Ch.115Chapter 115 – The Hound of the Baskervilles (3)

“Once upon a time, there lived a very, very wicked lady of the manor named Helena Baskerville.”

“…May I consider this an insult to the Baskerville family?”

“Uh, well…”

Issac Adler, who had just lowered his voice and begun speaking in a theatrical tone, quietly scratched his head as he looked at the butler who had objected from the start.

“I’m sorry, but this is actually a historically verified fact. It’s been cross-verified multiple times in ancient documents left long ago.”

“For someone who happened to visit our mansion as a resort, you seem to know quite a lot.”

“…Indeed I do.”

Eventually, Adler smoothly brushed off the butler’s sharp response and continued his story.

“Anyway, this lady Helena Baskerville did not fear God and had a personality like that of a violent beast.”

“…I will record everything you’re saying and report it to the lady.”

“But one day, this wicked lady fell in love with a farmer’s son.”

As he completely ignored the butler’s words and half-closed his eyes, the three women’s gazes focused on him.

“Of course, it was more of a damp lust than anything worthy of being called love. And since the lady of the manor’s infamy was well-known even then, that poor young man could only avoid her, trembling in fear, to escape her proposal.”

“………”

“To be honest, I can relate to this quite well. I empathize completely.”

After muttering this, Adler noticed the increasingly cold stares from the three women and quietly lowered his tail as he continued his explanation.

“Then one day, it finally happened. That wicked lady gathered her friends and eventually kidnapped the young man to her mansion.”

“……”

“The young man, imprisoned on the second floor, could only tremble at the cheers and shouts coming from the drinking party held by the lady and her friends on the first floor to celebrate the kidnapping.”

Adler’s expression looked somewhat gloomy as he muttered this.

“…If you’re planning to do something similar to me, I kindly ask that you be gentle.”

“Would you please explain properly before we actually do it?”

“Understood.”

But when Sharlotte’s threatening voice flew in as her patience reached its limit, Adler returned to his smiling face as if nothing had happened.

“…Anyway, after hearing how they planned to handle him, the young man finally made a very brave decision.”

“What was it?”

“He climbed down the ivy growing on the southern wall to escape from the second floor. Then he began fleeing across the moor toward his father’s house, 14 kilometers away.”

He suddenly changed his expression to serious and gloomy as he continued the story.

“Meanwhile, around that time, the wicked lady of the manor realized that her trophy had escaped.”

“………”

“Naturally furious, she soon shouted loudly like this.”

His voice, which had been full of playfulness and laughter just moments ago, had now transformed into that sweet child actor’s voice that had charmed half of London’s women.

“‘If only I could bring that boy back, I would gladly offer my soul to the devil tonight!’ she said.”

“…Hmm.”

“After that, she headed to the stable, saddled a horse, and had her hounds smell the man’s scent that remained on the second floor.”

“……”

“Within minutes, Helena Baskerville and her hounds began crossing the moonlit moor.”

Just as Zia Lestrade and Rachel Watson were swallowing dry saliva and focusing on the story, captivated by his excellent acting skills—

“Wait a moment.”

Sharlotte Holmes suddenly interrupted him.

“Crossing the moonlit moor—that’s not your embellishment, is it, Mr. Adler?”

“…No, it’s not. You can ask the butler.”

As she shifted her gaze to the side, the mansion’s butler, who had been standing expressionlessly beside them, quietly nodded.

“Why are you curious about that?”

“It’s nothing.”

“…Please save your questions for after the story ends. We’re getting to the highlight now.”

After saying this, Adler cleared his throat and continued.

“The lady’s friends, who had sobered up belatedly, mounted horses and followed after her. But soon, they witnessed an astonishing sight.”

A sinister smile spread across his face.

“Those brave hounds had, for some reason, stopped their pursuit near a ravine and were huddled together, trembling.”

“………”

“This happened just minutes after a shepherd they encountered while riding testified in terror that he had seen a woman crossing the moor with a hellhound whose eyes glowed blue.”

As his smile created an eerie atmosphere that matched the gloomy mansion—

“…They should have turned their horses around at that point.”

Adler shook his head regretfully.

“But the lingering effects of alcohol and the fact that they weren’t alone but had companions beside them made them press forward.”

“………”

“So they descended into the ravine, trembling, and soon witnessed the most horrifying thing in their entire lives.”

He tilted his head and posed a question to the women before him.

“What do you think it was?”

It was clearly a question with a question mark at the end, but no one answered.

“The poor young man lying dead from exhaustion in a pool?”

“………”

“Or perhaps Helena Baskerville, who had somehow collapsed beside him?”

They knew it wasn’t a question that expected an answer.

“None of those.”

After answering his own question, Adler leaned toward his audience and whispered with a chilling smile.

“…What drove them to terror was a black monstrous creature.”

“A black… monstrous creature.”

“It was on top of the fallen Helena Baskerville, tearing at her throat.”

Rachel Watson involuntarily flinched upon hearing this.

“A moment later, the creature turned its blue glowing eyes and blood-dripping fangs toward the friends, and they fled screaming with all their might.”

“………”

“Rumor has it that one of them died that day, and the rest, though they survived, went insane.”

“…Why?”

To her question, Adler whispered with a sinister smile.

“…Because every night, that monstrous creature would appear at their windows, revealing its blue glowing eyes and blood-stained fangs, staring at them intently.”

“That’s not part of the legend.”

“The butler really likes to ruin the mood.”

Adler muttered with a dejected expression at the butler’s immediate objection.

“After that, the Baskerville bloodline experienced a higher rate of mysterious deaths, and the family eventually fell into ruin.”

He returned to his usual relaxed expression and concluded the story.

“…Until recently, when Sir Charles Baskerville revived the family.”

“Hmm…”

“But the curse remains to this day, still targeting the necks of the family members—quite a frightening legend.”

With those final words, Issac Adler wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and concluded his performance with a relieved voice.

“After all that effort explaining, don’t I get any applause?”

“………”

A brief silence fell over the mansion.

“The Bible says that a son shall not bear the punishment for his father’s sins, and vice versa.”

The one who broke the silence was none other than the mansion’s butler, who had been standing quietly beside them until then.

“Legends are just legends, everyone.”

“…Have you considered that it might not be God’s punishment, but the devil’s?”

“Please show some restraint. Devils were completely eradicated during the Crusades over 900 years ago.”

“But aren’t we living in chaotic times when forgotten ancient legends are being revived? That unidentified devil dog might return here as well.”

“…Tsk.”

As she and Adler faced each other with cold expressions, the three women’s eyes filled with questions.

“It’s surprising to see Adler react that way to a woman.”

“Indeed it is.”

“…Hmm.”

But before they could fully share their doubts, Issac Adler rose from his seat.

“Well, I have no intention of arguing about this. I’ll be staying for a few more weeks, and I don’t want to create unnecessary trouble.”

“Once the lady receives her inheritance, she will throw you out.”

“…I’m sorry, but I’ve already made arrangements with the current owner regarding that matter. I’ll leave on my own in a few weeks.”

He responded gently to the butler’s cold voice, then patted her shoulder as he passed by and whispered quietly.

“Until then, I look forward to your cooperation.”

Was it just imagination?

“………”

Not only the butler whose shoulder Adler had patted, but all the mansion’s servants who had bowed to Adler as he opened the door and left were staring at him from behind with pale and cold gazes.

“W-well then… we should be…”

“…It’s getting late, so you should stay the night.”

As Watson rose from her seat and tried to say goodbye in the inexplicably uncomfortable atmosphere, the butler turned her gaze and made a suggestion in a lifeless voice.

“The Baskerville estate is dangerous at night.”

“…Pardon?”

“If you accidentally enter the marshland, it could be troublesome.”

As Watson fumbled for words in response—

“…Then, we’ll be in your care.”

Sharlotte quietly rose from her seat and bowed her head.

“Holmes, are you serious?”

“………”

“Can’t we just go? This place gives me such an ominous feeling.”

The corner of her mouth was quietly turned up.

“…That’s what makes it good, Watson.”

Seeing Sharlotte’s expression full of vitality after catching the scent of a case—something she hadn’t seen in quite a while—Watson sighed deeply and shook her head.

“Inspector Lestrade, would you mind sharing a room with us?”

“…What?”

“I-it’s not that I’m scared or anything… but something feels off…”

Watson clung to Inspector Lestrade beside her and began muttering in a low voice.

“……”

Sharlotte, who had been quietly observing this, eventually turned her gaze forward.

“Interesting.”

For a brief moment, the butler and servants who had been giving Adler those spine-chilling looks were now directing them at her.

.

.

.

.

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That dawn.

“…Holmes.”

Rachel Watson, who had successfully managed to bring Zia Lestrade to her room, called out to her partner as she tossed and turned in bed.

“What?”

“Nothing, just… checking if you’re still awake.”

Sharlotte, who had been sitting in an armchair lost in thought, gave her a bland look.

“I didn’t expect my assistant, who received medals in war, to tremble at a scary story.”

“I-I’m… not afraid of people, but I am afraid of ghosts…”

“…Sigh.”

“You and Inspector Lestrade are the abnormal ones to begin with!”

She sighed at Watson’s whining and turned her gaze away again.

“…Holmes, tell me something interesting.”

“Sure. Don’t you find the curtains in this mansion really funny?”

“…What?”

Sharlotte suddenly smiled and stretched her hand forward at Watson’s timid voice.

“They put these premium blackout curtains on the windows, but they keep them wide open during the day and only close them at night. Quite amusing.”

She stroked the curtain and whispered in a low voice.

“…Why is that?”

“This is just my speculation, but…”

Just as she was about to share what she had been thinking with the puzzled Watson—

“S-someone… Someone please help!!!”

“……..!!!”

A terrified scream came from downstairs.

“L-Lord… Lord Baskerville…!!!”

“W-what’s happening?”

“…So it begins like this after all.”

The nightmare of the Baskerville family was just beginning.