those words, Rachel Watson gently held Isaac Adler¡¯s hand. ¡°Neville.¡± However, as soon as she touched his hand, she could feel just how cold his hand had be¡ª which only worried her further. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm. It¡¯s nothing.¡± As Adler held her hand and looked away to respond, his body subtly twitched at that very moment. ¡°You didn¡¯t have a bad experience in that ce, did you?¡± ¡°How could that¡­ be?¡± ¡°Look, you¡¯re twitching again on your own. What on earth did you do in that opium den to be in this state?¡± Watson, who was rmed by his unusual appearance and clueless regarding what to do in this situation, gripped Isaac¡¯s hand even tighter and shared her warmth. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just a simple task of receiving an item, was it? Were you forced to take some strange drug, or did you be the subject of some unknown curse?¡± ¡°Rachel, first calm down¡­¡± ¡°If not, did some invisible evil spirit attach itself to you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Adler, who had been trying hard to reassure her with a forced smile, subtly turned his gaze to the side at the mention of an invisible evil spirit. ¡°How could that be possible?¡± Rachel Watson did not miss that fleeting change. ¡°Isaac Adler¡­ that piece of trash.¡± As she muttered with a cold expression, Adler¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Why are you acting like this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, honey.¡± Watson whispered with a determined look in her eyes as she gazed at him lovingly. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that scum.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°And as for you, I¡¯ll take responsibility and look after you.¡± On her ring finger, a ring more precious than anything else shone quietly. ¡°¡­ I love you.¡± After gazing deeply into the eyes of the man in front of her for a while, Watson slowly leaned in¡­ ¡°Wa-Wait a moment!¡± ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± ¡°No-Now¡¯s not the time¡­¡± As she tried to kiss him, Adler recoiled with a shocked expression on his face. ¡°I think I might have a cold. It shouldn¡¯t spread¡­¡± ¨C Smack¡­ ¡°¡­ Rachel?¡± Rachel Watson pulled his hand, which she had been holding till now, toward herself and quietly kissed him on the lips after gazing intently at him for a moment. ¡°Just a moment, I¡¯ll be back.¡± She then shed a soft smile and teasingly licked the back of his hand with her tongue before whispering in a soft voice and exiting the room. ¡®¡­ I wonder if there¡¯s a ce nearby that sells brandy.¡¯ It was to purchase the panacea and the love potion that would be responsible for the events of the uing night in a few hours. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± Thus, a brief silence enveloped the room. ¡°¡­ Can you still not see?¡± Within that silence, someone¡¯s low voice echoed inside the room. ¡°You seem to feel tactile sensations very well.¡± Charlotte Holmes, who had been hiding her appearance and sitting on Isaac Adler¡¯sp all this while, tilted her head and asked. ¨C Sssss¡­ Then, Charlottepletely pulled back the ck smoke obscuring her existence and revealed herself to the world. ¡°¡­ You can see me now, right?¡± The emptiness in her eyes demanded an exnation from the man in front of her. ¡°¡­ Ms. Holmes.¡± Adler, looking up at Charlotte with those eyes, soon wore a troubled expression as he began to speak. ¡°Sexual harassment is wrong.¡± At that moment, something inside Charlotte snapped into two. ¡°¡­ Didn¡¯t you shower me with affection first?¡± Then, a toneless voice began to flow out of her lips. ¡°You were the one who flirted with me first.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°And now, you are calling it sexual harassment?¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± Simultaneously, her ck, smokey aura began to billow out an press down on Adler¡¯s body. ¡°So, what exactly did you do with Watson in the room?¡± ¡°Ms. Holmes.¡± ¡°So, getting touched by Charlotte Holmes, whom you like, is sexual harassment, but getting tantly caressed and embraced by Rachel Watson, whom you don¡¯t even like, is romance?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense. So, exin it clearly to me.¡± In that state, Charlotte began to whisper in a soft, eerie voice. ¡°How does this situation help in developing the narrative between you and I?¡± The light from the room¡¯s illumination reflected quietly in Adler¡¯s eyes as those cerulean orbs once again bore down on her. ¡°Tell me before my patience runs out, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°What kind of riddle is this?¡± . . . . . ¡°Ms. Holmes.¡± How much time had passed since then? ¡°I told you I am a viin, didn¡¯t I?¡± Adler, whose arms were held and pressed against the wall by Charlotte, began to softly whisper with a gentle smile on his lips. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ever consider that I might harm those around you¡ª those who are my enemies?¡± Charlotte silently gazed at him, not speaking a word. ¡°I am not your kind assistant. Much less, your aplice.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°My role right now is the professor¡¯s loyal hunting dog.¡± As the existence of the professor was mentioned, her expression became rigid. ¡°Of course, I want to lose to you. I want to meet my end at your hands.¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± ¡°But that applies only when you¡¯ve fully grown.¡± Adler continued the conversation rapidly upon seeing her trying to retort. ¡°Ms. Holmes, you¡¯re still a fledgling.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Awakening your mana was unexpected, of course, but facing both the professor and me head-on as you are now will surely lead to your defeat.¡± Upon hearing that, Charlotte¡¯s eyes wavered ever so slightly. ¡°That¡¯s why I want to nurture your growth. So you can be the hope of London, as I mentioned before.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Of course, to do that, wouldn¡¯t I have to test you?¡± Adler whispered in a soft voice, meeting her anxious gaze head-on. ¡°Your most cherished friend, Rachel Watson. I n to make her one of us.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­ But if you grow a bit faster, you could prevent that, couldn¡¯t you?¡± He whispered the question to Charlotte. ¡°Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± But when Charlotte didn¡¯t respond, Adler kindly continued to exin. ¡°From now on, I will begin to devour the people around you, one by one.¡± His exnation echoed softly in Charlotte¡¯s ears. ¡°Your assistant, your sister, the inspector¡­ I¡¯ll consume them all for the sake of nurturing the person I cherish¡ª you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°And if you fail to grow properly, I¡¯ll devour you too.¡± Even after hearing that deration, Charlotte remained silent, just gazing at Adler with the same intense gaze. ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t want that. A detective being devoured by a viin, that¡¯s a bit unsavory, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¨C Sreuk¡­ ¡°Stay strong, Ms. Holmes.¡± Adler, having carefully set Charlotte down beside him, gently stroked her hair and added softly. ¡°¡­ And please, hate me.¡± A profound silence began to envelop the room. . . . . . ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± My heart ached while looking at Charlotte Holmes beside me, her head bowed and wearing a vacant expression on her face. ¡®¡­ Yes, this will do.¡¯ But, it was an inevitable situation. ¡ºLove-Hate Rtionship¡» ¨C Description: Earn Charlotte Holmes¡¯ hatred¡­ ¨C Progress: 0% ¡ú 20% I had to proceed with Chapter 2 of her quest, after all. Would the odd rtionship we had maintained until now finally be resolved? Yet, it seemed that might be for the better. No matter how much I thought about it, I felt like I was being torn apart from the inside. ¡°¡­ What if I devour you first?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Feeling both relieved and regretful, I was about to leave the room ¨C aware that the time of my disguise was about to run out ¨C when she suddenly spoke up. ¡°What if I devour you first¡­ before you devour those around me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± Charlotte¡¯s statement, her head now raised and her gaze piercing through him, began to resonate clearly in the room. ¡°¡­ Or what if I simply clear everyone around me?¡± ¡°Holmes?¡± ¡°Then, I would be the only one left for you to devour, wouldn¡¯t I?¡± As he nkly listened to her iprehensible remarks, Charlotte¡¯s eyes shone as she continued to press on. ¡°Come to think of it, there¡¯s no need for that. You could just devour me from the beginning, as I¡¯m your target, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t resist. So, try it. I¡¯ll stay still, so go ahead and devour me.¡± Taken aback, he felt a sudden dizziness take control of him but managed to find his voice somehow. ¡°What on earth are you talking about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± That was Charlotte¡¯s answer in response. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m saying right now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange, Mr. Adler.¡± Her gaze was no longerpletely vacant. ¡°¡­ Clearly, I should be angry that you, the viin, are targeting the innocent people around me.¡± ¡°Charlotte?¡± ¡°I should despise you for a rational reason such as that, but¡­¡± However, it was slightly twisted¡­ ¡°For some reason, it¡¯s the fact that you would be intimate with such people that makes me unbearably angry instead.¡± The look of realization in her eyes dyed her pupils with the same color as my hair. ¡°Just the thought of it makes my heart flutter with anguish.¡± As I stared nkly at her, she, looking both confused and somewhat anxious, grabbed my hand. ¡°Ultimately, I do despise you, but something feels very strange.¡± Why was she acting like this all of a sudden? ¡°¡­ What did you do to me?¡± As I, who was flustered by the unexpected events, was being questioned by Charlotte¡¯s trembling voice¡­ Suddenly, a notification appeared before my eyes. Charlotte Holmes begins to recognize her emotions for the first time. In front of my eyes, there was a notification I had never seen before. The Hidden Route has now been unlocked. What? . . . . . ¡°Neville?¡± It was that exact moment when Isaac Adler froze upon seeing the message in front of him. ¡°¡­Why do I hear a woman¡¯s voice inside?¡± The voice of Rachel Watson, who had returned holding the brandy she was going to serve to her fianc¨¦, echoed from beyond the door. ¨C Click¡­ The situation from a few hours ago was ironically being reyed, only with the roles now reversed. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 38: Put Yourself in Another’s Shoes Chapter 38: Put Yourself in Another¡¯s Shoes ¡°Raise your han¡­ huh?¡± Rachel Watson stormed in while holding a gun, a tense expression evident on her face. Soon after, however, she was¡­ staggered by the sight before her. ¡°¡­ Holmes?¡± Her one and only friend, Charlotte Holmes, was quietly sitting inside the room. ¡°Ha ha¡­¡± For some unknown reason, she was drenched from top to bottom in cold sweat, sitting right next to her fianc¨¦. ¡°¡­¡­¡­?¡± Unable toprehend the situation before her eyes, she blinked with a nk light in her brown orbs for a while before slowly lowering her gun. ¡°Wait.¡± Her eyes then narrowed subtly. ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡± ¡°¡­ My dear friend, Rachel Watson.¡± As she observed the peculiar scene and posed her question, Charlotte Holmes, taking some time to gather herself, resumed using her usual tone of voice. ¡°The man sitting beside me isplicit in a crime that I am investigating.¡± Upon hearing those words, Watson¡¯s face turned pale blue in fright. ¡°¡­ I-It can¡¯t be that serious now, can it?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, it is indeed quite serious.¡± ¡°Is that really true, honey?¡± Then, she looked at Adler, who was disguised as Neville, with trembling eyes. ¡°Ah, it seems¡­ it seems so.¡± When Watson addressed him as honey, Charlotte¡¯s expression turned cold, and Adler quietly lowered his gaze to the ground, not daring to look up. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± And then, silence ensued inside the private room. ¡°Watson, you might be disappointed when you find out the true nature of this man.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, if I may advise¡­¡± In that tense silence, Charlotte quietly started speaking with a smirk on her face. ¡°¡­ I know.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± ¡°I already knew he was involved in a crime.¡± Watson opened her mouth with a serious expression, interrupting Holmes mid-sentence. ¡°It¡¯s all because of Isaac Adler.¡± ¡°Look¡­¡± ¡°This innocent person tried so hard to buy an engagement ring for me and got involved in a crime because of that son of a bitch.¡± Charlotte Holmes¡¯s expression grew colder and colder. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry for badmouthing your boyfriend, but it¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°Nevertheless, the fact that he¡¯s indeedplicit in a crime hasn¡¯t changed, Watson.¡± Soon, with neither yielding even an inch, an odd tension started to unfold between the two women. ¡± Just¡­ break up with Neville St. ire.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°He¡¯s involved in a massive crime that requires years of investigation. Hence, it hase to a point where only I can handle it.¡± In that tense atmosphere, it seemed that Charlotte Holmes had the upper hand. ¡°So, just end your rtionship.¡± She had a good reason for it too¡­ ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve been quite considerate of you. Because the truth is quite shocking¡­¡± And at that moment, Charlotte, wearing a seemingly regretful expression, pulled Adler toward herself to apprehend him¡­ ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t want to.¡± But, Rachel Watson shook her head vehemently in denial. ¡°Watson, this isn¡¯t a matter that can be resolved by being stubborn¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s because we can¡¯t break up now.¡± The next moment, the words that leaped from out of her lips began to turn the situation in its entirety. ¡°You can¡¯t break up?¡± ¡°We just got engaged.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We are legally engaged now.¡± Charlotte Holmes, who had been wearing a proud expression till now, was dumbfounded when she heard her response. ¡°¡­ What are you talking about, Rachel?¡± ¡°Do you remember the church we stopped by during our date earlier?¡± The same went for Adler as well. ¡°But that was¡­ a dating course for a trial engagement, wasn¡¯t it?¡± They had only been on a unique date to experience the feel of how an engagement went; he had no memory of actually getting engaged to her. ¡°That¡¯s right. Everything followed the standard engagement procedure, but since there was no witness observing from the side, the engagement wouldn¡¯t typically be considered official.¡± ¡°Yes, the priest clearly exined it that way¡­¡± ¡°However, look at this¡­¡± But, in the next moment, Rachel Watson shyly extended the back of her hand to Adler¡­ ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± Both Adler and Charlotte Holmes were dumbfounded by what they saw. ¡°This is the seal of engagement¡­¡± On the back of her hand, an engagement seal, symbolizing the obligation to marry the other as quickly as possible, was engraved. ¡°¡­ Huh.¡± Adler absentmindedly touched the seal and soon realized that he also had a simr mark on the back of his hand and couldn¡¯t help but wear a stunned expression on his face. ¡°Why did this appear?¡± ¡°You still don¡¯t understand?¡± Then, Rachel Watson shyly held his hand in hers. ¡°This is a miracle created by our love, Neville.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°If not, it¡¯s surely a divine message telling me not to let you go.¡± Of course, this was not the whole truth. ¡®¡­.. Ah.¡¯ While Adler and Watson shared a passionate kiss and whispered their love for each other, Charlotte Holmes, standing right beside them with vacant eyes, unknowingly became a witness to their engagement. ¨C Sudden¡­ Realizing this btedly, Charlotte Holmes emitted a ck smoke from her body and began grinding her teeth in silence. ¡°Neville, now we are legally bound to each other.¡± On the other hand, Isaac Adler, who was stunned to learn that he had unknowingly reenacted the contents of the original story, came to his senses at Watson¡¯s whisper. ¡°¡­ So, can youe by my side now?¡± He discreetly nced at Holmes and then slowly rose from his seat. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this man from now on, Holmes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Also, you mentioned that there was a significant crime with his involvement, right?¡± As he sat down beside her, Watson naturally leaned against him with her arms nestling into his. ¡°I¡¯ll help too.¡± Then, she smiled brightly, a lingering innocence on her lips. ¡°The three of us working together¡­ we will definitely figure something out.¡± Charlotte, who had been grinding her teeth, lowered her head silently upon seeing her friend¡¯s expression. ¡°¡­ I see.¡± A momentter, she raised her eyes slowly, shining with utmost resolve¡­ ¡°¡­ The three of us will figure it out together, huh?¡± ¡°Yep!¡± As Watson responded with an enthusiastic look, Charlotte rose from her seat with a cold expression on her face. ¡°Where are you two heading to now?¡± ¡°Us? Uh, well¡­¡± Watson scratched her head as she answered back. ¡°If Neville is okay with it, I was thinking of going to the racetrack¡­¡± ¡°The racetrack?¡± ¡°There¡¯s an exotic horse race happening tonight. I heard it¡¯s the new trend.¡± She then began to exin with a sparkling luster in her eyes. ¡°Well, instead of horses though, demi-humans would race each other. Isn¡¯t that fascinating?¡± ¡°¡­ Isn¡¯t that illegal?¡± ¡°Come on, there¡¯s no way. The abolition of very, regardless of race, was enacted even before we were born.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a legitimate loophole these days called graduate students, you know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s their own choice though. Anyway, treating the demi-humans as ves is a story of the distant past.¡± Isaac Adler was listening to the conversation with a slightly intrigued expression on his face. ¡°For instance, Silver ze, who currently enjoys the highest poprity in this unique racing world, receives more attention than most actresses¡­¡± ¡°Silver ze?¡± He eximed, eyes widening in surprise. ¡°¡­ Are you saying that Silver ze isn¡¯t a horse but a Demi-Human?¡± ¡°What did you say, honey?¡± ¡°Ah, never mind.¡± As Watson tilted her head, Isaac quickly closed his mouth. ¡°¡­ Well, okay. Sounds good. Let¡¯s give it a shot.¡± ¡°Hmm, sure. If you really want to¡­¡± As he got up from his seat, Watson shed a triumphant smile while humming a tune and was about to head out of the room when¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± Charlotte Holmes¡¯ remark seemed to pour cold water over their joyous mood. ¡°We three are coborating together, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we? My dear assistant?¡± A peculiar tension once again flowed between the two close female friends and colleagues. . . . . . Just before Watson burst into the room, I had thought at the time that it was a very wise decision on my part to cast a preconceived enchantment on Charlotte¡ª an enchantment that would obscure her usage of the ck, smokey mana from the eyes of others, thus protecting her secret that she was able to use mana. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± However, at this very moment, I dearly wished that I had not done such an act¡ª that her usage of mana had been revealed back then. ¨C Sssss¡­ As I was heading to the racetrack with my arms crossed alongside Watson, Charlotte Holmes, walking right next to me, was enveloping my body in an invisible ck mana and went as far as to suffocate me with her powers. ¡°¡­ Ms. Holmes.¡± The energy that tightly enveloped my body wriggled wildly, brutally contorting my entire being. ¡°This is truly sexual harassment.¡± ¡°In that case, why did you put that enchantment on me, huh?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Simultaneously, my mana was rapidly being absorbed by Charlotte. ¡°¡­ I think the transformation will wear off at this rate.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the intention after all.¡± Thanks to her ¨C who had been discreetly up to mischief at the caf¨¦ earlier but was now practically doing it in the open ¨C the duration of my disguise, which should havested a few hours, was significantly shortened. ¡°¡­ What are you two discussing?¡± ¡°Nothing at all.¡± ¡°Why are you shivering then?¡± For some reason, Watson nestled deeper into my neck and leaned her head against me while eyeing us with clear suspicion in her pupils. ¡°¡­ I think I¡¯ve caught a severe cold.¡± I couldn¡¯t bring myself to tell Charlotte¡¯s only friend that I was being sucked out of my vital energy in real-time by her dear friend, so I made an excuse with a flushed face. ¡°Oh dear¡­¡± Watson slightly lifted her head and looked at me with a sympathetic gaze. ¨C Gulp¡­ As her pure white neck, which was pressed against my shoulder, became exposed ¨C and a soft scent began to emanate from her ¨C I could feel a sudden surge of thirst for blood begin to rise within me. It was quite possibly happening due to my rapidly depleting mana. ¡°Then, take this.¡± But since I was about to visit Ms. Mycrony¡¯s house in a few days anyway, I just clenched my eyes shut, suppressing the urge to taste blood. Soon, I found Watson offering something to me. ¡°¡­ What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s medicine. It¡¯s very good for colds.¡± Trusting the words of the doctor, as soon as I received the bottle, I began to gulp down its contents. ¡°¡­¡­¡­!?¡± However, a suspicious heat soon began to spread throughout my body. ¡°Wha-What will happen if you drink all of it at once!¡± Unable to manage the surging warmth, Watson grabbed hold of me and murmured. ¡°¡­ I intended to have you take it slowly when we went back to the lodging.¡± Could this be the brandy that was considered a panacea in the 19th century? ¡°U-Uh¡­¡± If that was really the case, I was in serious trouble. ¡°¡­ I, I need to use the restroom for a moment.¡± ¡°Do you want me to apany you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± With my mind bing increasingly hazy, I struggled to maintain consciousness as I staggered toward the restroom across the street. ¡®¡­ I really can¡¯t handle alcohol.¡¯ I still couldn¡¯t forget the nk expressions of the female students who discreetly avoided my gaze after the events of the day before¡ª when I got drunk from just half a bottle of alcohol during our college MT (Membership Training). ¡®What should I do?¡¯ I still didn¡¯t know what had happened that day. . . . . . A few minutes after that. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Watson, who had been waiting for her fianc¨¦ with a worried expression, soon widened her eyes and drew a pistol from her coat. ¡°Isaac Adler!¡± Now, for some reason, Isaac Adler, her newfound nemesis, was approaching the spot where she and Holmes stood ¡°H-How did you get here¡­!¡± Watson, although aiming her gun at him, took a few steps back with a tense expression as she watched him approach their direction with a fiery heat in his eyes. ¡°Huh?¡± However, the spot where Isaac Adler stopped was right in front of Charlotte Holmes. ¡°Charlotte.¡± ¡°¡­ Adler?¡± Charlotte Holmes, who had sessfully unveiled his disguise ording to her n, tilted her head at his somehow changed demeanor. ¡°You¡¯re addressing me by my first name now¡­¡± ¨C Squeeze¡­ ¡°¡­ Eh?¡± Just then,pletely out of the blue, Adler firmly grasped her arm. ¡°Look up.¡± As he harshly pushed Charlotte against the wall and coldlymanded her, Charlotte, who had been staring at him with wide eyes, subconsciously lifted her head. ¨C Squeeze¡­! ¡°¡­¡­¡­!¡± Right at that moment, Adler¡¯s sharp fangs dug into her fair neck. ¡°¡­ Ouch.¡± As pain spread throughout her body causing Charlotte to struggle, Adler gripped her arm even more tightly, pinning her against the wall. ¡°Ho, Holmes!¡± At that perilous moment, as Watson was about to desperately cry out and pull the trigger of her gun¡­ ¨C Sseuk¡­ ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± Charlotte quietly raised her hand and gestured for Watson to stop. ¡°¡­ As expected, you¡¯re stronger than me.¡± With that, she whispered to Adler, clearly feeling the sensation of being overpowered by someone for the first time in her life. ¡°Beast.¡± Then, Adler¡¯s cold gaze turned to her. ¡®¡­ Strange.¡¯ Staring intently into that gaze, Charlotte Holmes soon quietly bit her lip and surrendered herself to him. ¡®Even when overpowered by such a scumbag¡­¡¯ An indescribable, eerie emotion surged from within her. ¡®¡­ Why do I feel this way?¡¯ For reasons Charlotte herself was not privy to, seeing her dear friend standing in front of her and watching them with a dazed expression on her face, intensified her surging feelings several times over. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 39: The Missing Case of Silver Blaze Chapter 39: The Missing Case of Silver ze Only a few minutes after the sudden appearance of Isaac Adler, who surprised and attacked Charlotte Holmes¡­ ¡°¡­ Why did you show up just now?¡± Watson, entering the racetrack, was quietly mumbling as she red at Charlotte and Adler, following her from behind. ¡°Because of this, Neville can¡¯te¡­¡± Now that Isaac Adler had appeared, it was impossible for her fianc¨¦¡ª Neville, to join them. It was undoubtedly because of Isaac Adler that things hade to this point. That¡¯s why Watson ¨C who had to urgently send a message to fianc¨¦, using her portable typewriter, to prevent him from meeting with the son of a bitch ¨C was in a rather foul mood. ¡°Holmes, do you really need to hold onto him?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± Considering the current situation, it would have been better if Charlotte had just moderately engaged with Adler and then instructed him to leave, letting him off the hook¡­ ¡°Even with those hideous handcuffs?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± However, she had conjured handcuffs with ck mana, binding both Adler¡¯s and her own wrists together. ¡°Watson, this is to prevent idents in advance.¡± Seeing that, Watson stared at her with a skeptical look on her face, causing Charlotte Holmes to avoid her gaze and start exining her reasoning. ¡°The reason Adler appeared here is clearly because something is definitely going to happen in this ce. So, it¡¯s only logical to keep a close watch on him.¡± ¡°But then, why did you ask me toe along as well?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what I said earlier?¡± Watson let out a sigh, wondering about the reason that had caused Charlotte¡¯s return to her friendly tone. ¡°¡­ The three of us, together.¡± ¡°Yes, the current situation might be an extension of the case I was investigating.¡± Charlotte added softly, looking at Adler. ¡°Perhaps, you, my dear friend, might be at the center of this case as well.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°¡­ You don¡¯t need to know.¡± She spoke with a seemingly serious expression stered on her face. ¡°In any case, what I¡¯m doing now is something that must be done for the safety of you and everyone else.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Charlotte was right, logically speaking. At least, Watson couldn¡¯t tell if there was anything wrong with what she had said. ¡°¡­ Charlotte.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡± Let me such some more of your blood again.¡± However, the moment Adler, who had been leaning on Charlotte¡¯s shoulder, began to bite her neck with his eyes shining in a red hue again, Watson thought that such matters probably didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make a sound.¡± ¡°¡­ It hurts.¡± For some reason, other than the fact that Adler was aggressive and Charlotte had been far more defensive and meeker than usual, they looked like a regr couple showing affection to each other. ¡°¡­ Your hair smells good, Charlotte.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such things out loud.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve changed to a lighter perfume. You¡¯re doing your makeup well now.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Despite the burning stares from those around them, Adler kept on whispering sweet nothings, and Charlotte quietly turned her gaze to the side and stepped on his foot. ¡°You look pretty when you dress up.¡± Nevertheless, Adler whispered to her with an excited smile on his face. ¡°But, who did you dress up for?¡± ¡°Adler, don¡¯t get the wrong idea.¡± Charlotte, who was momentarily left speechless, turned her head to the side and spoke in a cold tone. ¡°I don¡¯t love you. It¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°Just?¡± Then, she hesitated for a moment. ¡°¡­ I just want to win.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m simply using any means and methods necessary to win. So, stop being so deluded.¡± In response to her cold words, Adler replied with a voice mixed with amusement. ¡°I¡¯ve never been deluded.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°I will do whatever it takes because I like you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Unrequited love is tough indeed.¡± Then, Adler quietly leaned his head against her cheek. ¡°¡­ Get away.¡± ¡°So, will you release this now?¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Charlotte tried to push him away with a cold expression, but Adler, showing his handcuffed arm, clung to her with far more intimacy. ¡°This is how it feels to be on pounced on, Charlotte.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± It felt like a mood where Adler was pressing forward and Charlotte was showing her distaste for his actions. But to Watson, who was watching from a distance, the situation was as clear as day¡­ Despite the obvious fact that Charlotte could easily shake Adler off, she gritted her teeth and pretended she couldn¡¯t. ¡®¡­ She¡¯s totally ying along.¡¯ The slight blush on her cheeks was just a bonus indication of her farce. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡®What in the world did she see in such a trashy man? I would get goosebumps even if he touches a single hair of mine, let alone having skinship.¡¯ If Watson had been in Charlotte Holmes¡¯s shoes, even if Adler had offered her a fortune, she doubted she could even muster a smile at him. ¡®¡­ His face alone is annoying.¡¯ With that thought, Watson, who saw no redeeming qualities in Isaac Adler except for his face, red coldly at him before letting out a sigh and turning her gaze back to the racetrack. ¡®I should watch the horse race.¡¯ Seeing Charlotte and Adler doing the same thing she and Neville had done, Watson felt inexplicably out of sorts, so she wanted to distract herself. ¡°¡­¡­. Hmm?¡± However, Rachel Watson began to tilt her head in confusion a momentter. ¡°Why haven¡¯t they started?¡± For some reason, despite the passage of a considerable amount of time, there was no sign of the horse race starting. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Why hasn¡¯t the race started?¡± Scratching her head for a moment, she directed her question to a staff member in the distance who looked more than a bit anxious. ¡°Well, you see¡­¡± Upon hearing the staff member¡¯s response, she understood the matter in an instant. ¡°Silver ze was scheduled to race today but she has suddenly gone missing¡­¡± Adler¡¯s eyes began to shine quietly as he was naturally sping the back of Charlotte¡¯s hand behind him while hearing that piece of news. ¡°¡­ Please stop it.¡± Reflected in those eyes was the young face of Charlotte Holmes, who was pinching his hand but did not unclench her own from his grasp. . . . . . ¡°¡­ Charlotte.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­?¡± With her face still flushed, Charlotte Holmes, who had been looking down, slowly lifted her head at the faint voice that reached her ears. ¡°Did you enjoy that brief moment of pleasure?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She then stared intently into Adler¡¯s eyes for a moment, but soon enough, she found herself looking away almost involuntarily. ¡°It seems like you enjoyed it quite a bit.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± It was strange, just a few days ago she had feltpletely indifferent but now, she instinctively looked away every time she met his gaze. ¡°If you¡¯re going to keep spouting iprehensible nonsense¡­¡± ¡°But, you¡¯re not the type to be satisfied with such childish games, are you?¡± Adler continued, looking down at her with an affectionate gaze. ¡°¡­ So, it¡¯s time for another riddle.¡± Upon hearing those words, Charlotte¡¯s eyes widened like a rabbit¡¯s. ¡°A riddle¡­¡± Then, unbeknownst to her, her heart began to race. ¡°¡­ You had a reason toe here, even after your disguise was undone, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the case this time? Kidnapping? Murder? Sexual assault?¡± As Charlotte¡¯s eyes sparkled with a mix of excitement and anticipation, Adler, who seemed impressed by her enthusiasm, reached out. ¡°You¡¯re getting too excited.¡± And then, Adler gently began to stroke Charlotte¡¯s head with light strokes. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to bepletely devoured by me, keep up that enthusiasm in the future.¡± ¡°¡­ Huh.¡± Wrapped in a peculiar emotion and quietly epting his touch, Charlotte soon wore a slightly embarrassed expression. ¡°What¡­ did you do?¡± For some reason, she couldn¡¯t control her body at all. ¡°It¡¯s no fun if you know the answer from the start, right?¡± Adler whispered with a teasing glint in his eyes. ¡°¡­ Wait right there.¡± Suddenly, the handcuffs that had been attached to his wrist were broken and were now dangling from Charlotte¡¯s arm. ¡°My dear detective¡­¡± ¡°Hold on¡­¡± And just like that Isaac Adler gracefully disappeared into the crowd while Charlotte reached out to him. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Charlotte nkly stared at where he had disappeared until his silhouette was no longer in sight. Then, she slowly lowered her hand. ¡°I feel like a dog that salivates at the sound of a bell.¡± She murmured with a self-mocking smile. ¡°¡­ This is the worst.¡± But contrary to her words, her heart was still racing violently. . . . . . If one were to pick the most popr entertainment of London in recent times, most people would point out the unique horse races where, instead of horses, demi-humans were the participants. And if asked who was the primary contributor to the sess of this massive venture, everyone would undoubtedly name a single yer. That individual was none other than the Demi-Human girl from Wessex, Silver ze. With the innate speed and stamina of the Demi-Human race, a physique specialized for horse racing, and overwhelming skills honed through blood, sweat, and tears¡­. ¡­ Indeed, she really deserved to be called the best, making her currently the hottest gossip in London. Her long hair with a mix of grey and dark brown, her robust physique unique to the Demi-Human race, and her striking beauty harmonized with all her features. All these elements made her just as hot a topic as the public enemy of London¡ª Isaac Adler. ¡°Ah¡­¡± However, unlike her usual dedication to the races, she suddenly disappeared instead of appearing in the scheduled race. ¡°No¡­¡± For some reason, she was in a secluded warehouse near the waiting room, clutching her head with a look of despair on her face. ¨C Drip¡­ Silver ze¡¯s personal trainer, John Straker was lying on the floor in front of her, bleeding from his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to¡­ kill¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I just¡­ it hurt so much that I unknowingly pushed¡­¡± For some unknown reason, Silver ze looked down at himself with empty eyes, seeing her own battered appearance covered in whip marks and a variety of wounds. ¡°¡­and yet.¡± She then lowered her head weakly. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Tears, resembling beads, started to fall from her empty eyes. ¡°Sob¡­ hic¡­ h¡­¡± All she had achieved, carrying the singr belief of improving the demi-human race¡¯s treatment, was now crumbling in an instant. ¨C Swoosh¡­ After trembling for quite a while, she, with blood oozing from her body, slowly began to rise and head toward the window. ¡°Found you.¡± Suddenly, someone grabbed her shoulder. ¡°¡­¡­.. !!!¡± Startled, Silver ze turned her head and then froze in her spot. ¡°A new riddle¡­¡± ¡°Who¡­ Who are you?¡± Isaac Adler, gazing at her with shining eyes, gently embraced the still-trembling girl and answered her question with a whispery sound. ¡°¡­ Just a passing crime consultant.¡± The next day, it was the beginning of the missing case of Silver ze that shook the entirety of London. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 40: The Missing Case of Silver Blaze (2) Chapter 40: The Missing Case of Silver ze (2) ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± My head hurt. No, it wasn¡¯t just hurting, it felt like it was going to break any second now. ¡°¡­?¡± As I grabbed my head and stood up from my seat, a somewhat familiar scenery entered my vision. ¨C Rustling¡­ ¡°What?¡± However, having just woken up from sleep, I still couldn¡¯t grasp the situation I was in. At that moment, I heard a rustling noise from below. ¡°¡­ Meow.¡± A red-colored toy cat, sitting on myp, was avoiding my gaze and meowing. ¡°Princess?¡± I reached out with a dazed look in my eyes, but the little thing avoided my hand, giving me a sharp re. ¡®¡­ Come to think of it, did I take care of the Princess?¡¯ Only then did I realize that I had left her in the room of the opium den, being too concerned about Rachel Watson. Judging by how sore and aching my body felt, it seemed that I had somehow escaped on my own and returned to where I currently was. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± As I scratched my head and apologized to her, she sharply turned her head away, closing her mouth tightly. ¡°Anyway, what am I doing now¡­¡± But understanding the current situation was more important than appeasing her and the moment I turned my head, I was rendered utterly speechless. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± A beautiful girl with ears popping up from her head, covered in wounds, was quietly sitting next to me. ¨C Brrr... Her face was already pale, her expression and gaze seemed lifeless, and she kept shivering as though she was feeling cold. It seemed that she had been caught up in some serious incident. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± However, there was something more important than that. ¡°Who are you?¡± The real question was, why was this wounded Demi-Human with animal ears sitting silently next to me? I had no clue about her identity. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Hence, as I cautiously asked a question while still clutching onto my throbbing head, she slowly raised her head and stared at me with a nk expression on her face. ¨C Drip¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± Tears suddenly started to flow from her eyes. ¡°Hey, why are you suddenly¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Mr. Adler.¡± Feeling guilty for some reason, as I was about to speak, a chilly voice began to emanate from behind. ¡°Meow!¡± ¡°How could you not recognize your client?¡± Startled by that voice, I shifted my gaze from the princess who had just jumped to the floor and looked behind me. There, Professor Moriarty was sitting at the desk of the office, sorting out the papers, and ncing at me with a tilted head. ¡°¡­ You brought her here.¡± Then I noticed¡­ the numerous bite marks on her neck and arms, marks that seemed oddly familiar. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Only then did fragments of memory from when I had gulped down the brandy that Rachel Watson handed over to mee flooding back into my mind. ¡®¡­ Fuck.¡¯ What on earth had I done? . . . . . ¡°You can¡¯t possibly have forgotten aboutst night, can you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You seem slightly different from your usual self.¡± Professor Moriarty handed over a newspaper thaty on her desk to Isaac Adler, who had been frozen in ce and sweating coldly for a while. Race girl Silver ze Missing! Kidnapping or Runaway¡­? ¡°¡­ Silver ze.¡± Reading it quickly, Isaac Adler¡¯s eyes became vacant as he murmured that name. ¡°Late at night, you barged into my office and put something down on my luxurious sofa.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°At first, I thought you were practicing some sort of pantomime. But when you snapped your fingers, that girl appeared out of nowhere.¡± Professor Moriarty, who had been kindly exining to him about the events that transpired the previous day, soon posed a question with a certain gleam in her eyes. ¡°How on earth were you able to use such perfect concealment magic? Even that young detective¡¯s disguise magic couldn¡¯t fool my eyes. But I couldn¡¯t decipher your magic at all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°What exactly are you, Adler?¡± ¡°Maybe I just wasn¡¯t feeling well?¡± Naturally, Isaac Adler couldn¡¯t admit to being the developer of the magic system, so he avoided her gaze and deflected the question. ¡°Magic or not, surely you don¡¯t think I could surpass you, Professor?¡± ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Upon hearing that, the corners of Professor Moriarty¡¯s mouth immediately lifted ever so slightly. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s with those injuries?¡± Seeing that her prating gaze, as if it could see through everything, being directed at him, Adler desperately tried to change the subject. ¡°That happened right after you put that girl on the sofa.¡± Then, Professor Moriarty quietly stroked her neck and replied in a soft tone. ¡°You attacked me.¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°You forcefully grabbed both of my arms and pushed me to the ground.¡± At that moment, Adler¡¯s eyes widened, filled with shock and disbelief at the words being poured out of the Professor¡¯s mouth. ¡°Afterward, you began to bite all over my body.¡± ¡°¡­ You can¡¯t be serious.¡± ¡°Does it seem like I¡¯m lying?¡± When he seemed to doubt her words, she slightly lifted her top to show him his handiwork. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Seeing his own bite marks spread all over her body, Adler felt overwhelmed and closed his eyes tight. ¡°I never imagined we would end up like this.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯vemitted a grave sin.¡± ¡°Thanks to that, as I wasying there stunned, you called me by my name.¡± Before he knew it, a big yful smile appeared on Moriarty¡¯s lips. ¡°And then, you even caressed my head.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Being addressed by my name and having my head stroked by my assistant felt oddly peculiar.¡± By now, Adler lost the energy to even respond to her words, and could only nkly stare at her. ¡°I recorded the entire process.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Including the moment when I felt anemic from the continuous bloodsucking, you held me close and whispered that you loved me more than anything in the world.¡± With a joyful voice, she continued, lifting herself from where she sat¡ª a ce that was filled with traces of their illicit conduct fromst night. ¡°Pr¡­ Professor.¡± She then began to slowly approach Adler. ¡°Even though you were in a delirious state of mind back then, it was quite an enjoyable event for me, Mr. Adler.¡± ¨C Swish¡­ ¡°Thanks to that, I was momentarily able to suppress my desire to kill you.¡± ¡°Wa¡­ Wait¡­¡± As Moriarty¡¯s face, which held a smile as she grasped his hand, suddenly turned expressionless¡­ it caused Adler to instinctively try and take a step back. ¨C Crrrrack¡­ ¡°¡­ Aaah!¡± But the next moment, he felt a terrible pain inflicted upon the back of his hand. ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°St¡­ Stop¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°Professor¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± Due to her unwavering voice, Adler, who was momentarily staggering, replied in a subdued tone. ¡°I too have a limit to my patience¡­ you know?¡± That voice, slightly wavering for reasons unknown, reached his ears. ¡°So, don¡¯t ever try such antics again.¡± But as if nothing had happened, she whispered in the same unwavering tone, gently caressing Adler¡¯s hand from which grey smoke could be seen rising. ¡°¡­ Compared to what you did yesterday and the marks you left on my body, this is quite a lenient warning.¡± The engagement seal, which had been engraved on his hand alongside Rachel Watson¡¯s, was now marred, oveid with her grey mana. ¡°But this is¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s nothing.¡± Adler, who was about to speak while looking at the damaged seal, saw the grimly shining gaze of Moriarty and her body filled with the bite marks of his own teeth, and thus decided to quickly back down. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get started.¡± Soon, Adler pped his hands with a carefree smile on his face. ¡°I have a new case for you to consult on¡­ Professor.¡± ¡°You always intrigue me.¡± At that moment, Silver ze, who had been trembling silently on the sofa all the while, slowly turned her gaze towards them. . . . . . ¡°¡­ I¡¯m grateful that you helped me make the right decision back then.¡± A few minutester. ¡°But¡­ there¡¯s no need to assist me any longer.¡± Wrapped in Adler¡¯s coat, Silver ze, who held a sugar coffee that Professor Moriarty had made for her, finally spoke with a trembling voice. ¡°I killed someone. That¡¯s a clear fact.¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± ¡°So, I want to turn myself in now.¡± She then attempted to get up from her seat, her body wavering. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a burden to kind-hearted people like you anymore. So¡­¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it self-defense?¡± Adler, who had been sitting still, grabbed her with shining eyes. ¡°¡­ Self-defense?¡± ¡°Looking at the numerous whip marks and bruises on your body, no matter how I see it, it doesn¡¯t seem like you and the deceased man were on equal terms.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Furthermore, seeing that some of the marks on your body are pretty old, it looks like you¡¯ve been enduring abuse for at least a few years¡­¡± At that, Silver ze¡¯s expression turned icy. ¡°It¡¯s only natural.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°That people of my race get treated like this.¡± Adler tilted his head in confusion at that remark. ¡°The abolition of the interspecies ve system is just for show. Racial discrimination is still rampant in society.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°There are stillws, twisted and cunning as they may be, that remain. However, it¡¯s clear that iming self-defense wouldn¡¯t hold any water for someone like me.¡± With a trembling voice, she said, looking at him in the eyes. ¡°Someone kind as you might not understand, but that¡¯s the reality of our society.¡± Before he knew it, tears had welled up in her eyes once again. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s why I wanted to change it.¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± ¡°I thought, if I tried just a little harder, I could change things¡­¡± Her voice quivered as she murmured in that state, and she eventually broke into tears. ¡°It hurt too much¡­¡± Then, silence enveloped the office. ¡°Please let me turn myself in. Given how things have turned out, I want to take full responsibility for¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Ms. ze? Is that how I should address you?¡± Adler, who had been quietly watching her, finally spoke up. ¡°You seem to be under a few misconceptions.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes?¡± At his words, Silver ze slowly lifted her head. ¡°The moment you confess, it¡¯s over for the Demi-Human races all over Ennd.¡± ¡°¡­ What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you a public figure with poprity rivaling my assistant, Isaac Adler?¡± Professor Moriarty, who had been sitting quietly beside them, chimed in with a gleam in her eyes. ¡°You, you¡¯re that Isaac Adler¡­?¡± ¡°Imagine the headlines when it bes known that someone like you, a representative and icon for the Demi-Human races, is a murderer.¡± ¡°¡­ That would¡­¡± ¡°Especially now, when public opinion is boiling over, already believing we should revive the discriminatoryws against demi-humans due to the rise in crime.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± The realization that the man who saved her was Isaac Adler had taken her by surprise, but his words immediately made her lose her train of thought. ¡°Your crime is no longer just your personal issue.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°Right now, you¡¯re essentially holding a ticking time bomb that could turn all of Ennd upside down.¡± She then took on a stunned expression¡­ ¡°Ms. ze, your second misconception is that, despite all of this, not everyone in the world is your enemy.¡± Noting her reaction, Adler smoothly chimed in at the perfect moment. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that even excluding demi-humans, hundreds of your fans have been frantically searching the streets for you. It was even in today¡¯s newspaper article.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°There are probably as many people who adore you as there are those who despise you. Even someone like me, who knows nothing about horse racing, is aware of you just from overhearing the conversations around me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Adler whispered to her in a soft voice as she began to choke back her tears upon hearing those words. ¡°Your efforts up until now weren¡¯t in vain, Ms. ze.¡± A single tear streamed down Silver ze¡¯s face. ¡°And your final misconception is this¡­¡± Gently patting her back, Adler began to whisper soothingly. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not a good person.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I believe I mentioned it before?¡± A voice, too sweet to distinguish between an angel¡¯s or a devil¡¯s, echoed in her ears. ¡°¡­ The professor and I are crime consultants.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°This is the first time consulting on an alreadymitted crime, though.¡± Fear painted Silver ze¡¯s face. ¡°¡­ If you entrust this to us, at the very least, we can help you avoid legal punishment.¡± ¡°If things go well, we might even turn it into a perfect crime.¡± ¡°Perhaps we could even create a wave of sympathy for the demi-humans. If we¡¯re lucky, that is.¡± But at the same time, a faint glimmer of determination also rose in her eyes. ¡°The choice is yours. But you should make it quickly.¡± ¡°London¡¯s best detective would have already started the investigation by now. If we¡¯re to intervene, we must hurry.¡± And in that moment when that determination overcame her fear¡­ ¡°¡­ What about the consultation fee?¡± Silver ze asked them with a voice filled with trepidation and a certain determination in her eyes. ¡°You catch on quickly. Good.¡± Professor Moriarty, with a satisfied look, replied with a dark smile. ¡°The consultation fee is you.¡± ¡°If everything ends sessfully, you¡¯ll need to be on the same boat with us.¡± Then, silence ensued. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s the first time since I lost my parents.¡± A momentter, breaking the silence, Silver ze fixed her gaze on Adler and spoke. ¡°To embrace a smelly Demi-Human like me.¡± ¡°Can I take that as a positive response?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me whether you are a good person or a bad one.¡± And with that, she quietly bowed her head. ¡°¡­ Please take good care of me.¡± ¡°The Demi-Human gangs dominate the majority of the back alleys.¡± Observing her, Professor Moriarty quietly posed a question to Adler. ¡°Whoever can control and dominate them bes the king of the back alleys, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Is this what you were aiming for?¡± Then, mimicking her mysterious smile, Adler responded. ¡°Perhaps, Your Majesty¡­¡± At his altered title, the corner of Professor Moriarty¡¯s lips subtly rose. ¡°¡­ I might genuinely fall in love with you at this rate.¡± ¡°You tter me too much.¡± ¡°So, are you bing a courtier now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s sexual harassment.¡± The newly risen morning sun was gently illuminating them and their dark surroundings. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment. Race girl Silver ze Missing! Kidnapping or Runaway¡­? ¡°It¡¯s all good¡­¡± At a coffee house right in front of the racetrack. ¡°It¡¯s all fine, but¡­¡± Charlotte Holmes, who was reading the newspaper with a pipe in her mouth at that ce, was murmuring in a cold voice. ¡°¡­ Why is it a girl again?¡± Not only Professor Moriarty, but others too were beginning to lose their patience it seemed. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 41: The Missing Case of Silver Blaze (3) Chapter 41: The Missing Case of Silver ze (3) We had taken on the case of Silver ze more easily than expected, but there was still one hurdle to ovee. That was finding a ce to hide Silver ze. Professor Moriarty¡¯s office was not a feasible option since too many people came and went every day. And hiding her in just about any hotel posed the risk of Holmes barging in at any moment. ¡°You can stay here until the case is resolved.¡± ¡°Here?¡± After much discussion with the professor, the temporary residence chosen for her was none other than my dormitory room. Student rooms were guaranteed thorough privacy, and besides, the academy itself was practically an autonomous zone where outsiders could not venture. Thus, essentially making my room the perfect hideout spot. ¡°¡­ Is it okay for me to stay in such a ce?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As I concealed Silver ze¡¯s appearance with invisibility magic and opened the door, a trembling voice came from beside me. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s too luxurious, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to go to such lengths for me. I might die from feeling too burdened if I stay in a ce like this¡­¡± ¡°Where on earth have you been staying all this time?¡± Seeing her fearful reaction, I softly asked a question in a low voice, and the answer that came back was truly astonishing, to say the least. ¡°The stable.¡± ¡°Excuse me, what did you just say?¡± ¡°All the Demi-Human horses stay in the stables actually. It¡¯s quite unsanitary, but it gets a little better if you sleep on a pile of hay bales.¡± It was unbelievable that the dwelling ce for the Demi-Human kind, who were no different from humans, was the stable. Was Rachel Watson¡¯s statement about the abolition of the interspecies very system even urate at this point? Although I had thoroughly examined this world, I hadn¡¯t looked into such in-depth parts of the story, and it only made it far more embarrassing for me. Perhaps, due to my insistence on historical uracy, the conditions of that era might have been excessively reflected in this story world. I began to feel a surge of guilt at that thought. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Ah, ah!¡± As Silver ze tried to step back, I grabbed her arm and pulled her into my room. ¨C Click¡­ As I swiftly shut the door, silence ensued between us. ¡°Please, sitfortably here.¡± ¡°Ah, um¡­?¡± When I made the dazed Silver ze sit on my bed, her tail and animal ears stiffened and stretched out wide. ¨C Rustle, rustle¡­ Then she poked the soft bed with her fingers and looked at me with a certain unease in her eyes. ¡°¡­ I, I can sleep on the floor, you know.¡± How on earth had she been treated so far to have her self-esteem plummet this low? This truly seemed no different than very. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll sleep on the floor.¡± ¡°Nooo! Yo, you really don¡¯t need to¡­¡± ¡°Then, shall we lie down on the bed together?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Wanting desperately to make her lie on the bed due to my growing concerns, I asked a question that caused Silver ze¡¯s face to turn bright red in shame. ¡°¡­ Thank you.¡± She then quietly pulled the nket, covering half of her face. ¨C Twitch, twitch¡­ ¡®¡­ She¡¯s adorable.¡¯ Seeing her unknowingly perk up her ears reminded me of the character from the mobile game I used to y before I fell into this world. I inadvertently wore a smile on my face at that thought. ¡°Take a bath in the bathroom over there.¡± ¡°Can I¡­ can I wash without permission!?¡± ¡°Of course. Wear my clothes for now. I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯ll fit, but¡­¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t. They might get smelly.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about any odor. By the way, have you eaten? If you¡¯re hungry, let me know anytime. I¡¯ll get you any food you want.¡± Due to my attempt of trying to treat her as well as I possibly could, she rolled her eyes and broke out in a cold sweat. Perhaps, since she had been treated so harshly as a ve, even the things that seemed normal to the people of this era appeared burdensome to her. As a result, I felt as if I had purchased an abused ve, not making her do any work, and was treating her with utmost care. ¡°¡­ Carrots.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± As I scratched my head, pondering the odd feeling this interaction invoked, Silver ze, with her face fully covered by the nket, whispered in a muffled voice. ¡°I want to eat as many carrots as I can¡­¡± Her flushed red ears, quivered from side to side, above the nket. ¡°Just wait a moment.¡± I couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, damn it! . . . . . A short whileter. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Eat as much as you¡¯d like, Ms. ze.¡± Silver ze was staring nkly, her mouth agape, at the enormous mountain of carrots piled on the te before her. ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°¡­ Is it too much, perhaps?¡± Observing her reaction, Isaac Adler looked at her with a slightly worried expression. ¨C Russtle¡­ At that very moment, Silver ze cautiously picked up the carrot from the top of the pile. ¡°Ms. ze?¡± Then, after taking a bite of the carrot, she began to shiver slightly. ¡°It¡¯s delicious¡­¡± Tears welled up in her eyes as she murmured. ¡°Hab, heup¡­ Mm¡­¡± Thus began Silver ze¡¯s carrot feast. ¡°Uuughh¡­¡± Holding carrots in both hands, she ate hurriedly. She then touched her breasts and made a pained expression. ¡°Here, have some water.¡± ¡°Th-Thank you¡­ Gulp¡­¡± Adler quietly handed her a ss of water and watched intently as she drank. ¡°Phew¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t they feed you at the racetrack?¡± He asked cautiously, looking at Silver ze while she was catching her breath and drooping her tail. ¡°¡­ They did.¡± She replied with a somber look in her eyes. ¡°Of course, based on performance, that is.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If the performance was poor, instead of carrots, we would get whipped.¡± She then scratched her head, wearing a bright smile. ¡°But I always performed well, so I received quite a lot of carrots. Hence, I could share them with those who didn¡¯t get any. Hehe¡­¡± Adler watched her silently. ¡°¡­ This is the first time I¡¯ve had such good quality carrots to eat, and that too to my heart¡¯s content. Thank you.¡± ¡°Will you be saving the rest?¡± ¡°If¡­ If it¡¯s deemed justifiable, I want to share them with my friends¡­¡± At Silver ze¡¯s words, her tail and ears drooping low as she cautiously gauged his reaction, Adler was momentarily at a loss for words. He soon reached out to the carrots, beginning to cast preservation magic on them. ¡°Are¡­ Are you taking them back?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have made such a selfish request¡­¡± ¡°What exactly happened that day?¡± Misinterpreting his actions, and apologizing with a fearful expression on her face, Silver ze stiffened at the sudden question that was thrown at her. ¡°¡­ It was almost like any other day.¡± The woman¡¯s hand momentarily shook, closing her eyes tightly as she began her tale. ¡°I was confined in the punishment room, receiving whippings from Mr. Straker.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I had made a mistake in the previous race, and nearly finished in second ce. The owner of the racetrack, Colonel Rose, doesn¡¯t tolerate such mistakes.¡± Adler¡¯s brows furrowed, but Silver ze continued her story as if it were an ordinary urrence. ¡°After a long time of whipping in the punishment room, Mr. Straker left for ate dinner, and I began preparing for the race.¡± ¡°While your whole body was covered in wounds?¡± ¡°If you apply the medicine avable in the waiting room, you can hide the wounds. Although¡­ it doesn¡¯t really have any healing effects.¡± Only then did Adler realize why the old scars still remained on her body, causing his expression to darken further. ¡°After finishing my preparations for thepetition, I went out into the corridor and ran into Mr Straker who had returned after his meal. It was quite a peculiar encounter if I say so myself.¡± ¡°Why do you consider it peculiar?¡± ¡°Because no matter how grievously I had erred in the past, Mr. Straker would always halt the punishment just before the race started. Naturally, as it would affect my performance during the race.¡± ¡°So, are you saying that when Mr. Straker returned this time, he continued the punishment, unlike usual?¡± ¡°Yes, and it was even more severe than usual¡­¡± Silver ze¡¯s body trembled uncontrobly at the mere mention of the punishment. ¡°He whipped me in ces he never used to, even on the legs, and shockingly on the face¡­¡± Adler¡¯s eyes settled on the scars on her thighs and forehead. ¡°Still, I endured it and somehow managed to stand my ground till the end. But suddenly, Mr. Straker pulled out something resembling a small knife.¡± ¡°¡­ A knife?¡± ¡°It was too small, I couldn¡¯t see it clearly. However, his approaching footsteps felt so menacing¡­¡± Tears began to pool in Silver ze¡¯s eyes. ¡°Before I knew it, I pushed him with all my might¡­ ¡°He hit his head against the metal behind and died instantly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± A heavy silence ensued for a while. ¡°¡­ By any chance, did Mr. Straker seem off to you?¡± ¡°As soon as we met, the whipping started, so I don¡¯t remember too well¡­ However, the whipping was several times more ruthless and brutal than usual.¡± Adler, who had tilted his head for a moment, asked such a question. And to that question of his, Silver ze answered with her head hung low. ¡°Do you remember what was served for dinner that evening?¡± ¡°¡­ It was curry. It¡¯s a special meal that asionallyes before important races. When it¡¯s served, even the staff eat it together.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Upon hearing her testimony, the corners of Adler¡¯s mouth slowly rose. ¡°Onest question. Was the race that day important?¡± ¡°¡­ It was a day when a record number of tickets were issued. It could be considered one of the greatest events ever. There had been massive promotions for several months, and it was an event race with many prominent yers, including me, participating.¡± ¡°Thank you for your answer.¡± Rising from his seat, he spoke with a broad smile on his face. ¡°There¡¯s good news, Miss ze.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°It seems we might be able to turn the case around.¡± Hearing this unexpectedly hopeful news, Silver ze¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Perhaps we can deal a blow to the prevalent atmosphere of discrimination against the demi-humans as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Even if not that, at the very least, we might be able to create an opportunity for the demi-humans, who are divided and antagonistic towards each other, to unite.¡± Isaac Adler continued, smiling confidently at her. ¡°If you cooperate, that is.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll cooperate.¡± Eagerly standing up to follow him, Silver ze agreed with his words. ¡°But¡­..¡± She paused, trailing off her words momentarily. ¡°Is the price truly enough, just with me alone?¡± She spoke as if she couldn¡¯t believe what he was saying. ¡°It¡¯s something that countless demi-humans have wished for over a long period of time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°And you¡¯re saying that you¡¯ll grant it just by me offering myself to you?¡± At that, Isaac Adler let out a faint smile. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. It doesn¡¯t seem fair. If you aren¡¯t a kind person, why would you go to these lengths for me and the Demi-Human race¡­?¡± ¡°This is a devil¡¯s bargain, Ms. ze.¡± His gaze began to turn cold. ¡°If the task is sessfullypleted, you will then be a subordinate to both me and the professor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°To be honest, I see no difference between this and the very you so desperately wanted to escape. It¡¯s essentially handing over your free will to me.¡± And so began his tale. ¡°It¡¯s not just that. The Demi-Human races situated in Ennd, with you as their representative, will gain the power of unity and will thus be gradually absorbed into our organization.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°After that, you¡¯ll join us in overturning London and help establish the professor¡¯s criminal empire. It¡¯s going to be a wicked and challenging journey.¡± Silver ze, having listened quietly, began to gaze intently at Adler. ¡°I¡¯m merely using you for all these purposes. There¡¯s no such thing as a selfless good deed in this world.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Do you understand now, Ms. ze?¡± Slowly approaching her, Adler wore a smirk, cing a hand on her shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve already fallen into a quagmire from which you cannot escape.¡± . . . . . ¡°¡­ Well then, have a good day.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be off to execute the task.¡± Having finished speaking, Isaac Adler gently patted Silver ze¡¯s shoulder, preparing to make his way toward the door. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I have a question.¡± Staring nkly at his retreating figure, Silver ze found herself posing a question. ¡°¡­ You really don¡¯t smell anything from me?¡± Hearing those words, a curious-looking Adler burst intoughter. ¨C Swish¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly, Adler leaned in, bringing his head close to her neck. ¡°W, wh, wha, what are you doing?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°M, Mr. Adler?¡± As his breath touched her neck and corbone, Silver ze, who had been hiding her tail between her legs, trembled in surprise. ¡°¡­ There¡¯s definitely a scent.¡± After what felt like an eternity, Adler, lifting his head from Silver ze who had her eyes tightly shut, murmured in a soft voice. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Hearing that, Silver ze quietly bowed her head. ¡°It¡¯s just a soft and fleshy human scent though.¡± Yet, Adler¡¯s unexpectedly tender voice reached her ears, softly resonating within her. ¡°Don¡¯t believe every harsh word humans throw at you, Ms. ze.¡± Silver ze nkly lifted her head, and Adler, stroking it gently, whispered with a devilish smile on his face. ¡°Because soon, you¡¯ll be the one looking down on them.¡± And then, the silence resumed. ¡°¡­ Hug me.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Adler, who had been about to head out of the room with a smile, turned his gaze back to Silver ze who whispered those words, clutching at his sleeve. ¡°Please hug me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­?¡± Subsequently, even though taken aback by her sudden request, Adler nheless embraced her. ¡°As much as you want.¡± Upon hearing his casual words, Silver ze started to sort out her thoughts internally. ¡®He¡¯s different from those cold humans¡­¡¯ If she could feel this warmth in the future¡­ If only the other demi-humans who woulde under him received the same treatment as her¡­ ¡®I realize now, even without me doing anything, that a devil can be this warm.¡¯ ¡­ She thought that a life of being used by Isaac Adler might not be so bad after all. ¡®¡­ Then I must stand with the devil.¡¯ At that moment, the pure woman, who had been the idol of the demi-humans, began to be tainted with Isaac Adler¡¯s golden hue. Silver ze pledges her loyalty to you. ¡°¡­ Why all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The system message that appeared in front of Adler, and her eyes, which had just begun to tint with a faint hint of gold, were proof of that fact. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 42: The Missing Case of Silver Blaze (4) Chapter 42: The Missing Case of Silver ze (4) With Silver ze quietly wagging her tail behind me with her head lowered, I stepped out of the room and found myself cocking my head, lost in thought. ¡®Why did Silver ze suddenly be loyal to me?¡¯ I had merely offered her some advice and kept my distance, only to give in slightly to my emotions and hug her at the end. Where on earth did this loyalty evene from? ¡®Maybe she couldn¡¯t help it, having been treated that way for so long.¡¯ After pondering for a moment, I remembered that she had lived a life that was no better than a ve¡¯s for a very long time. I sighed and moved on from this topic. I felt it might be necessary to maintain some distance from her, but treating her a bit better in the future might not be a bad idea either. ?You.? ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± As I descended the stairs, gathering my thoughts, a voice suddenly echoed in my mind. ?Is what you said back then true?? Princess y, whom I had kept in my arms for protection, poked out her head and ryed a message to me. ¡°Pfft¡­¡± ?Are youughing?? Was she expressing her dissatisfaction since she despised having a cute voice due to being in the form of a cat doll? Either way, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle due to the stark contrast between her appearance and her voice. ¡°¡­ Of course it¡¯s true.¡± As I responded with a slight curl on my lips, she gave me a murderous re. ?Are you really intending tond the finishing blow on this entire charade of demi-human discrimination?? ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± ?How naive¡­ Do you think that I will trust the very humans who have practiced racial discrimination for eons?? Saying so, she even bared her teeth at me, as she sent a message in an emotional voice. ?Perhaps not now, but eventually, you¡¯ll undoubtedly drive both the demi-humans and us vampires to the brink of death.? ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ?Didn¡¯t you yourself mention that it¡¯s a risky endeavor?? This was true indeed. Even if everything went well and the demi-humans were sessfully assimted into our organization, they would be assigned dangerous tasks alongside the vampires. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ?See, in the end¡­? Upon my quiet agreement, Princess y looked at me with a cold expression filled with rage. ¡°¡­ But they will not be the only ones driven to the domain of death and demise.¡± ?What?? ¡°After all, I will be the first one to jump into any form of danger.¡± I began to quietly exin my side of things to her. ¡°In order to turn Ennd upside down, I have no choice but to risk my life, Princess.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The era of vampires I promised you. The era where demi-humans wouldn¡¯t be treated as ves and would be able to live with pride in their identity. The era where humans can no longer discriminate against anyone. This is the only way to ensure the establishment of such an era.¡± Her previously twisted expression gradually turned into one of confusion. ?Weren¡¯t you trying to establish a kingdom of crime?? ¡°If I don¡¯t even establish a kingdom of evil embodying those concepts, would it even be possible to do it in the end? Would it be possible to seed?¡± Upon hearing this, she looked up at me, at a loss for words. ¡°Ah, of course, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m undertaking all this with some grandiose thoughts in mind. I simply want to see the professor be the queen of crime.¡± ?Then why¡­? ¡°Because everything beneath a queen should be equal. It¡¯s just killing two birds with one stone.¡± ?¡­ How utterly disgusting.? Seeing her doll eyes widen was so cute that I subconsciously reached out to caress her cheek, making her flinch and throw a cat punch at my hand. ?¡­ What if you fail?? The Princess lowered her gaze for a while, lost in thought, before sending me a message once again. ¡°Dunno~¡± ?Look at this. In the end, you¡¯re just a big-mouthed, deluded¡­? ¡°Then, shall the both of us run away to a ce where no one can find us, Princess?¡± Wanting to somehow lighten the strange atmosphere, I threw such a joke at the vampire princess. ¡°Come to think of it, living a life as part of your family1Think Twilight, basically the progenitor type shit. might not be that bad.¡± Admittedly, due to the recent increase in threats, there was a tiny bit of sincerity mixed into my current words. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Anyway, after finishing my words, I smiled while caressing the chin of the Princess who was poking out her head from my embrace. As I did so, she looked up at me with a dazed expression. ?You¡­ Do you even realize what you¡¯re doing?? Her voice was tinged with a hint of emotion. ?Do you not realize the consequences that are incurred when you nonchntly throw such witty remarks at women while ying them off as jokes?? ¡°Pardon?¡± ?Starting from the subordinates of that woman2Talking about Diana Wilson. in Romania, do you even know how many people are tailing you?? What was she talking about? I had always been on my guard, but I never noticed anyone. ?I¡¯m saying that if it isn¡¯t someone like me, who knows your true nature, there¡¯d definitely be misunderstandings.? ¡°Eh? I was pretty sincere about what I said to you though, Princess.¡± ?¡­ Just shut up already.? Just in case her aim was to elevate my treatment of her with this reminder, I decided to gently rub her cheek with my finger while reassuring her. However, following my words, the Princess sent me a cold message and then hid herself in my arms. ?You really are a helpless idiot.? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ?Whatever. Just give me your blood.? Subsequently, she curled up inside my embrace and gently bit into my chest. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already devour a lot of my bloodst time?¡± ?¡­ Shut up and just give it to me. After all, there will be many uses for it from now on.? The voice that echoed in my mind was somehow slightly different than usual. Princess y feels a tiny bit of loyalty toward you. And then, an unbelievable message appeared before my eyes. ¡®¡­ Is this a bug or something?¡¯ With my eyes opened wide due to the continuous surprises, I quietly stepped outside the dormitory. ¡°¡­ Huh.¡± However, I couldn¡¯t take another step forward and stood frozen on the spot. ¡°Professor, I have an entrance permit. So, even if it¡¯s you, you don¡¯t have the authority to stop me.¡± ¡°Are you talking about that poorly forged entrance permit? You can¡¯t fool my eyes, Miss Holmes.¡± The reason? At the entrance of the academy, Professor Moriarty and Charlotte Holmes were facing each other, both wearing icy smiles. ¡®¡­ Should I actually consider running away with the Princess?¡¯ ¡°Meow?¡± If only her goal wasn¡¯t world domination¡­then, it might not have been such a bad choice. . . . . . ¡°Uh, excuse me¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°Adler dear.¡± After a long hesitation, Adler cautiously approached and spoke, drawing the unified gazes of the two women. ¡°What¡­ are you doing? Right now?¡± Overwhelmed by the tense atmosphere, Adler unconsciously attempted to step back. However, he soon calmed himself and asked with aposed expression. ¡°I am inspecting Miss Charlotte Holmes for forging official documents.¡± ¡°It was for a great cause, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. Well, if it really bes a problem, I can always get a permitter on.¡± ¡°I honestly don¡¯t understand why you call this kid a detective when she doesn¡¯t even know the basics of being one.¡± ¡°It seems only you don¡¯t understand, Professor. The subscribers of the Strand Magazine, where Watson submits our case logs, as well as Mr. Adler, know very well as to why I am named as such.¡± However, the war of nerves between the two women, both wearing cold smiles, showed no sign of ending. ¡°Everyone, please calm down.¡± In the midst of it, Adler, sweating coldly, barely managed to smile, as he separated the two standing chest to chest. ¡°So, why have youe here?¡± As he posed the question to Charlotte Holmes, her eyes sparkled silently. ¨C Clink¡­ ¡°Obviously, it¡¯s to arrest you.¡± Then, in a now familiar motion, she sped the ck handcuffs around both her wrist and Adler¡¯s. ¡°¡­ You must have taken a liking to this, yeah?¡± ¡°Without a doubt, you are the culprit behind the Missing Case of Silver ze that has currently turned London upside down.¡± Ignoring Isaac Adler¡¯s disgruntled voice, Charlotte pulled him toward her, speaking with a confident tone. ¡°On what basis?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Suddenly, she drew her face into Adler¡¯s neck. ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes?¡± Just like how moments before, Adler had smelled Silver ze, Charlotte also inhaled his scent for a long while. She then slightly lifted her head and looked at him with a cold light in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s because there¡¯s a new woman¡¯s scent on you.¡± ¡°¡­ What do you mean by a new woman¡¯s scent exactly?¡± ¡°Are you feigning ignorance?¡± Charlotte then silently picked something up to show him. ¡°Then what is this attached to you?¡± A strand of hair resembling a brown mane was grasped in her hand. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°¡­ Mr. Adler. What did you do inside that room?¡± Seeing Adler¡¯s eyes waver at such a sight, Professor Moriarty asked in her signature unwavering tone. ¡°I didn¡¯t do much. I just¡­¡± ¡°¡±You just?¡±¡± Both women, their patience worn thin, echoed his words simultaneously, urging him to borate. ¡°¡­ I just embraced her.¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± ¡°No, not in that way. I really just embraced her. Because of certain circumstances¡­¡± Unable to resist their pressure, Adler confessed, trying to provide an excuse for his conduct. However, his voice quickly trailed off. ¡°Anyway, you were caught red-handed, Mr. Adler.¡± For a while, Charlotte tried to suppress her rising impulse with her eyes closed, before reaching out and grabbing his arm with a chilling smile on her face. ¡°At this point, even the professor can¡¯t protect you. From now on, your body is in my¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Your thinking is quite one-dimensional, Miss Holmes.¡± Just as she was about to pull him away from the Academy, ¡°You are so engrossed in the simple solution at hand that you failed to see the bigger picture.¡± Having also suppressed her impulses, Professor Moriarty began speaking to Charlotte with a cold smile. ¡°Does this seem like a simple kidnapping case to you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Just by visiting the crime scene, No not even that¡­ Just by seeing the situation described in the newspapers, you should have noticed. You truly are unfit to be a detective, Miss Holmes.¡± A quiet Adler, who had been tactfully observing the professor, gently picked up on her words. ¡°If you hand me over to the police now, it is likely that Miss Watson will soon publish the great detective¡¯s most fatal blunder in her case notes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s a hidden truth in this case, a conspiracy that was in motion even before I arrived at the racetrack with you, Miss Holmes.¡± Adler then put on a seemingly cold expression. ¡°If you couldn¡¯t even detect that and only focused on the ringly obvious and simple solution in front of you¡­¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯d be greatly disappointed?¡± Charlotte quietly intercepted his words. ¡°So, as you said back then, will you devour me?¡± ¡°¡­ When did I say that?¡± ¡°Please devour me now. Hurry up¡­¡± Subsequently, she leaned in close to him, raising her voice so that her rival nearby would hear her clearly. ¡°What a disgrace. The way you are not able to admit your own mistakes is truly appalling.¡± ¡°Whatever. Besides, it seems both of you have some misconceptions.¡± As Professor Moriarty whispered in a soft voice to Charlotte, she began to counter with a smirk. ¡°When did I say I was handing Mr. Adler over to the police?¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°As a detective, I merely secured him as a key witness to the case.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I was caught red-handed earlier?¡± ¡°When you secure such a person, what is the first thing a detective should do? Professor?¡± Ignoring Isaac Adler¡¯s voiceing from the side, Charlotte looked directly at Professor Moriarty. ¡°It would be to verify the scene with the witness.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Her eyes were quietly shining. ¡°So, I¡¯ll be taking Mr. Adler with me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure how you arrived at that conclusion.¡± ¡°Oh, you want toe along too? That¡¯s fine as well.¡± At the same time, Professor Moriarty¡¯s eyes began to gleam. ¡°It¡¯ll certainly make the headlines, won¡¯t it? Professor Jane Moriarty, who opened new horizons with her thesis on the Binomial Theorem, solves the case that rocked London! Something along those lines.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think it will.¡± ¡°No, it is. I¡¯m going to pass all the credit to you, Professor.¡± The subtle war of nerves that flowed between the two women had suddenly transformed into a tant verbal confrontation. ¡°Well, for me, it¡¯s enough that there¡¯s a record that you were involved in this case.¡± ¡°You think I¡¯d be afraid of that?¡± ¡°I assumed you would because you were always hiding behind Mr. Isaac Adler here.¡± ¡°Seems you¡¯re not familiar with my capabilities.¡± ¡°Are you going to show me here and now? I¡¯d be delighted.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t particrly mind either.¡± And just as the tension exceeded the limit and grey and ck mana began to rise from the bodies of the two women¡­ ¡°¡­ I will go verify it with Miss Holmes, Professor.¡± Isaac Adler hurriedly interjected. ¡°Mr. Adler, even if you do¡­¡± ¡°Professor, please take a break. Isn¡¯t it unnecessary for you to personally involve yourself in a case like this?¡± While suggesting indirectly that the case was too significant for someone who should always stay behind the scenes, he quietly added more words. ¡°¡­ For things like this, leave it to your assistant.¡± With a continuously expressionless face, Professor Moriarty only put on a cold smile upon hearing those words. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll leave it to you then.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve done so sooner.¡± As she quietly stepped aside, Charlotte Holmes wore a triumphant smile and stood beside Adler. ¡°It seems this time, victory is mine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure what you mean.¡± Then, she quietly lowered the cor of her dress, revealing her neck to Professor Moriarty. ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t feign ignorance. You know fully well as to why.¡± On her pale white neck, the bite mark from Isaac Adler¡¯s teeth was still vividly present. ¡°Interesting.¡± However, Professor Moriarty looked mockingly at Charlotte Holmes, who was proudly caressing the carefully preserved bite mark. ¨C Swish¡­ As she rolled up her sleeve, countless bite marks appeared on her arm. ¡°I never thought you would willingly admit defeat.¡± Staring nkly, Charlotte¡¯s gaze drifted toward Professor Moriarty¡¯s cleavage, now exposed as she began to unbutton her shirt. ¡°It¡¯s a ce where you can¡¯t be bitten even if you wanted to.¡± That ce too was filled with bite marks identical to the one on her neck and the professor¡¯s arm. ¡°My growth period hasn¡¯t ended yet.¡± ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ll feel that way your entire life.¡± Charlotte, who had been quietly looking down at her own chest, responded to the professor¡¯s mockingughter with a sharp voice and took a step forward. ¡°¡­ For someone whose eyes haven¡¯t turned golden, you sure do talk a lot.¡± ¡°Maybe you should try getting a massage there or something.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°What on earth have you two been discussing this whole time?¡± Adler¡¯s puzzled voice echoed quietly between the two women who had switched their feelings of joy and sorrow with each other through their small confrontation. . . . . . ¡°¡­ Excuse me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­?¡± While wearing a quiet smile, the professor was watching Adler and Holmes disappear into the distance. Just as she was about to turn away¡­ ¡°Miss ze?¡± Silver ze, wearing Adler¡¯s casual clothes and arge hat to conceal her identity, had reached out to grab the professor¡¯s sleeve and asked, ¡°H-How does one enroll at the August Academy?¡± Professor Moriarty¡¯s pleased smile began to fade rapidly. ¡°¡­ What¡¯s with those eyes of yours?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± It was because the eyes of her client were tinted in a familiar golden hue, unlike her own. Rate and review us 5 stars on NU or face Naru¡¯s wrath¡­ You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 43: The Missing Case of Silver Blaze (5) Chapter 43: The Missing Case of Silver ze (5) ¡°Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Miss Holmes?¡± Adler and Charlotte Holmes walked the streets with their arms handcuffed together¡­ just as usual. ¡°Why are you making that face, since earlier?¡± Isaac Adler, who had been flinching at the overt stares pouring in from around them, soon posed a question to Charlotte Holmes walking beside him. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Hearing his words, Charlotte silently looked at Adler. ¡°¡­ Do you like a body like Professor Moriarty¡¯s?¡± At her unexpected words, Adler made a clueless face, making it seem like he didn¡¯t know what she was on about. ¡°I just like Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, Miss Holmes.¡± Upon hearing his response, Charlotte made a face as if she was disgusted by his lies. However, once she saw the slightly serious look in Adler¡¯s eyes, she wasn¡¯t able to finish her response and trailed off¡­ ¡°Now, look.¡± In her line of sight, the backside of Adler¡¯s slightly raised left hand came into view. ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± She soon noticed that the seal of engagement that had been engraved on his hand was now damaged. She pouted her lips and turned her head to the side. ¨C Swish¡­ As she did that, Adler quietly sped onto her hand. Charlotte, just like the previous day, pinched his hand tightly in response to his action. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a gesture of affection.¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s vulgar.¡± Of course, despite that, Charlotte didn¡¯t push Adler away. ¡°Stay away from me.¡± She merely touched his chest with a force so light that not even an ant would be repelled by it. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± However, at that moment, there was a slight change in Charlotte¡¯s gaze. ¡°Miss Holmes? This really seems like sexual harassment, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Then, out of the blue, she slipped her hand inside Adler¡¯s clothes. ¡°Stay still.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to, you can¡¯t, don¡¯t do it¡­¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Momentarily brushing his chest with her hands, Charlotte¡¯s hand caught onto something, prompting her to pull it out immediately. Clutched in her hand was a red cat doll. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°As you can see, it¡¯s a doll.¡± ¡°Why are you carrying it inside your clothes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m actually quite fond of dolls.¡± Adler started to sweat nervously as he watched Charlotte examine the doll with an intense gaze. ¡°¡­ I see.¡± While intently staring into the doll¡¯s eyes, she suddenly broke into a dark smile. ¡°The dolls these days are quite something. There¡¯s blood around their mouths and their eyes are able to move too.¡± ¡°Ah, ah-gfuuufkhuu¡± ¡°And when you press their stomachs hard, they can even make sounds. Truly fascinating¡­¡± Her gaze was turning chillingly cold, and her deep and profound ck eyes gave the impression that it would devour the cat whole. ¡°Meow.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a specially made doll. And you shouldn¡¯t press it so hard.¡± Desperate to exin before she could destroy the doll, Adler quickly snatched Princess y from her hands. ¡°¡­ By any chance, Mr. Adler, are you an animal lover?¡± ¡°Not at all. I only like Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°Is that the only ttery you know?¡± ¡°Uh.¡± Charlotte, casting a gaze full of suspicion while asking him the question, suddenly shoved her finger into his mouth. ¨C Slick¡­ Then, Adler, looking at Charlotte with wide eyes, eventually bit into her finger and began silently sucking on her blood. ¡°Don¡¯t test my patience¡­¡± Recalling their rough encounter from the day before, Charlotte¡¯s face turned red, and she murmured with her head bowed. ¡°¡­ You can¡¯t even live without me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same for you now, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adler whispered in a drowsy voice close to Charlotte¡¯s ear and then quietly leaned on her shoulder. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± There was no retort in return to his cheeky statement. ¡°¡­ Once again, I don¡¯t feel anything¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel anything for me, right? I¡¯m the one who¡¯s unterally in love, after all.¡± ¡°If you know that so well, then why don¡¯t you stop making that stupid face already?¡± With that, the two began to wander the streets of London, looking close enough that anyone might misconstrue their rtionship. ¡°¡­ They¡¯re at it again?¡± ¡°Just leave them be, it¡¯s not the first or second time.¡± ¡°They seem to be spotted frequently these days¡­¡± Unbeknownst to the two involved, their antics were almost an iconic sight in London by now. Various witness ounts and tips were consistently being sent to gossip-loving media and magazines. However, there were rumors going around that the British government itself, a particr woman, and an unknown royal family from overseas were discreetly applying pressure on the media outlets. Hence, those tips would never see the light of day. At least, not in written form¡­ Believe it or not. . . . . . After a considerable amount of walking, the two finally arrived at the scene of the case. ¡°Who¡¯s that person beside you?¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t mind him.¡± Due toplications in the investigation, the weing officer soon posed a question with a puzzled expression on her face. ¡°He¡¯s just my assistant.¡± ¡°But why do you have your fingers in his mouth?¡± ¡°Nevermind that, just lend me your ears for a moment.¡± However, ignoring her words, Charlotte whispered something to the officer and then stepped into the crime scene with Adler in tow. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s time for another riddle, Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°By the way, how much do you know about the case?¡± Upon Adler¡¯s casual inquiry, Charlotte¡¯s heart began to quietly flutter. ¡°I¡¯ve grasped most of the information.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I¡¯m almost on the verge of reaching a conclusion.¡± ¡°Ohh¡­!¡± When Adler looked at her with intrigue at those words, she merely shrugged her shoulders. For Charlotte, solving mysteries with Adler had long be a stimtion more entertaining than anything else in the world. ¡°Although I couldn¡¯t move yesterday, I had Watson gather information on the case instead. I supplemented any missing details with the newspaper from this morning.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°So now, it seems like all we need is to verify a few key pieces of evidence to draw a conclusion to this case.¡± Looking at the confident Charlotte with a hint of amusement in his eyes, Adler took a step forward and asked, ¡°So, what are these crucial pieces of evidence you speak of?¡± ¡°The first, of course, is the curry fromst night¡¯s dinner.¡± With that, Charlotte opened the door to the room of the victim¡ª John Straker, which was right in front of them. ¡°Hmm.¡± She lightly touched the cold curry bowl that was on the desk of the room and soon tilted her head, licking her finger. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s a highly concentrated stimnt.¡± ¡°Uh-oh.¡± Upon hearing her words, Adler, with a startled expression, tried to step back. ¡°It¡¯smonly used as a drug. Don¡¯t worry, this amount won¡¯t affect me.¡± ¡°¡­ Really?¡± ¡°Perhaps¡­?¡± When Charlotte, with darkened eyes, grabbed hold of him, Adler shuddered ever so slightly, a nervous smile on the corner of his lips. ¡°So, why was there a drug in the curry?¡± Upon his question, Charlotte¡¯s previously darkened gaze became sparkly once again. ¡°Before I answer that, we need to verify the next piece of evidence.¡± With that, she briskly walked to the side, looking rather excited. ¡®¡­ She can be so cute for her age at times like these.¡¯ ¡°Just as I thought.¡± Adler followed her while looking at her with an intrigued expression. Charlotte, with a triumphant look, pulled something out of the trash bin. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°A bunch of receipts. It¡¯s a decisive piece of evidence that the stupid police didn¡¯t even bother to take a nce at.¡± ¡°Why would that be considered decisive evidence?¡± The question was followed by her confident exnation. ¡°After Watson met with Mr. Straker¡¯s wife yesterday, she found out that their rtionship had been strained as ofte. They barely even look at each other these days, she said.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Why then, are there so many receipts from a high-end clothing store thrown away in the trash bin?¡± ¡°¡­ Perhaps he was buying gifts to reconcile with his wife?¡± As she meticulously examined the receipts, Charlotte chuckled and shook her head in response to Adler¡¯s guess. ¡°The purchases were consistent over several months.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Furthermore, the buyer¡¯s name is different for all the receipts. In other words, Mr. Straker was buying arge quantity of clothes using an alias.¡± ¡°In that case¡­¡± ¡°An affair with avish woman. Is there a more straightforward exnation than that?¡± Watching Charlotte, Adler reached out and gently touched her head. ¡°¡­ Ahem.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the connection between Mr. Straker¡¯s affair and the drugs in the curry?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Charlotte, about to ept Adler¡¯s touch with a smile on her face, wore a slightly cold expression due to the teasing question he delivered to her as his hand stopped right in front of her nose. ¡°It¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡± Then, she subtly moved a step forward. ¡°Watson mentioned that the hounds guarding the racetrack didn¡¯t barkst night.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so odd about that?¡± ¡°If an unknown intruder had broken in to drug the meal, the dogs would have naturally barked, wouldn¡¯t they?¡± Adler¡¯s hand soon gently settled atop Charlotte¡¯s head as she stepped a pace closer to him. ¡°But what if that person was familiar to the dogs?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And what if that person was close enough to Mr. Straker to personally bring him ate dinner?¡± As she tilted her head from side to side, it really looked like she was enjoying Adler¡¯s touch right now. ¡°But did you know this? The stimnt mixed in the meal was quite potent; had it been any ordinary dish, it would have been detected almost immediately.¡± ¡°In that case¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it too much of a coincidence that curry, one of the few dishes that can mask such a strong taste, was served for dinner?¡± As she paused to catch her breath, the closed door slightly opened at that very moment. ¡°I¡¯ve brought what you requested earlier¡­¡± Just as the officer, holding something in her hand, attempted to step inside, she caught a glimpse of the tender scene unfolding before her eyes and halted in her tracks, even trailing off at the end of her words. ¡°What Mr. Straker was clutching tightly was a syringe, right?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, it was¡­¡± ¡°What about the substance inside?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll need to examine it to be sure, but¡­¡± ¡°Then take it back and have it examined. Most likely, it¡¯s a doping agent.¡± Charlotte signaled the officer to leave with a gesture of her hand, then shed a triumphant smile toward Adler. ¡°In conclusion, it¡¯s this.¡± She began excitedly piecing together her deductions. ¡°Mr. Straker¡¯s affair partner was a person who could roam the racetrackte in the evening without arousing any suspicion. Furthermore, she was someone with enough power to dictate the evening menu.¡± As she paced around the room, leaning back with confidence in each of her steps, she raised her voice ever so slightly. ¡°What if the person who drugged Mr. Straker, as nned, had then instructed a heavily drugged Mr. Straker to dope Silver ze?¡± She then turned her head to where Adler had been. ¡°That person would be the mastermind behind the case.¡± She was about to dere the solution of the riddle when¡­ ¡°And that person is¡­¡± She stopped mid-sentence, frozen in ce. ¡°Mr. Adler?¡± Adler, who was caressing her hair just moments ago, had vanished without a trace. ¡°He ran off on his own again?¡± Charlotte stared nkly at the dangling handcuffs, the same ones that had been snapped the day before. Slowly, her expression cooled. ¡°Such a bad habit you have¡­¡± . . . . . Thinking that solving the riddle too quickly might not be a good idea in this scenario, I quietly slipped away from Charlotte¡¯s side. Warning! ¨C Probability of Being Tamed ¡ª 20% ¡°Fuck. I¡¯m sorry.¡± However, upon seeing the terrifying message that appeared before my eyes, I instantly felt regret and hurriedly tried to return to Charlotte. But just then¡­ ¡°¡­ Adler.¡± To my bad luck, I ran straight into her. ¡°Just as you wanted, I got rid of Straker, who kept babbling without knowing anything.¡± She was the owner of the racetrack and the de facto owner of the demi-humans stabled in this ce. She also held a notorious reputation in the underworld¡ª a vile, cruel, and merciless woman. ¡°Though it didn¡¯t go as nned, getting rid of him not just from the job but from this world altogether, I guess it doesn¡¯t really matter now.¡± And with that, the mastermind behind this incident¡­ ¡°Because alllllll I need is you~¡± Somehow, with a wild ferocity in her eyes, it was none other than Colonel Rose, whispering these words to me while tremblingly pointing a gun at my side. ¡°Do you feel the same?¡± ¡°¡­ Do I even know you?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gotten quite cheeky, honey¡± At this point, it was clear¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s leave for the U.S. right now. I¡¯ve got all the business arrangements in ce already, and I¡¯ll ensure that you live a luxurious life without even lifting a finger for the rest of your life¡­¡± ¡°Please¡­ someone save me¡­.¡± It seemed like I was under a particrly bad curse. Rate and review us 5 stars on NU or face Naru¡¯s wrath¡­ You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 44: The Missing Case of Silver Blaze (6) Chapter 44: The Missing Case of Silver ze (6) A few minutes after escaping from Charlotte, I ended up getting caught by Colonel Rose. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°When did we first meet?¡± As I walked through the secret passage she had prepared in advance, I suddenly scratched my head and posed a question to Colonel Rose beside me. ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t you remember?¡± At that, her gaze momentarily donned a chilly light. ¡°I sponsored you when you were a nobody.¡± ¡°Ah, right.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been receiving regr sponsorships from me¡­ even in recent times.¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± Were all therge sums anonymously deposited into Isaac Adler¡¯s ount actually sent by her? However, the amount seemed a bit too much¡­ Perhaps before I possessed him, Isaac Adler had wooed several big sponsors like Colonel Rose to act as his sugar mommas. You really were a crazy son of a bitch, weren¡¯t you, Isaac Adler? The bitch had a st scamming all these women, but why should I, who had utterly nothing to do with it, suffer the consequences for his actions? ¡®¡­ Well, it can¡¯t be helped, I guess¡­¡¯ However, it wasn¡¯t the time to grumble like this. If I didn¡¯t want to end up with a hole in my head or be shipped to the U.S. in a box, I had to do something here. ¡°¡­ Why are you stopping?¡± As I halted my steps with that thought in mind, Colonel Rose tilted her head and tightened her grip on the gun that had been pointed at me. ¡°Trying to run away likest time?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t. This pistol was especially custom-made to hunt you.¡± She was right. Even though I was a powerful mage and a pureblooded vampire on top, with a high-powered mana pistol aimed at my head, there wasn¡¯t much I could do here. You had to chant to be able to use magic and transforming into a vampire would take way too much time. Moreover, it was broad daylight, so doubted whether I could harness the full extent of my powers. On the other hand, all Colonel Rose had to do was pull the trigger and I would be done in. Even if I somehow managed to dodge the first shot, she bore the title of Colonel and was in possession of an artifact-grade weapon. Just with those two modifiers alone, she could probably easily defeat most mid-level bosses, let alone someone like me. Moreover, I couldn¡¯t even send out Princess y, since her power had barely recovered enough to use basic telepathy magic. ¡°Yes, you were my first.¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm?¡± There was only one way left. ¡°Thinking about it, the only reason I am here now is all thanks to you.¡± ¡°Adler¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not realizing it until now.¡± Since I was young, I was confident in my persuasion skills. ¡°Why are you suddenly being so kind¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not resisting or acting cold like you did back then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°¡­ Why?¡± I had already seen many ways to handle this type of situation inics on intemunities. Of course, I wasn¡¯t sure if it would work in this particr situation, but there was nothing to lose here. ¡°Because I like you the most in the world.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Shall we hold hands?¡± As I said those words and gazed at Colonel Rose, the hand opposite to the one that held the gun to my head began to slowly lower. ¡°But that¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡± And soon after, she, blushing like a maiden in love, put her arms around mine. ¡®¡­ Has it already started?¡¯ The hard counter for a yandere was none other than rationality. . . . . . ¡°What shall we do first when we get to the U.S.? Should we go house hunting? Or leave that to my subordinates and travel? Or maybe¡­¡± ¡°If I¡¯m with Colonel Rose, anything is fine.¡± ¡°¡­ Ahh¡­¡± Colonel Rose, who had been rambling on with her eyes fixed on the road ahead soon trailed off upon hearing Adler¡¯s gentle voice. ¨C Shiver¡­ At the same time, the pistol aimed quietly at the back of Adler¡¯s head trembled ever so slightly. ¡°If you could have treated me this way from the beginning¡­ why didn¡¯t you¡­¡± ¡°That being said, I have a question.¡± Adler, who had been quietly observing her, calmly posed a question. ¡°What on earth did you put in the curry?¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± She stared at Adler, her eyes opened wide in surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush and tell me. Just in case, if we need to share a kiss to¡­¡± ¡°What are you even talking about?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Colonel Rose then tilted her head, asking in return. ¡°I didn¡¯t add anything to the curry.¡± ¡°Then why did you changest night¡¯s meal to curry?¡± ¡°I just felt like having curry yesterday¡­¡± A puzzled expression spread across Adler¡¯s face. ¡°Then, what did you do to Mr. Straker?¡± ¡°I entered his room under the pretext of bringing him ate dinner.¡± With that, began Colonel Rose¡¯s testimony¡­ ¡°As you know, despite him having a wife, he¡¯s in love with me. If I say something, he¡¯d blindly follow my every word.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I guess.¡± ¡°So, I simply asked him to give Silver ze a doping injection.¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s it?¡± Adler, who had already gone wide-eyed in disbelief, soon furrowed his brows and asked again. ¡°Yeah, I nned to frame him and cover up my trackster on. But then, all of a sudden, he died.¡± ¡°Then, what about the drug in the curry?¡± ¡°Oh, that slipped my mind, sorry. I had indeed delivered a drugged meal to him, however, that was intended for the Demi-Human he was training.¡± Colonel Rose pped her hands and mumbled, and then scratched her head. ¡°But that¡­ it¡¯s just a mild drug, right?¡± ¡°So¡­ there¡¯s no chance of him suddenly bing aggressive or brutal if he ate it?¡± ¡°None? That¡¯s a drug specifically for the demi-humans. For us, it¡¯d just make our senses a bit sharper. Nothing more.¡± At that, Adler fell deep into thought, his expression nk. ¡°¡­ Then, why did Straker¡­?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter now.¡± Colonel Rose, whose hand had been interlocked with his, gently tightened her grip, pausing in her steps with a soft smile. ¡°We are leaving this ce today.¡± At the same time, a massive door began to open. ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve even gathered these loyal subordinates to apany us.¡± Adler¡¯s eyes widened as he took a step back due to the immense vibration that the door made while opening. ¡°How¡¯s that, honey?¡± A significant number of demi-humans were bowing their heads just in front of them. ¡°It¡¯s all good but¡­ if such arge number of people move, we will surely be noticed¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll split up and operate in small elite groups. The ones escorting us will be the most trustworthy among them.¡± ¡°¡­ Will all the demi-humans follow ourmands?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll have no choice but to do so.¡± Colonel Rose, seeing the doubt in Adler¡¯s eyes, took out a bundle of documents from her possession and waved them before his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your contract magic, Adler.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°It¡¯s fascinating how you, who can¡¯t perform any other magic, excel in this one more than anyone else in the world¡­¡± Just as Adler broke into a cold sweat due to the array of resentful stares directed at him from before him¡­ ¡°¡­ This seems to be different from what you¡¯ve said before.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± From behind the demi-humans, a chilling voice began to resonate. ¡°Didn¡¯t you clearly say you¡¯d hand Adler over to me?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s that¡­?¡± ¡°Did I really say that?¡± As the silhouette of a new figure, obscured by darkness, began to emerge from between the crowd, Adler¡¯s pupils widened in astonishment while a cold smile crept onto Colonel Rose¡¯s lips. ¡°All I did was provide you with a hiding ce in exchange for kidnapping the demi-humans from the back alleys.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know who¡¯s the boss here and who¡¯s not?¡± A haughty voice then flowed out of her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly what you¡¯re up to, but you¡¯re no longer needed.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯d be best if you leave gracefully when you¡¯re told to.¡± Saying those words, she gestured dismissively toward the shadowy figure. ¨C Sqwelp¡­! ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± However, with the sound of something piercing, a gasping breath soon escaped from Colonel Rose¡¯s mouth. ¡°Ugh, erk¡­¡± ¡°Since it looked fun, I helped you out a little with that insignificant n of yours¡­ and this is how you repay me¡­?¡± With a bewildered expression, Colonel Rose, her body staggering, soon realized that her chest was pierced by a ck knife and fell to her knees. ¡°I should¡¯ve just killed you when I had merged1Okay so, this is something that the readers will truly understand wayter into the story but basically this mysterious being can be other people¡­ with Straker back then.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why I always have such bad luck with my employers.¡± Suddenly, in front of her, a mysterious shadowy figure appeared, gently caressing her chin with its dark, shadowy hands. ¡°¡­ Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Wh-wh-wh-who are you?¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± As the shadowy entity turned its head, revealing a chilling smile, a pale-faced Adler began to step back¡­ toward the ce where the demi-humans were. ¨C Bang! Just then, the sound of gunshots echoed inside the dim shelter. ¨C Bang! Bang! Bang! ¡°Run¡­ Adler¡­¡± Colonel Rose, her face deathly pale, was firing her pistol at the mysterious figure before her. ¡°¡­ How pitiful.¡± However, the being veiled in shadows, seemingly unfazed as it gazed down at the holes forming in its own body, soon murmured in a voice tinged with mockughter. ¨C Clink, clink¡­ ¡°Do you really think you can harm me with a toy like this?¡± A weapon that could usually bring down any mid-level boss was effortlessly destroyed with a mere gesture from the being veiled by intertwined shadows. ¨C Crackle¡­! ¡°Adler¡­¡± Then, once again, a chilling sound of something being pierced echoed inside the shelter, followed by Colonel Rose¡¯s faint groan. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± Shortly after, the mysterious figure, which had been silently surveying the basement engulfed in terror, lit up its eyes and spoke in an excited tone. ¡°Hello, Adler?¡± Facing the very entity the figure so desperately desired, they felt a shiver of ecstasy run down their spine. ¡°I love you~!¡± . . . . . ??? feels a chilling tenderness toward you! ¡°Love my ass¡­¡± With my eyes opened wide in surprise, I kept stumbling backward in fright. Only when I saw the message before me was I able to realize¡­ ¡°I really, really, really, really love you¡­¡± ¡®That creature is the cause of the erosion.¡¯ Every time I didn¡¯t directly intervene in an event, the erosion rate would mysteriously increase without any clear reason. Warning! Erosion Rate ¡ª 6% ¡ú 15% The cause was now present right before me. ¡®I need to run away.¡¯ Even without witnessing Colonel Rose¡¯s recent struggle, I knew all too well¡­ ¡­ That, I needed to escape immediately¡­ ¡­ That I had to run without even thinking about looking back¡­ ¡°You¡¯re running away?¡± However, whether she had already sensed my intention or not, the shadowy figure holding a knife, as ck as the darkness of the night itself, tilted her head and spoke. ¡°If you run away, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Of course, even if I didn¡¯t run, she was clearly intent on killing me, so her threat really didn¡¯t carry much weight. ¡°The demi-humans behind you¡­¡± But upon hearing the next wordsing out of her mouth¡­ ¡°And the girl who was hanging out with you just now. I will kill them all¡­¡± I had no choice but to step forward and face the mysterious figure right now. Warning! ¨C Probability of Assassination ¡ª 40% ¡ú 99% ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± I was truly grateful that I left Charlotte behind. . . . . . How much time had passed since then? ¡°Hands up, the police are here!¡± ¡°Surrender!¡± With the help of Charlotte Holmes, the officers and the police force burst through the door of the secret hideout inside the racetrack, shouting at the top of their lungs. ¡°Drop your weapons and stay where¡­¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± However, after only a few steps, they had to abruptly halt in their tracks¡­ ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡± Isaac Adler, whose abdomen had been gruesomely shed, sat leaning against a wall,boriously breathing as he greeted them. ¡°¡­ Adler?¡± The moment Charlotte, who had been confidently leading the police instead of an officer from the front, confirmed the sight with a dazed expression¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Holmes¡­¡± ¡­ With a bright smile on his face, Adler began to speak. ¡°I seemed to have ruined the riddle¡­¡± His eyes began to lose their focus. ¡°¡­ Well, it¡¯s okay as long as you¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± For the first time in her life, a look of sheer terror began to manifest on Charlotte Holmes¡¯ face. EP Note: Hello guys, Paradox here. So, it hase to my attention that many of you guys don¡¯t really understand what the Probability in the title means and what is Adler¡¯s significance to the story. If you already know then you don¡¯t need to read this note because the exnation will be lengthy¡­ So, from what I have surmised reading through quite a bit into this novel, the probability is more like usibility here. Let me exin what this means. So, in the very second chapter of the novel we see the MC rattling on about how the game was abysmal and how it didn¡¯t make sense if hepared it to the original Sherlock Holmes novels. The characters were dumb and many things just didn¡¯t add up since the writers and the development team made such a shitshow of a story. Hence why MC had raged about the story in his passionate email that we see in the first part of Chapter 2. So, what MC is really doing here is to get the story and the world to make sense. Let me be clearer, in the Viin Maker quest it is described as¡­ Fulfilling the Probability of Professor Moriarty¡¯s Appearance. Here, what the author really meant was his mission is to make Moriarty being the final boss have a usible meaning or be usible in ordance with the world. In the game, it is mentioned that Moriarty suddenly appeared as the final boss of the game, had a battle in the Reichenbach Falls, and was defeated by Holmes, at the end. Her being the final boss had no meaning. It was all a bit too abrupt, and her appearance and defeat were more of aical cameo rather than a full-blown ending fight. It was a fatal w of the game and MC was very angry about it as he mentioned in Chapter 2. So, by that mission, essentially, MC was tasked with giving her a backstory with the flow of the world and giving her a purpose in the world which she did not really have in the game. So, you see guys, what Bing Professor Moriarty¡¯s Probability really means in essence is that he needs to make Moriarty being the final boss in the game be an event that has a usible reason in the world and not just be some one-off event that served no purpose at all other than to be some final hurdle for Holmes to topple with some struggle and ultimately add no meaning to this world. Adler is here to make the world have usibility, have a meaning, and have every character go through a believable development to reach their respective roles. That is what being the probability of the world means and he is that. Hope this made some sense to you guys even though I am dogshit in exining things. So, the final point I am making here is that every time you see a probability modifier, except for the warning messages showing the probability of him being kidnapped or murdered or whatnot, then it means that he has to steer the event in a direction that would make it have some sense and if he is unable to the world would lose its rationality, its meaning, its purpose, its usibility, and thus its probability, ultimately meeting its end. Since there really is no need for a world that doesn¡¯t have any sense now, is there? If you want to talk more about this topic, you can hit me up on the discord channel in Genesis. Peace! Rate and review us 5 stars on NU or face Naru¡¯s wrath¡­ You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 45: The Worst Criminal Chapter 45: The Worst Criminal When Isaac Adler vanished from her side, Charlotte Holmes didn¡¯t really feel much concern about his sudden disappearance. At most, he must have gone to destroy some evidence or create another riddle for her. Or maybe he just wanted to see her reaction as he disappeared right under her nose. In truth, either was fine for her. Contrary to her expectations, this riddle was a bit too easy for her liking. If a bit more entertainment was added on top then she would definitely wee it with open arms. ¡°Gurgle, gurgle¡­¡± However, she certainly didn¡¯t wish for anything remotely simr to what was transpiring before her eyes to ur. ¡°No!!!¡± As Adler finished speaking, while vomiting blood incessantly, he soon copsed on the ground. Meanwhile, a frozen Charlotte Holmes rushed to him with unbridled desperation apanying her every step. ¡°Hey, snap out of it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Wake up, Isaac Adler!¡± Before long, holding the blood-soaked Adler in her arms, she began to plead like a beggar, stroking his ice-cold cheek with her hands. ¡°I¡¯m feeling sleepy, Miss Holmes¡­¡± ¡°No! Don¡¯t close your eyes on me. If you do then I¡¯ll kill you!!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Please¡­ I beg of you¡­¡± But despite her best efforts, Adler¡¯s eyes slowly closed shut. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± And then, silence ensued inside the room of horror. ¡°Call a doctor¡­ get a doctor¡­!¡± ¡°From what I see, it might already be toote¡­¡± ¡°Now!!!¡± Charlotte, terrified out of her wits end as she held a dying Adler in her arms, shouted at the police officers behind her with a trembling voice. ¡°Mr. Adler, I¡¯ve called for a doctor. So please, hang on for a bit longer.¡± Then, with the police officers rushing down the corridor to get a doctor, she whispered to Adler with a voice that she had been forced to calm down through her sheer willpower alone. ¡°There¡¯s still hope. Once the doctor arrives, you might get better. So¡­¡± However, as soon as she looked down, Charlotte¡¯s voice faltered and her body stiffened¡­ ¡°So¡­¡± Adler¡¯s injuries were far too severe for him to survive this ordeal. Blood was incessantly oozing from the mercilessly shed and mangled abdomen, and his internal organs had already been ruptured. ¡°Ah¡­ ah¡­¡± Upon witnessing that dreadful sight once again, Charlotte, with trembling hands, reached out to try and stop the incessant bleeding. But given the size and intensity of the wound, it was, unsurprisingly, a meaningless endeavor. ¡°¡­ What¡¯s this.¡± A new wound reflected in her eyes¡ª eyes that were slowly being encroached by the hues of despair. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Bright red handprints, as though someone had violently choked him, were clearly visible on Adler¡¯s neck. ¡°Who did this¡­¡± The peculiar thing about it was¡­ only the marks of a left hand remained on his neck. That could only mean that the assant had choked Adler¡¯s neck with one hand alone while stabbing him in the abdomen with the other. Isaac Adler had fought against such a powerful being all alone. ¡°What kind of abhorrent bastard would do something like this¡­¡± Charlotte, shaking uncontrobly, murmured as she buried her head in Adler¡¯s chest. ¡°¡­ Even if they held a grudge, there¡¯s a limit.¡± Only now was she able to get an inkling of why Adler had suddenly disappeared without a word, leaving her behind at the crime scene. ¡°There was no need to go this far¡­¡± The image of Isaac, murmuring in relief at seeing her safe and then subsequently losing consciousness, was shing in her mind. ¡°Miss Holmes¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­!¡± And at that exact moment¡­ ¡°¡­ Run away.¡± From the lips of Adler, whose eyes remained closed even now, a faint voice began to emerge. ¡°Adler? What are you even talking about¡­?¡± Charlotte, clutching his hand and choking up at the realization that Adler was still alive, couldn¡¯t help but don a look of confusion as she intently listened to his words. ¡°She¡¯s still¡­ here¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Runnn¡­¡± And then, her gaze slowly gained a chilling light. ¡°You¡¯ve finally noticed¡­¡± A sinister voice began to echo from behind the duo. ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m not done yet.¡± The shadowy figure that had reappeared in the room out of the blue moved forward with a chilling smile on her face, veiled in the cloak of darkness. ¡°Could you move aside?¡± At the figure¡¯s yful request filled with mockughter, Charlotte Holmes silently rose from her position. ¡°¡­ Is it you?¡± In her metallic-grey gaze, directed at the mysterious being before her, there was an undeniable presence of unadulterated fury. . . . . . ¨C Whoooosh¡­ The room was soon filled with a dark and murky energy. ¡°You¡¯re quite something¡­ little one.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± In this absolute darkness, where no trace of light could be found, the voice of the being veiled in shadows resonated clearly. ¡°You use ck mana. I¡¯ve killed many, but this is a color I¡¯ve never seen before.¡± ¡°¡­ Shut up.¡± ¡°It¡¯s powerful and discreet. The range of the attacks is also very wide. Most mages wouldn¡¯t even stand a chance against it. However¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± Just as the incessantly chattering voice seemed to momentarily pause, a sharp attack suddenly flew in from right beside Charlotte. ¡°¡­ The user is still inexperienced.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Narrowly dodging the attack, a shallow cut appeared on Charlotte¡¯s cheek. ¡°¡­ How did you dodge that?¡± Looking puzzled at the sight, the being disappeared in an instant once again. ¨C Whizz¡­ ¡°Ah, I see now.¡± However, as Charlotte managed to block the next attack when the shadowy figure reappeared, the corners of her lips curled up into a knowing smirk. ¡°¡­ You¡¯re a genius, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¨C Whizz¡­ The knife of the being, veiled in multyered shadows, blocked by Charlotte¡¯s mana, was trembling ever so slightly. ¡°In this limited space, I can see your every move, even those that you haven¡¯t even made yet.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already calcted two steps ahead.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that so?¡± The moment she finished speaking, the knife, clutched in the hands of the mysterious being, flew toward Isaac Adler, his frail body still leaning against the wall. ¡°So, why not surrender now?¡± Yet, without faltering, Charlotte conjured a hunting whip with her ck mana, batting away the knife that was headed toward Adler. ¡°I¡¯llmend you forpensating yourck of practical experience with your brilliant intellect.¡± However, Charlotte¡¯s gaze couldn¡¯t help but waver. ¡°¡­ But you see, I am¡­ a variable.¡± That was because the knife she had most definitely deflected with her whip was now, inexplicably, aimed at Adler¡¯s throat once more. ¡°And I¡¯m more confident inbat than anyone else.¡± ¡°¡­ Stop this.¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± As Charlotte hastily opened her mouth and took a step forward, the ominous being¡¯s knife wriggled once more, lightly grazing Adler¡¯s cheek. ¡°Today, I¡¯m going to kill Isaac Adler. I have no intention of killing you, so would you mind stepping aside?¡± ¡°¡­ Why¡­¡± ¡°Killing someone else on the day I kill Adler feels wrong, you know? Besides, I¡¯m not even sure if I can kill you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked.¡± Charlotte, who clenched her fists as she watched the blood trickle down Adler¡¯s cheek, gritted her teeth and posed the question once more. ¡°¡­ Why are you trying to kill Isaac Adler?¡± ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± The being veiled in innumerable shadows responded with a faintugh. ¡°¡­ Because I love him.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I love Isaac Adler.¡± The body of the being began to tremble. ¡°There might be many in this world who like him, but I¡¯m probably the one who likes him the most. No, I¡¯m certain of that fact.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then why¡­¡± ¡°To be the only one.¡± Then began her rambling justification¡­ ¡°By killing Isaac Adler, I would be reborn as the sole holder of his identity. The final destination of the man called Isaac Adler¡­ The final destination of his life and fate will all converge onto me, I will be it all.¡±1Basically, as I said in the previous chapter, it pertains to this being¡¯s ability to take on another person¡¯s form after killing them. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I want to torture Isaac again. I want to strangle his neck once more. I want to disembody his cold, lifeless body and carry the pieces with me. I want to make him into a doll and embrace him for all eternity¡­¡± ¡°¡­ What are you?¡± Charlotte Holmes, who couldn¡¯t bear to listen to that rant any longer, asked with an icy cold voice. ¡°I love him, I love him, I love him¡­¡± ¡°What are you?¡± ¡°¡­ Me?¡± Then the shadowy figure, ying coyly with her fingers, murmured shyly and tilted her head to the side. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not really sure anymore.¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense¡­¡± ¡°Oh, there¡¯s a name the newspapers have been calling metely.¡± The mysterious being¡¯s eyes glowed ominously as she spoke, ¡°Jack the Ripper¡­ was it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a strange name, isn¡¯t it?¡± After saying that, the shadowy being, scratching her head, soon added with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m a woman, but they call me Jack?¡± The serial killer who swept through Whitechapel, plunging all of Ennd into a cauldron of terror¡­ Despite all they had done, the identity of the worst criminal in all of history had never been revealed to the world even on modern-day Earth¡­ Hence, their very existence directly contradicted the theory that Sherlock Holmes was a real person, serving as the sole evidence against the famous detective¡¯s existence. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Jill the Ripper be a better fit?¡± And thus, Jill the Ripper made her appearance in this twisted world. . . . . . Barely clinging to my fading consciousness and observing the situation, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle when I saw the message appearing before my eyes. Jill the Ripper is obsessed with you! Warning! Erosion Rate ¡ª 15% ¡ú 20% ¡®¡­ She¡¯s really crossing the line here.¡¯ The one who had not even been screened, who wasn¡¯t even supposed to appear in the game in the first ce, was, for some inexplicable reason, smiling at me¡ª standing right in front of my eyes. ¨C Crackle, crackle!! ¡°¡­ Hm?¡± However, that smile of hers had now met its end. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± When the door, which had been sealed shut due to Jill the Ripper¡¯s machinations, was suddenly shattered, she tilted her head and shifted her gaze to that ce. ¡°Who are you?¡± Silently passing by her blurry figure, a familiar face started approaching me. ?Please save me, Professor¡­? ¡°¡­ Mr. Adler.¡± From the hand of Professor Moriarty, who seemed to have hurried to this ce and was thus heavily panting, the faintly glowing messages that I had sent out as ast resort just before falling into Jill the Ripper¡¯s clutches, glowed with a dim light. ¡°Professor¡­¡± Gazing at the message with a faint smile on my lips, I, lost consciousness while murmuring in a feeble voice. By that point, the professor had already reached right in front of me. ¡°¡­ There seems to be an error in the riddle.¡± Thest thing I remembered was Professor Moriarty¡¯s contorted face, holding an expression I could never have imagined she¡¯d wear on her face. Rate and review us 5 stars on NU or face Naru¡¯s wrath¡­ You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 46: The Professor and the Slave Chapter 46: The Professor and the ve ¡°¡­ Mr Adler.¡± Jane Moriarty ¨C looking down at Isaac Adler, whose eyes had already closed, in front of her ¨C quietly opened her mouth to call out to him. ¡°Get up.¡± Usually, her assistant would respond to such calls with a subtle smile on his face, or with a slightly tense yet cute expression¡ª an expression that she found to be endearing. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± But now, there was no answer in response to hermand as hey there before her like a corpse. And the cause for that behavior of his was all too clear in Professor Moriarty¡¯s eyes, without any need for examination or investigation. ¡°¡­ Isaac.¡± Moriarty¡¯s hand, kneeling in front of Adler, brushed over the brutally mutted abdomen of her assistant, the injured organs, and the red handprints on his neck. ?Please save me, Professor.? And then, the hastily written message, unlike Adler¡¯s usual writing style, he had written to her appeared before her eyes; soaked in his incessantly leaking blood. ¡°Look here¡­¡± At that moment, a voice mixed withughter and bloodthirst came from behind the professor, who was nkly staring at the scene. ¡°Who are you?¡± A human silhouette, wrapped in multyered shadows, was tilting its head, disying a chilling smile to her. ¡°¡­ That doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± Professor Moriarty, who had been quietly observing the scene, finally stood up from her ce. ¡°What you need to know right now is only one thing.¡± The expression that had appeared on her face when she heard Adler¡¯s faint whisper, as he closed his eyes before her, was nowhere to be seen any longer. ¡°¡­ Today, you won¡¯t be able to escape from this ce in one piece.¡± She took a brief moment to take in her surroundings, but that only served to intensify the turmoil within her, the turmoil that was churning more than ever before. ¡°For the first time in my life, I feel something this strongly, other than concern¡­¡± And then, in the very next moment. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­.!!!¡±¡± Professor Moriarty¡¯s body began to emanate a powerful grey aura, something one could hardly believe a human could possibly produce. ¡°¡­ So that was the true extent of your powers, huh¡­¡± ¡°Huh, weren¡¯t you human?¡± Charlotte Holmes, who had been ring daggers at the mysterious figure and waiting for a chance to strike, quietly retreated once she felt the pressure that Professor Moriarty leaked on the surroundings as she invoked her mana. Meanwhile, Jill the Reaper, who had beenughing until then, showed a slight hint of surprise on her face obscured by shadows. ¡°What, are you turning into a dragon or something?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Guess not? You look pretty human to me.¡± Then, she showed a disappointed expression on her face, clicking her tongue in the process. ¡°I want to fight, but¡­ it¡¯s not the weekend yet, so it¡¯s not really feasible.¡± Jill the Reaper, chuckling with a twinkle in her eyes, waved her hand in a gesture of farewell. ¡°Well, see you on the weekend, I guess¡­?¡± With that, her legs began to melt into the ground, as though merging with it¡­ ¨C Gwoosh¡­ Professor Moriarty¡¯s grey mana rushed towards her at a terrifying speed. However, Jill the Reaper was a tad bit quicker in her escape¡­ ¡°Be careful on the night roads until then¡­¡± Jill the Reaper whispered those threatening words in a chilling voice to Professor Moriarty, who was coldly ring at her. ¨C Bang!!! ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± Her pupils suddenly constricted with the echoing sound of a gunshot. ¡°I should have¡­ from the start¡­ Cough¡ª¡± Colonel Rose, who had been lying on the ground until then, smiled faintly upon seeing the scene. ¡°I should have aimed for the head¡­¡± Charlotte Holmes, after infusing her malfunctioning pistol with her ck mana, forcibly fired a bullet, directly hitting Jill the Reaper in the head. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± It was unclear whether aiming for the head, as Colonel Rose had suggested, was the right move or if it was due to the effects of Charlotte Holmes¡¯ unique mana¡­ ¡­ However, the shot was enough to momentarily halt Jill the Reaper from merging into the ground¡­ ¡°What did I tell you?¡± Jane Moriarty began to murmur to her, with an expression as if she had anticipated all of this from the very start, in a voice that was unexpectedly emotional for an emotionless being like her. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say you wouldn¡¯t be able to leave in one piece?¡± ¡°¡­ Cough¡ª?¡± Her mana began to seep into Jill the Reaper, who hadn¡¯t been able topletely hide her body in time. ¨C Clench, clennch¡­ ¡°Isaac Adler is mine.¡± Struggling for a moment, she ultimately began to melt into the ground once more and vanished from this ce like smoke vanished into the air. ¡°You¡¯ve touched what you shouldn¡¯t have,¡± Professor Moriarty, who had been obsessively infusing her mana even as all traces of Jill the Ripper disappeared from the scene, finally withdrew her grey mana and spoke even as the surroundings calmed down. ¡°¡­ The next time we meet, you¡¯ll pay the price for your transgressions in full.¡± ¡°Stay back!¡± From a distance, police officers, apanied by doctors, started rushing into the room. . . . . . ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± A soft voice echoed in his ear. ¡°Mr. Adler¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± The voice was soft and pleasant to the ear, but for some reason, it felt as though the voice demanded an immediate response from me. ¡°Professor.¡± Without even realizing, I responded to that voice and opened my eyes, and a familiar weing face came into view. ¡°¡­ Is this, perhaps, heaven?¡± ¡°Stop talking like an idiot.¡± For a moment, I stared nkly at her enchanting face. But when I jokingly asked that question, the professor responded with a small chuckle stretching her lips. ¡°There¡¯s no way we would be in heaven.¡± There were dark circles under her eyes that seemed more pronounced than ever before. ¡°To be precise, you didn¡¯t die. It¡¯s been a week since I rescued you from that ce.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯ve been in this hospital room for a whole week?¡± ¡°Yes, you were quite close to never opening your eyes again.¡± She murmured in a slightly somber tone, then pointed at Princess y lying on the distant desk. ¡°Fortunately, that remarkable child was carrying arge amount of your blood..¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not all. To save you, I summoned doctors from everywhere. It was a major surgery thatsted for a whopping 17 hours.¡± ¡°¡­ I see.¡± ¡°Now, I¡¯m practically broke because of it.¡± However, Professor Moriarty, even as she said those words, wasughing softly and tilting her head in her usual cutesy manner. ¡°¡­ Professor.¡± For a moment, I nkly watched her, then quietly spoke. ¡°You¡¯re so cute.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°You tilt your head from side to side, just like a lizard. I find it cute every time I see you do that.¡± For a moment, her expression became vacant after hearing my daring words. ¡°¡­ Do you have a death wish?¡± ¡°Well, yes, but not really.¡± Then, I replied with a smile at her murmured response. ¡°It¡¯s something I wanted to say at least once before dying.¡± Then, a chilling silence ensued¡­ Warning! ¨C Probability of Assassination ¡ª 99% ¡°Professor, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll live for long.¡± In that silence, while still looking at the unchanged probability of my certain death, I began to speak in a calm voice. ¡°I think I might die soon.¡± ¡°Mr. Adler?¡± ¡°I at least hoped to see you be the Queen of Crime before my death¡­¡± There was no change in the professor¡¯s expression. Well, of course, that¡¯s how Jane Moriarty should be. Unfeeling. Emotionless. Unchanging. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Professor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°For not being with you till the end.¡± With a relieved heart, I sincerely apologized to her. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Then, Professor Moriarty, who had been silently staring at me, quietly rose from her seat. ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± She then sat down next to me and held my hand. ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°¡­ Why?¡± There was a certain gleam in her eyes as she spoke her next words. ¡°Because this London is my territory.¡± Soon after, her pale hand began to gently caress my cheek. ¡°You belong to that territory; you are my possession.¡± Her expression remained unchanged even as she said those words. ¡°But you dare think of dying without my permission?¡± However, for some reason, the atmosphere felt different than before. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again. You won¡¯t die.¡± Overwhelmed by the atmosphere, I looked up at the professor and at that very moment, she leaned closer and whispered softly in my ear. ¡°Because¡­ I¡¯ve decided that you won¡¯t.¡± That was the exact moment¡­ Probability of Assassination ¡ª 99% ¡ú 1% ¡­ A miracle transpired. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve genuinely wanted to protect someone.¡± As the message appeared before my eyes, I couldn¡¯t help but look at it with a dazed expression. Then, I could feel Professor Moriarty gently brushing my head and gripping my hand tightly with a dark smile on her lips. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll take responsibility for you.¡± If the professor was like this, perhaps she could truly take responsibility for me for a lifeti¡­ Probability of Abduction ¡ª 50% ¡ú 25% Warning! ¨C Probability of Confinement ¡ª 70% ¡ú 80% ¨C Probability of being Tamed ¡ª 20% ¡ú 50% ¨C Probability of ??? ¡ª 40% ¡ú 60% No, scratch that shit. I am fucked¡­ . . . . . ¡°¡­ Excuse me, Professor.¡± Isaac Adler, who had been sweating profusely under Professor Moriarty¡¯s caresses for quite some time, opened his mouth as if he had suddenly remembered something. ¡°By the way, how was the case resolved?¡± ¡°Are you talking about Silver ze¡¯s request?¡± With that, Jane Moriarty began her story, tapping Isaac Adler¡¯s forehead with her finger. ¡°Of course, I took care of the aftermath. Thanks to Colonel Rose¡¯s blind cooperation, it was easier for me to solve everything.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°Articles exaggerating the racial discrimination of demi-humans that took ce at her racetrack hit London consecutively for the past week.¡± ¡°¡­ The atmosphere outside must be quite intense right now.¡± ¡°The Demi-Human races all over Ennd are on the verge of rioting. And the epicenter of it all should have just finished her interview by now.¡± ¡°You mean Miss ze?¡± As Adler quietly listened to the story, a spark of energy returned to his eyes, causing Professor Moriarty to slightly furrow her brows. ¡°She¡¯ll probably be here in a bit.¡± ¨C Knock, knock, knock¡­! ¡°Speak of the devil¡­¡± Just then, a knocking sound began to resound from the door of the room. ¡°Prepare the contract magic. Surprisingly, you¡¯re better at it than I am¡­¡± With a smile once again stretching her face, Jane Moriarty headed towards the door but suddenly stopped in her tracks. ¡°¡­ What is it?¡± Then, tilting her head, she looked out of the window with a cold light in her eyes. ¨C Screech¡­ At that moment, the door opened, and Silver ze, with droopy ears and tail, entered the room. ¡°M, Mr. Adler¡­¡± Momentster, after ncing between the professor and Adler for a moment, she opened her mouth in a trembling voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Silver ze, her tailpletely hidden between her legs, continued to speak with a choked-up voice. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hide it¡­ my eyes¡­¡± Only then did Adler notice that her eyes were tinged with a familiar golden hue and his mouth fell open in utter shock and bewilderment. ¡°I found outte about what happened to you that day¡­ through my colleagues¡­¡± ¡°Um, excuse me¡­¡± ¡°Before I knew it, my heart¡­¡± Overwhelmed by fear and unable to finish her words, Silver ze knelt before Adler, burying her face in her hands as she spoke again. ¡°¡­ I¡¯vemitted a grave sin.¡± The reporters swarming the hospital were reflected in Professor Moriarty¡¯s eyes as she stared out the window with an expressionless face. ¡°As per our contract, you can do whatever you want with me¡­¡± Silver ze willingly submits to you. ¡°¡­ Please, punish this foolish and worthless Demi-Human.¡± It was the beginning of a scandal that shook the entirety of Ennd, a scandal that not even the British government itself or the Bohemian royalty could hope to cover up. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 47: Gia Lestrade Chapter 47: Gia Lestrade ¡°Mr. Adler, it¡¯s morning already.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Time to get up.¡± Even if it was only due to the probability of my life ending went from 99 percent to 1 percent, I had been quite excited about by the professor¡¯s vow to protect me. I had even be expectant due to her words. ¡°¡­ I know, Professor.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± But after a few days had passed, I began to realize that something was terribly wrong with that promise of hers. ¡°¡­ You should get up first, Professor.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get up when you get up.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m still feeling sleepy¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that the professor was really protecting me. Ever since that day, the professor had moved my residence to her office, practically spending every moment with me. The problem here was that¡­ the contents and methods of her protection were getting seriously excessive. ¡°It¡¯s almost time for you to go to the restroom, right? You always conduct your morning routine at this time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Studying, eating, using the restroom, and even sleeping and waking up. I did all of that while being practically glued to the professor for the past few days. ¡°Adler, why are you making that face?¡± ¡°¡­ Isn¡¯t it a bit much to use the restroom together and also to share the same bed?¡± Getting the feeling that if I didn¡¯t point it out now, I¡¯d never be able to do so again, I asked the question while scratching my head awkwardly. ¡°Adler, if we sleep separately and you suddenly get attacked, my response would be dyed.¡± Then, Professor Moriarty, who was hugging me from behind while lying on the bed, began to answer with a slight smile on her face after hearing my words. ¡°That may be true¡­¡± ¡°Our enemy can appear anywhere, and at anytime, hiding in the depths of the treacherous shadows. We must never let our guard down.¡± Finishing her words, the professor held me a bit tighter than before and rested her small head on my shoulder. ¡°I said I¡¯d protect you, and I¡¯ll do it by any means necessary.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°You brought this upon yourself, so I won¡¯t ept any objections.¡± Wasn¡¯t this practically confinement in the name of protection then? ¡°I want to go for a walk today, Professor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous outside, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°¡­ Would it be alright if I¡¯m with you then, Professor?¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll permit a walk around the academy grounds.¡± Hmm, it seemed that this approach was correct. This was a clever way to exploit a loophole in the system of confinement. ¡®It¡¯s a bit dangerous¡­¡¯ Excluding a few characters, being confined was a factor that directly lead to a bad ending. So, I felt I needed to do something before the system recognized this situation as confinement. ¡°Professor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be in trouble if we continue.¡± With that thought in mind, I turned around and started whispering to the professor with a slightly serious look in my face. ¡°I¡¯m a man, after all.¡± At that, the professor characteristically tilted her head to the side in her unique cutesy manner. ¡°If you keep touching me like this, I might end up making a move on you again.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I guess you haven¡¯t thought about that, have you?¡± As she stopped tilting her head and gazed deeply at me, I tried to look as masculine as possible and hugged her in my arms. ¡°¡­ From what I see, you seem to have a tendency to put yourself in trouble.¡± After showing a confident look for a while, the professor quietly leaned closer to me. ¡°Is it because you¡¯re not normal, just like me?¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m just average¡­¡± ¡°Average people don¡¯t say that they have found a new riddle with a cheerful expression on their face when they have quite literally been stabbed and are losing consciousness.¡± Her unsettling smile, eerily simr to that of a sly lizard, was so chilling that it inadvertently chipped away at my confident demeanor¡­ ¡°Even when dying from a stomach wound, you only seem saddened by the fact that there is an error in the riddle you have conjured.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You unconsciously make remarks and actions that drive women crazy while maintaining an innocent look¡­¡± At the same time, the professor began caressing my cheek. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve acted that way intentionally during cases a few times, but doing so unknowingly is not¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Adler, if you do that with others aside from me, you might get into serious trouble.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°People¡¯s patience can be surprisingly limited.¡± The professor¡¯s gaze was somewhat different than usual, so I quietly nodded and reverted back to my usual demeanor as her faithful assistant. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m still very curious about you.¡± However, the professor¡¯s demeanor remained the same even now¡­ ¡°What are you exactly, a good person or a bad one?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°What had you done before bing a student that you¡¯re so unfazed by such incidents?¡± While being pressed continuously by her in that manner, I broke into a cold sweat when, ¨C Knock, knock, knock¡­ Someone began knocking on the door of the office. ¡°I¡¯d like to delve deeper, but we have a visitor. We¡¯ll continue this discussionter¡­¡± With that, Professor Moriarty gently released me from her embrace and seated me beside her. ¡°Come in.¡± ¨C Creak¡­ Sitting on a makeshift bed, as I blushed and lowered my head to the ground, I saw the door being quietly opened. ¡°¡­.. Huh?¡± Upon seeing the people who entered, I couldn¡¯t help but widen my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s been a while~¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± A figure I had never expected to see here¡ª Mycrony Holmes, stood before us, apanying her younger sister, Charlotte Holmes. ¡°¡­ Who are you?¡± ¡°Oh my, pretending not to know?¡± As I nkly stared at them, Professor Moriarty and Mycrony Holmes began their conversation in earnest, eyeing each other with chilling res. ¡°Even a professor of the renowned August Academy can¡¯t really recognize someone they¡¯ve never met in their lives now, can they?¡± ¡°If you insist on ying the foolish idiot then¡­ let¡¯s just say that I¡¯m the person who has been tormenting you for the past month.¡± ¡°So you were the one behind Miss Charlotte Holmes?¡± At the prospect of the two of the most powerful beings in the world shing against each other, a situation akin to a catastrophe that should never ur, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill running down my spine. ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± However, at that moment¡ª from behind the sibling duo, a new face began to emerge. ¡°You seem to havee fully prepared?¡± Recognizing the face, Professor Moriarty chuckled and murmured. ¡°Seeing that you brought that child, it seems to be the case.¡± ¡°¡­ I truly apologize.¡± Every single day for the past month, she had followed closely behind me¡ª the most powerful individual at the August Detective Academy. ¡°You¡¯ll have to cooperate, Professor.¡± Gia Lestrade had finally made her appearance. . . . . . ¡°So, what¡¯s the reason you¡¯vee barging into my office with such hefty preparations?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple, really¡­¡± Professor Moriarty, after a long pause, tilted her head to the side and posed the question. Mycrony Holmes, perhaps tired from all the standing and walking, took a seat on the office sofa and replied in anguid voice. ¡°You need to assist us in the investigation of the most notorious case in Ennd right now.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you talking about the case of Jill the Reaper?¡± ¡°Her Majesty the Queen has decreed that she must be captured, no matter the circumstances.¡± ¡°But, what does that have to do with me?¡± The professor asked, her gaze darkening as she spoke. ¡°Well, because Jill the Ripper¡¯s primary interest is your assistant.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you saying you intend to use my assistant as bait?¡± A cold atmosphere settled in the office at the mention of those words. ¡°Bait? That¡¯s a harsh term. Mr. Isaac Adler will simply be our partner in this investigation.¡± ¡°I fail to see how that¡¯s any different from using him as bait.¡± In that foreboding atmosphere, the two continued their conversation, each emanating a sharp aura from their very existence. ¡°Bait is used once and thrown away once it has fulfilled its purpose. A partner is protected to the very end. That¡¯s the difference between them, Professor.¡± ¡°If you are talking about protection, then I don¡¯t see the difference that you speak of.¡± Professor Moriarty responded with a chilling smile on her expressionless face. ¡°Is there anyone else in all of Ennd capable of dealing with that shadowy being other than me?¡± ¡°Coincidentally, Miss Lestrade, who is adept at managing such situations, was looking for a high-paying part-time job. So I considered bringing her on as Isaac Adler¡¯s bodyguard.¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s true.¡± Lestrade, who had been quietly bowing her head between the sibling duo till now, finally spoke up. ¡°I was posting a notice to hire me for a part-time job on a nearby board and was brought here without understanding why.¡± ¡°¡­ Posting unauthorized notices is against school regtions, Miss Lestrade.¡± ¡°I apologize for that conduct. However, I understand the situation now¡­¡± As Lestrade replied with a neutral expression and looked at Mycrony, shezily smiled and gazed at Professor Moriarty in turn. ¡°I hope you will understand as well, Professor.¡± ¡°And if I refuse?¡± When Professor Moriarty asked her with a hint of amusement in her voice, Mycrony Holmes¡¯ eyes grew serious for the very first time. ¡°There are more than hundreds of ways to destroy a mere professor like you.¡± ¡°Is this how you should treat an ordinary, righteous citizen?¡± ¡°A righteous citizen who has Isaac Adler on her palms, that¡¯s an interesting concept.¡± She stared piercingly at Professor Moriarty. ¡°Please don¡¯t make me take an interest in you, Professor.¡± ¡°The feeling is mutual.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t particrly want to turn Ennd, which I¡¯ve carefully managed till now, into a battlefield.¡± ¡°It¡¯s best to avoid battles where there are no clear winners.¡± Just like that, their verbal duel continued for quite a while. ¡°¡­ I will cooperate with the investigation, Professor.¡± ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± The one who ended their silent confrontation was none other than Isaac Adler, who stood up with a determined look on his face. ¡°Our goal is the same, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to ruin it because of some psychopathic killer.¡± Professor Moriarty, who had been watching Isaac Adler intently, suddenly had a cold look in her eyes. ¡°¡­ I also don¡¯t want to continue to be a burden for you, professor.¡± As Adler blinked rapidly at the faint hint of resentment in her gaze, he quickly realized his misjudgment and left the office withrge strides. ¡°Whew, that¡¯s over~¡± Then, Mycrony Holmes stood up, pping her hands. ¡°I¡¯m bored now, so I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± ¡°¡­ Already?¡± ¡°Our little sister sure was in a hurry. She even asked me for help.¡± She told Charlotte with a hint of amusement in hernguid voice. ¡°It¡¯s quite surprising sister¡­ You¡¯ve never agreed to such a request before. ¡°Well then, enjoy your time with the rescued prince, Charlotte.¡± ¡°¡­ Shut up, you piece of flesh.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Mycrony passed by Charlotte, covering her mouth withughter at the inevitable curse hurled her way. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him for just a short while, and I¡¯m already showing withdrawal symptoms.¡± Stopping next to Adler who stood outside the office, she whispered in a deathly quiet voice. ¡°¡­.. Pleasee to my house this weekend.¡± At those words, Isaac Adler flinched momentarily, then blushed and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°You should thank me for saving you, shouldn¡¯t you?¡± As Mycrony Holmes walked down the corridor with a satisfied expression, her face was tinged with guilt and mischief upon hearing the innocent voiceing from behind. ¡°¡­ I can never let go of this now¡­ I can never let go of him¡­¡± Hidden under her slightly lifted clothing, were the clearly preserved bite marks from Isaac Adler that had umted over the past month. . . . . . ¡®¡­ Perfect.¡¯ Though there were some hitches, Charlotte Holmes had sessfully rescued the nearly imprisoned Isaac Adler from Professor Moriarty¡¯s grasp. ¡®It¡¯s really a wless n, no matter how I think of it.¡¯ Sitting in the coffee shop that Adler often visited, with her reliable assistant Lestrade, she wore a triumphant smile while being lost in her string of thoughts. ¡®With Gia Lestrade, I know that Adler is in good hands.¡¯ Gia Lestrade, who was she? She was universally recognized as the most physically skilled student in the entirety of August Detective Academy. Despite being a student, she had been given the rank of Chief Inspector by themand of the Queen herself¡ª a talent said to only be seen once in a millennium. Furthermore, due to her cold and knight-like appearance, countless men had confessed their feelings to her, but she never epted anyone¡¯s heart, bing an imprable wall of sorrow and heartbreak. Moreover, she never tolerated injustice and had an innate sense of justice that despised anything wrong or evil. Even if it was Isaac Adler, seducing her, known by the nickname of The Holy Knight that Descended upon Ennd, was impossible. In other words, she was more or less the perfect choice to protect and simultaneously watch over Isaac Adler. ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± ¡®¡­ But what if she refuses because she dislikes him too much?¡¯ While Charlotte Holmes wore a satisfied smile, she began to listen intently, worried if she would undertake this duty, as the cold-faced Lestrade sitting across her opened her mouth. ¡°I like you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± Soon after, she began to doubt her own ears. ¡°Let¡¯s date.¡± ¡°¡­ Excuse me?¡± And Isaac Adler, who had been sitting beside Charlotte in a daze, felt the same way. ¡ºFreeze!¡» ¨C Description: Receive a confession from Inspector Lestrade. ¨C Progress: 0% ¡ú 100% ¡°Why?¡± ¡ºFreeze!¡» Chapter 1 ¨C Complete You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 48: Gia Lestrade (2) Chapter 48: Gia Lestrade (2) ¡°Why all of a sudden¡­?¡± ¡°¡­ Have you gone insane, Lestrade?¡± Isaac Adler and Charlotte Holmes simultaneously asked Gia Lestrade, astonishment clearly evident in their voice. ¡°I am sane and well.¡± Saying so in a chilly tone, she expressionlessly lifted the coffee cup in front of her. ¡°If you¡¯re sane, then why¡­¡± ¨C Chomp¡­ While Adler looked at Lestrade with a puzzled expression, Charlotte Holmes, who had been quietly biting her nails, soon spoke up. ¡°¡­ This man is trash, Lestrade.¡± ¡°Miss Holmes?¡± ¡°Many women have been ruined because of this man. You probably will be too.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Even after that, Lestrade responded while gazing at Isaac Adler with an expressionless gaze. ¡°From today onwards, I will be dating Isaac Adler.¡± Charlotte¡¯s eyes began to darken at those words. ¡°This is the most logical solution I¡¯vee to after careful deliberation.¡± Thanks to that, the atmosphere turned slightly chilly and Lestrade began speaking as she took a sip of her coffee. ¡°Mr. Isaac Adler.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± ¡°As Miss Holmes said, you are utter trash.¡± Hearing her cold and unfeeling voice, Adler, donning a nk gaze, flinched ever so slightly. ¡°Many women cried, suffered, and ultimately were tragically devastated because of you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Yet, there¡¯s no way I can legally punish you for it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Instead, the women whose lives were ruined by you ended up in prison for trying to harm you¡± Lestrade¡¯s gaze was as cold as chilling frost when she looked at Adler. ¡°I¡¯ve been trailing you for the past month, hoping to catch even a hint of your illegal actions, but it was fruitless.¡± ¡°¡­ That is, of course, an obvious oue.¡± ¡°Therefore, I¡¯vee to one conclusion.¡± Ignoring Adler¡¯s muttering, she put her coffee cup on the desk and spoke. ¡°I will like you.¡± And then, a chilling silence began to spread between them. ¡°And I will date you.¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t touch other women from now on.¡± Lestrade¡¯s voice echoed quietly in that chilling silence. ¡°I will be your only lover, so I ask you to be satisfied with only me¡± ¡°Uh, um¡­¡± ¡°No matter how much you think about it, this is the only way to break the constant vicious cycle you create with your inhumane actions.¡± Adler, who was blinking with a lost expression on his face, suddenly caught the expression of Charlotte sitting across from him in the corner of his eyes. ¡°Miss Lestrade, I understand what you¡¯re saying. What can I say? It¡¯s a decision that is very like you, I suppose¡­?¡± Upon hearing her statements, Charlotte, already guessing what she really meant by those words, hastily opened her mouth, ¡°But, are you really okay with this?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± ¡°How can you tell someone that you like them when you don¡¯t even have feelings for them? How can you hold their hands and have skinship with them in that case? How is something like that possible to sustain?¡± Lestrade stared intently at Charlotte for a moment and then replied in her usual expressionless gaze. ¡°Public interest and achieving justice are more important than my personal feelings or emotions.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°So, from now on, I will look only at Issac Adler and express my love for him. This decision will not change.¡± Cold sweat began to run down Charlotte¡¯s forehead after hearing her response. ¡°¡­ What if someone else could take on that role?¡± ¡°Who could do it besides me?¡± ¡°Well, for example¡­¡± She then mumbled while watching intently at Adler¡¯s reactions. ¡°Maybe me¡­.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t have you bear that burden.¡± ¡°N, no. Now that I think about it, I¡¯m more¡­¡± ¡°Does Miss Charlotte Holmes like Isaac Adler?¡± But Charlotte froze at Lestrade¡¯s piercing question. ¡°¡­ Uh, ah, um.¡± She tried to forcefully open her mouth, but her face became bright red and her lips refused to open. ¡°Look at that. You¡¯re overdoing it.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­¡± ¡°I love you, Mr. Isaac Adler.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°One should be able to say at least that much to be able to date him, right?¡± In the end, when Charlotte Holmes finally closed her mouth with an astonished look, Isaac Adler gazed at her with a puzzled expression before quietly standing up from his seat. ¡°Can you take responsibility for what you have just said?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± With his signature lopsided smirk, he titled his head toward Lestrade. ¡°If you truly love me, you should naturally ept this much skinship, right?¡± Soon after, he gently stroked Lestrade¡¯s silver-grey hair. She looked at him with a cold, icy gaze in return. ¡°¡­ In that case, can you also kiss me?¡± Before she realized it, Adler¡¯s head was close enough to touch her nose, locking eyes with her cold and unfeeling eyes. ¡°Can you put your tongue into my mouth while holding my hands with yours?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°In that state, can you remain still if I hold your head and hug your body in my arms?¡± As Adler said those words, he brushed the hair he had been stroking till now, and her previously ice-cold expression started to slowly distort. ¡°Love is no joke, Miss Lestrade.¡± Seeing her expression, Adler whispered with a smug smirk on his face. ¡°If you understand, then let¡¯s forget what you have just said and¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll intertwine¡­¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± However, Lestrade, who was looking at him with a cold gaze, spoke in an undaunted voice. ¡°I¡¯ll intertwine my tongue with yours and kiss you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Not only that, I¡¯ll oblige to most of your requests.¡± Feeling her breath on him, Adler started rolling his eyes, at aplete loss for words. ¡°Since I have said that I like you, there¡¯s no helping it, right?¡± ¡°Wait, wait a moment¡­¡± Charlotte, who hastily separated him away from Lestrade, intervened in their conversation once again. ¡°Mr. Adler, what about you?¡± Then Charlotte stared intently at Isaac Adler this time around. ¡°Do you like Miss Lestrade?¡± She asked with a chilly voice, stretching her foot carefully towards Adler¡¯s leg. ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± At the same time, Adler bowed his head with a slightly trembling expression on his face. ¡°This would be an ideal condition for you, Mr. Adler.¡± Lestrade, who had been watching him intently, began exining with a cold sigh. ¡°If we date and hang out together, the time we spend together will naturally increase. This means you¡¯ll be a lot safer than you are now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been threatened not just by Jill the Ripper, but also by numerous people, haven¡¯t you? From that perspective, I believe it¡¯s a condition you should ept.¡± However, Adler, who quietly twitched in his seat, did not reply to her words. ¡°Not just that, it seems that you are in a bit of trouble due to the recent scandal for frolicking with Silver ze, who is everyone¡¯s idol, right?¡± Upon hearing those words, Lestrade began to re quietly at Adler with a chilling glow in her eyes. ¡°By publicly dering that we¡¯re in a rtionship, you can cover up that scandal as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­ Do you still hate this idea?¡± At that very moment, came a voice from her mouth that seemed to imply that she wouldn¡¯t wait any longer for his reply¡­ ¡ºFreeze!¡» Chapter 2 ¨C Begin A sudden message appeared In front of Adler¡¯s eyes. ¡°If you really dislike it, then there¡¯s nothing I can do. I also¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s date.¡± Isaac Adler, who had been staring at the message in front of him with a pitiful look for quite some time, soon opened his mouth with a relieved smile on his face. ¡°¡­ I like you too, Miss Lestrade.¡± With that, a cold atmosphere began to permeate the coffee shop. ¡°I knew you would say that.¡± Lestrade, murmuring with pursed lips, reached out her hand to him. ¡°Haha¡­¡± Noticing Charlotte, who now looked expressionless just like Lestrade, Adler made a show of intertwining his fingers with hers. ¡°You don¡¯t need to intertwine fingers. You can just casually, no?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s fine.¡± The moment Adler¡¯s hand interlocked with hers, Lestrade¡¯s expression momentarily distorted, but she soon closed her eyes and murmured with in a low voice. ¡°Because I like you now¡­ So, it¡¯s fine¡­¡± At that moment, her fingers gently enveloped the back of Adler¡¯s hand, which was rigidly sped in hers. ¨C Swish¡­ Right then, as Lestrade swiftly lowered the curtain cord by the window, Adler¡¯s gaze inadvertently followed suit and soon, his eyes were clouded with utter shock and astonishment. ¡°That¡¯s why I called the reporters in advance.¡± Outside the coffee shop, journalists swarmed like a cloud of bees, forming a cordon, their cameras pointed toward them. ¨C Click, click!! Shortly after, the sound of camera shutters loudly echoed in the street. The convincing image of Lestrade and Adler, hand in hand, was captured by the journalists¡¯ cameras. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the press conference, Mr. Adler.¡± In that state, Lestrade took another sip from her drink and soon hooked her arms with Adler¡¯s and rose from her seat. ¡°¡­ Gulp.¡± It was the moment when Isaac Adler got his first official girlfriend in this twisted world. . . . . . ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± ¡°Why are youughing?¡± After the press conference, which in realitysted less than 30 minutes but felt incredibly long to me for some reason¡­ Warning! ¨C Probability of Assassination ¡ª 1% ¡ú 33% ¡°Now I might get death threats even from the men¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s nothing.¡± Having seen the consequences of meddling with not one but two idols of English men in the message before me, I exited the press conference while murmuring in a detached voice. Thus, Lestrade and I began walking through the bustling streets of London, heading to the coffee shop where Charlotte Holmes awaited for us. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed someone¡¯s been following us since earlier.¡± ¡°I know¡­¡± While walking, Lestrade whispered to me in a quiet voice, to which I nodded with a vacant gaze. ¡°Excuse me, could you momentarily step aside?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a woman¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Give me some time to settle my business, will you?¡± Upon my request, she eventually nodded coldly, then slowly unfolded her crossed arms. ¨C Rustle¡­ As she waved to me and headed toward a side street, I nkly watched her disappearing silhouette and soon shifted my gaze backward. ¡°M, Mr. Adler.¡± Then, taking off her deeply pulled-down hat, the stalker revealed her unique Demi-Human ears to my eyes. ¡°¡­ I¡­ I saw the press conference.¡± Silver ze, with drooped ears and tail, stood in front of me and was looking down with a dark expression on her face. ¡°Did you now?¡± I was slowly bing ustomed to such incidents. . . . . . ¡°¡­ Please forgive me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I know you are faced with a lot of troubles because of me.¡± Silver ze who was observing Adler¡¯s reaction with dark eyes, began speaking in a trembling voice. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me, you wouldn¡¯t have had to go through such terrible pain¡­ I¡¯m well aware that you wouldn¡¯t have had to reveal your secret rtionship either.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Please, can you please give me another punishment?¡± With that, she staggered towards Adler. ¡°Do you expect me to forget you and live as I wish? I won¡¯t be able t¡­¡± ¡°Miss ze¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that now¡­!¡± She unknowingly raised her voice and soon, bowed her head with a frightened expression on her face. ¡°Mr. Adler¡­¡± And then, silently, tears started streaming from Silver ze¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve quit horse racing.¡± Upon hearing those words, Adler¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°¡­ Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s to show my loyalty to you.¡± In front of him, Silver ze staggered and fell to her knees. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted freedom for the demi-humans because we have been harshly domesticated by humans for all our lives, but you were different, different from all other humans¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s you, the one who saved us, I can entrust you with my dreams, my goals, and my very body and soul as well¡­¡± Her delicate hand grasped the sleeves of Adler¡¯s clothes. ¡°¡­ So, please ept my freedom, that I offer to you¡­¡± With that, tears flowed down Silver ze¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Please don¡¯t abandon me¡­..¡± From a distant alley, Lestrade, who watched the scene with a chilly gaze, silently took out her notebook and murmured to herself, ¡°Lift and drop. A typical tactic of Adler, mentioned in numerous testimonies.¡± Clearly, Adler¡¯s next words would be a devastating, no. A denial of her request. Would he then mock the poor Demi-Human to his heart¡¯s content? Even after gaining her freedom, she had be so dependent on Adler that she would willingly offer that freedom back to him. Then, he might just watch her degrade or darken right before his eyes with an amused expression and then disappear forever from her life. Thus, the number of victims of Isaac Adler would increase by one more right before her very eyes. ¡°¡­ This is the worst.¡± Seeing clearly what was toe due to her long investigation and observation, Lestrade unknowingly muttered and turned away her gaze. ¡°To think she loves such a man¡­¡± ¡°All right.¡± But at that very moment, ¡°I won¡¯t abandon you.¡± The soft voice of Isaac Adler prated her ears and rattled her mind. ¡°From today, I¡¯ll take care of you, Miss ze.¡± As he gently embraced Silver ze and patted her back, he murmured in a dreamy tone, ¡°¡­ By the way, you smell lovely today as well.¡± ¡°W, waahh¡­. uwaaa¡± Seeing the tearful yet happy expression on Silver ze¡¯s face, Lestrade¡¯s gaze turned utterly nk. ¡®¡­ What?¡¯ This was the moment her deduction, as always, had missed the mark. Probability of imprisonment if you don¡¯t RATE this novel: 100% Chapter 49: Gia Lestrade (3) Chapter 49: Gia Lestrade (3) ¡°Se, secretary?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like to hire you as my secretary.¡± At the sound of Isaac Adler¡¯s gentle voice, Silver ze wiped her tears and pricked up her ears. ¡°I retired my previous employees some time ago. It¡¯s about time I hired someone new.¡± ¡°But¡­ all I know how to do is run.¡± She murmured, her expression showing a hint of fear. ¡°I haven¡¯t learned much¡­ and I¡¯m not good at arithmetic either. Can someone like me really serve as your secretary?¡± ¡°Miss ze.¡± Adler, holding back a small chuckle, embraced her and began to whisper in her ears. ¡°Being a secretary is mostly just for show.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to be nurtured by me, Miss ze?¡± Caught off guard by hisment, Silver ze nodded eagerly. ¡°I¡¯m living in the professor¡¯s office instead of the dormitory for some reason.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s such a quiet ce, and it gets lonely when I¡¯m alone. So, I was thinking of getting a pet¡­¡± Adler, recalling the image of Princess y who had transformed into a cat, continued his words thinking of her as a pet toy. ¡°Would you please be my pet?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes!¡± Silver ze, with sparkling eyes, nestled into Adler¡¯s arms. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my wish¡­¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Adler, gazing down at her with a slightly pitiful look, brushed Silver ze¡¯s hair gently and muttered in her ears. ¡°Think about it carefully.¡± ¡°¡­..?¡± ¡°Once you choose, you can never change your mind.¡± His eyes glimmered with a hint of darkness. ¡°If you change your mind now, you can live freely for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want that.¡± ¡°But if you choose to be my pet, you¡¯ll never be able to escape.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Because in that moment, you¡¯ll be surrendering your rights to me.¡± When Adler¡¯s demeanor changed, Silver ze began to gaze at him intently. ¡°I tend to be a bit obsessive, you know.¡± She shivered at the low and deep tone of Adler¡¯s voice. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t quite understand.¡± Realizing that her reaction was not out of fear, but rather anticipation, Adler asked with a wry smile. ¡°You¡¯ve been running hard to gain freedom until now, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So why do you now wish to be dependent on me?¡± Hearing that, Silver ze smiled gently. ¡°I desired freedom for the demi-humans, not necessarily for myself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just ying with words.¡± ¡°Unlike the demi-humans from the alleys, I was born and raised for racing. Being cared for by someone is more familiar to me.¡± Adler¡¯s expression turned somber upon hearing that statement. ¡°If someone like me were to step out into society, what could I possibly do?¡± ¡°¡­ If you wish, I can help you adjust to society.¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡± Hearing the sincerity in his voice, Silver ze suddenly sighed deeply. ¨C Sigh¡­ Then, she stared intently into Adler¡¯s eyes and hugged him tightly. ¡°¡­ Miss ze?¡± Despite her delicate appearance, her strength, quite different from that of a human¡¯s, caught Adler off guard. ¡°This is the first time in my life¡­¡± Silver ze began to speak in a soft voice. ¡°¡­ That someone has been kind to me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just me¡­¡± ¡°That was my dream.¡± There was something different about the look in her eyes. ¡°The reason I ran so hard, the reason I hoped for the freedom of the demi-humans, was merely because I wanted to be treated kindly by someone.¡± Taking a step forward in that state, Adler staggered back while holding her tight. ¡°When my dream is right before my eyes, why should I step into an unpredictable society?¡± Silver ze whispered in a soft voice into his ear. ¡°¡­ Just raise me a bit, will you?¡± Then, there was a brief silence¡­ ¡°Please¡­?¡± When Silver ze tilted her head prompting him for an answer, Isaac Adler, who had momentarily scratched his head, began to speak with a kind smile on his face. ¡°If that¡¯s what you truly wish.¡± ¡°Mr. Adler¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Adler then corrected her statement with a gentle shake of his head. ¡°From now on, call me Master.¡± Silver ze¡¯s face turned a deep shade of red, all the way up to her ears. ¡°¡­ Master.¡± In that state, she lowered her head and began to gently sway her tail and ears. ¡®¡­ Did I perhaps misunderstand earlier?¡¯ Just as he thought that the strange demeanor of Silver ze he had seen briefly might have been his imagination, and was smiling while patting her head, a message appeared before him. Silver ze now obeys you wholeheartedly. Another message soon followed, bewildering him further. Even in the future, no situation will make her change her mind. As he tilted his head, ast message appeared in front of him¡ª a type he hadn¡¯t seen since his arrival in this world. Conquest ¡ª Complete!! ¡°Wait, what?¡± Cold sweat began to drip from his forehead, realizing he had inadvertently won over a character who wasn¡¯t even the main focus. . . . . . A few minutester. ¡°Then, head to the academy.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes!¡± ¡°If you exin everything to the professor, she¡¯ll make arrangements for you.¡± ¡°All right!¡± Upon hearing Adler¡¯s words, after breaking away from their embrace, Silver ze nodded with her eyes shining in a dazzling light. ¨C Chuup¡­ Suddenly, she raised her fluffy tail upright, covering Isaac Adler¡¯s face. ¡°It smells like Miss ze.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that a good thing?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way your scent wouldn¡¯t be pleasant.¡± ¡°¡­ Hehe.¡± With an expectant look on her face while fidgeting with her fingers, she lowered her tail and let out an unusualugh upon hearing Adler¡¯s response filled with praise for her. ¡°Lately, I¡¯ve been getting contacted by demi-humans from various ces.¡± Then, with a shy expression, Silver ze wrapped her tail around Adler¡¯s arm. ¡°We¡¯re organizing them with ourrades. Just wait a little longer.¡± Her demeanor changed momentarily, just as it had earlier. ¡°¡­ I will offer London to you, Master.¡± With those whispered words, Silver ze slowly unwrapped her tail from his arm and began to walk away. ¡°¡­ Is this a dream?¡± As she distanced herself from him and then turned her head, returning to her usual expression with that characteristic joyful smile, Adler momentarily rubbed his eyes. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem so.¡± ¡°¡­ Huh.¡± Adler was startled by the sudden voiceing from the side and quickly turned to look. ¡°Have you changed your methods?¡± ¡°Miss Lestrade.¡± ¡°What are you scheming?¡± Lestrade had a cold, suspicious look in her eyes as she red at him with vigilence. ¡°I¡¯ve only done as you wished.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Adler stared nkly at her for a moment, then cleared his throat and began to speak in a soothing tone. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that, in exchange for courting you, I shouldn¡¯t touch any other woman?¡± ¡°You did. And just now¡­¡± ¡°So you wanted me to behave as usual?¡± ¡°¡­ I didn¡¯t hope for it, but honestly, I thought you would.¡± ¡°That would break our promise, right?¡± As he took a step closer to Lestrade, she couldn¡¯t help but frown and stagger away from him. ¡°Originally, you were someone I could never have¡ª the idol and crush of men throughout the Great Britain.¡± However, the more she backed away, the more Adler began to move toward her. ¡°A knight with an iron wall who has never epted a confession from anyone.¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s an opportunity to handle such an entity as I wish.¡± Cornered against the wall, Lestrade tried to push the approaching Adler away, but soon, she gritted her teeth and slowly lowered her arms and let him in. ¡°It was a promise you made with your own mouth¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­ That you would satisfy me in ce of other women.¡± Adler reached for the top of her clothing. ¡°You said you¡¯dply with anything I ask, right?¡± His fingers began to unbutton Lestrade¡¯s police uniform one by one. ¡°You willingly agreed to be ruined by my hands.¡± Lestrade trembled as she clearly felt that distinct sensation. As his hand touched just above her breast, she shut her eyes tight and whispered slowly¡­ ¡°Finish it¡­ quickly.¡± Her voice, half cold and half disgusted, echoed in the dark alley. ¡°Do it quickly when no one¡¯s looking¡­ Just get it over with¡­¡± Then, there was only silence. ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± Feeling the breeze entering through her unbuttoned uniform for quite a while, she opened her eyes in confusion when nothing happened. ¡°I just unbuttoned it for now¡­¡± Seeing Lestrade acting like that, Adler smiled with his eyes, then gently took her hand. ¡°The rest, we¡¯ll continue once we reach our destination.¡± Hearing his soft voice, Lestrade nodded with a look of disdain in her face. ¡°It¡¯ll surely be an enjoyable experience.¡± ¡®I had already anticipated being treated this way¡­¡¯ Lestrade¡¯s hand, intertwined with Adler¡¯s, trembled as if it was being chilled to her very bones. ¡®¡­ Endure it for justice, Lestrade. Only, you¡­ can do it¡­¡¯ . . . . . ¡°Huh¡­?¡± A few minutester¡­ ¡°Ta-da~¡± As she looked at the ce where Adler had arrived holding her hand, she began to wear a nk expression on her face¡­ ¡°Where is this¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a clothing store!¡± Adler replied cheerfully in response to Lestrade¡¯s question and with an excited look, led her into the store. ¡°I always wanted to visit one with my girlfriend once I had one.¡± ¡°¡­..???¡± Question marks began to rise in Lestrade¡¯s mind. . . . . . Meanwhile, across the street, at that very moment. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± Charlotte Holmes, after waiting in the coffee shop for quite a while and seeing the two of them not returning, finally decided to search for them. And, Jane Moriarty, unlike her usual self, wrapped up her morning ss in a rather gloomy mood and immediately stepped outside the academy to search for her assistant, who might have been in danger at that point. The two women stood side by side, watching the back of Adler, who was entering the clothing store hand in hand with Lestrade. Warning! ¨C Probability of Abduction ¡ª 25% ¡ú 40% ¨C Probability of Confinement ¡ª 80% ¡ú 90% ¨C Probability of being Tamed ¡ª 50% ¡ú 70% The risk associated with Adler seemed to be steadily reaching its limit. Rate and review us 5 stars on NU or face Naru¡¯s wrath¡­ You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 50: Gia Lestrade (4) Chapter 50: Gia Lestrade (4) ¡°Hmm¡­Let¡¯s see.¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± ¡°Would this suit you or would that¡­¡± Lestrade, who had been dragged around by an excited-looking Adler, looked at him with a nk expression and opened her mouth. ¡°What are you doing right now?¡± ¡°Oh, this looks good.¡± But ignoring her, Adler picked up a dress hanging in front of him. ¡°Try this on.¡± He held up a sky-blue dress in front of her, his eyes shining as he made the request. ¡°I don¡¯t wear anything other than my police uniform.¡± However, Lestrade coldly pushed his hand away. ¡°And I¡¯ve never worn such feminine clothes before. They wouldn¡¯t suit me.¡± She said with a confident voice and tried to walk past Adler toward the exit. ¡°Of course, your police uniform looks quite dignified.¡± However, Adler soon grabbed Lestrade¡¯s arm and stopped her. ¡°I really want to see my girlfriend in this dress.¡± She turned colder when he emphasized the word girlfriend while mentioning the dress. ¡°You said you¡¯d do anything I ask, right?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± But at his whisper, she sighed and took the dress from his hands. ¡°Because I like you.¡± Although she muttered those words with a still cold expression, Adler seemed inexplicably happy, chuckling to himself. ¡°Change over there. There¡¯s a curtain set up inside the store for changing.¡± Lestrade made a grimace and moved to where he pointed as he nudged her on the back to hurry up. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± She passed by the murmuring people, and as she entered the changing room, she began to loosen her tight police uniform, her face turning red. ¨C Swish¡­ And then, she held the fluttering sky-blue dress against her naked body. ¡°¡­There¡¯s no way something like this will suit someone like me¡­¡± In that state, she sneakily tried on various poses but soon muttered with a dark expression. ¡°He¡¯s surely trying to humiliate me.¡± With her body covered in scars from rigorous training and even possessing a t, muscr abdomen, such a feminine dress seemed anything but suitable for her¡­ It seemed as if Isaac Adler had resolved himself to break her spirit. ¡°¡­ Sigh.¡± But she couldn¡¯t just refuse to wear it. No matter the circumstances, she was now Isaac Adler¡¯s lover. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± With great effort, suppressing the natural resistance of her body, Lestrade wore the dress Adler had chosen for her. ¨C Squeak¡­ As she opened the changing room door, the gazes of the onlookers in the vicinity immediately fixated on Lestrade. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± And then, total silence ensued. ¡°Wow.¡± In that silence, Adler approached Lestrade, who was deeply bowing her head with clear embarrassment in her eyes, and told her with a dreamy look in his eyes¡­ ¡°¡­ You really look gorgeous in that dress.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± She stepped on his foot and murmured with a trembling voice filled with embarrassment and anger. ¡°I can see the way people are looking at me.¡± ¡°¡­ I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m jealous of you¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± Adler pulled her towards him and, holding her hand once more, began to stroll around the clothing store. ¡°You¡­ always doing things your way¡­¡± ¡°Next, try this one.¡± Ignoring her, as she began to say something with a flushed face, this time Adler picked a pink dress for her. ¡°And after that, this one, and then this¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Lestrade began to feel dizzy as she saw the growing number of dresses in Adler¡¯s shopping cart. . . . . . Several hourster. ¡°¡­ How did you find the y we watched earlier?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Miss Lestrade?¡± After being dragged around various parts of London by Adler for a long while, Lestrade sat in the VIP room of a high-end restaurant, wearing a dazed expression on her usual expressionless and cold face. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s too expensive.¡± From her lips came a faint and trembling voice. ¡°This dress I¡¯m wearing¡­ do you even know how much it costs? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What about these piles of clothes next to me?¡± ¡°Of course I know, I paid for them after all.¡± ¡°And the food we¡¯re eating now?¡± ¡°The prices are clearly written on the menu in front of us, Miss Lestrade.¡± As Adler tilted his head and responded, Lestrade¡¯s brows furrowed deeper than ever before. ¡°Why are you doing all of this?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Why are you pouring such astronomical amounts of money into just one date of ours?¡± Hearing her words, Adler chuckled and picked up a piece of steak with his fork. ¡°Because I like you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And, I always wanted to do these things when I dreamed of entering into a rtionship.¡± He then offered the steakden fork to Lestrade¡¯s lips. ¡°Come on, eat.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you serious?¡± ¡°Quickly.¡± She wondered if he was teasing her again, but Adler¡¯s expression was earnest and sincere. ¡°¡­ Ah.¡± So, thinking this was yet another demand as lovers from Adler, Lestrade opened her mouth with a cold expression. ¨C Nom nom¡­ ¡°Hmm.¡± As she chewed the steak, Adler watched her with a radiant smile on his lips. ¡°¡­ You¡¯re soo adorable.¡± Caught by the genuine joy in that smile, Lestrade stopped chewing and wiped her mouth with a napkin. ¡°I wonder how much more adorable you¡¯ll be at our final destination tonight.¡± Upon hearing Adler¡¯s words, she murmured with a chilling smile that couldn¡¯t help but appear on her lips¡­ ¡°So, it was that after all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even have any hopes.¡± Suddenly, she rose from her seat. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the restroom.¡± ¡°Wait a moment¡­¡± Despite Adler¡¯s call, Lestrade simply bowed her head and moved on. ¡°¡­ After behaving so high and mighty.¡± At that very moment, a voice tinged with scorn started drifting from behind her. ¡°It seems she ended up with the one who paid the highest price in the end.¡± A young woman, her face covered with a fan and with clearly defined outlines surrounding her eyes, mumbled those words. ¡°Did you need the money that badly?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± As the surrounding people started snickering at the remark that was clearly an insult to her, Lestrade clenched her fists until they turned white. ¡®¡­ I anticipated being treated like this.¡¯ However, she soon slumped her shoulders and only gave a bitter smile in response. ¡®So¡­¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Lestrade.¡± It was at that exact moment. ¡°For breaking the promise.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± Adler got up from his seat and muttered those words as he walked toward her. ¨C p!!! Gia Lestrade, with a puzzled expression, turned around and her eyes widened at the scene unfolding before her. ¡°¡­ Ugh.¡± The young woman who had been pped by Isaac Adler clutched her swelling cheek, looking up at him with a stunned gaze. ¡°How dare you speak to my lover that way¡­¡± Meanwhile, Adler nced at Gia Lestrade with a yful twinkle in his eyes before leveling a cold stare at the young woman. ¡°Fucking harlot.¡± Lestrade¡¯s eyes began to quiver at that scene. . . . . . ¡°Look, Miss Lestrade!¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°It¡¯s a star!¡± That night, in a secluded empty lot near London. ¡°¡­ Is this the final destination you mentioned earlier?¡± Lestrade, who had been quietly holding hands with Adler and looking up at the night sky, asked in a soft, fleeting voice. ¡°What did you think it would be?¡± Adler, tilting his head, posed that question to her. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Miss Lestrade, you seem cheekier than I thought.¡± Looking at her slightly flushed face with a smile on his lips, he soon shifted his gaze to the sky and began to murmur by himself. ¡°It has always been my dream¡­ To sit in an empty lot with my lover, holding hands, and gazing up at the stars together.¡± There was something mesmerizingly tender about the current scene. ¡°I wanted to experience such an ordinary rtionship.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°That¡¯s why right now, I¡¯m incredibly happy.¡± Lestrade gazed at him in silence. ¡°I love you, Gia.¡± As Adler said her name with a soft smile, Lestrade¡¯s eyebrows twitched ever so slightly. ¡°¡­ By the way, the night is growing deep.¡± Who knows how much time had passed since then¡­ ¡°Here is your payment for today.¡± Suddenly, Adler produced a check from his pocket. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m giving youpensation, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Are you trying to buy me with money now?¡± Lestrade, seeing this, asked in a voice as cold as chilling ice. ¡°That¡¯s not the case.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s with this behavior right now?¡± ¡°I heard you have two younger siblings.¡± However, her expression cracked slightly at the mention of her siblings. ¡°And I also heard that you¡¯re the only one providing for them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Maybe, that¡¯s why you were looking for a part-time job at the academy, right?¡± ¡°No matter what, I can¡¯t ept money just because I¡¯m dating you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I came up with a good idea.¡± Adler, seizing the opportunity, spoke in a firm tone. ¡°I¡¯ll hire you as my bodyguard.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°While being my lover, please also be my bodyguard.¡± Thanks to those resolute words, Lestrade was momentarily at a loss for words. ¡°Of course, the payment is for your services as my bodyguard.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°These gifts are for you as my lover.¡± Looking into her eyes, Adler whispered, ¡°Miss Gia.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± ¡°Let me say it again, having a normal rtionship like this is a first for me.¡± Suddenly hearing her name, Lestrade¡¯s heart began to race. ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to lose you.¡± Adler then handed her a contract from his pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll be a good boy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°At least, in front of you.¡± Lestrade quietly picked up a pen and began to sign the contract. . . . . . ¨C Zzzzzzz¡­ ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± The dark vacant lot began to faintly glow, just as Lestrade finished signing the contract and put down her pen. ¡°Ugh¡­?¡± Suddenly, Gia Lestrade¡¯s abdomen started to twitch and a sophisticated golden seal appeared in that region. ¡°That¡¯s why you shouldn¡¯t leave my side.¡± ¡°What is this¡­¡± ¡°Once the ve¡¯s seal is engraved, you won¡¯t be able to leave freely any longer.¡± She, who had been numbly rubbing her lower abdomen with a dazed expression, stared nkly with her jaw dropping upon hearing Adler¡¯s words. ¡°You should have checked the contents of the contract properly.¡± Adler whispered with a devilish grin on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, Miss Gia.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be a kind and gentle master.¡± Only then did Lestrade realize that he had been deceived. She began to curse him with a cold voice. ¡°Trash. Scammer.¡± ¡°Ouch.¡± ¡°Lowest, worst¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s too much to say to your master.¡± ¡°I wish you¡¯d just drop dead.¡± With every word, Adler flinched as Lestrade stepped on his foot. After a moment though, he looked at her cautiously, then leaned his head toward her shoulder and asked, ¡°Can I lean my head on you?¡± ¡°¡­ Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°We still have to finish our date.¡± Lestrade looked at him with the same cold eyes she had a few hours ago, then sighed and looked away. ¡°¡­ I have no choice after all.¡± With her eyes closed, she gently exposed her bare shoulder, something that was only visible due to her dress, and whispered, ¡°I love you after all.¡± ¡°I love you too, Gia.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Their date, signifying their ambiguous rtionship, continued until the next morning. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± Beyond the closed vacant lot, two pairs of greyish eyes steadily blinked together in a dark light. Rate and review us 5 stars on NU or face Naru¡¯s wrath¡­ You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 51: Karma Chapter 51: Karma ¡°Miss Gia.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Wake up.¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm?¡± Startled by the sweet whisper reverberating in her ear, Gia Lestrade opened her eyes and looked around in a daze. ¡°¡­ Oh.¡± And then, she spotted Isaac Adler sitting on a bench in the empty lot, smiling faintly at her. Her face immediately turned cold upon seeing that handsome face of his. ¡°Why such a cold expression?¡± ¡°¡­ I thought it was a dream.¡± ¡°Sorry, but it¡¯s definitely reality.¡± Hearing that, Lestrade lifted her dress slightly, looking down at the golden seal etched onto her stomach, and couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh. ¡°¡­ You can¡¯t have me like this.¡± ¡°But you already like me, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, I do. But now, I¡¯m starting to hate you.¡± Staring at Adler with that resentful gaze, she soon furrowed her brows. ¡°Didn¡¯t you enjoy yourself yesterday?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t enjoy it at all.¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± Adler, watching her with a pleased expression, leaned in on her shoulder and whispered to her in a gentle voice. ¡°¡­ Still, my intention to be a good person is true.¡± ¡°Move your head away.¡± ¡°You lent me your shoulder all night; why are you suddenly behaving like this?¡± With a frown, she tried to push him away from her. However, after hearing his words, Lestrade offered her shoulder to him again, her gaze mellowing somewhat. ¡°I like you.¡± ¡°Please, close that mouth of yours¡­¡± ¡°Because you saved my life yesterday.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± Adler began to whisper softly to her ears. ¡°You felt it too, right? The stares that followed us yesterday.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t just one or two either¡­¡± What Lestrade said was right. The greatest and yet the worst child actor of all time¡ª Isaac Adler. And the heartthrob of British men, the unattainable dream, and the youngest Chief Inspector in all of history¡ª Gia Lestrade. The news of the romance between the two talk-of-the-town figures had caused an uproar throughout Ennd in just a few hours, twice as much as the Silver ze scandal. ¡°It¡¯s not just those curious stares; it¡¯s the stares filled with ill intent.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m always exposed to such looks.¡± As Adler heaved a sigh and borated further, Lestrade mumbled in a cold voice. ¡°You reap what you sow, I suppose¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Do you know about curses?¡± At the mention of that word, her eyebrows twitched ever so slightly. ¡°It seems you know a bit about them.¡± ¡°How would you know about¡­¡± ¡°I think I might be under one. A curse.¡± The eyes of the boy and girl pair met in silence at that remark of his¡­ ¡°In just the past month, I¡¯ve been officially attacked twice. Unofficially, there have been many more attempts; almost too many to count¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Surprisingly, all the attackers were women.¡± For some reason, Adler¡¯s smile looked rather pitiful in Lestrade¡¯s eyes. ¡°And now, being your lover, I might also be threatened by males very soon.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not that popr¡­¡± ¡°Are you joking? You¡¯ve been confessed to several times already.¡± ¡°That was just a ruse to tease me¡­¡± ¡°Haha, somehow it feels like looking in a mirror¡­¡± Adler, who burst outughing as he spoke those words, gently ced his hand on her knee. ¡°The point is¡­¡± Then, as Adler grabbed her hand, Lestrade tried to shake him off with a look of disgust. ¡°It seems my curse doesn¡¯t work on you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I like you so much.¡± Lestrade looked down upon Adler who was subtly rubbing his cheek against her neck. ¡°And¡­?¡± ¡°I might be obsessed.¡± ¡°How nd.¡± With that, she finally pouted her lips and pushed Adler aside. ¡°With you, at least, I can livefortably.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well, I hope we can continue to get along¡­¡± As she rose from her seat, Isaac Adler shed her a sly smile while bidding farewell. Warning! ¨C Probability of being Imprisoned ¡ª 80% ¡ú 99.99% ¨C Probability of being Tamed ¡ª 50% ¡ú 99.99% ¡°¡­. Oh.¡± But just at that moment, a message appeared before his eyes. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± As Adler, dripping in cold sweat, looked at the message, he hastily grabbed Lestrade¡¯s arm as she was just about to leave. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°¡­ Please,e with me.¡± And then, Adler, shivering in fright, whispered those words to her in a soft voice. ¡°I have to report to the police station right now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll apany you.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Observing him, Lestrade sighed deeply and wrapped her arm around him. ¡°Since I like you, I can¡¯t really help it now, can I?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I didn¡¯t ask for you to put your arms around me, you know?¡± ¡°Keep your mouth shut.¡± And then, with an annoyed expression, she pulled Adler closer to her side. ¡°It¡¯s my responsibility if something happens to you. So, I have no choice but to do this.¡± Lestrade, averting her gaze, softened her voice for a moment as she spoke her next set of words. Probability of being Imprisoned ¡ª 99.99% ¡ú 80% Probability of being Tamed ¡ª 99.99% ¡ú 50% ¡°¡­ How about a date at the police station?¡± ¡°I decline.¡± However, the tone in Adler¡¯s voice, which had somehow turned pale and frightful, made her voice grow cold once more. ¨C Swish¡­ Behind them, two shadows followed closely¡­ . . . . . A few minutester¡­ ¡°We¡¯re almost at the police station.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ I see.¡± Adler, who had clung close to Lestrade while dripping with sweat along the way, flinched and shivered at her words and came to a stop. ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Then, silence enveloped the duo. ¡°¡­ If you have some free time, perhaps a coffee nearby?¡± ¨C Whirl¡­ Swoosh¡­ Just as Adler was about to break the silence and suggest something, out of the blue, dust began to rise from behind them. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Lestrade turned her head, her eyes opened wide with alertness, toward the source of the disturbance. A group of scrawny little girls soon came into her view at the end of her gaze. ¡°Wait, you guys¡­!!¡± The suspicious gold coins and food in the hands of the girls who looked nothing short of vagabonds triggered Lestrade¡¯s instincts as an inspector. ¡°Stop right there!¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡°Blehh¡ª¡± As soon as she raised her voice; as if they had been waiting for the cue, the little miscreants scattered into various alleys, sticking out their tongues defiantly. ¡°Tsk¡­¡± Observing their suspicious behavior, Lestrade, holding onto her long skirt, started chasing them in an astonishing speed. ¡°Um, excuse me¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m currently on official duty, Mr. Adler!¡± And once again, silence filled the air. ¡°Take your police uniform with you, at least¡­¡± Adler, who had held onto the uniform in his arms since picking it up from the clothes store the day before, began to mumble while scratching his head as he offered to give it back to her. But s, she was already gone¡­ ¡°¡­ It¡¯s okay.¡± Just at that moment, a chilling voice echoed from behind him. ¡°I¡¯ll deliver it for you.¡± Feeling a shiver run down his spine after hearing the voice, Adler turned around and instantly froze in ce. ¡°By the way, Miss Lestrade still doesn¡¯t seem to have good instincts.¡± ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°Still, no one is better at apprehending criminals than her. I suppose I¡¯ll have to reward the Baker Street Special Force separatelyter for their troubles.¡± Meanwhile, Charlotte Holmes quietly approached, watching him intently. ¡°So those kids earlier¡­¡± ¡°But Mr. Adler, I really had no idea¡­¡± Her eyes shone darkly, seemingly out of focus even as she looked straight at him. ¡°Never thought your just a moment wouldst all day in reality.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°And all this time I was sitting in the coffee shop, waiting until evening, for what?¡± Seeing that terrifying sight, Adler swallowed his saliva hard and took a step back. ¡°I was so worried about you, my dear assistant, that I came out immediately after my lecture ended.¡± However, from the opposite direction, a familiar voice, neutral in tone, resonated in his ears. ¡°By the way, isn¡¯t London abuzz with news about your very first girlfriend?¡± ¡°Professor, you are a bit out of the loop it seems¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Adler, I have just one question.¡± Professor Jane Moriarty, who was wearing a cold smile, ignored Charlotte Holmes¡¯s warning in a dark tone and posed a question. ¡°How does it feel to have your first official rtionship, hmm?¡± ¡°¡­ Uh, that¡¯s not it.¡± In that desperate situation, Isaac Adler scrambled for words. ¡°We¡¯re not in a rtionship¡­¡± In his fluster, Adler¡¯s words failed him, and an absurd excuse slipped out. ¡°Rtionships during student days are just mere child¡¯s y¡­¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± ¡°¡­ So it doesn¡¯t count.¡± Then, the two women smiled and each approached Adler one step at a time. ¡°A rtionship should be at least during university days¡­¡± Adler, trapped between the two, trailed off and lowered his gaze. ¡°Here¡¯s a train ticket.¡± In his hand, Charlotte Holmes ced a freshly issued train ticket. ¡°Do you remember when I said I was going on a vacation?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Today¡¯s the day.¡± Taking the train ticket in his hand without understanding its significance, Adler¡¯s other hand was caught by her own. ¡°I¡¯ve got yours too, let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be a fun experience for sure.¡± Just at that moment, a pale hand of Professor Moriarty unexpectedly emerged from behind. ¡°Hmm, this is truly surprising.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± ¡°Actually, I took a vacation today as well. I wanted some time alone.¡± In her hand, she held a train ticket identical to the one in Adler¡¯s hand. ¡°So I booked a ticket for a convenient time slot. I chose a seat where I presumed I would be all alone, as I didn¡¯t want any disturbances.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°But now, it seems that the seat is right next to yours. Even the boarding time and destination are the same somehow.¡± A sly smile appeared at the corners of Moriarty¡¯s lips. ¡°What a pleasant coincidence¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite the astonishing coincidence indeed, Professor.¡± Their steely grey eyes, eerily same yet distinguishably different at the same time, began to fiercely lock onto each other. Warning! ¨C Probability of being Imprisoned ¡ª 80% ¡ú 99.99% ¨C Probability of being Tamed ¡ª 50% ¡ú 99.99% ¡°Um¡­¡± Meanwhile, Issac Adler, who had been trembling all the while in fright, asked a question with a barely audible voice. ¡°¡­ Can I bring Miss Lestrade along?¡± The cold and vicious gazes of the duo simultaneously turned toward Adler. ¡°No.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not allowed.¡± ¡°Please save me¡­¡± . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment¡­ ¡°Eek¡­¡± ¡°¡­ But, this is strange.¡± Lestrade, who had quickly arrested all the members of Baker Street Special Force, belonging to Charlotte, and had them on their knees, suddenly tilted her head while mumbling to herself. ¡°Miss Mycrony had told me about Adler¡¯s curse, but I am quite certain that it had nothing to do with his rtionships with women¡­¡± Then, she crossed her arms quickly and made a cold expression. ¡°¡­ Well, it¡¯s none of my business anyway.¡± Contrary to her indifferent tone and expression, a faint blush could still be seen¡­ stered on her delicate cheeks. Rate and review us 5 stars on NU or face Naru¡¯s wrath¡­ You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 52: The Mystery of the Reigate Squire Chapter 52: The Mystery of the Reigate Squire Several hours after Isaac Adler was surrounded by Charlotte Holmes and Jane Moriarty, inside a fast-moving train¡ª ¡°¡­ You must be feeling quite tired.¡± Jane Moriarty, who sat to the right of Adler and was nodding her head, closed her eyes and slowly rested her head on his shoulder. Adler, who had been sitting quietly all the while, began to murmur in a low voice to her. ¡°The professor is indeed intellectual, but sometimes, she seems to also have her naive moments.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Especially when she has her sugar confiscated by me. She¡¯d momentarily wear a look as if she¡¯s lost the whole world in that everposed face of hers.¡± Sitting to the left of Adler, listening quietly to his calm voice, was none other than Charlotte Holmes. ¡°That part somehow reminds me a bit of Miss Holmes.¡± Her gaze was fixed on Isaac Adler, who was gently stroking Professor Moriarty¡¯s soft hair. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯re still young, Miss Holmes.¡± Charlotte, who had been quietly observing the scene for a while, was about to speak when Adler interrupted her in her tracks. ¡°I clearly said that you were the most precious to me¡­¡± Upon hearing those words, Charlotte Holmes couldn¡¯t help but tilt her head slightly, meanwhile, Adler continued his speech¡­ ¡°It was Miss Lestrade who confessed to me first. You saw it with your own eyes, so I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t disagree with me on that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I would miss an opportunity to y with someone like that, right?¡± His eyes shone quietly as he murmured those ominous words to her. ¡°And I clearly said itst time, didn¡¯t I? That I will devour those around you, one by one.¡± ¡°¡­ You did indeed.¡± ¡°If you disappoint me, in the end, I will devour you too.¡± His hand that was caressing Moriarty¡¯s hair till now reached for Charlotte. ¡°What should I do now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a bit disappointed in you right now.¡± Soon after, Adler gently touched her cheek, opened his mouth, and mimicked the sounds of swallowing out loud. ¡°May I devour you?¡± However, Charlotte, who would normally show the slightest hints of distaste at those statements of his, was strangely unfazed today¡­ ¡°I clearly said it back then too¡­¡± This led Adler, who momentarily tilted his head, to be confronted with a truly strange statement. ¡°Whatever your intention might be, seeing you like this somehow makes my heart churn.¡± Charlotte Holmes murmured in a hushed voice with her eyes cast down. ¡°I¡¯ve been honest with yo¡­¡± ¡°Do you perhaps like me?¡± When Adler probed further while wearing a faint smile on his lips, Charlotte Holmes chose to remain silent¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Miss Holmes?¡± Adler called out to her with a slightly flustered tone due to her response, which was so uncharacteristic that it had caught him off guard. Turning her gaze to the window, Charlotte rested her chin in her hand and mumbled in a soft tone. ¡°¡­ That shouldn¡¯t be the case¡­¡± Right after, a message appeared before Adler¡¯s eyes. ¡ºHidden Route ¡ª ???¡» ¨C Progress: 0% ¡ú 10% Adler, who was staring nkly at the sudden message, was broken out of his stupor by Charlotte¡¯s soft voice. ¡°After all, it was you who silently followed me all the way here when you could have easily escaped from my grasp if you so wished¡­¡± ¡°Miss Holmes.¡± Sighing at her usible remark, Adler replied in a level tone. ¡°I¡¯ve recently realized something¡­ if I didn¡¯t apany you in your little adventures, some incident could have transpired¡­ an incident that might have led to the end of this world.¡± ¡°Stop joking around.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious¡­¡± ¡°What I want to say is¡­¡± Charlotte continued and ignored Adler, who was gloomily checking the erosion rate and mumbling out those eerie words. ¡°You¡¯ve followed me wherever I went.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I never forced or coerced you into apanying me. Participating in this vacation was entirely Mr. Adler¡¯s personal choice.¡± ¡°The definition of force seems a bit ambiguous in your perspective¡­¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Her gaze darkened as she asked such a question¡­ ¡°So, don¡¯t change your statements when we arrive at our destination, alright?¡± ¡°¡­ What are you nning?¡± ¡°It will surely be a fun experience.¡± Adler tried hard to smile at her now-familiar dark gaze. ¡°¡­ Then, shall we get going?¡± Charlotte suddenly stood up and grabbed Adler¡¯s sleeve. ¡°The final destination written on the ticket is¡­¡± ¡°Shush~¡± Adler was about to question since there was still much time left to reach their final destination. But at that very moment, Charlotte quickly ced her finger inside his mouth to silence him, leaning in closely to his ears and whispering her next words. ¡°¡­ Of course, it¡¯s just a decoy.¡± ¡°A decoy¡­?¡± ¡°There are many who are after both of us.¡± Then, ncing at Professor Moriarty, who was sleeping next to them, she whispered in a low and subdued voice. ¡°We¡¯ll get off at the next station and take a carriage I¡¯ve arranged in advance. Of course, we¡¯ll switch routes and check periodically to see if we¡¯re being followed.¡± ¡°When did you arrange all this¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve brought disguise props as well. Considering you once disguised yourself as a nurse, you can perfectly don the appearance of someone else, right?¡± Wondering when she had prepared all of this and imagining what Charlotte might have done if he hadn¡¯t obediently apanied her, Adler threw a question with a rxed expression on his face. ¡°¡­ Where is our real destination?¡± Then, Charlotte responded with a smile tugging the corner of her lips. ¡°Reigate, in Surrey county.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Someone who had ties with Watson offered us shelter there. It¡¯s the perfect ce for a quiet vacation.¡± Adler¡¯s expression started to turn serious as he heard the name of their destination. ¡°¡­ Indeed, it was a good decision to follow you.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± Soon Adler changed his somber expression and held Charlotte¡¯s hand as he started walking toward the exit. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­¡± ¡°You seem to change your mood so abruptly sometimes.¡± ¡°¡­ Depends on how I¡¯m feeling really.¡± Silence began to fill the seats¡ª the seats that were now upied by the sleeping Professor Moriarty only. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Well, to be precise¡­ ¡°¡­ This is fun.¡± The professor, who was adjusting her body temperature and heartbeat in real-time, was actually in a meditative state; she had never been sleeping, to begin with¡­ . . . . . A day after that. ¡°This is surprising.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..!?¡± While leisurely sipping her tea in a quiet mansion on the outskirts of Reigate, Charlotte Holmes widened her eyes at the unexpected visitor¡¯s arrival. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to find you here.¡± ¡°How did youe to this ce¡­¡± It was because Professor Moriarty, dressed in in clothes, was standing at the entrance with a cold smile on her lips as she took off her hat. ¡°Miss Holmes, are you acquainted with Colonel Hayter as well?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have any friends. My apologies, that was rude of me to ask. Perhaps it¡¯s due to your rtionship with Rachel Watson, who was previously a military doctor?¡± Charlotte Holmes¡¯ face stiffened and her body began to emit a ck aura filled with ominous smoke at that remark. Moriarty, however, simply entered the mansion with a smirk on her lips. ¡°But coincidentally, among my few personal connections, there was one person who was a Colonel.¡± ¡°What a fortunate story¡­¡± ¡°The world is far smaller than you think, Miss Holmes.¡± Their grey eyes, of differing hues, coldly locked onto each other. ¡°I¡¯m just here for a vacation at the mansion of Colonel Hayter, an acquaintance of my rtive. However, I didn¡¯t expect you to be here before me.¡± ¡°¡­ Leave. I rented this ce first.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s a matter to discuss with the owner, not with you.¡± In this atmosphere, Moriarty was the first to break eye contact, taking a rxed seat on the mansion¡¯s sofa. ¡°But choosing such a ce for a vacation, either my luck or yours seems a bit off¡­¡± ¡°¡­ What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Have you not read today¡¯s newspaper?¡± Charlotte¡¯s gaze was drawn to the newspaper Moriarty pulled out of her belongings. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s about a burry at the house of an influential figure in this region, a long-time friend of Colonel Hayter¡ª an old friend named Axton. The damage wasn¡¯t significant, but the culprit hasn¡¯t been caught yet.¡± Meanwhile, Moriarty crossed her legs leisurely and continued her words¡­ ¡°¡­ The coincidence that the date of our arrival and this unsettling event aligned so perfectly is truly astounding, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What is your angle here?¡± ¡°¡­ Alright, let¡¯s end the chitchat.¡± Grey mana began to shimmer out of her body at the end of that remark. ¡°I¡¯ve been a bit roundabout with my words but all I¡¯m really curious about right now is one thing.¡± The next moment, an electrifying aura began to circte around the mansion. ¡°Where is Isaac Adler right now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m obliged to tell you that.¡± In a situation where both women¡¯s mana intensified as if they were drawing their pistols at each other, Professor Moriarty spoke with a hint of amusement in her voice. ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous that the best detective in London is involved in a kidnapping.¡± ¡°Oh, do you have any evidence to back up that statement?¡± ¡°I¡¯m nning to look for it now.¡± ¡°Go ahead and try.¡± Charlotte Holmes replied with an equally amused tone. ¡°¡­ if you can even find anything, that is.¡± The standoff between the two women continued for tens of minutes until Colonel Hayter, the house owner who had been briefly out, returned to the mansion. . . . . . Later, during the dawn of the next morning, in an old warehouse near the mansion¡­ ¡°Haah, haah¡­¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± At a time that was clearly too early for young children to be wandering about, two girls staggered into the warehouse. Simultaneously, they lost strength in their legs and slumped to the ground. ¡°Sister¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What do we do now¡­?¡± After what seemed like a long while, the younger-looking girl began to question the one beside her¡ª her sister. ¡°That person¡­ is he really dead¡­?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­¡± Upon hearing the words, the one addressed as sister closed her eyes tightly. ¡°We killed him¡­ right¡­?¡± However, as the younger sister continued to speak, she couldn¡¯t finish her sentence and hugged her big sister with a pale look on her face. ¡°It¡¯s over for us¡­¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Just when I thought we might finally be happy¡­¡± Thus, the mournful cries of the two girls began to echo in the middle of dawn. ¡°The Cunningham sisters, correct?¡± ¡°¡±¡­ Kyaa!?¡±¡± It was at that moment¡­ ¡°A new riddle¡­!¡± From behind them, a male voice echoed. ¡°Wh, Who is it¡­¡± ¡°Si, Sister¡­ it¡¯s the devil¡­!¡± The sisters, filled with fear, turned around and began to tremble in terror. ¡°The devil hase to get us¡­!¡± ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter if you think so, but¡­ Staring at them with blood-red eyes was a blonde-haired boy¡ª Isaac Adler. ¡°¡­ First, could you untie this for me?¡± Pointing to the chair he was tightly bound to with his head, he whispered to them in a soft and soothing voice. ¡°I¡¯ll advise you on your crimes.¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± Then, silence ensued in the still warehouse. ¡°Why not trust a devil with nothing better to do?¡± Both sisters, after swallowing hard, seemed to be drawn to his sweet voice and cautiously began to approach him. ¡°¡­ You have just assured your survival.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I said, it was an excellent choice.¡± It was the beginning of a mystery that would stir up the quiet ins of Reigate. Rate and review us 5 stars on NU or face Naru¡¯s wrath¡­ You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 53: The Mystery of the Reigate Squire (2) Chapter 53: The Mystery of the Reigate Squire (2) The sh between Detective Charlotte Holmes and Professor Jane Moriarty came to a temporary halt the following day, thanks to the intervention of Colonel Hayter, who had returned to the mansion btedly. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re saying that you¡¯re acquainted with me?¡± ¡°Well, strictly speaking, it¡¯s my sister¡ª Colonel Julia Moriarty, who is acquainted with you which makes us acquaintances as well.¡± Colonel Hayter, who had visited the mansion he had lent to Charlotte early in the morning to settle the dispute between the two, silently scratched his head upon hearing the exnation from Professor Moriarty, who had also arrived at a simrly early hour. ¡°I don¡¯t recall such a person¡­?¡± The colonel then asked, filled with suspicion in his eyes. ¡°But you do know Colonel Sebastian, right?¡± ¡°Ah, you mean the one who served in Afghanistan?¡± However, at Professor Moriarty¡¯s following question, his eyes widened in surprise before he spoke in a familiar tone. ¡°He was once my boss.¡± ¡°From what I heard, he was not just a boss to you, right? Both of you had a special rtionship as far as I can recall.¡± ¡°Well, until I got promoted, we were like brothers¡­¡± As he murmured while scratching his head, Jane Moriarty, with a slight smile, pulled out a letter from her possession. ¡°Myte sister was quite close to him in fact.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°They were close enough that my sister disclosed about him to me in the letters she would send me frequently.¡± She continued her exnation to the colonel, handing him the letter she had taken out. ¡°As you can see, this letter I¡¯ve given you is one that my sister and Colonel Sebastian exchanged. I¡¯ve found it in her belongings.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°ording to that letter, around the time of the armistice, both of them dreamed of taking a vacation near your hometown¡ª Reigate.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°From what I can gather, your boss and my sister had quite a special rtionship, don¡¯t you think?¡± She added with a slightly sorrowful tone, not missing the faint tremor in the colonel¡¯s hand as he read the letter. ¡°Well, now that both of them have passed away, it¡¯s be a promise that they can¡¯t fulfill.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So, as her younger sister, shouldn¡¯t I fulfill that dream on their behalf?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ certainly¡­¡± Just as the colonel was about to nod in agreement. ¡°My, that¡¯s quite a contrived justification, is it not?¡± Charlotte, who had been silently folding her arms while standing still, started to interject with a sharp voice from behind. ¡°Or perhaps it¡¯s actually fabricated¡­¡± ¡°Are you insulting my lineage?¡± ¡°Compared to such a vague reason, I have a very solid justification.¡± Ignoring the unexpectedly sharp response from Professor Moriarty, Charlotte looked directly at Colonel Hayter. ¡°Rachel Watson saved your life, didn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s right. She was a military doctor and she saved me when I was in a critical condition.¡± ¡°And she is one of my very few friends.¡± Charlotte, who had given a sidelong nce to Moriarty for previously teasing her for herck of friends, concluded quietly. ¡°Whose request should you honor? That of the life-saver or the presumptuous demand of a guest whose true intentions aren¡¯t even clear?¡± Thus, silence ensued in the room for some time. ¡°I¡¯m also considering paying.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Caught off guard by Moriarty¡¯sment amid the silence, Colonel Hayter looked quite a bit flustered. ¡°I noticed that this mansion is up for sale. Isn¡¯t it bothersome to have an uninvited guest over? If you let me stay here for a few weeks, I¡¯ll pay the monthly rent.¡± ¡°I can pay as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay double of what that youngdy offers.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll pay double of that double.¡± Just as another heated argument between the two women was about to erupt. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± Suddenly, the mansion¡¯s door opened. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Miss Charlotte Holmes of Baker Street is here¡­¡± ¡°¡­ What¡¯s the matter?¡± Seeing the uniform, it was clear that the neer was a Police Inspector. Charlotte¡¯s eyes immediately sharpened once she deduced their identity. ¡°It¡¯s a murder case.¡± And then, the Inspector¡¯s voice echoed through the mansion. ¨C Zing¡­! At that very moment, as if waiting for this very event, golden letters appeared on the palms of the two women. ?Time for a new riddle!? ¡°If it¡¯s not too much trouble, could you assist us?¡± Both Charlotte and Professor Moriarty rose from their seats, their eyes shining in a dark hue. . . . . . ¡°¡­ Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°Mr. Adler?¡± The two women soon arrived at the crime scene under the guidance of the Inspector¡ª one as an investigative advisor and the other as a teacher at the August Detective Academy respectively¡­ ¡°Hello.¡± For some reason, they began to nkly stare at Isaac Adler, who was inside the Cunningham Mansion, arrested and in handcuffs at the crime scene. ¡°Well, they said I was a suspect in the murder that took ce in this mansion.¡± ¡°¡­ A suspect?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite a troublesome situation. An upstanding citizen like me is being used ofmitting murder. It¡¯s simply outrageous.¡± Instead of responding to the question, Adler winked at thedies and continued speaking nonchntly. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± The Cunningham sisters were standing behind him, exchanging anxious nces with each other. ¡°The summary of the incident is as follows¡­¡± The Inspector cleared her throat, thus beginning her exnation. ¡°Last night, the two sisters, who were sleeping in the mansion, heard a strange noiseing from the garden.¡± ¡°A strange noise?¡± ¡°Yes. The two sisters, who had recently lost their parents, had no choice but to check outside for the disturbance with amp in their hands since the butler, the only adult present in the house, had been unresponsive no matter how much they called him.¡± Charlotte and Moriarty¡¯s gazes began to gleam subtly as the Inspector continued her exnation. ¡°Then they saw a shadowy figure hastily jumping over the fence, they went after him and subsequently found the body of the butler lying in the garden.¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± ¡°The cause of the butler¡¯s death was a gunshot wound. He was shot directly in the center of his head and thus died instantly.¡± Their gaze shifted to the younger Cunningham sister, whoseplexion had paled upon hearing the condition of the butler. ¡°In a panic, the two sisters locked themselves in the mansion, trembling in fear. It was only early in the morning that they ventured out to report the incident.¡± ¡°After so long¡­?¡± ¡°They probably had no other choice. There were no adults in the mansion, and they didn¡¯t know when the perpetrator might return.¡± The atmosphere turned a bit tense, but the Inspector, seemingly oblivious to the change, continued her exnation. ¡°I was dispatched after receiving the report and rushed to the scene. I found this suspicious young man lurking around the mansion and arrested him on the spot. He is currently under temporary detainment.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not a suspicious person.¡± As the Inspector poked Adler¡¯s head, he murmured in a low voice. ¡°I was merely conducting a personal investigation¡­¡± ¡°Quiet down, boy.¡± Watching the scene silently, Charlotte finally asked in a soft voice. ¡°Was there anything else out of the ordinary?¡± ¡°The living room of the mansion was slightly disheveled.¡± The Inspector, who was reporting with a salute, took out a torn piece of paper from her pocket and showed it to them. ¡°Also, this note was found clenched in the butler¡¯s hand.¡± 1:45¡­ Will teach¡­ Perhaps¡­ A sudden silence ensued for some time as everyone focused on the note. ¡°¡­ Hmm?¡± Unlike Charlotte, who was quietly observing the note, Professor Moriarty furrowed her brows and turned her head slightly to the side. ¡°Based on our investigation so far, we suspect it might be rted to the recent theft at the Axton Mansion.¡± Seeing the silence stretch without end, the Inspector tentatively offered her own opinion. ¡°It¡¯s possible that the thief from the other day, thinking the Cunningham Mansion would be an easier target, broke in, got caught by the butler, and then killed him before fleeing¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Excuse me, then why was I arrested?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that thief you?¡± She looked usingly at Isaac Adler, who was grimacing in handcuffs. ¡°Do you really think I would stoop to such petty thievery?¡± ¡°¡­ Who are you exactly?¡± In response to his question, Adler just smirked and shook his head. ¡°You seem to be quite unaware of the outside world.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± ¡°¡­ Inspector Forrester.¡± At the moment when the Inspector looked puzzled and was lost as to who Isaac Adler was, which was rare among the British popce, Professor Moriarty stepped forward and began to whisper with a smile on her face. ¡°We¡¯ll take it from here.¡± ¡°Ah, right!¡± After hearing those words, the Inspector corrected her posture and saluted them both. ¡°Can you focus on finding any form of evidence that might have been missed in the preliminary investigation?¡± ¡°Understood!¡± As she energetically acknowledged and left the room, Professor Moriarty¡¯s gaze brieflynded on Adler. ¡°You all¡­¡± And a momentter, her gaze shifted to the Cunningham sisters, who were fidgeting in the background. ¡°Come here. I need to speak with you.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Wh, why¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯ll only take a moment.¡± The eldest, with a slightly defiant expression, and the youngest, who was about to ask a timid question, closed their mouths and nodded at the professor¡¯s cool demeanor. ¡°I¡¯ll be back shortly.¡± As Moriarty led them out of the living room, a heavy silence filled the room. ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes.¡± Amidst the silence, Isaac Adler began to whisper to Charlotte in a velvety voice. ¡°I¡¯m truly disappointed.¡± . . . . . ¡°I never imagined you would do such a thing to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°You really are a beast.¡± As Adler¡¯s cold criticism flew out of his lips, Charlotte¡¯s eyes flickered ever so slightly. ¡°But if I had let you go, you would have disappeared tomit more misdeeds, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± Soon, Charlotte clenched her fist and continued her exnation. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it. I was worried that Professor Moriarty mighte looking for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°And she indeed did.¡± With that, she headed toward the room where Moriarty had taken the Cunningham sisters. Given the suspicious circumstances, she wanted to check on things herself. ¡°Regardless, that doesn¡¯t concern me.¡± However, from behind her, Isaac Adler¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Miss Perverted Detective.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The wrong you¡¯ve done to me this time wille back to haunt you.¡± For some reason, his voice, colder than usual, echoed in her ears. ¡°The curse ced upon me is no joke¡­¡± ¡®¡­ I had no choice.¡¯ Hearing his words, Charlotte halted, closed her eyes, and got lost in her own thoughts. ¡®Just seeing you with another woman now¡­¡¯ ¨C Zzzzz¡­ ¡®¡­ My eyes can¡¯t help but be dyed with your color¡­¡¯ She had tried hard for several hours to revert them, but now her eyes were helplessly turning golden once more. ¡®¡­ No.¡¯ Charlotte, now ustomed to this sensation, silently epted it and shook her head from side to side while muttering to herself¡­ ¡®It¡¯s not love, after all.¡¯ Then, an empty voice echoed in her heart. ¡®It¡¯s impossible for me to fall victim to such an inefficient emotion¡­¡¯ As that voice began to slowly lose its strength inside her¡­ ¡®It¡¯s just¡­¡¯ ¡°Miss Holmes.¡± ¡®¡­ Just¡­¡¯ ¡°Still, it¡¯s okay¡­¡± Once again, a gentle voice came from behind her. ¡°¡­ Be quiet.¡± But Charlotte murmured with a stern expression and kept walking forward. ¡°No matter how disappointed I am in you¡­¡± It was just the soulless flirting Isaac Adler did with her all the time. ¡°No matter how many mistakes you make¡­¡± He would undoubtedly whisper the same insincere words to other women besides her too. ¡°I still love Miss Holmes, until the very end¡­¡± So, she had repeatedly vowed to herself that she should reconsider her feelings toward Isaac Adler from now on¡­ ¡°I can handle whatever happens in the future.¡± ¡®I won¡¯t fall for it anymore, Adler.¡¯ He was an enemy who had to be defeated. ¡®That¡¯s why¡­¡¯ As a detective, she shouldn¡¯t have been swayed by him in the first ce. ¡®With my own hands, I will¡­¡¯ This had been Charlotte¡¯s final conclusion, after having tied Adler to a chair and conversing with him for several hours. ¡°Do you know something¡­?¡± However, the conclusion she had reached¡­ ¡°That¡­ if you truly love someone¡­¡± ¨C Crash¡­! ¡­ With the deafening sound of something breaking, it quietly shattered into pieces. ¡°¡­ You can even sacrifice your life.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..!¡± What came into Charlotte¡¯s view as she turned her head with wide-open eyes was¡­ ¡°¡­ I love you.¡± Isaac Adler, murmuring those words, then copsed onto the floor, vomiting blood with a pale face. ¡°¡­¡­..¡± It was like that day at the racetrack¡­ ¡°¡­ You.¡± And only then, Charlotte Holmes realized. ¡°You told me, you wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± A month ago, Isaac Adler¡¯s lifespan shortened due to her¡­ ¡°¡­ You said you wouldn¡¯t die.¡± And she was able to realize that he didn¡¯t have much time left¡­ ¡°You said you¡¯d devour me.¡± Charlotte Holmes¡¯s eyes began to quiver. ¡°¡­ Of course.¡± Because she was finally certain of the nature of the curse he had mentioned. . . . . . ¡®So, that¡¯s how it was.¡¯ The moment the mug on the table shattered and my body started to sway, I had a clear understanding of the case¡¯s conclusion. ¡®Charlotte could¡¯ve died if I hadn¡¯t been careful.¡¯ However, I couldn¡¯t let Charlotte Holmes or Professor Moriarty know that right now. So, pretending to have unintentionally fallen and broken the mug, I continued to act weak and copsed onto the floor, maintaining my feigned frailty. ¡°Would you confine a sick person?¡± This was the so-called Feigning Illness strategy. At least while feigning illness, one could avoid being imprisoned. It was such a simple thought that led to this event. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± As he sat silently on the floor, expectedly, blood began to flow from his mouth. Of course, his current body didn¡¯t feel pain very well, so it didn¡¯t matter much. Rather, being optimized for feigning illness was quite advantageous for him. ¡°Is it because of me?¡± While he was coughing blood with a triumphant smile inwardly, Charlotte approached with a dazed look on her face. ¡°Did this happen because of me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± As she uttered words he couldn¡¯tprehend, tilting his head in confusion, she knelt in front of him and whispered her question. ¡°Was that your curse?¡± ¡°¡­ What are you saying?¡± Although he didn¡¯t understand, he had to continue the act. So, feigning a dying voice with a slight smile on his lips, he noticed her eyes losing their light. ¨C Drip¡­ ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± The next moment, something unbelievable began to happen. ¡°Miss Holmes?¡± Tears streamed from her golden eyes. Warning! Game Over Alert! And simultaneously, a dreadful message appeared before him. ¡®¡­ I didn¡¯t intend to break her down.¡¯ Charlotte Holmes is in Despair! ¡°Oh no.¡± This was truly a disaster. Rate and review us 5 stars on NU or face Naru¡¯s wrath¡­ You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 54: Fait Accompli Chapter 54: Fait Apli ¡°Mi, Miss Holmes?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?¡± Isaac Adler¡¯s voice, his tone filled with utter astonishment, echoed throughout the room. ¨C Drip¡­ But right in front of him, Charlotte Holmes knelt down on the ground, shedding tears like tiny beads. ¡°Uhm¡­¡± As the game-over warning message shed before his eyes, cold sweat started to form on Adler¡¯s forehead. ¨C Shhh¡­ ¡°Calm down.¡± After hesitating for a moment, Adler gently embraced Charlotte in his arms. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s because of me that you¡¯re dying, isn¡¯t it?¡± Charlotte¡¯s somber and broken voice whispered in his ear. ¡°What are you even talking about¡­?¡± ¡°Every time you¡¯re with me, you seem to grow weaker and weaker¡­¡± Caught off guard by her exnation, Adler¡¯s face disyed his astonishment. ¡°Every time I solve a case, I can clearly see you bing more frail.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a coincidence.¡± ¡°Then how would you exin the bleeding just now?¡± ¡°That was¡­¡± ¡°How do you exin the state of that body of yours, getting sicker day by day like that?¡± As he was momentarily lost for words due to the overwhelming misunderstanding that she was harboring, Charlotte¡¯s somber voice relentlessly pressed on. ¡°I¡¯m scared to fight with you any longer.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..!¡± Then, she finally voiced that sentiment of hers. ¡°Ever since I was born, I¡¯ve always lived in a state of apathy.¡± ¡°Miss Holmes¡­¡± ¡°Whenever an incident urred, I could momentarily escape that apathy but that was all there was to it.¡± Charlotte, nestled in Adler¡¯s embrace, continued her story in a trembling voice. ¡°After every incident ended, it was just an endless series of days filled with debilitating apathy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°The problem is, unlike my sister, my apathy could be ovee with some form of stimtion.¡± Lost in her words, Adler silently began to stroke her back before he even knew it. ¡°Cigarette addiction, Mana Poisoning, and then the next stage¡­ it was only a matter of time before I fell apart.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°That was¡­ until you appeared, Mr. Adler¡­¡± The shivers running through her body werepletely felt through Adler¡¯s touch. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you, I can¡¯t live without you anymore.¡± In that state, with tear-filled eyes, Charlotte Holmes looked up at Adler. ¡°I¡¯ve already been devoured by you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°No stimulus, no incident, no drug can ever rece you.¡± There was a twisted look in her eyes. ¡°You are the very definition of stimulus itself for me now¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°If you were to disappear, how would I even continue living?¡± Adler, who was about to say something, eventually chose to close his mouth without uttering a word. ¡°What if I were to surpass you?¡± Then, Charlotte, leaning in closer to him, poured out that question. ¡°What if I destroy the kingdom that the Professor and you are trying to build, and put you guys in prison?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Then, what should I do with my life?¡± But there was no response from Adler. ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± Charlotte¡¯s faint murmur echoed in his ear. ¡°I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± The greatest detective in all of London was nowhere to be found¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t want to do anything¡­¡± All that stood before his eyes was a young girl paralyzed with unbridled fear. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Utter silence thus ensued. ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes.¡± After contemting for a while and looking down at the quivering Charlotte in his embrace, Adler spoke to her in a soft voice. ¡°No matter what happens, I won¡¯t leave you.¡± Then, Charlotte began to gaze at Adler intently. ¡°I swear.¡± ¡°How can I trust you?¡± In response to her question, Adler snapped his fingers, and a contract written in golden letters appeared out of thin air. ¡°When ites to contract magic, I am more confident than anyone in the entire world.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°So please sign it, Miss Holmes.¡± epting the contract, Charlotte stared nkly at it. ¡°I will be with you forever.¡± ¨C Shhh¡­ As if mesmerized by those tantalizing words, her hand began to inscribe her signature on the contract. ¡°¡­ Now, you can be at ease.¡± Observing this, Adler gently patted her back and began to smile warmly. ¡°¡­ Yes, I feel safe now.¡± And at that exact moment¡­ ¨C Tssssss¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± On Adler¡¯s lower abdomen, a ck seal made of ominous mana began to imprint. ¡°I almost got caught just now.¡± ¡°What?¡± While quietly looking down at the golden seal beginning to imprint on her own abdomen, Charlotte mumbled in an oddly clear voice, far different from the broken voice she had before. It was as if¡­ as if, all of it was a lie¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± Right at that moment, the game-over warning message vanished from his sight. ¡°¡­ I omitted the vague and unnecessary uses that were present on the back of the contract.¡± Presenting the contract she had just signed to the bewildered Adler, Holmes showed him the changed contract. ¨C Tssssss¡­ There, Charlotte¡¯s ck mana had already burned away all the escape uses that Adler had previously ced on the back. ¡°Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°¡­ How¡­!?¡± With his mouth agape, after looking at the change in the contract he had personally created, Adler soon shifted his gaze toward Charlotte and asked her in a soft voice. ¡°Since long ago, you would often stare into the void, your eyes unfocused¡­¡± Addressing him, Charlotte¡¯s eyes shone sharper than ever as she began her tale. ¡°I thought it was a coincidence, but your pupils often contracted at the exact moment when something was about to happen.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°And most decisively, after briefly observing you while you were confinedst night, I was able to confirm what I had been suspecting all along.¡± Her whisper pierced Adler¡¯s ear and reverberated in his mind. ¡°Your curse is¡­ having to do things that are against your will.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°And the things you have to do appears in front of you in the form of text, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Adler¡¯s eyes subtly quivered at her perceptive retort. ¡°¡­ Every cursees with an ability that others might envy.¡± Seeing his reaction and being confident in her deduction, Charlotte slightly tilted her head and murmured. ¡°So, what is your ability exactly?¡± Suddenly, Charlotte leaned in and asked, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I tried to intensify my emotions a bit earlier, just for testing purposes. I¡¯m quite confident in my acting skills, you know¡­¡± Her brain seemed to be working faster than ever before. ¡°Seeing you flustered, which is unlike you, is it something like mind-reading?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°Or is it an ability to grasp the current situation in one way or another?¡± ¡°Miss Holmes¡­¡± ¡°Or perhaps, can you see the potential futures ahead of you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± As Adler fumbled for words, Charlotte brought her lips close to his ear and whispered softly. ¡°Or¡­ is it all of the above?¡± Then, there was silence¡­ ¡°¡­ Well, whatever it may be¡­¡± Charlotte¡¯s whisper continued, causing a shiver down Adler¡¯s back as he felt the gentle yet hot breath against his ear. ¡°I¡¯ve started to understand you a bit.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve broken a fewmands for my sake, haven¡¯t you?¡± Her voice seemed to have a hint of apology within¡­ ¡°¡­ You don¡¯t need to resist or struggle anymore.¡± She began to gently stroke Adler¡¯s hair with her hands. ¡°Because I can¡¯t stand by and watch your life force diminish any further¡­¡± Charlotte, looking at Adler who was still spewing out blood with a slightly anxious expression on her face, murmured as she wrapped one of her arms around his waist. ¡°¡­ And, because you love me so much.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Far more than a lousy professor who can¡¯t even make such simple deductions.¡± Then, she asked with a slightly sharp tone in her voice¡­ ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Right¡­!?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± As Adler hesitantly answered, Charlotte, who initially looked at him with a slightly dissatisfied gaze, soon wore a smile on her lips. ¡°Well, with this contract in hand, the conclusion has already been set in stone, more or less.¡± And then, she slightly lowered her head, tapping on the contract she had been carefully holding onto her arms to show it to him. ¡°Indeed, I need to make things a bit more certain, don¡¯t I?¡± The very next moment¡­ ¨C Bite¡­ ¡°¡­ Huh!?¡± Charlotte¡¯s teeth sunk into Adler¡¯s soft neck. ¨C Crunch¡­ ¡°¡­? ¡­..???¡± Baffled by her sudden act of sucking blood, Adler wore a perplexed expression on his face. ¡°Mi, Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°¡­ Puhua~¡± ¡°Ha, Have you perhaps be a vampire?¡± Then, Adler urgently pushed her away and asked that question. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯vee to a conclusion.¡± Charlotte, giving that response, gazed intently at Adler while being lost in thought. ¡®No matter how much I ponder, there¡¯s only one conclusion I can reach.¡¯ Isaac Adler was her enemy. Moreover, he was an entity she shouldn¡¯t be entangled with as a detective. But at the same time, he was an essential part of her life. ¡°¡­ Charlotte?¡± The life of such a being was fading away because of her. Even if not for that, this struggle would inevitablye to an end one day. Then, was there no way to keep him by her side forever? If not that, at least, couldn¡¯t she retain his essence within her? After a series of logical and rational deductions, there was only one way¡ª only one answer she could reach. ¡°I¡¯ll devour you.¡± Having reached that conclusion, Charlotte wiped away the blood of Adler from her lips with her finger, consuming every drop, and whispered¡­ ¡°¡­ This isn¡¯t about me being tainted by you.¡± At the same time, Charlotte reached out and touched Adler¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s about me tainting you.¡± Carefully plucking a single strand of his hair, she ced it into her mouth and whispered those words. ¡°¡­ Mmm.¡± Then, she began to chew thoughtfully, resting her chin on her hand and staring intently at Adler. ¨C Gulp¡­ Momentster, with a bright smile on her face after swallowing the strand, Charlotte spoke up. ¡°Having done this much, we¡¯ll have some good news soon.¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡± ¡°Watson informed me.¡± Adler, initially looking slightly uneasy, froze in ce upon hearing her follow-up words. ¡°To establish a Fait Apli, gic material is required.¡± Charlotte, wiping her mouth with her sleeve and pointing to the golden seal imprinted on her lower abdomen, whispered in a soft voice. ¡°¡­ Just wait a few days.¡± At that moment, Adler was finally able to understand¡­ ¡ºHidden Route ¡ª ???¡» ¨C Progress: 20% ¡ú 50% The moment Charlotte¡¯s knowledge becameplete, he could sense what was about to happen to him. Warning! ¨C Probability of ??? ¡ª 60% ¡ú 70% ¡°¡­ Ah.¡± The messages appearing before his eyes faintly foreshadowed the event that would soon transpire. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 55: The Mystery of the Reigate Squire (3) Chapter 55: The Mystery of the Reigate Squire (3) ¡°I can hear the sound of your eyes rolling all the way from here.¡± Charlotte, looking down at Adler who had a dazed expression on his face, stood up from her seat with a satisfied look and opened her mouth to utter some more words. ¡°Did you foresee something that would happen in a few days?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Or, is it a newmand?¡± Upon hearing those words, Adler¡¯s face, which had been smiling stiffly, paled a bit subconsciously. Charlotte gave him a quiet, mischievous smile when she saw his reaction. ¡°If it¡¯s a newmand, don¡¯t overdo it. Just follow along.¡± ¡°Look here¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tolerate most things for you.¡± In that state, her soft lips leaned down and ovepped with Adler¡¯s. Soon, their tongues timidly entwined with each other and exchanged bodily fluids. ¡°¡­ Uh.¡± Adler, surprised by the unexpected turn of events, tried to pull his head back, but Charlotte grabbed his hand and proceeded to pull him toward her. ¡°¡±¡­¡­..¡±¡± Then, she tilted her head to the side with her eyes closed for a long while. The kiss was gentle and tender as if they were lovers, different from the rough and clumsy ones they had shared in the past. Adler¡¯s cheeks started to redden with embarrassment as the act prolonged. ¨C Drip¡­ After what felt like an eternity, they both simultaneously pulled away from each other. ¡°¡­ Huh.¡± Charlotte, who had been watching the sticky saliva connecting from Adler¡¯s extended tongue to her own with nk eyes, slowly started to collect it with her hands. ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes.¡± Reaching Adler¡¯s tongue, Charlotte toyed with it momentarily before letting it go. Only then did Adler speak in a soft voice. ¡°What exactly are you doing?¡± ¡°Collecting DNA.¡± ¡°You know very well that doesn¡¯t make much sense, Miss Holmes.¡± In a split second, her gaze moved away from Adler to the side. ¡°¡­ Do you like me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Then she, who would have instantly refuted Adler¡¯s question in the past, rose from her seat while maintaining a deep silence. ¡°My logical and rational conclusion seems to be a bit misleading to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Well, think whatever you want of it.¡± ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Charlotte, with a resigned expression on her face, as if she was begrudgingly responding to his question, reached out and plucked a few more strands of hair from Adler¡¯s head. ¨C Swirl, swirl¡­ Then, she put those strands into her mouth and started heading toward the mansion¡¯s front door, all the while chewing on the strands. ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you going to investigate?¡± Adler, trying hard to ignore Charlotte¡¯s strong will tobine his DNA with hers, threw out a question. She quietly turned around with a smile on her face after hearing his question. ¡°The investigation for this case is almostplete.¡± ¡°¡­ Already?¡± ¡°What do you take me for?¡± Saying those words, she confidently shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I just need to verify a few things. Like information on the nearby real estate, that suspicious note from earlier, and the wounds on the butler who should be undergoing autopsy by now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°If my assumptions are right,bining all those will give me the answer I desire.¡± Her tone, now back to her professional demeanor, was unyielding as always. ¡°As expected, it¡¯s Miss Holmes after all.¡± ¡°No need to mention it.¡± Adler now used to seeing her in this mode, threw out apliment with a faint smile on his lips. ¡°¡­ You should be mentally prepared.¡± However, as Charlotte swallowed the hair she had been chewing and pointed to her lower belly, his smile couldn¡¯t help but waver. ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± As she was about to leave the mansion, she suddenly stopped for a moment and spoke his name. ¡°Although I might have acted a bit to turn the situation in my favor¡­¡± Her voice trembled slightly as she continued her speech. ¡°You know, Mr. Adler¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°In the end, without a mix of sincerity, one is unable to pull off such an act.¡± And then, a brief silence hung between the two. ¡°¡­ Take care of yourself.¡± With her face slightly flushed, Charlotte was about to say something when, after some contemtion, she changed her words and began to walk away. ¡°If you die, I¡¯ll follow you to hell and curse you till you can¡¯t take it anymore.¡± Herst statement, as she stepped outside the mansion, quietly echoed in Adler¡¯s ears for a while. . . . . . . How much time had passed since Charlotte Holmes had left the mansion? For some time, I had been left alone, sitting slumped in my seat. All the while, I had been absentmindedly staring at the handcuffs wrapped around my wrist and I even found myself muttering to myself without realizing. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m going mad, seriously¡­¡± My head was in a mess. I couldn¡¯t quite figure out how things hade to this point. When did Charlotte notice the karma system that I had? Could the professor have noticed something too? ¡®That¡¯s not really the main problem right now.¡¯ The point of the matter was that¡­ Charlotte had noticed my system. She was on the verge of figuring everything out about me and the truth of this world. And the professor was probably going to naturally follow suit and find everything out too¡­ Even a simple listing of the problems made it clear that there were way too many issues at hand. However, there was something else I had to focus on right now. ¡®Solving the casees first.¡¯ I had to address the immediate problem first. ¡®It¡¯s the only way for me to survive in this situation.¡¯ ording to my deduction, this case wasn¡¯t as ordinary as it seemed. Perhaps, although it was a remote possibility¡­ At the end of this case, I just might meet the entity I had been desperately searching for. And if I somehow managed to capture that entity? ¡®¡­ I¡¯ll need to create my own organization.¡¯ My mind began to race a mile a minute. Building the professor¡¯s kingdom at a slow and steady pace was good and all, but if I continued this way, I wouldn¡¯t survive in this world for long. Warning! ¨C Probability of Confinement ¡ª 99.99% ¨C Probability of being Tamed ¡ª 99.99% ¨C Probability of ??? ¡ª 70% ¡°¡­ It¡¯s a bloody disaster.¡± To break free from these ominous probabilities, I desperately needed a close personal guard that operated solely for me. I had already nned my roster. The Princess y and Silver ze who were dependent on me. The Queen of Bohemia and Colonel Rosel, the women responsible for my rear support and finances. And most recently, Gia Lestrade, with whom I had be involved by a twist of fate. If I were to use these people properly, I might just be able to lower those frightening probabilities even by a little. However, it was still not enough. To even put up a fight against Professor Moriarty, the deranged serial killer, and Charlotte Holmes, who hade to a form of realization about me, I was still missing a key piece of the puzzle. I hoped that this puzzle piece would be found at the end of this case. ¡®¡­ No, it had to be there.¡¯ Knowing that there was a 99.99% chance I would be confined once this case ended, a cold chill started to grip my entire being. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± While I was shivering by myself in silence, I heard a murmuring voiceing from the side. ¡°¡­ Your identity has been verified.¡± The inspector, who had rashly arrested me while I was investigating around the mansion, bowed her head with an almost apologetic expression. ¡°I¡¯ll release the handcuffs right away. This is truly embarrassing, I don¡¯t know what to say¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s alright, inspector.¡± Knowing that the mistake was actually mine for snooping around like that, I just extended both arms forward without a second thought. The inspector started unlocking the handcuffs while continuously nodding in apology. ¡°But are you not feeling well?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± While doing so, she suddenly started examining me from top to bottom and posed a question. ¡°Your face looks as pale as a corpse.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± If anyone else saw the probabilities floating in front of me, wouldn¡¯t theirplexion be simr to mine? ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ cough!¡± As I tried to make up a usible excuse, a sudden cough burst forth from my throat. ¡°¡­ Cough, cough.¡± ¡°Tsk tsk, such a young man.¡± I continued to cough for a while, covering my mouth, and the inspector gently patted my back, muttering sympathetically. ¡°¡­ Why is this happening?¡± ¡°Drink this.¡± Just when I felt inexplicably dizzy, as if I was on borrowed time, the inspector took something out of her possession and handed it to me. ¡°Thank¡­ you?¡± Absentmindedly, I took it in my hands and took a sip. Warmth spread throughout my body, and the tingling pain I felt began to subside. What was this? Some sort of elixir or something? ¡°I should be on my way. I have to assist the young detective with the autopsy.¡± ¡°Is that¡­ so?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, I guess this apology will suffice?¡± For some reason, feeling overwhelmed by the heat, when I nodded my head, the inspector handed me a bottle and patted my back, heading toward the entrance. ¡°Take care of yourself, young man.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°¡­ Young people shouldn¡¯t be coughing up blood already.¡± I couldn¡¯t clearly hear thestment she added. ¡°What¡¯s even in this¡­?¡± Feeling the surprisingly potent effects, I took another sip of the potion and my body began to sway in the next moment¡­ ¨C Screech¡­ ¡°What on earth¡­¡± Just as I was about to check thebel of the bottle, suspecting something was off¡­ ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± Someone covered my mouth from behind with a handkerchief. ¡°Mmph¡­¡± Caught off guard, I tried to resist, but my strength was rapidly draining, making it impossible to put up a fight. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Consequently, my arms were seized, and I was dragged into a remote room inside the mansion. ¨C Click¡­! ¡°Haah, haah¡­¡± ¡°Si, sister¡­¡± As the door locked, two sisters came into my line of sight. ¡°Eek¡­!¡± ¡°Do¡­ Do we really have to do this¡­?¡± Before I could say anything, the elder of the two sisters climbed onto me and began to strangle me. ¡°Chk¡­ gurg¡­¡± ¡°You said to trust only you. That you¡¯d cover up our crimes¡­¡± Her rebellious eyes were filled with anxiety and fear. ¡°Why did that professor know everything¡­?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Why are the police leaving the mansion one by one¡­?¡± The younger sister, clinging to my body, looked on tremblingly at her older sister. ¡°And what about that note?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you handle that!!¡± The situation was quickly spiraling into a catastrophic scenario. ¡°You betrayed us?¡± ¡®Come to think of it, there was a scene like this in the original work¡­¡¯ ¡°You¡¯ve been deceiving us from the start!!¡± As my consciousness continued to fade, I dazedly stared at the girl strangling me, and then quietly diverted my gaze. ¡®¡­ Ah.¡¯ I finally noticed thebel on the bottle that had slipped from my hand and cursed silently to myself. ¡®¡­ It¡¯s brandy.¡¯ That was myst memory of that day. . . . . . . Only a few minutester¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Professor Jane Moriarty, with a frantic expression, stormed into the room where the Cunningham sisters were located. Soon after, she began to wear a dazed look, a look that was totally uncharacteristic of her. ¡°Fuck¡­ you bastard..¡± ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± It was because the Cunningham sisters, one with a humiliated face and the other with an ecstatic one, were lying close to Adler¡¯s feet as he sat on a chair, holding his chin. ¡°¡­ Hup.¡± ¡°My beloved professor.¡± With an unyielding gaze, Adler, who made the older sister bow her head by stepping on top of it, gently stroked the younger sister¡¯s hair and spoke. ¡°This is a gift for you.¡± ¡°You enjoy ying games, don¡¯t you, Mr. Adler?¡± A chilling smile full of wickedness began to form on the lips of both Adler and Professor Moriarty. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 56: The Mystery of the Reigate Squire (4) Chapter 56: The Mystery of the Reigate Squire (4) ¡°By now, the period of seeing hallucinations from severe mana stone withdrawal symptoms should have passed already¡­¡± After finishing her investigation, Charlotte Holmes returned to the Cunningham mansion. ¡°¡­ So, what am I seeing right now?¡± Just after opening the front door, she stared nkly at the scene unfolding before her. Soon, her expression turned icy cold and she tilted her head to the side. ¡°Who knows?¡± ¡°Eeek¡­¡± In the middle of the living room, Isaac Adler sat in an armchair with his legs crossed, adopting quite the insolent look and attitude. The eldest of the Cunningham sisters was prostrate at his feet, trembling with a humiliated expression on her face, feeling his weight on her back. ¡°Sister, are you stupid?¡± Meanwhile, the second sister, sitting on Adler¡¯sp, looked down coldly at her elder sibling. ¡°You should bend your waist a bit more.¡± ¡°Hieek¡ª?¡± Her usually obedient demeanor was nowhere to be seen as the younger sibling coldly muttered, putting weight on her sister¡¯s back without mercy. ¡°Mr. Adler looks ufortable.¡± And then, the girl cautiouslyid her body down, falling deep into Adler¡¯s embrace. ¡°What on earth happened while I was away?¡± ¡°¡­ Who knows, really?¡± ¡°I did tell you to not go overboard for me and obey themands given to you by that unknown entity¡­¡± ¨C Shush¡­ Shush¡­ ¡°However, I don¡¯t recall ever telling you to be a thug who entices young girls.¡± As Adler gently stroked the head of the second girl, who looked up at him with expectant eyes, Charlotte Holmes muttered with an incredulous expression on her rigid face. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Just then, a low-pitched voice echoed from a sofa nearby. ¡°My assistant is currently intoxicated¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Ah.¡± ¡°It seems that the officer gave him some brandy, considering his frail appearance.¡± Professor Jane Moriarty, with a fresh set of bite marks clearly imprinted on her neck, was busily pouring sugar into the freshly brewed tea and murmuring such words. ¡°Commands, you say? What do you mean by that exactly, Miss Holmes?¡± ¡°You sure know how to eliminate your presence well.¡± Wearing a convinced expression, Charlotte, who had been ring at Adler till then, casually brushed off Moriarty¡¯s sharp question and walked forward. ¡°Miss Holmes!¡± And just then, suddenly came Adler¡¯s shout. ¡°Don¡¯t pass by the window.¡± ¡°¡­ Why?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s too dazzling.¡± With a puzzled look, Charlotte, who had been tilting her head, furrowed her brows quietly after hearing Adler¡¯s bright and innocent reply. ¡°Just exin from there.¡± ¡°¡­ Exin what exactly?¡± Soon, she just let out a sigh and ced the documents on the desk. ¡°About the truth of the case, of course.¡± ¡°¡­ It smells good, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± While Adler, who had been stroking the head of the younger sibling who was rubbing her cheek against his chest while sitting on hisp, was wearing a sly smile, Charlotte, after ncing at him for a moment with a lighthearted look, opened her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll exin then¡­¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± However, before long, her eyes sharpened as usual. ¡°I found out the truth about this incident.¡± All the attention in the room began to focus on her. . . . . . ¡°At first, I believed that the Cunningham sisters were the culprits of the murder.¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­!¡±¡± As Charlotte began her deduction, the faces of the Cunningham sisters, each wearing a different expression, hardened simultaneously. ¡°What, what kind of bullshit is that¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, sister.¡± ¡°¡­ Huh.¡± Watching the sisters¡¯ reactions, Charlotte smirked and presented the documents ced on the desk. ¡°You two are the ones who broke into old man Axton¡¯s house, am I right?¡± ¡°Wha, what¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no use in denying it. Children without even the basic sense to not leave behind and deed in the house wouldn¡¯t think to erase their fingerprints from the crime scene now, would they?¡± As she presented the fingerprints she had collected from the scene, the color drained from the faces of the two girls. ¡°I¡¯m already aware of thend ownership dispute between the Cunningham and Axton families.¡± Charlotte slowly began to press the girls with her words. ¡°You secretly infiltrated to find thend deed, and made a mess in the process to make it seem like a mere burry, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°You thought you were safe when you returned to the mansion, but by chance, your actions seemed suspicious and that¡¯s why the butler followed you and thus discovered your crime.¡± ¡°D, do you have any, any evidence?¡± The elder sister, who had been pinned down by Adler, gritted her teeth and questioned. In response, Charlotte calmly produced a letter from her possession. ¡°After that incident, for several days, didn¡¯t you receive a letter like this while you were constantly threatened by the butler and were trembling in fear?¡± ¡°¡­.. Ah.¡± She went nk as she read the contents of the letter. Come to the east gate at 1:45 on the dot. I will provide you with information that will surely surprise you. It might be a good solution to the problem you¡¯re currently facing. ¡°I believe you thought there could only be one person sending such a threatening letter. So, you secretly armed yourselves and came out at the appointed time.¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± ¡°And there, you got into a fight with the waiting butler and ended up shooting him.¡± Having listened to all of Charlotte¡¯s deductions, the girl seemed to have sunk into despair, lowering her head in the process. ¡°I never intended to shoot¡­¡± The girl began to sob and murmur. ¡°But when the butler found my gun and reacted violently, using me of nning this from the start¡­ I just¡­¡± ¡°Hold on a moment, sister.¡± ¡°¡­ Hic¡ª¡± The younger sibling abruptly cut off her elder sibling¡¯s words by stepping on her belly. She tilted her head slightly and began to speak. ¡°Sister, are you really stupid?¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you see something strange about the contents of that letter?¡± At this, the older sister¡¯s eyes widened in realization. ¡°The letter we received said, Information that will surely surprise you two sisters. But the letter she showed says, Information that will surely surprise you.¡° ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Wha, what do you think? Mr. Adler?¡± Ignoring her sister¡¯s reaction, the younger sibling turned to Adler, awaiting his opinion. ¡°You¡¯re quite sharp.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Tsk.¡± As Adler praised the younger sister while caressing her again, Charlotte clicked her tongue in annoyance, giving them a cold look. ¡°Anyway, based on that reaction, it¡¯s now clear.¡± She began her exnation with a renewed spark in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re curious where this letter came from, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Come to think of it¡­¡± Only then did the sisters wonder how Charlotte had the letter they believed they had destroyed. ¡°This was found intact in the butler¡¯s pocket.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lie. I definitely burned it¡­¡± ¡°Perhaps you couldn¡¯t check properly in the dark? Did you not notice that during the scuffle, the butler identally tore a portion of the letter you were holding?¡± Charlotte posed the question with a triumphant expression to the sisters, whose eyes had widened in shock by now. She then began to pace around the living room, leaning back with a confident gait. ¡°In other words, there wasn¡¯t just one letter.¡± ¡°¡­ What did you say?¡± ¡°One for the butler, and one for you two sisters. Two letters, written in the same handwriting, were sent to each party.¡± The room thus fell into silence. ¡°From that moment on, I revised my deduction.¡± Only Charlotte¡¯s confident voice echoed in the living room. ¡°There is a third party who intervened in this case, manipting it to make it seem like the sisters killed the butler.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t mean¡­¡± ¡°Yes¡­ There was another perpetrator who murdered the butler.¡± She then slid the autopsy report across the table. ¡°This is the evidence.¡± The autopsy results of the butler, with a bullet wound in his forehead, passed by the sisters and Adler, and finally made its way toward Professor Moriarty. ¡°Simply presenting the autopsy report doesn¡¯t fully exin anything.¡± ¡°Professor, just by looking at this, you should be able to roughly understand how things unfolded, shouldn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Still, one cannot just ignore the exnation and move on. So, care to borate further?¡± ¡°¡­ Sigh.¡± However, when Professor Moriarty demanded further exnation, Charlotte, with a hint of annoyance in her eyes, began to expand on her deductions. ¡°The gunshot wound on the forehead is too clean to be considered as an idental discharge during a physical fight.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t such a thing happen by chance?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen dozens, if not hundreds, of corpses, and more or less half of them had gunshot wounds. Yet, I¡¯ve never seen a gunshot wound this clean.¡± ¡°Stranger things have happened in the world; far more than what you¡¯d expect, actually.¡± However, for some reason, Professor Moriarty began to challenge her deduction. ¡°A small self-defense gun that young girls could easily use couldn¡¯t possibly inflict such a wound.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been saying this for a while, but to reiterate, such things can easily happen by ident¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure why you¡¯re wasting time here, but there¡¯s a crucial fact that rifies my deduction. So please stop your charade.¡± ¡°¡­ And what¡¯s that?¡± Charlotte shot back at her, ring. ¡°A bullet was fired at such a close distance, yet there¡¯s no burn or injury from the gunpowder or heat on the victim¡¯s body.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Logically, that¡¯s impossible, isn¡¯t it?¡± Only then did Professor Moriarty close her mouth, merely wearing a faint smile on her lips. ¡°Unless the fired bullet was actually air itself.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re suggesting that a passing wizard who is able to manipte air just happened to snipe the butler and even timed it perfectly with the girl¡¯s gunshot?¡± ¡°A bit different, but quite close to my conjecture. Maybe you were nearby when it happened and witnessed it?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to take my joke seriously.¡± Their gazes coldly intersected. ¡°The moment I realized the girl¡¯s bullet ¨C who was using a gun for the first time, had missed its mark ¨C I concluded that a third party, who had invited the two to that ce and time with a letter, had sniped the butler instead.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the truth of this incident.¡± ¨C Found it!! At that moment, a cheerful voice echoed from the window. ¨C I found it!! Following Charlotte¡¯s instructions, the inspector who had been searching the nearby bushes finally located the stray bullet. With muddied hands, she waved enthusiastically to show off the bullet. ¡°¡­ Well done.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t approach the window!¡± Just as Charlotte, with a triumphant smile, was about to approach the window, Adler suddenly yelled out in a panic. ¡°The brightness in your face, it¡¯s wearing off¡­¡± ¡°Did you take drugs instead of alcohol?¡± Charlotte, taken aback by his shout, halted in her tracks. She looked incredulously at Adler after his unexpectedly sweetment. ¡°Why would I take drugs when I have Miss Holmes here?¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯re acting rather odd today.¡± ¡°My assistant isn¡¯t quite his usual self right now.¡± Charlotte then cast a suspicious nce at him. However, after hearing Professor Moriarty¡¯sughter-infused remark, she shifted her gaze to her. ¡°Nevertheless, it was an impressive deduction, Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°Think nothing of it.¡± ¡°But then¡­ who exactly is this third party?¡± Following Moriarty¡¯s inquiry, Charlotte smiled slyly as she replied. ¡°There¡¯s only one possibility, isn¡¯t there?¡± Charlotte¡¯s eyes shone brilliantly as she approached the climax of her deduction. ¡°The person who suddenly put up their mansion ¨C in which they were living ¨C for sale, even though they weren¡¯t in dire financial straits. ¡°The only close friend of the old man Axton, who didn¡¯t have much longer to live. The person most likely to inherit it from the kind-hearted elderly. ¡°And even if they didn¡¯t inherit it, the person who could buy the growing old man¡¯snd cheaply with the money from selling the mansion.¡± Charlotte paused briefly to catch her breath as she continued her story. ¡°So you¡¯re pointing at Colonel Hayter, the one who let both you and Adler stay here, as the culprit?¡± ¡°With this incident, he could only profit. So, it¡¯s entirely possible.¡± ¡°Jumping to conclusions without evidence isn¡¯t a good habit. Colonel Hayter might have been an excellent soldier, but he wasn¡¯t particrly talented in magic.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s because there¡¯s enough evidence to go along with this angle.¡± Charlotte responded and began tapping her fingers on the desk. ¡°And said evidence is with you, Professor.¡± ¡°Are you talking about me?¡± ¡°A letter exchanged between your sister and Colonel Sebastian, who was friends with Colonel Hayter. May I see it for a moment?¡± ¡°You mean the letter you imed was fabricated?¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll concede it¡¯s not a forgery,e on.¡± Upon hearing that, Professor Moriarty, with a pleased expression, pulled out the letter from her pocket. ¡°As expected, I knew it would be something like this.¡± Charlotte, who had beenparing the handwriting of that letter with an anonymous threat, subtly lifted the corner of her mouth. ¡°Now, look.¡± Then, she circled something on the letter with a pen and passed it to Moriarty. ¡°The tails under the p and g are exactly the same.¡± ¡°Both letters also omit the dot over the i. Overall, the handwriting is also simr.¡± ¡°However, this is a letter from Colonel Sebastian.¡± Professor, who had been staring nkly at the letter, raised her head and addressed the issue with her deduction. ¡°My sister¡¯s acquaintance, Colonel Sebastian¡ª although he was called a sniper master, he is already deceased.¡± ¡°¡­ But, he has a child left in this world. It is highly likely that the child was influenced by his handwriting while learning how to write.¡± Then, Charlotte showed thest remaining document in her possession. ¡°And here, it¡¯s clearly recorded that Colonel Hayter adopted that child as a guardian.¡± ¡°¡­ Where did you get that from?¡± ¡°As you know, I am very close with the British government.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s truly frightening.¡± Hearing that, Professor Moriarty burst into a peal ofughter and leaned back on the sofa. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s still just a spection for now.¡± Finally, Charlotte, with the smile of a victor, rose from her seat. ¡°By ordering the inspector to investigate Colonel Hayter, we should be able to ascertain the truth.¡± She began walking toward the window to call the inspector outside. ¡°Betraying the trust of his superior who believed in him and even entrusted his daughter to him. Blinded by money, hemanded her tomit this crime, revealing his true nature¡­.¡± ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes.¡± It was precisely at that moment. ¡°Kyaa?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to go near the window?¡± Isaac Adler, who had been sitting silently in his chair until that moment, had now swiftly and abruptly taken Charlotte in his embrace and was now cradling her with his arms¡­ ¡°Why on earth have you been acting like¡­¡± Flushed in his embrace, Charlotte began to speak with a feigned irritated look. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± But soon, her eyes became nk and she trailed off at the end of her sentence¡­ ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Adler, with his head apparently prated by something, began to sway, blood streaming down his wound. ¡°It was hard enough to dodge it earlier.¡± Charlotte¡¯s face turned deathly pale upon hearing those words. ¡°Adler¡­?¡± But before she could catch him, as he began to melt from her grasp, Adler¡¯s form began to dissipate. ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡®An illusion spell? Isn¡¯t that beyond human capabilities, Mr. Adler?¡¯ As Charlotte sat stunned, trying to collect herself while watching Adler¡¯s fading form, Professor Moriarty, seated on the sofa, seemed deep in thought with an unperturbed expression. ¡®¡­ I truly want to understand you.¡¯ ¡°Isaac¡­?¡± Of course, internally, Charlotte¡¯s heart was pounding hard and her emotions were anything but calm. . . . . . ¡°It, it failed.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± Elsewhere, on a nearby hillside within a thicket of grass¡­ ¡°I, I¡¯m sure I hit the target¡­¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°The, the target¡­ vanished.¡± A young-looking girl was trembling in fear as she tried to exin herself to the man in front of her. ¨C Snap¡­! But the next moment, the girl¡¯s face pped so hard it turned to the side. ¡°Does that even make sense to you?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Colonel¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°¡­ Ugh.¡± The cute-looking girl who was sitting on the floor, gently touching her cheek, was suddenly kicked in the stomach by the man in front of her, causing her to roll on the floor due to the pain. ¡°That was yourst chance. I thought of your father and gave you one more opportunity and you wasted it like this?¡± ¡°¡­ Please forgive me.¡± ¡°You damn bitch.¡± Holding her stomach and gasping for breath, the eyes of the girl, who was seeking forgiveness, slowly dimmed upon hearing those words. ¨C p¡­! ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Perhaps the expression on her face must have displeased him, because he forcefully pushed away the hand that was caressing her cheek, and then pped her there once again. ¡°I can¡¯t stand the sight of you. Go back to your storage room.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°You made my hands bloody, so starve for a while.¡± Pushing her aside, the man reached out for the sniper rifle he had brought just in case. ¨C Crack¡­ ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± In the blink of an eye, both of his legs twisted grotesquely. It happened so suddenly that he didn¡¯t even have the time to react at first. ¡°Ah, Aaaaah¡­..¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know Colonel Hayter was such a person.¡± A blonde-haired boy casually walked past the Colonel writhing in pain on the floor. ¡°Hello, child¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Wh, who are you?¡± He stopped and greeted her, to which the girl holding the sniper rifle in her bosom responded with a fearful gaze. ¡± And who are you?¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡± ¡°Tell me your name.¡± But from his mouth came a warm voice she hadn¡¯t heard in a long time, and she involuntarily replied to his question. ¡°Ce-Celestia.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­. I am Celestia Moran.¡± Upon hearing her name, the boy¡¯s eyes began to shimmer gently. ¡°Pleased to meet you, Miss Moran.¡± The closest confidant and second-inmand of the original Professor Moriarty. Despite her young age, she was regarded as one of the most formidable figures in the entire game, possessing a prodigious marksmanship skill. In the not-so-distant future, she was destined to be the second most dangerous individual in the entirety of London. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to ask this upon our first meeting, but please be mine, okay?¡± ¡°¡­.. Yes?¡± It was the fateful first encounter between her and Isaac Adler. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 57: The Organization Chapter 57: The Organization ¡°Hey, you, you¡­ What are you doing¡­!¡± ¨C Crackk¡­! ¡°Aaaahhhhhhhhh!!!¡± Colonel Hayter, who was trampled till his leg twisted in a grotesque manner, screamed so loudly that it echoed throughout the dark room. ¡°Hush~¡± ¡°¡­! ¡­.!!¡± Then, Isaac Adler kicked the Colonel¡¯s abdomen with a smirk, silencing him instantly. ¡°¡­ No matter how many times I see such a scene, I can never get used to it.¡± The Colonel, who was trembling and writhing on the ground, turned his eyes and looked terrified when he heard Adler¡¯s eerie voice. ¡°As expected, being a programmer was indeed the most suitable for me.¡± ¡°Uggh¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Can¡¯t help it now, can we?¡± The glow in Adler¡¯s eyes, whose face had already turned red from the influence of alcohol, was chillingly cold. His notorious, libertine gaze, and the somehow cute look that had recently be popr among the women of London, presented a strikingly different image with his current gaze. ¡°Given the circumstances, it¡¯s understandable¡­¡± ¡°I, I was just¡­ under the orders of Professor Jane Moriarty¡­¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t want to know that.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± When Adler, with such a chilling gaze, ced his hand on the Colonel¡¯s head, he started to froth from his mouth as his pupils rolled up and only the white of his eyes were now visible to the world. ¡°¡­ No, now that I think of it, I should have asked just how far the professor had nned¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± As the Colonel lost consciousness and fell to the ground, a silence began to pervade the surroundings. ¡°Celestia¡­ Did you say you were Miss Moran?¡± In that silence, Isaac Adler, his eyes glowing in a red hue, rose from the ground. ¡°What a cute littledy you are¡­¡± ¨C Shiver, shiver, shiver¡­ He looked down at Moran, who was shivering violently while holding her sniper rifle tightly against her body, with a smile in his eyes. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m twelve years old.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± And then, Adler began to quietly tilt his head to the side. ¡°The youngest design among the designs I¡¯ve reviewed for the game.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± ¡°Alright, I like it.¡± He soon wore a satisfied expression and began to sway his tail. ¡°There¡¯s no way the curse of this body would reach such a young child.¡± Upon witnessing that peculiar and eerie sight, Moran, holding the sniper rifle, hugged it tighter than ever before and began to tremble even more violently. ¡°Is that an heirloom from your father?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s constructed with an artificial circuit made from mana stones, sending out air itself as a lethal projectile instead of traditional bullets. Impressive. It¡¯s a unique method not found anywhere in the world.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Her mouth opened wide as she spoke in response to Adler¡¯s prating voice. ¡°Who knows, really¡­¡± ¡°Are you the devil?¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re a little girl, but your questions are truly innocent.¡± Upon seeing her round and cute appearance, Adler couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter and squatted down in front of her. ¡°No one on this earth has ever dodged my sniping twice.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Also, being alive even after a headshot¡­ and that tail too¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a devil, but I can grant you a wish if you want.¡± Moran, who had been muttering and stepping back with slightly fearful eyes, turned nk upon hearing those words. ¡°Mr. Devil.¡± ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not the devil.¡± Then, she murmured with dark eyes. ¡°Please take my soul.¡± ¡°¡­ Why?¡± ¡°I want to go to hell.¡± Upon hearing those words, Adler quietly smirked. ¡°I killed people¡­¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I will probably be arrested and go to prison very soon.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, I have already given up on going to heaven.¡± Moran began to murmur in a faint voice, gazing into the distance with nk eyes. ¡°And my father always said that he was going to hell because he killed many people in his life.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°If I go to hell, I can meet my father again.¡± Her dark gaze was nkly fixed on Adler. ¡°And I can kill my father one more time.¡± ¡°¡­ What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I was the one who killed my father.¡± Then a bombshell slipped from the lips of the girl, who still appeared youthful but somehow worn out by life like an adult. ¡°You¡¯re the one who killed Colonel Sebastian Moran?¡± ¡°¡­ When my father was drunk, he would always be a monster.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°I had no choice but to avoid being devoured by that monster.¡± Adler, gazing at the girl, who had be twisted at such a young and tender age, with a slightlypassionate look, quietly reached out to Moran¡¯s head. ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± She, who was gazing at that sight with a pale face, flinched and unconsciously closed her eyes¡­ ¨C Swish¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± But Isaac Adler, wearing a smile, merely gently stroked her small head with his hand. ¡°Miss Moran is a bad girl.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, I¡¯m a bad girl.¡± To his uttered words, Moran, tilting her head, responded with a slightly expectant voice. ¡°So, Mr. Devil, please take my soul¡­¡± ¡°But, what to do¡­¡± However, Adler, shaking his head side to side, interrupted her words midway. ¡°Upon checking now, I can see that there is still a pure corner left in your soul.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be possible. I killed countless people¡­¡± ¡°But when you¡¯re a child, one¡¯s soul doesn¡¯t darken, damage, and corrupt as easily¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Huh.¡± Hearing that, Moran opened her mouth wide and wore a bewildered expression on her youthful face. ¡°So, if I take your soul as it is, you might go to heaven instead.¡± ¡°Ah, no¡­¡± ¡°Would that be okay, though?¡± Then, she shook her head urgently in denial. ¡°Um, so what should I do about this¡­?¡± Adler¡¯s eyes fondly gazed down at her adorable appearance and began to quietly shine in an eerie light. ¡°¡­ There¡¯s nothing we can do really.¡± And then, Adler gently began to stroke her cheek with his finger. ¡°Give me your soul, and be mine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Then, I shall defile you forever.¡± Moran¡¯s pupils began to widen at those words. ¡°Be a shadow that loyally serves only me, an existence that will sever all dangers that approach me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Naturally, you¡¯ll be stained with blood. And it does not just end with that. If you¡¯re with me, you will be entangled in all sorts of filthy and vile matters going forward.¡± Adler¡¯s soft voice began to whisper into her ear, almost akin to a devil. ¡°Perhaps for a lifetime¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°A tamed hunting dog that serves and obeys its master, executing everymand without hesitation. Because that¡¯s what I want¡­¡± Looking at his dark gaze, Moran began to quiver slightly. ¡°Can you, Miss Moran, be such a being for me?¡± ¨C Gulp¡­ ¡°If you can, I will dly defile your soul.¡± Suddenly, the contract summoned by Adler was quietly hovering in mid-air. ¡°You¡¯ll have to decide quickly.¡± ¨C Isaac!! ¡°People areing¡­¡± Moran¡¯s hand, pausing momentarily in mid-air, slowly reached forward. ¡°¡­ Will you feed me?¡± Subsequently, her timid question, as she held the pen rang in Adler¡¯s ears. ¡°You will have to eat well to hunt well now, won¡¯t you?¡± Upon Adler¡¯s natural answer, her hand began to move slowly. ¨C Zzzzzzzz¡­ And, after who knows how long, a familiar shape of a golden seal began to be engraved on Moran¡¯s being. ¡°An excellent choice.¡± Moran, who absentmindedly gazed at the seal as she slightly lifted her top, nkly stared at Adler again as he leaned his face into hers. ¡°I will raise you with utmost care.¡± ¡°¡­ Mr. Devil.¡± Then, she tilted her head and opened her mouth¡­ ¡°Shall I kill the peopleing here now?¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± Upon hearing that, Adler let out a mischievousugh and snapped his fingers. ¨C Zzzzzz¡­ ¡°¡­ If you don¡¯t want to die, leave this ce first.¡± Then, Moran¡¯s body began to be transparent in real-time. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who can handle those people.¡± Adler, who had been gazing distantly at the silhouettes of Charlotte Holmes and Jane Moriarty that began to appear in the distance, quietly started muttering with a corner of his lips lifted ever so slightly. ¡°¡­Perhaps.¡± Celestia Moran has pledged her allegiance to you! The fruit of this incident was floating before his eyes. 3 or more Regr Characters have now be your subordinates. The ¡¶Organization¡· is thus established! . . . . . Several dayster. In a back alley of London, where night had descended with the setting of the sun¡­ ¡°¡­.. Ugh.¡± A girl with a fierce expression on her face, tenderly holding something rolled up in a newspaper, could be seen walking in an alley that even the most violent criminals would hesitate to enter. ¡°It¡¯s cold¡­..¡± Then, she gloomily murmured those words while rubbing her hands together. Although the rainfall was quite significant, the girl, drenched like a drowned rat, was walking without even a raincoat, let alone an umbre. ¡°Hey, kiddo¡­¡± ¡°Can you stop for a moment?¡± As she gritted her teeth and moved forward in this perilous state, all of a sudden, mischievous voices registered in her ears inside the alleyway. ¡°¡­ Why?¡± ¡°You¡¯re brave, little one.¡± ¡°Hand over everything you have.¡± Into the girl¡¯s now lifted view came two thugs, each holding a knife in their hand. ¡°I have nothing on me.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll just have to pay up with your body.¡± ¡°Are you serious? No matter how you look at it, that kid¡¯s just a tot!¡± ¡°Idiot, I¡¯m talking about organs. The younger they are, the more premium they are said to be.¡± Listening quietly to those words, the girl quietly raised her finger. ¨C Fwip¡­! A momentter, two bodies soundlessly fell into the puddle of the alleyway. ¨C Thud, thud¡­ Gazing indifferently at that scene for a moment, the girl quietly began to step over the corpses and continued walking forward. ¡°I found it.¡± Although her entire body was soaked with blood and rain water by now, the girl, who kept walking forward without a care in the world, suddenly stopped in her tracks; her eyes beginning to sparkle in the darkness of the night. ¨C Knock, knock, knock¡­ Then, she began knocking on the door of a shabby house. ¨C Creeaak¡­ Soon after, the door opened and a scraggly girl with a shaved head, dripping blood and rainwater onto the floor, entered the house. ¡°Mr. Devil.¡± And then, after scanning inside the house for a moment, the girl found the blonde-haired boy she had been searching for all along. The girl was none other than Celesia Moran. ¡°As youmanded, I have escaped my pursuers.¡± She spoke with a pure and innocent smile on her face. ¡°¡­¡­.. Yes?¡± However, Isaac Adler, the blonde man, looked at Moran with a bewildered expression on his face. ¡°Who are you?¡± As he spoke, seemingly genuinely confused, Moran¡¯s previously beaming face stiffened instantly. ¡°You promised¡­¡± Tears began to pool in her eyes. ¡°¡­ You¡¯d defile me.¡± Soon, anguid word oozed from her mouth, and an eerie silence began to envelop the shabby house. ¡°Master?¡± ¡°Adler?¡± From behind Adler, Silver ze, wearing a maid¡¯s outfit, fluttering her ears and tail, and Princess Joan y, adopting the appearance of a vampire with a cor around her neck, had their gazes simultaneously aimed at Isaac Adler. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± Then, the atmosphere began to grow chilly at a frightening rate. ¡°So Master had that kind of preference¡­¡± ¡°Go die, you piece of trash.¡± ¡°No, this is really a misunderstanding!¡± The first meeting of the three executives, who wouldter be Adler¡¯s closest confidants, was not off to a good start¡­ You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 58: To Rule or Be Ruled Chapter 58: To Rule or Be Ruled Not long after Adler had an unexpected visitor arrive at his doorstep¡­ ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°¡­ Hello, Professor.¡± He, still embarrassed by the shameful events that transpired not long ago, was now greeting another unexpected guest. ¡°Is this the base you were talking about?¡± ¡°How does it look? Isn¡¯t it a pretty decent hideout for something in a back alley?¡± ¡°Certainly, for a ce considered one of the most dangerous in London, it¡¯s quite normal¡­ so to speak¡­¡± Said Professor Moriarty as she entered through the front door. ¡°Would you like a cup of tea?¡± ¡°No. I simply came here to see your face.¡± And then, she began to stare intently at Adler. ¡°To see the subordinate who organizes things in his own way without even consulting with me.¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± ¡°As soon as you returned to London, you cooped yourself up in this ce on your own ord. You didn¡¯t even attend the academy in the least. Honestly, I¡¯m slightly surprised by your behavior, Mr. Adler.¡± The professor¡¯s dark grey eyes were still fixed on Adler. ¡°Well, it¡¯s almost time for vacation after all; so taking a little break wouldn¡¯t be a problem for my attendance¡­¡± ¡°But for you, who has the highest probability of being murdered or kidnapped in all of Ennd, to stay in such a back alley¡­ Are you still drunk?¡± ¡°¡­ I sobered up a while ago actually.¡± ¡°What would you do if Jill the Ripper attacked you in the middle of the night?¡± In that state, the professor quietly began to shake her head from side to side in her unique and cute way. ¡°I have already prepared for it.¡± ¡°I trust you¡¯re not suggesting that deploying a singleDemi-Human and a Vampire with sealed powers as your servants is the solution here. You¡¯re smarter than that, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°¡­ Professor.¡± At her simultaneously cute and threatening appearance, Adler began to speak in a quiet tone, a smile stretching his lips. ¡°Now is the time to take risks.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean¡­ it¡¯s time to further expand the organization and take it to the next level, even though it would entail certain risks along the way.¡± At that, the professor, who had been shaking her head, stopped and quietly began to listen intently to his words. ¡°We¡¯ve advised on quite a lot of cases so far, but weren¡¯t all of those cases procured by our own initiative, with us looking for the clients?¡± ¡°True. There have been too many coincidences, too many oveps. Thinking about it, everything was rted to you in some way or the other.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem.¡± Adler spoke, his face turning grave. ¡°Continuing like this will only create a vicious cycle. We¡¯re people who consult on crimes, not people who go looking for them after all.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t I repeatedly said this since long ago? We need to create a situation where clientse to find us directly and not the other way around. Just like detectives.¡± The Professor nodded silently and spoke, ¡°It means the clients should bear the burden, not us.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Even just considering the recent Reigate case, your information has already be too exposed to the world.¡± With those words, Adler took out today¡¯s newspaper from his pocket and added, ¡°Professor Jane Moriarty, who stirred the academic world with her Binomial Theorem, solved a murder case in Reigate¡­ Of course, it is a trivial article on the back page, but if things like this umte¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be caught sooner orter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Then, as the Professor interrupted, Adler, who quietly folded the newspaper, continued the conversation. ¡°Given the nature of crime consulting, we cannot emerge into the limelight like detectives. Therefore, with the holiday approaching, it¡¯s time to expand our organization.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Even leaving aside the smoother future criminal activities and easier progress in the making of our criminal kingdom, our reputation in the underworld will rise through this endeavor. Naturally, there will be more clients who take an interest and approach us.¡± ¡°Are you saying to let our identity slip to an unspecified multitude of people? That seems dangerous.¡± ¡°Of course, we must set up a stand-in or send a subordinate to the clients. Or perhaps we receive letters unterally. Except for a very few VIPs, nobody will know that we are behind it.¡± Professor Moriarty wordlessly observed as Adler delivered his passionate speech. ¡°If I take a little risk right now, we will be able to rise rapidly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, please bear with me and my conduct; at least until this holiday ends¡­¡± ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying¡­¡± Then, the Professor suddenly interjected with a dark smile gracing her lips. ¡°But, I wonder if there¡¯s any need for such haste.¡± ¡°¡­ Why?¡± ¡°As you may already know, it was I who was behind the recent Reigate case.¡± At her sudden confession, Adler¡¯s expression hardened ever so slightly. ¡°I had actually finished all the preparations a week before Charlotte Holmes had bought the ticket of the train to Reigate.¡± ¡°¡­ I wasn¡¯t aware actually.¡± ¡°I was nning to kill her there.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Shadows crossed Professor Moriarty¡¯s face. ¡°That incident was my perfect trap to eliminate Charlotte Holmes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°In the end, thanks to the ipetent Colonel Hayter and your inexplicable sabotage, everything came to naught.¡± In that eerie atmosphere, Silver ze and Princess Joan y, who had been peeking out from behind Adler, flinched and swallowed their dry saliva. ¡°But, I wasn¡¯t that angry really¡­¡± Then, in the next moment, the Professor suddenly said with a broad smile. ¡°¡­ Since I realized that there was no need for me to employ such trick schemes.¡± At that, Adler quietly tilted his head to the side. ¡°The Charlotte Holmes I saw during the Reigate case was far below my expectations.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t just a simple disappointment; it was enough to provoke a hollowugh.¡± Adler¡¯s face began to harden once he heard her words. ¡°¡­ Didn¡¯t she perfectly perform the deduction itself though?¡± ¡°What of it? She couldn¡¯t even understand your signal, even going as far as approaching the window three times, and you had to block the sniper yourself in the end.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Moreover, she dumbly started gazing at your fake melted remains for quite a while, even nearly missing Colonel Hayter¡¯s aplice.¡± The Professor¡¯sughterced voice echoed in Adler¡¯s ears. ¡°Such a pitiful level is not enough to be mine and your arch-enemy. ording to reports from the men I snuck into Baker Street, she has been in and out of her boarding house for several days.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°And you¡¯re telling me that girl is the hope of London? I can onlyugh at those words.¡± And then silence ensued inside the house. ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± The Professor, who had been quietly observing Adler in that silence, soon asked a question in a soft tone. ¡°Did you choose me after all?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± At those words, Adler, making a puzzled expression, tilted his head to the side. ¡°The whole time we were in Reigate, Charlotte Holmes was somewhat mentally absent.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°She couldn¡¯t exhibit the fullest extent of her abilities, to the point of making stupid mistakes.¡± The corner of Professor Moriarty¡¯s mouth quietly lifted. ¡°Thank you for ruining that girl instead of me.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°It makes sense for you to be my assistant rather than that kid¡¯s assistant. Didn¡¯t you do that to her because you realized that fact?¡± In that state, she gently stroked Adler¡¯s head. ¡°¡­ I will believe as such, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Do not futilely try to bnce an already tilted scale and betray my trust in you.¡± Her lips softly touch Adler¡¯s neck. ¡°A housewarming gift, if you will¡­¡± Then, as the Professor caressed the lip mark she left on his neck, she whispered to him in a muted voice. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m honored.¡± ¡°Now I should get going. As per your words, standing out in such a ce isn¡¯t particrly good for me.¡± As she turned around to leave the mansion through the path she came, she suddenly looked back and added, ¡°By the way, you might want to clean up a bit.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°The floors are too dirty, aren¡¯t they?¡± Upon those words, Adler lowered his gaze and his eyes started to flicker at the sight. ¡°Are you raising animals?¡± The uncleaned mud and bloodstains were vividly left in the corner. ¡°¡­ I am raising a hunting dog.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good.¡± As Silver ze, who was behind, hastily ran over to clean the stains, Professor Moriarty responded to Adler¡¯s answer with a subtle smile. ¡°¡­ On the way here, along the path, there were two chunks of meat lying around.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Just be careful, Mr. Adler.¡± Her eyes, as she stepped outside through the front door, were shining darker than ever before. ¡°A hunting dog that has tasted human blood can attack its owner at any time.¡± . . . . . ¡®¡­ She thinks that I ruined Charlotte?¡¯ ¨C Zzzzzzz¡­ As I stared at the firmly closed front door of the house with a troubled expression, lost in thought for quite a while, the distinct sound of magic being undone was heard from the side. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Celestia Moran, who had been hiding her presence with my invisibility magic, spoke with her body trembling violently. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t, I don¡¯t know what it is, but¡­ I¡¯m causing trouble, right¡­?¡± Despite being visibly scared, her quick-witted appearance gave me a firm idea of how she had been treated and lived up to this point. No, it was a fact that could be known just by seeing the numerous scar marks on her body in the first ce. ¡°¡­ You¡¯re Celestia Moran, right?¡± ¡°Y-Yes.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± However, I never imagined that this small and cute little girl would surprisingly be the highly illustrated Colonel Moran. Among the designs I had reviewed for the game, I thought it was the least likely to be realized. Could this child really be the second most dangerous entity in all of London after Professor Moriarty in the future? Although there seemed to be no doubt about it considering she easily evaded a massive police pursuit while drenched in blood all over, something still felt a bit unsettling to me. ¡°¡­ Eek.¡± Even so, I couldn¡¯t leave her like this. However, as I cautiously reached out my hand toward her, she suddenly copsed, her legs giving way. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°¡­ I haven¡¯t eaten anything for 5 days.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Hearing that voice, which stimted sympathy, I sighed and spoke to her. ¡°There¡¯s a bathroom over there. Go wash up.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Prepare the meal while I¡¯m gone.¡± Upon hearing those words, her eyes widened, and she started observing my mood before speaking. ¡°¡­ May I use hot water?¡± ¡°Do as you wish.¡± At those words, Moran, drenched and looking like a drowned rat, greeted me with a pure expression, nodding her head. ¡°¡­ Thank you, Mr. Devil.¡± Then, she began to trot toward the distant bathroom. ¡°¡­ You scumbag.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Master. I also like a Master who has those preferences.¡± As I watched her retreating figure with a slightly pleased smile, cold voices flew in from the side. ¡°Let me make it clear right here and now that I am not some piece of human trash that feels sexual or romantic desires for a 12-year-old child.¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± ¡°Who in the world would do such a thing, reasonably speaking?¡± ¡°It seems entirely possible, at least for the guy in front of me right now.¡± Speaking with a calm demeanor, as if there was clearly something to emphasize with those words of hers, Princess y opened her mouth with a scoffing smile. ¡°Get down.¡± ¡°¡­Higeuk?¡± As he, treating her like a pet, issued that odiousmand, the cor filled around the princess¡¯s neck emitted a red light, forcing her to take action. ¡°Damn it, can¡¯t you loosen this damned ne?¡± ¡°After rolling to the side, stick out your hands like a dog and pant.¡± ¡°It¡¯s outrageous! The British royal family¡¯s blood flows in my veins¡­ Huk.¡± For efficient escorting, she was allowed to assume a human form within the mansion, but that did not mean the rtionship between us had changed. As long as that cat cor was ced around her neck, Princess y was merely the fourth smartest pet in London. Nothing more, nothing less. ¡°¡­ Pant, pant.¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Good, my ass¡­!¡± As I gently stroked the belly of the princess, who was panting with her hands stretched out, she spat out vulgar curses, her expression a mix of shame and hatred. ¡°¡­ Uhuh.¡± However, as I forcefully inserted the fingers of my other hand into her mouth, her curses quickly came to a halt. ¨C Crunch¡­ Perhaps it was due to her anger, but tears brimmed in the princess¡¯ eyes as she harshly bit into my finger and started sucking blood, her eyes glowing a deep shade of red. ¨C Slurp¡­ As I watched her quietly, a being with a soft sensation buried itself gently into my embrace. ¡°¡­ Hehe.¡± Silver ze, wagging her tail, was rubbing her cheek against me with a bright smile. ¡®It¡¯s peaceful¡­¡¯ Suddenly having such a thought, could it have been just a feeling? ¡®Why is it peaceful?¡¯ No matter how I thought about it, the current situation seemed quite far from being peaceful in reality. ¡°¡­ Miss ze.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Scratching my head for a moment, continuously thinking about that matter, I subtly posed a question to Silver ze. ¡°Will you always obey me?¡± ¡°¡­ What do you mean?¡± Then, she tilted her head with a puzzled expression on her face. ¡°Is there any pet that disobeys its own master?¡± Silver ze responded and quietly covered my face with her swaying tail. ¡°¡­ Princess.¡± ¡°What is it, you fucking bastard?¡± ¡°Do you dislike me, Princess?¡± While in that state, as I posed a question while again stroking the belly of Princess Joan y ¨C who was lying on the floor with her stomach exposed ¨C she answered back with her eyes shining in a zing light. ¡°The moment I regain my strength, I¡¯ll make you my ve.¡± ¡°So, you do dislike me?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± ¡°But, you can¡¯t utter a thing since you¡¯re being forcibly oppressed by me, right?¡± ¡°Grrr¡­¡± It was then that I seemed to understand why I was suddenly feeling so peaceful andfortable. ¡°Um, excuse me¡­¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­?¡±¡± Moran, still resembling a soaked rat in the rain, returned to us with a very deted expression on her face. ¡°I can¡¯t reach the showerhead¡­¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± ¡°¡­ Please help me.¡± It was after seeing that thoroughly dispirited expression that I could fully realize¡­ ¡°Yes, anytime.¡± ¡­That I found more stability in controlling and ruling over someone than being ruled over by someone. ¡°Take my hand.¡± Once I realized that fact, I began to think that it wouldn¡¯t be bad to live like this for a lifetime, being in this ce. ¡°I¡¯ll wash you.¡± Or conversely, that I might just control and rule over everyone else. The Hidden Route is open. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The final straw to my fate, which was hurtling toward catastrophe, came at that very moment. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that time, at the London Metropolitan Police Department¡­ ¡°Senior, do you know about this?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Isaac Adler, who disappeared in recent times.¡± A police inspector was sipping coffee with sleepy eyes and wasying out a story to her direct superior whom she ran into in the corridor. ¡°The actor who disappeared a week ago?¡± ¡°Well, hasn¡¯t there recently been an order for information control on him?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Hearing that, her superior opened her eyes wide. ¡°There seems to have been an incident, but the report was omitted. This kind of thing doesn¡¯t happen often, does it?¡± ¡°¡­ So, was he murdered or something?¡± ¡°The probability is very high. Journalists are sniffing around like predators, but all rted parties are keeping silent.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s true. Either he died somewhere, or he¡¯s confined in some high-profiledy¡¯s basement.¡± As he said this, he waved his hand, casting a cynical expression. ¡°It¡¯s not something surprising, go and sort out the documents.¡± ¡°No, please listen! My colleague is handling a murder case in Reigate, but, well¡­¡± ¡°I said that¡¯s enough.¡± Thus, the two of them began to distance themselves as they passed through the corridor. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in stories of dimwits like that.¡± ¡°Senior, you are a very boring person.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s pitiable. Surely, in hisst moments, he must have been trembling, calling for help, but no one had responded to his call.¡± ¡°Indeed, that is somewhat sad.¡± A girl who was walking past them stopped in her tracks and stood still. ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Thest one to witness Isaac Adler, who had just returned from a business trip, was standing there with a dazed expression. Cold sweat was rolling down from the face of Gia Lestrade. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 59: The Terminally Ill Boy Chapter 59: The Terminally Ill Boy The day after little Miss Moran, someone that I didn¡¯t even know I had made a promise with, came to my mansion¡­ ¡°Heup, hab¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± I was casually sitting on the sofa in my hideout, lost in thought while watching Moran hurriedly stuffing a sandwich into her mouth. ¡®I was taken aback when I first saw her but¡­ the more I think, the better this whole situation seems for me.¡¯ Excluding Professor Moriarty, who appeared as the final boss in the game, Celestia Moran was a powerful yer, on par with Inspector Lestrade. Even excluding the silent air sniper that she used in the original, her sniping was at a level that was impossible to even perceive by human standards. Among the various main characters of the game, only a select few could counter her sniping. ¡°¡­ Hup.¡± She was such a formidable character¡­ However, this very same person was now looking at me cautiously while shoving a sandwich into her mouth and hupping like no tomorrow. Even now, when I would barely bat an eyelid seeing the absurdest of things, this sight felt oddly amusing to me. ¨C Swish¡­ ¡°¡­.!¡± As I reached out my hand toward her with that thought in mind, Moran¡¯s eyes widened in shock, her body freezing on the spot. Due to the harsh treatment she had received in her life, perhaps she had developed a trauma? That could probably exin why whenever something unexpected happened, she would freeze like a startled rabbit¡­ ¨C Pat¡­ For some unknown reason, feeling a twinge of affection for her in the depths of my heart, I softly smiled and gently ced my hand on her messy hair that was covering her beautiful eyes. ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± As I gently stroked Moran¡¯s head, she looked up at me with a bewildered expression on her face, her mouth slightly open in confusion. ¡°A hunting dog should eat well to hunt efficiently.¡± Perhaps she wasn¡¯t used to such warm treatment, for an awkward expression arose on her face as she began munching on her sandwich again. ¡°So, from now on, if you leave any food behind, you¡¯ll be punished, okay?¡± My heart was about to soften after seeing her pitiable state, but I quickly pulled myself together and whispered those dark words to her in a low voice. ¡°When you grow up, you will have to protect me.¡± She was someone who wouldter grow up to be the second most dangerous woman in all of London after Professor Moriarty. ¡®I have to make herpletely obedient to me.¡¯ If I didn¡¯t firmly establish the hierarchy right now, it was certain that I would get devoured by her in the end. ¡°Answer me¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Understood.¡± As I gently lifted the chin of the girl who was chewing on her sandwich, Moran replied with a nk expression on her face. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± With a cold smile, I stroked her head once more. Moran, who had been sitting quietly till then, closed her eyes slowly, epting my touch. ¡®¡­ Perhaps, do I have a knack for this kind of thing?¡¯ ¡°Pfft¡­¡± Seeing her submissive demeanor, oddly enough, I felt like a calm-headed trainer. As I was inwardly pleased by this reaction, smiling to myself in satisfaction, a chuckleced with mockery sounded next to me. ¡°¡­ Why are youughing?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ it¡¯s too funny.¡± Princess y, who had been cleaning the floor as instructed, responded with a voice tinged with amusement in response to my question. ¡°How can I notugh when the guy who confidently said that he would tame the girl is umting failure after failure on a daily basis at that aspect?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± ¡°Why not just leave her to me?¡± While I was feeling frustrated that she insinuated that I wasn¡¯t doing a good job, Joan y whispered to me with a dark smile on her face. ¡°Just give me a week, and I can make her kneel perfectly in front of you¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass on that.¡± ¡°Fine then. Just live like that and die quickly, I guess.¡± Suspecting something dubious from her demeanor, I immediately shook my head, denying her proposal. She heaved a deep sigh and resumed her cleaning, shaking her head back and forth. ¡°¡­ Anyway, it seems like he doesn¡¯t want to ept my goodwill. Oh well¡­¡± She mumbled with a pout. It might look cute, but one shouldn¡¯t be fooled by that expression of hers. She was the fourth smartest woman in London after all. If I carelessly entrusted Moran to her, she might just turn the little girl against me. ¡®There¡¯s a long way to go¡­¡¯ Sighing at the situation where I couldn¡¯t bex even for a moment, I pulled my hand from Moran¡¯s head andid down on the sofa with my eyes closed. ¨C Tickle, tickle¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± Remaining still, I suddenly felt a tingling sensation in my ear. ¡°Miss ze?¡± Before I realized it, Silver ze had taken the seat next to me and was nibbling at my ear and wagging her tail from side to side. ¡°Hehe.¡± When I gazed at her with a puzzled look, she shyly covered my face with her tail. ¡°¡­ You still smell the same, Miss ze.¡± ¡°But I washed myself diligently with shampoo?¡± She spoke with a surprised tone, brushing her tail aside gently. ¡°I prefer the scent of Miss ze over shampoo.¡± ¨C Swish¡­ Since Silver ze waspletely obedient to me by now, such a tender treatment wasn¡¯t much of a problem. As a result, when I softlyplimented her, something she may have rarely experienced in her whole life, the ears and tail of Silver ze drooped slowly in delight. ¨C Swoosh¡­ In that state, she lowered her head and gently rubbed her cheek against my chest. ¡°I¡¯m happy, Master.¡± A momentter, a soft voice came from within my embrace, it belonged to ze. ¡°I never knew a life of being enved could be this blissful.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that so?¡± ¡°I so desperately want to share this joy with the people of London and my fellow demi-humans.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± As I felt somewhat rmed by her potentially dangerous remark, Silver ze suddenly raised her head to gaze intently at me. ¡°¡­ But at the same time, I¡¯m a bit anxious.¡± ¡°Why?¡± There was a sense of unease evident in her expression. But I wasn¡¯t able to point my finger at the reason behind her anxiety¡­ ¡°Do you feel unwell, Master?¡± While I was absentmindedly scratching my head, Silver ze scrutinized my expression and asked. ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve lived my entire life in back alleys and on racetracks, witnessing countless deaths.¡± Her gaze was darker than usual as she spoke. ¡°I hope I¡¯m mistaken, but right now, Master, you¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± As she continued speaking, Princess y, who had been cleaning the floor, stopped and listened intently to her words. ¡°¡­ Are you really okay?¡± Worried that she might have noticed my precarious state, I hastily interrupted Silver ze from speaking further. ¡°The devil has infinite ways to survive, don¡¯t worry¡­¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s a relief.¡± With a soft whisper, she finally showed a relieved expression. ¡°What¡¯s making you so giddy?¡± ¡°I almost lost my will to live for a second there, so it¡¯s such a relief¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Please live a long life, Master.¡± I asked in a calm tone, but the response that came was clearly unexpected. ¡°Because you¡¯re the reason for my existence.¡± Stunned by her response, she gently pressed her cheek to mine and then stood up from her seat in the next moment. ¡°Littledy~¡± ¡°¡­ Y-Yes?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re done eating, let¡¯s bathe together~¡± Silver ze took Moran¡¯s hand, who was looking up at me with a subtle gaze in her eyes, and headed toward the bathroom. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± And then a deep silence ensued. ¡°¡­ You.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± Amidst the silence, I ignored Princess y¡¯s words as my mind fell into deep thought. ¡®I should definitely get a thorough examination.¡¯ Suddenly, a significantly memorable system message that had appeared before me the previous day came to mind. [Ending 04] ¨C Description: Flowers in your arms. ¨C Condition: Subdue all main characters within the time limit. At the time, I had been overwhelmed with joy thinking that I¡¯d found a way out of the fate of confinement and getting tamed by the dangerous women surrounding me, jumping up and down in joy. However, once the excitement settled down, I started to get nervous and anxious. Pushing aside the fact that the difficulty level was utterly devastating, even if I had like ten copies of myself¡­ ¡°¡­ Within the time limit.¡± ¡­ I couldn¡¯t help but wonder just what the time limit referred to. Could it possibly be referring limits of this body? ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Just because the time limit passed, it didn¡¯t seem like I would really. This body was already practically as good as dead and had even turned into that of a vampire. However, what if my vitality ran out to the point where I couldn¡¯t even properly move my body? When that time came, wouldn¡¯t a fate of confinement and being tamed, disguised as caregiving, await me? ¡®¡­ I need to find out for sure.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t just sit idly like this. I had to undergo a thorough examination to find out how long this body couldst. The problem was that I couldn¡¯t get examined by just any doctor. The doctor needed to be highly skilled, be in a social position that I could moderately control, yet still have a conscience to keep the state of my body a secret. If the condition of my body leaked out, the situation would be a real headache for me. ¡°¡­ Huh? Where are you going?¡± As I stood up from my seat, lost in thought, Princess y questioned me with a slight frown on her face. ¡°I¡¯m going to see my fianc¨¦e.¡± As I replied to her wordsced with concern, her face began to turn cold in an instant. ¡°¡­ Trash.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± The time to give a proper exnation had already passed, so the only thing I could do¡­ was to ept her response. . . . . . A few hourster, in front of 221B Baker Street¡ª ¡°You¡­ Why are you here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a coincidence, Miss Watson.¡± Rachel Watson, who was quietly trying to enter her boarding house, furrowed her brows when she noticed Isaac Adler approaching her. ¡°Why have youe at this hour?¡± With that question, her demeanor quickly turned cold like frozen ice¡­ ¡°Do you have any idea what Charlotte has been liketely because of you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°After the Reigate case, she¡¯s more or less be half a recluse. Of course, he was somewhat of a recluse to begin with¡­¡± Isaac Adler tried to say something in response, but Watson¡¯s cold voice continued, not leaving any leeway for interruption. ¡°The reason I remained silent all this time was because, while being with you, Holmes¡¯ condition seemed to have improved. Knowing the days she was addicted to drugs and mana stones, I, as a doctor, couldn¡¯t deny that fact.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°But now, even without drugs or mana poisoning, her condition is quite dire. It¡¯s as if¡­ ¡°¡­ I¡¯m just at a loss for words.¡± Watson and Adler entered the boarding house in that tense state. ¡°¡­ Miss Watson.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m ruining Charlotte Holmes too?¡± As Watson ascended the stairs, she replied with a sardonic smile as Adler followed along with her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already know about that clearly?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°To her, you are even more stimting and harmful than any drug in existence.¡± Her gaze was filled with deep disgust as she looked at him. ¡°Not just that. You¡¯re even getting in the way of my love life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something I should say as a properdy of London, and as a doctor for that matter¡­¡± At the same time, a cold voice emanated from her mouth. ¡°I wish you would just die from a terminal illness.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­ If you understand what I mean, then leave. Don¡¯t bother us anymore.¡± Nevertheless, as Adler continued with a bitter smile following her into her room, Watson¡¯s eyes zed with wrath as she uttered. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for Holmes, you¡¯re out of luck. Judging by her absence in her room, she might be out.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that so?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for the best. For the past few days, she had just been sitting nkly in her armchair. She must have had a change of heart and gone out.¡± Simultaneously, she began to rummage through a drawer. ¡°Anyway, this is yourst warning.¡± Soon after, she pulled out a gleaming ck pistol and pointed it threateningly at Adler. ¡°If you don¡¯t leave right now¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯te here to see Charlotte.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I came to see you.¡± But at Adler¡¯s subsequent remarks, she couldn¡¯t help but her head, her eyes narrowing in confusion. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I want a thorough examination. As a patient.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± Seeing the serious expression on Adler¡¯s face, a look of distrust spread across her face. ¡°Do you even know how many doctors there are in London?¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t many as skilled as you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to, but it¡¯s best if you just leave¡­¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯re the only one I can trust right now.¡± Adler¡¯s eyes were filled with genuine desperation as he said those words. ¡°I¡¯ve been examined several times and almost got assassinated in the process. Now, you¡¯re the only one I can trust to examine me.¡± ¡°¡­ You think that I wouldn¡¯t do the same?¡± ¡°I believe I can entrust myself to Miss Watson.¡± A palpable silence thus ensued. ¡°¡­ You¡¯re really quite pitiful.¡± Watson, after much contemtion, finally lowered her pistol and sighed deeply. ¡°Living a life where you can¡¯t even get a proper medical examination. Well, it¡¯s all due to your karma.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­ But as a doctor, I can¡¯t just ignore you.¡± Her voice mellowed as she spoke those words. ¡°Sit over there. It¡¯s not a hospital, so I can¡¯t do a thorough examination, but I can at least check your general mana circuit and the flow of your blood vessels.¡± ¡°¡­ Thank you.¡± ¡°But once you¡¯ve been examined, nevere back here again.¡± As she took out her medical coat and stethoscope from her bag, she added those words, ring dangerously toward Adler. ¡°If you have that much spare time, stop bothering Holmes and pester someone else.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think you should be doing something productive with your long life?¡± At those words, Adler simply responded with a quiet and self-deprecating smile. . . . . . Thus, as Rachel Watson¡¯s examination was about to begin¡ª ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Charlotte, hiding in the closet across the room, quietly watched the scene y out through a slightly opened gap. ¡°¡­ What¡¯s with these wounds on your body?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind them, please¡­¡± Why had she done it? The moment Charlotte heard Adler¡¯s conversation with Watsoning from the first floor, instinctively, she crawled into the closet at lightning speeds. ¡°Close your eyes and make your mana resonate.¡± ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°Yes, just like that¡­¡± Was it because she couldn¡¯t forget the disgusting behavior she had disyed in front of Adler during thest incident? Was it the shame of having made a series of fatal mistakes as a detective? Or did she want to avoid facing Adler while harboring emotions that were neither fully understood nor properly defined? ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Charlotte herself didn¡¯t quite understand why she had hidden herself. So, she just huddled pitifully in the closet, ceaselessly watching Adler through the sliver of lighting from the gap. ¡°Uh¡­ um¡­¡± Cold sweat began to trickle down Watson¡¯s face as she examined Adler. ¡°Um, there¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Please, can you not joke and do it properly?¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she spoke to Adler with a slight tremble in her voice. ¡°I did it properly.¡± Yet, Adler responded with a quiet smile on his face. ¡°Is the result not good?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­ I mean¡­ um¡­¡± Rachel Watson¡¯s face paled as she began to stammer, recalling the harsh words she had spoken to Adler earlier. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I know my body the best.¡± But Isaac Adler, with a rather gentle tone, tried to reassure her and asked her a question. ¡°I¡¯m just curious about how much time I have left.¡± Watson¡¯s eyes began to waver after hearing him speak. ¡°Is it 2 years?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°1 year? Or perhaps, 6 months?¡± Adler¡¯s innocent voice echoed throughout the room. ¡°How long do I have left?¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± ¡°Oh, and by the way, keep this a secret from Miss Holmes, okay?¡± At that moment, both women felt a dizzying sensation wash over them, each in a different sense of the word. Trantor¡¯s Note: I would like to apologize for not posting anything for a week and a half. I had both exams and sickness to deal with so I wasn¡¯t able to do my duties for Genesis. I will try to amend them this month and stick to the 12-a-month schedule, maybe more. I don¡¯t have any fixed dates but 3 chapters a week, starting from Friday as the first day of the week as it was the first day this month, will be guaranteed from now on. I again apologize, but life was lifeing, couldn¡¯t do anything about it. I hope everyone understands. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 60: Deception and Love Chapter 60: Deception and Love ¡°¡­ It¡¯s a miracle that you¡¯re still alive.¡± Rachel Watson, who had quietly ced her hand over Adler¡¯s heart for a long, long time, finally averted her gaze as she uttered those words. ¡°Leaving aside the fact that the nerves and the mana circuit of one of your arms have beenpletely burned, the mana circuits throughout the body are entangled into a sordid mess.¡± ¡°So, it was as I suspected, huh?¡± ¡°You must¡¯ve known already. At this point, it¡¯s safe to say that your life as a mage is over. If you even try to use the slightest specks of mana, you¡¯ll be struck by excruciating pain throughout your body.¡± Hearing those words, Adler merely smirked and nodded in agreement. ¡°To use your magic, you¡¯ll have no choice but to force mana to circte through the blocked areas. Naturally, this will put a massive strain on your entire body.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Therefore, if you intend to use magic, it¡¯d be best to use a mana amplifier. Actually, it would be best to not use it at all¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Wait, I¡¯m not finished yet¡­¡± Saying so, Rachel Watson¡¯s expression grew even darker than before as she spoke, ¡°The entanglement of your mana circuits is just a fraction of the problems you have.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to inform you about the current state of your body in detail, but if I did, it¡¯d probably take until sunset at least.¡± Then, in her slightly subdued voice, she continued on, ¡°Fixing one thing won¡¯t solve the problem. From the congenital issues you were born with to the acquired problems that I can¡¯t even begin to understand how you got them¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I wanted to give you some hope, but as a doctor, I can¡¯t lie.¡± She paused for a moment, looking at Adler, and hesitated before finally closing her eyes and delivering her verdict. ¡°¡­ With modern medicine, we can¡¯t fix your body.¡± A brief silence ensued. ¡°If you hade a little earlier, maybe I could¡¯ve tried something.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Your body has just weakened so much in recent times that it¡¯s not possible to do anything anymore.¡± Watson, who had closed her eyes as she couldn¡¯t bear to see Adler¡¯s resigned expression, finally opened them to continue her words. ¡°What on earth have you been doing these past few months?¡± Then, with a wry smile, Isaac Adler replied. ¡°¡­ I did the most valuable work in my life.¡± For some reason, his expression seemed distant from those of other patients whom Watson had seen receive a terminal prognosis. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± Watson, who had been quietly observing him, hesitated for a moment before opening her mouth with a worried look on her face. ¡°Did you already know?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°That you were terminally ill?¡± At that question, Adler quietly nodded his head. ¡°¡­ Since when?¡± ¡°To put it bluntly, from the very beginning, I suppose¡­¡± It was an answer that left no room for any doubt. Even the most obtuse person would roughly guess, given the extent of his deteriorated condition, that their days were numbered. ¡°I see¡­¡± Suddenly, the harsh words Watson had said to him earlier came to mind¡­ ¡°So¡­ that¡¯s why you behaved so¡­¡± Thinking back, she had uttered simr words even when they met for the very first time. Only now did she realize the reason for the bitter smile that Isaac Adler often wore. From Watson¡¯s perspective, she wished she could take back those words right now. ¡°Isn¡¯t it rather ironic? A boy whom countless people desperately want to kill is terminally ill in reality.¡± But before she could attempt to make an apology, Adler¡¯s somber voice interjected. ¡°¡­ Come to think of it, my life itself seems like a joke.¡± The look in Adler¡¯s eyes appeared somewhat mncholic. ¡°People always approach me, but I can never open my heart to anyone. Isn¡¯t that truly the worst?¡± In the face of such confession, Rachel Watson was taken aback, lost for words. ¡°Except, of course, for Charlotte Holmes, whom I fell in love with at first sight.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°Even though I don¡¯t have much time left, I¡¯ve decided to devote that time to her.¡± As she heard his words, her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re also in love, so you know, don¡¯t you?¡± The reason being¡­ Adler had taken her hand into his and began speaking with a sincere expression on his face. ¡°How foolish a person blinded by love can act¡­!¡± ¡°¡­ Oh.¡± ¡°Deciding to give up half of my remaining life to be a vampire might seem like a foolish act, but for someone like me, who¡¯s already on borrowed time, it wasn¡¯t a particrly hard decision to make.¡± Watson¡¯s face turned slightly pale. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°In a few years, a great threat will descend upon London.¡± Looking directly into her eyes, Isaac Adler continued his words, ¡°Right now, it¡¯s quiet, but it won¡¯t be long before a series of bizarre incidents will ur one after another.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°The existence of Jill the Ripper, who is already impossible to trace through magical means, proves this fact quite clearly.¡± His voice became slightly more urgent as his speech continued on. ¡°Miss Watson, so please tell me.¡± ¡°What is it¡­¡± ¡°How much time do I have left in this body?¡± Rachel Watson¡¯s pupils began to quiver as he heard that voice filled with serenity. ¡°To make Charlotte Holmes the hope of London before that time, I need to know the exact deadline I have to work with.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Please, Miss Watson.¡± Then, after what felt like an eternity, ¡°The time you have left is¡­¡± Watson, looking at Adler with eyes filled with immense guilt, spoke in a trembling voice¡­ ¡°¡­ About a year at most.¡± A heavy atmosphere settled in the room with the delivery of that verdict. ¡°That¡¯s the current prognosis, but as time goes by, your condition will likely deteriorate further¡­¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°Personally, I would rmend long-term hospitalization¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite problematic.¡± In the heavy ambiance, Isaac Adler scratched his head and mumbled. ¡°I need at least three years; five years would be the most ideal.¡± ¡°Listen¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to find a way. One year is simply not enough. Fortunately, I have a few methods in mind¡­¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± Rachel Watson interrupted him in an urgent voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but please stop.¡± ¡°¡­ Why?¡± ¡°Extending one¡¯s predetermined lifespanes with a terrible price.¡± Her face was deeply contorted as she uttered¡­ ¡°Your soul will rot. Do you wish to fall into eternal pain due to a wrong choice?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± However, at Adler¡¯s immediate response, Watson¡¯s face gradually grew numb from all the shock she felt¡­ ¡°Since I ruined her with my own hands, it¡¯s my responsibility, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Until now, I¡¯ve only treated that young girl harshly and pressured her. I¡¯ve never truly nurtured her even once. Now, I intend to focus on thetter.¡± Adler¡¯s soft voice echoed in the room. ¡°Anyway, I will not die until I¡¯ve made that still-inexperienced girl the Hope of London. There are still ways for me to survive, after all.¡± ¡°How can you go to such lengths?¡± Watson, who had been watching him speak those horrifying words, asked in a heavy voice. ¡°Because she¡¯s my favorite¡­¡± However, Adler¡¯s response was lighter than anything she could have guessed. ¡°¡­ Technically, there are two of them, but regardless.¡± He murmured something under his breath afterward, but Watson couldn¡¯t catch it as her mind was already in chaos. ¡®I had such a ridiculous misunderstanding.¡¯ Sympathy for the boy sitting in front of her surged within Watson¡¯s heart. ¡°I should go now¡­¡± ¡°Wait, just a moment¡­!¡± But dismissing her, Adler nonchntly stood up from his seat. ¡°Wait, Isaac Adler!¡± Watson quickly rose and headed toward the exit, following him. ¡°I¡¯ll help you. After all, I am a doctor. You don¡¯t have to resort to such measures¡­¡± ¡°You said it yourself. There¡¯s no way to treat my condition with modern medicine.¡± ¡°¡­ At the very least, I can prevent it from getting worse.¡± But Adler merely shook his head and began descending down the stairs. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you for free. Consider it an apology for my earlier harsh words.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor, but I will have to decline.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Mr. Adler.¡± Hurrying after him, Watson grabbed one of his arms just as he nearly reached the bottom of the stairs. ¡°¡­ I realized that I had misunderstood you all this time.¡± Then, she led him to a corner on the first floor, lowered her gaze, and began murmuring to him in a soft tone. ¡°Now I understand why you¡¯ve never been able to ept the feelings of women, and yet why you were able to open your heart to Charlotte.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Please let me help you.¡± Adler began to look at her with a wry smile. ¡°I¡¯m busy with hospital work, but I can spare some time once a week¡­¡± ¡°¡­ If that¡¯s the case, please ept this.¡± Then, exhaling a sigh, Isaac Adler took something out from his belongings. ¡°What¡¯s this¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a contract.¡± To a tilting Watson, he began his exnation. ¡°I can¡¯t bear the thought of a doctor of your stature working for free.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Bepensated fairly. I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re paid handsomely for your assistance.¡± Upon taking the contract, Watson¡¯s expression softened considerably. ¡°So this is the kind of person you are.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not that great of a person.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m ashamed of my past self.¡± And the next moment, her signature began to adorn the bottom of the contract. ¡°I¡¯ll make time this weekend, to start on your treatment.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°ording to the contract, it¡¯s once a week, but I think I could make time and check on you two days a week if need be.¡± She returned the pen to Adler, bowing her head with a polite smile. ¡°Well, I¡¯m counting on you¡­¡± . . . . . ¨C Buzzzz¡­ ¡°¡­ Eek!?¡± Suddenly feeling a surge of warmth from below, Watson, who was in the middle of her greeting, clutched her stomach and staggered, sitting down on the stairs at that very moment. ¡°What, what¡¯s happening?¡± Beneath her civilian clothes, her abdomen was shining brightly in a golden hue. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Lifting her clothing with trembling hands, Watson¡¯s gaze became dazed by what she saw. ¡°I told you I wasn¡¯t really a good person now, didn¡¯t I, Miss Watson?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°You should have thoroughly checked the contract before signing it.¡± Adler¡¯s golden seal was vividly engraved on her abdomen, shining in a bright hue. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I definitely checked it from the beginning to the end¡­?¡± ¡°Changing a few words the moment you sign is as easy as pie for me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a vition of contract magic. There¡¯s no way such a trick is possible¡­!¡± ¡°Shush, no matter how soundproof this ce is, people outside might hear you if you speak so loudly.¡± Pale as a ghost, Rachel Watson lifted her head with trembling eyes and opened her mouth in shock and horror. ¡°Starting next weekend, once your hospital duties are over, report directly to my secret hideout.¡± ¡°But, on that day¡­ I have ns with Neville¡­¡± ¡°Does that really matter any longer?¡± As Adler began to gently stroke her cheek, using an inexplicable force to immobilize Watson¡¯s body, he whispered softly into her ear. ¡°Now, you belong to me, not him.¡± ¡°¡­ Son of a bitch.¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± Only then, realizing that she had been deceived, Watson began to re at Adler with unadulterated hatred, gritting her teeth. ¡°Die. Just die¡ª¡± ¡°¡­ Answer.¡± However, when Adler gently prodded the engraved seal on her abdomen, Watson, as if being shocked by electricity, replied in a choked voice. ¡°¡­ Understood.¡± At that moment, a message appeared before Adler¡¯s eyes. Rachel Watson is now under your subordination! ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Neville.¡± As Watson¡¯s tearful voice echoed in the surroundings as she bit her lip in resignation, Adler murmured with a detached expression. ¡°That¡¯s just how it is.¡± Adler¡¯s n was progressing more smoothly than anticipated. . . . . . . ¡°After doing something like this, do you think you can live with yourself¡­?¡± ¡°¡­ Without you, it would definitely be impossible.¡± ¡°You fucking bastard¡­¡± As he gently stroked Rachel Watson¡¯s head, tears formed in Watson¡¯s eyes, and she growled. ¡°I curse you, asshole.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Tch¡­¡± And then, she spat on my leg. ¡°No matter what, you can¡¯t have me.¡± ¡°But I already do, don¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± As he scratched his head and spoke those words, Watson eximed with a clear and ringing voice, showing the back of her hand. ¡°No matter what you do, this mark won¡¯t fade.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Truly, ah, what a pity. Mr. Screwed-u¡ª¡± However, her voice, unlike her earlier confidence, started to tremble ever so slightly. ¡°Let¡¯s see about that.¡± As Adler leaned in closer and whispered coldly, Watson, whose eyes were already wide open, started quivering violently. ¡°Let¡¯s see if that mark fades or not.¡± He wanted to sound more threatening, but somehow his posture appeared funny, so he refrained from continuing further. Because of the significant height difference between them, even with Watson kneeling, they could almost look eye-to-eye, which didn¡¯t help his attempt to look imposing. ¨C Press¡­ ¡°Ughhhh¡­¡± Instead, when he lightly pressed on Watson¡¯s abdomen, she clenched her eyes shut, copsed to the ground, and her body began convulsing once more. ¡°Neville¡­¡± ¡®Given Neville¡¯s status, he and Watson were certainly meant to be a couple, so it couldn¡¯t be helped¡­¡¯ It was right then, when he began to feel a pang of guilt upon hearing her pitiful voice that¡­ ¨C Ding! Unexpectedly, a message appeared before his eyes. ¡ºHidden Route ¡ª ???¡» ¨C Progress: 50% ¡ú 80% That message instantly cleared the clutter in his mind, which had been filled with thoughts about how to extend the given time limit and how to subdue the remaining characters of the game. Charlotte Holmes is in love with you. ¡°¡­¡­ Ah.¡± It was because the content was so shocking that his mind went utterly nk, unable to think of anything else. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 61: The Deceiver and the Deceived Chapter 61: The Deceiver and the Deceived The morning after I made Rachel Watson submit to me¡­ ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes?¡± On a weekend, following my usual routine, when I visited Mycrony Holmes¡¯ mansion, I couldn¡¯t help but widen my eyes in surprise. ¡°Oh my, I wonder which one of us you¡¯re calling.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Unlike usual, where only a few attendants would wait in the living room, Charlotte Holmes could be seen sitting on the sofa, staring at me intently with those metallic-grey eyes of hers. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Is it that strange for a younger sister to be in her elder sister¡¯s home?¡± After staring nkly at her for a moment, I asked that question and immediately received a very reasonable response. ¡°¡­ Now that I hear it, it does make sense for you to be here.¡± ¡°However, it¡¯s a bit strange for Mr. Adler to visit my sister¡¯s secret residence, right?¡± Upon hearing her response, I nced at Mycrony and spoke up. ¡°The highest authority in Ennd secretly wanted to see my performance, so I was coordinating schedules with the person who is essentially the British government itself.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know Her Majesty the Queen was interested in theatre.¡± ¡°Surprisingly, it¡¯s true, Charlotte.¡± As I calmly countered Charlotte¡¯s skeptical voice and stared quietly at Mycrony, she chuckled and backed my words. ¡°From now on, I need to discuss top-secret information regarding the royal family with Mr. Adler here, so shall we end today¡¯s meeting here?¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± Then, Charlotte rested her chin in her hand and tilted her head to the side. ¡°Mr. Adler must be quite lucky.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°An aspiring actor who is so eager that they even want to eat up the most powerful person in Ennd.¡± With that, she whispered to me with a mischievous smile. ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes, you shouldn¡¯t speak like that.¡± ¡°Today, I particrly miss the mana stone powder and my trusty pipe.¡± Then, Charlotte murmured and reached for my hair. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your genesbining inside my belly, I would have been intoxicated myself already.¡± ¡°¡­ I thought you quit.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you try some too, Mr. Adler?¡± With her familiar hand gesture, she plucked out a few strands of my hair, dropped them into her mouth, and then leaned in closely, murmuring eerily. ¡°Perhaps it can cure that chronic condition of yours¡ª lechery.¡± ¡°Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°Pfft, hahaha¡­¡± Then, she suddenly burst into a heartyughter. ¡°You¡¯re adorable, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°If you keep making such cute expressions, you might even be able to lure the other half of the women of London into your bed.¡± She grabbed my hand and twirled around as if dancing on her feet, then headed towards the exit with light steps. ¨C ck¡­ Suddenly, she pulled out a handgun from her pocket. ¡°Stay still.¡± ¡°Oh my¡­¡± I froze thinking the worst had finally arrived when Charlotte raised her gun and shouted loudly with a cold smile on her face. ¡°Bang!¡± And then there was silence. ¡°¡­ Miss Mycrony .¡± ¡°Yes¡± ¡°Excuse me, but did your sister take any drugs by any chance?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± When I looked at Charlotte with an incredulous gaze and asked her sister, Mycrony responded with a gentle smile on her face. ¡°It¡¯s just a form of behavior I¡¯ve always seen from my sister when she¡¯s about to die of boredom from ack of cases.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that so?¡± ¡°When my sister is on drugs, she actually bes more clear-headed.¡± Deep in her sincere eyes, her deep grey irises shone in a dark hue. ¡°Ever since you appeared in her life, she has been in that state.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°But for some reason, my sister now seems to have reverted to the state before she met you.¡± It was definitely good news. ording to Watson, after the Reigate case, Charlotte had locked herself up in her boarding house in a broken state. If she had gotten out of that state and returned to her original quirky genius girl shape then it was truly a big relief for me. ¡°Or she might¡¯ve done a 180 and then another 180, making it seem like she¡¯s back to her original state.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± But in the midst of Mycrony¡¯s gloomy spection, there was a moment when I wore a slightly worried expression. ¡°¡­ Mr. Adler.¡± Charlotte, who had been staring intently at me with the sights of her pistol, suddenly began to smile eerily. ¡°When you¡¯re done talking with my sister,e to the boarding house.¡± Hearing her words, I tilted my head, to which she quietly squinted her eyes. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°¡­ Why not just tell me now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to though¡­¡± ¡°Is there a reason it can¡¯t be done here?¡± She firmly shook her head and whispered in a soft tone. ¡°It¡¯s a new riddle.¡± And in the next moment¡­ ¨C Bang!!! Her pistol suddenly fired a bullet. ¡°If you don¡¯te, something like this might happen.¡± The portrait of the Queen of Ennd that had been hanging in Mycrony¡¯s room nowy shattered on the floor. ¡°That¡¯s treason, Charlotte.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. The British royal family owes me quite a lot. The benevolent queen, who has averted national crises several times by using my services, will surely turn a blind eye¡­¡± She twirled the pistol in her hand, looking pleased as she gazed at the scene she had created, and then started walking off again with a cheerful expression on her face. ¡°And I am a staunch patriot. That¡¯s why I only dropped it on the floor and didn¡¯t do anything else.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Probably just need to rece the ss, right?¡± Charlotte, about to step out through the front door, suddenly turned her head with a mischievous smile on her face. ¡°¡­ Of course, Mr. Adler isn¡¯t Her Majesty the Queen.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°So, you mustn¡¯t forget toe to the boarding house, okay?¡± Her eyes stared straight at me until the door closed, covering them, but they no longer shone with the darkness I once saw in them. ¨C ck¡­ The problem was, now instead of her eyes, it was her ck pistol that could be seen, gleaming and being reloaded in the gap of the door. ¡°London¡¯s crazy bitch has returned!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± As I stared nkly at the scene before me in a daze, anguid voice came from behind. ¡°Now she finally seems like my little sister.¡± Mycrony Holmes, resting her chin on her hand, murmured with a smile stretching her lips. ¡°¡­ And how was she before?¡± ¡°She seemed like a teenage girl going through puberty.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± At her precise analysis, I momentarily stroked my chin and asked out of genuine curiosity, ¡°So, what do you think brought Miss Holmes back to her usual self all of a sudden?¡± ¡°She finally found the answer after being lost in a maze for a long time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s rather vague, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Would it suffice to say she finally came to realize and ept something?¡± Then, Mycrony Holmes replied with a voice mixed withughter, her hand covering her mouth. ¡°So, what exactly¡­¡± ¡°You know very well why, don¡¯t you, Mr. Adler?¡± She slightly opened her eyes and began to smile coldly. Charlotte Holmes is in love with you. ¡°¡­¡­ Hmm.¡± And just then, the message from yesterday came to mind, as if it were an answer to my question. ¡°The moment you enter the boarding house, you might even receive a proposal from my sister.¡± ¡°You sure have a sense of humor, Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors that Miss Lestrade is frantically searching for you, due to your recent disappearance. I¡¯m really curious how this will turn out.¡± Mycrony Holmes, reminding me of the dizzying scenarios, cleared the papers in front of her with a delicate smile on her lips. ¡°That¡¯s not all. Her Majesty the Queen has been repeatedly requesting to meet with you in person. You sure are lucky when ites to women.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Then she began to spill some unbelievable words to me in a nonchnt voice. ¡°Of course, I dismissed her requests. I did fall slightly out of the Queen¡¯s favor because of that, but my influence can¡¯t be so easily shaken.¡± ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Realizing that the lie I had told to avoid the situation had actually turned into reality sent shivers down my spine, and there was also a hint of regret in my heart after learning of this news. After all, it could have been a golden opportunity to have the Queen of Ennd herself to back me up. ¡°There was no need to jeopardize your political standing just to make things difficult for me.¡± ¡°You have no idea¡­¡± When I said those words with a slightly regretful expression, she opened her eyes fully for the first time and began to whisper in a low voice. ¡°¡­ But it¡¯s more intriguing this way.¡± At some point, a hint of seductiveness found its way into her voice. ¡°A younger sister on the verge of confessing, an official lover feeling guilty about her mistakes and searching you everywhere, and a queen who¡¯s always been bothersome but is secretly eyeing the man in question.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­ Imagine that very same man, spending a day hiding beneath my desk without anyone¡¯s knowledge.¡± Saying those words, Mycrony Holmes slightly pushed her chair back and began to quietly tap her desk with her fingers. ¡°It¡¯d feel like dying from the pure thrill and immorality of it all, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Responding to her now familiar signal, I sighed and slid myself under her desk. Mycrony Holmes quietly pulled her chair closer, pressing him to her voluptuous form. ¨C Rustle¡­ A momentter, the top of her dress was quietly lifted. ¡°¡­ Bite¡­¡± Her pale stomach, marked here and there by clear bite marks, thus came into view. ¡°¡­ Heung¡ª¡± After hesitating for a moment, I nestled myself between her legs and pressed against her stomach, taking in the soft scent emanating from her voluptuous body. ¨C Heup. ¡°Mmm.¡± Biting into her flesh, I could immediately hear Mycrony¡¯s moans along with a quiver wrecking through her body. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± Thus began another familiar session of bloodsucking. ¡°Look up at me while you¡¯re still biting me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I said, look at me¡­¡± While I had been engrossed in drinking her blood, Mycrony Holmes, stroking my head with her hands, whispered those words to me in an eerie tone. ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± Quietly lifting my head to look at her, I immediately saw Mycrony Holmes¡¯ face, flushed with exhration and glee. ¨C Rustle¡­ While in that position, she who had momentarily met my eyes, raised her clothes and covered my face with it. ¡°¡­¡­ Ah.¡± Then, leaning her back against the chair, she began to wear a dazed expression with her eyes tightly shut. ¡°¡­ Today, high-ranking government officials are scheduled to visit me.¡± ¡°¡­..?¡± ¡°There¡¯s an important meeting, you see¡­¡± After holding me inside her clothes for a long time, she whispered those words in a soft voice. ¡°It¡¯ll probably end by evening.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.!¡± ¡°Can you behave until then?¡± I thought of shaking my head in worry of getting caught, but her legs began to tighten around me quietly. ¡°Come in~¡± As I was surprised by the unexpected strength of those delicate legs of hers, just then, Mycrony called out in a clear voice. ¨C Creeeak¡­ Following that, the sound of footsteps started to resonate in the room as the door opened. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± From within her clothes, where I was casting her a resentful look, her faint voice came through. ¡°¡­ Your face will likely pale over time, sitting there like that, but it¡¯ll just make you look a bit more frail than usual. Nothing special.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Given that her voice still sounded somewhat dazed andnguid, it seemed that she needed a much stronger stimulus. ¡°It¡¯s more thrilling that way, isn¡¯t it?¡± If that was the case, then I had no choice but to oblige. ¨C As Mr. Devil mentioned, all the guards are positioned outside. Should we handle it? ¨C Hmph, seems like a trap to me. ¨C Master, the Cat Princess has a point. Please, be careful. While I quietly bit into her lower belly, I heard the voices of my loyal subordinates through a telepathic magic that only I could utilize in this world. ¡®¡­ No matter how I see it, today is the only chance.¡¯ Whether to take a risk and further expand the organization or hesitate and slowly be crushed¡­ It was time to choose the direction that I needed to take at the most significant crossroads that I had faced in recent times. . . . . . . Several hours after that event¡­ Outside the secret residence of Mycrony Holmes, as the distinguished visitors took a break and briefly left their seats and got out of the room¡­ ¡°¡­ If that¡¯s true, the situation is quite dire.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s an emergency.¡± Her loyal retainers, who had been standing guard outside, were conversing with sweat dripping from their brows. ¡°They might take advantage of that short break.¡± ¡°Should we break down the door and rush in?¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s too risky. We don¡¯t know how Adler might react.¡± In the eyes of the woman standing at the center, surprisingly, the situation inside the room was being reflected in real-time. ¨C Ugh¡­ ¨C Haven¡¯t you let your guard down a bit too much just because I¡¯ve been obediently following all yourmands? ¨C S, stop¡­ ¨C It¡¯s futile. Just surrender and be mine. Isaac Adler was sitting on top of a pale-faced Mycrony, gripping her hands fiercely, his eyes glowing red as he sucked her blood. ¨C It hurts¡­ ¨C That¡¯s why you shouldn¡¯t have naively signed the contract. To any observer, it was clear that this was an unexpected turn of events. ¡°Miss Mycrony¡­¡± The so-called Hounds, the devoted followers of Mycrony Holmes. Among them, the captain who had the ability to always sense any and all danger that maye her master¡¯s way, began to show increasing signs of unease. ¡°One on the roof of the building, one in the alley¡­ No, two.¡± ¡°Considering that they¡¯ve been prepared by Isaac Adler, we can expect them to be extremely dangerous.¡± ¡°What should we do now?¡± The agents reported to her with aposed demeanor and asked for their future course of action. ¡°¡­ What to do, huh?¡± The captain, who had been standing still all this time, clenched her teeth and responded in a soft voice. ¡°The only one who called my curse a blessing was her.¡± At her words, the agents silently nodded and began eyeing their adversaries with sharp eyes. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± The moment when a bloody battle for dominance over London was about to erupt¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡­?¡± A look of confusion and bewilderment appeared on the face of the captain who had been coldly observing the situation inside the room. ¡°¡­ What is it, Captain?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Her subordinates hastily posed questions due to her abrupt change in expression, but the captain stood still, unable to say anything for a while¡­ ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Just a few seconds prior, Mycrony Holmes, who had been wearing an expression as if terrified by the unexpected situation, began to blush and pant heavily the moment Isaac Adler buried his head into her neck. ¨C Ah, heung¡­ hauuh¡­ ¨C St, stop now¡­ In that state, she began to let out faint, quivering moans and subtly moved her lips to convey something¡­ ¡®Keep. An. Eye. Out.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± With such a clear message, the captain¡¯s gaze started to dull. ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± ¡°¡­ We need to move now, Captain.¡± ¡°While we hold our ground against them, Captain, you should hurry inside¡­¡± Whether or not they understood her intentions, her subordinates urged her with clear desperation in their voices. ¨C Keuk¡­ The moment the captain¡¯s gaze wavered at that voice, Mycrony Holmes gently wrapped her legs around the waist of Isaac Adler, who was looming over her body. ¨C You shouldn¡¯t do this¡­ ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± And then, Mycrony shyly turned her head, avoiding the puzzled gaze of Adler. ¡°¡­ Now that I think about it, it was indeed a curse, after all.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Upon noticing the melting expression on her face, the captain began to walk forward with a carefree demeanor. ¡°Let¡¯s go eat some food, shall we?¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­..???¡±¡± The twisted romantic entanglements between Mycrony Holmes and Isaac Adler persisted throughout her subordinates¡¯ meal. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 62: Traps and Snares Chapter 62: Traps and Snares ¡°Heh.¡± ¡°Ahhhh¡­¡± Forcing the fragile body of Mycrony to the ground, Isaac Adler, who had sunk his sharp fangs into her neck, carefully withdrew his head back. ¡°Miss Mycrony.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing right now?¡± Wiping the blood from his lips, Adler looked at her cautiously. ¡°¡­ While trying to tame a cute vampire, I let my guard down and was totally subdued in the process.¡± Mycrony, who had been holding Adler tightly with her legs up all the while, responded in a shy voice while avoiding his gaze. ¡°Do you expect that to be believable?¡± ¡°Moreover, despite struggling hard, I was destined to be bound by the dominating power you¡¯ve concealed all this time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°It truly was a tragedy that urred in the blink of an eye¡­¡± Isaac Adler looked down at her with an incredulous expression. ¨C Mr. Devil, there¡¯s no sign of the guards leaving the restaurant. ¨C Did they abandon their master? Those fools are really out of their damn minds. ¨C The master must have cast a spell on them! Different voices of his subordinates reached Adler¡¯s ears simultaneously. ¡°¡­ What are you doing?¡± As Adlery momentarily dazed due to the conversation going on in his head, she observed the phenomenon and immediately changed her tone to a slightly colder note. ¡°If you keep spacing out, I¡¯ll throw you off.¡± ¨C Groan¡­ Contrary to her words, more strength went into Mycrony¡¯s legs which were wrapped around Adler¡¯s waist. ¡°Well then¡­¡± Although cold sweat began to trickle down his forehead, Adler, who couldn¡¯t back out now, began to lower his head slowly again. ¨C Swoosh¡­ But perhaps due to the immense strength in Mycrony¡¯s legs¡­ ¡°Oh my~¡± Adler¡¯s head, which had gotten much closer to her body than before, was obstructed by Mycrony¡¯s ample chest, failing to reach her neck. ¡°I guess there¡¯s no choice.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Instead of the neck, I¡¯ll have to drink from here.¡± Mycrony murmured, looking at him with wide eyes. ¡°While it would be thrilling to die from excessive bleeding when bitten on the neck again by those cute fangs of yours, that¡¯s not why you¡¯re here now, is it?¡± ¡°Listen¡­¡± ¡°In order to facilitate a head-on confrontation between my sister and the professor you serve, you aim to capture me first, as I¡¯m the most threatening third force involved in the grand scheme of things¡­¡± She turned her head to the side, her expression pitiful, her tone like that of a sorrowful heroine. ¡°s! I should have realized that a bit earlier¡­¡± Then there was utter silence. ¨C Sigh¡­ ¡°¡­ Uh.¡± As Adler sighed and bit into her plump flesh. In response, Mycrony Holmes twisted her body, letting out a faint moan. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Just how much time had passed like that? ¨C Shimmer¡­ A unique red-coloured, bat-shaped seal, different from other women he had enved, started to appear on Mycrony¡¯s lower abdomen. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Mycrony, who had been biting her lip hard enough to leak blood already, whispered softly as she looked at the scene before her. ¡°It finally happened.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°My life is over now.¡± Of course, her face, flushed with pleasure and glee, didn¡¯t look like that of a woman whose life was deemed to be over. ¡°Just a few hours ago, the entirety of Ennd was in my grasp. Now, I¡¯m merely a possession of a single boy¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Sigh.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sad that I could cry out a river of tears.¡± Looking down at her with another sigh, Adler finally spoke in a quiet and subdued tone. ¡°You might react this way now, but you will certainly regret itter.¡± ¡°Will I?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll return all the insults I¡¯ve endured so far.¡± ¡°¡­ Uh?¡± As he gently stroked Mycrony¡¯s lower abdomen, a tingling sensation began to spread throughout her body, making her quiver violently. ¡°What is this?¡± After quivering for quite a while, she asked in a faint voice. ¡°¡­ You¡¯lle to understand everything, in due time.¡± Adler replied to her in a soft and mellow tone, poking her lower abdomen with his finger. ¡°So, rx your legs.¡± ¡°¡­ Ugh.¡± Upon his words, Mycrony¡¯s legs rxed by themselves, without her will. ¡°Prepare yourself.¡± Adler, who had momentarily touched her twitching waist, murmured while caressing her chin as shey powerlessly on the floor. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll thoroughly clean the space below my desk back in my hideout.¡± Then, leaving those words behind, Adler began walking towards the front door. ¡°¡­ Sigh.¡± As the twitching in Mycrony¡¯s lower abdomen subsided, she released a hot and sensuous sigh and spoke softly with a gentle smile on her face. ¡°When going to my sister¡¯s house, you¡¯ll need to be especially careful not to run into Inspector Lestrade .¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°In the past few days alone, she has taken down at least five back alley gangs while looking for you.¡± Adler flinched slightly at those words, murmuring to himself as he quietly stepped outside the room. ¡°¡­ Sometimes, I really resent this curse of mine.¡± As the front door closed, a silent stillness began to flow within the room. . . . . . ¡°¡­ Miss Mycrony.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Despite several minutes passing, Mycrony Holmes justy there nkly on the floor. ¡°What on earth has be of you?¡± Her gaze turned to the captain of her personal guards who had quietly entered the room through the front door. ¡°I was tricked by an evil vampire who has clearly misunderstood the nature of the curse he has.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Why on earth would you intentionally do such a thing?¡± The captain of the guards, who spoke those words, trailed off in her speech. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I hadn¡¯t felt anything for over 20 years?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°My threshold for stimtion has be a bit too high.¡± Mycrony Holmes, whose eyes had be listless, murmured in a dazed voice. ¡°Now, simply biting my neck is no longer sufficient for me.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Being bitten by Adler on the weekends feels so vivid that my brain tingles just at the mere thought, but the lethargy I feel during the remaining 5 days has more or less doubled.¡± At her words, the captain of the guards stood silently, unable to respond. ¡°I wish I¡¯d never known this feeling, but once you experience something like that, you can¡¯t ever stop.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± ¡°But even so, stepping forward to im Isaac Adler myself is far too bothersome.¡± She extended her hand, lifting the still-slouched Mycrony Holmes to her feet. ¡°But, what if he were to control me himself?¡± ¡°Stop murmuring and sit up properly.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to truly possess him, I can relish a variety of sensations through this method alone.¡± Then, the captain, like dealing with a stray cat trying to slip away from her grasp, sat Mycrony down on the sofa. ¡°So, you chased away all the guests from the mansion and caused this whole mess just for that reason?¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about that. The people who visited today weren¡¯t guests but professional actors I had hired.¡± ¡°What?¡± The listless Mycrony, sprawled on the sofa, began her story with a hint of a smirk on her lips. ¡°The reason I hid Isaac Adler under the desk and covered him with my clothes was precisely due to that. Being in the same profession, there was a high chance that he would be able to recognize them at a nce.¡± ¡°¡­ But isn¡¯t that just what you usually do?¡± ¡°Just take it as it is.¡± She brushed off the question carelessly, then touched the lower part of her belly with a satisfied expression on her face. ¡°Having acquired this cute mark that gives me a sensation different from pain, I¡¯m more than a bit content already.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯d risk putting the entirety of Ennd into Isaac Adler¡¯s hands just to gain that peculiar mark?¡± At the piercing remark of the frowning captain of her personal guards, the corner of Mycrony Holmes¡¯ mouth lifted subtly. ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Despite what it may look, my patriotism is quite profound, you know?¡± The next moment, her lower abdomen began to glow quietly. ¨C Shhhhh¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡­!¡± When Mycrony Holmes touched her abdomen again in that state, the distinct bat-shaped mark disappeared as though erased. ¡°What¡­ did you just do?¡± ¡°I tried to mimic what Adler did.¡± In front of that spectacle thatpletely defied the established magic system, the captain of her personal guards asked with widened eyes. ¡°ording to my observation, he doesn¡¯t simply just use magic, but rather maniptes the whole linguistic system that constitutes magic itself.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°I became curious and did a bit of research. I found a way to easily neutralize most persistent magic that way.¡± However, the exnation that followed was a bit tooplicated for the physically-oriented woman. ¡°If it had been the magic of contracts designed by him, I might have had trouble in neutralizing it fully. But this is just a regr vampire¡¯s seal.¡± ¨C Buzz¡­ ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it.¡± Yet, without a care, she continued murmuring to herself, making the seal on her lower appear and disappear repeatedly, disying her full control over the seal. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it deactivated usually, and activate it only when meeting Adler.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s what you might call carefree pleasure.¡± Saying so, she tapped her belly with a satisfied expression and closed her eyes. ¡°¡­ Keep it a secret from Adler, okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Just imagining him confidently climbing on top of me, thinking he has me under his control with just that cute seal, gives me the chills.¡± Soon after, as those words spoken in an entranced voice left Mycrony¡¯s lips, the captain of her personal guards nodded silently and then exited the room. ¡®¡­ Is London really going to be alright at this rate?¡¯ As she headed to the ce where her subordinates were waiting with heavy steps, a rather fundamental question about the safety and security of her homnd rose in her mind. . . . . . That evening, in front of 212B Baker Street¡­ ¡°¡­ I¡¯m a bitte.¡± Pressing the hat he bought from a tailor shop deeply on his head, Isaac Adler looked around and then quietly adjusted his attire as he moved forward. ¨C Knock, knock, knock¡­ And then, Adler began knocking on the boarding house door, taking a deep breath. ¡°Are you here to see Holmes?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Wondering how he should react if Watson were to suddenly appear, he sighed in relief at the sight of the kindly smiling Mrs Hudson and nodded his head. ¡°Go up to the second floor.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­ She had been waiting for someone for a while, I think it might have been you.¡± As he passed her and started to ascend the stairs, Adler paused slightly at her words. ¡°Do you know the reason?¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡± Following his question, Mrs Hudson responded with a look of genuine uncertainty. ¡°When she came into the boarding house this morning, she had arge bouquet and a small box in her hands.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Do you think it might be rted to a case?¡± At that suggestive remark, Adler quietly bit his lip and resumed walking forward. ¨C Knock, knock, knock¡­ After hesitating for a moment, he began knocking on the room¡¯s door. ¡°Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Isaac Adler.¡± However, for some reason, there was no response. ¡°Miss Holmes?¡± Tilting his head slightly, Adler knocked again and soon put his hand on the door handle, trying to open it. ¨C Creak¡­ Then, the door slowly opened. ¡°I¡¯ming in¡­¡± Briefly gauging the situation, Adler stepped inside, but the moment he moved a step forward¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± He was met with a sight he had not at all anticipated. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Charlotte¡­?¡± Charlotte Holmesy copsed right in front of Adler. ¡°You¡¯re not a kid anymore, why would you y such a pra¡­¡± For a moment, Isaac Adler silently took in the scene before him, then lowered his head with a smirk. ¡°¡­¡­..¡± However, not long after, his face began to stiffen. ¡®¡­ That ivory box.¡¯ Beside the bouquet that she held dearly in her embrace, there was a familiar box conspicuously ced on the ground. ¡®It¡¯s from the Dying Detective episode, that thing¡­¡¯ Adler, noting the sharp spring sticking out from the opened box, hesitantly checked Charlotte¡¯s hand. ¡®It¡¯s got to be a ruse. Surely she wasn¡¯t pricked¡­¡¯ Yet, there was a clear wound on her finger, as if pierced by a needle. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Holding the pale-faced Charlotte in his arms, Adler¡¯s eyes began to tremble more intensely than ever before. ¡°This can¡¯t be real.¡± ¡°¡­ Hm.¡± At that moment, he missed the very faint twitch of Charlotte¡¯s lips and the blush that had risen to her cheeks. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 63: The Blooming Detective Chapter 63: The Blooming Detective A few days after Charlotte Holmes had copsed in her boarding house¡­ ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± ¡°Miss Holmes?¡± For some reason, they were still in the boarding house, not the hospital, and Isaac Adler was holding her in his arms and lying on the same bed as hers. ¡°Have youe to your senses?¡± He heard a dazed voice near his ear and quickly checked Charlotte¡¯s condition, who had been nestled in his arms all the while. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Charlotte Holmes, with her eyes open, was smiling widely while gently sping his hand in hers. ¡°You¡¯re by my side today.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, I am.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± She stared at Adler for a long time in that state and then delivered those words before nestling into his embrace once more. ¡°I was unable to open my eyes for 30 minutes, fearing that you might not be in front of me once I did.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t I hold you all throughout yesterday, as you were going through such a chaotic and precarious condition?¡± ¡°Still, there¡¯s only a 50% chance it would be you, right?¡± ¡°¡­ Why do you think that to be the case?¡± From within Adler¡¯s embrace, her small but confident voice began to flow out at a steady rate. ¡°Just think about it¡­ When I open my eyes, there are two possibilities¡ª you¡¯re holding me or it¡¯s someone else.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s 50-50. A 50% probability, right?¡± With a confident look, Charlotte finished her somewhat illogical exnation and then looked up at me with a calm gaze. ¡°But now that I think about it, 50% is a perfectly bnced probability, don¡¯t you think? It¡¯s very stable.¡± ¡°Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°Mr. Adler, a human is all about bnce as well. So, you should draw a line in the middle of your body in advance.¡± Not just her forehead, but she was sweating coldly all over, and her condition seemed quite serious as she rambled on some nonsensical remarks. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier to maintain the body¡¯s stability this way. You can even use it as a guideline if need be¡­¡± ¡°Please, I beg you¡­¡± Isaac Adler, watching her ramble on like a deranged lunatic with a devastated expression on his face, clenched his eyes shut and spoke in a pitiful tone. ¡°Let¡¯s admit you to a hospital now.¡± ¡°A hospital?¡± Hearing that pitiful voice of his, Charlotte seemed to have snapped back to reality, away from her delusions, and gently tilted her head. ¡°It¡¯s no use.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°As you can see, the oue is already evident.¡± And then, she gave him a pained smile, filled with resignation. ¡°What was in that box wasn¡¯t magic, but something called Sorcery. It¡¯s a uniquely researched form of magic, also known as witchcraft, in parts of India and the East, one of the most difficult to execute.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And Watson had already informed me¡­ The mana circuits that make up my body have been damaged beyond repair by the sorcery already.¡± As she spoke with great effort after aborious breath, Isaac Adler¡¯s expression hardened in real-time. ¡°It¡¯s all over for me now, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Our adventures together, the mysteries we have solved¡­ Everything¡¯s over, Adler.¡± As she caressed his cheek, Charlotte spoke to him in a calm voice. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m truly saddened beyond what words could convey.¡± She whispered in a faint voice, her gaze lowered and pained. ¡°It was fun while itsted.¡± Upon hearing those words, filled with regret, Adler unknowingly tightened his hold on her and bowed his head as well. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Silence filled the room for a brief moment. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Some time had passed in the meantime¡­ ¡°Since I feel a bit more lucid now¡­¡± Charlotte, who had been sweating profusely and panting heavily, lifted Adler¡¯s head and began to whisper, locking eyes with him. ¡°¡­ Let me give you the proposal I have thought up.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± ¡°Take my soul.¡± Upon hearing those words, a stunned expression began to form on Adler¡¯s face. ¡°What are you saying¡­¡± ¡°I actually already know, you know?¡± Charlotte, cing a finger on his lips, began to speak with a frail smile adorning her pale lips. ¡°That you don¡¯t have much time left.¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re both terminally ill. Let¡¯s stop with all the farce already.¡± With that, the color began to drain from Isaac Adler¡¯s face. ¡°That body of yours doesn¡¯t have much time left to tread on this Earth.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re searching for a way to extend your life.¡± Struck by the truth in her words, Adler was left speechless, quietly gazing at Charlotte with astonishment in his eyes. ¡°I was recently investigating a case that involved traces of sorcery, so I did some research, you know?¡± ¡°Charlotte.¡± ¡°In most books on Sorcery, it¡¯smon to extend one¡¯s life by taking another¡¯s soul.¡± Charlotte¡¯s gaze shone with a gentle hue. ¡°So, devour my soul¡­ please¡­¡± ¡°Do you even realize what you¡¯re saying right now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m offering you my soul, for your sake, of course¡­¡± ¡°Putting aside the ramifications that Miss Holmes would have to face, do you, the most rational being that I have had the pleasure to witness, really believe in such ult tales?¡± ¡°In a world nearing the turn of a century ¡ª where the existence of magic that only existed in fairy tales and fantasies has revealed its existence, and all manner of bizarre phenomena, sorceries, and curses appear everywhere ¡ª do you think it¡¯s time to be skeptical?¡± Caught off guard by her subsequent words, Adler found himself silenced, unable to retort. ¡°¡­ Either way, I don¡¯t know how to take your soul even if I wanted to.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± In response to his words, Charlotte burst outughing, lifting her sweat-drenched head. ¡°Out of everyone, how is it possible that you don¡¯t know how to do that?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve gone through countless papers, but there¡¯s never been a precedent for a vampire with a tail.¡± Her pupils momentarily reverted to their original sharp light as she delivered her next line. ¡°You wield contract magic suspiciously well and possess an odd allure that can immediately enchant any woman, cursed or not.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t know your true nature?¡± Her voice, although soft, was filled with conviction and confidence at her deduction. ¡°Little Devil, sir?¡± ¡°¡­ Sigh.¡± Adler, who had been quietly looking down at Charlotte, soon let out a deep sigh of regret¡­ ¡°¡­ For a moment, since you seemed a bit clearer, I thought your condition had miraculously improved.¡± Then, as he gently stroked her back, Adler murmured with a voice full of emotion. ¡°It seems you¡¯re still not well, spouting such illogical nonsense.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. If only I had arrived at the boarding house a bit earlier¡­¡± As he hugged her with a sincerely regretful expression, Charlotte, for a moment, gave a doubtful look but soon turned her gaze distant. ¡°¡­ What I wanted to say is¡ª¡± Then, she began to gently stroke his cheek again. ¡°You must survive, at any cost.¡± ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°Though my mana circuit is damaged beyond repair, it¡¯s entirely possible to partially transnt it into your body.¡± Her voice started to darken at the end of her speech. ¡°And even if you don¡¯t use me, perhaps your curse might be lifted this way?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I have a rough idea. A way to break the curse you¡¯re entangled with.¡± It was at that very moment¡­ Ending 09 The Millenial Kingdom Among the countless endings, one that had a fraction of a probability to be achieved, and one that wasn¡¯t so bad even from Adler¡¯s perspective, came to his mind. ¡°It¡¯s okay if I lose to you and the professor.¡± ¡°What are you even talking abo¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a simple thing. I just need to die¡­¡± As Charlotte perceived his intent, her voice began to tremble ever so slightly. ¡°Let¡¯s be honest. You never really liked me, did you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The one you truly took a liking to was the professor all along. That¡¯s why you approached her first, and why you¡¯re acting as her assistant instead of mine.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Then, she paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m still okay with that.¡± Soon after, her slightly cracked voice resonated in Adler¡¯s ears. ¡°Though it was brief, the time I spent with you was genuinely blissful.¡± A contented smile appeared on Charlotte¡¯s lips. ¡°¡­ Mr. Adler.¡± After a long while, as Adler watched her with a crumbling expression on the verge of despair and agony, Charlotte began to speak, her face looking paler than ever before. ¡°Do you know what my curse was?¡± Though her voice was so weak that it was hard to believe it wasing from Charlotte herself, it was still crystal clear to Adler, who was listening more intently than ever. ¡°It was a curse that prevented me from loving anything in this world.¡± Upon hearing those words, Adler¡¯s thoughts came to a halt. ¡°Except, of course, for the concept of a riddle. A mystery.¡± Staring deeply into his eyes, Charlotte whispered in a soft and dreamy voice, ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s why. I opened my heart to you, who presented me with riddles and mysteries of the likes I¡¯d never seen before. Someone¡­ that was a riddle in and of itself.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°But seeing that my heart is still open to you even now, as I¡¯vee to somewhat understand you and the mystery surrounding you¡­¡± She paused momentarily, looking like the mere act of speaking was unbearably painful, and soon continued with a slightly choked voice, ¡°¡­ It might be that my curse has already been lifted.¡± Adler¡¯s eyes were shaking violently at herst remark. ¡°Because of your very existence¡­¡± Watching him with a gentle smile, Charlotte slowly closed her eyes. ¡°¡­ Whatever it may be, it¡¯s now my turn to give back.¡± She finalized her statement with a resolute look. ¡°Use me as a sacrifice to grow your professor and your kingdom of crime.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll die without any resistance.¡± Cold sweat began to flow from Adler¡¯s forehead after hearing her words. ¡°In doing so, perhaps the curse that binds your life will be lifted as well¡­¡± Charlotte, too, was dripping with sweat, seemingly from the boiling heat that was engulfing her entire body. ¡°¡­ You must live¡­ You must live a happy life¡­¡± She whispered in an eerily determined voice as if she had already decided on that fact. ¡°If there¡¯s such a thing as the concept of a soul, then I¡¯ll drop by your wedding with the professor in the form of a lingering soul or perhaps a ghost.¡± ¡°Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°So please¡­¡± ¡°Charlotte.¡± However, before she could finish her words, Adler covered her mouth. ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± He looked at her, who was tilting her head in confusion, and began to rise from the bed. ¡°¡­ Indeed, you¡¯re not in the right state of mind.¡± Upon hearing those words, Charlotte struggled to sit up on the bed. ¡°Since I can see that that brilliant mind of yours is not functioning properly.¡± In her field of vision came Adler¡¯s face, more serious than she had ever seen¡­ ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t love you?¡± ¡­ Along with his blue eyes, which were slowly turning into the same shade as her hair. The ominous shade of raven ck¡­ ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Their eyes, stained with each other¡¯s colors, looked at each other deeply. ¡°¡­ I will definitely save you.¡± She knew, without having to confirm, that this wasn¡¯t the usual deceit Adler disyed to her to avoid certain situations. ¡°Even if it means my death.¡± For the first time, there wasn¡¯t a hint of the usual deception in his voice as he spoke. ¡°That was the deal, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Tears began to fill Charlotte¡¯s golden eyes as she lowered her head. ¡°I have a rough idea of someone who can fix your condition.¡± Then Adler gently wiped the tears from her eyes and stood up from the bed. ¡°So just wait for me.¡± Wrapping her with his overcoat, he began moving towards the exit. ¡°Even if I have to sell my body and soul, I¡¯ll definitely bring them here.¡± And soon after, the door to the boarding house quietly closed. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± After that, a heavy silence filled the room. . . . . . ¡°¡­ What?¡± The profound silence that lingered in the room for quite some time was, surprisingly, broken by a third figure. ¡°The turn of events ispletely different from what we expected¡­ right?¡± It was none other than Rachel Watson who had been hiding behind the bed with a miniature recording device that was running on mana stones and her favorite pistol tucked in her arms. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Holmes?¡± She asked, lookingpletely bewildered, Charlotte who was still lying on the bed. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± For some reason, Charlotte remained silent and didn¡¯t answer back. ¡°¡­ Holmes?¡± Watson got up from her hiding spot and quietly bowed her head to check on her condition, but soon, her face donned an expression of utter astonishment and bewilderment at the scene she witnessed¡­ ¡°Watson.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Though Charlotte still looked somewhat pale, her overall state was noticeably better. However, the real surprise was the genuine tears that were streaming down her eyes. ¡°¡­ I think I have no choice but to admit it now.¡± Despite the smile on her face, words that one couldn¡¯t have imagineding from her lips even in their wildest dreams¡­ emerged with notes of conviction and resolution. ¡°My curse has finally been lifted¡­¡± At the same time, her eyes, bright and filled with tears, shone with a color that couldn¡¯t be changed even by magic any longer. ¡°By the man named Isaac Adler.¡± In the heart of the girl, a heart that was fated to remain cold and frigid for her entire life, a golden spring had now bloomed. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 64: The Blooming Detective (2) Chapter 64: The Blooming Detective (2) Filled with the intention of saving Charlotte Holmes¡¯ life, Isaac Adler urgently opened the door of the boarding house and dashed out. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­?¡± Confronted by a person he had not expected to meet at all in this moment, he immediately wore a flustered expression on his face. ¡°Miss Lestrade?¡± It was because Gia Lestrade was standing before him with an apathetic expression. ¡°Wh, what brings you here?¡± ¡°I came to survey this ce after hearing witness ounts of your presence in this ce.¡± Briefly showing a puzzled expression, Adler absentmindedly nodded at her soft-spoken words. ¡°But, did something happen inside?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem to look very well.¡± Hearing her query, her head tilted to the side, he tried to y it off nonchntly and murmured to her. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s nothing.¡± At that moment, a strange undercurrent began to flow in Lestrade¡¯s eyes. ¡°So, since it¡¯s nothing, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°¡­ There, the carriage!¡± However, blinded by the fleeting image of a dying Charlotte that was still vivid in his eyes, Adler failed to notice that subtle undercurrent. ¨C Squeak¡­ Ignoring Lestrade, who was silently staring and muttering to herself, he went to catch the carriage which caused her gaze to grow colder than ever before. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say to me?¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± As he was about to hastily climb onto the halted carriage, she asked him with an icy tone. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Only then was Adler able to notice the anomaly¡ª her tattered body which was wrapped all over in bandages; there were also small wounds clearly evident in her arms. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± And for a moment, silence enveloped the duo. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Biting down on his teeth hard, Adler whispered softly as he resumed his climb into the carriage. ¡°Let¡¯s talk a bitter.¡± And with that, the carriage began to slowly move forward. ¡°¡­ Sigh.¡± Exhaling coldly and watching the gradually disappearing carriage, she quietly brought her hand to her ear. ¡°As you predicted, Adler has started to move.¡± ¨C Bzzllzz¡­ ¡°So, should we tail him now?¡± Then, Lestrade, ncing at the 212B Baker Street boarding house, posed the question to the people on the other side. ¨C Bzzllzz¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± However, for some reason, there was no responseing back. ¡®¡­ What could be happening?¡¯ As a result, she couldn¡¯t help but tilt her head slightly, intending to step towards the boarding house. However, she halted all of a sudden, stopping in her tracks¡­ ¨C tter, tter¡­ ¡®No, tailing him should be the priority right now.¡¯ She could always get back in touch with the Baker gang¡ª those with whom she had promised to cooperate not long ago. But once lost, Adler would be gone for good. ¡®If I dy any more, I¡¯ll lose his track.¡¯ Being the one who had received an urgent call just a few minutes ago, she wasn¡¯t entirely sure about the specifics of the current situation. But one thing was certain, she had to track down Isaac Adler, who had just rushed out of the boarding house. ording to the words of the Baker gang, the only moment to capture Adler¡¯s truth and heart was at this very moment. Initially, as always, she was irritated at them for assigning her a task without a detailed exnation. However, the ttery provided¡ª that she was the only trustworthy figure in all of London, quickly melted Lestrade¡¯s heart. Moreover, in her opinion,pared to the vulnerable Charlotte Holmes or the seemingly kind Rachel Watson, she, with her expertise in tailing andbat, seemed the right choice for this task. ¨C Tap¡­! Thus, after a quiet deep breath, Gia Lestrade began to sprint smoothly along the pavement, concealing her presence along the way. ¡®¡­ Not bad.¡¯ Thus unfolded the bizarre and astonishing scenario of a person keeping pace with a carriage. ¡°Wha, what was that? Just now?¡± ¡°¡­ A strange phenomenon?¡± So swift and discreet were her movements that¡­ to the passing citizens, she appeared merely as a shadow darting back and forth between the alleys. ¡®I thought you were kidnapped and I med myself for that¡­¡¯ Yet, Gia Lestrade showed no signs of fatigue¡­ ¡®You ended up being just a pathetic man with a despicable scheme up his sleeves, in the end.¡¯ Hidden behind her fluttering white hair, her eyes shone more coldly than they had ever shone in all her life. ¡®No, it¡¯s foolish to dwell on those thoughts now.¡¯ The injuries she had sustained over the past few weeks searching for Adler ached and burned more intensely than ever before as those painful thoughts seared through her mind. ¡®After all, I chose him while knowing that he was such a lowlife from the very start.¡¯ But for some reason, she discreetly wiped the bitter taste forming at the corner of her mouth with her hand, urging her pursuit with a stoic expression. ¡®¡­ He¡¯s not even worth my disappointment.¡¯ . . . . . An hourter¡­ ¡°¡­ Master is not inside at the moment.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I will have to ask you to leave.¡± Adler, stepping down from the carriage while firmly pressing his hat down on his head, knocked on the outside gate of the luxurious mansion. Subsequently, he became slightly flustered by the polite voice of the maid who stepped out of the mansion after hearing his knocks and promptly asked him to leave. ¡°That can¡¯t be the case.¡± ¡°What are you doing, sir?¡± ¡°I know everything that¡¯s going on inside the house.¡± And then, pushing aside the maid who was blocking his path, Adler made his way through the entrance gate and walked toward the mansion door. ¡°¡­ Sir, you can¡¯t just barge in like this¡­¡± ¨C Clink, clink¡­ ¡°I will call security.¡± As he aggressively grasped and turned the handle of the mansion door, the maid warned him in a chilly tone filled with hostility and vignce. ¨C Bang, bang, bang!! Nheless, Isaac Adler began pounding on the door relentlessly. ¨C ¡­ Who the hell are you? A momentter, a youthful voice echoed from the inside of the mansion. ¡°Are you Miss rissa Smith?¡± ¨C I thought I said that I wouldn¡¯t be receiving any visitors today. As Adler urgently shouted, leaning his head towards the door at the sound of the small voice, a voice filled with annoyance soon responded. ¨C Why hasn¡¯t the security been called yet? ¡°I apologize, Miss. I¡¯ll call right¡­¡± ¡°The ivory box!¡± But when Adler shouted those words while gripping the doorknob as though he wanted to smash it and break the door apart, a momentary silence enveloped the scene. ¨C Squeak¡­ ¡°Oh my.¡± And then, the door began to slowly open. ¡°What might you mean by that remark?¡± A girl of of a rtively petite stature, wearing a shirt with sleeves so long theypletely covered her hands, stood behind the door; her lips concealed by her hands as she smiled. ¡°¡­ Please, Dr. Smith.¡± Adler gritted his teeth while looking at her who, at a nce, seemed to be nothing but a mischievous little girl, and soon¡­ bowed his head and spoke with courtesycing his every syble. ¡°Please, she¡­¡± ¡°First, you shoulde on in~¡± The girl, who had been quietly observing him, now shed a devilish smile and began to tug at his hand. ¡°You don¡¯t have any mana stones with you, right? Or any tools that could threaten me, or perhaps record conversations?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Good, the magic circles aren¡¯t reacting. Come on in.¡± Then, a brief moment of silence ensued. ¡°By the way, you didn¡¯t call me a little kid, did you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Most people who meet me for the first time usually say that.¡± Inside the mansion, Miss Smith, sitting arrogantly on the living room sofa with her legs crossed, spoke up; she rested her chin on her hand as she delivered those words, a hand which was still concealed by that overly elongated sleeve of her baggy dress. ¡°Even though it may not seem like it I¡¯m actually 10 years older than you, the great actor, Isaac Adler¡ª the actor who was rumored to have disappeared for several weeks already. Not anymore, I suppose.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Not only that, but I pride myself on being the greatest sorcerer throughout all of Europe. Of course, the world of magic doesn¡¯t recognize me as such, however¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I see.¡± As her words prolonged into a direction that he was not willing to pursue, Isaac Adler quietly interrupted her mid-sentence. ¡°Do you know why I came here, Miss Smith?¡± When he asked that question with a frigid undertone covering his emotionless voice, Miss Smith replied with the same devilish smile that she had shed the first time they came face to face. ¡°Because of the ivory box?¡± ¡°Yes, precisely¡­¡± ¡°Did someone dear to you open that box and suddenly start suffering?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± Upon her sharp remark, Adler¡¯s eyes started trembling with vigorous intensity. ¡°Why on earth¡­ did you do such a thing?¡± ¡°Hm? I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about¡­¡± The moment when, words filled with frustration and desperation came out of his mouth, only to be reciprocated by Miss Smith¡¯s answers, answers that were delivered in a mocking tone and a voice that was oozing the amusement she felt in her heart¡­ ¨C Crunch¡­! From beyond the window of the room came¡­ the sound of a breaking branch. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± In the tense atmosphere, their gazes, which were locked onto each other intensely, simultaneously fixed on the window at the advent of that sound. ¡°Did you bring a friend with you perhaps?¡± ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t think so, no.¡± As Miss Smith, who was tilting her head quietly while asking the question, began to rise from her seat with a suspicious look in her eyes¡­ ¡°¡­¡­ Meow.¡± A soft cry of a tiny cat came from outside, as if on cue¡­ ¡°Must be a cat.¡± ¡°You catch on quite fast.¡± ¡°Sorcerers like me often keep cats in the yard. Of course, not as pets per se.¡± Adler, tilting his head to the side, sighed quietly after hearing her meaningful reply. ¡°To be honest, you know already, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm?¡± ¡°What I want.¡± Following his words, Miss Smith started tilting her head from side to side with a mischievous glint in her yful eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°So please, let her¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯ll be difficult.¡± Watching his expression grow increasingly anxious with the passage of time, she frowned slightly before speaking in a low tone. ¡°She owes me a lot.¡± ¡°¡­ Debt?¡± ¡°To be precise, it is her father who owes me.¡± Upon hearing that, Adler wore an utterly confused expression on his face. ¡°He borrowed money not just from me but from many ces.¡± ¡°Is that¡­ so?¡± ¡°And he wasted all of it on gambling.¡± Realizing the previously unknown financial rtionship between Miss Smith and Charlotte Holmes, a look of surprise gradually manifested on his face. ¡°Because of him, the farm business I had been conducting in India waspletely ruined.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Now, of course, I¡¯ve rebuilt my reputation and wealth by delving into the world of sorcery, but back then, it seemed that darkness had enveloped me from all sides and there was no way for me to recover from my loss.¡± However, Adler soon regained hisposure and spoke with determination. ¡°I will repay it.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°If she still has any debt left, I can pay it off, no matter how much it may be.¡± ¡°Heh¡­¡± Miss Smith, looking at him with a somewhat skeptical gaze, leaned her head towards him. ¡°So the rumors are indeed true, huh?¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°I heard rumors that someone has been quietly repaying her debts.¡± And then, she murmured something that was iprehensible to Adler. ¡°She really is fortunate. Born with innate talent, and even having luck with men.¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Because of my body type, not a single guy has asked me out throughout my life, not even once.¡± For a moment, Miss Smith¡¯s eyes glinted with a dark hue. ¡°I wanted to take it from her.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°To be honest, the debt from the past is nothing short of an excuse. Now that my financial state is better off than it ever was, such a paltry amount doesn¡¯t have much significance in my mind.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Of course, for her now, it would be an amount akin to a death sentence.¡± Simultaneously, her voice took on an even darker tone than the glint in her eyes. ¡°Still, more than that, taking revenge on those who made me hit rock bottom once upon a time is now my priority.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Luring Isaac Adler away from her without her knowledge, it might be a bit insufficient but I think it will do for now.¡± Adler¡¯s eyes began to widen at her subsequent words. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to see her be forever buried in the depths of darkness, unable to even open her eyes, forever lost, now, would you?¡± Staring at him intently, Miss Smith began to threaten him with a sniding smirk stering her childish face. ¡°In that case, you¡¯d best listen obediently to what I say.¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­?¡± ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to, you can just abandon her and leave this mansion¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Really?¡± After nkly staring at her for a moment, Adler suddenly began to smile jubntly, his eyes shining with a glimmer of hope. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Are you really saying that by a single act of mine, I can save her?¡± At that, Miss Smith started to blink rapidly in surprise. ¡°¡­ I, I guess?¡± ¨C Swooosh¡­ ¡°Wait, what are you doing?¡± Upon hearing her response, Adler knelt before her at once. ¡°I will be your dog.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So, please, pull her out of that suffocating darkness.¡± And then, Adler remarked while lying face down on the floor. ¡°Easy to say¡­¡± Still seated, Miss Smith looked down at his pleading figure, and shortly after, she chuckled softly and uncrossed her legs. ¡°¡­ But¡ª¡± ¨C Press¡­ ¡°Can you prove it with your actions as well?¡± And then, she began to firmly step on his head that had been ced on the floor. ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± ¡°Then lick it.¡± When Adler quietly answered her question, Miss Smith gave amand with an arrogant smile stered on her youthful face. ¡°Gently, with utmost sincerity and devotion¡­¡± In the next moment, she extended her pale white hand in front of his nose. ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, then just leave.¡± ¡°¡­ Heup.¡± Adler, who was silently staring at her hand as she stroked his chin, closed his eyes and gently enveloped her hand with his mouth. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Subsequently, feeling the ticklish yet warm sensation from her hand, Miss Smith, with her face flushed, quietly covered her mouth with her other hand. ¡°¡­ You¡¯re more pathetic than I expected.¡± She slightly averted her gaze and began to mock him with a seemingly rxed expression that feigned the embarrassment in her heart. ¡°An imbecile who can¡¯t even think of resisting.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°A total failure as a man~¡± Yet, Adler simply swirled his tongue around the contours of her small fingers, keeping a cid expression on his face at all times. ¡°¡­ Excuse me.¡± Seeing this state of his, the taunting from Miss Smith ceased altogether. She lowered her gaze slightly before asking in a low and subdued tone, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel humiliated?¡± At her words, Adler, tilting his head back slightly, merely responded in a soft voice. ¡°¡­ I can do far more if it¡¯s for her.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Upon hearing his response, Miss Smith began to observe him with a look of tant envy and jealousy swirling in the depths of her eyes. ¡°Then, can you lick this as well?¡± As she diverted her gaze to the side once more and lifted her foot, a brief silence promptly enveloped the room. ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Adler, after silently staring down at her small, pale foot, quietly bowed his head, advancing toward it¡­ ¡°¡­ Pa, pathetic~¡± Miss Smith murmured those words in a heated voice, before opening her mouth again to inquire, ¡°Do you find Gia Lestrade that much endearing?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± Adler¡¯s expression began to harden in real time as he heard her inquiry. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°¡­ Weren¡¯t we talking about Charlotte Holmes?¡± And soon, as he posed that question in a voice as cold as frigid ice, Miss Smith began to tilt her head with a puzzled expression on her face. ¡°Why would you think that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­. Sigh.¡± A momentter, the devilish expression that was continuously disyed on that small face of hers began to fade away. ¡°This bloody kid is getting on my nerves.¡± ¡°Uh, what?¡± ¡°bbing carelessly without any caution, just like the original character.¡± Adler, standing up from his seat with a sour look on his face, was astonishingly emitting a frightening aura that was a direct contrast to his earlier subservient behavior. ¡°Ah, shit!¡± ¨C Swish¡­ ¡°Why are you acting like this all of a sudden¡­?¡± The startled voice of rissa Smith, who was cautiously watching his mood, echoed emptily within the room. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that very moment¡­ ¡°¡­ Huff, huff.¡± Hiding her presence, Gia Lestrade ¨C who had been quietly eavesdropping on their conversation from near the mansion¡¯s window ¡ª now settled herself beneath said window, her legs giving away and her body drenched in sweat from head to toe. ¡°Did I just¡­¡± While she kept watching Adler, as he conversed with the little girl, with a pale face filled with utter disbelief, the moment the little girl¡¯s lips uttered her name, she could no longer keep the strength in her legs and had to crouch down. ¡°Just¡­ what did I overhear?¡± The image of that arrogant Isaac Adler, kneeling and pressing his lips on the girl¡¯s foot, still lingered in her eyes as her body reeled in shock as she thought of the ramifications of what she had overheard. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 65: The Blooming Detective (3) Chapter 65: The Blooming Detective (3) ¨C Beep¡­! ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± Lestrade, who had been sitting by the window catching her breath, suddenly widened her eyes in surprise at the unexpected sound of machinery. ¨C Beep-beep¡­! ¡°Meow.¡± ¡°Wha, what was that?¡± The tiny mana receiver that had fallen from her ear due to her abrupt descent from the outer edge of the window became a toy for a passing cat in the yard, rolling around and ringing while the cat yed with it. ¡°¡­ Hello?¡± ¨C What took you so long to answer? Worried that the two inside the mansion might hear the sudden noise, she quickly grabbed the device, and not long after, Rachel Watson¡¯s concerned voice began to resonate from the receiver. ¡°It, it wasn¡¯t working before¡­¡± ¨C You didn¡¯t put in aura instead of mana now, did you? ¡°¡­ Ah.¡± Lestrade who had been mumbling and hesitating, made a flustered face upon hearing those words. ¡°I, it was out of habit¡­¡± ¨C It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just d that we were finally able to establish a connection. ¡°But how did it activate suddenly?¡± Then she scratched her head, puzzled by the sudden phenomenon. ¡°The cat couldn¡¯t have activated it¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Meow~¡± Watching her with a somewhat disdainful look, a familiar red cat with a cor around its neck bared its fangs and then jumped over the fence, disappearing from sight. ¨C Anyway, show me the current situation. ¡°¡­ What?¡± Lestrade tilted her head for a moment and looked puzzled as she heard the re-emerging voice. ¨C When you activate that device, we are able to share our vision. The operational time is very short, though. ¡°Is¡­ is that really possible?¡± ¨C It seems the experiments Holmes did with the mana stones weren¡¯t just to induce drug-like hallucinatory symptoms in her body. To her incredulous tone, Watson replied with a voice filled with a hint of pride. ¨C It¡¯s a revolutionary invention developed by my little friend. Oncemercialized, it could cut London¡¯s crime rate by more than half. ¡°Indeed, if that¡¯s true¡­ just by having the police carry them, it would be a huge help in gathering evidence and preventing most crimes¡­¡± ¨C Of course, the downside is that the wearer might lose consciousness within 5 minutes due to the strain the device will put on the user. ¡°¡­ What in the bloody hell did you say?¡± Lestrade, who was nodding quietly at her words till now, made a bewildered face and couldn¡¯t help but curse at the casually addedment from Watson that was totally out of pocket. ¡°So it¡¯s basically useless then¡­?¡± ¨C No, you, you¡¯re the strongest girl in all of London, so you can handle it. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¨C That¡¯s why we contacted you and no one else. Only then did she realize just why they had employed her help, and even went so far as to tter her so much, and her expression began to stiffen in real time. ¡°Seriously, you guys really are¡­¡± ¨C Charlotte¡­ no, it¡¯s for London. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± However, she couldn¡¯t help but close her mouth when she heard Watson¡¯s serious remark, mentioning that it was for the good of London. ¡°¡­ Ha¡ª¡± She let out a quiet sigh, slowly stood up from her spot, and shifted her gaze toward the window. ¡°By, by the way.¡± Lestrade began again, donning a somber expression on her face. ¡°Did you all send me here¡­ for another, explicit purpose, in addition to the handling of the device?¡± ¨C What? ¡°Or was the device itself just a ruse to make mee here?¡± The image of Adler, kneeling and kissing the feet of Miss Smith to repay the debt of her family, still lingered in her vision vividly. ¡°Listen, there¡¯s something¡­¡± ¨C ¡­¡­.? ¡°¡­ The truth you guys talked about¡­¡± Because of this, she tried to ask a question in a voice slightly more solemn than before. ¡°¡­ Wait a moment¡ª¡± However, her expression quickly turned nk. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± As, at that very moment, she was able to notice the mansion¡¯s servants, sprawled about on the floor with weapons in hand. ¨C Click¡­ ¡°He, heuk¡­¡± In the middle of the room, Adler, who was quietly wiping off the blood smeared around his mouth, was looking down at rissa Smith, who was sitting on the sofa with her eyes, now donning a blood-red hue, trembling violently. ¨C Wh, what¡­ ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± Even after rubbing her eyes for quite a while and shifting her head back and forth, the scene before Lestrade remained unchanged, her gaze starting to be vacant due to what she witnessed. ¡°Looking at you now, you seem quite delicious too.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you kidding me?¡± His tail, quietly swaying from side to side, and his fangs, now in full disy as they jutted out, clearly reflected in her eyes. . . . . . ¡°Why¡­ why are you doing this?¡± ¡°I wanted to use the most non-violent method possible.¡± In the midst of chaos, as Miss Smith began to speak with clear terror in her eyes, Adler responded in a soft tone. ¡°But I¡¯m not one of those idiots who doesn¡¯t react even if I¡¯m attacked first.¡± ¡°Do, don¡¯te closer¡­¡± His expression didn¡¯t seem angry, nor did it seem excited. ¡°Besides, the situation is urgent.¡± It was a reflection of utter apathy, one devoid of any emotions, as he continued with a calm tone. ¡°I need to pull her out of the darkness as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°Ah, ah¡­¡± ¡°I want to show her the light once more.¡± But the menacing aura emanating from Isaac Adler reached not only Lestrade but also the Baker gang, who were watching through Lestrade¡¯s eyes. ¡°To do that, even if it means sullying my very soul¡­¡± Adler gave a serene smile in such an unusually menacing state. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever it takes.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­¡± As he reached out towards rissa Smith, the terrified girl began to back away, iling her arms covered in sleeves. ¨C Thud¡­ ¡°¡­ Eek.¡± However, in no time, her legs got caught by Adler¡¯s merciless hands. ¨C Ha~ ¡°¡­¡­..!¡± As Adler, who had been holding her leg, bit into her foot with a gaze as cold as frigid ice, Miss Smith¡¯s eyes widened into saucers. ¨C Bite¡­ ¡°Kyaa¡­!¡± Soon after, a frail scream echoed out of her lips. ¡°What, what are you doing¡­!¡± ¨C Bite, Bitte¡­ ¡°St, stop it¡­!¡± The cute face that always held a proud, mischievous smile was now marred by pain and fear. ¨C Ggeuk¡­ ¡°¡­ Ahh¡ª¡± Yet, Adler, applying even more strength on the hand that was holding her leg, strongly bit into her foot. ¡°Stopp¡­¡± As she began to lose all sensation in her legs, feeling it grow cold, the somewhat defiant look in Miss Smith¡¯s eyes vanishedpletely. ¡°Please¡­ stop¡­¡± Then, she began to sob and mumble. ¡°I, I was wrong¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do it again¡­ I, I promise¡­¡± Adler, quietly releasing her foot from his mouth, looked down at her with the same impassive gaze as before. Smith began to plead in a tear-choked voice. ¡°Never touch her again.¡± ¡°It, it was a mistake from the start. The one I was aiming for¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I will kill you if you touch her.¡± As she tried to retort with a slightly aggrieved look in her eyes, Adler whispered to her with a chilling smile. ¡°Whoever it is, whoever tries to hurt her, I will definitely kill them.¡± Then, a brief silence ensued. ¡°¡­ Then, please get up quickly.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Miss Smith ¨C too terrified to even speak, with her body trembling uncontrobly in fear ¨C stood up abruptly with a mere gesture from Adler. ¡°Wha, what¡ª¡± ¡°You have to go and undo the sorcery you cast.¡± ¡°¡­ What did you do to my body?¡± Thanks to that, she made a flustered expression and then asked with a trembling voice. ¡°Rather than convincing you, it seemed more efficient to force you to act.¡± At those words, rissa Smith¡¯s face began turning pale as she lowered her gaze. ¡°Thi, this¡­ could it be¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re a sorcerer, so you should have a rough idea about it, right?¡± A bat-shaped seal was engraved on the sole of her foot. ¡°You¡­ a vampire¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Shush.¡± As Miss Smith, whose legs had already lost all strength and was thus about to slump down on the ground, was grabbed by the nape of her neck by Adler, he whispered those words in her ears; her body still trembling violently, as she heard his voiceced with clear amusement. ¡°Do you want me to tear your neck apart like the servants?¡± At that, she hurriedly shook her head from side to side with great intensity. ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°First, let¡¯s undo the sorcery first, and then you can confess.¡± Holding her hand that was covered by a sleeve, Adler quietly walked towards the mansion¡¯s entrance. ¡°That, that sorcery¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± However, just before opening the door to board the carriage, Miss Smith started mumbling in an intensely quivering voice. ¡°I don¡¯t actually know the cure for it either¡­¡± Adler, who momentarily stared nkly at her, soon chuckled and gently stroked her head. ¡°No, there is one, I am sure of it.¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°Miss rissa Smith, the best sorcerer in all of Europe, surely can¡¯t fail in undoing such a simple sorcery, right?¡± Upon hearing those words, she began to mumble again, eyes cast downward. ¡°Sorry¡­ it¡¯s designed in a way that even I can¡¯t undo¡­¡± ¨C Swish¡­ ¡°¡­ Heuk.¡± But soon, she stopped speaking and began to hup. ¡°You surely can¡¯t fail, right?¡± While Adler was wearing a malevolent smile on his eyes, his eyes showed a form of madness that was totally unlike him. He gently gripped her throat and asked her the same question once more. ¡°¡­ Right?¡± Without realizing it, the eyes of Miss Smith, filled with terror, began to tremble violently once more after seeing the madness that was evident in those eyes of his. . . . . . ¨C Screech¡­! About 30 minutester¡­ ¡°So, what¡¯s your answer to the question I asked earlier?¡± Having handed seven gold coins to the coachman, thereby reaching the boarding house in just half the time it would have taken normally, Adler posed the question in a low voice to the still trembling Ms. Smith who was seated beside him. ¡°I, I already told you¡­¡± Then, as she disembarked from the carriage, she began to answer with a quivering voice. ¡°That sorcery was specially crafted, the solution is¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I, I think I need to take a look first.¡± However, upon meeting Adler¡¯s madness-fueled gaze, she changed her tune, sweating and forcing out a smile. ¡°Yes. It is surely curable¡­¡± Upon hearing that, Adler, wearing a refreshing smile, began to step into the boarding house. ¡°As I¡¯ll kill you if you can¡¯t break the sorcery.¡± ¡°¡­ Eeek.¡± ¡°So please do your best.¡± The moment he said those words and opened the door to the boarding house. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± A rather unusual atmosphere greeted Adler. ¡°Why are all of you like this?¡± Miss Hudson and Rachel Watson, sitting in the living room near the entrance with grim expressions, slowly raised their heads in response to his question. ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Yo, you might want to take a look for yourself.¡± Then, from their mouths emanated a sorrowful tone, tinged with a hint of ominous uncertainty. ¡°What¡¯s with this tense atmospher¡­¡± ¨C Swish¡­! ¡°¡­ Eek.¡± However, without the energy to think deeply, Adler immediately made a stern face and grabbed Miss Smith¡¯s arm, starting to ascend the stairs. ¡°Miss Holmes!¡± Then, Adler roughly opened the door to the room of Charlotte Holmes, whom he believed to be anxiously awaiting his arrival. ¡°I¡¯ve brought someone to treat you¡­¡± But soon, the light in his began to fade after seeing the scene before him. ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes?¡± There, Charlotte Holmes, who was lying on the bed, had blood trickling from her mouth and her body was utterly cold. ¡°Charlotte.¡± Staring nkly at her for a moment, a desperate Isaac Adler rushed to her side to check her pulse. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± But no matter where he felt, there was no heartbeat to be heard. ¡°Ah¡­..¡± The eerily cold temperature of her body spoke volumes about what had transpired in that brief span of time he had not been by her side. ¡°¡­ No.¡± A deafening silence thus ensued. ¨C Swish¡­ Adler held onto the rigid hand of Charlotte, clenched his teeth, and lowered his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Then, from his mouth began to emanate a trembling voice. ¡°I¡¯ve ruined you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If only I hadn¡¯t interfered in your life, none of this would¡¯ve happened¡­¡± As Adler muttered, his body began to tremble quietly. ¨C Drip¡­ Not long after, a single tear dropped onto Charlotte¡¯s face. ¡°¡­ Until the very end, I only did terrible things to you.¡± Adler, who had been hanging his head, bit his lips hard and opened his mouth, attempting to wipe away the tear he had left on her face. ¡°Miss Smith.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of a sorcery that allows one to sacrifice their soul to grant life to another.¡± Upon hearing those words, Miss Smith looked utterly flustered. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll break your stigma.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°If you want, I¡¯ll give you all of my money, everything.¡± Adler began to plead with a fervent voice, with his eyes bloodshot. ¡°So, please perform that sorcery right this instant.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Please¡­¡± Then, Adler began to gaze intently at her. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t think it will work.¡± ¡°Why?¡± However, when Miss Smith shook her head, Adler, who started to emit a quiet intensity, leaned in towards her. ¡°Because she¡¯s not dead.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± Then, she made a shocking statement while scratching her head. ¡°She¡¯s simply in aatose state because shepletely drained her mana circuits.¡± A question mark seemed to form on Adler¡¯s face. ¡°She wasn¡¯t subjected to any type of sorcery in the first ce.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Of course, to anyone other than an expert like me, it could easily seem like she had been subjected to a genuine sorcery¡­¡± At this point, his gaze began to look distant. ¡°I can assure you with certainty. She¡¯s faking her condition right now¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± Suddenly, with a frown, Charlotte Holmes began to lift her heavy body from the bed and stretch her limbs. ¡°It seems an expert¡¯s eyes can¡¯t be deceived after all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I starved for several days, submerged myself in ice water before you arrived, and even endured terrible pain to twist my mana circuits, all to mimic the effects of a sorcery-induced condition.¡± While blinking his eyes rapidly and watching that scene, Adler quietly opened his mouth to speak, ¡°You tricked me?¡± ¡°¡­ There¡¯s no way I would fall for such ame trap after all.¡± And thus, utter silence ensued. ¡°Surprise¡­!¡± Charlotte whispered with a faint smile and began to gauge Isaac Adler¡¯s reaction. ¡°¡­ I was a bit harsh, wasn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I had no choice.¡± Then, she began to murmur with a guilty expression on her face, involuntarily avoiding Adler¡¯s gaze as he intently watched her. ¡°To solve this case, I truly had no other option.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And then¡­.¡± It was at that moment ¨C when she hesitated, wondering if, as a consequence of daring to test Adler¡¯s firm resolve, which had never wavered for an instant from the very beginning, his feelings towards her might have turned cold and rigid ¨C that¡­ ¡°¡­ Kya?¡± Adler, who had been standing still, suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m really, really, really relieved.¡± Charlotte, slightly taken aback as she was nestled in his embrace, held her breath as she heard the deep gratitude in Adler¡¯s voice. ¡°As long as you aren¡¯t dead, that¡¯s all that matters to me.¡± Burying his face into her neck, Adler murmured softly. ¡°No matter what happens, that¡¯s enough for me.¡± Momentster, Charlotte slowly began to raise her arms. ¡°¡­ Isaac Adler.¡± Gently wrapping her arms around his waist and looking straight into his eyes, she began to whisper. ¡°If the me, from a few months ago, were to watch this very moment, I surely would have tried to admit myself to a mental hospital.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Yet, despite that, I feel I must say this right now.¡± Their eyes filled with each other¡¯s colors, silently locked onto each other. ¡°I love you.¡± Then, a momentter, Charlotte Holmes¡¯ firm yet trembling voice echoed throughout the room. ¡°Even though I used to pride myself on being misandrist, asexual, and more logical and rational than anyone else¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°The very Charlotte Holmes, who was cursed to be incapable of loving anything in this world¡­¡± Before he realized it, the warm breath flowing from Charlotte¡¯s parted lips, which hade close to his nose, gently touched Adler¡­ ¡°¡­ That very Charlotte Homes¡­ deres her unending love for you, Adler. I, I love you to death.¡° The moment those words ended, both Charlotte and Adler naturally leaned in, their lips meeting without even thinking about who leaned in first. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± It wasn¡¯t the forceful and one-sided movement like before, but rather an intimate intertwining as they timidly explored each other with their tongues. ¡°¡­ Wha, what.¡± On the side, rissa Smith was watching them with a piercing re. ¡°What in hell is¡­ this¡­¡± She shielded her eyes with her sleeve-covered hand, peeking every now and then to watch the passionate scene, which was a bit too passionate for being a mere kiss. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± How much time had passed like that? ¨C Swish¡­ ¡°Ar, are you crazy¡­¡± As Adler copsed onto the bed, pressing Charlotte beneath him, Miss Smith began to back away, her cheeks flushed to the tips of her ears. ¡°¡­ Where are you going?¡± ¡°Heek?¡± But then, Charlotte¡¯s cold voice reached her, and she had to halt in her tracks. ¡°Sorry, but this borate n wasn¡¯t just to catch you.¡± ¡°Wha, what¡­¡± While caressing Adler¡¯s cheek, who had already fallen asleep with a smile on his face, as he was enveloped in her own ck, smokey aura, Charlotte quietly started to whisper with the corners of her lips raised ¡°It¡¯s time to remove the biggest obstacle.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°So can you send just one letter for me, little girl?¡± As Miss Smith stealthily nced toward the exit, Watson entered the room and quietly blocked the entrance of the boarding house while casually fiddling with her pistol. ¡°¡­ To, to whom?¡± ¡°Why act so when you already know.¡± Saying so, Charlotte tossed her a sheet of paper and a pen, while smiling a triumphant smile. . . . . . . That evening, at August Detective Academy¡­ ¡°¡­¡­ Hmm.¡± Upon opening the letter delivered to her, a cold smile surfaced on Professor Jane Moriarty¡¯s face. ¡°I see¡­¡± The brief message, written in rissa Smith¡¯s handwriting, reflected in her pale grey-hued eyes. ¡°¡­ Interesting.¡± A few minutes after reading, Professor Moriarty rose from her seat, put on her coat, and started preparing to leave for her destination.
Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 66: The Blooming Detective (4) Chapter 66: The Blooming Detective (4) In the streets of London, thete evening sky that had turned a deep shade of red, because of the sunset, gradually began to darken. Within a few minutes, as the streets were about to be enveloped in dense fog, residents began to head home one by one, dodging the ouws lurking about, to avoid this inexplicable phenomenon. ¨C Clomp, clomp¡­ Bravely, a woman was strolling down Baker Street with quiet steps. ¨C Click¡­ Of course, thanks to the presence of the renowned girl prodigy, Charlotte Holmes, Baker Street had recently been considered one of the safest streets in all of London. Nevertheless, because of the strange incidents that urred sporadically all over London and the rumors of a serial killer even Charlotte Holmes couldn¡¯t capture being out in the open, the once bustling street from a few years ago was now noticeably quieter during thete hours. ¡°¡­ Sigh.¡± However, as if such stories had nothing to do with her, she shook the sugar cube that was in the small sk she pulled out of her belongings before putting it inside her mouth¡­ ¡°Mm~¡± She moved forward, momentarily munching on the sugar with a contented smile on her face, with her grayish long hair flowing as she walked and her eyes shone in the darkness of thete evening. ¡°Is this the ce?¡± 221B Baker Street ¡°¡­ It¡¯s my first timeing here.¡± Her face looked both adorable, like a young lizard, and somewhat shrewd, as she habitually blinked while tilting her head from side to side. Eventually, her eyes darted toward a sign¡­ a sign that signified the ce that had saved countless crime victims. ¨C Creeeak¡­ As she took in the address and opened the door to step inside the boarding house, she was met with a heavy atmosphere. ¡°Is anyone there?¡± She quietly adjusted her clothes and called out in a soft voice for the caretaker of the property, but there was no response. ¡°¡­ Well then, excuse me.¡± Nevertheless, she murmured softly and began to ascend the stairs. ¨C Squeak¡­ For some reason, the door at the top of the stairs, which squeaked ever slightly probably due to the frequent visitors that went through this very door, was slightly ajar. ¡°Hmm.¡± She stood still in front of it for a moment and then, with a cold smile, she gently opened the slightly open door. ¡°¡­ Is that you, Moriarty?¡± Not long after, a voice, akin to that of a dying girl, began to reach her ears. ¡°Charlotte Holmes.¡± ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t expect you toe.¡± ¡°Your current appearance is quite something, isn¡¯t it?¡± The visitor, Professor Jane Moriarty, looked on with an expression filled with curiosity. ¡°Who contacted you toe here¡­?¡± Charlotte Holmes, lying in bed and dripping with cold sweat, asked in an almost lifeless voice. ¡°I just came to visit my cherished student. Is there a problem?¡± Professor Jane Moriarty, with a voice tinged with sorrow, looked at Charlotte with eyes filled with pity. ¡°¡­ Thing is, there is a little issue.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°No one knows about the fact that I¡¯ve be like this yet¡­¡± However, a faint smirk of ridicule passed over the professor¡¯s face after hearing those words. ¡°So, you still enjoy making deductions, even in this state?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m behind this now, do you?¡± But soon after, she wore a concerned expression and sat down beside the bed. ¡°Sorry to disappoint, but I was informed about the situation by Isaac Adler a few days ago.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange¡­ Adler has been with me 24/7 for several days¡­¡± ¡°Are you trying to tell me that you even dealt with your physiological needs in bed? Of course, he must have sent it at that time to avoid provoking someone who is out of their mind like you.¡± ¡°¡­ Why would he do that at that time?¡± Professor Moriarty¡¯s eyes glinted coldly. ¡°Well, it¡¯s probably because your paranoia is quite severe.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you had witnessed Adler writing me a letter in that state, you¡¯d surely have assumed we were plotting some dark conspiracy to seize the world and would have stabbed him in the back.¡± ¨C Cough, cough¡­ Upon hearing those words, Charlotte Holmes quietly furrowed her brow and started to cough lightly ¡°¡­ I want to argue, but I¡¯m in so much pain that I can¡¯t even use my head.¡± ¡°There¡¯s some slightly hical research suggesting that when delusional patients experience pain, their symptoms lessen. Seems like it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°You know, Professor¡­¡± Charlotte paid no attention to Moriarty¡¯s sarcasm and reached out to her. ¡°¡­ Please save me.¡± Then, a brief silence ensued. ¡°I know you nned this whole matter.¡± Charlotte¡¯s hand waved in the air dripping with cold sweat. ¡°I will destroy all the evidence I¡¯ve gathered and act as if I know nothing, so please¡­¡± ¡°What on earth are you talking about?¡± ¡°The ivory box, you intercepted it, didn¡¯t you?¡± Then, barely, her frail grip managed to clutch onto Professor Moriarty¡¯s sleeve. ¡°You knew that I was investigating rissa Smith for alleged illegal sorcery practices, right?¡± ¡°Spare me of your baseless delusions.¡± ¡°So, using that as leverage, you approached rissa Smith, intimidated her, and nned this crime.¡± ¡°I¡¯m starting to miss your once sharp and brilliant brain.¡± ¡°Killing with a borrowed knife. If someone wants to get rid of me, wearing the guise of a crime consultant, they¡¯d naturally choose that method.¡± Her hand, clutching Professor Moriarty¡¯s arm, began to tremble. ¡°If not, there¡¯s no way such a horrendous sorcery would be inside the box containing the ring meant for Adler.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your weakness¡­¡± Then, coldly brushing away her touch, Jane Moriarty leaned in and whispered. ¡°While you¡¯re quite intelligent, you let your emotions cloud everything and mess things up.¡± ¡°So, it really was you¡­¡± ¡°Though I¡¯m not behind this, if I were the one who did this to you, I would¡¯ve said just that.¡± The corner of her mouth curled subtly as she spoke. ¡°A detective, so blinded by love that she couldn¡¯t even notice herself sinking into a quagmire.¡± And then, total silence ensued. ¡°¡­ Water.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Please, give me some water¡­¡± Watching Charlotte Holmes, who didn¡¯t even argue against her words, but just blinked her deeply sunken eyes and murmured for help, she chuckled and stood up. ¡°It seems like it¡¯s already toote to have a constructive conversation with you.¡± And then, Jane Moriarty quietly picked up a kettle from the table and began pouring water into a cup. ¡°Coffee? Or tea?¡± ¡°Just¡­ cold water¡­¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the best to quench thirst.¡± As she was about to hand the water to Charlotte, her gaze quietly shifted to the empty space behind the bed. ¡°¡­ Truly disappointing.¡± Shortly after, Moriarty, with a smirk on her lips, offered her the water. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°If it were me, I would¡¯ve hidden someone in the space behind the bed.¡± ¡°Pff¡­¡± ¡°The trap you set should at least be that sophisticated for it to be secure.¡± As Moriarty watched her gulp down the water, she mumbled something and suddenly raised her hand. ¨C Fwoosh¡­! The dark gasmp on the desk red up, enveloped in a thick coat of greyish mana. ¡°I tried to brighten the room since it was too dark, but unfortunately, themp wasn¡¯t made out of mana stones.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Anyway, is there anything else you need?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Charlotte, who had been quietly observing her annoyed expression, mimicked the smirk that had been stered on Professor Moriarty¡¯s lips just moments ago and sat up on the bed. ¡°I¡¯m quite satisfied just by having tricked someone who looked down on me, thinking I was below their expectations.¡± ¡°¡­ Despite facing me after your emergencymunication means have been destroyed, you seem quite at ease, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Oh my, such a terrifying threat doesn¡¯t seem like something a righteous citizen would say..¡± Charlotte, quickly regaining her normal state, pointed behind the professor even as she mocked Professor Moriarty, who was exuding a chilly aura. ¡°Please hand me the matches and cigarettes over there. Not the needle.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°On second thought, never mind. I don¡¯t need any of it.¡± Then, Charlotte Holmes, wearing a soft smile, gently caressed her lower abdomen. ¡°I¡¯m carrying his child inside me, so I should refrain for a while.¡± Upon hearing those words, Professor Moriarty took a step forward, and with an even colder voice than before, whispered to her. ¡°Where is Isaac Adler right now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you feel anything? Even though you were fooled by me?¡± ¡°Not at all. I¡¯ve never been fooled by you from the very beginning. I merely yed along with you.¡± ¡°For all that, the disgraceful look on your face was quite vivid, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just you who can act in this world.¡± And so began a chilling mental standoff between the two women. ¡°From the moment I received that hasty message beforeing here, I had already suspected things would turn out this way.¡± ¡°Just consider it as one of the possibilities. If you¡¯re embarrassed, you should have the courage to admit it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to argue with you anymore.¡± Professor Jane Moriarty spoke with a fearsome aura. ¡°You have Isaac Adler imprisoned without authorization.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it yourself, Professor? A im without evidence is just nonsense.¡± ¡°Otherwise¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not about to say that you lost contact with him over the past few days now, are you?¡± Yet, faced with Charlotte Holmes¡¯ sharp question, she fell silent. ¡°But if you make that im, you won¡¯t be able to exin the reason foring here. After all, you came here because you received contact from Isaac Adler.¡± ¡°You should know when to stop.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I want to say¡­ Jane Moriarty.¡± To her, Charlotte Holmes began speaking with a cold expression. ¡°Do you really not know where Isaac Adler is, even now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯m disappointed. And I pity you.¡± Her voice, a mixture of mockery and anger, echoed quietly in the room. ¡°¡­ What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You mock me for being blinded by love, but I actually pity you for that very reason.¡± At those words, Jane Moriarty tilted her head silently. ¡°It¡¯s actually you, not me, who doesn¡¯t understand what love is, am I right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°And yet, you pretend to love Isaac Adler. Even though you don¡¯t know the sensation of a heart fluttering or pounding against your chest.¡± Her face quietly distorted as Charlotte continued her speech. ¡°¡­ Take back what you said.¡± ¡°Just a monster mimicking emotions.¡± ¡°Take it back.¡± As she said those words, Jane Moriarty¡¯s hand began to tremble ever so slightly. ¡°I love Isaac Adler.¡± To her, Charlotte¡¯s clear voice reached out. ¡°That¡¯s the conclusion I¡¯ve reached. Thanks to you, I was able to find my way after wandering for so long and even managed to grow stronger.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°All thanks to you. You¡¯re the one who got caught this time¡­ You got trapped in your own snare, making a foolish mistake just like I did in Reigate.¡± Upon hearing those words, Jane Moriarty clenched her teeth in silence. ¡°But if there¡¯s a difference between you and me, it¡¯s that you can never grow like I have.¡± ¡°¡­ Why?¡± ¡°Because even now, even at this instant, you don¡¯t understand what love is. You can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°You¡¯re just driven by a desire to possess, to monopolize, to dominate. Like a dragon hoarding treasures in its own domain.¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯re wrong.¡± With her head lowered, she mumbled with clenched fists. ¡°I love Isaac Adler as much as you d¡­¡± ¡°Pfft~ haha¡­¡± But before she could finish her sentence, Charlotte Holmes burst into a mocking fit ofughter. ¡°¡­ Before saying such lies, maybe you should do something about those grey eyes of yours, don¡¯t you think?¡± Only then did Professor Moriarty notice the permanently golden hue of Charlotte Holmes¡¯ eyes, contrasting with her own grey ones. ¡°It¡¯s because of my unique constitution.¡± ¡°Or maybe your love is fake. I bet it¡¯s thetter.¡± ¡°Watch your tongue¡­!¡± ¡°Why? Is it because you failed to kill me so many times that you want to do it with your own hands now?¡± While watching this, the professor red at her while biting her lips. Charlotte covered her mouth with her hand and mocked her even more. ¡°I might¡¯ve failed in making you confess with your own words, but this could be a good opportunity to get you imprisoned.¡± ¡°I told you to shut your mouth.¡± ¡°You should shut that vile mouth of yours instead, Jane Moriarty.¡± Tension filled the room between the two women. ¡°No matter how a monster like you mimics love, Isaac Adler loves only m¡­¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯d be best if you stopped right there!¡± And in the next moment, Professor Moriarty¡¯s grey mana detonated like a bomb. ¡°¡­ No matter what you mumble, nothing will change.¡± But before her mana could turn the room into a scene of chaos, Professor Moriarty, who reeled it back just in time, exuded a chilling aura and whispered to Charlotte, who was sitting on the bed. ¡°No matter how much you im to love Isaac Adler, the person he loves is none other than me.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that really the case?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for me to prove it to you.¡± Then, with all her strength, she yanked away the nket that Charlotte had been covering herself with. ¡°We can just ask him directly¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it would be good to confirm the color of the eyes as well¡­¡± However, the triumphant smiles of Professor Moriarty and Charlotte Holmes froze in an instant. ¡°¡­ Mr. Adler.¡± The reason was Isaac Adler, who had been lying quietly next to Charlotte Holmes under the nket all this while, was now grimacing with flushed cheeks as if in pain. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± A heavy silence ensued. As they nkly stared down at Isaac Adler, different sets of thoughts raced through the minds of Professor Jane Moriarty and Charlotte Holmes. ¡®¡­ Did I fall for Charlotte Holmes¡¯s scheme?¡¯ In Professor Moriarty¡¯s mind, there was the logical assumption that Charlotte Holmes, having deduced her n, had coerced Adler to open the box, turning him into a hostage. ¡®His already limited life span has been reduced further because of the professor.¡¯ In Charlotte Holmes¡¯s mind, there was the reasonable deduction that the sudden deterioration of Isaac Adler¡¯s condition, who had been peacefully asleep just moments ago, could only be attributed to the arrival of Jane Moriarty. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± It didn¡¯t take long for these deductions to be confirmed. ¨C Swish¡­ The hands of Charlotte and Moriarty, who had been ring silently at each other, simultaneously reached into their pockets. . . . . . ¡®¡­ Is this enough?¡¯ When I awoke quietly under the nket, a tense standoff was unfolding between Charlotte Holmes and Professor Jane Moriarty. Not only that, there was also the hoard of messages containing spine-chilling possibilities that ran rampant in the system. ¡®This can¡¯t continue.¡¯ Therefore, the only decision I could make right now was clear. ¨C Crunch¡­ I bit into the most suitable magic capsule that I had taken as a precautionary measure before leaving Smith¡¯s mansion. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± If the cause of the conflict, me, was in pain, this confrontation that could potentially lead to a game-over situation would likely be diffused. While lost in such thoughts and lying still, I slowly opened my eyes. ¡°¡­.. Huh.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but give a stunned expression. ¡°Hand over Isaac Adler right now.¡± ¡°Sorry, but unlike others, we share a loving rtionship.¡± It was because Professor Jane Moriarty and Charlotte Holmes were pointing guns at each other¡¯s heads, all the while wearing chilling smiles. ¡°Will you be able to speak like that with a bullet hole in your head?¡± ¡°A duel then? Shall we start by drafting a contract? The loser will cleanly forfeit Adler in death, and the victor will¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Hic.¡± While witnessing this ominous scene, I inadvertently hupped, drawing both their intense gazes towards me. ¡°Adler.¡± ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± The women, who were gazing at me intently for a moment, simultaneously began to whisper. ¡°Wait just a little longer. I¡¯ll surely save you from this detestable girl.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be over soon. This time, I¡¯ll save you from this crazy murderer.¡± Simultaneously, a series of disturbing messages appeared before my eyes. Warning!Warning!Warning! ¨C Probability of being Imprisoned ¡ª Error ¨C Probability of being Tamed ¡ª Error ¨C Probability of ??? ¡ªError ¡°¡­¡­¡­ Uh, well.¡± Trembling as I looked at the bizarre content, the two, who had been tensing their triggers, tilted their heads and threw another question at me. ¡°Do you, who is exclusively my assistant, desire that too?¡± ¡°Surely, my beloved Mr. Adler, you want it as well, right?¡± For some unknown reason, feeling as if a ck dividing line was being drawn across the center of my body, I unconsciously closed my eyes pretending to lose consciousness, and then faint whispers began to reach my ears again ¡°Adler?¡± ¡°Mr. Adler?¡± Come to think of it, perhaps just dying in pain right here and now might not be such a terrible option. ¡°¡­ First, let¡¯s administer first aid.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Fucking shit¡­
Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 67: The Blooming Detective (5) Chapter 67: The Blooming Detective (5) ¡°Adler.¡± ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± As soon as I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was Professor and Charlotte Holmes ring at each other with their guns aimed toward one another¡¯s heads. ¡°I¡¯ve administered first aid already. Thankfully, it was a weak sorcery that I could drive away with my mana alone.¡± ¡°I neutralized it with my mana actually. I believe you won¡¯t trust such an obvious lie from her.¡± While I nkly stared at them, the soft whispers of the professor and Charlotte ovepped and reached my ears. ¡®¡­ How did they?¡¯ Of course, I had bitten into the most suitable magic capsule I had on me, and it was potent enough to buy me at least a week¡¯s worth of time in exchange for going through an agonizing experience. Yet, they repelled it just by channeling mana into my body? Was such a thing even possible? ¡°Mr. Adler, do me a favor and tell me the truth, of? This girl manipted you into opening the box because of her delusions, didn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°The real reason why you are like this is because of Professor Jane Moriarty, right, Mr. Adler? Both of us already know the truth here.¡± Because my mind had been so energized by their mana transfer, I couldn¡¯t even pretend to be in pain any longer. Curling up quietly, I just heard their iprehensible murmurs as they tightly gripped onto their weapons, holding the trigger. ¡°¡­ Tell me that you like me.¡± ¡°Please tell me you love me¡­¡± ¡°What on earth are you both doing¡­?¡± The scene was so terrifying that I couldn¡¯t help but ask in a slightly trembling voice. The two women, who had been smiling menacingly at each other with all the intent to kill the other, began to answer simultaneously. ¡°It¡¯s a death game. In this situation, it¡¯s the most logical and simple solution.¡± ¡°Mr. Adler, you just have to name the person you like. No pressure, right?¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± For a moment, I couldn¡¯tprehend their words. When I asked again, their chilling voices returned with their replies. ¡°Both of us are focusing all our strength on the tips of our fingers, holding the gun triggers.¡± ¡°If one of us applies force first, obviously the other will also fire back.¡± ¡°But, what if Mr. Adler sincerely chooses one of us?¡± ¡°Then, even for a split second, the one not chosen will inevitably show a moment of vulnerability.¡± How am I supposed to respond to this chilling proposal? ¡°However, isn¡¯t it merely my personal choice?¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± ¡°Can my choice really have such a profound impact on both of you?¡± I tried to murmur in a slightly cheerful tone, but the moment the res of the two women shifted to me, I had no choice but to go silent once more. ¡°¡­ I see.¡± These women were truly serious. ¡°Mr. Adler, make your choice quickly.¡± ¡°My arm is starting to hurt.¡± ¡°¡­ Do you realize that this is a crime?¡± I clung tomon sense in my act of desperation, but the reply that came back was, expectedly, bleak. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to save you from a psychopath who thinks you and I are the masterminds behind the troubles marring London. Of course, it¡¯s merely self-defense on my part.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just trying to defeat the monster that¡¯s slowly draining Mr. Adler¡¯s life. And, we¡¯ve already drawn up a duel agreement. It¡¯spletely legal.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­¡± A duel agreement? Even in a world dominated by magic and paranormal events, such a medieval practice shouldn¡¯t have survived and transitioned into the 19th century. ¡°¡­ The queen is trying to abolish thisw, but for now, it¡¯spletely legal.¡± ¡°Do you intend to ignore this sport of usdies?¡± Come to think of it, duels were customary even in the original world¡¯s Ennd until the mid-19th century. Then, I was practically doomed. Wasn¡¯t this a situation where I could face a potential game-over scenario? ¡®¡­ I certainly can¡¯t take sides.¡¯ If the protagonist, Charlotte Holmes, dies, it will definitely lead to the end of the world. Probability Warning! Probability Warning! Probability Warning! On the other hand, my biggest mission aftering to this world was to make Professor Moriarty the most usible final boss. If she were to die before entering the final scenario, naturally, it would also lead to an instant game over. ¡°Make your choice.¡± ¡°Choose.¡± But then, what the hell should I do right now? ¡°If you won¡¯t choose, we¡¯ll do it ourselves.¡± ¡°Do you feel confident?¡± ¡°I doubt I¡¯ll die at the hands of someone with delusions of grandeur.¡± ¡°I feel the same.¡± As I was sweating coldly all over my body, I looked at their shaking guns. ¨C Bang! Bang! Bang! ¡°¡±¡­!?¡±¡± Suddenly, a rough knock from outside the room made the two women turn their heads simultaneously. ¡°Huff.¡± Taking a deep breath, I lunged at them with all my might. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± Then, there was silence. ¡°Are you there¡­? Mr. Adler, Charlotte?¡± ¡°¡­ Whew.¡± Hearing the voice of Inspector Lestrade from beyond the room, I heaved a deep sigh of relief. Then, with a hushed voice, I whispered to Professor Moriarty and Charlotte Holmes, who were now on the floor alongside me, falling when I had pushed them to snatch the guns out of their hands. ¡°Please never do this again.¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± ¡°Because next time, I¡¯ll genuinely get angry¡­¡± However, something was off here¡­ ¡°¡­ Adler?¡± Professor Moriarty, who met my eyes for the first time since she had entered the room, was looking at me nkly, not even resisting as I pulled the gun away from her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your eyes?¡± ¡°Eh? Ah¡­¡± Reflected in her gray eyes were my own eyes, tainted in ck. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± It was my original eye color, so naturally, I hadn¡¯t thought to hide it all this time. I couldn¡¯t help but wear a flustered expression on my face as I got caught. ¡°¡­Professor Moriarty.¡± Charlotte Holmes, who had been lying down without resistance just like the professor, began to whisper with a triumphant smile on her face. ¡°I always choose battles that I am certain of winning.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity. If Mr. Adler had shown just a bit more courage, I could have eliminated you as well.¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯ve crossed the line this time.¡± The professor, who was listening to that voice with a nk expression, hastily reached out to me and began to murmur. ¡°How dare you artificially color my assistant¡¯s eyes¡­¡± However, even before she could finish the sentence, the professor¡¯s hand, which had been gently caressing my eyes, began to stiffen. ¡°You¡¯ve seen it for yourself now, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­ This¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t use colored lenses or artificially infused mana to trick you¡­¡± Professor Moriarty¡¯s eyes began to waver. ¡°The eyes of Isaac Adler have long been stained with my colors.¡± Whispered Charlotte Holmes coldly into her ear. ¡°Unlike you, who could never dye him in your colors.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, why not admit it already?¡± Gazing at the stiffened Professor Moriarty with a mocking smile, she stood up, holding my hand. ¡°There¡¯s no need for Adler to say it directly, the answer is already clear, isn¡¯t it?¡± After a brief hesitation, I had no choice but to be pulled along by her grip. ¡°This time, it¡¯s my victory, Jane Moriarty.¡± The professor, who had been staring nkly at us, reached out to me, but Charlotte Holmes swatted her hand away, a smirk ying on her lips. ¡°So, for the time being, could you stop meddling in our rtionship?¡± Then, utter silence ensued. ¡°Wha, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Inspector Lestrade.¡± Professor Moriarty, who had been blinking in disbelief, unable to fully grasp the situation that had befallen her, stood up and staggered toward me as I was about to step outside the boarding house with Charlotte ¡°¡­ Isaac.¡± And then, in a dazed voice, she called out my name. ¡°Professor, the thing is¡­¡± I hesitated momentarily, sweat building on my forehead, trying to say something, but the attempt didn¡¯tst long. ¨C Tug¡­ ¡°Just leave it, let¡¯s go.¡± Charlotte Holmes, who had been gently caressing my eyes, quickly wrapped her arm around my waist and urged me to move on. ¡°¡­ We need to make a baby soon.¡± For a brief moment, she shot the professor a look, mimicking the sly smile Moriarty had worn when she had stolen Adler¡¯s first kiss. ¡°I¡¯ll be away for a while¡­ until the end of vacation.¡± With a bowed head, I mumbled in a soft voice and then began to walk away quietly. ¡°¡­ Since this time, you were the one to lose, Professor.¡± It was because this was the only way to prevent the imminent game over that was hanging on the horizon. ¡°¡­¡­ ???¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look so troubled. I¡¯ll need you to escort me for a while, Miss Lestrade.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°A monster, unaware of its own feelings, is targeting Isaac.¡± With that, apanying Charlotte, who had a victorious smile brimming on her lips, I hurriedly left the room, leaving Professor Moriarty behind. ¨C Creak¡­ Soon, a deep silence began to envelop the boarding house. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Only the ragged breathing of Professor Jane Moriarty, who was left alone, echoed irregrly . . . . . ¡°¡­ Ha.¡± How much time had passed since Charlotte and Adler left the boarding house? ¡°Defeat?¡± Jane Moriarty, staggering as she stood up on her feet, started muttering in a frighteningly calm voice. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± However, contrary to that voice, her usuallyposed smile was considerably distorted. ¡°There¡¯s no way I would lose to a child like her.¡± Yet, contrary to what she was muttering, the professor herself had already somewhat epted the truth. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Mr. Adler¡­?¡± She realized in her heart that she had, for the first time in her life, been utterly defeated by someone. ¨C Shiver¡­ She clenched her pale hand so hard that blood began dripping down her palms. A sensation she had never felt before dominated Professor Moriarty¡¯s entire body. ¨C Groan¡­ Just a few months ago, she was wandering around, looking for someone who could defeat her. At that time, if someone could make her taste defeat, the professor was ready to be consumed by overwhelming joy, dedicating her life to tearing down their existence. But now, her teeth were grinding together so hard that an eerie sound echoed throughout the room. She felt no pleasure, no happiness at all, like what she had expected. The emotion Professor Moriarty was experiencing after facing her first-ever defeat, the defeat that she had spent her whole life searching for, was entirely opposite to what she had longed for. ¡°¡­ Isaac.¡± An immeasurably deep rage, the bewilderment over something entirely unexpected, a sense of loss for what should naturally be there, followed by an onset of emptiness¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Although only a mere assistant had disappeared before her eyes, Professor Moriarty, ensnared by theseplex emotions, was trembling violently. She slipped her shaking hand into her bosom. ¨C Crunch¡­ Then, she quietly took out a sugar cube from the sk and started chewing on it. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± However, the magical crystals that had given vitality to the professor¡¯s life for decades, betrayed her expectations all too lightly. ¡°¡­ Uh.¡± Instead of the sweet happiness spreading throughout her body, a bitter and lukewarm sensation swirled in her mouth, sharply reminding her of the reality she was facing now. ¡°¡­ This isn¡¯t it.¡± The threshold of stimtion set by Isaac Adler was a simple fact that nothing else could ever hope to rece. ¨C Crash!! As the frustrated professor gritted her teeth and clenched her hand, the sk shattered, scattering the sugar across the floor of the boarding house. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll believe that this is yet another one of your tests.¡± Stepping over the sugar, she began to move. ¡°Before the vacation ends, I just have to retrieve you from her, right?¡± She aimed a gun at the portrait of Charlotte Holmes on the faraway wall and quietly pulled the trigger. ¨C Bang¡­! ¡°Then I¡¯ll show you.¡± She then began to murmur while coldly staring at the face of the portrait, now with a hole right in the middle. ¡°But after that.¡± ¨C Bang!! Suddenly, she nced at her own still grey eyes reflected in the mirror beside her. Without hesitation, she shattered that mirror with a bullet too, and began to step outside the boarding house. ¡°¡­ You¡¯ll have to endure my wrath.¡± She murmured with her unique low voice, spreading her killing intent in all directions. ¨C Rumble¡­! It was precisely at that moment that a storm, apanied by thunder and lightning, began pouring down from the darkened night sky of London. ¡°It won¡¯t take that long.¡± The unexpected and unidentified weather phenomenon continued for several days. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that time, Adler was walking down the darkened streets of the night with his head bowed. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s raining.¡± ¡°I know right?¡± As he reached out his hand into the sudden downpour and murmured, Charlotte responded with a smile. ¡°It seems like a dragon who has lost its treasure is crying somewhere.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Such stories aremon in fairy tales. Haven¡¯t you ever read them?¡± Of course, not only did Adler not know about British fairy tales, he was even more clueless about fairy tales from this world, so he just blinked his eyes with a nk expression on his face. ¡°¡­ We should find shelter somewhere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then back to the boarding house¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± He started murmuring while watching the increasingly heavy downpour, but Charlotte interrupted him urgently. ¡°We should hide for the rest of the vacation.¡± ¡°¡­ Why?¡± ¡°Are you asking this because you really don¡¯t know?¡± Charlotte soon clung close to Adler, cautiously looking around. ¡°You never know when the professor¡¯s minions might attack.¡± ¡°¡­ With all due respect, I am one of those minions.¡± ¡°You victims sure do have a sense of humor, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No, really¡­¡± Adler, wearing a slightly awkward expression, cautiously began to speak. ¡°Then, my hideout, I suppose¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Hideout?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± However, Adler quickly realized that the ce, which was a core location of the organization, should never be exposed to Charlotte Holmes and hurriedly shook his head. ¡°¡­ Then should we stay at an inn?¡± ¡°An inn?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really have anywhere else to go¡­¡± At that, Charlotte spoke up in a slightly shy voice and quietly reached out her hand. ¡°There is a ce nearby¡­¡± Saying so, she gently brushed her fingers against the back of Adler¡¯s hand and whispered in a hushed tone. ¡°¡­ But do you have any money on you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m out of money right now.¡± However, at Adler¡¯s awkward reply, Charlotte¡¯s expression suddenly turned cold. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a pretty sessful actor, Mr Adler?¡± ¡°¡­ I recently had some major expenses.¡± ¡°But you must have some left, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m broke right now.¡± Upon hearing his response, she muttered with a slightly disappointed look. ¡°¡­ I also left in a hurry and didn¡¯t bring any money.¡± At that moment, a slightly awkward expression appeared on both Adler¡¯s and Charlotte¡¯s faces. ¡°¡­ Um.¡± Lestrade, who flinched upon hearing that Adler was broke, then spoke up softly. ¡°¡­ How about my ce?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You can stay there and sleep for the night, if you don¡¯t mind¡­¡± With her head hung low, Lestrade fidgeted with her fingers and spoke up, and Charlotte stared at her for a moment before opening her mouth. ¡°Are you sure that we won¡¯t be a bother?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­ You know, having Isaac Adler sleep in the same room as you?¡± Then, Lestrade slowly lifted her head, looking at Charlotte before replying. ¡°There¡¯s no need to go to such lengths¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Why?¡± As Charlotte tilted her head to the side and asked, the girl averted her gaze and murmured in a cold, business-like tone. ¡°¡­ Because I like him.¡± Upon hearing those words, the expression in Charlotte¡¯s eyes began to darken slightly. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no need to push yourself.¡± ¡°I told you, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± Right before Adler, who was tilting his head with an innocent expression, an unusual red message appeared. SYSTEM ERROR! ERROR CODE 256 ¡ª OVERFLOW System check will nowmence¡­¡­¡­¡­. ¡°¡­ Fuck¡ª!¡± Caught between the two girls who were silently staring at each other under the rain, a feeble groan escaped from Adler¡¯s mouth.
Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 68: The Beginning of the War Chapter 68: The Beginning of the War ¡°Brother Adler~¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± A few days after the feigned illness incident involving Charlotte Holmes, thanks to Gia Lestrade¡¯s hospitality, we stayed in her slightly shabby house for some days. ¡°Let¡¯s y house today!¡± As I nkly gazed out of the living room window, looking at the pouring rain, Lestrade¡¯s younger sister ran up to me, tugging at my sleeve. ¡°ying house?¡± ¡°Yes! Last time, we yed hospital. This time, let¡¯s y house!¡± ¡°Alright, I don¡¯t have anything else to do anyway¡­¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Having nothing particr to do and enjoying ying with the kids, I smiled and replied to her. She began running around the room with a bright smile when she heard my response. Though it hadn¡¯t been long since I started looking after Lestrade¡¯s siblings as a way to repay her hospitality, this little one had taken quite a bit of liking to me. ¡°You¡¯re the best, big brother!¡± ¡°¡­ Heh.¡± By the way, unlike her older sister who always seemed cold and wore the same expression 24/7, this girl looked cheerful and acted lively all the time. Perhaps, it was likeparing a cat to a dog? Despite their strikingly simr appearances, watching the younger sister¡¯s diametrically opposite behavior often made me imagine Gia Lestrade acting in a simr way, and I¡¯d inadvertently burst intoughter. ¡°Well, let¡¯s first move to a different spot¡­¡± ¡°Sister, what are you doing?¡± As I watched her energetically running around and tugging at my sleeve every now and then, a voice echoed from the distance. ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t elder sister warn you to keep your distance?¡± It was the youngest sibling, a boy, of the Lestrade family, speaking with a sulky expression on his face. ¡°And sister once clearly said, that big brother is bad.¡± Perhaps it was because he lost his parents too early(?), he seemed to regard his elder sister, Gia Lestrade, as a motherly figure. Perhaps the reason he viewed me with such disdain, unlike the second sibling, was because he strictly adhered to Gia Lestrade¡¯s advice. ¡°¡­ So, y house with me.¡± Or perhaps he felt that I had stolen Gia from him. Judging by that hostile look in his eyes, it seemed more likely to be thetter. ¡°But brother Adler is kind, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Think about it. If elder sister thought he was a bad person, she wouldn¡¯t have dated brother Adler or left us in his care.¡± Knowing the situation, the second sibling just scratched her head, then approached the third and youngest of the siblings and began to retort in a cheerful voice. ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°Listen, just lend me your ear for a second.¡± Even so, as the third sibling grumbled, looking displeased, the second sibling smiled slyly and began to whisper something into his ear. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Um, yes?¡± Although I was too far away to hear what they were saying, watching their cute expressions reminded me that they were still kids after all. ¡°Pay attention.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..!¡± ¡°If you interfere one more time¡­¡± The reason I liked kids was because of such moments. In both the world I originally lived in and this current one, human rtionships always bothered me a great deal. However, children with pure hearts always reciprocated when I helped them and never made things difficult for me. ¡°Let¡¯s do our best, shall we?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± ¡°Big brother! Come over here!¡± With those thoughts in mind, I smiled softly. Then, I looked up to see the second sibling signaling me over with a cheerful grin on her face. ¡°Hey, you y the son.¡± ¡°¡­ Okay.¡± ¡°Big brother, you¡¯ll y the dad, and I¡¯ll y the mom¡­¡± As the second sibling briskly assigned roles and designated the third sibling as the son, I observed his expression turning dark in real-time. Just as I was about to nod in agreement with the role given to me¡­ ¡°¡­ No, that¡¯s not right.¡± ¡°Tsk~¡± ¡°The age difference is too big.¡± Rubbing her eyes, Charlotte Homes emerged from the bedroom and approached us with a cold smile on her face. ¡°I¡¯ll y the role of the mother.¡± ¡°Bu, but¡­¡± ¡°The daughter role suits you more.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± The second child fidgeted with her fingers with a seemingly pitiful expression, but then she started to gaze intently at Charlotte, who didn¡¯t back down no matter what. ¡°¡­ Tsk.¡± For a brief instance, her eyes turned cold and she clicked her tongue in annoyance. ¡°Making that face won¡¯t help. A mother should know how to make a child, no?¡± ¡°¡­ I hate you, sister!¡± ¡°Oh my¡­¡± I rubbed my eyes, wondering if I¡¯d seen wrong, and then the second sister screamed and, grabbing her younger brother¡¯s arm, ran off into the distance. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± The atmosphere was thus drenched in silence. ¡°Miss Holmes, no matter what, how could you say that to a child?¡± I tried to reason with her with a forced smile on my face, but Charlotte just tilted her head and looked at me. ¡°It¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I spoke confidently just now, but perhaps I might be mistaken about the process of making a baby¡± Then, an unsettling statement spilled out of her lips. ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°Look.¡± I attempted to exin with a cating smile on my lips, but Charlotte, with a dark tone, began speaking as she pulled out a long stick from her pocket. ¡°It¡¯s been weeks since the first attempt, but there¡¯s been no news.¡± ¡°That¡­ could it be?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the test kit I requested from Watson. It¡¯s state-of-the-art technology and operates with neutralized mana stones, so the chances of it being defective are extremely low.¡± The single line drawn on the stick in her hand seemed extremely menacing to my eyes¡­ ¡°What do you think the problem here may be?¡± ¡°¡­ Well, I¡¯m not really sure.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± As I trembled quietly and answered in a low voice, Charlotte, who had a dissatisfied look, began to speak with her eyes gleaming with an intense light. ¡°¡­ I think I need to go to the library.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I seem to have taken the methods of making a baby too lightly. There must certainly be a way to better understand gics, so I¡¯ll likely need the help of literature¡­¡± ¡°Wa, wait a minute.¡± I hastily grabbed Charlotte¡¯s shoulder, considering it a miracle that she hadn¡¯t dealt with any cases rted to sexual offenses till now, and began whispering urgently in her ear. ¡°When a man and a woman sleep, they just need to hold hands.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the most reliable method.¡± I said this hoping my words would buy some time until the system got corrected. ¡°¡­ That didn¡¯t work thought.¡± However, the words that emerged from Charlotte, who looked at me intently, were rather unexpected. ¡°When I was young, my parents and sister told me the same thing several times.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°So, I tried doing it today, behind Miss Lestrade¡¯s back, but I didn¡¯t feel anything different.¡± ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes.¡± Feeling as though I was trapped in a dire situation, I began to muster all the strength in my body and quietly opened my mouth to exin. ¡°It¡¯s not something that works immediately. There¡¯s also a possibility of failure.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And, this is Lestrade¡¯s house, isn¡¯t it?¡± The corners of Charlotte¡¯s mouth began to rise gradually. ¡°It¡¯s quite rude to do such things in someone else¡¯s home.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, and after all, Miss Gia Lestrade is officially my lover in a way. So¡­¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Then, she interrupted me naturally and began to softly whisper, gently stroking my hair. ¡°You mean to say that we shoulde to an agreement, right?¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡± ¡°Oh, there you are. You¡¯re here at the perfect time. It seems that it¡¯s not just the devils who know when to arrive at the right time.¡± Hearing her words, I subtly turned to look behind and was met with a cold and impassive face. ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°¡­ Miss Lestrade?¡± For some reason, Gia Lestrade, who seemed to have left work unusually early, was approaching me with a menacing expression on her face. ¡°I heard you werete since you had to interrogate Miss rissa Smith, who was recently arrested, right?¡± ¡°Thanks to her being scared out of her wits, she confessed on her own, so there was no need for an interrogation.¡± ¡°I see. But that doesn¡¯t exin why you¡¯re here at this early hour¡­¡± ¡°Enough. I¡¯ll ask you directly.¡± Caught off guard and taking a step back due to her abruptness, her cold voice echoed through the room. ¡°Are you the one whopletely paid off my family¡¯s debts?¡± Upon hearing those words, Charlotte¡¯s gaze, gleaming with a dark and ominous light, quietly turned to me. ¡°About that¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°So¡­¡± I began to feel the conspicuous absence of the system, which made the situation ahead seem even more daunting. . . . . . ¡°I need the truth. Otherwise¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Lestrade, who had been pressing Adler for an answer as he hesitated, was momentarily taken aback and was silenced by his sudden response. ¡°I paid off your debt.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± A palpable silence thus ensued in the house. ¡°¡­ Why?¡± Lestrade, who had been stunned into silence, asked with an incredulous look on her face. ¡°Why? Well, that¡¯s because¡­¡± Then, Isaac Adler answered nonchntly, breaking into a slight chuckle. ¡°Because you¡¯re my lover.¡± ¡°¡­ Ahem.¡± For a moment, Charlotte discreetly cleared her throat, exuding an icy chill, but Adler did his best to ignore it and continued his statement. ¡°As lovers, you should love me regardless of what I do, and in return, I should only have my eyes trained on you. That was our agreement, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°How is that rted to the debt¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t itmon sense to at least repay the debt of someone you¡¯re in such a rtionship with?¡± Lestrade quietly trembled at that bold statement. ¡°It was an amount of debt that I might not have been able to repay even if I worked as an inspector for all my life¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I might be broke now, but I have a lot of backing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point here.¡± Her voice began to rise and she clenched her hands tightly. ¡°I appreciate you paying off the debt, but why did some of the debtors tremble at the mere sight of me?¡± ¡°Did you personally visit them?¡± ¡°I took a vacation and went to investigate the truth.¡± At those words, Adler averted his gaze quietly. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t want Miss Gia¡¯s parents and Miss Gia to be insulted.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean¡­¡± ¡°There were also a few people who insisted on collecting the debt money directly from you.¡± His eyes became slightly colder as he voiced his next set of words. ¡°¡­ Some even demanded something other than money.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°As someone who should have his eyes only on you and you alone, I couldn¡¯t just let something like that go now, could I?¡± Adler murmured with a faint chill in his voice, followed by a discreet cough. ¡°I made sure to instill an adequate amount of fear and trauma in them so they would never dare to approach you again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a crime.¡± Gia Lestrade interjected firmly, but her voice trembled slightly, unlike her usual tone. ¡°Some of them just saw me and wet themselves while rolling on the ground.¡± ¡°Just as I had nned.¡± ¡°Are you insane?¡± In the face of her interrogation, Adler simply shed a crooked smile in response. ¡°¡­ Are the missing people also your doing?¡± ¡°If I were to confirm that here, both you and the young detective next to you would undoubtedly detain me, so I will refrain from answering.¡± ¡°You truly have lost your mind.¡± Lestrade stepped closer to Adler with a stern expression on her face. ¡°I can detain you right now and start the investigation.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. At best, a few thugs from the back alleys would get arrested.¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡± At his subsequent words, she let out a cold sigh. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this is who your lover is.¡± Adler whispered softly to her and then quietly turned his footsteps and headed toward the bedroom. ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no need for Miss Lestrade, known as the embodiment of justice, to understand such sentiments.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Naturally, you know the reason behind it, right?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± When he slightly turned his head and whispered, Lestrade responded with her signature icy expression. ¡°Nheless, I still like you.¡± Upon hearing that soft whisper, Adler wore a bright smile and entered the bedroom. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± And thus, silence ensued in the room once more. ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to investigate?¡± Lestrade, who had been staring out the window, asked her in a soft voice. ¡°It¡¯s an incident where the culprit is clear to anyone.¡± ¡°Even if we investigate as he said, the only ones getting arrested would be a few thugs from the back alleys, so¡­¡± ¡°Even so¡­¡± At that, Lestrade, who was about to rebut with a displeased expression, was interrupted by a leisurely remark from Charlotte, who was quietly smiling at her. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not sure if punishing those lowlifes who nned to kidnap your siblings was such a bad act.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..!¡± At Charlotte¡¯smentced withughter, Lestrade¡¯s eyes widened, and she found herself at a loss for words. ¡°While I might be a bit distant from the police officers who pursue absolute justice, Adler always goes one step further whenever he acts.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Sometimes he seems like a devil who could grasp the world in his clutches, yet at other times, he appears like an angel offering salvation to someone lost in despair. Truly, he¡¯s an enigmatic man.¡± Lestrade¡¯s eyes subtly wavered. ¡°That¡¯s the kind of person Adler is.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°As he mentioned, it might be difficult for you, who even has the nickname Holy Knight of Justice, to understand.¡± Charlotte gazed intently at her and whispered in a soft tone. ¡°Therefore, I have a proposal for you.¡± From her slightly moving lips, a smooth voice emanated. ¡°¡­ Hand over the official position as his lover to me.¡± At that, Lestrade turned her head and fixed her gaze squarely on Charlotte. ¡°You asked me before, that if I could handle him¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Though it¡¯s a bitte, let me give you a clear answer right now. My response is Yes, I can handle him.¡± Only then did Lestrade¡¯s gaze meet Charlotte¡¯s eyes, shimmering in a golden hue. ¡°However, looking at you, Miss Lestrade, it seems you find it hard to deal with him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°But now, I¡¯m here for him.¡± Noticing the slight change in her eyes, Charlotte continued the conversation with a proud expression on her face, her eyes gleaming in Adler¡¯s color. ¡°You don¡¯t need to hypnotize yourself to say I like him to be with a man you clearly despise.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So, Miss Lestrade, if you don¡¯t mind, should we hold a press conference this afternoon to address this matter?¡± Just as she was about to turn and walk away with her arms crossed¡­ ¡°Of course, the content would be¡­¡± ¡°¡­ No.¡± Lestrade, who had remained silent until now, quietly spoke. ¡°It¡¯s not okay.¡± Charlotte quietly turned her head upon hearing her calm voice. ¡°¡­ Because I like him.¡± Was it her imagination? For a moment, the reflection of Lestrade¡¯s eyes in the window appeared to be drenched in a golden hue. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no need to deceive our emotions anymore.¡± ¡°I believe I¡¯m more suited to be a lover, being older than you, who¡¯s so young in age.¡± ¡°Are you saying that because of the legally eptable age difference? If so¡­¡± However, seeing that Lestrade¡¯s eyes were still a clear white, Charlotte began to speak, a frown forming on her face. ¡°Of course, there are more reasons.¡± But Lestrade firmly interrupted her. ¡°Even if it was forced upon me¡­¡± She lowered her gaze and murmured with a slightly trembling voice. ¡°Because I¡¯m in his debt.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°With no money left, I have to repay him with my body.¡± At those words, Charlotte¡¯s face began to turn cold and icy. ¡°People might misunderstand if they hear that, won¡¯t they?¡± ¡°I just spoke the truth, young detective.¡± Soon after, the sharp gazes of the two women began to cross each other in the room drenched in silence. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s snowing!¡± ¡°¡­ Snowing?¡± It was at this moment when Lestrade¡¯s younger siblings, who had been ying house outside, saw the snow starting to fall from the sky and their eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Brother Adler! Let¡¯s have a snowball fight~¡± ¡°¡­ Why is it snowing all of a sudden?¡± For reference, it was currently the middle of summer in London. . . . . . ¡°How is everyone doing?¡± Just a few minutes before a snowfall so massive that it wouldter be categorized as a bizarre phenomenon, hadpletely nketed London in white, amid a summer where it had been raining heavily for days¡­ ¡°You, you are¡­¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°¡­ Lower your voice. Miss Moran.¡± In a hideout in a back alley, three high-ranking members of the Organization, who had been anxiously waiting for Adler, looked on with tense expressions at the figure that suddenly appeared at the entrance without a sound. ¡°I had no intention of meddling with the organization that my assistant was adorably building.¡± ¡°¡±¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡±¡± ¡°However, given the situation, I have no choice but to meddle.¡± The reason was that Jane Moriarty, leading the vampires dispatched from Romania, was whispering to them with her eyes gleaming in a greyish hue. ¡°Cooperate.¡± ¡°If I may ask, in what?¡± Unlike the Princess and Silver ze who were frozen stiff with terror, it was Celestia Moran who bravely posed the question to her. ¡°In retrieving Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°I will cooperate.¡± At her immediate response, Professor Moriarty muttered with a spine-chilling smile on her face. ¡°¡­ I said that it wouldn¡¯t take long now, didn¡¯t I, Mr. Adler?¡± The massive snowstorm, sparked merely by a change in one individual¡¯s emotions, signaled the beginning of a massive war that would shake London and soon all of Ennd. . . . . . ¡°Excuse me.¡± Under Inspection. And the cause of that massive war. ¡°Even if you¡¯re under inspection, I know you can disy simple probabilities. After all, I designed you that way.¡± Under Inspection. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. I¡¯m just asking for one time.¡± Lying in Lestrade¡¯s bedroom while wagging his tail, he poked at the system message that appeared before his eyes. Under Inspection. ¡°Is it because I only summon you when I need to after creating you? Are you perhaps upset?¡± Under Inspection. ¡°In that case, should I call upon you every night before I sleep to give you a little pat?¡± It was now Isaac Adler¡¯s turn to request something from the system. The system is under the process of inspection. ¡°¡­ Really¡­?¡±
Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 69: The Blue Carbuncle Chapter 69: The Blue Carbuncle ¡°¡­ Hey, you know¡ª¡± ¡°Yes?¡± A few days after the strange weather began enveloping all of London¡­ ¡°Just hear me out, okay? Don¡¯t find it strange or anything.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± While patrolling the snow-covered streets of London, alongside her junior and assistant, Inspector Candidate Baynes, Gia Lestrade began to speak, her face filled with contemtion. ¡°First, let¡¯s assume there¡¯s this really bad man¡­¡± ¡°In what way? A robber? A murderer? A thug?¡± At the mention of a bad man, Baynes asked a question filled with curiosity. ¡°¡­ A guy who ys with women¡¯s feelings as he pleases and then discards them.¡± ¡°Wow, isn¡¯t that the type you hate the most?¡± Lestrade¡¯s answer made her widen her eyes, and then she spoke those words¡­ ¡°Not just that. He¡¯s also the type who, if a woman doesn¡¯t fall for him, uses scams or threatens them to somehow make her his.¡± ¡°My goodness, just thinking about it is terrifying.¡± ¡°The scarier thing is, there are rampant rumors that he¡¯s closely associated with underground organizations, but no matter how much one investigates, not even a shred of evidence could be found.¡± At the addition of this new piece of information, Baynes tilted her head slightly as the detailed exnation continued. ¡°¡­ This sounds oddly familiar. It feels like I¡¯ve heard of this character somewhere before.¡± ¡°Is, is that so? Must be a coincidence.¡± Lestrade, wearing a slightly awkward expression while mumbling those words, cleared her throat and continued with her story, regaining her cool demeanor. ¡°But listen, the most important part is from here on.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°Imagine that this very man, probably the worst kind to ever exist¡­ suddenly starts treating only you nicely one day.¡± ¡°That would¡­¡± Baynes was about to respond, but she stopped mid-sentence, silently observing her senior. ¡°It¡¯s not like he¡¯s turned over a new leaf overnight. Sure, his demeanor changed a bit¡­ but he¡¯s still controlling women as he pleases.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But his attitude changes only when he faces you.¡± Lestrade¡¯s typically cold and emotionless face, which had bewitched many men, surprisingly had a slight crack in it as she was speaking about this enigmatic man. ¡°He¡¯d threaten people who were trying to get them to repay their debts, and silently take care of those who tried to harm their family¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± ¡°His evil actions remain unchanged, but if all those actions were for me¡­ no, for you¡­¡± However, without even realizing it, Lestrade looked down and started fidgeting with her fingers as she spoke in a small voice. ¡°How do you think you¡¯d feel?¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Whether it was due to the cold or something else, her cheeks were slightly flushed at the moment. When she cast a fleeting nce toward Baynes and asked her such a question, her eyes opened wide, and then¡­ she wore a mischievous expression on her face. ¡°¡­ It sounds like something out of a romance novel.¡± ¡°Huh, what?¡± Then she began to reply in a voice mixed with amusement and mischief. ¡°It¡¯s a trend these days¡ª the worst yboy, who is shamed by everyone, bes obsessed with the virtuous and kind female lead at first sight.¡± ¡°¡­ What.¡± Lestrade¡¯s already flushed face started to turn even redder at the mention of those provocative words. ¡°The trashy and unlikable male lead acts all soft and gentle only in front of the female lead. At first, she¡¯s annoyed by him, but as time goes by, she starts to fall for him¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°After oveing several crises and misunderstandings, the two eventually fall deeply in love and, in the end, they end up spending a hot night holding each other¡¯s hands while their bellies each other¡¯s and¡­¡± ¡°Wa, wait! What are you even saying?¡± As Baynes¡¯ tale started to get more risqu¨¦, Lestrade hurriedly shut her up, her voice rising in urgency. ¡°¡­ Why are you reacting like this? I just mentioned what¡¯s trending these days.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Do you feel attacked or something, senior?¡± She coughed a little and murmured, clutching her hands tightly. ¡°¡­ No way¡­ that¡¯s just not possible.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Even if I were to be in such a situation, it would never lead to such a scenario.¡± A determined expression surfaced on Lestrade¡¯s face as she added, ¡°After all, I¡¯ve sworn my entire life to serve Ennd and uphold justice.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not Queen Elizabeth, so what are you even talking about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not right. Meeting such an ending with such a wicked person¡­¡± ¡°Hey, look over there.¡± Baynes, who had been secretly smiling at Lestrade¡¯s reaction, suddenly widened her eyes and spoke. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t something suspicious seem to be transpiring over there?¡± At the end of the alleyway she pointed to, two shadows were seemingly intertwined as they staggered every now and then. ¡°Are they fighting in broad daylight?¡± ¡°Over there, just what are they doing?¡± No matter how you look at it, a scuffle seemed to have urred in that ce. The two stopped their casual conversation and began to hasten their steps with a spark in their eyes. ¡°Stop, both of you!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go together, senior¡­¡± Lestrade¡¯s shout echoed in the street, and at that moment, the two shadows simultaneously turned their heads. ¨C Zzzap¡­! ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Agh, ah!¡± A sudden blinding sh filled the street, and it engulfed both Lestrade and Baynes. ¡°¡­ A mage?¡± ¡°It, it¡¯s dangerous!¡± Lestrade, momentarily hesitating with a frown on her face, now wore a cold expression and, in an instant, dashed toward the ce where the shadows werest seen. ¡°Raise your hands and surrender. I don¡¯t know what you were up to, but how dare you confront the police¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± Baynes, who hurriedly followed her, pulling out a handgun from her holster, soon wore a puzzled look on her face. ¨C Quack, quack¡­! ¡°What¡­ What¡¯s going on here?¡± In the very spot, where the two shadows had clung to each other, nowy a lone goose and a hat. ¡°Their presence haspletely disappeared. I don¡¯t sense any trace of them nearby either.¡± ¡°Then¡­ who were the people right in front of us just now?¡± Gazing down at the scene, Lestrade spoke with a furrowed brow. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s a bizarre incident.¡± ¡°Oh, my.¡± Baynes, who had just witnessed the kind of case that the London police most dreaded, looked at Lestrade with a slightly taken aback expression. ¡°What should we do now?¡± ¡°¡­ Contact the police station, and preserve the crime scene until the officers arrive.¡± ¨C Quack? Then, Lestrade quietly picked up the goose and the hat, murmuring to herself. ¡°I¡¯ll head home for a bit.¡± ¡°Why are you going home all of a sudden?¡± Her eyes began to shine quietly as she murmured, ¡°¡­ I have two experts staying at my house right now.¡± . . . . . Several minutester¡­ ¡°What are you two doing?¡± ¡°Pooh-ha~¡± ¡°Hah, ha¡­¡± With a flustered goose on her left side and a hat she picked up from the ground on her right, Gia Lestrade had arrived at her home. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± She questioned Charlotte and Adler, who were previously snuggled up on the living room sofa but hastily separated when the front door opened, alongside a cold voice that echoed out of Lestrade¡¯s mouth. ¡°Well, that is¡­¡± ¡°We were having a bet.¡± Adler, with his face flushed and head bowed, trailed off, while Charlotte Holmes nonchntly wiped off her lips with her sleeve and began speaking. ¡°What bet?¡± ¡°Look at this article from the newspaper five days ago.¡± Unperturbed by the still chilly tone of Lestrade, she spread out the newspaper that was on the table. ¡°¡­ The theft of the Blue Carbuncle?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the most interesting case of recent times. Of course, what¡¯s even more intriguing is the main element of the case, the Blue Carbuncle itself.¡± Charlotte, pointing at the words Blue Carbuncle, smiled ever so slightly. ¡°Well, ording to Mr. Adler, a Blue Carbuncle can¡¯t possibly exist, right?¡± ¡°Of course it can¡¯t.¡± Saying so, Adler, who had his head down,now looked up with a distinct gleam in his eyes. ¡°From the beginning, what is a carbuncle? Isn¡¯t it a term for a gem, like a ruby or ga, that¡¯s red and has been shaped into a round and bulging form?¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°But a blue carbuncle? A blue-red gem? Does that even make sense?¡± Adler¡¯s expression was more serious than ever. ¡°It¡¯s probably some foolish journalist who doesn¡¯t know what a sapphire is and made up those words for his article. It¡¯s a tant error.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not an error.¡± ¡°Do you have any evidence, Miss Holmes?¡± Watching him exin with an amused smile on her face, Charlotte spoke calmly, prompting Adler to raise an eyebrow and ask. ¡°Well, it¡¯s likely that the blueish-red gem really was stolen¡± ¡°¡­ You know very well that makes no sense, don¡¯t you, Miss Holmes?¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve said before, there are no absolutes in this world, Mr. Adler.¡± Thus began a yful battle of wits between the two. ¡°Why is this so important?¡± Lestrade, who seemed to have forgotten the earlier events, looked on in bewilderment and couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s important. We made a bet that whoever was wrong would grant the other¡¯s wish.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you two in a rather dangerous situation right now? Should you really be leisurely making bets at a time like this?¡± ¡°¡­ Of course not.¡± Charlotte then murmured, sneaking a nce at Adler. ¡°I¡¯ve suggested several times that we flee abroad since I¡¯m okay with it, but our dear Mr. Adler doesn¡¯t like that idea.¡± ¡°¡­ I keep seeing the Reichenbach Falls in my mind.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Adler, giving a wry smile, turned toward Lestrade, who had been holding a goose and hat by her sides all this time, and asked a question, ¡°So, why did you suddenlye to the house?¡± ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± It was only then that Lestrade remembered why she hade home in such haste. With a flush on her face, she tried to ce the drooping duck and the hat down as she spoke out her reason¡­ ¡°There was an incident that seems to be of a bizarre nature. I thought perhaps experts like you might be able to help¡­¡± ¨C Quaaack! ¡°¡­ Eek.¡± Just then, the duck, on the brink of suffocation, gathered itsst strength to p its wings and began to struggle, feathers scattered everywhere in the room. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. I forgot to ease my grip¡­¡± Only then did she rx her grip with an apologetic expression, as Adler and Charlotte looked with slightly taken aback eyes. ¨C Gasp¡­! ¡°¡±¡±¡­?¡±¡±¡± From the exhausted duck¡¯s mouth emerged something small. ¡°What¡¯s this¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± As Adler stared nkly at the item, his expression became distant and lost. Meanwhile, a triumphant smile appeared on the lips of Charlotte, who had silently tilted her head after witnessing the item. ¡°What did I say, Mr. Adler?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I told you it existed, the Blue Carbuncle.¡± The ruby with a blue star pattern was gleaming in the sunlight on the desk before them. ¡°Well, to be precise, it would be a star ruby.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Normally, it¡¯s characterized by six white streaks, but if it¡¯s been exposed to magical energy for a long period, there¡¯s a slim chance that impurities might leak in and the streaks would start to show a blue hue.¡± ¡°¡­ Where did you learn all this?¡± With a confident look, Charlotte exined while gazing at the splendid gem. She then whispered into Adler¡¯s ear with sparkling eyes. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s knowledge I gained while studying alone, thinking of a ring to gift to someone I love.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Somehow, all the books rted to conceiving a child at the library were all checked out, so I diligently read about these things instead.¡± ¡°I know nothing of that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I have a rough idea now anyway.¡± Her golden eyes shone softly, much like the blue carbuncle or star ruby as Charlotte spoke. ¡°Remember, you owe me one wish.¡± At that, Adler flinched slightly, and Lestrade opened her mouth and gave them a cold look for reasons unknown. ¡°It¡¯s rude to get overly clingy with someone else¡¯s partner, Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°¡­ You cut the line first.¡±1Here, Charlotte is saying that Lestrade took what was originally supposed to be her¡¯s, Adler. So Lestrade cut the line and got to him first so Charlotte is grumbling as it was originally her right to say something like that. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Anyway, you said you brought us an interesting case, didn¡¯t you?¡± Charlotte smoothly changed the topic, picking up the blue carbuncle with her hands. ¡°It¡¯s a new riddle, Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Of course you¡¯ll join me, right?¡± Then, Adler responded to her after a moment of silent contemtion. ¡°¡­ Of course.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± ¡°Right now, I am nothing more than an assistant to Miss Holmes.¡± Charlotte, grinning at his response, discreetly reached under the table without Lestrade¡¯s knowledge and slipped a paper note into Adler¡¯s hand. ¡°As I asked earlier, are you sure it¡¯s okay with you?¡± ¡°¡­ Well, it¡¯s a minor incident after all.¡± Adler, who had given a small smile in response to her words, became pensive, shifting his gaze quietly to the side upon hearing Lestrade¡¯s somewhat displeased voice from next to him. The system is under the process of inspection. ¡®Although it¡¯s a bit concerning that the system is unable to respond to any variables right now¡­¡¯ The system window, which remained non-responsive despite his best attempts tomunicate with it all day, had slightly changed its tone but was still present in his line of sight. ¡®¡­ I¡¯ve already encountered the worst situation possible. What more could go wrong?¡¯ . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment¡­ ¨C Sorry, boss. ¨C I managed to escape from the scene, but I missed the jewel we were after. In a back alley of the slums located on the outskirts of London¡­ ¨C Retrieving the item might be a bit difficult. ¨C Especially since the ones who found the gem are the renowned Charlotte Holmes and Isaac Adler. A woman, leaning against a wall and wearing a hat pulled down low, sent a telegraph somewhere with a frown on her face. ¨C Fzzzt¡­ Fzzzzt¡­ ¨CNo, not Harlot Sholmes, it¡¯s Charlotte Holmes! It seemed as if the person receiving the message was in another country other than Ennd, given the incredibly poor signal.
Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 70: The Blue Carbuncle (2) Chapter 70: The Blue Carbuncle (2) ¡°Salute, Ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm?¡± Lestrade, who had been wandering around the living room of her house with her back turned toward the door while wearing a perplexed expression, shifted her gaze toward the strong voiceing from the entrance. ¡°I¡¯ve handled it as you have instructed!¡± ¡°Baynes?¡± ¡°The investigators from the London Metropolitan Police Force have started searching the scene; I have witnessed it with my own eyes, so you can be rest assured!¡± ¡°Good job¡­ but what brings you to my house?¡± Lestrade tilted her head in curiosity and asked Baynes, the Inspector Candidate, whom she had been patrolling the London streets with mere moments ago ¡°That¡¯s the thing. If there¡¯s an expert that senior acknowledges, then only one persones to mind.¡± After speaking those words, her face flushed red as she began to fidget nervously. ¡°That famous genius girl of London. The one who fights off London¡¯s darkness alongside Dr. Rachel Watson¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Right, you were a fan of Charlotte Holmes¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not just a mere fan, I¡¯m a fanatic. Don¡¯t you know that my only hobby is collecting Charlotte Holmes¡¯ case files published in the Strand Magazine?¡± Chattering away, Baynes leaned over, peeking over Lestrade¡¯s shoulder. ¡°So, where¡¯s Miss Holmes? Has she started analyzing the evidence?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Lestrade sighed quietly, then stepped aside. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Soon, Baynes caught sight of a scene she hadn¡¯t expected. ¡°That must be the famous Charlotte Holmes I¡¯ve heard about¡­¡± Charlotte Holmes was intently examining a hat ced on a desk, resting her chin on her hand. ¡°¡­ Who are you?¡± ¡°Oh, my apologies! I am Linya Baynes, Miss Lestrade¡¯s assistant, and an Inspector Candidate¡­¡± As Baynes was startled by the unexpected question posed by Charlotte, who had been quite engrossed in observing the hat till then, she quickly saluted her. ¡°¡­ Hmm?¡± Then, her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°That is¡­¡± ¡°What a cute little girl.¡± Next to Charlotte Holmes sat Isaac Adler, who waved his hand at her with a mischievous grin on his face. ¡°Senior.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Was the person you mentioned Isaac Adler by any chance?¡± Baynes, after gazing at him quietly for a moment, turned her head and posed the question to Lestrade. ¡°No, no! How could it be?¡± ¡°¡­ Not the romance novel one, I¡¯m referring to the expert.¡± ¡°Oh, that.¡± Gia Lestrade, whose face had turned beet red for a moment, quickly cleared her throat and reverted to her usualposed demeanor. ¡°You¡¯re saying Isaac Adler is an expert on par with Miss Charlotte Holmes?¡± ¡°As hard as it might be to believe, it is the truth.¡± Then, she looked over with a slightly serious expression at the two, who were examining the hat. ¡°Based on my logical deduction, Isaac Adler was behind the cases that Charlotte Holmes has been solving recently.¡± ¡°¡­ Senior, if I may be honest about it¡­ it¡¯s a bit hard to believe if it¡¯s based on your deduction.¡± Baynes, whose voice was filled with skepticism, was gently nudged by a slightly irritated Lestrade. ¡°If you can¡¯t believe me, then try experiencing it for yourself.¡± ¡°¡­ Uh.¡± Of course, it was gently by Lestrade¡¯s standards only. Thus, her gentle nudgeled to Baynes losing her bnce and banging her head on the hat that was ced on the table. ¡°I¡¯ll handle the duck that keeps quacking over there. You learn a thing or two from them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Baynes lifted her head and dumbfoundedly watched Lestrade heading to the kitchen with the duck in her hand. In the next moment, noticing the now deformed hat, she hastily apologized to Charlotte and Adler. ¡°I¡¯ve ruined the evidence¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Isaac Adler, with a sly smile, spoke up. ¡°The deduction is alreadyplete.¡± ¡°¡­ Same for me.¡± Charlotte, who had been ring displeasedly at the smiling Adler, chimed in simultaneously. ¡°What, what are you two talking about?¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± ¡°The deduction has ended? What deduction?¡± When Baynes asked a question while looking at them with piercing eyes, both Charlotte and Adler, who had been quietly observing her, began their exnation, taking turns. ¡°The owner of this hat is highly intellectual. For at least the past three years, they were affluent and enjoyed great fame, but recently, they¡¯ve fallen on hard times.¡± ¡°In the past, the owner, a woman, was cautious, but she¡¯s be reckless now. It seems that the reason might be a recent descent into alcoholism.¡± ¡°And the cause seems to be none other than you, Isaac Adler.¡± ¡°Hold on, me?¡± ¡°Another fact we know is that the owner of the hat is in her early to mid-30s and has a keen interest in adornments. Well, if she caught the interest of Isaac Adler, that would definitely make sense.¡± Total silence ensued with that remark. ¡°¡­ Excuse me?¡± Hearing Charlotte and Adler¡¯s deductions, a stunned voice escaped from Baynes¡¯ lips. ¡°From just this worn-out hat, how can you know all that?¡± ¡°There is one mistake in Miss Holmes¡¯ deduction.¡± ¡°Is there?¡± But ignoring herment, Adler and Charlotte began conversing amongst themselves. ¡°Want to make a bet?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Baynes looked at them with a nk look, tilted her head, and interjected. ¡°Could you please exin?¡± Only then did both Charlotte and Adler simultaneously turn to face Baynes and speak. ¡°I apologize, but if you could not interrupt¡­¡± ¡°Of course, cute little girl.¡± ¡°¡­ Isaac.¡± Charlotte Holmes, who had an annoyed expression and was about to shoo Baynes away, whispered coldly into Adler¡¯s ear with a chilling smile on her face. ¡°Why do you keep flirting when you¡¯re already dyed in my colors, huh?¡± At those words, Adler began to quietly break into a cold sweat. ¡°It¡¯s not that, think of it as a lesson for the sprouts of the future¡­¡± ¨C QUAAAAACK!!! ¡°¡­ Do you want me to snip it off?¡± However, ovepped with the scream of the duck from the kitchen and Charlotte¡¯s whisper, he stopped talking and quietly crossed his legs, covering his crotch. ¡°Hmm.¡± Suddenly, Charlotte murmured with a gleam in her eyes. ¡°¡­ Are babies really made there, I wonder?¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s start the exnation, shall we?¡± Trying his best to ignore the spine-chillingment, Adler began the exnation with a slightly light-hearted tone¡ª a tone that feigned his fear and difort. . . . . . . ¡°Firstly, shall we start with Miss Holmes¡¯ deduction?¡± ¡°¡­ Well, if that¡¯s what you want, so be it; look at this¡­¡± Charlotte, who had been quietly ncing down at Adler¡¯s lower half, picked up the previously crumpled hat and tried it on. ¨C Shwoo¡­ The hat covered her forehead entirely, reaching down between her eyes. ¡°As you can see, the hat has a considerable volume. This means the owner¡¯s head isrge and, of course, its contents would be substantial as well.¡± ¡°Ah, I see¡­¡± ¡°Also, the brim of the hat is t and the ends are curled up. It¡¯s a style that was trendy about 3 years ago. If you look at the lining and the ribbon, you can tell at a nce that it¡¯s a rather luxurious item.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°However, the recent holes in the hat have been patched up with cheap clothing. Unless the owner faced abrupt financial difficulties, why would they use such cheap material on an expensive hat?¡± Charlotte, who initially seemed uninterested, continued her exnation with a somewhat rxed expression after noticing Baynes¡¯ shining eyes. ¡°Furthermore¡­¡± ¡°Also, by observing the stitching on the added cloth, you can infer the owner¡¯s current situation. Why don¡¯t you see for yourself?¡± But Adler interrupted Charlotte¡¯s exnation midway. ¡°Certainly, from what I see, the stitching is a mess.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange? A woman in her early to mid-30s, and her sewing is this clumsy?¡± Ignoring Charlotte, who was alternating her gaze between herself and Baynes with a sulky pout on her lips, Adler continued with his exnation. ¡°¡­ Isn¡¯t it possible she gave it to a tailor for repair?¡± ¡°What tailor would do such shoddy work? Especially with such cheap fabric on an expensive hat. It¡¯s more likely the owner did the stitching herself.¡± ¡°But if that¡¯s the case¡­ why is the sewing so messy?¡± Sensing the curiosity in Baynes¡¯ voice, Adler replied quietly, his eyes gleaming. ¡°Tremors are one of themon symptoms of alcoholics.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°Moreover, the stitching of the ribbons and the decorations she attached when she bought the hat is impressively neat. Only alcohol or drugs could ruin such a cautious person so quickly.¡± Adler, who wore a mysterious smile as he watched Baynes nodding in agreement, quietly shifted his gaze to Charlotte and posed a question. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m the cause exactly?¡± ¡°If you look closely at the hat, you can see that there are marks where small decorations have been forcibly removed.¡± At that, Charlotte Holmes replied with a slightly sullen voice. ¡°Considering their shape and size, they seem to be jewels. If they were ripped off like this, it probably wasn¡¯t originally hers. That means it must have been a gift. And who else would gift such expensive jewels other than a lover who had pledged their undying love to them, or, in short, a spouse?¡± ¡°¡­ That seems¡­ usible.¡± ¡°And the only reason to remove all the jewels gifted by a spouse is most likely due to a fallout in their rtionship. Perhaps she was unfaithful and that led to her impoverishment after having the jewels taken from her.¡± ¡°So, why is that my fault?¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡± As she spoke, she nced at the bewildered Isaac Adler with a glint in her eyes. ¡°If there¡¯s a case of adultery or scandal in London, more often than not, you¡¯re the cause.¡± ¡°Miss Holmes, even if that¡¯s the case¡­¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a simple assumption; it¡¯s based on actual statistics. So, please, be quiet.¡± Adler opened his mouth to argue, however, after sensing the sternness in her voice he chose to quickly close his mouth. ¡°If you observe the length, shine, sticity, split ends, and thickness of the hair attached to the hat, you can guess the approximate age and gender of the person this hat belongs to.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The presence of makeup, even on the inside of the hat, shows that she applies it quite heavily. To every nook and cranny, in fact.¡± Abruptly, Charlotte began stroking Adler¡¯s hair with a smile, and then, she nced over at Baynes, whose eyes had widened considerably after seeing the sudden disy of action, and asked¡ª her smile turning into a lopsided smirk. ¡°Do you understand now?¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­ I feel like I¡¯ve learned a lot.¡± Saying so, Baynes stood up and bowed her head in gratitude. ¡°I¡¯ll start my investigation based on this information now.¡± Charlotte, who had been observing her quietly, stood up and began putting on her coat, which was hanging on the rack, and started speaking in a low tone. ¡°I¡¯d like to bring Lestrade along if I could¡­¡± She paused and gazed silently toward the quiet kitchen without a hint of a sound. ¡°If you need a bodyguard, I can take care of that!¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident in my ability to guard someone!¡± Baynes, noticing her concerned expression, confidently eximed with a smile. Charlotte looked at Baynes with a skeptical gaze. ¡°An Inspector Candidate without any official status¡­?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s your point of concern, then I assure you, it¡¯s not a problem.¡± As she tilted her head to ask another question, a voice rang out from the kitchen. ¡°I will vouch for Candidate Baynes¡¯ skills.¡± ¡°Is it that significant?¡± ¡°To be honest, if it¡¯s notbat but protection alone, Candidate Baynes might be even more exceptional me.¡± Upon hearing the confident remarksing from Lestrade, who was covered in feathers from handling the goose till now, Charlotte seemed momentarily lost in thought. ¡°¡­ Given that Professor Crybaby has been quieter than I anticipated, I thought of testing her out for once.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°This might just work out.¡± Then, Charlotte smiled silently and produced a pair of ck handcuffs from her hands. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°If you switch sides in my absence, I promise that I¡¯ll chase you down to the end of the world and annihte you.¡± After cuffing Adler¡¯s legs to the sofa, she gently stroked Adler¡¯s head and whispered those spooky words in his ear, ignoring the chilling look that Lestrade was showing from the side. ¡°¡­ By the way.¡± As she was heading toward the entrance with a light gait, she suddenly turned her head and posed a question. ¡°Do you still think there¡¯s a mistake in my deduction?¡± ¡°There¡¯s clearly one ring mistake.¡± Adler looked down at himself, seemingly given the status of the house puppy, with a slightly sad expression before responding with a mischievous smile. ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes still has a long way to go.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± At his words, she swiftly turned her head and started heading out with Lestrade, who couldn¡¯t help but tilt her head to the side. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Either you¡¯ll earn a wish, or my wishes will double.¡± After she finished her sentence and closed the front door, an eerie silence enveloped the living room. ¡°Si, sis¡­ How do we handle this? It hasn¡¯t been prepared at all¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Hand me that knife.¡± ¡°Hu, huh?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to feed Big Brother Isaac some meat, so, give me the knife already.¡± Only the intense conversation between the second and third siblings echoed in the now-silent household. . . . . . ¡°Miss Baynes.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Isaac Adler, who had been sitting calmly like a tamed puppy, suddenly smiled gently and spoke to Baynes, who was sitting in front of him. ¡°Would youe here for a moment and stand in front of me, please?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± Baynes, showing genuine curiosity on her face, stepped forward in response to her client¡¯s polite request. ¡°Is this okay?¡± ¡°Can you possibly lean forward in that position?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see why I can¡¯t¡­ but why but why the sudden request?¡± ¡°Just bear with me for a moment.¡± She slightly tilted her head, and soon leaned forward, asking with a bright expression. ¡°Is this what you wanted¡­¡± But Baynes couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. ¨C Thud¡­! ¡°¡­ Uh?¡± Before she could, Adler suddenly jumped to his feet and punched her with all his might. ¡°Geuk¡­ Cough¡­?¡± Her whole body convulsed, and her waist bent at a 90-degree angle as soon as the punch hit her square on the torso. Her legs gave out, and she began to drool as she slumped to the floor. ¡°Why¡­ why would you do that?¡± ¡°Even though it was not enough to deceive Miss Holmes, it was a wless act that even managed to fool your partner, Miss Lestrade.¡± As the terrified Baynes looked up at him with a fearful gaze, asking that question, Adler responded with a cold smile. ¡°But Inspector Baynes¡­ no, I should say Inspector Candidate instead. You¡¯re originally apetent officer, one that even the arrogant Holmes woulde to acknowledge.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°For such apetent officer to make such a foolish face in front of surefire evidence; that could only be called a plot hole.¡± The terror in the young girl¡¯s eyes swiftly shifted to an intrigued look. ¡°So¡­ Who are you, really?¡± ¡°¡­ Heh.¡± Holding her stomach and still drooling, the corner of her mouth quivered ever so slightly.
Probability of Imprisonment if you DO RATE this novel: 100% Chapter 71: The Blue Carbuncle (3) Chapter 71: The Blue Carbuncle (3) During the time Isaac Adler and the mysterious girl faced off at Lestrade¡¯s house¡­ ¡°What do you mean, Miss Holmes?¡± ¡°It seems like you really didn¡¯t notice.¡± Lestrade, who had been walking down the snowy streets of London alongside Charlotte, began to raise her voice, her face showing shock at the revtion that Holmes made. ¡°You¡¯re saying that Inspector Candidate Baynes is an imposter?¡± ¡°Shh, do you n to announce that to everyone in this neighborhood?¡± ¡°But¡­ No matter how much I think, it just doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve known her for a long time, so I am positive that Inspector Candidate Baynes is no different from her usual self today.¡± Lestrade, with a look of disbelief, turned her gaze toward Charlotte. ¡°Could it be that you¡¯re mistaken this time, Miss Charlotte Holmes?¡± ¡°¡­ Not in the least.¡± ¡°Then could you please exin your reasoning?¡± ¡°I was just about to exin that actually.¡± With a firm shake of her head, Charlotte looked at Lestrade, who still seemed unconvinced, and began to exin in a soft voice. ¡°I remember you mentioning Inspector Candidate Baynes several times in the past. ording to you, she was an incredibly sharp girl, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. She maintained the highest score ever in the history of August Academy, up until you took the entrance exam, that is.¡± ¡°Do you think such a girl would just passively listen to Adler¡¯s and my deductions with listless eyes, in front of evidence overflowing with clues, without chiming in and arguing?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Lestrade scratched her head, at a loss for words after hearing Charlotte¡¯s argument. ¡°¡­ I was so engrossed in handling the duck in the kitchen that I didn¡¯t even notice that.¡± ¡°Of course. I clearly saw you secretly drooling when you took the duck to the kitchen.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Maybe you should clean off the feathers on your clothes already¡­¡± Blushing ever so slightly at Charlotte¡¯s sharp observation, Lestrade brushed off the traces of the poor duck from her clothes. ¡°Wasn¡¯t Inspector Candidate Baynes known to be sloppy by nature?¡± ¡°How did you know that?¡± ¡°Because the person impersonating her probably only saw that aspect of hers and made the mistake of thinking her to be a dimwit. They probably didn¡¯t have much time to study her properly.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Lestrade, somewhat convinced, tilted her head and raised another question. ¡°¡­ But she might have stayed quiet to appear modest, right?¡± ¡°You mentioned it before, right? Inspector Candidate Baynes is an avid fan of Watson¡¯s adaptation of my case files.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, I had visited her room and found quotations and case files of your detective work piled up like mountains.¡± ¡°Do you think such a person would miss out on a rare opportunity to showcase her skills and gain recognition just because of mere modesty? To keep up appearances?¡± ¡°¡­ Certainly not.¡± Lestrade, at longst, seemed convinced by Charlotte¡¯s exnation and nodded in agreement. ¡°So, how did she disguise herself? If she used disguise magic, I surely would have noticed.¡± She looked puzzled and questioned Charlotte again. ¡°That¡¯s true. Due to your natural detection abilities, you¡¯re called the nemesis of mages, after all.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Rather, the fake Baynes took advantage of exactly that aspect.¡± Charlotte Holmes responded with a cold smile stretching her lips. ¨C Swoosh¡­ ¡°Wh, what the hell is that?¡± As she pulled out an incredibly thin leather mask resembling a human face from her coat, Lestrade looked shocked and couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°It¡¯s a disguise tool called Human Skin Mask. It¡¯s quite unfamiliar in Europe, including Ennd, but it was widely circted in the martial arts world of the ancient Qing dynasty.¡± ¡°¡­ So, you wear it directly over your face?¡± ¡°Cheap ones are noticeable even at night, but high-end products like the one I have in my hands here are hard to distinguish unless you¡¯re an expert.¡± Charlotte answered while holding the mask and added as she gently put it on her face. ¡°It¡¯s an item that canpletely fool Europe¡¯s security methods that have been developed over the past few centuries through banning magic or identifying magic.¡± ¡°My god¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not without reason that detectives be wary when Chinese people get involved in the cases they are investigating.¡± Lestrade looked horrified as the mask seamlessly merged onto her face with just a slight touch. ¡°If such things start circting in Ennd, wouldn¡¯t that be a major issue?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. The Human Skin Mask has one fatal w.¡± Charlotte Holmes started peeling off the mask from her face and began her exnation as if tofort Lestrade. ¡°Unlike disguise magic, this Human Skin Mask can¡¯t perfectly express facial emotions.¡± ¡°¡­ Why is that?¡± ¡°A human¡¯s face has a very delicately arranged skeletal and muscr structure. Therefore, when you finely ssify the number of expressions one can make, there are over a thousand different types of facial expressions or more.¡± Speaking so, Charlotte stretched out the mask¡¯s skin. ¡°But when you use this, the number of expressions you can make bes limited and confined.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Her eyes sharpened ever so slightly as she looked at Lestrade, who finally seemed relieved. ¡°Despite all that, the fake Baynes showed almost impable acting skills, eye movements, and voice modtion that made it nearly impossible to distinguish her from the real Baynes.¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s a bit scary.¡± ¡°I only realized it near the very end myself. If someone hasn¡¯t used the Human Skin Mask like me or Adler, distinguishing them might be nearly impossible.¡± And with that, silence ensued for a brief while. ¡°Hold on.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Suddenly stopping in her tracks, Lestrade¡¯s expression turned cold and expressionless as she spoke, ¡°If someone that dangerous was impersonating Inspector Candidate Baynes using the skin mask¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°¡­ Then where is the real Baynes right now?¡± After a moment, she quietly exhaled and looked in the direction of her house. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The Human Skin Mask is not made of the face of the person you¡¯re trying to impersonate or any human for that matter. It¡¯s artificial, well, in most cases.¡± ¡°But still, if the imposteris out there pretending to be the real person so openly, something must have happened to Baynes!¡± ¡°Calm down. Inspector Candidate Baynes will be safe.¡± However, as Lestrade emitted a cold and chilling aura, Charlotte gently grasped her shoulder and whispered softly, trying to calm her down. ¡°I think I have a lead on who¡¯s behind this.¡± ¡°¡­ Still, I think I need to go home.¡± However, Lestrade murmured with a slightly trembling voice. ¡°Isaac Adler and my siblings, left at home, are in danger right now.¡± ¡°I told you not to worry, didn¡¯t I?¡± Charlotte Holmes forcefully pulled her close and whispered to her in a quiet voice, ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the intelligence of my fated nemesis.¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡± ¡°Mr. Adler, unlike you, has been aware of everything from the very start.¡± ¡°But hisbat abilities¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Shush.¡± Charlotte then gently ced a finger on Lestrade¡¯s lips. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on the case at hand.¡± ¡°Ducky¡­ where are you¡­?¡± From not too far away, near the scene of the original incident, a sobbing woman¡¯s voice could be heard. ¡°Pleasee back¡­ ducky¡­¡± Silently straining their ears to that sound, Charlotte and Lestrade slowly began to move forward. ¡°Tsk.¡± ¡°Ho, honey.¡± ¡°¡­ I really have a useless wife.¡± Then, they stopped and hid themselves at the emergence of a new voice. ¡°Tha, that¡¯s a bit harsh¡­..¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­ Kyaa?¡± Upon hearing a scream, Lestrade slightly raised her head. ¡°I should just¡­¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± A man, who appeared drunk, raised the bottle he was holding high as a woman on the ground trembled with her eyes tightly shut. ¨C Crash!! ¡°¡­ Eep.¡± However, he soon threw the bottle against the street wall, spat on her, and walked past the woman. ¡°Don¡¯t even think ofing home until you find it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You understand, right, Miss?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± The woman sitting on the ground hurriedly nodded in response to his harsh voice. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± And then, silence ensued. ¡°¡­ Excuse me.¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± Charlotte and Lestrade, who had been observing the situation quietly until then, approached the woman sitting on the ground with silent steps and spoke. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hearing their words, the woman looked up at them with nk eyes. ¡°If you¡¯re alright, can we talk for a moment¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Did master send you?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± The two, who were helping up the fragile-lookingdy who obviously looked like a noble, tilted their heads in doubt at the words they heard. ¡°It, It¡¯s been a long while since master reached out to me¡­ He rarely contacts these days¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± The fragile-looking noblewoman, who had been sobbing and suffering due to her husband¡¯s violence just mere moments before, was suddenly muttering those words with a straight and impassive face. ¨C Whoosh¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± ¡°Wha, what are you doing¡­¡± Then, in front of the two girls who tilted their heads in confusion, the woman abruptly pulled up her upper clothing and began biting the hem of her garment as if it was natural for her to do so. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± The expressions of the bewildered Charlotte and Lestrade instantly turned cold at what they saw. ¡°¡­ Not surprising anymore.¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± It was because they had discovered a golden seal on the exposed, pale belly of the fragile-looking woman, identical to the design of the seal engraved on their lower abdomen. ¡°Why arnt you gweethng your senior? (Why aren¡¯t you greeting your senior?)¡± The noblewoman, still holding the hem of her clothing in her mouth, muttered while pointing at her seal. ¡°Kidrssh theesh daysh arh rwallry cwazy. (Kids these days are really crazy.)¡± Her gaze began to sharpen ever slightly. ¡°Wwo arh ywu? Ywu tuo. (Who are you? You two.)¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± . . . . . Meanwhile, at that time¡­ ¡°Brother Adler~¡± The second sibling, after hastily wiping off the blood on her hands with her sibling¡¯s clothes, came into the living room with a te full of duck meat. ¡°Let¡¯s y a Christmas game¡­..¡± However, as soon as she walked into the room, a bright and cheerful expression on her youthful face, her voice began to fade. ¡°¡­ Ugh.¡± Because the girl who looked like Baynes, was gasping for breath and lying near Adler¡¯s feet, who had been sitting on the sofa. It seemed she had taken a few more blows from him in the meantime. ¡°Lift your head.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Isaac Adler, looking down at the girl with a cold gaze, grabbed her slender chin and forcibly lifted her head. ¨C p¡­!!! In the next moment, the ear-piercing sound of a sharp p filled the living room. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± The girl, whose head whipped around from the shock, touched her cheek with her hand, making an awkward expression as if it was the first time in her life she had been hit by someone like this. ¨C Snap!!! However, Adler roughly grabbed her arm and lifted it, then forcefully pped the exposed cheek of the girl once again. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¨C Whoosh¡­ Thanks to this, the girl¡¯s entire body lost all strength, abruptly, causing her to lose bnce and fall toward Adler¡¯s legs once more. ¡°Using this anesthesia spray was your second mistake.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°These sprays tend to contain alcohol.¡± Isaac Adler wrapped his hand around the girl¡¯s hair tightly and shook the spray he confiscated from her, his eyes already dyed blood red. ¡°I have a bit of a problem with alcohol, you see.¡± ¡°Haah¡­ Ha¡­¡± But the girl, stretching her body and resting her cheek against Adler¡¯s leg, couldn¡¯t even reply. She just gasped for breath with her body quivering. ¡°¡­ Excuse me.¡± It was right when Adler, who had been silently observing the girl, bared his fangs and was about to move his head toward her neck that¡­ ¡°Could you hit me one more time?¡± The girl, who had been lying on Adler¡¯s legs, slightly raised her eyes and began whispering in a faint sweet voice. ¡°Ah, this time on the other cheek¡­¡± As Adler stared nkly at her, she tilted her face slightly, exposing the uninjured cheek. ¨C p!!! ¡°¡­ Ah.¡± But Adler, pulled on her hair to expose the previously red swollen cheek and pped her hard causing the girl¡¯s body to quiver as she held back her tears. ¡°¡­ Excuse me.¡± With her head buried in Adler¡¯s legs once more and tears welling up in her eyes, a tearful voice came from the girl¡¯s mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but just one more time.¡± The girl quietly wiped away the blood flowing from her split lip, a result of her being pped so hard, and mumbled faintly with her swollen cheek, the edge of Adler¡¯s pants sticking to her mouth. ¡°A bit harder¡­¡± ¡®¡­ I didn¡¯t think Lupin was such a masochist.¡¯ As Adler tilted his head and thought to himself, he soon raised his hand once more. ¨C p!!! ¡°¡­ So cool.¡± ¡°Sister, please snap out of it already!!¡±
Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 72: The Blue Carbuncle (4) Chapter 72: The Blue Carbuncle (4) ¡°Adler¡­?¡± ¡°No, what is¡­¡± The eyes of Charlotte and Lestrade, who had brought the strangedy they met on the streets with them, slowly widened at the scene they witnessed. ¨C Gulp¡­ The girl who had been impersonating Baynes, just moments ago, was now blushing heavily while holding onto Adler¡¯s hair as he greedily sucked blood out of her neck. ¡°What the hell are you doing right now!?¡± As Lestrade, startled by the sight in front of her, hurried forward¡­ her gaze was inevitably drawn to the impersonating girl, especially, to the sight of her revealing her neck to Adler with a resigned look on her face. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Her pupils were dted, her hair was a mess, and her once slightly mischievous and witty face was now bruised and wrecked. In essence, she was in a pitiful and ruined state. The girl, who had been so vibrant, bubbly, and energetic just moments ago, was now wilted like a trampled flower, having surrendered to Adler¡¯s violence. ¡°Excuse me but¡­¡± Lestrade, utterly horrified by her serious condition, stopped in her tracks and shifted her gaze back to Adler. Meanwhile, the girl began whispering something, moving her bruised lips slowly. ¨C Thud¡­! ¡°¡­ Eugh.¡± However, before she could even finish her sentence, Adler, who had roughly pulled his teeth out of her neck, plunged his heavy fist into the girl¡¯s sr plexus. ¨C Tremble¡­ Instantly, the pitiful girl¡¯s eyes widened like a rabbit¡¯s, her face paled like a corpse, and her body started to tremble violently; she couldn¡¯t help but hold onto Adler¡¯s arms to support her weak body. ¨C p! However, as soon as Adler¡¯s merciless hand harshly pped the girl¡¯s cheek, she was unable to keep her bnce any longer and finally fell to the floor, clutching onto her bleeding nose. ¡°¡­ Ugh.¡± As Adler, quietly observing her, put his foot on the girl¡¯s stomach as shey on the floor, her body began to convulse ever so slightly and a faint moan leaked out of her ruined mouth. From the looks of it, her face was not the only part of her body that had been ruined by Adler¡¯s violence. ¡°¡­ Just, what are you doing?¡± Therefore, it was quite natural for a furious voice to flow out of Lestrade¡¯s mouth, who had been nkly watching the gruesome scene with utter disbelief till then. ¡°Even though she is an imposter, she¡¯s still a human being, there¡¯s no need to treat her so harshly¡­¡± ¡°Strange. Since master has engraved his seal onto you already, there should be no way that you don¡¯t know, right?¡± However, at that very moment, a chuckling voice echoed from behind. ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t really know anything about Master Adler now, do you?¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡± At that remark, Lestrade¡¯s head snapped back, her head tilting to the side along the way as she looked at the woman with a cold expression. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°If you belong to my master, there¡¯s no way that you shouldn¡¯t know¡­¡± Then, thedy, covering her mouth with her hand, made an equally cold expression while adding, ¡°¡­ That master doesn¡¯t touch women who don¡¯t want to be touched.¡± ¡°So, are you saying that this is a voluntary action?¡± Lestrade, snorting at those words, started to move towards Adler when¡­ ¡°Hey¡­¡± The girl, who swiftly reached out to grab Adler¡¯s raised arm, began to mutter with tired eyes. ¡°My face¡­¡± Lestrade, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, became absent-minded once more. ¡°Instead of a p, I want you to punch me.¡± The reason being¡­ the girl, whose condition was so bad that she looked pitiful even from a distance, was muttering those iprehensible words, gently resting her cheek on Adler¡¯s leg while looking down. ¡°¡­ Just how many times do I have to tell you, huh?¡± With that, silence ensued in the house. ¡°¡­ Did I misunderstand something?¡± Charlotte, who had been looking at the girl with a sharp gaze from behind the nkly staring Lestrade, began to mutter to herself while tilting her head. ¡°The alcohol in your system seems to be slowly wearing off too.¡± Adler, who had been looking down at the girl resting her cheek on his leg with tired eyes, began to mutter quietly, shifting his gaze forward. ¡°¡­ Could you please get this girl out of here?¡± His gaze was just as tired as the girl who was resting quietly on his leg with her eyes half-closed. ¡°No matter how much I suck her blood, she won¡¯t listen to any of mymands.¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± ¡°Help me, please¡­¡± . . . . . A few minutester¡­ ¡°¡­ You¡¯re telling me that you called me here, not due to Master, but for a duck?¡± When Charlotte, who had tied the unidentified girl to the end of the sofa with handcuffs, began to exin the whole story while sitting next to Adler, thedy, who had been quietly listening to her words, started to frown and speak. ¡°That can¡¯t be. This is the first time I¡¯ve heard from master in months; I was looking forward to this encounter so much too¡­¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­ I¡¯m not done talking yet¡­¡± ¡°Master, ha, have you abandoned us?¡± Adler, who had been looking at her with a quizzical look on his face, couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Us?¡± ¡°We¡¯re still waiting in patience for you.¡± ¡°¡­ Could you exin a bit about this us you¡¯re speaking of?¡± Charlotte, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, darkened her gaze and asked the question. ¡°¡­ Youmoner folks might not understand, but there¡¯s an unspoken rule among the high-ssdies of London.¡± Sipping the tea brought by Lestrade¡¯s youngest sibling, thedy began her story with an air of nobility in each of her actions. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how many husbands we have, but there¡¯ll always be only one master for us.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a rather rude statement to the married men of London¡¯s upper ss?¡± ¡°You mean those men that we didn¡¯t even want to marry but had to because of familial circumstances, who treat us like objects, and who resort to using violence whenever they please? Are you talking about those wretched men?¡± Her gaze began to turn fierce the more she spoke. ¡°You¡¯re young, so it might be hard for you to believe and understand. But, you saw it earlier didn¡¯t you? My violent alcoholic of a husband who beats me up as he pleases.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Would you want to be embraced by such a horrible person? Or would you rather be embraced by Master, who sincerely supports us and warms us with his gentle and soothing smile?¡± At the chilling voice filled with hatred, Charlotte and Lestrade quietly closed their mouths, turning silent. Meanwhile, the nobledy couldn¡¯t help but smirk while setting down the teacup she had been holding in her hands. ¡°Simply counting those who had be so infatuated with Master Adler¡¯s appearance that they willingly branded themselves as his ves, I can say for certain that more than half of London¡¯sdies would choose thetter option.¡± ¡°¡­ Isn¡¯t that just an exaggeration?¡± ¡°Surprisingly, it¡¯s actually true. I confirmed it with my own eyes already¡ª the majority of the high-ssdies who dominate London¡¯s social scene have the same golden seal branded on them as you and I do.¡± Hearing those words, Charlotte threw a question at her with a hollowugh. ¡°So, you¡¯ve been going around social gatherings and lifting the clothes of noblewomen to confirm that fact?¡± ¡°If you chant a special spell, those with the seal can recognize each other. It¡¯s only natural that such people would band together and form a faction.¡± However, her response made her face don a slightly serious look. ¡°If such a power really exists, why hasn¡¯t it been exposed already?¡± ¡°The higher-ups wouldn¡¯t be higher-ups for nothing now, would they?¡± ¡°What do you mean by¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Even though master is a mage, he has crossed the line quite a few times already, right? Why do you think he has never been legally prosecuted then? Hmm?¡± Cold sweat started flowing down from Adler¡¯s forehead, who had been silently listening to the conversation. ¡°The organization¡­ it already existed?¡± ¡°Recently, however, master¡¯s contact has beenpletely cut off, so everyone is bing quite anxious.¡± However, as though not noticing Adler¡¯s condition, thedy calmly continued her exnation. ¡°That bewitching fox, Gia Lestrade, is definitely the cause.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..!¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s waiting for master. I don¡¯t know how she seduced master, but if they just broke up, then surely¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough.¡± Charlotte Holmes interrupted the noblewoman¡¯s words with an expression that seemingly conveyed her rough understanding of the matter. Meanwhile, the eyes of Gia Lestrade, who was silently standing next to Charlotte, began to tremble due to the noblewoman¡¯sst remarks. ¡°Alright, returning to the duck w¡­¡± ¡°I think we can skip that.¡± As she tentatively tried to circle back to the original topic, thedy waved her off with a cold, indifferent expression on her face. ¡°As soon as I bought the duck, some madwoman attacked me¡­ and before I knew it, I found myself on the outskirts of London, far from home¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± ¡°It must have been some paranormal phenomenon. That duck is definitely cursed. So, I don¡¯t need it.¡± ¡°Are you sure that you don¡¯t need it?¡± ¡°It was originally a tool to y the role of the submissive wife anyway. Strangle it a few times before it dies, or whatever. I don¡¯t care anymore.¡± And then, she stood up and pointed at her hat on the desk. ¡°I would like my hat back though, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Then, I will be taking my leave.¡± After looking at her wordlessly for a while, Charlotte handed over the hat to her, and thedy promptly ced it on her head and began heading toward the entrance. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t care if you abandon us.¡± Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks and whispered in a soft, faint voice, ¡°But please contact us asionally, dearest Master Adler¡­¡± At the end of those words, silence descended on the room for a while. ¨C Swoosh¡­ ¡°Perhaps, you should contact me instead from now on.¡± ¡°Do I even have a reason to¡­¡± Charlotte, watching thedy¡¯s retreating figure, quietly lifted Adler¡¯s coat with a smirk on her face. Meanwhile, thedy who had turned around to respond couldn¡¯t help but widen her eyes in surprise once she saw Adler¡¯s lifted top. ¡°That is¡­..¡± ¡°I believe you more or less understand our rtionship now.¡± It was because Charlotte¡¯s ck seal was engraved on Adler¡¯s stomach, a result of the contract they had established in the previous Reigate case. ¡°¡­ I, I apologize.¡± ¡°I was in a bind since my sister suddenly dered her neutrality, but this will do for now.¡± After staring at the seal nkly for a while, thedy quickly knelt in front of Charlotte, her face turning frighteningly pale in fright. ¡°Arrange a meeting soon.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± She respectfully bowed her head to their new leader. ¡°I should also ask Big Brother Adler to engrave the seal on me.¡± ¡°¡­ London is doomed.¡± From the mouths of the second and third siblings, who had been quietly watching the situation from their room until then, voices filled with differing emotions flowed out. . . . . . ¡°Everything¡¯s going as expected so far.¡± As soon as thedy, who had been repeatedly bowing her head toward Charlotte in a contrived manner, left the house, Charlotte picked up the cold ck tea in front of her and began mumbling in a low voice. ¡°The owner of the hat was thatdy and she involuntarily got caught up in this whole mess.¡± Then, she began tapping her desk with her finger while taking a sip of the cold tea. ¡°So that only leaves the other person at the scene.¡± ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s toote to mobilize the police to catch them now.¡± ¡°¡­ Toote?¡± Lestrade, whose mind had momentarily frozen due to the previous conversation that had surpassed her level of understanding, opened her mouth with a questioning look on her face. ¡°The London police are skilled in search and arrest. I think within a few hours¡­¡± ¡°Considering how swiftly they disappeared from your sight, Miss Lestrade, and with thedy¡¯s testimony just now, it¡¯s clear that the culprit has the ability to leap through space.¡± However, Charlotte¡¯s sharp voice left her speechless, a stunned expression manifesting on her face. ¡°Is that even possible? An object, maybe, but people themselves teleporting?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bizarre phenomenon that¡¯s been reported a few times recently in France. Apparently, there¡¯s a new organization there that uses such means tomit thefts.¡± Lestrade, hearing this, asked with a serious expression on her face. ¡°So, there¡¯s no way to catch the thief targeting the jewels?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have a way to bring them back.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°By utilizing the advantage we have.¡± A sly smile began to appear on Charlotte¡¯s face, who had been quietly tapping on the desk till now. ¡°The blue carbuncle they were after is now with us.¡± ¡°Oh, right! We have the jewel with us!¡± ¡°And we also have that slightly messed up girl¡­¡± Charlotte then began to stare at the girl who had been tied up to the end of the sofa. ¡°¡­ ?¡± ¡°¡­ At first, I thought she might be the leader of the organization that¡¯s been rampaging in Francetely, but that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case.¡± As the girl, who was kneeling and licking the duck meat from Adler¡¯s outstretched hand, tilted her head to the side, Charlotte grumbled with a frown. ¡°There¡¯s no way such an extreme masochistic pervert could be the boss of an organization. Not even my sister is like that.¡± ¡°Then, what?¡± ¡°She¡¯s probably a member of their organization. Of course, she¡¯s not a small fry; considering her disguise and acting skills, she must be an executive.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Lestrade¡¯s eyes widened and she began intently staring at the handcuffed girl, following Charlotte¡¯s words. ¡°Why the jewel that disappeared from the hotel a few days ago was swallowed by a duck in a grocery store, or how the culprit knew of this matter and attacked thedy who bought the duck¡­ none of it has been clearly revealed yet.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I have some guesses, of course, but now is not the time for chasing down evidence. It¡¯s time to y a gamble to catch the culprit.¡± Charlotte got up from her seat and approached the girl while muttering those words to herself. ¡°Mr. Adler, I need you to sign a contract with this girl.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to use this girl as bait to catch the culprit behind this incident.¡± She then handed Adler a piece of paper and a pen. ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t you think we should teach those miscreants, who dared to invade Ennd, a lesson?¡± After pondering over her words for a moment, Adler, who quietly nodded his head, swiftly drafted a contract andid it before the girl. ¡°Sign it.¡± ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t want to.¡± The girl, who had been quietly staring up at him, shook her head from side to side. ¨C Smack! But then, the sound of a palm colliding with flesh echoed through the room and the girl¡¯s head spun all around as a result. Soon, she lifted the pen that had been lying on the ground, her eyes filled with tears. ¡°¡­ Hey.¡± Then, using her hand to caress her ruined face, she murmured in a tired voice. ¡°I¡¯ve been saying this all along.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I want you to punch me in the face too.¡± After saying those words, the girl ced the pen on the paper and looked up at him with a nk look, causing Adler¡¯s face to contort slightly in confusion and unease. ¡°¡­ What on earth are you, really?¡± A few secondster, with the heavy sound of a fist sinking into flesh, the girl¡¯s stomach began to glow in a golden hue. ¡°¡­ Ugh.¡± ¡°This is driving me fucking insane¡­¡± . . . . . That night. At the clock tower of Westminster Pce, hailed as thendmark that symbolized London, the tower that warned the citizens of the appearance of strange phenomena and beasts¡ª and the tower which wouldter be called ¡®Big Ben¡¯¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± The girl, who had been released from the house on Adler¡¯s orders, sat on the roof of that ce, quietly caressing the golden seal etched on her lower abdomen. ¡°¡­ Who are you?¡± But then, a cold voice suddenly began to sound next to her. ¡°Who are you to aim for the jewel we are after?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± The woman who had been fighting over the duck with the noblewoman in the morning was now, with her hat pulled low, pointing a gun at the girl¡¯s head. ¡°Just who are you?¡± Silence ensued following her question¡­ ¡°If you won¡¯t speak¡­¡± ¨C Swish! ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± The woman, who had been tightly holding onto the trigger, opened her eyes wide in surprise. ¡°This is¡­¡± A blood-stained ace of spades had somehow found its way into her gun, blocking the firing mechanism. ¡°¡­ Boss?¡± The woman, who had been staring nkly at the card for a moment, finally spoke with an expression of disbelief. ¡°Weren¡¯t you in India?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that during ourstmunication? I know the signal was pretty bad but, I am sure you said that¡­¡± With a sudden sh, the girl, who had been listening to her words quietly while looking down at the quiet streets of London, suddenly had aplete change of appearance. ¡°When did youe to Ennd?¡± With a perfectly healed face, a golden monocle on one of her eyes, and a stylish cape wrapped around a body that had been heavily bruised and even stamped with Adler¡¯s seal, she sat there silently while gazing down. ¡°Ah¡­¡± From the pitiful sight of being beaten up to the brink of death, the girl had suddenly transformed into a person exuding a mysterious aura¡ª an aura thatpletely obscured her inner thoughts. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s pretty exciting to pretend to be weak and be dominated while hiding my strength.¡± As she murmured in a calm voice, the woman standing next to her began to grow cloudy-eyed. ¡°¡­ What did you¡­ just say?¡± ¡°I might get addicted to this feeling.¡± The darkness covering London continued to, ever so slightly, deepen¡­
Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 73: The Blue Carbuncle (5) Chapter 73: The Blue Carbuncle (5) A few days after the Blue Carbuncle incident¡­ ¡°¡­ Hm.¡± Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Isaac Adler stepped into the living room of Lestrade¡¯s house. Immediately, Charlotte Holmes, lost in thought by the firece, came into view. ¡°Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± He tried to strike up a conversation with her as he quietly approached the firece, but Charlotte remained silent, lost in deep thought. ¡°¡­ Are you going to ignore me like this?¡± Observing her rare appearance, so simr to the original depiction, a yful smile crept up Adler¡¯s cheeks and he couldn¡¯t hold back his desire to tease her. ¨C Poke, poke¡­ He quietly reached out and poked her fluffy cheek with his finger, but she just continued to stare nkly at the flickering fire before her. ¡°Charlotte¡­¡± Adler, slightly annoyed at her continued disregard, leaned in close to her face, his lips pouting as he mumbled to her. However, at that moment¡­ ¡°¡­ Eh.¡± ¡­ Out of the blue, something soft entered his mouth. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Charlotte Holmes, who quite naturally slipped her tongue into his mouth, tilted her head as she looked up at Adler. ¨C Smooch¡­ Thus began a brief tongue-on-tongue duel between the duo. ¡°¡­ There was no need to answer like that.¡± ¡°I was just organizing my thoughts.¡± ¡°I know, Miss Holmes. I must say, once you start focusing, you won¡¯t notice even if someone were to carry you away¡­¡± A momentter, Adler ¨C who had carefully pulled his head back from their passionate exchange, to converse with Charlotte ¨C threw a question toward her with a curious look in his eyes. ¡°So, what were you thinking about so intently?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Could it be¡­ you were contemting about there being no response to the bait we¡¯ve thrown out even after several days have passed?¡± Delivering the question, Adler carefully sat down in front of her; his eyes matching hers. ¡°Could it be, hypothetically, that you are thinking we might fail to solve the case if things go on like this?¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s not it.¡± Charlotte, shaking her head, gulped down thest bits of Adler¡¯s bodily fluids that remained in her mouth ¨C from their previous naughty exchange ¨C before she began to speak. ¡°I¡¯ve already figured out the whole truth of the case.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°After the Blue Carbuncle vanished from the hotel where Countess of Morcar was staying, the attendant who worked there abruptly disappeared as well.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°And look at this¡­¡± Quietly unfolding a newspaper, Charlotte pointed to an article on the front page before adding, ¡°It¡¯s an article about the attendant being found tied up in her own home. In other words, for the past few days, someone was impersonating said attendant.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s simr to what happened with the Inspector Candidate, Linya Baynes. She was found unconscious in her home a few days ago just like the attendant.¡± When she finished speaking till there, her eyes began to shine quietly with an intelligent light. ¡°With this, everything is confirmed.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The reason why the criminals, disguised as Baynes and the attendant respectively, chose to operate in such fashion.¡± As Adler tilted his head in silence, Charlotte began her exnation with a mischievous expression on her face. ¡°The criminal who stole the jewel from the hotel, disguised as the attendant, must have bumped into Inspector Candidate Baynes at the time.¡± ¡°Back then? Seriously?¡± ¡°She¡¯s as clever and keen as I am, so she probably saw through the disguise during their brief confrontation.¡± While murmuring so, she started swiftly tapping her fingers on the desk. ¡°Hence, the situation unfolded in such a way that the criminal had to get the jewel off their possession, and at that very moment, a cart carrying a goose to a nearby grocery store must have caught the criminal¡¯s eye.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± ¡°They managed to throw the jewel into the cart sessfully, but what if¡­ the goose mistook it for food and ate the jewel?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°So, they probably had to get their hands on that particr goose by any means necessary to retrieve the jewel. However, what if Inspector Candidate Baynes, still suspicious of the individual, continued to follow them closely?¡± Listening quietly to her words, Adler¡¯s face gradually became more and more puzzled. ¡°Why did the uninvited guests from France risk posing as Inspector Candidate Baynes, and why were they after the duck? Doesn¡¯t this deduction of mine exin both of those questions clearly?¡± ¡°¡­ I suppose¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there something that doesn¡¯t add up?¡± In response to Charlotte¡¯s question, Adler opened his mouth, scratching his head. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ your style seems a bit different today.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Well, there are too many parts of your deduction that I am quite uncertain about.¡± His gaze started to sharpen as he spoke. ¡°Miss Holmes, you usually keep your deductions to yourself until the veryst possible moment, and only reveal your thought process once everything¡¯s confirmed.¡± ¡°Does that really matter between us?¡± However, Charlotte simply smiled softly and deflected his statement. ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°Also, I sent a message to Watson¡¯s hospital where Inspector Candidate Baynes is hospitalized for verification.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s only a matter of time before my deduction bes a fact, a few minutes at most, so it¡¯s all good, right?¡± Adler, who had been watching her for a moment, smiled faintly after hearing her words. ¡°¡­ I suppose you¡¯re right.¡± Then, Adler quietly propped his chin on his hand while looking at her quietly. ¡°Most importantly, we have the jewel with us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Even if the criminals escape somehow, as long as we return the jewel to Countess of Morcar when she wakes up, from the shock she had received from losing the jewel and fainting soon after, it will guarantee our victory.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realize Miss Holmes would ept such a paltry and unsatisfactory victory.¡± ¡°Well, it is what it is.¡± Saying so with a sigh, Charlotte looked at Adler with a slightly dark expression. ¡°Lately, the back alleys of London have been getting cleaned up at an unusually fast rate.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Numerous organizations are disappearing or merging with others, and many people have already disappeared without a trace.¡± Hearing those words, a chill began to creep up Adler¡¯s spine. ¡°¡­ It seems like a war is about to break out.¡± And soon, silence ensued in the room. ¡°I¡¯ll try to handle it somehow, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°But there¡¯s still one thing I¡¯m curious about in all this.¡± Adler, who had been trying to reassure Charlotte with a smile, tilted his head and threw out a question. ¡°You still didn¡¯t say what you were pondering so deeply earlier.¡± Hearing his words, Charlotte answered, grinning from ear to ear. ¡°I was just thinking about the bet I made with Mr. Adler.¡± ¡°¡­ The bet?¡± ¡°You said that there was something wrong with my deduction¡­¡± Hearing her response, Adler showed an interested expression. ¡°Did you find out? What the problem was?¡± ¡°¡­ Of course, I have.¡± Looking at him, Charlotte began to exin with a triumphant smile on her face. ¡°I was wrong to specte that the owner of the hat, based on its size, would be a highly intellectual person.¡± ¡°Why so?¡± ¡°If just having a big head meant that they had high intelligence, then dolphins or whales would be ruling this world instead of humans.¡± A pleased smile appeared on Adler¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re correct, indeed.¡± ¡°The misconception regarding phrenology has be a widespreadmon knowledge only in recent times. I also had to double-check my thinking process a few times before I came to realize that fact.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Be that as it may, you will now have to honor your promise, okay?¡± As she locked eyes with him, Charlotte whispered in a soft cooing voice. ¡°¡­ Since the number of wishes has now increased to two, I¡¯m thinking of using one of those wishes now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So, let¡¯s go to the bedroom and¡­¡± It was at that moment, when she naturally untied Isaac Adler¡¯s tie and leaned closer that¡­ ¨C p!!! The sound of a p, echoing in a simr note to a few days ago, filled the living room with its loud reverberations. ¡°¡­¡­. Huh?¡± Charlotte, who had been pped so hard by Adler that her nose already started bleeding, touched her pped cheek with a trembling hand. ¡°What are you doing no¡­¡± She was about to open her mouth, coldnesscing her tone, while ring at Adler with a chilly gaze, but¡­ ¨C p!!! ¡°He¡­¡± ¨C Smack!!! Adler¡¯s hand, raining down on her without fail,pletely cut off her speech. ¡°¡­.. Isaac?¡± Charlotte, whose cheeks had be swollen red, began to stare nkly at Adler with a stunned expression. ¡°If you wanted to imitate Charlotte, you shouldn¡¯t have tried to be so¡­ perfect.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Charlotte is still young andcksmon sense over many topics.¡± Adler began¡­ a cold smile creeping up his lips. ¡°I, I studied. To win the bet¡­..¡± ¡°And¡­¡± Leaning his head closer to a frightened Charlotte¡¯s face, he caressed her slightly rough lips and whispered in a dark voice. ¡°¡­ Charlotte isn¡¯t that good at kissing.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°She always takes the initiative first, but when ites down to the real deal, she gets clumsy and awkward.¡± Hearing so, the fear that had been overwhelming her eyes disappeared without a trace, and Charlotte¡¯s eyes began to dull. ¡°So, are you just going skip everything and hit people?¡± ¡°¡­ You like this kind of thing, don¡¯t you?¡± Upon hearing those words, Charlotte¡­ ¡°Pfft~¡± ¡­ Nay, someone who had been impersonating Charlotte began tough quietly. ¡°Is that really your fetish?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a fetish that a thief would have, no matter how I think about it.¡± Adler, who had grabbed her throat already, began to ask in a low voice. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you guys hate being caught and beaten more than anyone else?¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s exactly why, actually.¡± The girl, who was choking while impersonating Charlotte, began to answer as she exhaled a rough and ragged breath. ¡°Thest time I was caught by you¡­ that was the first for me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And it was also the first time in my life that¡­ I had been beaten by someone like that.¡± With that, the girl grabbed Adler¡¯s hand, which was strangling her neck, with her own hands. ¡°It was a thrilling experience, I really felt like I would die at your hands.¡± Instead of pulling his hand away, she added more strength to his hands, which held onto her neck. and continued to speak with tears brimming in her eyes. ¡°Thinking that I ¨C who roamed the world unfettered, intimidating the police wherever I ventured ¨C could die powerlessly in such a shabby ce¡­ such a thought was so thrilling and exciting that my whole body was trembling in delight.¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°Even branded like livestock¡­ And thrown away like a mere pawn¡­¡± Seeing the hazy look in her eyes and the convulsion of her whole body, due to a rapid decrease of oxygen in her brain, Adler hurriedly opened his mouth. ¡°Quick, get your hands off me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± However, for some reason, the golden seal engraved on her stomach gave no response even as hemanded her. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°¡­ How did you escape from the magic and control of the contract?¡± As Adler, who was slightly frowning, threw the question, the girl began to answer with a dying voice, drooling heavily from her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ under a¡­ really¡­ fun curse¡­ hihi~¡± ¡°¡­ Curse.¡± The moment when Adler¡¯s expression turned serious at the sudden mention of the curse¡­ ¨C Squeeak¡­! ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± Her legs, lifted as far high up as possible with considerable difficulty, revealed her clothes underneath and an unidentified liquid began to spray out from the gap between her revealed garments. ¡°Ugh¡­ Cough¡­¡± Adler hastily removed his hand from the girl¡¯s throat and covered his nose and mouth, but it was already toote. ¡°This time it¡¯s a bit different. It¡¯s a spray mixed with garlic juice; without any alcohol, of course.¡± ¡°Urk¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s like a miracle potion to deal with vampires, right?¡± The girl, who was gently touching the red fingerprint engraved on her neck, started to rummage through Adler¡¯s belongings, who began to exhale roughly while kneeling in front of her. ¡°¡­ Found it.¡± Soon, her eyes shone as she quietly took out a small box. ¡°I was worried because I couldn¡¯t find it even after searching the entire house, but it was in your possession after all.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, but I really, really need this, okay?¡± Carefully sliding it into her bosom, the mysterious girl began stroking Adler¡¯s chin. ¡°Having a battle of wits with you was quite fun, you know¡­ It was more enjoyable than having a tight confrontation with that deeply obsessed Ganimard.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a shame to end it like this, but it¡¯s time for us to part ways.¡± And in the next moment¡­ ¨C Smash¡­! ¡°¡­ Gaah.¡± Stealthily, the girl punched Adler straight in the stomach. ¡°¡­ Being deprived of freedom, being trampled helplessly with no way to fight back¡ª it was a fucking awesome experience.¡± Hovering next to Adler¡¯s ear, who was bowing his head with his body trembling from the impact, the girl began to whisper using her natural voice for the very first time. ¡°But you know, I also can¡¯t live while being the only one on the receiving end.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s in my nature that I must repay any harm done to me in kind, or else I won¡¯t feel satisfied. My temperament won¡¯t allow me to endure that.¡± The girl, who had punched Adler¡¯s abdomen, gently spread her fingers and began to softly rub his lower abdomen. ¨C Smashhh¡­! ¡°¡­ Uhighhu.¡± However, at that very moment, Adler used thest bits of his strength to deliver a punch to the mysterious girl¡¯s stomach. ¨C Brrr¡­ ¡°Stop hitting me now¡­¡± Momentarily drained of all strength due to the sudden violence subjected to her body, her hands clutching onto his body for support as it quivered, the girl began to mumble while tightly biting onto her lips. ¡°Whenever I get hit by you, a desire to be dominated springs up from within. Isn¡¯t that quite strange?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you keep this up, I might just kidnap you and end up making you my master before I know it.¡± After finishing her contradictory words, which made his body shiver in fright, she quietly stood up from her crouching position. ¡°¡­ There¡¯s something I need to convey to you before parting ways.¡± The girl, who was moving toward the entrance, suddenly stopped and added in a quiet tone. ¡°That was my first kiss.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m not sure what was so great about that.¡± The girl, who spoke those words with a somewhat shy voice, had already disappeared without a trace by the time Adler came to his senses. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± And thus, silence ensured¡­ ¡°¡­ Brother Adler!¡± In that silence, the voice of the second sibling, hiding beyond the room soon resounded. ¡°Should I tell sister Holmes to return from the hospital now?¡± ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t understand.¡± But while he briefly listened to her words, his mind was elsewhere¡­ as Adler began mumbling in a disillusioned voice. ¡°The girl who made me grit my teeth in anger, the girl I personally shoved into the DLC content, why is that girl tormenting me now in the main storyline?¡± In front of a mumbling Adler¡¯s eyes, a system message appeared for the first time in a long while. Pha%%# Thi%^>> Lup%*>^} is %>>~^ you! ¡°¡­ Is this karma, perhaps?¡± . . . . . This is my gift to you. ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Meanwhile, at that time¡­ I have already taken ownership of the jewel from the Countess of Morcar. It seems that the countess values hiring me for a week far more than the jewel itself. The girl who was walking not too far from Lestrade¡¯s house was nkly looking down at the letter that came out with the jewel from the opened box. I¡¯m sorry for everything, Miss Thief. ¡°¡­ Ha.¡± Then, after reading the letter, she started to chuckle to herself. ¡°I waspletely yed from start to finish.¡± The girl, who had once again donned her mysterious aura, changing into her usual cloak with a monocle, bit her lip and started to walk once more. ¡°¡­ I can¡¯t stand being fooled like this.¡± Just when her gaze was starting to get eerier and eerier by the second. ¨C Thud¡­! ¡°Oops.¡± She bumped into a passerby, the force being a bit too hard for her liking. ¡°¡­ Ugh.¡± As her lower belly, which had begun to glow in a gold hue, started to twitch on its own, she began to grumble, looking miserable as she sat down by the streets. ¡°It¡¯s be a habit, after all, this¡­¡± ¨C Brrr¡­ ¡°¡­ I still want it, though.¡± After a while, she got up from her spot with a considerably tired look on her face. ¡°¡­ Oh.¡± At that very moment, she realized something being amiss¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± Instead of the jewel and letter, that was in her hand just a moment ago, therey only a single card. ¡°This¡­¡± The identity of the card was none other than the tarot card number 16 (XVI) ¡ª The Tower. Leave London. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± She quietly turned around after confirming the very straightforward message written on the front of the card¡ª the card considered to be the most ominous of all tarot cards. ¨C Trudge, trudge¡­ A woman in the standard outfit of a professor was walking in the middle of the snow-covered street, her grey hair fluttering ever so slightly¡­ ¡°Is this London, or a den of monsters?¡± As she nkly stared at the receding woman¡¯s back, she could immediately sense the gazes filled with hostility and killing intent palpitating in her surroundings¡­ Seeing such a scene, she couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to herself once more. ¡°¡­ It only makes me want it more, though.¡± It was the moment when the world¡¯s greatest thief had set her sights on her next target. Warning! Erosion Rate ¡ª 20% ¡ú 25%
Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 74: Breaking Point Chapter 74: Breaking Point ¡°¡­ Huh.¡± Rachel Watson, who had taken a break from the hospital for the first time in a long while, visited Lestrade¡¯s house where her partner was currently residing. ¡°What are you two doing?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± When she saw the scene that unfolded in front of her, as soon as she opened the front door of the house, she couldn¡¯t help but show a bitter smile before asking. ¡°Nothing much really.¡± ¡°Save me.¡± Her partner ¨C who had been interrogating Inspector Candidate Baynes, recuperating in the hospital, with her in tow ¨C suddenly received a message on her palm and immediately rushed out. And here she was now, sniffing Adler while he was, surprisingly, tied to a chair. ¡°No matter how I look at it, this doesn¡¯t seem like nothing much, Holmes.¡± ¡°¡­ I caught the scent of another female on Adler.¡± ¡°What?¡± Watson, who had been looking at the scene with a frown on her face, couldn¡¯t help but mutter in confusion as she stepped into the room. Meanwhile, Charlotte, who hadpletely abandoned the polite speech she usually used when talking to Watson, replied to her in a sharp tone. ¡°It¡¯s a strange scent, Watson¡ª a cheap imitation of my own, that is emanating from Mr. Adler¡¯s body.¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s a misunderstanding, Miss Holmes.¡± ¡°Mr. Adler, I only remember agreeing to the n of giving the jewel to that thief, to get her out of London. I don¡¯t think that includes engaging in affectionate acts with her, however.¡± As Charlotte looked up at him, with her eyes shing in an ominous dark light, the pulsating ck ropes that bound Adler tightened even further. ¡°My patience was already exhausted when you surreptitiously visited the Countess of Morcar¡¯s room in the hospitalst night and didn¡¯t sneak out till the next morning.¡± ¡°When did I¡­¡± Under the threatening atmosphere, Adler, with sweat dripping from his forehead, looked at Charlotte. ¡°Shall I make it so that your body is unable to seduce someone ever again?¡± ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes.¡± Charlotte, who was sitting on his knees, whispered to him in an eerie voice, causing the trembling Adler to look up at her with genuine fear in his eyes. ¡°I think there has been a misunderstanding¡­¡± Charlotte¡¯s squinted eyes widened when she saw Adler silently pulling up his upper garment with a pitiful look on his face. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I was merely suppressed and attacked by the thiefdy.¡± On Adler¡¯s belly, distinct bruises of a fist could be seen¡­ ¡°¡­ What about your vampiric powers?¡± ¡°It was early in the morning, and I was also directly hit by garlic spray¡­¡± As Charlotte¡¯s voice became chillingly calm, Adler looked to the side before continuing in a quiet voice. ¡°The thiefdy was allegedly someone who had a philosophy of giving back what she had received, maybe that¡¯s why¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s okay now. It didn¡¯tst for long anyways, and ultimately, we sessfully got rid of the uninvited guest and avoided aplicated scenario¡­¡± Adler¡¯s voice began to tremble more and more as truth mixed with lies leaked out of his mouth, in the heat of the moment, to evade this ufortable situation¡­ ¡°¡­ I was turning a blind eye since I was busy, but that French country bumpkin has really crossed the line.¡± ¡°What?¡± However, Charlotte Holmes, taking Adler¡¯s trembling voice in a different meaning, began muttering with a serious expression on her face. ¡°It seems like we have to go to France for our honeymoon.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to¡­ Wait, what did you just say?¡± Worried that his statement had unnecessarily provoked Charlotte, Adler, drenched in cold sweat, was trying to figure out how to exin the situation to her. However, he couldn¡¯t help but question with a dazed look once he properly registered her words. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± With that, total silence ensued for a while. ¡°What, were you not nning to do it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me that awkward look. Marriage is merely a contractual rtionship that is formed by the mutual consent of a man and a woman. Nothing more, nothing less. It wouldn¡¯t be any different from how it is now actually.¡± Charlotte, who delivered those words in a calm voice, couldn¡¯t help but avoid Adler¡¯s gaze, showing an unusually cute expression that was totally uncharacteristic of her. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s just that myst name will change to yours.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Simultaneously, Charlotte and Adler, with their faces blushing heavily, bowed their heads and fell into silence. ¡°Well, it seems like you guys are getting along quite well.¡± Rachel Watson, who had been watching the scene with a scowl on her face, began shaking her head and started walking away. ¡°¡­ So much so that¡­ you guys didn¡¯t even notice Lestrade ring at you guys coldly from the back window.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..!¡± She whispered with a tinge ofughter and amusement on her face, causing Adler¡¯s eyes to tremble; his hand holding Charlotte¡¯s own who was still sitting on hisp. ¡°¡­ Hup.¡± As the reflection of Lestrade¡¯s gaze on the front ss finally registered in his pupils, Adler couldn¡¯t help but start huping. ¡°I don¡¯t mind¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re really unbelievable¡­¡± Meanwhile, Watson, who couldn¡¯t help but smirk at Charlotte¡¯s shameless whisper, quietly moved toward the front door. ¡°¡­ Well, I¡¯m leaving then. I have a date with Neville this evening.¡± ¡°Hey, Watson.¡± Suddenly remembering that she had a question for Watson, Charlotte inquired. ¡°I understand that, to have a baby, you need to receive the other person¡¯s genes, but¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I mean, how do you put the genes inside you?¡± Hearing Charlotte¡¯s words, Watson turned her head with a bewildered expression on her face, only to see Adler desperately shaking his head, signaling her to not say anything, from behind Charlotte. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask that boyfriend of yours?¡± ¡°Watson, this isn¡¯t just my personal matter, but a substantial issue that will determine London¡¯s fate in the future¡­¡± ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve never done it myself, so I don¡¯t know.¡± Gazing at Adler with coldness and the slightest hints of contempt in her eyes, she simply turned on her heels to leave. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll try it with my boyfriend and let you know.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°As long as a lowlife doesn¡¯t interfere, that is.¡± Muttering those words, Watson gazed at Adler coldly onest time before grabbing the doorknob of the front door and turning it to the side. And at that very moment¡­ ¡°¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± Both Charlotte and Adler¡¯s faces, contorted into a frowning expression as they listened to Watson¡¯s words, froze simultaneously. ¡°You, when did you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite unexpected that you couldn¡¯t sense me, even though we were so close all this while¡­¡± Not only Watson, who had opened the door, but also Lestrade, who was observing them from the back window with a shopping bag in her arms, looked equally frozen by this scene. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but could you make some space and let me in?¡± The reason being¡­ Jane Moriarty, wearing aid-back expression filled with her trademark smile, was standing still in front of the entrance. ¡°Fortunately, I know the method that you seek.¡± The atmosphere in the house, which was finally getting harmonious, made an abrupt shift and got terrifyingly frigid and icy. . . . . . A few minutester¡­ ¡°¡±¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡±¡± Professor Moriarty quietly sat on the sofa, under the chilly gaze of Charlotte Holmes, and the nervous looks of Rachel Watson and Gia Lestrade, who sat on either side of Charlotte. ¡°Hmm.¡± She took a sip of the coffee that was poured to her by Lestrade¡¯s second sibling before cing the cup back on the table. ¡°I don¡¯t like the vor of this coffee.¡± Hearing her words, a frown quietly manifested on Lestrade¡¯s face. ¡°¡­ I apologize. As you can see, my family isn¡¯t very well-off.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not really one to savor vors anyways, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Giving a casual reply, the professor began adjusting her coffee by adding some sugar, taken out of the packet that she pulled out of her pocket. ¡°I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯te here just to drink coffee now, right?¡± Silently staring at her for some time, Charlotte suddenly spoke up in a chilling tone. ¡°What business does a defeated spinster have bying here?¡± ¡°You say some strange things, little girl¡­¡± Professor Moriarty responded with an enigmatic smile on her face. ¡°I haven¡¯t been defeated, and I¡¯m definitely not a spinster.¡± ¡°It seems that this person doesn¡¯t understand the reality of their situation. Or perhaps, she is just unwilling to admit it even though she is already aware.¡± ¡°Your victory that day was merely temporary. On the contrary, while you celebrated that hollow victory, I quietly handled the back alleys of London in your stead.¡± ¡°It seems that you won¡¯t admit to the former no matter how much back and forth we go, so let¡¯s just end it here. However, thetter is a clear fact that can¡¯t be denied no matter what.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still in my twenties. That¡¯s the only clear fact here.¡± ¡°But when I reach Professor¡¯s age, how old will you be?¡± Charlotte¡¯s mocking voice, filled with sneers, left the professor utterly speechless. ¡°Let¡¯s not feel bad for something that we can¡¯t win, okay?¡± ¡°Just like that in body of yours, I assume, which doesn¡¯t seem to be changing no matter how much you age?¡± ¡°A bloated body is simply inefficient and utterly useless for detective work.¡± ¡°Is it even possible for you to breastfeed a baby with that body of yours?¡± ¡°Oh my, you must have felt attacked since I mentioned your age, otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t make sense for you to act so childish.¡± Their intense verbal exchange intensified the already chilly atmosphere in the room. ¡°Enough, tell me the purpose of your visit.¡± ¡°I was just about to do that, actually¡­¡± Saying so, she bobbed her head from side to side before finally addressing the main issue. ¡°Hand over Isaac Adler.¡± ¡°Since you have said your piece, leave¡­ Get out.¡± ¡°Frankly, I have the power to forcibly take Isaac Adler from you.¡± ¡°Just try it if you can.¡± Charlotte, who had been mocking the professor in silence, responded intensely, fury tinging her voice, upon hearing her words. ¨C Goouohoooh Then, with a chilling expression on her face, the professor began to emit intense killing intent in her surroundings. ¡°¡­ As expected, you¡¯re no ordinary person.¡± ¡°Calm down, Professor¡­¡± While Watson, who was aiming the gun she had kept close at the professor, muttered with a slightly pale expression, Lestrade, who was seated beside her, began to re at Jane with a dark expression and spoke, ¡°If you cause a ruckus here, we will have no choice but to subdue you.¡± ¡°Your younger siblings, they are quite lovely¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cross the line¡­¡± With an atmosphere teetering on the edges of hostility, the situation started escting further and further. ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t.¡± Wearing a fishy expression, Moriarty suppressed the intimidating aura of all three opponents solely with her killing intent, before suddenly easing off and smiling at them with her eyes. ¡°Such an unsophisticated approach would be hated by my adorable assistant; he would tantly disagree with resorting to such methods too, so there¡¯s no way I will employ them¡± ¡°¡­ Haa¡ª¡± ¡°¡­ ¡° Only then did Watson breathe deeply, finally relieved of the suffocating tension, while Charlotte stared straight at the professor, trying her best to hide the perspiration that was running down her face. ¡°How did you possibly apany such a being all this time?¡± Meanwhile, Lestrade ¨C who nced at Adler, still tied to the chair and shivering in fright ¨C muttered those words to him in a low voice. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t do anything, however. I¡¯m growing tired of this farce and would like to have Adler here back at my office as soon as possible.¡± After ncing at them, as if finding their actions cute, Moriarty leaned against the sofa and began to nod her head, ¡°So, how about a little wager?¡± ¡°What if I refuse?¡± ¡°I will ept that as a sign of you wanting to engage in total war.¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯re being a pain in the ass right now, you know that?¡± Seeing her behavior, Charlotte could only show a bitterugh while muttering those words. ¡°I¡¯m the one showing you mercy right now¡­¡± ¡°And we¡¯re the ones who have what you desire¡­¡± The two women¡¯s icy gazes quietly intersected in the room. ¡°¡­ So, what kind of wager do you want?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be the one to decide since you, who are bound to lose, will juste up with an excuse as ast-minute tactic.¡± ¡°Then who¡¯ll be deciding?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s only one person who can do that in this situation, don¡¯t you think?¡± Saying so, both women turned their heads to the side in unison. ¡°¡­ Hup.¡± The moment when Adler ¨C whose hups, that had barely stopped, resumed once more as those ominous dark gazes locked on him ¨C looked up at them¡­ ¨C Whiiir¡­! Something flew in from the back window, which had been left slightly ajar due to Lestrade¡¯s peeping, and instantly embedded itself on the desk they had been sitting around. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± As they read the message written on the object, the expressions of the two women began to darken further and further. I will snatch your treasure before leaving London. The Tower (XVI) card, with the doodle of a girl sporting a monocle while sticking out her tongue, was embedded upside down on the table as it shook. ¡°T-Tada.¡± ¡°Shut up, Adler.¡± ¡°Shut up, Mr. Adler.¡± As Adler, who had spread out his arms with an awkward smile on his face, heard those words, he closed his mouth with a dejected look. Thus, a heavy silence, like never before, enveloped the entire room.
Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 75: Summons Chapter 75: Summons ¡°It¡¯s unfair.¡± In the heavy silence, the gloomy Adler began to slowly speak while taking a peek at the gazes that were still directed at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t intend for this to happen.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that everything up till now has happened ording to your intentions?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­¡± ¡°In that case, just how far was it ording to your intentions, Mr. Adler?¡± ¡°Um, well¡­¡± However, Adler, who was being nailed down by Holmes and Professor¡¯s fierce gazes, began to stutter in response to their relentless questions. ¡°Speak honestly. Haven¡¯t you, yet again, tried to seduce that woman to get your way with her?¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s you, the thief wouldn¡¯t have attacked you so brutally. Just what in hell did you two do?¡± As both Professor and Holmes pressed him simultaneously, cold sweat began to run down his whole body. ¡°¡­ He hit her!¡± However, at that very moment, a young voice resounded from behind them. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­?¡±¡± ¡°I, I told you not to leave the room¡­¡± ¡°Brother Adler hit the suspicious person!¡± Upon the sudden arrival of the younger girl, everyone, including a startled Lestrade, turned their gazes toward her. ¡°¡­ Can you exin why he did that?¡± ¡°The suspicious person was about to attack Brother Adler! So he resisted and hit her back!¡± But even amid the tense atmosphere, the younger girl continued her story with a confident voice. ¡°Brother Adler did nothing wrong! It¡¯s all the suspicious person¡¯s fault!¡± ¡°¡­ What did I say?¡± Adler¡¯s face, shedding cold sweat in torrents, brightened at her sincere testimony. ¡°But sis, you were sleeping until big sis arrived¡­¡± ¨C Stomp¡­! ¡°Ouch.¡± While smiling bashfully and waving her hand at Adler, the younger girl stomped hard on the foot of the third sibling, who had been muttering by her side. ¡°I¡¯m just a victim here.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°And let me tell you, I hate that thief.¡± However, thanks to Adler¡¯s desperate argument, no one had heard the short groan leaking out of the small boy¡¯s mouth. ¡°So, there are women you dislike too?¡± ¡°I¡¯m human too, Professor. It¡¯s natural for there to be people I dislike, just like how it¡¯s natural for me to have people I like.¡± ¡°But there must be a reason that you dislike that woman, right?¡± The professor, who had been staring at Adler, slowly bobbed her head from side to side and threw out that question. ¡°Well, Miss Holmes¡­..¡± He was about to answer, as though it was only obvious to hate her, however, he suddenly stopped and closed his mouth shut. ¡°¡­ Cough, cough.¡± If he were to say something along the lines of Among Holmes¡¯s admirers, there¡¯s no one who likes such a blockhead character right here and now then¡­ ¡°What about Miss Holmes, Adler?¡± Adler could vividly envision what kind of action Professor Jane Moriarty, who had already sensed something and was inquiring with a cold expression, would take once she heard those wordsing out of his mind. ¡°That guy tried to frighten me by impersonating Miss Holmes.¡± Therefore, Adler, putting his talent for improvisation to use, tweaked the words he was about to say to Professor Moriarty. ¡°She was nning to knock me out and drag me to the bedroom.¡± As he said this while slightly lifting his clothes, the clearly defined bruise marks caught the professor¡¯s eye. ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°Indeed, it seems like I am about to lose it today.¡± And the next moment¡­ ¨C Crash!!! The sound of shattering ss echoed throughout the living room. ¨C Drip¡­ Watson and Lestrade, who had been sitting quietly, immediately stood up with tense expressions. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± The professor, who had crushed the coffee cup in her hand with her strength alone, was emitting eerie grey mana, ignoring the blood leaking out of her hand. ¡°¡­ Professor?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± As Adler tried to hesitantly start a conversation with Moriarty, the professor began to mutter in a low voice. ¡°Why should I just watch my adorable assistant get beat up?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°He liked me first, not you. So why?¡± A billowing wave of mana leaked out of her body, enough to instill a sense of horror and fright in one¡¯s mind, and cold sweat began to drip from everyone¡¯s forehead, except for Lestrade, in response. ¡°And you, why are you keeping Mr. Adler around if you can¡¯t even protect him properly, huh?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I have confidence in protecting Mr. Adler. By spending every moment with him I can definitely ensure that not even a strand of his hair is touched. However, how many times have you already put him in danger, huh?¡± ¡°All of that was within my expectations¡­¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡± The professor¡¯s voice became even colder than before. ¡°Tell me, then¡­ What is the meaning of the bruises marring his stomach?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± ¡°Because of leaving him in the care of a greenhorn like you, dirty flies have started to swarm around Adler. They even had the gal to harm him.¡± In the next moment, Moriarty, losing her usual elegant way of speaking due to her anger, began to raise her voice sharply. ¡°Adler is not someone who can be marked by such baseless, dirty lowlifes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Do you understand my words, Holmes?¡± Cold sweat trickled down Charlotte¡¯s cheeks as she listened to her, speechless. ¡°If you understand, then quickly, make a wager with me.¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if you decide, or if Mr. Adler decides. So hurry up already.¡± The professor¡¯s eyes, which were directed toward Charlotte and Adler, were shining darker than ever before. ¡°Let¡¯s wage an all-out war over the right to take care of Isaac Adler.¡± ¡°¡­ You think we can decide on such an important wager with such haste?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t leave this mansion until the topic is decided upon so take as much time as you need.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± In the midst of the atmosphere that was heading toward surefire disaster, Adler brought up a topic in a crawling voice. ¡°So, how about we wager on who catches the owner of this card first?¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± ¡°The one who catches the thief first wins. Well, something like that.¡± At such a proposition, he was instantly met with frosty stares from the people around him. ¡°Why are you guys looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Voices of disbelief followed one after another after his inquiry. ¡°It¡¯s not just any person, but a person who dared to intimidate you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a situation where we should divide our forces just for a bet.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Adler¡¯s gaze began to waver. ¡°We will not be at odds in the matter of catching the thief. It¡¯s distasteful, but sometimes a detective must tread into the shadows.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll throw her in the basement and treat her like livestock, just how she likes it. Doesn¡¯t that sound fun?¡± The presence of a quest that can only be cleared by being kidnapped by the thief floated into his mind as Holmes and Professor miraculously came to the first agreement between them. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure¡­ that¡¯s a good idea¡­¡± ¡°Stay still.¡± ¡°I reject that proposal.¡± Unable to confess his desire to experience being kidnapped at least once, Adler shut his mouth after hearing the chill in their voices. ¡°Suggest another wager.¡± ¡°If I choose, there will definitely beints, so you choose, Mr. Adler.¡± Quietly sighing to himself, he stood up and opened his mouth. ¡°I understand, but I don¡¯t think we can proceed with this matter¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can suggest anything, considering the position I¡¯m in right now.¡± At that very moment, as he grumbled with a slightly shameless expression¡­ ¨C Squeak¡­ The firmly shut front door began to slowly open. ¡°Mr. Adler, you¡¯re quite quick.¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± ¡°Or maybe, you¡¯ve already noticed?¡± At the entrance of the person who entered through the door, everyone¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt the start of the all-out war, but I need to borrow Adler for a moment.¡± Mycrony Holmes was standing at the door with inexplicably wide eyes and a beaming smile on her face. ¡°Sister, how can you do this when you just dered neutrality?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can stand any more uninvited guests.¡± ring at her sister, Charlotte voiced a question filled with weariness and unease. Meanwhile, Moriarty began to whisper in a chilly tone while wiping the blood dripping from her hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have no choice.¡± However, Mycrony, with one eye slightly open, looked at them calmly and raised her hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t heree to get your permission.¡± Then, countless presences began to reveal themselves from practically every direction. ¨C Clink¡­ ¡°Do you know what the mostmon and fatal weakness of a detective and a viin is?¡± As the Royal Knights and the British Guard, who directly serve the British Royal Family, started to surround Lestrade¡¯s house, the faces of the two women contorted slowly but surely. ¡°State authority.¡± Mycrony Holmes whispered with clear amusement in her voice as she watched the scene unfold before her eyes. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t understand.¡± Lestrade, who had been nkly staring at her, began to mumble in a voice that suggested her iprehension of the current events. ¡°Even if it¡¯s you, you shouldn¡¯t be capable of exercising this much power.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°The power that your position holds is unofficial; you can¡¯t wield it openly like this.¡± And with that, she unconsciously grabbed Adler¡¯s arm. ¡°Exactly what in the world is up with Isaac Adler?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Why is everyone so anxious to get this man?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± However, Adler, who politely pulled his arm away from her, walked quietly toward Mycrony Holmes and opened his mouth. ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice now, do we?¡± With that, the eyes of everyone in the room narrowed all at once. ¡°We¡¯ll have to postpone the bet for a while.¡± ¡°¡±¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡±¡±¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon, so everyone should behave themselves.¡± After Adler finished his statement and moved toward a smiling Mycrony Holmes, the room began to grow eerily quiet. . . . . . ¡°¡­ Ah, Professor Moriarty.¡± The moment Adler stretched his arms toward the sky, basking in the fresh air outside with a bright smile on his face¡­ ¡°You shoulde too.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Charlotte, you too.¡± Mycrony Holmes, who had been quietly walking alongside him, casually told the professor and Holmes to apany them. ¡°¡­ Excuse me? Miss Mycrony?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What I asked for in the message was to get only me out of here, didn¡¯t I?¡± Adler, whose breath had momentarily stopped at the scene, began whispering hurriedly into Mycrony¡¯s ear. ¡°Is that so?¡± However, a perplexed Mycrony Holmes looked at him with widened eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t receive such a message though?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How can you even send and receive signals from a mansion surrounded by such a thick mana barrier? Even if Merlin himself was resurrected, it would be impossible for him to transmit a message from this ce.¡± ¡°What are you¡­¡± At that moment, Adler, who had just noticed the grey barrier engulfing the mansion, started to break into a cold sweat. ¡°¡­ Wait, then why are you here?¡± To his question, Mycrony answered with a quiet smile. ¡°As a British citizen, I can¡¯t refuse an order from Her Majesty herself now, can I?¡± ¡°¡­.. What?¡± Suddenly, the British Guard and the Royal Knights, who brought a tented carriage, began to slowly approach Adler. ¡°Step aside.¡± However, they stopped in their tracks at the cold voice of a figure who had suddenly approached Adler¡¯s side. ¡°We will leave of our own free will.¡± The professor, fiercer than ever, was pushing back the Guards and the Knights with her intimidating presence. ¡°All I can do is attach the professor and my sister as protectors by your side.¡± Mycrony Holmes whispered in a soft voice to Adler as he kept nkly staring ahead¡ª at the scene unfolding before his eyes. ¡°Be strong.¡± As she stepped back after finishing her sentence, Adler¡¯splexion began to slowly pale further and further. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± He couldn¡¯t help it as the two women, whom he had just bade farewell to mere moments ago, were now quietly watching him from either side. ¡°¡­ Hehe.¡± Adler, looking at their dark eyes, forced out an awkward smile. ¡°So it hase to this, huh¡­¡± Then, grabbing both women¡¯s arms at once, he continued the words he hadn¡¯t been able to finish earlier. ¡°¡­ A new mystery is upon us!¡±
Probability of Imprisonment if you don¡¯t RATE this novel: 100% Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 76: Refusal Chapter 76: Refusal ¨C tter, tter¡­ Inside the carriage rattling forward to an unknown destination, Jane Moriarty, hand quietly resting on her chin, was lost in deep thought. ¡°¡­ It would be better for you to not open the window.¡± When she reached out to the window, sealed with boards and nails, the deep voice of the coachman echoed out from the front. ¡°The ce we¡¯re heading to is one of the secret rendezvous points of the royal family. Naturally, it¡¯s a state secret, so if by any chance you find out¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to look out of the window to know that we¡¯re heading to the Western regions of London.¡± Nevertheless, Professor Moriarty, not caring a bit about his threatening remark, replied with a gleam in her eyes. ¡°To be more precise, we¡¯re probably heading towards Windsor, the royal residential area. But let¡¯s pretend that I didn¡¯t say anything regarding that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not curious about the destination, I just want to breathe some fresh air. It is congested in here.¡± Saying so, she concentrated mana on the tip of her fingers and touched the board¡­ instantly, a small hole was carved. ¡°Much better now.¡± Leaning her head next to the hole, Professor Moriarty shed a broad smile. ¡°You can see the Windsor Castle quite clearly from here.¡± However, when the coachman didn¡¯t react any further, her gaze, now bored and dull, turned to the side. ¡°Hmm.¡± Immediately, her eyes narrowed sharply. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± Charlotte, who had not slept for four days to keep an eye on Moriarty, and Adler, who had been harassed by the thief all day, were fast asleep, their heads touching as they leaned against each other. ¨C Swoosh¡­ Observing them for a while, she quietly reached out her hand and pushed Charlotte¡¯s head toward the opposite window. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Gently, the professor then proceeded to lean Adler¡¯s head on her shoulder instead; she couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and murmur to herself as she watched Adler¡¯s sleeping figure. ¡®¡­ What am I even doing right now?¡¯ Leaning back in her seat, feeling her strength draining away, she recalled the memory of the Reigate incident that took ce a few weeks prior. Back then, she had been the one asleep, although she was just pretending to be, while Charlotte and Adler were wide awake. Moreover, until that very instant, she had the upper hand in this game of theirs. But now, everything had somehow flipped and reversed. The one awake was her, and the game was in Charlotte Holmes¡¯ hands, not hers. The very same Charlotte Holmes who, up until a few days ago, she had scoffed for being a child and an amateur. ¡®¡­ What did you realize from that incident?¡¯ The professor ¨C coldly staring at Charlotte as she pouted, eyes furrowed, sensing the disappearance of Adler¡¯s warmth ¨C murmured to herself. ¡®What changed you to this extent?¡¯ In truth, the professor knew the answer all along. Beneath Charlotte¡¯s closed and furrowed eyes, her pupils were permanently dyed in the golden hues of Adler. And reciprocating to her own, Isaac Adler¡¯s pupils were dyed in the ck hues of Charlotte, not the grey hues of her own. And that¡­ was the fundamental reason why Charlotte was now overwhelming her in this game of theirs. ¡°So, you¡¯ve finally fallen for her, huh?¡± Moriarty, who had been quietly feeling Adler¡¯s warmth as he leaned against her shoulder, murmured with a slightly mncholic expression. ¡°So, the pawn wasn¡¯t her, but me all along¡­¡± It was supposed to be a simple observation, a game, for her amusement¡­ From the beginning, he was merely a stand-in for the sugar she consumed. Adler wasn¡¯t the only one who had the right to end this rtionship¡ª perhaps the most peculiar rtionship in the history of London. She too, if she wished, could end this little game of theirs at any moment. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± She was certain of this fact. Then why? Why was this strange feeling, the likes of which she had never felt before in her life, taking control of her body and mind from her for a while now? Why was this happening to her? ¨C Lick¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡­.?¡± The eyes of the professor, downcast in silent contemtion of her bizarre circumstance, widened at the ticklish sensation she suddenly felt from her hand. ¡°Mr. Adler.¡± Isaac Adler, who had seemingly awoken from his sleep, was licking her hand with his eyes tightly closed. ¡°You¡¯re not a puppy¡­ What are you doing?¡± The professor, watching his antics with wide eyes, noticed the blood dripping from her hand; she couldn¡¯t help but leak out a bitterugh once more. ¡°¡­ Mr. Adler?¡± A temporary state as her eyes soon narrowed into thin slits. ¨C Lick¡­ Adler¡¯s face, as he devotedly licked the blood from her hand and even sunk his teeth into it, looked somewhat pale and sickly. ¡°Are you feeling sick?¡± The professor, tilting her head at his abnormal behavior of drinking blood as if he had lost his sanity, asked that question, her eyes still narrowed. ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± But when her assistant didn¡¯t answer, the professor, her head still tilted, cautiously extended her other hand toward him. ¡°Hah.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­!¡± In the next moment, she swiftly snatched Adler¡¯s protruding tail and started sucking the tip with her mouth. ¡°Pr, Professor.¡± As the professor sucked the tail in her mouth, Adler¡¯s body started convulsing in response; finally able to regain his senses due to the shock, he stopped drinking her blood and gazed up at her. ¨C Bite ¡°¡­ Ah?¡± At that moment, the professor, gazing at him with a slightly cold look, bit the tip of his tail that she had been sucking till then. ¡°Let¡¯s, let¡¯s t-talk. We¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± As Adler, holding onto her shoulder with his body constantly twitching and squirming, let out a sound as though the wind had been knocked out of his lungs, Professor Moriarty, observing the scene from start to finish, lifted his chin with her hand and said. ¡°Not much life left in you anymore, huh?¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that when a vampire¡¯s life is nearing its end, their bloodlust intensifies.¡± Her cold gaze, tinted in the notes of grey, intersected with Adler¡¯s blood-stained eyes. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask for my help, even though your condition has already gotten so severe? ¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Do you think I wouldn¡¯t be able to find a way to extend your life?¡± The professor¡¯s voice trembled as she spoke, sensing something building up within her crumble into dust, and shifted her head toward the window, donning an expression she had never made in her whole life. ¡°¡­ Hmph.¡± From the mouth of the professor, a voice that she never believed she could have uttered just a few months ago leaked out. ¡°Umm, Professor¡­?¡± Adler, deeply familiar with such reactions from women, asked a question with an almost incredulous look on his face. ¡°Are you, by any chance, upset¡­?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± However, a voice,ced in endless chill, responded before he could even fully pose his question. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± ¡°Just live the rest of your life with your little detective. I don¡¯t care anymore¡­¡± And thus, silence ensued¡­ ¨C Squeak¡­ Adler, who had been fidgeting and leaking cold sweat from all over, widened his eyes at the feeling of the carriage abruptly stopping. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± At that very moment, Charlotte Holmes stretched her body and got up from her seat. ¨C Yawn¡­ ¡°I feel recharged after finally getting some sleep for the first time in ages.¡± Naturally linking arms with Adler in that state, she opened her mouth with a smile on her face. ¡°Then, shall we go out now?¡± ¡°¡­ Professor.¡± Then Adler, ncing at the professor whose head was still turned to the side, opened his mouth to speak to her. ¡°I¡¯m not going to follow.¡± ¡°¡­..?¡± ¡°You go with the little detective you like so much.¡± However, when her sulky voice leaked out, Charlotte couldn¡¯t help but ask with a puzzled expression on her face. ¡°Why is she acting like this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°¡­ Haha.¡± Hearing that question, Adler could only leak out a wryugh while scratching his head, unable to answer Charlotte¡¯s question. ¡°Apologies, but from here on, Mr. Adler will have to go alone.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes?¡± ¡°I ask that Mr. Adler¡¯spanions wait right here, where we can see them.¡± Listening to the words of the guard as he opened the carriage door, he couldn¡¯t help but get lost in thought. ¡°Why can¡¯t we follow?¡± ¡°It is for security reasons.¡± ¡°How many times have I acted for the sake of your master, and you¡¯re now talking about security? With me?¡± ¡°¡­ We also have to follow orders; there¡¯s nothing we can do, unfortunately.¡± Meanwhile, Charlotte Holmes began to quarrel with the guard with a chilly expression on her face. ¡°Allow me to apany him to the building, at least.¡± ¡°¡­ Very well, we can provide that much convenience.¡± Moriarty, whose head was turned to the side, now nced at them. ¨C Flicker¡­ And a momentter, her left eye began to glow in a greyish haze. ¡°¡­¡­..¡± It was the moment when her secret act of voyeurism ¨C which had been transpiring for thest few months,ing to a stop only in recent times ¨C began anew once more. . . . . . The old building that Charlotte entered along with me, after descending the carriage, was slightly worn out and shabby. However, it exuded an atmosphere that was hard for anyone to ignore. ¡°You can go inside now.¡± Perhaps overwhelmed by such an atmosphere, the guard bowed his head before pointing toward the door of the building. ¡°If anything happens, run out. Don¡¯t needlessly endure it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± After taking a slight deep breath, I turned the doorknob and cautiously stepped inside. ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± Immediately, I could see a giant veil at the center of the room. ¡°Should I sit here?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± As I approached the chair ced in front of the veil, asking the blurry silhouette beyond the curtain, a faint voice replied. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°You can think of me as the representative of the greatest authority in Ennd.¡± When I asked another question ¨C finding no peculiarities, unable to sense any magical interference in the voice, and unable to determine whether it was even real or not ¨C the expected answer came back from beyond the veil. ¡°And for what purpose would such a high and mighty individual summon me in such secrecy?¡± Feeling my mouth drying up, I asked the being beyond the veil in a faint voice. ¡°I wanted to meet you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been quite a bit interested in your actions since a long time ago.¡± I strained my ears to listen, but all I could figure out from the voice of the being beyond the veil was that it was surprisingly distant, as though her mind was reminiscing something as she spoke. ¡°So I asked Her Majesty the Queen herself.¡± ¡°¡­ I see.¡± And from the information I had just gathered, it was suffice to say that the person in front of me was royalty at the very least. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t make sense as there are only a handful of people who could ask for such a favor from the Queen and have it granted. Perhaps it was someone with considerable power among the royalty, close to the right of session? However, it seemed unlikely that such a person would call me so secretly just to meet with me like this. ¡°Then, shall we cut to the chase?¡± As I quietly tilted my head, the figure behind the veil slightly leaned forward and began to whisper to me. ¡°I have a proposal for you.¡± As I stared quietly at the entity, who seemingly had something she wanted from me, a sweet voice echoed in my ear. ¡°Please remove Professor Jane Moriarty.¡± ¡°Do you mean my supervising professor?¡± ¡°In the name of the royal family, I am entrusting you with this secret request.¡± As I read the message that appeared before my eyes at the same time, I couldn¡¯t help but realize what was going on. Ending 10 The Fallen Kingdom Right now, I was standing at a very important crossroads. ¡°In fact, it¡¯s better to call it an order rather than a request.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You have been appointed in the name of Her Majesty the Queen. Therefore, consider it an honor.¡± Of course, there was only one answer I could give to her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I only serve one queen.¡± It was toote for me to y the role of an apostle of justice, having crossed too many uncrossable lines already. ¡°Go to hell, Princess.¡± I had grown too fond of Professor Moriarty, who was probably bobbing her head from side to side with a lonely expression in the carriage by now. ¡°You¡¯re quite amusing, you.¡± A cold chill began to seep from behind the veil, but I had no regrets. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment¡­ ¡°Apologies ma¡¯am, but won¡¯t you be getting off?¡± The coachman, who had descended from the driver¡¯s seat, opened the door of the carriage and tilted his head as he asked the question. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Then, there appeared Professor Moriarty, wearing a distraught expression unlike her usual self. ¡°I can¡¯t understand you, even though I thought I did.¡± Her eyes, which were quietly flicking from side to side, perhaps in response to someone¡¯s words, shone golden for an instant, illuminated by the sunlight rolling in through the open door of the carriage. ¡°To serve only one queen, isn¡¯t that too childish of a line.¡± The faintest hints of a blush on her cheeks were just a bonus.
Trantor¡¯s Note:I would like to apologize for not posting anything for a week and a half. I had both exams and sickness to deal with so I wasn¡¯t able to do my duties for Genesis. I will try to amend them this month and stick to the 12-a-month schedule, maybe more. I don¡¯t have any fixed dates but 3 chapters a week, starting from Friday as the first day of the week as it was the first day this month, will be guaranteed from now on. I again apologize, but life was lifeing, couldn¡¯t do anything about it. I hope everyone understands. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server!¡» Chapter 77: Caroline Augustus Milverton Chapter 77: Caroline Augustus Milverton Im not sure if you fully understand the implications of what you have just said. Amid the chilling silence, a stern voice peeked out from behind the veil. Are you perhaps underestimating the power of the royal family? It seems to me that Miss Mycrony didnt properly exin what transpires in the shadows of the British government to you. Excuse me, but I believe I understand the implications perfectly well. Then I assume youre also aware of what will happen if you leave this room as it stands? Im not so sure about that though. As I scratched my head and said those words, the woman behind the veil slightly tilted her head to the side. You just need to understand that, no matter how hard you try and what power you use, if you walk out of this room right now, you wont be able to live past today. What if I just take you hostage right now, Princess? Im not sure what makes you say that, but Im not a princess. Do you really expect me to believe that when the royal knights and guards are surrounding the building with their senses sharp for any signs of oddity, and there are numerous snipers with their weapons locked on me as we speak? The moment I said those words, she straightened her back and sighed. And youre telling me that you, with that knowledge, still chose to act so in front of royalty? All the more reason for me to take you hostage right now, dont you think? Thats too reckless. Please note that if I see you raising your hand or sending a signal, I will attack immediately. So, please consider your next actions. Hearing me whisper so with a slightly stern expression, a smallugh emanated from behind the veil. Indeed, you are a savage, just as Ive heard. . But if you keep running wild, as you have, you might end up as a disy showpiece in my room someday. The fairly rxed voice that followed was filled with the unmistakable dignity and authority of royalty. Judging by her words and attitude, her confidence seemed to be well-founded, quite unlike the opponents Ive been dealing with so far. Isaac Adler. Apologize for insulting Her Majesty immediately and obey hermand. The royal family is already aware of everything you and the professor have been up to. Of course, weve already prepared a countermeasure. Sure enough, seeing my momentary silence, she began making some dizzying remarks, all directed at me. With a simplemand, all the military power that the British Empire can mobilize will trample you down and crush youpletely. Weve alreadye to an agreement with the prime minister regarding this stance, so you must make your choice with utmost haste. As a British citizen, choose who to serve as your queen right this instance. I felt a chill run down my spine and cold sweat began leaking out of my body. But, I have only one queen. Still, my response was the same as ever. No matter how many times you ask, my answer will be the same. And thus, silence ensued for a while. I dont understand. Sitting in my chair, I swallowed dryly,pletely ignoring the killing intent surging from behind me. At that moment, the princess voice, a mix of confusion and frustration, leaked out from behind the veil. Just saying that youll follow Her Majesty would have been enough to save your life. . Werent you forced to join that professor? Why would you miss such a good opportunity to get rid of her, that too with the support of the royal family? Quietly gazing at her silhouette, I replied in a low and deep voice. I cant betray the entity Ive created. Pardon? Simply speaking, I was unable to summarize the myriad of strange feelings I harbored toward Professor Jane Moriarty. As a creator, I cant betray my creation. Is that how it is? Therefore, as I blurted out the most trivial reasoning that came to my mind, the voice before me grew far chillier than before. Perhaps I have been misreading this scenario from the very beginning. What are you talking about? The one that needs to be eliminated has been you. You were the mastermind behind everything all along. The hostility in her voice was so palpable that my body began to tremble on its own. An average university professor who had shown no noteworthy movement, until recently of course, suddenly became a notable figure in the mathematical world, and at the same time, she started making a name for herself in the criminal underworld. . Her sudden appearance was so abrupt that my informants couldnt make heads or tails of the situation. But now, I fully understand the reason behind everything. Suddenly, it felt like the thick killing intent surrounding the building was now focused all on me. The one who shaped her from a raw gem, it was none other than you, wasnt it? Hmm. You were the orchestrator, not the professor, from the very start. Since I misinterpreted the origin, no matter how much I moved people it wouldnt have resolved anything. I felt like vomiting due to the extreme tension in the atmosphere, but still, I merely responded with a leisurely smile. You have a pretty good head above your shoulders, dont you, Princess?. Should you be epting it that easily? The professor is just following my orders. Even if you kill her, unless you kill me too, London will turn into a war zone sooner orter. Though her expression was hidden, I could imagine the princess eyes narrowing behind the veil. It appears to me now that we should be capturing you instead of the professor. Well, why dont you try it right now? Lets see if I can attack you, escape from this ce, by using you as a hostage, and then mobilize my colleagues scattered all over London before I am captured or annihted. I am dying to find out if I can pull it off; seems quite thrilling. If you dont want to start a game of tag with the fate of London at stake, lets negotiate, Princess. Calcting all possible reactions of the princess to my threat, I silently threw a gambit. Surely we can find apromise that satisfies us both. And then, silence descended between us once again. Hmm As I desperately tried to hide the frantic beating of my heart, the only sound echoing inside the silent room were thoseing from behind the veil I apologize, but I dont think that would be possible A momentter, the princesss firm response made me close my eyes tightly. Therefore, it is probably time for me to deliver Her Majestys real orders to you. However, her subsequent words were quite different from what I had expected toe out of her mouth. Are you saying that the Queen didnt order to eliminate the professor? That was actually a personal request of mine. I am the only one in the royal family who noticed your suspicious activities. . Of course, since it was a personal request, I couldnt mobilize the royal army against you. At least, its fortunate that I now have the assurance that you are definitely nning something behind the scenes. Momentarily, I couldnt help but feel stunned by her words. I wasnt sure which princess she was, but wouldnt Britains future be quite bright if she became the next queen? So, what are the real orders? Hehe. When I asked the question, my ego slightly bruised due to being yed like a puppet, the princess chuckled and seemingly put her hand into the pocket of her dress. Rustle A momentter, a slender, pale hand slipped out from the veil, cing something before me. This As the hand retreated back into the veil, a photograph immediately came into view. Who is this? I didnt think that you wouldnt recognize her. As I gazed at the unidentified figure in the photograph and asked said question, the princess responded with a faint hint of disbelief in her voice. Caroline Augustus Milverton. Dont you know her? Ah. Only then did I realize the identity of the figure in the photo. Of course I do. Caroline Augustus Milverton. In the Sherlock Holmes novels, she was a viinous character known as Charles Augustus Milverton a heinous maniptor who controlled the weaknesses of the elites of Londons upper ss. In the original story, he manipted Holmes and Watsons ns, and even ckmailed them, forcing them to break into his mansion. A formidable and intimidating viin indeed. Because of this backstory from the original story, the gender-bent version of him, Caroline, was adapted in the gal game being developed by ourpany as one of the top mid-bosses. Of course, you should know. Theres a famous joke that if half the women in London belong to Isaac Adler, then half the men belong to her, isnt there? Is there really such a rumor going around? The problem here is that its not a joke or a rumor, its a clear fact. Of course, having originally targeted the famous women in society, the gender-bent version of the viin was thus targeting the male counterpart, as the princess just described. Anyway, I believe that you have slowly realized by now as to why I showed you her picture. You want me to take care of her? One of Her Majestys honorable acquaintances is in quite the predicament because of her. With her background information in mind, I asked the question and the princess cold voice returned in response. Judging by the honorifics you use for this acquaintance, the person must be royalty as well? Dont bother digging deeper into this matter. Well, understood. Nodding my head quietly, I picked up the photograph that was put on the desk. What exactly should I do with her? Neutralize her. Dont worry about the means, you can do anything you see fit to take her out. I never imagined that I would be asked by the royal family, of all people, to advise on a crime. As long as you carry out the orders of Her Majesty, your actions will not be deemed as a crime. At her words, I chuckled and got up from my seat, as did the princess. Keep this in mind The woman, seemingly wearing a long robe, nced at me and spoke from behind the veil. That Im keeping a close eye on your suspicious activities in London. You will have to correct the impure schemes you are harboring as soon as possible. Hearing her, a question immediately popped into my head. If youre so wary of me, why havent you revealed my secrets to anyone yet? If it werent for the business regarding Caroline, I would have reported your activities to Her Majesty the Queen long ago. If it were me, I would have still told her, just in case, you know? To that question, the princess merely replied in a calm and dignified voice. I have the perfect card in my hand, a card I can use to control and keep you to myself. Why would I let others have a piece of it. Are you nning to use me in the internal power struggle of the royal family? Not necessarily for that reason alone, though you arent inurate in your reasoning. And with that, she began walking towards the secret door beyond the veil. Then, is there another reason? Well, youre quite handsome, arent you? As the princess left those words behind and stepped through the secret door, her figure hidden throughout, the palpable tension in the surroundings quickly vanished as though it were a lie. Thest statement must be a joke, right? Thinking about how the princesses of the 19th century were also good at making jokes, I silently headed toward the door at the back of the room. ..? As I opened the door, I was taken aback by the sight before me, my eyes widening and head tilting to the side. Professor? Professor Moriarty was awkwardly standing there, receiving the icy gaze of Charlotte, who was sitting on the sofa across from her. Didnt you say you wouldnt follow us? . As I looked at her in clear confusion and moved toward her, Professor Moriarty subtly averted her gaze, avoiding my eyes. Swish... In her slightly awkward state, she imperceptibly extended her hand to me. As I casually extended my palm as well, she gently ced something on top. A gift, for you. There were as many as three pieces of sugar cubes, which she loved to eat, ced on my palm. Thank you? Mr. Adler. While I was scratching my head, putting it in my mouth while smiling awkwardly, I heard Charlottes icy tone from behind. What is that picture on your hand? She was looking at the photo of a rather elegant woman, ced in my other hand. This is Immediately, a light bulb lit up in my head. Its the subject of a bet. The eyes of both Charlotte and Professor Moriarty began to glow ominously at the same time after hearing my words. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment Miss, Count Winston has contacted us to request a meeting with you. Decline it. In a darkened room, a woman sat in an armchair, resting her chin on her hand as she stared nkly at the picture in her hand. I have been informed that if you refuse to meet him, there will be troubles regarding your safety, miss I dont care. Soon after, a cold voice leaked out of her lips. I have already chosen a new target. Reflected in her eyes was the image of a boy with golden hair. Surely, you dont mean Isaac Adler now, do you? Hehe.
You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! We are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server! Chapter 78: Caroline Augustus Milverton (2) Chapter 78: Caroline Augustus Milverton (2) Its been a while, Holmes? Watson. A few days after Adler informed Charlotte and Jane about the bet What brings you here? Finished with her duties at the hospital, thus returning to the boarding house to relieve some of her exhaustion, Watson immediately discovered Charlotte sitting in her armchair, smoking from her favorite pipe. Her eyes opened wide in surprise, she couldnt help but ask the question to her partner. Ive been out and about recently, but this is still my home, isnt it? Is that so? I thought you had already set up a new household with Adler. I was slightly jealous, thinking you were getting married before me. As Watson, saying so with clear mirth in her voice, chuckled and hung her coat on the coat rack, Charlottes eyes were now glued to her, her expression nk. How are things going on with Neville? Not good. Hearing her question, Watson couldnt help but grimace. We are already engaged, but he is too reserved, conservative even, so I tried to seduce him a few days ago. But something urgent came up and our ns got cancelled. I see Its a pity but what can I do? I can only look forward to our next date. Watching her, Charlotte subtly smiled. So, what brings you home, Holmes? I have a visitor to meet. Could it be a new case? At her words, Watson, gloomy as she thought about her rtionship with her fiance, brightened visibly. Along those lines, yes. Its more or less the same as receiving a case request. Thats good news. Ive been living quite the dull life these days. To be precise, I am currently in an upromising bet surrounding the ownership of Isaac Adler. What? She couldnt help but wear a dumbfounded expression on her face as she heard her words. Among the three of us, the one who incapacitates the person who will knock on the door in a few minutes will be the winner. Among the three? Incapacitate? Winner? If I win, Adler bes my assistant and if the Professor wins, he bes her assistant. Ignoring Watsons expression, Charlotte rested her hands on her chin and wore a serious expression. And if Isaac Adler wins At that very instant, just as she was about to reveal Adlers part of the bet, her eyes shining darkly Knock, knock, knock Knocks began to resonate from the door of the boarding house. Lets talk about itter. Hey, by the way Watson narrowed her eyes and asked Holmes who immediately stood up and started heading towards the door after hearing the knock. I would like to know the identity of the person who ising right now. Hearing her words, Charlotte, who was about to grab the doorknob, turned her head slightly and whispered. The female Adler. I understand. At her simple response, Watson merely dipped her head, indicating that she understood immediately. Charlotte, nodding as well, turned the doorknob. Come in.. However, as soon as she opened the door, she was met with a foul smell leaking in from the outside. She stopped mid-sentence, covering her nose and stepping back with a stagger, her eyes opened wide in astonishment. Yes? For some reason, a woman with a dark expression stood before her, drenched and dripping with muddy water like a drowned rat. Yet, despite her current pitiful state, she retained her natural elegance and beauty. Are are you okay Miss And then came a maid, who looked like her servant, holding a crumpled note in her hand, her face tinged with a slight blush. .. The two visitors stood in front of Charlotte, who now donned a dazed look. Pleasee in. Yes. No, wash up first, please. Charlotte, who had been quietly staring at the two, as if in a trance, for a while, frowned slightly and began to step back from the drenched woman. Hearing her words, the woman with the dark expression started to tremble. Even though hes just a little boy. At the same time, she began to recall the event that made her don such an undignified and humiliating look. How dare he inflict such humiliation on me! . . . . . A few dozen minutes before the drenched visitor entered the boarding house on Baker Street I always had this thought, arent little boys just adorable? Yes? A woman, apanied by a rather stern-looking maid, was walking through the streets of London. Just give them a slight smile at parties, asionally stroke their heads while praising them, and theyll fawn all over you. Hmm If you leave them alone for a while, theyll fantasize and offer things to you on a silver tter, and if you leave them alone for a bit more, theyll offer up their everything to you, just to get a chance to meet you again. The woman who spoke of such words with a clear arrogance in her tone was none other than Caroline Augustus Milverton. Among the many things they send you, there would always be countless meticulously written letters for you. . They send such scandalous letters without any thought. Makes you wonder what they will do when its time for them to get married, doesnt it? She was a woman with a tall stature, mature appearance and figure, and a beautiful smile that anyone would fall for the perfect woman with all the qualities of an exceptional beauty. The maid walking beside her couldnt help but tilt her head in confusion after hearing her mistress soft and pleased murmurs. I thought you hated men, mydy. Its not just mere dislike its disgust. If we were to name the person who hates men the most in London, it would be either me or the self-proimed genius girl were about to meet. But why little boys? Oh, you dont have much knowledge about this, do you? When the maid tilted her head and asked, Caroline, covering her mouth with her hand and chuckling, replied, Men and little boys arepletely different creatures. Really? Little boys are still cute and innocent. When you hold them in your arms, theyugh bashfully. Do you know how just how angelic that is? .. The maid looked at her mistress with a look that clearly spoke of her iprehension of this matter. Is that your taste, mydy? Its not exactly a taste. Just a personal preference, if you will. So, thats why youre targeting Isaac Adler this time, I presume. At those words, Caroline gingerly took a picture out of her bosom. Isaac Adler. Hes pretty much the king of all the boys in London. Thats true. Theres also that saying, isnt there? If half the men in London are your property, then half the women are Ive heard that joke so many times, its getting quite old already. Her dignified voice interrupted the maids words, and in her eyes, the picture of Isaac Adler reflected with a gleam. His age is a bit off, I admit, but he looks much younger because of his youthful appearance. And since he had been a child actor for a long time, that image ingrained itself in him already. Hes shorter than you, mydy. Yes, hes just the perfect little boy Carolines eyes shone like stars. Should I meet an old man like Count Winston, leaving such a wonderful little boy like this? But Im worried, mydy. Why? Hes a person who could potentially harm you. Hes not someone to be underestimated. Looking at her mistress, the maid started talking with a cold expression. Its dangerous if you keep behaving like that. Ive felt that the surveince on you has doubled recently. Thats why I have you with me, isnt it? To her advice, Caroline merely responded with a rxed expression. Who in the world would guess that the strongest assassin, recognized even in the back alleys of London as the fiercest predator, would be disguising herself as a maid while wearing a maid uniform? If only she were capable of fixing her cold and blunt expression and personality, there would be nothing left to criticize. To be honest, I am already at my limit from just wearing the maid uniform. Hehehe At the maidsints, reeking with her tiredness, Caroline couldnt help but chuckle softly and then began walking once more. Anyway, Im starting to see Just as her gaze began to reach far off, towards the most famous boarding house of Baker Street Screeeech!!! Eh? Abruptly, a carriage drawn by an agitated horse turned up from an alleyway, heading straight towards Caroline as she walked down the street. Its dangerous, mydy! The maid, who had, for reasons that alluded her, unable to notice the sudden emergence of therge carriage even though she had been on high alert, couldnt help but shout with a panicked expression on her face. But Caroline, whose body had already frozen from the abruptness of the situation, just stood there dumbly, watching the carriage boring down on her. .. Ah. Then, in the corner of her eyes, a boy could be seen rushing urgently towards her from across the street. Hehe. Was it coincidence or fate? This is a bit surprising. Caroline began to smile faintly, realizing that the boy looked exactly like the person she had just seen in the photograph tucked away in her hands. This obvious y might be a little fun. Ill y along. Muttering so to herself, she reached out her hand towards Isaac Adler, who had already reached her side and was stretching out his hand. p! .? But when Isaac Adler knocked away the hand she had stretched out with a brisk p instead of grabbing it, her eyes blinked in clear surprise. Bang!!! The next moment, she was hit squarely by the carriage that came rushing at her with a terrifying speed, her waist bending as she was thrown into the air. Cough Ack Ugh Carolines body hit the ground and bounced roughly three times, each time a different scream leaking out of her mouth. Ssh! Then she rolled for a while before crashing into a dirty puddle at the end of the street a puddle that had formed due to the heavy snowfall that pelted the grounds not long before. .. Soon, silence ensued for a while You should be careful. Huh? In the silence, Isaac Adler, who had picked up the maid next to Caroline in a princess carry, whispered to her in a gentle voice much to the embarrassment of the greatly flustered maid. You could have been in quite a bit of trouble if you got hit there. Um, well.. Beautiful sister. Hearing him speak, the maids always blunt face started to melt into a crimson blush, perhaps for the very first time in her life. Dearest sister. Huh? No, what? As Adler gently held her by the waist and helped her stand, squinting his eyes as he leaned in, the maid began babbling with visible confusion and embarrassment. You do look quite cute now that I see you from up close. M, me? What can I say? I fell for you at first sight. Avoiding his gaze, stroking the scar that ran along her eye, the maid lost her voice once she heard Adlers melting voice. This is my contact. . Would you like to have dinner with me sometime tonight? With a shy expression on his face, Adler gingerly handed the maid a note with his contact information written above. Uh, umm. Just when the maid, whose face had been shaded crimson, even up to her ears, was extending her hand with a small groan Thanks for giving me your contact. ..! Caroline, dripping with muddy water, appeared beside them with a dark smile hanging on her lips. Oh, mydy! Are you okay? Was that protective magic you cast on me earlier? Caroline, who had finallye to her senses after being tossed like a ragdoll and lifted her hand to the maid, her head already turned to her mistress, spoke to Adler in front of her with a rxed smile on her face. Saving both me and my servant. Its quite remarkable. . I want to repay you, although it may be insignificant. If you would just give me your contact However, Adler stepped back, avoiding her outstretched hand for reasons that alluded Caroline. You reek. Pardon? When he looked at her with a slightly scornful look and spoke those words, Caroline couldnt help but doubt her ears, craning her hand to listen once more. You reek, auntie. However, at Adlers cold voice that followed, her mind began to nk out. Step aside please. Auntie? . . . . . Operation failed. Meanwhile, at the same time The n itself was perfect, but I didnt expect Isaac Adler to intervene so boldly. . Well, Adler himself is participating in the bet you mentioned. Disrupting our operation is an obvious strategy. On the rooftop of a nearby building, the princess, Joanne y, was quietly watching the scene unfold. Should we just snipe them? No, Adler already warned. Killing is not included in neutralization. Oh! So, what are we going to do now? Lightly ruffling Morans hair as she mumbled with an expressionless face, she asked the woman standing beside her with a sigh. As long as Adler is interfering, it wont be easy to incapacitate the target .. However, for some reason, Professor Jane Moriarty ignored her words, her eyes quietly looking down at the scene. Do you have any knowledge regarding cosmetics? Huh? Suddenly? Yes or no? Look, I was a princess, okay? Im somewhat of an expert if I say so myself. In response to her blunt question, Princess y answered with a puzzled expression. So, do you know about any makeup that would make you look younger? What? Then she heard the faint voice of Professor Moriarty in her ear. You know, some kind of makeup that makes you look like youre still in your 20s, even after a few years from now. Are you joking right now? Do I look like Im joking to you? Excuse me? Even though Princess y strained to smile at her joke, the professor only mumbled the same words with slightly flushed cheeks. Isnt there any makeup that would permanently make you look like a teenager? . From the forehead of the princess, who gained an understanding of cosmic horror even before Lovecrafts novels stirred up the world in a storm, cold sweat began pouring out incessantly.
Trantors Note: I wonder if anyone was able to pick up on the massive foreshadowing in this chapter. I forgot to mention it at first and in the announcements, but let me know if you guys can pick it up. Of course, the ones who have already read the raws doesnt count here, I myself was only able to get the foreshadowing in my second read so it is super discreet. You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! We are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server! 37 Chapter 79: Caroline Augustus Milverton (3) Chapter 79: Caroline Augustus Milverton (3) Yes, thats better now. Ahem. Once Milverton returned from taking a bath, in the bathroom of the boarding house of Baker Street, Charlotte greeted her with a handshake before sitting down, muttering in a calm voice once she was properly seated. I apologize for earlier. I had a slightly unpleasant experience on my way here Lets skip the pleasantries and get to the point shall we? Charlotte immediately interrupted Milvertons monologue, a gleam brimming in her eyes. Do you realize that you are currentlymitting a grave offense against the royal family? Oh I wonder what Ive done now. Milvertons eyes also started to shine lightly in response to Charlottes words. I now understand why the world-renowned detective wanted to see me so eagerly. What do you want? Nothing in particr, if I have to be honest. A slight frown etched on Charlottes face at Milvertons blunt response. I apologize, but there are certain things that I value far more than money. Such as? The omnipotent power of being able to control the life of the Prince of Ennd at my whims, I guess? Thats quite a dangerous thing to say there. The corners of Milvertons lips curled up ever so slightly after hearing her response. The more dangerous it is, the more thrilling it would make you feel. Hmm However, I do think I may have crossed the line a bit recently. With that, she crossed her legs and made her offer. 100,000 pounds. For that sum, Ill burn the letters I have received from the cute prince and leave for America. . I n to start anew there afterundering my identity. Im only asking for the minimum amount of money I need to do that. Isnt that quite conscientious of me? Charlotte, with a hardened expression, quietly started tapping her finger on the table as she heard Milvertons request. 20,000 pounds. What? 20,000 pounds is my limit. An incredulous look pervaded Milvertons face once she heard the words leaking out of Charlottes mouth. You have cut the money by 80% out of the blue and expect me to ept that? I am at a loss for words, truly. . It seems the princes life only amounts to that much for the royal family. Her eyes narrowed. Ive heard theres a very important engagement between nations that is supposed to be held recently. And Im well aware that the prince is one of the parties involved in that engagement. In that case, should you really be shing the price so aggressively as you have? Let me be clear, thats the maximum amount I can offer at the moment. Charlotte then lifted her head, a serious expression stered on her face. The royal family has already conveyed that they cannot contribute a single penny to this matter. You probably wont even get one pound from this affair if you were to take this matter to them. .. So why dont you take the 20,000 pounds Ive prepared for you? If it were me, Id take it and live the rest of my lifefortably in America. So, youre saying that even though youve taken on themission from the royal family, you would rather pay me the funds to get rid of me? Thats too suspicious; enough to make me unwilling to take the money from you. Anyone would think the same in my position, dont you think? Charlotte sighed in response to Milvertons words. If 20,000 pounds can get me what I want the most in life, then its a good deal for me. ? So what will it be? 20,000 pounds, or a life of being chased like a dog by the royal family of Britain? Charlottes ultimatum continued, but Milverton didnt even blink; a smile hung on her lips as she responded. Im not interested in anything less than 100,000 pounds, unfortunately. As Milverton stood up resolutely after making such a statement, ck mana began seeping out of the heavily frowning Charlotte. Swoosh Simultaneously, Watson quietly rose from her seat and picked up a chair with her hands, readying herself for a fight. Click I was expecting a more refined approach from you. However, Milverton, her head turned slightly to the side, was one step ahead and was already pointing a gun towards them, making a subtle gesture on the side. Gooooooooooooo Picking up the signal, the calm maid, standing by her side, began emitting a terrifying wave of murderous aura from her body, directed towards Charlotte and Watson. Do maids nowadays use aura too? Well, its only natural when there are so many people like you after me. Hehe Milverton, smiling with a glint in her eyes, lightly stepped towards the exit of the boarding house. Deposit 100,000 pounds into my ount within a week. . Otherwise, Britain is going to suffer quite a massive scandal in theing days. As her voice finally reached their ears, the door closed behind Milverton and Charlotte quietly retracted her mana. Weve been had. Watson, awkwardly holding the chair still, muttered as she scratched her head, prompting Charlotte to quietly rise from her seat to respond. Not at all. Huh? The trap was set the moment I invited that woman here. Tilting her head, Watson looked at her in silent puzzlement at that remark. When I shook hands with her, I secretly attached some powdered mana stones to her hand without her noticing. Powdered Mana Stones? Its only a tiny amount, but its of such high quality that the small quantity wont interfere with my ns. Hearing Charlottes calm exnation, Watsons eyes narrowed. What exactly are you nning? A secret. What? Charlottes lips stretched to form a yful smile. Its a secret. What kind of scheme are you concocting now Im going to be lost in thought for a bit, Watson. However, Charlottes expression morphed into seriousness as she began nkly staring into the nearby hearth. Sigh Knowing better than anyone that Charlotte wouldnt be able to listen to a word once she was in that state, Watson quietly stood up and made her way out of the room. Ill be back in a bit, Charlotte And then, she couldnt help but bite her lips, frowning. Zzzing Again? It was because Isaac Adlers golden seal, which he had engraved not long ago, was now pulsing in Watsons lower abdomen, summoning her to somece. . . . . . Several minutester, at a coffee house near Baker Street. Were going to rob Milvertons house. I beg your pardon? Watson, facing Isaac Adler, cloaked in a robe, couldnt help but ask; her eyes opened wide in bewilderment. What the hell are you talking about now? The letter cant be anywhere else. If it were, the British royal family would have secured it by now. Its definitely in her room. No, thats not the problem here Why are you nning to break into her house? Adler, with a cheerful expression on his face, promptly answered her question. Didnt you hear about the wager? Ah. Immediately, Watson remembered the wager surrounding Adler that Charlotte had mentioned to her. Youre in it too? Honestly, I must win the wager. The moment I lose, Im tacitly giving ownership over me to one of the two. So, what does that have to do with me? With a chilly voice, Watson asked the question and Adler merely leaned towards her in response, a soft smile hanging on his lips. Because youre the only person I can use right now. The organization that I had built with so much effort has been taken by the professor, and Charlotte is participating in the bet too. Moreover, I cant use Miss Lestrade, who is more or less useless when a matter doesnt revolve around justice, for such illegal affairs. Youre out of your mind, really Even if you dislike it, you have no choice. You belong to me now, and you must obey mymands Lets just do it already. What? But to Adlers surprise, Watson responded in a calm tone. Lets rob Milvertons house together. Uh, well What? Did you think I wont do it? A chilly smile began manifesting on Watsons lips. Theres no reason for me to refuse if youre walking into danger willingly now, is there? Ill make sure to hinder you as much as possible. That would be impossible due to my orders. We wont know until we try now, would we? As her lips twisted bitterly, Adler quietly tilted his head. Somethings off So, when do we set off? However, once Watson asked so nonchntly, Adler, even though still puzzled by this whole circumstance, couldnt help but answer. Three days from now, at the quiet hours of the night. No matter how much we hurry, well need that much time at least. Three dayster, at night. Upon hearing his response, Watsons eyes began to sparkle once more, filled with a zing heat. Then we should start preparing from now. .? Adler watched her sudden enthusiastic demeanor with a hint of skepticism, then stood from his seat. I should start preparing too. His gaze shifted towards a woman who was lingering near the entrance of the coffee house. What kind of preparations? A preliminary survey, if you will. A maid, caressing a scar by her eye, caught sight of Adler and started to look down shyly, a bashful expression adorning her face. . . . . . Several dayster Huh. Watson arrived at the same coffee house they had visited a few days earlier, summoned once again by Adler, and began to chuckle wryly at the sight before her. Ha Shiver The stern-faced maid, who had threatened both her and Charlotte with her murderous aura just a few days ago, was now getting her neck licked by Adler, blushing all the way up to her ear. What are you doing now? A neck kiss. Watson looked on with a dazed expression at the maid, who was submissively epting the act with her head bowed low, and then casually asked. Its elder sisters favorite. Call me by my name. Its Alices favorite. Thank you Watson frowned at the scene, before speaking once more. So, whats all this about? Dont you see? Adler, after casually kissing the maids cheek, responded to her in a bright voice. Shes a new ally. Lets go rob the mansion now. Sigh. Watson, with a heavy sigh, stepped back and pulled out a small typewriter from her belongings. Im sorry, darling. I dont think Ill see you tonight And then, she began to type with a gloomy expression on her face. Zzzing! But at that very moment, when she sent the message, Huh? The sound of a message being received was heard close by. Neville!? Anxiously, Watson turned towards the source of the sound, her eyes narrowing. Whats going on? Isaac Adler, sitting on the maidsp, looked up with a cheerful expression, tilting his head Quite awkwardly, with his arms crossed behind his back for some reason.
You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! We are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server! Chapter 80: Order Chapter 80: Order That night, at the mansion of Caroline Augustus Milverton Hmm Whats wrong? Its really strange, you know. Watson, hiding in the nearby bushes, squinted her eyes and spoke to Adler who was crouching beside her. What is? The moment I sent the message, a notification sound rang out in the quiet and secluded coffee house, right? Not that story again. Chuckling slightly, Adler replied to Watson; his voice lowered to a whisper. Miss Watson, Im not the only one who can usemunication magic. Its practically a basic skill for all mages these days. Hmm The moment you sent your message, a mage nearby could have coincidentally received a message of their own which resulted in you hearing the sound. However, seeing Watson still gazing at him with half-closed eyes, filled with suspicion and skepticism, Adler couldnt help but sigh and add. Besides, youve tried sending messages several times over already, havent you? Thats true. And since then, I havent even received a single message in this body of mine. So lets put aside these strange misunderstandings already. After Adler spoke those words and looked intently at Watson, she finally averted her gaze to the side. Of course, that couldnt be. Why? What were you thinking? Lets just move on. Look ahead. Hearing her words, Adler turned his head forward and leaked a slight sigh of relief, oddly enough. I thought the time had finallye to use this gun again Erm However, due to the chilling words leaking out of Watsons mouth from beside him, Adler couldnt help but break into a cold sweat, forcing himself to smile to brush off the nervousness he was feeling. So, what do you think we should do now? What? Suddenly, Watson made a challenging, almost dubious, inquiry, leading Adler to swivel his head hastily toward her; his mind startled and eyes opened wide in shock and needless apprehension. Didnt you leave that maid, youve been seducing for the past few days with great effort, behind as we got here? You talked so grandiosely about breaking into Milvertons house, but all were doing now is loitering around in the bushes outside. Theres a reason for everything. Could you at least exin the reason? Hearing her stern inquiry, Adler, with aposed expression, began exining. I got close to the maid to learn about theyout of the mansion and Carolines daily habits. Really? Spending thest few days with her, Ive figured out a rough infiltration route and when Caroline usually falls asleep. Hmm. It was a bonus to find out that once Caroline falls asleep, she doesnt wake up no matter what happens. Which generally leads to the servants having a hard time to rouse her awake. As he spoke those words with clear pride, Watson couldnt help but disy a slightly incredulous expression on her face. How on earth did you extract such information from that devoted maid who seemed no less than Milvertons right arm? Actually, shes not just any maid. In the back alleys, shes extremely renowned as a capable and dangerous assassin. What!? Thats why I prevented her from following us. Its better to exclude such a dangerous variable altogether than to bring it along. Well, in the end, that worked out to our advantage since weve gotten rid of a rather dangerous gatekeeper, dont you think? Hearing his ensuing remark, Watsons eyes grew utterly nk; her mind shocked beyond belief. We still have some time before Miss Caroline falls asleep. So Lets have a little chat then. Her gaze abruptly sharpened. Youre the one initiating the conversation? Thats quite unexpected. I have many questions regarding you, Isaac Adler. Hearing his remark, she leaned her head ever so slightly towards Adler and began to whisper in a lowered voice. What might that be? Well, you are an enigma. Her eyes quietly glowed in the dark. Judging by your recent actions, which have changed somewhat from your usual self, you appear to be quite a good person. This is also supported by the testimony of thedy we met during the Blue Carbuncle incident. And your usual innocent and cheerful expression is also a bonus. Thank you I guess? But theres clearly a duality to you. Watsons face tensed up ever so slightly as she spoke those words. Sometimes, you look like the scariest mastermind in the world. Especially when you smile with those eyes of yours. Like this? Ugh. Seeing Adler deliberately smile with his eyes, Watson shuddered in veritable disgust. Lets just say, youre someone who wouldnt hesitate to act immorally if necessary. Have I done something like that? Honestly, the fact that youve managed to get both Charlotte and the professor seriously involved in such an absurd bet speaks volumes of your means, doesnt it? At her statement that pierced the core of the matter, Adler, who had been smiling with his eyes, quietly closed his lips. Its as if youre seated perfectly in the center between good and evil, in absolute neutrality. Im still unsure which side of you is the real you. And with that remark, silence ensued between the two. It seems, Miss Watson, that you have quite the analytical power, not unlike Holmes, in fact. Perhaps that is a trait you have acquired due to your extensive experience with people. Anyone could see that! Its just that theyre all too dazzled by your appearance and usually ignore it. Adler broke the brief silence, a forced smile tugging his lips, which was met by Watson baring her cute fangs with a subdued bestial growl. Youre too suspicious. Even your personal life and past are so obscure. Have you been investigating my background? It wasnt me, but my poor partner who fell head over heels for you. Surprisingly, even Holmes is still floundering to gather information about you. That is a bit frightening Adler, feeling a chill at her words, wrapped his arms around himself. Tell me honestly, do you even have any friends? Excuse me? ncing at him sideways, the corners of her mouth raised into a mocking smirk, Watson posed the question to Adler. Even Charlotte has at least one friend, me. But you dont seem to have even that basic level of rtionship. I have a girlfriend. Not that. I mean a tonic rtionship, one built on friendship. Then, Adler, with all traces of his smile gone, began scratching his head awkwardly. It doesnt seem like you have any I do have them. About three actually. What kind of people are they? Theyre all fellows I used to hang out with during my school days. School days? You barely even attended August Academy after enrolling. I went to primary school before attending August Academy. At Watsons puzzled voice, he quickly changed the subject. Do you really have friends? One of them enjoyed giving counsel to others. Counseling, thats nice. Although Im not well-versed in psychiatry, for patients He liked murder games a bit too much, which was a problem though. What? Watson nodded quietly at first at his distant voice, however, her expression turned to one of confusion once she heard his subsequent remarks. And there was also a guy who was obsessed with a strange hardcore game that had neither dreams nor hopes. .. Moreover, as surprising as it may be, I was friends with a girl who had absolutely no romantic interest in me. Really? Would you believe me if I said the reason for that was because she was madly in love with characters that appeared in superheroics? Watson, wearing a nk expression for a moment due to her confusion, furrowed her brows and couldnt help but ask. Hardcore something like murder, and superheroics? What even are those? Ah. Its a telltale sign of delusional disorder to use terms that nobody else understands. Saying so, Watson looked at Adler with an expression of pity and muttered under her breath. I thought I was about to learn some undiscovered information about Isaac Adler, something that even Holmes was unable to unearth, but Ive just realized you might be slightly cracked in the head. nkly, Adler gazed at her for some time and then, slowly spoke in a soft whisper. Do you want to know? About what? My past. At his words, Watsons eyes couldnt help but widen as she looked at Adler. Not that expression again As Adler started to smile with his eyes once more, Watson turned her gaze away with clear disgust written on her face. However, she paused midway and gazed tentatively at his eyes once more. Because there was a faint, unmistakable trace of mncholy lingering in those smiling eyes of his. Well, Im not too keen to hear about it, but Is that so Watson watched him for some time more, then quietly lowered her gaze. Since theres nothing to do while we wait, I might as well listen. Ah. As she spoke with feigned indifference, Adlers expression noticeably brightened. Then, where should I start He really does remind me a bit of Neville. Quietly, Watson contemted as she gazed at Adler, tilting his head to the side, an expression of excitement peeking out through his usual smile. Could it be Alright then. Just as her gaze sharpened once more, Lets start with the love square I created at the neighborhood yground when I was five years old. Adlers voice leaked out, cheerful and bright. Yeah, no. With a gaze that dulled abruptly, Watson silently murmured to herself as she gazed at Adler. There was only one guy, me. That thing cant be Neville The moon hanging in the night sky was gradually bing brighter and brighter. . . . . . So, thats when I started getting interested in programming no, magic. .. Fortunately, I had a good aptitude for it, and I quickly became proficient. With that, I managed to scrape by until I stumbled upon thepany that led to all this no, I mean, I got admitted into the August Academy. An unknown amount of time had passed since Adler began his recollection. Thats the unremarkable story of my life. Uh, um Why do you look so perplexed? Having finished his story, Adler asked Watson with unadulterated curiosity in his eyes, to which she replied with a contemtive expression on her face. You, just what kind of life have you lived? Well? To be honest, I dont really understand it myself. Now, I think I am beginning to understand, just a bit though, why you treat women the way you do Hmm, I used to have a phobia of women, you know? Haha Keenly, she observed Adlers calm expression for a moment, eventually murmuring in a subdued voice. Still, I cant understand such shameless behavior. With an expression as cold as frigid ice, Rachel Watson revealed her lower abdomen to Adler, muttering her indignance. I did what I did because I wanted to have a normal rtionship with you. What did you say? An awkward smile manifested on Adlers face as he gazed at the softly glowing seal in the darkness of the bushes, and he couldnt help but hastily blurt out some excuses. Minus the fact that you have a severe thrill addiction, to the point that it made you follow me here tonight, you, Miss Watson, are the most normal person I am acquainted with. What what in hell are you saying? Your fondness for gambling is a slight negative trait, true, but thats a w just about anyone could have, so lets just ept that as is. Flustered, Watson tried to retort, however, Adler continued his speech without so much as a hint of a pause. Youre perfect as a friend. It is sad, but I have to be lovers with Miss Gia Lestrade, even though she hates me far more than you do. . If I were to approach you normally, Im afraid that things would have gotten twisted, as it always does when ites to me. What are you even talking I too would like to have a normal friend, Miss Watson. Youve already heard my past, so you know why I dont like getting close to men. Hearing the slight notes of sadness in his disheartened voice, Watsons eyes softened ever so slightly. So, you did all this for that reason? It would ensure you hate me, well, at least from a rational perspective, wouldnt it? You really are the worst. Ive heard that plenty of times before. Despite her remark, Isaac Adler responded with a toothy grin. Miss Watson. Yes? Youre the only one who knows about my past. As he slowly leaned in, Rachel Watson, flustered due to his sudden approach, started stepping back. Not even Charlotte knows about it, nor does Professor Jane Moriarty. Even Miss Gia Lestrade, my official girlfriend, is unaware of my past. Excuse me? Adler continued to lean forward, a teasing smile tugging his lips. Only you Stop! Without even realizing it, Watson raised her voice to stop Adlers approach and couldnt help but cover her mouth, looking around, to make sure no one heard her sudden shout. Now I see, youre not pitiable at all. I can somewhat understand why youve lived such an ursed life. What? Everyone loses their mind because you act so overly friendly and unrestrained without giving it much thought. Watson sighed out loud and began scolding Adler, her tone icy cold. What did I even do? Dont you remember the expression you just made and the words you said as you leaned in without any sense of personal space? Why does that even matter? Im going to lose my mind, really. Frustrated by his severeck of understanding, Watson couldnt help but hold her head and shake it like a lunatic. She was really about to lose it. Anyway, please be mindful of that behavior. .. Just, go away. When Adler casually extended his hand towards her, Watson swatted it away with a sour look on her face. Youll just blindside me at thest minute likest time, thinking that nobody will know, wont you? Who do you think youre fooling, huh? Ha ha I almost fell for it again Watson murmured quietly, but her voice trailed off when she saw Adlers awkward smile fade into a sulk, his shoulders slumped. Ive said it many times already, but I have Neville. Moreover, Charlotte, who harbors feelings for you, is my best friend. I see. Once again, a voice of frigid ice began to echo through the bushes. So lets draw the line on just being friends. ! However, the sullen expression on Adlers face brightened immediately upon hearing her slightly rxed tone. I dont have any other intentions. Im just doing this because I feel sorry for you Hehehe. Please, dont smile like that. As Isaac Adler shed her a carefree smile, Rachel Watson turned her gaze away, mumbling coldly. Its so annoying. I feel its nice though. Hmph. Just as a strange atmosphere was beginning to settle between them for some reason Ah, its time now. Adler suddenly stood up, his eyes beginning to sparkle. Its time to head inside the mansion. Uh-huh. Hearing his words, Watson, while looking down, started fidgeting with the gun she had taken out of her pocket. Miss Watson, Ive been thinking, .? Adler, a serious look on his face, suddenly spoke up to her. I think its time for me to stop being so indecisive. What are you on about? If I dont act more manly, my ownership might fall to one side, and that will surely start a war in London. Thats insanely arrogant Watson frowned at his words and was about to argue, but then she paused midway, ruminating deeply on his words. No, now that I think about it, its not Finally, she nodded slowly, acknowledging that Adler was speaking clear facts. Thats why Ive made that decision. Beside her, Adler spoke with a look of relief on his face. What decision? Joining in on the wager. Saying so, Adler began rummaging through his belongings. Now that you have mentioned it, why did you even join the bet? Because it seemed like the right time to put things in order. He then took out a small bottle of liquor, his eyes shining faintly in the dark. Ill also charm Caroline while Im at it. . Just watch. My perfect solution. And with that, he opened the bottle and downed all of its contents in one go. The worst friend ever. Watson watched on, a gloomy look marring her face, shaking her head from side to side as she examined her gun. Is being handsome everything? Then a slight blush appeared on Watsons face as she muttered in a low voice, I still prefer Neville, after all. . . . . . About 10 minutester Bang! A gunshot echoed from the mansion of Caroline Augustus Milverton. Cough. Then, the sound of someone choking on their breath began to emerge from the same spot. You what are you doing here? For some reason, Caroline, who was bleeding from the leg and had copsed on the floor, looked towards the source of the coughing sound with a pale look on her face and spoke in a trembling voice. Putting things in order. Isaac Adler, who had intercepted the intruder who had broken into Milvertons home,y fallen to the side, a cheerful voice leaking out of his face even as his chest had been punctured by a bullet hole.
You can rate this serieshere. Advanced chapters avable on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls We are Recruiting! We are looking for Korean Trantors. For more details please join the Genesis discord server! 36 Chapter 81: Order (2) Chapter 81: Order (2) Moments before the gunshot rang out from Carolines mansion Two silhouettes, their faces hidden by masks, were loitering in front of the mansions window. Thump, step Are you alright? These masked individuals were none other than Isaac Adler and Doctor Rachel Watson. Just hurry up. Trying to ignore her racing heart as she chewed on her lips, Watson whispered to Adler, standing before the window, with a feigned calmness in her voice. Swoosh A slight twinkle coloring his eyes, Adler extended his finger towards the ss of the window. Creak... Smoke rose from the quartz as the ss was neatly cut in a circle, and Adler, with practiced ease, slipped his hand in to open the window. Isnt there an rm? Did you use magic? No. Alice just disabled the security for this particr spot before we arrived, thats all. Pardon, but it was that easy? Watson, a voice crawling with incredulity, questioned his all-too-proficient actions, to which he responded in a calm, almost nonchnt, tone. Everythings much harder to prate from the outside, but once youre in, its all too easy to break. Finished with his speech filled with confidence, Adler stepped through the open window, beckoning for Watson to follow. However, her breathing only turned ragged and heavy at his gesture. Miss Watson? Are you alright? Adlers voice came out softly, tinged with concern for Watson. If youre too nervous, you can alwayse inter No. However, the reason for Watsons quickened breath wasnt exactly due to fear as Adler might have suspected. Badump, badump, badump Standing in front of the window, which gaped like the maw of a frenzied beast, the initial fear in Watsons heart had cleanly vanished without a trace. What she felt instead, was the slightest notes of thrill and excitement at the realization that she who had been a guardian of thew alongside Charlotte had now turned into a clear vitor a criminal, so to speak. Haah Pardon? A severe case of thrill addiction. The disease shed acquired from her time at war had all but gone already, but faint traces of it still remained with her. The addiction erased any and all traces of guilt she might have felt, adding a gambling-esque excitement to the adventure. The only w of the number one, elite Lady of London had now be an advantage for her, heightening all of her senses and filling up her veins with thrill and excitement. Lets go in, together. Why are you sweating so much though? However, her appearance, drenched due to her excessively secreting adrenaline, unavoidably looked quite perverse to the eyes. Its rude to talk like that to ady, mind you. Retorting back, Watson stepped into the mansion, her body, already damp from excessive sweat, pressing against Adlers in the process. Congrattions. Huh? yfully, Adler tapped on her lower abdomen and whispered in Watsons ears in a mischievous tone. Youre officially a criminal now. And then, holding her hand, Adler began to navigate through the darkness of Carolines mansion. Shiver Her lower abdomen trembled with the vibration of the sigil and the physical touch; coupled with Adlers provocative words, delivered in a mischievous whisper, it caused a sense of depravity and guilt to wash over Watsons mind. Engulfed in the strange amalgam of feelings that were evoked by Adlers actions, Watson couldnt help but bow her head, trembling, a sense of thrilling depravity coursing through her, as she walked alongside the man. Why is he so skilled? Meanwhile, Adler moved through the thick darkness as though it were his own home. Due to that, Doctor Rachel Watson found herself being utterly dragged around by the man. By the time they reached a space filled with furniture, passing through a corridor faintly scented with cigar smoke, her hand had already been soaked with sweat. Was it perhaps due to the extreme tension of relying solely on Adlers hand in the darkness? The sensation of Adlers slender hand being enveloped, coated and mixed in sweat, with her own felt all too familiar to her. Hmm. The more she felt it, the more her mind activated, and by the time they reached the end of the corridor, she could even sense the slightest movements of his hand vividly. Excuse me. ? Due to her concentration, as Watson involuntarily began to flinch, quietly, Adler stopped walking at that very moment and gazed at her. Please stop fiddling with my hand. He murmured with half-closed eyes, and only then did Watson quietly release the hand she had been holding. Do you like my hand that much? Its familiar. And then, staring back at Adler, she began mumbling in a low voice. Like a hand I used to fiddle with for hours a long time ago. You must be nervous, thats all. Adler, wearing a momentary nk expression, made a fluid excuse and moved forward. Now, shall we get started? Keep watch here. As they moved forward, a secret vault covered in heavy security became visible to the duo. What are you nning to do? Crack this safe open. ording to Alices testimony, its highly likely that the letter is inside the safe. Thats reckless. If were talking about recklessness, then breaking into this mansion was already far more reckless. Watson, gazing at the huge vault with dark eyes, muttered; to which Adler retorted with a smirk on his face. Even if we crack it open, theres no guarantee the letter is inside, right? Then well have no choice but to break into Miss Carolines bedroom. Sigh. Watson, with a hand half-mixed with Adlers sweat, slipped it into her coat and began to caress the holstered gun, taking deep breaths to calm her strained mind. The worst friend to ever exist Crack Id probably be willing to share a cell if it were Holmes, but with you? Thats thest thing Id want to do in my life. Soon, Adlers hand touched the vault and Watson muttered quietly, sweating at the scene. .? However, no matter how much time passed by the expected rm did not sound. What the Click Click-click The high-performance vault, which must have weighed at least a thousand pounds and fitted with high-powered magical stones, was being stroked by Adlers hand without setting off any rms, only emitting small distinct sparks. What did you do? Its nothing much. Watson, knowing all too well how surprising this situation was due to Holmes, who had a hobby of cracking vaults, asked with eyes opened wide in astonishment; only to be met with Adlers cheerful and nonchnt reply. I merely charmed the safe. .. Thats impossible. Watsons eyes, which had momentarily clouded due to her astonishment, quickly sharpened once more as she heard his nonsensical reply. I believe hacking and flirting virtually have no difference. Pardon? Bypassing this level of security, Ive done it so many times that its be tiresome. Adler continued sprouting nonsensical things to her. Didnt I exin about my past earlier? .. His logic was sound, it was just that her brain couldnt quite keep up with it. It was as though her mind was unwilling to ept this situation. What on earth are you really It had not even been a century since humans became capable of fully embracing the concept of mana; and, it has merely been 20 years since schrs worldwide have created the concept of magic after putting all of their minds together in aprehensive coboration. Yet, herey an individual who was not only interfering with the system of magic but even daring to modify it on a whim, creating something entirely new that deviated from the existing notion. It was no exaggeration when Holmes, who had just begun grasping the basic concepts of mana, said that it would be extremely difficult even for a genius like her to catch up to Adlers prowess and proficiency in magic. I should be able to disarm it in about 10 minutes. Such an intricate andplex security system even in this day and age. Theres always a genius, no matter the time. Hmm. Then, how remarkable must Holmes and Professor Moriarty be, who were constantly able to outwit Adler with their mental gymnastics? Well, your capabilities are remarkable indeed. Still bewildered, Watson felt like smoke was rising from her head from all the thinking, even though she had only ruminated briefly on this matter, and decided to avert her gaze from Adler to the end of the dark corridor. ..! Immediately, her gaze was met head-on by a pair of glowing red orbs shining ominously in the darkness. What, whats Meow. Feeling the hairs on her body stand on end, Watson drew her gun forward, eyes opened wide at the sound emitting from the distance. Meow. What? Soon, she realized that it was merely the soundsing from a red cat and she couldnt help but sigh in relief at the sight. Bang!!! Gasp. At that very instance, the distinct sound of gunfire echoed through Carolines mansion. Hmm. I, I didnt shoot. Watson, sweating at the thought that she might have identally pulled the trigger, soon realized that her gun was still fully loaded and hurriedly tried to exin herself to Adler; his head already turned toward her. I know. Adler, a frown that was soon followed by a dark smile etching his face, removed his hand from the safe and distanced himself from the vault. It seems the time hase to discipline them, as nned. Eh? Miss Watson, keep watch over the safe. Rying those words, Adler disappeared into the darkness of the mansion; a deep silence thus settled around Watson. Ugh. Suddenly left alone in the hallway enveloped in utter darkness, cold sweat began trickling down Watsons forehead. Creak At that moment Huh? With a suspicious click, the safe behind her began opening by itself. Huh? Startled, Watsons head jerked up and her gaze immediately became vacant soon after. The reason being, inside the safe, Charlotte and Professor Moriarty, both donning frigid expressions, could be seen holding each other by the hair as they turned their heads to look back at Watson; their gazes as vacant as Watson herself. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that time Who, who are you you guys . Why are you doing this Struck by a bullet out of the blue, Caroline found herself sprawled on the floor of her own bedroom. I, Ive never even killed a fly. Though Ive toyed with some foolish men thats all. Pale and shaken, she pleaded to the veiled pair of assants. Assants that she had failed in taking out with her self-defense handgun. Click Do you realize the trouble youll be in if you kill me now? However, seeing the gun pointed at her once more, her voice grew more desperate as she tried to dissuade them. The servants of the mansion would have sounded the rm by now. And the London Metropolitan Police Department must have received the distress signal. The only way for you to escape would be to run without looking back. . And, the letters arent here. Specifically, if I dont give the order in person, by next week, every journalist in Britain will be reading the letters Ive collected over the Bluffing wont work on us. However, as the assant with a dark gleam in their eye whispered those words, Caroline couldnt help but trail off. The servants have been deep asleep from the sleeping drugs mixed in with their dinner for some time already, and someone like you wouldnt entrust such vital letters to anyone else. What do you want? One of your legs. As she began to sob and plead, the owner of the frigid voice continued continued. If its money you need, I can give you many times more than your employer. So please Sorry. The assant with their finger on the trigger murmured in a calm voice. What I can gain by neutralizing you far outweighs something as trivial as money. Ah.. At those words, Carolines eyes were filled with despair. ck! Suddenly, another gun, loaded and ready to fire, popped out from behind her. Because of bastards like you, I never carry just one! .! Die!!! In a panic, Caroline pointed her handgun forward haphazardly to shoot the assant, while the said assant swiftly pulled the trigger of the long gun they were holding. Bam! Bang! Two shots were fired, just fractions of a second apart. This is troublesome. ..!?! At that very instant, the blond-haired boy abruptly appeared at the scene; calmly, almost nonchntly, he positioned himself between the duo who had shot each other. Wait Kwajjik! The dazed assant reached out their hand as they dashed forward, but the body of the boy was already brutally punctured by the impact of the two shots colliding against him, leaving gaping holes in his frail frame. No. As the boy slumped sideways and fell, the assant knelt to the ground and caught him mid-fall, taking off her veil to examine the boy. Uh, ugh Simrly, thepanion of the assant, simrly disguised, quickly took off her veil and wrapped it around the boys chest, desperately trying to stop the bleeding. Drip However, the boys blood rapidly stained the veil in its blood-red hue despite her best efforts to stop the blood flow. It cant be Master Beside the sobbingpanion, the small girl who had fired the shot wore a nk expression as she looked on at the boy in her arms. Look at this. A voice tinged with frigid ice began leaking out of the boys pale and shivering lips. See what happens when you only fight each other. .! Their eyes shook at the clear but pale voice. If you had gotten along with each other, none of this would have happened Adler murmured to them in a voice tinged with sorrow. Huh? His eyes soon became dim and unfocused. ..!?! Instead of Charlotte Holmes and Jane Moriarty, as he had expected, the boy saw the scene of the petite and cute Celestia Moran and Silver ze with ears drooping low in sorrow, looking down at him with tears welling up in their eyes. I, I Morans voice tinged with deep sorrow soon reached Adlers ears as he looked on nkly. I heard that Mr. Adler had been kidnapped, so I tried so hard because I wanted to get you back Before him, Moran knelt nkly, her face soon twisting in overwhelming grief as tears dropped incessantly from her eyes. Uh, uh-huh. Um. Uhng And then, she buried her face in Adlers chest and burst into wailing tears, showcasing the despair and sorrow overwhelming her mind. Dont die I was sure Id been informed that they wouldnt be here? Click Uh-oh. Adlers eyes, which were colored in confusion due to the situation veering far from his expectations, started trembling violently. Hehe. It was due to the scene of Silver ze holding a gun against her temple with crazed eyes that seemed to have lost all reason and desire for living. Have you gone insane? Watching this horrific scene, Adler immediately got up and snatched the gun away from her before she could do something irreversible. .. Immediately, the girls stopped crying, their eyes blinking rapidly as they watched Adler looking remarkably intact and healthy even though there were literal holes in his chest. Oughh, arghh. However, Adlers eyes rolled over once more, his mouth leaking awkward groans and wails of misery, as hey down on the floor again. A heavy silence settled in the room as everyone looked at Adler with unfocused and nk eyes. Chapter 82: Trophy Chapter 82: Trophy Is it true? Is it really true, Master? Moran and Silver ze, attached to the copsed Adler, opened their eyes wide and spoke simultaneously. Is it really true that your life isnt in danger? Yes. I dont understand. Adler, having given up on pretending to be mortally wounded, tilted his head to the side in response to Morans baffled reaction. People die when they are shot, right? Usually, yes. Children, the elderly, its always been that way. Everyone Ive shot has died one way or the other. Adlers eyes flickered surreptitiously at her slightly chilling statement. But why isnt Mr. Adler dying then? Miss Moran. Adler gazed deeply at Moran her eyes filled with the innocence of the little girl she was, a stark contrast to the brutality of her previous statement for a moment before extending his hand to the front. Look at that person over there. Uh, uhhh She was shot by Miss Morans gunfire, did she not? But, as you can see, she didnt die. And then, Adler, still speaking in a gentle tone, pointed his outstretched hand to the groaning Caroline who remained sprawled on the ground even now. I was told not to kill that person, so I deliberately avoided vital points when shooting her. But Mr. Adler, you were shot through the heart. Theres a distinct difference here. Do you think Im dying because of that? Yes, I believe the essence of a person is the heart. Mana umtes in that organ, and its the heart that moves a person, so Are you certain about that? Gasp. Moran, muttering uncertainly, soon gasped in fear. Could it be wrong? Then, she asked in a crawling voice, filled to the brim with apprehension. The essence of a person is actually the brain. Of course, the heart is also a critical spot, but in this strange era where all sorts ofws are twisted due to the influence of mana, targeting the heart is not as definite a weakness as attacking the head. Then, could all the people Ive shote back to life ande after me? Thats not the case. The people Miss Moran has sniped until now are certainly dead. Phew. She, who had been trembling quietly with those thoughts that paralleled that of a naive child, let out a sigh of relief at Adlers firm answer. But I am different. I will not die unless my head is blown off. And as a bonus, I dont feel pain either. Why? Because I am a terrifying vampire. Eek. As Adler made a hissing sound and showed his fangs, Moran, once again frightened, clung to Silver ze seated beside her. And, Ive already died once at the hands of my dearest professor. ..? Anyway, except for my head, physical attacks dont harm me, so please dont worry. Upon hearing Adlers exnation, tears welled up in her eyes. I, Im so relieved Haha. But Master. Adler then reached out a little further to gently stroke Morans head. Why did you even do that in the first ce? Ha. However, as Silver ze asked the question head tilted to the side, eyes flickering with confusion Adlers expression couldnt help but stiffen. No matter how I think about this, it really seemed like you were trying to leave ast will, kind of like a testament, before your inevitable death to someone other than us That cant be. By the way, Master, theres something strange. Silver ze, pressing her head against Adlers neck, ears perked up, began to sniff him heavily. Your physical condition seems to be several times worse than before. On what principle are you even saying that, really? Master. Though Adler tried tough off her words, Silver ze, her buried head in his neck, asked in a whisper; her eyes narrowed into thin slits. Is it really true that nothing affects your body, even if youre injured? .. Could it be that you are overexerting your body because you resigned yourself to a predetermined fate? Silently, a cold sweat began trickling down Adlers forehead at the continuous questioning. Not a chance. Thats a relief then. However, as Adler denied her words with an astonishingly brazen expression, Silver ze finally smiled with relief and whispered. Had it been the case, I might have lost all hope in life and died. If the leader of the Demi-Humans and the icon of London dies with her eyes dyed golden, then Ill be cursed for centuries. Hehe, thats right. Upon Adlers calm response, her eyes narrowed with delight, showing her unique and characteristic charm. If you die, then Ill just die alongside you. At that bold threat, Adler nodded with an enlightened expression. Then its my turn. As Silver ze lookedpletely reassured and Celestia Moran cocked her head, a chilling voice began to emanate from Adler. I never gave you such an order. Faced with his stern look for the first time, cold sweat began trickling down the girls foreheads. Then whose orders were you following? Adler began to press them down with a voice mirroring frigid ice. I have no need for hounds that wag their tails for others. At that moment, as Adler slowly rose from his position Meow. ..? The sounds of a small cat could be heard from their side. What Oh, no! When Adler, surveying his surroundings, saw a familiar cat in front of him holding something in its mouth, immediately, a piercing scream leaked out from behind them. That letter! Caroline, who had been dazed and unable to grasp the situation until then, began rising up from the ground, her face pale as a sheet. Click Stay still. However, as Moran, who had been sobbing sorrowfully just moments before, pointed her gun at Caroline while whispering in a cold voice, she had no choice but to stop her advance. Rustle Ah The next moment, as the cat ced the letter on Adlersp, Carolines gaze was filled with true despair. Hmph. ..? I never wagged my tail for anyone, you buffoon. Looking at her with clear disdain in its feline red eyes, the cat, to her surprise, began speaking in a human voice. Princess? Im quite clever too, you know? The fourth smartest cat in London turned its head away from Adler and muttered in a low voice. So, from now on, dont pretend like I dont exist after getting your hands on me, is that clear..?. Quietly, Adler, his gaze still locked onto her feline form, reached his hand forward. . . . . . Eek! Thank you for your hard work, Princess. Ugh eek let go A few minutester Im so impressed, Ill pet you a little longer. Stop. Princess y struggled and squirmed in his hands in vain, while Adler held the sealed letter with a luxurious stamp with an expression of unbridled contentment. Chomp Mm. When the enraged cat bit Adlers finger with all her might, her patience running thin, Adler stopped petting her soft belly and inquired, a smirk on his face. Does it taste that good? Mmm Shut up. Princess y, savoring the taste of Adlers blood on her feline lips, muttered to him in a voiceced with frigid ice. So, what exactly happened? Its quite simple. As Adler asked her with a face full of curiosity, Lady y, wiping her mouth with her paw, began the exnation, an uncanny sly expression on her feline face. That mysterious professor tried to manipte us, but I turned that to our advantage. You exploited the professor? I pretended to follow her orders, but Ive been making my own moves on the side. Adler, looking at her with newfound amazement and appreciation, couldnt help but ask. When you appeared in Lestrades garden, were those also one of those voluntary actions of yours? Yes. Thanks to that, I was able to eavesdrop on what the three of you were betting on. The princess nodded quietly and looked past him. At the end of her sight was Caroline, bound and trembling as shey behind Adler. ncing at the bounddy, Princess y whispered in a subdued voice. I even found out that Charlotte Holmes was nning to break into the new safe bought by the house owner. What? I secretly tipped off the professor about it, and she was ecstatic to learn about Charlottes ploys. Despite the cute appearance of her feline form, a faint sinister smirk surfaced on the princess lips. She even made a n to ambush Holmes by hiding inside first and knocking her out the moment she entered. Wait, then the vault I had been trying to crack There must have been a fierce fight between the two lunatics going on inside. Adlers eyes zed over in utter confusion and bewilderment. Anyway, from that moment on, everything was essentially over. My only task was to infiltrate the mansion as a cat andce the dinner of the servants with sleeping drugs. Then, by the time night fell, I re-entered the mansion with those guys and fully sealed the safe delivered this morning with multipleyers of locking spells. That locked up those two mad women inside. The princess, continuing her smug exnation, narrowed her eyes and began scolding Adler. You almost managed to break the seal I so painstakingly enacted, you buffoon. Ah, that was What on earth are you, to so easily breach the security system I spent weeks devising? Its good that the gunshot rang out timely, or you might havepletely ruined the n altogether by now. Adler scratched his head with a lost expression. Anyway, after sealing those two monstrous women inside, we split up and moved. They tortured and threatened the mansions owner in case of any unforeseen circumstances, and I searched for the letter hidden in the mansion. The princess sprang onto Adlers knee, still looking as prim and proper as ever, and continued. And in the end, I found it. This letter. Aaah There was a secret door in the middle of the library that looked like a bookshelf. When I touched it, a room that was not present on the mansions blueprints appeared in ce, and there, on the desk,y this very letter. A triumphant smile yed on her feline face. Well, how is it? The fruits of the operation I devised. Will you still call me the fourth in London? As the princess unconsciously began flicking her tail in excitement and asked the question, Adler directed a nk gaze toward her. Swish Stop it. I did this to avoid being treated like a pet, how could you Youre the best, my little princess. The princess, growling fiercely as Adler began gently stroking her head again, fell silent and murmured while turning her gaze away from him. Youre only realizing that now? Simultaneously, her tail quietly touched Adlers arm, winding around it in a tight grip. Alright, shall we get up now? Eek. But as Adler grinned and promptly stood up, the princess who had been sitting on his knee lost her bnce and fell to the floor with a thud. Lets wrap this up and get out of here. Leaving her behind, Adler, with a dark smile, started approaching the seated Caroline, who was tied to a chair. Even the notorious Miss Caroline would be nothing without this letter as evidence But as he was checking the contents of the letter he held in his hand, his words suddenly trailed off and his expression turned rigid. .. Master? Whats wrong? His subordinates began showing puzzled expressions at his unusual demeanor. Shit. But before he could even reply to them, Adler, staring nkly at the letter, soon let out an all too familiar curse. Is it toote to join the bet? Instead of the letter, there was a note inside the envelope with a doodle of a woman wearing a silk hat and a monocle on her right eye, sticking out her tongue. Ill use the letter that was in the envelope as my stake. Fucking self-insert characters. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment Looks like Adler is definitively out of the race. So far, everything is going ording to n. Charlotte Holmes and Professor Moriarty with Watson, who had the appearance of a person whose soul had left their body walked down the darkened hallway of the mansion, conversing withposed expressions. Im not so sure about that. What? You know why, right? Suddenly, the two women stopped walking and began eyeing each other. A thieving cat has entered the wager. Do you find that to be a threatening variable, Professor? Chilling smiles began emerging on their faces. Youre bing just as entertaining as Adler, little girl. I feel the same, Professor It was the beginning of a real fight for the greatest trophy in all of Britain. Chapter 83: The Wagers Conclusion 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. Creeeak 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 neutralization 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 neutralized 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 definite 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 duplicate 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. . . . . . Swish 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. Pant, pant. 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. Swish, swish For a moment, the womans face distorted in shame, but then she closed her eyes tightly and started rubbing her cheek against his leg. Woof. 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, Caroline Augustus Milverton she was called, but as a result of several days of training, she has given up on being a person from henceforth. Hooh. However, unlike their expressions, the client behind the veil wore an intrigued look. Press 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. Growl. 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. Chapter 84: Behind the Veil Chapter 84: Behind the Veil Evening, the day when the oue of the bet with the professor and Charlotte was finally settled Mr. Adler. Ah, I wondered who it was. Its you, then? Having finally gained his freedom and subsequently returning to his hideout in the back alleys, Adler greeted the first visitor after his release with a gentle smile. Do you have a moment to speak right now? I hope you can make time if you dont. Its very urgent. Well, I am a bit busy and have a prior engagement, but how could I refuse a request from my one and only girlfriend? The visitor, standing before him, was none other than Inspector Gia Lestrade. I think we need to rify something before we start talking. Sure, what is it? Im not here as your girlfriend, but rather as an inspector of the London Metropolitan Police Department. Keep that in mind. Lestrade, fully dressed in her police uniform and donned with a gaze of frigid ice, spoke, prompting Adler, busy tidying the papers in his antique desk, to nod quietly in acknowledgment. I understand. Then, lets not dilly dally and get straight to the point. Taking another step forward, she began her speech. The bizarre disappearance case that urred in Hampstead a few days ago, youre involved in it, arent you? Hampstead? Im referring to the disappearance of Caroline Augustus Milverton. Adlers eyebrows twitched ever so slightly, his head cocking to the side as he heard the name of the missing woman. The police have been keeping an eye on her for quite some time already. She is a viin of the worst kind. Is that so? We were aware that she possessed arge number of letters intended to be used for ckmail, and more than half of those were the result of seducing young boys. Seizing the moment, Lestrade began her interrogation; voice sharp. But a few days ago, when her house was searched following her disappearance, the documents that were presumed to be in the mansions secret space had all vanished without a trace. And thats not the end. Valuable items were left untouched, and the servants have been reluctant to testify despite continuous questioning and interrogation by the police force. Before long, she made her way right up to Adlers desk as she continued her speech. So, we are assuming that the person involved in this case either holds a high position or has aparable level of influence. I see. And I am aware of an individual who was transported from my house to somewhere else a few days ago. Thats quite a leap. Am I the only suspect in this case? As she leaned against the desk with her hand ced on top, Adler casually posed a question to his official lover. Rumor has it that there were a few witnesses There were indeed a few suspicious people seen climbing over the fence and escaping from the mansion that day. Frowning, Lestrade slowly recalled the rumored events. One person was rather short with an overall dark appearance. Another had a medium build and was well-built. That certainly isnt me. Isnt this just a vague description that could apply to anyone, even Charlotte and Watson? However, the mana forensics team found traces of at least four different people in the mansion in their investigation. If there are no fingerprints, no hair, no bloodstains, and no footprints, then its as if no one was ever there. Traces of a persons presence can be manipted by just about any skilled mage, Miss Lestrade. Like you, Mr. Adler? At those words, Adler showed the slightest traces of irritation on his face. Why are you so desperate to me it all on me? Just now, I received pressure from above to swiftly close the case. Oh, thats unfortunate. However, as Lestrade leaned in with a stern expression on her face, it prompted Adlers lips to stretch into an awkward smile. I cant ept such an ending. I feel like I need to uncover the truth, even if by myself, otherwise, I wont be able to clear up this suffocating feeling Ive been having. Always so righteous, arent you? Miss Lestrade. So, please tell me properly. Quietly, she watched him for a few short and fleeting moments, before asking in a whisper, her whole body exuding a deep frigid aura. Where is Caroline Augustus Milverton right now? A brief silence flowed between them at her question. Im starting to feel disappointed now. Eventually, Adlers voice broke the silence, a note of resentment lingering in his tone. What makes you so sure that Im the culprit Crack!!! Ah. However, his protest was cut short as Lestrade mmed her hand down on the desk with all her might, causing him to yelp in surprise. Caroline Augustus Milverton, who had been lying at Adlers feet with a cor fitted on her neck beneath the desk, was staring nkly up at Lestrade through the fissures of the broken furniture. Will you still deny your crime? Looking down at the scene with clear contempt in her eyes, Lestrade then shifted her gaze to Adler and asked, her tone holding no emotions. Thats not Caroline. Then what? Its my pet dog. Adler, avoiding her gaze that seemed to be looking at a disgusting scum, nudged Caroline with his foot while responding. Bark. Then, after a moment of seemingly deep contemtion, Caroline, a look of resignation on her face, let out a bark, not dissimr to a trained dog. Woof, woof. . Despite the shame on her face, she rolled over on her back and showed her belly to them both. Seeing the disy, Lestrades face immediately changed colors. Pant, pant. See? Its a dog, just like I told you. Meanwhile, Adler stroking her head as she held up her hands and panted like a puppy, her face turning a deep shade of crimson in shame spoke with a brazen expression on his face. Are you now even resorting to forbidden mind control magic? Carol, go to your room. Woof. Ignoring Lestrades words, Adler tapped her on the belly, and Caroline leaked out puppy noises, her voice low, as she scurried into the room assigned to her. This is a case for immediate arrest. No, you cant arrest me. On what grounds? Lestrade, after staring nkly at the scene for a moment, erased it from her mind and demanded Adler for an immediate exnation. Because I havent engaged in any illegal activities. What kind of nonsense I havent used any mind control magic. Caroline is perfectly sane and came to apromise after a rather long discussion with me. We made a legal deal, Miss Lestrade. . I never do anything that someone doesnt like or is against their will. Right now, Carol is acting as my dog on her own ord. How is that even possible? She asked, unable toprehend Adlers exnation. Even for someone like you, Adler, how can you turn a viin, a master of coercion on par with you, into that, whatever in hell that is, in just a few days? Its a matter of aligned interests. Adler began his own exnation, hand resting on his chin. Caroline, having lost all her ckmail material and facing absolute ruin, needed a ce to protect herself from her many enemies people with considerable power and influence. . And I needed someone to manage the organization rather, I just needed a cute pet. Ha. Of course, we didnte to an agreement from the start. Its the result of days of intensive training that led to the dramatic persuasion. He gave a bright smile to Lestrade, who just looked at him, speechless. Anyway, as long as her signature is on the contract I dont know how to deal with you. However, Lestrade interrupted him and began speaking herself. I am truly grateful to you for paying off my debt and protecting my siblings from danger. Hm? I will forever be indebted to you for doing me that favor. Her voice trembled ever so slightly. But you are bing a danger, far too quickly, for London. Me? The friendly forces weve identified from your side are not just one or two. At her following words, Adler couldnt help but narrow his eyes, keeping silent. The Kingdom of Bohemia, the Red Mana League, the Demi-Human Union. Even amoner would know the names of these countries and organizations that support you. That is Not to mention the fundsing from Colonel Rose, a big shot of the underworld, a certainndlord family from Reigate, and thedies who dominate Londons social circles. Intently, he looked at his lover, who was only making valid points for a change, and stopped speaking midway. Do you know how many inspectors have suddenly quit their jobs while investigating the recent flow of underworld forces that have begun to cluster around you and the professor? Facing him, her fists clenched into tight balls, Lestrade took a deep breath and resumed. Tell me honestly. Even the professor youre supposedly following, in truth, is just another one of your pawns, isnt she? Adler didnt answer, almost as if he could not. How dangerous of an existence am I posing as the lover of? Mr. Isaac Adler. Then, with her head bowed deeply, she began to mutter to herself. As someone who upholds the justice of London, will I inevitably be forced to confront you? If that is your duty, then you should, of course, stand against me. Yes, that would be the right thing to do. Her voice started to trail off more and more. Its the right thing to do, but Is there something troubling you? Adler, his eyes gleaming, quietly inquired. . Miss Gia. When she remained silent, Adler gently probed further. What exactly is the justice youre seeking? That is Is it to save Caroline, who chose to degrade herself into my pet to survive? Silently, Lestrades eyes began to waver at the mention of those words. Is it to send back the women who have mortgaged their whole lives to me, by their own free will for the first time in their miserable lives, to the very hell they have escaped from? Or to disrupt and forever doom the solidarity for the future of the vampires and demi-humans who have faced discrimination and rejection at every turn of their lives? Her lips twitched as if trying to speak, but ultimately, she could not voice her thoughts and cast her gaze downwards. Your definition of justice is, perhaps, wrong. You could say the same for yourself. I admit it. You could be right, and my actions could be terribly wrong. Adler responded softly to her retort. But then, Miss Lestrade, why the hesitation? Honestly, any reason would suffice to forcibly arrest me, if you so wished for it. Deeply, his eyes bore into Lestrades own. So if you think youre right, then go ahead, even now Dont sway me Lestrade closed her eyes, then began speaking with a resolute expression. My sense of justice remains firm. Hmm. I still like you, as per our agreement that day, but I cannot and will not like your actions. Her voice, previously wavering, soon became clear and confident. So as an inspector, I will confront you. Thats unfortunate. I will strictly separate personal from professional. Please distinguish between Lestrade as your lover and Lestrade as the Inspector of London Metropolitan Police. At her words, Adler started to show a sincere smile, one he had never shown her before. Miss Lestrade is indeed a difficult woman. .. And thats what I like so much about you. Lestrade, momentarily dazed by his demeanor, quickly turned her head and walked towards the entrance, her voice frigid as she spoke. Lets see who will win, shall we? We have a date tomorrow evening. Just to remind you. However, at Adlers response, she halted her steps with a startle. I know. Dont you hate it? To have a date with someone you ideologically oppose? His voice, teasingly yful, prompted Lestrade to turn her head slowly toward him. Thats alright. Then, looking at Adler with a peculiar intensity in her eyes, she spoke. Because I like you. With those barely audible words, Gia Lestrade turned her head back and quietly left the hideout. . . . . . Hmm. Minutes had passed since Lestrade left through the front door, but the lingering feeling still remained. Shes impressive, as expected. Yet, facing the situation at hand, I shook off the remaining sentiment with a brief murmur. Now, pleasee in. With a smile, I addressed the figure who had been waiting at the back door. Creeeak Fufu~ Then, with an antique smile, the veiled client of this case, now somewhat familiar to me after the frequent encounters, entered the mansion. As per your request, Ive taken care of all the subordinates in the surroundings. Even Charlotte Holmes and Professor Moriarty are unaware of whats currently happening here. Your lover seems to be a bit of a prude, isnt she? I beg your pardon, but lets get straight to the point. Looking directly at the veil that obscured her face, I gently posed the question. What is this unfinished business from this morning that warranted a personal visit to my hideout by a royal emissary? Oh dear. Arent we in a hurry? Pardon? I was hoping we could sit down and have a chat over tea, take it slow With that, the royal emissary, who hade without even an escort, naturally took a seat on the sofa and whispered the suggestion. Observing the woman, who was clearly a member of the British royal family, I smiled and rose from my seat. Understood. You really know how to handle a woman. With that acknowledgment, I headed towards the kitchen, where the tea cups and tea leaves were ready. Jill the Ripper shows interest in you. Warning! Probability of being Killed 99.99% Surprisingly, the freshly restored system was sending me a ring red warning that I could clearly see before me. Be careful. Warning! Erosion Rate 25% 33 It was no easy task to casually inquire about the tea preferences of the worst serial killer in history, who was sitting behind me with a smile behind her veil. Do you have a preferred type of tea leaf? If it hadnt been for the subordinates I had previously stationed in the alley outside the hideout, I might have already slipped up. . . . . . Oh, by the way, I asked the guards outside for a moment of understanding and put them to sleep. I beg your pardon? Now, finally, its just the two of us. Fufufu~ Oh, fuck! Chapter 85: The Shadow of Britain Chapter 85: The Shadow of Britain Hmm. . In the secretir, drenched in a heavy aura, the royal emissary held the teacup Adler had prepared for her and took a sip. The tea is delicious. Is that so? It doesnt seem to be your first time brewing tea. Thats quite unexpected, I must say. You tter me too much. Then, as she delivered apliment with a soft smile, Adler, wearing a stiffugh on his face, responded. Why do you seem to be so nervous? Me? For some reason, I get the feeling that youve been fidgeting since I arrived. The emissary, gazing intently at Adler while taking another sip of tea, began to whisper in a subdued voice. The Isaac Adler I know doesnt show such a timid reaction in front of women. Thats Did you put something in the tea? Filled with curiosity, she posed the question. Ive heard quite a bit about it. Some kind of enchantment that quickly turns women into captives. Ive also heard rumors of such sophisticated concoctions being circted in the back alleys, products that cant easily be remedied using ordinary magic Those are just tall tales. I certainly dont have anything like that. And even if I did, Im well aware that using it on you would be a grave mistake. Hmm, why would you think that? Are you truly asking because you dont know? Adler threw out his question, filled with double meaning, prompting the emissary to narrow her eyes behind the veil as she smiled. Even the reckless Isaac Adler wouldnt dare to meddle with royalty. Is that it? That might be the reason I can preserve my life in London, unlike Caroline. Besides, youre not even trying to hide it now, are you? Between the two of us, what is there that cant be said? Confronted with her straightforwardness, Adler couldnt help but scratch his head, confusion evident in his eyes. Are you really of royal blood? Such a sudden question. Didnt you already finish deducing everything about me? Its just strange, no matter how I think about it, for someone of your stature toe to such a dangerous ce alone. Just as he was tilting his head, pondering the hidden face behind the veil of the emissary, Swish Oh. Quietly, the emissary raised her hand and began removing her veil on her own. .. And before Adler had a chance to turn away, her face was revealed in an instant, and silence thus settled in the hideout. Are you certain now? I was going to reveal my face to you today anyway, so rx. Dont act so agitated. As the emissary quietly stood and walked toward him, Adler found himself unknowingly beginning to swallow dryly. So you truly were a princess, at the very top of the session to the throne even. It cant be helped, considering my grandmother was Queen Victoria herself. Her aura was one of antiquity yet containing a free-spirited and unfettered nature, but somewhere within, there was also a hint of unconceble darkness. The slight dark circles under her eyes stood in stark contrast with her well-maintained royal beauty, highlighting a pronounced difference. What are you staring at so intently? My apologies. Adler, staring nkly at her, averted his gaze from the princess who had posed the question with a dark smile and bowed his head. Youre just so beautiful. Pfft. She then tilted her head, quietly chuckling at his remark. Ive heard that countless times amid my rather indulgent lifestyle, but it sounds particrly different today. .. Look at me, Isaac Adler. Before he knew it, she had already reached his side and gently lifted his chin with her hand. Do you know? .. I took a liking to you. And then, with a decadent smile, she softly whispered to him. What about you, Isaac Adler? I dont quite understand what youre saying Dont you think its a waste for you to be caught up between a detective and a professor, gasping for breath? The princesss delicate hand caressed Adlers cheek. It sounds as if youre asking to be yours. Correct. Please be my consort. Are you serious right now? But in the midst of it all, Adler had quietly taken her hand and lowered it. Why do you ask? Even putting everything else aside, isnt there a considerable difference in our social status? Social status? Im not a marquis or a duke. Im just amoner. I dont meet the minimum requirements to be an unofficial consort of a royal heir, that too someone so high up in the line of session. I dont understand what youre saying. As he protested, the princesss dull eyes began to shine in an ominous hue. You are one of the very few mages in the entirety of the British Empire. Ah. By ceremonial rank alone, youre as good as any marquis. Thats merely a formal If necessary, I can simply bestow a noble title upon you. Adler looked up at the princess with a considerably troubled expression at her statement. Theres no justification for that. Do you know that the wholemunity of mages has been turned upside down due to the new discoveries in the magic thesis you have submitted? No. I see, the professor must have hidden it. Just as I expected. The princesss voice grew colder than the arctic sea. A professor who pushes her only protege into obscurity rather than bringing them into the light is unfit for their title. Why are you wasting your brilliant talent under such a person? .. With me, you can shine. Of course, you would face criticism as our rtionship would be the greatest scandal of our time, no doubt, but youre ustomed to that already, arent you? As the atmosphere around her began to change, Isaac Adler started to silently sweat. You know. Yes? Why have you been looking at me with such eyes? The princess, looking at him with a dark gaze, posed the question and he had to bite his lip tightly in response. Its as if youre looking not at a princess, but a monster. Is it my misunderstanding? Then, at that moment, his eyes began to severely tremble. Click! Uh. In but an instant, a small pistol sprang from Adlers pocket. If you hadnt been dead set on brutally murdering me, I would have seriously considered your offer, Princess. How amusing. The princess, quietly observing the pistol and Adlers sweat-drenched face, cracked a sly smile and queried, When did you start to suspect my true identity? The raw, predatory expression finally revealed itself in her dark eyes. Since the first time we met, perhaps. Thats quite romantic, but can you tell me exactly when? The princess, now abandoning all pretense of grace and antiquity as she spoke to him, softly wrapped her hand around Adlers shoulder. Years ago? Months ago? Days ago? Or was it just now? I dont need to know. Dont be like that, tell me. Why are you doing this to me? As the princess gently sat on Adlersp and leaned in closer, Adler asked with a trembling voice. Ssshhh But instead of an answer, the princess pulled out a surgical knife from her bosom, her smile soaked in so much desire and decadence that it felt like it was dripping out of her eyes. Sorry, but right now, its difficult to exin Bang!!! At that moment, a gunshot resounded through the hideout. Shudder Adler, having hit the head of the woman sitting atop him squarely, shuddered and scowled. Wiggle, Shhkhh Her head, now engulfed in a dark shadow, writhed as it began to revert to its original form. Ssshhh Look at this. In such a bizarre situation, the princess ced her hand on Adlers pallid, cold cheek and began whispering in a loving voice. How can I not like you when, even like this, you dont die? Cough. As the medical knife she pushed inside prated deep into his heart, blood the color of dark crimson started to seep from Adlers mouth. Are you also cursed? I love you. And yet, even as he asked with a voice that seemed to crawl, the princess, feeling the beating of his heart through the knife, eventually lost her sanity. IloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyou Enough already, please stop Slowly, carefully removing the knife, she began to stab it back into his heart with each word she uttered. I love you so very much, Isaac Adler. Im telling you to stop. Adler, covered in his own blood, began looking at her with a detached, blurred gaze. The detective, the professor, your girlfriend too But the moment she, with a shy expression, licked his blood and began to whisper in a voice filled with fervor Ill kill them all for you. p!!! Adler, his eyes turning cold in an instant, pped her cheek with all his might. Just stop it already. Jill the Ripper cocked her head in silence, however, a questioning look marked her face upon hearing his words. What did you just do? Shut up, bitch. .? . . . . . Meanwhile, at that time This is Gia Lestrade, who was about to leave the back alley where Adlers hideout was located, stopped in her tracks; her face donning a dark expression. Theyre Adlers men. It was because Adlers men, who had been eagerly following her until she arrived here, were all lying unconscious in the corner of the alley. This is troublesome. She took in the scene with a grave look on her face, then quietly turned back, taking back the path she had just traversed.
Trantors Note:I apologize for not being able to upload chapters. I hope everyone can forgive me. I will be avable from the 5th to the 7th but everyone can hope for 12 free and 15 premium chapters this month as I have more or less resolved most of my problems. Again, I apologize. Chapter 86: The Shadow of Britain (2) Chapter 86: The Shadow of Britain (2) Hey, you know. . Youre kinda amazing. A few minutes after Isaac Adler, sporting a fierce expression, had spat curses on Jill the Ripper Cough. Its my first time feeling so much pain. Jill the Ripper, her cheeks swollen red, managed to finally restrain Isaac Adler on the chair with great difficulty. Staring at the restrained Adler with a dazed look, she muttered to herself in a whispering chant. Honestly, it was even a bit scary, you see Being grabbed by the cor, pped multiple times across the face, kicked in the stomach, and then strangled by you as you climbed on top of me It was a rare experience that someone cant usually have. The feeling of being a victim It was so thrilling. Her eyes slowly began to dye with the sweet colors of allure and desire. Ah I really love it, Adler. Puhk! Keep looking at me with that contemptuous gaze, okay? Jill the Ripper, more careful than she had been moments before, pushed the medical knife deeper into Adlers heart, pressing her swollen cheek against his as she whispered to him in a subdued tone. And keep resisting me like that when youre being killed from now on, okay? Just like you did before, thrash around like an animal and strangle me. Ill also do my best to ughter you, thats a promise, okay? Hearing her chilling words, Isaac Adler gazed at Jill the Ripper as though he was looking at a disgusting cockroach. Heheheee I love you. Ahdeuk Unable to control the pounding in her chest at the gaze Adler directed at her, Jill the Ripper suddenly pulled Adler into a tight embrace, and his sharp teeth dug into her chest. Youre being reckless, Adler. Chomp Hey, if you leave a scar on my chest, thatd be a sin, you know? So, maybe like before, itd be better to hit somewhere less visible like the stomach, or to strangle the neck She looked on nkly, then muttered with a worried expression. You speak as if you actually are royalty? Huh? Even though you stole that body away. At his sarcastic remarks, Jill the Ripper quietly started scratching her head while blinking rapidly. Its disappointing to hear you say that. Whats there to be disappointed about I may have many bodies, but this one is closest to my original self. Then, she sat down neatly beside Adler, with a decadent smile gracing her luscious lips. Of course, my identity is a bit of a jumble. I can take on any identity, just need to kill them with my own hands. She suddenly started exining, slowly, her expression modest. A Jewish barber working in a bustling barbershop, a kindwyer who dabbles in medicine as a hobby, a painter who has a penchant for painting eerie pictures, even a nurse who dresses herself like a man . The feeling of transforming into a being whose life ended at my hands is truly the best. The sensation of stealing someone elses life and being reborn, although its not quite as thrilling as the murder itself, is absolutely amazing. When Adler still directed the same disgusted gaze at Jill the Ripper, she blushed heavily and gingerly leaned her head on his shoulder. But, in the end, I was born in this very body. It might sound conceiteding from my own lips, but my body is graceful and noble. The perfect body of a royalty. .. Thats why the proposal to be my consort wasnt a trap, but rather my sincerity to you. A sincerity, not of the worst serial killer thats being reported in the newspapers, but that of a princess Her gaze turned slightly frigid. Why do you have to make it so obvious. Puhk! Then Ill have no choice but to treat you as the murderer they portray. Simultaneously, as she spoke, Jill the Ripper pulled the knife out of Adlers heart and thrust it back in with vigor. Iloveyou, loveyou, loveyou, love.. I have a question. As Adler, with a face as pale as a sheet of paper, watched her repeatedly stabbing his earth with each word she uttered, he reached out, grabbed the knife, and posed a question to the murderer. Why are you trying to kill me if you say that you love me? You did the same thingst time. Then, rxing her grip slightly, she began to murmur. That figure of yours, being mercilessly stabbed by me in that ce full of those beasts, yet not blinking an eye and still asking me questions Answer the question. Its that very figure. Her eyes glowed in an eerie dark hue. Imagine this. A serial killer who only feels love and happiness when killing people, one day meets a victim who, no matter how much they are killed, doesnt die. How do you think that would feel? Is it a curse then? A curse? Ive never thought of it as a curse She tilted her head in that state, continuing her story while gently stroking Adlers cheek, which had be as cold as a b of ice. If you call it a curse, doesnt it feel like youre trying to justify something? I dont like that. Im saying that I find killing people to be the most enjoyable thing in the world for me. Its like Ive been chosen for it. No, but its a bit strange, though. The ones I liked and killed all turned out to be criminals I used to think it was just a coincidence. But it started to feel less and less coincidental Her expression suddenly became gloomy. Yeah, now that I think about it, thats probably why I hit a slump. Do criminals get slumps too? But just then, you appeared with a Ta-da~! However, her face brightened up once again in just a few seconds. When I first saw you, I felt the strongest urge to kill Ive ever felt in my life. . It was love at first sight. Since that day, my heart has always been captivated by you, Isaac Adler. Ugh? With a voice filled with heat and desire, she suddenly reached out and grasped Adlers neck with her hand. Swish I love youuu.. And then, without even her realization, Jill the Ripper climbed on top of him, drooling as she started strangling him with her hands. Huh? Adler, staring intently at her, extended his hand with all his might and grasped Jill the Rippers throat, causing an awkward smile to spread across her face again. Squeeze Thus began their sincere strangling contest. As their eyes slowly became hazy, they both began losing strength in their grips. . After several more seconds went by, they both copsed onto each other, having lost consciousness simultaneously. Heheheeeee. The first to regain consciousness was Jill the Ripper, her head buried in Adlers chest. Puha, haah Look at this, Adler. As Adler suddenly gasped for air, shivering violently, she began to whisper with the expression of a girl in love, erasing the concerned look that had briefly appeared in her eyes. You really will never die, no matter how many times youre killed. So, Ill make you onest offer. She held Adlers hand and said in an eager voice, Leave the detective and the professor behind;e to me. Lets live happily ever after, trying to kill each other for the rest of our lives. However, seeing Adler keeping his silence, Jill the Ripper started to whisper with a slightly flustered look. Hey, Im in line to be the next queen, you know? I have the power to easily make you into my royal consort. Of course, if you dont like it, we can live an ordinary life. She nced at Adler with a shy smile on her face. I can learn household chores. Things like cooking and knitting, I may not be good at them, but Ill learn diligently. . So live with me. Until we get sick of each other, trying to kill one another, okay? But Adler remained silent until the very end, just quietly gazing at her with the same gaze. Adler, cant you hear me I refuse. At that moment, when Jill the Rippers voice was bing slightly agitated, a firm voice leaked out of his lips. What? I have no intention of being with you. Then, Jill the Rippers expression twisted rapidly, and she began to look at Adler with a serious re in her eyes. Why? Whywhywhywhywhy? She began to viciously stab Adlers body with the knife she was holding tightly in her hand. I love you, so why dont you love me back? Ugh. I love you, Im telling you I love you! Adler? As the violence escted, Adlers mind began to grow faint from the excessive blood loss. Arent you going to kill me? Wont you kill me? If you dont want to die, just say that you love me too! Youre mistaken, thats not it. Eh? However, Adler, with a clear gaze, looked at Jill the Ripper and with all his remaining strength, kicked her in the stomach in the midst of her violent stabbing. Ugh What you are doing right now is not love. Then, clutching her stomach and sweating coldly, she copsed to the floor, to which Adler began to whisper in a low voice. What is it, then? This is just violence. It is nothing but your one-sided violence, not love or a disy of affection. No, it is. Its definitely love In response to his whisper, Jill the Ripper murmured dejectedly with an expression signifying she was not able to understand what Adler was uttering. Real love, you see Quietly gazing into her eyes, Adler suddenly leaned in his head towards her. Hmph. And his tongue gently slid into the mouth of the bewildered Jill the Ripper. .. And silence ensued between them. ? ..??? Jill the Ripper, experiencing an unknown feeling for the first time, froze solid; imaginary question marks written all over her face. Puhaa~ After rolling his tongue inside her mouth while she kept her eyes tightly shut, Adler slowly pulled his head back and silently gazed into her eyes once more. Its like this. As their mingled saliva stretched and finally broke between their lips, he began to whisper to her again. Its not the violence you aremitting, this is love and affection. . Do you see the difference now? And hearing him, the eyes of Jill the Ripper began to tremble in silence. Its weird. What is? My tongue tickles. It still feels like youre still rolling your tongue in my mouth. After a moment, she, mumbling nkly till then, soon bared her teeth and began to growl. Its really weird. My chest is burning hot. I dont like this. Puhk! The slimy feeling is still there. Its unpleasant. I, I feel terrible. As her knife dug into his neck, Adlers eyes gradually began to lose focus. What is love anyway? No matter how I think about it, this isnt love. Ughhh I feel so strange. Foolish. Annoyed. Weird. I really hate While looking at him with what seemed like a flustered gaze, Jill the Ripper was trying to remove her knife from Adlers neck when he spoke in a faint voice. Next week, same time. .? How about we go on a date? Just us two Holding her arm with his cold hand, Adler began to whisper in a calm tone. I will show you what real love is. Puhkkk! Ugh. It was precisely at that moment, as Jill the Ripper looked down at him intently, and, not knowing that she was shedding cold sweat, exerted strength on her knife Bang!!! From behind them, a sharp gunshot rang out. Argh!? In a sh, Jill the Ripper twisted her body to dodge a fatal shot, but she couldnt avoid her shoulder being torn open. Szzzzz Staggering briefly, she immediately began dissipating into ck smoke and scattered around the room. What are you? Reappearing in a corner of the room as a shadow, she clutched her shoulder which was, unlike usual, not healing, and muttered fiercely. Why are you interfering? .. The one who fired the shot was staring coldly, holding the gun emitting smoke. Didnt you say you wanted to confront me, inspector? Taking a deep breath to withstand Jill the Rippers murderous intent, she caught sight of Adlers pale smile, tied to a chair andcerated, and bit her lip hard. Right now, Im here as your lover. Then came her apt response. . The most formidable inspector in all of Britain and the worst serial killer began exchanging their gazes, sharp enough to bore holes in the other, in the quiet of the room. Are you prepared, princess? Youre bothersome, you know that? The collision between Lestrades bullets and Jill the Rippers knife, creating a blinding sh of light, urred mere momentster Chapter 87: The Shadow of Britain (3) Chapter 87: The Shadow of Britain (3) Haa, haa . The ragged breathing of the two women echoed throughout Adlers secret hideout. Youre not bad. Sorry, but I dont need praise from an enemy. As Jill the Ripper, exuding an omnidirectional dark aura, murmured under her breath, Gia Lestrades frigid voice immediatelyshed out in response. But isnt this a bit too much? I am royalty, after all. Normally, inflicting even a slight wound would set grounds for immediate execution. I believe I have never sworn to serve a cancerous existence such as you as royalty. Pfft. At her response, Jill the Ripper let out a snicker and silently extended her hand forward. Goooh And in the next moment, from all over, shadows converged and began to take the shape of razor-sharp knives in mid-air. How many times must I tell you. Bang! Bang!! Bang!!! However, before the shapes could even properly take form, Lestradesposed gunfire disrupted their formation altogether, invalidating their existence. All things considered Abnormal and Irrational dont work in front of me. Your strange abilities included, Jack the Ripper. If youre going to address me with a nickname, please use Jill the Ripper. I am a woman, after all. Watching on silently as Lestrade spoke, she soon murmured in a frigid tone. That aside, its an incredibly unfair talent. A power that perfectly resists all supernatural abilities. How does it feel to be born with such immense power, hmm? To me, its nothing short of a curse. This curse talk again? Its not even funny at this point. A mocking smirk appeared on Jill the Rippers face. To you, it might be a curse, but to others, its a blessing. Just think of it as a divine gift with a penalty, like mine. I dont understand why everyone thinks so pessimistically. You must have experienced the side effects yourself, so how can you say that? Because I didnt experience any side effects perhaps? I just happen to enjoy killing people, you see. Then, with a note ofughter in her voice, she whispered to Lestrade as the inspector looked at her with a gaze molded in frigid ice. But tell me, whats your side effect? .. Suddenly, Im curious about this side effect you speak of. The woman whos the object of admiration for practically all men of London, the very woman who can make Isaac Adler bristle ande at me, saying hell kill me if I did anything to you Just what kind of misery such a woman as yourself is enduring all by yo Bang!!! Before she could finish her words, Lestrade fired thest bullet, emptying the bullet chamber of her revolver. However, dissimr to the events that transpired at the beginning, Jill the Ripper, fully focused, deflected the bullet aimed at her forehead with a simple flick of her knife. Shut that damn mouth of yours. Honestly speaking, I dont like you. Then, the smile etched on her face faded, turning into one of seriousness. Who are you to define whats normal and abnormal? Dont you think thats a bit too arrogant, even for you? . I hate it. Its annoying. I want to gouge out those pure white eyeballs of yours and kill you. Her murmurs filled with pure murderous intent yeting off like the whining of a child, a stark contrast to her intentions echoed in the room. Then try it. Yep, I was nning to do just that. I know youve used up all your bullets just now. Do you n to engage in closebat? As Jill the Ripper whispered and took a step forward, Lestrade responded with a frigid smirk on her face. I spend over half my day in shooting practice. How long do you think itll take me to reload this pistol and fire at you? Im not sure, but I suspect it would be slower than my knife digging into your neck. It seems to me that youre misunderstanding something. A terrifying killing intent began flowing between the two women, making the hair on ones body stand on end in fright. What I meant was, the time it takes to reload my pistol and fire after Ive broken your arm and mmed you to the ground once you came close. Youre confident in hand-to-handbat, I see? You should know well, owing to the brief encounter we had earlier. I can dodge and parry your attacks well enough, Id say. Well, considering how quickly you kept your distance, Id say I have the advantage in closebat Recalling the short closebat situation that urred just a few minutes before, Jill the Ripper looked at the small wound on Lestrades cheek with eyes full of mirth. I just judged that keeping my distance rather than pulling out my baton would be more advantageous for me when I had the chance of engaging in rangedbat. Honestly, even if you pull out a baton now, do you think you can subdue me? I cant give you a definite answer, but I am sure I can hold you off until the time limit. Time limit? At that word, Jill the Ripper, who was smoothly twirling her trusty knife in her hand, tilted her head, prompting Lestrade to continue her exnation; her voice calm. Do you think I came here alone? In a few minutes, the whole avable force of the London Metropolitan Police will descend upon this ce. Look, I think youre under some misunderstanding. Jill the Ripper responded with a dark smile, countering her words. If the police forces were to rush in right now, it would only benefit me. I dont follow. Even if youre the symbol of justice in London, ever since you started associating with Isaac Adler, your reputation has been plummeting. There are even whispers that youve already fallen for Adler. . If, in such a situation, a member of the royal family is found in this back alley hideout, attacked by Isaac Adler and his girlfriend wouldnt that spell trouble for you two instead of me? As Jill the Ripper finished her exnation, curling the corners of her mouth, Lestrade bit her lips quietly and red at her. Youre wrong. Just then, a small voice rang out beside the women. Its you whos going to be in trouble, Miss Ripper. Miss Ripper? With a face dyed deathly pale, Isaac Adler, who had momentarily lost consciousness, narrowed his eyes and referred to her with the nickname she disapproved of, causing Jill the Rippers expression to twist. Because the police bursting in here will not be facing the next heir to the British Empire, but rather the serial killer of Whitechapel whos started revealing her true form to the world. What are you talking about? Have a look at your face. Hearing his words, Jill the Ripper quietly turned her head towards the window. Hmm. Discovering the reflection of her face, half-covered in shadows, she couldnt help but let out an annoyed groan. As expected, the damage from when you were thoroughly beaten by the professorst time hasnt fully healed, has it? If you force a fight with us while you cant even fully control that shadow ability of yours, and reveal your true self, you might just lose your royal status, dont you think? Adler, with a faint smile at her, murmured in a soft voice. If it hadnt been for that professor. Miss Moriarty might be somewhat cute, but her skills are unmatched. Cute? That woman? Jill the Ripper, jolted by a momentary resurgence of her past trauma, muttered with a look of iprehension after hearing Adlers words. You really have a peculiar taste Lets at least respect each others preferences. Hey, are you doing this to stall for time too? Her eyes hardened. Click Dont you see? Right at that moment, Lestrade, swiftly loading her pistol, aimed the muzzle at Jill the Rippers face. Even without my colleagues, I think I could handle you as you are now, unstable. .. Tsk. As Jill the Rippers shadows began to flicker unstably, she grimaced and took a step back. I thought you were bluffing because I didnt sense anyone around, but you really dide. . I might have tried to see it through to the end if it were the police. Muttering to herself for a moment, she then nced at Adler with clouded eyes and the corner of her mouth lifted into a lopsided smirk. Listen, Adler. Yes. Next time we meet, I will make sure to ughter you. Regaining herposure, she stretched her shadows omnidirectionally and began phasing out. No matter how strong you are, I wonder if youd die if I were to chop you to pieces. So Dont forget the appointment we have next week. However, hearing Adlers words, her expression turned slightly solemn. Good, its actually for the best. Shuddering at the bizarre feeling she felt at those words, as though the taste of her first experience minutes ago still lingered on her tongue, she whispered fiercely with a face contorted into a frown. Doctor Jekyll just happened to create a new drug. What did you just say? If its from her, it can be trusted At her mumbling, Adler, losing hisposure for the first time, asked her in a hurry, but she was already halfway into phasing out of the hideout. Next time we meet, you can do as you wish until the day is over. I wont kill you, no matter what you do to me all day. But once the day has passed, Ill chop you up and swallow you whole. Muttering to herself as she was about to fully dissipate into a puff of smoke, Jill the Ripper averted her gaze and added, If you dont want to be devoured, try your best, struggling to the very end. With those words, shepletely vanished, and a heavy silence descended upon the hideout. . . . . . Miss Gia. Only after confirming that Jill the Ripper hadpletely vanished did Lestrade rx, turning her head towards the ingratiating voice that came from right beside her. That was a good bluff. There was no additional support, was there? Fortunately, you fooled her well. However, I didnt know you had such a curse. Thats why you were so surprised when you fell for my magic Inspector? Then, she looked at Adler with a gaze cooled in frigid ice as he approached her with a pale smile on his face. Was what you said earlier true? What do you mean? That you rushed at her when she provoked you, saying that she would kill me, without knowing what you were getting yourself into, and ended up in this state? She asked, approaching Adler who had sustained injuries so grave that his innards were already exposed. But it provokes your anger, doesnt it? .. Where in the world would you find a boyfriend who wouldnt get angry when someone threatens to kill his girlfriend? In response, Adler, shivering and bloodied from head to toe yet maintaining a cheerful smile on his face, replied to her. You know, Inspector As Lestrade unconsciously hugged him, Adler began to wear a dazed expression, feeling her warmth. Ive been thinking Her gaze lowered to Adlers eyes, as his voice, dreaming of his ns, began to reach her ears. It seems about time to seriously take London into my own hands. Do you even realize what youre saying right now? I didnt want to go this far, but when things that shouldnt exist in this world keep popping up, I have no choice. Lestrades eyes, which were cold as she looked at him, began to waver silently upon seeing the blood continuously seeping out of his wounds. What exactly do you n to do? Ill gradually expand my influence, and eventually even the cute professor will be in my grasp. After that, Ill mobilize various criminal organizations at once to Ah, but the rest is a secret. .. If you promise to support your miserable boyfriends ambitions, I might be willing to tell you more However, she ultimately responded with a firm voice. I refuse. Oh No matter what happens, whatever our rtionship bes, I will always stand against you as an inspector sworn to uphold justice and peace. Thats quite regrettable Adler, who had been smiling brightly with his eyes, quietly closed them. But I still love you. Clutching Lestrades hand, he finally lost consciousness. Swish Lestrade gently ced her hand against his now cold cheek. Me too. The moment she murmured to herself unknowingly, Lestrades left eye flickered in a faint golden hue. No, I have finally lost it, havent I? However, shortly after, she shook her head in denial. As she stood up carrying Adler in her arms, her eyes had returned to their usual state as though the previous change was merely a fleeting lie. . . . . . That aside. With a deeply troubled expression, she stepped out of the hideout, holding Adler in her arms. I know youve been watching since earlier, Professor. She said, stopping on her way to the hospital and looking back with a frigid voice. Dont skulk around in the shadows, juste with us to the hospital. But first, I have a question. From the shadows of the alley near the hideout, the owner of the shining grey eyes stepped forward, revealing herself. Slowly, she began Do I really look cute? What? Lestrade, hurrying along with Adler in her arms till then, turned to look at Professor Moriarty; her expression serious. Only to show a look of confusion and bewilderment as she saw Professor Moriarty, standing with her hands behind her back, casting her gaze downwards; her cheeks flushed.
Trantors Note:Daily chapter releases till we reach the equilibrium of this months chapter. Also, all the chapters will be priced at 16 orbs from now on regardless of the length and difficulty of the chapters. Apologies for all the dy. Chapter 88: Do or Die Chapter 88: Do or Die Huh. When I opened my eyes, the familiar ceiling of the hospital room entered my view. Ugh Blinking in a daze, I tried to recall myst memory the sensation of being soaked in blood and the warmth of Lestrades soft body. Did I lose consciousness in Lestrades arms due to anemia? Having a rough idea of why I was brought to the hospital, I tried to sit up silently, but for some reason, my body wouldnt budge. Heh, all your efforts are in vain. .? Youll need at least two more days of rest before that battered body of yours can move again. While I wore a puzzled look on my face, a familiar voice suddenly spoke from beside me. Princess y? Dont look so surprised. Its unsettling. Princess Joan y, taking on her human form, was sitting right next to me. What are you doing, not being in your cat doll form and everything? Ungrateful brat. I have been the one nursing you since you copsed. Youre such a nuisance As I cocked my head and asked her a question, Princess y frowned and began to mutter irritably. Ah, um. Seeing the wet towel in her hand and her swollen fingers, surprisingly, her words seemed to be true. Dont look at me with those eyes. If you were to die, it wouldplicate my position as I am bound to serve you, so I had no choice but to take care of you. So, stop smiling or Ill gouge those eyes out before you can even blink. As I looked at her with renewed curiosity and shed a broad smile at her, she immediately reacted with a fierce reaction. Yes, yes. Annoying brat. Ooof. Muttering so, Princess y threw the towel she was holding onto my face and added in a low voice. Try not to get beaten up so much from now on. I wanted to remove the towel covering my face immediately to see her expression, but I refrained, fearing she might actually gouge out my eyes. If you have a subordinate like me, you should keep me by your side, instead of sending me on reconnaissance abruptly She really was the perfect definition of a tsundere vampire princess. That annoying smile of yours, you should have shown it to that Moran brat instead of me. Huh? When we came back from scouting, you were on the brink of death, struggling for life, and that kid was so upset, that she cried all night; didnt even sleep a wink that girl. Silently, I smiled at Princess y and her cute mannerisms, however, I had no choice but to ask a question, cold sweat pouring down my forehead, upon hearing her words. Where is she now? She is probably with that talking animal maid you have, their minds already lost in madness, scouring through the back alleys by mobilizing all the demi-humans she has under hermand while swearing to avenge her master you, and screaming that she would join you in death if anything were to happen to you. Or something along those lines, I guess. Ah Somehow, I felt a shiver run through my body, feeling as though my karma was umting in real-time. If even those two, who are especially loyal to me, were to go crazy, then truly, there would be no more path left for me. Ill make sure to talk to themter. Thank you. Hmph. As myplexion darkened without me realizing it, the princess nced at me, then muttered quietly and turned her head away with a flick. By the way, you guys were the only ones who came looking for me, right? Huh? What are you talking about? As I raised her favorability a few notches in my mind, I asked out of curiosity, and she answered with an incredulous look on her face. There have been over a dozen people visiting you during thest few days. What? Thats excluding the ones I know the identity of, the ones I have witnessed while watching over you in my cat form. She paused for a moment and then started with a deep breath. That annoying detective spent the whole of yesterday nursing you with Lestrade before leaving with her head hung low due to a case. Then her assistant snuck into the room like a thieving cat, hit a typewriter for a few times, then left while shaking her head. Ah Besides them, there was a mysterious woman who was definitely from Bohemia, Romanian renegades who, for some reason, are still atrge in London, the hounds of Mycrony Holmes, Lestrades younger sister, and even Colonel Rose from the back alleys, to whom I once owed a favor As she started listing the visitors, some of whom I could guess, the cold sweat dripping down my forehead became a torrent. By the way, I didnt count the silhouette with the silk hat and monocle who appeared briefly at the windowte at night and then disappeared, the noblewomen of Londons upper ss who once trembled before my authority, and your ex-girlfriends who came with dead eyes and knives hidden in their bosoms, only to be chased away. Im scared, mydy. The truly frightening one is none other than you who drove all those people mad. As I murmured with a slightly trembling smile, the noble princess looked at me with cold eyes and responded. Why do you even do that? Now that I think about it, dont you believe that its a bit too much for you to handle? Its still within eptable limits. Madman. She shook her head in disapproval at my candid response and muttered in a low voice. You shouldve just served me and we couldve conquered the world together. It wouldve been far easier. .. If you wish to change your mind now, youre more than wee. I always have a ce prepared for an escape in America Then the noble princess, feigning a frosty smile, leaned closer to me. How about it? Just run away and conquer the world with me Youve worked hard, so Ill give you a reward. Tch. Honestly, it was probably the most my heart had wavered sinceing to this world. However, I hid my feelings and replied, and disappointment clouded the noble princesss eyes in response. Come, feed. Quietly, I loosened my top garment to bare my neck, and the noble princess, her eyes unconsciously glowing red, inched closer to my neck. Never mind. Huh? I have no interest in the nutrient-poor blood of someone who copsed from anemia. But just before her fangs could sink into my neck, the noble princess suddenly stood up and began trotting towards a corner of the room, muttering in a low voice. Ill eat you when youre a bit tastier, you buffoon. Still, you must be low on energy due to taking on your human form for so many days. Its none of your business anyway. Then, she quietly picked up a cat doll that was lying on the floor. I suppose Ill have to endure with this detestable body for a while Surely, you didnt unnecessarily share the blood you were digesting with me, right? Quiet. I watched her, puzzled as to why she avoided facing me. Scratching my head, I suddenly remembered something and asked her a question. By the way, the visitors you mentioned, were they the only ones among the people you knew? Why do you ask? That Did the professor note? She then turned her head with a snicker, giving me a sidelong nce. Are you talking about your advisor, whom I suspect might be going senile? Thats a bit harsh. When I retorted with some irritation in my voice, she looked at me with a curious expression and asked. Arent you afraid of her? Why would I be afraid of the cute Miss Moriarty? Its understandable for you to say that, since you havent heard what shes been asking around to girls my age recently. You dont mince your words in the absence of the professor now, do you? As a woman, you should respect her privacy. What are you talking about? She hasnt left your side for a moment since she entered this room. Huh? As she silently pointed to my side, I lifted my head with effort to check the spot and then finally realized why my body had been feeling so heavy. Ah She has been sitting by your side without sleep for days, and finally fell asleep a few moments ago. Turning my head, I saw the image of Professor Moriarty hunched over on the bed, her hand on my stomach, activating a restraining spell. . Yeah. Contrary to what Princess y said, she was now staring at me intently with her grey eyes opened wide. She really is a strange woman. As Princess y, preparing to possess the cat, muttered those words, the atmosphere in the room seemed to turn slightly colder or was it perhaps my imagination? I didnt know for sure. See, recently shes been trying makeup techniques that make her look younger I dont know what youre about to say, but it might be best to stop. Huh? Id hate to lose a reliable subordinate just like that. Hmph, what nonsense are you spouting all of a sudden Professor Moriartys chilly gaze remained as Princess y, turning into red smoke and possessing the cat, closed her eyes and fell asleep. . . . . . Mr. Adler. Professor. An unspecified time passed in between. I have two concerns at the moment. Is that so? After staring into Adlers eyes for seemingly an excruciating eternity, Professor Moriarty silently opened her mouth, and Adler, barely managing to keep his head up, replied with cold sweat seeping out of his forehead. That sounds quite interesting. But right now, Im a bit sleepy The first concern is that people around me have been increasingly mocking my age. Ignoring his attempt to divert the conversation, Professor Moriarty continued with her concerns. Its quite strange. Im in my twenties. Not evente twenties, but at the perfect age for marriage ording to the average for British women. . Theres absolutely no reason for me to be ridiculed for my age. Its the ignorant young ones who Have you been wearing makeup? Gazing at her nkly, Adler tilted his head and asked in a soft voice. So thats why youve been looking more youthfultely. Truth be told, youre cute even without putting anything on, Professor. Then the professor paused and silently stared at him for a brief moment. Lets move on to my second concern. As she easily skipped over her first concern, Adler secretly breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. Listen to this. Yes? With a sly smile, the professor then took out a miniature phonograph out of her pocket. It seems about time that I take London into my hands. Do you realize what youre saying? As she caressed the magic stone embedded in the center, the phonograph began to softly y out the conversation he had with Lestrade in the secret hideout a few days ago. Step by step, Ill expand my influence, and eventually, even the cute Professor will be in the palm of my hand. After that, Ill mobilize various criminal organizations simultaneously That should be good enough. At the moment the problematic statement yed, the magic stone along with the phonograph shattered to pieces due to the overwhelming mana that suddenly flooded out of the professor. Uh, Professor. That During this vacation, Ive endured a great deal, Mr. Adler. .. Youll have to acknowledge it yourself. Havent you seen with your own eyes how far Ive lowered my pride for the sake of my cute little assistant? The professor, flicking away the smoke rising from her hand, tilted her head from side to side in her characteristic manner, and leaned toward Adler. Listen. The system, which had been silent for a long while despite being summoned multiple times by him to rify the current circumstances, once again appeared in front of Adler. Ill give you five minutes, Mr. Adler. Right now, youre at the branching point between the ending and the Hidden Route. Exin within five minutes why you should not be the victim of my perfect crime curse today. Beyond the message, Adler gazed at the professor, wearing a frigid smile, and tried to hide the creepiness he felt by forcing a smile of his own. By the way, the perfect crimes that my curse allows me tomit involve a variety of types, not just murder, Mr. Adler. Choose wisely. Then the system message, which had lowered its transparency to naturally obscure the Professors face, sent him onest message before slowly beginning to fade away. . . . . . Ah, and theres something Ive been curious about for a long time. Yes? Thanks to the consideration of the system, Adler soon managed to regain someposure. The messages that youve always been checking, the ones floating in mid-air Professor Moriartys voice, filled with pure curiosity, burrowed into Adlers ears. Are those, by any chance, sent by a woman? Adlers mind, which had been racing, suddenly went nk. May I have a drink before we talk? No. Chapter 89: Realization Chapter 89: Realization Mr. Adler, why arent you responding? .. It seems your professors words no longer sound like words to you, huh? At that moment, Adler wondered if he should spring up from the bed and get a bottle of vodka. Anything to get out of this situation. Do you want to keep repeating the grade, your points deducted for unknown and unjustified reasons, thus staying in the academy until you are past your twenties? Well, thats He stuttered, feeling a shiver down his spine from the Professors following whisper. Actually, that sounds rather nice. .? Because it means I will get to spend my youth with you, Professor. As he responded with an innocent smile on his face, the Professor gazed down at him, keeping her silence for a moment. Mr. Adler. Yes, Professor. I want to hear an answer that deserves a perfect score, not from the perspective of a lover but the right-hand man that serves the ruler of the back alleys. A short whileter, she climbed onto Adlers bed with a frigid smile and whispered. Maybe it would have worked any other time, but not today, Im afraid. When has it ever worked, anyway? It always did. To be honest, its been quite amusing to watch my cute assistant wrack his brain and scurry about here and there. Her eyes shone darkly as she spoke. Ever since observing an ant that had strayed from its colony when I was young, I havent had such a delightful experience. You had a cute side even when you were young, I see. At that time, I quickly grew bored and crushed the creature with my finger, but thats beside the point. The professor remarked, quietly mounting atop Adlers abdomen soon after. That was my first kill, I suppose. . It was such an intense experience, one that I still remember to this day. Then, gently grasping Adlers neck, she whispered to him in a soft voice. Although youre not an ant, I think I can give you a simr experience. It wont involve taking your life, of course. But youll be the victim of a crime that will be the first and of its kind, that I shall enact in this life of mine. I would have enjoyed it under normal circumstances, but right now, Im not quite in the mood, you see. Adler looked up at her silently as his eyes turned into a shade of bloody red. I wont just sit idly by, Professor. Thats a very good attitude, Mr. Adler. However, hearing his defiant reply, the Professors expression brightened instead. If you resist like this, what I am about to do to you in five minutes will definitely be regarded as a heinous crime. . So do whatever you wish to me. Struggle as much as you can while youre allowed. Upon hearing her words, for a brief moment, Adler envisioned himself pping the Professors cheek with all his might. Swish Hmm. As his hand quietly rose, Jane Moriarty tilted her head, her expression intrigued. Will you, as you have done with that pesky thief, try to subdue me with violence? . Or will you break my mind and dominate me, transforming me from the inside out, as you have already done with the haughty and prideful Caroline? Im quite curious. The professors hand, holding Adlers neck, tensed ever so slightly. I dont know what youre nning, but youll have to act within the next five minutes. Although a minute has already passed, consider it a bonus minute. However, the professor didnt apply further pressure to her grip and just gently stroked Adlers neck with her hands. Ill stay still, no matter what you do until the five minutes are up. Adlers right hand twitched ever so slightly at her words. Even if you grab my hair with that hand and violently shake it, leave bruises and scars on my face, or do what you so casually did to women in the past, I wont budge. . I swear that I wont resist in any way for exactly five minutes. So go ahead, make yourst stand with all youve got, Mr. Adler. And with that, the room was drenched in silence. Swish Honestly, Ive wanted to see it at least once. Amid that silence, as Adler stretched his hand towards his own face, Professor Moriarty quietly murmured with a gleam in her eyes. The moment when you dominate a woman. Whether it will work on me, whether it wont Tap. .? However, her voice soon trailed off Isaac Adler? Hehe. Contrary to Professor Moriartys expectations, Isaac Adler simply ced his hand on her cheek, gazing at her with a pure smile. What is the meaning of this? As he just looked up at her, doing nothing, she asked in a low voice, bobbing her head from side to side. Did I ever tell you that every time you shake your head like that, you look as cute as a baby lizard? Answer my question, Isaac Adler. This is my answer, Professor. Isaac Adler began softly caressing the professors cheek as he whispered. For the remaining time, I will simply stay like this. Is this one of those sophisticated jokes of yours? The Professor asked with a puzzled expression, but Adler merely continued in a whisper, a faint smile on his lips. I have no desire to escape this predicament, even if it means defying you, Professor. From the moment you first attempted to take my life, our fate was sealed. The Professor, looking down at him quietly, whispered in a hardened voice. You might never see the light of day again. If thats what you desire, all I can do isply. Do you really not know what I might do? I know all too well, in fact. Then how can you be so calm? At being asked, a simple and clear answer left Adlers lips. Well, I am your probability, after all. Professor Moriartys expression went nk. No matter what happens, that identity will never change. Then, what about your im that you would have me in your grasp? That statement? Hearing the question she blurted out in a low voice, Adler asked back, a gentle smile stretching his lips. Are you really asking because you dont know? As the Professor silently stared at him with eyes urging him to answer, Adler pointed to her eyes and responded. My ultimate goal is to dye your eyes in my color. Need I borate anymore? Carefully, Adler caressed the corner of her eyes with his hand. I want to be the consort of the queen. Upon hearing the statement that slipped out of his lips, for a moment, Professor Moriartys breathing stopped altogether. Before my life is over, I want to make Jane Moriarty the most sinister and powerful Evil Queen in history. And I want such a being to live a life drenched in my hue. In a situation where time seemed to stand still, only Adlers voice echoed throughout the room. I want to remain in your memory forever, even after I am gone. Hearing his gentle words, the professor, without even realizing it, began loosening her grip on Adlers throat. That is my sole purpose He gazed into her eyes, bearing the same grey hue as when they first met, as she sat on top of him. At that instant, as Adler was about to continue his speech That was quite the performance. Khek What? Indeed, befitting a former child actor known for his dramatic roles. Professor Moriarty began pressing down harder with her hand, pushing Adler fully beneath her. If your eyes had not still been dyed fully in Charlotte Holmes colors, I might have been truly deceived by that glorious performance of yours. .. Ah. Mr. Adler, its far toote for regrets now. Calmly, the professor dered those words and soon began unfastening the buttons of his shirt. Its already been five minutes. Upon hearing her speak, Adler turned his gaze away with a resigned expression. Dont look away, Adler. Face this foolish end of our rtionship that you yourself have brought At that moment, as Moriarty, holding his head with her hands while wearing a dark smile, turned his face towards hers The end. She, hands frozen in ce, couldnt help but stare nkly at him. ..? And then, as the room was drenched in silence, Isaac Adler tilted his head in quiet contemtion, Hey You have avoided the early ending and unlocked another hidden route. A message from the system appeared before his eyes. For now, congrattions. Eh? With his eyes opened wide in absolute disbelief, Adlers gaze began to grow vacant. . . . . . You, look quite ridiculous right now, you know? ..? With question marks practically written all over my face, unable to grasp the sudden turn of events, I suddenly heard the professor, who had already risen and stopped using my belly as a seat, whispering in a low voice. Walking around like that, youre bound to attract attention. What do you mean Why dont you take a look in the mirror? Turning my head in the direction her hand pointed towards, I saw my reflection in the mirror and finally I was able to understand the situation at hand. Ah My eyes, once both dyedpletely ck, were now ck on the left and grey on the right. You should have just been honest and spoken the truth, Adler. The professors voice,ced with mirth, began echoing in my ear as I quietly stared at the puzzling reflection. That all this time, youve loved both Holmes and me exactly the same. Atst, for the first time since I entered this world, I had no choice but to admit it. Thats why youve been unable to decide which of us to choose. The statement I had just made wasnt just one of my typical quick-witted responses. Thats the real reason youve always hidden your true feelings so thoroughly. . And its also why youve be so passivetely. Excuses like having to survive or the system forcing my hand no longer held any weight. Hmm. I was, indeed, in love with this woman, the very embodiment of evil, as much as I was in love with Charlotte Holmes. Now Im starting to feel a bit relieved. .. What I should do next, it feels all too clear now. And the crime of falling in love with both the hope of London and the queen of the underworld at the same time. Hidden Route The Detectives Husband (100% 45%) The Professors Consort (0% 45%) Flower in Each Hand (5%) Somehow, I didnt think it would be light. Probability of being Shared 5% Chapter 90: Shattered Mask Chapter 90: Shattered Mask Creak Where are you off to, Mr. Adler? As Adler staggered out of the bed after staring nkly at the mirror hanging on the wall for a while, Professor Moriarty, back to her usualposed self, tilted her head with a puzzled expression and queried. You shouldnt be wandering around in your current condition. Ha. But ignoring her advice, Adler still approached the mirror and finally exhaled a rough breath. Professor. After closing his eyes tightly and taking a deep breath, silently, he turned his head and addressed Professor Moriarty. I must confess. . I have never seen you as a member of the opposite sex. A smirk yed on her lips as she silently observed his eyes, which had already turned back to their previous ck hue. Thats sophistry. Even if we set aside all your actions until now, you just revealed your ultimate goal bing my husband. A frigid wave seemed to have spread along with Professor Moriartys smile. And youre still saying that you have never liked me? Thats Isnt that a bit too unscrupulous? Adler, about to speak, couldnt help pausing at the words leaking out of her mouth. They had a slightly different tone from usual,pelling him to keep his silence. My feelings for you were admiration and awe. Trying to wriggle out of it, I see. Thats exactly why my eyes took on Charlottes colors, instead of yours. Her gaze narrowed at his muttering, which seemed tock spirit. Unlike love, admiration and awe are often one-sided emotions that dont resonate well, even if theyre of the same magnitude. Mr. Adler. Normally, a person who admires or reveres someone strongly doesnt wish to dye them in their own colors. Is that so? Overwhelmed just by watching, they dare not entertain such sphemous thoughts. Confusion slowly encroached on Adlers face as he heard her words. Then, why do I? The change in your eyes for a moment has already answered that question of yours, hasnt it? Professor Moriarty, who found Adler more intriguing than ever, stepped toward him as he stood dangerously close to the mirror. You have been in love with me all along. . You just didnt realize it. Or perhaps, you knew but have been deceiving yourself. Murmuring those words, Professor Moriarty leaned in close to Adlers face. If you still dont understand, lets experiment, shall we? Um Teaching is a teachers duty, so Ill take special care to show you myself. In the next moment, the warmth that lingered on her lips touched and seeped into the cold lips of Adler. How about that? Holding Adlers tongue lightly in her mouth for a brief instant, the professor then pulled her head back and posed the question. How does the kiss we just shared taste? It tastes like coffee. Perhaps, we need a bit more practice. As Adler averted his gaze to the side, evading her words, the professors face morphed into a sardonic smile and she lowered her head ever so slightly. Eh. Then, Moriarty started nibbling right above Adlers Adams apple. Pro fessor. As her tongue softly licked his neck, confusion clouded Adlers eyes. How about it, Adler? After that rather unusual kiss, the professor, hands sped behind her back, started bobbing her head side to side in her usual cute manner. Did your heart flutter a bit? .. The change in her tone, her habits that Adler liked, and her characteristic elusive smile allbined to stir Adlers heart. It seems it did flutter after all. And when a blush rose to his cheeks, Jane Moriarty, amused by his appearance, reached out her hand. The experiment is over. .. An undeniable conclusion has already been drawn At that instant, as Moriarty was about to touch Adlers cheek Stop it. p All of a sudden, the air between them turned frigid as Adler swatted away the professors hand. ? The change in my eye is merely a coincidence. Silently, she looked down at the red handprint staining the back of her small hand and then turned her gaze towards Adler. Seeing her gaze settling on him, he began to mutter in a whispering note. It just happened to look that way by chance. Or maybe it was just your imagination, Professor. Where did the brilliant and keen man I once knew go? Who is this dim-witted fellow that came in his ce, I wonder? Hearing his nonsensical remarks, she looked into Adlers eyes and whispered, not budging at his futile effort to offer a retort. To see you not as someone to serve but as a person of the opposite sex. Just the mere thought of that Well, that is indeed usible. His right eye, which had been flickering between ck and grey, was caught in her gaze. Love sometimes does cloud ones mind. She observed that curious spectacle for a long while before gently lifting Adlers chin. The perfect performance I thought you were dishing out just turned out to hold the sincerity hidden deep within your heart. And youre really adorable for being so flustered and at a loss. Mr. Adler. As she delivered those words with a bright smile stretching her lips, Adlers flickering eye remained grey for far longer than he was willing to admit. . . . . . So, what are you trying to say in the end? As the color returned to ck once more, Adler muttered, his voice taking on a frigid tone once more, and turned his head. From today, return as my assistant. The professor, initially looking at him with a dark gleam in her eyes, soon began whispering with her eyes lit up, as though nothing had changed all along. Ive been asked to consult on a crime. Is that so? Its not someone you brought in, but, for the very first time, a client who came to me willingly after having heard of my reputation. At her wordsced with pride, Adler quietly shifted his gaze back to the professor. But I was reluctant to take on such a monumental request without my beloved assistant at my side, so Ive been holding off. Thats cringe. Why have you suddenly be so cold? Moriarty, with a puzzled smile and a tilted head, continued speaking while gazing at him. Anyway, Id like to work on this case with you. .. Will you join me? As Adler, rolling his eyes, was about to speak, Ah, and by the way, no need for an answer. Before he could even respond, the professors voice,ced with mirth, filled the room. This is an order. As my beloved assistant, join me in my crimes. An unknown time passed as the silence, that settled between them, stretched on. I willply. Adler silently nodded in response. My loyalty to you, Professor, will always remain unchanged. Ill see how long you can escape with such ambiguous responses. Holding his hand again, carefully this time around, the professor muttered to him in a low voice as she headed toward the door of the room. Soon there wille a time when you will have to choose which color you want to dye your eyes in. As you have won thest bet, you have gained the right to choose one of us. Hearing her words, Adler hesitated for a moment before making eye contact with the professor as she looked at him with clear intrigue in her eyes. Excuse me for a moment. ..! The professor, with a quiet smile, slightly bowed her head and pressed her lips to his right eye. What are you doing? Marking you. As she licked his closed eye gently with her tongue and then lifted her head, Adler asked her in stunned surprise, receiving a rather lewd response in return. My goal is to do it to every part of your body. Thats sexual harassment. Upon hearing his response, the professor wrapped her arm around Adlers waist, and he, without realizing it, shivered and muttered in a frigid tone. Ill do it while youre asleep, so dont worry. Professor. Adler muttered, responding back, his face serious and his usual sly demeanor gone. Although Im currently offering you my absolute loyalty, I am, after all, a man with sexual desires. .. If you keep this up, I might pounce on you. With a faint, yet pronounced, dangerous look in his eyes, he shook off the professors arm and headed for the door of the room. Quietly watching his receding back, the professor couldnt help but get lost in her thoughts. They say drinking seawater only increases ones thirst. So please dont do that. Its a phrase that suits you perfectly. When she was finally able to grasp the feelings hidden deep in his heart, Adler had suddenly be several times more distant. I never expected him to close off his heart so abruptly. Just minutes ago, he had been vying to make a good impression on her, but now she was the one desperately trying to hold onto him. It felt as if the roles of the attacker and defender had switched. And that makes me want him even more. Just as the sea has its high and low tides, she had learned that love also had simr moments of push and pull. At least thats what the books the professor had secretly borrowed from the academy library during the vacation had said. This moment perfectly describes the destructive power of someone who has been pulling away constantly and finally decides to push back. She wanted topletely devour the boy walking ahead of her. Could this possibly be part of your n as well? She wanted to make Isaac Adler her own, in all of his facets and forms. Well, what does it even matter. ..!? Harboring such thoughts, she stealthily approached Adler from behind and gently brushed his nape with her lips as he was about to open the door. Professor. Startled, Adler shuddered and then turned around with a gaze of frigid ice. Didnt I warn you already? Hehe. It wasnt the somewhat subdued, masked reaction he usually showed her. But rather, the genuine, raw response of Isaac Adler. Sorry~ Knowing all too well why he had changed so much in such a short time, a pleased smile formed on Jane Moriartys face, her hands sped behind her back. Hmm. All of a sudden, the professor turned her head towards the mirror, but soon, retracted her gaze back with a somewhat rxed smile. It seems I have a rather unique constitution. The reflection in the mirror still showed her eyes painted in their usual grey hues, but now she didnt care anymore about it. My beloved Adler. Yes? If what they were sharing now wasnt love, then what else could love be? Nothing~ Havinge to that conclusion in her mind, she quietly followed behind Adler with her hands still sped behind her back. . . . . . Creak So, what exactly is the request? I still dont know. The door to the hospital room, which had seen a great deal of traffic over the past few days, opened, making way for the professor and Adler to walk out while conversing. All I know so far is that the clients name is quite amusing. The name is amusing? Adler expressed his curiosity at the professors words. Well, how can someonesst name be Garrideb? Ah. Ahaha, hahahaha At that moment, as Adler, seemingly caught on to something in the professors words, heard herugh out loud Adler? From down the corridor, an unexpected voice called out to him. Have you finally woken up? Gia Lestrade, dressed in in clothes while holding a basket of apples in her hand, stood there with eyes filled with surprise and astonishment. This is quite astonishing. ..! The great Lestrade herself in in clothes? Could it be that she took a day off to visit you? Lestrade, who had been quickly walking forward, paused her steps once she noticed Jane Moriarty standing next to Adler. Huh? Immediately, her eyes turned frigid at the scene. What are those marks mark? The handprint and teeth marks on Adlers neck were vividly captured by Lestrades sharp and intuitive gaze. These are merely wounds from that day That wasnt there yesterday, was it? Adler stammered, trying to offer an excuse, but Lestrades eyes grew far colder as she muttered in a chilly voice. Isnt that right, Professor? Her gaze challenged Professor Moriarty, who merely stood there with a rxed expression, arm wrapped around Adlers waist. What have you done to my boyfriend? You lead such a bothersome life, Lestrade. The hallway was soon filled with the frigid aura leaking out of the two women. Chapter 91: The Battle Intensifies Chapter 91: The Battle Intensifies Answer the question, Professor. Im sorry, but Im not quite sure what youre talking about. Lestrade, looking ahead with a cold expression, raised her voice demanding an answer. Hearing her demand, Professor Moriarty opened her mouth with a leisurely smile. You know better than anyone that I nursed Adler without taking my eyes off him for a single moment over the past few days. I know that. What Im asking is Unlike someone who, when faced with a choice between their boyfriend and duty, ultimately chose thetter. At her words, Lestrade bit her lips hard, stopping mid-sentence. My job is to uphold justice in London. Dont so casually weigh its importance as you have. And in the first ce, it was I who saved him, not you. But despite being right there, you couldnt prevent Adlers chest from being torn open and tattered. Are you going to keep finding faults? Its not about finding faults, Lestrade. Im simply instilling the absolute truth into a stupid inspector who mistakenly thinks she saved Adler when ultimately, it was because of myte arrival that Jill the Ripper escaped from the hideout, enabling you to save him; that too by the barest margins. Their cold voices echoed through the corridor. What aughable situation. If you cant protect him despite being right there, why even make such a contract What contract are you referring to? Adler gave up half of London for you, and you gave up yourself for half of London. Wasnt that the contract both of you established? Do not speak so carelessly. Youre not exactly denying it now, are you? You and Adler are nothing more than contract lovers, each pursuing your own interests. Lestrade opened her mouth as if to respond, but ultimately shut her mouth again, keeping her silence. It seems that you are performing your duties to some extent though. Seeing that you are wearing this oddly shaped dress thats not your usual police uniform, and carrying the basket full of fruits that have be somewhat precious due to the recent heavy snowfall I told you not to speak carelessly. Why, all of a sudden? I doubt youre embarrassed for bringing a fruit basket Professor Moriarty looked down at Lestrade, who was quietly clutching the fruit basket in her hand, and muttered with narrowed eyes. That dress, did Adler buy it for you? Silence followed, and Lestrade could only lower her gaze. Even though you were recently promoted to an inspector, Ive heard that your familys circumstances are still quite poor Professor. Just as she was about to continue her probing with that frigid smile of hers Do not speak lightly of Miss Gia. Adler, who had been quiet until then, murmured in a dangerously low voice. And silence fell once more. At his firm and resolute statement, Lestrade looked at Adler, a dazed expression momentarily taking over. I understand. Meanwhile, the Professor, bobbing her head quietly, soon looked down at him with a gentle gaze and spoke out. Be more careful in the future. Swish As the Professor wrapped her arm around his waist again, Adler could only silently bite his lips. Get your hands off me. How strange Still, with clear marks around his neck, as he was hugged by the professor while making a dark expression, Lestrade, watching the scene, began to growl in a low voice. Surely, youve been forced to pretend to be Adlers lover to protect London. Baseless nonsense But Moriarty, wrapping her arms even tighter around Adlers waist, muttered under her breath all the more. Why has my will to kill you doubled since the moment my dress was insulted? Lestrades eyes, poised as if about to rush forward at any moment, suddenly became vacant. If I had to be the lover of the person I hate the most in the world to keep them at bay, Id always be sharpening my knife on the inside, even if I pretended to be fine on the outside. But the knife in your heart seems to be getting duller by the day. As Moriartys mocking voice reached her ears, making her speechless. Could it be that youre deluding yourself into thinking youre acting, just like a certain someone I know? I dont know who that might be, but no. Is that so? My unwavering top priority is to uphold justice in London. For that, I would willingly oppose Isaac Adler Lestrades voice, initially wavering, steadied as she spoke in a firm tone, but then slowly faded in the end. Hmph. .. As she saw the scene of Moriarty gently nibbling on Adlers ear, acting as though she was invisible. What are you doing Please stop, Professor. Adler, with a voice colder than frigid ice, spoke out as Lestrade looked on dumbfoundedly at the scene while murmuring in a dazed voice. Stop it, its making me ufortable Unlike his usual sly demeanor, Adlers expression and voice seemed to carry a hint of sincerity, causing Lestradesplexion to pale even further. I dont want to. Ah. Im going to continue. Despite his protest, Moriarty was much more forceful than usual. If you resist, there will be no thesis review this week. Hearing those words, Adler bowed his head in resignation, and Moriarty began to stroke his hair. Why do you look at me with those eyes? Youve crossed the line, now. Lestrades voice, filled with murderous intent, flew at her. No matter what has happened between you two, I still am Isaac Adlers lover Unfortunately, thats no longer the case at the moment. Moriarty looked at her with an unblinking, mocking gaze as she delivered those words. Adler is currently apanying me as my assistant. Hearing those words, Lestradesplexion paled further. That means You know exactly what it means. Of course, with your dull deduction capabilities, you wouldnt even understand whats happening anyway. Moriartys voice became clearer, more sharper, in stark contrast to Lestrades own. The important thing is, the Adler youre facing now is an adversary you must oppose. As those words came to an end, Lestrade, biting her lips tightly, began to re at the professor. Why are you doing this? The professor, moving forward with Adler, nced at her questioningly and tilted her head. Is something bothering you after all? Are you nning to create a scene here? All the better for me, I suppose. It would be an amazing opportunity topletely bring down the symbol of justice whose reputation is already jeopardized due to her recent association with Adler. Even after hearing her dangerous remarks, Lestrade, with darkened eyes and sealed lips, was about to step towards the exit where the two were heading . However, she had to stop in her tracks with a vacant look in her eyes. There are reporters nearby, Miss Lestrade. It was because Adler, passing right by her side, whispered in a low voice while shaking his head from side to side, his expression dark. Ill be fine, so dont get involved unnecessarily.. Look at me, Mr. Adler. Yes. But Adler, at the sound of the professors chilly voice, turned his head ordingly. Swish As the professor, who had been caressing Adlers cheek, applied pressure to her hand, Adlers tilted head was forced to lean against her shoulder. What a pity, on a vacation no less From the professors lips flowed a voice that sounded very pleased as she exited the hallway. Instead of a boyfriend, youre faced with a criminal. Her voice echoed quietly, fading away, as their footsteps grew distant, bringing a quiet silence to the hallway. For a long while, in that silence, Lestrade stood still, biting her lips far more fiercely than she ever did. Enough already Who knew your true self would be this prickly, really, its so adorable. Please. Far away, Adler, wearing a troubled expression, was persistently swatting away the professors hand trying to caress the back of his own. Be content with this. Hmm. No more. It was because he finally extended his pinky finger in resignation. Puhk! Eventually, as they walked away with their pinkies intertwined, Lestrades lips, watching everything with dark, hollowed eyes, were unknowingly bleeding a single line of crimson blood. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that time, at 221B Baker Street What are you doing, Holmes? Watson, rubbing her sleepy eyes as she was about to start her day, asked Charlotte who was, as usual, absorbed in some matter while sitting at her desk. What is it that youre reading so intently? However, Charlotte, seemingly fully engrossed in the reading material in front of her, gave no answer in return. Adler is expected to wake up soon, arent you going toe with? Hey, rookie detective. Watson tried to provoke her with narrowed eyes, but Charlotte still remained silent. Alright, then Ill go ahead. But her partner, already ustomed to Charlottes entric nature, left the boarding house alone while leaving those words. But what kind of book is it, that it doesnt even have a cover? As her partners murmur drifted through the early morning streets of London and faded away, Phew Charlotte, engrossed in the book until then, soon closed it and let out a deep sigh, mumbling to herself in a low voice. So thats how babies are made, huh? Thus, the battle over the greatest trophy in London was growing increasingly intense. Chapter 92: The Battle Intensifies (2) Chapter 92: The Battle Intensifies (2) Adler, take a look at this. What is it? Quite a few interesting things have been published in the weekly newspaper. As I walked away from the hospital and went down the street, I heard the cheerful voice of Professor Moriarty. Is that so Dont be like that, just take a look. I was quite a bit distressed by the incident that had just urred, however, I had no choice but to stop walking when she thrust the newspaper right in front of my face. There are a lot of strange events happening in London these days. Then, the professor muttered under her breath while avoiding my gaze. Are they as strange as what weve experienced over the past few months? Theyre in a league of their own, but in my opinion, these incidentse infinitely close to their level. I looked at her with a slightly annoyed expression, and she, noticing my mood, nudged the newspaper still close to my face and mumbled. For example, in the eastern part of the city, rainbow-colored rain fell all day yesterday. Rainbow-colored rain? Thats not all. All across the cemeteries in Ennd, there have been simultaneous howling sounds, and there have been sightings of humans resembling wolves Ah Hearing those words, my head began to throb frantically. Its beginning, isnt it? Till the end of the first semesters summer break in this world is practically just a tutorial period if youpare it to any traditional game. Since, starting from the second semester, precursors of bizarre phenomena would start appearing at random, and from the second year onward, strange cases would burst forth almost on a daily basis. And the more you fail to solve them, the more the world goes to hell. The problem currently was that although it was just the end of the summer break, events that would normally happen at the end of the second semester had already started urring in real-time. For example, the incidents that Professor Moriarty just mentioned were a few of the original episodes in the game, known as Rainbow Rain, Howling Cemetary, and Reconstructed Wolf. Of course, these incidents were devised by the story department, who colluded with the design team to shamelessly insert my modeling of Isaac Adler into the official narrative as a worthless character, so their quality and the gimmicks that are utilized are at an utterly crude level. To be frank, even the ipetent London Metropolitan Police Force could solve these without Charlotte needing to step in. However, that was not the issue at hand. Rather than getting involved in cases that didnt require my supervision, I should be focusing on the grave fact that the appearance of cases that should only be urringter down the storyline was now being rushed for some reason. It must be because of the erosion There was no such thing as an Erosion Rate in the game system I had designed. Certainly, the probabilities of being kidnapped, confined, or subjected to something censored by question marks were also not present in the game system I had implemented, However, all of those were just possibilities that could be introduced at any time, given the nature of the system that presents the current probabilities drawn from ones karma. But from what Ive observed so far, this Erosion Rate seems to be a bit different from everything else in the game system. Every time beings that shouldnt exist in this world appear before me, the erosion rate increases The first alien entity, a deviant to this worlds storyline, to reveal herself was Jill the Ripper, and of course, there was no setting established for her. Then came the Phantom Thief Lupin, whom the clueless story team tried to insert into the canonical story, prompting me to foam from the mouth in anger and relegate her to a DLC story instead. Honestly, I hated the idea of Lupin popping up in a game based on the Sherlock Holmes series so much that I wanted to remove her entirely, but it was already toote as the illustrations and modeling had beenpleted. Hmm Upon further reflection, the Erosion Rate that often pops up as a red warning before my eyes seems to be caused by characters who are not part of the Sherlock Holmes series. The rate increased exponentially with the appearance of fictional characters from other stories like Lupin or real-life figures like Jack the Ripper. And it also slightly rose when the usibility of the cases began to copse. What could be the reason for these non-existent characters suddenly appearing in the game? And if the Erosion Rate kept rising steadily, what on earth would happen to this world? Whatever it is, judging by the hastening of these bizarre incidents, its usible to deduce that its not going to end well for anyone. Even though I ended up with this cursed body, these damned eyes that couldnt settle on anything, and was ignorant of many things in a world that I myself designed, I couldnt just sit back and do nothing. As long as it was a world I created with my own hands, it was my responsibility to protect it. To aplish that, I needed to build the kingdom of crime at a pace that had to be several times faster than what it was currently progressing at. Only then would I be able to wage an all-out war against those unwee invaders. .. And, to do that, the most crucial person was Isaac Adler. As I was lost in deep thought, the very person, Professor Jane Moriarty, kept poking my cheek with her finger. Why are you doing this? Your pinkie came loose. Ah. Please set it right again. As I asked with a deliberately cold gaze and an equally frigid tone, she held up her pinkie and muttered with a bright smile on her face. There. Thank you. It was a truly strange thing. Ever since the incident from before, I found myself avoiding the professors gaze every time I saw her. Dont slyly hook two fingers. Was it that obvious? I found myself bing irritable at her without even realizing it properly. I shouldnt be like this. I should just smile slyly, as I usually do, and wink at her a few times. All I had to do was asionally whisper the words she wanted to hear from my mouth, an exceedingly simple task in usual times. .. However, just as I could no longer regard Charlotte as merely an object of admiration after the ivory box incident Had I, in the end, fallen in love with the professor as well? Im such a scumbag. A sense of guilt began to creep into the depths of my conscience, but it was already fast toote for me to do anything about this situation. If I were to now say that I loved both of them Either London would utterly vanish from the map of Britain, or I would be physically split in half and distributed to both parties; its one or the other, nothing else. In other words, I must choose one of them, in the end. . Fortunately, having won thest wager, it seems that I could, at the very least, postpone the decision for some time. But I wouldnt be able to do that forever. Eventually, the judgment day woulde, the day when I must choose one of them. Perhaps at the Reichenbach Falls, thats the ce where it would all end. I couldnt foresee when such a moment might ur, however, I could guess the location. Surely it wouldnt be a bad ending where I fall over the waterfall, caught between the two, right? Perhaps, I really should devour London myself and take them both for myself. As I pondered on and on, arriving at such a fanciful possibility, at that very moment Clutch Out of the blue, Professor Moriarty grabbed hold of my hand. What is it Ive been thinking about it for a while now. An odious feeling crossed my mind, and I tried to shake off her hand. However, Professor Moriarty didnt let go of my hand no matter what. But no matter how much I think about it, I truly believe that I love you. What? My eyes not changing color must either be due to my constitution or perhaps because my mana is far too strong for it to be tainted by you. Her grey eyes began gazing at me with a smothering intensity. Despite everything, dont you too think its a bit too harsh to deny that I love you just because this pair of eyes of mine dont turn golden, dyed in your color? Then, just love me a bit more, I guess. If you were to die, I wish to die with you; thats how much I love you, Adler. At the words that blitzed out of her mouth, I became momentarily speechless, ultimately closing my mouth shut. And then, seeing me keeping my silence, Professor Moriarty began to whisper in my ear. Even though I want to hold you ountable for turning a nave person like me, who knew only mathematics and murder, into this lovestruck fool, I simply cant prove my feelings. And, after giving it a lot of thought, Ivee up with a very simple and clear solution. Puzzled by her statement, filled with the brim with meaningful suggestions, I soon decided to just listen to the rest of her words in silence. Once this case is over, lets spend the night together, okay? What? Registering the following words that left Professor Moriartys mouth, I had to stop in my tracks, unable to continue my thoughts due to the shock. . . . . . What did you say? After standing dazed on the quiet street for some time, Adler managed a forced smile on his face and posed the question. And to such a question, Professor Moriarty responded with a calm expression on her face. Im suggesting that we have intercourse, Adler. . If I receive your affection directly, perhaps my eyes will eventually turn golden, wont they? Muttering to herself with clear excitement in her eyes, she started bobbing her head from side to side as she looked at Adler, who had simply frozen in ce. Why did I not think of this from the very beginning, it truly puzzles me. I dont understand why I overlooked the most certain, clear, and rational method that leads directly to victory. It seemed that it wasnt just Charlotte who had realized the oversight. What do you think, Adler? Well Since you have tainted my innocence with your ideology, isnt it time to stain my body with your color as well? Lets just calm down for a bi However, as his previously stalled brain quickly started to race upon hearing her next words, he desperately tried to turn down the conclusion she had reached but But if I were to be pregnant, would you take responsibility? Chapter 93: The Battle Intensifies (3) Chapter 93: The Battle Intensifies (3) The setting sun painted the evening sky in the shades of dusk. Under such a beautiful sky, in the hideout located in the depths of the back alleys Mr. Adler. Yes? Professor Moriarty, entering the hideout with Adler in tow, turned to her beloved assistant, a smile stretching her lips, and spoke. This ce remains as cozy as ever. Is that so? I particrly like the subtle aroma of tea. It seems to be a rather fine product; do you perhaps have a hobby of enjoying tea, Mr. Adler? I usually have a cup every day, but I wouldnt say its a hobby. Adler deflected her inquiry, trying his best to not reveal that the tea, in fact, was a gift from the group of noblewomen with whom he had recently reconnected. Well, I prefer having tea myself. Wasnt it coffee that you preferred, professor? To be exact, I prefer sweetened milk tea. Keep that in mind when you serve me any beverage in the future. Moriarty whispered, her gaze never leaving him, and then surveyed the surroundings for a brief instance before continuing the talk. By the way, will you continue to use this ce as your hideout? Is there something you dont like about the ce? No, quite the opposite, in fact. I am really fond of this ce. To the extent that, I would prefer turning this into my office. This humble ce doesnt seem fitting for someone of your stature to call home, Professor. Mr. Adler, have you be so prickly that even a light jest elicits such a sharp response? Professor Moriarty tilted her head while delivering those words to him, prompting Isaac Adler to avoid her gaze; his mouth shut. So, whats the problem? My concern is that the location of this hideout has been exposed to that deranged murderer. Professor Moriarty murmured as she looked at the sofa where Jill the Ripper was previously seated during her visit. Immediately, her eyes darkened at the thought of the psychotic killer. Hence, if we keep using this ce as our base, wont we be continuously exposed to danger? That wont be a problem. With a calm voice, mirroring the expression on his face, Adler began exining his viewpoint on the matter. After all, this region is always exposed to danger. Isnt there too stark a difference in the risk posed by the riffraff of the backstreets and a psychotic serial killer who is after your life 24/7? During the time she visited, I had deliberately dismissed my henchmen to make way for her. Why would you do that? Instantly, Professor Moriartys gaze turned frigid. Because even if Im shed to pieces, I wont die. Plus, I wanted to meet her at least once to have a little private chat. .. Why are you looking at me like that? Seeing the intensity in her gaze as her head turned toward him, Adler couldnt help but awkwardly scratch his head Didnt you think that after failing to kill you, she might, in a fit of rage, dismember your entire body and then kidnap you? That Honestly, I hadnt really considered such a scenario. A sly smile appeared on his face for the first time in a while. But in the end, wouldnt you havee to save me, Professor? Now thats more like the Isaac Adler I know. Silently, Professor Moriartys gaze rested on Adler for some time before being directed away as she murmured under her breath. But I wont always be there to rescue you. I know that. But its all right. Ive already taken a few new precautions So, why dont you use this opportunity ande live with me? Pardon? The sly smile etched on Adlers face instantly wavered at her casually voiced suggestion. Im thinking of getting a house in the suburbs. Its not feasible for me to sleep at my office all the time, and now that I no longer need to travel pretty much every year to satisfy this needy curse of mine, I believe its time for me to settle down. Ah So you might as well just live at my house. Stepping right in front of him in an abrupt instant, the professor whispered in his ears; her voice gentle and persuasive. I wont even charge you for lodging. Ill provide meals, clothes, and a ce to sleep. You just need to bring your body. And I assume that the reason for your proposition is not this very body you speak of, right? Adlers sharp question only brought a smile to the professors lips. Are you still thinking about the proposal I made earlier? Personally, I cant see what there is to ponder about. Leaning slightly forward, she whispered into Adlers ear in a soft, lustrous voice. No matter how much you rack your brains, the only possible events youll encounter are either seduction or rape. Adlers face paled at her ominous words. Ah ha, ahahaha Im joking, jokingggg. So, cheer up, Mr. Adler. Amidst the cheerfulughter, Professor Moriarty patted his shoulder in a consoling gesture. You wouldnt want to be raped instead of having a mutually agreed-upon rtionship now, would you? All you need to do is just choose. Well Lets put aside this discussion for now. Leaving Adler behind, as he wiped the cold sweat from his brow with a faint tremble in his hand, Professor Moriarty headed for thefy armchair ced in the center of the hideout. Well need to wrap up this case quickly, that way I will have the time to dye your eyes in my color. Then, resting her chin on her hand as she sat on the armchair, she began bobbing her head from side to side. So, where is the client? They should be arriving shortly. As soon as her words ended, the sounds of approaching steps began to echo from outside the hideout. Wait a moment. Youre going to meet them like this!? And what of it? Do you intend to reveal your appearance to the client? Of course not. At Adlers slightly flustered voice, she silently shook her head. Ive always enjoyed concealing my identity, be it in the past or present. Then Do you know the time the criminals of London prefer the most? As Adler tilted his head in confusion, the professor gently raised her hand and her eyes began to shimmer with power. Dawn. Simultaneously, dense gray mana began gushing out of her hand and spreading everywhere ones eye could witness. Simr to that hour of the day, the streets should have be shrouded in a blinding fog by now. Tzzzzzz The only difference is that the mist is not made of condensed water vapor but rather unidentifiable energies. Within the fog that spread thickly throughout the hideout, obscuring everyones view, the professors voice resonated loudly. The client is at a nearby pub. Bring her here. Pardon? Werent they just about toe in? Thats just the sound of my direct subordinates encircling the back alleys as we speak. You must have misunderstood, Mr. Adler. At her words, a slightly vacant look took over Adlers eyes. Its the first time a client has sought us out on their own; you never know what might happen. Well, Im counting on you, Mr. Adler. Silently biting his lips at those words, Adler rose from his seat. No, it is I who should be thanking you for counting on me. Im always at your service, professor. Speaking those words, Adler quietly began heading towards the exit; his head lowered. .. This cant go on. Right before stepping out, he murmured those meaningful words into the silent room, but Professor Moriarty simply smiled and looked ahead, remaining silent. . . . . . Several minutester Cough, cough. A young woman in a ck suit entered through the shabby door of the hideout, which Adler had left open for her. No sooner had she entered, she began coughing at the pungent smoke drifting out of the hideout. What the this ce Come in. A slightly eerie female voice sounded right in front of her, in the midst of the pungent fog. Are you ying me for a fool? Its not a y. Merely taking a precaution to protect our identities. With a wary look, the woman peered into the foggy depths of the hideout and then quietly stepped forward. For the sake of protecting your identity, this smoke seems a bit too noxious. Is that so? Im ustomed to it. My apologies for theck of consideration. Well, never mind that. I havente to this godforsaken ce in search of kindness. At her dissatisfied grumbles, eerie chuckles began resonating from the fog. You do design crimes for the right price, correct? As a frigid chill spread through the room, the woman flinched for a moment. However, she soon recovered and asked in a confident tone. Indeed. The voice that returned was shadowy, with a hint of misty splendor. Illusory, yet real. Aplex paradox. As long as you dont attempt to uncover our identities, betray us, or fail to pay our due wages, we guarantee a perfect crime. So, as long as I strictly adhere to our business arrangement, therell be no loss on my end, I assume? Lastly, if you wish to conclude the matter with your own hands, were not responsible for any mistakes that may arise. Keep that in mind before youmission us. Hearing the voice, clearly indicating an intent not to reveal the identity of its owner, the client nodded in response. I perfectly understand. Good, I appreciate the straightforwardness. ustomed to the stuffy grey mist by now, the clients eyes were able to make out a blurry figure seated in the armchair. Then, exin your request to me and my assistant in detail. What? We need to know what the job is before we can get started, dont we? Well, yes, but She began, looking at the figure with a mix of tension and confusion in her face. Theres no one here but you and me though Hmm? Wheres the assistant you have mentioned? Silence flowed through the fog for a moment after the clients answer. The person who brought you here from the pub didnt you see them? That person gave me the address and took my seat at the bar As a slightly frosty voice emerged from the silence, the client responded with a puzzled tilt of her head. When I left, I saw him ordering every type of drink at the bar From the seated, blurred figures forehead, a bead of cold sweat began trickling down at the response. Busy day at work, I suppose? Oh dear Haa . . . . . Hey, look Having sent the client from the pub to the hideout in a huff, I now faced an array of colorful bottles of liquor lined up in front of the table. Excessive drinking is harmful to your health. Im already a mess, whats it to you? Ignoring the system message that popped up before my eyes, I began uncapping the bottles one by one. Its bad for your body. I feel like Ill be worse off if I dont drink. Let me be, fucking damn it! Chapter 94: The Three Garridebs Chapter 94: The Three Garridebs Professor Moriarty started showing signs of anxiety once her subordinates didnt reply no matter how much she tried to contact them. Reaching the limit of her patience, she rose from her armchair about to head to the pub where Adler was reported to be drowning in alcohol when Im a bitte, arent I? . With a sly voice, someone entered the hideout. It seems that you were speaking with my assistant, huh? Assistant? The client, puzzled by his words, couldnt help but pose the question to the boy. The very same boy who had just picked her up from the pub, now in obvious disguise. Arent you the assistant and shes the criminal consultant? Ah, my mischievous assistant tends to be quite yful, you see Adler then answered with a dim smile stretching his lips. My beloved assistant likes to indulge in such jokes in my absence. Mr. Adler? Shh~! Stay still, lest you get into some trouble. Soon, he sat beside the befuddled Moriarty, stroking her head while whispering to her ears. You have to deal with the client seriously. .. You stillck experience, so observe carefully and learn from my actions. The professor, rendered speechless by this sudden treatment, could only stare nkly at Adler. So, what task does our client wish to entrust to us? Is this really alright? If youre feeling ufortable, feel free to leave. Despite her concerns, the conversation between Adler and the client began in earnest. Honestly, I wouldnt engage in such a foolish act if I were you. Why is that? If you were to leave now, only we stand to gain by acquiring the identity of a future criminal. Isnt that right? Haa. Once those words left Adlers lips, a tired sigh escaped from the client as she muttered with clear weariness in her tone. You mean were already in the same boat, right? We havent set sail yet, so whether you want to get off now is ultimately up to you. But, you must be willing to ept some risk. Well, it cant be helped. I was nning to entrust this to you anyway. Then, please express your request to us. The client straightened her posture and then looked at Adler, his eyes shining with anticipation, and the quietly seating Moriarty for a moment Soon, she began her tale Its a simple request. With a nervous countenance, the client pulled out a photograph from her pocket and whispered in a dark voice. Please kill this person. And for a brief moment, silence ushered in the hideout. Who is this person exactly? Do you really need exnations when killing someone? Isnt knowing the face and address enough? In the midst of the silence, Adler posed a question to the client. In response, the client replied in a slightly agitated voice. Its not strictly necessary. However, we do like to hear the details from the client to prevent any mishaps during the job, but if you prefer not to disclose, we can still manage. Then, please proceed with the job. With that, the client calmed her breathing and continued, guided by Adlersposed voice. The address is written on the back of the photo, so there shouldnt be a problem. Now, lets move on to the matter ofpensation But, Im getting a bit curious. About what? However, Adler interrupted the client mid-sentence, whispering in a soft tone; a frosty smile curling his lips. Why would Nathan Garrideb, a renowned Londonwyer whos been on the rise in recent times, go so far as to crossdress and request us to murder his own younger sister? ..! The clients face was immediately painted with horror at the question. What on earth You seem to be quite a uniquewyer who actively seeks evidence yourself You also have quite the disguise skill, making full use of that pretty face of yours. Listen here! Well, in an era overflown with foolish detectives indiscriminately bred due to the abundance of bizarre cases, one at least has to be at that level to be Londons most poprwyer. Seeing the clients face began to turn paler by the second, Adler added in a soft voice, But you still have a long way to go if you want to deceive experts of our caliber. Choosing to wear bulky mens clothing, instead of a womans, to hide your physique was a wise decision. However, it was still quite obvious to us. Even my assistant had already deduced your identity and name. Ending his statement, Adler stroked Jane Moriartys hair once more. Thats why I told you earlier, youd regret it if you simply left. Uh, huh Now that youve been caught, would you care to exin why youre trying to kill your own younger sister? As Adler spoke, the professor, who had been about to say something, closed her mouth and quietly epted his stroking. On the other hand, the client, drenched in cold sweat, started to sigh as if he had already resigned to his fate. That child needs to die. The man, who had changed his voice to sound like a woman, spoke lethargically in his original male voice. A demon, thats what that child is. Why do you think so? My sister periodically transforms into a monster. A truly horrific one at that. Hmm The already exhausted-looking clients face grew even more haggard as he exined his circumstances. Normally docile, once she transforms into that monster she goes on a rampage, losing all sense of reason. No doctor or medical specialist has been able to cure that madness of hers. To the extent of being unrecognizable even by family? My father was infected by a wound he got while trying to stop her and soon passed away. My mother, a doctor of medicine, developed paranoia and alcohol addiction soon after. Thats quite serious. All I am left with is that damned sister and my half-mad mother. Oh, and if I were to be more precise, theres also the tiny inheritance my father left for me and the crumbling house. The client showed them a detached smile amid his harrowing storytelling. Fortunately, after muchborious effort, I managed to escape the clutches of dire poverty. But my sisters seizures only grew worse with each passing day. That wound It happened just yesterday. Suddenly, my sister started having a severe seizure, and not even all the servantsbined were capable of restraining her. When I went to help, I was soon attacked. The deep wound on his outstretched arm was reflected in the eyes of Isaac Adler and Professor Moriarty. At that moment, her form seemed to have ovepped with the figure that attacked and killed my father. Hmm It was only then that I realized that if things continued this way, I would end up dead at her hands or wither away. Only those options left for me. The client murmured this with a gaze that couldnt have darkened any further. I dont want that. Ive devoted half my life to my sister. Now, I want to be free. As he spoke with increasing fervor, Isaac Adler nodded in silence. Please, kill the monster that lives in my house. I no longer want any association with her. If possible, Id prefer it if you dealt with her outside the house, luring that monster to a quiet ce and finishing it off once and for all. Of course, shes pathologically obsessed with staying inside, which might be challenging Do you want it to be treated as a disappearance? The cleaner, the better. Just make sure it doesnt trace back to me. Very well. Adler nodded quietly in response. I will take on your request. Ah At the same time, a sigh mixed with a myriad of emotions burst forth from the client. But first, I have a few questions. Ask away. As Adler leaned in and asked, the man nodded with a gesture that showed the weariness he felt. When do the seizures usually ur? Its unclear. They frequently happen at night, but there have been a few times in the early morning as well. The wound on your arm that you showed me earlier, could you show it to me in more detail? By all means. Adler and Professor Moriarty observed the arm he extended from the mist with rapt attention. Last question. What is theposition of the household staff? Mostly strong men hired to subdue my sister. Apart from them, a few maids, a secretary to assist with my legal work, and a personal doctor. I see. Um, but The man, having finished speaking, posed a question to them with a faint sense of anxiety in his voice. As for the payment Im not quite sure how to proceed Well, it shouldnt be too much of a burden for you. Adler replied with a rxed voice. Ill take just one thing of my choosing from your house as payment for the request. How about that? What? If you have no objections, then I shall take my leave. As he rose to leave, the clients eyes were instantly flooded with anxiety and apprehension. Are you starting already? Why? Do you wish to bid your sister onest farewell? However, the client quietly shakes his head at that remark. Then, is it guilt? When Garrideb said nothing in response, a brief chuckle escaped Adler as he swiftly left the smoke-drenched room; a quiet muttering leaked out of his lips. For awyer, that emotion is as good as poison, isnt it? Hearing the soft mutter, the client simply bowed his head in response. Soon after, he also followed Adler out of the hideout, leaving only silence to fill up the room. Haahh~! The only sound in the silence was a faint moan escaping Professor Moriarty, who had been tickled by Adlers hands, sneaking inside her clothes throughout their conversation with the client and ravaging her body. . . . . . Mr. Adler. Ah, is that you, Professor? Several hourster In the vicinity of the mansion that Garrideb had noted, located in an ancient area When exactly did you imnt a telepathic magic circuit in my head? Its starting to get frightening. What is the meaning behind that behavior you just showed? Arriving at the mansion, Adler strolled down the hallway as he unpacked everything he brought with him. He was utterly unfazed by the abrupt phenomenon of Professor Moriartys voice suddenly echoing inside his head, indicating his nonchnce and foreknowledge about this arrangement, and merely replied to her in a sly voice. The Professor is like the king in chess. And Im the queen. What are you talking about? If I pretend to be a mere advisor while actively moving around like this, I can protect and hide the king which is you, Professor to the greatest extent. Isnt that right? Then, after a brief silence, the Professors voice resounded in his head once more. Not that Im talking about what you did with your hand inside my clothes. Oh, that? Narrowing his eyes, Adler responded in a shaky tone; his body reeking of alcohol. Am I not allowed to touch the Professor? Thats not I really, reallllyyyy like you, Professor. Why is it that you can freely touch me, yet I cant touch you? Following that, Professor Moriarty became utterly silent. I never said you couldnt touch So, theres no problem then, right? But, I have read this in a book. The ce you touched Ah, thats a different matter. Ignoring the Professors hesitant voice, Adler swiftly changed the subject. What do you think about this case? Its quite an interesting yet familiar case. The Professors reply came back swiftly, sharp and astute as ever. Its very simr to our very first case, The Red Mana League. What exactly is simr? For the case to be solved, we have to bring a sickly girl, whos cooped up inside a room, out into the open. I see. So thats themonality you see? Adlers voice carried a hint of intrigue as the Professor continued her exnation. Miss Diana Wilson was a vampire. Not just any vampire, but thest remaining pureblooded vampire in the entire world. And what about it? Think about it. The sudden madness, the superhuman strength thats difficult to handle even when all the servants cling on, and the abrupt seizures that ur mostly at night. The more she exined, the broader the smile stretching Adlers lips became as he conversed with her. Its too early to jump to conclusions due to theck of evidence and information, but theres one prominent symptom that keepsing to mind. What might that be? Lycanthropy Syndrome a werewolf, so to speak. The moment the professor finished exining, Adler quickened his pace with a twinkle in his eye. Thats an interesting conjecture. So, what will you do now? Even for you, dealing with a werewolf devoid of reason will be a challenge. All of a sudden, Adler started scratching his arm with his fingernails. To be friends with a wolf, you have to let it taste blood. Soon, he was able to confirm the appearance of fresh blood on the spot he had just scratched; his preparations were nowplete. At the end of his steps, he stopped in front of a door covered in nail marks, tightly bound with chains and locks. Warning! Probability of Death 52% Please do not proceed as it is dangerous ahead. A bright red warning message appeared before his eyes. If devoured slowly, you wont die probably However, he merely muttered calmly and began to slowly unlock the chains with the key he had been given in advance. Are you out of your goddamn mind? As long as I am not digested whole, it should be fine right? . . . . . Just a few dozen minutester Gurrrr? The girl, crouched forward in her seat as she made low animalistic noises, wiped her damp mouth with her sleeve as she slowly regained her senses. .. And with that, the room was enveloped in an eerie silence Have you finally started regaining your senses? In front of her, there was Adler, lying on the ground while being covered in blood all over. The bloodied boy greeted the girl with a bright smile a girl bound tightly with heavy chains. Could you please stop chewing on my fingers? Uh. Id like to reattach them before they get digested. The girl, who had pounced on the smiling boy in a frenzy and savored the taste of blood for the first time in a long while, started turning paler by the second at the horrific sight Chapter 95: The Three Garridebs (2) Chapter 95: The Three Garridebs (2) Im, Im sorry Oh no, it doesnt even hurt that much. As the girl with the haggard expression bowed her head in apology, Adler responded with a kind smile. It seems you were famished. You ended up swallowing my fingers without even chewing them. Ah Her expression morphed into faint astonishment at his incredulous words. Its okay, growing back a finger or two is as easy as pie for me. Im, Im really, really sorry Its fine; as long as youre no longer hungry. However, as she saw Adler wrap his mangled hands with a bandage, the girls eyes darkened ever so slightly. Buzzzzzzzt I was attacked and almost half-eaten by you as soon as I entered this room. But, as you can see clearly, Im still quite alive, am I not? Yes, yes? I have a unique constitution. As long as Im not swallowed whole and digested till nothing of me is left, I am essentially immortal. Pointing to the numerous teeth marks marring his body, he assured her of his survival and started administering first aid to his severed fingers. Meanwhile, the girl merely bowed her head in silence once she heard his piece. Ooh, uuugh Tears slowly began welling up in her eyes. Huu, Uggghhh Why are you crying again? Adler couldnt help but scratch his head awkwardly, frowning as he saw her crying while making odd crying noises. I almost killed someone again Hmm. I I am a monster. His gaze shifted, silently taking in theyout of the deste room, but soon turned back to her and he smiled as he spoke. For a monster, youre quite beautiful. Dont say things you dont mean. However, the girl, a somber expression on her face, was quick to deny Adlers words. How can a terrible monster who eats people be considered beautiful? Wiping away the tears brimming in the corner of her eyes, she murmured with an expression drenched in endless guilt; her lips still able to taste the bitter, metallic tang of Adlers fresh blood. Please reveal why you came to this ce. .. If you dont wish to respond, you can just leave. You wouldnt want to go through that terrible experience again now, would you? Unknowingly, she bared her fangs at him and growled with a threatening voice. By the way, if youre a doctor or a psychiatrist or something of the sort, Ill just tear you to shreds. Even more so if youre a hunter here to catch me. What are you talking about? Do you think I know nothing? Her expression grew more and more sullen as more words leaked out of her mouth. Youve been sent by my brother, havent you? I already know everything. Even though you approached me with a smile at the start, you will eventually run away withoutsting even a few days. So please, dont even bother and just leave. Isaac Adler gazed at the girl with a serene calmness in his eyes. Sorry, but Im neither a doctor nor a psychiatrist, or even this hunter of the ult, you speak of. Then? Kuhumm He cleared his throat for a moment, and then, abruptly, spread his arms wide and opened his mouth with a cheerful expression. Congrattions! Caught off guard by his sudden demeanor, the girl widened her eyes and tilted her head in utter confusion. What is this all of a sudden? It may be sudden, but you are the rightful heir to a fortune left by a wealthy magnate. What did you say? To be precise, you have inherited a grand sum of 15 million dors. At those words, momentarily, a dazed look washed over her face. Youre joking right now, arent you? No, this is not a joke, youngdy. I am only informing you of the absolute truth. Adler, with narrowed eyes, began whispering to her in a soft tone. Do you know of Alicia Hamilton Garrideb, the American magnate? No, I havent heard that name before Well, you havent been out of the house much, so its perfectly understandable. With a leisurely smile tugging his lips, he began the tale of the wealthy magnate. That entricdy took great pride in her unusual name. So when she passed awayst year, a single woman till herst breath, she left a will to pass her fortune on to a woman with the samest name. Ah After searching the American continent for over a year, I, acting as her agent, couldnt find anyone with such ast name. But I thought maybe there were chances of finding someone in the historical depths of Ennd. And a few months after arriving in this country, I found your family. After Adler finished speaking, he quietly observed the girl, whose expression had already begun trembling. Oh, no Yes? I, Im a monster, not a person. An inheritance? I couldnt possibly receive such a thing. Hearing her words, Adler gently took hold of the girls trembling hands. You look very much like a human to me, miss. Stop it, please! The girl, looking at Adler with frightened eyes as he approached her, began shivering violently as she pushed him away from her. Dont touch my body .. Do you want to lose your other fingers too? But Adler, nheless, did not back down. Theres still my mother, for your information. Her surname is also Garrideb, and shes a woman. Let her receive the inheritance instead. Your mother suffers from extreme paranoia and delusional disorder. She would not look favorable in the eyes of the strict inheritance managers who assess the legitimacy of the heirs in person. Even you might lose your chance at the inheritance if your mother were to be presented. But still Miss Neria Garideb. He began whispering to the frightened girl in front of him with a firm voice. The sole rightful owner of the 15 million dors is none other than you. I, too, have been employed with the sole goal of making this mission a sess. I cannot back down until you receive thepensation in America. The girlsplexion started to turn even paler at those words. But, I dont want to go outside. Not even if I die. Why? Its been 10 years since I have stopped going outside. Im scared of it now Hmm And Im a monster. If I go out, Ill be hunted. At her somber voice, Adler scratched his head, lost in thought for a moment. But still. Watching him, the girl whispered in a hesitant voice a voice that almost seemed to be crawling out of her throat with utmost difficulty. I dont want to give up like this. Tears started welling up and eventually spilled out of her moist eyes. I can finally repay my brother for everything I dont want it to end in vain. You must like your brother very much, I assume? Hes the one who raised me without ever abandoning me. At those words, Adler couldnt help but smirk bitterly in his mind. If I do receive the inheritance, Ill give all the money to my brother. I desperately want to repay him for all those years he lost while amodating me. The faint smile that formed on the girls tearful face was wlessly reflected in his eyes. But, but I understand your circumstances. And then, in the very next moment, Isaac Adler slowly opened his mouth. To go outside, you need to control that frenzied state of yours, right? Wait, just a moment! Before the girl could stop him, Adler began to scratch his arm with his nails, drawing out blood. I will help you, Miss Garideb. Ah, ah Then the girl, drooling uncontrobly, started to tremble violently throughout her body. Feed on me as many times as you need, and let yourself run wild, unfettered, for once. The moment those words ended, the girl, having lost her reason, pounced on Adlers body once more. . . . . . Ah, ah Thank you for your hard work. Several hourster Ille again tomorrow, so digest what youve already eaten. There Leaving the girl, who was drenched in blood and had eyes quivering with intensity, reaching out her hand toward him, Adler staggered out of the room. How do you feel, Professor? Exhaustion was evident on his face as he straightened his clothes and murmured under his breath in a low voice. What do you mean? Do you think I havent noticed your leering eyes all this time? Mr. Adler, that is As soon as the question was finished, Professor Moriarty hurriedly tried to exin Pervert. However, as Adler condemned her with a cold smile, the voice of the professor that resonated inside his head fell into a state of silence. So, how did you find watching the scene of me being devoured? A vicious and unruly wolf, I see. A slightly disappointed look took over Adlers face once he heard the answer resonating inside his head. However, it feels a bit different from the werewolves I know. Hmm. But as the professor murmured her doubts, a smile promptly returned to his face. And the house is suspicious too. The structure of the mansion, the appearances of the servants there seems to be something hidden there. Indeed, you are a queen worthy of my selection. But, Mr. Adler Such things are not for us to uncover. A slightly shy yet disgruntled voice echoed in his head. Digging into the hidden backstories and secrets of a case is the job of a detective, not a criminal consultant. Arent we supposed to be concealing them? Youre right, my adorable Miss Moriarty. So what is your true nature? Your usual self, or when youre drunk? But it would be too dull to just kidnap and murder that poor girl outside, wouldnt it? Ignoring the professors disgruntled voice, Adlers eyes quietly shone. So, its about time for our nemesis to appear. You dont mean Ive always preferred a stimting love triangle over a nd and straightforward rtionship, Professor. Along with a message that shone golden in his hand, containing words that were all too familiar to them both. When you sober up, lets have a serious conversation. Im looking forward to it. Despite the icy coldness in the voice that came through telepathy, Adler responded with a yful tone and unterally cut off themunication. Until then, I guess Ill have to go on a detective date with Miss Holmes. Probability of being Shared 5% 10% Please take care of yourself. Hehe. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that same moment, at the lodging house at 221B Baker Street Holmes, please,e to your senses. Charlotte Holmes roommate, Rachel Watson, was arguing with her, sweating profusely throughout their verbal back and forth. The book youve been reading is filled with sexual fantasies and delusions, inted in a dangerous and provocative fashion. . Real love between a man and a woman isnt like that. Its not about lewd, pleasure-seeking acts; its about sharing pure love Just get to the point, Watson. Charlotte, unfazed by her roommates earnest voice, continued to flip through the coverless book as she asked the question. Anyway, ording to this, such acts could result in pregnancy, right? That, well, yes, but thats not the point, is it? In her hand, a message quietly glowed in golden. A new mystery is upon us! Thats an erotic novel banned as obscenity, Holmes! Watsons intive voice echoed fruitlessly within the walls of the lodging house. Chapter 96: The Three Garridebs (3) Chapter 96: The Three Garridebs (3) Knock knock knock A few days after Charlotte Holmes received a message from Adler Who is it? Excuse me. Oh Nathan Garrideb, who opened the door to the mansion at the knocking sounds, started speaking with a puzzled look on his face as a girl abruptly pushed her way inside the house. Excuse me, but who might you be? A colleague. What? Stopping in her tracks, she spoke with an air of authority in her voice. Didnt you already receive a prior message? Ah Dont waste any more time, and take me to him. Then, please follow me. Garrideb, wearing an uncertain expression, finally nodded his head and began leading the girl toward her destination. You know, I asked for this matter to be handled with the utmost discretion Two is still a small number. Yes, but you see, given the nature of the work, if the police or a detective were to catch wind of this by any chan You talk a lot, dont you? While he continued to express his dissatisfaction, the girl stopped walking and narrowed her eyes. Do you want to handle it alone then? No, thats not what I meant I have no desire to quarrel needlessly with you. Just get. Me. To him With her icy demeanor silencing any semnce of nagging he had left in him, Nathan Garrideb frowned before obediently resuming the walk. This way. An uncertain period of time passed as they walked through the meandering hallways of the mansion. They eventually stopped in front of a room still marked with nail scratches, and the girls eyes sparkled in silence at the sight. Your colleague hasnt arrived yet, so you should go in first. You may leave now. As she spoke without even looking at him and proceeded to unlock the chains with the key she was given, Garrideb gazed at the girl with unconcealed apprehension. However, he soon turned away, shaking his head as he decided to leave her to her devices and withdraw himself from this dangerous ce. Be careful. It has be somewhat tame recently, but a monster will always be a monster. His parting words of caution echoed down the hallway and reached the girls ears, but she just entered the room without even batting an eye. Youre early, Mr. Adle Look here. An instantter, she started walking forward, her gaze locked on Neria Garrideb, who was mumbling to herself in a low voice with her head bowed down. Having already anticipated Nerias reaction, she was unfazed by Nerias words, misinterpretating her as Adler. Wh-Who are you? Never mind that, answer my question. Neria Garrideb, finally realizing that the person in front of her was not Isaac Adler, whom she had been visited by persistently over the past few days, but an unknown girl instead merely nodded her head in confusion as a response. What is your rtionship with Isaac Adler? Pardon? Did you pledge your love to him? Agree to date or have a secret marriage? Then the girl, peering down at her with a sinister look in her eyes, began barraging her with incredulous questions. If not that, have both of you been physically intimate? How far did you go? I hope youre not going to tell me youve been sexually involved or something along those lines. Uh!? Do you even love Isaac Adler? Thats the most important part. Perhaps youre just being used It was at that very moment hearing the girls clingy questions dripping with clear obsession and madness, as cold sweat began forming in small beads on the pale face of Neria Garrideb when, Miss Holmes, you shouldnt torment the patient like that. From behind them, a familiar voiceced with mischievousughter was heard. Adler. She is not involved with me in the way past acquaintances have been. Past being the operative word here. Im not shameless enough to deny what Ive been involved in. That brazen look on your face certainly doesnt inspire confidence. Um, excuse me. Hes speaking the truth. As Charlotte Holmes turned her head, her sharp gaze met by Adlers rxed expression, Neria Garrideb, from behind them, timidly added her voice to the conversation. Are you his lover by any chance? Im not sure what misunderstanding you might be having here, but Adler and I are not in the sort of rtionship youre thinking of. So you say Charlotte, not outright denying the inquiry about being lovers, scanned her with a slightly suspicious look before turning her gaze back to Adler. Eventually, the investigation will reveal everything, so if youre honest n Its just Ive eaten up Mr. Adler a few times. Thats all. She stopped speaking as a timid voice came from behind, leaving her with a stunned expression. Its a misunderstanding, Miss Holmes I didnt eat because I wanted to; I had no choice if I wanted to get paid Really now. A heavy silence began to fill the room at the end. . . . . . So, you mean to say that she literally ate you? Have you finally figured out what she meant by those words? Its the worst in a different sense, indeed. A few minutes earlier, in the mansions drawing room to amodate guests I had no choice but to follow through with my n, Miss Holmes. What is your purpose? Leaving Neria Garrideb, who showed signs of another fit, Isaac Adler and Charlotte began to converse while gazing intently at each other. To deceive that naive girl with the peculiar surname into believing that she would be receiving an inheritance, giving her the courage to venture outside, and then discreetly eliminating her as per her brothers, who is our client, request. That was my current objective. You should have known that such lies are not going to work out on me, right? No, I am speaking the truth. I am positive that I will seed in this endeavor. Charlotte couldnt help but smirk while muttering those words. However, she soon frowned when she observed Adlers unchanging expression at her words. If that were your true goal, you wouldnt have summoned me and spilled your entire n. Miss Holmes. This has just been the kind of bet weve been making all along. Whether to solve a case, or let it remain unsolved forever. Thus, making it a mystery But now, youve gambled on a living persons life. Did you think I was just always going to engage in love affairs? With that said, Adler took out a small bottle and took a swig of it with relish. Thats alcohol Were not ying house anymore, Miss Holmes. Its a death race that wont end until one of us disappears forever from London. Charlotte opened her mouth with a slightly darkened look in her eyes as she observed him and his actions. What if theres a way to end this without one of us disappearing? Miss Holmes, I can assure you that there is no such way. Adler, with a leisurely expression, emptied the bottle and plucked a strand of his hair to hand over to her. Sadly, no matter how much you try to exploit my genes, Miss Holmes, what you want will not happen. .. Even if you sneak into my hideout again and rummage through my trash, likest time, its futile. Your approach is fundamentally wed, and even if you did find out, you would instinctively reject it. A fleeting smile appeared on Charlottes lips, but as the tipsiness began to spread throughout Adlers body again, he swayed and failed to notice her expression. That kid, she just smiled at your words. Mr. Adler. As he looked puzzled at the system message that suddenly appeared before hiss eyes Have you forgotten that I love you? Suddenly sighing, Charlotte murmured while staring into Adlers eyes. I genuinely love you, Mr. Adler. As Charlotte, resting her chin in her hand, whispered those words in a soft and gentle voice, Adlers previously confident eyes started wavering ever so slightly And I know its the same for you. Its notmon, even in a marriage, for two peoples eyes to be dyed in each others colors as they are for us. Charlotte, catching that small change, whispered with even more emotion in her voice. In this London, where we love each other more than anyone else, must we ultimately fight one another? That is. Isnt that such a sad tragedy? As Adler quietly bowed his head, Charlotte carefully caressed the back of his hand and spoke. Why dont we just end this nonsense and move down to a quiet countryside to live together? Though she threw the words out casually, her eyes were filled with sincerity as they observed Adler. How about we take up beekeeping as a hobby and live happily ever after? For children, we could have a son and a daughter, what do you say? A rather long silence began to flow between the two Lets focus on the case, Miss Holmes. Is that your answer? The reason I called you here is quite simple. Theres a secret in this case that is difficult to investigate as a mere assistant of a criminal consultant. Eventually, Adler, having expelled the alcohol that had spread through his body, spoke with a slightly grave voice. So, let me be your assistant for some time Dont regret itter. Charlotte, who had been looking at Adler with a frosty stare, stood up from her seat and, as usual, connected Adlers arm to her own with ck handcuffs as she whispered in a dark voice, This was yourst chance. What chance? At her words, Adler couldnt help but tilt his head. The chance to agree on a consensual child-making scenario. Turning her head, Charlotte murmured quietly as she moved towards the door. Do you still think that I dont know? Know what How to make babies. That brief phrase was enough to dye Isaac Adlers mind, which had been inebriated with alcohol for the past few days, with terror. . . . . . Hey ? But that wasnt the end of it. Youre now facing a crisis that will lead to a potential Game Over scenario. Yes? Adler, who was being dragged away by Charlotte with a stiff expression, saw a sentence that was several times more terrifying before his eyes. Warning! Probability of Retiring in this Case in ce of the protagonist, Isaac Adler Gasp? Adlers face turned pale in an instant, and he immediately grabbed the arm of Charlotte, who was leading him to who knows where, and pulled her towards him. What are you doing? Just stay still. What, whats the matter? All of a sudden As a dismal number had appeared before his eyes. 95% Did you think Id get excited if you suddenly yed hard to get? Be sure to protect what you desire to keep. Adler, looking down at Charlotte, who murmured with a voice that seemed to be growing increasingly ominous, began to sweat profusely. Shall we go now, to the countryside? What?
Trantors Note:As promised, 12 free and 15 premium chapters have been delivered this month. Sorry for not being consistent. But you dont have to worry about that. From now on, we will be releasing on fixed schedules. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. I will release 3 days consistently. There will be 12 free chapters each month, guaranteed. And prem can range anywhere from 15 to 20, depends on the circumstances. Please consider buying memberships as it is April 1st in many countries now, the link is given below. It will give you 30 days of ess from the moment you buy the membership. We will go the consistent route so membership will be highly profitable. Consider it please. Chapter 97: The Three Garridebs (4) Chapter 97: The Three Garridebs (4) What on earth are you doing? Charlotte, walking quietly down the corridor after slipping out of the drawing room with Adler in tow, couldnt help but furrow her brows and speak Look here, Mr. Adler. Dont pretend like you didnt hear me. . No matter how you look at it, isnt this a bit too much? Muttering to herself, Charlotte looked up at Adler, who was moving forward in silence while holding her in his arms; her body bound tightly in the vestiges of his outer coat. Its suffocating, really Kooo-oogh Ugh But Adler, paying no heed to her words, held her even tighter, and Charlotte, pretending to be defeated, closed her eyes and spat out in a sulky voice. You usually act so nonchnt, why are you suddenly being so assertive today? . Just act as you normally do. Its annoying Despite her words, Isaac Adler said nothing, not a single thing. Simply, he gazed down at Charlotte with an intense light in his eyes as she stood there, tucked inside his tight embrace. Why are you really doing this? Charlotte, staring at his eyes which were dyed a dull ck, the same shade as her hair color soon averted her gaze and started murmuring under her breath. Do you think Id be pleased if you suddenly act like this? . Im not like those foolish women bewitched by you, whose hearts flutter at your merest touch. The faint blush coloring her cheeks was a direct contrast to her blunt words, however. So let go of me Kooo-oogh Its interfering with the investigation, Mr. Prospective Criminal. An uncredible im, considering her own eyes were dyed in the same hue as Adlers golden blonde hair. Let me go Badump, badump Add to that Charlottes rapidly beating heart that could be easily felt by Adler as she struggled against him, and what little credibility she had left was shattered in its entirety. . Ugh. Knowing these facts all too well herself, Charlotte eventually gave up resisting and quietly surrendered her body to him. Why did I end up falling in love with this odd man? She sighed quietly and murmured under her breath, her voice low. Somehow, it feels like I am far crazier than when I was living buried under the side effects of drugs and magic stones 24/7 Miss Holmes. Finally, Isaac Adler started speaking, his voice low, heavy, and utterly solemn. Shall we pretend this case never happened? What? If you get hurt, I think my heart wont be able to take it. Hearing his voice filled with sincerity, Charlotte looked into Adlers eyes, which were now trained at her with an unusually possessive gaze; a gaze far different than the usual one he would direct at her. Whats your ulterior motive? Werent you the one who called me here? Thats true. However, upon some introspection, I realized that this case is just too dangerous. It was a misjudgment on my part. What do you mean I dont want to see Miss Holmes get hurt. So, lets just step back this time. Caught by his intense gaze, Charlotte unknowingly swallowed hard. If you turn away in the face of danger, can you even call yourself a detective any longer? I may not die even if Im shed to pieces, but you arent like that, Charlotte. Now youre even speaking informally? As he stroked the small scar on Charlottes cheek, a remnant from herst encounter with Jill the Ripper, she couldnt help but twist her body in difort, feeling ticklish inside. Soon, Charlotte posed a question with an oddly calm expression, different from the one she had been showing. Do I mean something to you? Of course, I love you. Your professor would be quite upset if she were to hear that. Youre not as strong as her. I can tolerate a lot of things, but I cant let that remark slide Charlotte! Abruptly, she looked at Adler with a slight shock on her face as he subconsciously raised his voice and pushed her against the wall of the corridor. Listen. To. Me. Adler, holding Charlottes arms and leaning in close, whispered in a low and dangerous voice, his breath ragged and emotional. This case is too dangerous! And with that remark, total silence ensued. Im sorry. After seeing Charlottes wavering eyes staring nkly at his face, Adler regained hisposure, returning to his usual demeanor, and loosened his grip on her arms. Ive been unable to control my emotionstely, might be due to all the stress catching up. I apologize if I startled you. It almost felt like a yful dog, always wagging its tail excitedly, suddenly bared its fangs and jumped to bite my neck for a second there Thats quite the extreme analogy Is that your true nature? Quietly observing the handprints on her arms, she tilted her head as she posed the question. Quite the opposite actually. Opposite? Only with you or the professor no, only when I look at you, do I be like this. Its quite odd. Charlotte gave Adler a frosty stare for a second, prompting him to correct his statement. Soon, she narrowed her eyes and whispered in his ears. Do you prefer me, or the professor? Its you, Miss Holmes. Why did you pause at the start? You must be mistaken Probably. Even though Adler was quick to exin, Charlottes eyes remained narrowed as she nodded her head in understanding. Looking at you now, your right iris seems to have be a bit pale somehow? It appears to be slowly turning grey, doesnt it? At that very moment, as her voice grew ominously dark while speaking to Adler and caressing his iris with her hands Is this also a figment of my imagination, Mr. Adler Of course, its not a figment of your imagination. From behind the duo, came a voiceced with mockery. Oh, really. That eye of his is being tainted in color. Charlotte Holmes, turning around, frowned heavily and muttered as she saw the personing in through the end of the corridor. Isnt that so, Isaac Adler? Professor Moriarty, hands sped behind her back and her head bobbing from side to side, had finally revealed herself Her eyes shone with a mysterious gleam as she watched the scene unfold. . . . . . Ive been smelling the scent of an old maid around here for a while now No matter how much you spread false information, the fact remains that the color of Adlers eyes is gradually changing to my color. Mr. Adler, lets just leave. If were not careful, the smell will cling to us too. Charlotte Holmes, looking at the newly appeared Professor Moriarty with a sickened gaze, quietly grasped Adlers sleeve and stepped forward. Mr. Adler? However, for some reason, Isaac Adler stood there motionless no matter how much she pulled. What are you doing? Miss Holmes. As Charlotte Holmes looked at him with a puzzled expression and asked, Isaac Adler, still motionless, opened his mouth and spoke in a whispery voice. In fact, the one who called Professor Moriarty here is me. What? Isnt that right, Professor? Jane Moriarty, who was looking at her assistant with a puzzled look on her face, quickly agreed with his words. Thats right. And do you know why? As she nodded quietly in affirmation, Adler threw another question. Im not entirely sure about that. Come here, then. Taking her hand, Adler pulled her to where he was standing. Hold hands and do a handshake. ..? As he grabbed the hands of Charlotte and the professor and made them do a handshake, both women couldnt help but look at Adler with unconcealed incredulity in their eyes. This is a temporary alliance. What do you mean This mansion is really, really dangerous. However, Isaac Adler, ignoring their gazes, continued to speak with a grin on his face. There are many hidden secrets. So, since itse to this, lets not fight among ourselves and instead uncover the secrets hidden within the case together Mr. Adler Adler, thats Shh~ He covered the mouths of Charlotte and the professor with his hand, smiling slyly with his eyes. Wont you do it? For me? .. For a moment, both of them gazed at each other, a frigid, hostile look in their eyes, before eventually muttering in a cold voice. Sorry, but I dont see how a greenhorn way below my level would be of any help in uncovering secrets. Im also reluctant to have the smell of an old maid cling to my coat Rather than an ursed body that cant even nurse a baby properly, a slight age difference is preferable, I would say. A baby would want fresher milk rather than that from someone slightly older, dont you think? Just as their verbal fight was about to intensify I was going to offer you both a wish each if you helped. though Isaac Adler suddenly mumbled to himself, twirling his foot on the ground, eyes cast downward. About a minuteter, the two women dramatically came to a temporary agreement and started walking down the corridor of the mansion. With Adler in the middle, they walked side by side, coursing through the winding mansion. Ladies? And soon, Adler found himself being wrapped in chains of grey and ck even as they continued their silent march. . . . . . Pardon me, bu Endure it. Given the abrupt actions youve taken thus far, this is an extremely lenient treatment inparison. Be thankful I have not incapacitated you yet and carried you around in a bag. Even though I had been stripped of my physical freedom, bound by these magical chains as I am, and nked on both sides by these dangerous women, I still believed the situation had improved, even if a little. With Charlotte and me, it might have been uncertain, but with Professor Moriarty joining us, I was sure that literally nothing could threaten us. Hey You may want to take a look at this. However, I came to learn that it was just my delusion. Warning! Probability of a Sacrifice instead of the Protagonist, Isaac Adler 99.99% The terrible probability which had, by some unknown and incredulous means, increased further appeared before my eyes, starkly visible amidst the mana of the two women binding me tightly. An absolute sense of dread surged through my whole body at such a sight. Creeeak Huh? With a faint creaking noise, the door of the room, which we had been informed of being unupied, had opened. And from within the room, I was able to see a faint glow leaking out. Wait a minute The unidentifiable glow seemed to be visible only to me, which only added to the dread and uncertainty I felt. Warning! Probability of being Devoured 100% Ill try to figure something out, so just hang on till I do. Eeek. It was good that I called up the system every night for entertainment. Chapter 98: The Three Garridebs (5) Chapter 98: The Three Garridebs (5) Moments after Isaac Adler lost his freedom of movement at the hands of the two women Creeeak M, Mr. Adler? Isaac Adler entered the room, bound tightly in chains conjured by the mana of the dangerous duo. And seeing Adler in such a state, Neria Garrideb, who had been sitting sullenly on the bed, couldnt help but stumble back in surprise and shock. That child is the wicked wolf that has been devouring Mr. Adler every night. Seems like youve been watching again, havent you? How impressive. Charlotte Holmes and Professor Moriarty began their conversation, gazing intently at the shocked woman. Unfortunately, it seems like my assistant cant go a day without getting stabbed or kidnapped. So, some special management is bound to be employed to prevent them. Using Romanian rebels like your private soldiers and surveilling someones every move 24/7 isnt management; its a serious crime, Professor. But thanks to those precautions, weve prevented crimes that could have happened to Mr. Adler crimes that already number in the double digits, mind you. Thats Of course, thats something you detectives cant do. Detectives are the sort who cheerfully chase after incidents that have already happened, rather than preventing them. The voices of the two women grew colder and colder the more they conversed. Meanwhile, Adler, realizing that a silent war was unfolding behind him, was slowly turning paler by the minute. You might think Im not making any effort, but thats, in fact, a great misconception of yours. If thats what you think, I have no desire to converse further. You mean the so-called Baker Street Special Forces? Really? Those beggar brats? Sigh. Dont be mistaken. Theyre not worth keeping in check, so Ive simply ignored them. No matter how weak those children might be individually, when united, they still form a strong group. Moreover, they have aplete understanding of theplex back alleys of London, which are like a different world, so dont you dare look down on them. With thest exchange, the res Charlotte and the Professor directed at each other became increasingly intense, rising to a dangerous level. As I said before, youve got a knack for crime. Youve already taken the lead in exploiting children, something even I havent done. Simply surveilling one person allows them to earn enough for a months meals and a warm nket to keep themfy; I fail to see how thats considered exploitation. Perhaps its more akin to child welfare? Yeah, that seems right. What it seems to me is that youre not really in a position to criticize me now, are you? Im not like you, employing those scums with impure intentions. My aim is purely for the safety of London Um, excuse me? Just when the two women, still fiercely ring at each other, started emitting the faintest trickles of grey and ck mana from their bodies. Why have youe to my room? Why is Mr. Adler tied up? Neria Garrideb, sweating profusely and apprehensive of this whole situation, mustered the courage to interrupt their conversation with a question. I came to check on something. Itll only take a moment. Only then did the two women cease their argument and turn their attention back to the apprehensive girl. What, what is it Before that, I have a question for you. Professor Moriarty stepped forward, casting a frosty smile at the girl as she posed her question. Have you ever heard of the legends of the werewolves? !!! The moment she heard those words, the girls body froze in ce. What, wha whats that? A monster that transforms into a wolf under the moonlight, a creature that vanished after the Great Demon Purge of the early 1700s. I, I dont really know. As she spoke with obvious terror in her voice, a look of intrigue appeared on the professors face. Have you been taught to deny anything rted to the word wolf outright? Indeed, it would be quite the predicament for the rest of the family if it were discovered that there has been a werewolf among them for the past century who never showed their face. The professor then circled her, murmuring with a hint ofughter in her voice. Perhaps, they could even be eradicated by the ruling body. When theymissioned us, they deliberately avoided using the term werewolf to minimize information leaks, didnt they? Look here. As Adler joined in, Charlotte Holmes frowned and interjected into their conversation. Excuse me, werewolf? Indeed. Didnt you hear the stories beforeing here? Sporadic madness. The sight of blood inciting a frenzied leap. Strength that bes several times greater than usual. Dont these clues give you a hint? Then, Moriarty and Adler, both with a wry smile, spoke. Have you both ingested something wrong? Or did I perhaps overestimate you both? Charlotte, her eyes half-closed, soon began to mutter in a frosty voice. Werewolf? Thats utterly nonsensical. What are you talking about? Its illogical for a werewolf to still exist in Britain. Then Adler, with a slight smile, gestured to himself. If vampires exist, why not werewolves? That was an exceptional case. This is different. How can you be so certain? Do you have any evidence? Of course. Charlotte firmly countered his point and began to rummage through her belongings. Here, this should confirm it Eek. Just as she pulled a shiny, silvery object from her pocket, Adler? Trembletrembletrembletremble Suddenly pale, Adler quickly clung to Moriarty, trembling violently from head to toe. Why are you acting like this? Like a mouse soaked in the rain. Thats scary The silver cross? Hold me right, Professor. Hmm The professor, tilting her head in curiosity, patted his back with a slightly satisfied expression on her face. Meanwhile, Charlotte, holding the silver cross in her hands, momentarily looked on at the scene with a dazed expression. I failed to take Mr. Adler into consideration. Its alright, continue what you were doing. Ill be quick. Murmuring in a slightly darkened voice, Charlotte brought the cross close to Neria Garrideb. How does it feel? ..? Does it sting or cause any sort of difort? Garrideb shook her head as she intensely gazed at the cross held against her flesh. And Charlotte, as though expecting such a reaction already, soon put the cross away. Swoosh Sorry, sorry, I was wrong, Miss Holmes. As she extended the cross slightly towards Adler, he started crying out in a fit Even his ck tail which he always hid had now revealed itself. Stop this nasty joke right this instant. This coulde in handy, hmm. Whats the intention behind that action? The professor, stroking Adlers head to calm him down, asked in a monotone voice. Silver has been known since ancient times as a deadly weakness to vampires and werewolves. Indeed, there are records that the Hunters in the early 1700s carried bullets or des made of silver. Put, put that away As you can see, Mr. Adler, being a pureblood vampire, has such an intense reaction to silver. Charlotte continued her exnation in a low voice. And yet, a werewolf came into direct contact with a cross and remainedpletely unaffected? Odd, isnt it? Ah Theres only one conclusion. That person is not a werewolf. The girl, sitting on the bed, opened her mouth in a daze, looking like she had been hit with a hammer to the head. That cant be I, I am Sporadic frenzy. Seizures that ur at the sight of blood. However, Charlotte naturally interrupted her words and proceeded with her own exnation. While its not the Lycanthropy Syndrome, theres another disease that can cause nearly identical symptoms. What? Well, you, whove lived your entire life confined to your home, wouldnt know about this. The name of that disease is Just as she was about to exin in a rare kind tone, Hydrophobia. A disease with a 100 percent fatality rate for which no vine has been developed yet. Also known as rabies. ording to recent reports, Dr. Louis Pasteur is working on developing a vine as we speak Is that so? Thats the first time I have heard of that term, but somehow it does fit. This time, Professor Moriarty and Adler chimed in, cutting off Charlottes words. Hydrophobia? Rabies? See, you both knew about it already. Your know-it-all attitude is always amusing, isnt it? What, what are you all talking about? Charlotte Holmes muttered in a subdued voice, as if she had already expected such a scenario. Meanwhile, Neria Garrideb couldnt help but ask them with a panicked voice. Confusion, delirium, seizures. To use Mr. Adlers term, these are the primary symptoms of Rabies. But Moreover, more than half of the patients exhibit an extreme fear of water. Even on the brink of dying from thirst, they convulse and suffer terribly at the sight of water. She fell silent once she heard Professor Moriarty and Charlottes detailed exnation. And the same goes for the sight of blood flowing out of a human body. You speak as if you have experienced it? Meanwhile, Isaac Adler, subtly posed a question to Charlotte as she muttered to herself with clear exhaustion in her eyes. Howling Cemetary and Reconstructed Wolf. The culprits of these two low-level cases I recently solved both had hydrophobia. Ah They were so trivial and boring that even Watson gave up writing about them. Still, the knowledge gained from investigating the camees in handy at times like this. Isaac Adler nodded in understanding, and behind him, Neria Garrideb, with a ghastly pale face, spoke up while trembling violently. Then I Youve been deceived all your life into thinking you were a werewolf when you were actually just a patient of Hydrophobia. I dont know what reason your family had for deceiving you, but Its truly regrettable. Having finished her words, Charlotte Holmes quietly turned to walk away. Then, its about time to hear the reason from the two Garridebs who have been lying for more than 10 years Stop right there. However, Professor Moriarty, with a gleam in her eye, stopped her mid-sentence. Whats the matter? Its too early to jump to conclusions. At those words, Charlotte tilted her head as though asking for an exnation. As I said before, rabies is a disease with a 100 percent fatality rate. .. Most patients die within a week of showing symptoms. Yet, Miss Neria Garrideb has survived for over 10 years. But as the professor continued her words, Charlottes expression slowly distorted into a grimace. Moreover, even if the disease makes one exhibit violent behavior, the aggression that the girl showed towards Adler is extremely excessive. That could vary from patient to patient In the two cases you encountered, the patients attacked bloodied individuals to escape their pain, but they didnt bite and tear their flesh, did they? Professor Moriarty, looking at her with a leisurely gaze, softly whispered. And what about the unreasonably increased strength with each fit? You skipped over that without exining the phenomenon properly. Can you exin these three points of doubt I have, Charlotte Holmes? Whats your angle? I feel a certain kinship with you. Thats positively horrifying. Feeling an inexplicable disgust from her words, Charlotte Holmes, with a nauseated expression, took a step back. And like Adler, Ive be interested in seeing how far you, still a raw and unrefined gem, can grow. Spare me the bullshit. Oh dear, was my lie that obvious? Professor Moriartys gaze turned slightly cold as the curse leaked out of Charlottes mouth. Adler wants that. .. He wants you to be my arch-enemy, so Im sincerely offering you my help. Professor Moriarty moved toward her and whispered into Charlottes ear; her voice dark and ominous. Do you understand, little girl? Hearing those words, Charlotte quietly bit her lip and clenched her hands hard. The reason why Neria Garrideb has survived a disease with a 100 percent fatality rate for over 10 years, the reason she harbors this unknown brutality within her, and the reason she can exhibit such tremendous strength. Look them up. The professor, provoking her, quietly shifted her gaze from her. Personally, I doubt it whether youll be able to find out the reasons by the end of the day. And then, with a smile in her eyes, she spoke to Adler. Dont you think the same, Adler? And the room was drenched in utter silence . . . . . Ahaha Whats with the suddenugh? I, who had been asked the question by the professor, shed her a slightly awkward smile. Excuse me. Yes, what is it? Do you often meet with your mother these days? Dragging my ufortable body, bound in chains, I sat down quietly next to Miss Garrideb and began to ask her some questions of my own. Yes, yes She sometimeses into my room before I go to sleep. I see Somehow, every time she does, my eyes automatically close and I quickly fall into slumber. But I distinctly remember the touch of her hand stroking my forehead It was all to derive the one answer that could exin the points of doubt Professor Moriarty had raised just now. By any chance, what is your mothers name? Vi, Victoria Garrideb Why do you ask? Do you know her maiden name as well? What? That is Oh, I remember. After hearing my question, she pondered for a moment before looking up at my eyes as she answered. My motheres from a noble family in Switzend. Thanks to that, she has a rather unique surname, if I recall. Is that so? Yes, as far as I remember, its Gulping hard in tension, I watched her as she slowly revealed the information I desired. Frankenstein. Upon hearing the name that slipped out of her lips, which eventually confirmed my hypothesis, I involuntarily clenched my eyes shut. Mothers former name was Victoria Frankenstein. Damn it all!! The beings whose very existence was a paradox were slowly revealing themselves, having established their foothold on London. Warning! Erosion Rate 33% 40% Chapter 99: The Three Garridebs (6) Chapter 99: The Three Garridebs (6) Im so screwed. The moment I realized the crux of this whole case, my mind was filled with that thought. I should have noticed sooner. There had been more than just a few chances to reach this conclusion. There were quite a few simr clues scattered all over, suggesting that Neria Garrideb was an artificially created being. Only, they were obscured by the keyword of a rabies patient, rather than a werewolf. By the time I realized the truth, it was already toote. Professor Jane Moriarty, Charlotte Holmes, and I were already too deeply involved in this bizarre case. If both sides sh, the situation will surely spiral out of control Considering the cases of Jill the Ripper and the phantom thief Lupin, I was able to grasp the conditions that led to an increase in the erosion rate. Every time characters from other popr 19th-century works, or real people with no ties to the Sherlock Holmes series got entangled in a case, the erosion rate would jump dramatically. Even in this case, the moment Frankenstein was mentioned, the erosion rate shot up by a whopping 7 percent. What if Charlotte Holmes or Professor Moriarty got more deeply involved in the case? The erosion rate might skyrocket uncontrobly. Rather, at the rate things were going, that was bound to happen. I have to stop it. Then, there was only one way to ovee this predicament. As the probability of this world, the one designated with the duty to uphold this worlds bnce, I must fight against those alien beings in ce of Charlotte Holmes. I must twist the conclusion of the case before Charlotte Holmes arrives at the truth. Therefore, I have no time to waste. Before Charlotte discovered the identity of Neria Garrideb and the existence of Dr. Frankenstein behind her, I had to carve out and discard the inconsistencies present in the case. The points which deviated the case from its natural course. And then, I needed to manipte the truth and reconstruct the case from the ground up. To aplish that, it was a must to eliminate Dr. Frankenstein, who should be hiding somewhere in this mansion, as soon as possible. Honestly, I doubted that I would be able to aplish that with this body, akin to a ss cannon, I possess. However, this wasnt the time to debate whether it was feasible or not. If I didnt seed, the end of the world was imminent. I had no choice but to aplish the task at any and all costs, whether I like it or not. Hmm. Then, what was the first agenda that I needed to tackle? Time is ticking, Miss Holmes. At this rate, the truth will be buried in darkness. Shut up. Ohhh. So, even the most genius girl in the world is capable of getting nervous, huh? Quite an unusual sight, I must say. It was simple. I had to shake off Professor Moriarty and Charlotte Holmes, who were currently exchanging icy looks as they argued with each other. That was the only way to deal with Dr. Frankenstein without anyone noticing. Click, click However, there was a problem. I had already lost my freedom of movement due to these two women. The mana chains conjured by the strongest being of this world and the mana chains of the only person who can rival this being were binding me tight. This superimposed binding would be unbreakable by anyone except Gia Lestrade, who could nullify any and all magic. Well, then theres no other choice left. There was only one option left for me. I really wanted to keep this as ast resort. It was quite possibly an action unworthy of the probability of this world, but it was the only method left for me at the moment. Excuse me for interrupting your delightful deductions for a moment. ..? As I resolved myself quietly and began to speak, the eyes of the quarreling women simultaneously focused on me. There has been a slight error in the case. What? What are you talking about? Im afraid I will need to make a minor correction. It wont take long, I promise. Nigh instantaneously, the expressions on their puzzled faces turned icy at my words. Are you nning to disappear again, only to be found half-butchered to death? Perhaps you secretly harbor a penchant for bloodshed? If not, it would be wise to cease this foolishness while you still can. The remarks leaving their mouth soon after were not different from what I had anticipated from them. I knew both of you would respond that way. As I gazed at them with a smirk, knowing how well theyplemented each other only in moments like these, I quietly raised my hand and allowed my eyes to shine. Snap! A crisp snapping sound echoed in the room. Bzzzzzz !? And soon after, the anomaly urred. . . . . . Hnng. Hmm? The chains that had been tightly coiling around my body began to loosen, and simultaneously, both Charlotte Holmes and Professor Moriarty groaned out loud, their bodies beginning to twitch. Zzzing At the same time, the golden seal I had engraved in their lower abdomen began to shine with a golden hue. What are you doing right now? Mr. Adler. Since when do I have such a thing engraved on my stomach? Clutching her lower abdomen with a visible tremble, Charlotte red at me with a look that seemed to be saying that she could kill me if she could. On the other hand, Professor Moriarty merely posed a question with eyes sparkling with curiosity. It was engraved when I first made the ve I mean, graduate student contract with you, Professor, and in the case of Miss Holmes, it happened during our contract at Reigate Probably. I dont recall consenting to such an inscription. Dont feel too upset, Professor. Unlike the other womens contracts, your seal is also engraved on my stomach With those words, spoken in a somewhat menacing tone, I smiled and revealed my lower abdomen. .. Ah. I found two seals ovepping each other, alternating between shades of grey and ck, battling for dominance, and briefly trailed off. The seals are so strong-willed, just like their owners~ Enough, why is my mana suddenly sealed? Now that you mention it, I cant seem to use my mana either. I tried to speak in a cheerful tone, only to be met with the cold voices of Charlotte and the Professor. The reason you cant use your mana is because Im using the mana of all the women Ive engraved with seals on their lower belly to suppress both of your mana. Does that even make sense? Well, it seems to be working though, doesnt it? As I shrugged my shoulders and retorted, Holmes and Professor looked at me with an incredulous gaze. Their reactions told me that they too were unaware of this phenomenon. In this world, mana was in reality a shared resource. The phenomenon of mana discoloration, where ones eye color changes due to the influence of anothers mana, wasmonce precisely due to reason. Since the mana a person held was far more fluid than one might think, it could easily flow between individuals. Therefore, if one wascking in mana, it was inherently possible to receive it from another person or, conversely, to transfer it. And it seemed that the original Isaac Adler, even before my possession, was the only one who had realized such a fact. He had been carving mana conduits under the guise of ve contracts onto the lower abdomens of women all across London. His research was slightly wed, so it never manifested in practice. But if the theory had worked as it was intended, all of London could have been his potential mana reserve; just waiting for him to tap into a near-infinite supply. And I, I finallypleted it. Perfecting the iplete mana conduction magic was simpler than I thought it would be. After weeks of revising the poorly written syntax, written with incorrect and clunky logic with the know-how of an active developer, I sessfully reproduced Isaac Adlers unfinished magic in my own original form. In other words, I had sessfully turned half of Londons women into my mana channels. Of course, the vessel itself was still painfully small, so I wasnt even able to unleash intermediate spells without employing some sort of trickery. Lets not even mention the top-tier magic that Charlotte or Professor Moriarty are able to cast. But if the mana reserve was infinite, and there were enough channels to direct it in their lower abdomens, there was a very simple method of suppression that I was able to employ. So, how does it feel to be unable to use magic? That was a DDoS attack. It involved pouring the mana of half of Londons women poption into their seals over a prolonged period of time. Really, just what on earth is your true identity You always exceed my expectations, Adler. Naturally, their bodies, overloaded by the continuous onught of infinite mana, became incapable of manipting any mana for a while. And unless their capacity to hold mana was as vast as the entirety of London itself, it was unlikely for them to have any means to escape this attack. Lets see Hmmm. I summoned golden chains with a flick of my hand, binding the dazed Charlotte and the professor tightly, for good measure. This should be good enough Look here, Adler. Just as I was about to step away after ensuring multiple times that the chains were securely fastened, an even-toned voice came from behind me. Heh Viewing the professor, utterly restrained by my mana, I felt the urge to tease her arise within me, unexpectedly. No, you look, Miss Moriarty. Mr. Adler? It seems you might be under a misconception here. How could I not harbor dark desires when such a being, who always helplessly subdued me under her might and control, was now subdued so helplessly? Now I am your master. .. So call me master instead of Adler. Instantly, the professors eyes grew cold as frigid ice as I whispered to her in a husky voice. Oh. Your eyes seem rather defiant, hmm? Not quite grasping the situation now, are you? . Do you wish for me to pet you and train you as I did that one time? But as I poked her lower abdomen with my finger while whispering, the professors eyes started to waver. A professor with a nasty temper, hiding her thesis papers. A pervert who salivates after someone who doesnt even consent to your advances. You even have a whole ten-year age gap with Charlotte That moment, as her response amusingly fueled me, I found myself engrossed in continuing the provocation. Gooooo However, abruptly, a chilling coldness emanated from her very being at my continuous provocation. Does it feel good, to sexually harass a student who hasnt even graduated yet? A shiver ran down my spine momentarily, but I had already said my piece. Having sessfully executed the theoretical and highly prone to failure distributed mana rejection attack, I was now able to control the professor however I wished. I had no reason to fear her anymore. Anyway, both of you stay still. . Ill be back shortly after fixing this mess. I patted the professor and Charlottes heads once more and headed out of the room with a small smile on my face. Miss Garrideb, youe along too. M, Me? Youll be my bodyguard for the day. I should have taken a tougher stance from the very start. . . . . . A few minutester Where does Franken no, Mrs. Garrideb usually stay? On the first floor, in the master bedroom. Except for the time shes eating she spends nearly all day there. As Isaac Adler exited into the hallway with Neria Garrideb, he asked her in a friendly voice, prompting her to respond. Her expression was unusually tense as she spoke to Adler. Rx. But its been so long since Ive been out of the room How long has it been? Adler tilted his head and asked, and Neria Garrideb quietly bowed her head and muttered in a low voice. Im not sure, but ever since father passed away, its been It must have been lonely. Adler looked at her with a slightly dark gaze, then began to gently stroke her hair. Ive had my own times of loneliness. Really? I was so depressed that I lost interest in life. Thats why Just as he was about to unt his eloquence, as usual I feel the same way, Adler. Right next to Adler, who was walking leisurely, came that even-toned voice he often heard. A professor feeling lonely, thats quite unexpected He chuckled and responded by nature, however, he soon trailed off Huh. Then, Adler nced slightly to the side, and Moriarty, with her hands sped behind her back and bobbing her head from side to side, came into his view. Is this a dream? . It is a dream, hehe. He grabbed her cheek and stretched it, then pinched his own cheek and let out a relievedugh as he didnt feel any pain from that action. But I usually cant feel pain. Coming to that realization, hisplexion grew paler by the moment. Oh, didnt know about that Professor Moriarty, whose mana vessel was revealed to berger than at least half the women of Londonbined, was smiling broadly with her arm on Adlers shoulder. GG1So, the system is basically saying that he yed well, but it was now time for game over. Basically, shes saying Adlers fucked, lol. Trolling 100. Eeek. Chapter 100: Peace in London Chapter 100: Peace in London He hehehe Stopughing and exin yourself, Adler. Isaac Adler, frozen in ce for some time, startedughing awkwardly at the sight before him. On the other hand, the professor, her hands resting on his shoulders, silently leaned closer toward him. What was the meaning of the actions you just took towards me? .. Honestly, if it wasnt you, then anyone who dared to do such a thing would find their body shattered into pieces by now. Her voice and expression were cheerful and bright, but her eyes and gaze were anything but that. As you know, Im not a very patient person. Creak So, convince me quickly. Instead of her face, the professors pale hands, which had found their way up to his neck and were gradually tightening around it, conveyed the emotions she really felt deep down. What was the reason? Hmm? And with those words, silence settled between the two. Crackle! As Adler gazed at Professor Moriartys eyes, racking his brain faster than he had ever done before, he was able to catch a glimpse of an anomaly that shed for a split second. Hmm. Professor Jane Moriarty was busy choking him with her hands, however, a momentary spark of grey and gold emanated from her body at that very moment, making her frown and groan out loud abruptly. It seems that you couldntpletely escape from my spell, after all, Professor. Staying still for some time, Adler repeatedly confirmed the phenomenon transpiring in the professors body. Once he was able toe to a consensus, he rxed and began murmuring to her in a low voice. You were able to withstand it to some extent at first, it seems. However, as the mana continued pouring into your body like an endless tide, you were unable to hold it all in and had to leak some of it out. Fizz, crackle After all, how could a single persons mana capacity be more than thebined mana of half the women in the entirety of London? Thats simply absurd, impossible even. Nevertheless, as the professor remained silent and just gazed at him in a daze, Isaac Adler began to chatter with an even more excited tone in his voice. But still, the professor is truly amazing. Not only is your mana capacity vast enough to withstand the initial onught, but you also grasped the principle of the attack so quickly and came up with a countermeasure. Crackleee Even a convincing bluff too. He gently caressed the professors cheek and whispered into her ear with a bright smile on his face. You do realize that youre my ideal type, dont you, Professor? Enough with that, Adler. I dont want to though With a chuckle, a sly smile appeared on Adlers lips as he took hold of the professors arm. But s, I will have to stop this banter here. Why? As I have mentioned before, if I dont correct the error that has urred in this case, things will get quite a bit troublesome. Seeing the professor look at him with a confused gaze, Adler stroked her head and added, My curse is, in fact, a phenomenon that can cause a substantially sizeable havoc if a mystery isnt constructed perfectly, in a certain way, you see You didnt even know what a curse was until recently, did you? I still dont know, to be honest. But you see, the curse on me is a bit different from those curses. Quietly receiving his stroking, the professor bobbed her head and posed a question. In response, Adler, watching her characteristic bobbing with an amused expression, murmured in her ears. If we continue like this, both Charlotte and the professor will be in danger. Hmm. You understand, right? So you need to behave yourself, okay? Adler, who finished speaking while patting her head on his tiptoes, raised his hand to bind her once more. Snap! Just like before, the sound of fingers snapping echoed crisply throughout the silent hallway. Huh. However, if there was one difference from a few minutes ago, then it was the fact that the golden chains didnt so much as show a hint of being summoned to bind Professor Moriarty, let alone actually restraining her as they did before. Why isnt this working? Isaac Adler, who had been harboring a bright smile on his face till now, couldnt help but frown as he looked at his hand with a puzzled gaze. He started flicking his fingers again but Adler. The professor, watching him quietly, opened her mouth at that very moment with a chilly smile. That fascinating magic you used just then Yes? I suppose theres nothing in this world that I am unable to do. A look of utter bewilderment settled on Adlers face as he heard those words. Impossible. Why so? I only seeded because I could gather the mana of nearly half the women of the entirety of London. But you, professor Are you implying that I do not wield such an immense amount of mana? The professors lips curled into a wicked grin. Oh dear, Adler. Do you really think that Im releasing mana because I am unable to withstand your attacks? Could it be Hearing the professorsugh,ced with amusement and mirth, Adler couldnt help but break into a cold sweat. Have you been deflecting my attacks all this time, or rather, have you been pouring your own mana into me on top of that? And simultaneously into all the vessels of the women you have under your control, connected to you with the seal imprinted on your abdomen, to be exact. I am going to make sure that you are unable to even try to do such a wicked deed ever again. The professor answered his question, delivered in a low and hesitant voice, with a kind look in her eyes. So, just howrge is your mana capacity? Adler. As Adler turned pale and asked in rm, Jane Moriarty gently stroked his corbone and whispered in his ears. The sea doesnt overflow even if a river flows into it . Rather, it only makes the river flow backward and overflow instead. At that very moment, her eyes, looking down at her beloved assistant, started flooding with the aura of an apex predator. Eeek. Adler, his body trembling at her words, gazed up at the professor and abruptly grabbed her arms. Putting strength in his hands, he shoved her up against the wall, his gaze desperate. What are you doing? If youre pouring all your mana into me, then you cant use magic either, right? The professor, observing Adler with curiosity brimming in her eyes, posed the question in a casual voice as though unperturbed by his actions. And her question prompted Adler to speak in a voice trembling with fear and desperation. Then I have no choice but to use my body to fight against you. Even if you are the strongest mage to ever exist, you must be physically weaker than me, correct? In his eyes, thest glimmer of hope shone amid the crippling despair. Im still a vigorous teenager, Miss Moriarty. Is that so? Im confident of being able to overpower a wicked professor whos only been doing research behind locked doors all these years. However, even thatst shred of hope was doomed to fade into darkness. Squeeze Uh Abruptly, Professor Moriarty shook off Adlers grip on her arms and immediately pushed him against the wall instead. T-This is a-absurd Nothing absurd about it, Adler. As Adler began his desperate struggle with a confused, horrified look, the professor added just a bit more strength in her grip, just enough to subdue him, and whispered in a low voice. Youre not a vigorous teenager, Adler. Just a patient on his deathbed. Ah. And even if that wasnt the case, do you really believe that you could challenge me to a physical brawl? She leaned in close, her face colored with amusement and mischief. Before I met you, I had been hiding the fact that I was a mage. Then, how many people do you think Ive killed with my body alone instead of magic? Her eyes darkening into an ominous void, Professor Moriarty posed the question in a whispery chant. Obscene little fox. As her hot breath touched his ears, Adler his head buried in her sizeable breasts due to the clear height difference swallowed dryly and looked up at his supervising professor. Im a vampire, Professor. With those words, for some time, a squelching sound began to echo throughout the previously silent hallway instead of human speech. . . . . . Lift your head, Adler. Several minutester Adler. Walking down the corridor with his head hung low sporting a bite mark on his lower abdomen, one near his ear, and several on his neck Adler proceeded to wipe his moist and puffy lips as he quietly turned his gaze to the side. Are you upset because I was too forceful? Professor Moriarty, wiping her damp mouth likewise, posed the question to him But you enticed me with your antics first, Adler, didnt you? I am but a human Adler. Regretfully, I was no longer able to resist the temptation. She whispered in a subdued voice as she gently stroked Adlers neck. The rest, lets save it forter; when this case is finally resolved. Brrrr And then, well live together. Forever. Hearing her wistful words, a violent shudder ran through Adlers body, leading him to open his mouth. Were you disappointed? What do you mean? Just a moment ago, I attacked you, Professor. Only a calm voice could be heard as Professor Moriarty responded to his words. I realized that your actions always have unavoidable intentions behind them. That is You mentioned a curse, didnt you? Her voice was a murmur as she gazed at the empty space where Adler would usually look with a startled look in his eyes. Could it be that itpels you to create these mysteries and riddles? . Then, could our rtionship also be? After a long silence, Adler finally responded in a barely audible voice. I believe we have already gone too far to use that excuse now. A fleeting expression of relief crossed the professors face at his words. Professor, I Wait a moment. Just as Adler was about to say something with a hint of seriousness in his face, Where is she? Pardon? Miss Neria Garrideb, where is she? Halting her stride, she posed the question in a sharp voice. When you were interrogating me earlier, she seemed entranced and headed somewhere. And? I had sprinkled a bit of powdered magic stone on her back earlier, so I was just following the trail she left behind Adler couldnt help but cock his head in confusion at the sudden shift of atmosphere. Chiiiik! Abruptly, thick smoke began billowing out from the end of the corridor ahead of them. Adler, be careful! The professor looking warily at the smoke that rapidly enveloped the whole corridor, akin to the ethereal fog that often engulfed the streets of London at dawn started retreating to the back while pulling Adler by the hand. Im immortal, so Ill be fine, Professor. Be silent, Adler. Juste behind me quickly. Rather, you shoulde behind me instead, Professor. You cant use magic right now, so youre vulnerable. However, amid their retreat, a minor quarrel arose as Adler tried to ce the professor behind him instead. Adler, before I get any angrier, ple Swoosh ! In the midst of their dispute, the professor was toote in sensing the presence that appeared suddenly in the fog. Her eyes widened in rm as she turned her attention toward the ominous presence when Bang!!! The resounding noise of a gunshot filled the mansion. . And with that a dreary silence engulfed the scene. . . . . . Professor? As the smoke filling the corridor dissipated in a puff, Adler, frozen in ce, was met with a scene he didnt believe he would ever see in his life. That was a close call Adler. With disbelief in his eyes as he stared at the shocking scene, Adler heard a familiar yet unusually faint voice entering his ears. You almost got hit by a silver bullet for a second there There, before his eyes,y Professor Moriarty; With a silver bullet lodged deep in her chest, crushing her heart, she coughed up a fountain of blood before copsing right in front of him. Its fortunate, truly so fortu Adlers rationality snapped as he gazed down at her immobile figure for a long, long time. Ending 10 (Conclusive) Peace in London This cant be Chapter 102: The Recollections of Isaac Adler Chapter 102: The Recollections of Isaac Adler Hey Are you sure about this? As I quietly descended the long staircase leading to the basement of the mansion, a message, scribbled in haste, emerged before my eyes. Even after offering the best happy ending I possibly could in your current circumstance, youre really going to reject it? .. .Yes. It seemed that the system didnt agree with my actions, but I had already resolved myself. There was no going back now. I dont, cant understand this. Im not doing this because I want to be understood. Ignoring the system window before my eyes, I walked passed it and trudged along towards my destination. Momentarily hesitating mid-air for a while, the translucent system window soon decided to follow me. ? Sensing something odd, I turned around, only to be greeted with the sight of the translucent window pausing mid-air as my gazended on it. However, once I shifted my gaze to the front once more, the window started following me once more in a floating trail. What is it? What? I havent done anything A memory of being stalked in the past came to his mind due to its shady actions, prompting Adler to ask in a tone that was a bit frostier than usual. Hearing his rigid voice, the floating entity disyed some words in a hastily scribbled and sloppy handwriting. Dont follow me. Are you really going to go down there? How many times must I say it? However, as I remained adamant on my choice, the system changed the color of its writing to one of blood red. A warning message. If you go down, youll die Below those words written in bloody red, an array of probabilities that I possibly could not ignore began to be listed one by one. Warning! Probability of being Killed 50% Probability of being Devoured 99% Probability of being Turned into an Experimental Subject 10% Probability of a Life Restoration Event urring in the Future 0.01% The contents were goosebump-inducing, to say the least. However, from the moment I declined the surefire happy-ending route, I had already made up my mind to not be swayed by these numbers. The probabilities you showed me were often off the mark, werent they? It doesnt really calcte the immediate likelihood of an event. Rather, it bases it on the possibilities youll face at the very end of your road. You have endless excuses, dont you? You designed it that way. As I replied to the system with a calm and cold expression on my face, it replied back in a font that seemed to be showing the resentment it felt due to my statement. Are you sure about reviving the final boss of the game? In a situation where youre not even forced by the duty of the sole probability of this world, are you really going to consume your one and only unique life restoration event? Umm The system, which had disappeared for a moment, suddenly emerged before my eyes with a ring question. And I couldnt help but look down and sigh at the question thrown my way. Thats the thing. My eyes were drawn to the professor, her lifeless body cradled in my arms in a princess carry, and immediately, memories of the past began to surface in my mind one by one. Among them, the one I most vividly recalled was the contents of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, a collection of short stories in the Sherlock Homes saga. The moment I first read through The Final Problem included in that anthology, Theres a good reason for it. Perhaps the decision I was about to make had already been decided from that very moment. . . . . . If asked why people were so fascinated by the Sherlock Holmes series, numerous answers would likely emerge. The mysteries, with a near-endless supply of dramatic twists still considered intriguing even from a modern perspective. Aprehensive cast of unending characters vivid and lifelike from all angles. Or perhaps, it was the catharsis one would obtain from seeing the obscure and irrational cases being neatly solved through crisp logic and an ability of deduction that was almost on the level of foresight. But among everything, the overwhelmingly popr response would be the charm of the protagonist itself the great Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock Holmes, just who was this man? The very epitome of what it meant to be a detective, that was what he was. He was the godfather of the detective archetype, influencing nearly all, if not all, detective characters that came after him. Moreover, he was considered one of the most adapted characters in the film industry arguably, the man ranked amongst the most sessful creations to have ever been brought to light. Recalling theical incidents that befell Arthur Conan Doyle when Holmes was killed off in the works, one coulde to an understanding, and appreciation, of just how much fans loved and were practically enthralled by Sherlock Holmes. And that was true for me as well. Particrly since I had encountered the eponymous series during a particrly rough patch of my life. Although the memories had be rather hazy these days, the bleak emotions I felt at that disheartening time of my life were still enough to send shivers of dread down my very spine. After all, how heartbroken must a child actor who neither wanted to act the role he got, nor did seek the unwanted attention that was perpetually ced on him have been to have lost his entire family in a traffic ident on the way to the set? The Sherlock Holmes series that I had chanced upon in the hospital, rmended by one of the few friends who had visited me in those dark times, may not have been enough to change my life in its entirety but it had certainly been enough to help me survive through those dark and miserable times. Thus, it was only natural for me to be deeply engrossed in the novels that had offered me so much sce. Eventually, as one would expect, I turned into an ardent fan of the titr character Sherlock Holmes. Excluding my personal history, I probably didnt have much difference from any other Sherlockian up to that point. However, on a fateful day as my discharge approached ever closer, the moment Ipleted The Final Problem in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes anthology That was the moment I had be a bit different from your average Sherlockian. It was probably the moment when the Sherlock Holmes series utterly shook my life, turning it upside down in its entirety. Since unlike ordinary fans who mourned the death of Sherlock Holmes and vehemently cursed the sudden appearance of Professor Moriarty I waspletely captivated by the newly introduced character captivated by the enigmatic Professor Moriarty captivated to such an extent that, it shook the very foundation on which Sherlock Holmes had taken root in my heart. . . . . . I suppose I am quite the strange man, Professor. Standing in a daze, lost in my idle recollection, I eventually began walking forward once more. Looking down, I gently caressed the now cold and lifeless cheeks of Professor Jane Moriarty with my hand. Though I favor the role of a consulting detective, it seems that I have taken a liking for the role of a criminal consultant as well. When I first read through the scene at Reichenbach Falls where Holmes and Professor Moriarty met their mutual demise, I was deeply shocked. The tranted editions of the Sherlock Holmes series my friend had brought for me were missing several key stories, including The Adventure of the Empty House the historical chapter where Sherlock Holmes shocked everyone with his return. So at the time, I truly believed that the series hade to an end. However, the shock did not manifest as sorrow or anger as it did for the typical readers of the series. The criminal mastermind who had utterly outdone the always impable Sherlock Holmes and even forced him to flee to Europe with Watson I found myselfpletely overwhelmed by the charisma and terrifying atmosphere the viinous character exuded throughout the work, and I began to yearn to see him hunt down the forces of justice. At first, it was clearly awe. Even now, I was not quite sure why I felt such emotions Perhaps to me, who had always been a victim of crime since my childhood, the existence of an Invincible Criminal Consultant was both a source of fear and an object of admiration. Or perhaps because my inherent nature was a shade of gray, a mix of ck and white, as I moved between two parallel lines. Now its clear, its not awe any longer. Nevertheless, in the end, I still preferred the role of the Invincible Consulting Detective. I was so happy to see Holmes returning in The Adventure of the Empty House a few monthster that I quite literally cried. However, a dark corner of my heart, forged from my endless childhood trauma, had always been upied by the criminal consultant who had overwhelmed and shaken me to my core. Perhaps this was why I voluntarily took on the role of consultant a role shunned by many due to the blurring lines between good and evil in an organization that operated in the darkness but aspired for the light, just a few years back. Maybe that was also the reason I ended up taking on the role of story consultant at a gamingpany I joined after being unemployed from my role as a consultant of thatpany. Reluctantly, I kept denying it because it reminded me of my past traumas. In any case, the conclusion I was able to reach was quite simple. It seems I like viins as much as heroes. I was an entity of half white and half ck, half good and half evil a rather dualistic being if I say so myself. Looking at my irises which now had different colors, it seemed that I had an equal fondness for both characters. That exined why I hade to have such a disposition. Now that I think about it, this does make me seem like a trashy bastard, right? It sounded a bit dubious, like proudly straddling the fence, but wasnt this still better than just liking viins over heroes as my old friend did? Hey Scratching my head as I had those fleeting thoughts I saw that the system window, which had been spinning around me for a while already, had sent me a message with a sense of urgency in the writing. Are you really sure you want to die instead of the final boss? Wait, is that even allowed? Seeing an archaic door that starteding into my view from beyond the screen, it seemed like the entity running the system had be quite desperate by now. But why was this thing making such a fuss? Until recently, the system had pretended to not have any self-awareness and donned a very monotone and business-like attitude when dealing with me. But why was it suddenly acting like this now? Then who will y word chain with me? Didnt you say that was boring? Lost in thought and looking at the screen before me with a befuddled expression, a message soon appeared after a brief silence. Never mind. Do whatever you want, however you want. With those brief words, the entity along with the system windowpletely vanished from my sight, drifting into the unknown void. Somehow, I felt uneasy by itsst words but there was nothing I could do about it now. Just wait a little more, Professor. It was time to punish the bitch who had the audacity to assassinate the Queen I swore to follow. . . . . . Squeak A short whileter Bang!!! The old basement door opened with a creak. And as soon as Adler entered through the door, a silver bullet was fired straight at him, evidently waiting for this very moment to be shot. Fizzle However, Adler, with a cold gaze, lightly waved his hand. And with that gesture, the bullet, blocked mid-air, quietly fell to the ground and rolled away from his sight. Oh my. I thought you were unable to use magic currently. Hiss It looks like you have made some preparations of your own, this time around. In front of Adler, who spewed out smoke tinged with a golden aura, stood a rather frail-looking woman. She had disheveled hair, was donned in a coat, and had a sickening smile on her pale lips as she looked at Adler with clear intrigue. Dr. Frankenstein. Wee to myboratory. As Adler spoke her name, the woman, smiling brightly, spread her arms wide to both sides. .. Behind her, in the darkness that stretched infinitely, the gleaming eyes of countless grotesque creatures began to flicker. Why dont youe and lie down over here first? Ill pass. And at that moment, Adlers radiant golden aura started tinging with shades of gray and ck, mixing into his very being. I have someone I need to kill right now. Chapter 103: Truce Chapter 103: Truce Ah, hello. ..!? Rewinding time to the moment when Adler had just subdued both Charlotte Holmes and Professor Moriarty and soon stepped out of the room What, what is it? Why are you so surprised, Miss Lestrade? Near the bushes of the Garrideb mansion was Gia Lestrade, hidden in a crouching position while holding her breath tight. However, once the familiar voice resounded in her ears, out of the blue, she immediately stuttered out in shock. Ch-Charlotte Holmes. Im currently in the middle of an important business, so its difficult for me to respond to your call. Does Miss Lestrade have the conception that shirking off the police work to creepily stalk your boyfriend is part of your duties, perchance? Charlottes voice,ced with a deadly chill and delivered in a low voice, soon reached her ears. Its just part of an investigation process that ys a role in the protection of London. No, but how did you Since you are a policewoman, shouldnt you at least improve your tailing skills a bit? Hiding in the bushes and crouching down doesnt automatically make you hidden and out of sight. . Theres even a joke among Londons criminals that to check if Inspector Lestrade is around, one just needs to look in the bushes. Ill be more careful in the future. Chastised, Lestrade picked herself up from the bushes with a sheepish expression on her face. Well, regardless of your motivations, its a good thing that youre here. I happen to be in quite the predicament inside the mansion that is before your eyes right now. Is this really the great Charlotte Holmes speaking to me?1Lestrade is asking this question because she cant believe that Charlotte is asking for her help and is in a predicament. Brushing the leaves from her hair, Lestrade was forced to tilt her head in utter astonishment once she heard Charlottes words. Isaac Adler got the better of me. Ah, now I understand. Understand? Understand what exactly? Listen to the very end at least. I have fallen into this predicament because of an unforeseen variab Just get to the point. If youre asking for my help, it must be urgent, right? With her pride grazed, Charlotte began mumbling under her breath. A brief silence followed before she sighed and started speaking to the point this time. Right now, Im tied up in a room with my mana sealed. Oh dear. But Im not asking you to rescue me. No, you need to stop Isaac Adler. He said something really ominous about the case beingpromised before he left the room, so, Im worried about his safety. Will you be alright? Once more, a sigh leaked out of Charlottes lips as she heard Lestrade question her with a hint of concern in her voice. Right now, with my mana sealed, Im of no use. Itd be more efficient for you to stop Isaac Adler instead of wasting time rescuing me from this ce. Hmm. Lestrades face twisted as she heard her words, dripping with clear sincerity. I dont know how many times I have to say this, but I am Isaac Adlers legal girlfriend. Please, show some restrain Shouldnt you be saying a fake girlfriend, built on lies and pretense instead? Pardon? Going forward, if we are to maintain this pretense for the peace of London, I believe you should be maintaining some boundaries instead, Miss Lestrade. . You arent the only one who can y that role anymore, Miss Lestrade. However, Charlotte Holmes didnt pay any heed to her words. She just cut off themunication after saying her piece. No. Lestrades voice, dark and brooding, leaked out as she continued to linger on that spot while mulling over Charlottes words. In London, no one other than me can handle Isaac Adler. With a look of determination in her eyes, Lestrade muttered those words to herself and quietly marched toward the mansion. With each step, she slowly recalled theplex ties she shared with the man named Adler. Even if its you, Holmes However, before she could even take a few steps a strange scene caught her eye. Wriggle, wriggle .? Not far from her, the bushes continued to tremble ever so slightly. Whos there? Confused by the sudden anomaly, Lestrade cautiously approached the scene and spoke up And at that very moment Flick! Something, apanied by the sound of air being released, flew out of the bushes and headed straight for Lestrade. Crack! Thats quite the violent way to greet someone, dont you think? Just before the strange thing could hit her face, Lestrade, in a showcase of her superhuman reflexes, deftly dodged to the side. And immediately after, as she saw the rock behind her shatter into a million pieces, she swiftly drew out her baton her gaze frosty like the depths of an icy hell. .. From the quietly rustling bushes, a barely perceptible killing intent, imperceptible to an ordinary person, could be felt The sound of gunfire as faint as an ants, a gun that leaves no trace of bullets, and a killing intent that goes fully unnoticed if youre not paying close and careful attention . Minus the rather pathetic camouge skills, you seem to be an exceptionally skilled individual, I must say. In the precarious atmosphere, Lestrade tensed and readied all of her muscles as she spoke, muttering words that applied to herself as well. Youve picked the wrong person to mess with. With that, someone peeked out from the wriggling bushes. A kid? For a moment, Lestrade couldnt help but be stunned. She was utterly dumbfounded by the sight of a young girl with messy sky-blue hair covered in foliage and innocent-looking purple eyes getting out of the bushes. Swoosh All of a sudden, a sniper rifle, obviously dangerous, popped out of the bushes. .! At that sight, Lestrades eyes widened, and the girl pulled the trigger while muttering in a dark voice. Dont call me a kid. Celestia Moran and Gia Lestrade. It was the first encounter between two of Londons most powerful women women who were soon about topete for the positions of Londons second and third most powerful forces. . . . . . Some momentster Hah, hah Eek After a goosebump-inducing sh of the ages, two girls ended up rolling in the bushes, gnashing their teeth as they confronted each other with their weapons drawn. Youre pretty good for a runt. Dont call me a runt. Moran muttered, pushing back against the baton with all the might in her small body while clutching onto her air gun. Her weapon was already rendered powerless due to Lestrades curse that nullified any and all oddities and supernatural abilities. How old are you now? 12 years old. Then you really are a runt. Eeeek As she exerted force with an angry expression on her face, Lestrade opened her mouth with an approving look in her eyes. Quite strong and skilled in hand-to-handbat for your age. Did you undergo some sort of special training? Its none of your business. But, youre a sniper, at the end of the day. Youve lost the moment you entered closebat. Moran grimaced at those words for a moment, and then murmured as though she was spitting out each and every word. No, I just need to push you away for a moment, and victory will be mine. Why do you think that? Because the emergency pistol in my possession will pierce your head in less than a fraction of a second. She said with a cold look in her eyes, but her arms began to tremble under the pressure that had now be several times more intense than before. Sorry, but do you think Id allow you to do that? Well see who takes the upper hand. Hmm. However, Moran took a deep breath, and soon began enforcing more force into her hands to withstand the amplified pressure. This is troublesome. Realizing the fight wouldnt end as easily as she thought, Lestrade sighed under her breath as she looked at the mansion in front of her. Hey. What? How about we call a truce? Turning her gaze back to Moran, pinned beneath her still, she casually offered the suggestion. A truce? It seems you might be one of his subordinates, given your skills I have business in that mansion rted to him. Moran quietly tilted her head as she gazed at Lestrade. I dont really have time to be doing this with you. Its urgent. Somethings happening inside? Yes, something extremely dangerous. Hearing those words, Morans eyes began to waver ever so slightly. Part of me wants to arrest you right here and now, but if we drag this fight out, it might be toote for us to do anything. So, lets postpone this skirmish for now, and we can resume after the incident inside the mansion has been resolved. As Lestrade rxed her strength first and slowly backed away, Moran paused her movement, her hand reaching for her bosom halting, and gazed intently at Lestrade. Wise choice. . It would be quite foolish to pick a fight with me again unless its a ranged battle, given your exhausted state. Quietly, she observed Moran for some time before walking toward the mansion. Pitter-patter ? However, she had to soon turn her head back, and at the end of her vision she saw the figure of the girl following her in the distance with gentle taps of her feet. She couldnt help but be puzzled by her actions. Why are you following me? I have business inside, too. Werent you ordered to wait here? Finally, she couldnt stop herself from asking. And hearing her question the girls face, which had been masked with utter calm and cold apathy throughout the fight, suddenly crumbled. He promised he wouldnt abandon me, but he hasnt contacted me for days, so I followed him here on my own. Ah. Upon hearing her somewhat disheartened response, a dazed expression appeared on Lestrade as she held onto the doorknob of the mansion. By the way, pardon me for asking but, do you know my master? .. Whats your rtionship with him? Silently observing her, Moran asked with a dark glint in her eyes. Meanwhile, after hearing her question, Lestrade nced at her once more and replied in a calm voice. Girlfriend. .. It seems these days, Adler has been messing around with little kids too. Watch your words. Amidst the strange atmosphere, just as the two girls were about to step through the opened door, their gazes directed toward each other became far frostier than ever before. Hes just raising me. Thats a typical tactic of Isaac Adler An ominous realization soon dawned on their faces, and their expressions gradually darkened. This is My god. Since despite the mansions considerable size, it was filled with a pungent smell of blood. . . . . . Just a few minutester Gulping drily, the two girls entered the basement of the mansion and began staring nkly at the scene unfolding before them. Cough. Isaac Adler, on the brink of death, was on his knees in the middle of the blood-soaked basement. All around him, endless mutted corpses could be seen as he vomited copious globs of blood. Youve killed all the masterpieces that Ive been creating over the past few decades. Ugh I had creatures that couldve taken over London in a matter of days if set loose And youve destroyed them all in an instant Meanwhile, Dr. Frankenstein, with a voice that indicated her being halfway on the cusp of insanity, gently caressed his cheek while muttering. Theres no helping it now Now youll have to help me create my masterpiece Tears began to flow from Neria Garridebs eyes as she shivered in a corner of the room, watching the horrifying scene unfold. Sto, stop it After Jill the Ripper cut off the supply of bodies, Ive been repeating experiments with nothing but these worthless failures Please stop, Mother But with the superior genes from you and me, we wont need to keep repeating the process with the test subjects But paying no heed to her words, Dr. Frankenstein pulled Adler close and brought the saw she had been holding all along toward his arm. So, help me bear my masterpieces. . Ill modify you to perfection. Lestrade and Morans eyes, which had been watching the scene with a distinct numbness of disbelief and shock, began rapidly brimming with murderous intent at the same time. Chapter 104: Eugenics Chapter 104: Eugenics What are you doing!? Hm? Dr. Frankenstein, busy sawing off Adlers arm with a maddened smile, turned her gaze at the frosty voice, filled with endless murderous intent,ing from behind. Oh. Noticing the two girls standing stiff with their backs to the exit, her head tilted to the side. We have quite a few visitors today, I see I only want to hear the truth. Lestrade eyes filled with a cold chill as she gazed at Dr. Frankensteins face, adorning a maddened smile stepped forward and posed a question to the lunatic who was harming her lover. What have you been doing in this mansion? Our little inspector is quite the curious one, isnt she? Thrusting the silver saw clutched in her hands against Adlers neck, Dr. Frankenstein effectively prevented the girls froming any closer to her. Well, I like that trait of yours, Inspector. Curiosity is the most essential trait for the advancement of science and magic Speak. Now! Cutting her off, Lestrademanded her to spill everything out, furycing her voice. And hearing her, Dr. Frankenstein began, her voice gentle and that unpleasant smile still stered on her pale face. Have you ever had the thought that the people of London are all dimwitted dolts? Do you harbor some sort of elitist belief? Thats not what I mean Seriously, simple statistics and the briefest of scientific analysis are more than enough to exin this conjecture. Her eyes began to darken in an ominous hue. Since the onset of the strange phenomena from the early 16th century, numerous changes began to ur throughout the world. Forgotten races of the past and fairytale-like stories started bing reality against all logical notions. A handful of people gained the ability to manipte mana, and the gender ratio destabilized to 4:6 She continued her exnation with a deadly serious expression. But from my perspective, the most significant and regrettable change on par with the onset of the strange phenomena that changed our world is the steady decline of peoples intelligence. Thats an unfounded story. Not in the least, Inspector. Being a student of the August Detective Academy yourself, Miss Gia Lestrade, you should be more aware of this truth, right? Upon hearing her conjecture, Lestrades eyes widened in astonishment. Meanwhile, licking off Adlers blood that had sttered on her cheek with her tongue Dr. Frankenstein resumed her speech after a brief pause. I once was a professor at the academy. I had grand dreams of enlightening the ignorant masses. .. But soon, I was forced to face the horrifying realization that London was doomed. Thepetency levels of the students were utterly hopeless. Isaac Adler, cradled in her arms, began twitching faintly at her statement. A statement that echoed what Professor Moriarty had voiced not long before. At first, I despaired, but then I tried to find a solution. It was my duty as one of thest intellectuals left in our sordid country. Such an ideology itself is And then, the realization finally dawned upon me! Dr. Frankenstein, who had been caressing Adlers cheek, raised her voice aloud; her eyes shing with a maddening glint. The realization that if the people of the era continue showing less and less intelligence, then we just need to throw superior genes into the mix to bnce it out. Her slightly deranged gaze, coupled with her ludicrous statements caused Lestrade and Morans expressions to progressively deteriorate. With that realization in mind, I left the academy with my fellow colleagues who joined my cause and set up aboratory in the basement of this mansion. And so, I began my research in secret. The standard human reproductive activities alone werent enough to release sufficient genes into the world, so, I devoted myself to searching for a more efficient method. Despite the gradually worsening atmosphere, she nostalgically recalled her past; her spirits undampened. When the experiment to artificiallybine my genes with his first seeded, I was truly delighted. I even named it after my colleagues surname. That is But soon, I realized it was a failure. Her gaze, for a brief moment, turned to Neria Garrideb; the poor girl was lying in the corner, shivering as she was forced to hear the futility of her existence. The first had chronic fatigue and a constitution so frail that even a slight bump could shatter their bones. The second one suffered from madness and hydrophobia due to a neural issue Mother? We realized that releasing such imperfect beings into the world would never be able to save it from destroying itself. Thus, I focused on identifying the cause of these symptoms of unknown origin. However, she soon turned her head away without any lingering attachment to her own flesh and blood. Jill the Ripper secretly provided corpses and the fog that gues London. That, along with Dr. Jekylls advice, was immensely helpful in furthering my research. With their continuous help, I was finally able to reach the truth Wait, what did you just say Startled by the mention of Jill the Ripper, Lestrade tried to interject, but the doctors attention was already focused on the cradled Adler in her arms. The spark of life that all humans inherently possess. That spark was far too faint in the artificially created beings. Swoosh It seems that the spark is granted only to children born of sexual reproduction. Whether its a coincidence or a constraint created by the creator to prevent humans from encroaching on the realm of God, I dont know Her hand moved towards Adlers chest. However, I have finally found it. Cough. The beautiful ember that will even break that ursed constraint Dr. Frankenstein began stroking Adlers heart gently; her gaze growing more feverish and insane. From the moment I saw you regenerate your body after being half-eaten by a failed experiment, I immediately knew Badump, badump You were the only solution to this problem As Adlers heartbeat resonated in her hand, a look of ecstasy appeared on the deranged womans face. Isaac Adler, you are superior. Despite your young age, youve brought half the women of London to their knees. You possess the most superior genes in all of London. Ugh. You, who unt that superior gene of yours without reservation are the perfectpanion and experimental partner for me. You are the only person who can help me to finally realize my ideology Dr. Frankenstein, now speaking to him with the respect one would show to theirpanion, began murmuring in his ears; her voicenguid and unfettered. If its you, with your superior genes, even my gic cells can be dominated and assimted. We can create healthy test subjects even without the strong presence of the spark of life. Swish, press So, youll cooperate, wont you? She continued to whisper, pressing her cheek against his face. Well fill this London with our wonderful genes. .. That is the only salvation for thisnd Up until then, Isaac Adler had been silently watching the madwoman with weary eyes On one condition. Yes, what is it? Tell me. I can do anything for you, except for letting you go, of course. Ill be taking you in as my husband after all. However, his gaze soonnded on Lestrade and Moran, who were hesitant to approach him due to the silver saw de touching his neck. Looking at their concerned visages for some time, he quietly spoke out to Dr. Frankenstein. Do you know how to resurrect the body of the dead? Its quite simple, actually. What do you think Ive been doing all this time while researching the Spark of Life? If you teach me the method of resurrection, I will cooperate with you unconditionally. Hearing his condition, Dr. Frankenstein promptly pulled out a bottle filled to the brim with red smoke from her bosom. shing a radiant smile with the bottle in hand, she responded to Adler. You just need to drink this. What is this? Its the spark made by mixing the essence of life with your blood. Upon hearing her reply, Adler couldnt help but show her a look of skepticism. However, Dr. Frankenstein merely gently stroked him as she whispered into his ears. I have a certain expertise in alchemy, you see If I have enough materials, its not too difficult to create an essence containing the life power of a single human being. Usually, we use it to power the undead. But why my blood Normally, you would have to charge the essence of life with high-voltage electricity for months to activate its full effects. But your blood regenerates so well that, when mixed with the essence of life, it exhibits astonishing effectiveness iparable to any finished product we were able to produce before. A glint shed in Adlers eyes at her words and he asked, Then, it would be easy to make more of these sparks, right? No, actually, this is thest one I have left. Why? However, at Dr. Frankensteins immediate response, Adlers eyes and demeanor turned cold as cial ice. Weve run out of materials to create the essence of life. What do you mean I said its easy to make if we have the materials, not that we can make it in their absence. And those materials are now impossible to procure, no matter how much money you have. What are the materials that you are unable to procure? However, not noticing his frosty gaze, Dr. Frankenstein continued with her excited rambles. Dragons tears. .. Well, it doesnt really matter now, does it? As Adler fell silent at her answer, she only continued her words with aughter-tinged voice. The moment I found you, with your superior genes that could ovee the limits set on an artificial being due to the Spark of Life, such things have now be utterly useless. . The children we will have in the future will be the perfect beings born with my intellect and your immense vitality Theres no need for such elixirs for such children now, is th But those words would never be able to reach their conclusion. Pff! The supercharged and invisible air fired from Celestia Morans air gun the girl who had been quietly observing the scene with her keen eyes and senses pierced through the abdomens of both Isaac Adler and Dr. Frankenstein at the same time. . . . . . What the hell are you doing! Ending a hostage situation is quite simple. Looking at the dismal scene, both Adler and Dr. Frankenstein copsed on the floor while leaking blood from their wounds, a dismayed expression soon covered Gia Lestrades face. As she was about to protest to Moran, whose whole body was trembling violently, Adler suddenly staggered his way up to his feet and began murmuring in a soft but deep voice. You just need to disregard the well-being of the hostage, thats all. Adler Of course, thats only applicable to someone like me. Adler, now holding the bottle that the doctor had been carrying with her in his hands, patted Morans head for a job well done. Even though her whole body shuddered at just the thought of harming her master, she still faithfully carried out the telepathic orders conveyed to her. Adler, now done consoling Moran for the time being, quietly started moving out of the room. Where are you going? However, before he could even take a few steps toward the exit a chilling voice started to emanate from behind him, putting a halt to his stride. You said youd cooperate? Even after everything Ive said, you still dont understand me? Isaac Adler We need to save London with our superior genes Dr. Frankenstein, clutching her bleeding abdomen, managed to get up rtively unscathed for some reason. Once she was up, he could hear her mumbling with an expression of disbelief on her face as she reached out toward Adler. It was as if she was just not able to understand why Adler had taken such actions against her. Superior genes? Hearing her words, Adler responded with a voiceced with cold mockery for the deranged woman. Perhaps if it were Charlotte or Professor Moriarty then it was feasible. . You dont even know that the cause of the failed experiments is due to the gic disease you are suffering from, yet you continue to babble around about some Spark of Life nonsense Why would I ever hand over my genes to someone so ignorant and deranged as you? Hearing his words, the lunatic womans face was momentarily veiled in a dazed expression. And soon, the mysterious, unpleasant fog from before began spreading in her surroundings. .. Thats a lie. Bztzzztzzzz The only one who has been able to overwhelm my superior genes is you and you alone. Thats why we must be the Adam and Eve of London.. As her words ended, the experimental monsters that had been writhing all around began rising to their feet once more. Ill leave the back to you. Adler, looking at the scene with a clearly disgusted expression, whispered in a subdued voice as he passed between Lestrade and Moran. I have some business to attend to. Could it be that this business of yours Following his words, Lestrades somewhat muffled voice came from behind. Is to feed the elixir to Professor Moriarty lying out there .. Instead of taking it yourself? Turning his head for a moment, Adler replied to his lover with a bright and radiant smile. Your deductive skills have really improved, Inspector. Subconsciously, Lestrade clenched her teeth so hard that the bitter, metallic scent of blood began leaking out of her lips. I really, really despise you. Contrary to her harsh words, however, her eyes became slightly moist as she silently watched Adlers retreating figure. Chapter 105: Terminal Chapter 105: Terminal Hmm? Suddenlying to her senses, slowly, Jane Moriarty started observing her surroundings. The first thing registering in her vision was a crowd of innumerable people, too many for her to count at a nce. Its overwhelming. Her eyes glued to the scene, such thoughts inevitably crossed the professors mind. From her childhood, for some reason, she preferred to be alone in her own space. To be exact, it was more a preference for a ce she herself owned, instead of bustling ces of gossip and noise. And this habit only grew over the years, as she began aging and started taking her first steps on the tumultuous path of crime. She gradually became more and more reluctant to reveal herself to others. These days, just sitting quietly in her trusty armchair, sipping on some sweet milk tea as she bobbed her head from left to right was enough to make her content. Not even the most luxurious holiday resort couldpare to such a scenario. Why am I here? Therefore, she saw no reason for her to be in this ce. She wanted to return to thefort of her domain immediately, preferably to a ce filled with warm milk tea and packets of sugar ready for her to consume. Did Ie out for a walk with Adler? However, her wishful thinking of rest and leisure vanished as soon as it urred. Vividly, she could remember Isaac Adler telling her repeatedly that shecked exercise. And in recent times, he even went as far as to suggest forming the habit of walking. Could it be that she had been unwittingly led out for a walk by him? If that was the case, she was somewhat willing to join in on the activity. Lately, the ce where she felt mostfortable wasnt the attic with milk tea and nkets, her domain offort, but wherever Isaac Adler was. Adler. Professor Moriarty, with her usual smileced voice, called out to her assistant. However, her head soon tilted in confusion. Adler? For some reason, the response that usually came within a few seconds was nowhere to be heard now. In fact, she couldnt even sense his presence anywhere. Where are you, Isaac Adler Her voice trailed off, turning grave at the end, as she took a few steps forward. Its time to fulfill the necessary duties now that the case is over However, herplexion began to pale after just a few steps. The case. Tumultuous headaches began to surface in her mind, and memories of the moments before her eyes had closed shut drifted into her mind. Ah The mysterious fog, the ominous figure within it, the unknown murderous intent that overwhelmed both her and Adler Finally, the silver bullet that had been fired from the shimmering gun. Throb Silently rubbing her chest where the pain seemed to have revived, she looked around again and muttered in a low voice. Is this hell? She was certain of her demise. Yet, if there were so many people around her, maybe they were in the same situation as her? Trapped in this unknown ce ..? The professor, looking a bit pale, scrutinized the crowd for a while. However, she had to abruptly put her thinking to a stop, her eyes widening into saucers. Charlotte Holmes? Although her face was several times paler than her usual self, dark circles stretching down to her nose under her eyes as though she had started using drugs once more, and she was wearing an ill-fitting suit instead of her usual ck coat Unmistakably, the person before her was Charlotte Holmes. Did she get involved in the case and die too? The professor tilted her head for a moment but soon started walking toward her with a toothy grin, allowing herself to enjoy this moment. Although she should be feeling appalled to have died alongside a woman she disliked to her very core, the professor was strangely quick to ept her fate. It almost felt as if as if they were destined to die together. Miss Holmes, you Jane Moriarty. Before she could utter her words, however, Charlottes expression began to distort visibly after she turned her head and spotted the professor. You You dare .? With what nerve. And soon, a cracking, broken voice began spilling out of her mouth, leaving the professor utterly bewildered. With what nerve did youe here, you fucking bitch!!! For the first time, Charlottepletely lost herposure and hurled endless curses at Professor Moriarty without showing any restraint. I dont know what this is about, but calm down You vile and wretched bitch If it werent for you If it werent for that case!! The professor stepped back in shock at the sight of her raging like a mad dog. Yet, she exuded an aura so pitiful and sad that no one could even dare to criticize her for her ludicrous conduct. If it werent for you he wouldnt have ended up like this!! What are you talking about? It should have been you who died at the waterfall! Despite the people around Charlotte trying to restrain her, her screams continued unabashed. Jane Moriarty, it was you!!! Its all because of you!!! Saying so, her words came to a close endless tears streamed down her dead eyes as she lowered her head. .. As the cold gazes of the people surrounding her started nailing her down, almost piercing through her body, beads of cold sweat began forming on the professors forehead. This ce. It was only when the crowd gathered to stop Charlotte that she could finally understand where she was. The cathedral The faces of the familiar crowd, all dressed in somber and dark formal attires, and even the giant cross that Adler so despised. Step, thud The professor began staggering forward, utter disbelief radiating in her eyes. It cant be. Through the overwhelming crowd, the sight of a coffin entered her vision, coloring her mind with an ominous sensation. It cant be It just cant However, the professor, trying her best to ignore the overwhelming sinking feeling, soon reached the coffin. I just saved Isaac Adler Muttering calmly to herself, the professors face, paler than a sheet of paper, peered inside the coffin. Just And there he was Isaac Adler, lying peacefully inside the coffin with his eyes tightly shut. saved him. At such a harrowing sight, the professors words began slowing down to a murmur as her body began trembling violently. Its because of you If it hadnt been for you... If only you hadnt decided to kill Adler for mere entertainment that day From behind her, voices filled with resentment and hatred began to emerge. We would have never had to face The Final Problem. Thats Amidst the chaos of me, Charlottes voice was clearly heard by the professor. Professor Moriarty turned her head, desperately trying to make some excuse, however, her body wouldnt respond no matter what. Save him Save Isaac Adler SAVE HIM! As she stood in front of the coffin, motionless and speechless, a pair of cold hands began grasping her shoulders. Professor. .! Are you alright? And soon, a warm voice began to emerge from inside the coffin. Adler! Surprisingly, Adler had opened his eyes and was looking at the professor from inside with a faint smile on his lips. Lets get out of here. Something doesnt feel right about this ce no matter how I think about it. Understood, my beloved professor. Moriarty, having stared nkly at him for a moment, urgently grabbed his hand and whispered in a desperate voice. And seeing such a Moriarty, Adler just observed her with a tilted head. But why was I killed? At that moment, as he let a single tear of blood fall from his eye and asked her in a voice colder than frigid ice .. Gasp. Professor Moriarty, soaked from head to toe in sweat, abruptly opened her eyes wide and shot up. Haa, haa Soon after, she unwittingly clenched her fists tightly and started looking at her surroundings once more. Where is this? Opening her eyes this time she was greeted by the sight of herself in a hospital gown instead of her usual professor attire, her lying figure on the hospital bed, and the typical familiar scene of a hospital room. Youre finally awake. . Im not even sure how many days its been. I was worried that the elixir had been faulty since you didnt wake up, but Im relieved now Andstly, was the sight of a wee face sitting in a chair at the foot of the bed. Swish With an uncharacteristic look of wariness in her eyes, the professor quietly reached out her hands and started stroking his cheek with gentle movements. What are you doing? Is it really you, Isaac Adler? Is there a fake Isaac Adler that Im unaware of somewhere? At the professors uncharacteristically foolish question that abruptly drifted out of her mouth, Adler couldnt help but chuckle and replied in tandem. Its so strange What is? I was certain I had died Hearing his question, the professor murmured fleetingly in a dazed voice. Looking at the lost professor, Adler gently stroked her head and whispered. You did, but I brought you back to life. Its a breach of contract to die without the permission of your assistant, you know? At his words, the professors face was veiled with a dazed look for the briefest moment before she suddenly burst into a fit ofughter. What happened to the case? This time, I took care of the aftermath. Ive thoroughly erased your tracks, so you can be rest assured. I want to be held by you, but Im feeling so sleepy. Thats because I administered a sleeping medication earlier. Its better for your recovery to sleep well rather than forcibly keeping yourself awake. Then, she began to blink her sleepy eyes again and murmured in a whispery note; her head pointed down. Then, hold me for a moment before I fall asleep again Now youre just acting spoiled. Maybe its because I was shot, but my chest feels so cold At her voice, which had regained its previousposure with a hint of mischief andughter added into the mix Adler sighed silently before extending his arms toward the professor. Ugh. .? Adler, holding the professor in his arms, pushed his tongue into her small mouth. . And with that, silence enveloped the hospital room for some time. Puhah. For the first time, Professor Moriarty, not being the one to lead the kiss but being led by Adler instead, felt her cheeks burning as she gazed at Adler. Meanwhile, Adler was busy licking away the long trail of saliva connecting their lips with his tongue, burning her cheeks further. Youve finally made me acknowledge you. Days had passed since the incident, but his right eye was still dyed in her shades of gray. I love you, professor. The professor, having watched him silently for a while, responded in a soft voice. With those words, she hadpletely shaken off the unease she felt from the ominous nightmare she had just experienced. I love you too. Delivering her heartfelt words(?), her eyes closed once more. . . . . . Despite the drowsiness from the effects of the sleeping medication, Professor Jane Moriarty kept her gaze on me until she finally fell into a deep slumber. Arent you going toe in? After stroking the professors hair gently for a long time, I finally spoke up once I confirmed that she hadpletely fallen asleep. It seemed like you were enjoying your personal time, so I didnt wish to intrude. It doesnt matter now. You really are a foolish sod, arent you? Rachel Watson, draped in her doctors coat, stepped into the room through the door. Saving the most dangerous person in London, at the cost of your own life Watson. I cut off her words midway and asked the most pressing question in the current situation. How much longer do I have to live? Hesitating for a moment, she eventually sighed and answered after gauging my expression for quite some time. I told you not to push yourself too hard, but youve overworked your body to the point of no return. Even life-sustaining treatment is impossible now. I see. I suggest you prepare yourself mentally before this time next year. Now truly living on borrowed time, a terminal patient, I found myself harboring not a single shred of regret. What are you going to do now? Haha. After all, it was a rather small price to pay in exchange for bringing back the person I dearly loved. . . . . . By the way, is there someone outside? Yes? Why was I suddenly sensing such a murderous aura outside the hospital room? Could it be that Charlotte Holmes or Gia Lestrade had already finished testifying at Dr. Frankensteins trial and had now returned? Now that you mention it, there has been a little kid, with light-blue hair holding a cat doll, sitting quietly on the chair outside for a few hours now. Ah Chapter 106: Dad Chapter 106: Dad Creak The door to the hospital room opened with a creak. Simultaneously, as a slender girl poked her head in through the small opening in a timid manner, Adlers gaze started wavering ever so slightly. .. His reaction was perfectly understandable as the girl was none other than Celestia Moran, gazing at him with an undeniable chill in her eyes. Nestled in her hands, was a doll modeled to look like a life-like cat the very same toy that housed Princess y. Wee. Master. As Adler cautiously observed her mood, forcing himself to smile, and made a weing gesture with his hands out came Morans voice, colder than arctic snow. Why are you suddenly calling me Master now? You said you wouldnt abandon me. Watson couldnt help but frown as she gazed at Adler, hearing the little girl address him as Master. It was suspicious no matter how she looked at it. On the other hand, Moran started to press Adler for an answer with her piercing gaze. Then why? Why are you abandoning me even though you promised you wouldnt? Miss Moran, I dont quite understand what youre trying to say here. You said you wouldnt die. You told me thest time that you would never die. Yet Caught off guard by her incongruous interrogation, Adler asked with the slightest notes of confusion in his eyes. Whos dying? It seems to me that theres been some misunderstanding here I heard everything both of you said. Before he could fully disy his eloquent rhetoric, Celestia Moran drove the point home. I have sharp ears, Mr. Adler. For a sniper, hearing is just as important as sight. Thats a bit scary, honestly Doesnt the inability to continue any life-sustaining treatment directly mean that your condition is now terminal? Standing right next to Adler while tilting her head, she posed the chilling question to him and.. both Adler and Watsonsplexions darkened simultaneously. Why are you breaking your promise, Master? You should be calling me Dad, not Master, Miss Moran. However, as Morans expression continued growing somber with each passing moment, Adler quickly changed his tone and began whispering into her ears in a chiding voice. Yes? I always told you to call me that. ncing toward Watson to gauze her reaction, Adler urged Moran to speak. And Moran, after hesitating for a moment, looked down before responding in a subdued, bashful voice. D, Dad. Thats right. A shy blush crept up her cheeks as she spoke those heartwarming words. And Adler, hearing her reply, started patting her head gently, prompting even her body to start squirming bashfully. As you can see, this is the nature of our rtionship. Im simply raising her out of pure goodwill, like my own daughter. Its nothing suspicious as Miss Watson might be thinking it to be. It seems more suspicious now, to be honest. Miss Moran, that aside, yourepletely misunderstanding the situation here. But as Watson continued to look at him with a frigid gaze, Adler eventually gave up trying to look good in front of her and began focusing all of his attention on Moran. A misunderstanding? Its true that I can no longer undergo any life-sustaining treatment. As you have heard already. Uh. Hearing his words, Moran couldnt stop herself from sobbing. And seeing such a Moran Adler hurriedly continued his words; lest another misunderstanding may bore its way into her mind. But that doesnt matter anymore. Ive found a definite cure. Really? Yes, its true~ As he caressed Morans cheeks and smiled brightly, her skeptical gaze, which was looking up at Adler, began to waver. What is it? The cure? You heard it yourself, didnt you? Responding to her with a twinkle in his eyes, Adler added, Dr. Frankensteins elixir. If we can recreate that, I can bepletely revived as well. Ah Right, Doctor? As he turned his head, seeking agreement from Watson, she pondered for a brief moment before, with a sigh, reluctantly nodding her head in agreement. See? Even the doctor agrees. Thats good. Moran, with tears welling up in her eyes, quietly wiped them away with her tiny hands and buried herself in Adlers embrace. But how will you make it? Huh? The essence of life dont you need Dragons Tears to make that ingredient? All of a sudden, she lifted her head from his embrace and began asking him with a grim look in her eyes. I looked it up in the library. Dragons have been extinct for a long time. Theyre now disyed as mere fossils in museums. .. Hmm. How do you n to collect their tears then? Adler, momentarily stunned by her piercing question, soon replied with a nervous chuckle, Dragons havent actually gone extinct yet. Really? Theyre practically teeming in the Eastern Lands of the Rising Sun. As heid out those words, sweat covering his forehead, Watson couldnt help but look at him with eyes full of disbelief and incredulity. Dr. Frankenstein also had arge supply of tears, didnt she? The Dragons Tears are easier to find than you think. Ah Just give it a year at most, well be able to acquire some quite easily. Of course, the key is to stay alive until then Dont worry about that. But as Adler continued his speech, Moran, with a certain radiance in her previously gloomy eyes, opened her mouth with an excited voice. Youre a vampire, right? As far as I know, they get healthier by drinking human blood, right? Thats usually the case bu Thats why I caught a lot of people with Miss Silver ze and kept them in the hideouts basement! What? The innocent smile stered on her small face suddenly felt goosebump-inducing. Theyre all back alley people, so theres no worry of the police chasing after us. Theyre carefully filtered prey chosen by Princess y herself, so there can be no mistake. And weve only captured females. ording to the princess, female blood is healthier than male blood for a vampire Silently, Adler looked down and then shifted his gaze to the toy cat in Morans arms. Meow? Sigh. The toy, puffing up its chest proudly, tilted its head as if to question his gaze. Seeing such a scene, Adler could only sigh deeply before ncing at Watson standing frozen in ce beside him in shock and utter bewilderment at little Morans horrifying words and muttered, Release them all. Huh? We already have enough blood bags. So, Miss Moran, you dont need to exert yourself. Moran couldnt help but mutter with a downcast expression. I had even finished the basic training Its alright. Yes. And next time you do something like this, get my permission first, okay? However, as Adler gently scolded her with a slightly stern voice, she lowered her head like a frightened puppy and silently nodded her small head. Still, Im touched, Miss Moran Chuckling faintly, Adler started patting the small girls head. After all, you did it all for me. Thank you, Miss Moran. Umm. Celestia Moran, looking up at him with a warm smile, hesitantly asked her voice timid and low. Can I keep calling you, um Dad, from now on? Adler tilted his head at her words, and she, nervously tapping the floor with her foot, mumbled under her breath in response, My father used to hit me when I called him Dad. He said he didnt want to be called that by me. Miss Moran You wont hit me when I call you Dad, right? Looking down at her with a kind gaze, Adler whispered in a gentle tone. Call me whatever you like. Ah Hearing his kind words, Moran averted her gaze shyly and with a trembling voice, began to speak. Dad She murmured and awkwardly embraced Adler, her gaze affixed to the ground. .. Adler gently stroked her back with a fatherly smile, causing Moran to slightly lift her head and gaze up at him with her twinkling eyes. I should get going now. Gingerly, she stepped out of Adlers embrace, looking at him with a subtlety in her gaze that wasnt present when she first entered the room. Soon, she bowed her head in farewell. Pitter-patter Without looking back, she hurriedly left the hospital room with swift, faint steps. Young children are so pure, its quite endearing. . Dont you think? The fatherly smile still stretching his face, Adler turned his head toward Watson who had been quietly observing the scenario while standing beside him and struck up a conversation. It seems these days, educating back alley women to be blood bags for their master is considered pure, huh? Thats because they werent able to learn the good things in life And speaking of which, do you think you will really be able to do it? Adlers face turned sheepish as he tried to make an excuse but then it immediately darkened at her following words. Ill have to find a way somehow. Adler quietly stood up and began to mutter to himself. I dont want to die like this either. He gazed at Professor Moriarty, who was deep in sleep on the bed across from Watson, and murmured with the faintest sliver of a tremor in his voice So Ill have to try my best. Of course, Im not sure if I can find the Dragons Tears within the given time .. Still, I cant just abandon a small kid with nowhere to go. As he concluded with a faint smile, Watson sighed and responded her gaze never leaving his form. Its not just about that. Her gaze shifted towards the door Moran had just exited through. Youngsters seem to grow up faster than we think, dont they? Is that so? You might want to keep that in mind while going forward With a rxed smile, Adler walked towards the door, following her words. Yes, Ill keep that in mind As he mumbled and turned the doorknob, a dumbfounded expression appeared on his face. Warning! Probability of being Devoured in Reverse 25% Eh. After all, a message with a somewhat rigid font had popped up before his eyes. You really have a lot on your te, dont you? . . . . . If I get devoured, so be it, but whats this about being devoured in reverse? The hell!? Isaac Adler expressed his confusion at the probability that had been newly categorized, the difference being a single word that diverged it from a previous probability as he stepped out of the hospital room himself. Huh. A dumbfounded expression once again manifested on his face after he finished getting out of the room. Isaac Adler. Gia Lestrade, who should have been at the courthouse right now, was inexplicably leaning against the corridor wall of the hospital; her gaze was intense and frigid as she looked at him. Youll need toe with me. Hearing her frigid voice, Adler quietly slipped behind Celestia Moran, who was standing guard with a wary look in her eyes. What brings you here, savage elder sister? Sorry, but I need the runt to step aside and stay away from this. I told you not to call me runt. And with those words exchanged, mere moments having passed since Adler left the hospital room, the corridor was inevitably drenched in the prelude of a fiercemotion. Chapter 108: Proposal Chapter 108: Proposal ¡°Please sign here.¡± ¡°But, Inspector¡­¡± ¡°Just write your name and it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°I know that much¡­..¡± Staring at the marriage registration form that had been pushed in front of him, Adler started sweating profusely. Soon, he looked at Gia Lestrade with a forced smile on his face. ¡°This is a marriage registration form¡­¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°If I sign here, you and I will officially be married.¡± Lestrade merely tilted her head as if to say, ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡±¡°I am aware. Just sign the form, please.¡± ¡°Um, you do know what marriage is, right?¡± ¡°Of course, I know. That¡¯s why I proposed, didn¡¯t I?¡± A determined look could be seen on her face as she spoke those words. ¡°As I said before, to be honest, I don¡¯t have any confidence that I can beat you.¡± ¡°Why do you think that?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one in the London Metropolitan Police Department morepetent and talented than Charlotte Holmes. But even she seems to be a mere ything to you, isn¡¯t that so?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ve been exposed to some exaggerated information¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like the person who used Charlotte Holmes as a mere tool in this incident has the right to speak those words.¡± At those words, Adler was unable to retort for a moment. Seeing Adler in such a state, Lestrade looked at him with an I knew it expression stered on her face. ¡°I had my doubts, but Charlotte Holmes¡¯ spection was correct after all. You are indeed a very frightening person.¡± ¡°Silence doesn¡¯t imply consent. You, of all people, should know about that clearly, Inspector.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. As a police officer, I can easily distinguish what someone¡¯s silence can imply, Isaac Adler.¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± ¡°Frankly, I was expecting that you would be dying soon, but Dr. Rachel Watson mentioned that you have the means to restore your lifespan. To be able to obtain even the extinct Dragon¡¯s Tears, you truly are remarkable.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Not backing down, she continued the conversation, pressing Adler further. However, upon hearing her mention the conversation he had with Dr. Watson regarding his lifespan, Adler¡¯s gaze lowered unconsciously¡­ which elicited Lestrade to don a puzzled look on her face. ¡°¡­ Isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m sure that¡¯s what the doctor said in the room.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± But when Adler nodded nonchntly in response to her probing, her demeanor returned to its original frigid state. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve been thinking long and hard about this matter¡­ and there seems to be only one way to legally bind someone like you before it¡¯s toote.¡± ¡°¡­ And that would be marriage?¡± ¡°Precisely. It¡¯s the only way I can legally bind you¡ª someone who maniptes the British legal system as you wish.¡± With a pale look stered on his face, Adler started to speak in an urgent tone upon seeing the resolve on Lestrade¡¯s face. ¡°But, if you marry me, yourst name will change and you¡¯ll be Gia Adler. You can no longer be called Lestrade; from now on, you will be called by my surname.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t exactly the top of my ss, but I¡¯m aware still of that muchmon sense.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ And that¡¯s not all. After changing your name, you¡¯ll have to live with me in the same house.¡± ¡°I would imagine so.¡± ¡°And you¡¯ll have to put on an apron and cook for me every morning. But can someone like you really ept that?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I just work and earn money, and you wear the apron and do the cooking?¡± ¡°Uh, that¡¯s¡­..¡± However, at Lestrade¡¯s sharp response, Adler was left momentarily speechless; even his face went nk and donned an expression of utter perplexion at her reply. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to, I¡¯ll just take on the cooking as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you wish, I¡¯ll do theundry and the dishes too.¡± Finally, Gia Lestrade, who had made an offer to him that nearly every man in London desired, pointed to the corner of the registration paper once more. ¡°So, sign it.¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯ll have to share a bed with me, though.¡± Gently, Adler lowered the pen and tried his best to dissuade her oncest time. ¡°Sharing a bed is a marital duty. If that¡¯s troubling for you, I can¡¯t help but¡­¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡± However, Lestrade only replied in a calm voice after gazing at him for a few moments. Hearing her reply, Adler who was about to quickly end the conversation with a regretful look in his eyes couldn¡¯t help but doubt his own ears. ¡°I will share a bed with you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°It would be ridiculous not to fulfill the marital duty when I was the one who proposed first.¡± Lestrade¡¯s expression was unwavering as she spoke those words, only leaking a faint sigh at the end. ¡°Inspector, do you understand the meaning of what you have just said?¡± ¡°What meaning are you talking about? It¡¯s just simply sharing the same bed, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be direct.¡± After hesitating for a while, Adler finally opened his mouth with a look of determination in his eyes. ¡°Can you have a child with me, Inspector?¡± With those words, silence befell between the two. ¡°If your proposal just now was not merely a jest, eventually you will have to carry our child in your womb.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Inspector. Can you truly intertwine with me and bear our child? A child who may have my blonde hair and your silver eyes? Can you really do it?¡± For the first time today, Gia Lestrade¡¯s calm face began to gradually contort horribly. ¡°You will have to breastfeed that child and love it with all your heart. Without a mother¡¯s love, a child cannot grow up properly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°For your information, I like twins. It would be nice if the daughter had silver hair and golden eyes.¡± Having spoken those words, Adler quietly leaned in towards Lestrade ¨C the inspector was already looking down while biting her lips hard, her mind in turmoil ¨C and whispered a question. ¡°For the cause of protecting London from me, can you handle that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­ As expected, that¡¯s impossible for you.¡± However, as her body started to tremble visibly, showing a visceral rejection to such a scenario, and no answer came back, Adler started murmuring in a low voice as though he knew something like this was bound to happen. ¡°Let¡¯s consider today¡¯s offer null and void. Inspector, in the future, such decisions should be made carefully¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I will.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± As he quietly turned to leave, walking down the corridor with Moran ¨C who had been standing beside him with a dazed expression on her cute face ¨C he couldn¡¯t help but turn his head swiftly as he heard the determined voice creeping in from behind. ¡°What did you say¡­?¡± ¡°I will do it.¡± And then, Gia Lestrade looked at his eyes and spoke in a far clearer voice that left nothing for one to question. ¡°I will make a child with you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what marriage is, after all.¡± At her resolute answer, Adler¡¯s mind once again turned as white as a snowfield. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to make a child, but you probably know about it, so let¡¯s move on. I¡¯ll carry the child we make in my belly and give birth.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll breastfeed and love the child sincerely. Not only that, I¡¯ll take on the duty of the overall childcare. I¡¯m confident in that aspect since I¡¯ve taken care of my siblings as a parental figure from a young age.¡± Gia Lestrade quietly drove a wedge into his thoughts with her words. ¡°Do you really have to go that far¡­?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what it takes to protect London from you, my greatest and worst enemy, I¡¯m willing to endure even more.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Are you feeling guilty now, Isaac Adler?¡± As Adler stuttered in response to her question, Lestrade tilted her head and muttered in a mocking voice. ¡°Isn¡¯t it toote for you to feel that?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a sorry excuse for a person.¡± ¡°Are you really willing to sacrifice your entire life just to stop me?¡± Having heard those words, Lestrade stared intently into Adler¡¯s eyes. ¡°I have no choice.¡± Half in clear disgust and moral obligation, but the other half tinged with a feeling even she couldn¡¯t quite understand, she looked at Adler for a long time before finally answering in a low and calm voice. ¡°¡­ Because I love you.¡± With those words, she handed over the marriage registration form to Adler and turned to leave. ¡°It seems difficult to get an answer right away, so I¡¯ll give you some time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Please make up your mind by our regr date next weekend.¡± She muttered those words and then calmly started walking away down the corridor, her steps measured. ¡°Inspector¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You do realize that we haven¡¯t even kissed once, right?¡± However, she soon halted in her tracks, startled by Adler¡¯s exasperated voice from behind. ¡°For now, shouldn¡¯t we get used to physical contact first¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say things that make me feel sick.¡± With those words, she cut off any chance for Adler to speak and quietly disappeared beyond the corridor. ¡°What does making a child even have to do with kissing¡­¡± And thus, silence ensued in the corridor once more. ¡°Phew¡­¡± ¡°Dad, I don¡¯t want a mean stepmom.¡± In that silence, Celestia Moran, who had been quietly observing the situation all the while, whispered in a small voice to Adler. Hearing her words, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh once more. ¡°¡­ Just live with me.¡± Gently stroking her head, Adler replied to her in a faint voice. ¡°I wish I could.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Caught up with thoughts of Lestrade, he inadvertently missed the brief sh of eerie darkness in Moran¡¯s eyes as he quietly began to move. ¡°Miss Moran, please wait here for a moment.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Just to the restroom.¡± He replied, and his gaze briefly drifted towards the office of Rachel Watson in the neighboring building. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment¡­ ¡°¡­ Hehe.¡± Rachel Watson, having finished her consultation with Professor Moriarty, had returned to her office. For some reason, instead of her usual tired expression, her cheeks were flushed as she hummed an elegant tune and fondled the pocket inside her coat. ¡°I¡¯ve received the engagement ring¡­¡± ¨C Swoosh¡­ ¡°¡­ So now, it¡¯s my turn to give the wedding ring.¡± In a few minutes, her fianc¨¦, whom she felt as if she hadn¡¯t met for months already, would enter her office. The surprise engagement ring she was about to present to the love of her life sparkled enchantingly in her hand.55 Chapter 110: Proposal (3) Chapter 110: Proposal (3) ¡°¡­ Eek?¡° Gasping for breath, panting heavily, Rachel Watson was about to even remove her lower garments when¡­ she suddenly turned her head to the side, a startled expression on her face, as the office door was forced open. ¡°Holmes?¡± Soon, she spotted Charlotte Holmes quietly entering the room and her eyes widened in astonishment at her sudden arrival. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯d like to know, Watson.¡± Charlotte, looking expressionless as she stared at her partner, Rachel Watson¡¯s, undressed figure, started murmuring as she shifted her gaze to Isaac Adler lying beneath her. ¡°I came to see my friend, who I haven¡¯t met for a while, and here our doctor is¡­ in the midst of creating life with her lover where she¡¯s supposed to be saving lives instead.¡± ¡°But, but¡­ I thought locked the door?¡±¡°Locks like that are quite easy to pick. Have you even forgotten about my hobby of lock picking since we¡¯ve been seeing less of each other?¡± ¡°¡­ Sigh.¡± At those words, Watson let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes tightly. ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± ¡°I said, get out, right now.¡± She spoke, trying her best to suppress the anger she felt inside, however, Charlotte remained unmoved. ¡°¡­ What are you even trying to do by staying here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to observe the reproductive activities of a friend and her lover to build up my sexual knowledge for future use.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me that the stuff I¡¯ve read is quite lewd and pornographic? Things that are outside of the norm? Instead of such distorted knowledge, you said that you would teach me directly and correct my knowledge, so here I am. Eager to learn and all.¡± Watson¡¯s face turned ashen as she muttered with an emotionless expression. ¡°¡­ Indeed, your sexual knowledge is quite distorted, Holmes.¡± ¡°Yes, so¡­¡± ¡°I should have taken responsibility and properly educated you since that incident¡­¡± She continued to re at her partner, Holmes, for a while, then started muttering regretfully as she picked up her coat from the floor and clumsily draped herself with it.. ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡± ¡°Oh, well.¡± Still beneath her, Adler cautiously asked Watson with intrigue. Meanwhile, Watson, who was looking at Charlotte resentfully for interrupting her intimate affair with her lover, began exining as she heard his question. ¡°One night, I returned to the boarding housete due to night shifts.¡± ¡°And then¡­?¡± ¡°I found Charlotte missing. I thought she might be out investigating a case.¡± ¡°Watson, it would be better for you to stop right there.¡± Realizing what Watson was about to say from her mischievous gaze, Charlotte quickly moved towards her and murmured in a cold voice. ¡°Anyway, I went into the bathroom to unwind with a much-needed bath¡­¡± Despite that, Watson continued her exnation with a her lips curling into a smirk. ¡°Guess what, our adorable genius girl was doing while holding a picture of Isaac Adler in the bathroom¡­.¡± Just as Watson was about to reach the climax of the story¡­ ¡°¡­ Ugh.¡° Charlotte lunged forward and covered Watson¡¯s mouth with her hands, her head bowed low. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± With that, an awkward silence settled in the room. ¡°Holmes, there¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually quite normal for someone your age to¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ talk¡­¡­¡± As Watson broke the silence with a gentle whisper, looking quite pleased with her partner¡¯s reaction, a muffled voice escaped from the red-faced Charlotte. ¡°Why? You said it¡¯s fine as long as Adler doesn¡¯t hear it.¡± ¡°¡­ Shut up.¡± Then, Charlotte inadvertently made eye contact with Adler, who was lying on the floor and was currently gazing straight at her. ¡°Our genius girl really is going through puberty, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°¡­ I made a mistake, please.¡± As Charlotte¡¯s tone changed into one of pleading upon meeting his dull gaze, Watson¡¯s mouth gently curled into a victorious smile. . . . . . A few minutester¡­ ¡°How about it, Charlotte? Have you reflected a bit now?¡± ¡°¡­ Reflected?¡± ¡°On the fact that you dared to invade my room without permission, without even respecting my privacy.¡± Watson, with a triumphant expression at havingpletely subdued Holmes for the first time since their first meeting, spoke those words to Charlotte. The genius detective was currently standing with her head bowed down and her face flushed, clearly still affected by the previous shameful reveal of her past. ¡°Truth be told, I would like to make you face a more frightening price¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Considering that I overlooked the fact that your lover is an aplice of Professor Moriarty and will not bring it up in the future, it seems like I have paid a sufficient price, don¡¯t you think?¡± But upon hearing Charlotte¡¯s following words, Watson stopped talking and began chewing on her lips nervously, her face donning a distraught look. ¡°You¡­ heard all the conversations we had?¡± ¡°¡­ I knew from the start would be the more urate term.¡± Watson, hearing Charlotte¡¯s response, dropped her head even further. She was clearly feeling quite dejected right now. ¡°I could have told you earlier, but you seemed so happy. I was worried about the consequences, but I¡¯m d it turned out as it did.¡± ¡°And what does that make me?¡± ¡°Trash that gossips uses a friend¡¯s secrets as a weapon?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯m joking, of course. I¡¯m not as petty as a certain someone.¡± Charlotte, watching her intently with a subtle gaze, suddenly muttered as if she had just remembered something. ¡°¡­ By the way, Watson, someone was looking for you downstairs.¡± ¡°Oh, what? But it¡¯s my day off?¡± ¡°It seems there¡¯s a patient who is in urgent need of your assistance, that¡¯s why they were looking for you even though it¡¯s your off day.¡± Following Charlotte¡¯s remark, a puzzled look briefly shed in Watson¡¯s eyes. Soon, however, she headed to the part of the room where her stethoscope and coat were located. ¡°Anyway, the number of patients has been so overwhelmingtely¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it good to have lots of customers?¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t make these disgusting jokes, Holmes. It¡¯s not funny,¡± Watson hurriedly grabbed her doctor¡¯s coat and stethoscope, then paused briefly as she was about to head out. ¡°¡­ Neville.¡± Bending down, she leaned in towards Isaac Adler who was still sitting on the floor with a nk gaze. ¡°Haah~¡° Adler, now quite ustomed to kissing, naturally epted Watson¡¯s soft tongue that skillfully slipped into his mouth. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± Silence drenched the room as the lovers shared a deeply intimate moment. ¡°I¡¯m fine with everything, so let¡¯s get married, okay?.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you want, I¡¯ll even quit the hospital. I was nning to open my own private clinic anyway. That would make it easier to coordinate with your schedule.¡± In the silence, Watson lifted her head slightly and whispered to Adler, their foreheads touching in a loving gesture. ¡°¡­ All I need is you and you alone.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°You feel the same, don¡¯t you, Neville?¡± Watson asked, her hand giving a gentle squeeze to Adler¡¯s hand as she held it in hers. Tilting her head, she waited patiently for his response. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll be waiting for your answer.¡± However, when no answer came for a while, she just gently whispered those words and rose from her seat, heading towards the exit. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± An awkward atmosphere began settling inside the now silent room. ¡°Uh, so¡­¡± ¨C Thud, thud¡­ Within that atmosphere, as Charlotte slowly approached him, Adler¡¯s eyes drifted about and he struggled to sit up. ¨C Fizzzzzz¡­ ¡°Ahhhhhhh?¡± However, Adler began to tremble in the next moment, as though electrocuted. Before he could react, Charlotte¡¯s finger had stabbed the area near his heart. ¡°¡­ Seeing that you¡¯repletely naked when I forcibly dispelled your magic, it seems the clothes worn during the disguise are also illusions created by mana.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a tangible illusion or one that deceives the sense and perception of others, but I can still tell it¡¯s quite a high-level disguise.¡± As the convulsions in his body subsided, Charlotte Holmes crouched down in front of him while murmuring with a sinister hue shing in her eyes. ¡°When did you learn such a dispelling magic¡­?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re so good at disguises, I learned this recently to be ready to counter you at any moment.¡± ¡°¡­ Impressive!¡± Stripped of his disguise in an instant by the unknown magic wielded by Charlotte, Adler, now covering his naked self with his coat that was sprawled on the floor, shed her a bright smile. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be leaving now¡­¡± ¨C Swoosh¡­ ¡°¡­ Ah.¡± As he attempted to get up, Charlotte quietly pulled out the outfit he had been wearing beneath his coat from her overcoat and waved it before Adler. ¡°They were in the bathroom. You usually disguise yourself there, right, Mr. Adler?¡± ¡°¡­ This isn¡¯t some fairy and woodcutter tale, what in hell is this?¡± ¡°Fairy? Woodcutter? I¡¯m not quite sure what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Tilting her head in response, she hid Adler¡¯s clothes once again inside her overcoat. ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes, I¡¯m not in the mood for pranks.¡± ¡°Does this look like a mere prank to you?¡± With a sigh, Adler quietly sat back down under her chilling gaze. ¡°That¡¯s not a marriage registration form you¡¯re holding onto now, is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re quick to catch on. How did you deduce that?¡± As he gazed at the paper that Charlotte was about to present with a surprised gaze, Charlotte, genuinely curious, threw the question back at him. ¡°A hunch, if you will¡­¡± ¡°Intuition, huh? It¡¯s both the most necessary virtue for a detective and also the most unreliable.¡± Charlotte nodded her head in response to Adler¡¯s answer, affirming his opinion. ¡°For the record, my intuition tells me that it¡¯s now or never.¡± The form she extended, a form he had seen several times today, entered Adler¡¯s vision. ¡°¡­ Sign it or don¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Still, it would be best for you to choose the most rational way to leave your genes in the world.¡± Charlotte murmured, her gaze frigid as she looked at one of Adler¡¯s eyes which had been dyed in a cloudy grey hue. ¡°You know well that marrying someone other than me would be a waste of your good genes, don¡¯t you?¡± After finishing her statement, she rose from her seat and stomped off towards the exit. ¡°Ah, and¡­¡± Charlotte stopped mid-step and started fidgeting with her fingers, a hesitant expression on her face. ¡°¡­ About that photo.¡± She turned her head back and began speaking in a calm voice, but¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± No words came out no matter what she tried, leading to a bead of cold sweat trickling down her forehead. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s all a misunderstanding.¡± After fumbling around for a while, she eventually mumbled those words and hastily exited the room. You are definitely at a critical branching point right now. What will you do now? Adler, who had been nkly staring at her retreating figure, read the message that appeared before him and replied in a somber voice. ¡°¡­ I need to consult someone.¡± You mean to receive counsel instead of giving? ¡°There¡¯s one person who¡¯s right for the job.¡± Muttering to himself, Adler stepped out of the hospital room, taking quite a while to realize that he was only wearing a coat over his buck-naked body, ¡°¡­ Dad, why are you walking around without clothes?¡± Pfft. ¡°Ah, fucking damn it.¡± . . . . . Meanwhile, at that time¡­ strict security was being maintained at the Diogenes Club on the outskirts of London as usual. ¡°¡­ Excuse me.¡± A frail girl in a wheelchair, about to enter the club, asked her loyal aide standing beside her in a low voice. ¡°How long has it been since Isaac Adler overpowered me and made me his ve?¡± When her aide was unable to bring himself to answer the question, the frail girl opened her eyes slightly with a thin smile on her face and asked again. ¡°It is truly iprehensible. Boldly attacking and making someone their ve, then leaving thempletely untouched and neglected. It¡¯s gone beyond being rude and is now at the point of being intriguing.¡± Mycrony Holmes murmured with her usual cheerful expression, but her slightly opened eyes caused her aide¡¯splexion to pale like a sheet of paper. ¡°¡­ He¡¯s forgotten about me, hasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± The aide knew all too well what tended to make the front page of the newspapers the day after the frail girl opened her eyes as she did now. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­ Sigh.¡° It was when the back of Mycrony Holmes¡¯ began to glow in a golden hue that she finally opened her eyespletely and asked her aide the same question for the fifteenth time. Chapter 109: Proposal (2) Chapter 109: Proposal (2) ¡°Excuse me, but what is¡­ this?¡± ¡°Neville.¡± There had been very little contact between Watson and Neville in recent times. Hence, to avoid any sort of suspicion Watson may have due to the infrequent meetings, Isaac Adlerplied with the request to meet up with her today and entered her office in the guise of Neville. ¡°You tell me¡­ What does all this look like to you?¡± ¡°Hmm, well¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t help but tilt his head in doubt, his gaze nk as he stared at the flowers and candles scattered about on the office floor. ¡°This is¡­¡± From the exit to where Watson sat, there was a long path made of candles stretching and connecting the two points. And at the very end of the long path, a giant heart made of flowers could be seen ced on the floor. Anyone with the slightest interest in romance or celebrations would immediately understand what this represented.¡°Preparing for a colleague doctor¡¯s birthday party, perhaps?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± Sadly, Adler, who had never received a normal proposal or confession in his entire life, could merely ask such a nonsensical question with a bright and innocent smile on his face. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± A brief period of silence ensued between the two. ¡°You¡¯ve been like that¡­ always. Since the first time we met till now, you haven¡¯t changed.¡± Watson, watching her fianc¨¦ who was tilting his head innocently in the silence, shook her head and sighed as she rose from her seat. ¡°Oblivious,ckingmon sense, and no matter how many obvious signals I send your way, you just always hold my hand with your characteristic innocent and cheery smile¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± ¡°I thought you had improved a bit recently, but you¡¯re still the same old Neville.¡± Speaking those words with a sigh, she moved across the decorations she had made with amateurish skill while sweating endlessly and headed towards her beloved standing before her. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s why I love you.¡± ¡°Uh, uh-huh¡­¡± As she took out a small box from her pocket, Adler, finally realizing the situation he got himself into, started sweating profusely all over. ¡°What? Did you intend to give the wedding ring too?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I mean¡­..¡± ¡°Ay, that would be too shameless of me. I might not seem like it, but I still am an elite-ss doctor, you know.¡± However, before he could even react¡­ Rachel Watson had already reached his front, slowly kneeling on one knee as she looked up at him with clear love and determination in her eyes. ¡°¡­ I can at least provide for you on my own.¡± Adler¡¯s mind went nk as a sheet of paper as he saw the sparkling, clearly expensive diamond ring inside the box Rachel Watson held in her hands. ¡°There¡¯s no need to do dangerous work like before, Neville.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if you just y the role of a househusband, you don¡¯t even need to do anything. I¡¯ll take care of everything¡­¡± However, whether she knew about the turmoil of his heart or not, Watson began pushing down the ring onto his finger, having taken it out of the box in the meantime. ¡°I¡¯ve already looked at some houses for us. We can¡¯t live in a boarding house after getting married now, can we? A mansion in the suburbs of London will likely be our newlywed home. Of course, I¡¯ll be buying it, so you just need to show up.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re engaged already, so the marriage process will be quite simple. Just show this mark on the back of your hand a¡­¡­..¡± As she murmured and stroked the back of his hand, Watson¡¯s voice trailed off and her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± In the next moment, her gaze turned frighteningly cold. ¡°Neville¡­..¡± ¡°Why, what¡¯s wrong, Rachel?¡± ¡°¡­ What is this?¡± Taken aback by her sudden change in demeanor, Adler wore a puzzled expression on his face, not understanding the reason for her change. However, realization soon dawned in his mind and he looked down on his hand. ¡°What is this, Neville?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± As Watson¡¯s hand touched a specific spot of his hand, the engagement mark that had been carved there a few months ago slowly surfaced¡ª its ruined form tainted with a grey, dismal huefully exposed now for all to see. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Adler sighed softly, finally recalling that the mark had been ruthlessly destroyed by Professor Moriarty the day after their engagement. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Meanwhile, Watson, with a grave expression marring her face, wordlessly stared at the destroyed mark for some time before rising from her seat and heading back to her desk. ¨C Click¡­ Not soon after, she pulled out her favorite piston and silently started loading it with bullets. ¡°Now, wait a minute¡­¡± ¡°Just wait here, Neville. It¡¯ll be over soon.¡± ¡°Wait!!¡± As she was about to leave the room with clear madness in her eyes, a flustered Adler quickly grabbed her shoulder, stopping her. ¡°¡­ Why?¡± ¡°I have something to confess.¡± Hesitating for a brief instant, Adler finally opened his mouth while looking Watson straight in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping a secret from you.¡± ¡°¡­ A secret?¡± ¡°I intended to keep it hidden, but now I feel that it¡¯s time to finally tell you about it.¡± Hearing his words, Watson silently turned to look at Adler, her gaze steady and motionless. ¡ºLady of London¡» ¨C Description: Complete one sham marriage with Watson. (Chapter 1pleted) ¨C Progress: ??? Just at that moment, a system message appeared before Adler¡¯s eyes. If you do notplete the mission, it will lead to a bad ending. Are you okay with that? ¡°¡­ Ha.¡± Swiping away the message, Adler began muttering inwardly with a rather cold expression. ¡®So what happens after it¡¯s achieved?¡¯ That is¡­ ¡®After I die, what happens to Watson? What will happen to this woman who married and devoted herself to me, huh?¡¯ The translucent window remained silent, not disying any further messages. ¡®¡­ Since I¡¯m already doomed to get a bad ending, does it really matter if I don¡¯tplete this mission?¡¯ Coldly, Adler pushed away the window once more, briefly ncing at the system window that had turned upside down in the air, and then turned his gaze back to Watson. ¡®It¡¯s time to end the deception.¡¯ Are you really going to reveal your true identity? You could be killed on the spot. The system message, flipping itself back to its normal state, hurriedly flew to him and warned in a blood-red font. ¡®¡­ I have a n, so don¡¯t worry.¡¯ Delivering those words, Adler blocked the messagespletely and began whispering to Watson in a wistful voice as she directed a perplexed gaze toward him. ¡°Honestly, haven¡¯t you already noticed?¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°That I¡¯ve been hiding a secret.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Then, Watson opened her mouth after a moment of silence. ¡°Every time it¡¯s crucial, I can¡¯t contact you. And it¡¯s not like you contact me frequently either, and yourplexion keeps getting paler and paler¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve really been full of mysteries.¡± Watson murmured, her voice tinged with a hint of resentment and grief, and then disyed a bright smile all of a sudden. ¡°The love that you and I share is real, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I can ept anything.¡± As Adler¡¯s gaze wavered at those words, Watson added in a slightly yful voice. ¡°Unless it turns out that you¡¯re Isaac Adler in disguise.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I think I¡¯d find it uneptable and shoot you on the spot if that were to be the case.¡± Sensing the genuine intent and threat hidden beneath her yful tone, Adler felt a chill run down his spine and began to mutter with his eyes cast down. ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­ but there is a reason I cannot ept your proposal.¡± ¡°Tell me. I¡¯ll listen and then judge.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll regret it. Do you still want to know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, just go ahead.¡± Watson pressed Adler for an answer, leaning in eagerly, and finally, Adler let out a deep sigh and began to speak. ¡°I hope that you¡¯ll find it in you to forgive me.¡± A tense silence began to fill the room, and Adler¡¯s quiet voice softly echoed in the somber silence. ¡°¡­ The truth is, I was seducing you under orders from Professor Moriarty.¡± Muttering those words, Adler continued, ncing at Watson who was quietly looking down at him. ¡°You must be aware of what kind of person Professor Jane Moriarty is, having heard plenty from your partner, Charlotte Holmes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°As for my true identity¡ª I¡¯m a long-standing confidant of Professor.¡± The height difference between him and Rachel Watson, who was now looking down at him with dark eyes, somehow stood out more than ever today. ¡°By now, you should already get the picture, right? Professor Moriarty¡¯s greatest enemy, Charlotte Holmes, and her assistant and partner, Rachel Watson. The reason why the professor¡¯s long-standing confidant would approach her¡­ it should be quite clear by now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­ My mission was to seduce you, to separate you from Charlotte.¡± In the tense atmosphere, Adler murmured in a small and hesitant voice, avoiding Watson¡¯s gaze. ¡°And to gradually corrupt you, ultimately bringing you under the professor¡¯s control.¡± After saying till that point and taking a moment to catch his breath, Adler finally sighed deeply and met her gaze. ¡°Do you understand now? The love we shared was a lie. From the beginning until now, it was nothing but my one-sided deception.¡± ¨C Tremble¡­ ¡°Now that you know, let¡¯s end this rtionship.¡± Seeing the sincerity in his gaze, Watson¡¯s hands began trembling hard. And Adler gently turned away at that moment, his voice cold and unfeeling as he muttered. ¡°The Neville you loved never existed from the very start.¡± As he moved towards the exit of the room, Adler finished his piece in a low and subdued voice. ¡°¡­ Just think of it as a midsummer night¡¯s dream.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± However, just as he was about to turn the doorknob, a trembling voice came from behind. ¡°If that was your goal, weren¡¯t you just on the brink of sess?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Why reveal the truth when you were so close topleting your mission?¡± Still holding the doorknob, Adler leaked a bitter smile and opened his mouth to respond. ¡°I can no longer deceit you unterally.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s a very simple yet childish story.¡± Then, from his lips, a sorrowful whisper flowed. ¡°A clich¨¦¡­ the childish tale where a rtionship that started with deception and lies ends up bing sincere and genuine.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Watson murmured, looking like she had been struck by a hammer on the back of her head as she realized the meaning behind his words. ¡°Come to think of it, your attitude changed suddenly a few months ago¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Rachel Watson.¡± Turning back, Adler showed her a dark smile. ¡°I can no longer deceive you.¡± ¡°Neville¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I can no longer maintain this rtionship.¡± Hearing his speech, her trembling hands had now be still and motionless; herplexion darkened like never before as though it would be impossible to darken further. ¡°I belong to the professor. Since that deceit has now turned into sincerity, I can¡¯t stay by your side any longer.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother looking for me. In a few days, I might as well be someone who doesn¡¯t even exist in this world.¡± Contrastingly, Adler¡¯s figure, bathed in the sunlighting in from the window, shimmered faintly in a dazzling hue. ¡°Rachel Watson.¡± After quietly observing her for a moment, Adler turned his head again and began speaking out his heartfelt goodbyes to his lover. ¡°Try to gamble a bit less, okay?¡± His face, as he turned away, was filled with a peculiar emotion. Even though he had no need to act any longer, he still couldn¡¯t help expressing those ambiguous feelings. ¡°¡­ I enjoyed our time together.¡± However, he quietly shook his head at the next moment, suppressing his feelings. Taking hold of the doorknob once more, Adler silently turned it to open the door. . . . . . ¨C Click, click¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± However, for some reason, no matter how much force he applied and turned, the door wouldn¡¯t open. ¡°Why won¡¯t this open¡­¡± With a bewildered expression, Adler continued to turn the doorknob but to no avail. Soon, however, he was able to notice a shadow cast over him and slowly lifted his gaze upward. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Rachel Watson, who had quietly approached him from behind without his knowledge, had ced her right hand on the door, preventing it from opening as she silently looked down at him. ¡°¡­ Rachel?¡± Just when Adler¡¯s body naturally reacted to that all-too-familiar dark gaze, a system message slowly emerged before his eyes. I still can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re smart or stupid. The next moment, without any time to react, Adler¡¯s field of vision was flipped 180. ¡°What!?¡± Dazed for a moment, he then realized that he was now lying on the floor; his body now pinned down by Rachel Watson, he cautiously opened his mouth to speak. ¨C Swoosh¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± However, before he could say anything, Watson ¨C her eyes gazing at his pinned figure in silence ¨C abruptly took off her top, revealing her pale and smooth skin. Her abrupt and ludicrous actions caused Adler¡¯s expression to morph into a blend of confusion and bewilderment. Why do you never consider the possibility of being devoured when you act? ¡°¡­.. Ah?¡± Just then, as the system tactfully obscured Watson¡¯s upper body, sending a message as if to express its pity¡­ ¨C Click¡­ Adler¡¯s belt was undone by Rachel Watson¡¯s rough hands and fell to the floor. . . . . . ¡°That¡¯s odd.¡± Meanwhile, at that time¡­ ¡°Dad said he was going to the bathroom.¡± Celestia Moran had been standing quietly right in front of Watson¡¯s office, murmuring to herself with a cold expression. ¡°Then why is he creating a new stepmother right now?¡± ¡°¡­ Indeed.¡± But then, from beside her, came a voice so calm and cold that could send shivers down one¡¯s spine could be heard. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°¡­Your one and only, genuine stepmother.¡± Charlotte Holmes, who had returned from the court earlier than expected, answered the question and quietly walked past Moran toward the door of Watson¡¯s room. Chapter 107: Last Resort Chapter 107: Last Resort ¡°Both of you, please, you shouldn¡¯t fight in the hospital.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯smon sense.¡± Adler ¨C cold sweat running down his forehead ¨C intervened between Celestia Moran and Lestrade¡ª their heads practically glued to each other as they faced off, and separated the two. ¡°You heard him, hot-tempered elder sister.¡± ¡°Haah¡­¡± Of course, these girls, who would be contending for the position of London¡¯s greatest armedbatant, wouldn¡¯t have been swayed by Adler¡¯s physical strength. However, surprising as it may seem, as soon as Adler stepped in between them to mitigate the situation¡­ they drifted away from each other without him having to exert any force at all. ¡°Fighting is not allowed.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡±The icy stares of the two girls crossed for a brief instant. ¡°Inspector. Please, hold back, Inspector. I will follow you¡­¡± As the atmosphere once again started growing tense with each passing secon, Adler hurriedly moved to walk alongside Lestrade as she demanded. ¡°¡­ Dad.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..!¡± However, Adler froze in ce once he heard Moran¡¯s voice came from behind. It sounded eerily simr to Professor Moriarty¡¯s voice which only made his freeze further. ¡°There¡¯s somewhere you need to go first.¡± However, Celestia Moran, looking up at him with pure eyes, merely extended her hand out toward her like usual. ¡°Dad¡­?¡± ¡°Inspector. I don¡¯t know what you may be thinking but¡­¡± Adler, now donning a grave expression as he looked at Lestrade ¨C looking at him with an expression of utter disbelief and shock on her face ¨C and hastily began exining himself. ¡°It¡¯s just a title. As you know, she¡¯s a child I¡¯m raising so¡­¡± ¡°Are you going to leave me again?¡± ¡°¡­ Oh, dear¡­¡± Moran, who had toddled over to his side, took his hand and gazed up at his eyes as she spoke those words. Looking at her eyes, Adler ultimately gave up making excuses and wore a liberated expression on his face, as though he had finallye to terms with something. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± And an awkward silence thus descended among them. ¡°To start, as Miss Moran has already spoken, I have a ce I need to go urgently.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stop by there first and then apany you. Is that okay with you, Inspector?¡± Adler, heaving deep tired sighs, eventually broke the silence himself and quietly started moving forward. ¡°Savage elder sister.¡± Moran¡¯s voice, as petite as her stature, came from beside Lestrade as she was about to follow behind Adler. ¡°Be careful on your way at night, okay?¡± Turning her head, Lestrade saw the visage of baring her teeth at her, her eyes brimming with murderous intent. Seeing her act this way, utterly iparable to how she had been in front of Adler, Lestrade couldn¡¯t help but let out a faint chuckle. ¡°And you know. If you try to mess with Dad, then I¡¯ll kill you without even giving you any warning.¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± Of course, it was an act that Gia Lestrade herself would have done as well if she were to be in little Moran¡¯s position. ¡°You talk so adorably, runt.¡± ¨C Adeuk¡­ ¡°You¡¯re a bit too short. Unfortunately, I wasn¡¯t even able to hear half of what you said.¡± As a result of moving ahead of the two enraged women and leaving them in each other¡¯s direct contact, Isaac Adler was now forced to throw himself into the fray and break up themotion once again. It had only been a few seconds but the silent hallway of the hospital had once again been on the verge of a heatedmotion. . . . . . ¡°Is this business of yours¡­ to meet with a patient admitted to this hospital?¡± ¡°¡­ I have someone that I need to meet personally.¡± Caught between the two unruly women, Isaac Adler moved with uneasy steps until he finally stopped in front of a hospital room. Seeing such a scene, Gia Lestrade quietly tilted her head to pose the question. ¡°Could you please wait outside, Inspector?¡± After Adler made the request, Lestrade unexpectedly nodded her head in agreement without saying a single word. ¡°Thank you, Inspector.¡± ¡°What about me, Dad?¡± ¡°¡­ You maye in with me, Miss Moran¡± As Adler was about to enter the room quietly, he couldn¡¯t help but flinch ever so slightly at Moran¡¯s question. Soon, however, he just took her hand and stepped inside the room with the little girl. ¨C Creeeak¡­ Thankfully, they were able to enter the room without any other incident ormotion. It was good that he had separated the two violent women. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± As they moved forward, a visitor sitting in a chair by the hospital bed bowed his head and spoke in a low voice. ¡°Mr. Nathan Garrideb. I apologize for theplications that havee up with your request.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to admit, we could have never anticipated that such a dreadful event was unfolding in the mansion.¡± ¡°I have nothing toment on that matter.¡± Looking at his sister¡ª Neria Garrideb, lying motionless in a hospital gown on the bed, Nathan Garrideb merely nodded with a pale face in response to Adler¡¯s apology. ¡°And who is that child with you?¡± ¡°She is with us. You can rest assured.¡± ¡°Then, may I ask what will be of my request? If there¡¯s a breach of contract¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry.¡± As he looked at Adler with trembling eyes and posed the question, Adler smiled back reassuringly. ¡°The n will proceed without any hitches.¡± ¡°Does that mean¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s practically over already. With Dr. Frankenstein, your mother, arrested, your sister won¡¯t be living much much longer.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°She will most likely die before she even gets discharged from the hospital. There¡¯s no one left to recharge the essence of life within her, after all. This is what you call a perfect crime, isn¡¯t it? Haha~¡± Upon hearing his words, Nathan Garrideb bowed his head once more. ¡°So, how do you feel now?¡± Quietly, Adler looked down at his client and asked in a soft tone. ¡°How does it feel to be free of your loathsome mother and sister?¡± The client, Nathan Garrideb, flinched at the words and started to murmur in a trembling voice. ¡°It¡¯s the best¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s like¡­ finally shaking off parasites that were infesting my body all my life. It¡¯s incredibly refreshing.¡± In the eyes of the client, as he faced the results at the end of the case, there were no hints of hesitation or reluctance he once held¡ª the feelings he had been showing when he first entered Adler¡¯s back-alley hideout were long gone. ¡°I should have done this sooner. Heh. Heheh, hehehehehahaha.¡± What now remained¡­ was only a chillingly sinister air that could make one¡¯s blood run cold in horror. A single moment¡¯s choice had been enough for the man to be steeped in the world of endless darkness. ¡°You¡¯ll make sure the cleanup is thorough, right? I want to sever ties with you now.¡± ¡°Of course. No matter how diligently the police investigate this case, they won¡¯t find any connection to you. And¡­ since no murder wasmitted, even if someone were to uncover the truth, you could avoid any form of punishment or moral condemnation.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Plus, even if you wished to meet us again, you¡¯ll never be able to find us any longer. Per our agreement, you will forget my identity within just a few days.¡± Garrideb nodded his head with a satisfied smile on his face as he listened to Adler¡¯s exnation. ¡°Excuse me, but¡­ what about the payment? The manor is under investigation, so I can¡¯t offer anything right now, you see¡­¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not a problem¡­¡± When the client suddenly asked with a troubled expression, Adler gently stroked Neria Garrideb¡¯s cheek before replying to him. ¡°¡­ since I¡¯ve already received it.¡± And with that¡­ a brief silence drenched the hospital room. ¡°Have I really made a deal with the devil?¡± ¡°If you really want to know the details, I won¡¯t stop you but¡­¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s alright.¡± Energetically, Nathan rose from his seat and exchanged a brief handshake with Adler. And in the next moment¡­ he stepped out of the room while saying his parting words. ¡°Let¡¯s never meet again.¡± The door soon closed and a heavy silence began enveloping the room once more. ¡°Dad, I feel sorry for that child.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Do we, do we really need to kill her¡­..?¡± Now left alone with Adler, Moran directed a sad gaze toward Neria Garrideb and muttered those words under her breath. However, once she realized what she had spoken, she hastily covered up her mouth in fright. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Soon, she observed Adler¡¯s expression and murmured, her face pale as a sheet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dad¡­¡± ¨C Swoosh¡­ ¡°¡­ Eeek?¡± Then, seeing Adler reach out toward her, Moran closed her eyes shut and gasped¡­ bracing herself for the p that she thought to being her way. ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± However, instead of the sharp pain she had been expecting on her cheek, a gentle warmth could be felt from her head. Feeling that warmth, she looked toward Adler with a puzzled expression as he held her arm. ¡°The pitiful one isn¡¯t that child, but rather the client who has just left.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t even know that he¡­ too is Dr. Frankenstein¡¯s test subject. And¡­ that he won¡¯t be receiving the cure for his rabies anymore. The cure which was being extracted from his sister and administered to him when he was asleep.¡± Gently, Adler patted little Moran¡¯s head and whispered with a benevolent expression on his face. ¡°In a few months, he¡¯ll probably regret today for the rest of his life. Of course, by then it¡¯ll already be toote¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Shh~¡± Saying those words, Adler gently ced a finger on Moran¡¯s lips as her eyes widened in realization. Then, he shifted his gaze and eyed Neria Garrideb, who was lying peacefully on the bed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Miss Garrideb?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I knew from the start that you were awake.¡± As all color drained from her face at those words, Adler began to whisper in her ear with a voice tinged with mirth. ¡°And by the way, you¡¯re quite lucky. Thanks to you consistently consuming my flesh over the past few days, the essence of life in your body, which had practically emptied, has been fully recharged with my blood.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..!¡± ¡°¡­ Originally, I was nning to kill you where no one would know, to avoid any aftermath, you see¡­¡± Adler then nced at Moran, who was blinking her eyes innocently beside him, and murmured. ¡°But, as you can see, my daughter pities you.¡± ¡°¡­ Uh.¡± ¡°So, disappear from London. If not, I will have no choice but to kill you.¡± After delivering those words, Adler gently pinched Moran¡¯s soft cheek and pulled something out of his pocket. ¡°It¡¯s not the inheritance, but consider it a small gift.¡± Adler then ced a check with an amount sufficient for a woman to live alone for decades in front of her and rose from his seat. ¡°From now on, Neria Garrideb is dead. Live the rest of your life with freedom.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Uuuh.¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± Unable to hold herself back any longer, Neria Garrideb silently burst into tears as Adler quietly left the hospital room with Moran. ¡°Ahhhhhhh¡­..¡± Thus, the official conclusion of the Three Garridebs caseter published by Watson was reached. Of course, the records did not include information regarding the sudden decrease in organized attempts to kidnap Isaac Adler after the incident. Nor did they include the rumors of the silhouette of an unidentified girl seen at the window of the house where Adler would usually stay during stormy nights. Those in the know, except for Isaac Adler of course, called that shadow Adler¡¯s Sentinel. . . . . . ¨C Probability of being Kidnapped ¡ª 40% ¡ú 15% Warning! ¨C Probability of being Stalked ¡ª 100% ¡°¡­ Huh.¡± Isaac Adler, confronted with probabilities that could only be said to be contradictory to each other, wore a puzzled expression as he closed the door of the hospital room. ¡°¡­¡­¡­?¡± He quietly tilted his head as he saw Gia Lestrade, covered in dust, walking towards him from the window rather than the door. ¡°¡­ By any chance, did you climb the wall outside to eavesdrop on the conversation?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°How much did you hear, Inspector?¡± After posing the question with a look of anticipation on his face, Adler caught sight of Lestrade¡¯s eyes filled with disappointment and disgust and couldn¡¯t help but let out a bitter smirk. ¡°Well, I get the general picture.¡± ¡°Isaac Adler.¡± ¡°What did you expect, then? Your boyfriend is just that kind of man, Inspector.¡± Watching her approach with an aura that was as frigid as the color of her hair and eyes, Adler looked on with a resigned expression on his face. Reaching him, Lestrade pulled something out of her shirt¡¯s pocket and handed it over to him. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°¡­ Sign it.¡± ¡°A consent form for the investigation, I presume?¡± Muttering so, Adler reached into his pocket for a pen. ¡°Even so, you won¡¯t be able to arrest me for this case. There are no material evidence or victims left, rig¡­?¡± However, his words trailed off as he suddenly widened his eyes in shock and bewilderment. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve realized that with my insignificant abilities alone, I cannot protect London from you.¡± As he watched her silently, Lestrade pointed to the bottom corner of the paper she had handed to him with a calm voice. ¡°So, I have no choice but to bet it all on myst resort.¡± As she murmured in a frigid tone, urging him to sign the papers, Adler¡¯s thoughts came to aplete halt. ¡°But this is¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get married, Isaac Adler.¡± ¡°¡­ What!?¡± What Gia Lestrade had handed to him was not a consent form for the investigation as he had presumed¡­ but a marriage registration form that had been already signed by her. Chapter 111: Abduction Chapter 111: Abduction It was a night when I received marriage proposals from three women in session¡­ "... Oh my." ".........." "Who might this be?" When I visited the Diogenes Club secretly, apanied only by my bodyguard¡ª Celestia Moran, a cold voice that gave me the chills greeted me. "... I haven¡¯t even entered the waiting room yet, is it appropriate to be so loud?¡± "The Diogenes Club is not a ce for socializing today." There, at the desk ced in the very center of the club, sat Mycrony Holmes in her usual seat with the usual smile on her face. However, for some reason, that familiar smile of hers sent inexplicable shivers down my spine. - Swoosh...Slowly, she raised her hand, making a gesture with her hands. At that subtle signal of hers, immediately, heavy murderous intent began to emanate from the people sitting inside the Diogenes Club, reading newspapers. "... Hmm." It was exactly like the situation when I first met her. "Dad, shall we kill them all?" "... Wait." However, the difference from that time was that Celestia Moran was by my side, a small airgun concealed in her embrace. "I''ve merelye to talk today." - Rustle... Additionally, there was also Princess y in my arms. She had transformed into her cat doll form and was currently fidgeting inside my coat. Rather than me bringing her along, it would be more urate to say that she had stubbornly followed me and slipped into my clothes to apany me. Still, even Moran, who was specialized in detecting presences, had failed to notice her. Surely, she could provide some help if need be. "You seem awfully prepared for someone who ims to have onlye to talk." "What are you talking about?" "The daughter of the hero of Afghanistan, the war machine Colonel Sebastian Moran, and the vampire princess who almost devoured the entirety of London... Wouldn''t I be justified in attacking you first when you havee with such dangerous personnel?" However, the words that Mycrony uttered next made me dispel such thoughts from my mind. "... As expected, you are impressive." "Pardon?" "But, I really didn''te here to pick a fight." The feeling of having all my capabilities assessed so quickly wasn''t pleasant, but I couldn''t just back down right now. I wasn''t sure why her demeanor had reverted to how it was when we first met, even though I had already engraved the ve mark on her. If necessary, I could use the ve mark to subdue her, and I was confident that I could escape with my escorts if the situation really called for it. "So, what is it?" "... I''vee to seek your counsel." However, to achieve the ultimate reason for my visit, what came next was crucial. "My counsel?" "... Yes." "You, of all people?" So, with the most polite demeanor I could muster, I spoke to her, almost pleadingly. My words prompted her to tilt her head in quiet contemtion. "... Please." The reason I was being so polite to Mycrony Holmes was because her role in the game was none other than the of the game narrative. In the game, she didn¡¯t provide clues for cases stumped by the protagonist like in the original , but she did offer hints that were vital for the future development of the storyline. And her hints, derived from those of hers, always proved to be invaluable in situations like the one I''m facing currently¡ª a situation when the game¡¯s progression hade to a standstill. Of course, to receive the best advice from her, one must maximize their affinity with Mycrony Holmes. "I would like to receive advice about my current situation." It was for this reason that I had built up a friendship with her beforehand. Although the current atmosphere made me feel somewhat uneasy, I had to trust the goodwill I had built up until now and take a shot in the dark. "Would you be able to help me?" "Hehe..." As I asked in a low voice, she covered her mouth and began to smile. "... No, I don''t want to." However, the very next moment, she opened her eyes calmly and answered in a stern and indifferent voice. "Why should I even help you?" "........" "Please leave, you¡¯re being bothersome." And with that, silence ensued inside the club. ''... This is problematic.'' After all the effort I went through to build an amiable rtionship with her, only for it to crumble at such a crucial moment - what am I to do? Should I activate the ve mark I''ve inscribed on her stomach right now to get the advice and swiftly escape? "........" Pondering for a moment in my mind, I eventually decided to give up on that idea. Didn¡¯t Charlotte say that intuition was both the most important and the least reliable skill of a detective? Although I was not a detective, my intuition was currently telling me that proceeding in such a manner would be wrong. ''... What should I do, then?'' "Why, did you suddenly decide to feed a fish you''ve already caught?" ''Why would she say that all of a sudden.'' As I was sweating profusely while trying to understand why Mycrony Holmes was giving me such a solemn look, a system message suddenly appeared before me. Mycrony Holmes is upset with you. Quietly nudging my shoulder, the system window fluttered next to Mycrony, circling her as it delivered the message. "I''m sorry, but I''m full already." She''s quite a bit upset with you, in fact. The moment I saw the message, I was able to roughly grasp the situation at hand. "... So please leave as soon as possible." Miss Mycrony, she was upset because I hadn¡¯t visited her for quite some time. - Thud, thud... Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have the time right now to consider her feelings. Taking the time and effort to soothe her mood would only aggravate the situation that I was currently facing, I was sure of that. So for now, I had no choice but to use the hical, immoral method that was simple yet was also a certain solution to this problem. It was something I had been trying to avoid as much as possible but, there was no other way out at the moment. "What are you doing?" "............" Thinking till there, I quietly approached her. Seeing my advance, Mycrony Holmes, sitting at her desk with a frigid look on her face, silently tilted her head. - Click... At the same time, her subordinates began reaching into their clothes, raising the murderous intent they had been emitting. "Before you regret it, take your hands out of your pockets." "... Grrr." Behind me, the quietly standing Moran had drawn out the air gun from her pocket, aiming it at Mycrony¡¯s subordinates; Princess y, who had been fidgeting in my arms, revealed her teeth, baring her ws in a threatening gesture. ""..........."" A tense atmosphere began to circte within the quiet club. - Swoosh... Amid that palpitating atmosphere, I slowly extended my hand toward Mycrony Holmes and immediately, everyone''s gazes focused on the two of us. "Ack!" "... What are you doing right now?" After taking a deep breath, I wrapped my arms around Mycrony Holmes'' waist and lifted her up in the air. Immediately, her frigid voice echoed through the room. "Just some mild kidnapping." "Don''t you remember saying that you came here for a conversation?" "... Since the conversation doesn¡¯t seem to be working, I am left with no choice, unfortunately.¡± Holding her in a princess carry, I turned my body and quietly began heading towards the exit. "What are you going to do by kidnapping me?" "I will train Miss Mycrony to bepletely mine." "........." "I¡¯ll make sure to make up for all the suffering she has been through." As soon as I finished speaking, the members drew their guns and aimed them directly at me. - Bzzzzzttt... "".........!?"" However, their hostility was short-lived; with a burst of red sparks, their bodies became paralyzed and they dropped their guns simultaneously. "... Well done, Princess." I had been preparing to draw upon all my mana, expecting bloodshed, but things seemed to have gone smoother than anticipated. If she had such a terrifying area-of-effect skill, she should have used it earlier. ?No, I didn''t do it though...?? "Of course, you would say something like that." Despite clearly having expended a tremendous amount of power, Princess y maintained her typical tsundere behavior. I patted her head lightly and, along with Moran, who had quietly put away the small gun she had drawn, began to move outside again. ?No, really, I didn''t do it this time...!? "... Dad, I smell something ominous from this woman." Although various things could be said and conveyed, I had already made up my mind and there was no turning back. "Mycrony." The Protector of London, still holding a frosty expression, was forcibly restrained by the ve seal on her belly and held in my arms. "... Are you prepared to be trained like a dog?" To escape this hopeless situation I found myself in, I had no choice but to subjugate her. "You¡¯re the worst." "That''s a fitting response for someone about to be disciplined." It was time to cast aside any hesitation and truly immerse myself in darkness. . . . . . Dawn, in Adler¡¯s hideout located inside the back alleys¡­ "... Do you think you''ll be able to get away with this?" In the pitch-dark basement of that ce, Mycrony Holmes was currently being condoned there with one of her feet shackled with a golden chain. She was looking at the boy who had kidnapped her with a cold expression on her face. - Click... But Isaac Adler, paying no heed to her words or expression, affixed a cor around her neck engraved with the name . - Swoosh... "Don''t start losing strength already." Eventually, as he pulled the leash sharply upwards and whispered those words, Mycrony Holmes, now forced to look up at Adler, bit her lips hard and wore a look of utter humiliation on her face. "Change into the shabby clothes in the room." While prodding her abdomen, where his seal was engraved, with his foot, Adler nudged towards the shabby clothes provided on the side. "You''ll get food and water whenever you behave well." "........" "And from now on, you will call me ." After briefly stroking her disheveled hair, Adler moved towards the exit, concluding his words. "... Training will begin tomorrow." . . . . . Hey. Just thought I''d let you know, in case you didn''t know... However, just as Adler was finishing his sentence, a system message appeared urgently beside him as he opened the door of the basement room. ... No, it''s nothing. "... What is it?" I guess, it''s better if you don''t know. However, after a brief pause, the entity that had stopped outputting suddenly changed its tune, and Adler, tilting his head in confusion, quietly licked his lips and went up the stairs. "....... Hehe." A low chuckle from Mycrony Holmes ¨C her index finger pressed to her lips as her eyes gleamed in an eerie hue ¨C began to echo in the room immediately after. However, by then, the basement door had already been firmly closed. "... For a curse, it¡¯s quite /genesisforsaken Chapter 112: Invitation Chapter 112: Invitation "¡­ Master." "Ah, Miss ze." A week had already passed since Isaac Adler abducted Mycrony Holmes, keeping her in his hideout. "Good morning.¡± "¡­ Indeed." As usual, Miss Silver ze, dressed in a maid''s outfit, entered Adler''s room to start her daily routine, and greeted him good morning. - Swish, swoosh... In the next moment, she naturally sat next to Adler and rubbed her soft cheek against his. "¡­ Miss ze, what did you say this action signifies again?""It''s a Demi-human''s morning greeting. For us demi-humans, it''s an essential part of our daily routine." "Really...?" "Yes, Master. It would be a huge problem if I didn''t do it." Adler, who had been passively epting her persistent nuzzling, couldn¡¯t help but ask with a sceptical expression. In response, Silver ze replied with a rare note of seriousness in her tone. "Can you tell me exactly what would happen if it''s not done?" "¡­ I will get depressed and gloomy for the whole day." However, in response to Adler''s probing, she mumbled in a dejected tone; her ears slumped while her face became sullen and gloomy. "That certainly sounds serious." "¡­ Hehe." Adler, who had been quietly observing her adorable behaviour, let out a bitter smirk and offered his cheek to her once again. His action prompted Silver ze to giggle softly and wag her tail in delight. - Swish, swish... Thus, the sound of cheek rubbing against cheek echoed inside the silent room. "Is burying your head in my hair and sniffing also a greeting among demi-humans, Miss ze?" "¡­ Ah, no." When Adler, who had been working at his desk, asked again, Silver ze finally lifted her head and responded in a sheepish voice. "It''s because I like you so much, Master..." "........." "And your scent is always so pleasant." At her candid response, Adler turned his face away, blushing and trying his best to avoid her gaze. "¡­ Ah, that''s right, Master." Silver ze, who couldn¡¯t help but twitch involuntarily at his shy demeanour, pped her cheek to snap out of her state and spoke up again. "Today is the scheduled blood-feeding day." "¡­ Ah." And then she timidly offered her snowy white neck to her master. "This week it''s my turn, so please use me without any reservations." ".........." "I''ve also taken care of any fine hairs in advance. It''s better to be clean when being feasted upon by you, Master... Ugh." As soon as Adler saw her delectable white nape, he was ovee with the urge to bite and pressed his lips against ze''s neck while closing his eyes tightly. ""..........."" And thus, silence ensued¡­ "¡­ Master. I''ve been thinking, wouldn''t it be better if I just took over the blood-feeding duties?" The usual sensation of being helplessly drained of blood washed over her as she felt Adler¡¯s sharp fangs sink into her pale white neck, stiffening her usually wagging tail. Amid such a feeling, Silver ze opened her eyes ever so slightly and started whispering her thoughts in the silence. "Princess y''s blood, even if you drink it, she¡¯ll have to quickly suck it back from you. In the end, it¡¯s back to square one with her." ".........." "And Moran is too young. If you draw from her like you do from me, she''ll get anaemia and get weak and frail." Silver ze spoke calmly, her argument unusually logical and precise for someone naive like her. "Master. I have a lot of stamina, so even if you draw a lot of blood from me, I''ll be fine. So, I think I''m the right person..." - Drip... "... Huh?" However, as Adler, who had been quietly observing her all this time, pulled out his fangs earlier than usual, confusion and panic fluttered in her eyes. "This is enough for today." Adler replied to her in a slightly colder voice than usual. "... I-I''m sorry, Master." Picking up the slight notes of coldness in his voice, herplexion darkened immediately. Quickly, she knelt at his feet while bowing her head like a helpless puppy. "I dared to speak out of turn without knowing my ce. I am truly sorry..." "It''s not that, I''m just really full." "From now on, I''ll just be a silent flesh doll, only meant for delivering blood to you, Master." "........." "No, I''ll do anything you want, so please don''t discard me..." As she spoke with a sobbing voice, Adler quietly looked down at her and then smiled softly. "... Are you sure you are willing to do anything I want?" "Yes?" "What if I said I wanted your soul, would you willingly give it to me?" His eyes darkened as he asked, and Silver ze¡¯s reply came without any hints of hesitation. "Of course." "........." "I''ll quietly go andmit suicide in the alleyway. Or, do you wish to kill me yourself, Master?" "... Aren''t you afraid of dying?" Adler couldn¡¯t help but look down at Silver ze with a perplexed expression on his face, seeing that she had not questioned even once why she had been treated so poorly by him all of a sudden. "I am only but a tool to be used by my Master; why should I be afraid?" "... Hmm." However, when Silver ze questioned him back with a puzzled look of her own, Adler was enveloped in silence for a moment. "Well done." Then, silently, he started stroking her head with affection. "As long as you maintain that attitude, there will be no problem in serving me." "Oh, th-thank you...?" "Now, you may leave." As he whispered in a kind voice, Silver ze stood up with a bewildered expression and then bowed her head enthusiastically with a bright smile on her face. "... Ah, right." Turning to leave the room as ordered, she suddenly seemed to have remembered something and spoke to Adler on her way out. "Lately, there has been a sweet scenting from you, Master." "........?" "Why is that? Moran and Princess y said that you don¡¯t smell at all though¡­¡± She murmured, tilting her head in curiosity as she left the room. . . . . . ¡®... Sweet scent?¡¯ Even after Silver ze had left, I remained puzzled for a while after hearing herst words. Then, I quietly began sniffing the clothes I was wearing. ".......?" But I couldn''t detect any particrly sweet scenting off my clothes. Since bing a vampire, my sense of smell had heightened significantly. There was no way I would have missed something like this. So what could be the identity of the scent she mentioned? "Mycrony." After pondering for a long time with no answer in sight, I finally called out to her in a low voice. "... Yes, Master." The her in question was none other than Mycrony Holmes, who had been silently biting my lower half under the desk since dawn. "Do you know what this scent Silver ze was referring to is?" "... The smell, huh?" Initially, she resisted without eating or drinking anything, but surprisingly, it didn''t take long topletely subdue her to the point where she willingly wore a maid''s uniform and served me wholeheartedly. After all, even if it was me in her position ¨C experiencing a simtion that was never felt before, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week ¨C I too would have easily sumbed. Even taking that fact into ount, the training had been so sessful that¡­ I was still somewhat dazed by how smooth sailing it was. To think that the formidable Mycrony Holmes was now kneeling quietly under my desk, biting my lower half for hours on end without even so much as a noise¡­ Perhaps there was a tremendous talent for training others hidden within me. "Usually, when demi-humans detect a sweet scent from a person of the opposite sex, it is a sign that they are about to enter their mating season.¡± Anyway, there was one definite benefit to having subdued Mycrony Holmes. "By the way, there are cases where entering the mating seasonpletely flips the beaskin¡¯s personality while their strength increases manifolds, so you need to be careful, Master.¡± "I see." And that was¡­ the fact that I no longer struggled for information. "You''ve done well." - Pat, stroke... Just by stroking her cheeks or belly, I gained unlimited ess to an encyclopedia that would autonomously analyze and organize information from all over Britain. Even if I told you about it1 back then, you¡¯ll just forget it as usual and get devoured in the end anyway. "... So, when will the information I requested be avable?" Of course, the reason I took the trouble to train her wasn''t just to gain knowledge about the Demi-human''s mating season, but to get perfect advice on how to ovee the current predicament where my progress has be utterly stagnated. "I was just about to report that." Ignoring the system''s grumbling message as something inconsequential, I urged her for an answer. In turn, Mycrony Holmes, pressing her cheek against my leg, began to whisper in a soft voice. Did I say something wrong? "What you need right now is one thing only." For a moment, I had the feeling that she was talking to the system next to me rather than me. However, I soon discarded that thought as that would be impossible, even for her. "Facing your real identity and the hidden truth of the world." "........" "By confronting them, you''ll find the answers that will lead you to the solution you desire." "Then where do I confront this truth?" While I listened to her quietly, Mycrony Holmes silently handed me a piece of paper, her eyes shining in the dark. "... You need to go to this address." "This ce is..." The address written on the paper was surprisingly quite familiar to me. "It seems you know about it already?" "........" "... Hehe." To be precise, as a fan of the Sherlock Holmes series, there was no way I wouldn¡¯t know about this location. . . . . . A few dayster¡­ ".........." A brief letter containing a single sentence arrived at the worn-out boarding house at 221B Baker Street, where Charlotte Holmes and Watson were staying, as well as at the London Metropolitan Police Station where Gia Lestrade was employed. A new mystery is upon us., - At the Baskerville estate, Isaac Adler. The short postscript written below the letter led the three women to an event that was more bizarre than anything they had encountered before in their /genesisforsaken Chapter 113: The Hound of the Baskervilles Chapter 113: The Hound of the Baskervilles The day after Adler''s brief letter to the three women arrived in their respective ces of residence. On a train heading to Devonshire, where the Baskerville estate was located¡­ "Holmes." "........" "What have you been pondering so seriously about since earlier?" Rachel Watson had been travelling with Charlotte Holmes since early morning. Seeing her partner being deeply lost in thought for several hours already, she couldn¡¯t help but ask. "There''s a sense of foreboding." Hearing her question, Charlotte muttered in response, not ncing at her as she replied. "Why suddenly?" "Just a hunch."As she answered and sank back into her thoughts, Watson murmured with an intrigued expression. "Wasn''t it Charlotte Holmes who hated detectives, who go around unting their , more than anything in the world?" ".........." "Never thought I''d hear such a thing from you." "What I hate are ipetent detectives who strut around while brandishing their baseless intuition." Charlotte¡¯s eyes lit up as she epted Watson¡¯s words. "At least I''m aware that there''s someone secretly watching us from behind. When there¡¯s such solid evidence to back it up, that''s when I can rely on intuition." "... Ah." "Don''t turn around, Watson. There''s no need to let them know we''re onto them." Charlotte restrained Watson who was about to turn around in a moment of tension, then quietly looked out the window. "Even though it''s morning, Devonshire has such a creepy atmosphere. While London¡¯s streets are no less gloomy, it feels like it can¡¯t evenpete with this creepiness. It¡¯s so strong that I can¡¯t even present a business card here.¡±1 "Holmes, this isn''t the time to be so nonchnt, is it?" Hearing Charlotte murmur so in a nonchnt voice, Watson whispered to Charlotte in a low, creeping voice. "It''s better to act naturally and nonchnt, than to behave unnaturally and tantly disy that we¡¯ve already noticed something amiss.¡± "Still, if it''s one of Moriarty''s underlings..." "That''s fine. I can assure you that the person watching us now ispletely at odds with that woman." "... What''s your evidence, my friend?" As Charlotte muttered in a natural tone, Watson, her eyes brimming with curiosity, questions as naturally as she possibly could. "Watson. I''ve thought this for a long time, but don''t go acting anywhere." ".........." "If I had to pick the worst liar or actor in London, I''d confidently choose Rachel Watson without hesitation." "... So, what''s this evidence?" But then, after being rebuffed by Charlotte, Watson murmured meekly, deted. "Actually, it''s someone you know very well." "What?" "There''s only one fool in all of London who follows someone wearing a fake moustache and sses." "... Inspector Lestrade?" "If someone busy with police work is on the same train as us this early in the morning, it can hardly count as coincidence." As Charlotte spoke while directing a sharp nce in a certain direction, far away, a figure who had been peeking from behind arge newspaper quietly hid their head behind it. "Weren''t we not going to show that we''d noticed?" "Since you''ve already given it away in various ways, it does not really matter anymore." And thus silence ensued between them¡­ "Then, perhaps the inspector... received that letter as well?" "I''m not certain, but it seems highly likely." "Hmm..." Watson, who had been quietly observing Charlotte''s expression, suddenly murmured with a sly look on her face. "Is that why you''re in a bad mood?" "........" "Because you''re not sure you''re the chosen one. Isn''t that right?" Charlotte''s gaze, which had been fixed outside the window, silently shifted towards Watson. "Sorry, but that''s something that applies to you too..." "Eh?" Just as Watson tilted her head at her partner''s statement, wrought with hidden meaning and implications, a sound came from outside. - Screeeeech... It was the noise of the train slowing down anding to a halt. "It seems we''ve arrived." "Indeed." "Then let''s go, Holmes. For Neville''s sake, I want to settle things with Isaac Adler." Watson, having heard the noise, rolled up her sleeves, jumped up from her seat, and briskly started walking towards the exit. There was a hint of fiery determination brimming in her eyes. "........" Meanwhile, Charlotte quietly stood up and followed behind her. "If you''re going to tail someone, you might want to hide the Red Mana Leauge''s insignia, don''t you think?" As she was about to disembark the train, Charlotte murmured those words with a dark glint in her eyes, causing the passengers in the surroundings to lift their heads simultaneously. "Or, perhaps, you guys weren¡¯t nning to hide it, were you?¡± "".........."" "Must be tough, serving a master in Romania and then a master in London as well.¡± Finished with her words, Charlotte disembarked the train, while all the passengers in that bogey silently red at her. . . . . . "It feels eerily quiet somehow... Even London at dawn isn''t usually this gloomy." A few minutester, on a secluded path near the estate¡­ "This is exactly the kind of atmosphere our young detective loves, right? Criminals must be swarming around at night in this ce." Watson, ascending the inclined path that was filled with leaves that had fallen due to the chilly wind, cheerfully attempted to strike up a conversation with Holmes as she had been silent for quite a while already. "........." Charlotte, however, merely continued walking forward with a sharp expression on her face, ignoring her. "Hey, are you still upset about that incident?" Watson, ncing at her cautiously, ventured the question in a low voice. "There''s no need to worry too much. Neville is tight-lipped. So the chance of Isaac Adler hearing about it is..." "... Wait a moment." However, Charlotte cut her off mid-sentence with a raise of her hand and started walking towards a nearby bush. "Inspector, since it seems we are headed in the same direction, how about you quit the pointless hiding and join us?" Charlotte whispered in a low voice, gazing intently at the bush. Not long after, a head suddenly popped out of the said bush. ""..........."" And silence followed¡­ "How did you notice me?" "Are you seriously asking that question?" "My hiding skills are usually undetectable even to London''s most notorious criminals." Lestrade, removing her fake moustache and sses, muttered sheepishly as she brushed the leaves off her head. Meanwhile, Charlotte only gave her a dismissive look in response. "Every criminal knows too well that the moment they reveal themselves, they are as good as caught." "........." "The moment you get within visible distance of a criminal, your arrest rate is practically 100 percent. I don''t understand why you''re so obsessed with hiding." "Is that so?" Stung by her sharp advice, Gia Lestrade scratched her head, her eyes slightly downcast. "Sigh, why on earth did Adler..." ".......?" "... Never mind." Charlotte muttered discontentedly while looking at Lestrade. However, she soon exhaled a sigh and began walking forward once more, not finishing her words. - Trudge, trudge... Thus, the three women started walking the path in silence. "But really, why did Isaac Adler call the three of us here?" Eventually, as the estate began toe into view in the distance, Gia Lestrade suddenly inquired with a look of puzzlement on her face. "What else could it be? Probably some ridiculous mystery again." "... This time it''s different." "Huh?" Watson, sighing while responding to Lestrade, couldn¡¯t help but turn her head towards Holmes when she heard what the genius detective had muttered. "It feels like he''s set on something this time. Something very important." Charlotte''splexion had be even grimmer than when she was on the train. "You''ve seen it too. This area is surrounded by vast and treacherous wastnds as far as the eyes can see. Just one wrong step couldnd you in a marsnd, leading you to an unfortunate end.¡± "So..." "If a murder were to ur, it would certainly be quite the spectacle." Charlotte murmured with a cynical tone, and silence fell once again between the trio. ¡°Besides, there¡¯s something else that¡¯s been bothering me.¡± "What, what is it...?" "Beforeing here, I did a little preliminary research and found a very interesting legend." Amid that silence, Charlotte muttered in a low voice as she gazed intently at the entrance of the estate they had just reached. "The curse of the Baskerville family, rted to the hound of hell." At the very moment those words were spoken, the door of the estate began to slowly open. """...........""" The three women, tense with the ominous atmosphere exuded by the path ahead, widened their eyes upon seeing someone waiting for them at the door. "Please,e in." A grim-looking woman in a butler uniform bowed quietly in greeting. "Excuse me, but where is Isaac Adler?" Gia Lestrade, cautiously eyeing the stranger, quietly asked a question while stepping forward, leaving Charlotte and Watson behind. "We''vee to see him." - Swish... In response to her firm voice, the female butler quietly raised her head and reached into her pocket. "Please, take this." "... Ah, yes." Lestrade watched her action with a sharp re, her hand also reaching into her pocket. However, upon realizing that the female butler was only pulling out a note to hand it over to her, she rxed, epted the note, and began reading its contents. "......." However, that was only for a moment as her expression turned ashen once she read the contents of the note. "What''s the matter?" "Just see for yourself." Charlotte and Watson, looking puzzled behind her, began to read the note handed to them by Lestrade with a nk stare. Sorry. There was no mystery to solve. I just wanted to show you guys my vacation home. ""..........."" And then there was a brief silence¡­ What? You''re not mad? I knew it. You must like me after all. "Would you like toe inside?" After ncing at the absurd message left behind by Adler,plete with a cute doodle of him in his vampire form blushing and winking like a shameless hoodlum, the two women¡¯splexion had turned as ashen as Lestrade¡¯s. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment, in the endlessly sprawling wastnd¡­ "The three women have arrived." "Is that so?" Adler, crossing the dangerous area that even the locals hesitated to enter, replied with a smile at the report from his subordinate. "Then, let them in first." - Grrrrrrr..... In the distance, a being(?) with chilling eyes ¨C that seemed to havee from the very depths of hell ¨C and rough breathing approached Adler with slow steps, drooling with primal /genesisforsaken Chapter 114: The Hound of the Baskervilles (2) Chapter 114: The Hound of the Baskervilles (2) After a thorough discussion regarding whether to chase after Isaac Adler, who seemed to have deceived them intoing to this ce, or to wait for him in this estate¡­ the three women decided on thetter option. "This way, please." """..........""" Therefore, they followed the guidance of the female butler ¨C who had been waiting for them at the door to make their decision ¨C and crossed the entrance path to finally arrive right in front of the Baskerville estate. "The inside is cleaner than I expected." "... Indeed. It looks a bit old and worn down from the outside." Watson and Lestrade muttered, surprised by the unexpectedly neat interior of the estate as they entered through the door opened by the butler. "For a house that has been passed down in the family through several generations, it¡¯s quite well-maintained. Indeed, a noble family is on a tier of their own.¡± ".........""But as far as I know, this estate has been neglected for several years now." Meanwhile, Charlotte Holmes spoke to the butler in a sharp voice. "... Why is it so neatly refurbished then?" As she asked her question with a raised voice, the female butler, who had been bowing her head with the door open, quietly lifted her gaze. "Until recently, it was used as a vacation home." "... Does that mean it will no longer be used as a vacation home?" "Yes." The butler answered in a t tone. "The heir to the estate is expected to return soon." "... I see." Hearing that sinct response, Charlotte nodded quietly and moved forward. "I heard that due to the curse on the estate, the family no longer lives here." ".........." "The heir does not care about such matters, I reckon?" But then Charlotte paused her stride momentarily, turned her head ever so slightly, and questioned her once more. "It''s just baseless superstition." "In a world where superstition and irrationality have be the norm, that''s the least fitting thing to say, isn¡¯t it?" Charlotte responded to the butler''s immediate reply with a low chuckle, her eyes sharp as she scanned the interior of the house and resumed her walk once more. "... I apologize on her behalf." Sighing as she watched Charlotte¡¯s receding back, Watson quietly approached the female butler and whispered. "She''s always been quite sharp. I hope for your understanding." "... There¡¯s no need." The female butler, who replied with a bow, had an expression so gloomy and cold, that Watson, who had offered the apology first, waspletely taken aback. "........." And not just that, the overall atmosphere of the estate that unfolded before them was the same as the butler¡¯s temperament. From the ornaments and paintings that adorned therge estate to the colours of the wallpaper and the lights on the walls. Even the servants and maids, who were quietly bowing their heads behind the female butler, without exception, all exuded a dark and strange aura. "Come on, let''s go inside as well." "Ah, yes..." Overwhelmed by the atmosphere, Watson followed Lestrade with a relieved expression upon hearing her indifferent voice as she led the way forward. ''As long as the inspector is here, nothing will happen...'' She had never envied the inspector''s curse, which easily nullified any supernatural, bizarre, and unordinary forces, as much as she did now. In fact, it might be more appropriate to call it a rather than a curse. However, she kept those thoughts to herself as everyone who possessed a curse had one thing inmon¡ª they all detested their curse down to their very bones, no matter how beneficial the side effects of the curse may be to them. "So, the thing is..." Once all three of thedies had entered the estate''s reception room and sat down, Charlotte was the first to speak up. "Miss Holmes. Perhaps you should restrain yourself for now..." "What is your rtionship with Isaac Adler?" "........." Lestrade, who had tried to interrupt her mid-sentence to avoid further issues, closed her mouth and surreptitiously nced at the butler upon hearing that question. "It''s simply the rtionship between the estate''s caretaker and a guest visiting the vacation home.¡± "Is that so?" As the butler responded in a low voice, Charlotte leaned in quietly with clear interest in her eyes. "A secret lover, or an ex-girlfriend, a hidden fianc¨¦e, or maybe..." "Excuse me, but you¡¯re being quite rude right now.¡± "I apologize." Watson, who quickly grabbed her by the nape of the neck and made her bow in apology, sent a questioning nce to Lestrade next to her as if to say¡ª What are you doing? "... If it''s none of that, could she perhaps be an agent of Professor Moriarty?" "What are you saying, Inspector? Even you should keep your wits about you at a time like this." "Or perhaps the heir is..." "... Sigh." But when even she started muttering those incredulous words with a tense expression on her face, Watson had no choice but to sigh deeply as she shook her head. "Do they both like Isaac Adler that much..." "Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter either way. It''s a bit surprising, but when you think about it, it''s rather the past events up that were odd." Charlotte cut off her muttering and spoke up, crossing her legs. "Let''s put that aside, there¡¯s something I''d like to hear from a particr someone." "Are you addressing me, Charlotte Holmes?" "Do you know me?" "It would be harder to find someone in present-day Britain who doesn''t know about you." The female butler nodded quietly in response, and Charlotte sighed before muttering. "... Sometimes I miss the days when I could walk openly through London and crimes would happen right around the corner like an everyday urrence." "Holmes, you shouldn''t miss those dreadful days." "Watson, you''re quite talkative today, aren¡¯t you?" Then, directing a rather blunt gaze towards Watson, she turned her gaze back to the female butler. "Anyway, I would like to hear the legend rted to the ancestors of this estate." "... As I said earlier, it is merely a baseless superstition." "Rumors and legends don''t just spring up out of nowhere. There must certainly be an event that gave rise to such rumors." Upon hearing her words, the female butler''s gaze darkened ominously. "I suppose detectives these days are keenly interested in investigating matters from 200 years ago, huh¡­" "... Not necessarily." Yet Charlotte Holmes met the butler¡¯s dark gaze with a rxed expression. "There¡¯s a theory I''ve been working on personallytely. The history of this family just seemed about the perfect thing that would help meplete it.¡± "Is that so?" "Would you please tell me about it?" Amid their exchange, a distinctly chilly atmosphere flowed between them. It was at that tense moment when¡­ "... Allow me to take it from there. I will provide you with a satisfactory exnation.¡± A cheerful voice came from behind them. "So would you please stop harassing our dear butler?" With blood dripping from his appearance as if he had been heavily beaten up on the way, Isaac Adler''s entrance caused the eyes of the three women to collectively widen, the emotions in their eyes¡ª indescribable. . . . . . "This time it''s really nothing serious." ""........."" "I just got hit by a carriage on the street. Haha." As Adler cheerfully murmured those words, wrapping the bandage the female butler had brought around his body, the three women gazed at him nkly for a while. "I have many questions and things I want to ask." Charlotte was the first among them to regain herposure and spoke to him in a low voice. "Let''s start with the legend I want to know about." "I didn''t know Miss Holmes was so interested in superstitions and legends." "........." "... Fine. I''ll tell you. Why do you have to look at me so fiercely?" Adler murmured with interest, however, under the chilly stares of Charlotte and Lestrade he chose to give in and proceed with the exnation. "It happened about 200 years ago." Just as he was about to speak, ignoring the dark gaze the female butler was directing at him from the side, - Creeeeak... The sound of a door being opened came from behind them. "What is this, who are you people?" A pale-faced, dignified-looking girl appeared from behind the door, and the room was thus submerged in silence. "Who is thisdy...?" "... This is Miss Helen Baskerville, the heiress of this mission. She has recently returned from Canada.¡± "Ahh..." The three women, who were looking at her with wary eyes, became even more guarded after the female butler''s exnation. "I''m sure I made myself clear." Yet, the girl who had been looking at them with frigid eyes began whispering to the female butler in a cold voice. "I told you to kick that man out by today." "... But, Miss. The residence rights to this estate belong to that gentleman for the next few weeks." "What did you say?" "You may be the heiress, but you have not yet inherited the estate from the master. On the other hand, Mr. Adler has a formal lodging contract with the master already." "Haa..." Hearing those words, she sighed deeply, running her hand through her hair in frustration. "When your so-called vacation is over, leave immediately." "I was nning to do just that, yes." "I don''t want someone like you in this estate for a second longer." With those words, she nced at Adler with a look of unadulterated disgust and stormed out of the room. "... It seems you all might be forgetting something." In front of the three bewildered women came a voice, brimming with faint, noticeable notes of satisfaction. "While it''s true I maintain intimate rtionships with half of London''s women, the other half find me utterly detestable." Having said that, Adler nced towards Gia Lestrade and added, "... Despite the 50% chance, it feels like it''s been a long time since I''ve seen someone like her since Miss Lestrade.¡± After finishing his statement, Adler looked around at the three silent women for a moment. "Anyway, shall we get back to the main topic?" He said in a low tone, the corners of his mouth curling up to form a faint smile, and continued the story he was about to tell. "... It''s a tale from 200 years ago." It was the legend involving the Baskerville family''s curse¡­ a legend¡­ that was about to bring forth devastating repercussions just a few dayster. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment¡­ "Uh, uh..." The current owner of the Baskerville estate, Sir Charles Baskerville, Bar, was stepping backwards with an expression filled with terror. - Grrrrr... "Uh, aah..." As he had encountered a monstrous creature, its eyes glowing fiercely with a bluish tint, while he had briefly stepped out for a stroll along the nearby moonds. "AAAAAAHHHHHH!!" Shortly after, the moonds were stained in the colour of blood and the cacophony of endless bloodcurdling /genesisforsaken Chapter 115: The Hound of the Baskervilles (3) Chapter 115: The Hound of the Baskervilles (3) "Once upon a time, there lived a very, very wickeddy named Helena Baskerville." "... May I consider this an insult to the Baskerville family?" "Uh, well..." As Adler lowered his voice and was about to shift into a theatrical tone, he found himself faced with the female butler¡¯s objections from the get-go. Gazing at the interrupting butler, he silently began scratching his head with a soft sigh. "I apologize, but it is, in fact, a historical fact. It''s a truth that has been cross-verified several times by thoroughly analyzing the old manuscripts of the incident that have been left behind." "For someone who happened toe across our estate as a ce of rest, you seem to know quite a lot about our affairs." "... That I do, yes." And so, Adler, smoothly manoeuvring his way through the butler''s sharp reaction, continued the story. "Anyway, thisdy named Helena Baskerville feared neither God nor man and had a temperament akin to that of a wild beast.""... I will record everything you have said and are going to say, and then report it to thedy." "But one day, this wickeddy fell in love with a farmer''s son." As he tantly ignored the butler''s words and narrowed his eyes, immersing himself in the storytelling, the gazes of three women focused on him. "Of course, it was nothing but an obscene disy of lust¡­ hardly worthy of being called love. And even at that time, thedy''s notoriety was widespread, so much so that the poor young man had no choice but to always avoid her while living in fear. All to escape her marriage proposal." """...........""" "Personally, I can rte all too well with this incident. The empathy I feel is quite strong, in fact." Muttering so, Adler noticed the chilling stares of the three women directed at him and meekly stopped pursuing the meaningless tangent and continued with the story once more. "One day, the inevitable happened. The wickeddy gathered her friends and kidnapped the young man, imprisoning him inside the Baskerville estate." "........" "Imprisoned on the second floor, to be exact, the captive young man could only tremble at the sound of cheers and shouts from thedy and her friends as they celebrated the kidnapping with a feast downstairs." Adler''s expression seemed somewhat disheartened as he murmured those words. "... If you intend to do such a thing to me, I kindly ask you to be gentle." "Before I am actuallypelled to do such a thing, could you please exin the story properly now?" "Understood." However, as Charlotte''s threatening voice, signalling that her patience had reached its limit, was tantly thrown at him, Adler returned to his beaming face as if nothing had happened. "... Anyway, after overhearing how they intended to treat him from their discussion downstairs, the young man made a very brave decision." "What was it?" "He climbed down the ivy branches growing on the southern wall and escaped from the second floor of the estate. Then he began fleeing across the moonds to his father''s house, 14 kilometres away from the estate." Suddenly, Adler changed his expression to a sombre one as he continued the rest of the story. "Meanwhile, the wickeddy realized that her had escaped." """..........""" "Naturally, in a rage, she soon shouted loudly in the following manner¡­" Just moments ago, his voice was full of jest andughter, but now it had transformed into the sweet voice of the young actor that had charmed half the women in London. "... If only I could bring that boy back, I''d sell my soul to the devil tonight! She spoke with sincerity in her furious voice." "... Hmm." "Then she headed to the stables, saddled a horse, and let the hounds catch the scent of the man who had been imprisoned on the second floor." "........" "Not long after, Helena Baskerville and her hounds began to traverse the wilderness under the moonlit night." At that moment of his remarkable performance, Gia Lestrade and Rachel Watson found themselves swallowing dryly, utterly engrossed in the story. It was at that moment when¡­ "... Hold on." All of a sudden, Charlotte Holmes interrupted his immersive storytelling. "The part about crossing the wilderness under the moonlight, that''s not your own addition to this story now, is it, Mr. Adler?" "... No, it is not. You may ask the butler." As she shifted her gaze to the side, the female butler, standing beside her with a face that showed no expressions whatsoever, quietly nodded in acknowledgement. "By the way, why did you ask that all of a sudden?" "It''s nothing." "... Please save your questions until after the story. We''re approaching the highlight." Saying so, Adler cleared his throat and resumed his tale. "Thedy''s friends, having sobered up from their drunken state, saddled up their horses and followed after her. But soon, they witnessed an astonishing scene." A sinister smile yed upon his lips as he spoke those words. "The brave hounds, for some reason, had stopped their pursuit near a valley and huddled together, shivering in fright." "........." "A shepherd they encountered on their way imed in terror that he had seen a woman crossing the wilderness with a hellish dog, its eyes aglow with a chilling blue, just minutes before." That smile, mingled with the ominous atmosphere of the mansion, created a chilling presence that made one¡¯s heart tremble with trepidation. "... That''s where they should have turned their horses." Adler shook his head sadly as if toment their decision. "However, a lingering buzz from the alcohol and the presence of trustypanions spurred them to go further." """..........""" "Trembling, they descended into the valley, and soon they witnessed the most horrific sight of their lives." He then tilted his head and posed a question to thedies before him. "What do you think they saw?" Though the question clearly begged for a response, no one answered. "A poor young man lying dead of exhaustion in a puddle?" ".........." "Or was it Helena Baskerville, for some reason copsed beside him?" He knew the question wasn''t meant to elicit an answer. "Neither, actually¡­" Adler, having engaged in a soul-stirring monologue, leaned toward his audience and whispered with a chilling smile on his face. "... No, what plunged them into terror was a ck, monstrous creature." "A ck... creature." "The creature was perched atop the fallen Helena Baskerville, tearing at her throat." Upon hearing his following words, Rachel Watson shuddered involuntarily. ¡°Shortly after, the beast turned towards the friends with its blue eyes shing in an ominous glow, blood dripping from its teeth, and they screamed at the top of their lungs as they fled the spot then and there.¡± "........." ¡°Rumor has it that one of them died that day, and the others, although they survived, went mad shortly afterwards.¡± "... Why?" To her question, Adler whispered with a wicked grin stretching his lips. "... Since the creature from that day would appear every night at their window, ring at them with its ghastly blue eyes and blood-stained teeth." "That''s not part of the legend." However, as soon as the female butler objected from the side, with her buzzkillment that denied hisst words, Adler couldn¡¯t help but mutter with a sullen expression. "Since then, the Baskerville family has experienced a higher rate of mysterious deaths, eventually leading to their downfall." He soon returned to his usualposed demeanor, finally wrapping up the story regarding the legend of the Baskerville family. "... Until recently, that is, before Sir Charles Baskerville began raising the family back up to its former glory." "Hmm..." "But that curse remains to this day, still threatening the necks of the family members, a rather frightening legend indeed." With that, Isaac Adler finished his performance, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead with a relieved voice. "I went to great lengths to exin, won''t anyone apud?" """..........""" A brief silence drifted through the mansion soon after. "The Bible says that the son shall not be punished for the sins of the father, nor the father would be condemned for the transgressions of the son." The silence was broken by none other than the female butler, who had been standing quietly beside them up until that moment. "Legends are just legends,dies and gentle." "... Have you not considered that it might not be a punishment from God, but from the devil instead?" "Restrain your words, please. The devil was thoroughly eradicated during the Crusades more than 900 years ago." "Yet, we are in a chaotic era where long-forgotten ancient legends are resurfacing, aren''t we? That mysterious hellhound, too, might return to thesends." "... Tsk." As the butler and Adler exchanged cold stares, doubt flickered in the eyes of the rest of the three women. "It''s¡­ quite unexpected for Adler to react like that to a woman." "Indeed." "... Hmm." But before they could delve deeper into this scenario,ing up with an answer to this oddity, Isaac Adler was the first to rise from his seat. "Well, I have no intention of arguing over this matter. Since I''ll be staying here for a few more weeks, I don''t want to create unnecessary trouble." "As soon as thedy inherits the estate, she will throw you out." "... I apologize, but I''ve taken that into ount as well in the agreement I have signed with the current owner. I will leave on my own in a few weeks." Adler responded smoothly to the female butler''s frigid voice, giving her shoulder a light pat and whispering quietly into her ear as he passed her by. "Until then, I will be in your care." Were they imagining things, perhaps? """...........""" Not only the female butler who had been patted on the shoulder by Adler but also all the servants of the mansion who bowed their heads to Adler as he stepped through the door, were silently staring at him with pale and chilling eyes at the moment. "Well, then... we should be going..." "... Since it''s gettingte, why not stay for the night?" As Watson rose from her seat, attempting to bid farewell amid the somewhat awkward and tense atmosphere, the female butler, with an emotionless voice that seemed to have lost any sense of humanity it previously had, made the suggestion without shifting her gaze. "The Baskerville estate is dangerous at night." "..... Pardon?" "If you happen to enter the moonds by mistake, it would be quite troublesome." At the mention, Watson found herself at a loss for words, hesitating on what to do. "... Then, we would be grateful for your hospitality." Charlotte quietly rose from her seat and bowed her head in assent. "Holmes, are you serious?" "........." "Can''t we just go? Being here gives me a really ominous feeling." The corners of her mouth were quietly lifted. "... That''s exactly why it''s good, Watson." Watson, seeing Charlotte''s expression, exhaled a deep sigh ¨C as if wishing the ground would swallow her up ¨C and shook her head. It was an expression that she hadn¡¯t seen on her partner¡¯s face for a long time¨C an expression that was brimming with vitality. It was the kind of look that Charlotte would make only when she was on the precipice of sniffing out an interesting case. "Inspector Lestrade, would it be too much to ask if we could share a room with you?" "... Pardon?" "It''s not that I''m scared or anything... I just have a bad feeling..." Watson then clung to Inspector Lestrade, who was beside her, and began to murmur in a subdued voice. "........" Charlotte watched the scene in silence, before turning her gaze forward. "Interesting." It was only for a fleeting moment, but she still realized that the female butler and servants who had been sending those spine-chilling stares at Adler had also directed that gaze toward her. . . . . . Dawn the next day¡­ "... Holmes." Rachel Watson, who had finally managed to bring Gia Lestrade to her room, turned to her side after tossing and turning in bed and called out to her partner. "What is it?" "No, just... wondering if you''re still up." Charlotte, who had been sitting quietly in the armchair, lost in thought, nced at her with a bored expression. "I didn''t realize that my assistant, who even received a medal in war, would be so frightened by mere horror stories." "I, I''m... not scared of people, but ghosts do scare me..." "... Sigh." "You and Inspector Lestrade are the abnormal ones, you know?" Then, Charlotte sighed at Watson''s whining and shifted her gaze away from her pathetic friend. "... Holmes, tell me a funny story, will you?" "Sure. The curtains in this mansion, aren¡¯t they quite funny?¡± "... What?" Charlotte, prompted by Watson''s apprehensive voice, suddenly smiled and extended her hand forward. "They hang these high-quality ckout curtains by the window. However, during the day they pull them back yet draw them fully at night. Opposite of their intended use. Quite amusing, isn''t it?" Charlotte whispered in a low voice as she gently caressed the curtains. "... Why is that?" "This is just my spection, but..." It was right at that moment, as she was about to reveal the thoughts that had been brewing in her mind when being directed by Watson¡¯s puzzled look and subsequent inquiry that¡­ "Someone, please... help me!!!" ""........!!!" From below the mansion, a terrified scream echoed. "Ba, Baskerville... Lord Baskerville...!!!" "Wh-What''s happening?" "... So, it inevitably came to this, huh.¡± It was only the prelude to the nightmare of the Baskerville /genesisforsaken Chapter 116: The Hound of the Baskervilles (4) Chapter 116: The Hound of the Baskervilles (4) "What''s going on!" "Uh, uh... ah..." The people, led by a just-awakened Gia Lestrade, descended to the first floor of the mansion and were confronted by a maid who had started working there just a few weeks ago. "First, calm down and tell us. What happened to Lady Baskerville?" "No, it''s not that..." "What?" Lestrade, quite ustomed to dealing with such chaos, covered the trembling maid with a coat and asked as she shook her head frantically. "It''s not Miss Helen that''s in trouble..." "...Ah.""It''s... the master of the mansion..." It was then, Lestrade, noticing a pale-faced girl descending the stairs behind her¡ªHelen Baskerville¡ªnarrowed her eyes and asked again. "Is there a problem with the current master of the mansion, Sir Charles Baskerville?" "...Uh." The maid shuddered, as if the thought was too horrifying to recall, falling into a panic. "Madam, you''re safe here. As long as I am here, this ce is secure." "........" "Would you please tell us where the incident urred? You stay here. We''ll go and check it out." Upon Lestrade''s gentle inquiry, the maid, still trembling, began to mumble, pointing beyond the wastnd. "It waste at night, and the master hadn''t returned... I went out with amp to look for him..." "...Yes." "And when I followed the master''s footsteps on the trail..." Her voice was quivering with fear, but Lestrade, persistent, waited for the maid to finish her story. "...At the end of the path, there was the master''s body." The moment those words ended, Lestrade, with a sharper nce than ever before, kicked off from her spot and started to make her way out of the mansion. "Officer, wait!!" "...What are you doing, Watson?" "Ho, Holmes?" Meanwhile, as Watson stood sweating profusely, unsure of what to do, Charlotte quietly passed by her side, following the inspector. "Come on, don''t just stand there." Her eyes were filled with the usual intrigue at the prospect of a new case. "........" But reading the hidden anxiety in her partner''s eyes, Watson briefly lowered her head. "...Oh, forget it." She pulled a pistol from her pocket, squeezed her eyes shut, and began to follow Charlotte. ""........."" The servants, drawn out by themotion, stared at their retreating backs. "Yawn....." Behind them, Isaac Adler, who had just woken up, yawned and spoke up. "...Why is it so noisy?" The lifeless gazes of the servants, excluding the maid, focused on him all at once, and a momentary silence began to fill the mansion. . . . . . Thanks to the drizzle that had been falling since dawn, following Sir Charles Baskerville''s footsteps on the woond path was not a difficult task. "This way." "Be careful not to erase the footprints, Watson." Although it was rather meaningless to say, considering there were two specialists in tracking and investigation present. "Hmm?" Thus, the three women continued to follow the trail of footprints up the path. "Something is strange here." "...What?" But as they reached the ce where the wastnd began to appear, Lestrade started muttering with a furrowed brow. "The footprints seem a bit off." "The footprints?" "It''s as if... they were tiptoeing away." Hearing this, Watson widened her eyes and looked at the path where, indeed, the shape of the footprints had changed as Lestrade had described. "...It''s true." "I don''t understand. Why would someone suddenly start tiptoeing..." "Are you both serious?" As Watson and Gia Lestrade''s expressions filled with doubt, Charlotte''s voice came through, sounding frustrated. "Who would be such a fool to start tiptoeing out of the blue while walking a woond path? Unless it''s Adler caught just before an affair, nobody would do such a thing." "Indeed..." "Then what are these footprints?" Lestrade asked with a dense expression, to which Charlotte replied in a subdued voice. "...They were running." "Excuse me?" "Running with all their might." Her expression had be quite somber. "It''s impossible to know what they were running from in the middle of the night." And silence ensued. ""..........."" Amidst an even heavier atmosphere, the three women began to quicken their pace, whispering to each other. "...Oh." Before long, they reached the end of the woond path where the wastnd stretched out. "This is..." Before themy an eerie scene. "........." Beyond the continuous footprints in the wastndy a man presumed to be Charles Baskerville, copsed. "The chills are real." "Ugh..." Notably, his face was twisted to the point of being unrecognizable. As if he had witnessed something that should not exist in this world. "It seems he really did see something and ran away." Even Lestrade, who had seen her fair share of horrors, couldn''t help but frown at the gruesome sight, but Charlotte Holmes started to approach the body with an intrigued expression as soon as she discovered it. "Look, Watson. He''s clutching the ground with his fingers. Must''ve been consumed by terror." "Aren''t you... aren''t you scared at all?" "Watson, you''ve seen more dead bodies than I have." "That''s not what I mean!" As Charlotte nonchntly spoke and squatted beside the body, Watson, shivering uncontrobly, let out a shriek. "After all the cases we''ve faced together, you''re still such a baby." "This... this isn''t like before, in a dark ce like this, and at least before the criminal was human. But Holmes, this is..." "I''d rather not entertain the idea that the culprit is the legendary hound of the Baskervilles, Watson." However, as Charlotte calmly reassured her and examined the body, Watson took a deep breath and slowly began to regain herposure. "Yes, even in this era... It''s unlikely that a demon extinct for nearly a thousand years would suddenly appear." "This is a clear case of murder." Charlotte quietly drove the point home in response to Watson''s remark. "But, but... Is it possible they were struck by some strange phenomenon?" "Honestly, I think so too. If it were done by a person, the face wouldn''t be so consumed with terror." However, Lestrade, who had been quietly observing the body, quietly voiced a contrary opinion. "Looking at it now, there''s no sign of external trauma on the body. We''ll have to perform an autopsy to know for sure, but at least it doesn''t seem like the victim died from an assault." "........" "Of course, you know as well as I do that this is a characteristicmonly found in bizarre cases." After saying this, Lestrade looked intently at Charlotte, who quietly nodded and got to her feet. "You might well think that. I''m also considering the possibility that it might be the result of some strange phenomenon." "In that case..." "But there are too many things that don''t add up and strange points to consider it so." Then she quietly began to look up at the moon shining faintly in the night sky. "...Hmm." Noticing Charlotte''s vacant expression, Watson realized she had entered her own world of deduction, a sign she was contemting the case, and quietly stepped aside. "I still think it might be some strange phenomenon..." She murmured in a slightly timid voice, scanning the surroundings for any clues she might have missed. "...Hmm?" Watson noticed something twinkling in the distance under the moonlight and tilted her head. - Click... She cocked the pistol she was holding and quietly began to walk. "...Ah." Watson, having reached the spot where something had glittered, began to gape with a stunned expression. "This, this is..." Despite the pitch-ck night, a veryrge paw print was clearly visible on the ground of the rain-swept moor. "Ho, Holmes. Officer. You need toe and see this..." The very moment Watson, who had turned pale and started to step back, called for Holmes and Lestrade, who were still examining the body. - Growl... The low but distinct growl of a beast began to sound right in front of them. "A, aah..." The owner of that growling made its appearance into Watson''s field of vision, who was frozen in ce and sweating coldly. "AAAAHHHHHHH!!!" Watson screamed with all her might and began to fire her gun frantically in front of her. "What, what...!" "Watson...?" In that sudden situation, Lestrade and Charlotte, turning their gaze in her direction, witnessed the most terrifying sight they had ever encountered. - Growl... The massive creature, which Watson had mistaken for something glittering in the moonlight, was now dodging the gunfire and disappearing into the darkness with its cold, gleaming eyes. """............""" As the creaturepletely vanished into the dark, a profound silence descended upon the night moor. . . . . . - Tzzzzzz... How much time had passed? - Growl... "Hmm." Surprisingly, the unidentified monstrous creature that had hidden in the darkness reappeared next to Isaac Adler, who had returned to his room after evading the servants'' notice. - Growl... "..........." Still exuding a terrifying aura with its icy re and sharp fangs, Adler merely gazed calmly at the creature for some reason. - Swish... "Well done." A momentter, as Adler reached out his hand with a smile, an unbelievable scene began to unfold. "But, I was just wondering..." The creature, which had quietly epted Adler''s gentle stroking on its head,y down, exposing its belly and started wagging its tail. "You''re a female, aren''t you?" - Woof? As a naive sound,pletely out of ce with its current form, came from the creature''s mouth, Adler, who had asked the question with a skeptical expression, let a smirk spread across his lips. "...This is really crazy." - Pant, /genesisforsaken Chapter 117: The Hound of the Baskervilles (5) Chapter 117: The Hound of the Baskervilles (5) The day after a horrific incident struck Baskerville Hall, sending tremors of fear across all of Ennd. - Shivering relentlessly... "Miss Watson." "...Aaaaahhh!?" As Watson, wrapped in a nket on the mansion''s lobby sofa, shuddered, she screamed and convulsed when someone tapped her shoulder. "Why do you get so startled, making a scene...?" "I-I was just taken aback!" Adler, staring nkly at her response, muttered as he scratched his head, prompting Watson to sigh deeply and chide him. "Come here and sit down.""...Why?" "Don''t talk back, just hurry up." As she fiercely red at Adler, tapping the seat next to her, he tilted his head in puzzlement before quietly sitting beside her. - Click... At that moment, Watson''s gun pointed at Adler''s side. "What are you doing now?" "Did you orchestrate this incident?" By now, Adler, ustomed to having a gun or knife pressed against him, asked with a smile, to which Watson coldly threw her question. "Who? Me? "Don''t y dumb." "I truly don''t know. I just came to rest here before the academy''s vacation ends." "Haa..." However, as Adler tried to deflect her interrogation with a sly tone, Watson quietly sighed and leaned closer to him. "The bullets in my gun are silver." "...Eek." "You better speak the truth before I put a hole in your side." Her voice dropped to a whisper, and Adler began to sweat profusely, trembling. "Please save me..." "Speak up if you want to live, you damned vampire male..." "...I didn''t tell Miss Watson." Yet Adler soon whispered back with a teasing stick out of his tongue. "...Holmes?" Following his gaze, Watson turned her head and, finding her partner with a weary expression from a night of investigation, widened her eyes in surprise. "Where have you been until now?" "I''ve been searching the moors with Inspector Lestrade." "...Both of you are out of your minds. To wander the moors fearlessly after witnessing such a dreadful scene." With her spirited reply, Watson shook her head in disbelief and red back at Adler. "Listen. Holmes, whom you''re so fond of, is troubled by the legend of the Baskerville family." "I''ve never heard of such a thing." "And yet, instead of confessing, you''re denying it?" "Watson, it''s not like that." But Charlotte muttered irritably from behind, staggering towards the firece. - Dripping audibly... Then she picked up the kettle beside her, tilting her head back to gulp down the coffee inside. "Holmes, I told you not to do that." "...Is she always like this?" "Only when there''s a case. She''ll probably chain-smoke cigarettes after this." Adler, watching her odd behavior, heard those words and walked toward Charlotte, who was fumbling in her pockets. "Hey, my story isn''t over yet..." "Ms. Holmes, it''s time you quit the habit of smoking when things aren''t going well with a case." Then, Adler, ignoring Watson who had risen to her feet with a pistol in hand, snatched the cigarette that Charlotte had pulled out. "Surely you''re not going to im that it''s a healthy herb this time?" "...I''m not in the mood for jokes." Charlotte, with a grim look in her eyes, pressed her finger under her eyes where dark circles had formed and muttered. "I had a rough idea of what was going to happen, and everything was falling into ce until this interference, which is quite displeasing." "Hmm, interference, you say?" "....Surely you''re not asking because you don''t know, Mr. Adler?" Then, she took a step closer to Adler, squinting her eyes quietly. "Are you aware that a scent different from your usual sweet smell is emanating strongly from your body?" "Could it be Ms. Holmes is also in heat....." At Charlotte''s words, Adler, who was about to retort without thinking, soon realizes his slip of the tongue and quietly shuts his mouth. "...I''ll let thatment pass. It''s not entirely incorrect, after all." "Excuse me?" "The important thing is that your body is giving off the scent of a beast, Mr. Adler." Charlotte then buried her head in Adler''s chest, inhaling his scent and whispering. "How do you n to exin this?" "...It seems you''ve be so sensitive that you''re mistaken." "The closer I smell, the more certain it bes. Especially since you''ve tried to cover it up with perfume or something." "...Could it be that Ms. Holmes also believes in the existence of that demonic hound?" Adler, with his hand on her shoulder as she continued to sniff his scent on tiptoe, whispers in a soft voice. "If that''s the case, you should see this first." Simultaneously, Adler pulls something out from within his clothes. "...This is." Charlotte tilts her head quietly as she sees the red cat hanging limply in Adler''s hand. "As you know, it''s my pet." "Meow, meow~" "See?" As Adler gently strokes the cat''s belly and gives a hint, the awkward meowing continues to emanate from the creature. "I hugged this little one all day yesterday, so it''s only natural that the scent of a beast would cling to my body." "Is that how you''re going to y it?" "...Yes?" "Never mind." Charlotte Holmes, after looking down at Adler for a moment, turns away with a cold expression. "Not even ying around." "........." "I thought you might be making a proposal, so I came, but I really don''t understand what this is all about." After muttering to herself, Charlotte leaves the mansion, and a moment of silence begins to flow. "Tsk, tsk..." ".........?" "Are you pretending not to know, or do you really not understand?" Amidst the silence, Watson nces at Adler with a cold murmur. "What is it?" "...Can''t you see that Holmes is quite upset with you?" Adler quietly smiles bitterly upon hearing that. "I briefly saw her in the early morning, diligently nning for childcare..." "...Oh, don''t worry about that." Then, Adler quietly begins to ascend the stairs. "The reason I called you all here was to find the answer to that." ".....What do you mean?" "By the time this case concludes, I should be able to provide an answer to both Ms. Holmes and Ms. Lestrade." He finishes his sentence and, as he reaches for his room''s doorknob, he adds in a low voice. "...Perhaps, to you as well." Watson''s expression fills with suspicion at his meaningful statement, but Adler had already entered his room. . . . . . "Sigh..." Having entered his assigned room, Adler exhales a sigh and sits down on the bed. "...Professor." After a moment, he quietly scratches his head and opens his mouth. - Mr. Adler. "What is it that you called me so early in the morning for?" Professor Moriarty, who had almost forcibly established a direct line ofmunication with Adler, conveyed her voiceced withughter. - What other reason would a criminal consultant have to contact me so suddenly? "...By any chance, have you been watching everything?" - You''ve even started to charm a puppy now. "Ha ha..." Adler lets out an awkward smile at her matter-of-fact statement. "...If you keep this up, I might just get offended." - That would be troublesome. "Please announce yourself before spying next time." - However, that''s not what''s important right now. As he attempts to gently chide the professor with a slightly serious voice, she quickly shifts the conversation elsewhere. - It''s about the n you''re devising, there''s a very important key missing. "Yes?" - It''s your real identity. Adler''s eyes widen at her words. - Even when you went there, I thought my assistant had finally realized his true identity. "........" - But seeing your actions, it seems that''s not the case. The now familiar even-toned voice of the professor reaches his ears. - Did the new pet you''ve started keeping in the basement of the hideout give you any hints? "...Ah." - Mr. Adler, but be careful. It''s necessary to firmly consider who is in the position of being kept. Despite the distance, her statements piercing through everything, Adler nods slightly dejected. - Remember this. As long as you don''t realize your own identity, you''ll never win against Charlotte Holmes in that case. "...Yes." - The hint is surprisingly close, so do make an effort, Mr. Adler. Professor Moriarty whispers to him in a very gentle voice. - And try to keep those irresistible actions in check. With that sincere piece of advice, she quietly ends themunication. "........." And then the silence begins to fill the room. "My real identity..." In that silence, pondering about the ''real identity'' that both Mycrony Holmes and Professor Moriarty mentioned, Adler''s eyes catch something suspicious. "...Hmm?" On a small table in the corner of the room, there lies a letter that wasn''t there a few hours ago. "This is..." Filled with curiosity, Adler picks up the letter, and his face slowly contorts. [If you value your life and purity, leave the wilderness immediately.] "What the hell..." It was a threatening letter, made of cut-out printed letters. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that very moment. "......." A girl with ck, bushy hair was gazing intently at Isaac Adler, who was reflected in the mansion''s window, from within the brush of the forest. - Swoosh... Then, in the blink of an eye, she, now enveloped in darkness, astonishingly transformed into the shape of a ck, monstrous creature and vanished towards the /genesisforsaken Chapter 118: The Hound of the Baskervilles (6) Chapter 118: The Hound of the Baskervilles (6) "Miss Holmes." "........" "I''m scared..." A few minutes after Isaac Adler found a threatening message inside his room, "Should I leave the estate right now?" "........." "I¡¯m feeling so anxious that I think I¡¯ll go insane at this rate. Miss Watson, could you pour me a brandy, perhaps...?" "... Would you please shut up already." Charlotte Holmes, who hade to Adler''s room along with Gia Lestrade and Rachel Watson upon Adler''s call to examine the letter, finally had enough of Adler¡¯s fidgeting and whining and sharply whispered those words."........" "Oh dear. A threatening letter, isn''t that serious?" As Adler wilted with a downcast expression, a new voice spoke up from the side. "If you stay here after receiving such a dreadful thing, won¡¯t it be really dangerous for you?" "........" "So, why not get the hell out of this pl¡­ I mean, evacuate from this ce then?¡± Helen Baskerville, the heir of the mansion, who was passing by with her hands behind her back, was pressuring Adler with a voice much sharper than it had been a few days ago. "Ah, Miss Helen. I''m very sorry to hear about your rtive..." "I have no desire to hear from you the same words that have been repeated dozens of times to me this morning already. So, what do you think of my opinion?" "... Of course, it''s frightening, but leaving like this would feel even more unsettling." Reading the subtlety in her tone, Isaac Adler began a tense exchange of words with her, his voiceced with a touch ofughter. "It seems I must find out who dislikes my stay in this mansion enough to engage in such nasty and childish antics before I can leave with a clear conscience." "... What you''re saying seems to imply suspicion towards me, doesn''t it?" "Oh, did it sound that way to you?" As unusual as it was, Adler was actually confronting a woman, which left Watson and Lestrade with puzzled expressions. "... Don''t worry, Mr. Adler." Amidst the increasingly chilly atmosphere, Charlotte Holmes, after scrutinizing the letter for a moment, ced it on the desk and began to speak. "That letter, it''s not addressed to you." "... What?" "What do you mean, Holmes?" With both Lestrade and Watson looking more perplexed than Adler, Charlotte quietly tapped the desk and began to exin. "If the letter simply said treasure your life, I too would have guessed it was for Adler." "But, what then?" "However, the letter states, life and purity, doesn''t it?" Watson and Lestrade started nodding as if they had realized something upon hearing Charlotte¡¯s reply. "In London, no, in all of Britain, if you had to name the person for whom purity is the most meaningless, eight out of ten would cast their vote for Isaac Adler." "That''s harsh..." "Of course, it might be a code only Isaac Adler could decipher. But if that were the case, he wouldn''t have brought it to us in the first ce, given his nature." Despite Adler''s glum protest, Charlotte continued her deduction, paying him no heed. "Then, to whom does this letter really address?" "That should be obvious." Quietly, Charlotte turned her gaze, responding to a question from Helen Baskerville who had been listening intently to her all along. "The recipient of this letter is, in fact, you." "... Me?" "It''s you who received the threatening letter." A silence crept into Isaac Adler''s room for a brief moment at her deration. "Miss Helen, who was originally supposed to stay in this room?" "... Yes. It was arranged for me to stay here, but my uncle, Sir Charles, took it upon himself to change that arrangement." "I suspected as much." Charlotte Holmes gazed down at the letter amidst the silence, her lips curling subtly at being right. "The sender of the letter was unaware of that fact and secretly delivered the letter. Thus, inadvertently causing Mr. Adler to be frightened." "But who, and why...?" "As I am not the one who sent it, I''m afraid I don''t know the details." She then turned to Helen and began to speak. "The letter''s recipient is well-educated, subscribes to The Times, and is quite close to you but is not a member of this household. That''s all I can deduce." "... How can you know all that?" "It''s a simple deduction, really." Charlotte, with a very subtle satisfied expression on her face, began to exin, responding to Helen''s startled reaction. "To my eyes, the neat 9-point typeface of The Times and the writing of a cheap weekly paper appear considerably different. It''s actually basic knowledge for a crime expert, you see." "Ah..." "And although the name is smeared to avoid detection, the fact that they are subscribed to The Times means that they are highly educated. Furthermore, it''s from someone intimate enough to know you were supposed to stay in this room." "........." "However, it doesn''t seem to be someone from this household. They were unaware that Adler took over the room instead of you." Charlotte, having finished her exnation, then posed a question to Helen, who was staring back at her with a stunned expression. "Doesn''t this narrow down the possibilities quite a bit?" "........." "You must have at least one person in mind who fits the bill, don''t you?" Then, Helen Baskerville, with a pale face, quietly nodded her head. "There is¡­ one person, indeed." "That makes it simple, then. If we rummage through the garbage bin at that person''s home and find scraps of typeface that have been clipped out, that will be the end of it." Charlotte, rising to her feet immediately, urged Helen with a nce. "What are you waiting for? Why aren''t you leading the way?" "... Amazing, Miss Holmes~" "... Quiet." Her voice was unusually icy, in response to Isaac Adler''s teasing voiceing from behind her. "I know for a fact that you knew from the beginning that the letter wasn''t meant for you." "... I''m not quite sure what you''re talking about." "Hmph." As Adler feigned ignorance, tilting his head to the very end, Charlotte, casting a side nce at him, murmured while starting to walk alongside the now-standing Helen Baskerville. "... Why do I keep feeling that you''re somehow dying things?" "........." "Well, for now, I''ll y along with your rhythm." She sighed, standing by the doorway, about to finish her words, "After this case is over, will you take responsibility for your actions...?" "Let''s go together." However, Adler, who had quietly approached right behind her, interjected with a bright smile and a whisper, causing Charlotte''s expression to sour rapidly. "... I wasn''t going to say this, but frankly, you''re one of the prime suspects in this case. And yet you still insist on meddling?" "Ehehe." Adler, sliding his fingers to interlock with hers, beamed at her with a carefree smile. "That''s not the kind of situation you can smile your way out of, you know?" But a few minutester, Charlotte found herself walking across the moor, hand in hand with Adler, her head bowed deeply. "... You''ve been swayed though, haven''t you?" "Shut up." . . . . . "Excuse me..." ".........." "I have a question." Helen Baskerville, leading Adler and Charlotte who were awkwardly holding hands, couldn''t hold back any longer and asked them a question. "... Are you two in a romantic rtionship?" "The reason I''m apanying Isaac Adler is not for such a foolish reason. It''s purely to keep an eye on one of the prime suspects..." - Click... "... Uh." Charlotte Holmes, who had immediately responded with a cold voice to that question, was interrupted by Adler, who suddenly kissed her on the neck, causing her words to halt. "It seems the recent rumors spreading across Ennd were true..." "No, my girlfriend is Gia Lestrade, you know?" "... Are you talking about the person who, despite being overwhelmed by Miss Holmes'' eloquence, ended up guarding a mansion that didn''t need defending?" "That''s right." Observing this, Helen Baskerville muttered quietly to herself, casting a contemptuous look at Adler who spoke with a carefree voice. "Scumbag." "... Haha." "I despise your kind the most in this world." Adler then looked at her with mismatched eyes, one ck and the other grey, while forcing out an awkward smile. "......." Helen, clicking her tongue at the sight, noticed that Charlotte, who was coldly ring at Adler, had eyes tinted with gold. "... Why do you like such trash?" "Excuse me, I can hear everything, you know¡­?" After staring nkly for a while, she cautiously approached Charlotte and asked her a question. "Trash can be recycled." "... I''ve heard that human trash can''t be recycled though." "That''s because it''s not human." "Ah." Enlightened by Charlotte''s ambiguous answer, Helen quietly nodded and moved on ahead. "Everyone actually likes me..." "... Please just shut up." "......." And so, they climbed the deste moor in silence for a while. "... Here we are." After a while, as a cabin stood still in the middle of the moor came into view, Helen Baskerville pointed ahead and spoke up. "Although I can hardly believe that person would send me such a message, the only one who fits Miss Holmes''s deduction is that person." "Who resides in that cabin over there?" "Julia Stapleton. An entomologist and educator, she was closely associated with my uncle. Of course, we were also good friends." Hearing this, Charlotte quietly tilted her head, pondering. "... Is there something wrong?" "No, let''s go inside first." But soon after, she sighed quietly, stepped forward, and began knocking on the door of the mansion. "Is anyone home? Miss Stapleton?" Yet, for some reason, the owner of the mansion remained silent. "... It appears Miss Stapleton may have very poor hearing." "I don¡¯t think so? She didn''t seem to have poor hearing..." "... Shall I give it a try?" Just as Charlotte quietly grumbled and Helen looked on bewildered, suspecting something was amiss. "... Miss Holmes." It was then that Adler, who had turned toward a window at the side, quietly cracked a smile and spoke. "You might want toe over here." At his words, both Charlotte and Helen Baskerville moved quietly to the side, their faces hardening. "........" "Miss¡­ Miss Stapleton..." The prime suspect who had sent the letter, Julia Stapleton,y copsed on the blood-soaked floor, her body growing cold. "... This mystery is quite peculiar, isn''t it?" As Charlotte stared silently at the scene, Isaac Adler whispered to her in a low voice. "I''m not sure what you''re ying at." To his whisper, Charlotte Holmes responded with a voice as sharp as she could muster. "... Was the reason you tried to divert my attention with a clone, because of this?" "Ah, you caught me." The moment those words ended, Adler, who had mumbled with an innocent voice beside her, vanished into thin air with a puff of smoke. "Inspector Lestrade." Amidst the smoke, Charlotte Holmes let out a quiet sigh and began giving instructions to Lestrade, whom she had secretly had on standby without Adler''s knowledge. "Arrest Isaac Adler on suspicion of murder, immediately." . . . . . Meanwhile, at that same moment. Warning! ¨C Probability of being detained ¡ª 100% Should I say congrattions? "Indeed, you have already noticed." Not far from Stapleton''s mansion, in the deste wilderness, Isaac Adler, having retracted his doppelg?nger, muttered in a dejected tone. "... Looks like I''m really facing imprisonment this time, huh." "... Huh?" In front of Adler, a girl with messy ck hair who had been having her head stroked quietly tilted her head, looking up at /genesisforsaken Chapter 119: The Hound of the Baskervilles (7) Chapter 119: The Hound of the Baskervilles (7) From the moment I realised that the doppelg?nger I had attached to Charlotte Holmes had been discovered, I hurriedly attempted to escape the moors and hide my presence. "Isaac Adler." "...... Hmm." However, it seemed that it was no easy task to flee from Gia Lestrade, dubbed as a veritable genius when ites to arresting criminals. "What''s the matter, Miss Lestrade?" "Come slowly with your hands up. If you surrender willingly, I will not resort to violence." "Are you nning to kidnap me?" "If you won''te, then I will just have toe." "That''s quite a scandalous statement you made there.""... Sorry, but I''m not in the mood for your jokes." Despite my attempt to lighten the mood with a joke, Lestrade, with a firm expression, began to walk towards me slowly. ¡­ I have no choice then. Of course, there was ast resort that I could use to get out of this situation. However, using it would only incur Lestrade''s disdain. However, it would be extremely foolish of me to not use it at this critical juncture, just because of that reason alone. "Stop right there." "......?" As I finished my judgment and whispered in a low voice, Lestrade flinched for a moment and then abruptly stopped in her tracks. "What are you trying to do?" "... Heh." I looked at her, frozen in ce like a statue, with a smile tinged with amusement. Cautiously, I walked over toward her and began poking her sides with my finger. "Ah." "... Inspector, have you perhaps forgotten the golden seal engraved on your lower abdomen the day we first made our contract?" Eventually, as I stroked her lower abdomen, Lestrade, who had been looking at me with slight disdain, snarled at me in a cold voice, "I thought it was merely a mark of victory, a stain representing your vile taste." "That''s partly true. However, it also contains a powerful binding magic that makes you an absolute ve to mymands." "... Is that so?" The look in her eyes as she asked that question was several times colder than the look she gave me on the day we first met. "Was that strange confidence you showed every time you gave me orders because of this mark here?" "Of course. How else could I possibly defeat you if not for that mark?" "... Hmm." "Well, I¡¯ll be on my way now. Please tell Miss Holmes that I have some business to attend to and that we''ll meetter..." Although her gaze was frightening, I had matters I needed to attend to with utmost urgency. So, while gently caressing her seal, I gave themand to her. - Swish... "... Huh?" Looking at me silently for a while, she took handcuffs out of her pocket and started to cuff my wrists, making me look at her with a slight hint of panic. "This¡­?" "I am cing you under emergency arrest on suspicion of the murder of Julia Stapleton." What had happened here? "Inspector? I told you to go back." Even after touching the seal and giving orders, why was it ineffective? "... Mr. Adler, I am cursed with an anomaly that neutralizes all abnormalities, oddities, and supernatural phenomena I encounter." "Ah..." "As a result, I can''t even handle mana, let alone mana-based weapons or various convenient magical items. After decades of training, I''ve managed to handle a faint trace of aura, but that''s about it." I was momentarily engulfed in doubt, but upon hearing her words, I finally understood the situation. "However, thanks to that same curse, no oddity, anomaly, or supernatural abilities can affect me. Not even that despicable method you used to get half of London''s women on your side." "... Then, the reason you signed my absurd contract without any doubts was?" "That is... um..." As I asked with a look of disbelief, Lestrade began to stumble over her words. "... It was deliberate." "Was it, really?" "After all, I don''t need to pay attention to such things." Then, she quickly admitted the truth. "Why then did you hate it so much when the seal was imprinted, and why did you obediently follow my orders?" "... I took it as a threat, thinking that if I disobeyed at that juncture, you would show everyone that indelible ve tattoo you had etched on my stomach." "Ah..." I silently nodded in understanding, feeling a cold sweat running down my forehead. This was serious; I could end up truly imprisoned at this rate. "Anyway, the conclusion is, you can''t stop me as I am currently fulfilling my role as an inspector, Isaac Adler." "........" "It might have been different if that unruly brat or the red cat had been with you." The red cat was, in fact, wriggling in my arms. The problem was that I had been using my strength elsewhere, drawing upon even the Princess''s power to aplish that¡­ thus reducing her to the level of a real pet cat. And unless I was at full power, facing a fully prepared Inspector Lestrade would be futile. "... Shall we get married?" "Right now, I''m performing my duties as an inspector of the London Metropolitan Police." I tried to smile, desperately trying to make ast-ditch effort to get out of this situation. However, I was only met with her immediate, firm answer. "So do not attempt to beguile me." "... Once I''m out, I guess I''ll have to marry Charlotte." Yet, without letting go of hope, I sighed and muttered to myself, and for an instant, I saw a look of contemtion cross the inspector''s face. Could there possibly be a chance? Do you not understand the meaning of 100%? But my vain hope was shattered along with the piercing rebuke from the system that appeared before me. - Smack! My head was struck by Inspector Gia Lestrade''s police-issued baton, piercing through the system screen. "... Ugh." A short epitaph shed before my eyes, Isaac Adler, crushed by his own karma. And with that, I lost consciousness. . . . . . "... Uh." "You''re awake." "Hagh." Isaac Adler felt a throbbing pain in his head as he opened his eyes again. As soon as he did, he couldn¡¯t help but gasp in surprise at what he saw. It had been less than a second since he opened his eyes, and the figure he faced was none other than Charlotte Holmes, who sat expressionless on his knees. "Ah..." Adler, looking up at her with a dazed expression, soon realized that he was tied tightly to a chair in an unknown ce. "Miss Holmes." "........" "Let''s get married." As he proposed with an awkward smile, Charlotte, looking down at Adler, gave him a frigid smile in return. "I''ll take care of all the housework, can''t you just consider it once?" "Do you know?" Then, she leaned close to Adler''s ear and whispered in a low voice. "I have the power to change your punishment to indefinite house arrest." "... Ahh" "I don''t know what you''re thinking, but I can do it without the help of my foolish sister, who''s dressed as a maid and staying in the basement of your hideout right now." Adler, momentarily stunned at her terrifying statement, quickly began to retort. "Come to think of it, Inspector Lestrade didn''t inform me of the Miranda principle." "The Miranda principle? What''s that?" "Well, that means... I wasn''t sufficiently informed of my legal rights when I was arrested. That''s a vition of British criminalw." "... You always have a way with words." Adler, who had brought up a debate that would ur decadester on another continent, looked at Charlotte with sparkling eyes as if acknowledging the fact. "Then release me, please. I want to appoint awyer..." "But, that doesn''t really matter." However, Charlotte quietly shook her head. "I know you''re not the culprit." "What?" "I just wanted to make sure you couldn''t interfere with solving this case any further." Adler, staring at her for a moment, quietly lifted the corners of his mouth. "Interfere, what are you talking about..." "Stay here quietly until I finish solving the case." "What, you''re just going to leave me like this?" As Charlotte began to prepare to leave, Adler showed a visibly disappointed expression. "... I should report Isaac Adler missing." "What?" But the answer that came after a moment was enough to send chills down his spine. "I''m joking." "By the way... where is this? It''s Baskerville Estate, right?" "......." "... Miss Holmes?" . . . . . "Miss Holmes... it''s not funny anymore..." It had been a while since Charlotte Holmes quietly left the room. "Please untie me now~" - Tszszszsz... "I''ll marry you~" Still bound to the chair, Adler cried out in a slightly pitiful voice, when suddenly, he turned his gaze towards a strange sound that began to fill the room. "... Grrrr." There, on the floor, crouched low, was a bizarre creature emitting a sinister growling sound. "Good, good boy." ".........." "... Come here." Adler, sweating slightly, whispered with a trembling smile, and the creature slowly began to move forward. - Pounce... Before long, the creature had jumped from the floor onto Adler''s knee and began to stare intently at him. - Lick, lick... "You know, I''ve been thinking for a while, looking at you..." As the creature quietly began to lick his face, Adler, momentarily stunned, opened his mouth with a look of disbelief. "Could it be, my true identity is..." - Creak... The door, which had been firmly closed, suddenly opened at that very moment. ".... The inspector and the detective said I should cooperate with keeping you tied up and confined in the basement of the estate." Momentster, a high-pitched voice echoed in the room. "What on earth is going on?" "Well." Adler, having anticipated who was behind the obscured face, stood up quietly and began to speak. "... Perhaps it''s because I''ve been made to wear the me for the crimes youmitted?" The bindings that had been tightly securing him were already loosened, and the strange creature that had been perched on his knee, licking his cheek, was nowhere to be found. "What exactly are you...?" "Who am I?" Shortly after, the trembling voice of the true culprit came from in front, and Adler, with a finger on his lips, whispered in a low voice. "... A cute criminal consultant." "What?" "It looks like a crime is about to be uncovered, do you perhaps require the help of a professional like me?" It was at that very moment when an unexpected storm began to brew over the Baskerville /genesisforsaken Chapter 120: The Hound of the Baskervilles (8) Chapter 120: The Hound of the Baskervilles (8) - Ssshhh... "............" Charlotte Holmes, who had been watching the storm sweep over the Baskerville estate from the window in utter silence, suddenly turned her gaze to the side. "Has there been any contact from the police station?" "... Due to the sudden storm, it seems it will take some time for the investigative team to arrive." "Have you heard any estimate on when they would be able to arrive?" "At the earliest, tomorrow evening, I¡¯m afraid. They mentioned that the bridge leading to this area has been flooded, rendering it unusable temporarily." Gia Lestrade, having hung her wet police hat on a coat rack, reported the situation to Charlotte in a concise manner. "Sounds like a typical situation.""... But, there''s something more important than that right now." Charlotte continued to mutter to herself, meanwhile, Lestrade, who had momentarily tilted her head to the side, suddenly held out something that she had been clutching in her hands all this time. "This is..." "I''ve just been to the basement where Isaac Adler is locked up, and this sole note was left there in the empty room." A doodle of Adler, baring fangs while posing like an angry cat, was drawn squarely in the middle of the note. "... Sigh." Charlotte looked down at the childish note silently for a moment, then sighed deeply while shaking her head. "That''s Adler for you." "... Should we just let him go?" "Diverting my attention is Adler''s aim. So let''s postpone giving him a thrashing and focus on the case at hand." "Well, I agree with your opinion, but... is there really a need to focus on this case anymore?" Lestrade, staring at her, asked with a perplexed gaze. "What are you talking about?" "Hasn''t the case been solved already?" Charlotte began to stare intently at the clueless Inspector. "What are you saying?" "Weren''t you the one who said to arrest Isaac Adler on suspicion of murder..." "That was a lie to borrow the force of the police." "Pardon?" "Isaac Adler is not the perpetrator of this case." As Charlotte stepped forward, leaving a bewildered Lestrade behind, she quietly bit her nails and murmured in a low voice. "I don¡¯t understand just whatpelled him to behave like this, but he¡¯s been continuously meddling and obstructing the investigation process of this case¡­¡± "Then... who exactly is the culprit?" "... Who do you think?" Charlotte nced at her and threw the question back at her in an inquisitive tone. "Hmm... If Adler isn''t the culprit, then it has to be that being." Lestrade, after a moment of thought, opened her mouth with her eyes shing intensely as though she had found the correct answer. "... The demonic hound. I''m talking about that monstrous creature we saw at dawn." "I knew you would give that answer, Inspector." "So, you''re saying it''s not? Of course, I, myself, didn''t believe it when I first heard about the legend. But you saw it with your own two eyes that day, didn''t you?" At those words, Charlotte quietly closed her mouth and then turned her gaze toward Lestrade. "The Baskerville family''s demonic hound does exist, Miss Holmes." "........" "I felt for certain that my curse reacted to that monstrous being that day. It''s not just a mere giant hunting dog or wolf, I¡¯m sure of it." "... It seems you are misunderstanding something." With a serious expression, she began to exin to Inspector Lestrade, who wasying out her thoughts, sighing deeply. "I never said that the demonic hound doesn''t exist, nor that it''s not a mysterious creature of supernatural origins." "Then...?" "I merely argued that it wasn''t the culprit in this case." At those words, the inspector began to tilt her head quizzically with a slightly dull expression. "While I do detest needless supernatural elements creeping into a case, I''m not so foolish as to deny what I''ve seen with my own eyes." "........." "Rather, it''s precisely because I witnessed it myself that I can be so certain the hound isn''t the culprit in this case." However, as Lestrade still wore a puzzled look, Charlotte narrowed her eyes and whispered to exin her reasoning further. "Even you saw the bloody scene and the gleaming eyes of the dog, Inspector. Are you still unable to piece it together?" "Ah...! Now that I think of it...!" Lestrade, finally hitting upon some sort of realization, pped her knee with her hand. "That demonic dog''s face had no blood on it..." "Exactly. Isn''t that strange? In a crime scene drenched in blood, the demonic hound, which has nothing but sharp teeth and ws on it, was without a single drop of blood." "But, but it was raining at the time, wasn''t it?" "The meagre drizzle back then was nothing like the downpour we¡¯re experiencing now; it wasn''t even enough to necessitate the use of an umbre. It would hardly wash away blood soaked deeply into an animal''s fur." "Certainly, you do have a point there..." Lestrade, gaining a deeper understanding of the case from Charlotte''s exnation, nodded her head. But then, she suddenly asked with a stern face. "But if it truly wasn''t the monstrous creature, then who on earth killed Mrs Stapleton?" Charlotte fell silent for a moment after hearing her questionced with a hint of frustration. "Ande to think of it, weren''t there sharp teeth marks and scratch wounds that could only be left by ws on thedy''s neck and arms? There was even grey fur scattered about on the floor." "Indeed. Initially, even Watson, who was in denial, had to face reality when she found the anomalies during the autopsy and ended up holing herself under the covers." "ording to her findings, those wounds could not easily be faked by a human. If it wasn''t the demonic hound we saw back then, what other being could have left such marks?" Charlotte quietly mulled over Lestrade''s point, then started hastening her steps out of the blue. "... Miss Holmes?" "I was just about to show you the answer." Compelled by the confidence in her voice, Lestrade quietly followed her, however, there was still an expression of doubt lingering on her face. "Honestly, if it weren''t for those moments of brilliance you''ve shown right before my eyes on several asions, I might not have been able to trust you, Miss Holmes." "It seems to me that you still don''t trust me though." "Well, I''ve already been embarrassed enough by doubting you once or twice and learned my lesson. I''ll trust you." At her words, Charlotte showed an uncharacteristic shy smile, then cleared her throat softly as she halted her steps. "This is..." "The estate''s dining room. The servants are likely inside, busily preparing the room for breakfast." Saying so Charlotte opened the door leading to the dining room of the estate. "".........."" In the next moment, the young servants who were busily preparing the meal inside began staring at Charlotte and Lestrade with their exceedingly pale faces. "So, what are you trying to do here...?" - Swoosh... As Lestrade furrowed her brows at that unpleasant sight and posed a question, Charlotte reached into her pocket and pulled something out at that very moment. "Gasp¡­" With an indifferent expression, she threw something into the middle of the dining room, drawing the young servants'' attention upwards as they gazed at the object. - Boom...! Immediately after, a sizable explosion erupted in the dining room. "Is, is it something dangerous...?" Startled by the sudden unexpected event, a quizzical look soon appeared on Lestrade''s face as she assumed a defensive posture. - Ssssss... Although something had indeed exploded powerfully in the centre of the dining room, it was merely silver dust sparkling as it dispersed in all directions. "What is this even¡­?" "It''s an AOE anti-Adler bomb." Charlotte''s calm exnation flew into Lestrade''s ears as she looked on with a dazed expression on her face. "It''s a device that disperses a fog of finely powdered refined silver in every direction. I invented it myself, inspired by the case, to be exact." "Why, why silver of all things?" "He''s a vampire. The idea was to detonate it if Adler did anything foolish to neutralize him. Actually, I should have set it off sooner; that was my mistake." With an incredulous look, Lestrade turned her gaze forward, her eyes widening in shock. "Good heavens..." "But it was worth saving this item for this moment. Refined silver doesn''t just neutralize vampires, after all." All the pale-faced servants of the estate, who had gazed at them as they entered the room, nowy unconscious on the floor. "So all the servants in this estate were..." "Exceedingly pale, always moving in groups while working, drawing curtains not during the day but at night, and never stepping outside despite their master being murdered in the middle of the night; there''s only one possible identity for an individual with such traits." Already, a fluffy silver tail had sprouted out of the unconscious servants and coiled around their defenceless bellies. "Werewolves..." "Probably the veryst of the living werewolves left in London, maybe even in all of Britain. After seeing nothing but fakes in thest few cases, we finally are face to face with the real deal.¡± "So, are these people the culprits...?" "... More precisely, aplices. The actual perpetrator is someone else." The inspector, who had been gaping at the unexpected scene, couldn¡¯t help but sharpen her gaze, donning a grim countenance, as she heard those words. "What do you mean?" "It means that the hound of the Baskerville family, which killed Sir Charles Baskerville and Lady Julia Stapleton, is a separate entity." "... Then what is the identity of this hound*?" "It''s actually quite a simple elimination process, really." Charlotte exined in a low voice. "Excluding Isaac Adler, who was wandering around this locked room with excitement, you and Watson, and these wolves with fairly solid alibis, there are only two people left." "The butler and the heir, those two, right?" "Well, since the Baskerville family''s hound can''t be the heiress, Miss Helen Baskerville, it narrows down to only one person, in the end." Lestrade, who had been quietly listening, couldn¡¯t help but ask with an exceedingly tense expression. "... The estate''s female butler, Gabrielle Mortimer. She''s the real culprit?" "You''re getting quicker at piecing things together for a mere Inspector, Miss Lestrade." Charlotte patted her on the shoulder as if tomend her for her growth and then turned on her feet. "Actually, I had some suspicions regarding her from the beginning." "Is that so?" "She¡¯s an old acquaintance of mine, you see1. I have some inkling of her motive for doing something like this." She then began to quicken her pace. "Shall we hurry along then?" "Huh?" "... Since we''ve made the first move, we need to strike her down before they wake up." She spoke, a face filled with a mix of unknown excitement, tension, and thrill. "Before Helen Baskerville and Isaac Adler, who have gone missing, are put in any more danger." . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment¡­ "... Miss Mortimer." "Would you mind not calling me by my name, please, sir?" Adler and the estate''s butler, Mortimer, were walking through the wilderness, braving the raging storm. "Then, could you please retract the w you have pressed against my throat first?" "... I¡¯m afraid that is quite difficult for me to do.¡± "If that''s the case, I won''t be able to help you with your revenge against the Baskerville family..." "I''m not sure how you know such things, but it would still be inconvenient." Mortimer, who had been pressing a partially transformed wolf w against Adler''s throat, began to whisper in a chilling voice. "Because you were one of my targets from the start." "... Excuse me?" "Why do you think that is so? Take a guess." Adler, after staring nkly at the female butler''s face for a while, was able to realize something. "Is that¡­ human face mask?" "It''s a product imported from the Qing dynasty. Quite an effective product, if I say so myself. It seems that the detective couldn''t be fooled, but in the end, I seeded in deceiving you." "Uh, um..." As he showed a slightly flustered expression, Mortimer, who had been staring at him, finally took off the human face mask she had been wearing on her face. - Squeak... Upon seeing the revealed face, Adler stood frozen on the spot. "It''s been a long time, Isaac Adler." "Ah, haha..." The female butler, whom he had dismissed after the house burned down during the incident, was staring at him with a burning gaze. "... You used to despise intertwining with someone as lowly as me more than anything else in the world, right?" For some inexplicable reason, she bore evident signs of severe abuse on her body even though the previous him had neverid a hand on his women. "Are you ready?" "... No." As she asked with a bloody smile stered on her exceedingly pale face, Adler quickly shook his head. "That''s an excellent response." However, Mortimer, with a cold smile, began grasping his clothes. "..... Ahh!" Mere momentster, Adler''s muffled scream echoed across the /genesisforsaken Chapter 121: The Hound of the Baskervilles (9) Chapter 121: The Hound of the Baskervilles (9) "... This is." "Uhm." Having subdued the werewolves Charlotte and Lestrade left the estate in search of Adler. ""........."" The women, following footsteps presumed to be Adler''s, soon began to frown silently as they stepped into the wilderness. "Isn''t this Adler''s clothes... This." "No need to spell it out loud. I already know, Inspector." Amid the rain-soaked moory Adler''s usually worn coat, now drenched and cast aside. "Th, t-t-t-there, look over there, Holmes¡­!"As the two women observed the unnerving sight with an undeniable chill in their eyes, a voice, trembling in trepid fear and horror, emerged from behind the duo. "I, I, It¡¯s those same gleaming eyes again¡­!¡± Watson, who had been shivering still in the estate¡¯s lobby and had no desire to be left alone, chose to follow Lestrade and Charlotte. And here she was now, pointing towards the distant hill ahead with an absolutely horrified expression stered on her pale and trembling face. - Grrrrgrrr... Following that gesture, Charlotte and Lestrade came face to face with a sight that had be somewhat familiar to them at this point. "... It''s that monster again, huh¡­" "Tch." Amidst the howling storm, a mysterious monstrous entity with its eyes shining ominously in a piercing blue gleam was staring at them, its gaze intense and eerie. - Click... "Don''t provoke it for no reason." This time, Lestrade was undeterred as she red fiercely at the mysterious creature in utter solemnity; just as she was about to draw her firearm to deal with the bizarre monstrosity, however, Charlotte quietly extended her hand to restrain her. "With my curse, I should be able to immobilise it before it can attack." "That''s not the issue. Look closely at it." Puzzlement spread across the inspector¡¯s face as she scrutinized the mysterious being carefully after hearing Charlotte''s words. "... Doesn''t it seem like it''s not trying to attack us but rather keeping a watch from a distance?¡± The moment those words ended, the creature quietly turned its back and began heading into the storm. "D, Don¡¯t go, Holmes..." As Charlotte was about to move forward, Watson, with a tearful expression, grabbed her arm. "I, It''s obviously luring us in as prey... If we go, we''ll surely be devoured..." "... Calm down for a moment, Watson." "B, But Holmes, just look at this." With her trembling hand, she pointed to Adler''s coat which was lying down below. "Adler''s coat is torn to shreds. It''s clear that he must have been attacked by that monster..." "... That''s hardly the case, Watson." But Charlotte immediately countered with a logical rebuttal. "Even if it were Isaac Adler, he wouldn''t nearly be raped by a puppy, would he?" "What?" "Look closely." Watson and Lestrade concentrated their gaze, and something they hadn¡¯t seen before, covered by Adler¡¯s vest, came into their view. "Women''s... underwear?" "There''s also the female butler''s white gloves and Adler''s belt. Less significant than the underwear, of course, but still important." Watson looked bewildered, while Lestrade''s expression instantly turned icier than cial snow. "So... was Isaac Adler sexually assaulted by the culprit here?" "Sexual assault. Although it''s not under my jurisdiction as I specialize in murder cases, I''m aware it''s a crime just as heinous as murder, as it causes severe psychological trauma to the victim." The gazes of the two women started growing unprecedentedly solemn with each passing second. "Now that I look at it, there are several indentations in the surrounding ground, telltale signs of a violent struggle, a particrly severe one too." "There''s also some saliva belonging to someone... I''m not sure exactly what it indicates, but perhaps given the context..." As the women continued to analyze the crime scene, Charlotte suddenly spoke up once again. "You''ll agree now that the demonic hound isn''t the culprit, right?" "But I think the problem now is another matter altogether..." "We don''t know what terrible things might have happened here, but we must start searching immediately. I''ll go to the right, and you should..." "Let me say it again, please calm down. Both of you." She muttered softly, her eyes shining with a glint in the dark. "Did you already forget that I said it was an attempted crime?" "Ah..." "Indeed, if Adler had truly been assaulted, by now you''d be in the restroom..." "... Shut your mouth, Watson." At that moment, Charlotte coldly interrupted Watson mid-sentence, stopping her ridicule before she could deliver it. "But, what evidence do you have that it was only an attempt? From what I see, there are traces that suggest he was already brutally assaulted." Lestrade''s question came from the side in the next moment. "Looking at the indented ground, I can picture the situation in my head. Gloria Mortimer1 must have furiously struggled against Adler, tearing his coat with her sharp nails, and then forced him to the ground." "........." "She probably began to unbuckle Adler''s belt after pulling down her own underwear. Since there''s no blood to be seen, it really seems that her sole intention was to rape him." However, Charlotte ignored her question, casting her gaze downward as she began to imagine the events. "But for some reason, the assault stopped the very moment the underwear was pulled down.¡± "........?" "I have no idea how Isaac Adler managed to control a ravenous wolf." "It still sounds like you have no real evidence to me though." Lestrade murmured with a slightly worried expression. "No, there''s definitely evidence." Charlotte confidently replied, focusing her gaze on the palm of her hand thaty open below. ?It seems you''ve already found the answer.? ?I wonder if this mystery was too easy for you?? A familiar golden message started manifesting in her hand just then. ?But you know, the answer¡¯s still a littlecking.? ?The real culprit of this case is someone else.? Charlotte''s expression sharpened as she read through the message. ?You have only one chance to satisfy me.? ?I''ll be waiting for a satisfactory answer, Miss Holmes.? "I''m not sure what kind of absurdity he¡¯s nning, but at the very least, it''s certain that Isaac Adler sessfully recruited Gloria Mortimer into his n." Charlotte murmured, resting her chin on her hand and slowly sinking into thought. "The real question is, just what did he say to persuade the hostile werewolf in such a critical situation..." And with that, silence drenched the scene. "There she goes again..." "What''s the matter?" "Just leave her be." Watson realized that her partner had entered a trance after a long time and diverted Lestrade''s attention towards her. "It happens sometimes when the case is nearing its conclusion, or when all the information is gathered but a conclusion has not yet been reached." "I had only heard about this phenomenon, but seeing it with my own eyes is a first." "I still find it fascinating, although the problem is the excessive consumption of cigarettes and coffee that soon follow once she''s in that state..." Then, a bit farther away from the tranced detective, they began to whisper and murmur to themselves. "... Speaking of fascinating things, he really is something, huh?" "Are you talking about Adler?" "Yes, if you think about it, didn''t he ultimately end up seducing that vicious werewolf, just like Charlotte said?" In the midst of their mingling, Watson began to voice a thought that suddenly came to her mind. "I suppose that''s true. That''s why Adler is my responsibility after all..." "But if you look at it, Isaac Adler is quite pitiful too." "Pitiful?" "Like Inspector and Charlotte, he''s also under a curse, right? So I thought maybe there''s an element of inevitability to it, things that are beyond his control..." "What are you talking about?" However, Lestrade''s face only showed puzzlement as she continued listening to her. "The curse on Isaac Adler is a very mysterious curse. However, what¡¯s for certain is that¡­ it has nothing to do with women." "........?" "Miss Mycrony told me that it''s a curse that attracts all the oddities of the world to him, aplete antithesis to my own." Hearing those words, Watson murmured with a look of horror on her face. "You mean to say that all his female-rted troubles aren''t because of the curse...?" "......." "Madness. It''s beyond human capacity, this..." At that very instant¡­ "... Ha." Suddenly, Charlotte, with a smile stretching her lips, let out a cold breath. "I was thinking in circles over something so simple." "... Should we keep our voices down, Holmes?" "No, it''s fine." Watson, observing her in silence, widened her eyes upon seeing Charlotte''s rxed face, which she only showed when the case was solved. "From now on, you can be a bit louder in the future.¡± Charlotte whispered softly to her. "... That conversation just now helped me organize my thoughts a bit." "W, Where are you going, Holmes?" As Charlotte began walking in the direction the demonic hound had vanished, Watson urgently called out to her in a tense voice. "... To get married." However, after leaving those ambiguous words behind, Charlotte Holmes suddenly dashed forward at a great speed, cutting through the raging storm. "..... Tsk." "L, Let''s go together!!" Lestrade, with a cold expression, began to chase after her at a furious pace, and Watson, pale-faced, also started to run through the wilderness behind them. . . . . . "Ugh..." Meanwhile, at that moment¡­ "..... Uh?" Helen Baskerville, feeling a throbbing pain in her head as she opened her eyes, began wearing a dazed expression at the sight unfolding before her. "Have youe to your senses?" "Wh-What is this? And where are we...?" It was because Adler, who was now changing his dirt-covered shirt inside a dimly lit cabin, was looking at her with a gentle smile. Ironically, she was now tied up in a chair, just as he had been some minutes before. "... Who knows?" ".... Ugh." Quietly approaching her, Adler gently strokes her chin, causing Helen to look at him with a shiver of fear and shrink back. "Please, help me! Is there anyone out there..." "........" "... M, Mortimer?" Then, just as she was about to raise her voice in fear, she looked on with wide-opened eyes at Mortimer, who had appeared beside Adler. "Please, help me. Adler has me..." Urgently, Helen began calling out for help as soon as she spotted the female butler. - Swish... Swoosh... "... Huh?" However, to her astonishment, the faithful dog of the Baskerville family, whom she had trusted without doubt, now obediently gazed at Adler with submissive eyes and started rubbing her cheek against his. "........" Helen Baskerville watched the unbelievable scene in stunned silence for a long while. "It was getting boring waiting for Charlotte to arrive, so this is just what I needed.¡± Adler, gazing down at her, whispered with a smile in his eyes. "... I''ll make you just like her too." "Ugh, uh..." Shortly after, the room began echoing with the sounds of heavy /genesisforsaken Chapter 122: The Hound of the Baskervilles (10) Chapter 122: The Hound of the Baskervilles (10) "... Haa, haa." Charlotte Holmes, chasing the bizarre monster hidden inside the raging storm, traversed through the dim wilderness despite it being the early hours of the morning. - Grrrrrrgrgr... "... Good boy." She paused to catch her breath and then started to slowly approach the massive hound that had stopped in its tracks and was now ring at her with its eerie eyes. "Ho, Holmes...!" A creeping voice came from behind her at that moment. "No...!" Watson, who had been panting just like her moments ago, was now whispering with a pale face filled with fright.- Thud, clump... But Charlotte, after a ncing at her for the briefest instance, continued her walk toward the hound. "Are, are you out of your mind...?" "It''s okay, Watson." Charlotte, who was now standing right in front of the massive hound, stared into its fierce blue eyes and murmured in a low voice. "This fellow won''t hurt me." "What?" "Shh, stand still and watch." Watson looked puzzled upon hearing her words, while Inspector Lestrade, who had been watching the creature with a threatening gaze, whispered in a sharp tone. "It doesn''t seem like it will attack right away." - Grrr... True to her words, the monstrous creature lowered its posture and growled threateningly at Charlotte as she approached the beast. However, it showed no signs of attacking her in the least. - Swoosh... After staring at the bizarre being for a while, Charlotte carefully extended her hand forward, and a silence began to envelop on her surroundings. - Grrr... "Eh...?" Watson, who had been sweating and had even closed her eyes tightly, opened her eyes at the voice that entered her ears and couldn¡¯t help but watch on in a daze as she registered the incredulous scene she was seeing. - Purrr... "Wh, What..." "What a good boy. Very good." The monstrous creature, which seemed ready to pounce on Charlotte any moment, was now purring as she stroked its cheek. "... How, how did you... Holmes?" "I¡¯ve told you before, haven¡¯t I? This beast can''t harm me." Charlotte looked down as if she had expected this oue and quietly opened her mouth. "This fellow belongs to Isaac Adler." "What...!?" "I''ll exinter. We''re in a hurry." She whispered to the creature who had been rubbing its cheek against her hand. "Lead us to where Isaac Adler is." "... Woof." Then, the creature nodded with a slightly dull expression, contradicting the previous helplessness it had been showing till now, and started moving toward a specific direction. "I feel like I somehow know what this creature is." Lestrade, who had been staring at the bizarre beast¡¯s back, narrowed her eyes and spoke up. "What is it?" "The truth is, this creature isn''t some legendary demonic hound. Rather, it¡¯s just an oversized hunting dog." "Oh, really...?" "The glowing blue eyes must be due to fluorescent material applied around them. If not, then it should be a powdered magic crystal that absorbs sunlight.¡± Eventually, Watson nodded her head with a look of understanding at Lestrade''s usible exnation. "If Isaac Adler has been secretly training the beast since it was young, that would exin its actions so far. Even a fierce beast, when raised from a cub, will loyally follow humans." "That does sound usible..." "And, the dog is probably a gentle creature focused more on scouting and surveince than hunting. Isn''t that right, Miss Holmes?" In response to her words, Lestrade merely gave an ambiguous shrug, as though not entirely sure about her conjecture. Quietly, she cleared her throat and then sought Charlotte¡¯s agreement to her words. "... No." "What?" "It¡¯s clearly the demonic hound from the legends, isn''t it?" However, Charlotte immediately negated her deduction. "It''s not an ordinary hunting dog, it can only be ssified as a monster. This beast uses high-level magic, after all." ".........." "Just moments ago, it was salivating while looking toward Watson. That tells me it wouldn''t be this docile without Adler''s orders." The atmosphere, which had gotten slightly rxed, suddenly froze over at Charlotte¡¯s mind-numbing words. - Shiver... "Then... how is Isaac Adler able tomand such a terrifying creature like a domestic dog¡­?¡± In that tense atmosphere, Lestrade, slightly trembling beside the literally vibrating Watson, posed the question to Charlotte. "We''re about to uncover the reason for that very soon." Charlotte replied in a low voice. "That''s the crux to the counterargument Adler presented, and also the final key to ending this bizarre case." As she finished speaking, she paused for a brief instant. Immediately, a newndscape of the wilderness, previously obscured by the storm, began toe into her view for the first time. ""..........."" Not far from the valley where the legendary demonic hound first appeared, there was a cave from which faint light was seeping out. "... Is everyone prepared?" As the bizarre being that had been watching Charlotte and her group from the entrance of the cave quietly moved inside, she whispered in a subdued voice and then entered the cave with aposed expression. "I really, really hate this..." "Would you prefer to stay here then?" "That, I hate that even more!" Eventually, even Watson and Lestrade, whose faces had turned pale from fright and uncertainty, moved into the cave after Charlotte. Thus, silence began to flow through the deserted wilderness for a long, long time. - Stomp... It wasn''t until a new figure arrived in front of the cave, trudging through the storm and stepping heavily onto the sticky ground, that the silence was finally broken. . . . . . "Ha, huff..." "What a pity." Isaac Adler discreetly separated himself from Helen Baskerville, who had been twisting and writhing her body to and fro while exhaling heated breathes for a while already, and muttered with a hint of disappointment in his voice as he gazed forward. "Is it already thiste..." - Grrrrr... His eyes caught sight of the monstrous creature that had sessfullypleted the task he had given and had now returned. "Well done." - Purr... As Adler was naturally stroking the creature''s head, the corners of his mouth curled up. "You all did well too. It must have been scary since it''s getting quite dark right now, but you managed to find your way here." """...........""" Three women emerged from the darkness in front of him. "Isaac Adler." "So, Miss Holmes, have you given any thought to the message I sent you?" Charlotte, who stood at the forefront, called out his name with an expression colder than arctic snow. Meanwhile, Adler just smiled with his eyes and threw a question toward her in return. "Message or whatever, there''s no need for it. In fact, I have no intention of hearing anything you say." But before he could continue, Gia Lestrade was the one who started to approach Adler with a resolute expression on her face. "Isaac Adler, I am arresting you right here and now." "... On what charge?" "The charges against you are numerous, but for starters, we''ll investigate the charge of kidnapping Miss Helen Baskerville and the charge of conspiring with Gloria Mortimer." "Heh..." Hearing those words, Adler showed a mischievous smile and turned his gaze toward Charlotte. "Do you agree with the inspector¡¯s ims opinion, Miss Holmes?" "... No." "Miss Holmes. This is an issue where personal feelings must not interfere." As Charlotte gave such an answer when being asked, Lestrade, with a solemn expression, began persuading Charlotte. "Isaac Adler will go through legal proceedings and be brought to trial. Since he is not directly charged with murder, he will probably face a prison sentence of about 10 to 20 years at mos..." "... That''s not it." But Charlotte Holmes, who quietly shook her head, gazed intently at Adler and spoke. "The charges against Isaac Adler are not limited to just this incident..." "... Then?" "Not only this case, but all the incidents that have urred so far, and those that will ur in the future, he might be directly or indirectly involved in each and every single one of them." Lestrade''s eyes slightly zed over upon hearing her words. "We have been dealing with such an abstract entity all this time, after all." "What are you..." "Adler, I''vee to realize your true identity." Leaving a dazed Lestrade behind, Charlotte began walking towards Adler¡ª a sinister smile stretching her lips. "... Is that so?" "........." "Then, please enlighten me." Adler''s sweet voice reached her ears in the next moment. "As you know, you only have one chance to satisfy me." "... Ha." As Adler¡¯s eyes began glowing with a deep bloody red, Charlotte Holmes sighed deeply and stopped in her tracks. "Never would I have imagined that the joke I muttered as a jest back then would be reality." "........" "... But I know it better than anyone else." She was about to utter a phrase that would be one of her most famous lines. "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.¡± "... It''s truly an honour of mine to be able to hear those words from your own lips.¡± A silence momentarily settled between them at Adler¡¯s ambiguous words. "Isaac Adler." In the quietness of the moment, Charlotte''s frigid voice began to echo clearly throughout the cave. "The mage of contracts who loves more than anyone else, but tends to only conjure unfair contracts that only benefit himself.¡± "... I have been backstabbed a few times already though. By people like you, or the professor." "The mischievous nature of fulfilling people''s wishes in the form of , albeit in a rather twisted manner." "It''s not like I do it because I want to..." Adler tried to make excuses with a slightly disheartened expression in response to her words. "The tail that he carelessly reveals when transforming into a vampire, which has nothing to do with vampires." "........." "The abnormal charm that can bewitch half the women of London." "... That''s irrelevant, isn''t it?" However, after the mention of the , he became momentarily speechless. Then, he murmured with a slightly awkward smile in response to her continued words. "And, most crucially¡­" Ignoring him, Charlotte continued, now looking at the bizarre otherworldly monster that had been rubbing its cheek against Adler''s leg while sitting at his feet. "The legendary demonic hound that exudes unconditional loyalty..." "......." "Even as a vampire, I should have noticed the overreaction the moment you saw the silver cross. But now, it''s be all too clear." Her eyes began to tremble slightly at that moment as she was about to speak her next set of words. "The devil who vanished from the earth due to the Crusades that heralded the end of magic and myths. However, ording to various legends and rumors, the devil has asionally revealed himself to the world even after his disappearance." Her voice remained steady and clear, despite everything. "Much like the devil that appeared in the legend of the Baskerville family." "........." "... That''s your true identity, isn''t it? The Devil." Adler, with a captivating smile and a tail that he had nonchntly revealed as it wagged from side to side, nodded in acknowledgement¡­ affirming her bone-chilling words, affirming that¡­ he was . "You''re indeed correct." As that satisfying voice leaked out of his lips, a colder silence than ever before began to envelop the cavern. . . . . . ¡ºLove-Hate Rtionship (Episode 2)¡» ¨C Description: Earn Charlotte Holmes¡¯ hatred. ¨C Progress:20% ¡ú 100% ¡ºTwists and Turns of Love¡» ¨C Description: Earn Inspector Gia Lestrade¡¯s hatred. ¨C Progress:20% ¡ú 100% ¡ºLady of London¡» ¨C Description: Complete one sham marriage with Watson. ¨C Progress:??? As I observed the messages that appeared before my eyes, I let out a quiet sigh of relief upon confirming the reward listed at the bottom of the list. Rewards ¨C Return to the Original World Ticket x1 (Single Use Non-Recurring1Item) "It¡¯s a bit embarrassing to admit, but I¡¯ve just realised it myself not long ago.¡± True to my expectations, Charlotte Holmes had swiftly arrived at the truth. "The instigator who summoned the back during an age where magic, myth, and mystery were all but extinct; the culprit behind the recent surge of bizarre incidents, and the mastermind still actively drawing all sorts of oddities to this world as we speak¡­" Even I, the developer, was unaware of this body''s true identity. "That''s precisely who I am, Miss Holmes. I am¡­ . In the flesh." "........" "If you''ve deduced thus far, perhaps you''ve also deduced what I''m about to do next?" If so, with this reward, I have now secured a way out. There is only one thing left for me to do. "... I must decline your proposal." And with that whisper, I took out the marriage certificates of thedies from my pocket. - Rip... Before their eyes, I tore them in half. "I am the darkness that must fade away, purified by your light." """...........""" "... A transient life of happiness does not suit someone vile like me." At that moment, the women began to stare at me with an intensity that was hard to put into words. It was far more intense than anything I ever experienced. "Nevertheless, I love you, Miss Holmes." Just then, system messages that I could never have anticipated, slightly different from the ones before, began to appear before my eyes. . . . . . Warning! ¨C Probability of being Imprisoned ¡ª 100% ¨C Probability of being Kidnapped ¡ª 100% ¨C Probability of being Tamed ¡ª 100% ¨C Probability of being Deprived of Physical Freedom ¡ª 100% "... What the fu¡­!" Though slightly startled by these abrupt messages, I believed that it was probably a bug spewed out by the system that had not anticipated such a development. Since I''ve secured the ticket back to the original world, such things would absolutely never happen to me no matter what. Warning! ¨C Probability of ??? ¡ª 100% This was just tantly scaring people for no reason. Fucking bitch of a /genesisforsaken Chapter 123: Berserk Chapter 123: Berserk "Why is everyone looking so grim?" Isaac Adler''s voice, which had suddenly be rxed, began to echo in the cavern which had remained silent for a long while. "Did you really think you would just propose and I would ept it in a heartbeat?¡± "......" "Heh. Dream on." As he sauntered past them with his hands behind his back, a mischievous smile tugging his lips, the res that Charlotte and Lestrade were giving him became chillier than arctic snow. "Uh, why are there three... marriage registration forms?" "Are you sure you can handle the consequences of what you''re doing?" Behind the two women, Watson, perplexed by the incongruent sight, muttered to herself. While Lestrade, standing next to Charlotte, opened her mouth with a fierce intensity to her voice."You will surely regret this, Isaac Adler." "... Why is that?" "If what you''re saying is true, soon every monster in the world will be upon you." "Hmm, I suppose so." Adler nodded quietly in agreement to her words. "The only person who can negate that curse is me, who carries the antithesis to your curse. You need me by your side.¡± "Ah..." "So unless you don''t care about your life, you should be begging me to..." However, Lestrade, who was confidently continuing her speech, suddenly trailed off mid-sentence. ".........." How could she not as Charlotte Holmes, standing right next to her, was ring at her fiercely with eyes opened wide. "Ahem." Lestrade averted her gaze, trying to avoid the maddened eyes, albeit slight, dyed in the colour of Adler¡¯s hair. "... Instead, you should be begging me to marry you, yes." "Inspector." "Miss Holmes. Sometimes, people need to bend their opinions." The hesitant woman then looked at Charlotte with a resolute gaze and began speaking freely. "At this moment, I am the only one who can handle Isaac Adler." "Don''t talk nonsense." "It''s not nonsense, Miss Holmes. It''s the undeniable truth¡ª the thing you are so fond of.¡± "No, it''s not." However, Charlotte still vehemently denied it in a fierce tone. "... The bizarre anomalies and phenomena can be resolved. It''s what modern detectives specialize in, so it''s more suitable for me to be by his side." "Preventing the dangers that could arise at the source is better than taking the risk of it urring in the first ce.¡± "Then, I''ll hire you as a security guard for our newlywed home. We''ll have the wedding within a week, so quit your job as a police officer and..." "Why is this conversation taking this route?" Charlotte Holmes then quietly bowed her head in response to the inspector''s question. "... Because." "Yes?" "Because I love him!!!" Suddenly, she raised her voice and shouted out loud. "And isn''t it the same for you, Isaac Adler!?" "......." "Do you really think I wouldn''t recognize the mana I feel from your eyes, the mana belonging to me, just because you''re wearing coloured lenses right now?" She paused for a moment to catch her breath and then began speaking in a trembling tone. "Mr. Adler, let''s get married..." "......." "I can do everything the inspector can do for you." Hearing those words, Adler silently suppressed the smile he had donned. "I''ll take care of all the bizarre oddities that will ur in the future. After all, I too am cursed to never be satisfied with anything other than a mystery, so let''s consider it cancelling out each other''s curses." "........." "I''ll handle the household chores, earning money, and raising the children all alone. Don''t you want to see what kind of child the union of London''s most superior genes would produce?" Lowering her pride, she even murmured those absurd words as though it were nothing. However, when she saw Adler looking down at her while keeping his silence, she began biting her lips in nervousness. "Don''t look at me with that expression..." "........." "You like me, don''t you? Much more than the officer you''re reluctantly dating." "Miss Holmes." Hearing her words, Lestrade red at Charlotte and was about to speak her piece. However, Adler spoke up before she could open her mouth to interject. "That''s exactly why I''ve chosen this ending." At his words, Charlotte stopped talking altogether. "If I marry you or the inspector, I''m sure I''d be happy for about a year." "... Keep the inspector out of it.¡± "Yes, let''s assume as you say." Adler, once again wearing a smile on his face, slowly began to walk toward Charlotte. "... In any case, if I were to ept the marriage proposal, it would certainly bring me immense joy.¡± "Then let''s get married¡­" "But then, the world woulde to an end." Upon hearing his reply, Charlotte''s face began turning paler than a sheet of paper. "Did you know that the recent surge in bizarre phenomena worldwide coincides with the time I started my external activities?" "It''s a coincidence." "Jill the Ripper, the phantom thief from France, the mad scientist, and even the demonic hound of the Baskerville family being drawn to me¡­ are they all just coincidences?" "Yes. All are definitely coincidences." Reaching out his hands, Adler began gently stroking her pale cheek. "... Unfortunately, it''s not a coincidence." "........." "Merely by my continued existence, this world will be eroded by things that should not exist." "No..." "Don''t deny it. You of all people should not turn away from the truth, Charlotte Holmes." Warm liquid began to trickle down his hand. "You weren''t someone to wear your emotions on your sleeve." "It''s all because of you." "Haa..." "You¡¯re the one who made me unable to live without you, now you want me to erase you with my own hands?" Charlotte, clutching Adler''s hand, shook her head with her teeth clenched so hard they almost bled. "I can''t." "No, that''s the only way." However, Adler whispered to her with a resolute voice. "You''ve uncovered the truth of this case. That I am the cause of it all and at the same time, the that must disappear from this world." "... You can''t mean." "So, it''s your victory." "Did you orchestrate this case just to lose from the very start?" He murmured, slightly avoiding Charlotte''s gaze. "... Since the moment you began to suspect my true identity, to be precise." "Then this mystery is invalid. What kind of challenge is it if the challenger assumes defeat from the beginning?" "Oh? Surely you, a detective, aren''t trying to cover up the case now, right?" Their eyes, dyed in the colour of each other¡¯s hair, met in silence. "I''ll charge you as an aplice, not the main culprit. A mere 5 to 10 years, or... with a plea bargain, it could be even less." "No, that''s going to be difficult." "What?" "... I''ve already secured the testimony of the victim and the perpetrator of the case. They will provide statements that will be unfavourable for me.¡± Among the pair of eyes gazing intently at each other, it was Charlotte''s that faltered first. "The ghastly legend of the Baskerville family, it doesn''t end there." "......" "Do you know the surname of the young man, the one who died in the hands of thedy of the estate who had made a pact with the devil?" "........!" Though she had already surmised the hidden facts of the case quite some time ago, she did not wish to bring them up. However, it seemed that Adler was adamant in raising this ufortable part that she wished to ignore. "... It was . You seem to have already figured it out, judging by your expression." "........" "By the way, I heard that the young man had a very cute little sister." As Adler spoke, he quietly cast his gaze to the back. At the end of his visiony Gloria Mortimer, who had been standing silently beside Helen Baskerville till now, and she immediately lowered her head in acknowledgement. "A few days after the incident ended, an individual summoned the same devil with whom the lord had made a pact and willingly became a werewolf using the devil¡¯s influence. For the next 200 years, that being hunted all the heirs of the family, bing the curse of the Baskerville line..." "... That individual you¡¯re talking about, it¡¯s the female butler, isn¡¯t it?¡± "And behind her, as you know, is none other than me." Charlotte, who had been coldly confronting the female butler as she bared her fangs, quietly opened her mouth to speak. "So what now?" "What do you mean, ? Obviously, I''m going to make her confess everything." "..........." "Of course, she will have to make me the mastermind. She''s one of the few who can prove that I''m a devil. All this was possible thanks to Miss Holmes'' perfect deduction." Adler continued talking, facing her with a calm gaze. "As for Miss Baskerville... to say that I recruited her would be wrong per se." "........." "Since she detests me to the extreme, she will no doubt be eager to prove my guilt with all her might." After hearing his words, Charlotte quietly lowered her head, and Adler, gently stroking her hair, began to whisper in a low voice. "How about it? Isn''t it amusing how our roles have reversed?" ".........." "A criminal consultant desperate to expose their own guilt to the world, and a detective trying to cover it up... It sounds like something straight out of a novel, doesn¡¯t it?¡± And then, a long silence settled in the cavern. . . . . . "... Mr. Adler." Amidst the silence, Charlotte''s voice finally emerged, frigid and detached. "So what do you propose." "..... Pardon?" "You''ve thought this through quite well, but you''ve overlooked a very small possibility that could foil your entire n." At that moment, Isaac Adler felt a chill run down his spine upon realizing just how much darker her gaze had be. "ording to Article 12, Section 3 of the British Abnormal/Bizzare Lifeform Management Act¡ª an act that provisions for the handling and management of special lifeforms¡­" "........." "... The following species are not guaranteed the status of humans and are to be eliminated upon discovery. Legal protection is granted only when they belong to the state or are the property of a licensed individual." Charlotte''s lips slowly began to curl upwards as she gazed up at him with a maddening intensity. "Vampires, werewolves, unauthorized artificial life forms, the undead, devils, or those presumed to have originated from devils, also known as demons in some cases." "... We''ve been discussing that very topic, haven''t we?" Adler tilted his head in confusion, looking at her with a perplexed expression. "By turning myself in, our long associationes to an end. The British government will execute me, a target specified for elimination in the constitution, and you will be remembered as a hero who rid the world of a monster..." "Not being guaranteed the status of a human means that anything I do to you is legal." He couldn¡¯t help but adorn a stupefied look upon hearing Charlotte''s following words. "Provided that the ownership rights are secured, of course.." "Miss Holmes, if you do not defeat me, the world is in peril..." "... As I''ve said time and again, so what?" In the swiftly reversed atmosphere, Charlotte began to press Adler with a dark smile. "From now on, I''m going to overpower you and confine you in the basement I have prepared in the Baker residence. Other than resisting, what else can you do?" "Ah..." "Don''t worry, it''s not a criminal act but a rescue operation, legally speaking. Even if half the women in all of Britain cry out, I won''t be prosecuted." "You n to fight and defeat a devil? Moreover, when there¡¯s a demonic hound and a werewolf by my side?¡± "Inspector Lestrade will cooperate with the arrest. No matter how loyal you and your monsters are, without contracts and magic, you''re powerless." "........." "Let''s start bybining our genes to find a way to stop the monsters. By intertwining in various ways, we''ll quickly figure something out." "Um..." Sweating profusely as Charlotte, who hadpletely gone berserk and lost control of her mental functions, began to push him against the wall, Adler quickly shifted his gaze behind him. "........." - Growl... Gia Lestrade, with a look of displeasure on her face, seemed to tentatively agree with Charlotte''s n; she quietly pulled out her baton and stood before his loyal monsters, blocking their movements. "Hmm..." After quietly observing the scene, Isaac Adler summoned the window he had just received before his eyes. "Isaac Adler, look into my eyes." ''... Should I use it now?'' "From now on, I''m your master." His hand hesitantly began to move toward the small ticket-shaped icon before him. . . . . . "Sorry, but I can''t agree to that." At that moment a monotone voice, all too familiar to everyone present, echoed in the cavern. - Gooooooooo.....! "Ugh!?" "Ah." Within less than a second, a pressure as heavy as the very depths of the ocean began to weigh down on everyone inside the cavern. "I had a hunch when the weather turned foul all of a sudden..." However, Adler, the only one seemingly unaffected by the suffocating pressure, looked toward the cavern entrance with an awkward smile on his lips as the figure slowly approached him. "... Of course, it could only be the professor." Isaac Adler''s legal master had effortlessly bypassed all rivals and now stood right before him. "Mr. Adler." Professor Jane Moriarty, who had been watching the entire event from behind, pulled out something with a cheery expression on her face. "... Shall we get married?" It was a marriage registration form, neatly signed with her name. "... Huh?" Isaac Adler, who was about to embrace the professor with a joyful expression, now wore a bewildered look at her sudden action. "Cut the crap." Astonishingly, Charlotte, who had managed to shake off the professor''s mana with a berserk outburst of her own mana, suddenly rose to her feet against all odds; she started spewing out curses with a savage expression on her youthful face. "... Hmm?" A new system message appeared before Adler, who was watching the scene with intrigue in his eyes. Warning! ¨C Probability of ??? ¡ª 200% "... Surely, this must be a glitch." The moment Adler muttered that with an unconcerned voice, ck and grey mana began to sh with a sh of blinding light. Correction Warning! ¨C Probability of ??? by Multiple Individuals ¡ª 100% "... /genesisforsaken Chapter 124: Escape Chapter 124: Escape "Haa, haaaa..." - Gooooooo... The fight between Charlotte and Professor Moriarty, which had been going on for dozens of minutes already, had begun reaching an impasse. "You''re quite good at this, aren''t you?" Normally, with a higher concentration of mana and far superior skills and experience, Professor Moriarty should havended an overwhelming victory in the duel. "Has some sort of trigger led to an increase in your abilities?" "... Quiet." However, for some unknown reason, Charlotte''s dark-ck mana, which seemed several times darker and more ominous than usual, was barely able to sessfully defend against Professor Moriarty''s all-devouring deathly grey mana. "Just, just a little more strength!""... Charlotte! Hang in there!" Of course, this miracle wasn''t solely due to her absurd growth. "Tch..." "While she¡¯s not the easiest opponent, given her high proficiency in hand-to-handbat, I will take them down soon and join you as fast as I can. So just hold on a little longer!" Inspector Gia Lestrade, who had stepped in to block the werewolf that was on her way to eagerly target Charlotte Holmes under themand of the devil that had enabled and empowered her existence, didn¡¯t forget to split some of her attention to reducing the concentration of the all-engulfing grey mana in real-time. "Grrgrrgrrrrrr..." "He-Here, you see this, right? This is loaded with¡­ sil-silver bullets, yeah¡­ It will hurt really, really bad, like really bad if you get hit with it, right? So don¡¯te close!¡±1 Meanwhile, Dr Rachel Watson had somehow ovee the crippling fear that was immobilizing her to some extent, all for her partner¡¯s sake. Thus, she was now busy aiming the pistol in her hand at the demonic hound who was circling the room, keeping it at bay. "Wow." Meanwhile, at a distance from all the chaos, Isaac Adler was watching the whole chaotic fiasco with sparkling eyes; his hands were still hovering over the return ticket icon though, just in case. "Magic is truly amazing..." "Mr. Adler." Inadvertently, he closed his mouth shut upon hearing Professor Moriarty''s voice, which hadn''t lost its leisurely, bemused tone from the very start. "Six women are fighting over you, and you''re watching it as if it¡¯s a y. Quite intrigued, are we?" "Uh... technically, isn''t it five?" "........" "... Hehe." At the prolonged silence, Adler couldn¡¯t help but scratch his head with an awkward smile. "In that case, it makes the effort ofing here to save you pointless, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Unlike before, Professor Moriarty was now gazing at him with her head tilted to the side. Puzzled by the unusually cheery demeanour he was showing as they fought over him with full force, the professor unexpectedly rxed her grip at the next moment. - Tssssss... At that moment, Charlotte Holmes'' ominous ck mana surged in, swiftly engulfing Professor Moriarty''s grey mana. "Professor...?" "... Hmph." The bewildered Adler couldn¡¯t help but wear a slightly dazed look as he heard the sulky voice flowing out of the professor¡¯s lips while she gazed at him with a slightly sullen gaze. "You still seem to be quite at ease, huh...?" Just then, a chilling voice echoed from the front. "Of course, I do appreciate your arrogance." "........" "You must have realized by now, that you can no longer suppress me as overwhelmingly as you used to." "That doesn''t mean you can win, though." Briefly, Charlotte¡¯s mana seemed to have dominated over Professor Moriarty¡¯s overwhelming and all-epassing presence. And the professor, undeterred, began increasing her mana output once again as their gazes intersected. "Your eyes are still grey, Professor. It seems your love for yourself is greater than your love for Adler." "My heart is several times wider than the narrow and prejudiced thing beating on your chest. However, no matter how big the heart, some constitutions are too hard to dye. There¡¯s nothing one can do about it." "Don''t try to pass it off as a joke." Charlotte, having said that, lowered her voice and whispered out a question to the professor. "... Do you even understand the emotion called love?" And then silence ensued between the two. "See¡­" Charlotte quietly looked at the silent professor with a gaze far colder than anything she ever projected, and soon began to speak with a sneer stretching her lips. "You''re just ying at love. Because it seems¡­ fun. Isn''t that right, Professor?" "Your words are a bit too extreme, don¡¯t you think?" Jane Moriarty red at her in the silence, the voice leaking out of her lips colder than cial ice. "Apologies, but I''m not in the mood to indulge a child''s tantrums." "I never thought I''d say this to you but..." However, Charlotte didn¡¯t back down a single bit, facing her head-on without a shred of fear, and whispered with a sneer in her voice. "You, who can¡¯t even begin understanding this emotion called love, are so pitiful.¡± ".........." "The sight of you unable to do anything but imitate it is so tragic. I feel sorry for you, truly." The professor''s eyes grew slightly colder upon hearing the whisper, but her expression and breathing remained the same as before. - Goooooooo... "Oh, struck a nerve there, did I?¡± However, the bnce of the shing mana she had been managing quite leisurely until now had begun to waver¡ª something the professor couldn''tpletely conceal from Charlotte. - Creack, creaaaak... "If you¡¯re guilty, at least have the decency to back off." Charlotte did not miss that brief moment of vulnerability and began to relentlessly press her advantage. "You seem tock a conscience. For an old maid to act so..." - Crrrreeeeeeaaaaaaack... "A proposal? Don''t even make meugh." As the gap that had slightly opened grew wider, Charlotte''s ominous dark-ck mana reached right in front of Professor Moriarty. "... He has already turned down our proposals.¡± In that moment of utter crisis, Charlotte, with a bitter smile, drove the point home. "There''s no way Adler would ept a proposal from someone like you." - Tap, tap... It was precisely at that moment, as the professor listened to her words with an expressionless face, that her eyes suddenly shed with an ominous light when¡­ "Professor." ".......?" Adler, who had surreptitiously approached right beside them who knows when, tapped the professor on the shoulder with a cheerful smile. "Adler, this ce is dangerous." "Look at this." "So, step back for n..." Jane Moriarty, ring at Charlotte with a frosty expression and murmuring in a t voice, couldn¡¯t help but start trailing off¡­ "Hehe." Adler was presenting a single sheet of paper to her right now. "........." It didn''t take long for everyone to realize that it was a marriage registration form signed in Adler''s own handwriting along with the signature of Professor Moriarty that was already present beforehand. . . . . . - Gooooooooooooo¡­ Charlotte Holmes''s mana, which had been on the verge of seizing the upper hand in the sh, began shaking violently. "Ugh¡­" She hurriedly tried to regain bnce, but it was already toote. The ck-coloured mana that had been burrowing towards Professor Moriarty just mere moments ago was now struggling to even block the momentum of her grey mana. "... Why on earth." Realizing she could no longer turn the tide of this sh, Charlotte hung her head low and spoke in a voice filled with disbelief and despair. "Why did you make such a choice?" Tears started forming in the corner of her eyes. "Are you bloody serious?" A cold voice came from behind Charlotte. "Is it just me, or are people doing fake marriages now? Was I the only one unaware?" "Since¡­ why else would you do this? Why, out of all people, did you choose the professor over the only one who can nullify your curse¡­ and the person you love?" "¡­ Hmm." Adler, who had been looking dazedly at the unusually outspoken Watson, scratched his head and began to answer in a low voice. "It''s because of the reason I mentioned earlier." "".........."" "Marrying someone I should bring down doesn''t make sense now, does it?" Hearing his reply, their faces paled so much that it would be impossible for them to pale any further. "My dearestdies, please do your very best to bring us down." "Stop¡­" "At this point, it can¡¯t be any clearer regarding what you need to do from henceforth.¡± "Stop it!!!" Charlotte exploded just as she heard Adler''sst few words. "I don''t want to bring you down!!" "........" "I like you! I love you, Adler!!" More and more tears started streaming down her face, more than she had ever shed in all her life. "Ah, yes, yes. I was a bit too harsh with you earlier, wasn¡¯t I? Sorry for that. Since I was a bit too excessive, let''s find another way, okay? Let¡¯s start over¡­ yeah, yea¡­." "Miss Holmes¡­" "Marrying someone else for my sake, I won''t ept such a doggone ending!!!" And then Charlotte, shouting those words at the top of her lungs, tried to step forward. "... This doesn¡¯t seem to be a very fitting way to conclude this case.¡± Adler ¨C witnessing the scene of Gia Lestrade exerting her superhuman strength to bring down the main culprit, Mortimer, behind him ¨C squinted and muttered to herself. "The only problem is Miss Baskerville, who witnessed everything..." "... That won¡¯t be a problem.¡± Amidst the rapidly deteriorating situation, a shy, whispery voice was heard. "I''ve already made arrangements to cover up this case..." "Is that so?" The professor, who had once proposed confidently but was now avoiding Adler''s gaze with flushed cheeks, muttered those words. And, hearing her, Adler merely nodded in silence. "Then, let''s get out of here." - Swish... Suddenly, Adler wrapped his arm around her waist. ".........?" As he scooped her up in a princess carry ¨C Professor Moriarty, who had been flicking her head side to side like a lizard, unable to grasp what was happening to her for a moment ¨C froze on the spot. "... It seems you still haven''t epted it, so I should give you time." "A, Adler." "But if you still can''t ept it in the end..." Gently stroking her hair, Isaac Adler quietly raised his hand. "The next mystery you face won''t be so kind." "Stop it. Stop already!!!" "Prepare yourself well, Miss Holmes." "... Ugh." Charlotte, staggering from the oppressive atmosphere filling the cavern, eventually lost her bnce and fell to the ground. "... Don''t waste your energy trying to catch me." Looking at her with a hint of pity in his eyes, Adler then snapped his fingers and concluded. "Unless you discover the true name, binding a devil is impossible." "Wait!!!" "... Goodbye." In the next moment, the professor and Adler had disappeared from the cavern in an instant. . . . . . After their disappearance, a heavier silence than ever before began to flow inside the cavern. "Strange." In the midst of that silence, Charlotte, who had fallen to her knees on the cave''s sharp rocky floor, her knees scrapped and bleeding, began to mutter quietly with lifeless eyes. "He promised to be with me, to be by my side, forever¡­ back then." As if it were a lie all along, the storm ceased the moment Adler had stepped out of the wilderness. However, at that very instant, a terrifying message appeared before Adler¡¯s eyes, making him puzzled. "... Did I forget something for a moment?" ¨C Probability of being Shared ¡ª 10% ¡ú 69% /genesisforsaken Chapter 125: Marriage Chapter 125: Marriage Warning! Calibrating probabilities
¨C Probability of being Imprisoned.....¨C Probability of ???.....¨C Probability of being Shared..... Riding in a carriage back to London with Professor Moriarty, after having dramatically escaped the crime scene, a multitude of messages began manifesting before my eyes. ... They''re all already at 100 percent¡­ why are they still updating? I know, right¡­ Well, normally I would have been freaking out by now, but, with my current circumstances, the flickering probabilities didn¡¯t bother me in the least. I never thought the difference between having a means of escape and not having one could be so profound. But now that I thought about it, the moment I got my hands on the ticket, I stopped looking back. Still, it''s a bit much... But as the tension eased and I fought the encroaching drowsiness, trying to keep my eyes open, I began to wonder. Was it really necessary to go to such lengths? Since I had already resolved myself to finish all the preparations that needed to be done before my return to ensure that this world wouldn''t simplye to an end even if I disappeared¡­ couldn''t I have chosen a more moderate approach? These were the thoughts and regrets that started to surface after the deed had already been set in stone. "Hmm..." However, it didn¡¯t take long for those worries to start fading away from my mind. No, they didn¡¯t just fade away; I almost started to regret not having been more mischievous and cruel in my approach. Something was definitely off. Even though I was ted from the moment I obtained the return ticket and no longer needed to be concerned about other¡¯s feelings, wasn¡¯t this going a bit too far? "........" After going through a long period of solitary contemtion, I was only able to arrive at the following reasoning. ... Am I, my real self, transitioning more and more into a devil? Ever since I became aware that the identity of the body I inhabit was of the biblical mythos, something had certainly begun to stir within me. Of course, these were still feeble and negligible emotions for now. For instance, I had the thoughts of sneakily approaching a girl who disliked me and flirting with her, annoying her; or maybe secretly bullying and tormenting a girl who had a crush on me. Then there were also thoughts of deceiving and troubling someone who trusted me¡­ There were lots of simr thoughts going on in my mind. They were minor moralpses, but somehow, I got the feeling they would keep growing stronger with time. ¡­ Bing more devilish isn''t all that great after all. Even though I acquired an unignorable debuff known as , the benefits gained from this ordeal were immensely significant. Thanks to the advice from Mycrony, which was akin to a cheat key to be used when one¡¯s progress is hindered, I seeded in realising my true identity and the tasks I must undertake from henceforth. By bing conscious of my identity as , I was able to efficiently control the powers that I had only been using subconsciously up until now. More than that, the most crucial thing was being able to properly identify the cause of the world-threatening erosion rate. Yes, it was none other than me¡ª the very existence of Isaac Adler. It was this body¡¯s existence on this world which was drawing all kinds of oddities to this ne in real time. Consequently, what I must do next became clear without a shadow of a doubt. I now had to n the perfect case¡ª a case that would need to be acknowledged by everyone, a case that could not be pushed down no matter what, and then to be utterly defeated by Charlotte Holmes in it. Neither suicide nor natural death was an option for me. Given the speed at which the erosion rate was increasing, it was highly likely that the world would be fully eroded before I could die of natural causes. After going through everything, I do not wish to tarnish the world with a vague ending, a cliffhanger ending so to speak, throughmitting suicide. Ending 999 Epilogue: Disaster of The End The message warning me of the series'' worst ending loomed threateningly before my eyes every time I even slightly entertained the thoughts of , serving as a reminder of this very fact. Indeed, that''s the only way. Therefore, by being defeated by Charlotte andpletely disappearing from this world, I would be able to prevent the inevitable apocalypse caused by the alien entities. Simultaneously, this oue would induce a heartbroken Professor Moriarty to voluntarily, ashamed and despondent at the greatest defeat of her life¡­ delivered by her one and only nemesis. Of course, if I were to use the return ticket just before dying, I could save this world without actually passing on to the afterlife by returning to my original world. From the moment I genuinely fell in love with Professor Moriarty, who is the final boss of the game, the predetermined happy ending had essentially been lost. As a result, the only feasible ending that I could foresee was a suboptimal forced settlement where Charlotte, Professor Moriarty, and I all somehow barely survived; as well as me being able to return safely to my world in the background. Naturally, the problem here was that it was a , but¡­1 ¡­ Well, it''s no longer my concern. Yet, for me, having received the return ticket to my original world, such things were hardly a problem. This bizarre world, where magic and mystery co-existed to form a bizarre symbiotic synergy, was not where I belong. Rather the real world where the convenience of modern civilisation was omnipresent is my real home. Yeah, it''s not my job. So, even though I''ve traversed this world and grown a bit fond of it... Not my job... No, I''ve actually grown quite attached to this world... "........." It was utterly strange. In a situation where I didn¡¯t know when I might die or be attacked from who knows where, I thought that I would be overjoyed at the possibility of returning at a moment¡¯s notice. Yet, why does a part of my heart feel so uneasy? "..... Ah." The answer could be found in my own eyes, reflected in the window of the carriage. "Haha..." One ck and one grey. Indisputable evidence that I had surrendered my heart to both Charlotte Holmes and Professor Jane Moriarty, respectively representing the colours dyeing my eyes and heart. It was unequivocal proof that forbade even the excuse of being overwhelmed by them. "Ha..." As I quietly observed these orbs of evidence, the actions I had been trying to pass off as nothing seemed all the more foolish now. ¡­ But even though things are more or less settled for me, what will be of Charlotte and the professor when I return to reality? As I remembered the thoughts I had been avoiding, myplexion began to darken involuntarily. "........." However, I soon shook my head silently and started to steel my heart. ¡­ Still, I can''t allow the world to be destroyed. It wouldn''t be right to erode the world into nothingness for just a year of happiness and bliss. It would be better to give Charlotte the opportunity to bring things to an end herself, to be the stepping stone for her growth. And as for the professor... "...... Uh?" While thinking such thoughts, I turned my head to the side for the first time in a few hours and couldn''t help but shudder. "........." Because Professor Moriarty, who had been sitting next to me before I even knew it, was staring at me with her head leaned so close that her breath was now touching my face. "... How long have you been sitting like this?" "Since we got on the carriage." What followed was her usual monotone voice, yet somehow I felt like I could sense a trace of anxiety hidden deep within. "Hmm..." Hearing that voice of hers, a sense of mischief began to bubble up from deep within me once more. Setting aside all my worries for a brief moment, I started shoving sarcastic remarks her way. "... You''re being rather creepy, Professor." "........" Unlike Charlotte or Lestrade, I wasn¡¯t able to instantly create distance with the professor, so I chose to do the next best thing. "I don''t like women who are so clingy." In truth, this might have just been my subconscious self, acting petty and distant, as I realized that we would eventually have to part ways. . . . . . "Thinking about how you''ve been staring at my face for hours without saying a word gives me the chills¡­ Soooo creepy¡­" "......." "Perverted Professor." As Adler crossed his legs and muttered with narrowed eyes, the quietly observing professor cocked her head to the side. Her silence remained as she still stared at him with that tilted look. "... It''s a joke." Adler inadvertently cowered, muttering with a slightly sullen face. "Ah, speaking of jokes, that marriage contract¡­" "........" "It was an excellent strategy." Adler, while gauging the Professor''s reaction, suddenly began poking her ribs with a friendly expression. "... Strategy?" "You brought it on purpose to disrupt Charlotte''s mana in case of emergencies, right?" Surprisingly, the professor didn¡¯t stop his bold, subconscious actions that were a bit over the top. She just kept watching him as he did whatever he wanted. "Now, give it back to me." ".......?" As she watched Adler naturally slip his hand into her clothing and start rummaging inside with a bright expression, she finally couldn¡¯t help but stare at him with a look of utter bewilderment. "I''ll hold onto it, to use it conveniently when dealing with Charlotte in the future." "........." "Oh, here it is." Adler finally seeded in grabbing the contract from within the professor''s garments, and just as he was about to naturally pull it out¡ª "How did you manage to create such an excellent forgery..." - Thump...! "... Huh?" The professor grasped his hand roughly and pulled his hand, snatching back the contract as she did. "Professor? What are you doing?" "........." "Uh, ouch¡­!?" Adler, with a momentarily dull expression, tried to raise his hand high to snatch the contract back from her. However, due to their significant height difference, his hand couldn''t reach the Professor''s, which was touching the ceiling right now. "Stop joking around..." "This is not a joke." Jane Moriarty silently shook her head and opened her mouth in response to Adler''s flustered voice. "It''s not a forgery." "Then...?" "This is a real, legally binding, marriage certificate." As her grey eyes began to darken, Adler, struggling to snatch back the contract, froze in ce. "The moment you signed, it became effective." At that moment, the messages began to reappear before his eyes. Warning! ¨C Probability of being Imprisoned ¡ª 100% ¨C Probability of being Tamed ¡ª 100% ¨C Probability of ??? ¡ª 100% As Adler nkly stared at those messages, a cold object slipped into his finger. "Uh..." He then realized that it was a ring, clearly a top-quality item even to ayman''s eye, set with a diamond in the middle, and Adler''s mouth fell open in astonishment. [Among all the possibilities of all three probabilities urring simultaneously, did you not consider marriage being among them at all?] As Adler cautiously began to reach with his free hand towards the menu with the return ticket, "How is it?" He soon found himself unable to continue the action, his mind turning nk. "... Darling." As he witnessed the scene of the professor, who had slipped the ring on Adler''s finger and was now avoiding his gaze with a flushed face, leaking out those words in that cute and endearing tone. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that time in the Baskerville estate¡­ "... So, what do we do now?" "........." "If what Isaac Adler says is true... are we truly to bring him down with our own hands?" Charlotte Holmes, drenched from the rain, returned to the Baskerville estate and was rummaging through Adler''s room. "Are we to watch, with eyes wide open, as he is forced into marriage with the Evil Queen for our sake?" "... No." She turned, her expression icy, to look at the anxiously muttering Gia Lestrade and opened her mouth. "There is a way." "What is that way?" "His ." Hearing her answer, Lestrade clenched her fists and bowed her head. "... How can we possibly discover that?" "We need time. If we can buy just a little more time, then there''s certainly a chance." Charlotte replied to her cracked voice and started pouring her ck mana into the ashes of the paper smouldering in the firece. Mr. Adler, here is the information on the case that you requested. It was a bit difficult to retrieve from the American embassy, but the information is very reliable. - Caroline Augustus Milverton A momentter, as the note slowly began to restore itself amidst the ashes enveloped in her mana, Charlotte opened her mouth again, gazing intently down at the reconstructed paper. TOP SECRET U.S. Bureau of Supernatural, Anomalous & Aberrant Phenomena Correspondence Her golden eyes began to shine darker than ever before. The General Sherman Incineration Incident
This document is a report containing the facts regarding the incineration of General Sherman that took ce a year ago... "The Devil¡­ interested in Orientalism, isn''t that /genesisforsaken Chapter 126: Marriage (2) Chapter 126: Marriage (2) - Screech... After several hours of travel, the carriage finally arrived in London and began slowing down its pace. - Knock, knock, knock...! "Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at our destination." A momentter, the coachman, having stepped down from the fully halted carriage, knocked on the door of the passenger cabin. "........" "Ladies and gentlemen? Is there anything amiss?" However, for some reason, despite his persistent knocking, there was no sign of a response or even any intention of anyone opening the door. "Hmm..."Scratching his head for a moment, the coachman soon retrieved a key from his pocket to unlock the door of the passenger cabin. "Haah, this is really..." In the poorly maintained roads of the 19th century, even experienced coachmen often gave their passengers an unpleasant experienceplete with nausea and motion sickness. This, of course, directly affected their reputation and ie, so coachmen had no choice but to invest a fortune in shock-absorbent mana stones for the carriage wheels or improve their driving skills. "... Having too much skill can also be a problem." The coachman, who had found a well-paying passenger on the journey from Baskerville to London that day, belonged to thetter group of exceptionally skilled individuals. Initially, due to his modest living conditions, he had no choice but to improve his skills since he couldn''t afford the shock-absorbant mana stones. With his exceptional abilities, he had now reached a point where he was exclusively catering to the upper-ss clientele and attaining remarkable results. "Maybe I should install a clock inside next time..." For him, it was not umon for passengers to fall asleep inside the carriage, so as usual, he unlocked the cabin door with a key. - Creak... "... Wait, what''s happening?" Just as he unlocked the door of the passengerpartment and was about to turn the doorknob, he btedly realized that the carriage was swaying ever so slightly. "Uh..." His confused expressionsted only a moment as he proceeded to turn the doorknob without much thought, and then he began to stare, dumbfounded, at the scene unfolding before his eyes. "Pro, Professor... ugh..." - Slurp... A delicately featured boy with his upper clothing half-removed, exposing his bare shoulders, was writhing on the floor of the passengerpartment, his arms held captive by the grey-haired woman who had been riding with him. - Swish... As the coachman continued to watch the scene with an utterly stunned expression, the woman who had been sucking and nibbling on the boy¡¯s neck with intense sensuality suddenly lifted her head in silence. "........." In the next moment, the woman directed a piercing stare at the stunned coachman. ... A dream? At that moment, thinking he might be seeing things due to overwork, he rubbed his eyes and slowly opened them once more when¡­ - Flutter... "Professor, calm down..." Before him, sharp grey mana began to surge violently and behind that veil of raging mana was the boy, pulling the woman who continued ring at the coachman with a chilling expression as he sweated profusely from head to toe. "......." After observing that eerie scene for a moment, the coachman closed his eyes once more. Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name¡­ As he silently recited the Lord''s Prayer about five times, he opened his eyes again with overwhelming fear almost crippling his entire body. ""........."" Fortunately, this time there was neither a situation where two people were shamelessly intertwined with each other nor one where his life was on the brink ofing to an end. "That was some impressive driving." "Th-That''s right, I suppose. Haha..." The woman and the boy simply sat modestly as if they were ordinary passengers while the boy spoke in a cheerful and bright tone. "... Th-That''s right." Of course, the sticky liquid drenching the cabin floor and the grey smoke permeating the entirety of the cabin were clear indicators that what had just happened was certainly no illusion. "Here, take this." "... What?" But soon, an event urred that made all those thoughts fade from the coachman''s mind. "This is for the trouble we''ve caused, and to ensure your silence about the recent incident." "... Ah." "Please, ept it." The boy was offering a sum of gold coins that would take the coachman six months of backbreaking work to earn, all the while smiling brightly. "Thank... you..." "... And one more thing." The coachman, who barely encountered such fortune only once a year from his dealings with the upper-ss clients, was about to greedily reach out when¡­ "Forget everything that happened today." Came a voice, chillingly cold out of the blue and close to his ears. "It''s better for both parties that way." "...... What?" Lifting his head, the coachman''s gaze met the yful eyes of the boy, who now had a finger to his lips while his lips curled into a cunning smile. "You never met us." "What....." With those words, the coachman''s memory faded away like smoke. "A financial transaction is a contract after all." "........" "And a contract must be fulfilled, right?" An unknown timeter¡­ "People these days are so open..." Upon waking he continued driving his carriage home, retaining no memory of the recent happenings, when he chanced upon a woman and a boy entangled erotically in an alleyway along the way. "... At that point, it can be considered public indecency, right?¡± "Pro-Professor... maybe we should stop... ugh...?" - Smack, smooch... It was the moment thest key to uncovering the truth behind the case disappeared forever. . . . . . "... Adler." "......." A few minutester, despite being lunch hours at the moment, an eerily quiet atmosphere lingered in the back alleys of London. "Can''t you hear me?" Walking down the alley with the professor, Adler turned his head to the side, pouting in response to the t voiceing from beside him. "Darling." Then, Professor Jane Moriarty whispered in a low voice right into his ear. "... Uh." "Honey." "Please, tone it down." Adler flinched at the tickling voice that caressed his ear. Eventually failing to resist the urge to reply and falling into her clear bait, he opened his mouth with an irritable voice. "I love you." A straightforward response came flying back, filled with the professor''s refreshedughter. "........." Adler''s face involuntarily reddened as he stared nkly at her visage. "... Do you really intend to marry me?" "It''s not an intention; it''s already done. Once we submit this paper with our handwritten signatures, we''ll be legally married." As he shook his head to ward off the daze and asked, she pulled out the marriage registration form from her pocket and answered with a bright smile. "And this is in my possession. So you have no choice but to give up and get married quietly." "Do you want to have a legal battle with your student?" "... And what do you think will happen if I win?" The professor''s gaze, gentle a moment ago, suddenly turned frigid at those words. "... You really n on doing housework, cooking, and having children with me?" "Housework and cooking are your jobs. I''ve never seeded at any dish other than milk tea." Adler stammered for a moment in disbelief at her response, asking again with an incredulous expression, to which the professor only replied in a calm tone. "However, I can promise to earn the money. That much I can assure you." Hearing those words, Adler murmured with a rather disappointed look. "... Charlotte said she would do the housework and cooking herself though." And with that silence ensued between them for a while. "... I''ll start attending cooking sses this weekend." "Are you serious?" "I should also buy an apron." After a long serious contemtion amidst the silence, the professor answered with a face full of resolve. "... What about the child?" Adler asked with a dazed look, his voice a mere whisper. "Wouldn''t she be adorable? A daughter with blonde hair and grey eyes, looking just like me." "Uh..." But the professor, as if anticipating even that question, began to whisper into his ear in a soft and mellow voice¡­ like the whispers of a pleasant dream. "Adler, just stop denying it already." "........." "You''re already a married man now.¡± It was a statement so horrifying that it sent shivers down Adler¡¯s spine. "If you understand, then start preparing for our newlywed life." "That''s..." "While I finish up the aftermath of this case, you''ll have toy low in the hideout." "But that''s supposed to be my role..." As he reached out with a confused look, the professor who had escorted him to the front of the hideout simply turned on her heels and started walking further and further away from the alley. "... Oh, by the way." Then, suddenly turning her head back, she whispered with a broad smile stretching her lips. "If you''re going to tame something, make sure to do it thoroughly." "What?" Caught off guard by her unexpected remark, Adler tilted his head, and the professor quietly pointed to a secluded corner of the alley before adding. "The Baskerville family''s demonic hound." "Oh." "As much as I''d like to kill it, you could use a few more loyal henchmen, so I''ll resist the urge." Only then did Adler notice the cerulean gleam that was lurking in the shadows of the alleyway and couldn¡¯t help but look on with a bewildered expression on his face. - Grrrr... "Why are you here?" . . . . . - Creeeak... An unknown amount of timeter¡­ "... Master!?" "Dad?" "Hmph." As the door to the hideout slowly opened after several days of silence¡ª Silver ze, who had been sitting on the sofa with dead eyes, knitting something Celestia Moran, who sat beside her with a sullen expression, and Princess y, who had been cleaning the windows, each shifted their gaze towards the door while making a varied set of reactions. "Where have you been I''ve been so lonely master..." "Dad, I took care of the people you asked me tost time..." "Where have you been wandering off to without a word..." However, almost immediately, all three trailed off mid-sentence, their expressions turning nk. "Well, you see..." Isaac Adler was sitting there with a bright expression, holding something in his arms that glowed with a deadly blue gleam in its eyes. """...........""" To Adler''s eyes, it appeared to be a , but for some reason, to the eyes of the three women, it seemed to be a girl around the same age as Moran. "... Her name is Poppy." - Woof. As Adler gently stroked the creature''s belly and spoke those words, a deeper silence than ever before began permeating the /genesisforsaken Chapter 127: Monster Showdown Chapter 127: Monster Showdown Several hours had passed after Adler had returned to the back alley hideout for the first time after a long period of absence. In the sky¡­ the moon was just beginning to rise and show off its enchanting presence. "Good evening, everyone..." Perhaps he had grown fond of the hound that had followed him from Baskerville to London, that¡¯s why he had painstakingly washed the filthy beast in the bathroom with his own hands, taking hours to get it fully clean. Done with the cleaning, Adler had now appeared in the living room with the hound on a leash. "".........."" However, for some reason that eluded his understanding, the living room atmosphere was far quieter than usual. "... Huh?" Puzzled for a moment, he soon realized that the living room was empty¡­ which furthered the confusion clouding his face. "Where did everyone go?" "Grrr."Just at that moment, the hound ¨C which had been clinging to Adler''s leg with a dull expression ¨C began letting out a low and deep growl. "Wha-?" As the hound strode forward, Adler, holding the leash, was dragged along with a bewildered expression. "Where are you taking me...?" Sweating, Adler couldn¡¯t help but ask the hound as it went outside the hideout and began strolling through the dimly lit streets of London. "........" "... Just go wherever you want to." "Woof." However, when the hound turned to look back at him, its eyes gleaming ominously, Adler couldn¡¯t help but back off in fear and eventually resigned himself to the will of the hound. - Trudge, trudge... Thus, Adler and the hound began roaming across the dark back alleys of London. As usual, with the inevitable beginning of night, the mysterious fog had started to settle on the streets and back alleys. "... Hmm?" Half-worried, half-fascinated, Adler strolled through the dreamlike atmosphere of the back alleys and then, out of the blue, tilted his head. "The smell of blood...?" It was because his nose, his senses already extremely enhanced with his half-devil and half-vampire bloodlines, had caught the scent of blood wafting from right ahead. "What on earth..." With slight tension and nerves, Adler moved forward along with the leading hound, his eyes shining with vignce. "... Huh?" All of a sudden, a dazed look settled in his eyes. "Master?" "Dad." "Huh? What are you guys doing here?" Silver ze. Celestia Moran. And Princess Joan y. The three most loyal subordinates of Isaac Adler, their whole bodies bloodied, were staring at him from the corner of the back alley. "What''s going on? What in the world..." "We¡¯ve been hunting!!" "Hunting...?" Adler questioned, looking at his subordinates with pure astonishment in his eyes, and Silver ze happily answered with a cheerful expression. "Were you by chance cleaning up the back alleys?" Upon hearing her reply, Adler opened his mouth with a look of rm. "I told you to leave at least a third of them behind. If you sweep everything away, even the forces we could absorb will disappear..." "No? The merging was already finished a few weeks ago, right?" "Huh?" But Silver ze, appearing confused, scratched her head as she responded with clear doubt in his eyes. "We had alreadypletely absorbed 80 percent of the forces that were based in the back alleys a few weeks ago. The remaining 20 percent have either left London or are already wiped out." "What on earth did you guys do to be able to dominate such a hellish ce to that extent in just one month?" "Did we not already submit the report to you?¡± As Adler asked with an astounded expression, Silver ze quietly began to report on the events that had urred without his knowledge. "Anyways, Princess y''s vampire legion, as well as the demi-humans who graciously epted my invitation to join the organization, yed a significant role in expanding our power. Of course, most organizations still looked down on us, considering us newbies..." "So I just singled out the leaders of those organizations and blew their heads off. I did well, didn''t I, Dad?" Amid her report, Moran, nonchntly wiping the blood on her face with her hand, waddled over to Adler and speak. "Uh..." As she looked up at him with hopeful eyes, Adler felt a chill run down his spine but somehow still managed to put a calm smile on his face as he affectionately stroked her head. "Tsk, out of everything, why did she have to choose ..." "Even then, the organizations that resisted were personally annihted by Princess y as she led her subordinates to their bases. She drank so much blood that now it might be possible for her to return to her human form using her power alone.¡± "... Hmph." Watching this, Princess y muttered in annoyance and then quietly crossed her arms and turned her head away as Silver ze gave her a boost. "What''s the point of us working our arses off when the so-called master doesn''t even care about us and just wanders around..." "... Hmm." As she muttered with a cold expression, Adler quietly scratched his head and took a step forward. "What, what is it?" - Smooch. "... Huh?" Adler, after staring intently at her, suddenly nted a kiss on the cheek of the princess. "Thank you." As he whisperednguidly with a smirk under the dim moonlight, the princess, who had been staring nkly at Adler for some time, hurriedly turned her head away from him. "... So annoying." Her voice, still cold and annoyed but somehow different than before, seeped out of her lips. ""........"" At the scene, the eyes of Silver ze and Moran, who had been watching Adler all the while, suddenly shed with a chilling light. "But if you guys weren¡¯t cleaning up the back alleys, then what exactly have you all been doing here?" Oblivious to that fact, Adler asked with a bright voice. "... We''ve been hunting monsters." "What?" "It''s something that started happening sporadically in the back alleys recently." His expression turned serious in an instant. "By monsters, what exactly do you mean...?" "The mostmon are shadowy humanoid monsters. Sometimes, even monsters of legend appear in deteriorated and corrupted forms." "Just before, we engaged in a fight with werewolves and the undead, Dad." Silver ze and Moran continued their exnations with a nonchnt expression. "How often do these incidents ur?" "Almost every day, mostly at night, Master." "The past few days have been somewhat quiet, but some of the monsters on the more powerful side appeared on the day you returned. So, you have to be careful, Dad." Adler''s face grew darker as he grasped the gravity of the situation. "... Is it because of me?" "What?" Now that I''ve realized the true nature of this body, it seems the situation will only get worse from now on... Adler fell into a moment of serious contemtion. ...Since the erosion has already begun and progressed quite a bit, I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t simply be resolved with my return. "Master?" Maybe, that''s the only way then... As a puzzled look appeared on the faces of the women looking at him, Adler finished his thought process, his hand resting on his chin. "... Master." Silver ze, with a hint of unease in her gaze, began to speak in a low voice. "What are you thinking about right now?" "Eh?" "Every time you make that face, Master, a significant incident urs, without fail." Adler couldn¡¯t help but feel hurt by her words, however, he soon smiled and responded. "It''s nothing big, just listen. Simply put, I am going to dere war on all the supernatural entities in London at once..." Thus, a n, that could only be described as Adler-like, for the future began flowing out of his mouth. "... By doing so, we will sessfully conclude a self-staged kidnapping and escape from the clutches of the professor. How does that sound?" "Ah, I see." "That''s the n, huh?" "Hmm." After listening to his n expressionlessly for some time, the three women exchanged nces and nodded to each other. "... Shall we just tie him up right now?" "This isn''t a rebellion or insubordination, all of this is just to protect Dad from his insane n..." "For starters, I''ll naturally approach and make him faint by sucking all the blood from his body and then¡­" Whispering between themselves in creeping voices, Adler''s underlings started plotting against their master in a heartbeat. - Grrr... "Eh?" Just at that moment, the hound lying next to Adler with a leash around its neck began growling toward them in a low, threatening tone. "What''s wrong with you now..." Adler, quietly tilting his head in wonder, began to stroke the hound''s belly to soothe it. "... Master." Silver ze, staring down at the scene, looked at him and asked in a low voice. "What do you see this creature as, Master?" "This one?" Blinking, Adler looked at the hound that was still lying on its back, exposing its belly for him to rub, and replied with a smile. "A somewhat fierce-looking,rge hound?" "Ah..." "It sometimes res with its piercing blue eyes and breathes out ck smoke from its mouth, which can be quite startling I admit, but it also obeys me quite well... So I''ve been thinking of training it to use as a guard." Saying so, Adler stood up, sped his hands together, and ended his statement with a smile in his eyes. "Anyway, I''m counting on you to prepare well for this n, okay?" Having finished his words, Adler turned around and began heading back to the hideout. "Poppy, aren''t youing?" "Woof!" He called out, puzzled as to why the hound, still ring at the three women behind him, did not follow. "... Hey." Reacting to his voice, the dog was about to move when the frigid voice of Silver ze, who had been wearing an innocent expression until that moment, slipped out like a b of freezing ice. "Aren¡¯t you going to lower your eyes?" ".........." At Silver ze''s territorial disy, which she had never used even at the racetrack, the hound quietly tilted its head to the side. "Huh?" Instead of the menacing hound that Adler could see in his vision, there stood little a girl who, despite being neatly groomed by Adler¡¯s touch, still exuded a sinister and gloomy aura.1 "... Ha." As the little girl narrowed her eyes and stuck out her tongue towards them and then turned towards Adler, who still wore a confused smile on his face, Silver ze made a dumbfounded expression¡ª it was as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. "Looks like we need to sort out the pecking order." "... Is that really necessary?" "Get it done. In the end, she¡¯s merely a beast anyway. No matter how much Adler is said to be akin to a beast, he¡¯s definitely not a furry.¡± However, despite her words, the gazes of the other two women remained fixed on the little girl who stayed by Adler''s side until the very end. "... But I have fur too?" "...... Ah." 2 . . . . . The next morning. The air permeating London was already carrying the faint scent of autumn. On such a day¡­ "Eh?" "Hmm..." In various parts of the capital city of Britain, which appeared no different than usual on the surface, an ominous air filled with the foreboding of a great conflict had started to circte. "Is he asking to be killed?¡± "This guy is asking me to kidnap him by any means, isn¡¯t he?¡± This was because letters with simr content had been simultaneously dispatched to all the supernatural entities, monsters inyman''s terms, hidden throughout London, including the worst murderer in English history and the phantom thief from France. Would anyone like to go on a date with me next Sunday? And on the corner of each letter, without exception, was a doodle of a boy striking a /genesisforsaken Chapter 128: Monster Showdown (2) Chapter 128: Monster Showdown (2) "Mr. Adler." On an evening when a boy''s n began to plunge London''s underworld into utter chaos, "... It''s been a while since we''ve met face to face." "Has it now?" The person responsible for the chaos, the mastermind of it all¡ª Isaac Adler, was visited in hisir by someone dressed neatly in a white dress shirt, paired with a necktie. """............""" Realizing that the voice belonged to a woman, Silver ze, Celestia Moran, and Princess y, who was now in her cat form, trained their gazes towards the entrance of the hideout. However, they soon looked away, as though they had lost interest. "I would like to meet with you more often..." "I know you don''t mean that, Madam Caroline.""... Madam?"1 Their reactions were understandable since the visitor was none other than Caroline Augustus Milverton, who had recently been subdued by Adler and turned into his exclusive . "I''m still in my twenties, Master, such a remark is discourteous..." "Lie down." As Adler''s henchmen silently shifted their intense gazes away from her, the tension in her body dissipated and she began to speak freely, but she was met with his coldmand in the very next moment. "Uh." - Shiver... A rising heat immediately started permeating from her lower abdomen upon hearing themand, causing Caroline to copse and break out in a cold sweat as she looked up. "Why would someone much older than even my seasoned and mature professor act this way?" "But, but..." "Being 29 means I¡¯m still in my twenties, aren¡¯t I?¡± Looking down at her with a cold gaze, Adler muttered with a hint ofughter in his voice. "But that''s not the issue though." "... Then." "Do you still think I was being to you?" With a downcast expression, Caroline quietly nodded her head in response. Observing her reaction, Adler grasped her chin and gently stroked her along her jaw as he whispered. "To think a mere ve dares to think that her master was being discourteous, huh¡­¡± "........." "And surely, you agreed to be my ideal ve that day, did you not?" Momentarily, a look of humiliation and anger enveloped Caroline¡¯s face and she immediately looked away, avoiding Adler¡¯s gaze. "... Oh. Was I perhaps mistaken about the terms of our agreement?" "That, that''s...!" "Or have you already forgotten that the only reason the British government and the various high-ranking individuals of the upper ss haven''t ended your life is because you are my property?" However, as Adler, who had already pulled out a familiar-looking contract from his coat, spoke ¨C his tone growing increasingly colder with each word ¨C her face turned deathly pale and she lowered her head, eyes trembling in anxiety and fear. "... Maybe I''ll just sell her to some pot-bellied nobles." "Sorry, I was wrong." Despite her miserable appearance, Adler continued murmuring indifferently, and Caroline started hastily rubbing her cheek against Adler''s foot to please him. "Please, I have realized my mistake. I apologize for speaking out of turn as a mere ve, Master." "... Well then, you¡¯ll have to excuse me for a moment." Staring down at the pleading woman, Adler started poking her lower abdomen with the tip of his foot. "Hmm..." "Ah." Pulling out his fangs, a mischievous expression on his face, Adler began tormenting her lower abdomen with even more intensity. In response to his relentless teasing, Caroline, her body trembling from head to toe, clenched her teeth and endured the humiliation. "Go on then, finish your report." "Yes. A few days ago, you asked... Aaah¡­ to inform you about the findings from the investigation of the Baskerville estate case." She tried her best to suppress the moans escaping her lips, striving to prove her usefulness as a ve by reporting diligently. "The suspect, Gloria Mortimer, has gone missing. Investigators believe that she died in the swamps while trying to flee from them. However, I believe that it¡¯s highly probable for her to be alive and in hiding.¡± "Hmm..." "And the only survivor among the victims, Helen Baskerville, has apparently moved her residence to August Academy. It appears an anonymous professor wrote her a letter of rmendation to enrol in the academy." "... You made a deal with her, huh¡­¡± After listening to the report, Adler briefly murmured to himself with a slightly nk look. Soon, however, he shifted his gaze back to Caroline and asked in a low voice. "Are there any signs or possibility of the investigation taking a different direction?" "The suspect is too obvious, and there¡¯s no other evidence to go on, so¡­¡± "Any unusual urrences?" "Yes, not only has a werewolf appeared for the first time in hundreds of years, but a significant number of have been spotted in the nearby regions, that¡¯s why there¡¯s a high probability of the Vatican dispatching their knights to investigate..." Having finished her report, she sneakily nced up to gauge Adler''s reaction. "Well done." Adler looked at her with amusement shing in his eyes and quietly stroked Caroline''s hair. - Squeeze... As he pulled on Caroline''s necktie, she closed her eyes tightly, her body immediately starting to shudder. "As long as you keep working hard like this, your life won''t be in danger." His calm voice resonated in her ears. "... Haaah." With greeted teeth and a look of agitation on her face, Caroline exhaled roughly as he withdrew his foot from her lower abdomen; her tense body finally getting the chance to rx. "Oh, and one more thing..." However, at that moment, Adler¡¯s sharp voice dug into the small opening she had shown in her moment of rxation. "... Why do you keep lying about your age?" "......!" "The truth is, you''re not 29; you''re 30 this year, Caroline Augustus Milverton." As Adler mentioned the fact she had desperately tried to conceal, Caroline''s body began to stiffen more than it ever had today. "Do you even realize the age gap between you, who has been a legend in London¡¯s noble circle for the past decade and me, who hasn''t even graduated from the academy yet?" "Ah..." "And yet, why do you keep inappropriately asking for private meetings or sending letters filled with thick perfume, even going as far as wanting to do menial tasks at the hideout?" Adler, examining her subtly transparent blouse and the impable makeup that must have taken hours to put on, continued. "Miss Caroline." Quietly, he leaned close to her ear and whispered in a low voice. "... It''s burdensome, so stop behaving in such a frivolous fashion." At his words, lightning seemed to have struck Caroline''s mind. "Look. If you''ve understood, please leave now." "........." "Everyone, please see Miss Caroline out. The back alleys can be quite dangerous, after all." As a paralyzing shock coursed through her whole body, making her stagger, she caught glimpses of Adler''s loyal followers approaching quietly by her side. """..........""" From the youngest, Moran, to the oldest, Princess y, all of Adler''s followers were still around the school-going age. And these women, every single one of them without fail, were now looking at her disdainfully as they moved forward. - Creak... Caroline Augustus Milverton, who until a few months ago was called the undefeated queen of London¡¯s noble circle and known for toying with numerous young men as a pastime, had now found herself in a situation that was utterly iprehensible to her. ... Just you wait, Adler. Grinding her teeth in rage and humiliation, she began making her way out of the hideout while eyeing Adler with an unprecedented chill in her eyes. I''ll make you pay for treating me like this... It was this very moment, right here and now, when Caroline Augustus Milverton inadvertently got swept up in a massive storm that would soon engulf the whole of London. "... Hmm." Whether it was truly coincidental or a machination orchestrated by Adler, whose eyes were subtly gleaming behind her, was something no one could know. . . . . . "... Phew." That night, like any other, the streets of London were shrouded in the mysterious fog. "I never thought I would resort to something like this..." A woman walked down the street, her body cloaked in a ck robe and her breath hushed. "... Adler." The cloaked woman was none other than Caroline Augustus Milverton, who had suffered the greatest insult of her life at the hands of Isaac Adler just a few hours prior. "Just need to ambush him and destroy the contract. He took it out of his pocket earlier, so he must still have it on his body..." Her objective in hiring mercenaries, after liquidating the slush funds intended for fleeing abroad and changing her identity for good, was to enact the kidnapping of Isaac Adler. "Let¡¯s see if he can still gloat with his hands and feet tied up." It was a situation that was both simr, ironically with the roles reversed this time around, and different ifpared to the break-in that urred a few months ago in Caroline¡¯s mansion. ".......!" Aware of the irony of the situation yet burning with an undeniable me of vengeance, she slowly advanced with her hired mercenaries following behind. "Haha..." Off in the distance, she spotted Isaac Adler, casually walking into a park with an easygoing smile stretching his lips. A trap? Completely unarmed and without even a guard in tow¡ª Adler seemed utterly vulnerable as he strolled along the park grounds. ¡­ So what. However, realizing that there were mana users hired with all her avable funds as her backing, a cold expression enveloped her face and she was about to step forward when¡­ - Bzzzzt...! "Ah?" ""......!?"" At that very instance, a chilling sensation ¨C so strong that it made one¡¯s body numb ¨C struck from all sides, enveloping her and the mercenaries. . . . . . "What, what is this..." The unease and chilling sensation was too potent just to be dismissed as a mere effect of the exceedingly eerie atmosphere of the park. Caroline Augustus Milverton surveyed her surroundings, and her face immediately paled as she noticed the murderous intent ¨C so intense that it could make one shudder from head to toe ¨C that was brimming in the air. "........." Realizing the identity of the chilling gazes flying in from all directions, her expression clouded as she began to back down, terror brimming in her eyes. "What on earth is this operation? Does this really serve the national interests of Bohemia?"2 "... It''s a royalmand." For instance, the unidentified agents focused on her from an alley right behind her, their gazes barely concealed behind the insignia of the Bohemian royal family. "........." Or the vampires of the radical Red Mana League, pretending to be homeless as they observed the happenings of the park from the next block¡­ under themand of their increasingly depressed master who was still holed up in Romania. "The monsters are gathering fast. We must put all of London on high alert n..." - Leave it be. "... Miss Mycrony?" On top of a building, the private guards employed by a behind-the-scenes influential figure of the British government were gathered,municating somewhere. "... I can¡¯t wait to be beaten down like a dog." Among the guards, there was the French Phantom Thief who seemed to be clueless about everything. However, she immediately began smirking with a depraved expression upon spotting Adler in the distance. "Princess, a walk at this hour..." "It''s a perfect night for murder, don¡¯t you think?" "... You shouldn''t make such grim jokes." A bit further away, advancing openly with the royal knights of Britain as her escort, was the worst murderer in all of Britain. - Crunch, cruuunch... Already hidden in the park, the sole masterpiece left by Dr. Frankenstein was biting her nails while ogling at Adler. - Grr? Grrr... - Adler... - Hah, haaah... There were even numerous monsters, who had been hidden across all of Britain, who had now gathered in London, drawn in by an unknown pull. Every single one of those monsters was now intently watching Caroline as she moved towards the park. "... Is this perhaps¡­ hell?" It was the prelude to a monster showdown with the next Sunday as the /genesisforsaken Chapter 129: Monster Showdown (3) Chapter 129: Monster Showdown (3) "Hmm-hmm..." As I strolled through the park, embracing the brisk night air, rustles began to emerge from the thickets of the park. - Dad. Be careful. - Rustle... - There are a whole bunch of those monsters positioned ahead. The next moment, a warning inevitably came through the radio. - Grrr... Grr... "... I see." Looking carefully ahead, I was able to immediately tell that the beings eyeing me were not human. With their eyes gleaming ominously in the dark as they eagerly watched me, it was all but easy to identify their supernatural origins.If I had been an ordinary person, it wouldn''t have been strange for me to be dragged off by them, bing their prey. - I''ll open fire right now, Dad. It''s dangerous to dy any further. "Just wait a little longer." - But... "You¡¯re a good girl, aren¡¯t you, Moran? Won¡¯t you follow my instructions?" But it was not an issue for me. - Yes... because I''m a good girl. "Good." I had a brilliant strategy¡ª a strategy that made me confident enough to summon all the monsters scattered all around Britain to London. "Hehehe..." Thus, with an innocent face as though oblivious to everything, I stepped forward and the thickets started trembling in a much less discreet manner. "Grrrr..." Just as I got close to the rustling bushes, a humanoid monster ¨C its eyes shining in a distinct hue and intensity than the others ¨C suddenly jumped out from the bushes in a bizarre pose. "........." And with that, total silence settled for a while. "Ee¡­ eeek." "Uh... hehe..." Seeing the monster cowering with a tense expression, I gave a dry scream as a sign of encouragement. And the moment it saw me scream, it finally rxed and gave out a sinister smile. "Adler... do you remember me...?" "... Well, not really, I¡¯m afraid." "I''m the girl who confessed to you for the first time and got rejected. You really don''t remember...?" "Uh..." Initially, I was pretending to be flustered and scared for the sake of the n, but hearing her words made me feel a bit sorry for her. Of course, it wasn''t me but the original Adler who did injustice to this being¡­ but still, I was feeling uneasy taking advantage of this monster after hearing her tragic tale. "How dare you look at prettier girls than me... Treating me so cruelly just because I held a knife in my hand¡­¡± "Ah." No, it seems it was my misunderstanding. It was just one of the monsters.1 "... So you had such a story, huh." "Eh, um?" Despite my sympathy quickly waning, I still approached the grotesque monster filled with resentment with a gentle smile. "Poor thing, what should I do¡­¡± "Ah? Uh." "Is there anything I can do for you?" Then, grabbing what seemed to be the hand of this bizarre being, I whispered in a sincere voice. At that, the monster began to stutter and babble like a child. "Why, why are you suddenly being nice?" "Huh?" "Well, didn¡¯t you always look at me like you were looking at a bug back then¡­?¡± As the being bowed its head to avoid my gaze, I slightly tilted my head and made eye contact, which prompted the creature to ask again in a trembling voice. "A bug, you say?" "........!" "I can only think of you as cute though.¡± In truth, the being before me was but a flickering, blurry shadow, making it impossible to discern its appearance, let alone judge whether it was cute or not. "Don''t you think so too?" "Bu-But..." However, what mattered wasn''t the actual appearance of this being, but providing the words it desired to hear. "You... You told me that I had a small chest and it was unappealing..." "... Nowadays, I find them quite attractive, to be honest.¡± And if I just close my eyes and mix a little lie about my taste to this shadowy being¡­ "Re-Really...?" "........" "Do you really like me?" As I anticipated, the situation was unfolding ording to my expectations. "Of course." - Swish... With that thought, I carefully reached out and gently stroked what I presumed to be the head of the creature, and then¡­ the shadowy being lifted its head to look at me. "Um, then..." From her slightly cute mouth, that formed over her shadowy visage before I knew it, a timid voice began to emerge. "Wi-Will..." "What is it?" The shadowy being¡¯s voice, still faint yet audible, reached out to me. "Will you go out with me...?" The monster, emitting a dreadfully chilly aura which was enough to wither the grass beneath it, finished its sentence and started fidgeting its fingers with a shy expression on its shadowy silhouette. "... Well, sure." As I cheerfully took her hand and spoke, the bizarre creature momentarily gaped and stared at me in utter astonishment. "Really?" "Is there any reason why I shouldn¡¯t?" "Really, really, really?" sping my hand tightly, the creature began to jump around in unbridled joy. "Then... let¡¯s start from today..." - Rustle...! At that very instant, the sound of rustling bushes suddenly started leaking out from behind. ".........." The monsters that had been hiding in the bushes, monitoring the situation, now reacted to the sudden change and revealed themselves all at once. "What right do you have... to monopolize Adler...?" "Her chest too... ugh... so, small..." "Grurk, grrr..." From fully formed spectres to those yet without shape, all began casting their frigid inhuman nces at the being that had first sprung out. "Ah, this is a bit troublesome..." And¡­ this was the perfect time to set things in motion. "It''s a bit much to date multiple people, you see." As soon as those words ended, a silence deeper than ever before settled all around. "... I only want to be with one person for the rest of my life." Amid the chilling silence, I delivered my final words, hands sped behind my back. - Goooooooo... The monsters, now ring fiercely at each other instead of me, began gathering their chilling auras from their surroundings¡­ ready to duke it out at any moment. "Wait a moment..." "..........." "I was the one who confessed to Adler..." Amidst this tense situation, the creature beside me stepped forward with a panicked expression. - Boommmmmmm!!! With an ear-splitting roar, the monsters rushed forward in unison and started a battle royale to the death. "... Just as nned." Yes, I knew it would end up like this. . . . . . What in the world are you up to now? Isaac Adler tiptoed away from the chaotic scene, where monsters from all over Britain had gathered and begun fighting en masse. "Long time no see, Miss System." Don''t call me Miss System. "... Then, how about System Sis?" Would you mind ceasing the flirting with a mere fragment of data like me? He greeted the system that appeared before him with a cheerful smile. "Hehe..." Anyway, did you really incite these vengeful monsters to fight one another? "I''m cute enough to be a trophy, after all." Haaa¡­ Sighing as if exhausted, the system disyed its message in a drooping font while he scratched his head with a naive expression on his face. "Now that I''ve realised my identity as the devil, it''s about time to take control of these monsters." Scratching his head while observing the system, Adler began to mutter with a yful smile. "Too many and they¡¯ll go out of control, that¡¯s why I¡¯ll reduce their numbers to what I can count with my hands. Then, I will dominate and control those that remain. As a devil, that''s within my capability." So what¡¯s next? "After that, I''ll have to subdue the named monsters like Jill the Ripper and Arsene Lupin. Once I''ve sessfully taken control and dominated all the monsters..." Suddenly, Adler''s eyes turned serious, unprecedentedly so¡­ "I''ll lose to Charlotte." ......... "And then, by faking my death, I''ll use the return ticket..." I get the gist of the n, but I have only one question. As he trailed off, the system floating before Adler seized the opportunity to ask. If the creature that survives the battle bes too powerful and attacks you, what will you do then? "Ah, that''s unlikely to happen." With a snicker, Adler shook his head. "They''re just seeds of an immature paranormal phenomenon. Maybe it¡¯s possible in the final chapter, years from now, but for now, they''ll just self-destruct by tearing each other apart." You seem to never seed in your ns and assumptions, though. "That''s true. That''s why, just in case, I''ve also reached out to beings that are not monsters." He shrugged his shoulders as he looked towards the alleyway outside the park, where traces of his past connections still lingered with their gazes trained on him. "As long as those people restrain each other and keep their eyes peeled for any problems, there shouldn''t be any trouble for me..." "... Found you." But just at that moment, a familiar voice came from the other side of the park''s walkway. "Gasp." Upon hearing that voice, Adler immediately covered his mouth and crouched down. "... I saw you hiding~" However, a chilling voice that sent tingles down his spine pierced his ears in the next moment. What''s wrong? - Shiver... Wasn''t it you who summoned all these beings from all across Britain? As the system, disying a translucent window, waved side to side and questioned him, Adler began muttering in a hushed voice while shivering from head to toe in pure, unbridled fright. "... I called everyone but ." "... Hm." Jill the Ripper, who hade looking for him with the royal knights, using her identity as a royal princess, was staring down at Adler with a creepy smile. . . . . . - Crunch, crackle... Meanwhile, at that moment, the park had turned into a battlefield where all sorts of creatures were entangled in mortalbat. "Ha, haaa..." Inside the battlefield, the monsters were brewing utter chaos¡ª stabbing each other every few seconds, self-destructing, and doing all sorts of crazy things to destroy each other. However, at the very centre of the battle royale, there was an entity showing astonishing skills as it ughtered the other monsters at breakneck speed. "I never even got to experience this when I was in the fan club..." The identity of this creature was none other than the one who had just confessed to Adler. "... Finally, he epted my confession." This was none other than the vengeful spirit of Helen Stoner, the true culprit behind the incident a few months ago, who had been ultimately silenced by Professor Moriarty after the case was resolved. - Goooooooooo... At that very instant, the surrounding monsters began getting sucked towards her all at /genesisforsaken Chapter 130: Monster Showdown (4) Chapter 130: Monster Showdown (4) - Sneak... "... Oh my." Crouched behind a park bench in a lowered posture, Adler was trying to make a futile attempt at sneaking away from the spot. At that very moment, the quietly observing princess spoke out. "Where are you hurrying off to, I wonder?" "... Ah." "What is it, Mr. Adler?" Adler¡¯s body froze mid-step by her sudden inquiry. "... What brings you here, Princess?" Sweating, he shifted his gaze sideways towards the princess. Upon spotting the royal knights behind her, however, he rxed and asked with a slightly relieved expression."Hmm." Narrowing her eyes slightly, she turned around and raised her hand all of a sudden, as though giving out a signal. "Princess, but..." "It is alright." "If this gets out, the entire knight order will be dismissed..." "It seems to me that you are not afraid of the punishment I have in store for you for disobeying my orders.¡± Covering her mouth and murmuring with a chilling smile, the intensity of her intimidating aura was something even the battle-hardened captain of the royal knights found difficult to shake off. "... You must call us immediately if things get even slightly dangerous." "........" "These days, reports of terrible rumours regarding that man are constantly being ryed from all over London. You must be cautious, Princess." Rying those words, the captain, his spirit somewhat dampened, turned and walked towards the direction where a sinister aura was emanating. "But it''s me who''s in danger, isn''t it...?" "Fufu~" "... Ah." As Adler reached out his hand towards the departing figure of the captain, he suddenly froze upon hearing the sinisterughter echoing close by. "Hey." "He, hehe." "You know, I have a question." Suddenly, the princess dropped her dignified manner of speech. Was that perhaps why he was acting so terrified? "Why didn''t you send me an invitation?" No, that was not. The reason for his terror was that the worst serial killer in history, Jill the Ripper, was subtly brandishing a gruesome knife that she manifested from the shadows right now. "Even the monsters I¡¯ve ced among the knights as underlings have all received your message." "That, well..." "I''m really curious why you''ve left me out specifically..." Seeing the knife, Adler began to sweat and mped his mouth shut as old traumas resurfaced. "I can¡¯t treat you the same as the others, Princess..." "What a funny excuse." "No, it''s not an excuse... it''s a fact." "Hmm." The Princess, who had been giving him a look as though she found his reactions adorable, suddenly adorned a stern expression and stepped towards him. "Lies." - Puhkk... "Huh?" The next moment, Isaac Adler, making noises as though the air had been knocked out of his lungs, copsed into her arms. "... Last time, you said it yourself. Let''s go on a date this weekend." "........." "You said you''d contact me¡­ said to wait for you." Jill the Ripper, having plunged her favourite knife into his heart, caressed Adler''s back as he gasped for air in her embrace. A stern expression was stered on her face as she pressed him for answers. "But why hasn''t there been any contact, no matter how long I waited?" "..........." "... Adler, did you deceive me?" Facing the chilling gaze of the princess, their faces so close that their lips could touch at any moment, Adler couldn¡¯t help but shudder. Suddenly, a fleeting expression of realization crossed his face as he listened to her query. "Could it be¡­ you, did you forget about it?¡± "Uh..." "Really? That¡¯s the actual reason!?¡± "... Ugggh." With an incredulous smile, Jill the Ripper began twisting the knife embedded in Adler''s heart. "... Look, Adler. Because of that single sentence you said that day, I cancelled all my ns for the weekend." "Ugh..." "And there I was, sitting in my royal chambers all weekend like a princess from a fairy tale, eagerly anticipating how you would contact me." Her voice, tinged with a hint of bitterness, caused Adler''s eyes to flicker wildly. "As Saturday passed and Sunday came, I still held hope that you would eventually contact me. means both Saturday and Sunday, after all." "Ah..." "But as Sunday evening approached, I started to feel uneasy." Jill the Ripper continued, staring directly into his eyes. "Still, I thought perhaps you wanted to be romantic and take me on a date at night, so I kept waiting patiently." "........" "... And when the clock finally struck midnight, how do you think I felt after sitting there for 48 hours straight?" Adler, at a loss for words, scratched his head before finally opening his mouth. "... Would you like to slit my throat likest time?" "No, I was thinking of kidnapping you and throwing you into a grinder." With a cold expression, she drove the knife deeper into his heart. "Um, well..." "........?" As his consciousness began to fade, Adler rolled his eyes back and forth, then suddenly adopted a submissive expression and leaned closer to Jill the Ripper. - Lick... The next moment, Adler licked her on the lips out of the blue. "What are you doing...?" "... Will you marry me?" As he whispered in a submissive manner, trying to act cute, silence began to settle between the two. "Ahaha... Haha..." Soon, an incredulousugh leaked out of her lips as she stared at Isaac Adler who¡­ was now breaking out into a cold sweat. "... Just die." "Huff." Simultaneously, her knife began to slowly slice Adler''s heart apart. - Peek... Pale-faced, for some reason, Adler began peering behind her. "What is it?" "........" "It seems you didn''te here alone now, did you?" His gaze began to tremble upon hearing Jill the Ripper''s whisper. "Hmm, what to do now?" - Clench... "Sorry, but I don¡¯t think your henchmen can save you." Jill the Ripper, licking Adler''s cheek with a chilling expression,pletely bisected his heart this time around. "... Ugggggh." "I sent the royal knights to where your stinking barn animal, the little runt of a sniper, and that mosquito woman were hiding, after all..." As thest of his strength left him, Adlerpletely surrendered his body into her arms, Holding him tightly, she whispered into his ears in a soft tone. "And all those numerous groups and organizations you¡¯ve cobbled together will also be of no help." "........" "Because I am currently the second most noble person in this British Empire. Unless it''s an outright war, a military conflict in such a secretive operation would only be problematic for them, not me.¡± "........." "Well, the assumption itself might be meaningless since you are the trophy... but even if a full-scale war broke out, I am overwhelmingly superior in both numbers and strength." Her eyes gleamed with a sense of victory as she stroked Adler''s cold and pale cheek. "There are a few variables like that insolent detective and the mysterious professor but..." "... Ugh." "You fought with the detective, didn''t you?" Hearing that, Adler quietly avoided Jill the Ripper''s gaze. "The professor is currently recuperating from an injury she sustained not long ago... She''s probably knocked out by now after taking her sleeping pills. Tell me, am I wrong?" "........" "Then thest remaining variable must be the monsters you''ve brought in from all over Britain..." Jill the Ripper, who had been looking down at his figure with amused eyes, nced towards the dust cloud spreading in the distance and muttered. "... It seems thatst variable has already taken care of itself." "........" "Therefore, there''s only one fate left for you." As she whispered, lowering her voice down an octave, Adler tilted his head with clouded eyes. "Don''t you understand yet?" ".........." "You''re going to be raped and murdered by me today." Jill the Ripper''s excited voice pierced through Adler¡¯s mind, making him look up at her with his hazy eyes. "Rape¡­ and murder? Did you just say rape and murder?" "I''ve been thinking... If I kill you, I''ll lose a toy to y with. So, I need to preserve your genes first." "... I''m not that easy to kill, you know?" "ns for the future, if you will." In response to his frightened rebuttal, she spoke in a stern tone. "What if one day your immortality suddenly vanishes, and I stab you as usual and you just die? There''s no turning back then." "........." "Or you could suddenly disappear due to some sort of ability. You''re that kind of person, after all, Isaac Adler." "Why are you talking about such illogical things as if they were logical..." As Adler quietly avoided her gaze and muttered, she cut him off. "Enough, just obediently get raped and murdered." - Squeeze... Lifting him in a princely carry as his strength continued to wither away, Jill the Ripper began moving forward. "As long as I haven''t figured out a way to kill you, you might as well act as the future queen¡¯s prince consort. Wouldn''t that be beneficial for you as well?" "... Hmm." Upon hearing her proposition, Adler thought it over for a moment and then broke into a cheerful smile. "That''s an interesting perspective." "Yes, isn''t it? So don''t resist and just follow me quietly to the pce. I''ve prepared a cosy space in the basement for raping and torturing you to death, so you''ll live quite a luxurious life for a sex ve..." "... However, I must decline." But at that moment, Adler interrupted Jill the Ripper''s words with his firm response. "What?" "I have already promised marriage to someone.¡± Upon hearing those words, Jill the Ripper''s previously excited expression swiftly turned cold as a b of ice. "It seems you are under some misapprehension." "Is that so?" "I have never made a proposal or request to you." Then, with a chilling gaze, she leaned in close to his face and murmured. Warning! ¨C Probability of being Kidnapped ¡ª 100% ¨C Probability of being Imprisoned ¡ª 100% ¨C Probability of ??? ¡ª 100% At the same time, the finalized probabilities surfaced in front of Adler¡¯s face. "This is just my deration to you, Adler." "........" "Understand? Now let''s go. We need to return to the pce without the knights noticing..." As she spoke, Jill the Ripper licked Adler''s blood off her fingers and continued walking forward. "........?" However, she had only taken a few steps when she stopped and narrowed her eyes, focusing ahead. "Who''s there?" "I''m sorry, but..." Just then, Adler, quietly lifting the corners of his mouth, began to mutter. "It seems you are the one who is mistaken." "What?" "There¡¯s still one variable left, isn¡¯t there?¡± Blocking her path, a girl mysteriously appeared before Jill the Ripper. With a cape fluttering in the darkness of the night, hand pressing down on herrge hat, the girl¡¯s lips curved upwards just like his own as she eyed them both. "... That''s my treasure, by the way." . . . . . However, it wasn''t just the corners of their mouths that had raised upwards. Warning! ¨C Probability of being Kidnapped ¡ª 200% ¨C Probability of being Imprisoned ¡ª 200% ¨C Probability of ??? ¡ª 200% Eh? For some reason, the probabilities floating in front of Adler had also skyrocketed to abnormal levels. Ah, let me correct that. By multiple individuals at the same time... "Ah, shit. Not this /genesisforsaken Chapter 131: Monster Showdown (5) Chapter 131: Monster Showdown (5) "Who''s there?" "........." "Why aren''t you answering?" Jill the Ripper, who was about to move forward with Adler in her arms, scrutinized the figure blocking her path before speaking. "Given the unusual attire, you''re clearly not a member of the royal knights..." "... Ah." At that moment, the interfering figure smirked before opening her mouth to speak. "Turns out it''s none other than the Princess of the British Empire~" "..... Hmm?""Well, it seems like I unknowingly blocked the way of such an esteemed person..." As she intentionally shouted those words in a raised voice, murmuring voices began to emerge from behind. "Did you just, do that on purpose¡­?" "But you see, Princess." Jill the Ripper asked with a mildly annoyed expression, to which the girl merely smirked while fiddling with her monocle for some time and then¡­ finally responded in a lighthearted tone. "The item you have in your hands actually belongs to me." "That''s quite an amusing statement.¡± Hearing her, Jill the Ripper''s eyes began to sparkle with a sense of unbridled interest. "... I am not an item." "Why is this item yours?" "We have a bit of a history, you see. And I prefer treasures with history and connections over mere expensive ones." Adler''s dissatisfied voice resonated in the background but was utterly ignored as the conversation between the two continued. "I have my own history with this item too." "... No matter how I think about it, I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s a treasure that can be squandered just for the whims of an impulsive and immature princess.¡± Hearing the voice tinged withughter, Jill the Ripper stared down at her obstructer with a fierce gaze¡ª a gaze so intense that most would be intimidated enough to not even dare make eye contact with her. "You, you really have a way with words." "Ah, that''s the second mostmon thing people say to me right before I take their treasures." "And what''s the first?" Unfazed, the girl shed her a yful grin before replying in a soft voice, "... Phantom Thief Lupin?" "Ha, figures." Realizing the identity of her obstructer, Jill the Ripper leaked out a coldugh before shifting her gaze to Adler, held in the confines of her arms. "So you''ve even seduced the notorious female thief in advance, huh?" "No, really, I didn''t do anything." "... Really?" "Uh, well..." Adler looked genuinely aggrieved by her usation. However, under Jill the Ripper''s cold questioning, he paused for a moment to think things through. "I just¡­ wrapped the jewel she was trying to steal with a note, a cute doodle too, and presented it as a gift, nothing more." "What?" "Ah, and I did steal her first kiss... but that was more like, I was the one being taken advantage of¡­?¡± After a moment, Adler¡¯s cheerful expression faded and he began to trail off, seemingly realizing the oddity of his own words. "Why did you leave out the part where you beat me up so badly that I still have bruises?" Lupin, showing a cold smile, slightly lifted the gentleman''s suit she was wearing to reveal the bruises that still scarred her stomach, even to this day. "... Didn''t you say you did nothing?" "..... Teehee~" "So, you gave her a jewel as a gift, stole her first kiss, and went on to beat her till she got longsting bruises, and you still think that''s nothing?" Jill the Ripper murmured coldly to Adler, still confined in her arms, before suddenly looking forward with a puzzled expression. "Then why did that bitche to save you?" "Uh..." "Don''t people usually hate getting beaten up?" To her confused murmurs, Adler whispered in a low voice while looking straight at her. "Actually, she didn''te to save me; she came to kidnap me too." "Ah." Finally, Jill the Ripper nodded, somewhat convinced. "But I still don''t quite get it." "What do you not understand?" "... Do French people call someone who beats them up ?" However, as she was engulfed in doubt once again, Adler kindly answered. "Ah, that''s because that person is a masochist." "Masochist? What''s that?" "... How do you feel when you stab me with a knife?" Jill the Ripper tilted her head thoughtfully for a moment. "It sends a thrill all over my body, making it hard for me to breathe from all the excitement. Soon, I¡¯m filled with a desire to stab you several more times." "A masochist feels the same way when they get beaten up." "What? No way." Hearing his response, Jill the Ripper shuddered as if she had heard the most disgusting thing of her life and soon muttered, "How can anyone feel that way while getting beaten up? Is she insane?" "... That''s riching from you." "Hey, that''s a bit rude, don¡¯t you think?" While Adler countered in a timid voice, Lupin stepped forward, her expression still rxed and nonchnt. "I never said that I felt sexually aroused while being beaten up like a dog by a man, and yet you nder m..." All of a sudden, she trailed off, her expression turning nk in an instant. "... What, that?" "Huh? What do you mean?" "What are you doing to him with, that?" It was only at this moment¡­ that she noticed the blood dripping out of Adler¡¯s chest, as well as the brutal act of Jill the Ripper repeatedly twisting the knife that she herself had plunged into him not long ago. "Oh, this? I''m in the process of killing Isaac Adler." "........" "Oddly enough, this is quite fun. No matter how much I kill him, he doesn''t die, you know?" In the midst of her brutal act, Jill the Ripper began to exin the situation in a casual tone. "... But you, can you really do this to him? Won¡¯t everyone witness everything?" Her eyes darkened ominously. "The shadows obscure the surroundings, most people can¡¯t see what¡¯s happening..." "I was wondering why a princess would show up in such a dangerous ce like this..." Simrly, Lupin''s gaze turned serious, sweeping aside all of the yfulness she had been showing. "... It seems you weren''t just relying on your authority now, were you?" "Fufu~" A chilly silence began hovering between the two. "But, whatever your identity might be, isn¡¯t it dangerous to reveal yourself here?" "Yes, it''s indeed dangerous. I¡¯d hate to discard the identity I''ve protected for decades." In that silence, Jill the Ripper subtly began exuding an unparalleled murderous aura. "I don''t like killing girls, but..." "Do you like magic tricks?" - Swish... As she drew out her knife from Adler''s chest, the blood-soaked de glistening in the rays of moonlight¡­ decks of cards began to rise from Lupin¡¯s hand, manifested out of thin air. "... Excuse me." In this tense moment, the profusely sweating Adler somehow managed to get a word out to the two menacing women. "Could you untie me first, ple..." But before he could finish his sentence, a loud noise suddenly echoed in the paved footpath. . . . . . "Ugh..." Several minutes after the battle between Jill the Ripper and Lupinmenced, "... I wonder how things turned out." Hidden in between the bushes in a remote area ¨C far from the entrance to the walkway where the fight between the two dangerous women had erupted ¨C Isaac Adler cautiously peeked out and muttered to himself. "Seeing that the vision has gonepletely dark, the clone has most likely reached its limit¡­¡± Indeed, Surprisingly, what had been roaming the park without any escorts, attracting monsters from all around, was a clone created and controlled by Adler through his unique magic. "... But it''s too risky to check it out in person." Adler''s n to lure and make the supernatural entities from various parts of Britain destroy each other had almost reached fruition. "It seems Moran¡¯sms were cut off due to the royal knights..." However, that didn''t mean everything was over. "Is there no safe way to check in on the battle?¡± As there was another crucial n remaining¡ª a n that was as significant as the n of pitting the monsters against each other, leading to their mutual destruction. ¡ºPhantom Thief''s Treasure¡» ¨C Description: Get kidnapped by Phantom Thief Lupin "If Lupin loses, things will getplicated..." That n was to embark on the final main quest from the early stages that hadn''t progressed yet. More precisely, it was to ensure Lupin''s victory in this monster showdown and to get kidnapped by her. ¡­ Sure enough, I need to head to the scene, no matter what. Just need to be as stealthy as possible. Thus, risking danger, Isaac Adler decided to move himself instead of creating another time-consuming clone. - Rustle... ".........?" Just as he was silently trying to get up, he heard a noise from behind. "Who, who''s there...?" "........." Adler, startled and fearing that a monster had discovered his hiding spot, turned around with a terrified expression. "Uh...?" In the next moment, however, his head tilted in confusion. "M, Master." Because standing before him was someone who shouldn''t have been in this ce right now. "What are you doing here?" "... Miss ze?" Out of Adler''s three closest subordinates, Silver ze was the only one who had the height and build for Lupin to perfectly disguise herself into; that¡¯s why she was excluded from this mission. "No..." Then, there was only one possibility left. "Miss Thief, have you already finished the fight?" "... Pardon?" Having made his one-sided assessment, Adler began acting cute, flirting with the confused woman. "So, will you kidnap me now?" . . . . . ...What did the master just say? Despite the unexpected appearance of Jill the Ripper, Adler''s n had been almost wless. However, in this very instance, his perfect n began going awry. ... Did he just ask me to kidnap him? The person before him was not the victorious and disguised Phantom Thief Lupin. Kidnap... kidnap master...? It was actually Silver ze herself. In charge of guarding their all alone, she hade out for a night walk in the park to cool down her body which had already gone in heat, given it was her mating cycle. "... Aren''t you going to do it?" .......? And her brain, which had momentarily frozen due to the shocking words, rapidly began filling up with hearts at hearing Adler¡¯s shy and timid voice. "... Don''t regret it now¡­ /genesisforsaken Chapter 132: Monster Showdown (6) Chapter 132: Monster Showdown (6) "Haah, haah..." "... Excuse me." A few minutes after Isaac Adler hade face to face with Silver ze, who had been out for a night walk, "Ye, Yees?" "Are you having a hard time?" "Oh, no, not really...?" "Then why are you breathing so heavily?" Already tied up with the rope Silver ze carried for emergencies on a daily basis, Adler cocked his head to the side and subtly asked. "Ah, that''s because...""Well, I suppose it¡¯s only natural to feel that way. Are the aftermaths of the battle still lingering?¡± As Silver ze hesitated and stuttered, Adler asked again, this time with a bright smile on his face. "Battle... you say?" "It must have been tough. Jill the Ripper isn''t an easy opponent, after all." "... Eh?" nkly, she stood there, dumbfounded for a few fleeting moments. Soon, she somehow stammered out a reply, however. "Well, I suppose...?" "Honestly, I was forced to reassess you. I thought you were just an insignificant self-insert character, but..." "Th, Thank you...?" Having grown up in a racetrack, she was adept at pretending to understand and agree with her owner, even if she didn¡¯t grasp what he was talking about. "Come here." "... Yes?" Of course, she knew that such actions would ensure praise and rewards, such as carrots and a warm bed. "I''ll give you a reward, soe here." "Ah...!" And once again, her strategy seemed to have been the right one. Even though she was in the midst of kidnapping him, her master was calling her over with a gentle expression to reward her. "Hehe..." Silver ze approached him with an expectant look, her tail even started wagging in an excited rhythm, different from its normal state where it would stay drooped down. - p...! However, in the next moment, with a sharp resounding echo, her head turned slightly to the side. "Master...?" As she stood there dazed, she realised that Adler had pped her, his expression stern and frigid. What did I do wrong? Did I take Master''s jest seriously and act on it without realising it? Or did I tie the rope too tightly? Or maybe... In an instant, countless thoughts began to race through her mind. ... Right, I should just slit my wrists before I''m abandoned. If I harm myself quickly, maybe Master¡¯ll take pity on me and won¡¯t throw me away. "It''s a reward." "Pardon?" As her thoughts were about to spiral into a dark, ominous terrain, Silver ze heard Adler''s chuckling voice, full of mirth. "You like it, don¡¯t you? Being hit." "... Ah." Her eyes filled with unprecedented sorrow, tears began to form in Silver ze¡¯s eyes and were about to gush out in streams when, "Isn''t that right, Phantom Thief Lupin?" "Eh?" Unexpectedly, the name of the was mentioned by Adler. . . . . . A few minutester, "Wow, my life ispletely over now~" "........." "Being kidnapped by the world''s greatest thief, will I disappear forever~..." As Silver ze walked along the footpath holding the rope that bound Adler, she heard his words and flinched ever so subtly, stopping in her tracks. I thought something was odd with this situation... "Miss Thief?" ¡­ So Master has mistaken me for the phantom thief, huh? Muttering to herself, Silver ze soon nced back. Maybe I should tell him the truth right now... "Why are you acting like this~" A wave of gloominess washed over her, but it was short-lived. With a resurgence of her loyalty and devotion, she was about to speak, her heart steeled, but right at that instant, "Are you nning to leave the treasure in front of you like a coward, hmm~?¡± With a mischievous expression, Adler started acting cute and flirted with her in a sly tone. ... Yeah, let¡¯s just take Master away. "Miss Thief~ Speak up~" No, rather¡­ I should just take care of Master from now on. Silver ze¡¯s judgment was swiftly revised as soon as she saw him acting in such a flirtatious manner. With the donations umted in my ount, I can take care of Master for a lifetime without letting him experience any hardships¡­ - Thump, thump... "... Mmphh." However, her heart suddenly started pounding wildly at that moment. Not again... As her body began heating up soon after, Silver ze bowed her head, trembling. I thought I had cooled down a bit... but when I think of Master... The mating periods that the demi-humans experienced every few months were not something that could be handled with rationality alone. Silver ze had tried various methods to alleviate her sexually charged state at the hideout, as she was left alone with the duty to guard it. In the end, however, she had to leave her guarding duty and venture out to the park as ast resort. "Uggh..." Squirming for a moment, she slowly turned her head towards Adler. "Haa... Haa..." "Eh...?" "Huaaahh..." As her breathing became more and more strained and ragged with time, Adler looked at her with an rmed gaze and began backing away, inch by inch. - Squeeze... "Eek." Finally, like a runner who was crossing the finish line in a monumental race, Silver ze threw herself at Adler in a frenzy. "Miss Thief? This isn''t the time for that...?" "I don''t know, don''t kno¡­ w..." "Shouldn''t we be getting out of here quickly?" "I don''t know anymoreeeeeeeeeee..." Wagging her tail wildly while being on top of Adler, she buried her head in his chest and started sniffing him like a deranged pervert. "... Sniffff." "What, how can a thief be this strong?" "So gooood..." "What did you say?" Adler tried to push her away in his confusion, but the feeble man could not possibly handle the overwhelming strength of a demihuman in heat. Understandable, since demi-humans in heat were several times stronger than their normal selves, and even a base demi-human was still a few notches stronger than your average human. "You smell so sweet... Master¡¯s smell is so goood..." "... The hell?" "I want to live every day just breathing in this scent..." Struggling for a while more, Adler finally gave up, a hint of despair colouring his face. The moment he gave up, Silver ze embraced him with full force and whispered in his ears. "Master..." The sweet scent emanating from her master had be exponentially more intense after he epted his identity as , which ultimately caused her to lose her sanity within mere seconds. - Rub... Rub... "I love you..." "Wait..." As she murmured with a hazy expression, rubbing her crotch against Adler''s, he finally seemed to realize something and lifted his head towards her neck. "This scent..." He had be quite ustomed to the scent of her fur over the past few months¡ª a scent that would waft over and linger in his nose as he received her habitual disys of affection. Inhaling that familiar scent, he muttered in disbelief. "You... You''re the real Silver ze...?" "... No." Slowly, she lifted her head and, staring intently at Adler, whispered. "I am the , Master." "Ah, that shouldn¡¯t be the ca..." "It is." As her rubbing intensified, beads of sweat began to form on Adler''s forehead. "I am a thief, and I am going to kidnap you." "Miss Thief has never called me before though..." "I''m going to you." Tightening the rope bound around Adler''s body even further, she quietly amended her statement. "You, I trusted you, yet¡­¡± "This isn''t my fault, it''s yours, Master..." "What?" "Did you really think a demi-human in heat, after being asked to tie up and kidnap the person of their affection, could maintain their reason...?" While speaking, she buried her nose in Adler''s neck and took in a deep whiff of his scent before murmuring again in a hazy voice. "I didn''t say to tie me up..." "And Master, I''m a thief now, remember?" "...... "I trusted you, I don''t understand what you''re talking about."1 Just as her eyes, shimmering with a sense of treachery, began to sparkle¡­ right at that very moment, "Don''t worry, Master. I''ll make you happy. Even though I''m a thief, I have plenty of money and a lot of support, so..." - Rustle... The sound of small leaves being stepped upon resounded from behind. "Ah, guys!" Holding onto thest straw of hope, Adler looked behind and immediately started waving his hands with a relieved expression. "Help me!" ""..........."" Why would he not? Celestia Moran and Princess y, the duo who had fought a bloody battle with the royal knights brought in by Jill the Ripper, were now looking down at him at that spot. I don¡¯t think I need to correct this anymore now, do I? Warning! ¨C Probability of being Kidnapped ¡ª 200% ¡ú 500% ¨C Probability of being Imprisoned ¡ª 200% ¡ú 500% ¨C Probability of ??? ¡ª 200% ¡ú 500% "... Guys?" . . . . . "........" Meanwhile, at that moment, at the entrance to the park''s paved footpath, "Hehe, hehe." The vengeful spirit of Helen Stoner, who had been ruthlessly absorbing the frigid energy of all the monsters scattered around into her own body, began to look down at her increasingly distinct form with a sinister smile. - Grrrrr... - Too strong... And before her, bowed down on their knees, were the various spirits and monsters from all across Britain. - Perhaps... it would be better to submit and scrape up the crumbs... - Adler won''t die even if we share him... - Right... Grrr... For the lesser monsters and spirits, who were destined to quietly dissipate into nothingness, a leader had just emerged at that very instant. . . . . . "... Cough, cough." And watching from a distance, hidden behind a tree, a girl observed the scene while coughing up blood. "As a thief, I can''t just stand by and let my treasure be stolen now, can I¡­?" It was exactly at that moment... that a strand of hair of a considerably familiar colour popped out from between Phantom Thief Lupin''s breasts, who had briefly retreated after sustaining serious injuries in the fight with Jill the Ripper. "... I was saving this forst." As she finished speaking, her body began to slowly /genesisforsaken Chapter 133: Monster Showdown (7) Chapter 133: Monster Showdown (7) "H, Hey, guys." Witnessing the sudden, abnormally skyrocketing probabilities, Isaac Adler looked up at his subordinates with a sceptical expression. "... No, could it be?" Then, he posed a subtle question while staring at Celestia Moran and Princess y who were looking down at him with a frigid expression. "Y-You''ll save me, right? You won''t do anything strange, right?" As he started to wriggle his tied-up body while gauging their reactions, the two henchwomen exchanged subtle nces with each other. - Stomp, step... "Guys...?" Eventually, the two women moved towards Adler while keeping their silence."... Ah." As Moran raised the butt of her air rifle and Princess y began conjuring red mana in her hand, Adler closed his eyes with a liberated smile on his lips, epting his fate. - Bam...!!! In the next moment, a crisp striking sound echoed through the outskirts of the walkway. "...... Eh?" Adler, shivering with his eyes shut, soon realised that he¡¯s consciousness hadn¡¯t faded as he had expected. With that realisation in mind, he opened his eyes with a puzzled expression. "........." And the first thing he witnessed was the copsed Silver ze¡ª two bumps protruding from her head and her eyes spinning into swirls. "What are you doing, Dad?" "Why are you shivering so much?" Adler observed the scene with his eyes blinking and a nk face¡­ until he heard the soft voices of Moran and Princess y. "Did you just... grant my request?" "... I am your hunting dog, aren''t I, Dad?" "It wasn''t really for you, to be honest. I just couldn''t stand to see this poor beast forcing herself to take care of trash like you.¡± As Adler cocked his head and listened to their words, a touched expression manifested on his face. "Guys~" Staggering to his feet, Adler then slipped his arms out of the now-loose ropes and hugged Moran and Princess y tightly. "I love you~" And then, with an innocent smile and a twinkle in his eyes, he began to rub his cheeks against theirs. "".........."" As they were hugged, both looked sideways, their eyes trained on Adler, and their eyes instantly turned cold. "This isn''t the time or ce for this, Dad." "Correct, so let go of us, now." "Huh?" Both of the women spoke simultaneously at the next instant. "You must hide immediately." "... Why?" "This incident has drawn not only the attention of the supernatural entities but also of some suspicious and highly dangerous organisations." Upon hearing her reply, Adler tilted his head with a na?ve expression, prompting Princess y to sigh and begin her exnation. "Of course, that alone wouldn''t be a problem. However, the issue is that these groups might coborate." "... Coborate?" "Except for the damned Queen''s dogs, most are either intelligence organisations or illegal groups. Working together for amon goal is hardly an issue for them." "Are you certain?" "Our battle with the royal knights was systematically interrupted by them. The attackers included at least three types of ability users." With that, Princess y turned towards Adler and asked, "Of course, you''ve prepared for such a situation, I assume?" "........" "Wasn''t it you who devised this insane n?" Adler, feigning ignorance, merely shrugged his shoulders. "... Dunno." "Madman." Immediately, Princess y cursed under her breath and grabbed Adler by the cor, her voice raised. "Let¡¯s not even talk about somehow aplishing that insane n of yours, just escaping this park isn''t even an easy task now!" "Ugh..." "And what if they catch us, huh? What are you going to do then?" Still appearing clueless, Adler was vigorously shaken by the princess as she vented out her anger on him. "... But that''s a bit strange, isn¡¯t it?" At that moment, Celestia Moran, observing the scene with narrowed eyes from start to now, suddenly began questioning Princess y. "Weren''t you just reluctantly being manipted after falling for Dad''s schemes?¡± "........." ¡°Isn''t it better for Dad to be captured by them than to continue being treated like a cat or cleaning the hideout while wearing a maid''s outfit?¡± Hearing that, the light in Princess y''s eyes began to dim. "..... Isn¡¯t that right, Princess?" Moran, with a sly voice, began to subtly prod her. "Moran...?" Adler, sweating profusely as he watched the princess looking dazed as if she had just received an awakening after hearing those words, quietly whispered to Moran, who was still looking up at him. "Why suddenly bring this up?" "You should be reviving the vampires, not wasting time here." But Moran, still staring intently at Adler, continued to hold onto the princess''s sleeve and carried on the conversation. "........." ¡­ Dad is surrounded by too many women. As a result of her subtle prodding, the silent Princess y began gazing intently at Adler, her lips quietly curling upwards. I alone am enough... "Hmph, I know that too!" However, right that instant, the princess crossed her arms, whipped her head around, and raised her voice once more. "If my powers hadn''t been sealed by Adler, I would have betrayed him long ago!" "If you say that in front of me..." "But since I still haven''t recovered enough strength to defeat a true vampire, I have no choice but to live in captivity..." "...Lies." Looking up at the princess with a cold gaze, Moran began to speak. Her icy voice started to resound through the walkway, piercing through the princess¡¯ mumblings. "Is that something someone who wiped out half the knights with just a few drops of blood should say?" "........" "Andst time, when it was just us, you coldly turned away the subordinates who came to our hideout to rescue you¡­¡± "Uh, ugghh! I''m already running out of strength!" In a panic, Princess y covered her mouth, twisting her body unnaturally. "Don''t misunderstand, you bastard!" She then turned her gaze toward Adler and began raising her voice. "... I, I will." But her outburst was short-lived. Soon, she began to stutter, eyes downturned. "I''ll protect you." As her words ended, a brief silence ensued in the walkway. "Pardon?" "I''m not doing this because I''m worried about you or like you! It¡¯s only because I¡¯ve been using you all this time, that''s all!" As Adler stared at her with a nk gaze, the princess blushed and screamed out loud. "Just, just¡­ It¡¯s just that the existence of a true vampire is helpful in a multitude of ways for rekindling the Red Mana Alliance, so..." "........" "I''m just reluctantly helping you, a nuisance, at my own expense. So consider it an honour." Upon hearing this, a genuinely flustered expression began to appear on Adler''s face. ¡­ At this point, do I really need to get kidnapped? Deliberately creating a situation where the monsters fight each other and the unknown, suspicious groups coborate, isting Princess y, who is clearly the least loyal. "Princess, but..." "H, How dare you! I will not entertain objections. Remember, royal British blood flows through my veins." It was because his perfect n was increasingly going awry with each passing second. "... How will you protect me?" "I, I could just kidnap you from here." "What?" "It¡¯s a staged act. I¡¯ll divert their attention to the Red Mana League that I oversee." Thus, when Adler threw a puzzled question, the Princess immediately proposed a solution¡ª a feat befitting the fourth smartest woman in London. "The League is scattered all over Britain, so we could buy some time to escape to America or even a third country." "... And after that?" "W, We settle in a new ce and start afresh." The suggestion seemed quite normal and appealingpared to the insane solutions he was used to hearing from all the women in his life, causing Adler¡¯s gaze to waver ever so slightly. "... I, I''ll pretend to be your wife. To gather all the vampires scattered across the country, we''ll need the authority you possess as a true vampire." "......" "Of course! It will merely be a masked performance! Even that would be an honour for someone who is merely a hostage in a kidnapping y!" Having said her piece in a loud voice, the princess crossed her arms and turned her head aside. "If you are unwilling, just say so..." "But, Princess." Adler, gazing intently at her, raised a question with a look of confusion. "... If this kidnapping act goes on forever, wouldn¡¯t it be no different from marriage?" "What did you just say?" She eximed, visibly shocked. "How dare you!" However, apparently, there was nothing else she had to say. Hence, no reply came after her outcry. "..... Dad." In the meantime, Celestia Moran had quietly approached next to Adler and began whispering while holding onto his sleeve. "I will kidnap you, for real, I mean." "........" "I¡¯ll tie you up with chains and inflict a bit of harm here and there, nothing serious. And then, I¡¯ll circte the photos among the monsters and the unknown organisations after us." "... Huh?" "On the back of the photo, I''ll even write a message saying, ." Her eyes glinted darkly under the moonlight. "That way, no one will chase after you anymore. It¡¯s several times safer than the Princess¡¯s method." "But Moran..." "I¡¯ve done this plenty of times, so I can pull it off wlessly... What?" "... How is that different from real kidnapping?" Adler asked in a slightly frightened voice, but again, no answer came. . . . . . "In my opinion, both options aren''t particrly good." ".........!?" Until that moment, that is. A vaguely familiar, yet not at the same time, voice began to echo from the walkway covered in fog. "Isn''t that so, Isaac?" "Professor...?" . . . . . Meanwhile, at that time, in London''s finest hospital. "Miss Jane Moriarty. Did you sleep well?" "Hmmmh." Professor Jane Moriarty opened her eyes in her single hospital room and stretchednguidly as she faced her attending doctor. "Your recovery speed is unbelievable for a human, I¡¯m positively astonished. It seems you can be discharged soon..." "... Thank you." Hearing this, she thanked her with a grateful look, a sharp re hidden within, and began imbuing her concealed hand with grey mana. "However, it would have been better had you not made that stateme..." "Pardon?" But just before her grey mana could im another life, the professor retracted her mana altogether. She even stopped speaking mid-sentence and made a startled expression for some reason. "Ah!?" Abruptly, she rose from her bed the next moment, beads of cold sweat leaking down her forehead. "Adler..." Ever since the day she met Isaac Adler, she had been constantly watching over him; however, now, his presence seemed strangely obscured, as if veiled by smoke¡ª the cause of her anxiety and /genesisforsaken Chapter 134: Monster Showdown (8) Chapter 134: Monster Showdown (8) "Ah, you..." "........" A familiar silhouette pierced through the dense fog that had enveloped the walkway. Gazing at the approaching silhouette, Princess y and Celestia Moran¡¯s nk slowly morphed into a puzzled expression. "... Why is she here already?" "T, This is so strange." The two girls, their expressions utterly baffled, began whispering to each other. "Little brat, didn''t you say you sneaked into the hospital and administered several times the usual dose of sleeping pills to her?" "... I''m not a brat, and I did nothing wrong. Just to be safe, I even administered a near-lethal dose into her system.¡± Their increasingly troubled nces now turned towards the grey-haired professor who had already appeared before them."Well, isn''t that problematic in itself?" "Last time I visited Dad in the hospital, I secretly experimented with ten times the normal dosage and he woke up feeling very refreshed.¡± "... Even my body isn''t that resilient." Watching her quietly bob her head from side to side, a habit of hers, the two of them broke out into a cold sweat. "What are you two whispering about so quietly?" "..........." Immediately, they mped their mouths shut at the professor¡¯s voice tinged with amusement. "Professor...?" Meanwhile, Isaac Adler who was standing beside them, wore a doubtful expression before slowly stepping forward. "Is it really you, Professor?" "... Isaac." Gazing at him intently, the professor whispered in a soft voice. "Are you suggesting that there''s a fake professor too?" "Uh, well..." At those words, Adler¡¯s gaze shifted towards Silver ze¡­ who was lying on the ground with her eyes still swirling into spirals. "I thought it might be a simr case..." "What are you talking about?" "... Nothing." After a moment of silent contemtion, he slowly stepped forward until he was right in front of the professor. "Nothing at all..." ".......?" In the next moment, with hands sped behind his back, Adler started circling the professor with squinted eyes. "Hmm..." "What are you doing now?" Observing Adler as he ran his fingers through her soft hair, sniffed the air around her, and even went on to poke her sides and abdomen, curiosity flickered in Professor Moriarty¡¯s eyes. "... This is definitely the professor." "Isaac?" "The scent of her hair, the perfume... even the texture of her skin and the body shape..." However, Adler ignored her calling and muttered to himself in faint whispers, lost in thought. "... And finally, the height difference that even magic can¡¯t cover.¡± As he spoke, a sense of certainty and conviction began creeping into his voice. "Professor~" In the following moment, with a bright smile stretching his lips, Adler nestled himself into the professor¡¯s soft embrace. "I missed you..." "While I was away, you seem to have stirred up quite a few interesting events, I see." "..... Ah." However, Adler soon started blinking rapidly under the professor¡¯s calm voice. The professor continued her speech while staring down at his nk eyes. "What will you do now?" "Uh, well..." "... Th, There is a way." Just as the professor interrogated him in a somewhat frigid tone, a voice filled with undeniable desperation emerged from the side. "I, I¡¯m not sure if you have heard already, but¡­ I could just kidnap Adler.¡± "........." "I-I''ll even give you special permission tomunicate with Adler via letters. How about that?" However, Professor Moriarty didn¡¯t respond no matter what she said. "... I, I think it might be easier to deceive the others if I were the one to kidnap him.¡± "........" "I-I''ll keep you updated on the situation at all times. I¡¯ll even use ropes made of straw instead of chains, and I won¡¯t cause any physical harm to him. Can¡¯t say anything about the psychological damage though¡­¡± Grasping at straws, Moran tried to intervene after observing the situation from the side. However, she was ultimately met with the sameck of response. "As I said earlier, neither solution is particrly good." "Then..." "But I have one very usible and safe solution." After a long period of silence, the professor finally spoke up. "I will take Isaac with me." "".........."" Immediately, the two girls began clenching their teeth in silence. "But..." "Do you think you can protect him better than I can?" "........." "If you have anyints, prove your qualifications here and now." As she spoke, Moriarty¡¯s gaze began to gradually darken into an ominous hue. "But it will require you to put your life on the line." "Now is not the time for us to fight among ourselves..." "You seem to be under some misapprehension." With just a slight change in her expression, she began exuding a bone-chilling aura in the surroundings as she murmured in a low voice. "I could single-handedly eliminate all the groups and individuals here and easily escape." ""........"" "I refrain from doing just that only because I know Isaac dislikes such actions." Moran and Princess y started to tremble ever so slightly as they listened to her ominous words. "So let me say this onest time." Watching them with her usual enigmatic smile, the professor concluded, "Isaac Adler ising with me, so you two should leave now." At that moment, the tense gazes of the two girls and the professor''s calm eyes dangerously intersected, signalling an imminent collision. "Enough, stand back." Just then, from within the protective embrace of Professor Moriarty, Adler''s calm voice emerged, "I''ll be back soon." As he smirked at his loyal followers, the two girls lowered their heads in silence while grinding their teeth in frustration. "An excellent choice, Isaac." "......." "Let''s start by getting out of London. Where to next? America? France? Germany?" Thus, Adler and Moriarty began to distance themselves from the girls. - Beep, beep-beep...! "".........?"" As the two loyal followers gazed at their receding back with crestfallen gazes, at that very instant, their manamunication devices suddenly lit up, signalling the arrival of an urgent message. ?Where is Adler right now?? . . . . . - Trudge, trudge... A few minutester, "Isaac, you''ve be quite bold, haven''t you?" As they walked through the thick fog without encountering anyone, as if by magic, towards the exit of the park, Professor Moriarty spoke to Adler as he silently followed her from the side. "What do you mean?" "Normally, you wouldn''t dare to take on such a big risk. Has there been some change in your emotions recently?" Briefly, Adler scratched his head with an awkward smile before responding in a faint voice. "There has been a change, yes." "Is that so? I''m slightly curious. Would you mind giving me a hint?" Suddenly, Adler stopped walking and began to stare at Professor Moriarty with a fierce gaze. "I don''t see the need to tell you." In the next instant, Adler began murmuring in a surprisingly cold and business-like tone. "What did you just say?" "Professor." Softly, he whispered, staring into the professor¡¯s grey orbs. "Please stand in front of me." Confused, Jane Moriarty moved right in front of him. "What on earth..." "Put your hands behind your back and take a deep breath." "... Huh?" The very moment she took a deep breath with her hands behind her back, as Adler had requested of her, - Pow...!!! "... Ugh." Adler''s punch, delivered with the full extent of his power,nded squarely in her lower abdomen. "Uh, ack..." "........" The professor, momentarily losing strength in her legs and copsing to the ground, began to drool and retch. "What... what is this...?" In the following moment, she looked up towards Adler, tears forming in her eyes. - p! Sharply, the professor¡¯s face whipped to the side. "Isaac..." The professor, stroking her cheek marked by a palm print, began to murmur his name in a trembling voice. "How long do you intend to keep up this act?" Adler looked down disdainfully at her before murmuring in an ice-cold voice. "Firstly, my beloved Miss Moriarty would never leave London. The professor has already made London her stronghold. Rather than fleeing, she would turn London upside down." "........." "Secondly, Miss Moriarty does not call me . Your performance was quite impressive, but your research was one percentcking." The professor, or rather the woman impersonating the professor, had a gradual change in her expression as she silently listened to his exnation. "Andstly, if it were Miss Moriarty, she would have blocked my attack just now." "... Ha ha." "Because the professor is the strongest." An expression that was no longer terrified,¡ª a smug expression of conceit and depravity that was very familiar to Adler. "Isn''t that right, Miss Thief?" "... Now that I''m caught, I¡¯d like you to kick me in this form... Won¡¯t you do that for me?" . . . . . "... What, what is this?" Some time had psed since that incident, "What are you trying to do? What is this?" The coachman, who had recently safely transported Professor Moriarty and Adler from Baskerville to London, had parked the carriage a short distance from the park and was now catching his breath. ".........." "Should I call the police for you, miss?" He began sweating profusely as he walked up to a very unusual, scandalous sight¡ª a girl with bruises and hand marks on her face, bleeding from her mouth, and a boy who was holding a leash around her neck,ing out of the darkness of the park. "Excuse me." "Please wait. I''ll be right back..." "It seems you''re misunderstanding something..." As the coachman tried to hastily leave the scene, the boy holding the leash opened his mouth with an indifferent expression. "Actually, I¡¯m the one who has been kidnapped by this youngdy here, you see?" "What...?" "... It would be rather awkward to walk all the way to where I¡¯ll be imprisoned, so could you give us a ride in your carriage?" As he muttered, looking at the girl leaning weakly on his shoulder, the coachman''s mind went nk from the nonsense he was hearing. "What utter nonsense is this..." "I''ll give you all the gold coins in this pouch." "... Get in." A few minutester, his carriage began to smoothly exit London, in the opposite direction fromst /genesisforsaken Chapter 135: Kidnap Chapter 135: Kidnap "Adler." "... Hmm?" Inside the carriage, Adler, who had been nodding off, opened his eyes groggily at the soft voice that resounded beside him. "I''m in pain..." "........" Then his eyes met those of Professor Jane Moriarty, her face marred with handprints and bruises with tears welling up in her distinct grey eyes. "Why would you do such a thing..." "Ha." Adler couldn¡¯t help but sigh as he looked at her. Soon, he opened his mouth to speak."Let''s stop the jokes already." "Adler..." "This image doesn¡¯t suit my adorable professor, in the least.¡± Hearing his cold response, the corners of her mouth lifted into a yful smirk. "Seems like the professor is stiffer than I expected, huh?¡± "........" "ording to my investigations, I really thought that the two of you would at least be on a first-name basis by now.¡± "... I just can''t get used to this, so please revert to your original self quickly." Struggling to get used to her yful expression in the body of the ever-rigid professor, Adler murmured in a low voice. In response, she smirked and slowly snapped her fingers. - Swish... In an instant, her guise shifted from the mature professor to a young girl with an air of mystery surrounding her. "Hihi." "What''s so funny that''s making you giggle, huh?" Lupin, still wearing a leash with a face full of bruises and scars, shed him a bright smile, prompting Adler to sigh and murmur. "And those injuries, they weren''t even caused by me." "... That crazy princess was a bit too powerful." Lupin scratched her head and muttered in a sullen voice. "In my head, princesses were merely good sources of treasures, but now, I might have just gotten traumatized." "It''ll be good if the trauma stops you from stealing." "But hey¡­ Aren¡¯t you trying to avoid taking responsibility a bit too easily?¡± Tilting her head, she gazed at Adler with gleaming eyes. "After causing all this chaos, you even cleverly used me to escape this mess, right?¡± "........." "You even made me fight with that crazy murderhobo princess and I ended up getting scars on my cool and pretty face.¡± "That''s..." As Adler stammered, Lupin leaned her head closer until her face was nearly touching his and whispered. "And honestly, I think some of the handprints and bruises were definitely your doing." "........." "A p here, a punch there, and a few kicks too, so it only makes sense for you to be responsible." "You forced me to..." "Haha, you¡¯re so cute when you take my jokes so seriously.¡± Ignoring Adler''s aggrieved voice, Lupin cheerfully started patting his shoulder. "... I really, really want you now." Just then, a voice with an ominous undertone unconsciously slipped out of her lips. "Well, anyway... Does this mean we''re even?" However, as if her change was a lie, she quickly returned to her usual cheerful mood, pping her hands as she asked. "So, where are you nning to get off?" "What?" "Weren''t you nning to use my reputation to stage a kidnapping and disappear from London?" At that, Adler started scratching his head with a confused look. "I suppose so, but..." "So where will you get off, and what are you going to do next? I helped you in aplishing your n, so I can ask that much, right?" "Uh, well..." He looked at Lupin, who was curiously grinning while still being bound by the leash, with a slightly troubled expression and then asked in a faint voice, "Are you not going to kidnap me?" "What are you talking about?" Her expression immediately shifted to a more sombre one. "I can¡¯t kidnap you right now." "What?" "I can¡¯t, that¡¯s just impossible." Hearing her serious tone, Adler blinked and began to lower his voice, his forehead sweating. "That''s disappointing." "... Huh?" "The greatest thief in France, backing out because you''re scared of some monsters." Lupin couldn¡¯t help but look at Adler with an incredulous expression. "Why are you leaving out the fact that the number of those monsters is on a national scale?" "... It might have decreased a bit by now, right?" "Not to mention the fact that there are at least eight other countries and organisations involved in this incident.¡± "So, the female thief Lupin operates while calcting profits and losses, huh..." Her eyes narrowed slightly as she heard Adler''s voice mixed with a sigh. "There''s nothing in this world that I can''t handle..." "But it''s true, though." "That¡¯s not why I can¡¯t kidnap you.¡± Hearing that, Adler tilted his head to the side, confused. "What do you mean by that?" "Well, you can¡¯t get bound for long, right?" Lupin started to mutter with a tone dripping with regret. "I''ve secretly observed you getting tied up in handcuffs or ropes several times, but the moment I look away, you escape in the blink of an eye." "........" "Now that¡¯s a talent perfect for a thief. Just what kind of curse do you have?" Her exnation made Adler briefly ponder about the instances when he got handcuffed by Charlotte more than a few times. "Come to think of it, that''s true?" "Huh?" "Perhaps it¡¯s because devils, unless bound by a contract, are always free beings." At his profound words, Lupin quietly licked her lips. "I''m not sure what you''re talking about, but it seems there''s no way to restrain you after all." "Um..." "And, I''m in far worse shape than I thought." From her lips, a trickle of blood escaped as she spoke. "The princess was stronger than I could have ever anticipated." "......." "In this condition, there¡¯s more than a fifty percent chance of losing even if I were to fight you seriously¡­ kidnapping you is nothing but a pipe dream.¡± Quietly wiping her bloodstained mouth with her sleeve, she turned towards Adler, eyes filled with regret. "So, unfortunately, I''ll have to wait for another opportunity." "Another opportunity?" "I''m not sure what your purpose was, but I''m going back to France to gather my strength until the dreadful chaos you''ve caused in London calms down. I¡¯ll probably stay there for a year, yeah¡­" Hearing this, Adler''s eyes began to quiver violently. "Kidnapping will have to wait. There''s too much risk right now." "Er, uh..." "So, don''t die and just wait for me." Gently caressing his cheek, Lupin quietly rose from her seat. "I''ll be leaving now." At that moment, as she swung her cloak and was about to escape through the carriage window, - Squeeze... "... Cough." The cor around her neck began to tighten all of a sudden. "What are you doing?¡± Due to that, she was dragged back into the carriage, her face slightly flushed as she gazed at Adler. "... Bleh."1 Staring at her intently, Adler suddenly stuck out his tongue with clear mischief in his eyes. "What''s this again? A signal to pounce?" "... Hehe." "I don''t know what your special ability is, but relying solely on that could get you into big trouble..." As he tugged at the cor binding her neck, Lupin muttered with a cold smile. "... Ah, suddenly I feel so weaaak~" In the next moment, Adler suddenly clutched his forehead and theatrically copsed to the ground. "Hee, I''m losing¡­ strength..." "......." "D-Did Jill the Ripper secretly cast some strange magic on me...?" Avoiding Lupin''s puzzled gaze, he began enticing her with his actions. "I''m so drained that even a passing thief could kidnap me without any resistance..." "........." "What should I do..." As he sneakily nced at her, Lupin opened her mouth with a look of disbelief. "You''re joking, right?" "........." But Adler, having closed his eyes already, slowly turned and revealed the back of his hand. "... A wedding ring?" Noticing the ring on his finger, Lupin murmured in a quivering voice. "Are you married?" Her expression slowly began to morph with a hint of betrayal. "... So you already belong to someone else, huh?" ".........." "If I don¡¯t steal you, I¡¯d be disqualified as a thief..." Some time after the whole charade, "... Hey." Quietly approaching Adler who was lying unconscious on the floor of the carriage, Lupin started whispering in a subdued voice as she unfolded her cape. "... Did you n all of this?¡± Simultaneously, she began to spread her cape wide. "Just stay inside for now." "... Huh?" Upon hearing the ominous statement, Adler slightly opened his eyes and tilted his head with a naive expression. "Why, did you think I had no means to kidnap a person?" "Uh, umm..." Wrapped in Lupin¡¯s cape, Adler¡¯s voice trailed off as his body began to shrink and get sucked into its interior. "Uh, ahh..." Feeling that staying still would make things irreversible, Adler unwittingly began to struggle. n ¡ºPhantom Thief''s Treasure¡»n ¨C Description: Get kidnapped by Phantom Thief Lupinn¨C Progress:0% ¡ú 74%nnn "... Ah." But upon seeing the system message that appeared before his eyes, he muttered in an enlightened voice. "I¡¯m drained... can¡¯t resist..." "........" "Being kidnapped..." As he waspletely sucked into her cape, Lupin maintained silence for a moment. "Ah..." Then, she suddenly sat down, bowed her head and began to mutter in a trembling voice. "It¡¯s the first time I''ve absorbed a living being..." - Squirm...!! "Ah, the feeling of it wriggling inside is so intense~...." Thus began Lupin and Adler¡¯s bizarre kidnapping y. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment, "........" A pair of eyes quietly watched a carriage speeding through the streets of London, escaping the city in the early hours of dawn. "... Ha." The owner of those eyes, hidden within ominous ck smoke and observing the entire situation, was none other than Charlotte Holmes. Her dark circles had elongated significantly over the past few days, making her look like a ghost. "Trying to escape now, are we?" As she quietly extended her hand forward, the ck smoke began to slowly wrap around the wheels of the carriage. "... Toote for /genesisforsaken Chapter 136: Expansionist Policy Chapter 136: Expansionist Policy "... Ha." Around the time when¡­ what seemed to be an exceptionally prolonged dawn finally ended, and the morning sunlight started to shine down from above with its subtle radiance, "I couldn''t find him after all." Jill the Ripper, who had been scouring every corner of the park in search of Isaac Adler, sat down heavily with a deep sigh. "Has he already escaped with that thieving bitch?" It was an utterly disappointing situation for her. "Tsk..." Despite having revealed her true abilities while in the guise of the royal princess, the noblest identity she possessed in her arsenal, she had failed to achieve her objective. Of course, if today''s gathering had only consisted of the insignificant lesser monsters, it wouldn''t have mattered much to her.However, there were at least dozens of eyes observing the situation in silence without stepping foot into the park. Among those watchful eyes, undoubtedly, some had already recognized the connection between her as a princess and the recent hot topic, the serial killer . "... Can I cover this up this time?" If she moved quickly enough, she just might be able to manipte the British media to fabricate the information in her favour. For instance, iming that the princess had awakened her in order to escape the crisis¡ª a crisis she unknowingly got involved in aftering out of the royal castle for a casual walk in the park. However, that could only fool the gullible public. The spies from the numerous covert organizations who witnessed today''s incident would report the unaltered information to their leaders without any omission. ... In the end, my range of movement is bound to be limited. Even if all of them didn¡¯t believe the facts as is, it would be impossible to stop the decline in her reputation and the cirction of bizarre rumours. Ultimately, it was a lose-lose situation for her. Did he calcte all this? As the situation evolved to this extent, it was only natural for her to feel that all of this was part of Isaac Adler''s n. ¡­ All this, just to screw me over? It wasn''t just baseless paranoia. No sane individual would send dating invitations to all the monstrosities lurking throughout Britain and then casually go out for a walk, unless... Could he have used himself as bait to set up the most dangerous trap right here in London? "........." Considering everything, it was also suspicious that she was the only one among the many supernatural entities who hadn''t received a letter. What if, to avoid suspicion, Adler had deliberately set things up so that Jill the Ripper herself would discover the letter ande to the park? Wouldn¡¯t that mean she had fallen perfectly into his trap? - Creak... In silence, Jill the Ripper started grinding her teeth as she sat on the park bench. "Indeed... you''re good at this battle of wits, Adler..." After all, just who was Isaac Adler? Hadn''t he ovee countless crises just with his quick wits and cunning? No, at this point the word cunning was not fit to describe his exceptional capabilities. Isaac Adler was a strategist and a master maniptor, hiding a sinister smile behind his innocent and yful face. "Ah..." The very fact that he was walking the thin line between the detective and the professor while coercing both of them with his charms indicated he was no ordinary man, but why was she only about to realize it now? She couldn¡¯t help but have those self-deprecating thoughts, but it was toote for regrets. Now, she needed to focus on the grave situation at hand. - Swish... How could she possibly gain an advantage in this situation, havingpletely fallen into Adler''s trap? ".......?" As Jill the Ripper stood up from the bench with those thoughts in mind, faint figures began to appear in the distance. - Grrgrg, grgrgrgrrr... - Grrrrrrrr... "Hurry, find...! The sun¡­ rising.....!!" The identity of those faint silhouettes was the group of monstrosities with Helen Stoner as the lead. She was scouring the park like Jill the Ripper, leading the horde of monsters she hade tomand. "I''ve been confessed to... Ah~ Today marks day one of our evesting rtionship..." "... Heh." Jill the Ripper''s eyes sparkled subtly as she observed the scene with interest. "Good." "... Who''s there?" "... I could use a few more subordinates with supernatural powers." And then, she started her stride, heading towards them. "What...?" - Whoosh... By then, her mind had already formed the perfect n on how to utilize this situation to recoup her losses. "It seems the king of monsters has been born." "I don''t know who you are, but you are a monster too, right? Then kneel..." "... I''ll make sure to include you among the allies of Great Britain." "What...?" It was a grand n based on the principles of Imperial rule, which was in line with the expansionist policies of the British Empire¡ª policies that she had been educated in from her childhood as a member of the royal family of Britain. "The colonies are also part of the British Empire, after all." ".........!?" That morning, The Londoners heading for their daily morning walk in the park were puzzled and had to turn back as they were blocked by a group of profusely sweating royal knights. "Do you know why the sun never sets on the British Empire? Because even when the sun sets, it rises over the colonies on the other side of the world." "What utter nonsense!!!" "It''s not a joke, it''s really true. New Zend has been a colony of ours for decades now..." "Aaaaaahhhh!!!" Some citizens reported hearing eerie screams from the inside of the park to the media, but, for reasons unknown, none of them ever made it to the newspapers. . . . . . - Knock, knock, knock... That evening. At Isaac Adler''s hideout, ""........"" The three subordinates of Isaac Adler, who had their master stolen by the Phantom Thief, silently bowed their heads at the sight of the individual who opened the door of their. "... Interesting." Professor Jane Moriarty muttered in a deadpan voice as she looked at their sullen faces and stepped into their. "You all look terrible." Walking through the hideout entrance, exuding a chilling aura, she nced sideways and whispered, "Do you think there''s any point in having hounds that can''t even protect their masters?" ""......."" "Think about it." Leaving those words, she began her slow walk stride the firece, her footsteps making no sound. - Tap, tap... - Whirrr... As Professor Moriarty reached the wall and lightly tapped, gears whirred into action to reveal a hidden door beyond the wall. "H, How did you even know about that ce¡­?" "... Hmm." After observing the mechanism for some time, she ignored the flustered voices resounding behind her and started descending the stairs of the dark basement. - Creak... Stopping in her tracks after a while, she touched a thick iron door which, surprisingly, began to slowly open on its own. "........" Soon, the view beyond the basement door met Professor Moriarty''s eyes. "Greetings." "It''s been a while." "There''s no time to waste, so I''ll get straight to the point." Gazing intently at Mycrony Holmes, who looked gaunt with her hands and feet chained, Jane Moriarty began her interrogation with an ominous chill in her eyes. "What''s your purpose behind orchestrating all of these events?¡± "I don''t quite understand what you''re talking about." Mycrony Holmes, tilting her head slightly, quietly replied, "As you see, I''ve been kidnapped by Isaac Adler, deprived of my freedom, and confined in this basement." "........" "What kind of scheme could I possibly concoct in such a situation?" She shrugged her shoulders nonchntly as the professor slowly stepped in front of her. "Indeed, your involvement in the incident was minimal." "......." "To be more precise, it was merely a single statement of yours that influenced the whole case from the shadows." In the silence, their gazes intersected ominously as they pressed their sizeable breasts against each other. "... Head to the address written on the note, to the Baskerville Estate." "Hehe." "That simple and clear statement of yours was the starting point for everything." A dark chuckle escaped from Mycrony''s lips as she heard the professor¡¯s words. "Did you calcte all this on your own?" "......." "What''s your purpose?" Finally, as herughter ceased, a soft whisper escaped her lips. "... Fine delicacies should be shared.¡± "How dare..." "Don''t you think...?" As Professor Moriarty was about to thrust a de made of her grey mana directly at her neck, Mycrony''s whisper made her halt her action and she fell into silence. "... You greedy lizard." It was around that time that a raging thunderstorm began sweeping across the whole of Britain. . . . . . ".... Hmm." Meanwhile, at that time, "It¡¯s raining all of a sudden..." In a secluded cottage somewhere in the outskirts of Britain, Isaac Adler, dressed in a bathrobe while holding a ss of wine, muttered with a worried voice as he watched the thunderstorm brewing outside the window. "... Perhaps the professor is angry again." "... Haahaaaa." Meanwhile, lying at his feet while using her stomach to support his feet, Lupin pleaded to Adler, "C-Could you step a bit harder, please...?" "... Do temper yourself a bit. You might die from this." With her body already bruised in several areas, she looked up at Adler, who was leisurely sipping his wine, and requested in a low voice. "If you don¡¯t press harder, shall I lock you back in the cape?" "... Sigh." "Ah~..." Thus, Lupin''s moans began to echo around the silent vi. "........" Just then, a shadowy gaze appeared outside the rain-soaked window, staring down Isaac Adler in silence. n Warning!n ¨C Probability of being Devoured ¡ª 100%nnn "... Yeah, let¡¯s just go back /genesisforsaken Chapter 137: The Abduction Play and The Play within The Play Chapter 137: The Abduction y and The y within The y "Good morning~" "Mmm..." The fierce thunderstorm that started a few days ago was still raging to this day. In other words, a few days had passed after Isaac Adler had been kidnapped by the Phantom Thief¡ª Lupin. "How is it? Are you satisfied with your kidnapped lifestyle?" "... I have something to say about that." "Oh? What is it?" Lupin, wrapped in a bathrobe, stepped out from the bathroom into the living room of the cottage. Immediately, she asked Adler in a kind tone, to which he went on to scratch his head with an awkward expression and finally replied from his seat on the living room sofa; he had been sitting here for some time already, silently ruminating over something. "Is this... really a kidnapping?""........." On a small desk in front of him, there was breakfast consisting of fine wine and steak that had basically be his usual meal. He was also nked on both sides by maids, bowing their heads in respect, who were clearly Lupin¡¯s subordinates. "Then what do you think this is?" "It looks more like you''re raising me..." "... Eh, what are you even talking about?" "Isn''t a typical kidnapping all about being tied up and thrown into a cab or something?" As a maid silently handed him piping hot tea from the side, Adler posed the question, unable to hold back any longer. "That''s what you do when you need information about the whereabouts of a treasure, or you¡¯ve taken the treasure owner as a hostage.¡± "........." "But when you have the treasure itself; is there any reason to treat it so roughly?¡± Lupin answered back in a soft voice before gesturing the maids to step back and gently sat across him. "There should still be some limits..." "My daily routine usually involves lovingly cleaning and kissing the stolen treasures, but I''m skipping that. Want me to do that too?" "... No, thanks." In the following moment, as she narrowed her eyes and leaned in, Adler sighed and shook his head. "Well, the point is, now you''re a treasure under my management." "........" "You can¡¯t leave this cottage that I''m managing under a false identity and you¡¯ll have to live like this forever. If this isn¡¯t a kidnapping then what else can it be?." "... Marriage?" As his faint voice struck the crux of the matter, Lupin¡¯s eyes, which wereing closer and closer with her head leaning in, flickered for a split instant. "... I''m not a pervert who marries their possessions." "But, this is just like a honeymoon." "Uh..." As Adler struck perfectly, yet again¡­ surprisingly, Lupin¡¯s poker face broke down and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks as she avoided his gaze. - Swoosh... In the following instant, she got up from her seat, nced around for a moment, and sat down right next to Adler. "... Darling." And finally¡­ she buried her flushed face near his ear and whispered. "When are we going to make a child?" Silence flowed through the living room for a moment. "... What, no reaction at all." "........" "Thinking about it, you''ve always been like this." Lupin, who had been yfully observing his reaction with her head still buried, muttered slowly as Adler showed no particr response to her teasing. "Isaac Adler¡ª a gentleman who is kind to all women and never raises his hand no matter what." "........" "But you were never kind to me from the very beginning. Instead, you seemed to have an outright dislike for me.¡± A sense of disappointment surfaced on her face. "This whole kidnapping fiasco wasn¡¯t because you wanted to be kidnapped by me, right? There must be a reason why you are enduring all this. No matter how much you try to hide it, it''s obvious from your face." "........." "Did I do something wrong to you? If not, why do you dislike me the most out of all the women?" Hearing this, Adler chose to avoid her gaze. "I''ll change if you tell me, okay? We have to be here for the rest of our lives, living together, so we can''t keep being awkward, can we?" "Do you really want to know?" "Yes, just tell me without feeling any pressure." After hesitating for a while, he finally sighed under Lupin''s urging and spoke. "... Herlock Sholmes." "Huh?" "No, Harlot Sholmes." Upon hearing Adler''s sharp remark, Lupin couldn¡¯t help showing a bewildered expression, as though his reply waspletely out of her expectations. "Is it because of that? Because of the name that appeared in the novel that featured me, written by a friend?" "........" "That wasn''t my intention. I didn''t even know about it until Lenc turned it into a novel on his own." However, Adler''s cold gaze did not change no matter what she said. "... Honestly, I wasn''t very famous at the time, so I needed the name recognition. It was me who suggested it first, but still..." "Oh, I see." "Can you not just¡­ look at me like that?" Lupin broke out into a cold sweat. "Originally, Lenc used her real name, but I changed it myself. Shouldn''t I be praised for respecting copyright?" "........." "And technically speaking, I would¡¯ve won if we shed anyway¡­¡± Fidgeting with her fingers, she mumbled and looked up to gauge Adler''s mood, "I''m sorry." Before finally muttering in a timid voice. "I''m sorry... From now on, I''ll respect the copyright and promote it properly." "......." "So, please don''t leave, okay?" However, as Adler''s expression remained unamused, the anxious Lupin desperately knelt before him. "Do you want to hit me? Like seriously hit me." "What?" "I, I have thispulsion. If I lose or get robbed of a treasure I''ve stolen, I fall into depression for about a year..." "......." "So, hit me till you don¡¯t feel angry anymore, let it all out... And then stay with me a bit longer, okay?" Thus spoke Lupin, her head bowed and eyes closed. - Brrrrrrr... With a slightly frightened expression, her body began trembling non-stop. "......." Isaac Adler frowned slightly at the sight¡ª a sight that evoked his pity, vastly different from her usual masochistic demeanour. - Swoosh... As he stretched out his hand, Lupin bit her lower lip hard, bracing for the impact. ".......?" However, when his hand merely gently caressed her cheek, she couldn¡¯t help but show a puzzled look. "... It seems that you are reflecting." Subtly avoiding her gaze, Adler continued to stroke Lupin''s cheek. "I''ll hold off on hitting you seriously." "....... Hey." As she felt his warm touch while kneeling before him, she unconsciously grabbed his hand and said, "Shall we date?" "... I must decline." However, as Adler immediately expressed his refusal, she stood up, eyes widened. "I think I''ve just fallen for you." "... Your acting is too obvious." "It''s true." She squeezed back to his side and sat down, leaning her head on Adler''s shoulder while murmuring, "A man who usually beats you like he¡¯s dealing with a puny insect, but when serious, he bes gentle and kind? If this isn''t a confession, what is?" "... That, youngdy, is called perfectly rational behaviour. You were the one who demanded I assault you in the first ce.¡± ncing at her briefly, Adler asked, "Is there a reason your personality became so twisted?" "........." "Come to think of it, you mentioned that you have a curse." "... That''s a secret." Immediately, she lowered her eyes and murmured with a distant look¡ª a look that seemed to be holding innumerable tales¡­ that can only be felt, never spoken. "Thieves have many secrets¡­ secrets that they can never divulge to anyone." "Hmm..." "But one thing''s for sure." In the next moment, however, her eyes began shining in a different light. "You¡¯re the only person in the whole world who neutralised my curse, even if only by a slight margin.¡± She slowly lifted her gaze, beginning to scrutinize Adler. "... But now that I think about it, it''s a bit strange." "What is?" "I insulted Harlot Sholmes, right, yet why are you the one who''s angry?" At that, Adler closed his mouth shut. "... Also, those eyes." Only then did Lupin realise Adler''s left eye had turned , and with a slight smile, she caressed the corner of his eye and murmured, "Ah, I see." "........" "I haven''tpletely stolen you yet." Simultaneously, Lupin gently climbed onto Adler''sp. "If there''s a surefire way to steal a married man, it would be..." "Uh..." "It seems like, I almost stored a gem I worked so hard to obtain without even processing it." Adler, looking up at her as she reached a horrendous conclusion faster than he could even process anything clearly, started leaking beads of cold sweat from his forehead. n Let me remind you that the return ticket is only valid until you reach the ending.nnn Fortunately, a warning message popped up just in time. n By the way, you do know that being raped means an immediate bad ending, right?nnn "... I''ve said it many times, but you seduced me first, okay?" As Lupin spoke, she threw off her top and revealed a body covered in bruises, causing Adler''s mind to spin faster than ever before. . . . . . "...... Cough." "Uh...?" In a split second, Adler¡¯s mind began to race at superhuman speeds, and in the next moment, blood suddenly burst forth from his mouth. "Cough, cough..." "What, what''s going on? Why are you like this?" Lupin, who was unbuckling the belt of her bathrobe, stared nkly at Adler as he continued to vomit blood with a face that was growing increasingly paler with each cough. "...... Ugh." "Adler...?" . . . . . . "What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden...? Hey,e to your senses..." "........" It has always been said that a crisis is also an opportunity. "Doc, doctor. I''ll call a doctor, just wait a moment. I''m going straight to the city right now and..." "... Rachel." Now that it''se to this, let''s clear thest quest that I¡¯d been putting off all this time. "Call Rachel Watson..." "... What?" A sham marriage while being kidnapped, conducted secretly behind the back of a wife and a girlfriend. n ¡ºLady of London¡»n ¨C Description: Complete one sham marriage with Watson.n¨C Progress:???nnn It looks ridiculous no matter how I see it. ¡­ Just how did I end up in this messed up situation? n Are you seriously feeling wronged right now? After everything you¡¯ve done?nnn",akezmZmaAOMmegnQAlkRnalAJnr:"8ed3591396fd6bb4:"",notes:null,premium:{unlockable:void 0,rmendedMembership:void 0,loginRequired:void 0,membership:void 0}},"uses":{"search_params":["bypass_token"],"params":["id"],"parent":1}}]; Promise.all([ import("../_app/immutable/entry/start.D2tDEQf0.js"), import("../_app/immutable/entry/app.DN63GPRu.js") ]).then(([kit, app]) => { kit.start(app, element, { node_ids: [0, 16, 66], data, form: null, error: null }); }); } /genesisforsaken Chapter 138: A Case of Identity Chapter 138: A Case of Identity "... Tsk." At the end of the weekend, the warm morning sunlight had finally made its appearance in the city of London. "What¡¯s up with the sunlight being so blinding this early in the morning..." For the residents of London, who had seen a sharp drop in temperature due to the sudden influx of monsters, this warm sunlight was weing. However, there was one woman who found this weing sight to be nothing short of an eyesore. "Normally, it wouldn¡¯t have been this bright..." That woman was none other than Rachel Watson, on her way to her consultation room at the hospital with a gloomy expression. Until recently, she had been filled with happiness at the thought of bing a married woman, having already submitted her marriage registration form. "...Even if it warms up now, it won''t make me feel any better." The reason behind her glum mood was that the of her fianc¨¦, Neville, which she had believed would definitely arrive by this weekend, was nowhere in sight."Ah..." It meant, ultimately, she had been rejected. The happy married life she had been dreaming of for thest few days, the baby items and cookbooks she had excitedly purchased over the past week¡ª they were all for nought. Based on the way things had progressed that day, and the overall mood, she was sure that she would be soon living a long and happy life with the love of her life. Watson, who prided herself on living an elite life that was the envy of others, naturally received one of the biggest shocks of her life due to this incident. "Ugh, I don''t want to go to work..." While an ordinary person might have drowned their sorrows in alcohol, Watson, whose job was to save lives, couldn''t even resort to such tactics and had to cope with the stress on her lonesome¡­ that too with a sober mind. "... I wish Holmes would just forcibly drag me away to some solve case." Thus, Watson continued her walk, her nerves already on edge, ready to explode at the slightest provocation. "Excuse me...!" "... Yes?" At that very moment, a desperate voice called out to her. "Are you Rachel Watson?" "... Who are you?" A girl had approached from the distance, now gasping for each breath as she stopped right in front of her. "I need you toe with me right now." "What?" "It¡¯s urgent. There''s a critical patient, and he needs your attention, so quickly..." "What are you talking about?" For Watson, it was a slightly bewildering situation. Although she was indeed an elite doctor ¨C working in one of London''srgest hospitals, if not thergest hospital ¨C she wasn''t so renowned that patients would seek her out personally as the girl did. Unless she ran a private clinic, there was no reason for anyone to approach her when there was a hospital right in front of them. "Who is the patient...?" Then, the remaining possibility was that the patient was one of her acquaintances. Even so, there was no reason for the girl toe so secretly and in person, but it was the most rational conjecture she coulde up with at the moment. "... I, I can''t tell you that." "What?" "Due to certain¡­ circumstances, I can''t reveal the patient''s name... but I can pay you however much you want. Please hurry..." "Hmm..." However, as the girl spoke with a paleplexion, ncing around with nervous eyes, Watson couldn¡¯t help but show a troubled look. It does seem a bit suspicious... If the name of an acquaintance had been mentioned, she would have skipped her morning shift to help the girl out, but she couldn¡¯t even reveal the name of the patient? At this point, it was highly likely for this to be a trap. Having worked with Holmes over the past few years, she had encountered and apprehended a considerable number of criminals, so the possibility of a trap wasn¡¯t entirely out of the equation. And even if it wasn''t necessarily a trap set out by the criminals, it may as well have been put out by that insufferable womaniser, Isaac Adler. If even that went out the window, then it might be an illegal organisation rted to Neville trying to take her hostage... ¡­ Wait. Watson''s heart sank as her thoughts reached up to that point. Neville...? An unexpected possibility had suddenly taken root in her mind. What if the patient, in question, looking for me is Neville...? After all, it was definitely strange that a young elite doctor in her early twenties had gone out of her way to propose to someone, only for there to be no response even to this day. Not to mention, despite having secured a promise from him to contact her frequently, there had been absolutely no contact whatsoever since then. If it was the kind Neville she knew, even if he had rejected her proposal, he wouldn''t have just disappeared without a single word like that. Could it be... A possibility dawned in Watson''s mind, drenching her in a cold sweat. The possibility that Neville, having decided to marry her after much deliberation, had gone to confront Professor Moriarty¡ª his boss. There could only be two possible oues of that confrontation¡ª being silently eliminated by the professor, or barely escaping from the viinous woman with fatal injuries. "I, I can''t say who it is... but I was told that I must bring you..." "......" "Y, You, only you can cure him..." Amidst these harrowing thoughts, the girl''s urgent insistence reached Watson''s ears. "Neville....." Shuddering for a moment, she swiftly turned heels and ran¡­ in the opposite direction. "Neville.....!!!1 "Wait, I need to know where to go first..." Desperately, she ran towards Neville, who might as well be waiting in hope for her arrival, bloodied and in dire need of a doctor but unable to contact them for fear of exposing his location. . . . . . "... Ta-da~" A few hourster, "........." Bursting through the door of the mansion the girl had led her to, Watson immediately wore a dazed look as soon as she witnessed the scene before her. "It was actually Adler¡­" The person lying on the living room sofa, vomiting blood with a pale face, was frustratingly not her fianc¨¦ but rather the insufferable Isaac Adler. "... Are you joking?" "It''s not a joke. I really feel like I''m slowly dying right now..." "Just die." Her expression, which remained dazed for some time, soon turned colder than a b of cial ice. "Just fucking die already." "Isn''t that a bit harsh to say to a patient..." "Die, die, die..." Her curse continued for a long while. "... Where''s Neville." "Your fianc¨¦?" As she aggressively shook Adler by the cor, he scratched his head and answered. "He told mest time that he¡¯s leaving Britain.¡± "... Lies." "It''s true. Why would I lie about that?" "Lies!!!" In the next moment, with tears streaming down her face, Watson shook her head in denial. "Here, take this. The engagement ring." "Ah..." "He asked me to pass it on to you. It''s really unfortunate that it came to this, truly." However, as Adler handed over Neville''s engagement ring, Watson''splexion rapidly darkened. "This... This was the ring I gave him..." "... A ring that even a year''s sry as a doctor might not be able to afford¡­ Personally, I would have epted it, but s, things just had to unfold in this bleak scenario." "Ugh, ugh..." Tears began welling up in her eyes, filled with despair. "Ugh¡­ ughhhh..." "... Dear me." As her legs gave away and she copsed to the ground, Watson finally burst into tears of despair and agony. Adler, on the other hand, murmured with a look of pity while still spitting blood every now and then. "Heartbreak is always painful." "Ughh, uwaaagggghh..." "... Excuse me, but I feel like I''m about to die. Could you please treat me now?" However, ignoring Adler''s plea, Rachel Watson took a small bottle out of her pocket. "Hey, don¡¯t..." - Glug, glug, glug, glug... Realising it was brandy, the panacea of the 19th century, Adler reached out to stop her. However, it was already toote; arge amount of alcohol had already passed down her throat. "Love and all that... I don''t need it..." "......." "Now, I¡¯ll eat well... live well... hic..." Minutester, Watson, with a drunken ze in her eyes, began to rant. "Maybe this much will do." Adler, observing her face, waved his hand in front of her and then quietly rose from his seat. Following that, he began walking towards a corner of the living room. "... Hey, listen." "Thank you for your hard work." ¡°I was hoping for you to exin just what in hell is going on here¡­¡± Lupin, who had been coldly watching everything from a corner of the room, slowly opened her mouth to speak. "Depending on how convincing you are, your treatment in the future might change, so I¡¯m warning you in advance..." "Here, take this." "... Hmm?" She whispered, a faint, crazed gleam flickering in her eyes, as Adler handed her a document, which she took with a dazed expression. "This is......" "A contract. It states that I¡¯ll be your permanent property.¡± Leaning close to her ear, Adler whispered those words in a low voice. "Just listen to one request of mine, and I can sign it right away." Watching Adler, who began flirtatiously winking at her with a sly look, Lupin''s eyes started to gleam ominously. . . . . . - Creeeak... "Heugh... sob..." An unknown amount of time had passed since then, "Neville... Neviiiiiille..." "Excuse me." Watson, who had been sobbing over her desk while incessantly calling out the name of her runaway fianc¨¦, slowly opened her eyes and lifted her head at the sound of the voice in front of her. "Why are you calling me..." "... Hehe." "... What?" In the next moment, Watson started blinking rapidly while staring at the scene unfolding before her. "Oh..." Her face started to freeze stiff¡­ for an entirely different reason than before. "Darling." It was because her fianc¨¦, Neville St. ir, whom she thought to have returned the wedding ring and gone abroad already, was kneeling in front of the desk while pushing a cheerful face towards her. "It''s really me." "... Lies." As he spoke those words with an awkward smile, Watson''s eyes flickered momentarily before she started shaking her head vigorously. "You''re just Isaac Adler in disguise, aren¡¯t you?" "Hmm?" "You, you think I''d be foole..." But in the next moment, she couldn¡¯t help but show a vacant expression, stopping mid-sentence. "Do you really think that?" "........" It was because Adler, wearing somewhat loose clothes, walked out from inside the room with a slightly flushed face. "My, my thoughts are a bit different though..." As he tucked the men¡¯s underwear, which had been peeking out, back into his trousers, he muttered with a face growing increasingly redder with time. Thus, a deep silence settled inside the /genesisforsaken Chapter 139: A Case of Identity (2) Chapter 139: A Case of Identity (2)"Oh... so that''s how it was, huh..." "Ra, Rachel?" "I think... I''ll head home now, yeah..." Rachel Watson, gazing at the scene with a nk gaze for some time already, rose from her seat with a dejected expression and headed towards the exit. In her front, the cheerfully smiling Neville couldn¡¯t help but don a puzzled expression at her behaviour, faint anxiety starting to creep into his heart. "Why, why are you leaving all of a sudden?" "I''ve genuinely enjoyed our time together... But we must part here. I''ll cherish these memories forever..." However, Watson merely hastened her steps, a dead look in her eyes, as she left him behind. "Wait, wait, wait." "... Ow." Isaac Adler, who was only ustomed to walking away first in a rtionship and not the other way around, was extremely taken aback by this situation."Why on earth are you acting like this?" "Are you¡­ really asking because you don''t know?" Thus, now disguised as Neville, he broke into a cold sweat as he grabbed Watson and questioned her. In response, she finally began muttering with a vacant look in her eyes that seemed to have lost all their light. "I respect the rtionship between you two, that¡¯s why..." "What?" "Just think about it for a second. Two men in a remote cottage, one sweating while the other one is gasping with handprints all over his body..." "Ah." "And then the gasping man hastily stuffs back the underwear that was sticking out when he saw me, just what kind of situation could this be?" The faces of the two disguised individuals began to show signs of embarrassment the more they heard her respond. "You were wearing my underwear...?" "... A disguise must be perfect. You never know, right? Might just get an underwear check if arrested." "What the fu..." Adler, muttering under his breath to the thief disguised as himself, darted a sharp gare towards Lupin. In response, he only got a shy reply filled with embarrassment at the situation at hand. "Sorry... just wanted to try them on..." - Badump, badump... The handprints all over Lupin''s body were the results of her persistent demands over the past few days. On the other hand, her flushed face and her ragged gasps were because¡­ while hiding inside the cramped wardrobe, she had tried Adler¡¯s clothes on which awakened her to a brand new fetish. "... Hmm." "... This is fucking crazy." Of course, this absurd reason could not be straightforwardly exined to Watson. How can I even possibly begin exining something like this... For Adler, who had staged this event to create an alibi to avoid suspicionter on, this situation had more or less be a lost cause at this point. "... Er, Neville." "Yes?" "If not that, then perhaps..." In the next moment, however, Watson confronted Adler, looking troubled and sighing as he racked his brain to get out of this situation, and began questioning him in a frigid tone. "... Were you forced?¡± "Yes?" "Did Adler forcefully overpower you? And you resisted, leaving him bruised all over..." While this assumption could have eased the situation somewhat, Adler couldn''t bring himself to nod. "... No." He could have been a scoundrel who mistreated women, a gigolo infamous all over London¡ª worse, a literal devil even. However, he could never be the guy who had a sexual preference for the same gender, a guy who would sexually assault another guy. Not even if he was beaten to death would he be willing to admit something so sphemous. "It''s not that..." "Then, did you two really consent..." "That''s even further from the truth¡­¡± Just as the situation was about to plunge intoplete chaos, "Calm down, Miss Watson." Lupin, who had been observing the situation all this time, began her act with a mischievous smile, perfectly imitating Adler''s usual demeanour. "We were just fighting over our pride." "You two fought... Really?" "Yes. Isn¡¯t that right, Mr. Neville?" With a doubtful look, Adler hesitantly nodded at the thief¡¯s suggestion. "Yes, that''s... right." "... You and Neville?" Watson stopped in her tracks, looking at them with suspicion. "Neville is too weak to fight anyone." "......." "And you''re telling me that this frail man has somehow overwhelmingly beaten you, a vampire?" "Yes, that''s what happened." As she posed the question in a sharp tone, Lupin responded with the same smile on her face, unperturbed by her words. "It doesn''t add up..." "The power of love is always great, isn''t it?" "... Yes?" Hearing that, Watson couldn¡¯t help wearing a puzzled look as she tilted her head to the side. "I actually nned to kidnap you." "What?" In response, Lupin''s shocking statement echoed in her ears. "Why else would Neville fight so desperately with me?" "Um, but...?" Watson, an extreme look of confusion on her face, eyed Lupin who was disguised as Adler, and inquired. "Why me¡­ all of a sudden?" "Honestly, I was slightly interested in you." "... Back then, didn¡¯t you say you just wanted to be friends with me?¡± "Isn''t that one of themon lies men tell to women they''re interested in?" Lupin then took a step closer to her while showing her a sleazy expression. "Well, I don''t really love you like Charlotte or Jane, if I had to be honest." "........" "But, men don''t always have to be in love to be attracted to a woman now, do they?" At that appalling remark, Watson backed away with an ufortable expression on her face, while Lupin quickened her steps, chasing after the retreating woman. "Ah." - Whoosh...! With a look of amusement, Lupin intercepted her wrist. "Why not spend just one night with me?" "What, what are you even saying¡­?" "Surely I''m better than such a weakling and coward, aren''t I?" She then whispered, tightening her grip on Watson''s wrist. "A young elite doctor in her early twenties, bold and brave. Honestly, as a man, it''s impossible not to have an interest in you." "Ugh..." "And I''m curious to see what expression Charlotte would wear when I have you..." "Stop... please..." At that moment, as tears began forming in Watson''s eyes as she was pushed against the wall, "Just stay still. It''ll be over soon..." - p...!!! "... Ow." Adler, who had been leaning in towards Watson, had his head forcefully turned to the side. "Stop it." After much contemtion, Neville¡¯s eyes narrowed with a look of resignation in his eyes. "Rachel is my woman." Thus, the real Adler, who had been disguised as Neville, spoke those words and stepped forward with a look of self-loathing. "... Pfft." Upon seeing that, Lupin almost burst intoughter in the middle of her act¡ª something that would have been a first in her long career. "So¡­ you''reing out like this...?" "Darling...?" ""........."" However, summoning her superhuman patience, she re-engaged in her act, staggering backward as a deep silence began enveloping the living room. . . . . . - p, p, p... "... Ugh." As Lupin continued to receive ps while held by the cor, she began to mutter in a subdued voice. "... Because of the contract I made with you, I have no choice but to step back right now." "Hey, are you crazy?" Adler urgently whispered into her ear. "You''re going on with an act that hasn''t even been agreed upon..." "... You¡¯ll keep your word, right?¡± However, Lupin, having slipped out of his grasp, quietly smirked and whispered in his ear. "I''ll modify the content that¡¯s written in small letters on the back in the meantime.¡± "... Huh?" In the next moment, humming a tune, she silently made her way outside the cottage. "Hey, my clothes..." Adler, gazing at his clothes that she was still wearing with a distant look, soon stopped in his tracks. "........." Because Rachel Watson, with tearful eyes, had embraced him from behind. "Neville..." "Ah, um. So..." "I love you." Immediately, an ufortable look settled on Adler¡¯s face but Watson''s arms around him showed no sign of loosening. "I love you, I love you, I love you so muuuuuch..." "........." "No matter what happens in the future, I will only love you and you only..." In such a situation, Rachel Watson buried her head in her fianc¨¦''s shoulder, whispering words in the voice of your typical lovestruck girl. "... Hmm?" But then, her hand identally caught a piece of paper in Adler''s embrace. "Neville, what is this...?" - Rustle... "... Ah?" Watson, looking puzzled, carelessly lifted it up. "........" And the moment she looked at the content, her gaze became vacant once more. "Darling...?" A few days ago, she had sent a marriage registration form. That very same form was now before her, with the addition of the signature of her beloved fianc¨¦. "... Hehe." Realising the fact, Watson shifted her gaze downwards and saw her fianc¨¦ showing her an awkward look. "Shall we get married?" "Ah..." "That''s why I signed it¡­?" He mumbled in an embarrassed voice, and then¡­ looked down. ¡ºLady of London¡» Chapter 1 ¨C Complete Chapter 2 will now begin As usual, the system message appeared before Adler''s eyes. "... Haa" "Ehh..." However, for some reason, as Watson suddenly stuck her mouth into his mouth while holding the marriage registration form, Adler started looking at her with slight fright in his eyes. ¡ºLondon''s Casanova¡» ¨C Description: Have Rachel Watson uncover the sham marriage It was no wonder, as the content of the system message that appeared was particrly shocking among the quests he had faced so far. - Gulp... "Darling, I''m feeling a bit hot right now..." ¡­ I just want to return home, please. . . . . . "This must be what Adler always wears..." Meanwhile, at that moment, "... Haah." Lupin, having stepped outside the cottage, buried her head in the clothes she was wearing and trembled all over. - Creeeak... Squelch... ".......?" In the next moment, however, Lupin gazed at her surroundings in silence as she heard a strange squelching sounding from nearby. "What''s that..." - Gooooooooooo... "Is it a fire?" This was because faint ck smoke was rising from a bush near the cottage. "Adleeeeer...!" ".......!?" Along with the darkness and heat, a suspicious voice reached out, dyeing the air in an ominous hue. Chapter 140: A Case of Identity (3) Chapter 140: A Case of Identity (3)"Hehe..." Staring intently at the bush emitting ck smoke with a puzzled look for a while, Lupin suddenly sported a mischievous look on her face as she giggled. "Hellooo~?" "......." "Is anyone there~?" Turning on her heels, subtly, she began sliding towards the bush, hands sped behind her back. "Where is that strange noiseing from?" - Rustle, rustle... "Could it be that a stray cat in heat that has snuck itself inside...?" As she reached right in front of the bush and murmured with a smile, covering her mouth to conceal the mischievous expression she was making, the thicket started shaking a bit too noticeably.- Whooosh... "Oh my." In the following moment, a girl with dishevelled ck hair and a nk gaze suddenly jumped out from within the assortment of bushes, causing Lupin, mouth still covered, to burst out into sonorousughter. "Not a stray cat, but a detective, eh? Well, being in heat seems to be urate though.¡± "......." "So, what were you doing in there?" Reading the slight disarray in her breathing, Lupin pressed for an answer but was met with none from Charlotte. - Thud, thud... "Hmm...?" She just stood there for some time, the nk gaze never leaving her, before moving towards Lupin who was still dressed in Adler''s clothes. "Wait, just wait a moment." "........" "Are you, by any chance, trying to pounce on me?" Slightly flustered by this unexpected situation, Lupin began gesturing frantically with her hands. "I''m not actually Adler, you know? I''m just disguised as him?" - Goooooo... "Did you actually mistake me for him? Are you really Harlot Sholmes? Huh?" However, as a billowy shadow suddenly bubbled up from behind her, blocking any hope of her escape, genuine cold sweat started trickling down her forehead and back. "M, Miss Thief, save me..." "... Enough with the nonsense, just answer my question." Charlotte Holmes, in a frightening show of skill and physical prowess, fiercely grabbed her wrist and started to whisper chillingly. "Where is Adler?" "You already knew that I wasn''t Adler?" "I don''t even need to read the mana I imnted inside Adler¡¯s body to know that you¡¯re not him, just the scent you give off is enough.¡± A hollowugh escaped Lupin¡¯s lips at those words. "Are you so close that you even know each other''s scents?" "........" "Or is it perhaps one-sided knowledge?" A mischievous sparkle started shimmering in Lupin¡¯s eyes once more. "Adler didn¡¯t even seem to have realized you were lurking here even when he came out of the closet after we changed clothes there in private, quite intimately too if I may add¡­¡± - Grit... "To be honest, rather than a detective, you seem more like a heavily obsessive stalker to me.¡± The following moment, the ck smoke surrounding Charlotte, leaking out of her body, wrapped around Lupin¡¯s throat. "... Cough?" "Stop spouting nonsense when you don¡¯t know anything." A cold voice rang violently against Lupin''s ears as her whole body trembled, with her being choked and all, and she gasped desperately for air. "He was the one to like me first." "What?" Lupin tilted her head in confusion, wondering if she had misheard the detective¡¯s words, when Charlotte''s indignant voice pierced her ears once again. "I¡¯m saying that Adler was the one obsessed with me first." "........" "I just epted him at one point. So it¡¯s not like I was the one following him around, infatuated like a little girl, as you may be thinking..." "Oh, I see. I misunderstood then." Realising that any sarcasm now could literally snap her neck in half, Lupin quickly nodded in agreement. "... But why have the roles reversed now?" In the next moment, however, Lupin threw out another query, utterly unable to contain the genuine curiosity she felt about the situation thatpletely flipped 180. "That''s because..." Charlotte, trailing off, quietly lowered her gaze and murmured. "... Because I like him." "Hmm." "It''s because I ended up liking him more than he likes me..." As she spoke, Charlotte''s face, unbeknownst to her, turned a shade of red. ¡­ Interesting. Looking at her changed demeanour with intrigue, Lupin started murmuring to herself. I thought she was like me, belonging to my kind... "So, answer my question. Where is Isaac Adler right now¡­?" "... I think you should answer my question first." With a silent snap of her fingers, she threw the question back at the detective. "The curse, you have it too, don''t you?" As the atmosphere around her shifted dramatically, Charlotte subtly nodded, her body tense and ready forbat. "I thought as much." With a knowing smile, Lupin murmured in a low voice. "Adler, he really is the key to our curse." "... Key?" "For those born with a curse, he is a treasure beyondpare." Hearing this, Charlotte''s expression darkened. "Exin in detail. What are you talking about..." "You''ve noticed it too, haven''t you?" "......." "That only Isaac Adler can neutralize our curse." For the very first time since she came out of the mansion, Lupin¡¯s face washed over with a frighteningly chilling look. "... Listen, I don''t know what curse you have, but I honestly don¡¯t see you being any less unfortunate and unhappy than I am.¡± "It would be wise to take that statement back." "Heh. At least on the surface, you seem to be living a normal life, right?" An unusually dark voice began to creep out of Lupin''s lips. "I never even got to enjoy a life that looks normal even on the surface." "........" "From what I see, your obsession with Adler suggests that you''ve lived a life unable to love anything. How about that? Am I wrong?" Her words made Charlotte stop what she was about to say. She ended up just staring at Lupin with even more intensity. "Seems about right. It must have been a truly sad life." "... Don''t speak like you understand." "True. There¡¯s no way I will be able to understand.¡± Not even a single trace of a smile could be found on Lupin¡¯s face any longer. "My curse is the exact opposite of yours after all." "... If it''s the opposite then¡­" "A curse that makes it impossible for anyone to love you, isn''t that cruel?" Instead, a myriad of expressions flickered across her face, showing herplicated emotions. "... As a child, I thought getting beaten was an expression of love." "......" "Until the day I turned eight and they abandoned me, my parents beat me daily." Most of them were negative feelings, sad and mncholic¡ª feelings that she rarely expressed and disyed. "Wandering the streets of London like an orphan, getting beaten by anyone, I thought the world was so very beautiful. I thought everyone loved me." "........" "... Then, after copsing and vomiting blood, left ignored on the street for half a day, I nearly died before realisation finally donned on me.¡± Tears brimmed on the edges of her eyes. "I was never truly loved by anyone." As those tears trickled down Lupin''s cheeks, she leaned her head towards Charlotte. "... Since that day, I started to hide myself." "......." "I realised that if I were to turn myself into someone else entirely, the curse would somehow elude me!" Quickly, as she dried out her tears with her sleeve, her voice returned to its cheerful and lively note. "You know every cursees with one enviable ability, right? Mine was disguise and escape. Thanks to that, I could change my identity effortlessly." "But then, why... "Why was it that whenever I thought I found my true self, the curse would inevitably strike again?" Muttering so, Lupin sighed and scratched her head in frustration. "... Because of that, I''ve been changing identities for far too long. Now,, I''ve reached a point where I don''t even know who I truly am anymore." "........" "Driven to my limits by such circumstances, I was about to be incapable of loving even myself." In the next moment, "... But then, I secretly snuck into Britain to acquire a long-desired jewel. To think that I would receive a treasure as a gift.¡± "Oh..." "That was far more surprising than my disguise and ns being unveiled. Don¡¯t you think?¡± With incredible speed, Lupin escaped Charlotte¡¯s confinement and was now sitting on the roof of the cottage, shrugging her shoulders. "It was the first gift I ever received. Even when I was foolishly trying to live righteously, I never got a proper paycheck, let alone a gift." Charlotte was dumbfounded as she watched the swift unfolding of events. "I always had to forcibly snatch what belonged to others to survive, and the more I did, the more infamous I became; that was the kind of miserable life I had to live..." Her expression soon turned solemn and grave. "At one point I realised that¡­ every time he hit me, he always looked so worried." "........" "Seeing someone making such an adorable face while hitting me? That was a first in my life. Not to mention, he was as handsome as it can get, so how could I not be interested?" In the following moment, she yelled out loud. "The only person in the world who could love me also happened to be the handsomest guy in all of London, why wouldn''t I go for him?" "... Adler is mine!!" At that moment, the eyes of the thief shrugging on the roof began to fill with a hint of viiny. "That''s exactly it..." "What?" "I want to snatch what belongs to someone else and make itpletely mine..." Charlotte remained silent at those words. "That''s my way of life, detective." "........" "So, I''m really sorry, but I can''t tell you where Adler is." However, a murderous aura, more intense than anything she ever exuded in her life, began trickling out of her body, mixing with the ominous dark smoke that permeated her surroundings. "Hm, it must be about time, right?" Tilting her head slightly, Lupin murmured in a subtle voice at that moment. "By now, the marriage certificate must have been submitted, and he might have already be the husband of either the doctor or the professor..." ".........!!!" Mere secondster, Charlotte started sprinting with a pale look on her face, the ominous smoke already absorbed inside her¡­ "Keep it up, detective..." ¡­ Heading towards the nearest church. "... Everyone, keep enhancing the value of my treasure." Watching her rapidly receding back from the roof, Lupin inhaled the scent of Adler¡¯s clothes again and murmured with a perverted smile. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that time¡­ In the only church that could be found in this remote rural area, "........." Rachel Watson, tightly clutching the arm of her lovely fianc¨¦, had finally reached the front of the small church. At the moment, she was caressing the pistol hidden in her bosom with a pallid face. "I really don''t understand why London is overflowing with people who have the bad habit of fondling a pistol inside their clothes." Her miserable countenance was due to having unexpectedlye face to face with the veryst person she wished to encounter at that moment, blocking the entrance to the church with her steely grey eyes locked in on the couple. "... It''s useless against me anyway." Thus began a tense standoff between the professor and Dr. Rachel Watson, neither yielding an inch. I''ve just had a brilliant idea, Miss System. What is it? In the midst of their staredown, Adler suddenly began to murmur under his breath with a particrly bright gleam in his eyes. ¡­ Instead of letting them fight, how about I make them both my wives? Just die already. Chapter 141: A Case of Identity (4) Chapter 141: A Case of Identity (4)"W-Wait, step back, please." "... Hmm." Despite the professor''s deadly advice, Watson didn¡¯t let go of the pistol she was clutching tightly inside her coat; instead, she spoke to her in a trembling voice. "If you don''t step back... I''ll, I''ll shoot." "How interesting. Go ahead and shoot then." "I''m not joking, okay? I will really shoot you?" "I''m not joking either. Even just shooting once is enough, so go ahead and give me your best shot.¡± However, Jane Moriarty merely sported an amused expression in response to her threat, bobing her head from side to side in mirth. "... Oh, before you take your shot, however, I¡¯d like to remind you that there¡¯s something called self-defence in the Britishw.¡± "Enough...""Or perhaps, would you prefer a duel? That''s legal too." "Just shut your damn mouth already!!" Watching the professor¡¯s behaviorced in utter ridicule, Watson was unable to contain her emotions any longer and screamed at the top of her lungs. "No matter what you say, Neville is my husband!! I will never hand him over to a vile criminal like you!!" With her thoughts delivered, Rachel Watson pulled her fianc¨¦, standing beside her, tightly into her bosom. "Ugh..." "What on earth have you done in the past few days that Neville has be so frail? Tell me!" Buried in her considerably tall and shapely frame, Adler couldn¡¯t help but give a faint troubled look towards Watson. "Look, Rachel¡­ I''ll join the professor for now... I think it¡¯s best if you step back at the moment an..." "Isaac is mine, Miss Watson." Just as he was quietly whispering to Watson, Professor Moriarty suddenly interjected out of the blue. "He''s not yours to im." ""..........."" As her statement ended, a momentary silence started settling between the trio. "... Isaac?" In that silence, Rachel Watson began to mutter in a low voice, staring intently at her fianc¨¦. "It''s strange. It''s just you and Neville St. ire here other than me..." "........" "Just where is this person named Isaac you speak of...?" She gazed down at her fianc¨¦ nestled in her bosom, suspicion beginning to frost over her eyes in a terrifying chill. "Come to think of it, you were with Adler earlier¡­" "Um..." "... Perhaps, both of you are swapped right now?" Her voice started to tremble ever so subtly. "That, that can''t be..." "Then why did the professor call you Isaac?" "Ma, Maybe you heard wrong....." "Isaac, just what are you doing with that woman right now?" Though Adler, transformed into Neville, desperately tried to make excuses, the professor''s carefree voice emanated from the front and rendered all his efforts futile. "Are you nning to cheat on me before we even marry?" "........" "Come here and quickly embrace me. Do that and I won''t ask about the odd behaviour you''re exhibiting." When he saw her smug expression and stubborn demeanour, it seemed unlikely for the professor to agree to his n. "Uh, um..." Caught between Watson¡ª holding him in her arms with a cold re, and the professor¡ª who was extending her arms forward, Isaac Adler broke out into a cold sweat and started desperately racking his brain for a solution to this horrifying dilemma. Game Over Alert! Be careful, or don''t. I don''t really care anymore. To make matters worse, the message that popped up in a brusque font made Adler, who was still intensely racking his brain for a way out, tremble in fright. "Isaac." "........?" "You don''t have much time to think." The professor''s voice, as leisurely as ever, pierced his ears. "I''ve been quite amodating to you, haven''t I?" "Wait." At the end of her voice, however, the light in Isaac Adler¡¯s eyes started shining with a ray of hope¡ª a contrast to the desperation that he had been exhibiting. "... Look at this." . . . . . - Thud, step... ".......?" Having escaped from Rachel Watson''s embrace, Isaac Adler trudged forward with heavy steps, staring intently at Professor Jane Moriarty before him. "Professor." "What is it?" "Could you repeat what you just said?" Reaching right in front of the professor, Adler put his hands behind his back and grinned as he questioned her. "Can''t we do this after embracing each other first?" "No." "Then I guess there''s no helping it..." The professor, slightly crestfallen at his firm response, soon began to recall and repeat the words she had spoken mere moments before. "I''ve been quite amodating to you..." "Before that." "Don''t you have much time to think?" "Before that." As she faced Adler''s continuous demands with a puzzled expression, she blurted out the next words. "Isaac..." - p!!! A sharp sound echoed at the entrance of the secluded church, loud enough to ring in one''s ears. "........?" Realizing that her head had sharply turned to the side, Jane Moriarty began to numbly caress her cheek which had already started burning up. "You, what in hell i..." - p...!!! "... Ughh?" Just as she was about to say something, her voice sharp, Adler''s palm struck her other cheek. ".... ???" Utterly befuddled by an act she had never experienced before, the professor held her swollen, bright red cheeks and stared at Adler with a stunned expression. "Do you know what d¨¦j¨¤ vu is?" "........" "This situation feels just like that to me." Adler began to whisper in a cold, forceful tone, the like of which he had never shown her before. - Squeeze... "... Uh?" As he gently grasped her neck and applied slight pressure, the professor''s body trembled while her eyes gazing at him turned nk and unfocused. "What¡¯s so urgent that you had to rush here right now?" "You..." "Let''s drop the professor act now, shall we?" As Adler whispered softly in such a situation, she stopped speaking and only stared quietly at him. "Right." "......" "You look cuter like this." As Adler gently stroked the professor''s head, her eyes began to tremble violently, lost in utter confusion. "... Cute, you say?" "Yes." However, Adler suddenly punched her lower abdomen right at that moment, far more lightly this time around. "... Cough?" Although it was a punch too gentle for it to be an attack, it was an unexpected blow delivered at the perfect timing. Thus, Adler¡¯s fistpletely burrowed into the professor¡¯s lower abdomen. - Brrrr... As a result, the professor¡¯s body began to tremble once more, eyes still brimming in confusion. "You should have discreetly excused yourself as per our agreement." ".......?" "Dressing up and ying such pranks, aren''t you taking me too lightly?" Isaac Adler, sighing near her ear and pping her lower abdomen with his palm, ryed those words to her in a subdued voice. "Apologise." "I''m sorry." "Can''t you speak properly?" When hemanded in a cold voice, a low voice leaked from her mouth after a considerable internal conflict. "... I''m sorry." "Right." Only then was Adler satisfied and promptly stroked her chin with affection. With his other hand, he drew his golden mana to create some sort of a construct."Our contract isn''t over yet." "......." "So you have to stay quiet until my n is finished." It was none other than a cor shining in a golden hue. "Adler..." "Don¡¯t bother calling my name properly now, I¡¯ve already noticed.¡± As Adler tried to put the construct around her neck, Professor Moriarty stepped back in vehement refusal. "... Are you going to struggle, even now?" ".........." However, Adler immediately whispered sternly and pulled her hair, causing Professor Moriarty to lower her gaze in silence and ultimately offer her neck to him. - Click... Thus, the cor made of Adler¡¯s mana was locked around her neck. "Let''s go. Follow me quietly and don''t resist." "......." "... You have to stay quiet until the wedding is over, is that clear?" Holding the leash, Adler began leading Professor Moriarty towards the church with a light smile on his lips. "Once it''s over, you can do as you like." "... Neville?" Meanwhile, Rachel Watson witnessed the whole fiasco from a slight distance, her gaze nk. "Rachel, what are you doing?" "Uh, umm?" "Come here." Cold sweat drenched her face and body as she watched the situation from her spot. When her fianc¨¦ finally called her, while cing a cor on the fearsome Professor Moriarty, she got startled and replied in an awkward tone. "Aren''t we supposed to get married?" In the following moment, Adler quietly approached her and gently took her hand. "How did this¡­ happen?" "... There¡¯s no limit to the power of love, don¡¯t you know?¡± Watson''s brain, which had been malfunctioning and sputtering to make sense of this nonsensical situation, haltedpletely at his words. "I fought with the professor and won for you." "... Ah." Watson''s eyes, forgetting even the recent moment when the professor had called him Isaac, began to fill with hearts again. "We should get married before the church closes." "..... Darling." The professor, now with a cor around her neck, still had a stunned expression as she absentmindedly gazed at the scene. "Adler... I was merely calling you by your given name..." - Smack!!! "........ That hurts, a lot." . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment, "What the hell is this...?" Having used her inexplicable abilities to move to the roof of the church, Lupin was waiting to witness the scene of Charlotte Holmes crashing the wedding. The scene she saw, however, waspletely out of her expectations and left her utterly bewildered. "What am I even looking at...?" She was staring down at the scene on the ground, her face a picture of utter confusion. "I though I told you to drop the tone.¡± "... It hurts." "Yes, just like that." Adler, who had just pped the cheek of a being feared by all the supernatural entities of Britain, was stroking her red and swollen cheek while pulling on the leash. Chapter 142: A Case of Identity (5) Chapter 142: A Case of Identity (5)"Adler, why have you suddenly changed so?" "........" "Don''t do something you''ll regret..." "... Haaa." Dragging Lupin, disguised as Professor Moriarty, into the church by her leash, I couldn¡¯t help but leak out a frustrated sigh when I heard the voice call out to me from behind. Immediately, I turned around and faced the owner of the voice. "Stop whining." She opened her mouth briefly, looking at me with what I could only interpret as a nk gaze, before lowering her head with an undeniable gloomy expression. "Do you think you can behave so recklessly just because we¡¯re already married?¡± 1 "Ughhh." I couldn''t understand why she was still acting so brazenly when I had already caught her in the act once, quite recently too in fact.Of course, her disguise and acting were so perfect that I might have been fooled again if the original wielder of this body of mine wasn¡¯t a capable mage. The truth of the matter was¡­ Lupin could never truly deceive me by disguising herself as the professor. It''s not because of something simple like calling out my given name. That was only good for one-time use, and Lupin herself knew that trick by now. So then how was I able to discern that this person before me was indeed Lupin? "Honestly, it''s slightly displeasing..." "What do you want me to do about it, huh?" The method was quite simple, in truth. I just needed to stand next to the professor and directly sense her mana. Her mana was so thick and vast that just being near her made one experience a palpable aura of intimidation and oppression. The effect was intensified in my case as half of her mana had been forcibly grafted onto my body. I was able to feel her aura and sense of intimidation from a few metres away, at least. "Adler..." "So, are you going to kill me now? Incinerate me with that greyish mana of yours?¡± However, this thief who was sporting a sullen look in front, didn¡¯t give off that feeling in the least. Just to be sure, I even asked her to call my name again and inched closer to get a direct feel of her mana. The result was a negative, a confirmation of my hypothesis. "You can''t kill me, can you?" "........" In other words, this person was definitely not the professor but a mischievous masochistic thief. She may look pitiful at the moment, but once the sham wedding with Watson was over and we were left all alone¡­ it was more than likely for her to be drooling and trembling with anticipation for what was toe afterwards. I didn¡¯t even need to experience it directly, just the past experiences were enough for me to picture such an oue. "Good girl." - Swish, swoosh... Still, I didn''t feel like continuing this torment, so I moved closer and carefully started stroking her swollen red cheek with gentle motions. - Brrrrr... Immediately, the professor flinched as I reached out, perhaps mistaking my gesture for another p. Soon, however, she stood still and began epting my caresses like a little bird. It feels a bit odd seeing her act like this while maintaining the professor¡¯s appearance... Jane Moriarty, the most feared individual in all of Britain, was trembling as I stroked her swollen cheek¡ª the thought was enough for me to feel strangely unsettled. It might sound odd, but the scene evoked a peculiar sense of conquest in my heart. Indeed, anyone would feel this way if they sessfully subdued a being who could erase them from the world with just the snap of a finger. "Stopining and let''s get going." "But, you..." "Hey." However, realizing that the professor in front of me was just a masochistic thief, that feeling of thrill quickly shattered into oblivion. "Haven¡¯t I told you repeatedly to mind your tone and speak appropriately?¡± "But you, you..." As she tried to revert to her previous self once again, I whispered to her in a stern voice, causing her to stutter and speak awkwardly. "... This is cheating." "Let''s not talk anymore." "Ugh..." I had no intention of dancing to her tune, so I mercilessly pulled on the leash. As a result, the thief on the professor¡¯s clothing gritted her teeth and started following me once more. "If you were really the professor, you would have knocked me down by now." "... I could never do that." ncing over my shoulders to gaze at her, I whispered in a soft tone. A few momentster, she finally responded to my words with a hollow and bleak voice. "How can I harm my own husband..." "........" "And with the state of my body as it is right now..." I felt my heart skip a beat for some reason as I quietly listened to her murmurs. "... Darling." However, Rachel Watson''s frigid voice soon reached my ears, prompting me to focus on her words. "How exactly did you subdue the professor...?" "Hmm?" "You two seem too close..." Her dark voice, emanating beside me as she had been linking hands with me all this time, made me shift my gaze to Watson with a slightly perplexed gaze. "... Just curious." "........." "There wasn''t some kind of deal, was there? You aren''t being coerced into catering to the professor''s hidden preferences now, are you?" "No." Following her sounds and reasonable deduction, I subtly shook my head and began making excuses with an awkward smile. "Actually, it was Adler who made the contract. That''s why this is possible..." "... So, the professor was Adler''s subordinate after all?" "Ahaha... Perhaps that''s one way to see it..." But thinking about it, even this excuse ultimately seemed like a futile attempt at thwarting the inevitable. ¡ºLondon''s Casanova¡» ¨C Description: Have Rachel Watson uncover the sham marriage Because she was bound to discover soon that this marriage was a sham. Nothing more, nothing less. Honestly, I had no clue how to handle the aftermath. The best way to minimise damage would be to confess now, but unfortunately, that seemed unlikely to work. It''s best to stay quiet until the wedding is over. Just saying, it''s a hunch I have. Take it or leave it, your choice. Miss System had been sulking for days on end already, but she had finally dropped me a hint. ... Thank you, Miss System. Don''t be presumptuous and call me Miss System. Considering the odd camaraderie I had built with the system and my past experiences, it seemed wise to follow this advice. But then, how was I gonna reveal to Watson that Neville was actually me, without getting killed by her in the next moment? "Darling." While I was deeply immersed in my thoughts, Watson, who had been quietly watching me all the while, spoke again in a slightly shy voice. "We''ve arrived." "... Ah." Only then did I realise that we had fully stepped into the church. "Are we holding the wedding here...?" "Well, that is..." "If you''re okay with it, I was thinking of inviting some family and friends, and having a grand ceremony..." As I moved my steps forward, surveying the empty space devoid of even a single priest with an awkward expression, Watson began mumbling in a slightly excited voice. "Shall we dy the wedding a bit then...?" "... But a secret wedding like this might be nice too." I was about to suggest dying the wedding to buy some more time, but Watson immediately took my hand and started dragging me forward. "........" Thus, it led to the awkward scene of me being pulled by Watson and Lupin, who was still retaining her transformation of the professor, being dragged by me. - Thud, step... A nun, who had been quietly watching the scene from afar, slowly walked towards us at that moment. "Have youe to hold a wedding?" "Ah, yes..." To the nun''s question, Rachel Watson nodded with a tense voice. "But how did you...?" "People who wish to marry in secrecy, away from prying eyes, often visit this quiet church." "Ah..." Watson, reassured by the nun¡¯s exnation, nodded in understanding. "Darling, so you came here with the intention to marry me from the start¡­?" "Pleasee this way. You will find a simple bridal dress for you there.¡± "Ah?" "You can''t get married in that outfit, can you?" "Well, that''s true. Hehe..." Following the nun''s gesture, she headed towards the vestry attached to the church. "And the groom, please follow me." "......." "The suits are upstairs but you¡¯ll need a key to ess them. I have the keys." "I see..." As Watson, blushing, stepped into the room, the nun naturally began to lead me upstairs. "... Stay here." "Adler..." Feeling somewhat uneasy about continuously holding Lupin¡¯s leash beside the nun, I tied it around a nearby pir. The thief hadn¡¯t dropped her acting yet so I wasn¡¯t really able to let her go at the moment. "Who is that?" "Ah, she¡¯s the wedding witness." "........." Her expression momentarily shifted to one that Professor Moriarty wore just before a kill, suggesting she really had done her research. "... Hmm?" As I ascended the stairs, I began to feel a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu and couldn¡¯t help but tilt my head in confusion. That nun''s outfit, where have I seen it before... It resembled the clothes Charlotte Holmes had worn, disguised as a young nun during the Bohemian Scandal incident. No, now that I look closely, it was the exact same outfit. "..... Aren''t youing?" "Uh." At that moment, a bone chilling wave started creeping down my spine as I connected all the dots together. . . . . . "Hi~!" "Uh..." It wasn''t merely due to the perfect coincidence that urred with the nun in front of me that I got this feeling. "Is everything going smoothly?" Lupin, hanging upside down next to the window I was beside, was fiddling with her trademark monocle and whispering into my ear in a hushed voice¡­ that scene was the main perpetrator behind this sudden feeling of dread and horror. "I''m not sure what you''re plotting with the threedies... But you have a n, right?" "........" "Anyway, hurry up and marry someone, and as per our agreement, let''s do an abduction y, shall we?" If that''s the case then¡­ "Adler..." Who was the person, tied to the pir behind me with a leash, calling me in a soulless voice while tenderly touching her swollen, reddened cheek? Idiot. Fool. Moron. "......." From that moment, I began to experience a fear I had never felt before, slowly suffocating me out of all my breath. "... Eeeeek."
    1. Professor Moriarty is referring to the marriage contract that they signed, which technically means he is indeed married to the Professor.
Chapter 143: A Case of Identity (6) Chapter 143: A Case of Identity (6)Why is the professor here, why is the professor here, whyistheprofessorhere¡­!!? "Mr Groom." Struck by an overwhelming sense of panic, Adler began to tremble and mutter incoherently under his breath. Just then, a subtle, gentle voice registered in his mind,ing from his side. "Is there something troubling you?" "Ah... well..." "To wear such a lost expression on a day when you are to partake in the act of marriage, deemed to be an unparalleled event in the life of a person¡­ how utterly sad." Her voice was so soothing that it would have calmed anyone who didn''t know the truth of the situation and her identity. "Smile, Mr Groom." "... Ha-ha, ha." "As I mentioned earlier, without the key in my possession, you won¡¯t be able to get the suit so please follow me."For Adler, however, it was not the voice that caught his attention but rather the nun¡¯s habit which seemed eerily familiar. "... Understood." After a moment of intense deliberation, Adler decided to follow the strangely familiar nun upstairs. "Untie me before you go, Adler..." "......." Shuddering, he tried his best to ignore the soulless voiceing from behind. However, he couldn¡¯t ignore the nun in front of him. Unable to stay close to the nun due to his apprehension, yet left with no choice but to follow her, Adler ascended the stairs behind the religious woman with a pale look on his face. You look splendid right now. "... Save me, Miss System." Hmph. Trying to invoke the system as hisst hope, Adler found that the system window had vanished into thin air; it seemed to have developed a consciousness of its own and was now avoiding him. "... Pleasee this way." "A, Alright..." With a resigned look and slumped shoulders, Adler followed the nun into a shabby room on the second floor. "Thank you for... Wait a moment." Suddenly feeling an inexplicable sense of unease, Adler asked the nun in a low, trembling voice. "Didn¡¯t you say you were taking me to a dressing room? There¡¯s only a chair here though¡­?¡± "Ah, that''s true." The nun paused for a moment at his inquiry, but then, she nodded her head and snapped her fingers in the following moment. - Swish... In an instant, rows of clothing racks, all containing high-quality vintage suits, manifested out of thin air, filling up the previously empty room. "Wow..." Adler, momentarily forgetting the predicament he was in, couldn¡¯t help but mutter in amazement at the sudden, astonishing disy. However, a contemting look soon appeared on his face, as though he had suddenly recalled something after witnessing the disy. "... But, you''re using magic." "Yes." "Bu-But, ording to the setting... no, from what I remember... the Vatican and the Church are supposed to strongly denounce magic..." And with those words, total silence engulfed the room. "... Now that I think about it. Didn''t you say you needed a key?" As the nun standing by the entrance gazed at him without saying a word, Adler, feeling a sudden chill run down his spine, stuttered¡­ trying to change the subject as fast as he could. "This one?" "Yes, yes. But it seemed like you didn¡¯t use it when you came in thoug..." - Click... However, before he could finish his sentence, the sound of the door locking echoed in the room. "Aha. You were nning to use it to lock the door..." "......." "... But why lock the door, haha." Despite trying his best to keep his voice as bright and lively as possible, Adler¡¯s voice started quivering eventually. "... I''m sorry." "What are you sorry for?" The reason? Well, the nun was slowly approaching him while emitting a familiar ck smoke. "Does saying sorry make up for abandoning someone?" "... Sa-Save me!" Quietly backing away from the ominous nun, Adler hastily opened the window behind him and started shouting at the top of his lungs, seemingly grasping at straws to get out of this dangerous predicament. "The detective¡¯s here!!!" . . . . . A few minutester, "Shouting The detective¡¯s here! as a cry for help¡­ don''t you find that incredibly amusing yourself?" "......" "... Isn¡¯t escape magic your speciality or something, why don¡¯t you try using it?¡± Adler, having failed to escape, wore a sullen expression as he muttered next to the nun who was closely watching his every move. "Suddenly, my magic isn¡¯t working at all..." "Of course, it won¡¯t. A devil can''t exert power inside a church, after all." "Aha..." At her words, Adler realized the truth of the situation and nodded his head. "Then, I shall be taking my leave now¡­¡± "Why did you abandon me?" "Uh, ugh..." As Adler quickly tried to head towards the exit, the nun grabbed his arm and started to unbutton his shirt without his consent. Simultaneously, she started interrogating him for some answers. "... H, how strong!¡± "I was lonely. All this time." Adler was momentarily startled by her sudden action, making him restless. However, when he saw tears welling up in her eyes, he stopped resisting soon enough. "We promised to be together forever..." "......." "Then why did you disappear?" "... There were... circumstances." Unable to tell her that he had been kidnapped by the phantom thief, Adler stammered out those words. "Circumstances? What circumstances?" - Click, click... Pushing her sombre face, shaded by gloom, closer to Adler, the nun slowly stripped off his coat, finally finished unbuttoning it. "... Or was it just for the sake of pursuing pleasure?" "Those are some strange words you said at the end there..." "Correct me then. After abandoning a capable woman like me, you took in some fresh-faced novices as your close aides, and now you even n to marry and start a new life. How are the words I speak strange then...?" As the nun began to unbutton her shirt, Adler opened his mouth with a look of despair¡ª a look that seemed to say that he had already resigned himself to his inevitable fate. "As I said before, it was unavoidable." "You never exined..." "I love you." Holding his gaze with a chilling look, the half-unbuttoned nun paused as she heard Adler''s whisper. "What¡­ did you just say..." "I said I love you." "........" "As you can already see in my eyes, it''s a fact that can no longer be denied." Finally noticing the colour of Adler''s eyes, the nun''s hands began to tremble as she unbuttoned her shirt and soon paused. "I wanted to hear that for so, so very long..." "......?" "Just that one sentence would have been enough¡­.." Muttering to herself, the nun continued her monologue, lost in her own world. Adler, on the other hand, looked on at her visage with a puzzled look, before eventually continuing with his exnation. "... That''s exactly why I''m doing this now." "What?" "If you are to continue existing in this world, this is the only way." ".......!" Hearing his earnest words, the nun''s expression turned to one of utter shock and bewilderment, It was as if she had finally realised something profound¡ª an aspect, a truth of this world and its existence. "Have you ever thought about the reason for your existence? Long story short, I¡¯m here to fulfil that very reason, for your continued existence and survival.¡± "Ah...." "I can''t get into the details due to¡­ circumstances, but please try to understand. I''m doing my utmost for you. You, whom I''vee to love..." As he finished his exnation, the nun, staring at him with a nk gaze, silently lowered her head. In the next moment, with trembling hands, she began undressing Adler¡¯s shirt. "You once told me..." "......?" "Love is the deadliest poison for a devil.¡± Adler, noticing the change in her demeanour ¨C a far cry from her earlier aggression and lunacy ¨C quietly observed her actions. "Did I ever say that?" "You, who could control all manner of beings with a mere gesture, have be so weakened, could it be... could it be....." As tears began to stream down her face, a sense of unease once again started to creep into Adler''s mind. "So everything you¡¯ve done, all the actions up till now, had been just to avoid ending our contract..." "Pardon?" "... And I was oblivious, unaware of everything." However, the nun soon began muttering to herself, her head buried in Adler¡¯s shirt as her body intermittently trembled. "My, my clothes..." As she held the damp shirt and moved towards a coat rack with formal attire, Adler stretched out his hand with a bewildered look on his face. - Shshsh... ".....?" However, leaving him behind, the nun made a subtle gesture with her hands and summoned the most antique set of clothes and shirts from the collection of formal attires. "If that''s your will, then I mustply..." "Um, hey..." "Since has been our contract all along..." Walking up to Adler, she whispered those words with a soothing tone. Quietly, she got on her tiptoes and started dressing him with her own hands. "......." Every time her slender hand touched his bare skin, Adler flinched involuntarily¡­ an overwhelming sense of awkwardness and an inexplicable dissonance washing over his whole being. "Uh?" As he was processing this feeling, wondering why he felt something amiss¡­ the nun rose slightly higher on her tiptoes and gently pulled Adler''s tie towards her with her hand. Soon, a soft, dextrous tongue slipped inside his mouth all of a sudden. "Please forgive my impudence." "......" "Have a good wedding." After what felt like an eternity, veiled as a transient moment, the nun quietly stepped away from him. She wiped her mouth with her sleeve and murmured to herself, lost in her musings. "... Second or third, it doesn''t matter to me anymore." "........" "As long as I am with you, as per our contract, I am satisfied..." As she handed him a key, signalling their parting, Adler began moving towards the exit with uncertainty in his steps. "So, I should go now?" "Yes, take care." Only after receiving the nun¡¯s confirmation was Adler able to reach for the doorknob withplete assurance. "... My beloved master." "......?" Opening the door, the nun¡¯s words reached him and he couldn¡¯t help but react, muttering to himself. Was Charlotte ever the type to say such things...? . . . . . But if I¡¯m not wrong it was definitely the scent of Charlotte''s clumsy makeup and perfume that lingered from her... Adler''s doubts and the sense of dissonance he had been feeling were fully rified¡ª - Creak... And that dark aura that had been present all around her felt exactly like Charlotte''s... At the very next moment, as he opened the door surrounded by an unsettling feeling. "........" "......!?" The reason for the rification was quite simple. Charlotte Holmes, still dressed in her usual detective attire, was standing silently outside the door. "Now you''ve stooped to cheating with even a fucking dog, huh¡­" "... Woof." Hearing that, Adler hastily turned around only to witness the scene of the nun, glowing with a fierce gleam in her eyes, stepping back into the shadows while giving off ast, cheerful bark. - Swish... Soon, leaving behind only a stolen nun''s habit, the Hound of the Baskervilles quietly disappeared. "... Miss Holmes, this is a misunderstanding." "I¡¯m about to mistakenly pounce on you too, so don''t misunderstand." "What?" A few minutester, terrified groans began to seep out from the floor directly above Watson¡ª the bride of this wedding who had been choosing the perfect dress for herself with a flushed face. - Arghhhuhghhhoghhhhh... "What, what''s that?" Chapter 144: A Case of Identity (7) Chapter 144: A Case of Identity (7)"... Holmes?" Upon hearing the groaning sounding from the floor above, Watson, her gun on the ready, hurried up the stairs. Once she reached her destination though, she looked at the scene before her with a dazed look in her eyes. "Why are you here...?" The cause? For reasons she couldn¡¯t fathom, her colleague and partner¡ª Charlotte Holmes was there at the scene, that too with a flushed face while suspiciously wiping her mouth off using her sleeve. "Watson, this, this is..." "Er-hem." On the other hand, her fianc¨¦¡ª Neville, was trembling ever so subtly while standing beside Holmes, his head bowed. Again, the reason for his behaviour eluded her, just like the reason for Charlotte¡¯s presence. "What on earth were you two doing here?" When he avoided her gaze with a nervous expression, ayer of suspicion started brimming in Watson''s as she observed him. "How did Holmes know about this ce, why is she in this room even, and¡­ just what happened for you to be sweating so much?¡±"........" "Answer me!" Just as her suspicion was about to turn into aggression, "She volunteered to be a witness for the wedding." "... Huh?" The calm voice of the nun resounded from Watson¡¯s back. "So there''s no need to be so wary." ".......!?" "Is, is that so?" Adler, lifting his head, looked at the scene of the calmly muttering nun with a bewildered expression. Meanwhile, Watson only had a nk look on her face as she inquired. "B, But... we¡¯ve already brought a witness with us though." "You mean the person tied to the pir, muttering continuously like a lunatic? I apologize, but such a person cannot be recognized as a witness for the wedding." "Well, that''s true." "At such a time, someone who imed to be your acquaintance visited the church and readily agreed to be the witness of the wedding. Isn''t it better for both you and me to have a legally certified person as a witness?" "Indeed..." Her eyes still clouded in a haze, Watson eventually nodded in agreement to the nun''s wless logic. "... The nun is right. Since you were choosing a dress, I was just trying to ease the tension of the man who is to be your husband." "Holmes. If that was the case, you should have given me a heads-up, no? I was seriously startled there." Atst, a moderately rxed smile stretched Watson¡¯s lips as she spoke to Holmes. "But then, what was that strange groaning sound that I heard?" "I was giving him a massage. I learned it back in India, and there''s nothing more effective for relieving tension." "I see. But I saw you wiping your mouth with your sleeve as soon as I entered..." However, a faint flicker of suspicion still remained in her eyes. "... You didn''t happen to give Neville a massage with your mouth now, did you?" "Watson. Judging by your rudement, it seems you''ve been reading too many obscene bookstely, haven¡¯t you?" As Watson inquired about a rather scandalous detail in a whispery voice, Charlotte immediately scolded her with a stern look on her face. "Due to giving your loving **fianc¨¦ **a rather¡­ intense massage, I ended up sweating a lot. So, I was just wiping my face with my sleeve and that¡¯s what you saw.¡± "Is that... so?" "Yes. Honestly, I¡¯m quite a bit offended by your behaviour just now. Shouldn¡¯t you apologize to me?¡± "Ugh, uh-huh..." At her stern attitude, Watson, who had been hesitating, eventually bowed her head and began to apologise to Charlotte. "Sorry, Holmes. I''ve been through a lot of things recently, so I¡¯m a bit on edge these days..." "Sorry, but don''t call me Holmes. It''s a word that''s been appearing in my dreams quite a few timestely." "Huh?" "... It''s nothing." At her sincere apology, Charlotte subtly flinched and muttered some incoherent words under her breath. Soon, however, she cleared her throat and spoke in a louder voice. "Anyway, that''s enough of that. You must be quite sensitive at this time, so I¡¯m sorry for barging in unannounced¡­¡± "Oh, no. Holmes. Rather, I''m delighted to have you here!" When Charlotte muttered with a slightly sullen look on her face, Watson hastily waved her hand in a panic. "If not you, then who else would attend my wedding? It somehow ended up being such a modest wedding, but with you here, it finally feels like a satisfactory ceremony!" "..... I guess." At that cheerful voice, Charlotte quietly averted her gaze and nodded. "But, is it alright?" "Huh? What is?" "Showing the groom the wedding dress already?" "... Ah." With that question, the puzzled Rachel Watson couldn¡¯t help but freeze on the spot in shock and realization. "F, Forget what you saw!!" Hastily, she used the nun as a cover to hide her dress before¡­ she finally ran outside while announcing those words at the top of her lungs. "... I, I''ll be waiting on the first floor!" And with that, silence ensued in the room. "Your disguise skills are quite impressive." Charlotte, standing quietly in the room, addressed the nun in a frosty tone when she saw that she had not gone down yet. "... To think that can disguise yourself so quickly into someone you could have only seen for a few seconds." "Haha..." The nun scratched her head with an awkward smile on her lips. "But if the nun disappears, the wedding will be cancelled, right...?" "......." "You see, from the perspective of someone who finds life''s meaning in taking things away, that would be a bit problematic." Momentarily, Lupin¡¯s true voice leaked out from the disguised nun and she smirked subtly before muttering. "... Although, I do have to say that I have no sympathy for someone who can¡¯t even keep their familiar puppy in control.¡± "........." "Well, then I''ll be waiting for you guys on the first floor." Smiling at Charlotte, who had begun ring at her with a chilling gaze, Lupin started descending down the stairs. "I don''t know what kind of scheme you have in mind by being the witness at the wedding of someone you like." "Yes, that''s right. It''s none of your business anyway..." "Don''t get too cocky just because you''ve had a little taste now." Leaving those words behind, she disappeared down to the first floor. "... I''ve heard that half the women in London already know that taste." "......." Silence settled between the two as they remained on the second floor. "... I thought you said it was your first time?" "Y, Yes, it is." "You''re going to lie till the very end, huh..." For some reason, Charlotte''s eyes began losing their shine as she stared at Adler¡ª his body staggering momentarily due to the sudden loss of mana. "I''ll make another mistake today, it seems." "P, Please spare me..." They came back down to the first floor just as Watson was about to climb the stairs again, when she heard the moans that resounded once again from above, unable to be suppressed. . . . . . "Darling, if you liked massages so much, why didn''t you say so earlier..." "Yes, haha..." "From now on, I''ll do it for you every day." Seeing him descend down the stairs alongside Charlotte, Rachel Watson hurriedly snatched her fianc¨¦ away, keeping him close. Noticing him bing several times weaker than before, she whispered in his ears as they descended side by side. "... But what about the dress?" "Yes, the nun hid it with magic for a moment. She said it¡¯d be the best to show my most beautiful self at the perfect moment." "Ah..." Adler nodded his head with a slightly guilt-ridden expression as he observed her. "The day has finallye..." Whether Watson knew his feelings or not, she just continued chattering excitedly beside him. "Let''s go to America for our honeymoon, darling." "......." "I have already prepared the transport. You just need to tag along." However, Adler was not in a situation to pay attention to those words, "........." Since he had realized that¡­ Professor Jane Moriarty, who was tied to a pir with a leash all this time, was now staring at him with an emotionless gaze. _ ...I''m sorry, I''m so sorry, I''msosorrrrrrrrrrrry._ Releasing her now would surely cause problems for the wedding-rted quest, however, he also deeply feared the consequence of not releasing her. He was in a dilemma. "Darling, where are you looking?" "Uh." Thus, when he stared at the professor for a bit too long, mind muddled in indecisiveness, Watson grabbed his cheeks and turned his head towards her. "From now on, you should only look at me." "........" "If you look elsewhere, then I will shoot you, okay?¡± Her words, whispered shyly, sounded quite cute in conjunction with her innocent appearance. "... I got first ce in marksmanship when I was a soldier." "Uh, hmm." "Have I ever told you about the time I caught an enemy scout at night with only a pistol?" Perhaps¡­ if the speaker of those words hadn''t been a former military medic decorated with medals, it might have sounded even cuter. "So, you shouldn''t think about running away this time, understand?" "........." "If you run, I''ll chase you to the ends of the earth, is that clear?" And with that, Watson''s bittersweet conversation came to an end. "The bride and groom, please enter." Lupin, dressed as a nun, squinted at the scene and soon started raising her voice in a clear voice. "Shall we start the wedding ceremony?" "Ah..." Immediately, Watson¡¯s nonstop chattering stopped and a look of extreme nervousness settled on her face. "What should I do, darling..." "......?" "I''m so nervous..." As she, quite literally, started shivering beside him in nervousness and anxiety, Adler, who only knew one way to calm a woman, subtly looked at his surroundings. ¡­ Oh well. """...........""" Whatever happens, happens. Then, ignoring the stares from Charlotte, Lupin, and the professor all focused on him, he raised himself on his toes. - Smooch... ".......!" As he kissed her on the cheek, the shivering Watson stopped trembling and stared down at Adler. "Rx, Rachel." At that moment, Adler whispered to her with an innocent smile. ¡ºLondon''s Casanova¡» ¨C Description: Have Rachel Watson uncover the sham marriage ¨C Progress: 0% ¡ú 20% "... What?" However, an unwee system message just happened to pop up before his eyes at that exact moment. Warning! ¨C Probability of being Shot ¡ª 50% "...... ???" . . . . . As Adler stood there with a bewildered expression amidst the suddenly changed progress in the quest and the probability rates, "........?" Watson, who had been staring down at her fianc¨¦ with a loving gaze after being kissed on the cheek, noticed something that shouldn''t have been visible. ¡­ A tail? Indeed, protruding above her fianc¨¦''s trousers and swaying gently was a tail¡ª a tail that was oddly familiar to her. Chapter 145: A Case of Identity (8) Chapter 145: A Case of Identity (8)"Hey, um... Neville." "Yes?" "Well, no matter how you consider it, doesn¡¯t that seem a bit odd to you?¡± "What does?" Amid the quiet church, Rachel Watson ¨C bubbling with excitement at themencement of the wedding ceremony ¨C looked down at Adler and spoke with a slightly dazed look in her eyes. "... You should see for yourself." As she pointed towards her pelvis, Adler lowered his gaze, slightly bewildered by her gesture. "Is there something wrong with your bottom or...?" "No, not mine, yours." "......?"Subtly, she corrected her fianc¨¦''s gaze, but the bewildered look didn¡¯t leave his face. "I don''t understand what you''re talking about." "... Really?" Nevertheless, Watson could still clearly see a ck tail, extending out of his rear and swishing about here and there. "Even if I do this?" ".........!?" However, as her fianc¨¦ continued to act as if he couldn''t see the obviously visible tail, Watson suddenly reached out and grabbed it. "... Aahh?" Adler, his body bristling, began to tremble as he gazed toward Watson. "W, What¡­ what are you doing to me right now?" "......." "Ra, Rachel. I don''t know what you did, but please stop..." Lowering his eyebrows, her fianc¨¦ began to plead to her in a significantly pitiful voice. "... Adler." "Yes, yes?" "That expression you did just now, Adler does that quite often..." As those murmurs escaped Watson¡¯s lips, Adler ¨C still disguised as her fianc¨¦, Neville ¨C became breathless, momentarily forgetting to even breathe. "That begging look, the frustrating gesture... even the expression and tone are simr." "Oh, that? That¡¯s because I''ve been close to Adler for a long time... They say that you resemble the one you''re close to, right?" "... Is that so?" Seeing Watson nod in understanding, Adler was finally able to leak a relieved sigh, inwardly though. - Munch... "Ugh!?" However, in the very next moment, Watson pulled the tail and bit the tip with her teeth, causing Adler to start squirming and even scream out loud. "... So is this another simrity you two share then?" "Just, wait, please..." Realizing that his tail was really exposed to Watson, Adler¡¯s face immediately turned pale as a sheet of paper. - Chew, chew... "W, Wait... Rachel..." As Watson started to chew the tip of the tail with a frosty re, Adler leaked out a heated groan and grabbed her arm. "¡­ What''s going on?" - Munch, munch, munch¡­ "Watson¡­?" Meanwhile, Charlotte, who had been staring at the scene with an absentminded gaze till now, furrowed her brows and inquired urgently. "Is the groom unwell? Then we must postpone the wedding¡­" "No, it''s nothing." "But he looks quite pale¡­" "... Holmes." As she continued to intervene, Watson turned to her and suddenly smiled with a sly look in her eyes. "You really care about my husband, don¡¯t you?" "¡­¡­" "Adler would be incredibly jealous if he knew about this." And with that, an even deeper silence enveloped the already quiet interior of the church. "Watson, I just¡­" "No matter how great a detective you are, I know my husband better than anyone else." "¡­¡­" "Is that clear?" Finishing her deration, Watson clenched her teeth once more, the tip still ced between her teeth. At the sudden clench, Adler, his gaze downcast, trembled slightly and muttered to himself. That¡¯s my weakness... "... Darling." Right after that, Watson''s voice, undeid with a frigid frost, reached Adler''s ear. "I have a lot of questions for you honestly." "......." "That thing about you and Adler having a senior-junior rtionship, is this what you meant?" As Adler sneakily shifted his gaze, Watson began to murmur in an astonished tone. "This is totally a sham marriage." Hearing that, Adler couldn¡¯t help himself from flinching imperceptibly. "I¡¯m positive it says on the preface of the marriage certificate¡ª that marriage is about sharing every moment without hiding anything..." "Ah." "Did you just sign the certificate without reading anything because you were happy to have me? Darling?" Finally understanding why Watson could see his tail, Adler couldn¡¯t help but blink with a stunned expression. "A marriage certificate is¡­ technically a contract, after all." "No wonder there¡¯s a scent about you that makes one want to pounce." "¡­.. Eh?" "Can you stop making such a nk expression? It reminds me of Adler." Hearing that, Adler hurriedly tried to adjust his expression into something that wouldn¡¯t resemble his characteristic traits. "... Rachel." "Stop, don¡¯t say anything now." As he tried to say something while observing Watson, she sighed and ced her hand over Adler¡¯s mouth. "Whether you were born looking like that or became that wayter, we''ll talk about itter. Let''s just finish the wedding first." "........" "I love you, and that¡¯s enough for me." As her words concluded, the nun began smiling and held both of their hands. "I''m not sure what you were whispering about, but it seems like you have settled the small issue that had surfaced between you two.¡± "... I suppose you could say that." "It appears that you two are already engaged... In that case, let''s skip theplex procedures and start the ceremony right away!" From that moment, Adler''s mana began to resonate and slowly intertwine with Watson''s body. "... Holmes, please don''t sneakily interfere with the sacred ritual." "Tsk..." "And you too, Professor." "Adler..." With the help of a nun, she had prepared herself to receive her fianc¨¦¡¯s mana into her body. Not to mention, she had even made sure to sharply dismiss any disturbances that may ur. "By undergoing this ritual and epting your husband''s mana, you will be his property, both physically and legally." "........" "Do you ept?" Watson sighed silently upon hearing the terms. "... This is why I dislike British marriagews." "They are indeed archaic. Generally, I would rmend getting married in America, but given that you''vee all this way, it seems you don¡¯t have much time..." "That''s okay." Eagerly, Watson spoke, "Please start." Charlotte, who was silently biting her nails next to Watson, started biting her fingers so hard that it made a crunching sound. On the other hand, the light in Professor Moriarty¡¯s eyes disappeared in its entirety, her body still chained to the pir. - Tssssss... The cause? Well, Adler''s mana had slowly begun to merge with Watson''s blood, after all. "........ Eh?" And at that very moment, Rachel Watson''s face also began freezing over. . . . . . Something had gone terribly amiss. "Why do you look so troubled, Rachel?" ¡­ This is. That was Rachel Watson¡¯s thoughts when the mana started intertwining with her body as she began the marriage ceremony, tightly sping her fianc¨¦''s hand. That''s Adler''s aura. Watson, having performed surgeries on Adler every time he was butchered at Charlotte¡¯s request, had seen more of Isaac Adler''s bare skin than even the professor herself. Rachel Watson possessed considerable skill as a doctor, enough to be deemed an elite, a quality she always prided herself on. Therefore, it was only natural that she faintly remembered the wavelengths and sensations when Adler¡¯s mana was subconsciously released. It''s thoroughly hidden... cleverly disguised. Even her sharp senses, honed as a decorated former military officer, were alerting her in real-time that the mana flowing into her body was suspicious. "Are you in pain by any chance? Shall we share it bit by bit?" Could it be that Isaac Adler had once again disguised himself as her fianc¨¦, intending to carry out a sham marriage? "Miss Watson?" However, Watson knew better than anyone that it was an impossible conjecture. If the person before her was truly Adler and not Neville, then the marriage registration and the ceremony itself would not have been valid. ¡­ There''s no way he could have tampered with the underlying magic. The magic of marriage was a grand ancient spell that has existed since the days of King Arthur and Merlin and was deemed a magic that surpassed all magic. Even Charlotte and the professor, who could easily bend most magic to their whim, were easily spotted and thwarted by Watson¡­ even though she was the farthest from anything rted to magic. It was not for nothing that there existed fairy tales about fairies and devils getting bound to humans through marriage contracts. "......." The crucial point, however, was that this boy before her, looking concerned, was indeed the Neville St. ir she knew. But then, what was this aura emanating from him, an aura that could only be found in Adler? ¡­ Could it be? After staring nkly at her lovely fianc¨¦ for a long time, the most horrifying yet rational spection surfaced in Watson''s mind. - Swish... "Uh?" And the next moment, Rachel Watson gingerly brought the hand she had been holding to his cheek and whispered. "I''m just a bit nervous." "........." "Pleasefort me, darling." From that moment, the cold sweat pouring from her forehead and her overly applied makeup to impress her fianc¨¦ began to create a peculiar synergy. . . . . . "A bit harder, in every nook and cranny..." "....... ???" Thanks to that, Adler''s hands, heavily smeared with her make-up, left their sticky fingerprints all over her body. ¡ºLondon''s Casanova¡» ¨C Description: Have Rachel Watson uncover the sham marriage ¨C Progress: 20% ¡ú 50% Warning! ¨C Probability of being Shot ¡ª 50% A momentter, a flood of messages popped up, making Adler btedly realize the truth behind Watson¡¯s sudden behaviour. ... There''s no weird trap in the return ticket, right? Why don''t you try using it and find out yourself. Eh? Chapter 146: A Case of Identity (9) Chapter 146: A Case of Identity (9)"Well, that concludes the ceremony~" As Lupin, holding hands with Watson and Adler, dered with a broad smile, the two quietly stepped back. "Now, both of you are legally and magically married." ".........." Along those words, an unnatural silence descended on the church. "Right?" Amid the eerie silence, Lupin''s eyes, which had been waiting for this very moment throughout the wedding fiasco, subtly began sparkling with an intense light. "I almost died trying to hold it in." ".......?" "Then, I suppose it¡¯s time for me to take care of my own business now¡­¡±"... Technically speaking, it isn¡¯t over yet.¡± Just as she was about to reach out to Adler, drooling inwardly at finally receiving her promised reward, a chilling voice echoed out from the nearby pir. "In the modern British society, a wedding is merely a formality; the act itself doesn¡¯t serve as a proof for the marriage.¡± "What are you talking about?" "The marriage ceremony is merely a magical act that quite literally binds the groom to his wife, making her his possession. A legal rtionship is only established when a marriage certificate is submitted to the town hall." Hearing the professor¡¯s exnation, Lupin, disguised as a nun, couldn¡¯t help but mutter with disbelief in her voice. "... What on earth is wrong with Britain?" "Anyway, what I mean to say is, the act you need to perform to establish the marriage legally has not yet been fullypleted." Ignoring her mutterings, Professor Moriarty continued to exin with a grim look. "But we''ve evenpleted the wedding ceremony..." "Amonw rtionship might be recognised, yes. Perhaps you can even dere that you are the boy¡¯s possession." "Why are you clenching your teeth while saying that though?" With an uneasy look, Watson confronted the professor. In response, the professor began ring at her with a murderous look in her eyes. "Even going as far as giving me that look¡­ It¡¯s useless though, I''m not scared of someone who lost to Neville..." "I was merely stating facts." "Ah, I see." Watson couldn¡¯t help but recoil at the professor¡¯s fierce demeanour, however, she soon sighed and took out the folded marriage certificate from her pocket. "So, I just need to submit this to the town hall, right?" "........" "Then there''s no problem, no? The wedding is over, in both form and substance, so a marital rtionship is established anyway, right?" At her statement, Professor Moriarty maintained her silence for a while. "... Tch." ".......?" As her lips twisted into a vague, bitter smile, Watson¡¯s face washed over with confusion at her unexpected reaction. "Why that look, all of a sudden..." "You won¡¯t get it." "Well, never mind then. Come on, darling." "... Eh?" Caught off guard by her muttering, Adler agreed with her on reflex but soon tilted his head in surprise. "We need to go and register our marriage." "... What?" "I know it¡¯s only just a matter of submitting the marriage registration form, but it would be more meaningful if we go together, right?" As Adler was about to nod unconsciously in agreement, a translucent system window popped up in front of his face at that very instant. ¡ºLondon''s Casanova¡» ¨C Description: Have Rachel Watson uncover the sham marriage ¨C Progress: 50% ¡ú 74% "Uh, Rachel..." "Yes?" Seeing the change progress of the quest disyed in the system window, Adler instinctively felt a threat to his life. "Um, I suddenly feel like I have a stomach ache...?" "You have a stomach ache?" "Ah, maybe something I ate this morning didn¡¯t sit well with me...?" As he began to mutter with a pale face, a look of pure concern manifested on Watson''s face. "Come to think of it, you did seem to be in bad shape since this morning." "Yes, yes. I''m really not feeling well today." With cold sweat leaking out in droves, Adler took advantage of the opportunity and started dishing out his best act. "Shouldn''t you go to the hospital?" "... Maybe I should. So, let''s postpone submitting the marriage registration form for now." "No, we can''t do that." However, Watson silently shook her head in response and objected with a firm tone. "Whenever we''ve postponed something rted to you, it has never ended well." "........" "So, we shouldn''t postpone this time. With everything I¡¯ve experienced, I''m not foolish enough to keep being deceived." At her reasonably valid argument, Adler couldn¡¯t help but gaze up at her with a troubled look in his eyes. "What should we do then..." "You go to the hospital first." "... What?" "I''ll submit the marriage registration form at the town hall." Stunned by her words, Adler cautiously inquired, just to be sure. "Are you sure it''s going to be okay without me there...?" "Yes, I should be grateful that I¡¯m even having a wedding ceremony with someone who keeps disappearing. What more could I want?" "... Ah, ah-ha-haha." Seeing her fianc¨¦ leak out an awkwardugh at her jest, a sweet smile bloomed on Watson¡¯s face. "But, you can''t disappear anymore, okay?" "Haha..." "We even got married with consent so, if you don¡¯t want to end up with a bullet in your leg, you better start restraining yourself, is that clear?" At her deadly joke, Adler remembered the new probability shown by the system and subtly shut his mouth, not daring to retort or even leak out a single sound. "Then, I''ll be back, ok?" Leaving him behind, Rachel Watson turned on her heels and started walking out of the church. "Holmes, keep an eye on my husband so he doesn¡¯t escape for me." Watson emphasized the words my husband as she made a request to her best friend, who had been standing still and observing everything all the while, and then added while opening the door of the church. "I really wish there wouldn''t be any need for a demonstration of the newly purchased tranquillizer bullets this time." As she left, a deep silence ensued in the quiet church. """.........""" In that silence, the gazes of Charlotte Holmes, Professor Jane Moriarty, and Lupin began to intersect. - Bang...! Amid the palpable tension hanging in the air of the quiet church, the loud echo of an explosion resounded out of the blue. "Ah, hello." As their gazes unanimously turned towards the source of the noise, Adler, unable to sustain the depletion of mana any longer, reverted to his original form and spoke, his voice hesitant and trembling. "What I just did right now, um, it¡¯s like an event of sort you se¡­¡± - Tsssshhh... At that moment, the professor''s restraints began to loosen by themselves. "... Ah." - Swoosh... Adler looked at the scene with a vacant gaze while Lupin positioned herself in front of Adler. With a wave of her hands, she returned to his original form, donned with her characteristic cape and stylish monocle. - Tsss... Last but not least, Charlotte Holmes began emitting ominous ck smoke from her body, showing a level of skill that said that she had gotten quite adept, almost natural, at utilising her powers. "... Adler." "Y, Yes?" "I shall conduct a detailed inquiry about today''s events once we get you out of here." Professor Moriarty, looking down at the girls with a look of amusement and disdain in her eyes, announced in her characteristic t tone to Adler. His ck tail swayed nervously as he heard her words while seated on the ground. "Who decided that, I wonder?" "... There''s nothing more pathetic than a dog clinging to its owner after being abandoned." "At least I''m not treated worse than a dog, unlike someone I know." Thus, the scene unfolded, now a familiar and nigh daily urrence. "I''d rather not hear that from someone that even insignificant dogs can outperform." "What¡¯s this disgusting smell, oh, yeah¡­ that¡¯s the nasty stench of an old hag." "Don''t try such childish and lowly provocations when you don''t even know my real age." However, there was a slight difference this time; there was one more person involved in the scene. "A jewel, a treasure¡­ deeply coveted by so many..." ""........."" "It''s the best, isn''t it..." As Lupin began to twist her body with a perverted look in her eyes, two sets of gazes immediately locked in on her. "Detective Ganimard has recently entered Britain just to arrest you, don¡¯t you know? I hear that the detective is conducting a joint investigation with Inspector Lestrade." "Ah, of course I know." Upon hearing Holmes''s sharp response, Lupin burst into mirthfulughter. "But adding zero to zero doesn''t make it one now, does it?" "Such arrogance. If two women set their minds to it, they could sweep away an entire city like nothing." "You know as well as I do that people who overflow with power often have muscles for brains." "... That is¡­ true, I can¡¯t deny that." "Mm-hm, that''s why it''s quite easy to handle them without someone being in control¡­¡± Suddenly, Lupin stopped talking and started trembling as though she had the chills. "I suddenly have a bad feeling about this.¡± "... You''re surprisingly clueless for a thief, aren¡¯t you?" Charlotte looked at her with an uncharacteristically wicked smile as she spoke in a rxed voice. "Well, now that you''ve noticed... I suppose I should give you a chance." "Ugh..." "Leave this ce right now. Then you won¡¯t have to face the person you dislike so much..." "Excuse me." It was then that Adler''s faint voice quietly made itself heard within the church. "... Is that detective, perchance, a woman too?" The next moment, a deadly silence settled on the church. "Suddenly, I''m quite intrigued." "Adler, you might as well keep hitting me..." "Please stop increasing the number of potential murderers in London." Lupin watched in absolute bewilderment as the two women, who had just been exuding powerful killing intent, were subdued by a single sentence and couldn¡¯t help but mutter to herself. "Hehe, how about no?" ... Can I even take this guy to France in one piece? . . . . . An hourter, at the Town Hall in London. "... Pardon?" "So, the mana signature on this report has already been registered." At those words, Watson, who had submitted the marriage certificate with a fluttering heart, couldn¡¯t help but wear a stunned expression at the clerk¡¯s reply. "That means, someone else has already registered a marriage with this person." "That can''t be... There must be some mistake..." "To prevent fraudulent marriages, the mana information of the signatories is recorded on the marriage certificate, so it''s definitive." Hearing her response, Watson''s expression grew even more bewildered. "Shall I direct you to a nearbywyer¡¯s office?" She was only able to snap back to reality when the clerk''s voice, spoke in a strictly matter-of-fact tone, pierced her ears. "... I know a better solution, so it''s fine." "Is that so, then..." - Click... "Ma¡¯am? Chapter 147: Identity Revealed Chapter 147: Identity Revealed"I''ve arrived..." - Bam...! As soon as the carriage, which had been speeding along a stony country road, came to a halt, the person inside hurriedly stepped out, hastily throwing some coins towards the coachman during her descent. "Haa, haaa..." Despite not having run the long distance to the destination herself, Rachel Watson was still gasping for breath. Just minutes ago, she hade to the horrible realisation that her fianc¨¦ was already married, making herpletely lose her shit; thus, in a matter of seconds, she had now be the most pitiful bride-to-be in all of London. - Click... "... Should I perhaps call the police?" As she ¨C a gun in her hand and bloodshot eyes that screamed the maddening state of her mind ¨C walked towards an old church, the coachman stared nkly and began to ponder under his breath. "There''s no need for that.""Eeek." ncing over her shoulders, Rachel Watson whispered with a devilish grin on her lips. "An ordinary person like you shouldn''t be involved in a matter like this, don''t you think?" "Oh, a-ah, y-yes, I understand...!" Of course, what Watson was referring to was the difference between people who got themselves involved with monsters and other supernatural entities and the ordinary folks who were blissfully ignorant of such matters. However, what the coachman understood, after experiencing the sinister killing intent she had exuded throughout the whole ride, was slightly different. "I, I¡­ I didn''t see anything...!" "......?" "Well then... goodbye...!!!" Thus, the coachman ¨C trembling in fear as he saw the doctor¡¯s clothes Watson was wearing, fluttering in the warm light of the sunset, as though it were a mafia outfit ¨C hurriedly drove the carriage away from the scene. "... Well, it doesn''t matter." Watson, squinting at his retreating figure, soon began to hasten her steps towards the church. Along the way, she recited a piece of legal knowledge that her partner, Charlotte Holmes, had recently mentioned to her. "Devils aren''t humans but rather harmful organisms to humans, so whatever is done to them is considered perfectly legal." It was indeed fortunate that the faint-hearted coachman ¨C who had been fooled and had his memory manipted by Adler, Professor Moriarty, and Lupin twice already ¨C did not hear what she was spouting. - Thud, step... With bated breath, Watson skillfully twirled the pistol she had been holding in her hand as she steadily approached the church door. ¡­ Should I put on an act for a while once I''m inside? For a fleeting moment, the scene of her cunning fianc¨¦ sensing her killing intent the moment she entered the church and thus fleeing without a trace shed through her mind. No, can¡¯t do that. However, just acting like nothing happened was definitely a bad move. Watson always prided herself as an elite who was second to none, but she knew all too well that her acting skills were nothing short of disastrous. Even if she wore a mask to hide her expressions, it wouldn''t take a few seconds before her fianc¨¦ suspected something amiss. ¡­ So, should I just shoot him as soon as I enter? It didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea to her. She might not be as good as the petite gunner brat Adler kept around him as his underling, but Watson''s marksmanship was still more than adequate. Shooting an anaesthetic bullet into her fianc¨¦''s thigh as soon as she opened the door would pose no trouble for her with her skills. But then, it¡¯s more than likely for the people inside to stop me¡­ However, the problem was that the people inside the church were among the strongest entities in this mysterious and monster-riddled London where the supernatural reigned. A renowned detective who, though she tly denied the usation, clearly used some form of dark magic that had already died out long ago. A world-renowned master thief who has been sweeping away jewels from all over the world, causing international arrest warrants to be issued left and right. And finally, a mysterious university professor who could somehow overpower both of those women with just a flick of her finger. Although Watson was a seasoned ex-military soldier, stopping a sudden gunshot from her would probably be no trouble at all for these women. "... Haaa." Well aware of the women¡¯s capabilities, Watson eventually gave up on the surprise attack and started turning the doorknob while sighing out loud. "Well, can''t help it then." The n she ultimately settled on was quite simple. "Just have to get up close and shoot......." True to her character, it was a straightforward and obvious solution, using brute force. However, her ns never came to pass. "...... Eh?" Because¡­ inside the church ¨C which seemed to have be the site of an earthshaking battle in her absence, and thus was now inplete disarray ¨C she couldn¡¯t spot her fianc¨¦ no matter where she looked. "You''ve arrived." The only person in the devastated church was none other than her partner, Charlotte Holmes. The genius detective, who had been smoking so much that she had made the church air acrid, greeted Watson with an indifferent voice as she entered. "Holmes." "... Yes." "I have a case I''d like tomission toyou." As Watson''s ice-cold voice echoed through the eerie silence of the church, Holmes, with a look on her face that seemed to say that she had been expecting such a scenario, started walking out of the devastated building. "Actually, I wanted to inform you sooner, but I''ve been under some special constraints until quite recently." "......" "... So as a gesture of apology, I will not charge any fee for this request." Quietly slipping the pistol back into her coat, Rachel Watson silently followed behind her partner. . . . . . A few minutester, "This..." "This is the cottage where you were with your fianc¨¦ not long ago." Following Holmes into the familiar-looking cottage, Watson couldn¡¯t help but tilt her head in silence once she heard Charlotte speak. "Are you wondering why I''m here?" "........" "Since it¡¯s only us here, I¡¯ll spare you the unnecessary disy of intellectual vanity. The reason I''m here is..." "Fingerprints." However, Watson interrupted her mid-sentence, whispering the word out. "Years ago, you had published a thesis paper that recounted a distinct piece of evidence that could help identify a criminal, however, the conservative and outdated police hasn¡¯t taken that piece of evidence seriously even now. You¡¯re here for that, aren¡¯t you?¡± "... Yes, that''s right." Swiftly finishing her sentence, Watson looked toward her partner for affirmation. Charlotte, her partner, nodded slightly, a look of surprise and astonishment colouring her face for a split moment. "I read it back when we weren''t close yet, to get to know you better. For your information, I found that paper quite impressive." "Ahem." "Anyway, you''re here to collect the evidence mentioned in that paper, right?" "... Of course." Charlotte couldn¡¯t help but blush at the sudden praise. Coughing awkwardly to chase her embarrassment away, she pulled out a mana stone from her pocket and started infusing her mana into it. "Watson, it would be wise to take at least three steps back.¡± "... What are you going to do?" "I''m going to attempt the easiest and most reliable method of collecting fingerprints." And in the next moment, - Puff...! Abruptly, the mana stone in her hand disintegrated into powder and started scattering in the surroundings. "Cough, cough..." "Are you okay? If you have a headache, you should step outside and breathe some fresh air." "Uh... I''m fine." Despite having stepped back several paces as Charlotte had advised, a small amount of the mana dust still managed to get inside Watson¡¯s lungs. The inhaling of the magically infused powder gave her a sudden dizzying fit, making her hold her head as she muttered. "... But, Charlotte." "Yes?" "You also inhaled the mana stone, right? Then howe you¡¯re still¡­¡± Then, catching a momentary flicker in Charlotte''s eyes, Watson immediately donned a stern expression. "I told you not to misuse mana stones like that." "There''s a duality to finely ground powdered mana stones. Sometimes it''s even used for dark purposes, like inducing hallucinations." "Don''t change the subject. You haven''t curbed that disgusting habit yet..." 1 "However, if used a little differently, it can also serve to illuminate the truth." Quietly ignoring her words, Charlotte, her eyes trained on Watson, pointed to a cup on the desk. "Well, in my case, whether I use it to stimte my brain or to collect fingerprints, it all serves one purpose¡ª uncovering the truth.¡± "This is..." "These are Isaac Adler''s fingerprints." The fingerprints that were imprinted on the cup, reacted with the dispersed powdered mana stones and shone brightly. "It''s a fingerprint, the only one of its kind as all fingerprints are." "... But, what if they are twins? What then?" "I''ve already tested that. Even twins born at the same hour on the same day have different fingerprints." At Charlotte¡¯s confident words, Rachel Watson silently closed her mouth and began to look tense. "Then now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to collect your fianc¨¦''s fingerprints..." "That won''t be a problem, Holmes." Suddenly, she pulled her blouse open, startling Holmes so much that her eyes widened unnaturally. "There¡¯s plenty of samples here." Her breasts were smeared with her fianc¨¦''s fingerprints, along with a thickyer of cosmetics. "......." "Isn''t what''s on top enough?" With a vacant look, Charlotte unconsciously trailed her hand over the assortment of fingerprints that extended well below her navel. The sudden touch made Watson blush slightly in shame, however, she quicklyposed herself and asked. "... That''s true." Regaining herposure like her friend, Charlotte red irritably at Watson¡¯s chest, positively annoyed by the significant difference in size. A beatter, she pulled out a sticky, duck-tape-shaped tool out of her bosom to collect the evidence. - Pssshhh... "Aaah~" "Please don''t make any strange noises." Just like that, Charlotte Holmes was able to sessfully collect several fingerprints from Watson¡¯s hefty breasts. "With the fingerprints this clear, the matching process will be very straightforward." "......." "Justy them on top of each other and then check, like this.¡± After cing the tape over Adler¡¯s fingerprints glowing on the cup, she handed it over to Watson with a whispery note. "... A cup of bitter truth, just as you ordered.¡± Despite the grim, sarcastic joke, Watson remained unmoved and just collected the cup with her shaky hands. Then, a long silence ensued as she just stared at the cup without making a word. "... Hah." Abruptly, an icy sneer burst out of her mouth. "Ah, haha..." The cause? The fingerprints of Isaac Adler and Neville St. ire, oveid on the cup in her hands, were a perfect match without missing a single detail. "Ha..." Abruptly, herughter ceased like smoke in the wind, and in the following instant, her voice leaked out in whispery notes, more ferocious and murderous than she had ever uttered in her life. "... Fucking son of a bitch!" . . . . . Meanwhile, at that exact moment, "... Why are my ears so itchy." "Are you really asking because you don¡¯t know?" Wrapped in Lupin''s cloak, Isaac Adler was darting through the skies of London while fleeing from the professor whose anger had risen to the very peak. Chapter 2 ¨C Complete "Aha." "You sound so naive..." Lupin couldn¡¯t help but sigh at his unnecessarily optimistic response. Just then, Lupin¡¯s eyes widened abruptly. "Oh, no." "Phantom Thief Lupin!!" A sharp voice began to emanate from the ground beneath them just as Lupin¡¯s expression changed. "You have beenpletely surrounded!" "... Things have gotten quite troublesome." "So release the hostage immediately, and surrender peacefully! Now!" A youngdy with twin-tailed hair shouted through a megaphone, leading a group of people who were wearing police uniforms that were rarely seen in London. "I never thought she would actuallye to Britain..." "... Hmm." "Excuse me?" At that moment, as Lupin gazed at the policewoman with a particrly annoyed look in her eyes, Adler began wriggling in Lupin''s embrace. "She looks cute..." "You¡¯re kidding, right?" For the first time, Lupin gazed at Adler with a chilling look and then whispered in a serious tone. "Any other woman is fine, except for her, so think again, alright?" Facing the grim-looking Lupin, Adler smirked and answered. "... But she''s totally my type though." "Shall I kill you and then preserve your body?" "I don¡¯t die even if killed, what to do?" Hearing her words, Adler momentarily broke out into a cold sweat and asked, trying to keep his voice calm. In response, Lupin gazed at the boy who had lowered his head in her embrace and whispered in his ears in a frigid tone. "There¡¯s always the option of preserving you alive." Game Over Alert! "... Eeek!"
    1. This line is talking about Charlotte''s mana poisoning which serves as drug addiction for this world. She''s basically saying Charlotte still hasn''t resolved her drug addiction yet.
Chapter 148: The Final Victor Chapter 148: The Final Victor"Stop right there!!" "Particrly persistent today now, are we..." Strutting through the air with Adler cradled in her arms, Lupin nced down at the girl in uniform as she chased them from the ground below, sprinting at unbelievable speeds. A frustrated, almost troubled voice leaked out of Lupin, seeing that the girl was keeping pace with her. "She doesn¡¯t even seem tired. Not a mana user, nor does she wield a curse, yet showcasing such preposterous physical capabilities..." "Is that person a normal human?" "... Why? Are you still interested in her even after my warning?" Eyes narrowing ever so slightly at Adler¡¯s sudden question, she responded to his question in a chilling voice. "No. It''s just a personal curiosity of mine. She seems to be a formidable nemesis of yours yet you mentioned that she has no abilities¡­ that¡¯s quite intriguing.¡± "You or rather the entirety of London are the oddity, in fact. Generally, mana users are a rare breed." At her reasonable retort, Adler could only scratch his head, an awkward smile on his lips."I¡­ do know that, but you see¡­ when you are destined to face mysteries at every turn of your life, that fact sometimes fizzles out of your mind.¡± "... That¡¯s inevitable, I suppose.¡± "Besides, if she has no abilities, shouldn''t she pose no problem for the great thief Lupin, hmm?" As Adler tilted his head in query, Lupin couldn¡¯t help herself from leaking out a wry chuckle. "Frankly, I¡¯m more annoyed than frightened of that woman. However, if there ever were a nemesis of mine, then it would be Inspector Julia Ganimard of the Paris Police." "... So it was Ganimard, after all." "Eh? What did you say?" "Nothing. But you seem to approve of her, don¡¯t you?¡± At his next question, a sigh escaped Lupin¡¯s lips as she gradually started slowing down her pace. "In this world, there might really be no one who can beat her in persistence and tenacity.¡± "... Why slow down all of a sudden?" "And you know. There''s something eerily peculiar about that woman." As her pace was about toe to aplete halt, abruptly, she kicked the air and shot upwards in but a fraction of a second. "I told you to stop!!!" And¡­ seemingly out of nowhere, Inspector Ganimard had appeared and swung her baton at that ce, where Lupin and Adler were present less than a second ago, missing the fleeing duo by the barest of margins. "Ah, didn''t you say she had no abilities?" "... Yeah, she indeed doesn¡¯t wield any abilities or powers." "But then, what was that just now¡­?" "That''s what makes her remarkable." Barely dodging the heavy attack, Lupin gazed down at Ganimard ¨C who hadnded on the ground and stirred up a massive cloud of dust ¨C and murmured with an annoyed expression. "She¡¯s just too damn strong." "... Pardon?" "Not only was she already stronger than a gori, but ever since her travels to Japan and China, where she picked up all sorts of weird and esoteric martial arts, she has already surpassed the limits of humanity.¡± Hearing her reply, Adler began blinking in astonishment with a stunned expression stered on his face. "That¡­ Is that even possible?" "You know, Adler¡­ A devil standing at the heart of an era of mystery and the unknown shouldn¡¯t be saying such things now, should he?" "......" "Personally, I find it far more astonishing that a devil from literal fairy tales is tantly flirting around haphazardly, seducing the women of London." "Enough already..." Leaking out those words with a frustrated sigh, Adler lowered his head, dejected by Lupin¡¯s blunt statement. "... Ughh." "Hm? What''s wrong?" "She¡¯sing this way." "What? Even for Ganimard, recovering that quickly should be nothing short of impossible." Hearing Adler¡¯s flustered voice, a bewildered Lupin couldn¡¯t help but mutter those words in a faint voice. "No, it''s not Ganimard..." As if on cue, before Lupin and Adler could even react, a girl in a familiar police uniform appeared before them out of nowhere. "... It¡¯s Lestrade." "Ah." A shing light followed the next second, causing Lupin to lose her bnce. "Ugh..." "Did you think you could wreak havoc twice in London and still be safe?" Having struck the thief¡¯s head with her baton already, Lestrade elegantly shifted her frame and took hold of Lupin by the scruff, thus kickstarting their descent straight to the ground. "Why isn¡¯t my magic working all of a sudden..." "Anyone whoes into contact with me regains normalcy." "What...?" ¡°Even the world-renowned phantom thief is no exception.¡± Hearing the angered policewoman¡¯s reply, a hazy look shed in Lupin¡¯s eyes. "Both Ganimard and you, how can ordinary people untouched by mana be so strong...?" "... It¡¯s due to the application of medieval European and Chinese martial arts. Sword energy and internal qi are innate abilities and don¡¯t disappear even if I touch them, that¡¯s why I will never lose my powers whereas any magical beings are powerless before me.¡± "Aha... I¡¯m learning something new today..." For a moment, she struggled in Lestrade¡¯s grasp to free herself. Soon, however, she realized that escape was out of the equation now and began whispering in a subdued voice. "But if you m me into the ground like this, your lover will die too, won¡¯t he?" "... Ah, that''s alright." At that moment, Lestrade shot a frigid re toward Adler before responding in a simr subdued tone. "He''s not my lover anymore." "... Ah." At those words, Adler hid his face in the confines of Lupin¡¯s bosom and, peeking through the gap of the buttons of her shirt, looked at the expressionless policewoman with a nk gaze. "We''re screwed." At that moment, Lupin closed her eyes in resignation, admitting her defeat. - Booooooooooooooooom!!! The speed of her fall, paired with the strength with which Lestrade hurled all of them towards the ground, sent the great thief crashing into the pavement with tremendous force. "... Ahh." Thanks to that, a cloud ¨C muchrger than when Ganimard fell to the ground ¨Cstirred up around the area of impact, making Lestrade gasp for air while rolling on the ground. "... Huh?" Surprisingly, just before Lupin hit the ground, Lestrade had pulled Adler out of her confines and took him in her embrace. "M, Miss Lestrade...?" "... Koff, kofff." 1 "Why?" Fully expecting to recover for hours from his body shattering due to the impact, Adler was left shocked at Lestrade¡¯sst-second action. Thus, he could only ask with a shocked expression, as Lestrade ¨C after coughing out blood due to shouldering the full brunt of the impact in his stead ¨C avoided his gaze and replied in a faint voice, "¡­ Because I love you." The moment the words left her lips, she started dusting off her clothes before standing up on her feet. "Although we¡¯re not a couple with budding romance going on for us any longer.¡± "........" At her frigid toneden with unquestionable disappointment, Adler was left with no choice but to lower his gaze in silence. "Why are you making such a sad face? It almost feels nonsensical when the great Isaac Adler makes such an expression." "Miss Lestrade..." "Just die already." Delivering those words, Lestrade started walking away, leaving Adler behind. "Are you still conscious?" "Guh..." "Well, at least, you''re alive. Lucky for me then, a few pages of report will suffice to put this incident to rest.¡± A dispassionate tone echoed out as she muttered, looking down at Lupin who was in tatters from the fall with an indifferent gaze. "The inspector... w-will arrest¡­" "I remember telling you to stop!" "... Ugh." On the other hand, Ganimard approached Lupin with staggering steps and promptly cuffed her hands. "You''ll be extradited to France just like this. Don''t even dream of escaping. Dozens of mana users have been hired just to prevent your breakout..." "... A, And half of those will be my men in disguise." "Heh! Spare me your foolish jokes already!" As the French Policewoman dragged Lupin ¨C on the verge of fainting already ¨C away from the scene, Adler ¨C looking at the scene with a nk gaze while sitting on the ground ¨C began muttering in a stunned voice. "Ah, the kidnapping quest is still not finished...?" "If you don''t want to end up like that woman, it''s best not to move a step." "Yes, madam." However, he immediately shut his mouth at Lestrade''s chilling remark. "Then, slowly follow me from behind." "... You just ordered me to not move." "You need to be interrogated as a witness in this case." "I''m a bit busy right n..." "Failure to attend the interrogating will lead to a high likelihood of you being considered as an aplice, Mr. Adler.¡± Lestrade¡¯s emphasis on the words Mr. Adler made him sigh, prompting him to follow the policewoman to wherever she was taking him. "Over there!" "Lestrade! Look over here!!" "We request an exnation!!" ".......?" All of a sudden, a crowd with mana-stone-embedded cameras started pouring towards where Lestrade and Adler were located from across the street right at that moment. "Oh¡­ so it¡¯s you guys, huh?" Lestrade, who had already assumed a defensive stance with a vignt gaze, soon realized that the sudden influx of people were actually the reporters who had been following her around since the announcement of her rtionship with Adler; her brows knitted, she spoke to the unweed crowd with a voice dripping with undisguised annoyance. "I clearly told you not to cross the line time and again. I am on official duty now, so if you guys interfere, I will arrest..." "Is the statement you made on the front page of Strand Magazine true?" However, at the sudden question of the reporter who had gotten closest to her, Lestrade was forced to pause and tilt her head in confusion. "What statement did I issue?" "The deration of your marriage to Isaac Adler!" At the reply, both Isaac Adler and Gia Lestrade froze simultaneously. "We''ve even received a response from the town hall that your marriage registration has beenpleted!" ""........."" "We are curious about the reason that prompted this quick decision since both of you started dating merely two months prior, not to mention the fact that the marriage partner is a notorious figure surrounded by a considerable amount of negative rumours and controversy...!" Yet, ignoring their reaction, a reporter continued to press on with an animated tone. "... Adler." A nk gaze was all Lestrade was able to give to the reporters who were eagerly waiting for an answer. In the end, she subtly turned towards Adler and began to whisper in a faint voice. "Was this... your n all along?" ".....???" Adler, of course, was only able to direct a clueless look toward her at the seemingly nonsensical question. "You had already chosen me among the three and just wanted to see my surprised face in front of everyone, didn''t you?" Quietly avoiding Adler¡¯s gaze, her head bowed, Lestrade¡¯s mind was already jam-packed with all sorts of irrational conjectures and nonsensical fantasies. "Then, what should I do about the deration I made just then?" - Click, click...!!! "... Well, he is indeed no longer my lover now. So I guess it doesn''t matter anymore..." As she whispered those words to Adler in a shrinking voice, her face flushed red, that particr scene went on to be the front page of every single newspaper in London that fateful day. . . . . . In the heated atmosphere that had engulfed the entirety of London, there was one person who had not quite adapted to the earthshaking change that had taken over the city. "... Huh?" That person was none other than Professor Jane Moriarty, who had provided Ganimard and Lestrade with Lupin''s escape route, pursued the inspector duo with a leisurely gate, and had now appeared at the scene to retrieve Adler. "Having a dragon as a vault keeper is a bit too much, even for someone like me, you see." "..." "So, to get a bit of revenge for thest incident, I swapped the marriage certificate halfway through." The overwhelmed professor then heard the chuckling whispers leaking out of Lupin¡¯s mouth, directed towards her, when she passed her by while being dragged by Inspector Ganimard. "Don''t resist, juste along nicely!" "... Sorry about that, Miss Crime Consultant." Her words concluded, she disappeared along with Ganimard into the bustling crowd, leaving a professor with all the light in her eyes fading into nothingness. "Inferior vermin..." That was the spark, the instant when dark clouds started covering the skies all over London¡ª clouds that would not retreat for months on end.
    1. This is the SFX for coughing basically
Chapter 149: Contract Couple Chapter 149: Contract Couple"Hmm hmm..." Following the monster showdown that shook all of London and the abduction of Isaac Adler which urred shortly thereafter, In the morning after the series of events had finally concluded, a young girl was sitting at the dining table in the living room, peering out of the window with an anxious expression. - Ding dong...! "........!" An unknown amount of time went by as she sat there, waiting. Just then, the sound of the doorbell echoed from the entrance, causing her to open her eyes wide and stand up from her seat. "Ah..." As she walked, she paused for a moment and began to tidy her appearance in front of a mirror on the wall. "... Pl-Please,e in." After ensuring everything was impable, to the extent that even the most critical and vain person in existence wouldn¡¯t be able to find any faults in her, she spoke in a meek voice while opening the front door.- Swoosh... ".......?" A blond-haired boy peeked inside through the gap. Squinting his eyes, he made a cursory survey of the inside of the house. "What are you doing, Adler...?" "Making sure there aren¡¯t any assassins, monsters, or Holmes lying in ambush." "... Do you think that¡¯s possible in my, Gia Lestrade¡¯s, house of all people?" "Well, if you say it like that." Only then did the tension in his eyes rx ever so slightly, and the boy, Isaac Adler, stepped inside. "Why are you overreacting so much?" "......." "The witness investigation has already concluded. I heard that there¡¯s another witness who provided a detailed ount of the incident, aside from you, of course. Thanks to that, you were deemed a one-sided victim." "... Is that so." "Of course, there are dozens ofwsuits still pending in the court in your name, for several years now too, but you are not yet in a position to be arrested." Gia Lestrade quietly observed him as she processed the situation and then silently stared at Adler with a subtle glint in her eyes. ""........"" A strange current soon began flowing between the two. "I couldn¡¯t ask properly yesterday due to the strange incident and Lupin''s involvement, but now I''ll ask again at this moment." "... Go on." "Are we really... that... in that kind of rtionship?" Caught in the moment, Inspector Lestrade''s face momentarily flushed as she avoided Adler¡¯s gaze and posed her question. "By that kind of rtionship, you mean¡­?" "What, what do you think I am referring to." "......." "... A marital rtionship." At the sight of her dishevelled look, a far cry from her usual robotic and frigid demeanour, Adler, unknowingly, averted his gaze just like her. "If this is just a lie to tease me, or merely a y staged to achieve some sort of purpose, then I suggest that you confess to me right now." ".........." "If you do so, I''ll leave your head intact so you cane back to life. Though, I might identally crush half of it if I can''t control my strength due to anger..." Lestrade nced at him and suddenly began to interrogate Adler with a terrifying intensity in her voice and gaze. "Isaac Adler, are you really married to me?" "........." "Am I really, really your wife?" Blushing, Adler fidgeted with his fingers before pulling a document from his coat. "What''s this?" "I picked up our marriage certificate from the town hall on my way here." "Ah..." "What does it say there?" Lestrade, staring nkly at the document Adler handed her, let out a voice that mirrored her stare. "Spouse, Gia Lestrade..." "... I brought the family register too, in case you wouldn''t believe it. If you still don''t believe it, you''re wee to check it in other parts of Ennd." "........" "Even I can''t manipte an entire national institution now, can I?" Finishing his words, Adler only stared at her in silence. Quietly, Lestrade lifted her head to meet his gaze with a vacant expression. "... We are now legally married." "Ah." "Even officially recognized by the state as a newly married couple." "Ne-Newlyweds." "Does it feel real now...?" Her already flushed face deepened to the hue of a ripe, red apple. "Ooh..." "... In that regard, I have a proposal for you." Adler, who had been staring intently at her, suddenly slid a nk contract that had been under the newspaper towards her. "A proposal?" "We draft a detailed contract about our sham marriage." His head quietly tilted to the side. "You weren''t seriously nning to live a married life with me now, were you?" "That, that is..." "I am a vile devil intent on taking over London, and Miss Lestrade, you are forced into this marriage to stop me." "........" "Knowing the decision you¡¯ve made, I am making this proposal for your convenience." As Lestrade silently closed her mouth, Adler pulled out a pen from his pocket and began scribbling on the contract,ying out his proposal. "You must protect me above all else, regardless of the circumstances. Moreover, you cannot betray me under any circumstances, and you must fully cooperate with me in driving out the supernatural beings in London." "........." "And this contract will end in one year from now, by mutual divorce." He had written all that content on one side of the contract and then lifted his head to look at Lestrade and then spoke, "This is what I ask of you in our contractual marriage, Inspector. Now, it¡¯s your turn to propose any demands you might have." "... Is that so?" Suddenly, aplexity of emotions swirled in Lestrade¡¯s eyes, but soon¡­ she started murmuring in a subdued voice, "I didn''t know..." "Inspector?" "Never mind. I understand what you are saying." But soon, her usual cool expression reappeared on her face, and she began speaking with a rigid tone, straightening her back, "Then, I will now propose my demands." "Yes." "From now on, Isaac Adler must look only at me and me alone." "......?" "He shall not flirt with any other woman, nor let his mind wander toward other women." As Adler wasfortably scribbling the contents with his pen, his eyes widened upon hearing her proposal. "From now on, all expressions of love and acts of affection must be directed solely to Gia Lestrade, Inspector of the London Metropolitan Police. This applies to everything, from casual conversation to physical affection." "Um..." "Gia Lestrade promises to ept all these acts obediently without any objections. In return, if Isaac Adler breaches this use, Gia Lestrade is permitted to inflict physical harm on him." "Mi, Miss Lestrade..." Adler had stopped writing by then, but Gia Lestrade had already snatched the pen from his hand and was inserting her demands into the contract. "Lastly, the ending date of the contract can be extended by mutual agreement, emphasizing the mutual agreement point.¡± ¡°... The emphasis on that word makes me somewhat uneasy.¡± ¡°And the specific uses can also be modified by mutual agreement. These are all my demands." After filling the contract thoroughly with her demands, Gia Lestrade finally put down the pen. "I have decided on this marriage to protect the women of London from you, so if you wish to borrow my strength, you mustply." "... But, can you handle it?" Adler began to question her with his eyes narrowed. "I wonder if Miss Lestrade, no different from an apostle of justice, can endure the sticky affection of a human trash like myself." "........" "To me, it seems like you wouldn''tst a few days before begging me to modify the details..." "... Do as you please." At his tacky tone, she crossed her arms with a slightly displeased expression. "For the peace of London, I have no intention ofpromising on this use." "... Hmm." Quietly watching her, Adler then picked up the pen and elegantly finished signing himself. "So, does it start now?" "It seems so... Hmm?" And as Lestrade took the pen and engraved her name beneath his, Adler suddenly leaned close to her neck. - Smack... "....... !?!?" As his lips and tongue touched the smooth centre of her pristine neck, Lestrade began to twitch all over, sporting a dazed expression. "A-Are we starting this already?" "... If you dislike it, we could just agree to modify the use." "Uggh..." However, following Adler''s words, she gritted her teeth, unable to protest. "Inspector." "What, what is it?" "You haven¡¯t even touched a man, let alone have your first kiss, right?" Adler, holding her chin with his hand, slowly leaned towards Lestrade''s lips, which she had unknowingly started to squirm in anxiousness. "That''s..." "... I¡¯ll take your first kiss, okay?" At that moment, with a voice sweet enough to paralyze her senses, she felt a heat rising from within as she tightly closed her eyes. "... You animal." "... Sister!!" ""........ !?!?"" Suddenly, a familiar yet cheerful voice was heard from behind them. "Did we have guests?" ""........"" "Hey! It¡¯s Brother Adler!" As Lestrade''s younger sister appeared, grinning and walking towards them with her hands behind her back, the two contractually bound couple quickly separated and started to cough. . . . . . "Brother, what brings you here?" "Ah, well..." At that suspiciously perfect timing, Gia Lestrade''s younger sister appeared with a beaming smile, heading towards us. "Sister, please get a grip already." "Eh?" "You''ve been following Adler around for days and even got taken in by the police as a witness in a kidnapping case... Ugh?" "... Shut your mouth before I sew it shut for you." Fortunately, it seemed she was distracted by the approach of her younger brother, so I leaked out a sighed and turned my attention back to Lestrade. "... So, you''re not here just to unload the desires of half the women in London, on me now, are you?" "......." "What can I do to help you?" Then, sighing in the same manner, Gia Lestrade asked in a stiffer tone. "That''s the thing..." Seeing her cheeks still slightly flushed, a stark contrast to her usual demeanour, which I found quite cute, I pondered what to do next. Probability Warning! At that moment, a bright red warning message appeared before my eyes, and I immediately decided what needed to be done. The following case has the potential to cause a serious probability copse of the world, in turn leading to its destruction. CASE: The Creeping Man "Ah, damn it." The darkest stain in the Sherlock Holmes series. A taboo among Sherlockians. Despite being an official short story from the Sherlock Holmes series, it was nothing short of a cheap sci-fi that could be hardly called a mystery. "... Monsters aren''t the problem right now." "Adler?" That was my rough assessment of the episode I now had to overhaul, risking my life. Chapter 150: The Crawling Human Chapter 150: The Crawling Human"Phew..." While Isaac Adler was sweating over the system warning that suddenly popped up in front of him just as he was nning his next moves at Lestrade''s house, - Creeeak... "... You¡¯re finally here?" Charlotte Holmes ¨C who had been listlessly staring at the dark clouds filled with a certain someone¡¯s fury while smoking an Arcadia cigarette by the window ¨C turned her gaze to the guest who had just entered the boarding house. "You don''t look too pleased, Watson." "........" "Would you like to smoke an Arcadia cigarette?" Quietly, Charlotte offered a cigarette to Watson as she silently approached her. - Whoosh..."Ah." The next moment, she was forced to direct a nk gaze towards Watson. After all, for the very first time, her partner had epted her offer and snatched the cigarette away from her. - Click... But Watson, not caring about her reaction, leaned closer to Charlotte''s face and used the cigarette in her mouth to light her own. "Haaah..." "... I didn''t know you were so ustomed to smoking." "You thought a soldier deployed in the field wouldn''t know how to smoke?" "......." "Why are you looking at me like that? I might have been a military doctor, but that doesn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t engage in on-fieldbat. Not to mention, many doctors smoke." As Watson, eyes heavy with exhaustion, looked out at the dreary streets of London and exhaled smoke from her cigarette, Charlotte spoke up. "It''s just, I find it strange seeing you smoke. You''ve never done it in front of me before." "... Hmm." Watson then shifted her gaze thoughtfully towards her. "So, you knew all along and yet you hid the truth from me?" "... Right, I knew you would ask that.¡± Charlotte, a dark smile etched on her lips, began her exnation while staring straight at Watson¡¯s eyes. "Due to the magic Adler had cast with all his powers, there were certain¡­ limitations in revealing the truth. But since he withdrew the magic himself, the restrictions have now been rendered useless.¡± "He withdrew it, huh." Watson pondered upon hearing her exnation. "... What do you think is the reason Isaac Adler is revealing the truth now?" "......." "Was he just ying with me all along?" Charlotte checked her dark expression and sighed, shaking her head. "... I don''t think so." "Even now, are you covering for Isaac Adler?" Her expression darkening further at Charlotte¡¯s rebuttal, she lifted a half-crumpled newspaper from the desk beside her. "I¡¯m sure you¡¯re fully aware of what''s causing a stir in London right now, don''t you?" "... Isaac Adler might be an animal, worse than trash even, but he''s not the type to charm women without a specific reason." Charlotte quietly red at the front page of the newspaper ¨C it featured arge photo of Gia Lestrade with a blushed face and bowed head while she stood beside Isaac Adler ¨C and snatched it from Watson''s hands as she spoke. "That''s the least credible thing I''ve heard so far." - Fttfft... "Why tear up the newspaper?" Ignoring Watson''s question, Charlotte continued tearing the newspaper to shreds and threw it into the firece. "There¡¯s something suspiciously odd in Adler¡¯s recent actions.¡± "Odd? Adler has always been strange." "The incidents of the past few months have concluded quite rapidly and radically. And each conclusion leads to another incident, bing progressively more systemic..." "Apologies but could you exin that in English?" "... The point is, Isaac Adler now has a single goal he must achieve, at any cost." Hearing this, Watson let out a cold chuckle. "So, I''m just a means to an end for achieving his purpose, huh?" "I don''t think so." But Charlotte firmly denied it with a resolute expression. "ording to my observations, there is an entity forcing Isaac Adler''s actions." "... What did you say?" "I''m not sure exactly how or whatmands are being given, but Isaac Adler must follow them unconditionally." Charlotte added in a low voice, staring directly at Watson as a dazed look momentarily settled in her eyes. "And this entity appeared no earlier than after his enrollment at August Academy." "That means..." "Yes, it¡¯s as you think. When exactly did you and Neville first start associating with Isaac Adler?" Stammering, Rachel Watson responded with a trembling voice. "... It''s been a little over a year, I think?" "Then it was before Isaac Adler''s admission to August Academy." As Charlotte calmly concluded, Watson''s eyes began to waver. "Of course, the fact that he disguised his identity and deceived you hasn''t changed, but at least it wasn''t all just an borate prank to tease you..." "This changes everything then, doesn''t it¡­.?" "Yes?" Charlotte¡¯s voice was uncharacteristically gentle as she revealed her deductions to her. And then, she began quietly listening to Watson whose eyes had gone wide as though she hade to a realisation of her own. "If your deductions are true, no... since it''s you who deduced it, then I should take it for the undeniable truth." "I never asserted it that strongly..." "Then it¡¯s definitely possible that the one he actually liked wasn¡¯t you, but me..." "What the hell are you talking about now...?" As she asked coldly, furrowing her brows at her statement, Watson, still looking dazed, began to mutter in a whispery voice. "After all, you received a confession from Adler after he enrolled at August Academy." "........" "He approached me before that..." Watson''s hand, holding a cigarette, trembled ever so slightly. "The person who approached he approached of his own free will, notpelled by some unknown entity, was actually just me¡­." "Look, I think you''re misunderstanding something." Charlotte sharply red at her for a moment before raising her voice in rebuttal. "Adler''s eyes were dyed in my colour. You, yourself, were the first to mention the mana erosion phenomenon." "........" "And I apologise, but do you think anyone would believe that Adler turned into a yboy only after joining the academy?" However, Watson¡¯s mind had already drifted far away from the conversation¡ª so lost in her own world of reasoning and delusions that goosebumps started trailing all over her skin. "Ugh, I must be insane... Why am I defending that bastard who deserves to be shot dead..." "Excuse me?" "Fucking hell... I had just managed to settle my feelings... This shouldn''t be happening..." "Watson?" "But if what happened yesterday wasn''t of his own free will th..." "Watson!" Charlotte, looking ominously, finally shouted into her ear to bring her back to her senses. "Since It''s not certain yet, could you stop spinning in your own delusions about that man?¡± "........" "... No, I mean him." As she hurriedly changed her way of addressing Adler, blushing quietly at the mistake and turning her head to the side, a brief silence began to flow through the boarding house. . . . . . "... So why did you call me? The letter said toe over immediately." "Ah, yes. That''s because..." The silence-filled awkward atmosphere settled between them for a while until¡­ Watson broke it with a somewhatplicated expression. "There''s a new case." "... A case?" "As you know, I don''t enjoy deducing without an assistant. That tendency has be several times stronger recently." "Is that because of Adler?" Hearing this, Charlotte quietly red at Watson. "... In the past few months, Isaac Adler has be like a habit to me." "A habit?" "Kinda like ying the violin, strong tobo, scissors for cutting newspapers, and the intoxicating fumes from mana stones, among other things." "Are you saying that he was like some sort of stimnt?" After pondering the question for a moment, Charlotte quietly nodded. "But Watson, I''ve decided to respect your opinion as a doctor." "What''s that supposed to mean?" "Too much stimtion can cause problems. And Isaac Adler has been a more stimting presence to me than any drug or hallucinations that mana stones could induce." "I suppose it''s fortunate that you''ve realized that now." Charlotte quietly sighed,id down her cigarette on the windowsill, and picked up her coat that was hanging next to it. "Right now, I''m overdosing on that man." "... And you''re already experiencing a lull in the rtionship, even though both of you haven¡¯t started dating yet?" "No, it''s more urate to say I''m addicted to him." She then put on her coat, which she only wore when working as a detective, and started walking towards the door. "So, I''m nning to take a break by solvingplex and supernatural cases for a while." "... You''re not thinking of giving up, then?" "Watson, do you think I could quit smoking?" As Watson immediately shook her head, Charlotte let out a quiet chuckle. "Only the ending matters, not the process. In the end, the one holding the reins at thest moment is the winner.¡± "So was it also deliberate when you let Adler and Lupin go?" "... If the opponent has a bigger picture in mind, you just have to draw an even bigger one." Confidently grabbing the doorknob, she finished speaking. "Whatever happens, Isaac Adler will be my assistant within a year. I assert that here and now." "... I see." Watson, smiling faintly as she watched her from behind, suddenly looked a bit gloomy. "But then, what about me..." "Hm?" "... It''s nothing." However, Charlotte nced at Watson ¨C a quizzical smile on her partner¡¯s face, acting as if nothing was wrong ¨C before quietly turning the doorknob with a pondering expression. "... Something definitely feels off." . . . . . In the next moment, however, Charlotte Holmes had no choice but to forget the feeling of uneasiness that was rising in her heart. "Hehe." "......." After all, she was facing the two beings she least wanted to encounter at the moment. Isaac Adler and Gia Lestrade were standing in front of Charlotte, arms linked, as she opened the door. "Miss Holmes, where are you off to all alone..." Speaking to Charlotte with a bright voice, Adler soon noticed Rachel Watson behind her, coldly ring at him in silence. ""..........."" Then, an even colder silence began to settle at 221B Baker Street. Chapter 151: The Crawling Human (2) Chapter 151: The Crawling Human (2)"Ah, goodbye..." "......." Upon spotting Watson standing behind Charlotte, Adler reflexively closed the door while bidding them farewell. - Clunk... "... Ugh." However, before he could fully close the door, Watson dashed towards the door using superhuman levels of speed and caught it from closing with her bare hands. Seeing her sudden, erratic action, a look of panic immediately crossed Adler¡¯s face. - Swoosh... And in the next moment, Watson reached into her pocket, her face as stiff as a board. - Thunk... "... Eh?"However, Lestrade, standing next to Adler, pulled him back and grabbed Watson''s hand to prevent her actions. Thus, a chilling silence started to settle between them. "What are you doing, Inspector?" "I''m on escort duty." Watson couldn¡¯t help but show a puzzled look upon hearing the Inspector''s reply. "I didn¡¯t know that you would be in such dire straits that you even needed to escort a criminal." "... I''m sorry." In response to her sarcasm, Lestrade could only mutter those words while trying her best to avoid Watson¡¯s gaze dripping with contempt. "But a contract is a contract..." "What?" "... A-A wife must protect her husband." Hearing her reply, the faint light in Watson¡¯s eyes dimmed down even further. "This fucki..." "Calm down, Watson." "These fucking bastards are driving me insane!!!" As she finally exploded, screaming at the top of her lungs, beads of sweat began dripping down Adler''s forehead. "... Wh-What''s the problem here?" Meanwhile, a slightly frightened voice echoed out from behind the two women. "Just the usual chaos of 221B Baker Street." "S-Should I call the police?" Mrs Hudson, who had been enjoying her afternoon tea time, poked her head out from the staircase with a worried look and began asking in a frail voice. "... Ah, it should be fine since the inspector¡¯s here." Then, spotting Lestrade next to Adler, she slightly rxed and turned away from the scene. ""........."" And thus, silence ensued between them once more. "Hey, listen." ""........?"" "So, what brings you two here?" In that chilling silence, Adler and Lestrade started fidgeting as though they were standing on pins and needles. However, they couldn¡¯t help but doubt their own ears when Watson¡¯s cheerful voice echoed amid the daunting silence, addressing them, prompting them to raise their head and focus on her. "I, I¡­ followed Isaac Adler here..." "That, there¡¯s... a new... mystery..." "A mystery? Oh, you''vee to help our Holmes then." Just as the two were about to broach their story, Rachel Watson suddenly pped her hands, interrupting them with a broad smirk on her lips. "Holmes, what do you think?" "... Watson." "Don''t you think it''d be more fun if the four of us went together instead of just us two? I''m already feeling my heart race in anticipation of what might happen!" "What do you think about having some brandy and just rxing for today?" "Eh? Holmes, what are you talking about?" With an anxious look in her eyes, Charlotte posed the question to her partner in a soft voice. In response, Watson leaned towards her, eyes widened. "I''m perfectly fine right now. So, there''s no need to rest." Then, she muttered with a stern look in her eyes. "... If you say so." "Shall we go then? Mr Adler, and Miss Lestrade?" Charlotte, about to say something, eventually sighed and decided to just turn away. On the other hand, Watson began descending the stairs with an unnaturally cheerful expression. "... Are you really okay?" "Eh? What do you mean?" Charlotte, watching her back in silence, couldn¡¯t stop herself from whispering that query. "I mean, we will be working together with Isaac Adler on this case so¡­¡± "What does that have to do with anything?" "You know by now. Neville and Adler are..." "Holmes." Stopping halfway down the stairs, Watson sighed and began speaking to her partner in a soothing tone. "My fianc¨¦ isn¡¯t the jealous type who would fuss about me being with Adler." "Are you serious right now?" "Why are you acting like this?" Yet, Charlotte looked even more worried after hearing her remark, and Watson furrowed her brows and finally started showing a semnce of anger at those words. "Isaac Adler, the scum of London known for ying and discarding women, and Neville St. ire, the pure-hearted man who only has eyes for me, arepletely different people, aren''t they?" "......" "Why do you keep talking like they''re the same person?" With that, she turned her head sharply and began walking towards the boarding house''s entrance. "... Seriously, treating me like that just because of a bad mood, I feel offended.¡± And with that, silence settled once again in the scene. "Maybe we should just go back..." "... Isaac Adler." Shivering in primal fear as he murmured, Adler couldn¡¯t help but stiffen as he heard Charlotte¡¯s whisper in his ears. "Don''t you have something to say to me...?" "... Eek." . . . . . Evening of that day, "We''ve arrived, everyone..." Charlotte and Watson in the front, Gia Lestrade on his side; with the girls surrounding him at all sides, Adler had to endure their relentless, sinister gazes all throughout the ride with a restless mind. Maybe that¡¯s why¡­ when they finally reached their destination, Adler hastily stepped out of the carriage and started speaking in a lighthearted tone. ¡°Well, the most intellectually esteemed university town in Ennd wees us... Shall we get off?¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°The view of Cambridge is quite pleasing. Haha...¡± However, the three women only looked at Adler with cold expressions from inside the carriage. ¡°... Actually, I find Oxford more familiar than Cambridge.¡± ¡°Familiar?¡± ¡°Yes, I once studied abroad th...¡± This caused Adler, who was blurting out anything that came into his mind to suppress the restlessness in his mind, to suddenly cover his mouth. ¡°... It was a ce I dreamt of. But I just ended up enrolling at August Academy.¡± ¡°An Englishman studying abroad?¡±1 ¡°You must have forgotten. I¡¯m not an Englishman, but a devil. Haha, haha...¡± Adler started defending his statement with all his might to Charlotte, who was emerging from the carriage with an unusual gleam in her eyes. ¡°... Come to think of it, you once said that your soul had ck hair.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about~¡± ¡°Could it really be that one day your soul just changed...?¡± ¡°W-Wow! An eagle!!¡± Miraculously spotting an eagle flying through the dark, cloudy skies that provided almost zero visibility, Adler pointed out in the air with an excited tone, which only resulted in Charlotte slowly narrowing her eyes.2 ¡°So¡­ Miss Holmes, which university were you originally going to attend?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m very curious about that.¡± Realising this fact, Adler hurriedly threw a question at her to change the topic. ¡°... If it weren¡¯t for you, I might be tinkering with a thesis right about now in that pleasing Cambridge you see right there.¡± ¡°Eh, ah, Miss Holmes, just how old are you¡­?¡± ¡°I was granted early admission by the dean of Cambridge. It¡¯s water under the bridge now though because I ended up submitting my application to August Academy because of you.¡± ¡°Ah, haha...¡± Adler, smiling awkwardly at her dark, pointed gaze, quietly turned his head away from her, only to be met with the cold, piercing gazes of the two women who were behind him. ¡°... I¡¯m going to wither away at this rate from all the exhaustion.¡±3 I¡¯ll say this again... you¡¯ve brought this on yourself. ¡°So, where is the client?¡± Then Adler quickly dismissed the system that appeared in front of him and turned to Charlotte with a question. "Is it, by any chance, a board with instructions written on it?" "Eh, Miss Holmes?" "It seems like it can be physically touched and removed from sight... If that''s the case, if I just had Adler''s hand, there¡¯s a chance that the curse can be countered. If I have the chanceter then¡­¡± "Hey." "... I''m listening." As she muttered something eerily under her breath alone, he waved his hands in front of her to get her attention. In response, she pointed forward, stretching out her hand. "Our destination is right there." "... It''s not too far, is it? I thought we were going into the university." "The client for this case is not a university professor, but his son and assistant, Mr Trevor Bet. His mansion is right in front of us." With that, Charlotte quietly smiled and added in a low voice. "Just so you know, the client is a man. Surprisingly, It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve epted a request from a man since I¡¯vee to know you, Adler.¡± "........" "Of course, deliberately refusing all requests from women might have yed a role in it." Her eyes gleaming ominously, she started to walk, ncing at Adler while murmuring. "... It''s a shame you couldn''t charm the client this time, Mr. Adler." "Oh,e on. It¡¯s not like I''m crazy about women or anything..." """........""" Unwittingly clicking his tongue Adler muttered those words. However, he soon moved his feet with a sullen expression, shutting his mouth, due to the sharp nces directed at him from all around. . . . . . "Who... are you? Who are all of you?" """..........""" However, Isaac Adler''s gloomy face did notst long. "Why are you looking at me like that? I would appreciate it if you stated your business ining here, please.¡± As Charlotte Holmes knocked on the door of the client''s house with a triumphant expression, a strikingly intellectual-looking beauty with ck hair emerged. "... What are you trying to do bying here?" Raising her sses and furrowing the slight wrinkles under her eyes, she coldly stared at Holmes and her group, throwing a question. "That, that..." It was the moment when Charlotte stuttered uncharacteristically, taken aback by the client''s unexpectedly sharp and profound demeanor. "Uh, mum. Sorry...!" "... Are they your friends, Trevor?" At that moment, a blushing boy hurriedly burst into the doorway from inside the mansion. "Yes, mum, they are my friends..." "... I thought I told you not to carelessly bring your friends home." "We were supposed to meet outside. Ah, I''m not letting them in..." "... Sigh." The woman sighed, and the boy, sweating, hurriedly made excuses. "I''ve finished arranging the papers. I won''t drink and wille back before it gets toote..." "... Don''t stay out toote,e back early." "Uh, yeah..." The woman looking down at her son with displeasure, eventually shook her head and then went back inside the house. """........""" And then silence ensued at the scene. "So, is that the person?" Finally grasping the situation, Charlotte broke the silence and asked the client in front of her with a chilly voice. "The professor who allegedly crawls around the house in a vulgar manner at night and even got bitten by a dog?" "... Indeed." Adler''s eyes, which had been dull, began to sparkle with interest at that moment.
    1. What Charlotte means by this query is that, an Englishman saying that he is studying abroad when Oxford is actually in Ennd doesn''t make much sense.2. Well, it should be easy to guess but there was no eagle, Adler was trying to divert attention.3. Adler is saying that the sharp gazes and malice directed towards him is making him so exhausted in his mind that he feels like he will die if this goes on.
Chapter 152: The Crawling Human (3) Chapter 152: The Crawling Human (3)"Hey, how can you say that so loudly here?" "What?" "W-What if someone hears us...? This is an incredibly sensitive issue..." Charlotte¡¯s piercing statement startled the client, eyes opening wide in aical fashion, and he hastily began to whisper in a lowered voice. "This is the mansion''s yard. And I believe you, yourself mentioned that your mother crawls around like a dog every night, not to mention, my voice isn¡¯t loud enough for it to echo all the way to the street." "P-P-Please, keep your voice down... The voice carries inside surprisingly well from the front door..." "... As I thought, you''ve kept themission of this case a secret from your mother, haven¡¯t you? And here I was hoping to seek her cooperation too." At Charlotte''s sharp question, the client couldn¡¯t help but stutter for a moment. "Y-You can''t do that..." "Why not?""Well I, I have already asked her once just the other day. It seemed like the hallway lights were on every night recently, and I wondered if she was doing something at night so I decided to just ask her straightforwardly..." The client, ncing at his surroundings nervously, led Charlotte and her party towards a shabby shed in the corner of the yard while continuing his statement. "... It didn¡¯t go well, she reacted quite sensitively. She said it was nothing, but something strange is definitely happening in the mansion." "... Then, asking for her cooperation might backfire." "That''s why I called you, detective... I heard you were verypetent..." Pausing for a moment, the client then nced at the people surrounding Charlotte¡ª Gia Lestrade, Rachel Watson, and Isaac Adler. "... I-I''d like to talk to the detective alone from now on. As you know, it¡¯s a very sensitive matter." "These three are my faithful assistants. There won''t be any leaks of information, I guarantee." "But still..." "They''ve been with me even on the highest confidential matters like royal scandals and national conflicts. The embarrassing secret of a university professor is nothing to them." Softly stating that to the client, Charlotte red at the people apanying her, prompting them to nod immediately and smile, backing up the detective¡¯s words. "If you insist that much, then I''ll trust you..." "Then please exin what happened, in detail, of course." Finally easing his guard, the client sighed and leaned against the door of the shed. "... All this started when my mother announced her remarriage about half a year ago." Soon, he spoke in a sunken voice. "She is remarrying one of her assistants at the university. Despite her usually cold and strict demeanour, she confessed her feelings with such passion and enthusiasm that, it felt like she was not even the same person anymore at the time." """..........""" "The age difference was quite significant too. Perhaps around 30 years? Yet amazingly, the assistant epted... what is it, everyone?" All eyes, including Charlotte''s, began to focus on Isaac Adler at the centre with a piercing intensity. "Guys, this is too much of a stretch, to say the least." Adler, realizing the implication of their stares btedly, started to protest with a look of great injustice. "In London, there are so many women. I''m hardly a Casanova, and the rumour that half the women are involved with me is just a metaphor..." "Was the person she remarried blonde with pale eyes?" "Did he use the name Neville St. ir?" "Was his height or build simr to this young man here?" Ignoring his protests, the group hurriedly began to interrogate the client. "I haven''t met him, so I don''t really know." "Hmm..." "... But it shouldn¡¯t be him, right? Otherwise, wouldn''t my mother have recognised him and reacted ordingly?" Only after hearing the client''s words did they calm down and nod in agreement. "Well, as I''ve continued to say... after that miraculous proposal seeded, my mother lived in a state of blissful happiness for a while." "That makes sense. We understand how difficult it could be to propose to someone." "... Ahaha." "... It was only a few monthster that my mother started to act strangely." While Adler was awkwardlyughing at Charlotte''s thorny joke delivered in a cold voice, the client suddenly lowered his voice, looking sombre. "One day, without saying where she was going, my mother disappeared and only returned fifteen dayster, lookingpletely exhausted." "......." "When I asked where she had been, she said she''d been to Prague in Bohemia and wouldn''t tell me anything else." "Bohemia... That brings back some distant memories." Hearing the mention of Bohemia, Adler couldn¡¯t help but murmur, possibly reminded of an incident from months ago. However, he soon shut his mouth tight after sensing Charlotte¡¯s cold gaze trained on him. "After that day, my mother''s personality gradually became sinister and irritable. Although she still retained her intellectual appearance, she seemed to only be a shadow of her former self¡­¡± Even in such circumstances, the client resolutely continued the story. "One day, I was just cleaning the dust off a disy case in the room, and she suddenly flew into a rage for no reason." "... What was inside it?" "Usually just experimental equipment. Nothing seemed particrly special about the case that day, but the next day, she cleared everything from the case and put it away somewhere.¡± Charlotte listened with interest, then quietly nodded her head, urging him to continue. "And then, just some days ago, our dog, who had been with us for over a decade, suddenly attacked her." "Hmm..." "But the decisive and bizarre reason that finally convinced me to approach you, detective, happened just two days prior." From that point, the client''s voice began to tremble with fear. "I woke up at two in the morning, feeling thirsty, and was heading to the kitchen when, well, my mother was... crawling down the hallway like a dog. "It wasn''t just that. I tried to convince myself it was just a horrible nightmare after going back to my room while shivering in fright, but¡­ I was unable to fall asleep that night.¡± Upon hearing the new piece of information, Charlotte and co tilted their heads with a look of intrigue in their eyes. Meanwhile, the client, with a pale face, whispered, "My mother was peeking through my bedroom window, staring at me with a sinister smile..." """.........""" "And you know¡­?" Slowly raising his head, he ended the conversation in an uncharacteristically calm tone. "... My room is on the third floor." And with those words, a sense of silence enveloped everyone. "I thought about calling the police, but I gave up immediately. They wouldn''t understand, and it would tarnish my mother''s reputation. But I couldn''t just leave this disaster of a situation alone." "Well done. This is indeed a case that needs a detective¡¯s expertise." Charlotte, with a spark in her eyes for the first time in a while, spoke in a confident tone. This prompted the client to query her with a renewed glimmer of hope in his eyes, "W-Well then¡­ may I ask how you intend to solve this case?" "Well, for starters, I intend on conducting a stakeout." "Pardon?" "Tonight, I¡¯m going to see for myself if your mother is really crawling around the mansion as you say." Saying so, Charlotte quietly took in a small puff of her Acadia cigarette. "... Then everything will be clear." "........" Beside her, Adler, who had been smiling brightly until a moment ago, now wielded a gaze that was gradually gleaming with an eerie dark hue. "... We should intervene before it''s toote." "Pardon?" "Should I buy some snacks for the stakeout?" . . . . . The sun, which had been faintly visible through the gathering clouds, had eventually set, and the streets of London were gradually enveloped in darkness. "... You spoke so critically regarding my hiding skills, yet you still ended up hiding in the bushes anyway.¡± "I''m not like you, Inspector. I still have themon sense and awareness to not tantly disy my hair or baton when hiding. Besides, there are only bushes in the surroundings, where else could someone hide if not here?." Holmes and herpanions, crouched inconspicuously within the decorative bushes of the yard, were intently observing the mansion with keen eyes, not letting any detail go unmissed. "Isn''t this a bit too much...?" "... Shut up." "You''ll just disappear and cause trouble again if you¡¯re left alone." "Don''t forget the contract, Adler." Incidentally, Adler was now gasping for each breath, as he was squeezed among three women forming a triangle in the bushes to contain him. "... So, what do all of you think is going on here?" After a long while of silently surveilling the mansion, Lestrade, perhaps out of boredom, quietly posed a question among the group. "We should be quiet rig..." "... From a medical point of view, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s a serious case of sleepwalking.¡± Charlotte was about to frown and send a warning, but Watson, equally bored, began to voice her opinion in a whispery tone. "Sometimes, in severe cases, patients are found kilometres away from their homes. It¡¯s entirely possible that thest time she went to Bohemia was due to a severe bout of sleepwalking..." "Watson. Don''t you know that sleepwalking is the mostmon and surest excuse used by cheaters?" Charlotte suddenly joined the conversation, as if the warning she was about to give was a lie. "I was just discussing a possibility." "... Yes, I did consider sleepwalking as a probable cause. But the distance between Britain and Bohemia is well over a thousand kilometres; it''s on a different dimension from just a few kilometres as you have mentioned." "Hmm..." "If the sleepwalkingsted for weeks, it might be possible, but I''ve heard that there''s no disease that makes you sleep that long from Professor Moriarty." As she firmly dismissed the sleepwalking theory, Lestrade and Isaac Adler quietly listened and then posed their questions in quick session. "Is there a possibility she''s suffering from a mental illness?" "... Perhaps, she was being manipted by that assistant?" "Whatever the case, it''s unclear right now." Charlotte nced at Adler and sighed before saying, "We''ll learn more now..." "... Oh, look over there!" "Shhh." Just then, a faint figure appeared in the window of the dimly lit mansion. "Keep your voice down, Watson..." "Uh..." Charlotte, who had silenced Watson, now squinted and started to survey the situation. - Swoosh... And then, the professor began lowering her posture after surveying her surroundings. ".........!" In the next moment, the eyes of the three young women simultaneously widened. - tter... The professor, disappearing from their direct line of sight due to crouching down, was now shockingly crawling out on all fours through a small door meant for a dog in the front door and entered the garden. "What the..." "Grrrgrgrrr!" Gone was her intellectual demeanour from the morning, reced by a vulgar look as she crawled through the ground. And her current indecent performance was witnessed by Charlotte and co, all of them gazing at her with astonished eyes. At that moment, a sudden bark from a door could be heard in the distance. "Grrrr..." "... Hmm." Alerted by the growling of the dog tied up outside in the kennel, the professor quietly fixed her gaze on the animal. "... Oh, my goodness." "My word..." Soon, an utterly vulgar act unfolded before their eyes, causing Inspector Gia Lestrade to blush quietly and avert her gaze. It was an act so vulgar that it was omitted from the case files that Watson usually wrote. "... By the way..." Then, realising something, she spoke with a serious expression. "Where has Adler gone...?" "... Haah." Just seconds ago, Adler had been squeezed between them but now he had disappeared. Charlotte''s expression crumpled as she watched the scandalous scene unfolding before her, her mood going from bad to worse. "We should have just cut off one of his legs, it would have healed anyway..." "Grrrrr... Grrrr..." "... Hah, hahh, aaah~!" . . . . . "........." Isaac Adler had vanished from the scene only to be rediscovered as the dawn broke and the dreary London sky began to faintly brighten with the sun slightly peeking up from the horizon. "Would you care to say something?" "........" "Mr. Adler?" Hunched down in a shabby shed in the yard ¨C neither inside nor outside the mansion ¨C the first word Adler flicked Charlotte''s way, with a swishing tail, was as follows¡ª "... Meow." Astoundingly, in that brief span, Adler had transformed from a man to an animal, just like the professor. "Meooow..." "This is utter madness." Chapter 153: The Crawling Human (4) Chapter 153: The Crawling Human (4)"Meow..." "... Haaa" Several hours after Isaac Adler, who had gone missing, was found in the dpidated warehouse, - Lick... """.........""" The three girls, gathered in the client''s living room, were ring at Adler with a frigid gaze, who was seated on the desk while swaying his butt and grooming himself like a typical cat. "... Where are the client and the professor?" "They''ve gone to the university for sses. It''s amazing that the professor was able to attend the sses after crawling around in such a state all night." "Hmm. I see..." In that situation, Gia Lestrade was the first to speak up and ask. When Charlotte responded in a rtively calm voice, she cautiously observed her for a brief moment before posing another question."... But what exactly happened?" "Purr?" Matching the tone of his cat-like voice to a questioning one, Adler tilted his head to the side, staring back at the three girls looking intently at him. "Why has Isaac Adler deteriorated to this extent?" "... I''m not quite sure, but the situation seems pretty serious." Rachel Watson, who had repeatedly tried to restore him to his original state, slumped on the sofa and murmured in a tired voice. "I''m a surgeon, not a psychiatrist. There''s nothing I can do about this problem." "... Indeed, I''ve heard that the respect and status of the psychiatric field have elevated since the development of magic." "That¡¯s primarily because magic, mystery, and bizarre phenomena are causing people to lose their minds. If it were a visible wound, at least there would be something to treat, but mental issues like these can''t be fixed even with magic..." And with those words, silence enveloped the room. - Sneak, sneak... Sensing the tense atmosphere amid the silence, Adler quickly moved down to the floor and started heading towards the sofa. "... Meow." Then, jumping next to Watson, who looked the least pleased among the bunch, he began rubbing his head against her side. - Purr, purr, purr... "... Haa." Watson, still staring at him with a cold look in her eyes, finally sighed and began stroking his chin in response to his continued gestures of affection. "Um, excuse me..." ".....?" ncing from the side and observing the whole spectacle, Gia Lestrade soon moved closer to the sofa, quietly, and squeezed herself next to Adler. "Do you... want to y with this?" "... Meow!" ¡°Ah¡­¡± Hesitantly, she pulled out a toy mouse from somewhere and waved it in front of Adler. Seeing the toy, Adler¡¯s eyes twinkled in delight, and he immediately snatched the toy away from Lestrade. - Thump, thump... ""........"" Then, as the girls looked on, Adler started ying with the mouse in a typical cat-like fashion. "... Huff." "You, you shouldn''t eat that!" "Bleee..." Having grabbed the toy mouse in his mouth, he beamed with a happy smile, acting like he was about to enjoy a good meal. However, when Lestrade reprimanded him, he spat the toy out and lowered his head with a crestfallen look. - Swoosh... Afterwards, coiling up between the two women, he finally closed his eyes and fell asleep. "Watson." "... Yes?" "Forgive me in advance, but Isaac Adler is currently my husband." "And?" Watson, whose head was bowed down in silence, looked at Lestrade who had approached her with a face asking what she wanted to say. "... I want to be the only one to pet my husband." "But this isn¡¯t Adler, it¡¯s just a cat." The next moment, a strange tension began flowing between the two women. "Isn''t it okay to pet a cute cat?" "... Why are you doing this?" Despite Lestrade''s firm discouragement, Watson, who had been stroking Adler''s head, muttered in a subdued voice¡­ a dark expression stered on her face. "... Anyway, his face is bloody handsome. Fuck." "Miss Watson..." "Is it because I have been rejected recently? I hate myself for finding a younger man, coiled up on myp like a cat, utterly adorable." "Do you still insist that Isaac Adler and Neville St. ire are entirely different beings...?" "Since it hase to this, why not just let us take turns looking after him without trying to cure him?" At her calm statement, Lestrade, visibly stunned, hurriedly rose from her seat. "Miss Holmes, I think this ce is dangerous. Mr Adler and Miss Watson as well, everyone is going crazy, don¡¯t you think?" "........" "There must be a monster here causing mental breakdowns or hallucinations. We need to get out of here quic..." "Honestly, wouldn''t this be better for you, Inspector?¡± Startled by Watson''s still calm voice, she trailed off mid-sentence. "Just think about it. From a social menace making a living off his face to an entity that doesn''t even nce at other women except for you and even acts coy sometimes.¡± "That, that¡¯s not really it though. It¡¯s more like¡­ like he became a cat¡­" "That''s the good part. This uncontroble devil has be harmless, even behaving affectionately. Don''t you think it''s a fitting end for such a creature?" As her words continued, not only Lestrade, but even Charlotte, who had been quietly looking into the firece, seemed shaken. - Swoosh... Suddenly, Isaac Adler opened his eyes, jumped up, and leapt off the sofa. - Crunch... "..... Ouch." He swiftly moved next to Charlotte, hugged her from behind, and plunged his canines into her neck, causing Rachel Watson''s expression to turn icy in an instant. "Why is he behaving like that all of a sudden? Has he turned into a vampire cat?" "... That''s just typical cattish behaviour." "Behaviour, what do you mean¡­" In the midst of this situation, Lestrade, looking perplexed, couldn¡¯t help but ask. On the other hand, Watson, with a dark sheen in her eyes, silently watched the scene unfold before replying in a dangerously low voice. "Male cats tend to bite the nape of the female they desire to mate with." With those words, a cold atmosphere began spreading in the mansion''s living room. "Let''s stop this nonsense and focus, everyone. I''m going to exin the n now..." - Creak... "... Ah." Trying to maintain herposure in this strange atmosphere, Charlotte let out a moan as Adler''s teeth sank deeper into her nape. "... I''ll exin the n." "In that state?" She briefly bit her finger and winced, then nced back at Adler, who was still nibbling on her nape from behind before continuing. "Initially, I thought this case was rted to the recent trend of the elixir of immortality." "... Immortality?" "When Dr Frankenstein was arrested, documents found in herb were leaked. From there, it has be all the rage these days in the back alleys, from what I hear." "Hmm..." Ignoring Adler, who was squirming behind Charlotte, Lestrade and Watson nodded in agreement. "The method is simple. It involves injecting a certain amount of medicine made primarily from the serum of animals like dogs, cats, or monkeys into the body." "Does that really work...?" "I''ve only heard about it in rumours, so I''m not sure. There are a few records that it has been used since ancient times as an aphrodisiac or to restore the sticity of the skin..." "... It does seem usible." Upon hearing her exnation, Watson interjected with an intrigued expression. "I''ve read a few papers during my university days. There was spection that injecting small amounts of animal serum could indeed have such medical effects..." "... Then you know about the side effects too, right?" "Ah, well... yes? It was quite an interesting paper after all..." At Charlotte¡¯s question, Watson began recalling the information she had read, silent for some time. "One of the side effects is that¡­ for a few hours, you might behave like the animal whose serum was used... wait....." Her eyes widened immediately. "Could it be?" "Yes, that¡¯s what I thought too for a few hours. If you see the professor''s insane actions towards the dog, she probably injected herself with the serum of a monkey or a dog." Charlotte murmured subtly, stroking her chin. "There has been quite a bit of evidence to back that too. The professor headed to Bohemia where the drug trade has recently increased to a dramatic extent. Not to mention, she also got furious when her son touched the experimental equipment. And crucially, the bizarre behaviour she disyed yesterday, which was different from any drug-induced hallucination or sleepwalking..." "Right, the professor is set to be remarried. That solves the reason why she used the youth-restoring drug." "So... the mystery is solved, right? And Adler should be back to his usual self in a few hours¡­ so isn¡¯t the case solved now?" "... No." However, to Lestrade''s hopeful inquiry, Charlotte shook her head firmly. "Why not?" "Because there were no injection marks anywhere on Isaac Adler''s body." Charlotte began murmuring with narrowed eyes. "And besides, do you really think a being called the King of Vampires would suffer side effects from just animal serum?" "You, how do you know there are no needle marks on Adler''s body¡­?" "Did you strip him naked?" "That''s not the point." She brushed off Watson and Lestrade''s sharp questions and continued speaking. "Finally, even if Adler somehow injected himself with the serum, it would be strange for him to experience side effects immediately after the first dose." "........." "If things are like this, maybe we need to change our perspective?" As she spoke, she suddenly picked up the detective coat she hadid aside and began giving instructions. "Watson. Get me a paper on the serum immediately. I need to scrutinize its credibility." "Eh? Hmm, alright..." "And Inspector,e with me." "Uh, where?¡± At the inspector''s puzzled voice, Charlotte pointed towards a faintly visible building beyond the window and replied. "Cambridge." "Ah..." "I need to see the professor''s fianc¨¦ with my own eyes." At that very moment, Adler, fully focused on Charlootte¡¯s nape till then, suddenly looked up with a quiet gleam in his eyes. ".......?" "What is it?" "... It''s nothing." . . . . . "Hey, Mr Adler, it''s time to let go." As Charlotte prepared to leave for her investigation, she sighed and began reaching behind her to free herself from Adler¡¯s bite. - Prrrrr... "Ah..." However, as Adler put even more pressure on her body at that moment, Charlotte lost her bnce and fell to the ground. "Haah...!" "........" Adler naturally oveid on her back, growling softly into her ear as if to keep her still. - Crunch... "... Ugh." Then, as he bit into the nape of her neck again, Charlotte, who was trying to push herself up from the floor, froze in ce. "One can''t really argue with a cat..." "... I guess I really should just kill him." "Meow!" Adler, busy burying his head in Charlotte''s hair, was soon subdued by Watson and Lestrade, who each grabbed his arms and legs. "Please stay here quietly." "Meow?" "Um, just in case, I¡¯ll put a bowl of milk right here for you. And some toys..." Tied to the sofa with a leash, Adler watched Charlotte and Watson while Lestrade sneakily approached him and whispered. - Lick... "Don''t drink it right now..." Staring down at the milk bowl in her hand, Adler began to lick it, burying his face inside the warm milk. "... Purr." "Ah." Then, lifting his head and licking the milk off his lips, Adler squinted his eyes and let out a pleased sound, causing Lestrade''s gaze to waver slightly. "... He really is cute." "Meow?" "Oh, anyway! Don¡¯t go anywhere and stay right here!" However, immediately shaking her head, Lestrade stood up with a flushed face. "It is said that only this much is considered normal and should be maintained daily¡­¡± "Meow~" "Getting distracted every now and then is a separate matter, though." Then, with a momentarily subdued gaze, Lestrade stroked Adler¡¯s chin and moved towards the exit, leaving behind Adler who rubbed his cheek against her hand with a cheerful expression. "... If you avoid mischief, I might really consider getting married for real." With those words, the mansion''s door closed, and a long silence began enveloping the living room. . . . . . "... Hmm." And the one who broke the stifling silence was surprisingly Adler, who was quietly sitting on the sofa, like a typical human, with a leash around his neck. "Is this why it''s called The Creeping Man?." Although he had momentarily prevented the probability copse with a cat act that wasn''t in his nature, now, he needed to create a usible ending before they returned to the mansion. Meow~ "... I feel like killing myself, damn it." Chapter 154: The Crawling Human (5) Chapter 154: The Crawling Human (5)Not long after Charlotte and co left the mansion of the professor situated in the university town of Cambridge, "..........." Two women quietly watched their backs as the group of girls slowly boarded the carriage heading towards Cambridge University under the gloomy sky. "... How unusual for the lizard, so engrossed in ying pretend, to be here. What business might you have?¡± "Personally, I think it¡¯s far more surprising that the shadow power behind the British government, famously known for tucking herself away in her small hideout and living the life of a recluse, has shown herself here." The two observers were none other than Professor Jane Moriarty and Mycrony Holmes. "I did faint a few times on the way here owing to a few sudden bouts of anaemia. Perhaps due to overworking, my health has started deteriorating recently." "... Or perhaps, it¡¯s not the overwork, but rather due to someone forgetting about youpletely while leaving you to starve in a basement for weeks?" "Oh, how mischievous of you, dredging up such unpleasant memories..." Letting a smile manifest on her face ¨C a face several times paler than usual, perhaps because of her extended non-exposure to any form of light ¨C she nced sideways at the stoic professor standing beside her, before mumbling under her breath."... At least I¡¯m less miserable than the poor professor, desperately clinging to a prospective spouse just shy of marriageable age, only to have a young student snatch the partner away at the veryst moment." "... Oh, I fully intend to go to court on this matter. There is ample proof that the marriage certificate was tampered with by someone else. So..." "Oh dear, making such an unsightly disy despite being so¡­ ancient." Mycrony Holmes¡¯ mumbles were met with Jane Moriarty¡¯s calm retort, her tone t and emotionless. However, hearing the small murmur at the end, her words ceased, lips pursed, and a frown contorted her previously calm face. "If it really was tampered with, why would Adler remain silent~?" "........." "Perhaps a certain lizard is either too naive or too stubborn to admit defeat~" "... So, what is the reason you appear before me now, challenging my patience?" A sudden crackling of lightning lit up the sky, just as she asked the question while looking at the taunting Mycrony with empty eyes; the elder of the Holmes sisters had covered her mouth, hiding the derisive smirk that Moriarty knew the insufferable woman was sporting. - Krrrrung...! "Oh my, how terrifying~!" As the deafening thunder rumbled and roared all around them, Mycrony Holmes began to step forward, tantly disying the smirk that had been covered till now. "I''m merely here to help a poor little kitten who must be shivering as we speak." "... That''s coincidental. I too havee here for that very reason." Exchanging those words, their eyes narrowed and simultaneously darted towards each other¡¯s hands. ?Please, you muste as soon as possible. You MUST¡­? "It seems my assistant has made a mistake while asking for help." "... Indeed. Calling only in urgent times yet always failing in exining the situation¡­ so typical of him." As if in sync, both of their voices grew colder with each passing moment. "It also seems that he''spletely forgotten the disaster that transpired thest time around." "I guess Mr Adler doesn''t think locking a frail patient in a dark basement is a crime~" Heading towards the mansion, the footsteps of the pair of women began to quicken with each step forward. "If we sh now, I have a feeling that the entirety of London would be sted to smithereens. So¡­ shall we achieve our goal first~?" "... I''m not keen, but the situation is urgent, so I''ll bear with it." A dramatic agreement had seemingly been made between them amid their hastening steps. "Excellent, you guys heard that, right? Everyone can retreat now." "........." "Oh my, why make that expression? How could a frail patient like me possibly confront a being straight out of mythology by myself?" With the agreement finalised, Mycrony immediately dismissed the numerous forces she had kept on standby in the surrounding area. Winking at the quiet professor, they soon reached the mansion. "... Just as I can''t deceive your eyes, you can''t deceive mine either." "Hehe~" Of course, the heightened tension, enough to chill one¡¯s soul, continued lingering between the duo. Even as they opened the mansion¡¯s door to enter, the tension showed no signs of wavering. "I don''t quite understand what you''re saying..." "........" However, the instant they entered the mansion proper, and witnessed the scene inside, the tension winked out as though it never existed in the first ce. A heavy silence reced the once chilling tension. "Meow." In that prolonged silence, a piercing sound was soon heard¡ª the sound of a cat. "... ckmail." The pair of women stared nkly at the originator of that sound, unable to speak for a long time. The originator ¨C sitting demurely on the desk, while mimicking the behaviour of a real cat ¨C was none other than Adler. Their nk gaze lingered at the absurd scene before shifting to the lengthy message that was left in front of the cattish man. "Your precious Isaac Adler has been reced with a cat." "Meow." "If you want to turn him back to normal, reconstruct the case written below into a usible crime..." With time, their gazes grew increasingly more vacant as they read through the threatening letter. "... The deadline is tomorrow." "If you fail, Isaac Adler will remain a cat forever... apparently?" As if in sync, their gazes simultaneously turned towards Adler. "Me-Meow~" After a moment of silence, Adler rolled over on the desk, raised his hands while mimicking the shape of a feline paw, and made a typical cattish pose. - Lick, lick... "..........." However, as Professor Moriarty and Mycrony watched on without any reaction whatsoever, he started licking his hand, grooming himself like a typical cat once more. - Swoosh... "Ah, mrrrow-hiss...!" Quietly, Professor Moriarty soon extended her hand toward him. Seeing her move, Adler bared his teeth and began hissing in desperation, still keeping up his cat-like behaviour. "You are a fine actor, but even the greatest of the great can¡¯t embody the character once they start overacting.¡± "Eh?" "... And it may also make you want to kill yourself again.¡± "Ah..." nkly, Adler gazed at Professor Moriarty, smiling back at him with an eerie expression as she muttered the words he monologued not long before. "Um, well¡­ You see¡­¡± "Mr Adler, cats don''t speak in the human tongue." Hisplexion paled at the revtion, and he tried to speak, desperately trying to make an excuse. However, Professor Moriarty gently stroked his head and whispered, shutting him down before he could even say anything coherent. "If you speak normally now, I just might kill you." "......." "So please, act like a cat instead of a bloody scoundrel who proposed to one woman, beat her up, and then proceeded to marry someone else. At least, keep up the act for a while, okay dear?¡± A silent nod was all Adler could conjure up in response. His whole body shivered at the pleasant notes of Professor Moriarty, containing a bone-chilling threat. "... Cats don''t nod when humans talk to them either." "Meow, meow." "Nor do they cry out in response.¡± Jane Moriarty leaned close to his face and whispered in a tone colder than cial ice. "Do you want to die? Or would you rather I make you beg me for a swift death, hmm?¡± "........." "If you''re going to do something, might as well do it right, don¡¯t you think?" Trembling, Adler began whimpering like a saddened cat. "Don''t push him too hard." "........" "You can¡¯t deny that Adler looks adorable right now, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Squinting from the side, Mycrony finally spoke up in a subdued voice. "But isn''t it too dangerous to keep Adler, who has turned into a cate, in such a mansion?" "........!?" "I happen to know a good magic spell..." At Mycrony¡¯s interjection, Professor Moriarty directed a sharp look towards the nosy woman. However, when she heard her words, her stern face soon broke out into a faint smile. "Is that perhaps a shrinking magic?" "Oh my, do you also possess mind-reading abilities, Professor?" "I know a rather decent magic spell myself." "Really? May I ask what it is?" "... Eh?" Realizing the situation was taking a turn for the bizarre, Adler tried to push himself up from the ground. However, he soon found out that his body was oddly devoid of all strength. "It''s a type of magic that turns humans into animals." "Hmm..." Before losing consciousness, thest thing Adler saw was the almost identical smiles stered on both Jane Moriarty and Mycrony Holmes¡¯s faces while their eyes shone in an ominous colour. "Meow." "Now even if you want to speak like a human, only cat noises wille out of your lips." "... Oh my, let¡¯s pretend I didn¡¯t hear that. Hehe~¡± . . . . . Several hours had passed, "So, why have youe here?" "... Do I really need to share information with you?" Poised to knock on the door of a small researchb attached to the university town, Professor Jane Moriarty nced towards the smiling Mycrony as she posed the question. "It''s not necessary, but I''m having trouble understanding the purpose of your visit, especially when we should be busy manipting the scenario.¡± "... I''m here to meet someone essential, someone that will bring a sense of bnce and diversity to this mundane case." "In this shabby, unremarkableb?" At her reply, a smirk formed on Moriarty¡¯s face. "It seems you don''t know everything after all." "I''m quite azy woman, you see. Apart from what I get from the newspapers, I find it bothersome to acquire any information. In fact, I hardly know what''s happening in the world." "A woman who holds the world in her palms ims to be ignorant of it... That''s as ironic as anything can get." Chuckling to herself, a low murmur escaped Professor Moriarty¡¯s lips while she stepped forward. "The crux of this casey in the cause of the professor¡¯s absurd behaviour. For some reason, our dear kitten is adamant about ming something other than Dr Frankenstein¡¯s magic potion as the cause." "... The potion doesn''t have such effects, does it?" "Exactly, and that suggests there''s a hidden mastermind behind this strange case." An imperceptible gleam radiated in Professor Moriarty¡¯s eyes as she continued her exnation. "... I''ve recently read a rather interesting book containing unheard-of terms like psychoanalysis as well as intriguing concepts such as dream analysis." "Oh, is that so? Strangely, there''s a book even I don''t know about." "Well, it only came out a few days ago." Hearing so, an intrigued look manifested on Mycrony¡¯s face. "In my personal opinion, it¡¯s a book with immense academic value. It just might take the whole world by storm very soon.¡± "But what does that have to do with the case?" "The poor professor who ended up crawling around like a vulgar dog in the depths of night has a young fianc¨¦e, remember? That very fianc¨¦e just so happens to be the son of the author who wrote that book." "Aha~" "I believe these two facts are closely rted to the case." The eyes of both women began to gleam in a frigid light. "Indeed... that might be the case." "Well, since I have been forced to take on the consultation of this case, despite my reluctance, due to some irresistible circumstances, I have no choice but to do my best to solve it. That''s why I''vee here." "You believe, the person inside is closely rted to the cause, right?" "If not, I¡¯ll just have to make it so." Rying those words, Professor Moriarty started knocking on the door with aposed face. "... Of course, it seems highly unlikely that there really is no connection." - Who is it? "I''vee looking for a certain researcher called Gregory." - Could you please repeat that? As she sensed the thick scent of crime wafting out from beyond the door, her lips soon curled into a sinister smile. "Would you understand if I were to say Gregory Freud instead?" - ¡­ Please,e in. . . . . . "... Meow!?" "Hush." As they heard the man¡¯s reply, a small cat with golden eyes peered out from between Mycrony''s breasts, its eyes openedically wide for a mere kitten. "... Do you perhaps want to go lower?" "......" "If not, then just shut up and keep sucking my blood." As soon as those chilling words were whispered, Mycrony''s gaze met with the cat¡¯s and the small feline hastily buried its head back inside; a sullen expression was etched on the small cat¡¯s face, something that no normal cat should be able to make. "... Mmmm." "It''s going to be my turn about now." "There''s still one minute left." Chapter 155: The Crawling Human (6) Chapter 155: The Crawling Human (6)"What are you doing, Mr Adler? Crawl back inside." "Me-Meow." "Dear me. Cats can''t understand human speech and act upon it. And you¡¯re a cat now, aren¡¯t you, Mr Adler?¡± While waiting in the lounge of the mansion to meet the professor''s fianc¨¦e, for the reconstruction of the case, Jane Moriarty yed with a certain golden cat she had snatched from Mycrony Holmes. "... Meow." "Does that mean you''ll keep ignoring me and resist? You''ll surely regret it." She busied herself watching the antics of the dilemma-stricken cat in the confines of her clothes, a smirk on her face. However, her concentration soon shifted, quietly turning her head at the sound of the door opening from behind. "Are you the guests who came looking for me?" "... You''re quite fortunate." Noticing the research assistant in front of her, Moriarty murmured as she pushed the struggling cat deeper inside her clothes."Are you speaking to me?" "Not exactly, but it makes sense from your point of view." "We came here before you messed up the job. You can consider yourself lucky among the multitude of failures in London." As she and Mycrony Holmes spoke in unison, their leisurely tone both clear and ambiguous, the research assistant''s eyes grew wary with each passing moment. "Excuse me, but who are you two?" "I am Jane Moriarty, a professor at the August Academy." "I''d rather not say who I am, as knowing might endanger your life~" A simple exchange of names soon took ce between them. "... What brings you both to my humble abode?" "Gregory Freud. I enjoyed the book your father published a few days ago." Beyond suspicion, the research assistant began showing clear signs of displeasure as he spoke in a frigid tone upon learning of the pair of women¡¯s identities. However, Professor Moriarty only responded in a soothing, gentle tone, seemingly not minding the crass in his tone. "The Interpretation of Dreams, that''s certainly a book capable of creating significant ripples in academic circles. To create the concept of unconscious using dreams as material¡­ Ingenious." "........." "Perhaps, the name¡ª Sigmund Freud will find its ce in the biographies of great people decades from now. That''s not just empty ttery." The young man named Gregory Freud, as addressed by Professor Moriarty previously, listened nkly to her rapid-fire praises. "In fact, even my fellow professors are interested in the content of that book..." "Excuse me. It¡¯s all a bit sudden and my head isn¡¯t functioning quite as I¡¯d like to at the moment.¡± He barely managed to interrupt Professor Moriarty, clutching his throbbing head as he asked, "Surely you didn''te here just to discuss the book my father published, right?" "No, not exactly." "Then why are you here? I don¡¯t have the luxury of time to deal with someone as leisurely as you. I have three papers to finish immediately, and meetings to attend in the afternoon..." Just as he was about to get up from his seat, a tired look that screamed that he did not have the time for their charade, "Lillia Presbury." ".........." A cold voice burst forth from the leisurely professor, freezing him, resulting in an awkward stance. "Your fianc¨¦e, who is 30 years your senior. I¡¯ve heard that the wedding is nned for this year." "What is this all about..." "Sit down, Freud." His voice trembled as he tried to argue. However, it was difficult to counter the professor whose very presence emitted a chilling intensity that made it feel like he was being frozen from the inside out. "Well done." "......." "Despite appearances, you seem to follow instructions well. I hope you didn¡¯t ept Professor Presbury¡¯s proposal under duress?" His legs trembled for a long while, his mind unsettled about what to do. However, he chose to sit down at the end, obeying the professor¡¯s words. Seeing him sit, a satisfied smile graced Moriarty¡¯s lips as she muttered. "W-Why would you say something like that¡­¡± "Because it doesn¡¯t make any sense." Professor Moriarty¡¯s head tilted to the side, eyes gleaming as she posed the question to the young man. "How can a young man like you willingly ept a woman who is 30 years older?" And then there was silence. ".........?" Eyes arcing into crescents, Professor Moriarty waited patiently for Gregory¡¯s answer. However, sensing all the gazes directed at her, a puzzled look soon overshadowed her previous expression. "Why the sudden stare?" "... Are you genuinely asking because you don¡¯t know?¡± "Meow." Mycrony Holmes¡¯ eyes squinted as she observed Professor Moriarty from the side. Even Adler in his cat form poked his head out from the confines of Moriarty¡¯s clothes and gazed at her. "I am in my twenties." Moriarty mumbled in a low voice, having roughly figured out the reason. "I do not have a single wrinkle, nor do I wear heavy makeup like Professor Presbury. Not to mention, I don¡¯t have children old enough to attend university like she does. We have nothing inmon" However, when she saw that their gazes remained unchanged, she added in a cold voice, "... And I am cute." The moment those words hit their ears, both Adler and Mycrony Holmes¡¯ faces stiffened. "And it¡¯s not like Adler mentioned that only once. Whenever he sees me, he has always called me cute, so there¡¯s that.¡± Amid the tense atmosphere, the blushing Moriarty was intently watched by the shocked elder Holmes sibling. Soon, she couldn¡¯t help but shift her gaze toward the cat out from Moriarty¡¯s chest. "What on earth did you do for a mythical creature to turn into that?" "... Meow." . . . . . "Haa, don''t speak carelessly." "........." "I epted her proposal because I genuinely love Professor Presbury." "... Ahem." In the slightly awkward atmosphere that had settled in, Freud bravely spoke up after assessing the situation for some time. "That''s good to hear. It appears there is no falsehood in what you say." "O-Of course! I, I was the one who confessed first actually!" "Right, right. I perfectly understand that you love the professor." Gazing at him, a meaningful smile stered Jane Moriarty¡¯s face. "... I think I understand the whole story now." "What?" "It''s time I tell you why I''m here." Anxiety coloured Freud¡¯s face as he looked at her smile, but he still listened quietly to her words. "I''ve recentlye across some very interesting information about your fianc¨¦e." "W-What information?" "... That she turns into a dog and crawls around the mansion at night." Instantly, his face stiffened as he registered those words. "Ho¡­ How did you¡­" "I''ve secured the evidence. Just a word from me, and you''ll find some interesting news in the newspapers tomorrow." The confidence in Moriarty¡¯s voice led him to tightly close his eyes shut. "I knew the professor''s situation wasn¡¯t good, but I didn¡¯t know it was to this extent." "........." "... What can I do to protect the professor''s honour?" "It seems you are misunderstanding something." In response to his query, Jane Moriarty leaned her head forward and said. "The interesting news I spoke of isn¡¯t the trivial affair of Professor Presbury crawling around her mansion." "Then..." "Why do you continue to pretend that you don¡¯t know?" All of a sudden, the temperature in the room seemed to have dropped drastically. "Tomorrow''s newspaper will feature the arrest of Gregory Freud, the son of Sigmund Freud¡ª the author of The Interpretation of Dreams." "... What did you just say?" The reason was none other than Freud''s gaze and countenance. His previous expression which appeared to be naive and a bit lost had transformed in an instant, bing as unnerving and chilling as Professor Moriarty¡¯s. "Have you heard of Charlotte Holmes?" "... The detective frequently mentioned in recent newspapers?" "She''s on this case, and she¡¯s already getting to the heart of the matter.¡± Mentioning that information, Professor Moriarty''s excitement showed a visible spike, even her artiction had gotten faster than before. "She might just barge in here with her colleagues not long after we leave. When that happens, it''s game over for you." "........." "Your crime was quite delightful and ingenious, as far as I¡¯m concerned. Unfortunately, it''s on the verge of being uncovered." "... Are you threatening me right now?" "Does this look like a threat to you, Mr Freud?" Freud posed a sharp question to Moriarty. Upon witnessing Professor Moriarty''s confident demeanour, however, he quietly furrowed his eyebrows and chose to listen to her words carefully. "As I said earlier, you are very lucky." "........" "Thanks to my status and connections as a university professor, I was able to pinpoint your location slightly faster than Charlotte Holmes, allowing me to arrive here before her." Professor Moriarty whispered to him, her voice sharine sweet. "... It¡¯s fortunate that I can now advise you on your crime before it''s toote." "Oh, how terrifying~" While Mycrony chuckled softly at her deration, Freud only showed a puzzled face before asking in a subdued tone. "Why would an ordinary university professor like you engage in such acts?" "Well, it can''t be helped. I am currently being ckmailed by an unknown entity to advise you. That entity holds someone precious to me hostage; my hands are tied." "........" "Thanks to the messy and exploitablews of the British Empire, the probability of legal loopholes is overflowing. So, you needn''t worry about me." Having said that, Moriarty quietly rested her chin on her hand and gazed at Freud. "... Mr Freud, do you know what day it is today?" Just then, Freud heard a fellow researcher¡¯s voiceing from afar. "We have a few more guests." "... Names?" "Um, one of them was called... Holmes, I believe." Cold sweat dotted Freud¡¯s forehead at those words. On the other hand, a broad smile stretched Professor Moriarty¡¯s lips as she spoke up again. "Now, it''s time to choose, Gregory Freud." "........." "Will you take my advice? Or will you plunge into the abyss?" A momentter, his lips began moving, slowly. "... What should I do?" . . . . . Several minutester, ""........"" Upon being informed of the prior appointment of Gregory Freud, Charlotte and her colleagues waited in the lounge for a while. When they finally got the call, Charlotte Holmes and Gia Lestrade¡¯s faces immediately stiffened as they entered the room. "For such a renowned detective, don¡¯t you think it took a bit too long to arrive here?" "My Charlotte is getting cuter by the day~" The fianc¨¦e of Professor Presbury was nowhere to be found. Instead, Jane Moriarty and Mycrony Holmes were seated there to greet them. "... Meow?" Just then, Isaac Adler poked his head out from Professor Moriarty¡¯s clothes, making a cheerful cat sound as a bonus. Chapter 156: The Crawling Human (7) Chapter 156: The Crawling Human (7)"... Why are you here?" Entering the room, Charlotte nailed Professor Moriarty with a chilling gaze. After a long while of ring at the woman, she posed a question, her voice ice cold. "Answer me." "Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being too hasty with your assumptions? I haven''t even said anything yet." "It''s practically written all over your face that you''re up to no good." "Hahaha... Do you really think you can read my expression?" Hearing her words, a peal of heartyughter escaped Moriarty¡¯s lips while she shook her head in disbelief. "Where is Gregory Freud?" "I''m sorry, but I don''t quite understand what you''re talking about." "Is this how you''re going to y it then?"Charlotte red at the smiling woman, clenching her teeth to stifle her growing anger. In the end, she stepped forward and spluttered in a loud voice. "I don''t know what makes you so confident. Do you have something to rely on, or has your arrogance finally started getting the better of you?" "What are you talking about?" "I¡¯m saying that you can¡¯t slip through our investigative web now, since you¡¯ve directly involved yourself with this case.¡± "Hmm." "Do you think I can''t prove the simple fact that you just consulted the criminal on this case, Professor Moriarty?" With those words, a brief period of silence settled between them. "... Charlotte." Amid the silence, Mycrony Holmes called out her sibling¡¯s name with squinted eyes. "I''m afraid you won''t be able to prove it..." ¡°... Eep!¡± With a surprised gasp, Charlotte finally noticed her elder sister and stared nkly at her. "It seems a bit far-fetched to view this case as incitement. The professor wasn''t involved from the beginning, and it''s not like we can use her of aiding and abetting..." "..." "Maybe concealing the criminal? That might be possible, but this case isn''t that straightforward. Mr Freud hasn''t been confirmed as the perpetrator of the case, and technically, he hasn¡¯t even fled..." Mycrony¡¯s eyes twinkled as sheid out her thoughts about the case. However, a frown formed on her face at Charlotte¡¯s next question. "Why are you here, sister?" "... Didn''t you realize I was here until now? That''s really sad." "Why are you here?" As her younger sister¡¯s voice grew colder with the following question, Mycrony replied to her query with a thin smile. "I decided to walk the path of a criminal consultant too. It''s more fun than I expected." "Stop bullshitting. Apart from moving the London government with a single word and being sucked dry by Adler till an inch away from death, you don''t find anything fun." "Oh my, that''s a bit harsh..." Genuinely hurt, she lowered her eyelids and quietly tilted her head to ask. "... By the way, you noticed?" "He sucks you dry every weekend, only an idiot wouldn¡¯t notice what both of you were up to." "Haa... Just a few years ago, she was a sweet child who would cling to me, calling me big sister~ Since when did she start using such harsh words¡­¡± Saying so, Mycrony Holmes pretended to cry, lowering her face. Soon, however, she sneakily lifted her head to gauge Charlotte¡¯s reaction. "Enough, just answer the question. It doesn''t seem like the professor will talk, so I''m asking you." "What do you want to know? I''ll tell you everything I know, except where Gregory Freud is, of course~" "... Why won''t you tell me that?" "Because the world is already full of boring things, I don¡¯t want to add more bore to it." ¡°Haa¡­¡± A sigh escaped her lips at those words. Her brows furrowing, Charlotte was about to retort when, "... Let''s stop here, Miss Holmes." "........" "There''s no use dragging this out any longer." Holding her by the arm, Lestrade ryed those words to her in a soft voice. "You said you roughly grasped the truth of the case while reading the books when we were waiting, right?" "... Yes." "Then, I will mobilise the police forces to find Gregory Freud''s whereabouts. As you already know, once I identify a suspect, I''ve never lost them." Charlotte¡¯s frown tightened at her words, but she eventually nodded with a sigh. "You''ve made a good decision. Then..." "Before we leave, I need to ask something." "Yes?" "Something¡¯s been bothering me since earlier." Saying so, she red at Professor Moriarty and then Mycrony Holmes, her gaze lingering on them for some time before she spewed out, her voice cold and eerie. "What''s with that cat?" "... Cat?" "I¡¯m referring to the golden-coloured cat that''s desperately swimming and reaching out from the confines of your chest, Professor." And with that, a strange tension began permeating the air from that point. "Are you talking about this cute little one?" "I''ve never heard of you owning a cat." "... I picked this little one up from the street. Isn''t it adorable?" "So you mean, it doesn''t have an owner?" The moment that remark was made, the leisurely Moriarty''s eyes immediately started radiating on an ice-cold chill. "Miss Holmes. Usually, when someone picks up a kitten on the street, that person bes its owner." "... Who knows really? It might already have an owner." "What are you trying to say?" "Actually, I''ve also been raising a golden kitten recently." Charlotte''s eyes mimicked Moriarty¡¯s as her chilling gaze locked on Moriarty and the cat. "It came to me first, wagging its tail for my affection, so I gave the adorable cat what it wanted and even put on a cor to mark my ownership. However, one day I realised with horror that it had run away from home." "... Perhaps it was because your love wascking?" "Not really, no. It¡¯s just the little furball began wagging its tail whenever it saw a woman." "I see. But what''s your point?" "This kitten, who is currently making such a pitiful expression, might just be the cat I was raising, actually." Her words elicited a hollow chuckle from Professor Moriarty. "What an exaggeration." "I think it''s very much possible." Charlotte ignored the professor¡¯s words and began tickling the cat¡¯s cheek, its head still peeking out of the professor¡¯s clothes. "Pr, purrrr..." "Look, if I were a stranger, it wouldn¡¯t nuzzle my cheek so obediently." "The kitten just loves to interact with females, that¡¯s all.¡± "Didn¡¯t you just pick it up? You seem to know quite a bit about it." "One does not need to observe for long to recognize certain things, especially things that can be determined at a nce." Caught between the quarrelling pair, the cat¡¯s brain ceased functioning as it was unable to decide just who to cling to among the pair of women. "By the way, I don¡¯t know since when you both have had cats... but isn¡¯t there a very simple way to determine its owner?" "........?" Up until now, Gia Lestrade had been watching their catfight with curious eyes. But when she suddenly voiced her opinion, it immediately caught everyone¡¯s attention. "Police stations often get many reports of missing animals, so I¡¯m well aware that there is something called Owner Identification Magic.¡± ".........." "Of course, the police station is short-staffed on mana users so they usually turn those requests away, but you guys could easily use it, couldn¡¯t you?" Those words evoked an eerie silence settled in the room. - Swoosh... "... Meow?" Amidst the eerie stillness, the golden cat was picked up by the scruff of its neck by Moriarty. Manhandled out of the blue, the kitty started kicking its legs with an anxious look uncharacteristic of a traditional cat. "I had forgotten about that. It''s a magic that was frequently used to quel the ownership disputes over ves in the old days..." "... Why does it sound like you¡¯ve experienced the ve era yourself?" "Don¡¯t try so hard to agitate me that it bes unbing of you, Detective. The realm of knowledge extends far beyond the limits of one''s direct observation, with a wealth of insights awaiting discovery in the annals of written history and documentation." "Well, back to the matter at hand, if it was used to determine the ownership of ves, I figure it should be enough to end this dispute." Carefully cing the cat on the desk, the two women began shing gazes with such intensity that it felt like sparks were about to set off at any second. "Just wait a moment. I¡¯ll find a magic circle from the nearby library." "You just said that there was no time to waste, didn¡¯t you? Fortunately, I know the magic circle, so there¡¯s no need for that." "No, I don¡¯t think I can trust you to perform the ritual properly." "What do you propose then?" Charlotte quietly shifted her gaze to the side at the professor¡¯s irritable question. "It might be fairer to ask someone who is at least a third party." "... That makes sense." "Huh? Are you talking about me~?" A smile filled with unrestrained interest graced Mycrony Holmes¡¯ lips. "The magic circle goes as follows. If you don¡¯t understand..." "I got it~ It seems structurally sound too~" "That¡¯s good to hear. Then, I¡¯ll leave it to you." Saying so, Professor Moriarty ¨C arms crossed and leaning back in her chair ¨C looked at Charlotte with a haughty gaze and whispered. "When the resultse out, I hope you''ll graciously concede." "I agree. It would be nice if there weren¡¯t more dark clouds flooding the already gloomy skies, dampening the spirits of London¡¯s citizens further, or an unexpected hail of snow in the middle of summer.¡± Just as their argument was about to reignite with a cat shivering curled up like a bread loaf, "Hup!" The quietly observing Mycrony mmed the desk and activated the magic circle drawn there with a loud yelp. "... Haak!?" "The researchers are starting to take notice, so let''s wrap this up~" With that said, the golden cat began floating in the air all of a sudden, an utterly bewildered expression on its face. "I don''t know how the professor caught you, but it''s time toe back, okay?" "... If I see any more deviations, there might be some problems for you down the line.¡± Professor Moriarty and Charlotte murmured in a low voice as they looked at the floating feline, their eyes simultaneously shading in an ominous hue. . . . . . - Poof... An unexpected scenario soon took ce. "....... !?" The cat, resembling Adler, floated in the air, propelled by an unknown force, heading neither towards Charlotte''s embrace nor Moriarty''s. "Huh?" Instead, the cat was heading towards Gia Lestrade, who had been watching the situation unfold with a disinterested look. "Me-Meow~" "Why, why me...?" With nk looks Professor Moriarty and Charlotte Holmes gazed at her, unable toprehend the whole fiasco. Soon, however, they nailed her with vicious res in unison. Chapter 157: The Crawling Human (8) Chapter 157: The Crawling Human (8)¡°Ki-Kitty¡­¡± "Meow..." Feeling the abrupt chill that permeated the room, Gia Lestrade slipped out under the pretext of needing to use the washroom. "You should have chosen one of them, not me..." Taking a moment to catch her breath, she whispered to the cat cradled against her chest in a hushed tone. "Weren''t you being raised by one of them? Why did you choose me?" "Mreo..." Of course, the cat hadn¡¯t made the choice at all. Although the small feline wanted to express its displeasure and protest, only cattish noises spilt out of its mouth; a sullen look washed over the little feline as a result. "... Hmm." Seeing the vulnerable, almost pitiful, look that the adorable kitten showed, Lestrade¡¯s heart began to weaken."Well, neither of them are particrly sane. Was it tough for you?" "... Mreeeow!" "Hmm..." After seeing the small kitten¡¯s intense reaction, she quietly sank into thought. "I hadn''t nned on keeping a cat, but..." Ruminating on her thoughts, she made a quick sweep of her surroundings before reaching into her pocket. She pulled out a small notebook from her uniform¡¯s pocket and swiftly entered the washroom. "I remember reading that it''s not a great choice to keep pets during the honeymoon phase..." "........" "S-Still, Isaac and I do make a decent living, so maybe it won''t be a problem¡­? And my siblings can take care of the kitty when we¡¯re usually absent so¡­¡± Crouching as she stepped inside, she thumbed through the densely noted contents of her notebook while mumbling to herself. "The kitten looks gentle enough that it''s safe to assume it won¡¯t attack my siblings. Still, I should train it beforehand, just in case¡­¡± "Meow?" "... Hold on." Lestrade bit her nails and pondered seriously, eliciting a confused look from the observing cat and a questioning meow. "What if the baby shows an allergic reaction?" The content scribbled in the notebook was quickly reviewed by Lestrade, who voiced her inner concerns thoughlessly. ".........." Soon, a brief silence settled in the washroom. "... I''ve gone mad." In the silence, she remained crouched in stunned silence, ruminating on the absurd things she just muttered. A vigorous shake of her head soon followed, along with some pping to get her head out of the gutter. "I''m not even married... It''s just a contract marriage he forced on me, taking advantage of my honour and values... A baby, what baby..." "Mr-Mreeow." "Get a grip, Lestrade. I''ve been overworkingtely and it''s making me lose my mind." Her cheeks turned bright red from a round of harsh ps she had inflicted upon herself. However, even her ears had reddened for some reason, even though they remained untouched. "Yes, it does seem you''ve gone a bit mad." "... Eek!?" Just then, a nonchnt voice echoed out from her front. "What, what, what, what is it, Miss Holmes?" "You will pass out at this rate, Inspector." "You just wanted to startle me, didn''t you...?" "I didn''t do anything. It was all you, Inspector, getting scared by yourself." "... Well, that''s true, I suppose." Standing up with a start, Lestrade could only show an embarrassed face at Charlotte¡¯s blunt words and avoid her gaze. "We don''t have time to just stand around." "What?" "Let''s leave this ce." Abruptly, Charlotte grabbed Lestrade''s arm and dragged her away, urging her to get out of this ce. "What are you talking about all of a sudden?" "Why? Weren''t you the one who wanted to leave this ce quickly, Inspector?" "That''s true, but still..." As visible difort marred Lestrade¡¯s face, a sigh leaked out of Charlotte¡¯s lips. She tried her best to exin her stance to the inspector. "We have no reason to be considerate to Professor Moriarty, do we? She''s our enemy at the moment. The less time we spend on farewells, the less time she gets to make her next move." "What about the cat?" "Let''s take it with us. After all, that great ancient magic already told us that the professor isn¡¯t the owner." Saying so, Charlotte casually reached out toward the cat. - Bzztttz... "Ouch." At that moment, she felt a sharp sparksh out from the cat''s body and quickly pulled her hand back. "... Ah, this must also be part of the magic." "........." "But it''s strange, isn''t it? Why it would recognize me as its owner, not you or the professor..." For a long time, Charlotte just stared at the small cat nestled in Lestrade¡¯s arm with empty eyes. "It seems the ancient designer of this magic had a very rigid way of thinking." "Is that so? Well, if you say so..." "... Meo." "Eek!?" Lestrade nodded innocently to Charlotte¡¯s expression not thinking much of it. Abruptly, a moan escaped her lips, her body shuddering, when the cat somehow found its way inside her clothes, eliciting a frosty re from Charlotte. "Y-You can¡¯t. You can¡¯t do this kind of thing, little guy..." "Haaa..." Watching the scene with a twisted expression, Charlotte eventually turned away. "Do you want to live like that forever?" "... What?" "Never mind." With a cold voice and muffled whispers, she finally exited the washroom. "Behave yourself." ".......?" Gia only showed a puzzled look at Charlotte¡¯s odd behaviour, but she soon followed behind. Seeing the cat shiver all of a sudden, she gently stroked its head, a look of sympathy in her eyes. "Is this what maternal instinct is?" "Meow...?" "No, why am I spouting so much nonsense today..." . . . . . "........." "Excuse me, Miss Holmes?" After leaving the researchb, Charlotte and Lestrade had been walking down the streets of London for some time, "Why does it feel like we''re going back the way we came?" "Well, because we are quite literally going back the way we came." "What?" Lestrade silently followed behind Charlotte while stroking the cat as its head peeked out of her uniform. Suddenly feeling a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, she cautiously posed a question to the detective, in response, Charlotte stopped in her tracks and responded in a subdued tone. "I have a general idea of what really happened. I know where we need to go next." "But, the police station is the opposite way. We''re running out of time to get police backup before we lose track of Professor Presbury¡¯s fianc¨¦..." "What if we already know where we need to go?" Immediately, a puzzled look marred Lestrade''s face. "But... is that possible?" "Professor Moriarty and my sister gave us subtle hints. It would be strange to not notice." "... When did they give us hints?" ncing toward her continuously wriggling top, she leaked out a sigh before exining. "I¡¯m certain that Professor Moriarty made Gregory Freud flee theb before we arrived." "Yes, I know that too." "But the professor herself, and even my sister ¨C who seems to have lost her sanity and doing things without thinking ¨C said that the professormitted no crime." Lestrade nodded, keeping her silence. "They moved the person we were chasing at a crucial moment, and there''s no way to charge them with concealment of evidence. That means Gregory Freud isn''t running away." "Then...?" "He''s not moving to a location unrted to the case to avoid the situation, but rather, he''s moving somewhere vital to the case with a distinct purpose. Finally, a light bulb went off over Lestrade''s head. "Could it be, Gregory Freud is heading to Professor Presbury¡¯s mansion...?" "Your deduction skills have improvedtely, Inspector Lestrade. I mustmend you on that." "But, why would he...?" "There are many possibilities. For instance, if we assume he''s the culprit, he could be on his way to hide or destroy evidence." Hearing so, a grave look appeared on Lestrade¡¯s face. "Or he might be aiming to go further,mit a murder even? Hiding in the mansion, just waiting for the professor to return and then do the deed." "That would be disastrous!!" The moment Charlotteid her predictions, Lestrade eeked out in a thundering voice. "Let''s catch a carriage now!! No, jump on my back. I''m confident I can get us there faster than a carriage if I run with all my might!!" "Calm down." "How can I calm down after hearing that?" An air of urgency exuded out from every pore of her body, ready to sprint to the mansion if she had to. However, when she heard Charlotte¡¯s nonchnt voice, urging her to calm down, a heated voice escaped her lips. "Isaac is in the mansion, dammit!" "........." "Even his mental state isn''t normal, and he''s even tied up, isn''t he? There¡¯s no telling what might happen to him if we leave him there alone..." "... In the end, Isaac Adler has be someone important to you too, hasn''t he?" Her words caused Lestrade to pause, unable to get her words together for some time. "... We are just using each other. There are no personal feelings involved." "... You call him by his first name and even mumble about making a baby with him." "That, that''s a misunderstanding!" Charlotte pressed on, making her blush and stutter as she avoided Charlotte''s gaze. "The baby n is just ast resort, in case Adler gets out of control.¡± "........." "That''s why, even if I were to have a baby with him, I won¡¯t fall in love with Adler. I''ll only love my offspring..." Charlotte could only direct at her with an incredulous look, shaking her head in disbelief at her response. "Let''s hurry along. Time is really running out." "So, are you going to the mansion to stop him?" "That''s the n, but..." Suddenly, her steps veered to the side. "I need to make a stop somewhere first." "... What?" . . . . . "We¡¯re already short on time, just where do you want to stop first¡­?" "To end this childish farce, there''s someone I must bring along." Meanwhile, "Meow...?" Huddled between the lower chest and stomach area inside Lestrade''s clothing, Isaac Adler, who had been overhearing the conversation with a blush started looking forward with a panicked gaze. Warning! Erosion Rate ¡ª 40% ¡ú 45% Warning! Erosion Rate ¡ª 45% ¡ú 50% Warning! Erosion Rate ¡ª 50% ¡ú 55% He thought his noble(?) sacrifice was enough to resolve the situation. But the flood of system messages made him realize it was only his misconception. "Wait a minute. The cat is suddenly shivering again..." "... Does it really matter?" ¡­ I''m fucking screwed! Chapter 158: The Crawling Human (9) Chapter 158: The Crawling Human (9)"Haa, haaaa..." - tter, tter... The sun floating high in the sky began its slow descent towards the horizon''s edge. At such a time, at Professor Presbury''s mansion, "Where is it...? Where in hell is it...?" In the private study ¨C located in the inner part of the mansion ¨C an unidentified figure wearing a turned-over hat was sweating profusely as they frantically rummaged for something. "Shit... I''m sure it was stored here somewhere..." - Creak... "Shit, shiiit..." The person was so focused on his task that he didn¡¯t even hear the door behind him click open. - Click...!".........!" The realisation only hit him when the previously dark room suddenly flooded with light, notifying him that something had gone terribly awry. "Wh-What..." "It would be wise to stay still, Mr Gregory Freud." "Raise your hands where I can see them and kneel. I must warn you in advance that I can¡¯t guarantee your safety if you put your hands inside your coat.¡± Now inside the study, Charlotte Holmes and Gia Lestrade pointed their guns at the man, warning him. The man stopped reaching for his coat, heeding their warning, and quietly raised his hands as instructed. "Ugh..." Now identified as Gregory Freud, the man finally bowed his head with a resigned look in his eyes. "... From your expression, it seems you are already aware of your crimes.¡± "I, I don¡¯t know what you are talking about." "Oh, are you trying to deny it now? Then let me directly inform you about the numerous vile acts you''vemitted over the past few months." As Gregory Freud, sweating profusely, attempted to defend himself, Charlotte pressed on with a stern voice. "I, I just..." "You have been using your father¡¯s theories and academic work to experiment on Professor Presbury, your supervising professor." "Ah..." "All so you could finally obtain her, the person you¡¯ve always admired, right?¡± Silence was all Freud could offer in return. "To think you used a theory designed for psychotherapy to dredge up suppressed desires... How dare you apply this knowledge to conduct such vile deeds?" "What do you even know about my father¡¯s theories, huh¡­?" "Oh, no. I¡¯m not stating my opinion here. Rather, I¡¯m speaking from your perspective. You must have interpreted those suppressed desires as sexual impulses, that¡¯s why you nned to periodically put Professor Presbury into an unconscious state.¡± "D-Do you have any proof...?" At the question sputtered with a flustered expression, Charlotte replied with a derisive smirk. "Of course." "What?" "I believe this should be sufficient..." She revealed a sk from her pocket, filled with red liquid. A pallidplexion immediately washed over Freud as he stared at the sk. "Where did you get it..." "It was stored in a warehouse. I secured it before you could get your filthy hands on the sk." "........." "Even though it¡¯sbelled as an aphrodisiac on the drug market, its real application is inducing a state of unconsciousness, right?" Charlotte pointed out in a whisper while gently shaking the sk. "On the way, I received a telegram from a doctor friend that I tasked with investigating the drugs that were making waves recently. She tried experimenting with the avable aphrodisiacs circting in the market but couldn''t find any significant results." "........." "So, I was sure that this sk doesn¡¯t contain any animal serum, at the very least. Then, I wondered if it might be a drug that distorts the mind. Lo and behold, you fell right into my trap.¡± A dazed look washed over Gregory Freud at her tone filled with mockery. Soon, he started grinding his teeth, realising that he had been yed. "Of course, you idiotically falling for it wouldn¡¯t have mattered either way. I could have asked Watson to analyse the contents of this sk ande to the same conclusion anyway. Well, back to the matter at hand¡­ you found a way to deliver this to Professor Presbury and have her inject it regrly in her body, right?¡± "........." "And using your position as an assistant, you went to the unconscious professor and performed almost brainwashing acts." Charlotte concluded, narrowing her eyes as she looked at the cornered man. "Honestly, it makes me feel sick." "... If that''s what you think, I have nothing to say." Now fully resigned to his fate, Freud only responded in a subdued voice to her tant sarcasm. "But... I wanted to have the professor at any cost..." "........" "I spoke several times with all the sincerity I could muster... but the professor didn¡¯t even pretend to listen... only bing colder toward me as the days pas..." "... I¡¯ve listened enough.¡± Lestrade interrupted, cutting him off mid-sentence. "You are under arrest for the misuse of illegal drugs and sexual assault. You have the right to remain sil..." "... Just a moment." "What is it?" This time, Charlotte interrupted Lestrade, cutting her off as she had done to Freud. "As disgusting as this man''s actions are, unfortunately, they are not criminal." "What do you mean?" "... Come in." Spoke Charlotte, her voice a whisper, as she fully opened the door. - Creak... "It''s time to end this farce." A person soon entered through the opened door, eyes downcast. "Isn''t that right, Professor?" "........!" Surprisingly, the identity of that person was none other than Professor Presbury herself. A slight brush crept up her face¡ª doused in far more makeup than usual. . . . . . "Pro-Professor..." "........." "Ho-How did you get here...?" Eyes nk, Freud stared at the professor who had suddenly appeared before him. His hazy countenance soon made way for utter bewilderment as he mumbled to himself. "It''s funny that you ask how she came to her own house." "But, but... I heard she had a seminarter tonight..." "... I picked her up on the way. With her consent, of course." Hearing her, Freud looked at Charlotte with a stunned expression. "I assume you¡¯re wondering why I did this?" ".........." "Well, why don''t you exin it yourself, Professor?" His gaze soon shifted to Professor Presbury, her head still bowed, after hearing Charlotte¡¯s words. "Well, actually... the truth is..." In the ensuing silence, stuttered words left Professor Presbury¡¯s mouth. "... I, I knew that you were doing thi-this strange¡­ thing to me.¡± "What?" Cold sweat beaded Freud¡¯s forehead, eyes widening in utter confusion, at Professor Presbury¡¯s deration. "I even remember the first day, that you started doing those strange things to me. I was busy working and dozed off for some time... Suddenly, you started whispering in my ears¡­ that I would start lik-liking you from now on¡­¡± "......." "And since then, you¡¯ve beening regrly... um..." A strange current flowed in the air as Professor Presbury continued her reminiscence. "B-But... you should have been unconscious due to the drug...?" "Drug? Unconscious...? I don''t understand what you''re talking about..." "Listen, Mr Freud. It seems you are mistaken about something." Freud only muttered in a daze, his mind unable to make heads or tails about the scenario. Hearing his continued mumbling, Charlotte interjected in a mocking tone, her eyes filled with utter disdain. "Though I admit that strange drug ¨C which you got from who knows where and how ¨C could induce a state of exhaustion, did you really expect it to also guarantee a brainwashing effect?" "If, if one falls unconscious... their suppressed desires..." "I see. It seems you understand your father¡¯s theories even less than I do. Please,e to your senses." At her clear mockery, Gregory Freud clenched his teeth and blushed in shame. "Well, mistaking a drug that puts people to sleep for inducing the unconscious state is understandable, if you think about it from an idiot¡¯s perspective. You should have read the books more carefully." "Bu-But... there was definitely an effect." Voice trembling, he began defending himself. "Every single day, I kept whispering to her, urging her to like me¡­ to love me and keep loving me and me alone. And one day, the professor really began loving me sincerely...!" "........" "O-Of course... she was only gentle with me in a hypnotised state... but I was satisfied with that. Not to mention, the duration of that state was getting longer as the days passed..." The professor only bowed her head lower at Freud¡¯s continued attempt at justifying himself, blushing up to her ears for reasons only she was privy to. "I-I will dly ept the punishment. Technically, it was no different from forcibly brainwashing the professor so..." "So, did you receive any criminal consultation?" "No, no! Of course not! That professor with grey hair I met earlier... she just told me to head to the mansion. That everything would be resolved if I just came here..." "... Tsk." Ignoring his mumbling, Charlotte pressed Freud for answers. However, a deep frown contorted her face at his reply. "I, I just... I took it as an instruction to destroy the evidence..." "So you had already grasped everything, huh..." "But... I still don''t understand. How could Professor Presbury, supposedly under hypnosis, remember all that..." "... You still don''t understand?" Unable to bear this farce any longer, Charlotte raised her voice with an impatient look in her eyes. "Professor Presbury was never under your sinister brainwashing from the very beginning." "Then...?" "... She knew all along and went along with the farce by her own free will." Freud''s jaw almost fell to the ground at the revtion. "Well, there¡¯s no way for me to not like it personally... a man 30 years my younger throwing himself at me like that, I mean¡­¡± "........" "But I am naturally introverted and never had the chance to express it to you... It seems you misunderstood something..." Almost incoherently, the professor began expressing her stance; her voice soft, face beet red as sheid down her side of things. "... I thought it was better to ept it that way at the time. But¡­ after epting a few times, I missed the timing to reveal the truth." "So, what then...?" She nced at her assistant and then whispered, her voice barely audible as it crept out of her lips. "... I, I love you, Freud." The hesitant deration was followed by a heavy silence, enveloping the whole mansion. "... I''ll go to the loo. I didn''t manage to go earlier." Amid the silence, Lestrade, with a face of enlightenment, quietly left the scene. Apanying her was the small cat, fidgeting and trembling inside her clothes for some time already. "If you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯ll return to searching the mansion a bit more." ""........."" "There are still a few things that don¡¯t quite add up..." Eventually, as Charlotte herself mumbled something and left the scene, a strange atmosphere began lingering between the duo left behind. "Um... Freud." "... Yes?" "I''ll forgive you for everything you''ve done to me so far..." Breaking the silence, Professor Presbury dered to Gregory Freud¡ª frozen stiff by everything. "Can''t you just be a normal assistant from now on...?" "........." "... And perhaps give less provocative orders from now on. I-It''s strange to be doing these things at this age." After what seemed to be an eternity of tense silence, Freud finally opened his mouth, voice trembling with tension. "Um, lie down." "... Yes." . . . . . Meanwhile, in the mansion''s bathroom, "... Kitty, don¡¯t you also think that was an utterly absurd incident?" "Meow..." As Gia Lestrade was about to get up after finishing her business, she whispered the question to the cat bundled up inside her clothes. "Why have you been shivering like this since earlier?" "........." "... Did you get scared by something?" Soon, she realised that the small kitten was looking into the void, eyes overcast with deep fright, and could not help but worry. "Poor thing..." Seeing the pitiful state of the kitten triggered her sympathy and maternal instincts. Embracing the little fellow in her arms, gently stroking its body, she leaned her head in tofort the small creature. - Crackle... However, just as her lips touched the small kitten¡¯s, "Ugh...!?" Abruptly, Sparks started scattering in the air and a bright sh of light zed out of the trembling cat. "......!?!?" Startled, she was about to rise when a sudden weight forced her back down onto her seat. "......." Her gaze then fell upon Isaac Adler, who was peeking out from inside her clothes with a dazed expression. - Peck¡­ Realising her bare skin and lips were in contact with him, the officer''s eyes soon turned unfocused. ""............"" Thus, Gia Lestrade experienced her first kiss in the most absurd of ways. Chapter 159: The Crawling â– â– â– â– â–  Chapter 159: The Crawling ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö"I knew you''d do something like this." After surveying the Professor''s mansion for some time Charlotte returned to the lobby, only to witness Adler and Lestrade standing near the doorway. A scornful look shed in her eyes as she gazed at the duo before she said, "Well, at least you didn¡¯t kill him. The inspector must have held back quite a bit." Lestrade''s police uniform was torn and tattered, loosely hanging off her body. Meanwhile, her face was redder than a ripe tomato, highlighting her shame and embarrassment. As if that wasn¡¯t enough already, the red handprint on Adler¡¯s face was a dead giveaway of what had transpired between the two. "It was my first time..." "..." "It was my first time, dammit..." Charlotte smirked, almost mockingly, bowing her head to hide her expression. Lestade, on the other hand, continued her mumbling in a whispery note, barely audible. "I agreed to ept your affection, but... not like this... I never wanted it like this.""Look, it wasn''t on purpose that I..." "Don''t talk to me right now... I just might kill you..." Lifting her scorching hot face, Lestrade whispered with such ferocity that Adler was forced to shut his mouth immediately. "When I think about my first kiss from now on, I''ll always remember today..." "..." "I wanted to set the mood¡­ bedylike for my first kiss..." "... What?" "Didn''t I tell you to shut the fuck up, you bastard!?" Charlotte gave them a sidelong nce, a gleam in her eyes. "Now that I think about it, it''s quite strange." "... What?" "Inspector Lestrade¡¯s curse¡­ why didn''t it affect Isaac Adler''s transformation magic?" Curious, she tilted her head and murmured in a whispery voice. "Um, Miss Holmes, I didn''t cast that spell..." "No, what I mean is¡­ if the inspector¡¯s curse nullifies all anomalies and oddities without exception, then it should have undone the magic cast on Adler too. It''s odd that it only broke after a generic fairy-tail-like kiss." "... Does that really matter anymore?¡± "It definitely does, Inspector. It gives me a decent opportunity to review one of my oldest theories." Face flushed and head bowed, a puzzled look soon washed over Lestrade as she heard Charlotte¡¯s words. "My curse, which prevents me from loving anything or anyone, didn''t have any effect on you, Mr. Adler." "That is..." "It was the same in my sister¡¯s case. She, who was cursed never to feel any stimtion, was able to feel it because of you." Meanwhile, Charlotte slowly walked towards Adler and whispered, her voice dangerously low, "And now, you¡¯re even openly resisting Inspector Lestrade¡¯s ability. An ability so absolute that even Professor Moriarty can''tpletely resist.¡± "Th-That¡¯s true, I guess..." "Shall I make a guess then?" "Su-Su-Sure?" Having reached right in front of Adler, she narrowed her eyes and whispered right into his ear with a toneced with arctic chill. "... Professor Moriarty''s initial interest in you was due to her curse being nullified solely by you, right?" Cold sweat started beading on Adler¡¯s forehead, soon dripping down like a waterfall. "Looks like my spection was correct." "......." "Honestly, I thought you were just an incubus who had luckily survived the Crusades. Seems that isn¡¯t the case, however." Charlotte Holmes, wiping the cold sweat dripping down his face with her sleeve, began prodding Adler with her summoned ck mana. "You are still hiding a lot more from me, aren¡¯t you?¡± "........" "I''ll forgive you if you confess here and now. Okay?" At that moment, a red warning window appeared in front of Adler. I¡¯m sure you understand the extent of what you can reveal to her. "........" Especially, keep everything about me a secret.As he read the content of the warning window, Adler made up his mind to speak, a resigned expression on his face, but, "Miss Holmes, as I mentioned before..." - Swoosh... "... What are you doing?" Charlotte Holmes, quietly observing Adler, suddenly grabbed his arm with a dangerous gleam in her eyes. - Swish, swish... "Hey, my arm isn''t a toy..." Adler, looking at her with a troubled expression, soon froze on his spot. "Uh..." Voice trailing off, he realised that the system window that had appeared before his eyes had disappeared, dissipated with his iling hand under Charlotte¡¯s control. "... So, you were there after all." At that moment, a dark smile crossed Charlotte¡¯s face as she murmured. "The being that issuesmands to you.¡± Chills ran down Adler''s entire body and even his hair stood on end. "Why the face? Did you really think I wouldn''t notice something so obvious?" Indeed, Charlotte''s actions just now meant that she had already deduced the existence and significance of the system and had even theorised on how to interact with it. "I, I don''t quite understand what you''re talking about..." "... That flustered look of yours, it¡¯s cute.¡± Adler, the chill on his spine spreading throughout his body and mind, looked at her with abject terror in his eyes. A smile was the reaction Charlotte conveyed, witnessing his horrified visage. "Well, I''ll be going now." "... Pardon?" "The case is closed anyway. There are a few nagging points that still don''t sit right with me, but I have no grounds to delve deeper into a case that¡¯s already solved." Charlotte Holmes, muttering to herself, trotted toward the mansion¡¯s exit. "... But, I must admit that my curiosity is piqued.¡± "What..." "I just went and asked Professor Presbury and Mr Freud some questions, and I received some very interesting answers." Then, she suddenly stopped walking and started muttering in a barely audible voice, as if talking to herself. "What did you hear that prompted your intrigue?" "Well, you see..." Adler, momentarily puzzled, could only widen his eyes at Charlotte''s following response. "Mr Freud never ordered the professor to crawl around the house naked every night nor did he order her to pounce on the dog.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Not to mention, he didn¡¯t order her to climb up to the second floor and eerily re at her son for nearly ten minutes. He was actually surprised that a woman her age was even able to pull it off. Even the professor seemed dazed after hearing that question.¡± Adler, wearing a stunned expression for a long while, soon began to mutter in amazement. "If that''s true, then what do the stories we heard from the client amount to?" "Honestly, I feel like digging deeper, but when I contacted our client, he had already made up his mind about putting an end to the case.¡± Charlotte mentioned and then went on to show Adler the unteral case cancetion deration sent by the client a moment ago. Her mood was really down the gutter judging from the look she was giving at the deration. "He spoke of his inability to understand the reasonings of his mother and Mr Freud. That¡¯s why he decided to be independent and study in America.¡± "Well, that sounds¡­ reasonable..." "In other words, it means our chance to delve into this case has officially ended." Sighing, she muttered in a dejected voice. "Well, I have faced many such instances when I was still a newbie. And frankly, a few more important cases havee in already, so this case is just a lower priority now." ".........." "Personally, I''d still like to just thoroughly search this house though." Charlotte concluded with a regretful look, ncing at Lestrade standing next to her. "If Miss Lestrade would turn a blind eye, I might just investigate a bit more..." "... That would be a crime, I¡¯m afraid." "Tch." "Let''s move if further requests or criminal activities are reported..." As usual, rejecting her suggestion, Lestrade started following Charlotte towards the exit. "... Mr Adler, don''t just stand there,e along." ".........." "I''ll listen to the exnation thoroughly on the way..." Her face still flushed, she spoke to Adler. However, when she turned towards Adler, her mind immediately nked out. "... Huh?" Because Adler, who had been standing behind her until just moments ago, was nowhere to be seen now. "Where has he gone this time..." "... Let''s just get out of here." After staring nkly for a while, Lestrade attempted to head into the mansion, but Charlotte grabbed her arm and shook her head, dissuading her from following Adler. "It''s be a habit his because we keep paying him too much attention." "..." "I have heard that the push is just as important as the pull in a rtionship.¡± Hearing her sincere advice, Lestrade tilted her head slightly before speaking, "I don''t think I require such knowledge, but... I do understand what you mean." "Why do you not need it? Watson was adamant that it''s an essential rule of romance." She whispered to Charlotte with a slightly wary look and then quietly stepped out of the mansion. "Well, I... I¡¯m already married after all." "Oh..." "... I don''t need such shallow knowledge of romance." Charlotte blinked her eyes, standing still momentarily, her expression visibly crumpling in real-time. "Is that a challenge I hear...?" . . . . . ... I''m still not used to this form. Watching Charlotte Holmes and Gia Lestrade leave the mansion to catch a carriage I, transformed into a cat, turned around and slowly started treading down the mansion''s corridor. How the hell does the professor know such magic? Analyzing the Magic Circle that the professor had shown made me realise that¡­ it was not just a simple transformation but a polymorph-level advanced magic. How she could wield such systematized magic in a world where mana stones were discovered only recently and magic research had just barely begun was honestly beyond me, but it was certainly to my advantage. Just simply drawing the Magic Circle that the professor had sketched on the desk allowed me to transform into a full-fledged cat. It was perfect for scouting and even escaping at a moment¡¯s notice when necessary. I must get to the bottom of this anomaly¡­ Normally, I would never poke around a case that was already closed, but things were a bit different this time around. Warning! Erosion Rate ¡ª 55% ¡ú 60% Warning! Erosion Rate ¡ª 60% ¡ú 65% Warning! Erosion Rate ¡ª 65% ¡ú 70% Despite my direct intervention in the case and crafting a usible ending, the erosion rate had increased by 30 percent in just a few hours. This was just like the speckled band case that we had previously solved. I must figure out why this was urring. - Lick. - ¡­ Yesshh? Judging from the moans leaking from above, it seemed Professor Presbury and Mr Freud would be spending a heated night in theboratory. Even if it meant staying up all night I had to uncover the reason behind the rising erosion rate today no matter what¡­ ".....?" With a serious expression, I continued strolling down the corridor when I subtly tilted my head in curiosity. "Meow?" When I was still in my human form, I had certainly not noticed¡­ However, through the eyes of a cat, I noticed that the study at the end of the corridor shimmered ominously in a sickening ck smoke. "........." ck smoke that was unlike the chilling, emotionless extension of Charlotte¡¯s mana. It was a ck smoke that was viscous, eerie, and filled with negative emotions that would make you shudder in horror. Just like the shadowy Jill the Reaper. - Thud, thud... Before I knew it, I started gingerly approaching the study filled with that distinctly ominous smoke. "... Eh?" Although I had transformed into a cat, my vision remained sharp, and it didn''t take long to realise that what initially appeared as smoke was actually undting, outstretched tentacles of nothingness itself. . . . . . "... No." "What?" Meanwhile, at that time, Jane Moriarty sipped her overly sugared coffee at a nearby coffee house, convinced that Adler, who had left her side without a word, would soon return to her embrace. "You should never touch that, Adler..." "What are you suddenly talking about...?" "Not all beings from the ancient times are like me..." Mycrony Holmes, who had been observing her with interest, disyed a bewildered look when the professor turned pale and abruptly rose from her seat. "... Isaac is in danger." Leaving those words behind, Moriarty vanished, dissolving into a puff of smoke. "Haa, this happens every, single, time." Mycrony Holmes, who had been staring at the spot where Moriarty disappeared with a bbergasted look, finally whispered after a while. "... Why are you all still sitting there looking so stunned?" """...........""" "She said Adler is in danger, dammit." A few secondster, the coffee house patrons rose from their seats, returning to their roles as national agents. :" Chapter 160: The Mastermind Chapter 160: The Mastermind- Squirm, squirm... ¡­ What the hell is all this, fuck. As I approached closer to the mansion''s study, the scene before me continued to deteriorate, losing its structure. The surrounding corridors had already been eroded by the shadows, with tentacles squirming and stretching in all directions. And the doorknob on the distant study door was twisted so bizarrely that it was hard to gauge if one could even turn it. - Thud... ¡­ Fucking¡­ As I moved a bit further, the study door suddenly flipped 180 degrees. At this rate, it seemed impossible to open that door with the body of a cat. Does that mean I will have to revert to my human form to open it? - Squirm...¡­ Eugh. However, the tentacles squirming around everywhere were a cause for concern. If these dangerous abominations are so docile because they do not recognise me in my cat form, I honestly had no idea what might happen if I reverted to my original form. I certainly had no desire to be the master of a tentacle monster at this point. ¡­ But, I can''t just go back. If I were to return now, I wouldn''t be able to find out why the erosion rate had abruptly shot up by 30%. Since I had stayed on this world despite having obtained the right to return to my original world, solely to prevent its destruction, I could not allow the erosion rate to increase further. Is there really no other way... Thus, with a serious expression, I scanned my surroundings and soon discovered something new. I noticed that there was a window from which the red evening sunset was bleeding in, particrly where shadows and tentacles were sparse. ... Is this monster weak to light, perhaps? Just then I recalled that, ording to the investigation results published by the London Metropolitan Police Department, Jack the Ripper ¨C a being whose aura wasparable to the monster I was witnessing now ¨C also predominantly operated at night. Then, if I could produce light, I might be able to resist this monster to some extent. - Poof...! - Gyuryuk...?1 Realising this, I figured I shouldn¡¯t waste any more time and put my thoughts into action. - Gyuryukkkkk, gyuryuk... "Ugh, fucking disgusting..." So, as my mana was nearly depleted from maintaining the cat''s form for a long time, I reverted to my original body, and, as expected, the tentacles surrounding me began wriggling violently and lunged at me. - Fizzle... However, their abrupt attack did notst long. The creatures began to retreat as I chanted a spell that emitted light from my hand. ... Thank goodness. Shifting my gaze forward, I frowned at the now visible sight of the tentacles¡ª when the surroundings became brighter, the disgusting appearance of the monster became clearer as well and allowed me to witness the detailed appearance of the monster. "... Huh?" I then realised that the study door appeared perfectly normal which only served to puzzle me. From a human''s perspective, is this how it looks? That meant, to non-human beings, it must appear just as distorted as I had seen earlier in my cat form. That knowledge only unnerved me further. "... Phew." - Click... Though I shrank back for a moment, after taking several deep breaths, I finally steeled myself and turned the doorknob. I figured that I should at least check if the inside of the room was rtively safe or not. If it was, then I could move along the spots illuminated by sunlight. - Gyuryuk? "... Guuh." However, I btedly realised a blunder only after turning the doorknob in its entirety. - Squeak... "Ah..." A single tentacle that had stealthily approached from behind was now entwined around my hand, which was emitting light. - Gyuryukkk, gyuryukkkkk... As the lone tentacle threw itself forward, sizzling as it blocked the light emitting from my hand, a grotesque chorus of wriggling horror began to resound all around from the tentacles. "Bloody hell." In that situation, there was only one choice avable to me. "So be it, whatever will happen is bound to happen." - Crash...!!! Dodging the innumerable tentacles stretching towards me, I hurled myself deeper into the study and hurriedly shut the door. "........" Having barely escaped the crisis, darkness and silence soon followed. "Ugh..." In that heavy atmosphere, I, whose arm and hand had been wrapped in tentacles like seaweed, frantically peeled the still wriggling tentacle off me. Free from the abomination, I again emitted light from my hand using a simple illumination spell. "........." However, I was soon faced with a situation that left me speechless, horrified even. - Gyuryukkk, gyuryukkkkk... - Gyuryuk? "Fucking hell." Inside the study, several times more tentaclesy in wait, wriggling in their grotesque ways. And¡­ all of the abominations simultaneously focused on me. . . . . . "... Hmm." An unknown amount of timeter, Where in hell... As I slowly opened my eyes, unaware of when I had passed out, I realised that I was sitting inside the study. ¡­ Am I still in one piece?'' A shiver ran through me as I frantically surveyed my surroundings, fortunately, there were no traces of tentacles anywhere. It seemed, thankfully, that the light in my hand, which had not gone out despite my fainting, had protected me from those wriggling abominations. "Phew..." - Thud, thud... "Eh!?" Thinking till here, I tried to rise, cautious to not make any sound. However, someone or something seemed to have tapped on my shoulder just then. "Wh-Who..." - Gyuryuk? As I turned around in a hurry, my face turned pale instantly as I witnessed a single tentacle rise from the floor and gently sway before my face. - Gyuryuuuk¡­ ... Wh-What do I do? Soon, as the tentacle slowly bent in shape and began wrapping around my foot, cold sweat started leaking from my entire body. Burn it with light? No, what if the light goes out like before... - Gyuryuk¡­ ¡­ Should I just stay still then? No, that¡¯s not even an option. Maybe I should just get up right now... My mind raced a mile a minute as I desperately sought a solution. - Gyuruuuuuu!!! ".......?" Lost in thought for a moment with a vacant expression, the tentacle wrapping my foot suddenly started to shudder and make grotesque noises. "........." Despite feeling repulsed, I found myself reaching out and tapping it. Why was that? - Tap... "It looks kind of cute when it''s like this..." As I stared nkly for a while, I realized that the tentacle bobbing its head in front of me seemed somewhat cute. What if I just cut a little piece off and carried it around with me? Pull yourself together!!! "... Let''s see." It seemed like a good idea, so I began preparing to slightly tear off the body of the tentacle that had climbed up to my leg. I''m sorry. I won''t make you do this kind of thing again. "Hehe..." Please,e to your senses..... But I feel like I¡¯m seeing something in front of me. Why is that? - That is the false prophet standing between you and us. "... I see." - Do not be deceived. Let us be one and enjoy infinite pleasure. "Right..." The thought that I just might have missed the opportunity of joyful unity made me pat my chest, and I reached out and dismissed the false prophet that was emitting all sorts of colours trying to do who knows what in front of my eyes. It was indeed fortunate that I came here today, for I might have been deprived of uniting with the greater whole. But what exactly was this joy of unity? Of bing one with the greater whole? It felt somewhat unsettling, but it did not really matter because everything would make sense after unification. {CASE: The Crawling ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö} {THE END} {To end the world, press on the screen.} Let us follow the revtion of the true prophet who so graciously appeared before us. . . . . . "No, that won''t do." As Adler, half-entwined by a tentacle, reached out with a faint smile towards a system window of an entirely new design that floated before him, a familiar voice apanied the tightening grip of the grotesque appendage. "Even though you got defeated and gone into hiding, you still dare to raise your head before me again?" - Crrrraaaack... - Gyuryuuk!? Gyuryuk... The tentacles that seemed ready to devour Adler began twisting and deting with a whooshing sound, apanied by that all-too-familiar voice. "Ah..." As the appendage slowly withered and fell from above, Adler, regaining some semnce of his consciousness, gazed dumbfoundedly at the figure who had burst through the door of the study and muttered absentmindedly, "Professor..." "... Adler." Uncharacteristically covered in severe injuries, Jane Moriarty was clutching her bleeding head with one hand while dispersing grey mana in the surroundings with the other. "Fear not..." - Gyuryuukkk¡­ Gyuryuk... "For I am here now..." As the grotesque wails of the tentacles began to echo from all around the study, and the professor''s voice trembled more than ever with worry, Adler¡¯s consciousness abruptly ceased. . . . . . "Again, another failure..." As everything came to an end, "... This time I even summoned a higher being, but that damned professor ruined everything again." In a dark room of unknown location, a seemingly young girl crumpled up another page filled with densely written letters in irritation and muttered to herself, "Should I just summon the original body...?" - Crackle... "No, no, that would turn Ennd into a hell. I can''t erase such a beautiful country..." She then threw the crumpled paper into a trash can already overflowing with other crumpled pages, her eyes heavy with dark circles, as she picked up her pen once more. "... It¡¯d be better to just move the monsters." - Rustle, rustle... "This time, Jill the Ripper and the Phantom Thief Lupin... I should have them join forces..." Soon, she started filling the pages again, a sinister smile creeping across her face. "... If only I could meet him again." - Reba,e out to eat! "Ah, I said I''m not eating!" Startled by a noise from outside the door, the girl quickly shoved the pages into a drawer. - Are you writing that horror story again? "It''s not that!" The pen, which had started rolling on the floor, caught a glimmer of light in the dim room and illuminated a signature engraved along its body. Reba Phillips Lovecraft
    1. Some kind of squirming/wriggling motion. Just think of this as the soundof tentacles wriggling about.
Chapter 161: A Change of Perspective Chapter 161: A Change of Perspective"Ugh, urgggh..." The pain in my head was unbearable. I felt like I could vomit at any minute now. "... Ugh." But for some reason, I had a strong gut feeling that I shouldn¡¯t vomit right now. Forcefully holding back the urge, I slowly opened my eyes, taking in my surroundings. Immediately, I was greeted with an extremely familiar scene. "This is..." Judging by the familiar background and furniture, I was currently lying in the professor¡¯s office at the August Academy. I hadn¡¯t been able to visit often in recent times, but this was a familiar ce to me in this strange and ursed world. "Ah..." But for some reason, my body felt oddly heavy. When I lowered my gaze, I immediately understood the source of the odd feeling. "Professor..."Professor Moriarty was embracing me tightly as Iy on the bed, her head buried in my chest. If I had vomited earlier¡­ I shuddered just thinking of the repercussions. "........" The chill up my spine was fleeting, as an unknown emotion flooded and took its ce as I looked down at the professor. "... You¡¯ve saved me this time too, didn¡¯t you?¡± Although my memory was a bit blurry at the moment, the figure who appeared in the study just before the tentacles caught me was definitely Professor Moriarty. "Professor is really amazing." How strong must the professor be? I couldn¡¯t even fathom why such a being was impersonating an English professor, but for all intents and purposes, she was a being that simply transcended human cognition. With just a gesture, she managed to fend off the creature that was about to devour me. "Lately, you just seemed cute to me, but..." - Swish... No matter how cute Moriarty appeared to me, the final boss was still the final boss. I vividly remember the beta test, where she appeared like a demon god in thest moments and turned everything into a void of nothingness. "... You look so pretty like this." And I, I ended up falling in love with such a being. "........" If everything came to an end and the destruction of this world was thwarted, I had to return to my original world. For, as long as I existed in this world, the monsters and other supernatural phenomena would never cease. Fundamentally, I was a being that continuously attracted all forms of anomalies, after all. - Swish, swish... But then, what about Professor Moriarty and Charlotte? Upon reflection, they weren¡¯t the only problems. Watson, who I had inadvertently used from the beginning to the end, Lestrade, who I somehow ended up marrying, and the three minions who had been following me around for so many days. Not to mention all the characters who have been influenced by me, whether deeply or by the faintest margins. "... Haaa." Just what would happen to them once I disappear? "Adler, why are you making such a face?" "It¡¯s just¡­ something¡¯s been bothering me for some time, that¡¯s all¡­¡± As I gently ran my fingers through the professor''s locks, pondering the concern that had been persistently upying my thoughts, I instinctively started responding to the sound that echoed from below. "..... Huh?" A dizzying spell suddenly overtook my mind and I slowly lowered my gaze. "Seems like you''re finallying to your senses." "........." "So, did you enjoy that little escapade of yours, hmm?"1 Professor Moriarty looked at me with dark eyes, her voice dangerously low as she queried. "Tha-That''s..." "Adler. Do you know?" A chill ran down my spine after hearing her voice and I hurriedly tried to rise from the bed. But with this damned body, I couldn''t resist the strength of the professor who had already mounted me. "... Just a few days ago, when you hit me, it was the first time in my life that someone had beaten me so one-sidedly." "........." "There have been very few who seeded in attacking me, and all of them are now in the afterlife." Murmuring this while still atop me, the professor silently inched her head forward. "I thought we were married, and called you by your name. Was that so displeasing to you?" "It''s not that..." "So displeasing that you brutally assaulted me with such violence, and even went as far as to marry that brutish brat?¡± "Professor¡­" Chilled by her cold aura, I was shivering from head to toe. But even so, I couldn''t help but wear a dazed expression for a moment when I heard her words. "Do you dislike me...?" ".........." "If you dislike me so much, just say it already..." As she spoke those words, eyes affixed on my form, her eyes quivered with a myriad of emotions. It seemed as if she would burst into tears immediately if I admitted that I disliked her. Such an expression seemed utterly unbing of her transcendent detached nature. "... I like you." "Then why, why did you abandon me, huh?" "Heugh." Bewitched by her gaze, I eventually muttered in a dazed state. However, the professor immediately applied pressure on me, tightening her grip on my shoulders. As a result, I leaked a muffled groan. "I even abandoned my pride to give you that childish document called a marriage certificate first, then why on earth¡­" "... M-My marriage with Lestrade, it¡¯s a contract marriage.¡± Feeling as though one wrong word would be enough for me to be eaten alive, I began to sweat coldly as I made my excuse. "I-It¡¯s a sham marriage we arranged for the benefit of us both¡­" "¡­¡­" "Let¡¯s not even talk about having sex or engaging in childmaking¡­ this was the first time that we even kissed, I think¡­? Haha¡­¡± "... A kiss?" But immediately, the bone-chilling cold in her voice returned with a vengeance. "Did you really mix tongues with that brat?" "... You didn¡¯t know?" Feeling my mouth dry up, I asked in a whispery voice. "Professor... Aren¡¯t you always watching..." "Recently, the connection with your vision has be somewhat unstable." "Aha." That meant, I just fucked up. Bad. "... Are you prepared?" "Wha-What do you mean...?" As I struggled to collect my thoughts, the professor started whispering in my ears with a bone-chilling voice. "Why are you asking when you already know?" Just then. Um, I require your attention for a moment. I wanted to ruminate a bit more about this but, I felt it was necessary to inform you about this matter... A system message with a timid-themed font appeared before my eyes. Warning! ¨C Probability of ¡­ ¡ª 99.99999999999999999% I thought 100% would be too grim, so I maximised the system disy value as much as possible. Seeing the ridiculous message, where the front characters were truncated due to the excessivelyrge number at the end, I couldn''t help but let out a hollowugh. I mean, you do realise that we are headed straight for a bad ending at this rate, right? "Ah..." In a situation that was nothing short of a death sentence, how was I supposed to escape? "Wait." It was often mentioned that the human brain shines brightest when encountering a crisis. In just a few seconds, just as the professor¡¯s face came progressively closer to mine, my mind considered countless possibilities and finally settled on a brilliant n. Let''s think about this from a different perspective. . . . . . "Why haven''t I thought of this until now...?" ".......?" Until just moments ago, Adler had been trembling like a herbivore under attack by a lioness. Out of the blue, however, his demeanour changed drastically, prompting a puzzled look to wash over the professor¡¯s face as she straddled him. "Professor." "What is it?" "Pardon me for my action." At that moment, Adler, with a bright voice, wrapped his arms around her back. - Smooch... ".......!?" The next moment, his warm lips touched the professor¡¯s neck, transferring warmth. - Nibble, nibble¡­ "... Huh?" But he didn''t just stop there; as Adler bit into the professor''s neck with his mouth and began nibbling on her skin, a confused groan escaped her lips. - Swoosh... "Ad-Adler." As the situation continued, Professor Moriarty, looking stunned, tried to pull back, but surprisingly, Adler wrapped his legs around hers, trapping her. "What are you doing...? What in hell is this¡­?" "I''ve just realised something." Confused by the situation, the professor asked with a baffled look on her face. In response, Adler removed his mouth from her neck and began whispering in a barely audible voice. "If I participate actively, it''s like an affair, isn¡¯t it?" ".........." "... So, professor." He hugged her body, starting to heat up from arousal, even tighter and whispered shyly into her ear. "Are you prepared?" And then a silence began to hover in the office. "I, I am..." "... Yes?" "That wasn¡¯t my intention..." Adler listened in attention as the professor¡¯s words, shaky and barely audible, cut through the growing silence. "I''m sorry, I couldn¡¯t hear you well." - Swoosh... "... Could you please speak clearly and slowly for me?" While tenderly stroking the frozen professor''s head, he leaned his head toward her this time around. - Smooch... The moment he cautiously kissed the professor¡¯s lips. - Bam...! "... Khuhuk!?" Knocked back by a palm to his face, Adler was sent crashing into the bed. "..........." "........???" He coughed and gasped for air briefly, then sat up on the bed. When his eyes settled on the professor¡¯s face, looking down at him with a cold gaze, he became puzzled. - Creeeak... "What¡¯s going on?" In that situation, as she emitted a cold chill and clenched and unclenched her fist, she angrily stormed out of the office, leaving Adler utterly bewildered by her actions. "S-Something¡¯s off..." Still perplexed, he rose from the bed and began scrolling through the system messages that had appeared before his eyes. "... Ah." Then, Adler suddenly stopped moving altogether. Warning! ¨C Probability of being Killed ¡ª 99.99999.... "... It was actually probability of being killed."2 His face quickly turned grim. "So this is how it ends......" . . . . . Meanwhile, at that time, ".........." After leaving the office, Jane Moriarty dashed into a nearby restroom and sat on the toilet with a vacant look on her face. "Ugh..." Her hands sped over her face, already heating up and donning a progressively brighter shade of red, as she murmured to herself in a whisper. "How despicable..." For a brief, infinitesimally small, moment, her serpentine grey eyes flickered to gold before returning to their original dull colour.
    1. Referring to how Adler went along with Charlotte and Lestrade and almost lost his life to the tentacle monster.2. For those who have a hard time understanding, the truncated part was being Killed. But Adler thought it was the other thing.
Chapter 162: The Mask Chapter 162: The Mask"... Adler." After a considerable amount of time, Professor Moriarty, who had abruptly left the office, made her return. "Sit down. We need to have a serious talk..." "You''re cute, Professor." "........." As she peeked her head through the door and muttered in her usual t tone, Adler made a flippant remark that threw her in a daze. "... Do, do you just want to die?" "Never mind that,e inside already." Despite her slightly colder tone, Adler simply grinned and gestured with his hand to sit beside him. "Well done, Professor.""... Yes?" "Now, let''s hear it." The professor, initially hesitant, quietly moved to sit beside him. Meanwhile, Adler sat in an elevated position to level himself with her and then spoke, "What''s bothering you?" "What are you even saying..." "If you haveints, say them now. That way, I can fix them." As he boldly asked while stroking her grey hair, the professor began to murmur in a low voice. "... I already know you have something on your mind." "Yes, and?" "But still, haven''t we spent too little time together?" "Pfft." Adler burst into a snicker at her remark. "I do not think my words were funny." "Ah, my apologies." "... Sometimes I miss the time when we first met." The professor, giving him a disapproving look, continued to fidget with her fingers and mumble. "Didn''t you say it yourself? That the way to quench my thirst was through criminal consulting." "... Yes, I did." "And just as a detective always needs an assistant, a criminal consultant needs one too, so you said you''d be my assistant." She paused, staring dazedly at Adler for a brief moment. "Back then, my heart truly raced like an overexcited child''s." "........" "The possibility of failing to kill someone. And the thrill of using my mind to eliminate that possibility. What a delightful task?" Her gaze gradually darkened. "These past few months have indeed been some of the most meaningful and enjoyable days of my life." "That''s good to hear." "However. It seems that sensation is starting to dull." Adler could not stop himself from flinching at that sudden remark. "In fact, in your absence, I''ve privately consulted on a few cases." "... What cases?" "Nothing major. Advised some fools who attempted to rob a bank disguised as stock exchange employees, instructed on how to kill an informant disguised as a long-term hospital patient, and so on..." "So, you handled such matters alone." Despite Adler not intervening in the cases featured in the Sherlock Holmes series, the erosion rate had not decreased. As Adler, puzzled by this fact, muttered under his breath, the professor continued in a whisper. "Yes. Yet, for some reason, it was neither fun nor enjoyable." "... Why so?¡± "What do you think is the reason, Adler?" Both Adler and Professor Moriarty knew the answer. "Because Charlotte Holmes wasn''t there?" "Because you weren''t there, you fool." Although there was a slight difference in the answers they concluded upon. "........." And thus, a surge of silence emanated between the duo. "... Adler, I''ll be frank." "Go on." "I need you." Breaking the silence with a sullen voice, Professor Moriarty muttered in a low voice. "Advising on a few cases alone had been enough for me to realise. That cases without you are far too easy for me to manipte." "........." "No variables ur, and clients follow every instruction diligently. It''s like a well-scripted y for me." Herplexion had gotten so dark that, Adler was unsure if her mood had ever worsened so. "That sense of omnipotence turning into displeasure instead of pleasure, it¡¯s been some time since I felt that.¡± In such a sombre atmosphere, Adler looked at the professor as she kept muttering to herself. "Adler, I..." - Swoosh... ".......?" And then, he reached his hand forward and started stroking Professor Moriarty¡¯s smooth grey hair. The action only served to confuse the professor. "Why do you keep touching my body?" - Swoosh, swoosh... "... That''s sexual harassment." Eventually, she muttered with her eyes cast down. "... Have you only just realized?" "That you''ve been sexually harassing me for some time now?" "No. You''ve noticed already, Professor. Why even pretend not to know?" Whispering softly into her ear, Adler began, "Don¡¯t you think our rtionship is slowly turning upside down?" "........." "Think about it. If I were to disappear overnight, who would be at a loss?" Hearing his query, Moriarty immediately responded, an uncharacteristic tremble in her voice. "... Me." "Right. It''s not me, but you, Professor." "But if I don''t let that happen..." "Do you still not understand?" As Adler leaned in close, his whispery voice echoed in Moriarty¡¯s ears. "The Professor is no longer in control, don¡¯t you see?" "......." "If you try to force anything on me, I will disappear forever. You already know I can do that, right?" At his words, Professor Moriarty¡¯s eyes began trembling. "And Professor, your life would be several times more miserable than it was ever before." "Adler..." "If the only one who can neutralise your curse disappears, you''ll never feel aplishment in anything you do ever again." Then she, with hands slick with cold sweat, reached out and tightly grabbed Adler¡¯s. "Enough of this." "You would live yet again in a helpless eternity because of that absurd mistake of trying to force something on someone..." "Please, stop..." "If that''s what you want, I can disappear anytime..." As Adler finished speaking, Moriarty, now desperate, pulled him into her embrace. "Don''t go." "Hmm... What should I do?" "... I will treat you better from now on." Hearing that, Adler immediately frowned before speaking. "No. It''s not about you taking charge." "Then...?" "It''s not about you treating me well, it''s about me treating you well." At the same time, Adler started exerting his influence. "... Adler?" "What are you doing, Professor?" "Why are you trying to topple me..." "Your assistant is trying to do something nice for once, why are you resisting?" Hearing his remark, the professor, with a slightly shy expression, rxed her body. - Thud... "Well done, Professor." Thus, she was helplessly pushed down onto the bed by Adler. "Just so you know, I will pounce like this whenever I want." "........" "Answer." Unable to meet his gaze, she turned her head to the side, and a defeated voice soon leaked out. "Understood..." "Excellent." Adler¡¯s gaze as he looked down on her was tinged with a faint sense of conquest. "... Good." "Ugh..." "Stay still." At the same time, Adler sunk his teeth into the professor¡¯s neck, his eyes stained crimson. "I haven''t eaten in a while, so I''m famished." "........" "I find your blood the most delicious, Professor." "Is that so..." For a while, the sound of bloodsucking echoed in the office. ..... "H-How does it taste?" "Hmm..." "Recently, my magic has been a bit unstable, so it might not taste good..." After finishing a long-awaited meal, Adler wiped his mouth with a satisfied grin. On the other hand, the professor, still lying on the bed, whispered a question in a hesitant voice, "It''s edible." "Well, that''s a relief..." Upon hearing Adler''s response, the professor blushed heavily before speaking, "If you wish, you can be rough with me as you werest time.¡± "......" "Want to punch me?" At her words, the sense of conquest in Adler''s eyes intensified further. "Never mind." "... A pity." However, as he responded somewhat sensibly, she buried her head in Adler''s chest while murmuring with a flushed face. "By the way, Adler, there''s some good news..." "... What is it?" As she began to whisper softly, Adler, feeling the tingling sensation in his chest, caressed her cheek and asked. "A criminal consultancy request hase in..." "Hmm¡­" "If you¡¯re free¡­ shall we consult on it together?¡± Then, Jane Moriarty asked with an increasingly heated face. "Ah, why are you so cute." "........" "Are you really the homicidal professor I knew?" "So, are we doing this or not?" Kissing her cheek, Adler whispered in a low voice, then chuckled and replied, "If the Queen of Crime wishes for something, how could I refuse toply?" "........" "Still, it''s a bit of a pity." "What do you mean?" And then, Adler added in a low voice, "... I''ll save the devouring for the next time, Professor." Upon hearing that, the professor covered her face with her hand, turned her head to the side, and whispered in a tiny voice, "The, re-request is on my desk..." "......." "No, it''s there... Uhh." Gently biting on her neck once more, Adler finally released her, a long stretch of sticky saliva connecting his lips to her neck. "... Well, I¡¯ll be damned!" As he was walking to the desk, he paused and muttered in a low voice. "Why isn''t this working.......?" The fact that the reckless bad boy strategy had worked perfectly was causing cognitive dissonance in his perception. ¡­ It worked, so does it really matter? Therefore, with a dazed expression, he made that judgement as he picked up the request that was ced on the desk. ".....!?" However, his expression soon grew stiff as a board. "The address is... Cornwall?" - Swoosh... "... The Devil¡¯s Foot, huh?" The case he was about to take on was one of the most dangerous in the entire Sherlock Holmes series. This case is critical, so I''ll remind you again. The probability of being killed is not limited to strangtion or shooting. Due to the sudden shock, Adler had missed a small hint thrown by the desperate system entity, viting the amount of information she could relegate to Adler. This would be a critical mistake that he would bitterly regret in the not-too-distant future. Death by overexerting yourself during intimate activities can still be seen as being killed, right¡­? ¡­ I''m not in the mood for jokes right now. ..... Meanwhile, the professor, who had been lying on the bed with her face covered by her hands until then, "Hmm." She silently observed Adler''s back through the gaps between her fingers. Her shy demeanour seemed like a lie as she murmured to herself with a bone-chilling smile. "... I should have done this from the start." Driven to the brink, Professor Moriarty¡¯s final n was on the verge ofmencing. Chapter 163: The Devils Foot Chapter 163: The Devil''s FootTo reach Cornwall where the client was, we had risen early in the morning, quickly finished our breakfast, and boarded a carriage headed straight for our destination. "Professor, I believe I advised moderation in your sugar intake." "... Why bring this up again?" "Tell me, why wouldn¡¯t I bring this up when you only had milk tea for breakfast, that too stacked with so much sugar that it couldn¡¯t even get dissolved into the liquid anymore?¡± Incidentally, the professor avoided meeting my eyes throughout breakfast. Her demeanour was so different that I felt confused about whether this was indeed the professor who used to emanate such an imposing aura. "Adler." "Yes, Professor." "Aren¡¯t... Aren¡¯t you a bit too close?" While I observed her from the side, she nced at me and softly asked a question.- Slurp... "Eh?" Instead of answering, I just licked her neck. "What are you doing...?" "You are definitely the professor. No one tastes as sweet as you.¡± "Moderation, please¡­" Hearing that, the professor quietly murmured, lowering her head. I should have been this assertive from the start. Seeing her face turn beet red from embarrassment, I was sure that the professor was weak to someone being so assertive towards her. Yes, thinking back, hadn¡¯t the professor just stood there dazedly when I mistook her for Lupin before? Having not met a worthy opponent for so long, she clearly didn¡¯t know how to handle someone who confronted her while asserting dominance. "But Adler... How long will you keep licking me?" "Stay still." "It''s ticklish..." "Just stay still, Professor." "........" Perhaps she had always been tough on the outside but soft on the inside. Either way, this was almost certainly myst opportunity. I must take maximum advantage of this opportunity to subdue this overpowered final boss. It would make my future dealings much easier. - Swoosh... Taking a deep breath for a moment, I stood up and approached the professor. "Professor~" Then, with a sly smile, I sat right on herp. ".......!?" The professor''s eyes widened and her body froze immediately. - Giut, giut... "... Pfft." Watching her, as she began to habitually bob her head from side to side ¨C something she hadn¡¯t done after a long time ¨C I couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle. "Yap." Then, extending both hands, I grasped her cheeks, holding her head in ce. Immediately, I felt the professor''s warm body temperature course through my hands, it was pleasant. "Would you like to wrap your arms around my back?" "........" "Or shall I do it?" In that state, as I softly whispered, I saw her hesitantly reach her arms forward, so I added in a low voice, "No, let¡¯s just both do it." ".......!" Thus, the professor and I began staring at each other¡¯s eyes, entwined like a pair of snakes in love. - Thump, thump... Soon, I heard the sounds of hastening heartbeat in my ear. "Ah." Initially, I thought it was the professor''s heartbeat, but upon listening more attentively, I realised it was mine. ... This. Only then did I realise I had never taken such an assertive role in a rtionship before. Honestly, I''ve been pounced on a few times, but this was my first time pouncing on someone else. "... Adler?" Recalling this, sweat suddenly began trickling down my forehead. "Why are you making such a face all of a sudden...?" - Squish... But before I could gather my wits, the professor''s busty and malleably soft chest was pressed against mine. "Seeing you like this, you''re quite adorable." "Sh-Shut up." No, I can¡¯t let her take the initiative. "Don''t make that cheeky face. Do you want me to punish you?" "Ah, and how exactly will you punish me now?" "........" "Words alone don''t quite capture it, huh?" While thinking this, I swallowed hard and reached my hand out towards the professor who was shaking her head dismissively. - Click... ".......?" As I began to unbutton her clothes, she gave me a confused look. "What are you doing now..." "Shh." Though my hands were trembling with nervousness, I managed to whisper in her ear with as much calm as I could muster. "I''m going to undress you now." "........." "In a carriage that¡¯s fully visible from the outside." At my whisper, she gave me an rmed look. "But I don¡¯t want to show my bare skin to anyone but you..." "This is your punishment for trying to undermine me." "Adler..." "Don''t worry. I''ll leave your underwear on." Grabbing her outstretched arm, I pressed it down and whispered in a low voice, "Let''s spend the day like this." "........" "It''s alright. I''ll cast a disguise spell on you so everyone will think you are wearing your usual attire.¡± At these words, Professor Moriarty pouted her lips, displeased. Finally, with apletely flushed face, she bowed her head deeply, epting her fate. ¡­ It seems her mana is still unstable. By the way, the magic I cast on the professor wasn''t a transformation spell but a confusion spell. I merely unfastened a few buttons of her blouse, but the professor believed that she was beingpletely undressed by me. No matter how normal she may appear to others due to the spell, making the professor walk around in just her underwear seemed excessively harsh. "And here is your cor." "... A cor?" "Throughout this case, wear this cor with my name engraved on it." What I was currently cing around the professor''s neck was not a cor, but a jewelled ne. Feeling like I hadn''t given her any decent gifts, I had purchased this top-quality item with all the dubious sponsorship funds I had received from various ces. Of course, to the professor''s eyes, it should look like a dog cor. "I, I am not your pet..." "... From now on, you are." Once I decided to train her, I had to do it thoroughly. If I let my guard down even by the slightest margin and showed any weakness, it would be over for me. "Hand." - Whoosh... The professor, blushing more than ever, quietly ced her hand on the back of my own. "Good girl." As I gently stroked her head, the professor''s body started trembling again. ¡­ Why does this keep happening? Watching her, I started to feel a sense of guilt rise up within me. "Lie down." - Slide... It seemed I would have to proceed with this intensive training until the carriage stopped. . . . . . Several hourster, "Uh, um..." "The air is really fresh here, Professor." Professor Moriarty, having alighted from the carriage, began looking around with nervousness in her eyes. "Does it really look normal to other people...?" "Yes. If it weren''t, everyone would be giving you strange looks by now." "I see... uh?" "... Even if I pull on the naked professor''s cor like this, nobody cares." Adler gently pulled on her ne with a natural motion, already ustomed to dominating her during the brief time he had trained her throughout the carriage ride. "... It''s embarrassing." "I suppose. Anyway, what do we do now?" As he posed the question, the professor, who was fidgeting and blushing beside Adler, slowly opened her mouth, "It seems our client is quite cautious. The brief only mentioned toe to this address and we would know what to do once we reached here.¡± "... Isn''t this too dangerous then? It could be a trap, and our identities might get exposed." "I''ve already had my people scout the area. No dangers or suspicious individuals were spotted." "......." "That¡¯s all I have to re-report." After she finished speaking, she stared nkly at Adler, who began fumbling in his pocket with a smirk. "Here you go." "Th-Thank you." Eventually, pulling out a sugar cube, he extended his hand towards her, and she, as trained in the carriage, cautiously started licking the cube in his hand like a good puppy. "........" Adler¡¯s eyes narrowed as he looked at the future Queen of Crime¡ª someone, who would be so notorious that no one would even dare to as much as look at her with anything but subservience. "Help, help!!!" "".......!?"" Suddenly, a panic-stricken scream began echoing from the quiet roadside where they were standing. "They''re all crazy... crazy!!" Exchanging nces, Adler and Professor Moriarty slowly began moving towards the originator of those screams. . . . . . "Ah, um..." Thus, the two found themselves walking towards the nearby mansion. "This is..." "........." As soon as they entered the yard, they stopped in their tracks, staring nkly through the windows at what was taking ce inside the house. "Ah... Uh..." - Creak, creak...? "Masters, pleasee to your senses..." For some reason, everyone inside the house had bizarre expressions and were engaged in unspeakable acts. "Come to your senses..." "... Huh?" Eventually, even the maid, who seemed to be the source of the screams and was struggling inside to stop the people, became dazed, and Adler watched her with an utterly perplexed look. "I, I want to join in too." "... This is not the Devil¡¯s Foot I am aware of though?¡± As he muttered to himself and stepped back, Professor Moriarty, who had been bowing her head behind him, suddenly shed a bone-chilling smile and chimed in. "Of course, it isn¡¯t." "Hmm?" "... It''s nothing, Adler." Chapter 164: The Devils Foot (2) Chapter 164: The Devil''s Foot (2)About an hour after arriving in Cornwall, Professor Jane Moriarty and Isaac Adler encountered a rather bizarre incident. "Excuse me, there will be a brief inspection." ""........."" "Please present something to verify your identity." Having received a report, a police officer had arrived at the scene. The police officer directed suspicious nces toward Professor Moriarty and Isaac Adler who stood outside the mansion. "It seems there''s some misunderstanding. We reported the incident here and also are the only witnesses.¡± "Yes, I understand that. But from my perspective, you are also unidentified suspects." "... Hmm." As Adler''s expression slightly crumpled at the officer''s blunt response, Professor Moriarty, watching quietly from the sidelines till then, started searching through her belongings. "Will this suffice?""What is this?" "I am a professor at August Academy. This gentleman is my assistant." "... Is that so?" As the professor handed over her credentials while exining in a calm voice, the confused officer finally offered them a salute. "My apologies, ma¡¯am. I did not recognise you." "... No need for that. I''m not exactly your superior now, am I?" "I believe that professors at August Academy are treated with the same protocol as police officers." "It''s merely a formality. Regardless, cooperation with onsite police is necessary for any investigation." Despite the professor''s modest tone, the officer, sweat dotting her forehead, started speaking in an even more subdued voice. "Oh no¡­ I¡¯d be honoured if you could assist me with the case." "All right. I look forward to working together." "But how did you both end up at the crime scene...?" "... We were hired." At the officer''s questionced with a hint of confusion, Adler responded in a low voice. "By whom, if I may ask...?" "It¡¯s an anonymous request; we don''t know either. But we were certain that an incident would ur here." Having finished exining, Adler looked at the officer with a brusque expression. "So, may we enter now?" "Y-Yes. I''ll be sure to speak well of you to the upper management." Finally stepping aside, the officer allowed their entry. "Excuse me, just a moment." "........?" "I think it''s important that you know." Before he could walk past her, she grabbed Isaac Adler''s arm and began whispering to him with narrowed eyes. "... You are now public enemy number one for the British police." "Huh?" "You''ve essentially stolen someone who was nothing less than an idol to most officers, inspectors, and cadets." An incredulous look almost overtaking him, Adler could not help but ask, "Did you already know who I am from the beginning?" "... There are formalities, you know." The officer leaned in close to Adler and whispered again, her voice even lower than before. "If Inspector Lestrade shows even a hint of sadness, police officers across the entire country ¨C no, her fan club ¨C will be active to take you down." "......." "Please take this to heart." Looking incredulously at her, Adler leaked out a long sigh before speaking, "You speak so harshly for someone with such a fair face." "......?" "You might be as pretty as Lestrade if you just dressed up a bit..." Adler''s calm muttering, having discerned that the person in front of him was a woman despite the baggy police uniform, made the officer step back with a guarded expression. "Half the women in London might like you, but please remember the other half feel the exact opposite." "... Why don¡¯t you grow out your hair a bit? "Please stop. Just stop." At her stern response, Adler scratched his head and moved on. "Well, the short hair is quite pretty as well." "........" "Anyway, thank you for the advice.¡± Leaving another thoughtless remark, he entered the mansion with the professor who was waiting for him by the entrance. "........" And then there was silence. "... Uh." In the silence, the officer, still ring at his back with a stern look, quietly bowed her head as the wind swept over her body. - Thump, thump... ".....?" At that very moment, her heart began pounding without a hint of calming down anytime soon, confusing her to no end. Even though she had vowed to tear Isaac Adler apart at the first chance she got, why was her body reacting like so? The female officer was not able to get an answer to this dilemma. . . . . . "It''s cleaner than I expected." "Don''t say such ominous things." As Professor Moriarty entered the mansion and looked around, whispering in a low voice, Adler chided her. "... Do you want me to strip down your underwear as well?" "Adler..." "Or should I add some mild pain to your punishment?" "Huh?" Adler, having said that, slightly pinched her stomach. Immediately, she bowed her head and moaned, her belly twitching and reacting to his touch. "Since you have taken off your clothes, your senses have be sensitive now. So, please restrain yourself..." - Squeeze... "... Heughh." Despite her plea, Adler pointedly poked her lower abdomen with his finger, and Professor Moriarty bit her own finger, forcibly holding back a moan. "Come here." ".........." "Professor, what did I tell you to do when I pull the leash?" Tugging the leash tied around her neck like a dog''s, Adler whispered in a low voice. "Professor Moriarty?" After waiting for the professor''s reaction, he called her again with a stern expression, and Professor Moriarty, with a heated face, quietly moved next to him and opened her mouth. "... Wuroof." Making the most awkward dog sound in the world, she quietly began rubbing her cheek against Adler¡¯s. "Good." - Lick... As Adler stroked her chin, he pulled out a sugar cube from his pocket and pulled down on the ne, and the professor, now somewhat ustomed to everything, began licking his hand obediently. "Just keep doing this from now on." Adler, looking at her with a loving gaze, gently stroked her head. "Slowly seep into me, both mentally and physically..." As he was saying this, he suddenly stopped speaking and began blinking rapidly with a vacant look. ¡­ What? He realized that he had been swept away by an indescribable rush of heated energy, unknowingly continuing his scandalous words and actions. Am I getting too excited? Going this far might backfire... Knowing well the domineering and arrogant nature of Professor Moriarty, Adler quietly shook his head, trying to cool down his overheated mood. - Click, click... ".......?" At that moment, as Isaac Adler''s gaze lifted from his hand, Professor Jane Moriarty began unbuttoning his coat. - Swish... Soon, she slipped into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist, and magically covered them with the coat that had been spread open. "... I-Is this how I should seep in?" In her voice,den with embarrassment, Adler''s body was once again engulfed with that wave of indescribable heat. "... Professor." "What is it?" "Shall we stop by the restroom for a moment to investigate?" Then, a muffled voice emerged from Adler''s lips. "... If that''s what you want." At that moment, a sly, sinister smile appeared on Moriarty''s lips, lust hazing her eyes. - Swish... "........?" Suddenly, someone approached behind Adler. - Squish... "Ah, you startled me." When he felt a soft touch on his back and jerked his head back in surprise, Adler''s eyes immediately widened. - Rub, rub... It was because the mansion''s maid, whose screams had kickstarted this whole investigation about an hour or so ago, was now clinging to his back and rubbing against him. "... Tsk." A fleeting look of killing intent flitted across the professor''s face¡­ her face which had been constantly giving shy and girlish expressions till then. However, it did notst long, vanishing just as fast as it had appeared. . . . . . "He-He-Heyy, what are you suddenly doing..." "... Please help." "What?" Caught in an abrupt scenario that would usually ur on public transport, a bewildered expression overtook me. As I gazed back at the maid, she began whispering in my ear in a tiny voice, filled with heat, "My body is too hot..." "Why are you telling me that...?" At that moment, as I started sweating coldly at the madness in her eyes, - Screech... Suddenly, the door of the mansion opened and the stern-looking officer, we met moments ago, entered the mansion. "Ah, you''vee at the right time." "......." "I''m sorry, but could you please take care of this maid..." Thinking that she had already finished reporting to the upper management and hade back, I was about to ask her to take the maid away from me when, "A-About what you said earlier..." Looking at the officer, who seemed to have a simr madness in her eyes that mirrored the maid¡¯s, I felt a chill run down my spine. "... You¡¯ve got to be kidding me¡­¡± Just a moment ago, she belonged to the half of London''s women who disliked me. But now she was fiddling with her fingers, acting all shy, as she spoke to me in a whispery voice. "I-It-It''s nothing special. It''s just been a while since I''ve heard someone call me pretty, just out of personal curiosity..." "... So hot.¡± I didn¡¯t know just what in hell was going on here, but there was one thing I knew clearly, "Shall we get out of here?" "... Fucking worthless vermin." Staying around this scene any longer would surely be dangerous. . . . . . "... Professor?" Didn¡¯t the professor say something just now?1 "Since we''ve looked around enough, let''s get out of here, Adler..." "........" "I also think this ce is rather dangerous..." I must have heard wrong.
    1. Adler is referring to this line - "... Fucking worthless vermin."
Chapter 165: The Devils Foot (3) Chapter 165: The Devil''s Foot (3)".... Adler, are you alright?" "........" Shaking off both the maid and the officer who hurled themselves at him, Adler hastily left the mansion alongside Professor Moriarty. "Adler..." "I''m fine, Professor." "Well, that''s a relief, but..." As they brisked through the tranquil street in silence, Adler finally spoke up, murmuring in a small voice. His reply prompted the watchful Professor to speak up as well. "Your hands are too damp." "......." "Is there something troubling you?"Those words uttered, silence settled between the walking duo for some time. "I guess I am just feeling a bit tense because of what happened earlier, haha..." "Really? You mean to say someone like you who went through so many bizarre incidents¡­ is flustered by a few jumping you?" "Professor, the human heart is rtive, not absolute." "Indeed, if such insignificant creatures¡­ no, lower lifeforms were to rush at me, I might have reacted the same way." "What?" The calm in Adler¡¯s voice was gone now, reced with a puzzled note as he directed a confused look toward Professor Moriarty at her remark. "... Aren''t you an immortal devil?" "Y-Yeah, I guess?¡± "Unless the Vatican intervenes, there¡¯s no dying for you." Gently stroking his cheek after seeing the confusion in his eyes, Professor Moriarty exined her stance to Adler. "So, from your perspective, a human being who lives such a finite life can only be a lower lifeform, right?¡± "... Is that how it works?" "Of course, from my perspective, humans are an inferior species too. After all, there¡¯s no difference between you and me." "What do you mean by that?" Seeking his agreement while directing a knowing look, Professor Moriarty had to fall silent as only a look of confusion and uncertainty shed on Adler¡¯s face. "You can be rather¡­ slow at times." "....?" "Sometimes you appear omniscient as if you can predict all paths that lead to a definite future, yet at other times, you act like a foolcking even basicmon sense..." Soon, she started bobbing her head from side to side. "... It''s adorable." "Professor." Still walking, Adler opened his mouth to speak as he saw her leaning her head against his shoulder. "Why are you suddenly leaning on me?" Hearing his words, she blinked, regret soon creeping up her face. "Sorry..." "Do you want to be punished?" "... Just let it go this time." As she rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, acting coy, Adler sighed before stopping. "Professor." "......?" "If I were to say that, I am far more insignificant and inferior than you believe me to be, how would you feel?" Upon hearing these words, Professor Moriarty merely tilted her head, a contemting look in her eyes. "You are not inferior, not by species, intelligence, or strategic thinking..." "... And what if I said my time ising to a close?" "Stop talking such nonsense. Why even pose such a hypothesis?" Herplexion soon darkened. "As someone possessing the power of both a devil and a pure-blooded vampire, I know better than anyone that you can not die." "........" "Death is something only inferior species experience. Beings like us... like you, transcendental beings, need not worry about such trifling things." "Is that so?" At her words, which seemed all too certain, a smirk arose on Adler¡¯s face. "Then let me change the question. What if I were to disappear suddenly one day..." - Rumble... "... Oh." As he persistently rapid-fired one question after another, out of the blue, the sound of thunder erupted from the skies. "........" Even until mere moments before, sunny skies ushered over Cornwall. However, it had now be overcast with thick, dark clouds. "Is it because of that entity you encounteredst time...?" "........" "If so, don''t worry. I can handle it." In the now-darkened street, Professor Moriarty whispered in a dangerously low voice. "They are indeed troublesome creatures, but I can suppress them on my own, so you don''t need to worry about it..." "... If my guess is correct, perhaps even you, Professor, might be in danger." "What nonsense are you spouting now?" "If the identity of the entity we encountered that time is what I suspect it to be..." As his words elongated, the Professor''s expression grew increasingly darker. "Then, I will protect you." ".......?" "I have a way." With those cheerful whispers, Adler began to drift away from her at a leisurely pace. "... Ugh." "So cheer up and follow me." Quietly observing his departing figure, Professor Moriarty got a sudden tug at her cor and followed Adler. "You''re going to protect me?" "Who else but me will be willing to protect our adorable Professor?" ".......?" "I suppose only I must be worthy to protect you, right?" At his tant remarks, Moriarty¡¯s eyes grew hazy, her mind in a daze. "... It''s the first time anyone''s ever said they would protect me." "Haha, is that so?" "Yes¡­ Actually, I''ve never once received help from anyone." Small murmurs soon leaked out of her lips. "I''ve always been alone, after all." "......." "I hardly knew anyone, even scarce were the people I could confide in.¡± Listening to her murmurs while keeping his silence, Adler suddenly stood on his tiptoes and reached for her cheek, caressing it. "Even the sullen professor looks so cute." "......" "But I prefer the professor who can proudly call herself the Queen of Crimes." With a bright smile, he directed a look full of intent at the sullen professor. "It''s so nice that such an unapproachable professor is only affectionate with me when we''re alone." "........" "Professor." Then, raising himself further, Adler leaned close to her face. "Stick out your tongue." "Suddenly... what?" "Quickly." At his urging, the professor hesitated for a moment, but her eyes soon widened, "Adler. There, people areing..." "That''s why I''m doing this." A low whisper echoed in her ears. "I realized that, training you when it¡¯s just the two of us is ultimately pointless." "What in hell are you talking about..." "To truly call it training, shouldn''t I show that you are mine in front of others too?" At his bold statement, the observant professor began to whisper in a retreating voice. "But, but... Didn''t you just say you preferred it when it''s just the two of us?" "... Shut up, and stick out your tongue. Jane." With a cold look, Adler, dropping all formalities,manded her in a dark voice. "... Alright." "No, you¡¯re doing it wrong." The professor, her face red and fidgeting, replied in a barely audible voice. However, Adler shook his head, unsatisfied. "... Okay." The professor soon corrected herself, yet Adler¡¯s expression still remained as frigid as ever. "... Woof." "Good girl." Finally giving in, Professor Moriarty made a puppy-like noise as she timidlyy on the ground. Satisfied, Adler promptly squatted in front of her. "... Hmpph." Stroking her chin, Adler abruptly bit the tongue she had stuck out. - Brrrr... As the passersby began staring at their shameful act, Adler¡¯s lips twitched up and he started pretending to remove Professor Moriarty''s underwear while she trembled in shame. "... Haaah." "Stay still." His sudden action, which went beyond any semnce of shame, caused her to startle up in shock. However, her frantic movements stopped when Adler bit her tongue harshly. - Swish, swish... In that state, as Adler began to stroke her hair, a resigned look crept up the professor¡¯s face and he let him do as he wished with her. "... Phew." Nobody knew how much time had passed like that. "Do you know, Professor?" "........" "The passersby might not see your naked body, but the act we just did was clearly visible." Rising from his spot, Adler whispered to her in a low voice, her body still lying on the floor. "... It''s time to get up." - Swish... "We need to get out of here. I know we are here to fulfil a client¡¯s request, but something feels off. So, let''s regroup first..." Grabbing the cor attached to the professor¡¯s neck, Adler urged her to walk once more. "... Eh?" However, his momentum didn''tst long. "Something''s off..." Because no matter how much they sauntered through the road, the scenery did not seem to want to change. "... Could it be." Cold sweat beaded down Adler¡¯s face, btedly realising that they should have been out of Cornwall by now with how long they had walked. "Professor, I think I need your help for a moment..." "I, I suddenly feel dizzy..." "......?" He turned around, but the quietly following Professor Moriarty suddenly staggered and murmured with a pale face. "It seems like my mana has gotten unstable again..." "........" "I might not be able to use magic for a while..." For a fleeting moment, she sent a chilling nce at the passersby who were cowering behind Adler for some reason. "Damn it. No matter how much we walk, the end doesn''t seem in sight." "It''s a strange phenomenon that often urs in Cornwall. How about we take a break?" "There happens to be an inn nearby." Then, the passersby ¨C her loyal followers in disguise, in reality ¨C began reciting their prepared lines as if reading from a textbook. "... Hmm." Hearing them, Adler turned his gaze to the inn that had suddenly appeared beside them. "We have no choice then." - Thump, thump... "Let''s rest there for a bit." As the professor, whose face flushed like a young girl upon hearing that, was supposed to be unable to use magic, she bowed her head in an attempt to erase the pounding of her heart. "Well, I dislike such unclean ces, but there''s no helping it." "It''s just a minor anomaly, should probably end soon." "It should. Probably..." . . . . . That evening at 221B Baker Street, "... I beg your pardon?" Charlotte Holmes, who had been grinding magic crystals with a haggard expression, responded incredulously to the urgent news she just received. "Cornwall has been separated from Britain?" "Yes, Detective, you are needed..." "... It is indeed surprising, but I am extremely busy at the moment." "Just a moment..." However, she only muttered indifferently, attempting to end the conversation. - Crack... "... Ah!?" At that exact moment, her hand started to burn with an intense grey light. "........" Slightly furrowing her brow at the sudden urrence, Charlotte''s expression soon began to harden as she stared at her hand. ?Oh dear, Miss Holmes. You poor child.? Although the sender and the purpose remained unclear, the unpleasant grey mana that emanated along with the message was enough for the quick-witted detective to get a rough understanding of the situation. "Bloody hell..." Just three minutester, a carriage departed from Baker Street, speeding towards Cornwall at full throttle. Chapter 166: The Devils Foot (4) Chapter 166: The Devil''s Foot (4)"The innkeeper is runningte..." "That does seem to be the case, yes." "Now that I think about it, something definitely seems off..." As suggested by Professor Moriarty, Isaac Adler entered the inn alongside her. Now, they were waiting for the innkeeper in the lobby, who was reportedly away only for a brief period. "What do you mean?" "Oh, well..." Scratching his head, Adler mumbled to himself in an incoherent jumble. However, when asked by the professor, he answered in a whispery voice. "You know, everything that happened aftering here. None of the events we have faced urred as I had anticipated.¡± "Is that so?" "Yes, honestly... until now, I was able to predict and respond to the cases and events to some extent. But this case, it¡¯spletely unpredictable...""Hmm..." His response made the professor nce at Adler with narrowed eyes. "Why do you think such a difference has urred?" "... Um. I''m not sure. This is the first time this has happened." Adler muttered not noticing the suspicious gaze she directed toward him. A frown soon crossed his face and he opted to seek her opinion. "Could it be that the mysterious entity we encountered is involved?" "Adler. Didn''t I tell you earlier that you don''t need to worry about that?" "But I can''t think of anything else..." Seeing him look so anxious, an amused look momentarily crossed the professor¡¯s face, her facade breaking. However, she immediately adjusted her expression and began speaking, feigning a serious voice. "Let me be frank, Adler, I came here on a whim after receiving the letter of request. So to me, your im about being able to predict the flow of events is even more iprehensible than your ramblings." "........" "Adler. I''ve been considering a hypothesis for some time..." She paused deliberately for a moment there, only continuing when Adler gazed up at her. "Can you see the future?" "... Pardon?" Eyes wide open, Professor Moriarty leaned in toward Adler, pressing him as he showcased a subtly perplexed look at her im. "If not that, perhaps you''re from the future?" "........" "There must be some means by which you can peek into the future, right?" "I really don''t understand what you''re talking about." "Don''t try to squirm your way out of this topic." Eventually, her head began bobbing rapidly in her usual cute manner, and she looked Adler in the eye beforeying out her thoughts. "I still remember what you said during our monumental first meeting." "That..." "You knew what kind of person I would be in the future, and how people would refer to me, didn''t you?" Adler tried to speak, opening his mouth to counter her. However, her sharp questions made him think otherwise and he closed his mouth shut. "... If that''s true, I have one question." She inched even closer, a cold smile stretched her lips as she asked him the question she had on her mind for the longest time. "I''ve done some personal research, and I found out that Reichenbach Falls is a waterfall located in Switzend. Though I admit I''m not sure why I would end up there..." "......" "So, referencing what you said at the time, will I die at the Reichenbach Falls?" Hearing her, Adler looked at her with a dull gaze before smiling wryly. "I see, so even Professor fears death, huh¡­¡± "Oh, please. I have put such fear behind me a long time ago.." To his yfulment, she answered in a subdued voice, her tone grave. "Then why is your voice trembling?" "Because I might not see you anymore." For a brief instant, a heavy silence befell the lobby. "Honestly, the thought is a bit scary to me." In that silence, Professor Moriarty quietly whispered, leaning her head on Adler''s shoulder. A faint smell of cosmetics and perfume emanated from her, entering Adler¡¯s senses. Apparently, she had put in the time to brush up on her makeup skills. "Rest assured, Professor. You won¡¯t be dying there." "... How can you be so sure about that?" The realisation sinking in, Adler briefly fell silent. Soon, however, a firm voice rose from the depth of his heart as he replied to Professor Moriarty in a tone filled with endless conviction. "Because I will ensure that happens." "......" "So don''t worry too much about all that, Professor." Hearing his staunch reply, a blush began creeping up her face. "I¡¯m sorry for making you wait for such a long time..." Just then, the missing innkeeper returned to the inn. "Ah, it¡¯s fine..." Sitting next to the professor, a radiant smile lingered on Adler¡¯s face. However, he got up at the innkeeper¡¯s arrival and made his way toward the counter. "By any chance, do you have two separate rooms avable? If not, a room with two beds at least..." Professor Moriarty quietly watched his receding back. For some reason, it seemed particrly more reliable than usual. "Pardon?" Quietly, her lips quirked up. "Is there only one room left?" ¡­ Isn''t that obvious? Her n, nurtured over the past few weeks, was on the verge of fruition. "... Yes, well. Just give us the avable room for now." All the rooms in this inn have already been rented out by me, after all. . . . . . "Haah, haahhh..." "Miss, you have to pay before you leave!" Meanwhile, at that moment¡­ at the border leading toward the entrance to Cornwall, - Ding-a-ling...! "... Oh my." Charlotte threw a handful of coins at the coachman who tried to stop her. Not willing to waste even a single second, she started running toward the county entrance with fiery eyes. "What on earth is going on..." "Such a bizarre phenomenon has never been reported before..." "I wonder if the people inside are safe..." Soon, a crowd gathered in the entrance entered her vision, murmuring among themselves. "Hey, young miss. There¡¯s no point in trying to go inside." "........" "Since this morning, no matter how much we walk or how further we get, we just can''t enter Cornwall..." As Charlotte rapidly made her way through the crowd, a resident called out to her after noticing her. "Move aside." "No, miss... I''m telling you it''s futile..." "Move." Irked, Charlotte emitted a terrifying murderous aura and started moving again. "W-What the hell? I was just trying to give some advice, that¡¯s all..." Overwhelmed by her aura, the resident stepped aside by the slightest margin, clearing himself off her path. With an obviously displeased look on her face, Charlotte passed by the overwhelming resident, not bothering to say anything. "Isn''t this bizarre phenomenon something that person should be resolving? Who was it again...?" "Inspector Lestrade?" "Yes, her! I have heard she has a 100% solving rate for bizarre cases¡­¡± Keeping her silence, Charlotte kept her pace, all the while listening to the murmurs of the people surrounding her. "Just a moment, this area is currently..." - Gooooooooooo... "... Eek?" A few people rushed in to stop her advance, however, a terrifying wave of ck smoke arose from Charlotte¡¯s body at their sudden intrusion. "If you don''t want to die, move aside." Faced with her menacing expression, the meddling people slowly, cautiously stepped away from her path, imitating the resident before them. "Haa..." Finally standing at the boundary line that separated London from Cornwall, Charlotte took a deep breath and immediately stretched her hand forward. - Crackle... Immediately, sparks scattered everywhere for a brief instant before her hand slipped through the barrier like passing through ayer of bubble, surprising her for a moment. "... Are you inviting me toe in?" With a look of disbelief, Charlotte murmured under her breath before quietly inserting her body into the dimension. "Oh, by the way, you folks." Suddenly remembering, she turned toward the chattering residents behind her and spoke. "How about you improve your acting skills while you wait here?" Immediately, the chattering of the idle residents came to an abrupt stop, as if on sync. "Well, even if your acting was on the same level as Adler or even me¡­ I would be a total imbecile to be fooled by the acting of guys I met on the train the other day. Not to mention, they are the same guys who take turns to tail me every week. There¡¯s no chance in hell I¡¯ll be deceived.¡± Leaving those wordsced in frost behind, Charlotte stepped inside the barrier proper and disappeared from the residents¡¯ collective view. ""........"" Total silence ensued in the scene for a while. "... Yes, she has just entered, Professor." Amid the eerie silence, the man who had blocked Charlotte first startedmunicating with someone. "It seems that she has a grasp over the general situation here. Additionally, she was already aware of our true identity¡­¡± Apart from themunicating man, the other silent residents soon turned into red smoke and dispersed in all directions. "... But, for some reason, her breathing was ragged,boured even?¡± . . . . . "Hmm..." Lately, every time I wake up, I seem to have a headache and feel so groggy. Why did I faint this time... It was not due to insomnia or because of my sleep schedule. The root cause is me getting caught in specific situations that cause me ¨C someone in perfect health ¨C to faint. "......." Perhaps that was why I had already be adept at handling it. To start, whenever something like this happens, it is essential to not open my eyes straight away. Instead, taking deep breaths and mentally preparing myself for any situation takes precedence. ¡­ I remember receiving the room key from the counter and entering with the professor. Recalling the situation just before the ckout also tended to help to some extent. What happened after we entered the room...? Despite trying to recall, nothing specific came to mind. - Swoosh... Nevertheless, I managed to calm myself sessfully and, curious about my current situation, cautiously opened my eyes. "........" The scenario unfolding before me made me start gaping with a nk expression. "Ad-Adler..." "Professor?" For some reason, the professor, missing her top, was straddling me on the bed while mumbling something exceedingly embarrassing for someone like her. "My body feels hot..." "Yes, yes?" "... Help me." I couldn¡¯t help myself from blinking incredulously at the absurd scenario. "... Uh." Soon, a heat started enveloping my entire body, making me shudder. The realisation dawning on me, I hurriedly began ncing at my surroundings in a panic. "Ah..." Soon, I found the culprit. "... Shit." The incense burner on the desk in the room, emitting suspicious pink smoke and looking almost identical to one from the novel, was the cause. "This can''t be..." I tried to cover my nose and mouth urgently, but it had already been toote. "........" Both the professor and I had been steeped in this smoke in the enclosed space for far too long. The drug was already in our system. "Professor... we need to get out of here..." "Adler..." Even in that situation, I tried to drag the professor outside somehow. "... Aren''t you going to overpower me?" Registering those words, what little sanity I had leftpletely vanished. "Fucking shittttt... I can''t take it anymore...." "... Ahhh!" I must have been seeing things in my delirium. Why else would I think that the terrified look that contorted the professor''s face as I pounced on her like a ravenous beast¡­ had momentarily taken on the form of an eerily bone-chilling expression of triumph¡­ Chapter 167: The Devils Heat "A-Adler." Amidst a room flooded with billowing pink smoke, Professor Moriarty ¨C eyes overwhelmed with intense emotions of ambiguous origins ¨C nced at Adler from the corner of her eyes. Her dear assistant had pounced on her out of the blue, overwhelming her with uncanny strength. "I have a favour to ask..." "......?" She whispered ¨C her voice conveying uncharacteristic weakness and vulnerability ¨C which caused Adler to tilt his head with a puzzled look. "Could you be a bit gentler...?" ".......?" "Yo-You''re too rough..." Upon hearing her words, a nk look momentarily took over Adler¡¯s eyes as he stared at her, speechless. However, the momentary haze soon made way for a determined look as Adler dered in a loud voice. "I don''t want to.""... Adler?" "I''m going to fuck you like the horny mutt you are, Professor." His firm deration caused the professor, intimately wrapped in his manly clutches, to tremble; her gaze quivering with intense emotions. "Do-Don¡¯t act like a senseless beast¡­¡± The professor ced her hand on Adler¡¯s shoulder, gently trying to push him away, and muttered in a timid voice¡ª a barely audible whisper. "Are you ordering me now?" "Wait, hold on a seco¡­¡± Her timid attempt at resistance only served to anger Adler, causing him to re down at her. Roughly, he grabbed both of her hands with one of his own and raised them up with a forceful yank; simultaneously, he moved his other hand downward, assaulting her. - Squelch... "... Ah~!?" A sudden surge of electricity abruptly spasmed through her body, causing Jane Moriarty to involuntarily arch her back like a taut bow. "Know your ce, Professor..." "He-Heeek..." "I thought you were already aware of who¡¯s the top and who¡¯s the bottom in our rtionship, right? Then, why are you constantly trying to overturn that bnce¡­?¡± "So-Sorry... I¡¯m sorry..." As Adler¡¯s fingers prated through her folds and moved inside her in an undting rhythm ¨C moving inside in her most secretive spot, where she had denied all intrusions, even one that involved using the professor¡¯s own hands ¨C small spasms wracked in her lower abdomen, just above her quivering hole. "I haven¡¯t even touched your G-spot yet..." "... What''s a G-spot?" "You really can be so naughty, Professor." Amidst this situation, Adler whispered to the professor, conveying words that were nothing short of a mystery to the professor. However, they still worked somehow as Professor Moriarty finally gave up resistance, surrendering her body to him with a resigned look. - Drip... "Ah..." Pulling his fingers out of her wiggling folds, he immediately showed his dripping wet hands to the professor, fully soaked in her love juices. "How can you get so wet just from this alone?" "I, I..." "Professor." Seeing none other than her own juices dripping scandalously from his hand, the professor was at aplete loss of words. "... Being helplessly devoured whole by a fledgling student who has not even graduated yet, do you perhaps have a fondness for such immoral acts?¡± "........" "Hopeless pervert." Voice permeating a dreadful chilliness, Adler condemned Professor Moriarty for her perverse fantasies. In the next moment, however, he began licking her juices off his hand, tantly disying his obscene act to her. "It tastes good, Professor." "St-Stop it..." His tantly honest remark echoed in the room, causing the professor to hang her head low and blush in immense shame. "Let''s not dy any further." ".......!?" "... Take off your pants, and kneel on the floor." Abruptly, a heavy something was ced on her head, causing her to lift her gaze with an utterly bewildered expression. "Ah..." And with that, silence descended in the room flooded in pink haze. "This is... uh...? I mean... unexpected..." "Just hurry up and strip already." Seeing Adler¡¯s cock ced on top of her head, for the very first time since her birth, Professor Moriarty''s ever-sharp and astute brain ceased functioning. "I''ll be sure to slowly and thoroughly gobble you up." - Kyung?¡­1 That did not matter though as her spasming pussy, dripping endlessly, had started making judgements for her instead. . . . . . "Adler..." "........" "A-Am I sitting properly¡­?¡± Her body stiff as a board, Professor Moriarty awkwardly knelt on the ground after barely managing to take off her pants. After somehow following through on Adler¡¯smand with some difficulty ¨C courtesy of her stiffened state ¨C she slowly raised her head and asked Adler in a meek voice. - Swish... "Uh." Instead of a reply, Adler gently ced his manhood on her face. "You look adorable, Professor." "Adler..." Adler gently stroked the professor¡¯s cheek and murmured. However, the professor ¨C supporting his cock with her face ¨C wasn¡¯t able to appreciate hispliment, only stuttering out a reply in a shaky voice. "I-Isn¡¯t your penis... um, isn¡¯t it a bit too big...?" "......." "Th-This won¡¯t fit in¡­¡± "Professor." Her words made Adler narrow his eyes and re at the professor ¨C still seated between his legs and supporting his massive phallus ¨C before opening his mouth, his voice icy. "Just shut the fuck up and do as I tell you." "......." "Alright now that we have things in order, why don''t you start by kissing the ns?" Feeling the throbbing pulses of the engorged dick on her face, the professor¡¯s blush deepened and a hazy look washed over her as she received Adler¡¯smand. "Ah, I understand..." "Don''t be rough, do it gently, like giving your first kiss." "........" "And definitely don''t use your teeth." Lovingly stroking her hair, Adler gave her more detailedmands. "Mmph." Paying heed to Adler''s cues, Professor Moriarty tightly closed her eyes and lightly nibbled at the tip of Adler¡¯s impressive shaft. "Chup..." Soon after, she gingerly pressed her tongue against the small crack of the ns and swished her tongue around it, emting the motions of a particrly aggressive and passionate kiss. - Drip... Rolling her tongue along Adler¡¯s sensitive tip for a while, the professor slightly pulled back her head, separating herself from his shaft. A thin thread of saliva ¨C mixed with sticky transparent fluid ¨C stretched along the way, connected to her small lips. - Chuu... Riding on the waves of lust, she neatly gathered both hands on her knees, closed her eyes, and kissed the ns once again. "... Am I doing it properly?¡± "......." "A-Adler?" Fluttering her eyes open, slowly, she queried Adler before gazing up at him. Immediately, she was met with the sight of a tense Adler, observing her with silence, his mouth tightly shut. - Swish... Abruptly, he started stroking her hair once more, but this time he did not speak, only continuing the loving action. "... Stop stroking me like that." In aplete reversal of their usual roles, the professor, being petted by her assistant, lowered her eyes and muttered in a sullen voice. "After kissing the penis, what should I do next?" Resting his chin on his hand, Adler looked at the professor with a chilly gaze while speaking in a dangerously low voice. "I thought that my smart and intelligent professor would have figured that out already." "......." "My mistake, I guess." Hearing those words, hesitation covered Professor Moriarty¡¯s face, unsure of what to do. Finally making up her mind after some time, she slowly opened her mouth under Adler¡¯s judging gaze. - Lick... Pressing her tongue against his girthy member, she vigorously licked the shaft all over with her slithering tongue. Coming back to the tip after a round of intense slobbering, she started swallowing Adler¡¯s member from the tip, slowly making her way down. "Guh, urguhhh..." "........." ¡°Kuluk, kuluk¡­¡±2 However, aplication soon arose. Perhaps due to the unnaturallyrge length of Adler¡¯s manhood, by the time she had swallowed his length halfway, a cough mixed with retching noises leaked out of her mouth. "... It was certainly an amazing endeavour." In the next moment, a disappointed voice reached her ears, leaking out of Adler¡¯s mouth from above her. "But s¡­" Professor Moriarty flinched after hearing that voice filled with disapproval. Soon, however, determination zed in her countenance and she took a deep breath, preparing herself. "....... !!!" Eventually, she bent her head down with all her strength and swallowed her beloved assistant''s colossal member down her throat¡ª from the tip to the very base of his length. "Argh, arghhh..." "... Uh." Her oesophagus, invaded by Adler''s thick phallus, immediately started to convulse in rejection. "W-Wait a moment..." "Hnnnngh..." Blood rushed into Adler¡¯s cock in droves at her abrupt act, resulting in Adler trying to push her head away. However, due to the sudden suffocation and gagging, the professor¡¯s head had gotten so stiff that he was unable to free himself. - Blurp, splurt... As a result, before she could fully pull her head away, Adler''s semen forcefully started to spray out from his tip. "Uh..." Even after filling her mouth halfway through with his thick semen, his throbbing dick continued spraying fat ropes of thick semen over her face, marring her with its sticky texture. "........" And with the ending of this erotic act, a brief silence passed over the duo. "What are you doing?" As the professor ¨C momentarily dazed by the amount of semen that had both filled her mouth and covered her whole face ¨C gathered her hands to spit out the thick semen pooled inside her mouth, Adler issued a coldmand to her. "Don''t spit it out, swallow it." "........" "If you don''t to, then just keep it in your mouth. You are not allowed to spit it." At his words, she silently looked up at her assistant, then closed her eyes and started swallowing the cum still present in her mouth. "Collect everything that''s sprayed on your face and lick it off." - Lick... "Right, well done." As she obediently cleaned up all the semen sprayed on her face, and mouth, Adler gently stroked the professor¡¯s stomach with his outstretched foot. - Gulp, gulp...? "But, you need to be punished." His sudden act made her dripping cunt quiver in anticipation, more violent than it had ever been, and then, he whispered in his ears with a stern voice. "Who told you to keep swallowing my penis until I came in your mouth?" "Th-That..." "My penis has wilted now." However, when Professor Moriarty checked his manhood, she saw no change in its size or girth. "But, it seems even bigger than before...?" "Don''t talk nonsense. How are you going to take responsibility?" Even though there was no change, she was currently being submissive to Adler. Due to that, she was unable to contradict Adler, the dominant one in the hierarchy. "You''re smart, Professor. So you must know where semen is produced, right?" Using her brilliant mind, now fully functioning once more, she was immediately able to interpret Adler¡¯smand. A searing red blush crept up her face, thinking about what Adler wanted her to do, and she immediately ced her head back between his legs. "Haeup..." "Indeed, you are as intelligent as I expected you to be." Carefully, she gobbled up his balls into her mouth, thering them with her saliva and tongue. Adler¡¯s lips curled up after seeing her obediently listening to hismand and he immediately stroked her cheek with affection. - Lick, lick... Professor Moriarty gazed up at Adler with upturned eyes and immediately put more effort into licking his balls with her slithering soft tongue. - Gulp, gulp... The future Queen of Crime¡ª who would not only rule over London but also the underworld of the entirety of Britain, someone who had killed uncountable people with her own hands. She was the final boss of this world, a formidable force who could erase someone like him from existence with just a flick of her finger. Such an untouchable being had now humbly knelt before him, swallowed his cum like an obedient ve, and even licked and tended to his balls just to keep his cock erect. The immense sense of conquest and immorality brought about by this fact was enough to awaken the beastly instincts hidden within Adler until now. "That''s enough." "... I want to lick more." "I. Said. That''s enough! Get up right now." "... Eek." Paying no heed to her wants, Adler forcefully pulled Professor Moriarty up on her feet. The perverted professor had taken a liking to licking his balls and was thus sullen to be pulled away from his member. "Lie down on the bed." "......" "No, not like that." She immediately followed hismand and lied down on the bed. However, she could not help but tilt her head when she sensed the frustration in Adler¡¯s voice. "How then¡­?" "Like a dog." Her mouth hung open in shock after hearing the vulgarmand Adler just spouted. "Ah..." "Seems fitting for your first position, since you are not unlike a horny mutt in heat, Professor." A few secondster, Professor Moriarty quietly ced her hands on the bed and turned her body. . . . . . "Ah, Adler." The position Adler proposed was not something Professor Jane Moriarty had ever enacted in her life. Due to that, she was able to only assume the pose Adler desired after several trials and errors. "... I-Is this how it should be done?" Sticky love juices incessantly poured out of her garden, staining the sheets. And the typically dominant professor, now disying a submissive posture, exuded an obscene depravity that stirred up feelings of immorality and conquest. "You''re truly as perverted as theye. All you¡¯ve done is sucked my penis and you''re already leaking this much." "Adler?" Observing her posture with shuddering relish for a while, Adler finally lowered his head down to her pussy lips. "Even tidied up your hair down there..." Narrowing his eyes, he murmured obscene words in a low, deep voice. "Slurp..." "Heugh?" Abruptly, he extended his tongue and gave her dripping lower lips a long slobbering lick. Immediately, Professor Moriarty released a throaty moan, whole body shuddering with depraved arousal. "A-Ah~ Adler... What are you doing¡­!?" "Stay still." "........!!" Thrusting his head toward her inviting pussy, Adler thrust his tongue deep inside her squirming, wet folds. "Ahh~..." In such a vulnerable position, lying face down weakly, the professor could only bite her fingers to suppress her progressively rising moans. "... Huff." After some time, - Thud... "As I said before, Professor, you taste delicious..." Pulling his head back, Adler startedpping up her flooding cunt, savouring her exquisite taste. Then he rhythmically tapped on her quivering quim, relishing at the sight. "Don''t, don''t tap that spot..." "Huh? I¡¯m not tapping anything, though?" Confused by his statement, the professor cast a puzzled look toward him and queried. "Then... what is that thing that keeps flicking me on that ce?" "It''s my penis." His shameful reply made her speechless, and she bowed her head in shame. - Creak... "Uh!?" At that moment, Adler''s bulbous tip slightly entered her leaking pussy.. "........." Simultaneously, a thick silence enveloped the duo. "Don''t you have anything to say?" With a look tainted by depravity, Adler asked as he felt the presence of a thin membrane at the end of his tip. Meanwhile, the professor buried her face further into the sheets, her face practically tomato red, and whispered in a faint voice. "Thrust it in..." "Again." "Th-Thrust it in..." But with no response from Adler, the professor had no choice but to slowly turn her head to gauge his reaction. "Uuuu..." A whimper, not unlike a lost puppy, leaked out of her lips while her eyes were filled with both shame and depraved lust. Adler stroked her smooth and plump derriere, observing all her reactions, and finally replied with a malicious grin. "As you wish." "...... Haaah~!?" And simultaneously, Adler''s dick forcefully prated through her hymen, thus sullying the virginity of Britain''s most dangerous and evil woman.
    1. It''s a sort of cute noise you see in anime. Don''t exactly have a one-to-one English for it other than **cute noises** so just make do with this.2. These are coughing noises, should be easy to get but still for those who may have doubts.
Chapter 168: The Devils Heat (2) - Creak... "... Hiihk." As Adler''s stiff rod prated the professor''s tight folds, a heated moan escaped her quivering lips. "Uh, ughhk..." "Haah..." Adler, taken aback by the unexpected tightness, abruptly paused his thrusting and copsed onto her back. "... Professor, your vagina is so tight, yet so supple at the same time." His eyes narrowed as he whispered into her ear, causing Professor Moriarty''s gaze to wave violently. - p...! ".......!"Seizing the moment, Adler swiftly spanked her butt with his open hand. "Are you... crazy...?" "Stay quiet. You talk too much for someone being fucked like a dog." His insolent behaviour made Professor Moriarty murmur in her usual cold voice, though Adler was not the least bit shaken. "Even though you¡¯re looking at me with those scary eyes of yours, you''re still getting rammed from behind by my penis, aren''t you?" "... Eek." "I''m not scared at all." He thrust the entirety of his hefty length roughly into her, effectively silencing her words midway. - Squelch... "Uh, ugh..." As the tip of his bulbous ns touched her sensitive spot, Professor Moriarty momentarily lost strength in her legs, letting out a dazed moan and copsing on the bed. "Oh, how adorable..." "Stop... teasing me..." "But how can I, when the foolish professor is acting so cute?" He gently stroked her smooth and supple butt with his hand, then pped it again, taking care to be gentle. - p...! "........" This time, the professor clenched her teeth and held back her moans, but she couldn''t prevent Adler''s red handprint from appearing on her smooth behind. "... You beast, uh?" - Swish... Consequently, as she shivered and was about to speak, she quietly shut her mouth due to the ticklish sensation that started coursing through her abdomen. "Professor''s belly, it''s so soft..." Adler resumed his thrusting, grabbing and pressing her belly with his hand. "Eek, hihk... eek..." "Didn''t know the professor could make such noises..." "... Stop, enough already!" As Adler persistently pressed her heated pelvis, Professor Moriarty''s mind started going nk, and she even started murmuring urgently. "Let''s... take a little... break..." "Break? What break?" "... Heuk?" Silently leaning his bare body against her waist, Adler pushed his shaft deep into her depths while whispering to her in a cold voice. "You''re being raped by me right now." ".........!" "If this continues, you''ll be getting yourself a creampie." The cold voice of the male dominating her sent a chilling sensation throughout her body. "And eventually, you''ll be pregnant with my child." At that moment, Adler whispered teasingly and slowly pulled back before thrusting in forcefully again. - Psshhh... Drip... Suddenly, the sound of leaking water echoed from below. "... Ah." Right after that, Adler looked momentarily puzzled at the professor, who had buried her face in the bed sheets with both hands covering her face, then lowered his gaze and smirked at the scene. "Did you cum before me, Professor?" - Bzzztt... "A student ten years your junior says something lewd, and that''s all it takes for you toe?" Even at that moment, Professor Moriarty, instead of responding, merely trembled all over, albeit nigh-imperceptibly. "Truly hopeless." "......" "Did the thought of carrying my child please you that much?" As Adler asked with a sly smile, she quietly turned her head back and replied in a low voice, "... Yes." With that, a heavy silence enveloped the duo. "It really turns me on..." "Oh." Normally, Adler would have snapped back to caution at her suddenly sincere tone. However, his body, heated up by the pink fog, clouded his reason and judgment. "Adler..." "If you desire it so much, why don''t you take a seat?" At hismand, Moriarty, with trembling legs, moved to sit on the bed. "No, I meant sit on my legs." "Oh..." With a puzzled expression, she moved her body and soft butt onto Adler''s legs and sat down as he instructed. "Good. Now, embrace me in that position." "Is this how it''s supposed to be...?" "Are you only going to use your arms? Wrap your legs around my waist as well." Thus, under Adler''s lead, they naturally assumed a face-to-face position. "T-This..." "What?" "... It''s too embarrassing." As Moriarty, face flushed and her body touching Adler muttered in a shy tone, a sneer formed on his face. "Didn¡¯t you find it embarrassing to be pounded like a dog just earlier?" "W-Well, th-that was different... we weren''t making eye contact..." "Enough, stick out your tongue." At his words, Moriarty, looking down, sheepishly stuck out her tongue. "... Mmmph." "......!" Adler, lightly nibbling on her tongue, then slightly lowered his posture and nipped at Moriarty''s neck. "Ow, that hurts..." "... I intended for it to hurt." Then, satisfied with the mark of his teeth on her neck, Adler began to kiss her lower and lower. "Chup..." "... Haaah." As his tongue touched the tip of Moriarty''s breast, her pelvis, pressed against Adler''s, began to tremble. "S-Stop sucking me already..." ".........." "... Why are you so skilled at this." In that state, Moriarty buried her head into Adler''s neck with a shy expression. Yet, a slightly cold voice leaked out of her as she witnessed how skilled Adler¡¯s sexual expertise was. "Professor, your nipples have be so hard. They should be really sensitive right now.¡± "Ah..." At that voice, Isaac Adler briefly looked up, caressing her hard nipples with his hands, and whispered in a low voice. "S-Stop...!" Then, Adler bit down on the tips of her breasts again, gnawing them gently. "... I told you to stop." Initially, the Professor twisted her body in difort at the tingling unpleasantness that ran along her body with his teasings. Gradually, however, a strange emotion and sensation began bubbling inside her. ".....!?" Eventually, she unconsciously patted Adler''s back and started wearing a genuinely perplexed expression. ¡­ That can''t be. Regardless of age or gender, if it were for her amusement, she had mercilessly killed without a second thought. However, the emotion she was feeling now waspletely alien to her, triumphing any emotion she had ever felt. I shouldn''t be feeling such lowly emotions... Because such were the prerogatives of inferior beings and species. A superior race like herself had no need for love or maternal instincts. But this is... Then what was this trembling emotion filling her body now? "........." Now, even breaking into a cold sweat, Professor Moriarty quietly sunk into deep thoughts. What if she, ording to n, carried Adler¡¯s child in her womb? And what if she were to breastfeed the child whoes into the world? "Ah...?" Just imagining that, her chest throbbed violently, and the emotion enveloping her body intensified several times over. ¡­ This can''t be. Surely the child she would conceive today was supposed to be nothing more than a tool to neutralize her curse by keeping Isaac Adler close. Why then did she have such a ridiculously splendid thought that it wouldn¡¯t be a waste at all to devote her everything to such a child? "Phew..." "........." And why did she feel a simr yet subtly different feeling for Adler, who had just detached his mouth from her chest? "... Ah?" The genius, who knew everything since birth, began wearing a vacant expression as she stepped into the realm of the unknown for the first time in her life. "What are you doing, Professor?" "... A-Adler." "Why aren¡¯t you focusing." Narrowing his eyes to look at her, Adler whispered in her ears in a cold, detached voice. "Why aren¡¯t you putting it inside?" Feeling his rock-hard cock, which had been rubbing against her pussy, throbbing erratically, the Professor, embarrassed, buried her face into Adler''s shoulder. - Squelch... "... Heugh." Then, lifting her buttocks slightly, she pushed his rod, which still felt imposing despite the earlier sessions, into her vagina. "Wiggle your hips. This time, the professor will do it by herself.¡± "Yes..." With that, she impaled his elongated cock inside her depths and started undting her hips, tightly embracing Adler. - Clench, tighten... In the next moment, her vagina started gripping his pulsating cock even tighter than before for some reason. "Ah~... Adler..." "... Huh?" Feeling each of her wriggling folds clinging to his prick, Adler''s previously rxed expression began to contort. "I love you..." - Squelch, squelch...? At that moment, Moriarty''s whispered confession reached his ear. - Squeak, squeak... - Brrr, brrrt... Because they were in the face-to-face position, their bodies touching each other, they began sharing the quivering their bodies made. "Why... are you suddenly so good at this..." "Because I love you¡­ Adler..." "... I think I''m going to cum soon." The professor, who had been shaking her hips with eyes unfocused and drooling, suddenly widened her eyes at Adler''s trembling voice. "R-Right now...?" "Yes, Professor. I''m going to cum inside you." "Ah..." "Are you ready to take it all...?" Soon, Adler''s reply returned, and the professor, unable to say anything, just quietly nodded. "Mmph?" "Professor..." Adler, holding her cheeks and aligning them to his eye level, whispered as he felt her searing warmth. "I want to kiss you while I fill your insides..." "......" ¡°It¡¯s okay, right?¡± Once again, the professor, unable to utter a word, thrust her tongue into his mouth instead. - Gush, gurgle...! And at that moment, Adler''s penis, trembling violently inside her pussy, started to forcefully spurt out thick ropes of white semen. "....! .....!!" Feeling the semen flood her cervix, Professor Moriarty, intertwining tongues with Adler, tightly closed her eyes. - Gurgle, grr... Thus, simultaneously, they shuddered and reached that sweet release. "How long... are you going to keeping¡­!?" "... I don''t know either." Was it because of the pink smoke still filling the room? The afterglow of their climax didn''tpletely fade until several more minutes had passed. . . . . . "Ah... Haaah..." An unknown timeter, "......." Jane Moriarty, barely releasing the embrace, fell backwards and silently began stroking her noticeably swollen belly. "So, inside here now..." - Rumble... "Is my child going to grow..." Then, murmuring to herself, she wore a strange expression. "... No." "........?" "I did cum inside you, but there will be no conception." However, her barely discernible emotion shattered at the bombshell Adler threw at her with a smug smirk. "Why¡­?" "Because I''ve ced a contraceptive spell on myself." "........." "Did you really think I was going to impregnate you?" Due to this, Professor Moriarty, who had been staring nkly at Adler, started throwing a malicious scowl toward him. "Fool. Idiot. Worthless whore." "......." "Did you think I would simply pass on my genes?" But Adler, already too far gone in the realm of delusion, was oblivious to the reality. "I''ll release the contraception at the veryst moment." "... Ah." "That way, Professor, you''ll follow my words..." Muttering in frustration in front of the professor, Adler then bowed his head and muttered to himself. ... Of course, I will be returning to the real world, so there will be no need to undo the contraception. At that very moment, he made a rather rational decision with the little sanity he had left. "Who decided that?" "... What?" Coincidentally, it was then that Moriarty''s sanity had finally snapped. "A contraceptive spell, you say?" "That''s right..." "That sort of thing can be undone with a flick of my finger." As the professor suddenly leaned in with a menacing look, Adler, still not fully grasping the situation, started scratching his head and muttering. "I''m sorry, but even if you undo the contraceptive spell now, it won''t imnt seeds in the already discharged semen." "......." "And from now on, I won''t be doing anything with you, Professor?" Then, Moriarty, wearing a cold smile, leaned in even closer to Adler. "I was going to go about this nicely, but it seems you are really beyond saving." "... That, is a bit presumptuous of you, don¡¯t you think?" "I have no choice then." She whispered chillingly close to Adler''s ear. "Guess, I will just have to rape you.¡± At that moment, Adler, staring dumbly at the professor, opened his mouth with a slightly trembling voice. "I-I don''t want that." Hearing this, she quietly stood up, her smile smeared with immorality. "Good, that will only make it more exciting for me." "... Ah." . . . . . Meanwhile, at that time, a corridor had beenpletely turned into ruins due to the aftermath of someone''s reckless usage of unrestrained mana, - Creak, creak... At the end of it, a figure, who was unable to open the door despite her efforts, was injecting her mana into the gap of the unyielding door, her eyes void of light as she captured the scenes inside. - Creakkkk... Regrettably, that figure was none other than Charlotte Holmes, who had just arrived at the scene seconds ago, all ording to the professor¡¯s ns. Chapter 169: The Professors Heat "Pro-Professor...?" "... Stay still, Adler." "This... this is inappropriate, isn''t it?" Adler, his arms grabbed by the professor, leaked cold sweat from head to toe as he muttered in a shrinking voice. "I-I thought I told you, Professor. You''re the servant, and I''m the master..." "Yes, I heard you clearly." "But what is this now then..." "You''ve overlooked something." Then the professor answered him with a smile colder than arctic frost. "My curse is that every crimemitted by my hand bes a perfect crime.""......." "So now, even if I disobey you and fuck you like a dog, no harm wille to me." Understanding what she said, Adler opened his mouth and looked at her with a vacant gaze. "Because rape is also a crime." "........" "Isn''t that right, Adler?" Finishing her remark, Professor Moriarty started gently rubbing her pussy against Adler''s hard cock. - Swish, swish... "W-Wait a moment..." In that eerie yet erotic ambience, Adler, pinned down by the professor, opened his mouth with a note of desperation in his voice. "Thinking about it now... I like it." "......?" "D-Doing it with you¡­ with the professor¡­¡± As he spoke almost sobbingly, Professor Moriarty quietly tilted her head to the side. "Does that mean you want to impregnate me?" Then, the pointed question she posed made Adler stutter, his face turning pale. "Well, that..." "I thought so. No then." Then, with a lopsided smirk, the professor began caressing Adler''s chest where she hadid her head just moments before. "... Then, you are indeed going to be raped by me." "Hyuk..." At that perfect logic, Adler involuntarily let out a frightened gasp. - Squeeze... "... Eh?" Reaching down, Professor Moriarty tightened her grip ever so slightly as she held his testicles. "P-Please, save me..." "... Make it hard." As shemanded with a cold smile, Adler, feeling a threat to his life, twisted his body and responded with resigned eyes. "Yes..." Thus, a pulsating rhythm was felt on the back of the professor¡¯s hand, still holding onto his balls. However, disappointingly, it wasn''t the sort of vigorous movement that could satisfy the professor. "Make it harder." "Pro-Professor..." "You should make it as hard as when you said you''d rape me like a horny mutt earlier. Isn''t that right, Adler?" As the professor began to caress his shivering balls with her hand, Adler''s penis started to thrash wildly. - Throb... "... Huh?" Just like that, his throbbing dick turned hard as a rock. - Gulp... "Uh..." With her hand, she propped Adler¡¯s hardened rod up, and then with her lower lips, Professor Moriarty tightly mped down on his bulbous tip. "A-Anyway, with such a shoddy pussy, only half of it enters even if you were to do it missionary style and it doesn¡¯t allow much piston movements due to the tightness. Now if you were to insert it in that position, it would be too much, right?¡± "........" "So, just stop there. Then I''ll forgive you..." As Professor Moriarty momentarily dyed in that situation, Adler began his final desperate attempt at dissuading her. - St...! "......!!!" However, contradicting his statement, Professor Moriarty thrust Adler''s cock deep into her vagina in one go and began looking down at him with eyes filled with a sense of conquest. "Ug-Uggghh..." "Adler. Did you perhaps mistake my modest consideration meant to please you for my actual virility?" Adler''s face, now markedly different in demeanour, showed a confused look and a condescending sneer appeared on Moriarty''s lips. "Well, welll..." "Just a moment, please..." "Then, I must correct this misunderstanding." And in the next moment, - St, st...! "... Ugh!?" Professor Moriarty began her merciless predation, in a femdom position where the woman rode the man wantonly. "Pro, uhh, Profe-Professorrrrrrrr..." Being firmly held by her two arms, Adler, unable to move, started being dominated by the professor, calling out to her in a voice mixed with moans. "Adler, that expression..." "Uh, ah, uhaaa..." "You really turn me on so muchhh..." Narrowing her eyes, she whispered into Adler''s ear, continuing the violent pistoning motion. "Ah, now that I think about it, there isn''t a part of you that isn''t arousing, is there?" "Uh, ah..." "From head to toe, you''re optimised to exude sexual charm..." "Ah..." Already lost for words, Adler''s ears were bombarded by her heated voice full of ecstasy. "You see now, you shouldn''t say anything even if you are being raped like this..." "I-I think I''m going to cum...!" "It''s all because of your lewdness, so just quietly endure being raped...!" The moment she finished her words, - Buzz, brrrrrrrrrrrrrzzzz!!! ".....?" With her hips thrusting more vigorously than before, Adler''s cock poured globs of sticky semen deep into Moriarty''s womb. "Are you... satisfied now?" "......?" Cradling her pelvis as if savouring his seed, Professor Moriarty finally freed his arms and silently observed Adler, who was now covering his eyes. "You-You¡¯ve gotten¡­ the semen you wanted inside you¡­¡± "Adler. What are you talking about?" Then, with a calm expression, she caressed his cheek and whispered. "Just one bout of insemination does not make the probability of conception one hundred percent." "... Pardon?" "It was written in the book. That''s why I rented the entire inn for the day." Adler, his breath rough, showed a terrified look, growing more frightened with each word the professor uttered. "Wait, Professor... our conversation..." "I will notpromise. Where in the world is there a rapist who negotiates with their victim?" "Please, someone SAVE ME!" Ignoring his plea, she clutched Adler''s waist and legs tightly with her hands. "W-What are you doing now..." "Well, you see." Suddenly, the professor lifted him up and moved away from the bed towards the wall. "... I just conceived this position in my mind." "Wait, you can''t mean..." As his back touched the cold wall, Adle¡¯s whole body twisted and shuddered, dreading what mighte next. "It''s what you might call a lifted wall press." "........" His ominous premonition had been revealed to be right. "First, I n to rape you with one of your legs on my shoulder, andter, lift you entirely to continue." The Future Queen of Crime at the pinnacle of London disyed a genius talent even in sexual crimes. . . . . . - Swish, pop... "Pr-Professor..." After a considerable amount of time, - Brrtttzzzz... "Now, finally..." Adler, whose legs had been forcefully wrapped around the Professor¡¯s waist, came once more, for the umpteenth time, and buried his head in her sizeable chest. "I can lift and pound you like this, but you''re too weak to even lift me. So, just admit it now." "Hah, haaaaah..." "No matter what you do, you can''t beat me." Exhausted, Adler ignored Moriarty''s words and breathed heavily against her chest. "... Seeing you''re silent, you must not want to admit it, huh?" "W¡­. Wa¡­ Wait¡­ a moment." "It''s toote..." "... Khuukgh?"1 Watching Adler with a sinister gaze, the professor moved beside the bed, picked up Adler, and thrust him down. - Swish... "Pr-Professor." The professor, grasping Adler''s legs around her waist, pushed forward and mounted him; Adler, with a dazed expression, muttered. "This is... a mating press position." "... Mating? Press? Seems like such a position exists. I simply adopted the most advantageous posture to satisfy both rape and impregnation." "Just, wait a moment. This is something a man does to a woman..." "Adler, you still don''t understand?" The professor, still gazing down at him, whispered in a bone-chilling tone, filled with malice. "You''re being raped by me right now..." "......." "Like I was fucked like a dog by you a few hours ago, you have no right to resist now..." Meanwhile, her buttocks slowly rose in the air. "From your expression, you still don''t understand." "No, I do understand! I understandpletely! So pleas...!!!" "As your supervising professor, I shall guide you directly." The next moment, her juicy butt forcefully mmed down on Adler, who was underneath her in a mating press position. "Ugh..." "Adler..." As Adler, utterly exhausted, began losing his grip on reality, Moriarty leaned in close to his face. "I love you..." "... Ugh." She then pushed her tongue into Adler''s mouth and started viting his mouth too with a devouring kiss while mercilessly pounding away at him. "Slurp, smack..." "Ugh, ugh..." Her merciless pounding, aimed at peak efficiency, continued until Adlerpletely cked out. - Brrrz, spew, st... "... That¡¯s only the seventh shot.¡± . . . . . "... Uggrh." An unknown amount of timeter, "Professor. It seems I had a terrifying nightmare..." "........." "It wasn''t a dream." As soon as Adler opened his eyes, the stiffness and mise that began to pervade his whole body made him shiver and mutter, only to find himself still naked, clutched in the arms of Professor Moriarty, his cock still embedded inside her. "So, now that I¡¯m conscious, are you going to rape me again?" "No, this should be enough for a demonstration." "What?" "And if I continue thrusting, semen will leak out, which would be a loss." Following the professor''s absurd statement, Adler quietly snickered. "Okay. Then, I''ll just go to the bathroom...?" But soon, a bewildered look crossed Adler¡¯s face. "How long have you been at it?" "Why do you ask?" "I''mpletely exhausted... My body won''t move at all..." Hearing this, Professor Moriarty smiled, not saying anything for some time. "That''s because I''ve cast a paralysis spell on you." "What?" "Well, if you pull out now, all the precious semen will spill out." She pressed her swollen abdomen with her hands and muttered. "So I''ll keep the penis inside and sleep like this." - Slosh... Hearing this, Adler momentarily wore a dazed expression. "But, Professor. I really need to use the bathroom..." "... Ah, that''s fine." As he grimaced and muttered, Professor Moriarty stroked Adler''s hair and whispered softly. "Just do it inside me." ".... What the hell?" Adler''s eyes widened at these words. "You might not know because you''re stillcking in sexual knowledge, but that''s not advisable..." "Why not?" "It''s not hygienic..." "Sorry, but poison has no effect on my body." As Adler clenched his teeth and tried to pull back, the professor was having none of it. "Anything harmful is purified as soon as it enters my body, so no worries." "No, but still..." "Why, do you think it''s unbing of your respected professor?" At that, Adler hastily shook his head. "But I can ept anything if it¡¯s from my beloved assistant." "Ugh...!" However, as the professor sneakily poked Adler''s pelvis, his eyes widened and he began to convulse. - Trickling... Eventually, quietly blushing, Adler buried his head in the professor''s chest, unable to believe what he had just done. "Right..." "........." It was not until the next morning that Adler''s manhood was withdrawn from the heated folds of Professor Moriarty. . . . . . - Glug... Gulp... And behind a barrier-sealed door, an entity watched the entire scene expressionlessly. "Haaahuuuhaaahuuuuuu..." - Goooouuughhh... Goooooooooooo...2 "Adleerrrrrr..." Ominous ck smoke, fuelled by rage, hatred, powerlessness, a sense of loss, and an overwhelming desire for revenge, filled the skies of the rural county of Cornwall that day.
    1. An onomatopoeic expression that represents a stifled or muffled sound, like a suppressed cough or a stifled sob. Thetter seems to be the most likely here.2. Something like a sinister rumbling as one''s magical aura rolls out or mana billows out of a character in general that illustrates the user''s anger, threat, frustration, all negative emotions basically. It''s often used in this novel and I thought it would be great to specify exactly what this sound entails.
Chapter 170: Morning - Chirp, chirp ? "........" As I quietly opened my eyes to the sound of birds chirping, a familiar face came into view. "Did you sleep well, Adler?" "... Professor." Professor Moriarty was smiling gently, making eye contact with me. Seeing her figure as soon as I opened my eyes, it seemed she had been there for quite some time. "How long have you been sitting there...?" "Since you fell asleep hugging me." "Then, have you been watching over me all night without sleeping?"When I asked, the professor, who had been staring nkly, answered in a low voice. "Why sleep? Watching over you is several times more restorative than that." "......." "By the way, if it''s alright with you, I could do this for about a month." Her eyes began to quietly shine as she spoke. What is this, an unspoken warning that she''ll stuff me and disy me in the house? ¡­ Even if that''s true, could I resist? A chill ran down my spine. If the professor really intended that, there was no stopping her unless I used the ultimate measure of a return right. If I had seeded in bing the professor''s assistant this time, it might have been different, but the bold attempt ended in a dismal failure, making the situation even more dire. "Why such a gloomy expression, Adler?" "........" In truth, I had been yed by the professor from the beginning, so there was never any hope. At first, I thought the professor was helplessly sumbing to my momentum, but even that turned out to be an act. Once the professor started being serious, my stamina was absolutely no match for hers. - Throb, throbb... Even now, my lower half, which she had taken ownership of, was throbbing madly. "Professor, shall we part ways now?" "Let''s, it''s getting light..." So I whispered in a small voice, and she readily smiled and moved her body. - Creak... "Ah, just wait a moment." As I felt the creaking sensation throughout my body and was backing away, suddenly the professor grabbed my hand. - Swoosh... Then, with a slightly shy expression, she rubbed her lower abdomen with my hand. "Feel it for yourself." - Slosh, blurp, rumble... "And then tell me about it." Unknowingly, my cheeks flushed as her soft voice reached my ears. "How does it feel now that you can''t run away anywhere?" "......." "You''re mine now, Isaac Adler." At her words, I sweated coldly with a pale face, while Professor Moriarty continued with a dark smile. "Not that of the feeble detective with a frail body and mind, nor that of the officer who stole the marriage certificate like a thieving cat, nor that of the unknown phantom thief or the murderer filled with blood and ughter... but entirely mine..." "Is that so..." "Heh, heh..." Her sinister smile began to leak out. Even though she usually smiles, it''s rare for the Professor tough out loud, so she must be quite pleased now. "Professor, there''s something serious I want to discuss." "......?" "You know, about what happenedst night." Alright, then this must be the right time to strike a deal. "Let''s just say it was a mutual affair under an agreement with you, Professor." "Hmm?" "At first, I was the one who aggressively made a move, and then from the middle, you dominated me... Let''s just settle it without either of us blushing." Upon hearing this, the Professor began to tilt her head as if wondering why I would care about such a thing, but it was very important to me. Game Over Alert! Because if it were decided that I had been forcefully dominated by the Professor, it would be an immediate game over. That would lead directly to the route of world destruction. "You''ll agree to this, won''t you, Professor...?" - Sway, sway... Desperate to avoid that scenario at all costs, I began to plead with her, even swaying the tail that had popped out. - Swoosh... "Well, if that''s what you really want..." Observing me quietly, the Professor soon reached out, grabbed my tail, and quietly opened her mouth. "Ah, thank you..." - Nomp... "... Eek!" As she was about to express her gratitude, suddenly a thrilling sensation transmitted from her spine. "Indeed, there was a reason you convulsed even when you fainted if I just touched here..." - Brrrrrr... "From now on, you listen well to me, Adler." As she shivered, watching the stars that appeared before her eyes, the professor leaned forward and began to whisper in her ear with anguid voice. "We''ll keep it between us that it was consensual, but publicly, you were raped by me today." "... Yes, yes?" "I too am nning a bigger picture. So just as I y along with your n, you must y along with mine." With a dazed expression, the professor quietly caressed her cheek and lowered his voice even more. "If anyone asks about today, just say that I forced myself on you... It''s quite simple, isn''t it?" "But, but... what about your reputation, professor?" "Adler, just say that, and that''s all you need to do..." It seemed that it would harm the professor more than benefit him. "Do you understand...?" However, intimidated by the professor''s forcefulness, she quickly nodded and replied with a slightly awkward smile. "Yes, yes... Publicly, I was forced by the professor today." "Excellent." Only then did the professor, holding a satisfied expression, release the tail that she had been holding. "You go ahead. I need to stay a bit longer." "... Aren''t youing with me?" "I need to clean up and undo the spells I''ve cast in Cornwall." "If that''s the case... I suppose I have no choice..." Following her words, her legs trembling, she quickly began to dress before anything could be changed. "Oh, and one more thing." Just at that moment, the professor''s rxed voice pierced his ear. "From now on, you don''t need to bother slipping post-coital contraceptives into my tea or secretly casting ovtion aversion spells on me." Frozen in the middle of dressing, her actions halted as if the professor could see right into her mind. "I have already cast a spell to preserve the state inside my belly. No matter what you do, this state will continue indefinitely." - Slosh, gurgle... "That means, I can progress the situation whenever I want." The professor quietly shook her head from side to side as she looked at me. "If you misbehave even slightly in the future, I will be pregnant immediately." "........" "Just be aware of that." After dropping that bombshell, she waved her hand dismissively at me, who stood there with a nk expression. "Off you go then." However, my hands were trembling so much as I buttoned up that I didn''t leave the room until about 5 minutester. . . . . . - Squeak... As Isaac Adler staggered out of the room with his trembling legs, the door closed behind him, leaving Jane Moriarty alone, and a moment of silence began permeating the room. "... Phew." In that silence, the professor, still feeling a sense of fullness, stroked her belly as she got up from her seat. - Click... Taking a deep breath, she approached the door, firmly locked it, and tightly closed her eyes as she removed the imagined padlock shape from her belly. "... Hmph!" And in the very next moment. "Uh-uh, ughhhh..." Overwhelmed by the intense sensation focusing on her lower abdomen, Jane Moriarty made a sound as if the wind was knocked out of her and copsed onto the spot. - Brrrrrrr... "This, I didn''t know it would be this severe..." Even in that state, she trembled, wrapping herself up tightly, and muttered in a breathless voice. "I-I didn''t know..." Finally attempting to regain control, the professor regretted having magically postponed the sensations transmitted to her body, but it was already toote. "Ah-ah-ah-ah...?" - Brrrr, sizzle... The trembling moans that began to resonate in the firmly closed room of the inn subsided when the sun was high in the sky. . . . . . "Uh..." Meanwhile, at that moment, as Isaac Adler just stepped out of the inn, "........" Before he could even take a step, Adler froze solid as he discovered a figure surrounded by ck smoke waiting for him. "There, so this is..." Soon, a creeping voice began to leak from his mouth. - Thud, thud... But Charlotte Holmes, silently watching him, soon quietly began to move forward. - Swish... "Uh." As she reached right in front of Adler, she quietly extended her hand. "... Ah?" Adler, who had unwittingly closed his eyes tightly, slowly opened them, feeling the cold and damp sensation beginning in his hand. "Quietly follow me." Holding his hand, Charlotte Holmes quietly began to pull him forward. "Yes..." Hesitating for a moment due to an inexplicable ominous feeling, Adler soon realized that despite it being morning, the sky was darkened by Charlotte''s ck smoke and shrank back as he began to follow her. "But why is your hand so cold and damp..." "......" "Ah, it''s nothing." Chapter 171: Exponential Growth - Plod, plod... "Um, hey... Miss Holmes." Led by Charlotte, whose face was overtaken by a chilly expression, I couldn¡¯t help but start worrying as we walked along a gravelden road for some time in silence. Questions like where exactly I was being led to, and just how much Charlotte knew about this affair crowded my mind and threatened to overwhelm my psyche. Not to mention, I was almost driven mad wondering how such vast smoke could cover the entire sky of Cornwall. "My legs and back are a bit sore..." And, to be honest, my body was in terrible shape after being thoroughly wrecked by the professor all night. "Perhaps we could rest for a moment..." "........." "Or, I could pay for a carriage..."Thus, I spoke in a whisper while cautiously gauging Charlotte''s reaction. - Creak... "Er, um..." Noticing her grinding her teeth, I stopped walking while my voice trailed off. Cold sweat beaded my forehead, wondering what was going on her mind. - Swoosh... "Eek." In that tense situation, Charlotte abruptly turned around and faced me. "M-Miss Holmes. What exactly is going on here¡­?" "Don''t speak." Her murderous aura almost made me faint as I babbled out nonsense, but soon, her voice took anpletely unexpected tone. ".....?" "Don''t say anything." Charlotte muttered, trembling like a child who had lost her parents. "Just, keep your mouth shut..." "........" "Stay like that..." At that moment, following hermand, I stood silently, and Charlotte took a step towards me. - Swoosh... She then slowly reached out her arms and began enveloping me in her embrace. "".........."" And with that, there was silence. ¡­ Did she use perfume? In that silence, I unconsciously buried my head in her neck, like a vampire sumbing to their instincts, and smelled the faintest scent of perfume on her. It¡¯s quite strong today¡­ The scent was so potent that it reminded me of a cute mistake she had made when she first used perfume. But that was way back. Now, she seemed quite adept at using makeup to enhance her beauty, not just for disguise. What scent was she trying to cover up by applying such strong perfume? "... Were you scared?" "What?" As I internally mulled over such nonsensical thoughts, a set of absurd words blurted out of Charlotte¡¯s mouth. "It''s okay. Now that I''m by your side..." ".......?" "Don''t worry..." Despite attempting to sound reassuring, her voice trembled noticeably. But what was she trying to convey to me? "... Seeing that your reaction is so tepid, it seems it is as I feared." "What have you been saying all this while..." "That horrific sexual exploitation, it wasn''t the first time, was it?" Scratching my head in confusion, I only began to grasp the situation after hearing the continuation of Charlotte¡¯s statement. "I''ve always wondered. Why, when you see the professor, someone you were supposed to like as much as you like me, do you look so scared and pale?" "No, that''s not rted..." "You were periodically subjected to sexual violence by the professor. That¡¯s why your eyes are tainted with her hue, despite the fact that you don''t even like her..." Charlotte''s eyes were tinged in madness as she muttered the words with a bone-chilling killing intent imbued in them. "I do like the professor..." "LIES!! If you really liked her, you wouldn¡¯t have been raped today!!" "Uh... well..." "Yes, from the beginning... You were forced to be with the professor...!" Trying to make excuses seemed to be futile as Charlotte was already beyond the realm of reasoning. "Calm down, Miss Holmes..." "What? Calm down? You''re telling me to calm down?" "Yes, let''s just calm down..." "How can I be calm when I watched the man I love being raped right before my eyes!?" Sweat began trickling down my forehead in torrents. Where did all this start going wrong? Wait, why was Charlotte even here in the first ce? ¡­ Is this a scheme by the professor? Suddenly, I remembered the professor''s request to pretend that she had assaulted me. Could it be that she had made the request with this scenario in mind? "... I''m sorry." "Miss Holmes." "It was you who were hurt, you must be suffering more... I shouldn¡¯t have raised my voice like that." I narrowed my eyes, lost in my train of thoughts. Just then, Charlotte began whispering more aggressively as she pulled me closer. "It¡¯s, it¡¯s okay. I am..." Watching her intently, I started, "... Already used to it." Feeling a deep pang of guilt internally, I started whispering in a low voice, pretending to be a rape victim who had just resigned themselves to everything. Chapter 3 ¨C Life or Death begins It seemed fitting to align with the professor''s n if I wanted the girl in front of me to awaken her full strength as quickly as possible. ¡ºLife or Death¡» ¨C Description: Awaken Charlotte Holmes by any means necessary - Gooooo... And for her sake, I could do anything and everything. Warning! ¡ùDeath event invoked upon failure!¡ù ¡­ Of course, that would be the case. The purpose of this event, where Charlotte Holmes and the formidable Professor Moriarty''s power gap is finally leveled, was nned by none other than myself, just days before transmigrating in this world. . . . . . "... What did you say?" "At first, I couldn''t sleep well, buttely, I don''t really think about it... Haha." As Charlotte Holmes listened to Isaac Adler''s words, her expression grew vacant, and with the continuation of his statements, her face darkened considerably. "Rather than letting the Professor run wild, if I sacrifice myself, I can be used as a control measure... I think it might be better that way..." "Quit the academy." "Pardon?" Cutting off Adler''s words, she spoke with a voice trembling in a myriad of dark emotions. "Go abroad. I''ve already nned the escape route, we could definitely deceive the Professor''s eyes." "But..." "Going to the United States would be best, but first, we need to mislead them about our destination. So, via Belgium to France, and then Switzend..." "No, not Switzend." As Adler sensed the Final Problem urring in the escape route she was describing, his face turned pale, and he hastily shook his head, causing Charlotte to pause for a moment. "No, escape itself is useless." "... Why?" "Because wherever we go, we''re still in the Professor''s grasp." Whispering this in a low voice, Adler began to gently stroke Charlotte''s back. "I¡¯ll be the one to deal with the professor from now on. You understand?" "Why would you...!" "Because it would be too much for you..." Hearing his words, Charlotte ground her teeth, her expression darkening dangerously. "Moriarty..." Then, with trembling hands, she covered Adler¡¯s right grey eye. "You''re not going to pluck it out, are you?" "How dare, how dare..." "Miss Holmes...?" "Ahhhhhhhh....!!!" As she continued, she buried her head in Adler''s chest and began screaming at the top of her voice. "........." A brief silence thus ensued between the two. "... Tell me you love me." "......." "Say that you love only me..." As Charlotte murmured through her sobs, Adler started gently patting her back and whispered tenderly. "I love you." "... Ugh." Moved by his gentle voice, she quietly raised her head. "I''ve decided..." ".......?" "Somehow¡­ I''ll catch her... with my own hands..." From Charlotte¡¯s lips, a ferocious voice began to emerge. "Within a year..." - Goooooo... ¡­ What have I done to deserve this already? At the same time, as the absurdly dense ck smoke spewed out in all directions, Adler momentarily sensed a level of magical power from her that was simr to Professor Moriarty. Immediately, Adler¡¯s face froze in shock. - Swoosh... Just then, a group of armed individuals appeared behind them. "I''m sorry, but the reunion ends here." "... What?" There was both Princess y and Silver ze in the group, who had not shown themselves for a while. And in the front was Celestia Moran, who seemed to have grown quite a bit in the short interval that Adler had not seen her, who whispered in a cold voice. "From now on, Mr Adler will be under our care." "... Ah." Adler, who had been neglecting his loyal followers over the past few weeks, started trembling within Charlotte''s embrace. . . . . . "Protect?" "........." "You guys.....?" During that time, an awkward atmosphere lingered on both sides. "Ha! Hahaha....." Charlotte, who had embraced Adler even more fiercely, began to burst into a peal of coldughter with a crazed look in her eyes as she stared at the group of evil individuals that appeared before her. "What''s so funny?" Seeing her, a noticeably more mature Moran threw in the question. "Well, you lot are Adler¡¯s loyal henchmen, aren''t you...?" "Just, just a moment, Miss Holmes..." At that question, Charlotte began to show a chilling expression, while Adler looked at her with a slightly ominous gaze and tried to urgently stop her from speaking. "But, just moments ago, your master was brutally raped." By then, it was already toote. "... Where exactly have you all been this whole time?" """..........""" ¡­ I¡¯m screwed, damn it. As his faithful minions all began to look at him with faces turning pale all at once, Adler¡¯s mind also began to turn nk simultaneously. Chapter 172: Snowball Effect Just before Isaac Adler''s henchmen received the shocking news through Charlotte, "... Adler, that traitor." "Is it really opening...? I heard no one could get in, it was chaos..." "Dare, dare to toy with me...?" Even though no one was supposed to pass through, two figures slipped in as smoothly as if through a soap bubble into the restricted boundary of Cornwall. "Kill, I will kill him... I swear I''ll kill him..." "No, you won¡¯t. Inspector." Their identities were none other than Inspector Lestrade, who had just neutralized the anomaly in Cornwall with her curse and forced her way in, and Rachel Watson, who was reluctantly brought along. "I don''t care whether you kill that bastard or not." ".......""Why are you dragging me along when I finally took a vacation...!" As soon as they entered Cornwall, Inspector Lestrade felt a strong presence of Adler and hurried forward, with Watson raising her voice in protest behind her. "Well, you are a brilliant doctor, aren''t you." "Well, that''s true. But what does that have to do with anything¡­?" With a terrifying expression on her face, Lestrade responded to her. "Even if I beat Adler to near death, as a brilliant doctor, you could revive him, right?" "What in hell has he done again..." "I pledged, dedicating my entire life to that man, and that son of a bitch broke it within days." Following her resentful remarks, Watson looked dismayed. "I, I even lost... my, my first time to him....." "Ha, he really is trash..." Of course, Lestrade was referring to an unfortunate incident where Adler had stolen a kiss from her, but Watson had definitely misunderstood. "... Please take care of me today." "Sigh..." Of course, it seemed unlikely that the strongest inspector in the British Empire, who had never been defeated by anyone in her life, had been forced by Adler. "It would normally seem ridiculous, but given the person involved, it makes sense." Nevertheless, the fact that Adler was aplete scoundrel remained unchanged, and Watson eventually sighed in resignation. "... Thank you for understanding." "But, can I get a bit of revenge too?" As Lestrade expressed her gratitude for Watson''s understanding, she could not help but look at the doctor with surprise in her eyes. "Did I hear that wrong?" "I still have grievances too. I''d like to leave a few gunshot wounds on his shoulder with my pistol." When she asked with confusion, Watson responded with a tilt of her head. "... Excuse me, but that seems a bit harsh." "Yes?" "I''ll do it alone." Rachel Watson''s gaze turned slightly cold upon hearing Lestrade''s following words. "It''s alright for the inspector to beat someone up until they''re about to die, but I can''t shoot them?" "Yes, you can''t." "If it''s not too rude, may I ask why?" Rachel Watson, whose atmosphere had slightly changed, asked this while staring directly into her eyes, to which Lestrade replied in a low voice. "Because Adler is my husband." "........." "I''m the one who has any right to hit him. I can''t ept violence from anyone else." Their cold gazes silently crossed for a moment. "I see... he is your husband now..." "... The word now bothers me a bit." "No, well. You must think I''m interested in Adler, but you don''t need to worry..." In this tense situation, Watson whispered to the wary officer. "I like Neville. I have no interest in that trash of a man, Inspector." "Birds of a feather flock together, it seems you''ve been influenced by Holmes after all." "I don''t quite understand what you''re talking about...?" As the atmosphere began to spiral out of control, "If you don''t understand, I''ll tell you again. Isaac Adler is my husband......" "......?" As the officer narrowed her eyes and raised her voice, she suddenly looked surprised and began to trail off. "What''s this, why stop talking all of a sudden..." "Shh...!" "Eh!?" Watson, slightly puzzled, murmured as Lestrade covered her mouth and ran into the nearby bushes. "The bushes, again? But, besides that, what are we doing now..." "I can feel Adler¡¯s presence close by..." "Yes?" Watson, having finally managed to shake off the inspector''s hand covering her mouth, gave her a bewildered look at her following words. "You can''t even use magic. How would you know that...?" "I made a certain pact. That''s how I can detect Adler''s every move and whether he''s breaking our agreement..." "... Ha, that makes you look like a stalker, you know?" "Keep quiet. He''s right in front of us now." "Ehhh!" Lestrade, covering her mouth again, began to sweat and concentrate. - Crunch... "........." Soon, from afar, they spotted Adler walking hand in hand with Charlotte, and both women''s eyes darkened simultaneously. "So, he was having an affair with Holmes after all..." "... Hmph." Thus, Lestrade, seemingly ready to burst out yet exhibiting transcendent patience, and Watson, pretending not to care while sneakily watching the situation, stood their ground. - Slide... "Ha, haha..." "She¡¯s out of her mind. Has her brain been pickled in drugs already, or has she been under Adler¡¯s influence..." Their patience was on the verge of exploding as they witnessed the hot and sticky embrace between Charlotte and Adler. - I''m sorry, but this reunion is over. ""......!"" Just then, their eyes caught Adler''s henchmen appearing from the opposite side. "Th-Those guys..." "They''re all ssified as dangerous individuals by the London Metropolitan Police Department." "........" "I''ve heard that they''re so loyal to Adler that they would sacrifice their lives at his meremand." Lestrade, observing the significantly grown Celestia Moran threatening Charlotte, muttered in a cold voice. "... For your information, that kid is the most dangerous among them. Even I can''t easily subdue her." "Even you?" "This has be a big headache..." Troubled by the gradually worsening situation, Lestrade spoke once again. "... We need to call for reinforcements. Now that they''ve shown up, I can no longer act on my personal and private emotions..." - But, just moments ago, your master was brutally raped. From Charlotte''s mouth sprang a shocking statement that plunged everyone into astonishment. "What did she just say...?" - ... Where exactly have you all been this whole time? "What did she say? Holmes...?" Besides the stiff Lestrade, Watson began to mutter, sweating coldly. "We must have heard wrong." "Right? It''s not April Fool''s Day; April was long ago..." Eventually, they began to deny reality as they looked at each other. - Since you didn''t answer, it seems you haven¡¯t heard it clearly, let me tell you again. But right in front of them, Charlotte''s voice, tinged with tears, was heard again, and their denial of reality quickly came to an end. - Isaac Adler has been periodically raped by Professor Moriarty all this time. Against his will. ""........"" - From the beginning until now, always forcefully. Continuously... Lestrade and Rachel Watson''s eyes darkened to their limits, losing all their colour. "Then, the breach of contract notice I received means..." "Really... was it really because of the professor...?" Pieces of the puzzle began to fit together arbitrarily in their minds. . . . . . "Master, is that really true? Look into my eyes and tell me, please tell me that it isn''t true. If it is, I swear on my life, I will definitely find her..." "... It''s a lie, right?" Silently, Silver ze and Princess y approached me, their faces pale as they intensely interrogated me. "No, it''s... that is..." "... Dad." In such a moment, desperately trying to figure out what to say, a bleak voice leaked out of Moran. "Did you really get raped?" "......." As she, now tall enough to reach my chin, chillingly asked, I stood there with a dumbfounded expression. Immediately, I felt the chills, as though the temperature was dropping painfully low. "Is it too painful just to even recall it?" "No, well..." In such a situation, the only one who seemed to be keeping her sanity, Princess y, asked the question, forcing me to spin my already frozen brain. "... It''s all a lie." """........""" "Today is April Fool''s Day, haha, ha..." Ultimately, I had no choice but to blurt out such nonsensical excuses. - Crunch... "......." "Just wait a moment, I''ll gather all the demihumans of London right now and find that bitch..." Of course, it would be impossible for them to believe my bullshit excuse after hearing Charlotte¡¯s earnest words. ¡­ What do I do, shit. Even if I had resolved to join the professor''s scheme, I had never anticipated that so many people would find out at once. "Let''s live together from now on. I can protect you every minute, no, every second." "If you just say the word, I can start the n we talked aboutst time..." How on earth was I supposed to escape this crisis? "You''re not usually this nervous." In this once-in-a-lifetime crisis, I found myself in, even the system gave up on disying probability messages, and I desperately brainstormed for a way out. "But remember, a crisis is also an opportunity." "........ Ah." Just then, a voice began to be heard from behind, and I clenched my eyes shut, giving up on thinking. "Isn''t that right, Adler...?" Professor Moriarty, her face glowing beautifully, was walking towards us with a fresh expression from afar. Chapter 173: Snowball Effect (2) "Pr-Professor." As Adler softly opened his mouth in the icy atmosphere, everyone''s gaze zeroed in on him. "Didn''t you say you were going to take care of some personal business before returning...?" "Adler, it¡¯s already midday." "Ah, yes, that''s true. Time has indeed..." Watching their reactions, Adler started backing away silently. "I was just about to catch a carriage on the main road, as I can''t stay here forever. It was then that I happened to run into you." "... I, I see" "Since we''ve met, how about we return to London together?" Professor Moriarty was nonchnt as she casually threw out the suggestion."Well, that''s..." - Swoosh... At that tantly natural reaction, Adler was unsure how to respond. """...........""" "... Hmm?" Quietly surrounding Adler, his three loyal followers red dangerously at the professor. "Stay by our side." "... Grrr." "........." Pressed by Moran on the front, and by Princess y and Silver ze on either side, Adler observed the professor¡¯s reaction before speaking. "Professor, it seems there might be some misunderstanding here..." "........" "I think I need to rify things..." "Is that true?" But cutting off his words, Celestia Moran boldly questioned Professor Moriarty. "What are you talking about?" "Dad... no, I got some information that my master is being sexually abused by you." Looking down at her cold expression as if it were amusing, the professor smirked and replied. "Even if that were true, what could you do?" "... I could just blow your head off." In the next moment, with surprising speed, Moran drew a pistol from her coat and aimed it straight at the professor¡¯s head. "Puh, heh heh heh..." "What''s so funny?" "Ahaha... hah... Yes, sorry about that." Despite having the best sniper in London, a markswoman with the innate talents of a war hero, aiming her gun at her head, Professor Moriarty just burst intoughter like a child seeing something amusing. "But if you, too, were to see an ant carrying a twig and then threatening to cut your throat with it, you''d burst outughing just like me." "Nonsense..." "Do you not understand what I''m saying?" Suddenly, a cold smile stretched Jane Moriarty¡¯s lips as she added, "Even if you were to empty all the chambers of that gun, you couldn''t inflict a single wound on me." "... Ugh." "And the same goes for the two who are ring at me from behind you." "........!!" "With a vampire who hasn''t fully recovered her strength and a demihuman who''s hardly different from a human, you can''t possibly stand against me." As she emitted a murderous grey aura in her surroundings, the legs of the three resolute henchmen began trembling. "Do you understand, you inferior species?" "........" "It''s only natural for the strong to take from the weak." Watching them with a smug look of superiority, Professor Moriarty silently moved forward. "However, the courage to not run away despite being overwhelmed is indeed praiseworthy." - Click... "Or are you so frightened that you can''t even move?" Moran''s eyebrows twitched as she rested her finger on the trigger, and at the same time, the tips of Moriarty''s fingers began to turn grey. - Goooooooo... Out of the blue, a chilling murderous ck aura began eroding the space between them. "Get out of the way you lot." Charlotte, who had been silently ring at Moriarty with a deadly look in her eyes, finally intervened in the situation. "Little miss detective... It''s been a while since we''ve faced each other like this." "Shut up. Just shut the fuck up..." "I enjoy seeing your despairing face so very much, but let me make this clear." With bloodshot golden eyes and her body trembling in rage, Charlotte red at the professor with such intensity that made one think that she would kill her then and there. But Professor Moriarty only whispered in a low voice, "Isaac Adler, both his body and mind are already mine." "Shut uuuuuuuup!!!!" "Oh, and did you know?" As Charlotte fell for the cheap provocation, Moriarty''s expression grew even more suffused with superiority and she whispered in a singsong voice. "... I didn''t use contraception today." "........" "Let''s see, then... when''s the due date..." Having stopped screaming, Charlotte, with a dazed expression, quietly reached out her hand. - Gooooooooooooo...!!!! "... Hmm." At the same time, ferocious ck energy surged out in all directions. "For a little kid, you''re quite something..." - Crrrrrack! Surprised by her spirit, which almost matched her own, Professor Moriarty also stretched out her hand, pitting her own aura against the detective. "I''m going to kill you. Whatever it takes..." "Oh, is that something a detective fighting for the truth should say?" In the midst of the violent flow of mana that twisted and collided in all directions, the two women began to converse with murderous expressions on their faces. "Yes, it''s something a detective shouldn''t say..." - Goooooooo... "But, you know..." Surprisingly, Charlotte began pushing back Moriarty''s grey mana and she soon muttered in a voice devoid of all emotions. "I''m not a detective, I''m a consulting detective..." "Your penchant for ying with words is the same as ever, I see." "And the reason I became a consulting detective was because the act itself intrigued me." As she slightly twisted her hand, ck des began whirling from everywhere, targeting the professor. "But now, my priorities have changed." "Is it because of that child?" "Why should I observe the rules of being a detective when someone is trying to take away my life''s purpose?" Professor Moriarty, swiftly swatting away the des that spun at terrifying speeds, still sustained small cuts on the back of her hand and left cheek. "You are greatly mistaken." "........." "I am not a force of absolute righteousness you think I am. I can cross any line if it''s to eliminate a nauseating existence like yours." Instantaneously, Charlotte¡¯s body was burning with mana. "Exactly... that''s it..." "........?" "That''s right, Miss Holmes..." It was at that moment that Moriarty''s eyes began to darken. "Didn''t I tell you before? We might make good friends..." "Nonsense..." "You and I are quite simr." "Stop talking nonsense." Despite Charlotte''s firm interruption of Moriarty''s mirthful voice, her stable mana waves began losing the bnce between them. "Don''t be so extreme. They say opposites attract, don''t they?" "Just thinking about it is horrifying, so shut up." "Did you ever consider joining us?" "Shut uppppppppp..." But the odds soon began shifting towards the professor. - Fzzzz... "You, just you need to disappear..." Charlotte, vaguely realizing that she was losing, desperately gathered mana from her body. - Drip... "If only you weren''t in this world..." "Is this yourst struggle?" "Moriartyyyyy!!!" Thus, Charlotte, bleeding from her eyes and nose, attempted tounch her final attack with all her might. "Stop it!!!" ".... Ah!" But at that moment, she noticed Adler. Pale-faced, he had ced himself right in the heart of their battle, forcing her to quickly retract her power. "........" And Moriarty did the same, silently retracting her mana. "Stop it... now..." "Uh..." As he muttered those words in a pleading tone, Charlotte, trying hard to maintain consciousness even by biting her tongue, eventually couldn''t ovee her dizziness and copsed to the ground. "P-Professor, I was wrong. I''ll apologize on her behalf..." "... Hmm." "Let''s go now." Adler, looking at her with a slightly longing gaze, clutched the professor''s hand with a trembling expression. "That''s right, that''s my assistant..." "Oh, no..." Moriarty, locking hands with him, smirked mockingly at the copsed Charlotte, who stretched out her trembling hand toward Adler. "Adle.... r" "... Come on, Isaac." However, leaving her behind, Professor Moriarty began to move forward, pulling Adler with her. "Let''s finish what we started in my office." "... Yes?" "Don''t leave me....." Staring at their blurry figures with gritted teeth, Holmes finally lost consciousness. "Kulluk..." The professor, who had been suppressing a cough, stopped walking at that moment and staggered as she vomited blood. "Indeed, you''re a good actor. You..." "P-P-Professor...?" "By the way..." Adler was startled by the professor''s frail appearance. It was a look that he had only witnessed when he had restricted her mana. "Indeed, your words were right; that kid is my arch-nemesis." The professor, looking at Adler, whispered in a low voice. "... She¡¯s the first one to push me to this extent." It was the first time Professor Moriarty had received a significant blow in a direct confrontation. . . . . . Meanwhile, "What, what are you doing? Shoot already...!" "Now''s your chance. The professor''s posture has faltered...!" From behind, Princess y and Silver ze began urgently whispering to Celestia Moran, who had somehow managed to hold onto her pistol despite the oppressive atmosphere. "........." However, Moran''s gaze, pallid as it was, wasn''t fixed on the slumping professor but was directed somewhere entirely different. "What on earth are you looking at!?" "... What are you doing, littledy!" "Over there, there''s someone else." And the location was where Gia Lestrade and Rachel Watson were crouching in the bushes. "... There are quite a few of them." "What?" And behind them, there was another set of figures lurking in the shadows. . . . . . "........." Indeed, as Celestia Moran, keen-eyed, had noted, behind the bushes where Gia Lestrade and Rachel Watson were hiding, figures had been lurking, already staked out for hours. "... Do you enjoy killing?" "Sorry, but my motto is non-killing." The atmosphere had turned rigid after they heard just moments ago about the brutal sexual assaults that Isaac Adler was experiencing. "But then again, a lizard isn''t human, is it?" "... Oh, so you¡¯re one of those, huh?" Forced to stalk Adler by someone''smand, it was none other than Jill the Ripper and Phantom Thief Lupin. "Then, help me kill that grey-haired bitch." "... dly." Chapter 174: Snowball Effect (3) "Kulluk, kullu..." "Professor, are you alright?" Her head bowed and hand covering her mouth, the professor started coughing up blood-streaked phlegm. Seeing her like that, Adler asked with a worried tinge in his voice. "Don''t push yourself too hard." "... Yeah." Suddenly, the professor smiled and shook her head. "But Adler, how can you look so worried?" "... What?" "You were just forcibly raped by me, weren''t you? You should be showing me a terrified look, not one of concern.¡± "Oh..."Hearing her, Adler nced around and started faking a cough. "Ahem, ahem..." "Adler, could you help me out here..." "... He-Heeek." In seconds, Adler changed his expression to one of fright and terror. "What are you doing? Come over here and stand by my side." "Pro-Professor, but..." "Come to my side." The professor extended her hand toward him, making sure to give off a cold re./ - Click... Just then, - Bang!!! A gunshot was fired from the nearby bushes. "... Didn''t I tell you to look for a better opportunity!!?" "So, you want me to just stand by and watch?" "Tsk..." At the same time, Gia Lestrade, emerging from within the bushes with a stone-cold look, reprimanded Watson for firing the gun and then pulled her police baton before rushing forward. - Fzzzzzzt...!!! Soon, Professor Moriarty, who blocked the bullet with her mana, albeit precariously, was struck forcefully by her. "While your body nullifies supernatural abilities, even my own, I can handle natural energy through the maniption of internal energy to a certain extent¡­¡± "Argh..." "To put it another way, it means I cannd an effective hit on you with my internal energy." Drawing a deep breath, the professor whispered to her as she staggered back, a slight smile curling the corners of her mouth. "And sorry, but I, a university professor, am older than you." "........." "Even if you have trained your internal strength all your life, you can''t beat me in hand-to-handbat." Hearing this, a pale-faced Lestrade began to sweat profusely from her forehead. "... Even so." But despite the situation, ncing at Adler who was held by Moriarty''s side, she clenched her teeth and continued. "There are times when you know you''ll lose, but you can''t back down..." "U-Uhh..." ".......!" But just then, a new voice entered the fray, just ahead of her and Professor Moriarty. "What are you doing blocking the way...?" "... Tch, it''s gettingte." Thus, the eyes of everyone shifted in unison toward the two women, presumed to be pedestrians. "You mustn''te this way!!" "Both of you, stop! You could be taken hostage!" As the professor, who seemed quite injured from a struggle with Charlotte, wore a wicked grin, Lestrade and Watson, realising that the situation was turning out of hand, urgently shouted towards the women. "What are you talking about in broad daylight..." "Hey, do you own this road?" However, the pedestrians, seemingly unaware of the situation, continued to walk towards them. "No!!" "This is truly regrettable..." In such an explosive situation, when Professor Moriarty quietly reached out her hand towards these pedestrians, Lestrade was about to rush forward, risking her life to save them, but, "... Stop." ".......!?" Suddenly, someone grabbed the inspector¡¯s shoulder. "Miss Holmes...?" "Do these people look like ordinary pedestrians to you...?" Charlotte, bleeding from her mouth, struggled to her feet and whispered in a subdued voice. "What are you..." At that moment, as Lestrade murmured in surprise, - nk...! A sound of chains shing came from up ahead. - Creeeak... "Your disguise was quite perfect. Even I couldn''t find a w." The professor, summoning grey chains from the ground to quickly bind the pedestrians, looked at them with a cold gaze and spoke. "But you see, it¡¯s not the disguise that matters.¡± ""........."" ¡°What matters is that the entirety of Cornwall is frozen still, locked away from the world with my magic.¡± "... What?" Hearing her words, Adler stood gaping in shock next to her. "Right now, the residents of Cornwall are either asleep or intoxicated with the pink scent I prepared for a special time with my disciple, spending passionate moments with their loved ones..." "Professor, what are you..." "Well, some might be spending passionate times with someone they don''t love, but that''s not the point..." Meanwhile, the pedestrians, understanding her words, started viciously ring at the professor. "... Right now, within Cornwall, no one else should be able to wander around, unless someone is under mymand." "Yeah, well, instead of bothering with this cumbersome act, we should just pounce on them..." "This is the first time my preliminary research has been socking..." And then, in the next moment. - Tssssss... As their disguises melted away like flowing water, Jill the Ripper and the Phantom Thief Lupin, with their chilly expressions, were revealed to everyone. "H-How did you two get here...!?" "... Lupin, didn¡¯t you get arrested by Inspector Ganimard?" As Watson and Lestrade recognised their identities, they eximed in shock, raising their voices while the two oddities muttered in an annoyed tone. "I didn''t want toe here this time either... To kill that crazy woman, I needed to be better prepared..." "... I, too, was nning to enjoy a thorough rest in prison for a while." Then, they shifted their gaze to Adler, who, standing beside the professor, started genuinely trembling this time around. "Don''t worry, Adler... I''ll definitely save you from that lizard and kill the bitch..." "Hmm... Did I use formal or informal speech with youst time? My identity changes so often I tend to forget how I talk." "... That''s interesting. I feel the same." "Ugh. Ew, ew, ew. It''s kind of disgusting to rte with the worst serial killer in history..." As they surveyed their target and exchanged animated conversation with one another, they suddenly noticed the gun barrels of Watson and Celestia Moran aimed at them and smirked. "Are you trying to attack us?" "It''s a bit of a blow to our pride, but focusing on us should be doing if you want to leave this ce alive..." "Yeah, how about we all join forces first to take down that dragon?" "Nonsense!" Jill the Ripper''s suggestion was immediately rejected by Gia Lestrade with a raised voice. "I will never join hands with a criminal, especially not a ruthless murderer like you!" "Really? But you did marry a criminal whose reputation is as bad as mine..." "At least Adler isn''t a disgusting murderer like you are!!" At her fiery voice, Jill the Ripper shook her head and muttered. "Well, then... Guess there¡¯s no choice but to throw ourselves into the chaos." """..........""" As soon as those words ended, the surrounding atmosphere was instantly engulfed in silence. "I personally wee it. No sides, just stabbing and ughtering everyone... It''s a total murder party, isn''t it?" "... Um, I''m actually one of your teammates." "Let''s do it! A bloody, gory ughterfest!!" In that chilling atmosphere, Jill the Reaper wildly swung her shadowed knife around, screaming at the top of her lungs. "... If only I had my sniper rifle." "Don''t get cocky, kid. Get behind me." "Grrrrrrr..." In that situation, quietly, Isaac Adler''s three henchmen distributed themselves, aiming their weapons at the professor and the oddities. "This¡­ could turn out to be quite the challenge." "... I''ve never been this tense, not even when I had to carry wounded soldiers every day in the middle of a battlefield." "........" Simrly, Lestrade, Watson, and Charlotte Holmes prepared for battle, fixating their gaze on the professor and the supernatural entities. "Well, this is a chance to trample everything that''s been bothering me." Without a specific target, Professor Moriarty enveloped Adler with his protective shield, aiming ethereal grey spears at everyone. "ughter! ughter!!" "... Sigh." Jill the Reaper began to swing her knife at everyone, while Lupin sighed and began to ponder how to capture Adler in the uing chaos. "........." And, although it was unclear when it had arrived, the Hound of the Baskervilles was now crouched in the nearby bushes, intently observing everything. - Gooooooooo... In that situation, which was like a ticking time bomb where the slightest movement could ignite the fuse, "... Khuukk, ghaaa!" Suddenly, the instigator of the chaotic situation began making choking noises. "Ugh..." And then, spitting out some red liquid, which may have been blood, Adler copsed right where he was. "... Uh, hmm." Seeing that all eyes were fixed on him, he let his head thud to the ground. "... Thud." And with that ridiculous noise, Adler quietly closed his eyes. """...........""" A profound silence then began to flow among everyone gathered around him. . . . . . - Swoosh... An unknown amount of timeter, "Ugh..." I, who had been feigning unconsciousness, opened my eyes to find myself in a space so reeking of disinfectant. Just a single whiff, and just about anyone could tell that I was in a hospital room. "........." And the first thing I saw upon opening my eyes in that space was the women ¨C each and every one of them staring down at me expressionlessly ¨C who had just moments ago been surrounding me, ready to engage in a blood-spattered ughter. ¡­ Miss System, help me!!! What can I possibly do? I quickly shut my eyes tight again and fervently prayed for the system¡¯s help, but it was evidently a futile effort. Chapter 175: True Lies ¡°Adler, it¡¯s time to wake up.¡± Desperately, Adler pretended to pass out as he closed his eyes shut. But Professor Moriarty¡¯s emotionless voice echoed in his ears, signalling him out. ¡°I just saw you open your eyes, Adler.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Get up.¡± Even though Adler¡¯s whole forehead was dotted with beads of sweat, he tried his utmost to ignore her. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Observing him, the Professor narrowed her eyes and leaned closer to whisper in Adler¡¯s ear. ¡°If you don¡¯t get up within five seconds, everyone in this hospital room might just pounce on you.¡± ¡°¡­ Eek!¡±That did the trick, as Adler bolted up the next moment, eyes snapped open in fright. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡± A brief silence passed over the room after that event. ¡°Um, hello¡­?¡± After some time, Adler spoke up in a whispery voice, noticing the women observing him from all directions. ¡°Where am I?¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­?¡±¡± ¡°Is this¡­ a hospital room?¡± As he queried with an innocent look, puzzled expressions washed over the faces of the women gathered in the room. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, who are you all?¡± Adler muttered, scratching his head as he observed their confused looks. ¡°Why am I lying in a hospital bed?¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± ¡°Ugh, suddenly my head¡­¡± As he clutched his head in agony, the women in the room subtly exchanged nces without speaking. ¡°Where the hell does he pull all this bullshit from¡­¡± ¡°Just, wait a moment.¡± Amidst the ensuing silence, Watson, unable to contain her anger, reached into her pocket for her handy pistol. However, Gia Lestrade quickly stepped forward to stop her from doing anything dangerous. ¡°Hey, do you not recognise me?¡± ¡°¡­ Huh? Who are you?¡± As Adler stared nkly at her for an answer, she hesitated for a moment before responding with reddened cheeks. ¡°I-I am¡­ your w-w-wife.¡± The moment those words leaked out of her lips, the temperature in the room plummeted to dangerous levels. ¡°Uh¡­¡± In that suffocating atmosphere, Adler spoke up with a bewildered look on his face. ¡°You mean someone as beautiful as you is my wife?¡± In the next moment, ¡°Master, that¡¯s a lie. I¡¯m actually your¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I am your daughter.¡± ¡°I-I was your lover¡­¡± Isaac Adler¡¯s confidants lost control of their restraints and interjected. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t remember anything at all. W-Was I aplete trash?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, that¡¯s right. And you guys, if any of youys even a finger on Adler, I¡¯ll shoot immediately¡­!¡± ¡°Did I lose my memory¡­?¡± While they were panicking, Gia Lestrade tried to intervene, horror marring her face. On the other hand, Rachel Watson looked on at the bickering crowd with a nk for some time, before her eyes narrowed and she pondered out loud. ¡°¡­ Could Adler and Neville, having lost their memories, essentially be the same?¡± As she reached such a conclusion, ¡°Why don¡¯t you and this big sis here go somewhere nice and quiet together, hm..?¡± Taking advantage of the confusion and the chaos, Jill the Ripper approached Adler with silent steps, whispering in a chilling voice with a knife hidden behind her back. ¡°Are you, are you really my big sister?¡± ¡°It will only take a short moment¡­¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Behind them, Lupin plotted an escape route in silence while intently watching Adler. ¡°¡­ Grrr.¡± ¡°Who brought a dog into the hospital¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Huh? It was a girl¡­? She looked like a dog just a moment ago¡­?¡± Just then, a nurse¡¯s flustered voice came from the outside as she allegedly witnessed a dog with eyes glowing in an eerie blue hue standing guard outside. - Swoosh¡­ In that total chaos, only Adler maintained his bright expression. However, for a fleeting moment of transience, he sent a distress signal to the two reliable women with his eyes. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± Charlotte Holmes and Professor Moriarty, until then, had been watching Adler with emotionless gazes, already aware of his antics. ¡°¡­ Sigh.¡± An unknown amount of time passed by in between. ¡°Everyone, listen to me¡­¡± While Moriarty was grinning from ear to ear, Charlotte, ncing at her with a murderous look for a moment, finally spoke out while radiating her murderous aura in the surroundings. ¡°How about we call a truce for now¡­?¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± ¡°Going berserk here won¡¯t do us any good¡­¡± Upon those words, all eyes converged on her. ¡°¡­ At least, until Isaac Adler¡¯s memory returns, let¡¯s not fight among ourselves.¡± ¡°Is that something a detective should say?¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve said before¡­ I¡¯m not a detective, I¡¯m a consulting investigator, Inspector Lestrade.¡± As Lestrade ¨C unable to contain herself ¨C raised her voice, Charlotte fired back a reply in a yful tone. ¡°A consultant whose life priorities have shifted away from investigative work, in fact¡­¡± ¡°Calm down, please.¡± ¡°¡­ How can I calm down when someone who knows the significance of the rtionship between Mr Adler and me acts as if a single piece of bloody paper changes everything?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit harsh, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lestrade being Lestrade, she, of course, did not back down after seeing Charlotte¡¯s expression that could make one unnerved, to say the least. However, even for her, she could not stop the beads of cold sweat from forming on her forehead. ¡°If you don¡¯t ept my proposal, I can be much worse, no matter who it is¡­¡± Her powers had grown enough to push even Professor Moriarty, if only for a moment. That¡¯s why, her attitude not only unnerved the brave inspector, but everyone else present in the scene. ¡°I agree.¡± In the now quiet atmosphere, the professor opened her mouth with a chuckling voice. ¡°I feel sorry for Adler, everyone is so eager to tear each other and him apart¡­¡± ¡°¡±¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡±¡± ¡°So, how about we give our dear Adler a little rest?¡± Her words sounded did sound reasonable, Had she not brutally raped Adler just a few hours ago, some might have even nodded in agreement with her, but that was out of the question now. ¡°¡­ Hmm, this is troublesome.¡± Of course, the professor knew all too well how to assert her opinion among those who disagreed. ¡°My words don¡¯t seem to make much sense, do they?¡± - Goooooooooo¡­ As the professor subtly dominated the room with her presence and aura, the atmosphere inside started growing progressively heavier by the second. ¡°Pointing a weapon at me now is not advisable.¡± ¡°¡±¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡±¡± ¡°You should have attacked when I was injured earlier. I¡¯ve already recovered.¡± Of course, the individuals in the room were not easily subdued, formidable in their own right. For instance, Gia Lestrade and Celestia Moran were strong enough that, given a few more years, they might have even gained the power to confront the professor head-on and not lose in a few seconds. ¡°Put down your weapons¡­¡± ¡°Has my friend not spoken¡­ lower your weapons¡­¡± ¡°Moriarty, you keep your mouth shut¡­¡± ¡°Haha, ha¡­¡± However, it was true that, at the moment, they were inferior to even Charlotte, much less Moriarty. Charlotte had already stepped into the realm of the apex predators of this world, while the professor could effortlessly face everyone in the room with not a hint of trouble. ¡°Kulluk, Kulllu¡­¡± Then, when the room momentarily calmed, ¡°Ah, it hurts¡­¡± Suddenly bowing his head to cough, Adler gasped with teary eyes. ¡°¡±¡±¡­¡­¡­..¡±¡±¡± The reason those ready for war dispersed and gave up the fight was more because of that single utterance than the threats from Professor Moriarty and Charlotte. ¡°¡­ Argh!! Let me go!! I don¡¯t care if he loses his memory or not, as long as I can chop him up in pieces and kill¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take her.¡± Of course, not everyone¡¯s thoughts were the same. However, it seemed that the situation had somehow been defused thanks to Lupin¡¯s adept handling skills. She had already formted a n to capture Adler in her mind and this confrontation was not ideal for her to execute it. ¡°Wait!! You lowly subject dare to¡­¡± ¡°See you next time, yeah?¡± - Poof¡­! . . . . . - Flutter, flutter¡­ ¡°¡­¡­..¡± As Jill the Ripper, who had been desperately trying to plunge a knife into my heart, and Phantom Thief Lupin, who winked at me, simultaneously vanished from the hospital room, a card fluttered onto myp. If you don''t want to be caught and squeezed by them for a lifetime, how about willingly getting kidnapped when Ie to the window next time? A sigh escaped me automatically as I read the in message written on the card. ¡°That¡¯s just the way it is¡­¡± You¡¯re normally so dull, but get surprisingly sharp when ites to survival. I turned to the side, sheepishly trying to avoid the system window that tried to berate me as usual. Soon, Charlotte Holmes and Professor Jane Moriarty came into view. ¡°Uh, hey¡­¡± ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± ¡°Thanks¡­ for that¡­?¡± Having given up on deceiving them from the start, I cautiously uttered those words. The two women who only stared eerily at me in response, stood up simultaneously. ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s have a word.¡± ¡°I always wee conversations with friends.¡± ¡°If you ever address me that way again, I¡¯ll fucking tear you apart¡­¡± Eventually, without responding to my words, the two women conversed and exited the hospital room. ¡°Excuse me, everyone¡­¡± ¡°Just lie there. If you disappear somewhere again, we¡¯ll track you down to the ends and pounce at you together, just so you know¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I kind of agree.¡± Feeling uneasy, I forced myself to sit up and call out to them, but only received bone-chilling threats in response. - Click¡­ ¡°Ha ha¡­¡± Thus, as if by magic, I stared nkly at the door that locked itself immediately after closing. ¡°How did I end up like this¡­¡± I soon stopped talking and bowed my head deeply in resignation. ¡°¡­ Kulluk, Kulluukk!¡± The truth was, my copse had not been my usual acting in ce. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± That¡¯s right, the end is drawing ever closer. The blood smeared all over the hand covering my mouth and the exceedingly heavy body painfully etched that fact into my brain. ¡­ This shouldn¡¯t be happening. My time in this world was seemingly running out. Chapter 176: True Lies? Chapter 176: True Lies?¡°Kulluk, kullluk¡­¡± - Squeak¡­ ¡°¡­ Gasp.¡± My head bowed, I continued smearing my hand with coughed-up blood. However, the abrupt sound of the door opening made me hastily take in a sharp breath and straighten up, suppressing the blood that had clogged up in my throat. ¡°¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±¡± And then, silence ensued between us. ¡°¡­ Are you in pain?¡± ¡°What? Oh, no¡­?¡± Frantically sitting on my palms lest the blood be seen, I offered an awkward smile to Charlotte as she entered the room and posed the question. ¡°I can smell a faint scent of blood¡­¡±¡°Well, that¡¯s, that¡¯s¡­ because I am a terrifying vampire, you see? I practically reek of that stuff, yes.¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± I thought I had managed to cleverly dodge the question, but Charlotte, narrowing her eyes, clearly didn¡¯t buy it. - Swipe¡­ ¡°Hey, where are you touching?¡± ¡°¡­ Shut up.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am¡­¡± She reached out, grabbed my arm, and forcibly opened my palm, revealing the contents I had been desperately trying to hide. ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Seeing my palm stained with blood, a cold expression overtook her face. ¡°You¡¯re still not going to tell me the truth, even after this?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Even someone utterly ignorant to the medical world can see you¡¯re not alright.¡± I tried to avoid her gaze, but Charlotte pushed forward, forcibly meeting my eyes as she continued. ¡°When I asked Watson about your condition, why did she look so gloomy and not answer no matter how much I asked?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°You might deceive others but you can¡¯t fool a doctor, and you certainly can¡¯t fool me.¡± ¡°¡­ Miss Holmes, think about it.¡± Thus, I had no choice but toe up with another usible excuse. ¡°I am a terrifying devil straight out of a fairy tale. Do you think it makes sense for a being like me to die from a mere illness?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Absolutely not. A being who is both a devil and a vampire dying from an illness, that¡¯s utterly nonsensical¡­¡± ¡°How can a devil know less about their own condition than I do?¡± However, Charlotte interrupted me mid-sentence and started climbing onto the bed. ¡°What are you saying all of a sudden?¡± ¡°If devils really couldn¡¯t die, they wouldn¡¯t have gone extinct since the Crusades, wouldn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°¡­ You are dying right now. Not your body, but your soul.¡± At her words, my expression momentarily slipped. ¡°Devils are generally immune to physical and magical attacks, but¡­ there are always exceptions.¡± ¡°How would you know that if you¡¯re not even a devil¡­¡± ¡°I ckmailed my sister with a photo of her on a leash in your basement. Using that, I rifled through the confidential documents of the British government. So, shut up and listen to me.¡± Leaving aside the fact that she seemed to know more about devils than the literal devil, me, himself, she was revealing information that must nevere to light, which made my expression grow more somber. ¡°The things that can harm a devil are¡­ crosses, silver bullets, religious relics, constraints due to contracts¡­¡± ¡°¡­.. I know that much too.¡± ¡°Of course, if that was all there was, I wouldn¡¯t have mentioned it. But the most crucial cause still remains.¡± ¡°That is?¡± However, the information she revealed next was something that even I had no idea about. ¡°Love.¡± As I sat there with a dumbfounded expression, Charlotte bit her lip and bowed. ¡°Love?¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t fucking act like you don¡¯t know.¡± With a heated voice, showing her growing anger, she whispered in my ears. ¡°The most dangerous act for a devil is none other than love.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Especially, love with a contractor is exponentially more lethal. Am I wrong?¡± I was quite literally dumbfounded since I had no idea about that, which made me look at her with a stunned look,pletely speechless. However, Charlotte, with her head bowed, didn¡¯t seem to have noticed that and continued muttering under her breath. ¡°Knowing that, did you¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Why did you still fall in love with me?¡± ¡°Ah, no¡­?¡± Despite her intense gaze, I unwittingly shook my head in denial. ¡°Just why?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why would an immortal being like you fall for someone like me, dooming yourself forever?¡± Charlotte was not in a state to hold a rational conversation anymore. ¡°That is¡­¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Answer me, please?¡± And as I was not in a good state physically, being somewhat delirious myself, the words that spilled out of my mouth were unfiltered. ¡°¡­ I just like you, what can I do.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I just like what I like, what do you want me to do about it¡­¡± And then an unnerving silence descended between us. ¡°¡­ So, even though you¡¯ve seduced countless women, you¡¯ve never truly loved anyone.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°If you had truly loved someone, you would have died long ago, right?¡± In the silence, her bone-chilling voice reverberated throughout the room. ¡°You didn¡¯t even love the professor. Because you were brainwashed by her, both mentally and physically. I can tell¡­¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°Shut up. I¡¯m talking, dammit!¡± Eventually, unable to bear it any longer, she grabbed me by the cor. ¡°¡­ Why do you love me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Why do you like me enough to risk your fucking life¡­!¡± Even if she asked why I liked Holmes, being a fanatical Sherlockian, there was no way I could properly exin it to her. It seemed unlikely that Miss System would let me exin the true nature of the world to her¡ª the protagonist. ¡°Don¡¯t love me, please.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to not love me than to die!!¡± So, with a slightly crestfallen expression, I heard her scream in my ear. ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± I closed my eyes, trying to contemte her words, but it was meaningless. It was always meaningless no matter how much her words made sense. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How can I not like you?¡± Having spent half my life as a fanatic Sherlockian, it was impossible for me not to like her. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± So, I just scratched my head, and Charlotte, who had been staring nkly at me, suddenly¡­ - Swoosh¡­ Embraced me with a tearful expression and kissed my lips without saying any more words. ¡°¡­ Mmm.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The kiss that day was a bit bittersweet. . . . . . ¡°¡­ I promise you right here and now.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll save you, no matter what it takes.¡± After sharing a brief kiss with her, as Charlotte backed away, she started muttering under her breath. ¡°The Dragon¡¯s Tear. With it, I can save you.¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s impossible.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly at her words. ¡°Why is it impossible? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because dragons have gone extinct in ancient times.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°The only remaining one is right beside you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Yes, I already knew that fact. Professor Moriarty being actually a dragon was a twist I couldn¡¯t possibly miss, being a developer and also a story consultant for the game. ¡°¡­ Still, it¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± But, what can¡¯t be done, can¡¯t be done. ¡°Professor can¡¯t shed tears.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Professor Moriarty will never cry, not even if I die.¡± Despite having a significantly low empathy, the professor could feel anger or happiness to some extent. However, I can assertively say that she would never be able toprehend sadness in her whole life. Maybe even love. ¡°Well¡­ it makes sense, seeing as she has raped you multiple times without a single change in the color of her eyes. That heartless bitch¡­ but that¡¯s to be expected.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°But the difference between her and me is that, my eyes are dyed in your colour.¡± As I pondered to myself about the professor, Charlotte Holmes started whispering to herself again. ¡°¡­ Then, the solution might be surprisingly simple.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I eagerly listened to her words, ¡°If I cease to exist in this world¡­..¡± ¡°No.¡± Hearing what must never ur, I stood up and startedshing out at her for the very first time. ¡°If you ever bring up that topic again¡­ it¡¯s over between us.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The moment you die, I¡¯ll kill myself too, so don¡¯t even dream about it¡­¡± Charlotte, her arm grasped in my hand, stumbled back and nodded with a startled expression. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll look for another way.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°So, will you let me go now?¡± Realising that I had been unnecessarily exerting too much force on her hand, I quickly released her arm. ¡°¡­ Suddenly doing things you never do, what¡¯s that about?¡± She narrowed her eyes at me for a moment, then swiftly turned around and walked out of the hospital room. ¡°It turns out you were just pretending to be weak¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± As the door closed, silence settled in the room. ¡°Haah¡­¡± Sitting quietly on the bed amidst the silence, I sighed to myself. Excuse me. ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± At the message that suddenly popped up in front of me, acting all timid, I couldn¡¯t help but tilt my head, puzzled. I''m sorry to ask so suddenly, but are you really a possessor? Why was the system suddenly asking such a question now? ¡°Then what else would I be¡­¡± Warning! ¨C Probability of True Identity being Revealed ¡ª 50% ¡°Ah.¡± A few secondster, I realised the reason, and a cold sweat started to run down my forehead. . . . . . ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Meanwhile, outside the hospital room, ¡°¡­ Heh.¡± Charlotte, about to walk away after closing the door, spotted Professor Moriarty standing nkly beside the hospital door and snorted with a smirk, turning her head sharply. ¡°Why are you making that face?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°It looks like the face of someone who thought they were truly in love, only to realize the truth, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Of course, the words that Adler had just uttered were still echoing in the professor¡¯s ears, so Charlotte¡¯s words meant nothing to her. ¡°¡­ My assistant is terminally ill?¡± ¡°Tch.¡± At the low murmur that slipped out of her, Charlotte clicked her tongue with a look of disdain and quietly walked away down the corridor. ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯s true¡­¡± Left alone in the corridor, only her hollow voice echoed off the silent walls. Chapter 177: The Korean Interpreter Chapter 177: The Korean Interpreter- Squeak¡­ ¡°¡­¡­?¡± For a long, long time, I just looked at the message that popped up on the system with a vacant gaze. ¡°Professor? Are you still here¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I thought you had already left. Did you forget something?¡± Catching sight of Professor Moriarty, who had been peeking through the partially open door of the hospital room, I asked with a perplexed look on my face, curious about how long she had been there. ¡°Professor?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± However, for some reason, she just stood there, silently looking at me.¡°What¡¯s wrong with you so suddenly¡­¡± - Click¡­! Just as my face washed over with puzzlement, Professor Moriarty quietly entered the room and closed the door behind her. - Thump¡­ Then, she waddled over to the bed where I was lying and quietly sat down beside me. Then she gazed at me once more, not saying a word like moments before. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± I tilted my head, looking at her, and cautiously asked. However, no answer came from the professor. - Swish¡­ I wasn¡¯t sure just how long passed just like that. ¡°Adler¡­¡± Lifting my head slightly upon hearing her voice, I was suddenly taken aback. ¡°Is this how it¡¯s done?¡± ¡°¡­..!?¡± Tears were streaming down from the eyes of Professor Moriarty, who sat demurely beside me. . . . . . ¡°There is nothing I cannot solve.¡± ¡°Pr-Professor!?¡± Even though she was shedding tears from her eyes for the very first time, she did so with a confident expression on her face, a disorienting contrast. ¡°You im to know all sorts of secrets of this world. But, do you really think it¡¯s hard for me to shed a mere drop of tear?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Well, then, Adler.¡± Isaac Adler and that rookie investigator, who had turned into a greater source of irritation for Moriartytely, mentioned that she was unable to shed tears throughout her lifetime. ¡°Lick it.¡± ¡°What?¡± But here she was, shedding a perfect droplet of liquid from the eyes. Anatomically and chemically, no one could deny that droplet of liquid was a tear. ¡°Lick.¡± Even if history recorded these as the most authentic tears ever shed, the professor knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough. ¡°Uh, um¡­¡± - Swish¡­ ¡°Ye-Ye-Yes¡­¡± As the victorious professor gazed intently at Adler with her head held high, Adler, who hesitated for a moment, closed his eyes and stuck out his tongue. ¡°¡­ Lick it thoroughly.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°What are you talking about? These are scientifically perfect tears.¡± An unknown amount of time passed like that. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Yes, that should be enough.¡± ¡°¡­ For?¡± ¡°For your treatment, of course.¡± yfully, she bit on Adler¡¯s tongue as he licked the corners of her eyes while looking at her cautiously. Her cheeks slightly reddened as she began to murmur. ¡°You¡¯re terminally ill, I know¡­ but they said that consuming dragon tears can extend one¡¯s life, right¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve actually been researching that for some time and I have finally seeded today.¡± Adler listened to her words in a daze. ¡°The tears I shed just now¡­ should be identical inposition to those of a dragon.¡± ¡°Professor¡­¡± ¡°So, your lifespan issue is resolved. Now, we just need to focus on how we¡¯ll transform London into a kingdom of crime¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong¡­¡± He soon shook his head vigorously, interrupting the professor¡¯s triumphant statement. ¡°What do you mean wrong¡­?¡± ¡°Well, those aren¡¯t tears.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± The professor, momentarily baffled, then smiled and asked. ¡°What are you talking about? These are scientifically perfect tears.¡± ¡°¡­ That may be true. But magically, they have no effect.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± At her puzzled expression, Adler sighed and replied. ¡°Dragon tears¡­ only tears that dragons shed from genuine sadness contain magical power.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°It seems that dragons themselves don¡¯t quite understand this¡ª no, I think they understand but can¡¯tprehend it fully. It¡¯s quite rare for dragons to feel sadness after all.¡± Upon hearing this, Professor Moriarty wore a momentarily stunned expression. ¡°Is that¡­ so?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So¡­ you mean to say, if one cries out of sadness, that works?¡± ¡°Exactly. The tears must be induced by sadness. Not like you, Professor, forcing fluid from your eyes through magic.¡± ¡°¡­ Just wait a moment.¡± She then fell silent, gazing at her student before her. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± And the silence stretched on for quite some time. ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± In the midst of this silence, the Professor, whose eyes had reddened from all the concentration, suddenly made a flustered look. ¡°I can¡¯t understand it¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I was just imagining you disappearing from my side. My breath was caught, and my chest felt tight.¡± Then, sweating coldly, she started to mutter. ¡°But, for some reason, no tears came out¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Why? I need you. If you were gone, I would surely be sad¡­¡± Observing her, Adler with a wry smile, spoke up, ¡°You don¡¯t need to push yourself too hard.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to force yourself to do something you can¡¯t do.¡± At Adler¡¯s resigned voice, the Professor¡¯s eyes began to quiver. ¡°Then, then¡­ are you, dying¡­?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Even if my kingdom of crime ispleted, you¡¯re saying you won¡¯t be there¡­?¡± Herplexion began to pale. ¡°That, that¡­ that can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°Professor¡­¡± ¡°Wa, wait. I have some old¡­ no, useful things in my storage. Let¡¯s experiment with them one by one¡­¡± And then she hurriedly rose from her seat and started walking towards the exit. ¡°Ah, no, that¡¯s not it!¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°Why would I die?¡± Adler, urgently calling her back, started exining with a calm smile on his face. ¡°I guess you identally heard what I said earlier, but that was all a lie.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± ¡°It was a lie to quickly awaken Charlotte. Why would I die?¡± ¡°But if a devil falls in love¡­¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m a devil, you know. Knowing that, why would I want tomit suicide like that?¡± Then, the professor, already paled from worry, started looking at me with uncertainty in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s true that I¡¯ve been feeling a bit unwelltely, but I¡¯ve already prepared a solution for that.¡± ¡°A solution¡­ you say?¡± ¡°Yes, I have a way to avoid death.¡± Hearing that, she spread her palm and quickly invoked a magic circle in the air. ¡°Say that again.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Repeat what you just said.¡± Scratching his head for a moment, Adler replied as ordered. ¡°Uh¡­ I have a way to avoid death.¡± At that moment. - Whoosh¡­! The professor¡¯s palm began burning with eerie green mes. ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± Looking at the vivid colour, the usual smile returned to the professor¡¯s face. ¡°It seems it was true after all.¡± ¡°What kind of magic is that?¡± ¡°Lie detection magic.¡± Then, answering Adler¡¯s question with a broad smile, she spoke, ¡°Indeed, you are really my wicked assistant.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That bumbling young detective is just a toy for you, isn¡¯t she? Just ying in your hands from start to finish, right?¡± As she asked with a noticeably more excited expression than usual, clinging to his side, Adler smiled while nodding. ¡°Of course, Professor¡­¡± The return ticket is also a way to avoid death, so it can be inferred as you speaking the truth. ¡°Ha ha¡­¡± But at that moment, seeing the system message that popped up before his eyes, Adler felt a slight twinge of guilt hit him right in the face. ¡°Well, enough of this sombre mess¡­ I have some good news for you.¡± However, too excited by the fact that his assistant was not going to die, the professor did not notice the change in his expression. Pressing her head against his cheek, she shared a new piece of information. ¡°I found a new mystery for us.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°A crime request hase in, something unusual?¡± At that, Adler momentarily wore a vacant expression, then tilted his head and queried, ¡°What kind? A hit on someone? Tampering with evidence? Or to just design a simple scheme?¡± ¡°Well¡­ this one is rather unusual.¡± As he showed clear interest, the professor responded with a visibly delighted expression. ¡°We need to find an interpreter.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The clients have abducted an Asian, and they want someone who can speak thatnguage.¡± Adler¡¯s forehead began to sweat as he furrowed his brows in confusion. Warning! ¨C Probability of True Identity being Revealed ¡ª 50% ¡°Could it be¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Adler?¡± . . . . . At that time, somewhere in the increasingly sinister back alleys of London, - Creak¡­ ¡°Hey¡­ have you secured an interpreter¡­?¡± A man who had entered through one of the secret passages strewn about the ce gave his colleague a salute before responding to his query in a low voice. ¡°¡­ I have entrusted it to a reliable source.¡± ¡°Good, well done¡­¡± Then, another man, appearing satisfied, nced towards the back of the room. ¡°¡­ Given that the task was directlymissioned by the government, we should receive a hefty fee this time.¡± ¡°Mmph, mmph¡­¡± His gaze fell upon an Asian woman who was tied up with a gag in her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s unexpected. I thought this was just a request from illegal ve traders to capture a runaway ve¡­¡± ¡°From her appearance and clothing, she must have been from the upper ss in her country. She doesn¡¯t look like a runaway ve at all.¡± ¡°Then¡­?¡± As they conversed, they casually watched her burning gaze bore on them. ¡°The requesting nation is also in the East.¡± ¡°Ah, then¡­¡± ¡°It must be rted to international affairs. Either way, it¡¯s good for us if our client base grows¡­¡± Tears began streaming down the woman¡¯s face as she listened to their conversation. ¡°Oh, do you understand ournguage?¡± ¡°What¡¯s even the point of asking that, she keeps spouting iprehensible things anyway¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Maybe a bit more pain will suddenly make some English spill out of her mouth? Worth a try.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea¡­¡± Shortly after, muffled screams began echoing from the abandoned building in the alley. Chapter 178: The Korean Interpreter (2) ¡°Professor¡­¡± ¡°Why, what¡¯s the matter?¡± It was the morning of the next day. We left Cornwall, setting out to check out a request that gave a sense of ominous foreboding. ¡°Do we really need to walk down the street like this¡­?¡± ¡°Let me ask you a counter-question. Is there a reason I shouldn¡¯t maintain such security for an impudent assistant who could disappear any moment, whether willingly or otherwise?¡± ¡°Uh, um¡­¡± Gauging the professor¡¯s expression, I finally muttered myint in a low voice after much deliberation. ¡°Still, carrying a minor in your arms under your coat while walking down a busy street in broad daylight¡­ it seems somewhat problematic, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Why would you be a minor? You are clearly an adult.¡± ¡°But I am¡­¡±¡°The legal age of adulthood differs between mana wielders and the general popce. For instance, the general legal age is 21, but for mana wielders, it happens to be exactly your age¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I get it, no need to exin further.¡± Fearing that she was about to say something extremely controversial from a 21st-century perspective, I hurriedly tried to cover the professor¡¯s mouth. ¡°¡­ When they are considered an adult.¡± However, the professor inevitably finished speaking and then smiled at me. ¡°Mana wielders are treated as critical resources. In exchange, they must definitely be registered with the state.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± ¡°In fact, I was also registered with the state recently.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I was observed using mana while saving you from that disgusting murderer.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Was she talking about when Jill the Ripper first revealed herself? Recalling that time, I remembered how she frantically waved a knife around like a raving madwoman. Considering that, perhaps it was sheer luck that I hadn¡¯t been murdered yet. ¡°Well, the information isn¡¯t exactly urate, but I had to pay the fine precisely.¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s very thorough of you.¡± ¡°By the way Adler, something seems off.¡± As I casually responded to the professor, she suddenly brightened up and started talking to me. ¡°You¡¯re also supposed to be British, why is your basic knowledge socking?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Could it be that you are not British?¡± That prating gaze made it seem like she could see through everything, sending shivers down my spine. ¡°Wh-What are you talking about¡­?¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, your English is slightly odd too. Normally, you speak with a British ent, but sometimes an American ent slips out, and at times, you speak in an ent I¡¯ve never heard before¡­ Sometimes you even use terms I¡¯ve never heard in all my life¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Did I not mention it before? I¡¯m of British-American descent.¡± I quickly came up with an excuse to cover for myself, but that only elicited a smile from the professor that sent shivers down my spine. Soon, she spoke up, ¡°What are you talking about¡­ Adler?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Well, you are a devil, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­ Ah.¡± That was the moment I knew that I messed up. Sweat drenched my skin at my blunder, while the professor whisperedzily into my ear. ¡°Seems like the settings you¡¯ve stored in your head keep shing, hm?¡± ¡°Better put them together well. Otherwise, you might really reveal your true identity to that young detective, and that would be a real disaster.¡± A more profound chill crawled down my spine, making me shiver uncontrobly. ¡°Well, I suppose¡­¡± ¡°That aside, could you please release me any time soon¡­?¡± He tried to shake off the chilling feeling with a casual question, but the professor simply tightened her coat around him and whispered in a dangerously low voice. ¡°Just move your feet.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already cast a perception inhibition spell on us, no one can recognize us.¡± I neither had any logic nor will left to argue back. So, I kept walking forward, my shoulder buried in the professor¡¯s chest, until we reached our destination. ¡°My shoulder hurts.¡± ¡°How about transforming into a cat like you did before?¡± ¡°I am sorry for saying anything. Let¡¯s just walk, please.¡± . . . . . ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Is this the ce¡­? The location where we were supposed to meet the client¡­?¡± Staggering along like a mother penguin with her chick, we arrived at one of the most poorly managed areas of London¡¯s back streets, housing an rming amount of criminal activity. ¡°Among these abandoned houses, this one seems to have some signs of life.¡± ¡°A-Are you sure¡­?¡± ¡°You know this area too, your hideout is nearby after all. It¡¯s a dangerous ce for just about anyone to live.¡± - Creeeeak¡­ ¡°The fact that I can feel such strong presences here, two of them to boot, gives us our answer.¡± Honestly, I couldn¡¯t quite grasp the severity of the situation due to the professor confidently strolling through this criminal area as if it were her own living room, but I quietly entered the house alongside her as she suggested. ¡° Silence soon descended as we entered inside. ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± As soon as we entered the hallway, the foul smell of blood made me furrow my brows. ¡°A familiar smell¡­¡± The professor seemed to like it, however. ¡°Professor, is the perception inhibition magic still in ce¡­?¡± - Sizzzleeee¡­ ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± As I was about to ask her another question and take a step forward, a suspicious noise came from inside. ¡°Is someone grilling meat¡­?¡± ¡°Aaaaagh!!!¡± ¡°¡­ Ah.¡± I realized that it wasn¡¯t just the sound of your average meat being grilled when a terrible scream echoed from the inside. - Click¡­ And right at that moment, ¡°It would be wise for both of you to raise your hands¡­¡± A bone-chilling, eerie voice echoed from the darkness. ¡°¡­ Very well, now identify yourselves.¡± As the professor and I obediently raised our hands, a man in a suit, with a gun aimed at us, looked at us alternately with a wary gaze and made his demand. ¡°You folks reallyck manners.¡± In such a tense situation, Professor Moriarty whispered in a rxed voice as she slightly flicked her finger. - tter¡­ ¡°What?¡± The gun he was holding immediately disassembled and fell to the ground, causing momentary confusion to wash over the man¡¯s face. ¡°We did not ept your request to be treated this way.¡± ¡°Huh, a vampire¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. As my assistant said, you shouldn¡¯t think of us as just any subcontractor. Given that we hold what you need, and the advantage in strength and abilities, you guys are merely our subordinates, nothing more.¡± Sensing the severity of the situation, I activated my vampiric abilities, eyes turning red as a result, and cautioned the man. The professor stroked my head approvingly and drove the point home. ¡°¡­ My apologies.¡± In that moment, the man in the suit, noticing our reactions, soon bowed politely and offered his apologies. ¡°Given the nature of the matter, we had to be cautious about security. Please be gracious enough to forgive us¡­¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s how you should show respect so that we feel inclined to work.¡± Finally, with a satisfied expression, the professor began moving forward. ¡°Gao¡­¡±1 I raised my hand in a threatening manner to the man who remained bowing, and then began following behind the professor. ¡°¡­ Is this the kidnapped Asian?¡± ¡°Ugh, uh¡­¡± As we moved into a dimly lit basement, the source of the screams eventually became visible to us. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Judging by her rough state, she¡¯s been toyed with quite a bit, I assume.¡± Despite being severely emaciated, the Asian woman had a certain grace to her. Tied to a chair, her head was lowered while her eyes were filled with despair. ¡°We are quite gentlemanly if we receive proper cooperation.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, this woman wasn¡¯t very cooperative.¡± Watching her with a vacant expression for some time, the professor began examining the woman with interest. ¡°It would be better if we couldmunicate, but we must understand thenguage she speaks.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she Chinese?¡± ¡°Judging by her appearance, it¡¯s certain she¡¯s Asian. However, having dealt with many Chinese myself, I can say¡­ thenguage this woman is speaking definitely isn¡¯t Chinese.¡± Hearing the man¡¯s reasoning, the professor¡¯s eyes gleamed with even more interest. ¡°I would like to hear what this woman has to say.¡± ¡°¡­ Alright. There¡¯s no harm in trying.¡± Then, at the professor¡¯s request, the man nodded and removed the gag from the woman¡¯s mouth. ¡°Ah, ah¡­¡± Then, as she alternated her gaze between the professor and the man, iprehensible words burst from the lips of the woman, pale with fear and pain. "These fucking bastards...!" ¡°¡­ Huh.¡± A scent all too familiar to me, one I never imagined I¡¯d encounter in the heart of London, was emanating strongly from the woman. "You bastards who deserve to be boiled down to the bone... listen carefully!!" "No matter how much you rant at me like a dog in heat, you won''t be able to extract any information from me... Kulluk!" While listening to her rather fairly archaic swearing, which did not suit her elegant appearance, I struggled to manage my expression. ¡°Even if we can¡¯t understand the words, we¡¯re not fools who can¡¯t pick up on the nuances¡­¡± - Crunch¡­! While looking up at the man who had struck her abdomen, she began shivering momentarily in pain. Soon, however, she bit down fiercely on her tongue to halt her screams which only filled me with aplex set of emotions. ¡­ I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s as I suspected. The professor standing next to her was observing me with a curious gaze, but that wasn¡¯t important right now. ¡°Sigh¡­ Get a healing magic circle from the ck market. The cheapest one.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I never imagined I¡¯d end up consulting a distant ancestor of mine on criminal advice. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, you¡¯d better stay still this time¡­¡± - Sizzzleee¡­ ¡°¡­ Ughhhhh!¡± What am I supposed to do now?
    1. This is the expression that Adler doodled on a previous chapter. I will attach the relevant picture in the Notes so that you guys can refresh your mind on it.
Chapter 179: The Korean Interpreter (3) ¡°Indeed¡­ it¡¯s anguage even I¡¯ve heard for the first time.¡± ¡°¡­ I-Is that so?¡± As the woman screamed in agony under the men¡¯s renewed torture, Professor pondered deeply for some time, while stroking her chin, before speaking. ¡°Adler, I know a far greater number ofnguages than you can even imagine.¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s impressive¡­¡± ¡°And that includes Asiannguages as well.¡± As I silently agreed with the professor while trying my very best to ignore the screams of the woman being tortured, the professor looked at me with intrigue in her eyes as she continued. ¡°I¡¯m especially fluent in Chinese, even have a certain level of expertise in thatnguage. I once had friends over there in the distant past¡­¡± ¡°¡­ you mean, Imugis?¡± ¡°What did you say, Adler?¡±¡°We-We-Weapons, I meant to say that those weapons are really cool. It would be great to have something like this at our base¡­¡± Having misspoken due to extreme nervousness, Adler quickly pointed at the torture devices scattered around the room, trying to divert the professor¡¯s attention as she red at me with barely concealed suspicion in her eyes. ¡°So, she¡¯s not Chinese, then? That¡¯s quite unexpected¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Why are you sweating so much?¡± ¡°This request seems quite difficult. Ha ha ha¡­¡± While I was trying my utmost to put up the act of my life, one of the men in ck suits stopped his pondering before asking us with a doubtful look in his eyes. ¡°Can you really find an interpreter? This is a very sensitive matter.¡± ¡°It all depends on how much time and budget you can allocate.¡± ¡°We can provide a generous fee. However, we cannot give you much time.¡± Upon the professor¡¯s calm response, the doubtful look in the man¡¯s eyes deepened as heid out his demands. ¡°You must bring an interpreter who canmunicate with this woman within two days at most. Of course, the interpreter must be someone familiar with dark dealings to ensure that noplications arise.¡± ¡°That seems imusible. You know as well that two days is just pushing it.¡± ¡°Fine, three days max. I cannot give you more than that. As I mentioned earlier, there are diplomatic matters involved here.¡± At his response, a frigid glint sparked in the professor¡¯s eyes. ¡°Your tone is bing ever so lightly impolite again.¡± ¡°I apologise, but it can¡¯t be helped. This is not a matter we can negotiate on.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°If you think it¡¯s beyond your capabilities, you may leave. I believe that a criminal consult, considerably notorious in the underworld of recent times, wouldn¡¯t bber about such a matter carelessly.¡± With that said, the man threw a provocative remark at the professor before politely bowing his head again. And with that action of his, a brief silence washed over the room. ¡°¡­ So, we just need to find a trantor within 3 days, correct?¡± ¡°Technically, it¡¯s 52 hours, but yes, that¡¯s roughly correct.¡± ¡°Quite a peculiar andplex request indeed.¡± In the silence that followed, the professor, wrapping an arm around my waist, proceeded toward the exit. ¡°¡­ This will make for an interesting diversion.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know how should I even begin to express my gratitude¡­¡± Her soft-spoken words finally drew a smile from the man as he replied. ¡°So¡­ how should we proceed with the contract?¡± ¡°My assistant will stay behind to finalize it. He¡¯s more skilled in contract magic than I am¡­¡± ¡°That sounds good. We prefer a clean transaction as well¡­¡± In such circumstances, prompted by the professor¡¯s gesture to move, I advanced toward the men in suit. ¡°By the way, what are you nning to do to that woman over the next 3 days?¡± ¡°¡­ Well, unless something speciales up, we might as well continue the torture.¡± Hearing this, I clenched my teeth and halted my steps. ¡°Who knows? Maybe if we keep it up, she might blurt out something in English.¡± ¡°That would certainly save us some money.¡± ¡°So far, we¡¯ve only heard a bunch of bizarre words like ¡®shibal,¡¯ ¡®saekki,¡¯ ¡®jonna¡¯¡­ at first, I thought it was Russian or something! Ha ha¡­¡± At that moment, a man casually murmured while holding a red-hot poker. - Drip¡­ A single tear fell from the eyes of the woman tied to the chair, flinching as she observed us with fear and deep-seated despair in her eyes. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°¡­ What is it?¡± And that right there, unbeknownst to me, was the reason I had dug my own grave. ¡°Actually, I know a bit about thenguage that woman speaks.¡± ¡° Behind me, Professor Moriarty¡¯s lips slowly curled into a frigid smile, but I decided to ignore it. . . . . . ¡°Adler~¡± The men prepared a chair for the woman to sit on, eliciting a puzzled expression from the tortured woman. As I also prepared myself to interpret her words, anguid void echoed from beside me. ¡°¡­ Professor? Haven¡¯t you left yet?¡± ¡°Well, it seems we no longer need an interpreter, do we?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°And there¡¯s something I¡¯m curious about.¡± As she calmly received her whisper, the professor, who had been tilting his head, shed a smile at me and asked a question. ¡°How do you know about anguage that even I am not aware of?¡± ¡°Ah, maybe you know but it¡¯s not clicking in right now¡­?¡± ¡°Adler. Everything in this world has its own probability.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°I want an answer that fits the probability urately.¡± I tried to brush off her question, but seeing the professor¡¯s sharp gaze, it seemed that it would be difficult. ¡°¡­ I am a devil, so I can understand a diverse set ofnguages? Even ones that may have eluded you, Professor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite a convenient set-up.¡± ¡°Well, what can I do if it¡¯s true? Haha¡­¡± Thus, when I squeezed out a somewhat usible excuse that fit with the probability of this scenario, the professor, finding it cute somehow, patted my head and whispered. ¡°¡­ Just out of curiosity, are you nning to charm thatdy?¡± ¡°Definitely not.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make it clear either way.¡± I quickly nodded and straightened myself, myself by the clear note of threat lingering in her voice. ¡°If you seduce her, I¡¯ll be showing you our child this time next year.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Then, a brief moment of silence ensued. ¡°If you¡¯re ready, let¡¯s begin.¡± In that silence, the man who had been waiting for our conversation to end stepped forward and spoke. ¡°First, could you ask thatdy if she has any intentions of handing over the location of the documents?¡± Do you have any intentions of handing over the location of the documents? As I ryed the message in Korean, a momentary look of confusion shed across her tired face. ¡­ Who are you? .........1 Why is a foreigner speaking in Korean? As she uttered a longer sentence than usual, the men facing each other began to murmur in low voices. ¡°Clearly, it seems that he canmunicate¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you already? It¡¯s a very reliable ce.¡± ¡°¡­ Hey, but what is thatdy even saying?¡± Then, suddenly turning to me, one of the men asked. ¡°She¡¯s still too flustered to speak properly¡­¡± ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± As I calmly exined, the man¡¯s gaze turned icy. - p¡­! ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± In the next moment, ¡°Would you please tell her to get her act together and answer properly¡­?¡± With all his might, the man pped the woman¡¯s cheek, then shed me a grin as he made his demand. ¡­ I''ll ask you once more. Have you no intention of handing over the documents? You might as well kill me! Following the brutal p, I asked her again, only to have a venomous response thrown back at me. Are you not concerned about your life? I would rather give up my life than hand over documents that hold the fate of my nation! They will treat you horrendously, you know. At the men¡¯s request, I issued another light threat, which prompted her body to start trembling violently. ¡­ It doesn''t matter. Perhaps the torture she had endured so far shed before her eyes as herplexion swiftly turned pale as a sheet of paper, but her response remained steadfast until the end. ¡°What does she say?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± The men, having sensed the atmosphere, threw the question at me without much hope. ¡°¡­ Well, you see.¡± I contemted to myself, observing the woman¡¯s pale, scarred face and the men quietly fondling the tools of torture they held. ¡°She says she has a condition.¡± Finally, I closed my eyes tightly and lied to the men. ¡°A condition¡­ you say?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what she is saying. I do not know what the condition is though.¡± There wasn¡¯t really a particr reason for me to be doing this. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Maybe we should continue the conversation?¡± ¡°¡­ Ask what the condition is.¡± It was just my capricious heart that had led me to conduct this farce. What is the condition? (Listen carefully to what I''m about to say.) Thus, much like the case in the original episode The Greek Interpreter, I began to add lightmentary to the words I was conveying to her. Warning! ¨C Probability of being Discovered ¡ª 75% Seeing the system message that appeared before my eyes, I smirked and continued the conversation. Respond quickly. (I will help you.) Ah...? I had been fired from my previous job because I was unable to choose between good and evil. It seemed to me that something simr was happening right now. . . . . . - Squeak¡­ Meanwhile, at that moment. As Adler began risking his life, starting his trademark havoc, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for your efforts.¡± In the dangerous back alley where Adler and the rest were located, an incongruously ornate carriage ¨C that did not quite fit the ambience of the location ¨C appeared and began to attract attention. ¡°Ah, there¡¯s no need for you all to get out.¡± ¡°But¡­!¡± ¡°¡­ This is a matter of national importance.¡± Soon after, a very familiar face descended from the carriage, supported by her subordinates. ¡°Furthermore, this is a matter that must be handled by unofficial means.¡± ¡°I trust you roughly understand what I mean.¡± Mycrony Holmes, with a gentle voice, started moseying along the road with her hands sped behind her back. ¡°¡­ By the way, is it just me, or is there a familiar scent of vampires here?¡± Her slightly opened eyes, which hadn¡¯t shown signs of alertness for weeks, were now thinly opened, carrying a razor-sharp gling.
    1. Silence in Korean, lol
Chapter 180: The Korean Interpreter (4) ¡°What is this woman saying?¡± ¡°¡­ Just wait a moment. My memory is a bit foggy, so it¡¯s taking me some time to interpret her words properly.¡± Having secretly ryed a message to the woman before me, I made a quick excuse to the men urgently throwing questions at me after gauging the woman¡¯s reaction. Until just moments ago, she had been enveloped in deep despair. However, my abrupt message had taken her byplete surprise and that slipped out ever so slightly in her expressions. Yet, seeing that she did not openly showcase it to everyone, she appeared quite sharp-witted. ¡°I will need to ask some more questions, I believe.¡± ¡°¡­ As you wish. However, we will decide what questions to ask.¡± Then, there was no reason for me to hesitate any longer. What exactly do you want?(Who are you?) I want nothing. (I am a bureaucrat from the Empire of Korea. You need not know more.) It might be good to lie to buy some time. (Why have you been captured?) Then, start by untying these ropes. (I was captured while returning home with documents critical to my nation¡¯s fate.) Thus, I calmed myself down and started to earnestly probe for her circumstances. ¡°¡­ The conversation seems to be getting quite lengthy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a characteristic of thisnguage. It¡¯s unnecessarily wordy.¡± ¡°So, how far along are we with deciphering her conditions?¡± ¡°Well, for starters, I think she¡¯s asking us to untie the ropes?¡± As I responded to the man who had interjected with a discontent expression, - Thwack¡­!!! A sharp p echoed throughout the dim basement the very next moment. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Tell her we agreed to meet their demands, not unreasonable requests.¡± A blood-red handprint etched on her face, the man looked at the groaning woman with a frigid glint in his eyes. Isn¡¯t there a usiblepromise we can reach? (How long have you been captured for?) I have no intention of handing over the documents, no matter what. (I am not sure, but I think it has been more than a fortnight.) Even if that means they will do unspeakable things to you? (What is your name?) My will shall not be broken. (My name is Kim Cheong-Yeon.) You¡¯ll regret this. (Do you have anypanions?) That will never happen. (I had a fellow official with me, but these bastards killed him.) As the outline of the events surrounding the woman began to take shape in my head, - Knock, knock, knock¡­! Suddenly, abrupt knocks echoed out from the entrance. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Has our location been discovered?¡± ¡°¡­ No, that doesn¡¯t seem to be it.¡± The men¡¯s eyes sharpened with a frigid chill, they stood up with their weapons to investigate the suspicious knocks. At that moment, the quietly observing professor opened her mouth, a smile tugging her lips, ? ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be a bit much to say that we¡¯ve been discovered? Especially when the act of hiding itself is meaningless to that person?¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I and my assistant will be handling this. Both of you just stay inside.¡± Delivering those words, the professor took my hand and leisurely moved towards the entrance. ¡°W-Why am I¡­?¡± ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t like it when you talk to a woman for too long.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Not to mention¡­ No matter how much I ruminate on it, you are the only weakness of the person who hase knocking at our door.¡± ¡°What do you mean, Professor¡­¡± I was practically being dragged along by her, unable to even resist. ¡°You should already know who¡¯s out there¡­¡± ¡°Oh my~¡± ¡°¡­.. Oh.¡± Upon seeing the familiar sharp eyes revealed as the door opened, a nk look soon washed over my eyes. ¡°Hmm, a sweet smell seems to being from somewhere¡­¡± ¡°Oh look. A cute little devil is here~¡± Mycrony Holmes, her oversized bosom squashed through the crack of the door, was licking her lips while looking at me with her trademark narrowed eyes. ¡°U-Um, I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m a vampire though.¡± . . . . . ¡°What brings you here, Miss Mycrony?¡± ¡°¡­ Oh dear, the professor is here with you as well?¡± I felt so nervous that I even blurted out some nonsensical words. But the professor and Mycrony Holmes didn¡¯t seem to mind as they began conversing with each other with smiling faces. ¡°You do know that if Gia Lestrade were here, this could be grounds for immediate arrest, right?¡± ¡°How dare you challenge me?¡± ¡°Oops! I forgot our dear professor is quite influential in London~¡± Though I felt ever so slightly relieved to see a familiar face, the conversation was getting a bit too heated for my liking. ¡°Do not provoke me needlessly. If a key figure of the British government were to be harmed, it would be troubling for London.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m afraid of the professor that¡¯s keeping me from stepping forward, you know~¡± ¡°Ah, of course, it must be because of your extreme lethargy.¡± ¡°Still, you never know? Maybe the extra strength I received recently from being a cute vampire¡¯s blood bag will enable me to go for some lizard hunting.¡± Feeling the atmosphere might turn even more dangerous, cold sweat dotted my forehead. Desperately, I was about to try and interject in their conversation but, ¡°Excuse me,dies¡­¡± ¡°By the way, you somehow managed to identify us even though I cast a perception inhibition spell, huh?¡± ¡°I can see through anything~ Even the true form that the professor is hiding behind her human shell~¡± It seemed too much for me to handle. ¡°You are behaving rather rudely, aren¡¯t you? I heard you had been trained by my assistant.¡± ¡°Professor, what are you talking abo¡­¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right¡­ He did train me extensively, yes. But it seems to have been reset due to not being schooled for a long time~¡± Both Professor Moriarty¡¯s chilling presence and Mycrony Holmes¡¯s aura were formidable, extremely hard for me to cope with. Usually, when the Professor showed even a hint of seriousness, everyone tended to freeze up in a mix of fear and terror. Could it be that Mycrony, who was able to easily withstand her Dragon Fear, was also a fearsome powerhouse? If left unchecked, this could spell disaster for London. ¡°If both of you don¡¯t moderate yourselves¡­!¡± In response, I raised my voice with a scowl on my face. ¡°¡­ I-I-I¡¯ll go to Charlotte.¡± Seeing the cold gazes piercing towards me, I finished speaking, shrinking back in intimidation at the end. No, in such a situation, would these words really¡­ As the chilling silence started to stretch, I couldn¡¯t help butment my ineptitude in negotiation. ¡°Well, let¡¯s end this pointless argument and get to the matter at hand.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more.¡± As the atmosphere suddenly lightened, I began to wonder¡­ Could I possibly be the strongest in London¡­? ¡°Why are you even here?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s actually quite simple.¡± As I entertained such frivolous thoughts, Mycrony Holmes, covering her mouth and smiling with her eyes, finally broached the main topic. ¡°You should keep your hands off this case.¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a matter for you to involve yourself in.¡± Suddenly, she whispered to me with a chilling smile. ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± ¡°Isaac Adler. Anything you get involved in inevitably ends up throwing my sister into the scenario, right?¡± ¡°Well, yes, but¡­¡± ¡°And this case would be incredibly troublesome if that were to happen.¡± Her voice was soft yet resolute. ¡°I would like to exin more, but there¡¯s no time to discuss the flow of international politics here. Perhapster¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Could it be because of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance?¡± ¡°Oh dear me¡­¡± As I tried to prod at the matter with the hypothesis I had in my mind, Mycrony Holmes¡¯ expression turned unusually frigid. Even the temperature of the room seemed to have dropped with the change in her expression. ¡°That¡¯s ssified information¡­¡± ¡°You really do know a lot, don¡¯t you~?¡± Judging by her reaction, it seemed that my guess had indeed been correct. ¡°¡­ So, it¡¯s a case involving the Empire of Japan.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a bit tricky to antagonize a country that could be an ally¡­ especially with Russia¡¯s fierce momentum in East Asiately¡­¡± ¡°I never imagined that the Great British Empire would have to be concerned about an Eastern ind nation.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing to be gained by provoking them now, is there? International rtions are a delicate andplex issue, I swear.¡± It also seemed like Mycrony didn¡¯t have any intention of backing down here. ¡°As it stands, I¡¯m afraid this situation calls for an apology.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°We have already received amission. We cannot step back now.¡± Of course, I had no intention of stepping back either. The cries of agonying from inside were one thing, but abandoning the case would directly lead to an increase in the erosion rate, given that this case was an episode directly from the source material. ¡°Um¡­ This is really strange¡­¡± But it seemed that Mycrony Holmes might have interpreted my overflowing good intentions somewhat differently. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem likely for Mr Adler, who came from hell, to care about the pride of Britain¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Could it possibly be because of the Asian woman inside?¡± Instantly, warmth vanished from the professor¡¯s eyes, leaving only an arctic chill. ¡°Now that I think about it, what country is that woman from¡­? There should be a report somewhere¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s definitely not the case here, Miss Mycrony. It¡¯s a matter of upholding the client¡¯s trust in us.¡± ¡°And besides, even to produce a satisfactory oue for the Empire of Japan, my help is necessary, right?¡± Noticing the professor¡¯s expression, I was frantically trying toe up with exnations that could justify my involvement and eagerness for this case. ¡°¡­ Well, if you are still feeling uneasy, I shall ensure that Charlotte doesn¡¯t get involved in this case.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just cleanlyplete the client¡¯s request and leave, shall we?¡± ¡°¡­ Well, if you insist so much, then.¡± I could only win over Microny Holmes after making that remark, still unaware of the potential bacsh. ¡°Remember this.¡± Relieved that I had somehow managed the situation, a sigh escaped me. In the next moment, however, Mycrony gave me a piece of advice, her back turned towards us. ¡°The moment my sister gets involved, I will also intervene in the case.¡± ¡°¡­.. Yes.¡± Hearing her usuallynguid voice, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill run down my spine. ¡°I will¡­ remember.¡± Mycroft Holmes, the official instigator of the original episode¡ª The Greek Interpreter. In this world, she was Mycrony Homes. I couldn¡¯t help but start worrying about the chaos that might ensue if she were to decide to go on a rampage. . . . . . Avant de nous s¨¦parer, je vais mementer un moment. (Before we part, I will beining for a moment.) Just when I was engulfed in worries about how to conduct myself in the future, a shadow of concern darkening my face, Ich ube, mein Assistent l¨¹gt. (I think my assistant is lying.) Das ist schade. (That''s a truly unfortunate.) As if on cue, both Professor Moriarty and Mycroft Holmes started spouting in an aliennguage, walking side by side as they exited the alleyway. §¤§Õ§Ö §å§ß§Ú§Ó§Ö§â§ã§Ñ§Ý§î§ß§í§Û §á§Ö§â§Ö§Ó§à§Õ§é§Ú§Ü, §Ü§à§ä§à§â§í§Û §ß§Ö §Ù§ß§Ñ§Ö§ä §ß§Ú §æ§â§Ñ§ß§è§å§Ù§ã§Ü§à§Ô§à, §ß§Ú §ß§Ö§Þ§Ö§è§Ü§à§Ô§à, §ß§Ú §â (Do you think it makes sense for someone who ims to be an universal interpreter to not know French, German, or Russian?) §¿§ä§à §ß§Ö§Þ§ß§à§Ô§à §ã§Þ§Ö§ê§ß§à. (That''s quite an amusing farce, yes.) It almost felt like they had started a spell casting duel to determine the strongest in London right here and now. Chapter 181: The Korean Interpreter (5) ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The day after I was suddenly charged with a case involving one of London¡¯s numerous criminal organizations, the Empire of Japan, and a distant ancestor, ¡°Master, why do you look so troubled?¡± ¡°¡­ Moran?¡± As I made my way through the back alleys of London, heading to the gang¡¯s hideout to continue my work as an interpreter¡­ Celestia Moran suddenly asked me in a soft voice out of nowhere. It seemed that she had appeared beside me at some point without my knowledge and had been following me for some time. ¡°How did you get here¡­?¡± ¡°I am basically attached to you 24 hours a day, Master. Especially when you are travelling through such dangerous areas, I stay close to protect you.¡± Her words were definitely unsettling. So, I wasn¡¯t able to stop myself from disying a shocked look. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I notice you¡­?¡± ¡°Stealth is a very basic skill of an effective sniper.¡±¡°¡­ I see. But isn¡¯t that a bit too much?¡± While I was grateful for her efforts to protect me, being under constant surveince 24/7 was a bit overwhelming. And, when you thought about it, wasn¡¯t this outright exploitation of a child? Of course, Moran had matured significantly over the past few months, for some unknown reason. However, it was undeniable that she was still a child. ¡°You can take it easy from now on.¡± ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t think that will be possible.¡± So, I stroked her head, her height still shorter than my own, and tried to assuage her to not stalk me all the time. However, that only amounted to her donning a stern expression as she argued, ¡°Do you know how many threats I¡¯ve eliminated in the past few months?¡± ¡°¡­.. What?¡± ¡°Enough to reach the triple digits. That means on average, you¡¯ve faced a threat of being assassinated more than once a day.¡± Hearing her argument, I felt the air literally being sucked out of my lungs. ¡°Moran, what are you even talking abo¡­¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve handled everything perfectly on my end. Not to mention that it¡¯s impossible to trace anything that takes ce on a foggy London night, so you have nothing to worry about.¡± ? Knowing all too well that there was a person who could make the impossible possible, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill run along my spine. ¡°Th-Thank you¡­¡± - Thump¡­! I gave up on any notion of lecturing her and just patted her small head, praying with all my heart that Moran would never betray me. - Swoosh¡­ Suddenly, she grabbed my hand and brought it to her cheek. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°¡­ Please stroke me here too.¡± Gazing at me for some time, she eventually lowered her eyes and mumbled in a low voice. Although it felt slightly strange, there was no real reason for me to not grant that request of hers. So, I gently caressed her cheek and she immediately began cutely stomping her feet on the floor while standing with her arms behind her back. ¡°Hey, by the way.¡± Relieved that she still retained some girlish aspects, I finally asked her what I had been curious about. ¡°Why don¡¯t you call me Dad instead of Master?¡± ¡°I thought we had gotten a bit closer, so I¡¯ve been speaking informally¡­¡± A hint of disappointment washed over my eyes as I ryed those words and her eyes immediately started quivering with a hint of confusion of panic. ¡°Tha-Tha-Thattt¡­ well¡­¡± Finally, after stuttering a great deal, she murmured in a barely audible voice while bowing her head low. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s because I¡¯m embarrassed.¡± I felt calling someone Master should¡¯ve been far more embarrassing than calling them Dad. But to each their own, I suppose. ¡°Then call me whatever you like.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy no matter what you call me.¡± As I gently caressed her cheek and whispered, her body started shivering for no reason. ¡°¡­ Moran?¡± Even her cheeks turned fiery hot and suddenly I felt something warm sliding down my hand. ¡°Are you crying?¡± - Fwoosh¡­! At that moment, as I asked her with a bewildered look on my face, Moran swiftly vanished from my sight like a stealthy ninja. ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­¡± Did I make a mistake or something? That seemed possible. She was always a child with numerous scars, both physical and emotional. I definitely need to apologize properly the next time we meet. . . . . . - Squeak¡­ ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± A few minutes after that brief incident, as I strenuously pushed the door of the abandoned building aside and entered, a cold voice echoed from inside, ¡°I am the interpreter.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the password?¡± ¡°¡­ There isn¡¯t one, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Come in.¡± Hands raised, I answered the queries of the men I met yesterday while keeping a calm expression. Soon enough, I was given the signal to enter deeper into the hideout. ¡°You know what you need to do, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Interpretation in Asiannguages, and you¡¯ve also requested torture services as well, correct?¡± ¡°The torture will be handled by u¡­¡± ¡°Even though I might not look much, I¡¯m still a mana user, you know? I can inflict pain several times more dreadful than mere stabs with an iron spike.¡± As I spoke with a condescending smile on my face, the displeasure on the men¡¯s faces receded and was soon reced by surprised expressions. ¡°A mana user, really?¡± ¡°¡­ Why would a bigshot like you take jobs from the underworld?¡± ¡°Everyone has their circumstances, right? Let¡¯s protect our personal information, even from fellow criminals.¡± To rify, I was currently here disguised as an interpreter and torture expertmissioned by the professor. To add to that, I was also hiding my identity with a barebone use of disguise magic. Of course, I only slightly altered my appearance to avoid wasting my mana. Even though the differences are slight, it should be enough to prevent them from recognizing my true identity. ¡°But doesn¡¯t he look kinda familiar¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Probably¡­ ¡°Is it this way?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± Passing by the murmuring men, I entered further inside the hideout. Soon enough, the woman from yesterday came into view. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± She seemed even more haggard than thest time I saw her. - Swoosh¡­ With a slightly pitying look, I approached her and leaned in close. Start acting like you''re in pain now. Whispering in a low voice, I began the process of imprinting a red seal on her lower abdomen. - Fizzzz¡­ And from that moment, red sparks zapped throughout her body in irregr arcs. Quickly. A bewildered look washed over her face at the magical phenomenon. However, the moment she heard my whisper, she started taking deep breaths and preparing herself. ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaah!!!¡± Soon, a soul-wrenching scream violently reverberated throughout the room. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s certainly earning her keep.¡± Her acting was realistic enough that the men watching from behind showed satisfied expressions at my conduct. ¡°¡­ Gentlemen, please step outside the basement for a moment.¡± For some time, I pretended to cast and preserve the spell without rest. Then, pretending to wipe the non-existent sweat off my face with my sleeve, I spoke, ¡°Impossible¡­¡± ¡°We can¡¯t fully trust you yet¡­¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Faced with the expected resistance, I began whispering in a frigid voice, ¡°But I believe our deal was already secured by Contract Magic.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°And this is for your benefit as well.¡± If there¡¯s one good thing about living in 19th-century London as a mana user, ¡°¡­ If you get caught up in the area of effect of my magic while remaining inside the room, you can¡¯t hold me responsible for it. I have already issued my warning.¡± ¡°The contract specifies everything in detail, so think carefully¡­¡± It was that you¡¯d be able to tell a fairly convincing lie to anyone ignorant of the aspects of mana. ¡°¡­ We¡¯ll be back in 20 minutes.¡± ¡°By then, you must unearth and deliver new information to us¡­¡± Thus, having eventually seeded in persuading the men, a triumphant smile tugged my lips as I looked at the woman whose screams had ceased just at that moment. ¡°Just leave it to me.¡± - Creeeak¡­ As the abandoned mansion¡¯s front door closed, silence settled inside the basement for some time. Wha-What the... In that silence, the woman looked at me with a gaze full of suspicion and anxiety before throwing a question at me. Who are you...? I scratched my head at the question, pondering for a moment on how to answer. Wh-Who are you to keep helping me like this...? I''ve heard there''s no such thing as a selfless act in this world. What exactly do you want from me...? As her fear grew with my prolonged silence, I finally decided to speak, Actually... Then, ceasing her questions, she swallowed dryly and looked up at me. I am Korean. Hearing my words, she only directed a confusing look toward me. No, I meant to say that I am Joseon. As soon as I hurriedly corrected my statement, her eyes opened wide in shock. Technically, I''m a mixed-race of Joseon and British but that¡¯s not the point. Ah... It''s a pleasure to meet a fellow countryman in this farawaynd. Although it was a made-up excuse, I did not lie. I genuinely was of mixed Korean and British descent, and it was true that I was pleased to meet a distant ancestor in this chaotic world. Anyway... As I was about to genuinelymunicate with the woman in front of me, Warning! ¨C Probability of being Discovered ¡ª 75% ¡ú 99% Oh dear. That ominous warning message tinged in red appeared in front of me. ¡°What the fuck!¡± I was definitely pouring all my remaining mana into blocking the professor¡¯s eavesdropping, so how the hell did thise about? . . . . . ¡°Heh.¡± Meanwhile, at that time, at 221B Baker Street, ¡°Heh-heh, uh-huh-huh-huh¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Holmes?¡± There, Rachel Watson, who was just getting ready for work, threw a questioning nce towards her roommate. It was because Charlotte, lounging in her armchair while conducting her usual routine of smoking cigarettes, suddenly started cackling in a sinister tune. ¡°You¡¯re not smoking opium again, are you?¡± ¡°Uh-huh-huh-huh-huh-huh¡­¡± But, finding something terribly amusing, Charlotte continued to let out a sinister cackle instead of answering Watson. Soon, a low murmur escaped her, ¡°¡­ So that¡¯s what sister meant.¡± ¡°¡­. What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­¡± Chapter 182: The Korean Interpreter (6) 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? - Swish¡­ ... 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, - Whoosh¡­ ¡°¡­..!?¡± 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. - Gulp¡­ 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. - Chew, chew¡­ 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?1 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.¡±2 ¡°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.
    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...
Chapter 183: The Korean Interpreter (7) ¡°Do you undelstand what I am saying, yes?¡± ¡°First of all, why don¡¯t you just stop using that weird speech style already? You aren¡¯t fooling anyone with it.¡± ¡°¡­ Uh, ok.¡±1 The man, using broken English with a thick Asian ent and animated gestures to assert that he was just your run-of-the-mill interpreter, abruptly stopped short after hearing Charlotte¡¯s words. The icy chill in her voice made him shiver, warning him to choose his next words carefully. ¡°I mean¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking around, what the hell are you trying to aplish?¡± Charlotte muttered, the icy chill in her tone still present, while directing an intense re toward Adler. ¡°Your disguise skills are good enough to fool even me. Now you expect me to be fooled by this shitty disguise you¡¯ve put up? Do you think me to be a fool?¡± ¡°Look here, Adler. Are you testing my patience?¡±¡°¡­ N-No, I¡¯m not.¡± As she leaned forward and snapped at him aggressively, the man, sweating profusely, fidgeted with his fingers and muttered. ¡°I¡¯m really not Adler¡­¡± Immediately, Charlotte¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously as she scrutinized his whole body from top to bottom. ¡°¡­ Or perhaps, you wish to assign me a task that can¡¯t be entrusted to Adler?¡± ¡°Kul, kullukk¡­!¡± As she asked with a venomous undertone in her voice, Adler, who had been gauging her expression, nodded slightly after a dry cough. ¡°¡­ The sun is shining so brightly today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s evening now.¡± Adler, trying to act nonchnt as he looked outside, was promptly silenced by Watson¡¯s correction. Before he knew it, the doctor had silently approached his side. - Swoosh¡­ ¡°Our client must be having trouble seeing, Holmes¡­¡± Watson, sitting right next to Adler, crossed her legs and pulled out the pistol that was lodged in her holster. ¡°Maybe drilling a hole in his eye sockets would help him see better?¡± - Brrrr¡­ As the loaded pistol rested against the desk, Adler, shivering, finally took notice of the elite doctor sitting beside him. ¡°Please, don¡¯t do this¡­¡± ¡°¡­ So, what task are you trying to assign?¡± Charlotte sighed deeply at his miserable appearance. Leaking another small sigh, she opened her mouth to speak. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡± Adler¡¯s eyes widened, and then a bright smile tugged the corners of his lips into a joyful curl. ¡°So, you see, what happened in the case I was involved in¡­¡± Soon, his head started bobbing from side to side as a vivid eyewitness ount started spilling forth from his lips. ¡°¡­ Keep your head still.¡± However, before his story could even begin, Charlotte¡¯s sharp advice flew right at him, making him freeze. ¡°That¡¯s the professor¡¯s habit, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Have you ended up just like her?¡± ¡°No, no! It¡¯s not like that¡­!¡± Adler, momentarily frozen still, quickly shook his head and stammered out an excuse. ¡°It¡¯s just because I¡¯m happy¡­¡± Trailing off, he started scratching his head in awkward motions. ¡°Please pretend you didn¡¯t hear thatst part.¡± ¡°¡­ Shall I start exining again?¡± Between the dark res of Charlotte and Watson, Adler, feeling the chilling atmosphere intensify several times over, began his testimony with a trembling note to his voice. R?? . . . . . ¡°¡­ So far, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve experienced.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°How does it feel? Roughly, what do you think¡­¡± After a long talk about his experiences, Adler finished speaking and cautiously asked Charlotte, gauging her reaction. ¡°It¡¯s just amon kidnapping case.¡± ¡°¡­ Is it?¡± ¡°Honestly, I personally find it quite uninteresting.¡± Adler began fidgeting restlessly upon hearing the response. ¡°Wh-Why might that be¡­¡± ¡°After all, everything needed to solve the case is already there, isn¡¯t it?¡± Charlotte spoke in a listless voice while gazing right at his trembling eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s set aside the mastermind behind the case, the victim¡¯s information, and the cause of the incident for now.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°The most important thing, the location where the victim is held, is clearly known, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adler quietly tilted his head upon hearing that question. ¡°Why do you think that?¡± ¡°You said you¡¯ve been to that ce. Then you obviously know the location.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not even funny anymore¡­¡± Charlotte almost lost her patience at his careless response, but soonposed herself and muttered in a low voice. ¡°You should have gone to the police with this. The facts are clear, so why on earth did youe to an consulting investigator?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a chess piece that you can move at your whim?¡± Adler bowed his head as if ashamed by her heated question. ¡°¡­ Haaa.¡± Charlotte, frowning at his dejected look, finally sighed and spoke, ¡°If you really want to entrust me with this utterly trivial case, I have one condition.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Adler immediately reacted and looked up, and Charlotte directed an intense gaze toward his ckened left eye. ¡°¡­ A date.¡± ¡°What?¡± Eventually, her voice, barely audible, burst out of her mouth. ¡°Promise me that this weekend¡­ this weekend, just the two of us, without anyone else, w-we will go on a date.¡± ¡°Then¡­ I might consider taking the case.¡± Charlotte started twirling a pen in her hand, fiddling with it to distract herself from the nerves. ¡°Uh, um¡­¡± ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to¡­¡± Seeing Adler hesitate, she added in a blunt tone. ¡°No, no¡­ I will go on the date¡­¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°¡­ How can I trust you on that?¡± As Adler whispered in a low voice, Charlotte quietly snorted and turned her gaze away. However, beneath the desk, her two legs were swinging back and forth in joy, contrary to her indifferent reaction. ¡°Pfft¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± Adler could not hold back his chuckle. However, the frigid words Charlotte¡¯s words brought him back to his senses and he uttered. ¡°I¡¯ll go on the date, but this case isn¡¯t as trivial as Miss Holmes deems it to require such conditions.¡± ¡°Why?¡± He whispered in a low voice to Charlotte, who could only direct a puzzled look toward him. ¡°This case might seem trivial at first nce¡­ but it¡¯s actually aplex issue involving problems between nations.¡± ¡°Oh, such cases are almost routine for me.¡± At that, Charlotte chuckled before retorting with a smirk. ¡°Just to give you an idea, I¡¯ve assisted over five heads of state directly, and if you widen the scope to include national officials, you couldn¡¯t count them all on two hands alone. And you dare to suggest that a mere international incident is a challenge in front of me¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Of course, that¡¯s not all.¡± Adler interrupted her, scratching his head as he added, ¡°The moment Miss Holmes decides to intervene in this case, someone smarter than Miss Holmes will forcefully get involved as well.¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯d do you good to take back that remark.¡± As soon as he finished, Charlotte, with an expression far more chilling than anything he had ever seen, red menacingly at Adler. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I can overlook most insults thate out of your mouth. But if you dare suggest that Professor Moriarty is smarter than me¡­¡± ¡°You should listen to people till the end, Miss Holmes.¡± Immediately, Adler interjected with a gentle smile. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly know the ranking of the smartest women in London I have in my mind now, can you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no woman smarter than me in London.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Teasing Charlotte with a yful expression, Adler quickly continued as he sensed the killing intent emanating from her, ¡°Even if we consider Professor Moriarty an exception, you must acknowledge that there are others above you.¡± ¡°There can¡¯t be¡­¡± Charlotte, frowning at Adler, started muttering under her breath. However, her words soon trailed off. ¡°¡­ Have you remembered?¡± ¡°Could it be¡­¡± Just as she was about to ask him a question, uncertainly filling her eyes. - Knock, knock, knock¡­ ¡° Suddenly, the sound of knocking echoed from the door. ¡°Who is it? Didn¡¯t I put up a sign on the door that we¡¯re not taking any more clients today?¡± ¡°¡­ Mrs Hudson should be out grocery shopping at this time.¡± Alerted by the recent attacks from the professor, Watson and Charlotte shifted their sharp gazes towards the door as they rose from their seats. ¡°Oh, it seems she has already arrived.¡± ¡°What?¡± Just then, as Adler sighed by himself, - Click¡­! Surprisingly, the locked doorknob started turning. And then, a chilling silence descended on the room. - Creeeak¡­ Amidst the silence, as the door slowly opened, the expressions of Watson and Charlotte, who had been reaching for a pistol and a hunting whip respectively, tensed simultaneously. ¡°Hello~¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The moment they saw the face peeking through the slightly opened door, they were momentarily left stunned. ¡°Everyone¡¯s gathered here, huh~?¡± With a lethargic smile, the identity of the person silently stepping into the room was¡­ ¡°Adler, could it be the person you mentioned¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Was my sister?¡± It was none other than Mycrony Holmes herself. ¡°Well, that being said~¡± As Adler, instead of responding, only sweated nervously at the other Holmes sibling¡¯s arrival, Mycrony Holmes was the first to speak while gazing intensely at him. ¡°Our dear Mr Adler does not seem to know what a promise is~¡± Her eyes, ever so slightly parted, were gazing at him with a chill so intense he felt he was plunged into the depths of the arctic sea. ¡°¡­ Is it because he¡¯s a devil who interprets contracts as he pleases?¡± ¡°Mm, hmm.¡± In such a spine-chilling situation, quietly clearing his throat, Adler then turned his gaze toward Charlotte. ¡°T-Ta-da~!¡± He murmured in a low voice with a timid smile. ¡°Behold! T-The v-v-v-variable¡­ I have prepared for Miss Holmes in this case!¡± After that, silence drenched the room in its chilling embrace for a long, long while.
    1. From here on out, he will be speaking normally
Chapter 184: The Korean Interpreter (8) ¡°Apparently, our dear Mr Adler thinks that I am a chess piece~¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not Adler.¡± As Mycrony Holmes slightly opened her lidded eyes and entered the room with a bright smile, Adler, still seated, averted his gaze and muttered. ¡°I¡¯m sure I told you¡­ If you just keep your promise, I¡¯ll turn a blind eye this time no matter what you do.¡± ¡°Was Mr Adler always the kind of man who couldn¡¯t even keep such a simple promise?¡± While ring directly at him, Mycrony Holmes continued speaking with a trace of mirth in her voice. ¡°¡­ Aren¡¯t you going to answer?¡± While a bright smile lingered on her lips, her faintly opened eyes did not share the same mirth, arctic chill permeating in them instead. ¡°What¡¯s going on here, sis?¡±¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m dealing with a case request right now?¡± Unable to bear it any longer, Charlotte Holmes interrupted their conversation. ¡°If you have something to say, say itter. I¡¯m busy right n¡­¡± ¡°Charlotte, have I evere to this boarding house on my own ord?¡± Yet Mycrony, still staring intently at Adler, spoke with a fixed gaze. ¡°¡­ Never.¡± ¡°Then you should be able to sense that this isn¡¯t just any ordinary matter, right?¡± With that, a brief silence ensued in the room. In that brief silence, the sharp gazes of the two sisters collided in mid-air. ¡°Are you trying to meddle in my case now?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I haven¡¯t done anything yet.¡± ¡°The fact that you, who usually shut yourself away like a hermit, have dragged your bloated frame all the way here seems like a silent threat to me though.¡± ¡°¡­ Our Charlotte still has a very foul tongue it seems.¡± As Charlotte opened her mouth first in the tense situation, Mycrony sat down on the sofa next to her, a distinct gloom in her eyes. ¡°If I end up getting so weak that I die, I wonder if she¡¯ll even shed a tear then¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Enough, tell me why you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Always so prickly¡­¡± As Charlotte fiddled with an unfinished cigarette, sniffing it, Mycrony began muttering in a low voice. ¡°Charlotte. Do you remember what I always used to say since you were a little girl?¡± ¡°That nonsense again?¡± ¡°The detective¡¯s weakness is authority. The authority that ordinary civilians are absolutely helpless against.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a detective, I¡¯m a consulting investigator. And that fact works the other way around too, doesn¡¯t it?¡± At Charlotte¡¯s sharp retort, Mycrony burst out into a peal of unrestrainedughter. ¡°¡­ Right, that¡¯s true. But that¡¯s only when the detective holds material evidence of the authoritarian¡¯s weakness.¡± ¡°Furthermore, that authoritarian has to not be me.¡± ¡°What exactly are you nning?¡± As Mycrony dropped her yful tone, Charlotte clenched her fist and asked in a sharp tone. ¡°You¡¯re not usually like this, are you? Sure, you always carry dark secrets around, handling all sorts of dirty work on behalf of the government¡­ but I thought you stood for justice?¡± ¡°¡­ Something like that, yes. However, my definition of justice is slightly different from yours, little sister.¡± Mycrony responded with a sigh. "My definition of justice is the peace and tranquillity of the British Empire." "If that were to be vited, from my point of view, I deem that an act of evil." Her expression was more serious than ever. ¡°As a detective operating in London, there¡¯s hardly ever a chance for you to cross that line I have set forth. Even if you asionally handle international cases, as you do, it usually benefits Britain¡¯s national interests directly.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°But having analysed the potential oues of your involvement in this current case from various angles¡­ I felt I had to intervene.¡± As her words ended, a chilly atmosphere descended upon the boarding house. ¡°Are you telling me to back off from this case?¡± ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯d like to say that. But you probably won¡¯t ept it straightforwardly, will you?¡± As the atmosphere lingered, Charlotte silently stared down at her sister and asked. In response, Mycrony scratched her head, looking troubled. ¡°You know me well. I understand your position, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s enough to stop me¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve prepared a little gift for my cute little sister.¡± The next moment, a newspaper was thrust in front of Charlotte. ¡°A gift, what¡­¡± As Charlotte looked down at the newspaper, her expression suddenly hardened. Advertisement: Looking for a Missing Person ¨C Age: 19 ¨C Description: Asian female with ck hair and eyes. Speaks neither Chinese nor Japanese. Missing for about two weeks. Will be rewarded generously for any information of her whereabouts. ¡°¡­ It was published in most of London¡¯s newspapers this morning.¡± Mycrony watched her in silence for some time, then whispered in a low voice. ¡°The criminals will be alternating between surveince and torture in the morning, and they¡¯ll likely see the newspaper over ate lunch. Adler left that ce not long ago too.¡± ¡°¡­ Shit!¡± ¡°By now, all hell must have broken loose, right?¡± Charlotte¡¯splexion turned pale as she quickly got up and threw on her coat. ¡°Watson! Grab your gun and follow me! We¡¯re in a hurry!¡± ¡°¡­ Huh? Oh, uh, okay!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s catch a carriage right now!¡± Following her cry, Watson, who had been sitting dumbfounded in a corner up until then, picked up her gun with a flustered expression and started following Charlotte with haste in her steps. ¡°Good luck, little sister~¡± ¡°¡­ Hmph.¡± Just as Charlotte, apanied by Watson, was about to step out of the boarding house, a voice came from behind, causing her expression to turn cold as arctic snow. "I''m disappointed." And then, with a voice that mirrored her frigid expression, she spoke to her big sister¡ª her own flesh and blood. "... What makes you any different from the professor, huh?" With those words, the door to the boarding house closed, and soon silence descended in the lonely room. ¡°That is¡­ a rather cutting remark, isn¡¯t it¡­?¡± In that silence, Mycrony Holmes smiled bitterly as she rose from her seat. ¡°¡­ Welp, can¡¯t help it. That¡¯s my job, after all.¡± ¡°Then Mr Adler, take care of yourself too. I gather you¡¯re withdrawing from this ca¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t try to fool me, Miss Mycrony.¡± As she waved her hand and headed for the exit, Adler¡¯s soft voice made her halt. ¡°It¡¯s not because of mere loyalty and affection for Britain that you did this, right?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You did it for your little sister, right?¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± Then, without turning her head, she asked in a low voice. Adler responded just as softly, "If you die in six months, you won¡¯t be able to watch Charlotte''s back anymore now, would you?" Hearing his response, Mycrony flinched again. ¡°So, you orchestrated this to protect your precious little sister from the higher-ups while giving her a lesson about the reality of this world, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°How did you find out that I was terminally ill? I¡¯ve even deceived my own doctor, then how?¡± ¡°¡­ How much of your blood do you think I¡¯ve consumed?¡± ¡°Oh my lord, how embarrassing!¡± Despite her usual rxed smile and light-hearted banter, she couldn¡¯t hide the slight tremble in her voice. ¡°Good thing I had cast a spell to prevent eavesdropping, or my cute little sister would have found out that scious secret¡­¡± ¡°It honestly looks like you¡¯re barely able to stand on your own right now. Shall I support you?¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve gotten rather full of yourself.¡± Adler looked at her with a sympathetic gaze and whispered to her. In response, Mycrony opened her mouth as well to retort. "You''re terminally ill too, aren''t you?" ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking abou¡­¡± "Don''t think about denying it, you have exactly six months left just like me." Initially, Adler scowled and attempted to deny it, but upon Mycrony urately guessing even the remainder of his left on this world, he surrendered with a tired sigh. "Yes, so I''m going to take things seriously from now on." - Click¡­ At the same time, Adler pressed on his ear, sending a signal somewhere. ¡°¡­ Holmes has moved. Proceed as nned.¡± ¡°Haa.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been too yful, haven¡¯t I? Distracted by women.¡± Mycrony looked at her, momentarily caught off guard by his sly remark, then burst out into a peal of unrestrainedughter. "... As expected, you knew I''d ce an advertisement in the newspaper, right?" ¡°Even using that as part of your n. Like a convenient chess piece.¡± "... I too have to start doing things properly at some point, right? Better start from now.¡± Upon receiving Adler¡¯s confirmation, Mycrony¡¯s cheeks blushed pink and she embraced herself tightly, her body writhing. ¡°Being seen through by someone is a first for me¡­¡± ¡°It feels like I¡¯m stripped bare in front of everyone,pletely naked. This is a new thrill¡­¡± Shivering for a moment in that state, she gazed at Adler as he started putting on his coat and asked him, ¡°¡­ Hey, how grand a scheme are you envisioning?¡± "I can''t tell you about that, but I can say that it will end at a certain waterfall." With those meaningful words, Mycrony started gazing at Adler with a slightly different expression than before. ¡°Well, I will do my best toplete my n within the next six months.¡± ¡°So, let¡¯s not get in each other¡¯s way, okay?¡± Leaving her behind, Adler silently paced toward the door. ¡°You know.¡± As he grabbed the doorknob and was about to step outside, ¡°Am I included in that scheme somehow?¡± She queried in a barely audible voice. ¡°I just had a thought, for the first time in my life, I genuinely don¡¯t wish to die.¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s unexpected.¡± ¡°Hey, how about dating me instead of my sister? Just for six months.¡± Adler paused for a moment, before opening the door and stepping out. A faint voice echoed in the air, carrying his reply, ¡°¡­ Sorry, but I¡¯m already married.¡± And in the ensuing silence, Mycrony Holmes muttered to herself, "Really, he''s such a fascinating man. The more I get to know him, the more he makes me fall." Her unchanging grey eyes brightened ever so slightly as she gazed at his visage. "... Can¡¯t I just have three months with you before I die?" . . . . . The next morning. In a remote countryside of Britain, some distance away from London, - Clink¡­! ... Uh? A girl, momentarily knocked unconscious by brutal torture, slowly lifted her head at the sound of the cell opening. - Thud¡­! ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Then, a face she had be familiar with was thrown down beside her. M-Mr Interpreter. ... Yes, it''s me. Adler, grimacing as he fell on his bottom when hended on the cell, soon answered with a bright smile. Seeing him smile, the girl began with a hopeful look in his eyes. Wa-Was the n sessful? C-Can we leave now...? But. No. I''ve been captured too. The answer that Adler returned, contrary to her hopes, was like a bolt from the blue, stunning her for a few seconds. So what do we do now...? It''s alright. Wh-What''s alright, dammit!? They''re filled with thoughts of killing me instead of torturing now. It''s over...! Only then did the girl notice the rope tied around Adler¡¯s body and beganmenting in a sobbing tone. Why give me hope if this was to happen...? There''s nothing crueler than being given hope only to have it taken away... It''s alright, I tell you. What exactly is...! I let myself get captured on purpose. Adler began reassuring her with a soft voice. W-Why on earth? To find out where you had been taken. But what about after this... Don''t worry. If something had gone wrong, by now a Buster Call1 would have been dropped on the world¡¯s strongest powers. Buster... what? ... Just watch. Laying downpletely, he muttered in a rxed voice. Even if that wasn''t the case, my subordinate has just... - Screech¡­ Right, they''ve just arrived. Then, as the cell door opened again, Adler lifted his body with a smirk stered on his face. It''s time to escape... But it did not take long for his rxed expression to harden. ¡°Hello, yes?¡± The person who opened the cell door, instead of Princess y disguised as an interpreter, ¡°I am just an oldinary Asian intelpretel.¡±2 Was actually Charlotte Holmes, disguised and speaking simrly to how he had the day before as he visited her. W-Who...? ¡°¡­ Switch to n B.¡± Adler frowned for a moment at the situation, then sighed and raised his hand to his ear to send a signal to his subordinates. - So there¡¯s a n B too? ¡­ At this point, it¡¯s wise to include a n when things don¡¯t go ording to n. Good eve¡­ ning? ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± But as a slightly awkward Korean slipped out of Charlotte¡¯s mouth, this time, even his well-prepared brain came to a screeching halt. You understand, right...? Charlotte murmured in awkward Korean, watching Adler with a sinister smile on her face.
    1. One Piece reference.2. She is mimicing how Adler talked to her disguised as an interpreter. It is addressed in the following line.
Chapter 185: The Korean Interpreter (9) Honestly, I more or less expected that Charlotte would infiltrate this ce disguised as an interpreter. If I were to assume that I was able to perfectly block the professor¡¯s eavesdropping, the only suspicious person left who could bug me was none other than Charlotte herself. Perhaps she had been preparing for this from the moment I disclosed the n to my confidants today. Therefore, if she just infiltrated as an interpreter, I intended to pretend to understand her and continue with my n. He... llo? Everyone? ¡­ No, what in hell is this sudden development? However, when a somewhat understandable, if awkward, assortment of Korean came out of Charlotte¡¯s lips, all my ns were instantly shattered. How the hell does Holmes even know Korean, for fuck¡¯s sake. Even with all the magic and mana going for this world, I was currently inte 19th-century Britain. It wasn¡¯t the era of globalization, there definitely wasn¡¯t any inte, so how could she learn Korean in such a short time?¡°Look. Before we start, there¡¯s a need for some brief rification.¡± As I was sweating coldly thinking this, a cold voice came from behind the disguised Charlotte. ¡°Do you guys always handle things this way?¡±1 ¡°We had to move our base hastily, and the losses we incurred are not minor.¡± It turned out to be the men that had kidnapped the girl next to me. ¡°Why are you even telling me that?¡± ¡°The interpreter sent by your side betrayed and leaked information. He must have received a bribe in the middle somehow.¡± ¡°¡­ So, we mean to say that we can¡¯t trust you.¡± One of the men, who seemed to be a subordinate, pointed a gun at Charlotte¡¯s head. - Click¡­ ¡°Depending on your answer, we will decide whether to trust you or eliminate you here and now.¡± ¡°Please, convince us.¡± With those words delivered, silence ensued in the room. ¡°¡­ Aren¡¯t you the ones who made the mistake?¡± As I, still tied in ropes, was about to make a move if something went wrongCharlotte, who stopped me with the silent signal she sent me with her gaze, began responding with a simr level of coldness in her voice. ? ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who let an unidentified person into the hideout without even checking him?¡± ¡°What kind of nonsense¡­¡± ¡°I heard that you didn¡¯t even have a password, right? If this matter was really important, shouldn¡¯t you have decided something like that in advance on your side?¡± The men¡¯s faces instantly hardened. ¡°And did you think we wouldn¡¯t contact you when sending someone? You must have clearly received something like a note this morning.¡± ¡°There was no such talk¡­¡± ¡°You should have read the contract thoroughly. There¡¯s a use in the contract that clearly states that, even though we would be deciding the visit time at our discretion, we would be contacting you separately before sending someone.¡± Hearing her response, one of the men frowned and pulled out a contract from his pocket. Seeing that, Charlotte made a surreptitious signal towards me. ¡°¡­ What, it¡¯s really written there?¡± ¡°Thi-This is really strange. I¡¯m certain I checked the contract thoroughly¡­¡± Given the situation, I decided to follow her strategy and quietly added a new sentence to the contract with a flick of my finger. ¡­ Magic is certainly convenient. Of course, since the sentence was added after the contract was signed, it would have no legal effect. But the only thing that mattered was that the party was unaware of the intricacies. ¡°¡­ Tsk, put the gun down already.¡± It seemed that those two,cking magical abilities, had not realized that it was a fake use written with Charlotte¡¯s ck mana that resided in my body. ¡°Well, we¡¯re currently investigating whoever it was that tried to sabotage the whole deal. Not to mention it was our mistake for not clearly exining all the uses beforehand, so we will not charge an additional fee.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± As I sighed in relief inwardly, Charlotte continued her performance with a crisp voice. ¡­ She¡¯s really good at this, huh? There was something oddly intriguing in watching her in action. Although she is a defender of justice without a shred of doubt, I couldn¡¯t help but imagine how resourceful she would be if she were tomit crimes instead. Wouldn¡¯t she just be on par with Professor Moriarty herself? ¡°Then, please trante the message we intend to convey.¡± ¡°For your information, we will be inside this time. Having hastily agreedst time led us to this predicament¡­¡± ¡°Do as you please.¡± As I engrossed myself with an unthinkable idea that could make genuine Sherlockians faint in abhorrence, the two men prepared to interrogate me and the girl. - Swoosh¡­ ¡°Ju-Just kill me already, please¡­¡± As torture tools, not yet cleaned of the girl¡¯s blood, appeared from their possession, the girl sitting next to me began trembling violently. ¡°Tell them the following.¡± As I looked at her with a pitiful gaze, a rough voice leaked out of the man in front. ¡°If the woman does not disclose the location of the documents within a minute, and if the man does not truthfully reveal the information of the person who bribed him within a minute¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Both of them will be gruesomely killed on the spot.¡± Charlotte¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly upon hearing their words, but she soon began tranting their words with an unaffected expression. Document location... Not telling now? You die...2 Eeek... Despite the grim situation, her trantion spilt out in a cute ent that definitely didn¡¯t match the atmosphere. However, the nature of the content itself was enough to terrify the girl beside me. ¡°¡­ And I believe the person next to you understands English.¡± ¡°Ah, that is so.¡± Reminding the man of the fact, she silently took off her wristwatch and threw it to us. Start now, I will count, ten... Uh, ugh... Finish count. Hurt very very much. And then, still talking in her cute Korean ent, she dropped a literal bombshell on the girl. ... Hey! I thought we had 60 seconds. One. Hey!? Two. Charlotte, undeterred, began her count much to the dismay of the girl. Even though she attempted a rebuttal, she was only met with disappointment. Three, four... - ng, clink¡­ Simultaneously, men standing beside us shed hideous torture devices together, creating spine-chilling sounds. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The choice I made in that situation was, ¡­ Whatever. To just stay still like a corpse. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to die. Under normal circumstances, Lady y, the fake interpreter, should have extracted information about their client from the men in suit, but that was something even Charlotte, whosebat skills had improved as much as the professor¡¯s, could do. And even if her n included me being tortured, I was prepared to ept it sweetly, thinking of it as karma for my past deeds. Mother... However, one thing that troubled me was the poor girl sobbing beside me. Of course, I had a firm belief that Charlotte would never do anything to jeopardise her safety. Lately, however, I couldn¡¯t deny that I asionally felt Professor Moriarty¡¯s aura in her gaze. Seven, eight... That¡¯s why, it seemed necessary to prepare for any eventuality by untying the restraints. ¡°Nine¡­¡± Having thought this, I quietly waited for the count to end. Wait!!! The girl, shivering silently for some time, suddenly shouted loudly. ... Decide to speak, you? Please convey this message to my homnd! She urgently bbered her words to Charlotte who showed a puzzled expression at her abrupt words. We must call off the n now! The Empire of Japan has already pressured and bribed several countries including Britai... - p! ¡°¡­ Ugh.¡± But before she could finish her sentence, her head arched down due to the vicious p from one of the men. ¡°¡­ And what did this woman say now?¡± Charlotte, who had been silent for a while, quietly opened her mouth. Ten. And then, she quietly moved away and stuck as close as possible to the corner of the room. ¡°What are you doing now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to get caught up in the action.¡± ¡°What?¡± In the next instant, - BOOOOOM!!! A terrifying explosion seemed to resonate from practically everywhere, and the walls of the hideout sted apart, scattering debris everywhere. ¡°Eeek.¡± Startled by the sudden incident, I hurriedly tried to shield the girl from the debris. ¡°¡­ You¡¯ve breached the contract.¡± However, my eyes widened in surprise at the familiar voice of Lestrade, who soon made her way toward me with elegant steps. ¡°However, I¡¯ll overlook it this time due to the special circumstances.¡± Lestrade, having knocked out the two armed men with a single baton in the blink of an eye, was now hoisting me and the girl while whispering softly. . . . . ¡°I called for Inspector Gregson this time, not you¡­¡± Charlotte, who watched Lestrade¡¯s exaggerated entrance from the sideline with a vacant gaze, brushed off the dust on her clothes before pouting at the inspector. ¡°She is being disciplined for failing to prevent Lupin¡¯s escape. I am handling her duties in her stead.¡± ¡°¡­ Tsk.¡± She clicked her tongue at Lestrade¡¯s response before moving her steps. ¡°Honestly, if I had a bit more time, I could have dug up the client¡¯s information too.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°But, we can¡¯t endanger the victim just to catch the mastermind now, can we?¡± Charlotte muttered something that sounded like an excuse directed toward me, then added in a low voice, ¡°¡­ And, it was dangerous for you too. Even more so¡­¡± ¡°Miss Holmes¡­¡± Moved by her words, I slipped out of Lestrade¡¯s hold and walked towards her. ¡°¡­..?¡± Reaching her, I immediately kissed her soft and squishy cheek. ¡°Thank you.¡± After whispering shyly, a slightly dazed expression took over Charlotte as she looked at me. ¡°Ah, and¡­¡± - Bam¡­! ¡°¡­ Ugh!?¡± I was about to secretly add more words, but they never reached Charlotte. ¡°It¡¯s a breach of contract.¡± ¡°Grrr¡­¡± Lestrade murmured coldly, having punched me in the ribs and lifted me up again. ¡°Isaac Adler will be taken as a witness.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not requesting your understanding. I¡¯m doing my job, so don¡¯t think of objecting¡­¡± As Lestrade, gripping me by the ribs, began moving towards the exit with a slightly raspy voice, ¡°¡­ Go ahead.¡± For some reason, Charlotte obediently agreed to her. ¡°Tsk¡­¡± ¡°Khuk, um¡­¡± After finishing her words, Charlotte, who was absent-mindedly rubbing her cheek, was met with a deadly re from Lestrade as she stomped toward the exit with me in tow. ¡­ Well, there were some variables. Thus, the atmosphere of the case started wrapping up ambiguously this time as well. But things are still going ording to n. But for me, there was an exception this time around. ¡°What¡¯s there to smile about so foolishly?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ Aaagh!!¡± I already knew who was behind this case and had even nned on how to conclude the case adequately. - Pow¡­ ¡°Ju-Just be gentle¡­¡± At that time, I did not expect my n to have far-reaching consequences, but that was a story for a bitter. ¡°Once the interrogation is over, we¡¯ll proceed with a private meeting at home.¡± ¡°¡­.. What?¡± Incidentally, I also had not anticipated that I would be subjected to such a terrifying act by Lestrade in my so-called honeymoon home. But that was another story altogether. . . . . . ... Hey there. Eek? Thus, although Adler was being dragged away while envisioning that he was about to enact the perfect crime for once, Ah, calm down. We''re on the same side. ... Ah, you¡¯re suddenly speaking Korean fluently now? I''ve been practising for a few months, after all. Ah, but that''s not what''s important right now... He had failed to ount for something. You, from Joseon? The Empire of Korea? You are a diplomat from the Empire of Korea, correct? Yes, that is indeed correct. Then are you a noble perchance...? Not all diplomats are from noble families, but I indeede from a noble lineage, yes... The fact was that Charlotte¡¯s grasp on Adler¡¯s deepest secrets had stretched much further than he could have ever anticipated. ... Then, you must know the surnames that aremonly used by nobles in your country, right? Why do you ask? It''s nothing. I just need it to control a pesky devil. ......?
    1. For some reason, Charlotte started speaking normally again. There is no use of an ent here or any mention that she is speaking with an ent. I guess she just wanted to mock Adler at first. Only exnation I cane up with, to be honest.2. Starting now, there will be just a lot of broken English mimicking Broken Korean. The things I do for this novel, sigh¡­
Chapter 186: Butterfly Effect ¡°¡­ Haah.¡± ¡°Master, are you feeling tired?¡± ¡°No¡­ Not at all.¡± It was the day after being subjected to a full day of torture disguised as interrogation by Lestrade, who had saved me in a moment of crisis. ¡°¡­ But your legs seem to be shaking unnaturally, that too quite frequently.¡± ¡°My body has been achingtely.¡± After barely escaping the house while Lestrade was off guard, I set off for the back alleys of London, apanied by Moran, who had been waiting at the designated meeting ce. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the pain you feel in your body and the female scent I can smell off you be separate matters then? Why do I think that¡¯s not the case, hmm?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just the usual smelling off the back alleys, right? And mind yournguage, youngdy.¡± I felt a bit relieved as I moved away from the ce I had been frequenting until yesterday, even though it was in a somewhat safer area. However, I couldn¡¯t help but feel perplexed at the abrupt shift in Moran¡¯s tone.¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Hey, look at this.¡± Therefore, I feigned a stern expression to admonish her, and she just stared at me with wide eyes. ¡°Am I in trouble?¡± The thought that even the adorable Moran was no longer listening to me made my heart sink. For that reason, I tried my best to look even more frightening than before, and after a long while of holding that expression, she quietly bowed her head. ¡°¡­ Sorry for daring to question you, when I¡¯m merely a hound of master.¡± Then she murmured in a low voice, and cautiously began gauging my reaction. ¡°That¡¯s right. As long as you understand.¡± Relieved by the loyalty she was finally showing, I reached out to pat her head. - p¡­ ¡°Ouch?¡± She flinched and, with lightning speed, pped my hand away. Barely able to even react, I just stared at her nkly. ¡°Wh-Why did you do that?¡± What the hell? Was the resentment from yesterday still lingering? Or did I do something exceptionally wrong yesterday? ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t touch me.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you like being stroked?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in a fully alert state right now. Let me focus on my work.¡± As I was lost in such confusing thoughts for a moment, Moran murmured with a slightly trembling voice. ¡­ Is it puberty? The conclusion I came to after staring at her with a puzzled look for some time was that puberty had finally hit little Moran. Well, considering her age, it does make sense¡­ Recently, she has been growing noticeably taller and seems to have be sensitive about physical contact. Those aspects only confirmed my hypothesis further. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be more careful in the future.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­ after it¡¯s over¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re ufortable in the future, tell me in advance, okay?¡± ¡°¡­ U-Uh.¡± Apparently, I needed to handle Moran with more caution from now on. ¡°¡­ That face with that smile, it¡¯s unfair.¡± She¡¯s grown taller, but she¡¯s still a child¡­ Thinking so, I murmured to myself and gazed at Moran with a fatherly warmth in my gaze. Blushing, Moran was now bowing her head and averting her gaze from me. - Knock, knock, knock¡­ ¡°Is anyone there~?¡± Having arrived at our destination without even realising it, I nced around for a moment and then quietly knocked on the door in front of me. ¡°Hoo iz eet?¡±1 Not long after, awkwardly ented English began flowing from inside the firmly closed building. ¡°I¡¯vee looking for Mr J. Davenport.¡± The name I mentioned with a hint ofughter was that of the anonymous tipster who responded to a troll-like newspaper ad by Mycroft in the original work The Greek Interpreter. ¡°Iz dat so?¡± And the next moment, ¡°Master, danger¡­!¡± Moran, who had been rolling her feet with her head still bowed, reacted slightly btedly to the murderous intent and hurled her body forward. - Bang¡­! Bang¡­!!! ¡°Aargh.¡± Simultaneously, reacting a step ahead of her to the bullets that pierced through the door, I twisted my body and embraced her. ¡°Ma-Master¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Kulluk.¡± One of the good things that came about with my terminal condition was that, it didn¡¯t matter how much I abused my body. After all, in six months, this body would be buried six feet under and disappear forever; a few bullets puncturing it isn¡¯t going to make any difference. ¡°I¡¯m ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡± Therefore, unless it was a silver bullet, the rational thing was for me to take the bullets instead of Moran. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be in good condition these days.¡± But that didn¡¯t mean the pain disappeared, so, gritting my teeth, I forced myself to smile calmly as I patted the head of the frozen-stiff Moran. ¡°Rest for now.¡± Then, I turned and began walking inside, clearing away the tattered door. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± It was time to wrap up the case. . . . . . ¡°Blimey, you¡¯re still alive after being shot¡­?¡± ¡°¡­ Could there be devils in the West too?¡± ¡°I was wondering why you came by yourself so confidently; seems you had something to rely on.¡± Quietly stepping into the shabby mansion and breezing past those who pointed their guns at me, the figure who clearly looked like the leader soon came into my view. ¡°Pardon me, sir, but are you perhaps Mr J. Davenport?¡± ¡°Hey, you¡¯re not supposed to know that name¡­¡± Approaching right in front of him as I posed that question, Davenport whispered back in a menacing tone. ¡°Because that name, it¡¯s a pseudonym I used when hiring criminals in this country.¡± ¡°Are you referring to Harold Latimer, the top-wanted fugitive arrested in the back alley yesterday, and his subordinate, Mr Wilson Kemp?¡± ¡°¡­ Are you the subcontractor those fellows hired?¡± ¡°Well, sort of; I happen to be a subcontractor of the subcontractor.¡± His clothes, appearance, and physique screamed of a high-ranking official from the Japanese Empire. The man silently tilted his head to the side before speaking. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s be honest with ourselves about the recent events. If you go back to the Japanese Empire like this, wouldn¡¯t it put you, Mr Davenport, in a rather awkward position?¡± Returning his question with one of my own seemed to have slightly unsettled Davenport as he responded with a chill now present in his voice. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s still better than your current situation.¡± ¡°Yet you don¡¯t deny that we¡¯re both in a tricky situation, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve prepared this!¡± At that moment, pulling out the documents I had tucked away inside my coat, I waved them in front. Immediately, all eyes focused on my hand holding the documents. ¡°Fortunately, there are no bullet holes, huh? Haha¡­¡± ¡°¡­ What is that?¡± ¡°What do you think it is? It¡¯s exactly what you¡¯ve been desperately searching for.¡± As soon as those words were spoken, intrigue flickered through Davenport¡¯s previously wary eyes. ¡°How can I believe that?¡± ¡°If you look at the handwriting and content, you can make a rough guess I¡¯d assume. This is part of a life-or-death n from the Empire of Korea.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Of course, I will be handing this over to you only when you ept my terms.¡± Despite his lingering doubts, once I mentioned the Empire of Korea, his expression was tinged with undisguised interest. ¡°What are the terms?¡± ¡°Simple. You agree to not cause any trouble for our side.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that all?¡± ¡°This industry lives and dies by its reputation. Even a hint of bad news is enough to put us out of business¡­¡± To Davenport, I began whispering a sweet offer he could never refuse. ¡°Well, if it still bothers you¡­ perhaps you could discreetly put in a word for us among your contacts? You are a resourceful diplomat with extensive connections, after all¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Cleverly informed, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not for nothing that we¡¯re being judged to be in the process of taking over London, don¡¯t you think? Oh, and if you have any additional requests, I¡¯ll offer a discount.¡± Thus, after a while of coaxing, the bureaucrat shed a toothy grin as he shook his head. ¡°If the contents of the document seem usible, I will certainly put in a word for your organisation. Is that really all you want?¡± ¡°Yes, of course~¡± With a smile, I handed him the document I was holding. - Swoosh¡­ Incidentally, just as a verbal agreement was established, a tiny seal was imprinted on the Japanese diplomat¡¯s forehead, but no one noticed it. ¡°¡­ Kuk, kukuk.¡± As I was thinking about how I would be exploiting this unlucky fellow in the future, a sound like a leaking breeze came from the front. ¡°Kukukukuk¡­ kukuk¡­¡± As he read halfway through the document, he couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter and began muttering to himself, ¡°A special envoy to The Hague? Universal Peace Conference? Do you really think that would work? Such a pitiful notion¡­¡± ¡°¡­ But it might be necessary to prepare for it.¡± Eventually, Davenport, wiping away the tears that had welled up in the corner of his eyes, stood up. ¡°By the way, where did you find this?¡± As he was about to dismiss the personnel and prepare to storm out of the mansion, he suddenly stopped in his tracks and asked the question. A bright smile stretched my lips as I responded to him. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s a trade secret.¡± Though I said that, the source was actually a history textbook I had crammed in high school to meet the minimum requirements for my CSAT.2 There was no way I could find the secret document that the girl protected till the very end by undergoing harsh torture when I had utterly failed to seduce her. However, considering the historical background, the situation, the time period, and thest words the girl left behind, the document was undoubtedly rted to the special envoy to the city of Hague. This envoy intended to expose the atrocities of the Japanese Empire to the internationalmunity. So, I just forged it to suit their tastes. Of course, it was so sloppy and absurd that a hollowugh would have leaked out from anyone reading it. Just like Davenport from earlier. ¡°I will definitely repay this kindnesster¡­¡± ¡°Okay, goodbye~¡± Why did I even go so far as to manipte them? ¡°¡­ Even if you don¡¯t n to repay, I¡¯ll make sure you do.¡± It was because I hadn¡¯t yet paid the full price for failing to seduce the girl. . . . . . As Davenport and his entourage all escaped from the building, a silence descended upon the mansion. - Click, ck¡­ ¡°Um¡­ was this the number?¡± In that silence, I pulled out a portablemunication device from my pocket ¨C which looked like an old-fashioned telephone but had a magic stone embedded in the middle ¨C and began dialling on it. ¡°Even though the mana stone and the use of magic make things a bit better, I still miss smartphones¡­¡± The person I was trying to contact was someone I hadn¡¯t spoken to in a long time after arriving in this world. At the same time, she was someone who just might be able to fulfil the girl¡¯s earnest wish. - Beep¡­! ¡°Did it work?¡± Of course, the special envoy to The Hague, secretly dispatched to attend the Universal Peace Conference, had failed in the history that I knew from I world. And even if they had seeded, it wouldn¡¯t have changed the grim situation of the Empire of Korea. Still, if the girl earnestly wished for the sess of the Hague envoy, I had to listen. Knowing how it would end made my heart ache, but things were beyond my control. - I-Is it Adler speaking? Are you really Adler? ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. Your Majesty.¡± That¡¯s why I had dared to call none other than the Queen of Bohemia. - I, I! I think of you every day¡­! ¡°Is that so?¡± Yes, she was the victim of the Scandal of the Bohemian Queen¡ª the very first case that pitted me and the professor against Holmes after I fell on this ursed world. - I have even refused all the numerous marriage proposals I¡¯ve received so far. But my situation has changed drastically recently, and I¡¯m afraid I am reaching my limit¡­ But, can you at leastpliment me for enduring thus far? ¡°Calm down and listen to me first, please.¡± - Ah, alright. I scratched my head with a peculiar expression at the old memories that gradually began surfacing as I listened to her. Shaking my head to dismiss those thoughts, I immediately focused on the main point. ¡°That¡­ Kingdom of Bohemia is part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, right?¡± - Yes, but why? The reason I asked this question was because one of the nations attending the Universal Peace Conference was none other than the Austro-Hungarian Empire. I was tempted to ask the British royal family for a rmendation letter, but then I would have to meet the terrifying Jill the Ripper again. That¡¯s why, I was left with no choice but to contact the Queen of Bohemia. ¡°¡­ Um, just asking out of curiosity but¡­ Are you close to the Emperor?¡± - Eh? ¡°If possible, I would like to ask you to write a rmendation letter¡­¡± Of course, if the Queen didn¡¯t have the power to ask the emperor for a rmendation letter, it would be pointless. In the history of my world, the Emperor of Austria-Hungary also held the position of the leader of Bohemia. However, in Arthur Conan Doyle¡¯s creation, Bohemia was ruled by the fictional royal family of Ormstein instead of the Habsburg royal family. So, I wasn¡¯t really expecting much from the Queen of Bohemia. If it didn¡¯t work out, I would have to look for another way. - Um, Adler. While I was waiting for the queen¡¯s reply without much hope¡­ - I, I am the Emperor? ¡°¡­ What?¡± A response reached my ears from the portable phone, making me doubt my ears. - Um, I mean, I am the ruler of the Austro-Hungarian Empire? ¡°What kind of nonsense is that? Your Majesty¡¯s name is Lilia Gottsreich Sigismond von Ormstein. You¡¯re definitely not from the Habsburg family¡­ So how on earth¡­?¡± - Habsburg family? Which country does that family belong to? ¡°Well, even if you ask me that¡­¡± - I memorized numerous houses as part of imperial studies since I was young, so I¡¯m certain. There is no such family in Europe. It was only then that I realized, ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s assume that¡¯s true. Then why have you been referred to as the queen until now¡­?¡± ¡°My coronation took ce just a few days ago. After the previous emperor passed away, and there were no other royal family members left, so they crowned me as the Emperor or rather the Empress of Bohemia¡­¡± That the woman I had enved was actually not only royalty, but also a member of the imperial family¡ª a direct descendant of thest lineage of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. - But now, do you need my help? - If it¡¯s a request from you, my beloved, I can agree to anything. Except war, yes¡­ That would be difficult. Anyway, please feel free to speak. The situation had gotten way out of hand. - No, pleasemand me¡­ I will do anything¡­ ¡°¡­ I¡¯m gonna lose my mind, fuck.¡±
    1. Tried incorporating a broken Greek ent, I apologise if I wasn¡¯t able to do it correctly.2. The College Schstic Ability Test or CSAT, also abbreviated Suneung (??; ÐÞÄÜ), is a standardized test which is recognized by South Korean universities. The Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE) administers the annual test on the third Thursday in November. CSAT was originally designed to assess the schstic ability required for college. Because the CSAT is primary factor considered during the Regr Admission round, it ys an important role in South Korean education. The test has been cited for its efficiency, emphasis on merit, and good international results. Of the students taking the test, as of 2023, 65 percent are currently in high school and 31 percent are high-school graduates who did not achieve their desired score the previous year. The share of graduates has been steadily rising from 20 percent in 2011. Despite the emphasis on the CSAT, it is not a requirement for a high school diploma. On test day, the KRX stock market openste, and bus and metro service is increased to avoid traffic jams and allow students to get to the testing sites more easily. nes are grounded during the listening portion of the English section so their noise does not disturb the students. In some cases, students runningte for the test may be escorted to their testing site by police officers via motorcycle. Younger students and members of the students'' families gather outside testing sites to cheer them on.
Chapter 187: Discovery - Is it really just one letter of rmendation that I need to write? Nothing else? ¡°Yes, that will suffice¡­¡± The sensation of suddenly bing a behind-the-scenes influential figure of one of the great powers of thete 19th century, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was quite peculiar. ¡°¡­ Please, really, that is all I need. So do not do anything else.¡± - So, I don¡¯t need to make any public endorsements in interviews or anything? ¡°Your Majesty¡­ no, Your Imperial Majesty. Please.¡± In reality, the situation was not bad at all. After all, having the Empress of the Austro-Hungarian Empire as a supporter was a significant advantage. Moreover, she was not the type to lose her head just by being associated with me. Perhaps she was more like the dedicated type, akin to Silver ze when she was not in heat? ¡°Please handle it cleanly. You know how far you must go, given your esteemed position.¡±- Handle it cleanly¡­ I understand. I will take care of it myself. ¡°¡­ This is unsettling.¡± However, one concern lingered¡ª her devotion and loyalty towards me were too intense. I had never imagined that she would dismiss all suitors and remain faithful to me until now. What are you, Queen Elizabeth? Are you seriously thinking of marrying the nation? - By the way, Adler. There¡¯s a policy I¡¯ve been pushing fortely¡­ ¡°¡­ Yes?¡± As I stood there and thought about various things, a shy voice faintly emerged from the other end of the phone. - I, I n to grant noble titles to all mana users within the empire. ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± - From the minimum noble titles¡­ if their skills are proven superior, they could even be Earls¡­ Anything beyond that, I will appoint at my discretion. I¡¯m pushing for the establishment of such aw. Even though I was worried about the unreliable side of Lilia that I witnessed, the advocation of such an excellent policy reassured me. Indeed, the Imperials were a different breed altogether. But why was she telling me all this now? - So, Adler¡­ have you considered swearing allegiance to our empire? ¡°What?¡± - They say Britain favours mana users, but they don¡¯t even confer noble titles, right? This question was quickly resolved by her following words. ¡°They do grant something like a knighthood as far as I recall. What was it called again? A mage title, I guess? - Hmph. Such a title is nothing but a hollow status. Ites with very few rights, but many responsibilities and duties¡­ ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± - Our Austro-Hungarian Empire is different from such petty states! In any case, the bill is expected to pass in a few months, and by the time you arrive, you could be granted a title right away. The Queen, no, the Empress, hurriedly spoke over the phone, then took a moment to catch her breath before continuing in a shy voice again. - So¡­ that means you could even marry someone of imperial heritage, like me. ¡°What?¡± - A title like that of an earl would be sufficient for you to be my consort. Naturally, there might be some bacsh since you¡¯re a foreigner, but¡­ ¡°No, there would certainly be heavy bacsh.¡± - Then I¡¯ll just grant you a higher title. I take back my initial thoughts. The future of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a major power of the 19th century, seemed utterly bleak. - Adler, this is a policy I¡¯m pushing for despite heavy opposition, just for you. ¡­ Thinking about it, the future of the nation was never bright to begin with. - I, I now have the power and authority to be with you. So, so¡­ However, whether she knew my thoughts or not, she continued to bber through the phone. - Pl-Please, put the cor back around my neck¡­ Hearing her, my head began throbbing painfully. - The joy I felt when I ascended to the throne of the Empire cannot hold a candle to the happiness I felt when you trampled on me like a dog¡­ ¡°Please¡­¡± - C-Could you speak informally to me? As I mentioned earlier, on the surface, the situation wasn¡¯t bad. But the problem here was¡­ I had be the object of unhealthy obsession from numerous influential women. Not only that, people I couldn¡¯t even remember seducing were now plotting to abduct or assassinate me. In such circumstances, wouldn¡¯t bing a behind-the-scenes yer of an Empire be too dangerous? The Probability of being Assassinated, the Probability of being Raped, and the Probability of being Imprisoned are already 100 percent, so there''s nothing more to add. ¡°¡­ Haaah.¡± That worry was momentarily alleviated by Miss System¡¯s clear exnation. No, not alleviated; perhaps resignation was the more appropriate term here¡­ ¡°¡­ Lillia.¡± - Ye-Yes! ¡°I¡¯ll think about it, but first, take care of the request I made.¡± Regardless of how things had turned out, I wanted to end the call soon, so I granted her request to speak informally with her. Immediately, a sputtered voice oozed out of the handset¡ª a voice that seemed to have melted like butter. - Yessh¡­? ¡°Haa.¡± I wonder what reaction the citizens of the Austro-Hungarian Empire would have if they heard this voice. - I will definitely fulfil it¡­! ¡°¡­ Right.¡± - And, I¡¯m preparing a title as well¡­ Whenever youe¡­ Suddenly, an ominous feeling overcame me and I frantically smashed the handset¡¯s magic stone before slumping in my seat. ¡°¡­ This is utter madness.¡± Honestly, I¡¯d rather quit everything and just be an envoy. But, I didn¡¯t have much longer to live anyway. Moreover, I felt like going to the Austro-Hungarian Empire would entangle me in an incident like the Sarajevo affair, so I just gave up. That''s not really the problem. ¡°¡­ I know.¡± In fact, before I could even leave Britain, I had no doubt that the strongest being in this world would tear me apart. So, it was never a viable path that I could take. . . . . . ¡°She¡¯ll handle it well enough on her own¡­¡± With a sigh, Isaac Adler rose from his seat. The contents of the recent phone call had already begun fading from his mind. ¡°¡­ But she¡¯s still as an Empress. I¡¯m sure if she tries to cross the line, her subjects will surely restrain her.¡± A few monthster, this very fading memory would inevitably be revived in his mind by a shocking piece of news published in the newspaper. ¡°Surely, there can¡¯t be a problem¡­¡± Though detailed exnations would remain omitted for now. Do you still believe in this world? ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t talk so ominously.¡± Inexplicably, by the orders of someone equivalent to the Queen, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the British Empire, the Empire of Korea, and the Japanese Empire intervened in what was undeniably a major incident at the Second Universal Peace Conference, an event that would undoubtedly alter future world affairs. . . . . . - Squeak¡­ ¡°¡­ Hmm?¡± The negotiations had already ended. So, as I was about to leave the ce, the door of the mansion abruptly opened before someone entered. ¡°Moran?¡± The intruder was Celestia Moran, her face pale as a ghost. - Brrrrrrrr¡­ ¡°Have you caught a cold?¡± ¡°¡­ Ma-Ma-Master.¡± She was shivering hard, so I couldn¡¯t help but tilt my head and ask with concern. But she avoided my eyes while stammering. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was my fault.¡± ¡°I-I was right next to you¡­ and I still made such a ridiculous mistake¡­ it¡¯s undeniably my fault.¡± Suddenly she knelt down and started to sob and beg. ¡°Please, give me a chance to make amends.¡± - Swish¡­ ¡°Huh? Uh eh¡­¡± Then, suddenly, she pulled out a small knife from her bosom and held it against her body. ¡°Wait, what are you doing?¡± ¡°¡­ If I fail a mission, shouldn¡¯t I just harm myself until I faint from anaemia? That way I can be barely forgiven, right?¡± Startled, I grabbed her hand and asked, only to have such a horrifying answer drift out of her lips in response. ¡°That¡¯s not right. What kind of upbringing did you have!?¡± ¡°Then¡­ Can¡¯t I be forgiven?¡± As I vehemently denied her words, Moran¡¯s voice began trembling worse than before. ¡°¡­ A hound that can¡¯t protect its master doesn¡¯t deserve to exist, right?¡± With that, she bowed her head deeply, her face turning even paler. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Then, from now on, just be my adopted daughter instead of a hound.¡± Unable to just watch her pitiful state, I gently sat down in front of her, who was still kneeling, and started cautiously voicing out the thoughts I had been pondering all along. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s a bit odd for a viin to say this, but I guess cruel roles don¡¯t suit me.¡± ¡°So you too, don¡¯t feel burdened and just livefortably.¡± And then a silence descended between us. ¡°¡­ Ugh.¡± As she trembled with her head bowed, a tear fell from her cheek, and soon, a voice choked with sobs drifted out. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t, don¡¯t want to be your daughter.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± At that unexpected statement, I was taken aback and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Wh-Why not?¡± ¡°You have to tell me the reason so I can find a suitable alternative¡­¡± - Pop¡­! ¡°¡­ Oh.¡± Once again, like a ninja, she vanished from my sight in an instant. ¡°Kids these days are really iprehensible¡­¡± Feeling a d¨¦j¨¤ vu that ovepped with yesterday¡¯s events, I scratched my head and muttered quietly as I turned my head towards the half-open exit. ¡°¡­ Isn¡¯t that so, Miss Holmes?¡± Charlotte Holmes, emitting a dark aura, was leaning against the door, looking down at me in silence. . . . . . ¡°You¡¯ve found me so easily?¡± ¡°Are you following me, or have you already deduced the mastermind? I¡¯m not sure which it is, but you are indeed remarkable, Miss Holmes.¡± Gazing toward Charlotte, who had been silently blocking the entrance for some time already, Adler began speaking with a smile on his lips. ¡°But, the situation has already concluded. J. Davenport has already left this ce, and the documents that poor girl tried to protect are now meaningless.¡± ¡°It¡¯s aplete victory for me this time, Miss Holmes¡± Finishing his deration, Adler shed her a smug smile. - Swoosh¡­ ¡°¡­.?¡± As Charlotte continued to stare silently, she suddenly drew something from her bosom. ¡°Since ancient times, the true name of a living being has held significant magical importance.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A name is the simplest yet most definitive concept that defines a person. It could be considered the minimum requirement for casting a spell.¡± Suddenly, she began speaking some incoherent nonsense. ¡°What are you suddenly talking about¡­¡± ¡°It has also been mentioned as a weakness of devils from time immemorial. Maybe it¡¯s because magic and devils are closely intertwined?¡± ¡°Of course, even if you have this knowledge, it¡¯s difficult to make use of it. It¡¯s not like devils go around carelessly revealing their names, right?¡± Initially puzzled, Adler¡¯splexion began to pale. ¡°In that sense, Joseon? The Empire of Korea is indeed a grateful nation. The range of surnames used there is significantly narrower than in European countries.¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve researched it, and knowing just the surname or the given name allows one to exert about half control. To a devil with seemingly no weakness, that¡¯s a significant penalty.¡± Looking up at me with a grin, Charlotte slowly began leafing through the documents she held. ¡°What¡¯s written here are the surnames of those who have passed the civil service exam over the past few years, kindly provided in secret by a diplomat from the generous Empire of Korea. It seems this country is really fond of records, keeping track of everything.¡± ¡°Just wait a moment¡­¡± ¡°If you had been a ve or amoner, you would surely have been sold to the nobility¡­ So your family name is probably in here somewhere?¡± Adler, breaking into a cold sweat, stepped forward. "Park? Lee? Choi?" ¡°Stop, stop¡­¡± "Not royalty then? How about Kwon? Yoon? Hong? Han?" Just as Charlotte was about to mention his surname, Adler desperately tried to snatch the documents. "... Kim?" ¡°Gogh.¡± At the clear pronunciation that leapt from Charlotte¡¯s lips, Adler gasped and fell t on the floor. "So it was Kim, huh...?" Looking down at him, Charlotte revealed a sinister smile. Chapter 188: Omen of the Storm - Trudge, trudge¡­ Just as Adler had identally revealed a third of his name to Charlotte, somewhere on the outskirts of London,1 ¡°¡­ Excuse me.¡± ¡°Are you sure this is the right ce?¡± In a notorious area where even an average adult male would hesitate to enter, strangely, two young women could be seen walking. ¡°¡­ Hmm, it¡¯s indeed inconvenient that we can¡¯tmunicate.¡± However, the usual gangsters who would have swarmed the streets like bees, for some unknown reason, were eerily quiet today. ¡°Wait till the interpreter arrives, why are you in such a hurry¡­?¡±Because one of the women was none other than Inspector Gia Lestrade, who possessed the ability to overturn the entire alley single-handedly. ¡°¡­ Haaa.¡± She quietly sighed while looking at herpanion, a girl with the status of a diplomat from the nation known as the Empire of Korea. ¡°Weren¡¯t we supposed to go to the embassy? This is clearly a back alley¡­¡± ¡°Ah, Ahem. Not speak English¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± After cautiously posing a question, Lestrade only received a very poor level of English in response. A helpless expression overcame her and she moved on, resigned. ¡­ Usually, when dispatching a diplomat, don¡¯t they choose someone fluent in thenguage of the country they would be operating in? Just as such a question popped into her mind, ¡°Eh? What is it?¡± The diplomat girl stopped in her tracks, a grim expression stered on her face. ¡°Did you witness a crime scene or wha¡­¡± Following her gaze, Lestrade turned her head sideways. Immediately, cold sweat dotted her forehead as she gaped at the scene. ¡°What the¡­¡± Looking at the copsed buildings and a multitude of people scattered everywhere, unconscious, she felt that a literal bombing had urred in this ce. ¡°Ah, no¡­!¡± ¡°Wa-Wait, where are you going?¡± Amid the crime-scented scene, just as Lestrade unsheathed her baton, the pale-faced girl dashed forward. ¡°That way is dangerous¡­!¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no danger.¡± Lestrade, trying desperately to reach out and stop her, paused in her tracks upon hearing the familiar voice drifting toward them from up ahead. ¡°I¡¯ve already eliminated all dangerous elements.¡± ¡°Why are you¡­ here?¡± She turned toward Professor Moriarty who approached them while silently brushing away pieces of debris from her clothes. ¡°I was conducting a personal investigation.¡± ¡°Investigation?¡± ¡°There was something I needed to obtain.¡± Professor Moriarty then pulled something from her coat and waved it before them. ¡°That, that¡­!¡± At that moment, the diplomat girl opened her mouth with a horrified expression. ¡°I am K-Kim C-Cheong-yeon, a d-diplomat of the Empire of Korea! What you are holding is confidential documents that are to be reported to m-my country!¡± ¡°.. Wh-What? You?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to cause diplomatic friction, please return it!¡± As she spoke fairly fluent British English, an incredulous expression crossed Lestrade¡¯s face. ¡°Hey, if you knew English, why didn¡¯t you speak it from the beginning?¡± ¡°I apologize, but there were circumstances¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not going to work.¡± Meanwhile, Professor Moriarty looked at the pale girl with an amused look before responding. ¡°Wh-Why¡­¡± ¡°Return the documents, Professor Moriarty. You are clearlymitting a crime right now.¡± Gia Lestrade, pointing her baton at the professor, threatened her in a frigid tone. ¡°Look here, Inspector Lestrade. What crime have I allegedlymitted?¡± ¡°Property destruction, endangerment to human life, theft¡­ you¡¯re even caught red-handed. I could arrest you right now¡­¡± ¡°Arrest? Hahahahaha¡­!!!¡± But the professor, with a look of disbelief, justughed off her words, almost mockingly. ¡°¡­ Do you really think you can arrest me?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°No, aside from the question of might¡­ do you think you can legally apprehend me?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°This is¡­ the level of Auguste Academy¡¯s top talent, huh¡­ It¡¯s quite interesting to see the academic achievements of students these days.¡± However, as the inspector looked ready to pounce at any moment, the professor shook her head sadly before exining. ¡°I merely attacked an illegal intelligence gathering group located in a high-risk area.¡± ¡°Gathering illegal information in such a dubious ce, that can never be considered an embassy, surely they can only be considered a puppet group, right?¡± Lestrade¡¯s expression slightly furrowed as she realized the people knocked out by the professor bore a resemnce to the girl standing between her and the professor. ¡°Then, you should have reported to the London Metropolitan Police Department. And the casualties you¡¯ve caused here aren¡¯t justified either¡­¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Miss Lestrade? I am a professor at August Academy.¡± Despite her effort to articte her words, Lestrade clearly struggled. ¡°As you well know, a professor at August Academy has investigative authority. Moreover, we are generally treated on par with an Inspector.¡± ¡°¡­ Ugh.¡± ¡°And all those people lying around have simply been immobilised. I haven¡¯t injured anyone. There¡¯s absolutely no legal issue here.¡± It was impossible to verbally outmanoeuvre Professor Moriarty, who had everything perfectly prepared. ¡°Then¡­ I request you to share the investigation details.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I must decline. If you are so fond of principles, shouldn¡¯t you officially request for a coboration?¡± ¡°Ha, you expect me to dy while knowing you could tamper with the documents in the meantime¡­¡± ¡°Do not make unfounded usations. The only reason I haven¡¯tpletely socially buried you is because I know Adler would dislike it.¡± Completely outyed in logic, Lestrade trembled and bowed her head. ¡°Please return it. Since it¡¯s written in our country¡¯snguage, you won¡¯t be able to read it anyway.¡± ¡°¡­ Do you really think that¡¯s the case?¡± At that moment, the girl who had been silent until now clenched her teeth and bravely spoke up. ¡°Unfortunately for you, I know many useful magic¡­ or should I say, sorcery in yournguage? Anyway, I know a lot of sorcery.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± ¡°What I mean is that, I¡¯ve already read all the documents and know that you are futilely trying to realize a hopeless dream.¡± However, the professor¡¯s calm response unsettled her. ¡°How can you possibly know that¡­¡± ¡°A lot of magic has disappeared from this world. It¡¯s truly regrettable.¡± ¡°In my personal opinion, your homnd might also disappear before long.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak carelessly!¡± However, the professor¡¯s provocative statement reignited the fire in the girl¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­ Well, it¡¯s not really my ce to meddle.¡± - Whoosh¡­! ¡°Ah.¡± Surprisingly, Professor Moriarty casually tossed the documents to her in the next moment. ¡°I¡¯ve already memorized all the contents inside, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Thanks to that, I¡¯ve caught the weakness of an annoying person, and I¡¯ve realized what I need to do to increase my power and influence. I suppose I owe you a small favour.¡± She then pulled an old coin purse from her bosom and threw it to the girl. ¡°That should be enough for you to quit your useless operation and seek asylum in Britain for a few years without worry.¡± ¡°Think of it as payment for the information. My vault¡­ has thousands more of these.¡± The purse she threw was filled with gold and expensive jewels. I want to throw it away right now¡­ but if I can get more information with this¡­ ¡°¡­ That being said, this is just personal curiosity.¡± As the girl quietly stared at the purse for a long time, muttering inwardly with tightly closed eyes, the professor¡¯s voice resounded from the distance. ¡°You didn¡¯t happen to develop affection for that blond-haired boy, or made some promises for the future now, did you?¡± ¡°Hmm? Why the face?¡± Upon hearing those words, the girl showed a momentary nk look, and the professor, b0bbing her head from side to side, questioned her again. ¡°¡­ Just speak the truth.¡± ¡°Wha, whawhawha¡­ what¡­¡± - Gooooo¡­ ¡°Eeek¡­¡± Startled by the sudden question and the murderous intent it carried, the girl stuttered. However, when even Lestrade began emitting a frigid chill, the girl stumbled back with an even paler face than before. ¡°Ah, there¡¯s nothing¡­¡± ¡°Re-Really, I swear. It¡¯s just that I had a strange mark branded on my lower belly¡­¡± Hearing her words, a sneer appeared on the faces of both the professor and the inspector. ¡°That too disappeared after a few hours. That¡¯s all there was.¡± ¡°¡­ Another breach of contract.¡± ¡°It seems I will need to lift another one of those insufferable seals from someone¡¯s stomach¡­¡± The two women then began to murmur, each casting a dark nce toward the girl. ¡­What in hell is up with Britain? Diplomat Kim Cheongyeon from the Empire of Korea, observing this bizarre spectacle, muttered to herself. In due course, she would retract the thoughtter after being selected as a special envoy to The Hague. I¡¯m not sure, but it must certainly be the most bizarre country in the world¡­ Because a very small butterfly effect that urred in Ennd would, by that time, create worldwide chaos. ¡°¡­ But where is Adler now?¡± ¡°What even is the point of having you if you don¡¯t even know that?¡± Some did im that a British Professor had amplified the butterfly¡¯s wingbeat into a storm, but such a conspiracy theory was so absurd that it was soon forgotten. . . . . . - Fizzle¡­ At that moment, when the Korean Interpreter case was about to be wrapped up, Both Detective Lestrade, intent on apanying Kim Cheong-yeon and her associates to the embassy, and Professor Moriarty, determined to track down the enigmatic Adler, found themselves receiving the same golden message simultaneously on their hands. ?Save ?Hol¡­ is For a few seconds, as they stared at the message, a terrifying killing intent began emanating once again from both the professor and the inspector.
    1. Korean names are traditionally three parts: Surname (?, seong): Thises first and is typically one syble. Common examples include Kim (?), Lee (?), Park (?), Choi (?), and Jung (?). Generational Name (???, hangnyeolja - sometimes omitted in modern times): Traditionally, one of the two sybles in the given name was shared by all siblings of the same gender and generation within a family. This practice is lessmon now, especially in South Korea. Individual Name (???, dollimja): This is the unique part of the given name, usually one or two sybles. So, while the full traditional structure is three parts (surname + generational name + individual name), in modern usage, especially in South Korea, it often appears as two parts (surname + given name), where the given name may or may not contain a generationalponent.
Chapter 189: The Detectives Devil Around the time when Jane Moriarty and Gia Lestrade received the error-filled suspicious message, hastilyposed by Adler, - Squeeze¡­ ¡°What are you doing?¡± As Charlotte sat atop Adler¡¯s stomach, shing him a dark smile, she abruptly gripped his hand before questioning, ¡°Oh, that¡­ Well¡­¡± ¡°My, my hand was itchy, so I was scratching it¡­¡± Under her watchful gaze, Adler looked at her with an anxious gaze before murmuring in a low voice. Unease oozed out of his every action. ¡°¡­ Really?¡± ¡°Mm.¡±¡°Look me in the eye and tell that to me again.¡± However, as Charlotte leaned forward, her voice chilly and her gaze looking down at him, Adler¡¯s attempt atposure crumbled and his eyes rolled in a dizzying fit of nervousness. ¡°Are you lying again?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°Adler. Do you hate me?¡± Observing his flustered response, Charlotte¡¯s voice grew even darker as she posed the question, her words heavy with implication. ¡°Is your hatred for me so strong that you would call out to an old hag, who has lived for a few centuries more than you, who doesn¡¯t feel the slightest bit of love for you, who rapes you daily out of possessiveness and a desire to control and dominate you¡­¡± ¡°That ¡°Then why were you secretly sending messages with your hands hidden behind your back¡­?¡± Adler, attempting to extricate himself from the situation by twisting and turning his body, realised that Charlotte was using her mana to pin his body down and there was nothing he could do to get out. Frustrated, he closed his eyes and sighed in resignation. ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s be real here. What even is the difference between you and the professor?¡± ¡°¡­..?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same forced situation¡­¡± Adler¡¯s voice trailed off weakly. ¡°Adler, what are you talking about?¡± Charlotte, blinking rapidly as she listened to hisst desperate attempt, tilted her head curiously while gazing down at him. ¡°Do you really not understand the difference?¡± At her statement, Adler, quietly observing her reaction, shook his head from side to side. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Charlotte, exhaling softly, whispered the exnation directly in his ear. ¡°To start, the Professor doesn¡¯t love you now, does she? Yet she forces herself upon you to prove you are her possession.¡± ¡°That¡¯s, actually a bit different¡­¡± ¡°Furthermore, you do love me, don¡¯t you?¡± Charlotte¡¯s voice was eerily calm, but the look in her eyes, dark and abyssal, suggested a different emotion. ¡°Our rtionship is different from the twisted bond you share with that monstrous lizard. I love you, and you love me too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Charlotte continued exining her side, however, when she received no response from Adler, her eyes narrowed and he gazed ominously at him, demanding a response. ¡°Y-Y-Yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I love you.¡± With a terrified look in his eyes, Adler muttered those words and then slightly blushed, turning his head to the side. Seeing that, her eyes finally regained their light. - Haaah¡­ ¡°¡­ Huh!?¡± Eventually, in that state, she bit Adler¡¯s neck. - Nibble, nibble¡­ ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡± - Slurp¡­ After burying her head in his neck and nibbling on Adler¡¯s skin for a while, Charlotte slowly raised her head and wiped her mouth with her sleeve. ¡°¡­ Moreover.¡± Then, with a more tranquil gaze, she added to her exnation. ¡°You were the one who seduced me first.¡± Hearing that, Adler had nothing to say anymore, so he shut his mouth. ¡°You were the one who approached me first when I was investigating a case. Not to mention, you were secretly in love with me even before our first encounter.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You confessed your love to me before anyone else, and it was you who dyed my pupils in your colour. Your pupils have also dyed in my colour as well.¡± Charlotte¡¯s voice gradually heightened with each word she spoke. ¡°¡­ And you were always up to dirty things, pouncing on me, sucking my blood, biting my neck while flirting with me whenever you could. And when I showed a bit of sincerity, you would just smirk and run away from me.¡± ¡°Um, I didn¡¯t do those dirty things¡­¡± ¡°Shut up. And as soon as I started to like you, treating me like I was a ghost, you began paying more attention to other women¡­¡± Her eyes shed fiercely, and Adler, who was about to make excuses, chose to remain silent. ¡°But now¡­ finding a way to bind you, how is that any different from that monstrous lizard?¡± ¡°¡­ Isn¡¯t that too conscienceless?¡± At that moment, Charlotte¡¯s ck aura started intensifying to an unimaginable degree. ¡°Right, right, how about we have a cup of tea and talk like civilised people?¡± ¡°I think this beastly way of conversing is still a bit early for Miss Holmes.¡± Feeling the ominous energy seeping into his body, Adler broke into a cold sweat and began his final protest as if grasping at straws. ¡°I¡¯ve just enrolled at August Academy this year. That means I¡¯m legally an adult.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°But Miss Holmes is younger than me. Although I don¡¯t know your exact age¡­ So¡­ uh, um¡­..¡± Realising the loophole in his words, Adler soon faltered and eventually clenched his eyes shut and blurted out whatever came out of his mouth. ¡°¡­ This is a crime.¡± ¡°Is a criminal consultant using the fact that they shouldn¡¯tmit a crime as a reason?¡± Charlotte¡¯s cold voice immediately pierced Adler¡¯s ears, ¡°Even criminals have their own philosophy. I don¡¯t mess with kids¡­¡± ¡°¡­ And yet I see that you¡¯re doing a fine job raising Celestia Moran.¡± Hearing that, Charlotte scoffed in a small voice. However, seeing Adler¡¯s puzzled expression, she sighed and muttered. ¡°Or, it may be the other way around it seems¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean, but you understand now, right? It¡¯s just not possible¡­¡± Smirking devilishly at Adler¡¯s hopeful remark, Charlotte began rummaging through his pockets. - Swoosh¡­ ¡°What is that?¡± Finally, she pulled something that looked like a business card from her pocket and waved it, causing Adler to tilt his head in confusion. ¡°Student ID.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I finallypleted the enrolment process at August Academy a few days ago.¡± Then, as she reverted to her usual tone with a sly smirk, Adler frozepletely. ¡°I almost wasn¡¯t able to get in this year due to a certain meddlesome professor?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°But rmendation letters from two separate queens did the trick¡­ no, one of them is Empress now, right?¡± ¡°Wait a minute. Are you saying¡­¡± As he looked up at Charlotte in disbelief, she whispered into Adler¡¯s ear in a calm voice. ¡°¡­ Since I¡¯ve enrolled at August Detective Academy, I¡¯m now an adult too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s absurd¡­¡± ¡°Thew says so, Mr Adler.¡± ¡°I will file an objection. You must have altered the documents, right? It¡¯s obvious the officials didn¡¯t check them properly¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to say this but¡­¡± Despite Adler¡¯s persistent nagging, Charlotte lowered her gaze and whispered to him with a bone-chilling smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were so fond of thew, so let me tell you an interesting fact.¡± When her next words reached Adler¡¯s mind, ¡°¡­ ording to the constitution of the British Empire, you can¡¯t even be considered a human now, can you?¡± ¡°Whatever I do with you now¡­ thews that apply to humans don¡¯t apply to you¡­¡± Itpletely shut down, leaving him with no further excuses he could use. ¡°So, do you still have something to say?¡± ¡°Sa-Sa¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Save me?¡± That was all Adler could muster while he stared at Charlotte, who began stroking his cheek in the meantime, with clear terror in his eyes. ¡°Please be gentle¡­¡± And then he uttered hisst words. ¡°What to do¡­¡± Meanwhile, Charlotte who blinked for a moment after hearing his pitiful request, ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not sure I can pay heed to that request.¡± The moment she began unbuttoning her coat with a sinister smile, ¡°Just a minute!!!¡± As if he had hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth innings, Adler, with eyes wide, stretched out his hands and urgently raised his voice, ¡°I, I had forgotten about something¡­!¡± ¡°Why? Do you still have a reason?¡± Charlotte, looking at him with a puzzled expression, soon twisted her expression quietly. ¡°I, I have a terminal illness? I¡¯m dying in just six months¡­¡± ¡°If you do this now, I won¡¯t be able to take responsibility now, will I?¡± And with that silence drenched the room. . . . . . ¡°¡­ Have I not yet exined the final reason?¡± In the silence, Charlotte finally opened her mouth after staring at Adler for a while. ¡°Unlike that lizard, who can hardly get pregnant as she¡¯s a different species altogether, I can be pregnant with your child right away.¡± ¡°Did you, did you not hear anything I said? In six months I¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m doing this.¡± Her voice was eerily calm. ¡°At first, I thought about killing myself to save you.¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s¡­!¡± ¡°But then, I thought you would live in misery forever if I were to do that.¡± Her expression did not mirror the calmness in her voice, however. ¡°So, I will embrace you.¡± Engulfed in a darkness cker than ever before, but with a smile brighter than he had ever seen her make, Charlotte continued, ¡°I¡¯ll carry your genes,bine them with mine¡­ and give birth to a child who resembles you.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°And I will raise the child wholeheartedly all my life, remembering you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the ending I¡¯ve chosen for us.¡± With that, her speech ended and a brief silence descended between the duo. ¡°Shall we move somewhere else then¡­?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that. I was nning to confuse our location to evade detection anyway.¡± Realising that he had gotten it all wrong amid the silence, Adler, trying to buy some time, threw out his suggestion which Charlotte dly epted. ¡°And maybe we could go on a date for a day, and take it slow¡­¡± ¡°Haaah¡­¡± However, his overtly frank remark led Charlotte to sigh quietly and speak again. ¡°Choose one of the two.¡± ¡°What, what do you mean?¡± ¡°¡­ Do you want me to fuck you like a dog right here and now? Or shall we go to a love hotel and make love as we lovingly embrace each other?¡± That statement was enough topletely freeze Adler¡¯s thinking process. ¡°Please, be gentle¡­¡± Nevertheless, hoping for some unexpected turn of events while moving, Adler finally muttered. ¡°But as I said before, I can¡¯t guarantee that request.¡± Regrettably, contrary to usual circumstances, no variables urred along the way as Adler and Charlotte checked into a room in a nearby love hotel. Chapter 190: The Detectives Devil (2) - Squeak¡­ As the hotel room door opened without any trouble, a boy and a girl entered inside. A thick silence lingered in the air of the room. ¡°¡­ Ah, the ambience is rather vibrant.¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s right, isn¡¯t it? Since it¡¯s a love hotel¡­¡± Charlotte, slightly flustered by the pink hues filling the room, turned her head with a cold gaze after hearing Adler¡¯sposed remark. ¡°Mr Adler, you are ustomed to ces like this, huh?¡± ¡°Uh, well¡­¡± ¡°Never mind.¡±Then, she stretched out her hand and quickly enveloped the room in her thick ck mana. ¡°Now I feel a bit morefortable.¡± ¡°Um, Miss Holmes¡­¡± ¡°H-How about we take a shower first?¡± Charlotte, who had been moving further inside with a satisfied expression, quietly turned her head upon hearing Adler¡¯s timid question. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Ye-Yes¡­ Then¡­ Miss Holmes first¡­¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s shower together.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± Uttering those words, she began pulling Adler by the hand. Their destination¡ª the bathroom attached to the hotel room. ¡°Um, um¡­ ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± As Adler, being dragged along by her, muttered in confusion, Charlotte posed a question with a puzzled look on her face. ¡°We¡¯re going to have sex soon anyway, right?¡± ¡°And you¡¯re worried about showering together?¡± Adler could not muster any objection to her words. ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Given Charlotte had already taken half control over his body, opposing her was out of the question. ¡°Um, excuse me?¡± Thus, Adler, his devil¡¯s tail drooping sadly behind him, followed Charlotte. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like we¡¯re heading towards the bathroom¡­?¡± He once again questioned Charlotte with a flustered voice as she was heading towards the bed on the opposite side of the bathroom. ¡°¡­ I said we¡¯d shower together, I never said we¡¯d shower right now.¡± ¡°Wh-Why not¡­?¡± Then, with a dark smile, Charlotte replied. ¡°If we¡¯re going to get sweaty anyway, it¡¯s better to have sex first and then shower, right?¡± ¡°¡­ Bu-But.¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about my smell. I took a bath and sprayed perfume before meeting you.¡± ¡°S-So, you were nning to pounce on me from the start?¡± Adler, looking slightly fearful, murmured in a low voice as he turned around. ¡°Since Miss Holmes has showered already, I¡¯ll quickly go and shower alone¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°What?¡± But then, Charlotte murmured behind him in a barely audible voice. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t mind if you don¡¯t shower.¡± ¡°That¡¯s even more arousing.¡± Adler¡¯s thought processes slowly began to break down after hearing that. . . . . . As soon as Isaac Adler entered the bathroom, he quickly stripped off his clothes and leapt into the bathtub. Turning on the tap, he sat down with a nk look in his eyes, lost in thought. ?? Is there really no way to escape? - Jizik¡­ Jizik¡­ I can¡¯t even send a message¡­ This is driving me mad, dammit. Charlotte Holmes¡¯s dark aura filled the hotel room, acting as a jammer, blocking any attempt to send a distress signal. ¡­ Now that I think about it, I can¡¯t even use mana, can I? Moreover, due to being controlled by Charlotte, Adler was unable to use his mana properly. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± - Ssh¡­ Sweating coldly and struggling to keep his stiffening mind active, Adler, startled by the sound of water in front of him, opened his eyes with a puzzled expression. And soon, his eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Why are you so startled? We agreed to shower together, didn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­ ¡°Since you¡¯ve already entered the bath, I might as well join you.¡± Charlotte, who had been wearing only panties, had already entered the bathtub before even finishing her words. ¡°¡­ Eek.¡± ¡°And¡­ your penis is as big as ever.¡± ¡°I was really surprised when I first saw it¡­¡± Adler gasped, feeling her smooth, wet back and soft buttocks against his abdomen. When he heard her murmurs, he looked down at he with a puzzled look. ¡°H-Have you¡­ seen mine before?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± ¡°Wh-When?¡± Charlotte calmly answered his question. ¡°When you were hospitalisedst time, I took a little peek.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really different from what I¡¯ve seen in the books. Whether yours is particrlyrge, or the books are wrong, I¡¯m not quite sure¡­¡± ¡°Uh, pardon?¡± Adler, momentarily startled, hurriedly interrupted her. ¡°Is¡­ Isn¡¯t that a crime? A sexual offence, Miss Holmes?¡± ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°If the London¡¯s hope behaves like this¡­ You are supposed to be the symbol of justice guarding London¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure how many times I have to say this but¡­¡± Then she quietly stared into Adler¡¯s eyes and spoke. ¡°You have no rights.¡± ¡°Therefore, even if I secretly took out your cock while no one was around, briefly scrutinised it and then lightly touched it with my tongue, and naturally held the hot organ in my mouth¡­ it¡¯s not a crime.¡± Adler¡¯s gaze became vacant. He was at aplete loss for words. ¡°¡­ You didn¡¯t actually do that, did you?¡± ¡°That was just a simple rehearsal.¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± ¡°The real show starts now¡­¡± With that, she covered his mouth with her hand, turned her body around, and bowed her head down. ¡°¡­ Six months ago, no one could¡¯ve imagined something like this, right?¡± Charlotte, who was about to lick Adler¡¯s penis, suddenly burst into a self-deprecatingugh and muttered. ¡°I, who despise men, to think I¡¯d be licking a penis¡­¡± - Twitch¡­ ¡°Oh, do you like hearing such things?¡± The next moment, as Adler¡¯s erect rod twitched slightly, Charlotte looked up at him with a frigid smirk. ¡°Pervert.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help but think, isn¡¯t Miss Holmes the pervert here¡­ Ugh.¡± As Adler¡¯s face turned bright red and he mumbled, he halted his words and moaned the moment Charlotte¡¯s tongue touched the tip of his penis. - Lick, lick¡­ She gazed at him intently as she licked his ns with her tongue, then quietly kissed the opening at the top. ¡°¡­ In the past, just brushing clothes with a man would make me ufortable all day.¡± - Squirm¡­ ¡°Now, kissing the tip of your penis is making my body heat up¡­¡± She murmured overtly lewd remarks, closed her eyes, and slowly began swallowing Adler¡¯s twitching member into her mouth. ¡°¡­ Huk, hakhg.¡± However, halfway through, tears welled up in her eyes suddenly, and she started gagging on his massive length. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Charlotte¡¯s eyes slightly panicked, realising that his penis had grown twice asrge as it had during her previous practice. This was a fact that she had not calcted at all. ¡°Gulp¡­¡± ¡°Um, hey¡­?¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± But her hesitation was momentary. Squeezing her eyes shut again, she forcibly pushed his massive member down her throat. Thus, Adler¡¯s huge dick practically packed her whole throat, and Charlotte¡¯s face dug into Adler¡¯s lower abdomen. - Gulp¡­ ¡°Wait¡­!¡± Her oesophagus began to spasm, and the vibration quickly pushed Adler to his limit, prompting him to urgently start pushing her away. - Clench¡­ ¡°¡­..!¡± But just before his penis could be pulled out of her mouth, Charlotte stretched her arms forward and embraced Adler¡¯s waist. - Brrrr, brr¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­¡± It did not take long for Adler¡¯s thick shaft to spill out ropes of cloudy semen directly into her mouth. - Brrrrrr¡­ No one knew how much time passed just like that. ¡°Haah, haah¡­¡± ¡°Aaaaa¡­¡± Charlotte, having just pulled Adler¡¯s cock out of her mouth while breathing heavily, silently opened her mouth to show the cum she had gathered inside her mouth. - Drip¡­ Then, she spread her hands and slowly began spitting the liquid out. - Lick, lick¡­ As her palms filled with Adler¡¯s semen, she quietly looked at it, closed her eyes, and began licking it up delicately like a cat enjoying milk. - Twitch¡­ At that, Adler¡¯s cock revived in an instant. ¡°¡­ Still lively, huh?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite different from what I¡¯ve read in books.¡± Tilting her head and murmuring, Charlotte climbed back on top of Adler¡¯s cock just like before, pressing her back against his belly. - Swoosh, swoosh¡­ She then slipped his cock inside her panties, held hands with Adler, and began slowly grinding her ass against his pelvis. ¡°Wa-Waait¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Adler, feeling the erotic pressure of Charlotte¡¯s slippery back and buttocks, muttered with a trembling voice, but Charlotte¡¯s firm voice cut through immediately. ¡°How long do you think I¡¯ve waited for this moment?¡± ¡°Enough already¡­¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense and juste.¡± At that moment, Charlotte whispered into his ear, slightly tilting her head. ¡°It¡¯s my first time; so we need some lubricant.¡± - Squirt¡­! Burying his head in the nape of her neck, Adler hugged her tightly and came once more. - Gush, gurgle¡­! Seizing the moment, Charlotte, licking her lips, pressed her butt against his pelvis as much as possible. ¡°Miss Holmes¡­¡± Adler, having stained Charlotte¡¯s white panties and ass with his semen, murmured with a whispery voice while still burying his head in her neck. ¡°I¡­ I think I came too much at once¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m feeling dizzy¡­¡± Charlotte silently turned her head towards her after hearing his words. ¡°So¡­ maybe we should rest for a bit¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Ah, don¡¯t worry. That¡¯s normal.¡± She rubbed her cheek against his, smiling bitterly, while Adler looked puzzled. ¡°Seems like the drug in the bath water is kicking in.¡± ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± ¡°It was hard to get. We must enjoy it thoroughly, right?¡± As Charlotte continued calmly, Adler started sweating profusely. ¡°I¡¯ve taken so many drugs that I think I¡¯ve developed a tolerance. Except for a bit of heat inside me, I feel rather normal¡­¡± ¡°I asked you to be gentle¡­¡± ¡°If you keep saying such arousing things, I might end up slipping your penis inside me without realising it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s real crime¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll say it onest time.¡± Listening to the words Charlotte said with the corner of her lips curling up, Adler soon lost consciousness. ¡°You have no rights here.¡± ¡°¡­ Beast.¡± . . . . . An unknown amount of time had psed¡­ ¡°Ah, you¡¯re awake?¡± Feeling his body grow hot, Isaac Adler groggily opened his eyes to a surprising scene. ¡°I was just about to put it in, good timing, huh?¡± Charlotte Holmes, who had somehow dragged him to the bed, was straddling him, her lips enveloping Adler¡¯s member. ¡°Um¡­¡± Adler tried to speak, but¡ª - Sssk¡­ Before he could form a sentence, Charlotte bit her lip slightly and thrust her hips down. - Brrrr¡­ Unknowingly raising his arms to cover his eyes, Adler began trembling ever so slightly from the fiery sensation he felt in his lower body. ¡°Haah¡­¡± Simrly, with eyes closed lightly, Charlotte¡¯s pussy quivered from the feels. ¡°Amazing¡­¡± Eyes now narrowed, she murmured with a wicked smile while looking down at the man beneath her with eyes overloaded with lust. ¡°¡­ I think I came a little just by putting it in.¡± The detective, who had just lost her virginity, intermittently released her juices as she felt Adler¡¯s thick rod violently probe the sensitive spots inside her depth. 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