Ch.125Chapter 125 – Marriage

[Probability of being imprisoned…]

[Probability of being ??…]

[Probability of being divided…]

As I rode in the carriage back to London with Professor Moriarty after dramatically escaping the crime scene, numerous messages began to appear before my eyes.

‘…They’re already all at 100 percent, so why do they keep updating?’

[That’s what I’m wondering too.]

Well, normally I would have been trembling with fear, but now I don’t particularly care.

I never thought the difference between having an escape route and not having one would be this significant for a person, but ever since I obtained the return ticket, I seem to have stopped looking back.

‘Still, this is a bit extreme…’

As I tried to keep my eyes open while fighting the drowsiness that came with the release of tension, a thought suddenly occurred to me.

Was it really necessary to go this far?

Since I had already decided to finish everything that needed to be done to prevent the world from ending even if I disappeared before returning, couldn’t I have chosen a more moderate approach?

Now that I’ve already done the deed, such thoughts and regrets are beginning to surface in my mind.

“Hmm…”

But before long, these concerns begin to dull in my heart.

No, not just dull—I’m actually starting to regret not being more mischievous.

Something is definitely strange. Even though I might be excited about no longer needing to be concerned about others’ opinions since obtaining the return ticket, isn’t this going too far?

“……..”

After pondering deeply on my own, I came to the following conclusion:

‘…Am I gradually becoming more demonic?’

Ever since I realized that the identity of this body I inhabit is a ‘Demon’, something has definitely begun to stir within me.

Of course, these are still just faint emotions.

For instance, wanting to approach and flirt with women who dislike me, or conversely, wanting to subtly torment women who show interest in me, or wanting to deceive and trick those who trust me…

These are very minor moral lapses, but somehow I feel they might grow stronger as time passes.

‘…Demonization isn’t entirely beneficial after all.’

Although I’ve gained this non-negligible debuff of “runaway moral deterioration,” the benefits I’ve gained from this incident are enormous.

Thanks to Microny’s advice—which is essentially a cheat key to use when progress is blocked—I’ve successfully realized my identity and what I need to do next in this case.

By recognizing my identity as a ‘Demon’, I’ve not only been able to efficiently control powers I had previously only used unconsciously, but I’ve also managed to identify the cause of the infiltration rate threatening the world.

Yes, it’s me. The very existence of Issac Adler. That’s what has been drawing anomalies into this world in real-time.

Therefore, what I need to do next has become clear.

I must plan a perfect case that everyone would acknowledge, and then be completely defeated by Sharlotte Holmes in that case.

Suicide or natural death won’t work.

Judging by how quickly the infiltration rate is rising, the infiltration might end before I could die naturally anyway.

After going to all this trouble, I don’t want to end things ambiguously with suicide and ruin this world.

[Ending 999: Worst Ending]

Whenever I even slightly think of ‘suicide’, this message warning of the worst ending in the series appears before my eyes, reminding me of that fact.

‘Indeed, there’s no other way.’

So the best option now seems to be for me to be defeated by Sharlotte and completely disappear from this world, thereby preventing the world’s destruction by anomalies while simultaneously causing the heartbroken Professor Moriarty to retire voluntarily.

Of course, if I use the return ticket right before dying to go back to my original world, I could save this world without actually dying.

From the moment I genuinely fell in love with Professor Moriarty, the final boss, the originally predetermined happy ending was essentially lost.

In the end, I can only aim for the next best ending where both Sharlotte and Professor Moriarty survive, and I safely return—an ending where everyone lives.

Obviously, the “in the end” part is the problem.

‘…Well, it’s not my concern anymore.’

But for me, who has received the right to return to reality, such things are no longer an issue.

My place is not in this strange world of magic and mystery, but in reality with its modern conveniences.

‘Right, it’s not my concern.’

So, although I’ve grown somewhat attached to this world after tumbling through it…

‘It’s not my concern, but…’

No, I’ve actually grown quite attached…

“………”

It’s strange.

I thought I would be so happy to be able to return anytime from a situation where I could die or be attacked at any moment, but why is there this discomfort in a corner of my heart?

“…..Ah.”

I found the answer in my two eyes reflected in the carriage window.

“Haha…”

Left eye black, right eye gray.

Undeniable evidence that I’ve been infiltrated by Sharlotte Holmes and Professor Jane Moriarty—evidence that I can’t even excuse as merely giving my heart to them.

“Ha…”

As I quietly gaze at this evidence, my attempts to act nonchalant seem foolish.

‘…Even if I’m fine, what will happen to Sharlotte and the Professor when I return to reality?’

As I recall the fact I’ve been trying to ignore, my expression naturally darkens.

“………”

But soon I shake my head quietly and begin to steel my resolve.

‘…Still, I can’t let the world be destroyed.’

I can’t allow the world to be infiltrated by darkness for the sake of one year of happiness.

It would be better to give Sharlotte the opportunity to finish things herself, becoming a stepping stone for her growth.

And as for the Professor…

“……Eek?”

As I turned my head to the side after hours of such thoughts, I couldn’t help but shudder.

“………”

Professor Moriarty was sitting beside me, leaning in so close that I could feel her breath as she stared at me intently.

“…How long have you been like this?”

“Since we got in the carriage.”

Her voice was as monotone as usual, but somehow exuding impatience.

“Hmm…”

As soon as I heard that voice, mischief began to well up from deep within me again, and I set aside my concerns to start teasing her.

“…You’re creepy, Professor.”

“……..”

Since the Professor couldn’t immediately distance herself like Sharlotte or Lestrade, this was the second-best option I chose.

“I don’t like clingy women.”

In truth, it might have been my subconscious acting childishly after realizing we would eventually have to part ways.

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“Thinking about how you’ve been staring at my face without saying anything for hours makes me shudder…”

“…….”

“Pervert Professor.”

As Adler crossed his legs and said this with narrowed eyes, the Professor who had been quietly looking down at him tilted her head.

“…I’m joking.”

Unconsciously lowering his tail at this sight, Adler muttered with a slightly dejected expression.

“Oh, by the way, about that marriage contract.”

“……..”

“It was a very good strategy.”

Adler, who had been watching the Professor’s reaction, suddenly put on an affectionate expression and began poking her side.

“…Strategy?”

“You brought it on purpose to disrupt Sharlotte’s mana in case of emergency, right?”

The Professor merely stared at Adler’s unconsciously bold action without stopping him.

“Now, please give it back.”

“……?”

She looked at him with a puzzled expression as Adler naturally slipped his hand into her clothes and began rummaging around with a bright expression.

“I’ll keep it and use it effectively when dealing with Sharlotte in the future.”

“………”

“Ah, here it is.”

Having successfully grabbed the contract from inside the Professor’s clothes, Adler was about to naturally pull it out when—

– Thump!

“…Huh?”

The Professor roughly grabbed his hand and raised it up, taking back the contract.

“…Professor? What are you doing?”

“………”

“Eek…?”

After briefly looking dumbfounded, Adler tried to raise his arm high, but due to their significant height difference even while sitting, his hand couldn’t reach the Professor’s hand touching the ceiling.

“Stop joking around…”

“…This is no joke.”

As Adler spoke in a flustered voice, Jane Moriarty shook her head quietly and opened her mouth.

“It’s not a forged document either.”

“Then…?”

“This is a real marriage registration with legal effect.”

As her gray eyes began to darken, Adler, who had been struggling to retrieve the contract, froze in place.

“From the moment you signed it, it has already taken effect.”

At that moment, messages began to appear before his eyes once again.

[Probability of being imprisoned: 100%]

[Probability of being trained: 100%]

[Probability of being ??: 100%]

As Adler stared blankly at these messages, something cold slipped onto his finger.

“Huh…”

Adler’s mouth fell open as he confirmed it was a ring with what was clearly a top-quality diamond even to an untrained eye.

[Among the possibilities of all three probabilities occurring simultaneously, have you not considered marriage at all?]

Adler cautiously began to extend his free hand toward the menu containing the return ticket, but—

“What do you think?”

He had to stop even this unconscious action as his mind went completely blank.

“…Darling.”

The Professor, who had personally put the ring on Adler’s finger and was now avoiding his gaze with a reddened face, happened to utter that cute voice at that very moment.

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Meanwhile, at the Baskerville estate.

“…So, what do we do now?”

“………”

“If what Issac Adler said is true… do we really have to defeat him with our own hands?”

Sharlotte Holmes, who had returned to the Baskerville mansion completely soaked in rain for some reason, was searching through the room where Adler had stayed.

“While watching him forcibly marry that evil queen for our sake?”

“…No.”

She turned to face Lestrade, who was muttering anxiously behind her, with a cold expression.

“There is a way.”

“What exactly is that way?”

“True name.”

Upon hearing this answer, Lestrade clenched her fists and lowered her head.

“…How can we find that out?”

“We need time. If we can buy a little more time, there’s a possibility.”

Sharlotte, responding to Lestrade’s cracking voice, began to infuse her black mana into the ashes burning in the fireplace.

[Mr. Adler, here is the case information you requested.]

[It was a bit difficult getting information from the American embassy, but this is very reliable information.]

– Caroline Augustus Milverton

“…I’ve been personally reviewing a very interesting hypothesis for some time now.”

After a while, Sharlotte spoke again as she stared down at the note that was slowly being restored from the ashes, enveloped in her mana.

[Top Secret]

[United States Anomaly & Deviation Response Department]

Her golden eyes began to shine darker than ever before.

[General Sherman Ship Incineration Incident]

[This document contains the facts about the incineration incident of the General Sherman ship that occurred a year ago…]

“A demon showing interest in Orientalism—isn’t that interesting?”