Ch.12Chapter 12 – Red Mana Alliance

“Mr. Adler. Do you know what’s the easiest thing to deduce in the world?”

On the morning of the second day after taking on my first case.

“What is it?”

“It’s whether someone likes you or dislikes you.”

As I was walking through the academy corridor with Professor Moriarty, she said this to me with a smile on her face.

“Why is that?”

After a moment of confusion, I quietly looked around as she suggested and understood the reason.

“…Indeed, you’re right.”

Most of the male students and half of the female students in the corridor were glaring at me as if I were an insect as they passed by.

And the other half of the female students were blushing and avoiding my gaze.

“The reason you’re still alive is because you’ve made half of London’s women your allies.”

“Does that even make sense?”

“As expected of the top child actor who stole the hearts of all European women.”

At first, I tried to ignore it as one of her usual jokes, but her next words made me stop in my tracks.

“But I’d like to value your acting skills more than your looks as an actor.”

“………”

“Because you’ve been hiding that terrifying true nature all this time, only to reveal it for the first time when you met me.”

Professor Moriarty’s eyes were darkly gleaming again.

“Mr. Adler. But why did you reveal your true nature to that girl Charlotte?”

“…That’s a misunderstanding, Professor.”

Sensing an inexplicable danger in her words, I quickly shook my head and answered.

“I’ve only revealed my true nature to you, Professor.”

“Then why is she showing such obsession toward you?”

“Because she’s a genius like you, Professor. She must have caught the scent.”

At that, Professor Moriarty stopped tilting her head as usual and stared at me intently.

“Perhaps I’ll have to serve as Charlotte’s assistant as well. Of course, if she discovers my true identity…”

As I was watching her, I smiled and made a joke to lighten the mood.

[Villain Maker: Professor Moriarty’s appearance plausibility fulfilled]

[Progress 12% -> 15%]

A message suddenly appeared before my eyes.

“…You know I’m joking, right, Professor?”

As Professor Moriarty was still smiling sweetly but with dark eyes, I began to make excuses while breaking into a cold sweat.

“We’ve already made a contract and sworn by mana. I am only your…”

“After this case is over, I plan to conduct a long-term research project.”

“What?”

But what came next was like a bolt from the blue.

“Since it will be a very difficult research, you’ll inevitably have to sleep in my laboratory for a while.”

“………”

“Well, isn’t that good? You’ll be safe from assassins. And you won’t be bothered by that mana-addicted detective.”

Having suddenly been saddled with graduate student duties for one careless remark, I could only force a smile and reply.

“I’m truly delighted, Professor.”

“Haha.”

From now on, I should think before I speak.

“…By the way, I can see her now.”

As I hurried along with that resolution, I spotted our client sitting in the lounge ahead and began whispering to Professor Moriarty in a low voice.

“As I mentioned earlier, you need to formulate the overall plan, Professor. I’ll simply act according to your plan.”

At that, Moriarty’s frightening demeanor completely disappeared, and she began to look as excited as a child at an amusement park.

“My heart is truly pounding for the first time in ages. It feels like I’ve come to an amusement park made just for me.”

“It actually is an amusement park made for you, Professor.”

This novice crime consultant who openly shows her excitement will someday become the empress of London’s underworld, manipulating everything without my help.

I wonder if I’m the only one who gets to see this innocent side of her?

‘Somehow it feels like I’m playing a princess-raising game.’

After briefly entertaining such a frivolous thought, I walked toward our client, Lady Clay, while muttering to myself.

‘But how did that game end again?’

I think I learned that the more carefully you raise them, the more careful you need to be at the end.

.

.

.

.

.

“Ah, h-hello… Y-you’re a bit late…”

As Moriarty and Adler approached, Lady Clay, who was pretending to be Victoria Spalding, greeted them while fidgeting with her fingers.

“Th-that… about what we discussed last time…”

“I’ve cast a cognitive dissonance spell around us. So please feel free to be yourself.”

“…Tsk. You should have said so earlier.”

But when Adler who had arrived in front of her said that, she took off her glasses, assumed a cold expression, and crossed her legs.

“Before you speak, kiss my ring first. Then kneel and pay proper homage to me.”

“I’m honored, but I’ll do that when I become your servant.”

“The blood of the British royal family flows in my veins. A lowly being like you has no right to refuse.”

“At first, you need to resist without knowing better, so there’s pleasure in making you submit later, Lady.”

Hearing those words, Lady Clay twisted her lips and said.

“Somehow that sounds like you’re saying it to me.”

“That can’t be. Anyway, instead of allies tearing at each other, shall we get to the main point?”

“Haah.”

As Adler, who had been watching Moriarty’s inexplicable smile from the side, suggested this, Lady Clay sighed and quietly straightened her posture.

“First, you need to know what you should be targeting.”

Then, she pointed to the window behind her.

“My goal is right there.”

A massive bank under heavy security came into Moriarty and Adler’s view.

“City and Suburban Bank.”

“Yes, as I said yesterday, London’s finest bank.”

“So the student is trying to rob that bank?”

“Rob? How inelegant.”

Lady Clay bristled briefly at Moriarty’s words, then corrected herself.

“…I’m merely trying to retrieve a certain item from the underground vault of that bank.”

“What is this item?”

As soon as she heard that question, Lady Clay’s eyes turned red in an instant.

“You don’t need to know.”

After glaring at them with an expression that said not to pry further, she continued in a low voice.

“But if I get my hands on it, the age of vampires will certainly return throughout Europe.”

“Just thinking about it gives me chills.”

“Enough of that, will you tell me now?”

Ignoring Adler’s quip, Lady Clay glared at them both and began her interrogation.

“Why do you say my plan will fail?”

“Before I explain that, why don’t you tell us the plan you’ve come up with?”

“You’re being quite annoying.”

With an annoyed expression, she took out a map from her bosom, spread it on the table, and began explaining in an arrogant voice.

“According to this map, the building closest to the bank is right here.”

She pointed to a spot she had already circled.

“The pawnshop on Covent Street?”

“They’re practically back-to-back.”

“I’m already working part-time there under the identity of Victoria Spalding.”

Hearing this, Moriarty asked with a smile.

“Are you planning to dig through the ground from the basement while working part-time?”

“…Not bad.”

“I find it hard to imagine a noble lady digging with dirt all over her, but I suppose it works.”

“It’s simple but the most reliable method.”

Blushing slightly, Lady Clay continued her explanation.

“Working diligently while accepting half the normal pay, I’ve completely earned the pawnshop owner’s trust. And I can use pulverization magic.”

“……….”

“Even if I continued alone, I think the work would be finished in a few months? So the only thing you two can help with, as far as I can tell, is digging the ground together.”

After finishing her explanation, she raised her chin with an arrogant expression.

“So, tell me now?”

With a smile appearing on her face, Lady Clay looked at the two of them alternately and asked.

“What problems could there possibly be with this perfect plan?”

And then silence began to flow.

“If there aren’t any, you’ll have to fulfill the contract right here and now.”

With an expression that said “I knew it,” she extended her finger with the ring toward Adler and commanded.

“Kiss me.”

But for some reason, Adler was just quietly smiling.

“What are you doing? Swear your obedience.”

As Lady Clay was about to rise from her seat in irritation.

“If you break the contract, I won’t just sit…”

“There’s a fatal flaw in your plan.”

Professor Moriarty, tilting her head, slowly opened her mouth.

“First, there’s a high possibility that someone will find the tunnel you’ve dug suspicious before the work is completed.”

“What?”

“You were planning to create a large hole using pulverization magic and use mana stones to levitate the soil so it wouldn’t collapse, right?”

“H-how did you…”

“Anyone could deduce this by checking your first-year class records and equipment requests.”

She tapped the table with her finger and whispered.

“But because of the characteristics of the red mana of vampires, you won’t be able to control its power.”

“………..”

“As a result, if a large hole is created without support, even tapping a wand might cause a loud noise to reverberate.”

At this, Lady Clay lowered her gaze and quietly frowned.

“By the time it’s completed, if a large carriage passes by that area, there will likely be numerous suspicious people.”

“Th-that’s far-fetched. I’m aware of it, but not many people pass through there.”

Biting her lip, she attempted to refute.

“And if necessary, I can reduce the size of the hole. Of course, it would take more time…”

“There’s another decisive problem.”

But when Moriarty mentioned the next problem, she had to close her mouth.

“Have you ever seen the pawnshop owner, Mrs. Wilson, go out?”

“That’s…..”

“Think back. I bet there hasn’t been a single instance.”

After thinking for a moment, Lady Clay said with an incredulous expression.

“Come on, surely a person would go out at least once.”

“According to testimonies from people around, she hasn’t gone out even once in the past three years.”

“…What?”

At Moriarty’s words, she looked shocked.

“How can a person… Wait. How do you know about Mrs. Wilson?”

“Your plan was quite sophisticated for a student, but to me, it looked no different from a novice’s child’s play.”

“What nonsense…”

“Wasn’t your entire plan figured out by me, who didn’t take a single step out of my office yesterday?”

At those decisive words, Lady Clay closed her eyes tightly and pressed her lips together with a frustrated expression.

“But you’re lucky. Because you met me.”

“……….”

“From now on, we’ll take care of your plan. Any objections?”

When Moriarty asked her this, Lady Clay quietly nodded and rose from her seat.

“Then, I’ll contact you again soon.”

As she was about to turn around and leave, she heard Moriarty’s relaxed words and replied in a low voice.

“If you fail, you’ll have to take responsibility.”

With a cold smile on her lips, she said.

“Remember that.”

.

.

.

.

.

“So, what do you plan to do now?”

Professor Moriarty had been deep in thought for a long time after Lady Clay left, tapping her knee with her finger.

“Don’t worry. After staying up all night thinking yesterday, I found a way to infiltrate the bank without going through that pawnshop.”

When I casually asked her, looking similar to Holmes when she’s deep in thought, Moriarty finally smiled and began to explain.

“By sheer coincidence, there’s another place in London that exactly matches the height coordinates of the bank’s basement.”

“Where is that?”

“The basement of the dormitory at August Academy. It’s a place where a student who can’t afford the dormitory fee is staying with permission.”

Saying this, Moriarty handed me a document.

“Coincidentally, she is the daughter of Mrs. Wilson, the owner of the pawnshop where our client works.”

Behind the document showing a gloomy-looking female student with orange hair, Professor Moriarty’s eyes were gleaming coldly.

“What an amazing coincidence, isn’t it?”

“…Indeed.”

Of course, I knew the reason for this coincidence, but I decided to let it be since the professor seemed to be enjoying herself quite a bit.

After all, for her to grow, she needs to solve mysteries that the client is intentionally hiding.

“Since the height coordinates are the same, we can quickly complete a teleportation magic circle if we calculate correctly. There are plenty of mana stones in the academy that we can forge the usage for, so it should take at most two weeks.”

“In other words, it’s the optimal place to infiltrate the bank.”

“But, right now, it’s the worst place.”

“Why is that?”

At my question, Professor Moriarty gestured for me to turn to the next page of the document.

“As stated in that document, Miss ‘Diana Wilson’ who resides in the basement suffers from severe anthropophobia and communication disorders.”

“Hmm.”

“I once tried to talk to her out of curiosity. She was so startled that she ran into her room. She’s a strange student who sometimes doesn’t attend classes and stays locked in her room all day.”

“Then, for the same reason as the pawnshop, it would be difficult to draw a magic circle there.”

Hearing my words, she quietly shook her head.

“Nothing is impossible in this world, Mr. Adler.”

“Yes, that’s the spirit.”

“As long as you’re there.”

“…What?”

As I was about to nod with a pleased expression, Professor Moriarty suddenly pointed at me and began to whisper in a low voice.

“Miss Wilson, who resides in the basement of the dormitory, is a female student.”

“Wait.”

“And you are London’s foremost expert on female students.”

“Just a moment.”

This is impossible.

I said I would do as Professor Moriarty instructed, but this is truly impossible.

“Start from today.”

I’ve been so busy with work that I’ve never even dated, and now she’s asking me to seduce a woman?

And not just any woman, but a hikikomori female student suffering from severe anthropophobia and communication disorders.

“Mr. Adler. Didn’t you say you would follow my instructions exactly?”

“Professor, isn’t there another way…”

“You need to work hard, even to uncover the secret that the client is hiding.”

However, I couldn’t refuse Professor Moriarty’s request.

I didn’t want to lose the goodwill and trust I had built up and end up as a specimen in her office.

“Oh, and by the way.”

So I gritted my teeth and quietly nodded, when suddenly Professor Moriarty whispered in a low voice with darkly gleaming eyes.

“It goes without saying, but don’t give her your heart.”

“………”

“Graduate students don’t have the right to date.”

After nodding once more at that joke, I got up from my seat with a deep sigh.

‘Should I just become Clay’s servant at this rate?’

To seduce a hikikomori female student within two weeks.

No matter how much I rack my brain, I just can’t see a solution.

.

.

.

.

.

Exactly two weeks later.

“P-please help…!”

A girl who had barged into the lodging house at 221B Baker Street without warning was desperately pleading to Charlotte Holmes.

“Yes, please calm down first. Would you like a cigarette…”

“M-Mr. Adler is in danger!”

“…What?”

Charlotte, who had been trying to calm her down with a relaxed expression while leaning against the sofa, began to slowly contort her face upon hearing those words.

“I’ll give you anything. I don’t have much, but I’ll give you my life…”

Despite this, Diana Wilson, a second-year student at August Academy, continued to speak while sobbing.

“Please save him…”

The curtain was rising on what would later be called the ‘Red Mana League’ case.