Chapter 214: The Sign of Four (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 214: The Sign of Four (3)
On the evening when contracts, each missing a single signature, fluttered like snow across the London sky...
“…Hmm?”
“What is it, Madam?”
“There seem to be an unusual number of beggars on the streets today.”
As a noblewoman strolled through the London suburbs with her maid, she furrowed her brow and muttered in disapproval.
“Beggars?”
“Look over there. See how those wretches are frantically scrambling for scraps in the gutter.”
Indeed, just as she described, people were doubled over, desperately searching for something on the cobblestones.
“…Madam, haven’t you heard the news?”
The maid smirked at the sight before leaning in to whisper to her mistress.
“The news?”
“Yes. It’s about Isaac Adler…”
“Hmm…”
As she listened to the maid’s whisper, the noblewoman’s eyebrows began to twitch.
“…A treasure hunt with himself as the prize? How utterly scandalous!”
“Right? And to think he only recently married, as well. He really has gone too far this time. I suppose he thinks a handsome face is all he needs to get away with anything…”
The noblewoman daintily covered her mouth with her fan, her frown deepening. At her remark, the maid—who belonged to the half of London’s female population that couldn't stand Adler—narrowed her eyes and chimed in agreement.
“…So, those women are desperately trying to secure the fourth signature?”
“It must be. By the way, the existing signatures include the famous detective, Charlotte Holmes, and Inspector Lestrade.”
“I see.”
“The last one is written in strange, unidentified runes… Anyway, it’s intriguing. I wonder who will find the real contract and add the final signature…”
As the maid continued her excited chatter, the noblewoman paused and gave her a pointed look.
“…By the way, have you finished everything I asked of you?”
“Ah.”
“And the dress for tomorrow’s party? Have you picked it up from the shop?”
Caught by her mistress’s sharp questioning, the maid broke into a cold sweat and hurriedly scurried ahead.
“I’ll go right now…!”
Silence returned to the street.
“How frivolous…”
As the maid vanished into the distance, the noblewoman watched her through the slats of her fan, clicking her tongue at the girl's behavior. With a sigh, she resumed her walk with the elegance and grace befitting a lady of her station.
“……?”
But after only a few steps, she stopped and tilted her head in confusion.
“That’s…”
Her gaze was fixed on the mouth of a side alley, where a single sheet of paper was fluttering toward the ground.
“…Hmm.”
The noblewoman stared at it for a long moment. She glanced around cautiously, cleared her throat, and then stepped into the filthy alleyway—a place she would never normally set foot in.
Swish…
Moments later, she snatched the paper from the ground and narrowed her eyes as she scanned the text.
“…Is this the contract?”
In her hand was indeed one of the contracts that had adorned the London sky that morning.
“………”
By sheer luck, the fluttering paper had crossed her path. There was even the letter A—the first letter of her surname—written on the contract, which came as a surprise. For a long time, she stared intently at the blank space where the final signature belonged, her mind racing.
“Just… for fun…”
After a quick check to ensure she was alone, she blushed ever so slightly and pulled a favorite fountain pen from her bodice.
Swish…
Just as the nib was about to touch the paper—
“……!?”
A sudden, violent chill raced down her spine.
“E-Elise? Is that you?”
Only then did the noblewoman realize she was in a dark back alley where anything could happen. Trying her best to maintain her composure, she forced the question out.
Squeeze…!
“Hi-Hiik…!”
An unidentified figure silently seized her by the neck and leaned forward to stare into her eyes. The noblewoman’s face turned deathly pale.
“Do I look like an 'Elise' to you?”
With twisted features and a chilling aura, that thing was clearly not human. It was a monster.
“P-P-Please, someone help…”
The sheer horror made her legs give way. She shut her eyes tight and desperately pleaded for mercy.
Swish…
“Ple-Please…”
The freezing sensation enveloping her body ignored her pleas, leaving her shivering and begging.
Whoosh…!
“…Ah?”
Suddenly, the contract was snatched from her hand.
“…….?”
“Hehehe…”
The noblewoman froze, blinking rapidly as she stared hazily at the monster. The grotesque being had lost all interest in her. It clutched the contract like a precious treasure, a sinister smile splitting its shadowy form.
“Hey.”
“…Yes, yes?”
“Lend me the pen.”
Numb with terror, she watched as the eerie monster took the pen from her hand.
“Hehehehe…”
The monster’s grin widened as it pressed the pen to the paper.
Pop…!
The moment the ink touched the page, the contract exploded into a single playing card, which drifted limply to the ground.
“Damn it…”
With a cold glare, the monster cursed in a sullen voice as it brushed past the dazed noblewoman.
“…It’s another dud.”
The freak joined its fellow monsters, who were scouring the back alleys with a frantic urgency that mirrored the women on the main streets.
“I’ve checked here. Let’s move to the next block.”
“…What about that woman? She looks tasty.”
“Then you take her, and stop bothering Adler…”
“Tsk…”
After a brief exchange, the monsters dispersed in every direction, leaving the defenseless noblewoman behind.
“What… what did I just see?”
“Ma-Madam! What are you doing here?”
As this brief encounter illustrated...
“…Let’s just go home.”
“But, Madam!”
London had already descended into a collective cacophony of madness. Be it human or supernatural, no one was spared.
“I’m in a bit of a hurry, my lady. Do you happen to have a pen I could borrow…?”
“…Someone already borrowed it.”
“What?”
*
As time flowed on, the next day dawned before anyone realized it.
“…I suppose everyone must have given up by now?”
Stealthily entering a secluded forest downstream of the Thames—the river that divided London from west to east—was none other than Lupin.
“It was quite a struggle to shake them all off…”
A victorious smile played on her lips as she thought of her plan’s imminent completion.
“The best way to find the treasure first is to be the person who hides it…”
Muttering to herself, she gazed up at the full moon hanging high in the sky. She turned her gaze to the contract lying beside her.
“It’s a bit underhanded, but the world of competition is cold and rotten.”
Her hand slowly reached for the paper.
Swoosh…
Just as the owner of the fourth signature was about to be determined—
Bang…!
“……..!”
The familiar crack of an explosion echoed, and a wave of murderous intent barrelled toward her from afar.
“Haaa…”
The ground where she had been about to reach out exploded in a spray of dirt. Lupin’s expression turned icy.
“As long as you are within London, you cannot escape my sight…”
“Little rascal, don’t make me angry.”
An irritated scowl flitted across Lupin’s face at the cold voice leaking from the device in her ear. She turned her head toward the top of London Bridge in the distance, pinning down Moran’s position.
“It’s too late to do anything from that distance anyway…”
However, Lupin’s expression soon hardened.
“…Found it.”
Hanging above her like a bat, Princess Clay stared down with a chilling expression.
“Argh…!”
In the next moment—
Boooooooommm…!
With a deafening roar, Princess Clay and Lupin were thrown in opposite directions by the impact of their simultaneous attacks.
“I had a hunch it was somewhere around here, but… I never thought you’d hide it in such a despicable place.”
“…You. You’ve been a nuisance from the start.”
“As expected of a petty thief. Always driven by base instincts.”
As they began a tense standoff with the contract between them—
“…You’re just as baseless.”
“”…….!””
Abruptly, a dark force began wriggling out from beneath their shadows.
“Miserable vampire, prattling about royal blood when you are nothing but a distant relative of the true royalty…”
“You…”
“…This is why I didn’t want to drag this farce into the night.”
Sensing the all-encompassing murderous intent in the air, Lupin and Princess Clay broke into a cold sweat, immediately taking defensive stances.
Swish…
“Ah.”
“A pity, but no one can beat me at night.”
Despite their caution, Jill the Ripper sprang from their shadows and snatched the contract lying in the center.
“Even if all the monsters from beyond were to swarm in droves.”
Bang…!
“…That tickles.”
Another air bullet from Moran struck Jill's hand without delay, but she simply restored her mangled flesh to its original state with a relaxed smile.
“Now then…”
“”……..””
Displaying her overwhelming power, she reached for the contract again, which had fallen during the sniper attack.
“It’s time to end this childish farce…”
Pop…!
“…What?”
But just before her fingers could touch the paper, a blurry figure brushed past Jill the Ripper, snatching it with unbelievable speed.
MasterMasterMasterMasterMasterMaster…..
In the blink of an eye, the figure became a mere dot in the distance.
“Silver Blaze…?”
“That furry bitch…”
The blurry figure was indeed Silver Blaze. Using her superhuman scent and speed, combined with a network of demi-humans spread throughout the back alleys, she had successfully infiltrated the scene at the perfect moment to snatch the contract from under everyone’s noses.
*
“…Huh?”
A few minutes later, at a pub near London Bridge.
“What the…?”
Gazing at the night view and drowning her stress in alcohol, Rachel Watson witnessed a bizarre scene unfolding in the distance through tired, bleary eyes.
“You’re mineeeeeee!!!”
Far off on London Bridge, a demi-human girl was sprinting with all her might, cutting a frantic silhouette against the picturesque night scenery.
“Stop!!! You bitch!!! I’ll kill you!!!!”
“Honestly, aren’t you the most rootless of them all?!”
“…Shit, how can a person be faster than a jet engine?”
Behind the girl, three women were giving chase at full speed.
Bang…! Bang…! Bang…!
From somewhere, air bullets continued to fly at deadly speeds, chipping away at the historic bridge.
Rumble…
Unusually, even the monsters from the back alleys began pouring toward London Bridge.
“Hmm…”
Watson watched the event—one that would surely be recorded in the history books—while sipping from her bottle. She then staggered to her feet and left the pub.
“…Horses and races, hehe.”
“Excuse me, ma’am?”
She was utterly, hopelessly drunk.
“Charge!!!”
“Hey, hey! Pay before you leave!!!”