Chapter 98: The Three Garridebs (5)


    Moments after Isaac Adler lost his freedom of movement at the hands of the two women


    <i> Creeeak</i>


    M, Mr. Adler?


    Isaac Adler entered the room, bound tightly in chains conjured by the mana of the dangerous duo. And seeing Adler in such a state, Neria Garrideb, who had been sitting sullenly on the bed, couldnt help but stumble back in surprise and shock.


    That child is the wicked wolf that has been devouring Mr. Adler every night.


    Seems like youve been watching again, havent you? How impressive.


    Charlotte Holmes and Professor Moriarty began their conversation, gazing intently at the shocked woman.


    Unfortunately, it seems like my assistant cant go a day without getting stabbed or kidnapped. So, some special management is bound to be employed to prevent them.


    Using Romanian rebels like your private soldiers and surveilling someones every move 24/7 isnt management; its a serious crime, Professor.


    But thanks to those precautions, weve prevented crimes that could have happened to Mr. Adler crimes that already number in the double digits, mind you.


    Thats


    Of course, thats something you detectives cant do. Detectives are the sort who cheerfully chase after incidents that have already happened, rather than preventing them.


    The voices of the two women grew colder and colder the more they conversed. Meanwhile, Adler, realizing that a silent war was unfolding behind him, was slowly turning paler by the minute.


    You might think Im not making any effort, but thats, in fact, a great misconception of yours. If thats what you think, I have no desire to converse further.


    You mean the so-called Baker Street Special Forces? Really? Those beggar brats? <i>Sigh</i>. Dont be mistaken. Theyre not worth keeping in check, so Ive simply ignored them.


    No matter how weak those children might be individually, when united, they still form a strong group. Moreover, they have aplete understanding of theplex back alleys of London, which are like a different world, so dont you dare look down on them.


    With thest exchange, the res Charlotte and the Professor directed at each other became increasingly intense, rising to a dangerous level.


    As I said before, youve got a knack for crime. Youve already taken the lead in exploiting children, something even I havent done.


    Simply surveilling one person allows them to earn enough for a months meals and a warm nket to keep themfy; I fail to see how thats considered exploitation. Perhaps its more akin to child welfare? Yeah, that seems right.


    What it seems to me is that youre not really in a position to criticize me now, are you?


    Im not like you, employing those scums with impure intentions. My aim is purely for the safety of London


    Um, excuse me?


    Just when the two women, still fiercely ring at each other, started emitting the faintest trickles of grey and ck mana from their bodies.


    Why have youe to my room?


    Why is Mr. Adler tied up?


    Neria Garrideb, sweating profusely and apprehensive of this whole situation, mustered the courage to interrupt their conversation with a question.


    I came to check on something.


    Itll only take a moment.


    Only then did the two women cease their argument and turn their attention back to the apprehensive girl.


    What, what is it


    Before that, I have a question for you.


    Professor Moriarty stepped forward, casting a frosty smile at the girl as she posed her question.


    Have you ever heard of the legends of the werewolves?


    !!!


    The moment she heard those words, the girls body froze in ce.


    What, wha whats that?


    A monster that transforms into a wolf under the moonlight, a creature that vanished after the Great Demon Purge of the early 1700s.


    I, I dont really know.


    As she spoke with obvious terror in her voice, a look of intrigue appeared on the professors face.


    Have you been taught to deny anything rted to the word <b>wolf</b> outright?


    Indeed, it would be quite the predicament for the rest of the family if it were discovered that there has been a werewolf among them for the past century who never showed their face.


    The professor then circled her, murmuring with a hint ofughter in her voice.


    Perhaps, they could even be eradicated by the ruling body.


    When theymissioned us, they deliberately avoided using the term <b>werewolf</b> to minimize information leaks, didnt they?


    Look here.


    As Adler joined in, Charlotte Holmes frowned and interjected into their conversation.


    Excuse me, werewolf?


    Indeed. Didnt you hear the stories beforeing here?


    Sporadic madness. The sight of blood inciting a frenzied leap. Strength that bes several times greater than usual. Dont these clues give you a hint?


    Then, Moriarty and Adler, both with a wry smile, spoke.


    Have you both ingested something wrong? Or did I perhaps overestimate you both?


    Charlotte, her eyes half-closed, soon began to mutter in a frosty voice.


    Werewolf? Thats utterly nonsensical.


    What are you talking about?


    Its illogical for a werewolf to still exist in Britain.


    Then Adler, with a slight smile, gestured to himself.


    If vampires exist, why not werewolves?


    That was an exceptional case. This is different.


    How can you be so certain? Do you have any evidence?


    Of course.


    Charlotte firmly countered his point and began to rummage through her belongings.


    Here, this should confirm it


    <i>Eek</i>.


    Just as she pulled a shiny, silvery object from her pocket,


    Adler?


    <i> Trembletrembletrembletremble</i>


    Suddenly pale, Adler quickly clung to Moriarty, trembling violently from head to toe.


    Why are you acting like this? Like a mouse soaked in the rain.


    Thats scary


    The silver cross?


    Hold me right, Professor.


    Hmm


    The professor, tilting her head in curiosity, patted his back with a slightly satisfied expression on her face. Meanwhile, Charlotte, holding the silver cross in her hands, momentarily looked on at the scene with a dazed expression.


    I failed to take Mr. Adler into consideration.


    Its alright, continue what you were doing.


    Ill be quick.


    Murmuring in a slightly darkened voice, Charlotte brought the cross close to Neria Garrideb.


    How does it feel?


    ..?


    Does it sting or cause any sort of difort?


    Garrideb shook her head as she intensely gazed at the cross held against her flesh. And Charlotte, as though expecting such a reaction already, soon put the cross away.


    <i> Swoosh</i>


    Sorry, sorry, I was wrong, Miss Holmes.


    As she extended the cross slightly towards Adler, he started crying out in a fit Even his ck tail which he always hid had now revealed itself.


    Stop this nasty joke right this instant.


    This coulde in handy, hmm.


    Whats the intention behind that action?


    The professor, stroking Adlers head to calm him down, asked in a monotone voice.


    Silver has been known since ancient times as a deadly weakness to vampires and werewolves. Indeed, there are records that the <b>Hunters </b>in the early 1700s carried bullets or des made of silver.


    Put, put that away


    As you can see, Mr. Adler, being a pureblood vampire, has such an intense reaction to silver.


    Charlotte continued her exnation in a low voice.


    And yet, a werewolf came into direct contact with a cross and remainedpletely unaffected? Odd, isnt it?


    Ah


    Theres only one conclusion. That person is not a werewolf.


    The girl, sitting on the bed, opened her mouth in a daze, looking like she had been hit with a hammer to the head.


    That cant be I, I am


    Sporadic frenzy. Seizures that ur at the sight of blood.


    However, Charlotte naturally interrupted her words and proceeded with her own exnation.


    While its not the Lycanthropy Syndrome, theres another disease that can cause nearly identical symptoms.


    What?


    Well, you, whove lived your entire life confined to your home, wouldnt know about this. The name of that disease is


    Just as she was about to exin in a rare kind tone,


    Hydrophobia. A disease with a 100 percent fatality rate for which no vine has been developed yet.


    Also known as rabies. ording to recent reports, Dr. Louis Pasteur is working on developing a vine as we speak


    Is that so? Thats the first time I have heard of that term, but somehow it does fit.


    This time, Professor Moriarty and Adler chimed in, cutting off Charlottes words.


    Hydrophobia? Rabies?


    See, you both knew about it already.


    Your know-it-all attitude is always amusing, isnt it?


    What, what are you all talking about?


    Charlotte Holmes muttered in a subdued voice, as if she had already expected such a scenario. Meanwhile, Neria Garrideb couldnt help but ask them with a panicked voice.


    Confusion, delirium, seizures. To use Mr. Adlers term, these are the primary symptoms of <b>Rabies</b>.


    But


    Moreover, more than half of the patients exhibit an extreme fear of water. Even on the brink of dying from thirst, they convulse and suffer terribly at the sight of water.


    She fell silent once she heard Professor Moriarty and Charlottes detailed exnation.


    And the same goes for the sight of blood flowing out of a human body.


    You speak as if you have experienced it?


    Meanwhile, Isaac Adler, subtly posed a question to Charlotte as she muttered to herself with clear exhaustion in her eyes.


    <b>Howling Cemetary</b> and <b>Reconstructed Wolf</b>. The culprits of these two low-level cases I recently solved both had hydrophobia.


    Ah


    They were so trivial and boring that even Watson gave up writing about them. Still, the knowledge gained from investigating the camees in handy at times like this.


    Isaac Adler nodded in understanding, and behind him, Neria Garrideb, with a ghastly pale face, spoke up while trembling violently.


    Then I


    Youve been deceived all your life into thinking you were a werewolf when you were actually just a patient of Hydrophobia.


    I dont know what reason your family had for deceiving you, but Its truly regrettable.


    Having finished her words, Charlotte Holmes quietly turned to walk away.


    Then, its about time to hear the reason from the two Garridebs who have been lying for more than 10 years


    Stop right there.


    However, Professor Moriarty, with a gleam in her eye, stopped her mid-sentence.


    Whats the matter?


    Its too early to jump to conclusions.


    At those words, Charlotte tilted her head as though asking for an exnation.


    As I said before, rabies is a disease with a 100 percent fatality rate.


    ..


    Most patients die within a week of showing symptoms. Yet, Miss Neria Garrideb has survived for over 10 years.


    But as the professor continued her words, Charlottes expression slowly distorted into a grimace.


    Moreover, even if the disease makes one exhibit violent behavior, the aggression that the girl showed towards Adler is extremely excessive.


    That could vary from patient to patient


    In the two cases you encountered, the patients attacked bloodied individuals to escape their pain, but they didnt bite and tear their flesh, did they?


    Professor Moriarty, looking at her with a leisurely gaze, softly whispered.


    And what about the unreasonably increased strength with each fit? You skipped over that without exining the phenomenon properly.


    Can you exin these three points of doubt I have, Charlotte Holmes?


    Whats your angle?


    I feel a certain kinship with you.


    Thats positively horrifying.


    Feeling an inexplicable disgust from her words, Charlotte Holmes, with a nauseated expression, took a step back.


    And like Adler, Ive be interested in seeing how far you, still a raw and unrefined gem, can grow.


    Spare me the bullshit.


    Oh dear, was my lie that obvious?


    Professor Moriartys gaze turned slightly cold as the curse leaked out of Charlottes mouth.


    Adler wants that.


    ..


    He wants you to be my arch-enemy, so Im sincerely offering you my help.


    Professor Moriarty moved toward her and whispered into Charlottes ear; her voice dark and ominous.


    Do you understand, little girl?


    Hearing those words, Charlotte quietly bit her lip and clenched her hands hard.


    The reason why Neria Garrideb has survived a disease with a 100 percent fatality rate for over 10 years, the reason she harbors this unknown brutality within her, and the reason she can exhibit such tremendous strength.


    Look them up.


    The professor, provoking her, quietly shifted her gaze from her.


    Personally, I doubt it whether youll be able to find out the reasons by the end of the day.


    And then, with a smile in her eyes, she spoke to Adler.


    Dont you think the same, Adler?


    And the room was drenched in utter silence


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    <i>Ahaha</i>


    Whats with the suddenugh?


    I, who had been asked the question by the professor, shed her a slightly awkward smile.


    Excuse me.


    Yes, what is it?


    Do you often meet with your mother these days?


    Dragging my ufortable body, bound in chains, I sat down quietly next to Miss Garrideb and began to ask her some questions of my own.


    Yes, yes She sometimeses into my room before I go to sleep.


    I see


    Somehow, every time she does, my eyes automatically close and I quickly fall into slumber. But I distinctly remember the touch of her hand stroking my forehead


    It was all to derive the one answer that could exin the points of doubt Professor Moriarty had raised just now.


    By any chance, what is your mothers name?


    Vi, Victoria Garrideb Why do you ask?


    Do you know her maiden name as well?


    What? That is Oh, I remember.


    After hearing my question, she pondered for a moment before looking up at my eyes as she answered.


    My motheres from a noble family in Switzend. Thanks to that, she has a rather <b>unique</b> surname, if I recall.


    Is that so?


    Yes, as far as I remember, its


    Gulping hard in tension, I watched her as she slowly revealed the information I desired.


    Frankenstein.


    Upon hearing the name that slipped out of her lips, which eventually confirmed my hypothesis, I involuntarily clenched my eyes shut.


    Mothers former name was Victoria Frankenstein.


    Damn it all!!


    The beings whose very existence was a paradox were slowly revealing themselves, having established their foothold on London.


    <strong>Warning!</strong>


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