Chapter 69: The Blue Carbuncle
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 69: The Blue Carbuncle
“…Hey, listen.”
“Yes?”
It had been a few days since the strange weather began to blanket all of London.
“Just hear me out, okay? And don’t make it weird.”
“……?”
While patrolling the snow-covered streets of London alongside her junior and assistant, Inspector Candidate Baynes, Gia Lestrade began to speak, her expression clouded with contemplation.
“First, let’s assume there’s this really bad man…”
“In what way? A robber? A murderer? A thug?” Baynes asked, her voice brimming with curiosity.
“…A man who toys with women’s feelings as he pleases and then discards them.”
“Wow, isn’t that the exact type you hate the most?”
Lestrade’s description made Baynes widen her eyes. Lestrade ignored the comment and pressed on.
“Not just that. He’s also the type who, if a woman doesn’t fall for him, uses deception or threats to force her to be his.”
“My goodness, just thinking about it is terrifying.”
“The scarier thing is, there are rampant rumors that he’s closely associated with underground organizations, but no matter how much one investigates, not even a shred of evidence can be found.”
As the detailed explanation continued, Baynes tilted her head slightly.
“…This sounds oddly familiar. I feel like I’ve heard of this character somewhere before.”
“Is—is that so? Must be a coincidence.”
Lestrade mumbled the words with a slightly awkward expression. She cleared her throat, regaining her cool demeanor before continuing.
“But listen, the most important part is from here on.”
“Is it?”
“Imagine that this very man—probably the worst kind to ever exist—suddenly starts treating only you nicely one day.”
“That would…”
Baynes was about to respond, but she stopped mid-sentence, silently observing her senior.
“It’s not like he turned over a new leaf overnight. Sure, his demeanor changed a bit… but he’s still controlling women as he pleases.”
“………”
“But his attitude changes only when he faces you.”
Lestrade’s typically cold and emotionless face, which had bewitched many men, showed a slight crack as she spoke of this enigmatic man.
“He’d threaten people who were trying to force you to repay debts, and silently take care of those who tried to harm your family…”
“…Hmm.”
“His evil actions remain unchanged, but if all those actions were for me… no, for you…”
Without even realizing it, Lestrade looked down and started fidgeting with her fingers, her voice dropping to a whisper.
“How do you think you’d feel?”
“Hehe…”
Whether it was due to the cold or something else, Lestrade's cheeks were flushed. When she cast a fleeting glance toward Baynes, the junior’s eyes went wide, and a mischievous grin spread across her face.
“…It sounds like something out of a romance novel.”
“Huh? What?”
Baynes replied in a voice thick with amusement.
“It’s the trend these days—the worst playboy, shamed by everyone, becomes obsessed with the virtuous and kind female lead at first sight.”
“…What?”
Lestrade’s already flushed face turned a deeper shade of crimson at the provocative words.
“The trashy, unlikable male lead acts all soft and gentle only in front of the female lead. At first, she’s annoyed by him, but as time goes by, she starts to fall for him…”
“……..”
“After overcoming several crises and misunderstandings, the two eventually fall deeply in love. In the end, they spend a hot night holding each other’s hands while their bodies entwine and—”
“Wa—wait! What are you even saying?!”
As Baynes’ tale turned risqué, Lestrade hurriedly cut her off, her voice rising in urgency.
“…Why are you reacting like this? I just mentioned what’s trending these days.”
“Hmm…”
“Do you feel attacked or something, Senior?”
Lestrade coughed and murmured, clutching her hands tightly.
“…No way… that’s just not possible.”
“Hmm…”
“Even if I were in such a situation, it would never lead to such a scenario.” A determined expression surfaced on Lestrade’s face as she added, “After all, I’ve sworn my entire life to serve England and uphold justice.”
“You’re not Queen Elizabeth, so what are you even talking about?”
“It’s not right. Meeting such an ending with such a wicked person…”
“Hey, look over there.”
Baynes, who had been secretly smiling at Lestrade’s reaction, suddenly narrowed her eyes.
“Huh?”
“Doesn’t something suspicious seem to be happening?”
At the end of the alleyway she pointed to, two shadows were seemingly intertwined, staggering back and forth.
“Are they fighting in broad daylight?”
“What on earth are they doing?”
No matter how they looked at it, a scuffle was in progress. The two officers dropped their casual conversation, their eyes sharpening as they quickened their pace.
“Stop, both of you!”
“Let’s go, Senior!”
Lestrade’s shout echoed through the street. At that moment, the two shadows simultaneously turned their heads.
—Zzzap!
“…Huh?”
“Agh!”
A sudden, blinding flash filled the street, engulfing both Lestrade and Baynes.
“…A mage?”
“It’s dangerous!”
Lestrade hesitated for a moment, squinting against the light, before her expression went cold. In an instant, she dashed toward the spot where the shadows had been.
“Raise your hands and surrender! I don’t know what you were up to, but how dare you confront the police—”
“…Huh?”
Baynes, who had hurriedly followed while drawing her handgun from its holster, froze with a puzzled look.
—Quack, quack!
“What… What is going on here?”
In the very spot where the two shadows had been locked together, there was now only a lone goose and a hat.
“Their presence has completely disappeared. I don’t sense any trace of them nearby.”
“Then… who were the people right in front of us just now?”
Gazing down at the scene, Lestrade spoke with a furrowed brow.
“…It’s a bizarre incident.”
“Oh, my.”
Baynes, having just witnessed the kind of case the London police dreaded most, looked at Lestrade with a taken-aback expression.
“What should we do now?”
“…Contact the station. Preserve the crime scene until the officers arrive.”
—Quack?
Lestrade quietly picked up the goose and the hat, murmuring to herself.
“I’ll head home for a bit.”
“Why are you going home all of a sudden?”
Lestrade’s eyes shone with a quiet intensity.
“…I have two experts staying at my house right now.”
*
Several minutes later…
“What are you two doing?”
“Phew—”
“Hah, ha…”
With a flustered goose tucked under her left arm and the hat in her right hand, Gia Lestrade arrived home.
“Excuse me?”
“”……….””
She questioned Charlotte Holmes and Isaac Adler. The two had been snuggled up on the living room sofa but hastily scrambled apart the moment the front door opened. Lestrade’s voice was ice-cold.
“Well, that is…”
“We were having a bet.”
Adler, his face flushed and head bowed, trailed off. Charlotte, however, nonchalantly wiped her lips with her sleeve and began to speak.
“What bet?”
“Look at this article from the newspaper five days ago.”
Unperturbed by Lestrade’s chilly tone, Charlotte spread a newspaper out on the table.
“…The theft of the Blue Carbuncle?”
“It’s the most interesting case in recent memory. Of course, what’s even more intriguing is the object itself—the Blue Carbuncle.”
Charlotte pointed at the words and smiled ever so slightly.
“Well, according to Mr. Adler, a Blue Carbuncle can’t possibly exist, right?”
“Of course it can’t.”
Adler, who had been looking down, finally looked up with a distinct gleam in his eyes.
“To begin with, what is a carbuncle? It is a term for a gem, like a ruby or garnet, that is red and has been shaped into a smooth, rounded cabochon. Correct?”
“Right.”
“But a blue carbuncle? A blue-red gem? Does that even make sense?” Adler’s expression was more serious than ever. “It’s likely some foolish journalist who doesn’t know what a sapphire is and made up the term for his article. It’s a blatant error.”
“No, it’s not an error.”
“Do you have any evidence, Miss Holmes?”
Watching him explain with an amused smile, Charlotte spoke calmly, prompting Adler to raise an eyebrow.
“Well, it’s likely that a bluish-red gem really was stolen.”
“…You know very well that makes no sense, don’t you, Miss Holmes?”
“As I’ve said before, there are no absolutes in this world, Mr. Adler.”
Thus began a playful battle of wits between the two.
“Why is this so important?” Lestrade, who seemed to have forgotten the earlier events, looked on in bewilderment.
“Of course it’s important. We made a bet—whoever is wrong must grant the other a wish.”
“Aren’t you two in a rather dangerous situation right now? Should you really be leisurely making bets at a time like this?”
“…Of course not.” Charlotte murmured, sneaking a glance at Adler. “I’ve suggested several times that we flee abroad, as I’m perfectly fine with that, but our dear Mr. Adler doesn’t like the idea.”
“…I keep seeing the Reichenbach Falls in my mind.”
“What?”
“It’s nothing.”
Adler gave a wry smile and turned toward Lestrade, who was still holding the goose and the hat.
“So, why did you suddenly come home?”
“Ah, well…”
It was only then that Lestrade remembered her purpose. With a flush on her face, she set the drooping bird and the hat down.
“There was an incident of a bizarre nature. I thought perhaps experts like you might be able to help…”
—Quaack!
“…Eek.”
Just then, the goose, on the brink of suffocation, gathered its last strength to flap its wings. It began to struggle, sending feathers scattering everywhere.
“Ah, I’m sorry. I forgot to ease my grip…”
Lestrade relaxed her hold with an apologetic expression, while Adler and Charlotte watched with wide eyes.
—Gasp!
“””…?”””
From the exhausted goose’s mouth, something small tumbled out.
“What’s this…”
“…Hmm.”
As Adler stared blankly at the item, his expression became distant. Meanwhile, a triumphant smile appeared on Charlotte’s lips.
“What did I tell you, Mr. Adler?”
“………”
“I told you it existed—the Blue Carbuncle.”
A ruby with a blue star pattern gleamed in the sunlight on the desk before them.
“Well, to be precise, it would be a star ruby.”
“Ah…”
“Normally, it’s characterized by six white streaks. But if it’s been exposed to magical energy for a long period, there’s a slim chance that impurities might leak in, causing the streaks to take on a blue hue.”
“…Where did you learn all this?”
With a confident look, Charlotte explained while gazing at the splendid gem. She then leaned in and whispered into Adler’s ear, her eyes sparkling.
“…It’s knowledge I gained while studying alone, thinking of a ring to gift to someone I love.”
“………”
“Somehow, all the books related to childbirth at the library were already checked out, so I diligently read about these things instead.”
“I know nothing of that.”
“It’s okay. I have a rough idea now anyway.”
Her golden eyes shone softly, much like the blue carbuncle, as she spoke.
“Remember, you owe me one wish.”
Adler flinched slightly. Lestrade, for reasons unknown, gave them a cold look.
“It’s rude to get overly clingy with someone else’s partner, Miss Holmes.”
“…You’re the one who cut in line.”
“Pardon?”
“Anyway, you said you brought us an interesting case, didn’t you?”
Charlotte smoothly changed the topic, picking up the blue carbuncle.
“It’s a new riddle, Mr. Adler.”
“………..”
“Of course you’ll join me, right?”
Adler responded after a moment of silent contemplation.
“…Of course.”
“Heh.”
“Right now, I am nothing more than an assistant to Miss Holmes.”
Charlotte grinned. She discreetly reached under the table, out of Lestrade’s sight, and slipped a paper note into Adler’s hand.
“As I asked earlier, are you sure it’s okay with you?”
“…Well, it’s a minor incident after all.”
Adler gave a small smile but became pensive, shifting his gaze as he heard Lestrade’s displeased huff.
[The system is currently undergoing inspection.]
‘Although it’s a bit concerning that the system is unable to respond to any variables right now…’
The system window, which had remained non-responsive despite his best attempts to communicate with it all day, had slightly changed its message but was still present in his line of sight.
‘…I’ve already encountered the worst situation possible. What more could go wrong?’
*
Meanwhile, at that moment…
—Sorry, boss.
—I managed to escape the scene, but I lost the jewel we were after.
In a back alley of the slums on the outskirts of London…
—Retrieving the item might be difficult.
—Especially since the ones who found the gem are the renowned Charlotte Holmes and Isaac Adler.
A woman, leaning against a wall with her hat pulled low, sent a telegraph with a frown on her face.
—Fzzzt… Fzzzzt…
—No, not Harlot Sholmes! It’s Charlotte Holmes!
It seemed as if the person receiving the message was in another country, given the incredibly poor signal.