Chapter 19: Conclusion
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 19: Conclusion
“Holmes?”
Late that night, as the door to 221B Baker Street creaked open, Watson—who had been dozing on the sofa—jolted awake.
“What kept you out so late?”
Watson rubbed her eyes and checked the clock, posing the question as Holmes entered. However, Holmes offered no reply. She moved silently past her friend and sank into her armchair.
“Did you solve the case?”
“…Yes.”
The answer came in a soft, hollow voice.
“Our dear Holmes solved the case, yet she looks like this? Why?”
“………”
“I think you might need a doctor’s examination.”
Sensing something was deeply wrong, Watson switched on the lamp and approached.
“Hmm.”
Watson paused, studying Holmes as the detective sat staring vacantly into space.
“Holmes, what on earth happened today?”
“…Do you truly want to know?”
“Seeing the state you’re in? I definitely need to hear it.”
At those words, Holmes lowered her gaze and began her tale.
“I made a mistake while solving the case.”
“A mistake? You? What kind of—”
“And that mistake left an indelible scar on a young man.”
Watson started to speak but thought better of it, closing her mouth to listen intently.
“For the rest of his incredibly short life, that scar will likely consume him whole. And I… I will have to watch it happen until the very end.”
“………”
“Because he stands against me, we are bound to clash 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’s eyes gleamed softly under the lamplight.
“But the problem is… he is in love with me.”
In her eyes, there was a flicker of confusion—an emotion she had never experienced in her life.
“Watson, I cannot possibly understand why.”
“………”
“There is no apparent reason, no plausible cause for him to love me. It is neither rational nor logical.”
Holmes poured out her feelings candidly to Watson, her only true friend in the world.
“For the past few days, no matter how hard I apply my mind to it, I cannot comprehend the rapid shifts in the situations and emotions surrounding me.”
She frowned slightly, her voice tinged with a rare sense of grievance.
“Is that why? My chest feels heavy, and at times, it churns violently. Irritation rises for no reason, and I feel constantly on edge.”
“………”
“It is likely because I have been overthinking. Watson, if it’s not too much trouble, I would like a prescription for these symptoms…”
Holmes trailed off suddenly.
“…Why are you staring at me like that, Watson?”
Watson was looking at her with a knowing smile, as if a complex puzzle had finally clicked into place.
“The diagnosis is complete.”
Watson’s voice was confident. Holmes met her gaze with a challenging expression, silently daring her to explain.
“I never imagined I would be the one saying this to you,” Watson murmured. She cleared her throat and began. “Holmes, do you realize that everything you just described… are the symptoms of love?”
“I wondered what nonsense you were about to spout…”
“It isn’t always the same for everyone. But most love is irrational and illogical. It arrives in moments we cannot fathom or make sense of.”
Holmes turned her gaze away, her expression flustered, but Watson pressed on resolutely, drawing from her own experiences.
“But aren’t you proving it better than anyone else right now?”
At Watson’s teasing remark, Holmes looked incredulous.
“I can say with absolute certainty that is not the case here.”
“Why?”
“I would not be swayed by such unproductive, illogical emotions. They do nothing but cloud one’s judgment.”
“Then what do you think you’re feeling right now?”
Watson stared intently. Holmes avoided her eyes, her voice tight.
“A sense of duty. Guilt… ambition…”
“Hmm…”
“A touch of sympathy. Responsibility. And…”
“And you want to claim that all of those feelings combined don’t equal love?”
“Yes.”
Watching her friend respond so sharply, discarding her usual composed tone, Watson let out a snicker.
“No matter how I look at it, I believe you’re wrong this time, Holmes.”
“Without objective and clear evidence, this isn’t worth discussing—”
Watson reached for a hand mirror on the table and thrust it toward Holmes.
“Look at your eyes, Charlotte.”
Holmes, whose eyes had always been a deep, gun-metal gray, found herself momentarily speechless. They were still dark, yet they were unmistakably tinged with shades of gold.
“It is said that when a mana user undergoes a significant emotional change, it manifests in the color of their irises,” Watson explained softly. “I’m not sure why a non-user like you would show these symptoms, but it’s plausible if you’ve accumulated a large amount of mana from constantly handling magic stones.”
Hearing the explanation, Holmes pushed the mirror aside.
“You are mistaken. This is simply a symptom of mana poisoning, Watson.”
“Newlyweds often make the same mistake when they come to my clinic,” Watson replied firmly. “After a few visits, most of them simply give up and accept the truth.”
“It is not that. After a few days of rest, I will return to my usual self.”
With that, Holmes rose and headed toward the makeshift bed beside her chair.
“And not every emotional change necessarily signifies love.”
“You’re going to deny it to the bitter end, aren’t you, Detective?”
“I simply think logically.”
She lay down and pulled the blanket over herself.
“I must sleep now. To quickly alleviate the symptoms of a mana overdose…”
As she habitually reached for her curved pipe, she hesitated for a moment, then lowered her arm.
“Did someone tell you to quit smoking?” Watson asked jestingly, surprised by the behavior.
“You seem especially keen on teasing me today, Watson,” Holmes replied weakly, burying herself further under the covers.
“Watson.”
“Hmm?”
Watson, who had been watching her with a smile, tilted her head at the muffled voice coming from beneath the blanket.
“…Is there absolutely no way to cure someone afflicted with vampirism?”
“Of course not,” Watson answered immediately. “I’m no expert in that field, but if a cure existed, there wouldn’t be any vampire hunters left.”
The blanket trembled ever so slightly.
“But,” Watson continued, recalling papers she had read during her university days, “if we’re talking about alleviating the symptoms, I do know of some methods. I once read a paper claiming that vampires who drink the blood of their loved ones are stronger and more rational than others.”
“…………”
“It’s quite old, so I’m not sure if it’s reliable, but if it’s necessary for the case, I can look it up for you.”
From that day on, Charlotte Holmes ceased her research on tobacco and mana stones.
“…Thank you for the answer, Watson.”
It was because of the mistake she had made. Because of her, there was a man facing a life that would become a living hell without her presence.
Sigh…
And in a way, Charlotte felt the same.
For me, it is a curse; for you, it is vampirism.
Whether it was her inherent nature or something she hadn’t fully realized yet…
In the end, we need each other.
Deep within her eternally frozen heart, something illogical and improbable—planted there by Isaac Adler—was already stirring.
Even if I set aside emotion and make a rational judgment, the conclusion remains the same.
“Holmes? Are you smoking in there?”
You must spend the rest of your life as my assistant. That is the most logical, probable, and justifiable outcome…
However, the fact that this outcome would grow slightly skewed…
“Why is there so much black smoke…?”
…And that you will not belong to that gray-haired woman.
Even Adler hadn’t anticipated that outcome.
『Villain Maker』
– Description: Fulfilling the probability of Professor Moriarty's appearance.
– Progress: 20% → 51%
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『Love-Hate Relationship』
Chapter 1 – Complete
『Villain Maker』
– Progress: 20% → 51%
“It feels somewhat eerie for some reason.”
Seeing the message pop up in front of me, I brushed aside the fog on the roadside. Overwhelmed by a sudden, chilling sensation, I shivered and swiped the notification away.
…Well, at least I feel more reassured now.
The end of the first incident signaled the start of the main storyline. The outcome was quite successful, if I do say so myself.
It’s the perfect start for our organization.
A flawless takeover of Princess Joan Clay, one of the game’s top mid-bosses. This had led to the successful absorption of the Red Mana League.
There was also significant progress in two main quests.
…And my combat power has increased significantly.
What particularly pleased me was obtaining the abilities of a pureblooded vampire. Of course, the penalty was no joke, either.
However, with a body that was as good as dead—and if I appropriately utilized the original owner’s golden mana, which had been misidentified his entire life—the penalty shouldn’t be an issue.
[The case has come to a close.]
As a sense of exhilaration washed over me, another message appeared.
[You can now check your karma.]
Seeing that, 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 very system I had passionately advocated for during a meeting that lasted an hour. Unlike generic systems that grant stat bonuses or overpowered skills, its unique feature focused solely on showing the player’s current situation and progress to boost motivation.
“…Tsk.”
Naturally, for someone dropped into this world, it wasn’t favorable in the least. While showing progress was helpful, it also meant the system would not intervene or help me in any situation. I should have suggested a shop system if I’d known this would happen.
Shiver…
I reached out to check it, but a sudden tingling sensation stopped me.
“…Huh?”
I turned over my palm, wondering what could cause pain in a body that was essentially dead. My eyes widened.
｢Adler, come to my office immediately.｣
It seemed I’d have to check my karma later.
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Several minutes later—
“Have you arrived?”
“………..”
I hurried to Professor Moriarty’s office, only to instantly furrow my brows.
“Professor?”
Professor Moriarty was pouring whiskey from a bottle that was already half empty. She dropped a sugar cube into the glass, her eyes fixed intently on me.
“What are you doing here at this hour?”
“I have something I want to ask you.”
Despite the alcohol, there wasn’t a trace of intoxication in her sharp gaze.
“In this recent case, I took a risk and hid my mana within the magic circle,” Moriarty began, her voice unwavering as the tension in the room rose. “It was something I had never done before. I do not want anyone to know that I am a mage.”
“…I see.”
“But aren’t you my one and only assistant? That is why I took the risk.”
Moriarty tilted her head in her habitual manner.
“However, Adler, it seems to me that you value that girl, Charlotte Holmes, more than you do me.”
“Ah, about that…”
“You claimed that you couldn’t replace her even if you were given everything in the world. You even offered the rest of your lifespan for her.”
Without giving me a chance to explain, her deep gray eyes sparkled with a predatory curiosity.
“After hearing that, I was genuinely curious.”
“……….”
“Does that ‘everything in the world’ include me as well?”
The air in the room began to freeze.
“Adler.”
The atmosphere felt exactly like the day I first met her. Cold sweat trickled down my face as Professor Moriarty posed her question, a bright, terrifying smile on her lips.
“You can answer slowly. We have a very long night ahead of us.”
It was a question that concerned not only my life but the fate of the world.
“To you, just what kind of being am I?”
Someone save this grad student from his scary professor, please…