Chapter 74: Breaking Point


    “… Huh.”


    Rachel Watson, who had taken a break from the hospital for the first time in a long while, visited Lestrade’s house where her partner was currently residing.


    “What are you two doing?”


    “…………”


    When she saw the scene that unfolded in front of her, as soon as she opened the front door of the house, she couldn’t help but show a bitter smile before asking.


    “Nothing much really.”


    “Save me.”


    Her partner – who had been interrogating Inspector Candidate Baynes, recuperating in the hospital, with her in tow – suddenly received a message on her palm and immediately rushed out. And here she was now, sniffing Adler while he was, surprisingly, tied to a chair.


    “No matter how I look at it, this doesn’t seem like <strong>nothing much</strong>, Holmes.”


    “… I caught the scent of another female on Adler.”


    “What?”


    Watson, who had been looking at the scene with a frown on her face, couldn’t help but mutter in confusion as she stepped into the room. Meanwhile, Charlotte, who hadpletely abandoned the polite speech she usually used when talking to Watson, replied to her in a sharp tone.


    “It’s a strange scent, Watson— a cheap imitation of my own, that is emanating from Mr. Adler’s body.”


    “… It’s a misunderstanding, Miss Holmes.”


    “Mr. Adler, I only remember agreeing to the n of giving the jewel to that thief, to get her out of London. I don’t think that includes engaging in affectionate acts with her, however.”


    As Charlotte looked up at him, with her eyes shing in an ominous dark light, the pulsating ck ropes that bound Adler tightened even further.


    “My patience was already exhausted when you surreptitiously visited the Countess of Morcar’s room in the hospitalst night and didn’t sneak out till the next morning.”


    “When did I…”


    Under the threatening atmosphere, Adler, with sweat dripping from his forehead, looked at Charlotte.


    “Shall I make it so that your body is unable to seduce someone ever again?”


    “… Miss Holmes.”


    Charlotte, who was sitting on his knees, whispered to him in an eerie voice, causing the trembling Adler to look up at her with genuine fear in his eyes.


    “I think there has been a misunderstanding…”


    Charlotte’s squinted eyes widened when she saw Adler silently pulling up his upper garment with a pitiful look on his face.


    “This…”


    “… I was merely suppressed and attacked by the thiefdy.”


    On Adler’s belly, distinct bruises of a fist could be seen…


    “… What about your vampiric powers?”


    “It was early in the morning, and I was also directly hit by garlic spray…”


    As Charlotte’s voice became chillingly calm, Adler looked to the side before continuing in a quiet voice.


    “The thiefdy was allegedly someone who had a philosophy of giving back what she had received, maybe that’s why…”


    “………”


    “Still, it’s okay now. It didn’tst for long anyways, and ultimately, we sessfully got rid of the uninvited guest and avoided aplicated scenario…”


    Adler’s voice began to tremble more and more as truth mixed with lies leaked out of his mouth, in the heat of the moment, to evade this ufortable situation…


    “… I was turning a blind eye since I was busy, but that French country bumpkin has really crossed the line.”


    “What?”


    However, Charlotte Holmes, taking Adler’s trembling voice in a different meaning, began muttering with a serious expression on her face.


    “It seems like we have to go to France for our honeymoon.”


    “You don’t need to… Wait, what did you just say?”


    Worried that his statement had unnecessarily provoked Charlotte, Adler, drenched in cold sweat, was trying to figure out how to exin the situation to her. However, he couldn’t help but question with a dazed look once he properly registered her words.


    “…………”


    With that, total silence ensued for a while.


    “What, were you not nning to do it?”


    “……..”


    “Don’t give me that awkward look. Marriage is merely a contractual rtionship that is formed by the mutual consent of a man and a woman. Nothing more, nothing less. It wouldn’t be any different from how it is now actually.”


    Charlotte, who delivered those words in a calm voice, couldn’t help but avoid Adler’s gaze, showing an unusually cute expression that was totally uncharacteristic of her.


    “… It’s just that myst name will change to yours.”


    “……….”


    Simultaneously, Charlotte and Adler, with their faces blushing heavily, bowed their heads and fell into silence.


    “Well, it seems like you guys are getting along quite well.”


    Rachel Watson, who had been watching the scene with a scowl on her face, began shaking her head and started walking away.


    “… So much so that… you guys didn’t even notice Lestrade ring at you guys coldly from the back window.”


    “……..!”


    She whispered with a tinge ofughter and amusement on her face, causing Adler’s eyes to tremble; his hand holding Charlotte’s own who was still sitting on hisp.


    “… Hup.”


    As the reflection of Lestrade’s gaze on the front ss finally registered in his pupils, Adler couldn’t help but start huping.


    “I don’t mind…”


    “You’re really unbelievable…”


    Meanwhile, Watson, who couldn’t help but smirk at Charlotte’s shameless whisper, quietly moved toward the front door.


    “… Well, I’m leaving then. I have a date with Neville this evening.”


    “Hey, Watson.”


    Suddenly remembering that she had a question for Watson, Charlotte inquired.


    “I understand that, to have a baby, you need to receive the other person’s genes, but…”


    “Huh?”


    “I mean, how do you put the genes inside you?”


    Hearing Charlotte’s words, Watson turned her head with a bewildered expression on her face, only to see Adler desperately shaking his head, signaling her to not say anything, from behind Charlotte.


    “Why don’t you ask that boyfriend of yours?”


    “Watson, this isn’t just my personal matter, but a substantial issue that will determine London’s fate in the future…”


    “To be honest, I’ve never done it myself, so I don’t know.”


    Gazing at Adler with coldness and the slightest hints of contempt in her eyes, she simply turned on her heels to leave.


    “… I’ll try it with my boyfriend and let you know.”


    “………”


    “As long as a lowlife doesn’t interfere, that is.”


    Muttering those words, Watson gazed at Adler coldly onest time before grabbing the doorknob of the front door and turning it to the side. And at that very moment…


    ““…………””


    Both Charlotte and Adler’s faces, contorted into a frowning expression as they listened to Watson’s words, froze simultaneously.


    “You, when did you…”


    “It’s quite unexpected that you couldn’t sense me, even though we were so close all this while…”


    Not only Watson, who had opened the door, but also Lestrade, who was observing them from the back window with a shopping bag in her arms, looked equally frozen by this scene.


    “I’m sorry, but could you make some space and let me in?”


    The reason being… Jane Moriarty, wearing aid-back expression filled with her trademark smile, was standing still in front of the entrance.


    “Fortunately, I know the method that you seek.”


    The atmosphere in the house, which was finally getting harmonious, made an abrupt shift and got terrifyingly frigid and icy.


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    A few minutester…


    “””…………”””


    Professor Moriarty quietly sat on the sofa, under the chilly gaze of Charlotte Holmes, and the nervous looks of Rachel Watson and Gia Lestrade, who sat on either side of Charlotte.


    “Hmm.”


    She took a sip of the coffee that was poured to her by Lestrade’s second sibling before cing the cup back on the table.


    “I don’t like the vor of this coffee.”


    Hearing her words, a frown quietly manifested on Lestrade’s face.


    “… I apologize. As you can see, my family isn’t very well-off.”


    “Well, I’m not really one to savor vors anyways, so it doesn’t matter.”


    Giving a casual reply, the professor began adjusting her coffee by adding some sugar, taken out of the packet that she pulled out of her pocket.


    “I’m sure you didn’te here just to drink coffee now, right?”


    Silently staring at her for some time, Charlotte suddenly spoke up in a chilling tone.


    “What business does a defeated spinster have bying here?”


    “You say some strange things, little girl…”


    Professor Moriarty responded with an enigmatic smile on her face.


    “I haven’t been defeated, and I’m definitely not a spinster.”


    “It seems that this person doesn’t understand the reality of their situation. Or perhaps, she is just unwilling to admit it even though she is already aware.”


    “Your victory that day was merely temporary. On the contrary, while you celebrated that hollow victory, I quietly handled the back alleys of London in your stead.”


    “It seems that you won’t admit to the former no matter how much back and forth we go, so let’s just end it here. However, thetter is a clear fact that can’t be denied no matter what.”


    “I’m still in my twenties. That’s the only clear fact here.”


    “But when I reach Professor’s age, how old will you be?”


    Charlotte’s mocking voice, filled with sneers, left the professor utterly speechless.


    “Let’s not feel bad for something that we can’t win, okay?”


    “Just like that in body of yours, I assume, which doesn’t seem to be changing no matter how much you age?”


    “A bloated body is simply inefficient and utterly useless for detective work.”


    “Is it even possible for you to breastfeed a baby with that body of yours?”


    “Oh my, you must have felt attacked since I mentioned your age, otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense for you to act so childish.”


    Their intense verbal exchange intensified the already chilly atmosphere in the room.


    “Enough, tell me the purpose of your visit.”


    “I was just about to do that, actually…”


    Saying so, she bobbed her head from side to side before finally addressing the main issue.


    “Hand over Isaac Adler.”


    “Since you have said your piece, leave… Get out.”


    “Frankly, I have the power to forcibly take Isaac Adler from you.”


    “Just try it if you can.”


    Charlotte, who had been mocking the professor in silence, responded intensely, fury tinging her voice, upon hearing her words.


    <i>– Goouohoooh</i>


    Then, with a chilling expression on her face, the professor began to emit intense killing intent in her surroundings.


    “… As expected, you’re no ordinary person.”


    “Calm down, Professor…”


    While Watson, who was aiming the gun she had kept close at the professor, muttered with a slightly pale expression, Lestrade, who was seated beside her, began to re at Jane with a dark expression and spoke,


    “If you cause a ruckus here, we will have no choice but to subdue you.”


    “Your younger siblings, they are quite lovely…”


    “Don’t cross the line…”


    With an atmosphere teetering on the edges of hostility, the situation started escting further and further.


    “Of course, I won’t.”


    Wearing a fishy expression, Moriarty suppressed the intimidating aura of all three opponents solely with her killing intent, before suddenly easing off and smiling at them with her eyes.


    “Such an unsophisticated approach would be hated by my adorable assistant; he would tantly disagree with resorting to such methods too, so there’s no way I will employ them”


    “… Haa—”


    “… “


    Only then did Watson breathe deeply, finally relieved of the suffocating tension, while Charlotte stared straight at the professor, trying her best to hide the perspiration that was running down her face.


    “How did you possibly apany such a being all this time?”


    Meanwhile, Lestrade – who nced at Adler, still tied to the chair and shivering in fright – muttered those words to him in a low voice.


    “That doesn’t mean I won’t do anything, however. I’m growing tired of this farce and would like to have Adler here back at my office as soon as possible.”


    After ncing at them, as if finding their actions cute, Moriarty leaned against the sofa and began to nod her head,


    “So, how about a little wager?”


    “What if I refuse?”


    “I will ept that as a sign of you wanting to engage in total war.”


    “… You’re being a pain in the ass right now, you know that?”


    Seeing her behavior, Charlotte could only show a bitterugh while muttering those words.


    “I’m the one showing you mercy right now…”


    “And we’re the ones who have what you desire…”


    The two women’s icy gazes quietly intersected in the room.


    “… So, what kind of wager do you want?”


    “I won’t be the one to decide since you, who are bound to lose, will juste up with an excuse as ast-minute tactic.”


    “Then who’ll be deciding?”


    “Well, there’s only one person who can do that in this situation, don’t you think?”


    Saying so, both women turned their heads to the side in unison.


    “… Hup.”


    The moment when Adler – whose hups, that had barely stopped, resumed once more as those ominous dark gazes locked on him – looked up at them…


    <i>– Whiiir…!</i>


    Something flew in from the back window, which had been left slightly ajar due to Lestrade’s peeping, and instantly embedded itself on the desk they had been sitting around.


    “”………..””


    As they read the message written on the object, the expressions of the two women began to darken further and further.


    <strong><em>I will snatch your treasure before leaving London.</em></strong>


    <strong> The Tower (XVI)</strong> card, with the doodle of a girl sporting a monocle while sticking out her tongue, was embedded upside down on the table as it shook.


    “T-Tada.”


    “Shut up, Adler.”


    “Shut up, Mr. Adler.”


    As Adler, who had spread out his arms with an awkward smile on his face, heard those words, he closed his mouth with a dejected look. Thus, a heavy silence, like never before, enveloped the entire room.<hr>


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