Chapter 122: The Hound of the Baskervilles (10)
"... Haa, haa."
Charlotte Holmes, chasing the bizarre monster hidden inside the raging storm, traversed through the dim wilderness despite it being the early hours of the morning.
<i>- Grrrrrrgrgr...</i>
"... Good boy."
She paused to catch her breath and then started to slowly approach the massive hound that had stopped in its tracks and was now ring at her with its eerie eyes.
"Ho, Holmes...!"
A creeping voice came from behind her at that moment.
"No...!"
Watson, who had been panting just like her moments ago, was now whispering with a pale face filled with fright.<i>- Thud, clump...</i>
But Charlotte, after a ncing at her for the briefest instance, continued her walk toward the hound.
"Are, are you out of your mind...?"
"It''s okay, Watson."
Charlotte, who was now standing right in front of the massive hound, stared into its fierce blue eyes and murmured in a low voice.
"This fellow won''t hurt me."
"What?"
"Shh, stand still and watch."
Watson looked puzzled upon hearing her words, while Inspector Lestrade, who had been watching the creature with a threatening gaze, whispered in a sharp tone.
"It doesn''t seem like it will attack right away."
<i>- Grrr...</i>
True to her words, the monstrous creature lowered its posture and growled threateningly at Charlotte as she approached the beast. However, it showed no signs of attacking her in the least.
<i>- Swoosh...</i>
After staring at the bizarre being for a while, Charlotte carefully extended her hand forward, and a silence began to envelop on her surroundings.
<i>- Grrr...</i>
"Eh...?"
Watson, who had been sweating and had even closed her eyes tightly, opened her eyes at the voice that entered her ears and couldn’t help but watch on in a daze as she registered the incredulous scene she was seeing.
<i>- Purrr...</i>
"Wh, What..."
"What a good boy. Very good."
The monstrous creature, which seemed ready to pounce on Charlotte any moment, was now purring as she stroked its cheek.
"... How, how did you... Holmes?"
"I’ve told you before, haven’t I? This beast can''t harm me."
Charlotte looked down as if she had expected this oue and quietly opened her mouth.
"This fellow belongs to Isaac Adler."
"What...!?"
"I''ll exinter. We''re in a hurry."
She whispered to the creature who had been rubbing its cheek against her hand.
"Lead us to where Isaac Adler is."
"... Woof."
Then, the creature nodded with a slightly dull expression, contradicting the previous helplessness it had been showing till now, and started moving toward a specific direction.
"I feel like I somehow know what this creature is."
Lestrade, who had been staring at the bizarre beast’s back, narrowed her eyes and spoke up.
"What is it?"
"The truth is, this creature isn''t some legendary demonic hound. Rather, it’s just an oversized hunting dog."
"Oh, really...?"
"The glowing blue eyes must be due to fluorescent material applied around them. If not, then it should be a powdered magic crystal that absorbs sunlight.”
Eventually, Watson nodded her head with a look of understanding at Lestrade''s usible exnation.
"If Isaac Adler has been secretly training the beast since it was young, that would exin its actions so far. Even a fierce beast, when raised from a cub, will loyally follow humans."
"That does sound usible..."
"And, the dog is probably a gentle creature focused more on scouting and surveince than hunting. Isn''t that right, Miss Holmes?"
In response to her words, Lestrade merely gave an ambiguous shrug, as though not entirely sure about her conjecture. Quietly, she cleared her throat and then sought Charlotte’s agreement to her words.
"... No."
"What?"
"It’s clearly the demonic hound from the legends, isn''t it?"
However, Charlotte immediately negated her deduction.
"It''s not an ordinary hunting dog, it can only be ssified as a monster. This beast uses high-level magic, after all."
".........."
"Just moments ago, it was salivating while looking toward Watson. That tells me it wouldn''t be this docile without Adler''s orders."
The atmosphere, which had gotten slightly rxed, suddenly froze over at Charlotte’s mind-numbing words.
<i>- Shiver...</i>
"Then... how is Isaac Adler able tomand such a terrifying creature like a domestic dog…?”
In that tense atmosphere, Lestrade, slightly trembling beside the literally vibrating Watson, posed the question to Charlotte.
"We''re about to uncover the reason for that very soon."
Charlotte replied in a low voice.
"That''s the crux to the counterargument Adler presented, and also the final key to ending this bizarre case."
As she finished speaking, she paused for a brief instant. Immediately, a newndscape of the wilderness, previously obscured by the storm, began toe into her view for the first time.
""...........""
Not far from the valley where the legendary demonic hound first appeared, there was a cave from which faint light was seeping out.
"... Is everyone prepared?"
As the bizarre being that had been watching Charlotte and her group from the entrance of the cave quietly moved inside, she whispered in a subdued voice and then entered the cave with aposed expression.
"I really, really hate this..."
"Would you prefer to stay here then?"
"That, I hate that even more!"
Eventually, even Watson and Lestrade, whose faces had turned pale from fright and uncertainty, moved into the cave after Charlotte. Thus, silence began to flow through the deserted wilderness for a long, long time.
<i>- Stomp...</i>
It wasn''t until a new figure arrived in front of the cave, trudging through the storm and stepping heavily onto the sticky ground, that the silence was finally broken.
.
.
.
.
.
"Ha, huff..."
"What a pity."
Isaac Adler discreetly separated himself from Helen Baskerville, who had been twisting and writhing her body to and fro while exhaling heated breathes for a while already, and muttered with a hint of disappointment in his voice as he gazed forward.
"Is it already thiste..."
<i>- Grrrrr...</i>
His eyes caught sight of the monstrous creature that had sessfullypleted the task he had given and had now returned.
"Well done."
<i>- Purr...</i>
As Adler was naturally stroking the creature''s head, the corners of his mouth curled up.
"You all did well too. It must have been scary since it''s getting quite dark right now, but you managed to find your way here."
"""..........."""
Three women emerged from the darkness in front of him.
"Isaac Adler."
"So, Miss Holmes, have you given any thought to the message I sent you?"
Charlotte, who stood at the forefront, called out his name with an expression colder than arctic snow. Meanwhile, Adler just smiled with his eyes and threw a question toward her in return.
"Message or whatever, there''s no need for it. In fact, I have no intention of hearing anything you say."
But before he could continue, Gia Lestrade was the one who started to approach Adler with a resolute expression on her face.
"Isaac Adler, I am arresting you right here and now."
"... On what charge?"
"The charges against you are numerous, but for starters, we''ll investigate the charge of kidnapping Miss Helen Baskerville and the charge of conspiring with Gloria Mortimer."
"Heh..."
Hearing those words, Adler showed a mischievous smile and turned his gaze toward Charlotte.
"Do you agree with the inspector’s ims opinion, Miss Holmes?"
"... No."
"Miss Holmes. This is an issue where personal feelings must not interfere."
As Charlotte gave such an answer when being asked, Lestrade, with a solemn expression, began persuading Charlotte.
"Isaac Adler will go through legal proceedings and be brought to trial. Since he is not directly charged with murder, he will probably face a prison sentence of about 10 to 20 years at mos..."
"... That''s not it."
But Charlotte Holmes, who quietly shook her head, gazed intently at Adler and spoke.
"The charges against Isaac Adler are not limited to just this incident..."
"... Then?"
"Not only this case, but all the incidents that have urred so far, and those that will ur in the future, he might be directly or indirectly involved in each and every single one of them."
Lestrade''s eyes slightly zed over upon hearing her words.
"We have been dealing with such an abstract entity all this time, after all."
"What are you..."
"Adler, I''vee to realize your true identity."
Leaving a dazed Lestrade behind, Charlotte began walking towards Adler— a sinister smile stretching her lips.
"... Is that so?"
"........."
"Then, please enlighten me."
Adler''s sweet voice reached her ears in the next moment.
"As you know, you only have one chance to satisfy me."
"... Ha."
As Adler’s eyes began glowing with a deep bloody red, Charlotte Holmes sighed deeply and stopped in her tracks.
"Never would I have imagined that the joke I muttered as a jest back then would be reality."
"........"
"... But I know it better than anyone else."
She was about to utter a phrase that would be one of her most famous lines.
"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”
"... It''s truly an honour of mine to be able to hear those words from your own lips.”
A silence momentarily settled between them at Adler’s ambiguous words.
"Isaac Adler."
In the quietness of the moment, Charlotte''s frigid voice began to echo clearly throughout the cave.
"The mage of contracts who loves more than anyone else, but tends to only conjure unfair contracts that only benefit himself.”
"... I have been backstabbed a few times already though. By people like you, or the professor."
"The mischievous nature of fulfilling people''s wishes in the form of , albeit in a rather twisted manner."
"It''s not like I do it because I want to..."
Adler tried to make excuses with a slightly disheartened expression in response to her words.
"The tail that he carelessly reveals when transforming into a vampire, which has nothing to do with vampires."
"........."
"The abnormal charm that can bewitch half the women of London."
"... That''s irrelevant, isn''t it?"
However, after the mention of the , he became momentarily speechless. Then, he murmured with a slightly awkward smile in response to her continued words.
"And, most crucially…"
Ignoring him, Charlotte continued, now looking at the bizarre otherworldly monster that had been rubbing its cheek against Adler''s leg while sitting at his feet.
"The legendary demonic hound that exudes unconditional loyalty..."
"......."
"Even as a vampire, I should have noticed the overreaction the moment you saw the silver cross. But now, it''s be all too clear."
Her eyes began to tremble slightly at that moment as she was about to speak her next set of words.
"The devil who vanished from the earth due to the Crusades that heralded the end of magic and myths. However, ording to various legends and rumors, the devil has asionally revealed himself to the world even after his disappearance."
Her voice remained steady and clear, despite everything.
"Much like the devil that appeared in the legend of the Baskerville family."
"........."
"... That''s your true identity, isn''t it? The Devil."
Adler, with a captivating smile and a tail that he had nonchntly revealed as it wagged from side to side, nodded in acknowledgement… affirming her bone-chilling words, affirming that… he was .
"You''re indeed correct."
As that satisfying voice leaked out of his lips, a colder silence than ever before began to envelop the cavern.
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<strong>『Love-Hate Rtionship (Episode 2)』</strong>
<strong>– Description:</strong> Earn Charlotte Holmes’ hatred.
<b>– Progress:</b>20% → 100%
<strong>『Twists and Turns of Love』</strong>
<strong>– Description:</strong> Earn Inspector Gia Lestrade’s hatred.
<b>– Progress:</b>20% → 100%
<strong>『Lady of London』</strong>
<strong>– Description:</strong> Complete one sham marriage with Watson.
<b>– Progress:</b>???
As I observed the messages that appeared before my eyes, I let out a quiet sigh of relief upon confirming the reward listed at the bottom of the list.
<b>Rewards</b>
– Return to the Original World Ticket x1 (Single Use Non-Recurring<sup>1</sup>Item)
"It’s a bit embarrassing to admit, but I’ve just realised it myself not long ago.”
True to my expectations, Charlotte Holmes had swiftly arrived at the truth.
"The instigator who summoned the back during an age where magic, myth, and mystery were all but extinct; the culprit behind the recent surge of bizarre incidents, and the mastermind still actively drawing all sorts of oddities to this world as we speak…"
Even I, the developer, was unaware of this body''s true identity.
"That''s precisely who I am, Miss Holmes. I am… . In the flesh."
"........"
"If you''ve deduced thus far, perhaps you''ve also deduced what I''m about to do next?"
If so, with this reward, I have now secured a way out. There is only one thing left for me to do.
"... I must decline your proposal."
And with that whisper, I took out the marriage certificates of thedies from my pocket.
<i>- Rip...</i>
Before their eyes, I tore them in half.
"I am the darkness that must fade away, purified by your light."
"""..........."""
"... A transient life of happiness does not suit someone vile like me."
At that moment, the women began to stare at me with an intensity that was hard to put into words. It was far more intense than anything I ever experienced.
"Nevertheless, I love you, Miss Holmes."
Just then, system messages that I could never have anticipated, slightly different from the ones before, began to appear before my eyes.
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<strong>Warning!</strong>
– <strong>Probability of being Imprisoned —</strong> 100%
– <strong>Probability of being Kidnapped —</strong> 100%
– <strong>Probability of being Tamed —</strong> 100%
– <strong>Probability of being Deprived of Physical Freedom —</strong> 100%
"... What the fu…!"
Though slightly startled by these abrupt messages, I believed that it was probably a bug spewed out by the system that had not anticipated such a development.
Since I''ve secured the ticket back to the original world, such things would absolutely never happen to me no matter what.
<strong>Warning!</strong>
– <strong>Probability of ??? —</strong> 100%
This was just tantly scaring people for no reason. Fucking bitch of a /genesisforsaken