Chapter 52: The Mystery of the Reigate Squire
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 52: The Mystery of the Reigate Squire
A few hours after Isaac Adler had been cornered by both Charlotte Holmes and Jane Moriarty, he found himself aboard a speeding train.
"…You must be exhausted."
Jane Moriarty, seated to Adler’s right, gave a small nod before closing her eyes and slowly resting her head on his shoulder. Adler, who had been sitting in silence, began to murmur to her in a low, rhythmic voice.
"The Professor is certainly an intellectual, but she has her moments of surprising naivety."
"……"
"Especially when I confiscate her sugar. For a brief moment, that ever-composed face of hers looks as if she’s lost the entire world."
Sitting to Adler’s left, listening quietly to his calm narration, was none other than Charlotte Holmes.
"In that regard, she reminds me a bit of you, Miss Holmes."
Charlotte’s gaze remained fixed on Isaac as he gently stroked Professor Moriarty’s soft hair.
"You…"
"…You’re still young, Miss Holmes."
Charlotte, who had been observing the scene in silence, tried to speak, but Adler cut her off mid-sentence.
"I told you clearly that you were the most precious to me…"
Charlotte tilted her head slightly at those words, but Adler continued without pause.
"It was Miss Lestrade who confessed to me first. You saw it with your own eyes, so I’m sure you won’t disagree."
"……"
"There’s no way I’d pass up the opportunity to play with someone like that, right?"
His eyes glinted with a quiet, ominous light as he whispered to her.
"And I told you last time, didn't I? That I will devour those around you, one by one."
"…You did."
"If you disappoint me, I’ll end up devouring you, too."
The hand that had been caressing Moriarty’s hair reached out toward Charlotte.
"What should I do now?"
"……"
"I’m a little disappointed in you right now."
Adler gently brushed her cheek. He opened his mouth slightly and made a soft, swallowing sound.
"Shall I devour you, then?"
Normally, Charlotte would have shown at least a hint of distaste at such a provocation, but today, she remained strangely unfazed.
"I told you back then, as well…"
Adler tilted his head, confused by her lack of reaction, only to be met with a truly unexpected response.
"Whatever your intentions may be, seeing you like this… it makes my heart churn."
Charlotte Holmes murmured the words with her eyes cast down.
"I’ve been honest with yo—"
"Do you perhaps like me?"
When Adler pressed further with a faint, teasing smile, Charlotte chose silence.
"……"
"Miss Holmes?"
Adler called out, his tone slightly flustered by a reaction so uncharacteristic it had caught him off guard. Turning her gaze to the window, Charlotte rested her chin in her hand and mumbled softly.
"…That shouldn’t be the case."
Immediately, a system message flickered before Adler’s eyes.
『Hidden Route — ???』
– Progress: 0% → 10%
Adler stared blankly at the sudden notification, only to be snapped back to reality by Charlotte’s quiet voice.
"After all, it was you who followed me all this way in silence, even though you could have easily escaped my grasp if you truly wished to…"
"Miss Holmes."
Sighing at her logic, Adler replied in a level tone.
"I’ve realized something recently… if I don’t tag along on your little adventures, something might happen. An incident that could lead to the end of the world."
"Stop joking."
"I’m being serious…"
"What I want to say is…"
Charlotte ignored Adler, who was gloomily checking his erosion rate and muttering eerie warnings.
"You followed me of your own accord."
"Pardon?"
"I never forced or coerced you. Joining this vacation was entirely Mr. Adler’s personal choice."
"Your definition of 'force' seems a bit flexible…"
"Is it?"
Her gaze darkened as she asked.
"So, don’t try to change your story once we arrive at our destination, alright?"
"…What are you planning?"
"It will certainly be a fun experience."
Adler forced a smile against her now-familiar, predatory gaze.
"…Then, shall we get going?"
Charlotte suddenly stood up and grabbed Adler’s sleeve.
"The final destination on the ticket is—"
"Shh."
Adler started to question her, as they were still far from the destination listed on their tickets. In that instant, Charlotte pressed a finger against his lips to silence him, leaning in close to whisper in his ear.
"…That was just a decoy, of course."
"A decoy…?"
"There are many people after both of us."
She glanced at the sleeping Professor Moriarty beside them and lowered her voice even further.
"We’re getting off at the next station. I’ve arranged a carriage in advance. We’ll be switching routes and checking periodically to ensure we aren't being followed."
"When did you prepare all this…?"
"I brought disguises as well. Since you’ve already played the part of a nurse, you should have no trouble donning a new appearance, right?"
Wondering just how far she would have gone if he hadn't come willingly, Adler asked with a forced air of relaxation.
"…Where is our real destination?"
A small smile tugged at the corner of Charlotte’s lips.
"Reigate, in the county of Surrey."
"……"
"An acquaintance of Watson’s offered us shelter there. It’s the perfect place for a quiet vacation."
Adler’s expression turned serious the moment he heard the name.
"…Indeed, it was a good decision to follow you."
"Pardon?"
"No, it’s nothing."
Adler wiped the somber look from his face and took Charlotte’s hand as they headed for the exit.
"Let’s go."
"You really are moody, aren't you?"
"…It depends on my mood, really."
Silence returned to the cabin, now occupied only by the sleeping Professor Moriarty.
"……"
Or, to be more precise…
"…This is getting interesting."
The Professor, who had been manually regulating her body temperature and heartbeat in real-time, was actually in a deep meditative state. She hadn't been sleeping at all.
*
The following day.
"This is a surprise."
"……!?"
While leisurely sipping tea in a quiet mansion on the outskirts of Reigate, Charlotte Holmes’s eyes widened at the sight of an unexpected visitor.
"I didn't expect to find you here."
"How did you find this place…?"
Professor Moriarty, dressed in plain clothes, stood at the entrance with a cold smile, removing her hat.
"Miss Holmes, are you acquainted with Colonel Hayter as well?"
"……"
"Ah, no. You don't have any friends. My apologies, that was rude of me. Perhaps it’s through your connection with Rachel Watson, the former military doctor?"
Charlotte’s face stiffened, and a faint, ominous black aura began to bleed from her form. Moriarty ignored the display and stepped into the mansion with a smirk.
"Coincidentally, one of my few personal connections happens to be a Colonel."
"What a fortunate coincidence…"
"The world is much smaller than you think, Miss Holmes."
Their grey eyes—different in shade but equal in intensity—locked in a cold stare.
"I am simply here for a vacation at the estate of Colonel Hayter, an acquaintance of a relative. I certainly didn't expect you to beat me here."
"…Leave. I rented this place first."
"I believe that is a matter for the owner to decide, not you."
Moriarty broke eye contact first, taking a relaxed seat on the mansion’s sofa.
"But choosing this place for a vacation… either my luck is terrible, or yours is."
"…What are you talking about?"
"Have you not read today’s newspaper?"
Charlotte’s eyes drifted to the paper Moriarty pulled from her bag.
"This is…"
"A burglary at the home of a local influential figure—a long-time friend of Colonel Hayter named Axton. The damage wasn't severe, but the culprit is still at large."
Moriarty crossed her legs elegantly.
"…The fact that our arrival perfectly aligns with such an unsettling event is quite astounding, isn't it?"
"What is your point?"
"…Fine, let’s end the small talk."
Grey mana began to shimmer around Moriarty’s body.
"I’ve been talking in circles, but there is only one thing I’m actually curious about."
An electrifying aura began to saturate the room.
"Where is Isaac Adler right now?"
"I don't believe I’m obligated to tell you that."
As the mana from both women intensified, as if they were seconds away from drawing pistols on one another, Moriarty let out a short, amused huff.
"It’s ridiculous. London’s greatest detective, reduced to kidnapping."
"Oh? Do you have any evidence for that claim?"
"I’m planning to find it now."
"Go ahead and try," Charlotte replied, her tone equally sharp. "…If there’s even anything to find, that is."
The standoff lasted for nearly an hour, only ending when Colonel Hayter, the master of the house, returned from his errands.
*
Later that night, in the pre-dawn hours, inside an old warehouse near the mansion…
"Haah… haah…"
"Ugh…"
At an hour far too early for children to be out, two girls staggered into the warehouse. Their legs gave out simultaneously, and they slumped to the dusty floor.
"Sister…"
"……"
"What do we do now…?"
After a long silence, the younger girl turned to the older one.
"That person… is he really dead…?"
"No, that’s…"
The one addressed as 'sister' squeezed her eyes shut.
"We killed him… didn't we…?"
The younger sister couldn't finish her sentence, trembling as she clung to her older sibling.
"It’s over for us…"
"Ugh…"
"Just when I thought we might finally be happy…"
Their mournful sobs began to echo through the dark warehouse.
"The Cunningham sisters, I presume?"
""Eek!?""
The girls jumped.
"A new riddle…!"
A male voice drifted from the shadows behind them.
"Wh-who’s there…?"
"S-sister… it’s the devil…!"
The sisters turned, shaking with terror.
"The devil has come for us…!"
"Well, you can think of me that way if you like, but…"
Staring back at them with blood-red eyes was a blonde boy—Isaac Adler.
"…First, could you untie this for me?"
He gestured with his head toward the chair he was tightly bound to, his voice soft and soothing.
"I’ll give you some advice regarding your crimes."
""……""
Silence fell over the warehouse.
"Why not trust a devil with nothing better to do?"
The sisters swallowed hard. Drawn in by his sweet, melodic voice, they cautiously began to approach him.
"…You’ve just guaranteed your survival."
"Pardon?"
"I said, it was an excellent choice."
It was the beginning of a mystery that would soon shatter the peace of the Reigate plains.