Chapter 20: Wagging Tail
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 20: Wagging Tail
“Professor, I apologize, but I find myself quite exhausted at the moment.”
Having been pinned under Professor Moriarty’s eerie, slate-grey gaze for some time, I finally forced my mouth open.
“It seems you are enjoying a drink as well, Professor.”
“……”
“So, could we perhaps postpone the answer to that question and the report on this case for a later time?”
Even as the words left my mouth, I knew it wasn’t a suggestion she was likely to accept. But dammit, I needed to buy time!
If I misspoke even slightly, or if the sheer terror I felt surfaced for even a second, my life would be forfeit. I was worn down by the day's events; a single slip of the tongue would be the end of me.
I desperately needed a moment to gather my wits.
“Oh, if that’s the case, there is no problem at all.”
However, the chilling smile that spread across Professor Moriarty’s lips made me instantly abandon that hope.
“I always carry a confession drug with me. You can keep talking even in your sleep.”
“…Damn.”
There wouldn’t be a second chance. If my response was delayed by even a heartbeat, I might be saying goodbye to this world forever.
I was still practicing that trick...
Steeling myself, I began to gather mana in my eyes with everything I had, visualizing the magic circle I had recently devised.
“If you’re that curious, I’ll just tell you now.”
“Good judgment.”
I walked toward Moriarty and began to speak in a low, quiet voice.
“To be honest, there isn’t much to it that requires a tedious explanation.”
It was time to begin the pivotal maneuver that would determine the fate of this world.
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“You are everything to me, Professor.”
Isaac Adler leaned forward, resting his hands on Professor Moriarty’s desk as he continued his speech.
“The core principle of my actions—the irreplaceable nucleus of my existence—is Professor Jane Moriarty, sitting right in front of me.”
His heartfelt voice reached her ears, steady and unwavering.
“I want to make London a kingdom of crime, Professor. And I want to see you sitting upon the throne of that kingdom.”
“Why me?”
“Because I knew it the moment I laid eyes on you. You are the only one suited for that position.”
Isaac Adler’s pupils shimmered, reflecting the dim light of the room.
“And that thought, you see…”
Moriarty watched him intently, tilting her head in curiosity as Adler began to rub his eyes.
“It has never changed. Not even once.”
A moment later, when Adler lifted his head, his eyes—originally a clear blue—appeared clouded, stained with a dull grey hue.
“…Mana Corrosion. I believe this is proof enough.”
Adler gestured toward Professor Moriarty’s deep grey hair as he spoke.
“I have already been tainted by you, Professor.”
Moriarty stared at him in silence. Even in the face of such a confession, her expression remained remarkably unreadable. Even if it had been Charlotte Holmes standing there instead of Adler, deciphering the Professor's innermost feelings would have been impossible.
“Do you also carry a curse?”
“Well, I’ll keep that a secret for your amusement, Professor. But what matters is that I act solely for your sake.”
Sensing a sliver of hope in the curious tone of her voice, Adler pressed his advantage.
“For instance, in this case, I risked my life to secure Lady Joan Clay. Furthermore, acquiring the powers of a vampire was merely a step toward building an organization for you, Professor.”
“………”
“I overextended myself in the process, but I’m not dead yet. At least, not until I make you the Napoleon of Crime I promised.”
At those words, Professor Moriarty’s eyebrows subtly twitched.
“The events involving Charlotte Holmes were also solely for you, Professor. She has the potential to be your ultimate arch-nemesis.”
“That immature girl?”
Meeting her gaze head-on, Adler responded firmly.
“Professor, she will undoubtedly become our foe. She is London’s hope—the only one capable of fully alleviating your boredom and satisfying your desires. That is Charlotte Holmes’ purpose.”
“You seem to be overestimating her. That's quite uncharacteristic of you.”
“If you were observing this case from afar, you would have a decent grasp of her abilities.”
Professor Moriarty replied with an intrigued smile.
“I did watch. She is indeed impressive. However, she is still raw. To become a ripe fruit, she requires much more time.”
“Your assessment is accurate.”
“So, did you start tending to that fruit for an early harvest?”
“To be precise, it wasn't for me, but for you, Professor. Perhaps this incident has shortened the time until that harvest.”
Pausing to catch his breath, Adler looked back at Professor Moriarty with a playful glint in his eyes.
“Do you understand now?”
“………”
“I am solely your possession. Everything I do is entirely for you.”
Silence fell over the room.
“I heard you, Adler.”
After staring at him for a long moment, Moriarty raised the glass she had been swirling.
“How about a drink?”
“Professor, are you offering alcohol to a student?”
“I want to see you in a more vulnerable state.”
She flashed him her usual radiant smile.
“In that state, perhaps your words might differ from what you've told me now.”
“Professor, I—”
“But for now, I shall choose to believe you.”
Before Adler could protest, Professor Moriarty continued, her expression delighted.
“I’ll say it again: I am choosing to believe your words. After all, you are my adorable assistant.”
A chilly sensation ran down Adler’s spine, as if he were being toyed with by a predator at the very top of the food chain. He forced a smile.
“Oh, and I recorded everything you said.”
“…Pardon?”
The smile on Adler’s face began to crack.
“I quite liked it. What you said to me.”
“………”
“I wanted to keep it as compelling evidence, just in case you decide to renege on your words.”
Moriarty chuckled softly.
“So, Adler, whose possession are you?”
“…I am the possession of the Professor.”
Adler answered reflexively to her playful question.
“Then why did you deplete your lifespan without my permission?”
Her voice suddenly turned sharp and piercing, cutting through the air.
“Professor, that’s…”
“Your remaining lifespan and your very life belong entirely to me. Our contract dictates as much.”
“As I said before, everything was within my calculated range. You don’t need to worry—”
“That is not the issue here.”
Adler fell silent as Moriarty added quietly, “The very fact that a single minute or second of your lifespan—which belongs to me—was expended for someone else is quite displeasing. Distasteful, even.”
“………”
“Especially since it was wasted on that bratty, shadowy detective. It’s all the more irritating.”
Moriarty flashed him another sly smile.
“Do not do it again.”
“…Yes, Professor.”
As Adler nodded with a weary expression, Moriarty gestured for him to come closer.
“Adler. Come and sit by my side.”
“Pardon?”
Though baffled, Adler dragged a chair next to her and sat as commanded. Moriarty leaned in and whispered softly.
“Just stay seated next to me.”
“…For how long?”
“Until you’ve reviewed all these reports.”
She handed the entire stack of documents to Adler. A flicker of genuine dismay passed through his eyes.
“Are you joking?”
“The door won’t be unlocked until you’re finished.”
Thus began what felt like an endless, hellish ordeal for Adler.
“Adler.”
“…Hmm? What is it?”
Half-asleep while stamping the reports, Adler reflexively responded to Moriarty’s voice.
“End things with Diana Wilson.”
“…I was already planning to do just that.”
Adler looked at Moriarty with bleary eyes.
“We’ll have numerous cases waiting for us in the future. I can’t possibly have a romantic relationship with every client, can I?”
“………”
“Except for special cases that might benefit the organization—like the Queen of Bohemia or Princess Clay—I plan to clear out any and all relationships after each case is closed.”
“That’s wise. Otherwise, I might have had to kill again.”
“…Professor…”
Adler let out a deep sigh. Looking straight into her eyes, he spoke in a calm, tired tone.
“I’m not sure who you’re implying you’d kill, but if it’s me, that isn’t 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, began to gaze at him intently. Her expression shifted ever so slightly.
“If you really wish to threaten me, you should say you’ll break our contract and discard me.”
Stretching his stiff limbs and missing her reaction, Adler continued, his voice growing heavy with drowsiness.
“Speaking of which… I’m truly at my limit now…”
Adler’s head began to droop.
“Professor… I apologize, but…”
“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 succumb to sleep.
“………”
A palpable silence filled the office.
-Whoosh…
In the quiet, Jane Moriarty began to tenderly caress the sleeping Adler’s eyelids.
“Indeed, upon closer look, they are clearly grey…”
She continued to stare into Adler’s eyes until dawn. Just before leaving the room for her morning lecture, she murmured softly.
“…Except for the specks of black mixed in.”
The image of a detective with short black hair—the one who stood in the space between her and Adler—floated through Moriarty’s mind.
『Villain Maker』
– Progress: 51% → 75%
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『Villain Maker』
– Progress: 51% → 75%
“…Is this for real?”
Waking up early in the morning in Professor Moriarty’s office, I found that the first main quest had once again progressed by a massive margin.
｢It’s cold outside. Take care of yourself.｣
I looked down at the message Professor Moriarty had left in the palm of my hand, and the coat she had draped over my body.
“This is embarrassing.”
-Ding!
Rubbing my stiff eyes and muttering to myself, a cheerful notification rang out in front of me.
Would you like to check your current karma?
YES / NO
I had postponed checking the messages from yesterday. Still groggy, I reached out and pressed YES without much thought.
There’s no harm in checking.
After all, it’s just the beginning; there shouldn’t be anything too significant, right?
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Karma
(…truncated…)
– Gia Lestrade is following your trail.
– Mycrony Holmes is keeping an eye on you.
– Phantom thief Lupin acknowledges your existence.
– ??? feels a strong animosity toward you.
Warning
– Probability of being Imprisoned — 36%
– Probability of being Kidnapped — 21%
– Probability of being Killed — 69%
– Probability of Getting Involved in a Crime — 99%
“…What the hell, seriously.”
I should’ve just stayed in bed.