Chapter 126: Marriage (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 126: Marriage (2)
Screech…
After several hours of travel, the carriage finally reached London and began to slow.
Knock, knock, knock…!
“Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived.”
A moment later, the coachman dismounted from the now-stationary carriage and knocked on the cabin door.
“……”
“Ladies and gentlemen? Is something wrong?”
Despite his persistent knocking, there was no response, nor any sign that the door would be opened.
“Hmm…”
Scratching his head, the coachman retrieved a key from his pocket and unlocked the passenger cabin door.
“Haah, this is really…”
On the poorly maintained roads of the 19th century, even experienced coachmen often subjected their passengers to an unpleasant ride, complete with nausea and motion sickness. This directly affected their reputation and income, so they had no choice but to either invest a fortune in shock-absorbent mana stones for the carriage wheels or hone their driving skills.
“…Having too much skill can be a problem, too.”
The coachman, who had found a well-paying fare for the journey from Baskerville to London, belonged to the latter group. He was exceptionally skilled. Having been too poor to afford mana stones in his early days, he had been forced to perfect his craft. Now, thanks to his exceptional abilities, he catered exclusively to upper-class clientele and achieved remarkable results.
“Maybe I should install a clock inside next time…”
It wasn’t uncommon for his passengers to fall asleep during the journey, so he thought nothing of it as he unlocked the cabin door with his key.
Creak…
“…Wait, what’s happening?”
Just as he unlocked the door and reached for the handle, he belatedly realized the carriage was swaying ever so slightly.
“Uh…”
His confusion lasted only a moment. He turned the doorknob without much thought, and his jaw dropped at the scene unfolding before his eyes.
“Pro-Professor… ugh…”
Slurp…
A boy with delicate features was pinned to the floor of the cabin, his shirt half-removed to expose a bare shoulder. His arms were held fast by the gray-haired woman who had been riding with him.
Swish…
As the stunned coachman stared, the woman, who had been sensuously kissing and biting the boy’s neck, slowly lifted her head.
“……”
Her piercing gaze locked onto him.
…A dream?
He thought he might be seeing things from overwork. He rubbed his eyes and slowly opened them again.
Flutter…
“Professor, calm down…”
Sharp, gray mana surged violently before him. Through the veil of raging energy, he saw the boy, drenched in sweat, pulling the woman back as she continued to glare at the coachman with a chilling expression.
“……”
After observing the eerie scene for a moment, the coachman closed his eyes once more.
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name…
He silently recited the Lord’s Prayer about five times before opening his eyes again, his body nearly crippled by overwhelming fear.
“……”
Fortunately, this time, the two weren’t shamelessly intertwined, nor did he feel like his life was about to end.
“That was some impressive driving.”
“Th-That’s right, I suppose. Haha…”
The woman and the boy were sitting modestly, like any other passengers, and the boy spoke in a cheerful, bright tone.
“…Th-That’s right.”
Of course, the sticky liquid on the cabin floor and the gray, smoke-like energy still permeating the air were clear signs that what he had just seen was no illusion.
“Here, take this.”
“…What?”
But in the next moment, something happened that drove all other thoughts from his mind.
“This is for the trouble we’ve caused, and for your silence about what just happened.”
“…Ah.”
“Please, accept it.”
The boy, smiling brightly, was offering him a sum of gold coins that would take six months of backbreaking work to earn.
“Thank… you…”
“…And one more thing.”
The coachman, who encountered such a windfall maybe once a year from his wealthy clients, was about to greedily reach for the coins when a voice spoke, chillingly cold and right next to his ear.
“Forget everything that happened today.”
“It’s better for both of us that way.”
“……What?”
Lifting his head, the coachman’s gaze met the boy’s playful eyes. He had a finger to his lips, which were 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 contracts must be fulfilled, right?”
An unknown time later…
“People these days are so open…”
The coachman, now driving his carriage home with no memory of the recent events, happened to spot a man and woman entangled in an alleyway.
“…At that point, it’s just public indecency, isn’t it?”
“Pro-Professor… maybe we should stop… ugh…?”
Smack, smooch…
And just like that, the last key to uncovering the truth behind the Hound of the Baskervilles case disappeared forever.
.
.
.
.
.
“…Adler.”
“……”
A few minutes later, an eerie quiet lingered in the back alleys of London, despite it being the middle of the lunch hour.
“Can’t you hear me?”
Walking down the alley with the professor, Adler turned his head to the side, pouting at the flat voice coming from beside him.
“Darling.”
Professor Jane Moriarty whispered, her voice low and right in his ear.
“…Uh.”
“Honey.”
“Please, stop.”
Adler flinched as the tickling voice caressed his ear. Unable to resist, he fell for her obvious bait and spoke, his tone irritable.
“I love you.”
A straightforward reply flew back, laced with the professor’s amused laughter.
“……”
Adler’s face reddened involuntarily as he stared blankly at her.
“…Do you really intend to marry me?”
“It’s not an intention; it’s a fact. Once we submit this paper with our signatures, we’ll be legally married.”
He shook his head to clear the daze. As he asked the question, she pulled the marriage registration form from her pocket and answered with a bright smile.
“And I have it. So you have no choice but to give up and marry me quietly.”
“Are you trying to start 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.
“…You really plan on doing housework, cooking, and having children with me?”
“Housework and cooking are your jobs. I’ve never successfully made anything besides milk tea.”
Adler stammered, incredulous. He asked again, but the professor only replied in a calm tone.
“However, I can promise to earn the money. That much I can assure you.”
Hearing that, Adler murmured with a disappointed look.
“…Charlotte said she would do the housework and cooking herself, though.”
Silence fell between them.
“…I’ll start attending cooking classes this weekend.”
“Are you serious?”
“I should also buy an apron.”
After a long, serious contemplation, the professor answered, her face full of resolve.
“…What about a child?” Adler asked in a dazed whisper.
“Wouldn’t she be adorable? A daughter with blonde hair and gray eyes, who looks just like me.”
“Uh…”
But the professor, as if anticipating the question, began to whisper into his ear again, her voice soft and mellow, like a pleasant dream.
“Adler, just stop denying it.”
“……”
“You’re a married man now.”
The statement was so horrifying it sent a shiver down his spine.
“If you understand, then start preparing for our newlywed life.”
“That’s…”
“While I clean up the aftermath of this case, you’ll have to lay low in the hideout.”
“But that’s supposed to be my role…”
He reached out with a confused look, but the professor, having escorted him to the front of the hideout, simply turned on her heel and began walking away down the alley.
“…Oh, by the way.”
She suddenly turned her head back, a broad smile stretching her lips as she whispered.
“If you’re going to tame something, make sure to do it thoroughly.”
“What?”
Caught off guard, Adler tilted his head. The professor quietly pointed to a secluded corner of the alley.
“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 lurking in the shadows. He couldn’t help but stare, bewildered.
Grrrr…
“Why are you here?”
.
.
.
.
.
Creeeak…
An unknown amount of time later…
“…Master!?”
“Dad?”
“Hmph.”
The hideout door slowly opened after several days of silence. Silver Blaze, who had been knitting on the sofa with dead eyes; Celestia Moran, who sat beside her with a sullen expression; and Princess Clay, who had been cleaning the windows, all turned their gazes toward the door with varied reactions.
“Where have you been? I’ve been so lonely, Master…”
“Dad, I took care of those people you asked me to…”
“Where have you been wandering off to without a word…”
However, almost immediately, all three trailed off mid-sentence, their expressions turning blank.
“Well, you see…”
Isaac Adler sat there with a bright expression, holding something in his arms—something whose eyes glowed with a deadly blue gleam.
“……”
To Adler, it was clearly a monstrous creature. But for some reason, to the three women, it looked like a girl around Moran’s age.
“…Her name is Poppy.”
Woof.
As Adler gently stroked the creature’s belly, a silence deeper than ever before fell over the hideout.