Ch.16Chapter 16 – Red Mana Alliance (5)

Entering the Auguste Academy was easier than expected.

Of course, there were challenges for Adler, who was absent without leave, and Holmes, an outsider, to enter through normal channels.

“Shouldn’t we change clothes separately?”

“……..”

“Miss Holmes?”

But Adler was a master actor skilled in disguise magic, and Holmes was London’s greatest detective with comparable disguise abilities.

“Is this proper behavior for a detective?”

“…A detective walks the fine line between legal and illegal.”

Within minutes, they emerged from a nearby restroom as rather ordinary-looking new students, successfully infiltrating the academy after evading the guards.

“Miss Holmes.”

The two headed underground, holding hands to conceal their handcuffs and avoid arousing curiosity from aspiring detectives.

“You’ve seemed a bit off since earlier.”

“…Have I?”

Amid their journey, Adler quietly asked Holmes beside him.

“Have I done something wrong?”

“I wonder.”

But her response was noticeably colder than before.

“Was my statement about protecting you as your assistant so offensive?”

“Of course not, Mr. Adler.”

Holmes then quickened her pace, displaying a cold smile.

“I’m actually quite happy right now.”

“Hmm…”

Scratching his head with a puzzled expression, Adler soon offered a quiet smile.

“Well, whatever your reasons, we’ve finally arrived.”

He then extended his hand, pointing ahead.

“This is the basement where Miss Wilson worked for a week.”

The dark basement was completely deserted.

Unlike before when it was merely dusty, now it exuded an occult atmosphere with complex formulas covering the floor.

“As you can see, there’s quite a lot here.”

“……..”

“This is likely our last chance to find clues. So…”

Adler carefully stepped inside while taking in the scene.

“Oh.”

But he couldn’t proceed further.

Holmes, handcuffed beside him, had become completely motionless.

“………”

Her eyes were quietly gleaming.

“Miss Holmes?”

Sharlotte Holmes had entered a trance state that occurred unconsciously when she encountered decisive evidence.

In this state, her perception of time and sensations slowed dramatically, while her already exceptional cognitive abilities increased to their limits.

Normally, she could only enter this state after long periods of concentration in an armchair or with the hallucinatory effects of magic stones.

Yet somehow, Holmes had slipped into this world while standing rigidly in place.

“Miss Holmes. Miss Holmes.”

*poke, poke…*

Even as Adler poked her cheek with a curious expression, she remained unresponsive.

“Come back to your sen—”

Just as he was carefully stretching her soft cheek,

“…Ugh.”

She suddenly jabbed his side with a pipe she’d pulled from her pocket, then brought it to her lips.

“…This isn’t good for you. Especially for a body suffering from mana addiction.”

Adler, rubbing his side as he stood up, snatched the pipe from Holmes’ hand.

“That’s a mana addiction antidote, not tobacco.”

“Covering up mana addiction symptoms with nicotine doesn’t count as an antidote, Miss Holmes.”

“Are you worried about me now?”

To her question, Adler smiled and replied.

“You’ve been looking quite tired since earlier.”

In Adler’s view, Sharlotte’s eyes showed considerable fatigue, perhaps from walking around all day.

“Your physical condition is poor to begin with, which is why you tire easily. You should take some time to recuperate.”

“…Ha.”

Though Adler’s advice contained genuine concern, Sharlotte responded with another cold smile.

“Even an actor shouldn’t be performing in a situation like this.”

“Pardon?”

“…Never mind.”

With that, Holmes walked forward with her hands behind her back.

“Perhaps I was enjoying our time together too much? Or maybe my heart raced whenever you presented a puzzle.”

“I’m honored…”

“That’s why I wanted to play with you a little longer.”

After reaching the center of the basement, Holmes stopped walking.

“But it seems you want to end this game, Mr. Adler?”

“What do you mean?”

“I thought we could have a good relationship.”

When Adler tilted his head in confusion at her words, Holmes smirked.

“Well, I suppose there’s no point saying this now.”

“…?”

“Let’s solve the final puzzle, Mr. Adler.”

The “Red Mana League” case was approaching its conclusion.

.

.

.

.

.

“At first, I deduced that Joanne Clay was targeting the bank’s basement.”

Holmes began explaining her deductions to Adler.

“I thought she was working at the pawnshop next to the bank under suspicious conditions to dig a tunnel.”

“So that’s why you visited the pawnshop as soon as you took the case, Miss Holmes.”

“Yes. But since the pawnshop owner rarely left the house, they needed another means to break into the bank. That place was the academy basement, ideal for creating a teleportation magic circle.”

“Then they would naturally need to remove or recruit Miss Wilson who lived there?”

As Adler nodded and agreed with her words, a momentary gleam of pleasure appeared in Holmes’ eyes.

“I thought you were hired for the recruitment.”

“Hmm.”

“It would be simpler to recruit her and have her directly draw the teleportation magic circle in the basement, without taking unnecessary risks.”

However, she continued with a cold gaze.

“But my deduction was negated by one fact.”

“Because there was nothing stored in the City and Suburban Bank’s basement?”

“Yes, to quote you, Mr. Adler, the premise itself was overturned. I was quite confused at first, but…”

“When you looked at it from a different angle, you quickly found the answer. Isn’t that right?”

At Adler’s interruption, Holmes stared at him intently before nodding and continuing.

“Joanne Clay’s target wasn’t the basement. That was just a diversion. Her real goal was to have Diana Wilson draw the magic circle of her own will.”

“You mentioned that earlier. But you didn’t explain your reasoning.”

“…Because I lacked evidence.”

Then, as if a teacher questioning a student, Adler asked in a gentle voice.

“Now that you’ve seen the evidence with your own eyes, can you explain your reasoning?”

“Of course.”

Though Holmes’ expression remained cold as she answered, her eyes contained a strange heat.

As a genius who had grown up without guidance due to her innate talents and personality, it was natural that she couldn’t easily control her emotions when finally meeting a mentor of her caliber.

“I just discovered Miss Wilson’s true identity.”

Holmes added, watching Adler’s reaction.

“She’s a vampire.”

Adler smiled softly in response.

“And not just any vampire—a pureblood vampire, thought to be extinct.”

“What’s your evidence?”

“Consider why Lady Clay was working at the pawnshop for such low wages.”

Holmes slowed her speech slightly, as if savoring the moment.

“If she wasn’t digging a tunnel to the basement, she must have had business with the pawnshop owner and her daughter, Miss Wilson.”

“Hmm.”

“The pawnshop owner, Mrs. Wilson, hasn’t left the house once in the past three years, right?”

“How did you know that?”

“Inquiry is a detective’s basic tool. Simple questions around the crime scene can reveal many facts.”

Holmes’ feelings were filled with emotions different from her usual sense of superiority and omnipotence.

“Unlike mixed-blood vampires like Lady Joanne Clay, awakened pureblood vampires are extremely vulnerable to sunlight.”

“And?”

“Before meeting you, I heard testimony from vagrants in the alley.”

This man before her had designed everything and deduced unexpected variables even faster than she could.

She felt a desire to be acknowledged by him, to work with him, and someday surpass him.

“They saw the pawnshop owner secretly leaving the store late at night.”

“That’s not sufficient evidence.”

“There’s more.”

Even though she had realized what he intended to do to her in the end, she couldn’t calm these feelings right now.

“Miss Wilson said that ‘red mana’ emerged from her hands during the interview. At first, I thought it was a trick by Joanne Clay.”

“Why?”

“I could detect a faint magic stone reaction from Miss Wilson’s hands while talking with her.”

Holmes demonstrated by producing a faint red mana using her ring’s magic stone.

“I am a magic stone expert, after all. I can detect it even days later.”

“I see.”

“Lady Clay probably put magic stone powder on her hands when they shook hands during the interview.”

“Hmm.”

“Using magic stone powder as a medium to remotely interfere with mana and change its color to red. That way, Miss Wilson would have a reason to join the club. Quite plausible, isn’t it?”

As Adler nodded, Holmes waved her finger and continued.

“But that wasn’t it. Miss Wilson clearly stated that her mana was a ‘flaming red color.'”

“She mentioned that, did she?”

“A ‘flaming red color’ is difficult to create through remote control. Even I, an expert, would find it nearly impossible to overlay orange mana and make it appear that way.”

“Then how could Miss Wilson wield red mana?”

“That’s another piece of evidence that she’s a vampire.”

Holmes intensified the red mana she was producing and continued.

“The magic stone powder wasn’t for mana hijacking—it was a catalyst.”

“You mean it amplified the vampire mana hidden in Miss Wilson’s body?”

“Exactly.”

“But we still lack sufficient evidence.”

At this, Holmes pulled something from her pocket.

“Crucially, Miss Wilson’s health deteriorated rapidly over the past few days since she began working on the magic circle.”

“What’s that?”

“You can tell by the spacing of sand in this hourglass.”

After staring intently at the hourglass showing Miss Wilson’s rapidly diminishing lifespan, Holmes looked at the magic circle behind Adler.

“Mr. Adler, I’m not a mana user, so I can’t read that magic circle.”

“Yes, that is unfortunate.”

“But considering the purpose of the ‘Red Mana League’ led by Joanne Clay, even a non-mana user can guess the purpose of that magic circle.”

Her breathing became slightly faster.

“The Red Mana League’s goal is to bring about the revival of the vampire era in London.”

“………”

“Miss Wilson, a pureblood vampire lineage who hasn’t yet awakened as a vampire, would be the perfect sacrifice for them.”

Hearing this, Adler looked down at Holmes with an appreciative gaze.

“My magic stone ring is reacting strongly to that magic circle. It seems certain that tremendous energy is contained in that small magic circle.”

“Hmm.”

“This is just my speculation, but I think Miss Wilson has been unknowingly storing vampire powers in that magic circle for the past week.”

The corners of his mouth began to rise slowly.

“Lady Clay wouldn’t do this for someone else’s benefit. The reason she approached Europe’s last pureblood vampire, who was living in hiding without causing trouble, was clearly to obtain that power.”

Her deduction was approaching its conclusion.

“And she will come here soon.”

With that, Sharlotte looked directly into Adler’s eyes and whispered.

“Because you disbanded the club today.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Disbanding the club means Miss Wilson is no longer needed. In other words, the magic circle is complete. Isn’t that right?”

As soon as she finished speaking.

“This is indeed Holmes.”

Adler muttered with a satisfied expression.

“So the game story was the problem. The great Sharlotte Holmes couldn’t possibly fail to solve a case like this.”

“…Pardon?”

“Damn story department bastards.”

Holmes tilted her head in confusion at these sudden incomprehensible mutterings, but Adler cleared his throat and continued.

“Well, now it’s my turn to ask a question.”

Holmes tilted her head to the side.

“Why do you think I want to end ‘this game’?”

“……..”

“I don’t consider it a game, but I’m curious why you think so, Miss Holmes.”

At this, Holmes answered with a cynical expression.

“It’s simple.”

“Which is…?”

“From the moment you said you would protect me no matter what, you began secretly casting sleep magic on me.”

“What?”

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice because I’m not a magician?”

Adler’s eyes widened in bewilderment.

“And simultaneously, someone began following us. The killing intent was so strong, it was impossible not to notice.”

“Someone following us?”

“Stop the act, Mr. Adler. I already know your follower neutralized all the police I had prepared in advance.”

The accumulated effect of the sleep magic gradually began to close Holmes’ eyes.

“I had hoped for some kind of twist, but it seems there isn’t one.”

“No, wait…”

“So you too are just another criminal after all.”

As Holmes lost her balance and collapsed, Adler quickly caught her in his arms.

“It might not have been a normal relationship, but I thought we could have a good one nonetheless.”

“Listen…”

“I even considered hiring you as my assistant.”

With half-closed eyes looking up at Adler, Holmes declared bitterly.

“But to you, I was just a toy to be played with and discarded.”

With those words, Holmes’ eyes closed completely.

“…How disappointing.”

Just as she uttered these final words before losing consciousness, Adler’s expression went blank.

*Creeeeak…*

The basement door opened, and someone entered.

“Well done, Mr. Adler.”

Lady Clay, the client in this case, approached them with a seductive smile.

“I took care of some interference outside. I hope you don’t mind?”

Adler’s expression began to quietly crumple.

.

.

.

.

.

“………”

Sharlotte Holmes lay limp in Adler’s arms, appearing unconscious to anyone who might see her.

‘…Good.’

Surprisingly, she was still thinking to herself in this state.

‘Everything is going according to plan so far.’

The puff Sharlotte had taken from the pipe when she jabbed Adler’s side wasn’t actually tobacco smoke.

What she had inhaled was a mana gas that induced a cataleptic state.

Sharlotte had deliberately intoxicated herself with the fumes to enter a cataleptic state before the sleep magic could take effect.

‘The opportunity will surely come.’

This useful compound, discovered accidentally during her magic stone research, was something she used frequently—she had even used it in pill form to fake her death while disguised as a nun during “A Scandal in Bohemia.”

Of course, back then she couldn’t rise at will since she had taken it in pill form.

But after extensive research following that fire incident, she had developed an improved version that overcame the limitation of being unable to wake up. Now, she could rise at any time after just a little more time passed.

‘I’ll have to wait for the moment when Lady Joanne Clay absorbs the mana.’

Even a vampire becomes vulnerable when absorbing such enormous power.

If she struck during that opening, she could subdue her relatively easily.

‘Then it’s Issac Adler’s turn.’

That would be her victory.

Although Issac Adler was a magician with intelligence matching her own, his combat abilities were quite poor.

She had already simulated countless combat scenarios against Adler in her mind.

In every situation, she was confident of victory.

‘…It’s a shame.’

As Sharlotte calmed herself with these thoughts, she suddenly reflected.

‘The reason your hourglass is almost empty must be because you’re destined to be defeated by me here.’

Execution without exception for those who aid vampires, regardless of status.

An old, dust-covered law, but one still in existence.

‘If you were going to discard me after showing me such fun, you should have just left me to die in those flames that day.’

Thinking how nice it would have been if he had considered her entertainment to be enjoyed for a long time, she began to listen to the conversation that had started.

“You were following us.”

“When I hire someone for a job and they start hanging around with a girl like that, I can’t help but be concerned.”

Just minutes away from an expression she couldn’t possibly imagine.

.

.

.

.

.

“Why did you use sleep magic? That’s practically addiction, not sleep magic. It’s terrible for the recipient’s body.”

“Hmm?”

When I asked in an angry tone, Lady Clay standing before me tilted her head.

“Why does it matter? She’s going to die anyway.”

“…Kill her?”

“I’ve always wanted to drink blood once I became a pureblood vampire. I don’t like that it’s been soaked in mana, but I can’t touch you since we’re under contract.”

The moment I heard those words, I felt my rational restraint snap.

“I’ve put the police waiting outside to sleep. No one will come here for a while.”

“………”

“By the way, I was going to explain my real plan, but it seems you figured it out on your own.”

When I came to my senses, I was already speaking to her in a cold voice.

“The moment your purpose was exposed, you cleverly requested a fake mission to rob the bank. That diverted our attention and that of the detectives, while you used me to obtain Miss Wilson’s powers.”

“…….?”

“You truly are the fourth smartest woman in London.”

Hearing this, Lady Clay frowned and spoke.

“Fourth…? What do you—”

“But.”

However, I had no intention of listening to her properly.

“You made two critical mistakes.”

“I don’t know what they are, but you’d better not step on that magic circle.”

As she approached, speaking in a gentle voice, Lady Clay continued.

“It’s not something a mortal like you can withstand. The moment you accidentally touch it, you’ll become terminally ill with days to live.”

Looking at her, I answered.

“First, not trusting our criminal consulting service and using us as you pleased.”

“…Are you listening to me?”

“Second.”

As I quietly removed my outer garment to wrap around Sharlotte in my arms.

“You dared, without knowing your place, to touch London’s hope.”

The price for daring to touch my favorite character without knowing your limits will be quite painful.

“Holmes isn’t someone you can handle.”

As I finished this thought and took a step forward, my foot touching the magic circle began to burn with mana as if it were being consumed.

“You fool.”

Seeing this, Lady Clay began to sneer.

“Have you grown attached to that little girl while being tied to her?”

She asked, sitting in a nearby chair and crossing her legs, not even bothering to counterattack.

“Forgetting your contract and throwing away your life—how utterly ridiculous.”

Her reaction is understandable.

How amusing it must be to see an enemy with golden mana (which could be troublesome for her) voluntarily jumping to his death.

“It can’t be helped.”

But there’s one thing she doesn’t know.

“Sometimes, to protect what’s most precious, one must be willing to sacrifice even their life.”

That I am the very designer of this world’s magic.

“Remember this well.”

It was time to show this arrogant vampire the greatness of her creator.

.

.

.

.

.

*Tremble…*

“……..?”

But why has Sharlotte in my arms been shaking like this?

Now I’m worried.