Ch.136Chapter 136 – Expansionist Moves

“…Haah.”

As the long dawn finally ended and the morning sun began to quietly shine down.

“I couldn’t find him after all.”

Gil the Reaper, who had been searching all over the park for Adler, lets out a deep sigh and slumps down in place.

“…Has he already escaped with that thieving woman?”

It was truly a frustrating situation for her.

“Tsk…”

Despite revealing her true abilities in her most noble princess form, she had failed to achieve her objective.

Of course, if only insignificant monsters had been present today, it wouldn’t have mattered much.

But there were at least dozens of gazes quietly observing the situation without entering the park.

And among those observers, quite a few would have figured out the connection between herself as a princess and the recently notorious serial killer “Gil the Reaper.”

“…I wonder if I can cover this up again.”

If she moved quickly, she could manipulate the British press and fabricate information.

For instance, claiming that a princess who went out for a walk was attacked but escaped danger by awakening her “special abilities.”

But that would only work on the ignorant masses.

The spies from numerous organizations who witnessed today’s incident would report the unaltered information directly to their superiors.

‘…In the end, my freedom of movement will be restricted no matter what.’

Even if not all of them believe the exact truth, she wouldn’t be able to prevent the decrease in reputation and the spread of strange rumors.

In the end, this outcome was nothing but a loss for her.

‘Was this all calculated?’

With the situation having developed this far, everything was starting to feel like Issac Adler’s plan.

‘…All of this, just to make a fool of me?’

Of course, this wasn’t groundless paranoia.

No ordinary person in their right mind would send date invitation letters to monsters lurking throughout England and then casually go for a stroll.

Had he perhaps set the most dangerous trap in London, using himself as bait?

“………”

Come to think of it, it was also suspicious that among all those monsters, she was the only one who didn’t receive a letter.

What if Adler, to avoid suspicion, had deliberately arranged for Gil the Reaper herself to discover the letter and come to the park?

And what if she had fallen perfectly into that plan?

– Grind…

Gil the Reaper, sitting slumped on the park bench, quietly begins grinding her teeth.

“You’re certainly… good at mind games, Adler…”

Well, who is Issac Adler anyway?

From what she had observed, he was someone who had overcome countless crises using nothing but quick thinking and cleverness.

At that level, it’s beyond mere cleverness.

Issac Adler was a strategist who hid a sinister smile behind that innocent, playful face.

“Haah…”

The fact that he was walking a tightrope between that detective and the professor while wagging his tail should have indicated he was no ordinary person, so why did she only realize it now?

Such thoughts flooded her mind, but it was too late for regrets.

Now she needed to focus on the situation at hand.

– Rustle…

As she pondered how to gain even a slight advantage in this situation where she had completely fallen for Adler’s scheme, she rose from her seat.

“…….?”

Into Gil the Reaper’s field of vision came blurry figures appearing in the distance.

– Growl, growl…

– Grrrr…

“Q-quickly, find him…! The sun is rising…!!”

It was Helen Stoner, who was combing through the park with the monsters under her command, just as Gil the Reaper had been doing.

“I just got confessed to… t-today is our first day together…..”

“…Heh.”

Gil the Reaper’s eyes began to quietly sparkle as she observed the scene with interest.

“How convenient.”

“….Who’s there?”

“…I was just thinking I needed more subordinates with monster abilities.”

With that, she began to stride forward.

“What did you say…?”

– Swoosh…

In her mind, a plan for how to use this situation to recover her losses had already been perfectly formed.

“It seems a king of monsters has been born.”

“I don’t know who you are, but are you a monster too? If so, kneel and…”

“…I’ll let you join the United Kingdom of Great Britain too.”

“What…?”

A grand plan based on the expansionist approach of the British Empire, in accordance with the royal education she had received since childhood as one with royal blood.

“A colony is still part of the British Empire, after all.”

“………!?”

That morning.

London citizens who were trying to enter the park for their usual morning walks could only turn away in confusion, blocked by the Royal Knights guarding the entrance with cold sweat.

“Hey, do you know why the sun never sets on the British Empire? It’s because even when the sun sets, it rises on the colonies on the opposite side of the earth.”

“What nonsense are you babbling about!!!”

“It’s not a joke, it’s true. New Zealand has been our colony for decades…”

“Kyaaaaaaah!!”

Some citizens reported to the press that they heard terrifying screams coming from inside the park, but those reports never made it to the newspapers.

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– Knock knock knock…

That evening. Issac Adler’s hideout.

“”……..””

The three minions of Adler, who had their masters taken away by the phantom thief before their eyes, silently bowed their heads to the person who opened the door and entered the hideout.

“…Interesting.”

Professor Jane Moriarty stared expressionlessly at their gloomy faces, muttering in a monotone voice as she entered the hideout.

“You all look pathetic.”

Emitting a cold chill as she walked, she glanced to the side and whispered.

“…Do you think there’s any meaning to the existence of hunting dogs who can’t even protect their master?”

“”…….””

“Think about it carefully.”

Then, with footsteps so quiet they couldn’t be heard, she began heading toward the fireplace.

– Tap tap…

– Rumble…

As the professor reached the front and lightly tapped the wall, a hidden door was revealed with the sound of interlocking gears.

“H-how did you know about that…”

“…Hmm.”

Taking in the mechanism with her eyes, she ignored the surprised voice from behind and began descending the dark staircase to the basement.

– Creak…

Stopping in place, she placed her hand on the thick iron door, which surprisingly began to open slowly by itself.

“……..”

The scene inside the basement that came into Professor Moriarty’s view.

“Hello there.”

“It’s been a while.”

“As we don’t have time to waste, I’ll ask directly.”

Jane Moriarty, staring intently at Microny Holmes who was chained by her hands and feet looking haggard, began to ask questions with a chilling gaze.

“What was your motive for orchestrating all this?”

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

Microny Holmes tilted her head quietly and asked in return.

“As you can see, I’ve been kidnapped by Issac Adler, deprived of my physical freedom, and restrained in a basement.”

“……..”

“In this situation, what could I possibly orchestrate?”

After speaking in a shameless voice and shrugging her shoulders, the professor quietly moved her steps in front of Microny.

“Indeed, your actions in this case were extremely limited.”

“…….”

“To be more precise, it was just one statement that influenced the incident.”

The gazes of the two women, standing chest to chest, quietly crossed.

“…Go to the address written on the note, Baskerville Manor.”

“Fufu.”

“That simple and clear statement of yours was the starting point of all this.”

Hearing those words, Microny, who had been squinting, began to let out a dark laugh.

“Did you calculate all this by yourself?”

“…….”

“What was your motive?”

Eventually, as her laughter subsided, a soft whisper escaped her lips.

“…Delicious things should be shared.”

“How dare you…”

“Don’t you agree…?”

Professor Moriarty, who was about to hold a blade made of her mana to Microny’s neck in anger, stopped her action and fell silent at Microny’s continued whisper.

“…You greedy lizard.”

It was around that time that thunderstorms and heavy rain began to sweep across England.

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“….Hmm.”

Meanwhile, at that time.

“It’s suddenly raining…”

In a hidden villa somewhere on the outskirts of England, Issac Adler, wearing a bathrobe and holding a glass of wine, looked at the storm that had begun outside the window and muttered in a worried voice.

“…I wonder if the professor is angry again.”

“…Hehe.”

Meanwhile, lying at his feet and using her stomach to support his foot was Arsène Lupin.

“C-could you step on me a little harder…?”

“…Let’s be reasonable. You might die.”

With a few more bruises on her body, she looked up at Adler sipping his wine and began to make requests in a low voice.

“I-if you don’t put more strength into it, I’ll lock you in the cloak again?”

“…Sigh.”

“Ughh…”

As Lupin’s moans quietly began to echo through the villa.

“……..”

A black gaze that appeared outside the rainy window quietly began to glare at Issac Adler.

[Probability of being devoured: 100%]

“…Well, I can just return if needed.”