Chapter 32: Prelude to Confrontation
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 32: Prelude to Confrontation
Skreeeech—
"Ah, Holmes!"
As the heavy basement door was forced open, Watson, who had been pacing anxiously outside, rushed in.
"The police have already been summoned. They’ll be here any minute."
"……"
"By the way, are you really alright? That black aura around you…"
She trailed off, her voice faltering as she saw Charlotte and Isaac Adler emerging from the depths of the basement.
"What in the…"
Charlotte and Adler, both covered in dust, avoided each other’s eyes, hurriedly wiping their mouths with their sleeves.
"…Holmes?"
Noticing the faint flush creeping up their cheeks, Watson’s eyes widened in disbelief.
"…Ms. Holmes, this is a crime."
Adler spoke the words softly, his head bowed, before quickly making his exit.
"Don’t let it happen again."
"“…………”"
A heavy silence descended upon the room.
"So… you… um, uh…"
Watson was at a loss. Should she first ask why Adler was wiping his mouth as if he’d been rolling on the ground? Or should she ask why a faint trail of black smoke was still drifting off her partner’s body?
"Watson."
"…Huh?"
Snapped out of her bewilderment by Charlotte’s voice, Watson blinked.
"I have a question."
"You… you do? For me?"
"…In terms of general knowledge, you are more well-versed than I am, after all."
Surprisingly, Charlotte was actually seeking her counsel.
"In all my life, I never imagined a day like this would come."
Momentarily stunned, Watson soon approached Charlotte with a gentle, encouraging smile.
"So, what does our resident genius want to know?"
Charlotte looked at Watson, her voice low and deadly serious.
"How does one establish a Fait Accompli?"
"…What?"
Watson doubted her ears for a second, but Charlotte repeated the question in her usual steady, unflappable tone.
"How do you establish a Fait Accompli?"
"A—a Fait Accompli?"
Caught completely off guard, Watson was about to stammer a response when Charlotte quietly touched her own lips and let out a frustrated sigh.
"I couldn't make any further progress because I lacked the relevant knowledge."
"……"
"I asked because I thought you might know."
Her only true rival in this world—Professor Jane Moriarty.
A criminal consultant and an investigative consultant—two sides of the same coin, a relationship of pure opposites. Yet, both geniuses possessed similar calibers of intellect, considered neck-and-neck by Isaac Adler.
Perhaps it was due to this peculiar connection they shared…
…that the conclusion Charlotte reached in this case was almost identical to the one Professor Moriarty had arrived at.
"Perhaps you don't know either?"
Regardless of the method, she needed to create a Fait Accompli—a permanent, unbreakable bond that Isaac Adler could never escape from. And she had to do it as quickly as possible.
"…Are you high, by any chance?"
"I quit that a long time ago…"
That was the key to ending the enormous blood feud threatening to consume London.
"…You’re insane."
It was the moment the two geniuses, having simultaneously grasped the same truth, began their direct confrontation.
"Sometimes, one must be insane to obtain what they desire."
.
.
.
.
.
After leaving the basement, I wandered the mansion for a while, but I couldn't discover the reason behind the sudden spike in the erosion rate.
"Professor, you’ve been waiting."
"Mr. Adler."
Having left the mansion with little to show for it, I found Professor Moriarty waiting outside. She waved at me.
"What were you up to?"
"No, it’s just… there’s something bothering me right now."
As I climbed into the carriage, Professor Moriarty began to scrutinize me with an intensity that made my skin crawl.
"Are you talking about Charlotte Holmes?"
"No, not her…"
"You’ve never been a good liar."
She smirked and reached out toward me.
Zzzzt!
An electrifying black spark snapped between us, blocking her hand.
"I meticulously infused each of your mana circuits with my own power, yet now half of them have been tainted black."
"……"
"You’ve essentially surrendered half of your ownership rights. Isn't this a breach of our contract?"
I had expected her to find out, but I didn't think it would be so instantaneous.
A few days ago, this perilous situation would have had me sweating with nerves. But by now, I was beginning to understand what I needed to do to survive the professor’s wrath.
"Charlotte Holmes is—"
"Charlotte Holmes is your nemesis, Professor. It would be a mistake to disregard her now."
"……"
Just as I was about to continue with my eyes squeezed shut, Professor Moriarty cut me off.
"Wine only grows more exquisite the longer it is aged. So, are you suggesting that now is not the time to uncork the bottle? Do you want me to wait for the vintage to mature? Is that what you’re implying?"
"…Yes, that’s correct."
"Hmm."
I glanced at her, slightly taken aback that she had snatched the very words out of my mouth. Professor Moriarty gave a dark smile and leaned her head in close.
"Mr. Adler."
"…Yes."
She locked eyes with me.
"To be honest, I don't care for Charlotte Holmes."
"……"
"Why can’t you just be my assistant, play the detective, and be my nemesis all at once?"
"You’re being too greedy, Professor…"
"But I like you. Not Charlotte."
Had we been lovers, it would have been a profoundly flirtatious statement. However, given that the one saying it was Jane Moriarty…
"…You’re blushing."
"What?"
Lost in thought, I reflexively touched my cheek.
"……"
It was indeed burning hot.
"This is truly strange," the professor whispered, a slight smirk playing on her lips.
"What are you… talking about?"
"When you’re by my side, you flatter me, saying, 'The Professor is the best.' But when you’re next to that young lady, you sing her praises, claiming, 'Ms. Holmes is the best.'"
I wanted to offer an excuse, but she had hit the nail so squarely on the head that I was left speechless.
"…Anyway, it seems to me that you’re quite fond of both of us."
"I think of you, Professor, as—"
"Don’t tell me you think I haven't noticed you’re walking a tightrope with your very lifespan?"
A moment later, her voice softened, reaching my ears like a silken threat.
"Still haven't made up your mind?"
I closed my eyes, sinking into my thoughts.
"Which side to lean on?"
…It seems that’s the case.
Although I had no intention of playing both sides, I still hadn't decided whose side to take. Of course, that didn't mean I was without a goal. My ultimate objective was to prevent the erosion of this world and save it from inevitable destruction.
I absolutely cannot allow a Game Over scenario.
I wasn't entirely sure what mysterious machinations had brought me here, but this world was a masterpiece that encapsulated everything my broken life had been. From Charlotte Holmes to Professor Moriarty, the magic system, and every minor character in between—there was scarcely a corner untouched by my influence.
If they were obsessed with me, then I was obsessed with the entirety of this world, including them. It was as precious to me as a child.
…Things have been going relatively smoothly so far.
To prevent the erosion of such a precious world, whose side should I ultimately take? Right now, as the Professor said, I was barely managing to balance on a tightrope. But the path ahead would only grow narrower and more treacherous.
"Professor, I…"
"Mr. Adler."
I was wearing an awkward smile, feeling like the protagonist of a cheap romance novel, when Professor Moriarty spoke up, a predatory gleam in her eyes.
"I finally understand the rules of the game you’ve created."
"Excuse me?"
With a sudden movement, she grabbed both my arms and pinned me against the carriage wall.
"Ultimately, the person who possesses you entirely becomes the master of London."
Held fast against the wood, I watched as Jane Moriarty leaned in, her face inches from mine.
"Isn't that right?"
Had I finally gone mad?
"…I’m not sure."
If not… why was my heart suddenly fluttering at the sight of her smiling face?
"I really don't know."
I was certain my favorite was Charlotte Holmes. Then… why?
"…Well then, let me enlighten you."
Caught in an inexplicable mood, my expression went numb as her tongue slipped past my lips with practiced ease.
"Mmph…"
With my eyes shut tight, I felt her swirl her tongue inside my mouth for a long moment. Eventually, she pulled back, her breath warm against my skin.
"I might not know how to love someone, but I believe I can make you fall in love with me."
"…Professor."
"Don’t worry. My ambition is boundless. A little effort like this is nothing if it secures my victory."
She stole another lingering kiss before leaning into my ear.
"…And Isaac, remember this."
I flinched, expecting another kiss, but her whisper was far more chilling.
"The curse upon me ensures that every crime I commit becomes a perfect crime."
The impact of those words was far greater than the kiss.
"Be prepared. Anytime, anywhere."
"……"
"If things go awry, even I am uncertain of what I might do."
[Warning!]
[Probability of ???: 20% → 40%]
Slowly, I was beginning to realize exactly what this "probability" represented.
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.
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Meanwhile, back in Lady Roylott’s room…
"…Ha."
Even though Isaac Adler had thoroughly searched the premises, an unidentified black shadow remained at the heart of the crime scene.
"Ha-ha."
The shadow reached for the securely locked safe.
"It even withstood the explosion. It didn't break, even after all that."
From the safe, the shadow effortlessly pulled out something wriggling like a snake, a chilling smile spreading across its face.
"I love you, Isaac Adler."
Simultaneously, a message appeared before Adler as he rode away in the carriage.
[??? feels an uncanny affection toward you!]
[Warning!]
[Probability of Assassination: 33% → 40%]
[Warning!]
[Erosion Rate: 5% → 6%]
"…Bloody hell…!"
"What’s the matter, Mr. Adler?"
The shadow stood there for a long time before melting into the floor, vanishing just as the footsteps of the guards began to echo from the staircase.
"…I will definitely slaughter you."
The shadow spat the words out in a raspy, ecstatic tone.