Chapter 180: The Korean Interpreter (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 180: The Korean Interpreter (4)
“What is this woman saying?”
“…Just a moment. My memory is a bit hazy, so it’s taking me some time to interpret her dialect properly.”
Having secretly relayed a message to the woman, I quickly offered an excuse to the men pressing me for answers, all while gauging her reaction.
“……..”
Until just moments ago, she had been drowning in absolute despair. My abrupt message had caught her completely off guard, a flicker of shock crossing her features. However, seeing as she didn't openly betray our secret to the others, she seemed quite sharp-witted.
“I believe I need to ask a few more questions.”
“…As you wish. But we decide what questions are asked.”
There was no reason to hesitate any longer.
“What exactly do you want?”
(Who are you?)
“I want nothing.”
(I am an official from the Empire of Korea. You need not know more.)
“It might be wise 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.)
I steadied my breathing and began to earnestly probe into her circumstances.
“…The conversation seems to be getting quite lengthy.”
“It’s a characteristic of the language. It’s unnecessarily verbose.”
“So, how far along are we with her demands?”
“Well, for starters, I believe she’s asking us to untie her?”
The moment I responded to the man’s discontented interjection—
—Thwack!
A sharp slap echoed through the dim basement.
“Ugh…”
“Tell her we agreed to meet their demands, not grant unreasonable requests.”
A blood-red handprint bloomed on her face. The man stared down at the groaning woman with a frigid glint in his eyes.
“Isn’t there a plausible compromise we can reach?”
(How long have you been held here?)
“I have no intention of handing over the documents, no matter what.”
(I am not certain, but I believe 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 any companions?)
“That will never happen.”
(I had a fellow official with me, but these bastards killed him.)
As the outline of the situation began to take shape in my mind—
Knock, knock, knock!
“……!”
Abrupt knocks suddenly echoed from the entrance.
“What…?”
“Has our location been compromised?”
“…No, that doesn't seem to be it.”
The men’s eyes sharpened with a lethal chill. They stood, drawing their weapons to investigate the suspicious noise. At that moment, the Professor, who had been quietly observing, spoke up with a slight tug at her lips.
“Wouldn’t it be an exaggeration to say we’ve been ‘discovered’? Especially when the act of hiding is meaningless to that person.”
“…What?”
“It’s nothing. My assistant and I will handle this. Both of you stay inside.”
With those words, the Professor took my hand and leisurely led me toward the entrance.
“W-Why am I…?”
“…I don’t like it when you talk to another woman for too long.”
“Huh?”
“Not to mention… no matter how much I ruminate on it, you are the only weakness of the person knocking at our door.”
“What do you mean, Professor…”
I was practically dragged along, unable to resist her pull.
“You should already know who’s out there…”
“Oh my~”
“…..Oh.”
The door opened to reveal a pair of familiar, sharp eyes. A blank look washed over me.
“Hmm, I smell something sweet coming from somewhere…”
“………”
“Oh, look. A cute little devil is here~”
Mycrony Holmes stood there, her oversized bosom squashed against the doorframe. She licked her lips, 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 as well?”
I was so nervous I blurted out something nonsensical, but the Professor and Mycrony Holmes didn’t seem to mind. They began conversing with smiling faces that didn't reach their eyes.
“You do realize that if Gia Lestrade were here, this would 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 a slight sense of relief at seeing a familiar face, the conversation was becoming far 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 troublesome for London.”
“It’s not like I’m afraid of the Professor. That's not what's keeping me from stepping forward, you know~”
“Ah, of course. It must be 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 dragon hunting.”
Cold sweat dotted my forehead as the atmosphere turned dangerous. I desperately tried to interject.
“Excuse me, ladies…”
“By the way, you somehow managed to identify us even though I cast a perception inhibition spell?”
“I can see through anything~ Even the true form the Professor hides behind her human shell~”
It was 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 I’ve reset due to a lack of schooling~”
Both Professor Moriarty’s chilling presence and Mycrony Holmes’s aura were formidable. Usually, when the Professor showed even a hint of seriousness, people froze in a mix of fear and terror.
Could it be that Mycrony, who easily withstood the Professor's Dragon Fear, was also a fearsome powerhouse? If left unchecked, their clash could spell disaster for London.
“If both of you don’t moderate yourselves…!”
I raised my voice, scowling.
“…I-I-I’ll go to Charlotte.”
Seeing their cold gazes pierce through me, my voice shrank into an intimidated mumble by the end.
No, in a situation like this, would those words really work…
As the chilling silence stretched, I lamented my lack of negotiation skills.
“Well, let’s end this pointless argument and get to the matter at hand.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
“…….?”
The atmosphere lightened so suddenly I began to wonder… Could I possibly be the strongest person in London?
“Why are you even here?”
“Well, it’s actually quite simple.”
As I entertained those frivolous thoughts, Mycrony Holmes covered her mouth and smiled with her eyes, finally broaching the main topic.
“You should keep your hands off this case.”
“…Pardon?”
“It’s not a matter for you to involve yourself in.”
She leaned in, whispering with a chilling smile.
“What do you mean…”
“Isaac Adler. Anything you get involved in inevitably drags my sister into the scenario, doesn't it?”
“Well, yes, but…”
“And this case would become incredibly troublesome if that were to happen.”
Her voice was soft yet resolute.
“I would like to explain more, but there’s no time to discuss the intricacies of international politics here. Perhaps later…”
“…Could it be because of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance?”
“Oh dear me…”
As I prodded the matter with my hypothesis, Mycrony Holmes’s expression turned unusually frigid. The temperature of the room seemed to drop.
“That’s classified information…”
“……”
“You really do know a lot, don’t you~?”
Judging by her reaction, my guess was correct.
“…So, it’s a case involving the Empire of Japan.”
“Well, it’s a bit tricky to antagonize a potential ally… especially with Russia’s fierce momentum in East Asia lately…”
“I never imagined the Great British Empire would have to be concerned about an Eastern island nation.”
“Well, there’s nothing to be gained by provoking them now, is there? International relations are a delicate and complex issue, I swear.”
Mycrony clearly had no intention of backing down.
“As it stands, I’m afraid this situation calls for an apology.”
“What do you mean?”
“We have already received a commission. We cannot step back now.”
Of course, I had no intention of retreating either. The cries of agony from inside were one thing, but abandoning the case would directly increase the erosion rate, given that this was an episode directly from the source material.
“Um… This is really strange…”
But it seemed Mycrony Holmes interpreted my "good intentions" 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, the warmth vanished from the Professor’s eyes, replaced by 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, Miss Mycrony. It’s a matter of upholding the client’s trust.”
“……”
“And besides, to produce a satisfactory outcome for the Empire of Japan, my help is necessary, isn't it?”
Noticing the Professor’s darkening expression, I frantically scrambled for justifications for my involvement.
“…Well, if you are still uneasy, I shall ensure that Charlotte doesn't get involved in this case.”
“Hmm…”
“Let’s just complete the client’s request and leave, shall we?”
“…Well, if you insist.”
I finally won Mycrony Holmes over, though I remained unaware of the potential backlash.
“Remember this.”
A sigh of relief escaped me. But as Mycrony turned to leave, she offered one final piece of advice.
“The moment my sister gets involved, I will intervene as well.”
“…..Yes.”
Hearing her usually languid voice turn so sharp sent a chill down my spine.
“I will… remember.”
Mycroft Holmes, the official instigator of the original episode—The Greek Interpreter. In this world, she was Mycrony Holmes. I couldn't help but worry about the chaos that would ensue if she decided to go on a rampage.
*
Avant de nous séparer, je vais me lamenter un moment.
(Before we part, I shall lament for a moment.)
“…….?”
Just as I was being swallowed by worries about the future, a shadow of concern darkening my face—
Ich glaube, mein Assistent lügt.
(I think my assistant is lying.)
Das ist schade.
(That is truly a pity.)
As if on cue, both Professor Moriarty and Mycrony Holmes began speaking in foreign tongues, walking side by side as they exited the alleyway.
Где универсальный переводчик, который не знает ни французского, ни немецкого, ни русского?
(Where is this "universal interpreter" who knows neither French, nor German, nor Russian?)
Это немного смешно.
(It is quite a ridiculous farce, yes.)
It felt as though they had started a linguistic duel to determine the strongest in London right then and there.