Chapter 9: The Organization
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 9: The Organization
It had been a few days since I moved into the dormitory of the Auguste Detective Academy.
“…This is driving me mad.”
After spending hours scouring the student files I’d obtained with Professor Moriarty’s help, I collapsed onto the bed with a heavy sigh.
Who on earth was it?
The mysterious message that had reached me a few days ago…
The sender was likely Adler’s fiancée from the original story, or at the very least, someone he was seeing with the intent of marriage.
Since I’d possessed this body, every other woman who reached out did so via letters. This person was the sole exception, contacting me through the transmission magic engraved on Adler’s hand.
And the contact name Adler had saved in that transmission magic was simply: Fiancée. Nothing else.
I really have no clue.
The problem was that I had absolutely no idea who she was.
In the original work, Adler’s fiancée was a British lawyer named Godfrey Norton. Naturally, in this gender-swapped world, that person would be a woman.
However, there wasn't a single female lawyer with the surname ‘Norton’ in all of London.
I had even checked every female student at the academy majoring in law, just in case, but found no one. As a last resort, I wrote to the mansion’s servants who were hospitalized after the recent fire. But when the butler visited me, she claimed to be completely unaware of any engagement, so that lead went cold.
The 21st is only a few days away.
Who was this person who wanted to meet at an undisclosed location on the evening of the 21st? Who was the only person Isaac Adler had deemed worthy of a direct magical contact?
In the story I knew, Isaac Adler was already deceased by the time the main plot began, so information on him was scarce. It was a massive headache; even with my knowledge as a "possessor," I had no leads.
No, maybe it’s better if I don’t meet her at all.
On second thought, getting involved with a stranger might be a mistake. It was clear the original, good-for-nothing Adler had been trying to woo this woman with less-than-pure intentions. Getting involved with me now would only put her at risk.
“…Ugh.”
The burn marks, still stinging with a dull ache, were proof of that.
The arson at my mansion was currently under police investigation, but they hadn't found a single lead. And if the police couldn't find anything, there was only one plausible answer…
It was a deliberate act of terror using mana.
Considering none of my servants were mana users, it was likely an outsider had infiltrated the mansion and set a trap specifically for me. It seemed Isaac Adler had earned the hatred of more than just the women of London; there were mages who wanted him dead as well.
Moving here was definitely the right call.
“Phew.”
I lay on the bed, sorting through my tangled thoughts, before finally sighing and pushing myself up.
I should handle the immediate problems first.
Dwelling on things I couldn't solve would get me nowhere. I needed to focus on what I could do.
｢Adler, there’s an urgent matter.｣
For instance, responding to our professor, who had been spamming my receiver ever since I registered for the transmission magic.
｢Come to my office.｣
I could already see the hardships awaiting me in the future.
*
“Have you arrived, Adler?”
When I reached Professor Moriarty’s office, I found her sitting upright, giving me a small, quiet wave.
“What’s the urgent matter, Professor?”
“Actually, there isn’t one.”
I stared at her, and she offered a sly smile in return.
“I just wanted to see you, so I called.”
“Is that so? Then I’ll be on my way.”
“Entertaining a professor who is on the verge of dying from boredom is one of the primary duties of a graduate student, Adler.”
With a flick of her finger, the office door locked automatically.
“I’ve always wondered—are you a mana user as well, Professor?”
“Well, what do you think?”
The unknown mana used on the prince during the last incident, the rumors of a curse haunting her… I was brimming with questions.
“Let’s discuss that later. Shall we continue our conversation from last time?”
“Last time?”
“The criminal organization. The one that will eventually swallow London whole.”
Judging by her reaction, pressing her for personal details right now wasn't going to work.
“I had high hopes when you spoke of forming such a formidable group, yet there hasn't been any progress for days.”
“An organization isn't built overnight, Professor.”
“Hmm…”
Moriarty looked disappointed as she rummaged through a packet of sugar on her desk.
“Detectives have it easy. Clients come to them, and they can advertise their services legally.”
“……..”
“Acting as your criminal consultant was amusing, but this prolonged stagnation is becoming tedious.”
Upon closer inspection, her shoulders were slumped and her eyes lacked their usual spark. She looked exactly like Sherlock Holmes during a case drought—suffering from a similar form of withdrawal.
“Isn’t there some method we could use?”
To be honest, her concerns had been on my mind as well.
While Professor Moriarty was destined to become a global figure thanks to the binomial theorem paper she’d published recently, at the moment, she was merely a first-year assistant professor. As for me, her assistant, I was well-known in London, but only for my infamy.
Simply put, we lacked brand recognition.
Forget building an organization; we couldn't even find clients for a consultation. If this continued for a few more weeks—or even days—Moriarty’s interest would hit rock bottom. Even now, she was somberly chewing on sugar cubes like a starved addict.
“There is a way,” I proposed.
“…What did you say?”
Fortunately, after racking my brain for the past few days, I had come up with a promising idea.
“We can establish a foundation for our organization and find our first client at the same time,” I explained.
“………”
“And we can do it immediately.”
The listless munching stopped. Professor Moriarty’s eyes began to sparkle once more.
“Adler, you always manage to show me something new,” she remarked, her tone subtle.
“You flatter me.”
“So, what is this method?”
I reached into my pocket and handed her a document.
“Just stamp your seal here.”
“Oh? Are you finally planning to make me your slave?”
“Please refrain from such inappropriate remarks, Professor…”
Moriarty took the papers with an animated expression, tilting her head as she read.
“This is the method?”
“Yes, Professor.”
“Hmm…”
Her skepticism was understandable.
“A Mock Crime Consultation Club. I’ll be the faculty advisor, and you’ll be the president. Intriguing, to say the least.”
The document was a club establishment permit.
“How exactly is this ‘the method’ you spoke of?”
“Don’t you understand?”
“To be honest,” she replied, “No, I don’t.”
She tapped her desk, looking down at the permit.
“So, because we lack a reputation, you’re proposing we use this to scout the talent we need?”
“In a nutshell, yes.”
“Still, posting such a notice in an academy crawling with detectives is a bold move.”
Her logic was sound. If one established a Mock Crime Consultation Club at the premier detective academy in Europe, the only people likely to join would be bored detectives or those looking for a novelty.
“Even if, by some miracle, a student genuinely interested in crime approached us, distinguishing them would be nearly impossible. Getting them to trust us with a request would be even harder.”
“……”
“And if a student had those intentions to begin with, it’s illogical for them to be at a detective academy in the first place.”
Faced with her perfect refutation, I couldn't help but smirk.
“…Ha-ha.”
“Why are you laughing, Adler?”
Because, oddly enough, logical reasoning had no place in this academy.
“It’s nothing, Professor.”
The Auguste Detective Academy was the main stage of the game, the place where the protagonist—Holmes—would enroll in a year’s time. It was also home to the culprits of several incidents that would unfold later.
And I was certain of one thing.
We might not capture everyone’s attention, but I was confident we could pique the interest of at least one specific student.
If I was right, the culprit from the original The Red-Headed League—the fourth smartest woman in London—would be the one to bite. Even if she wasn't on the level of Colonel Moran, the legendary confidant of the original Moriarty, she would be a perfect fit for our organization.
“Please, just stamp it.”
“Even after everything I’ve said?”
“If you aren't satisfied with the results, you can kill me, Professor.”
I looked her straight in the eye. Moriarty began to tilt her head from side to side, a faint smile playing on her lips. It was a habit she had when she was deep in thought or genuinely intrigued.
As she stared back, not hiding her curiosity, I wondered what she saw in me.
“Please, have some faith.”
I felt a slight chill down my spine, but I kept my composure. The event I was about to trigger would undoubtedly satisfy her.
“I will turn London into a paradise just for you, Professor.”
It was only half a lie. Because the young genius residing at 221B Baker Street would also be granted admission to that paradise.
“Is this the ticket to that promised land, Adler?”
Moriarty pressed her seal onto the permit, the corners of her lips curling upward.
“Thank you, Professor.”
It was time to recruit followers for the high-stakes tightrope walk between the two greatest geniuses in London.
*
That evening, in the lobby of the Auguste Detective Academy—
“Why is there such a crowd over there?”
“Did a new transfer student arrive?”
“No, they’d be gathered by the gates if that were the case.”
Students finishing their classes whispered as they noticed the swarm around the bulletin board.
“…Ignore it. It’s just the detective wannabes getting excited over nothing.”
“But look at how many people are there. I’m curious.”
“Fine, let’s go check it out.”
From the back of the crowd, a girl stared at the board with a cold, detached expression.
[Mock Crime Consultation Club]
Our club aims to step into the shoes of the perpetrator and construct the perfect crime. Interviews will be held in Professor Moriarty’s office on the 3rd floor…
Her gaze was fixed on the large red letters at the bottom of the notice.
※ Students capable of using red mana will pass the interview automatically. All activity fees waived.
“Is this a coincidence?”
The girl murmured softly. She began walking toward the third floor, her fingers gently tracing a mark on her forehead.
“So, there are people who think like me after all…”