Chapter 8: Summary
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 8: Summary
“Have you arrived, my dear?”
As I stepped out of the hospital lobby and headed toward the café where Professor Moriarty was waiting, she greeted me after taking a slow sip of her freshly brewed coffee.
“You’ve been through quite a lot. Tell me, how does it feel to have brought the Queen to her knees?”
Suddenly, she paused mid-sentence, frowning as she began rummaging through her pockets.
“…This coffee is far too bitter.”
Without hesitation, Professor Moriarty tore open a portable sugar packet she’d produced from her pocket and stirred it into her cup.
“Do you know, Adler, what sugar and crime have in common?”
As I watched her blankly, she posed the question while reaching for a second packet.
“I’m not entirely sure.”
“Both stimulate the brain’s pleasure centers, triggering a massive release of dopamine as a reward.”
With that, Professor Moriarty took a sip of her now-syrupy coffee. A look of pure bliss crossed her face, and she began to sway her head lightly from side to side.
“Ahem… Would you like a taste of this natural narcotic?”
She looked like any other woman in her early twenties—ordinary, even cute, as she hummed contentedly after eating something sweet. From that sight alone, she appeared no different from anyone else in the world.
“So, you’re saying that committing a crime feels the same as eating sugar?”
“In reality, it’s many times more intense. A shiver runs through my entire body, to the point where I can no longer control myself.”
However, no matter how charming she appeared, Moriarty was still Moriarty. She was the embodiment of pure, undiluted evil.
“But recently, I seemed to have lost that spark. Even if I dumped twelve sugar cubes into my coffee, there was no joy left in life.”
She set her cup aside and began to stare at me with unsettling intensity.
“And then, you appeared. Just looking at you stimulates my pleasure centers.”
Her gaze deepened. It was difficult to describe, but her eyes shone with a dark, predatory gleam.
“It’s an emotion I haven’t felt in a very long time.”
An inexplicable chill ran down my spine, but I fought to maintain a composed expression. The professor began tapping her finger rhythmically on the table.
“In truth, I wasn’t the one who directly subdued the Queen or forced her to surrender. And yet, my heart is pounding this hard.”
Her voice was as intense as the day we first met.
“Even though I didn’t commit a heinous act like murder, kidnapping, or confinement… it’s truly astonishing.”
“I turned the Queen of an entire kingdom into a puppet. Isn’t that a major crime in itself?”
“Is it? Regardless, this is the true charm of criminal consulting. I’ve finally realized it.”
The sensation of molding Moriarty—who still displayed the somewhat awkward demeanor of a social novice—with my own hands was peculiar. It wasn't exactly pride, but for some reason, I felt as if we were both being swept away by a powerful current… together.
“Professor.”
Unable to articulate the strange emotions swirling inside me, I closed my eyes for a moment before changing the subject.
“You’re going to gain weight if you keep that up.”
Upon hearing those words, she froze mid-sip, her head cocking to the side.
“…Do I look like I’ve put on weight?”
In truth, she didn’t look like she’d gained an ounce. Given her metabolism, it seemed all the sugar she consumed went straight to her chest rather than her stomach.
“…A little?”
However, if she was destined to be the final boss, it would be a disaster for the world if she collapsed due to poor health. I had to say something. Professor Moriarty took on a grave expression, deep in thought.
“I’ll reduce it by one packet from now on.”
She made the declaration with a slightly gloomy face and rose from her seat.
“Shall we make our withdrawal from the crime scene?”
It was indeed time to leave. Holmes was still just across the street—inside the hospital, to be exact. If the Professor and Holmes were to cross paths now, things would get messy fast.
“So, how was my criminal consulting today?”
As we walked the streets of London, Moriarty turned to me with a curious look.
“Would you like me to give you an assessment?”
She looked intrigued. “It’s the first time anyone has ever evaluated me.”
“First, I have a question.”
She looked at me with expectant eyes as I posed the query.
“What exactly was in those documents?”
Professor Moriarty had finally contacted me in the early hours of the morning. With only a few hours left before the deadline, I had been pressed for time. Yet, just before the Queen arrived, she had successfully bribed a nurse to hand over documents detailing the various misdeeds of the Bohemian Queen’s fiancé.
How exactly had the Professor obtained such decisive evidence in such a short window?
“They were a crude fabrication.”
“Excuse me?”
“No matter who I am, I can’t possibly obtain legally recognized evidence in just a few hours.”
The answer was shocking, to say the least.
“But now, the contents of those documents will become reality.”
“Why?”
“By now, the second prince of Scandinavia will have departed from this world, poisoned by an unidentified ‘mana’ mentioned in an anonymously delivered letter.”
“………”
“His death will likely be ruled a drug overdose. The evidence submitted by the Queen will be accepted as the absolute truth. After all, the dead cannot refute the claims forced upon them.”
In short, she had silenced him permanently.
Speaking of mana… was Professor Moriarty a mana user as well?
“How about it, Adler? This perfect crime that I crafted specifically for my dear assistant—for you.”
As I was lost in thought, she looked at me, brimming with anticipation.
“The score for this rehearsal…”
If I wanted to turn her into a plausible ultimate villain, I had to be firm.
“Out of a possible 100 points, I can only give you a 50, Professor.”
Moriarty’s eyes widened in surprise, and she tilted her head.
“Why?”
“What do you think the reason is?”
“…Because I killed a bad person?”
To her, whose logic was far removed from normalcy, I spoke in a tone one might use to scold a mischievous child.
“It’s because you, the Professor, intervened directly in the case.”
“Aha…”
“Because of that curse of yours, all your wrongdoings end up as perfect crimes, don’t they? If you over-rely on that trick, you’ll quickly become bored.”
“That makes sense. You’re right.”
She nodded in agreement, a look of realization dawning on her face.
“But I couldn’t help it, Adler. It looked risky.”
“………”
“I can’t have my little bag of sugar melting away just yet, can I?”
I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut at that.
“What’s the matter, Adler? Are you feeling ill?”
“No.”
“That’s quite unexpected. I didn’t think someone like you—who can walk through downtown London and bed practically any woman you fancy within a day—would have such a reaction to my words.”
“Don’t sexually harass me, Professor.”
“Ha-ha, hahaha!”
Leaning back, the Professor burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter at my remark and took the lead in our walk.
“Professor, I might have given you 50 points earlier, but in reality, there wasn’t much else to criticize.”
“…Is that so?”
“The lines you instructed me to say and the way you captured the Queen’s psychology—knowing she still held a place for me in her heart—were precisely on point. You just shouldn’t step in directly next time.”
“So, what should I do if such a situation arises again?”
She looked back at me suddenly.
“I don’t want to lose points on my evaluation again.”
I pondered her smiling inquiry for a moment before replying softly.
“Let’s start spinning webs in the back alleys of London.”
“Webs?”
It was a given that any credible final boss needed charismatic subordinates.
“We are crime consultants, after all. We need underlings to get their hands dirty on our behalf.”
“………”
“Let’s create an underworld organization that will plunge London into darkness, Professor.”
Upon hearing those words, Professor Moriarty’s eyes began to gleam with a renewed, dark intensity.
“Indeed, you are the best assistant I could have asked for.”
Was getting used to that look a good sign or a bad one? I didn't know.
*
A few days after The Scandal of the Bohemian Queen had concluded.
— This is the story of a scandal that shook the Bohemian Kingdom, and of Charlotte Holmes’s cunning plan that was brutally shattered by one man.
At the boarding house of 212B Baker Street, Rachel Watson was intently typing away.
— Holmes often scoffed at men for their lack of wisdom, flashing her signature arrogant smile. However, since this incident, she has not uttered such remarks again.
As she reached that passage, Watson licked her lips, suppressing a smile as she focused on her writing.
— And whenever the topic of Isaac Adler or that half-taken photograph comes up, Holmes always refers to him with the honorable title of that man…
“Look here, Watson.”
“Ah!”
Suddenly, Holmes’s neutral, emotionless voice echoed from behind her.
“When did you get here?”
“Just now. Speaking of which, didn’t you promise the Queen? We agreed not to turn this case into a novel.”
“I’m just writing it for fun. So that our descendants can read it someday.”
“…Do you really have to write it?”
Holmes frowned deeply, but Watson merely responded with a mischievous smile.
“It’s the story of our dear Holmes’s first love. Of course it should be recorded.”
“I think there’s a misunderstanding. I am not in love with that man. He is simply an unsolved puzzle to me…”
“Alright, alright. Let’s call it the story of your first defeat then.”
Holmes blushed at the remark.
“Watson.”
“Yes?”
“I haven’t lost yet.”
A heavy silence followed.
“I’ve just received my admission documents for the academy. I’ll be enrolling in a few weeks. If I go there and find the one who slipped through my fingers… then…”
Holmes trailed off, subtly averting her gaze. Watson, watching her closely, licked her lips again and murmured to herself.
So Holmes has a cute side like this as well.
The arrogant genius girl who, from their very first meeting, had looked down upon the founder of August Academy—Dupin—as a dim-witted woman.
And as if to prove her arrogance wasn't misplaced, she was a prodigy who solved a myriad of cases in days, often handing the credit to the police like a gift to the incompetent forces of London.
With a physique and age that didn't match her mature speech, and weary eyes that seemed to pierce through everything, she had been an untouchable entity to Watson… until a few days ago.
“…If I do that, it would at least be a draw. Do you understand?”
Yet, this world-weary child was now talking passionately, like an adolescent girl hit by puberty.
I’m relieved.
When there was no case to solve, Holmes would become listless and lethargic. During those times, no matter how much Watson protested, she would indulge in perilous chemical experiments.
But recently, that side of her had vanished.
The current Holmes was aflame, thanks to Isaac Adler—the first person to ever deal her a defeat.
…But that man is dangerous.
On the other hand, Watson worried about this new side of Holmes. It was true that Adler had shown unexpected facets during the recent case, but he was still undoubtedly the biggest scoundrel in London.
“And me going to the academy isn’t solely because of ‘that man’.”
“What?”
“There are rumors of suspicious incidents happening within the academy recently. I thought I might as well investigate while I’m there…”
“Yes, Holmes. Everything you say is right.”
With a hint of worry in her gaze, Watson watched Holmes before flashing a sly smile and striking an encouraging pose.
“Stay strong!”
Now was the time to trust Holmes. Though she was still mentally immature, she remained the best detective in London.
“Hehe.”
Holmes narrowed her eyes at Watson, proving her sharp intuition once again.
“This isn’t the time to tease me, Watson.”
“…Huh?”
“After all, I’m not the one who’s found a man. You are.”
Watson froze, her hands still poised over the typewriter.
“What—what are you talking about, Charlotte?”
“If you’re meeting a man secretly, my dear Watson… when you hurriedly leave in the middle of the night claiming there’s an emergency at the hospital, you shouldn’t be smelling of perfume, should you?”
“That? The perfume I sprayed during the day just had a strong scent…”
“And I suppose instead of a stethoscope in your haphazardly packed medical bag, there wouldn’t be a bouquet of flowers sticking out?”
“…………”
“If this continues for several weeks, even that dimwit Inspector Lestrade would notice, let alone me.”
“What are you even on about?!”
As Holmes continued, Watson’s face grew beet red. She hurriedly stood up and began pushing Holmes toward the door.
“Come on, time to go. Weren’t you supposed to be getting fitted for your school uniform?”
“I already did.”
“Then go eat downstairs. Mrs. Hudson has prepared food for you.”
Watson ushered the head-scratching Holmes out of the room.
“We’re not even dating…”
Pausing to look around, Watson, still blushing, began to type again.
— It’s been a while, hasn’t it?
“Still, I can’t help but worry about Holmes.”
Switching the typewriter from writing mode to receiving, she murmured as she inserted a lower-grade crystal.
“…It would have been nice if Isaac Adler was as kind and innocent as she is.”
*
“Why do you look like that?”
“……..”
As I was about to enter August Academy with Professor Moriarty, something unexpected happened.
｢It’s been a while, hasn’t it?｣
Unthinkingly, I lifted my tingling hand and saw the message that had appeared on my skin.
｢Evening of the 21st. Let’s meet at the usual place at 7 PM.｣
I felt dazed and clenched my eyes shut.
“…Who even are you, damn it.”
I had completely forgotten the fact that the original Irene Adler was supposed to have a fiancé.