Chapter 84: Behind the Veil
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 84: Behind the Veil
Evening had fallen on the day the bet between the professor and Charlotte was finally settled…
“Mr. Adler.”
“Ah, I wondered who it might be. So, it’s you?”
Having finally regained his freedom and returned to his hideout in the back alleys, Adler greeted his first visitor with a faint, practiced smile.
“Do you have a moment to talk? Actually, I hope you’ll make time even if you don’t. It’s urgent.”
“Well, I am a bit busy and have a prior engagement, but how could I possibly refuse a request from my one and only girlfriend?”
The visitor standing before him was none other than Inspector Gia Lestrade.
“I think we need to clarify something before we begin.”
“Sure, what is it?”
“I’m not here as your girlfriend. I am here as an inspector of the London Metropolitan Police Department. Keep that in mind.”
Lestrade, dressed in her full police uniform and wearing a gaze of frigid ice, spoke with a sharp edge. Adler, busy tidying the papers on his antique desk, gave a quiet nod of acknowledgment.
“I understand.”
“Then let’s not waste time and get straight to the point.”
Taking a step forward, she began.
“The bizarre disappearance in Hampstead a few days ago—you’re involved in it, aren’t you?”
“…Hampstead?”
“I’m referring to the disappearance of Caroline Augustus Milverton.”
Adler’s eyebrows twitched ever so slightly. He cocked his head to the side at the mention of the missing woman’s name.
“The police have been watching her for quite some time. She is a villain of the worst sort.”
“Is that so?”
“We knew she possessed a vast collection of letters intended for blackmail. More than half of them were the result of her seducing young boys.”
Seizing the momentum, Lestrade pressed her interrogation, her voice cutting.
“But a few days ago, when her house was searched following her disappearance, the documents presumed to be in the mansion’s secret vault had vanished without a trace.”
“………”
“And that’s not all. Valuable items were left untouched, and the servants have been tight-lipped despite continuous questioning by the force.”
She marched right up to Adler’s desk, her presence looming.
“We are operating under the assumption that the person involved in this case either holds a high position or possesses a comparable level of influence.”
“…I see.”
“And I happen to know of an individual who was transported from my house to an unknown location just a few days ago.”
“That’s quite a leap. Am I the only suspect in London?”
As she leaned against the desk, placing a hand firmly on the wood, Adler casually posed the question to his official lover.
“Rumor has it there were witnesses…”
“There were indeed suspicious individuals seen climbing over the fence and escaping the mansion that day.”
Frowning, Lestrade recalled the reports.
“…One was rather short with a dark appearance. Another was of medium build and well-muscled.”
“That certainly doesn’t describe me. Isn’t that just a vague description that could apply to anyone? Even Charlotte or Watson?”
“However, the mana forensics team found traces of at least four different signatures in the mansion.”
“If there are no fingerprints, no hair, no bloodstains, and no footprints, then it’s as if no one was ever there. Traces of a person’s presence can be manipulated by any skilled mage, Miss Lestrade.”
“Like you, Mr. Adler?”
At those words, a flicker of irritation crossed Adler’s face.
“Why are you so desperate to pin this on me?”
“…I just received pressure from above to close the case swiftly.”
“Oh, that’s unfortunate.”
Lestrade leaned in, her expression stern, forcing Adler’s lips into an awkward smile.
“I can’t accept such an ending. I have to uncover the truth myself, or I won’t be able to shake this suffocating feeling.”
“Always so righteous, aren’t you, Miss Lestrade?”
“So, please. Tell me the truth.”
She watched him in silence for a few fleeting moments before leaning in to whisper, her entire aura radiating a deep, frigid intensity.
“Where is Caroline Augustus Milverton right now?”
A heavy silence settled between them.
“I’m starting to feel disappointed,” Adler eventually said, his voice tinged with a note of resentment. “What makes you so sure that I’m the culprit—”
- CRACK!
“…Ah.”
His protest was cut short as Lestrade slammed her hand down on the desk with all her might. The wood splintered, and Adler let out a startled yelp.
“…………”
Caroline Augustus Milverton, who had been lying at Adler’s feet beneath the desk with a collar around her neck, was staring blankly up at Lestrade through the fissures in the broken furniture.
“…Will you still deny your crime?”
Looking down at the scene with pure contempt, Lestrade shifted her gaze back to Adler. Her tone was devoid of emotion.
“That’s not Caroline.”
“Then what is it?”
“…It’s my pet dog.”
Adler avoided her gaze—a gaze that suggested she was looking at a piece of disgusting filth—and nudged Caroline with his foot.
“Bark.”
After a moment of seemingly deep contemplation, Caroline, a look of total resignation on her face, let out a bark not unlike a trained hound.
“Woof, woof.”
“……….”
Despite the shame burning in her eyes, she rolled over onto her back and showed them her belly. Seeing the display, Lestrade’s face went through a kaleidoscope of colors.
“…Pant, pant.”
“See? It’s a dog, just like I told you.”
Meanwhile, Adler stroked her head as she held up her hands and panted like a puppy, her face a deep shade of crimson. He spoke with a completely brazen expression.
“Are you now resorting to forbidden mind control magic?”
“Carol, go to your room.”
“…Woof.”
Ignoring Lestrade, Adler tapped the woman on the belly. Caroline let out a low whimper and scurried into the room assigned to her.
“This is grounds for immediate arrest.”
“No, you can’t arrest me.”
“On what grounds?”
Lestrade stared blankly at the doorway for a moment before shaking the image from her mind and demanding an explanation.
“Because I haven’t engaged in any illegal activities.”
“What kind of nonsense—”
“I haven’t used any mind control magic. Caroline is perfectly sane and reached a compromise after a very long discussion with me. We made a legal deal, Miss Lestrade.”
“……….”
“I never do anything against someone’s will. Right now, Carol is acting as my dog of her own accord.”
“How is that even possible?” she asked, unable to comprehend his logic. “Even for someone like you, Adler… how can you turn a villain, a master of coercion on par with yourself, into… that, in just a few days?”
“It’s a matter of aligned interests.” Adler rested his chin on his hand. “Caroline lost all her blackmail material and was facing absolute ruin. She needed a place to hide from her many enemies—people with considerable power and influence.”
“……….”
“And I needed someone to manage the organization… or rather, I just needed a cute pet.”
“Ha.”
“Of course, we didn’t agree right away. It took days of intensive training and dramatic persuasion.”
He gave a bright smile to Lestrade, who stood there speechless.
“Anyway, as long as her signature is on the contract…”
“…I don’t know how to deal with you,” Lestrade interrupted. “I am truly grateful to you for paying off my debt and protecting my siblings from danger.”
“Hm?”
“I will forever be indebted to you for that favor.” Her voice trembled slightly. “But you are becoming a danger to London far too quickly.”
“Me?”
“The forces we’ve identified on your side aren’t just one or two.”
Adler narrowed his eyes and remained silent.
“The Kingdom of Bohemia, the Red Mana League, the Demi-Human Union. Even a commoner would recognize the names of the countries and organizations supporting you.”
“That is…”
“Not to mention the funds coming from Colonel Rose, a titan of the underworld; a certain landlord family from Reigate; and the ladies who dominate London’s social circles.”
He looked at his lover, who was making nothing but valid points for once, and held his tongue.
“Do you know how many inspectors have suddenly quit their jobs while investigating the underworld forces clustering around you and the professor?”
Lestrade took a deep breath, her fists clenched tight.
“Tell me honestly.”
“………”
“Even the professor you’re supposedly following… in truth, she’s just another one of your pawns, isn’t she?”
Adler didn’t answer. He couldn’t.
“How dangerous of a man am I dating? Mr. Isaac Adler.”
With her head bowed deeply, she began to mutter to herself.
“As someone who upholds the justice of London, will I inevitably be forced to confront you?”
“If that is your duty, then you should, of course, stand against me.”
“Yes, that would be the right thing to do.” Her voice trailed off. “It’s the right thing to do, but…”
“Is there something troubling you?” Adler inquired quietly, his eyes gleaming.
“……….”
“Miss Gia.”
When she remained silent, Adler probed further.
“What exactly is the justice you’re seeking?”
“That is…”
“Is it to save Caroline, who chose to degrade herself into a pet just to survive?”
Lestrade’s eyes wavered.
“Is it to send the women who have mortgaged their lives to me—by their own free will, for the first time in their miserable lives—back to the very hell they escaped from?”
“………”
“Or is it to destroy the future of the vampires and demi-humans who have faced nothing but discrimination and rejection their entire lives?”
Her lips twitched as if to speak, but she couldn't find the words. She cast her gaze downward.
“Your definition of justice is, perhaps, flawed.”
“…You could say the same for yourself.”
“I admit it. You could be right, and my actions could be terribly wrong,” Adler responded softly. “But then, Miss Lestrade, why the hesitation?”
“………”
“Honestly, any reason would suffice to arrest me if you truly wished to.”
His eyes bored into hers.
“So if you think you’re right, then go ahead. Even now…”
“Don’t sway me…” Lestrade closed her eyes, her expression turning resolute. “My sense of justice remains firm.”
“…Hmm.”
“I still like you, as per our agreement that day, but I cannot and will not condone your actions.” Her voice, previously wavering, became clear and confident. “So, as an inspector, I will confront you.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
“…I will strictly separate the personal from the professional. Please distinguish between Lestrade your lover and Lestrade the Inspector of the Metropolitan Police.”
At her words, Adler broke into a sincere smile—one he had never shown her before.
“Miss Lestrade is indeed a difficult woman.”
“……..”
“And that’s exactly what I like about you.”
Lestrade, momentarily dazed by his demeanor, quickly turned away and walked toward the entrance. Her voice was frigid.
“Let’s see who wins, shall we?”
“We have a date tomorrow evening. Just a reminder.”
She halted in her tracks.
“…I know.”
“Don’t you hate it? Having a date with someone you ideologically oppose?”
His voice was teasingly playful. Lestrade turned her head slowly back toward him.
“It’s fine.”
She looked at Adler with a peculiar intensity in her eyes.
“…Because I like you.”
With those barely audible words, Gia Lestrade turned and quietly left the hideout.
.
.
.
.
.
“Hmm.”
Minutes had passed since Lestrade left, but her presence still lingered in the air.
“She’s impressive, as expected.”
I shook off the sentiment with a brief murmur.
“…Now, please come in.”
With a smile, I addressed the figure who had been waiting at the back door.
- Creeeak…
“Fufu~”
With an elegant smile, the veiled client of this case—now a familiar face after our frequent encounters—entered the room.
“As per your request, I’ve taken care of all the subordinates in the vicinity. Even Charlotte Holmes and Professor Moriarty are unaware of what’s happening here.”
“Your lover seems to be a bit of a prude, doesn’t she?”
“…I beg your pardon, but let’s get straight to the point.”
Looking directly at the veil obscuring her face, I posed the question.
“What unfinished business from this morning warranted a personal visit to my hideout by a royal emissary?”
“Oh dear. Aren’t we in a hurry?”
“Pardon?”
“I was hoping we could sit down and have a chat over tea. Take it slow…”
With that, the royal emissary—who had come without so much as an escort—naturally took a seat on the sofa.
Observing the woman, who was clearly a member of the British royal family, I smiled and rose from my seat.
“Understood.”
“You really do know how to handle a woman.”
With that acknowledgment, I headed toward the kitchen, where the tea cups and leaves were ready.
Jill the Ripper shows interest in you.
Warning!
• Probability of being Killed — 99.99%
Surprisingly, the freshly restored system was flashing a glaring red warning right before my eyes.
Be careful.
Warning!
Erosion Rate — 25% → 33%
It was no easy task to casually inquire about the tea preferences of the worst serial killer in history, who was sitting behind me with a smile hidden behind her veil.
“…Do you have a preferred type of tea leaf?”
If it hadn’t been for the subordinates I had stationed in the alley outside, I might have already slipped up.
.
.
.
.
.
“Oh, by the way, I asked the guards outside for a moment of understanding and put them to sleep.”
“…I beg your pardon?”
“Now, finally, it’s just the two of us. Fufufu~”
Oh, fuck!