Chapter 181: The Korean Interpreter (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 181: The Korean Interpreter (5)
“Hmm…”
It was the day after I had been suddenly saddled with a case involving one of London’s many criminal organizations, the Empire of Japan, and a distant ancestor of mine.
“Master, why do you look so troubled?”
“…Moran?”
As I navigated the back alleys of London, heading toward the gang’s hideout to continue my work as an interpreter, Celestia Moran’s soft voice drifted out of nowhere. She had appeared beside me at some point without my noticing and had apparently been following me for a while.
“How did you get here…?”
“I am essentially glued to your side twenty-four hours a day, Master. Especially when you travel through such dangerous areas, I stay close to protect you.”
Her words were unsettling, to say the least. I couldn’t stop a look of genuine shock from crossing my face.
“Why didn’t I notice you…?”
“Stealth is the most basic skill of an effective sniper.”
“…I see. But isn’t this a bit much?”
While I was grateful for her protection, being under constant surveillance was a bit overwhelming. And when you really thought about it, wasn't this outright child exploitation?
Of course, Moran had matured significantly over the past few months for some unknown reason, but 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.”
I reached out to stroke her head—she was still shorter than me—trying to persuade her to stop stalking me. However, she simply donned a stern expression and argued back.
“Do you know how many threats I’ve eliminated in the past few months?”
“…What?”
“Enough to reach triple digits. On average, you’ve faced an assassination attempt more than once a day.”
The air felt like it was being sucked right out of my lungs.
“Moran, what are you even talking abou—”
“Of course, I’ve handled everything perfectly on my end. Not to mention, it’s impossible to trace anything that happens on a foggy London night, so you have nothing to worry about.”
“……..”
Knowing all too well that she was someone who could make the impossible possible, a chill ran down my spine.
“Th-Thank you…”
Thump!
“……?”
I gave up on the idea 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 pressed it against her cheek.
“Huh…?”
“…Please stroke me here, too.”
She gazed at me for a moment before lowering her eyes and mumbling in a low voice.
“……?”
It felt slightly strange, but there was no reason to refuse. As I gently caressed her cheek, she immediately began cutely stomping her feet, standing with her arms tucked behind her back.
“Hey, by the way.”
“……?”
Relieved that she still retained some girlish charms, I finally asked the question that had been bugging me.
“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 touched my eyes as I spoke. Her eyes immediately began to quiver, filled with a mix of confusion and panic.
“Tha-Tha-That… well…”
Finally, after a great deal of stuttering, she bowed her head low and murmured in a barely audible voice.
“…It’s because I’m embarrassed.”
“……?”
Personally, I felt that calling someone "Master" was 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 began to shiver for no apparent reason.
“…Moran?”
Her cheeks turned a fiery red, and suddenly, I felt something warm sliding down my hand.
“Are you crying?”
Fwoosh!
“……???”
The moment I asked with a bewildered look, Moran vanished from my sight like a stealthy ninja.
“What’s going on…?”
Did I make a mistake? It was possible. She was a child with many scars, both physical and emotional. I definitely needed to apologize properly the next time we met.
*
Squeak…
“Who’s there?”
A few minutes after that brief incident, I pushed open the heavy door of the abandoned building. A cold voice echoed from the shadows inside.
“I am the interpreter.”
“What’s the password?”
“…There isn’t one, right?”
“Yes. Come in.”
Hands raised, I answered the men I had met yesterday while maintaining a calm expression. Soon enough, I was signaled to head deeper into the hideout.
“You know what you need to do, right?”
“Yes. Interpretation for the Asian languages. You also requested torture services, correct?”
“The torture will be handled by u—”
“Even though I might not look like 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, the displeasure on the men’s faces receded, replaced by surprise.
“A mana user? Really?”
“…Why would a bigshot like you take jobs in the underworld?”
“Everyone has their circumstances, right? Let’s protect our personal information, even among fellow criminals.”
To be clear, I was currently disguised as an interpreter and torture expert commissioned by the Professor. On top of that, I was hiding my identity using a rudimentary form of disguise magic.
I had only slightly altered my appearance to avoid wasting mana. Even though the changes were subtle, it should be enough to prevent them from recognizing my true identity.
“But doesn't he look kind of familiar…?”
“Yeah…”
Probably…
“Is it this way?”
“…Yes.”
Passing the murmuring men, I entered the inner sanctum of the hideout. Soon, the woman from yesterday came into view.
“Ugh…”
She looked even more haggard than the last time I saw her.
Swoosh…
“…….”
With a look of feigned pity, 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…
From that moment, red sparks began to zap across her body in irregular arcs.
“……???”
Quickly.
A bewildered look washed over her face at the magical phenomenon. However, the moment she heard my whisper, she took a deep breath and prepared herself.
“Aaaaaaaaaaah!!!”
Soon, a soul-wrenching scream violently reverberated throughout the room.
“Hmm…”
“Well, he’s certainly earning his keep.”
Her acting was realistic enough that the men watching from behind looked satisfied with my performance.
“…Gentlemen, please step outside the basement for a moment.”
I pretended to cast and maintain the spell without rest for some time. Then, pretending to wipe non-existent sweat from my brow 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 own benefit.”
If there was one good thing about living in 19th-century London as a mana user…
“…If you get caught in the area of effect of my magic while remaining in this room, I cannot be held responsible. I have already issued my warning.”
“………”
“The contract specifies everything in detail, so think carefully…”
It was that you could tell a very convincing lie to anyone ignorant of the properties of mana.
“…We’ll be back in twenty minutes.”
“By then, you must unearth and deliver new information to us.”
Having successfully persuaded the men, a triumphant smile tugged at my lips as I watched them leave. I looked back at the woman, whose screams had ceased the moment the door closed.
“Just leave it to me.”
Creeeak…
“………”
As the front door of the abandoned mansion closed, silence settled over the basement.
Wha—What the…
In that silence, the woman looked at me with a gaze full of suspicion and anxiety before throwing a question my way.
Who are you…?
I scratched my head, pondering for a moment 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…
She stopped her questioning, swallowed dryly, and looked up at me.
I am Korean.
“……?”
She gave me a confused look.
No, I meant to say that I am Joseon.
“……..!”
As soon as I corrected my statement, her eyes widened in shock.
Technically, I’m of mixed Joseon and British descent, but that’s not the point.
Ah…
It’s a pleasure to meet a fellow countryman in this faraway land.
Although it was a convenient excuse, I wasn't lying. 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 truly communicate with the woman in front of me—
Warning!
– Probability of being Discovered — 75% → 99%
Oh dear.
The ominous warning message, tinged in blood-red, appeared before my eyes.
“What the fuck!”
I was definitely pouring all my remaining mana into blocking the Professor’s eavesdropping, so how the hell did this happen?
*
“Heh.”
Meanwhile, at 221B Baker Street.
“Heh-heh, uh-huh-huh-huh…”
“…Holmes?”
Rachel Watson, who was getting ready for work, threw a questioning glance toward her roommate. Charlotte, lounging in her armchair and going through her usual routine of smoking, had suddenly started cackling in a sinister tone.
“You’re not smoking opium again, are you?”
“Uh-huh-huh-huh-huh-huh…”
But Charlotte, clearly finding something terribly amusing, continued her sinister cackle instead of answering Watson. Soon, a low murmur escaped her lips.
“…So that’s what sister meant.”
“….What?”
“It’s nothing…”