Ch.171Chapter 171 – Rapid Growth

– Trudge, trudge…

“Um, excuse me… Miss Holmes.”

Being led by Sharlotte, whose face was covered with a frigid expression, as we walked along a country road filled with pebbles for quite some time, I started to feel increasingly worried.

For instance, where exactly am I being taken, and how much does Sharlotte actually know about this situation?

And I’m dying of curiosity about how that massive cloud of smoke, large enough to cover the entire sky of Cornwall, was created.

“My legs and back are hurting a bit…”

And to be honest, my physical condition was quite terrible after being thoroughly ravaged by the professor all night.

“Could we, maybe take a short break…?”

“………”

“Or, I could pay for a carriage if you’d like……”

So, as I cautiously watched Sharlotte’s reaction and began speaking in a low voice.

– Grind…

“Uh, um…”

When I noticed her stopping and grinding her teeth, I quietly trailed off and started breaking into a cold sweat.

– Swoosh…

“…Eek.”

In that situation, Sharlotte suddenly turned her body toward me.

“You see, Miss Holmes, what happened was…”

“Don’t speak.”

As I was rambling excuses, feeling like I might faint from the killing intent she was emitting, an unexpected voice came from her.

“…?”

“Don’t say anything.”

Her voice was trembling like a child who had lost her parents.

“Just keep your mouth shut…”

“……..”

“Yes, stay like that…”

As I obediently kept my mouth shut as she instructed, Sharlotte took a step toward me.

– Swoosh…

She stretched out both arms and very slowly began to embrace me.

“”……….””

And so began the silence.

‘…Is she wearing perfume?’

In that silence, I unconsciously manifested my vampire habits and buried my face in her neck, detecting a faint scent of perfume.

‘It’s quite strong today…’

The scent was so strong that it reminded me of the cute mistake she made when she first wore perfume.

But that was then, and now I know she’s quite familiar with makeup for beauty, not just disguise.

I wonder why she applied such strong perfume to cover up some smell.

“…Were you scared?”

“Pardon?”

While I was silently tilting my head in thought, Sharlotte blurted out something completely unexpected.

“It’s okay. I’m here with you now…”

“…….?”

“Don’t worry…”

Despite trying to sound reassuring, her voice was trembling considerably.

What on earth is she talking about?

“…Seeing your nonchalant reaction, it seems I was right.”

“What have you been saying all this—”

“This horrible sexual exploitation wasn’t the first time, was it?”

I was scratching my head wondering what she was talking about, but after hearing Sharlotte’s next words, I finally began to understand.

“I’ve always wondered. Why you would look so afraid and pale when seeing someone you like as much as I do.”

“No, that has nothing to do with—”

“You’ve been regularly sexually assaulted by the professor. That’s why your eyes are tinted with her color even though you don’t like her…”

Sharlotte’s eyes were completely deranged as she muttered this.

“But, I do like the professor…”

“Lies!! If you truly liked her, you wouldn’t have been raped today!!”

“Uh… um…”

“Yes, from the beginning… from the beginning you’ve been forced to be with the professor…!”

I tried to explain, but nothing got through to Sharlotte, whose eyes had already gone wild.

“Calm down, Miss Holmes…”

“What? Calm down? You’re telling me to calm down?”

“Yes, let’s just calmly…”

“How can I possibly be calm after watching the man I love get raped right before my eyes and being unable to do anything about it!?”

Cold sweat began to form on my forehead. Where did this go wrong?

No, come to think of it, why was Sharlotte here in the first place?

‘…Is this the professor’s scheme?’

Suddenly, I remembered the professor’s request to publicly portray it as if she had pounced on me.

Could that request have been made with this situation in mind?

“…I’m sorry.”

“Miss Holmes.”

“You’re the one who was violated, so you must be suffering more… I shouldn’t raise my voice.”

As I narrowed my eyes in thought, Sharlotte, who had been breathing roughly, pulled me closer and began to whisper.

“It’s, it’s okay. I…”

Looking at her intently, I then…

“…I’m already used to it.”

Feeling a considerable amount of guilt inside, I whispered with a seemingly nonchalant expression.

[To Be or Not To Be: Chapter 3 Start]

It seemed better to align with the professor’s plan if I wanted to help the girl before me awaken her power as quickly as possible.

[To Be or Not To Be: Awaken Sharlotte Holmes by any means necessary.]

– Rumble…

And for her sake, I was willing to do anything.

[※Death event will occur upon failure!※]

‘…Of course it would.’

The purpose of this event was to terrifyingly reduce the gap between the final boss Professor Moriarty and Sharlotte Holmes, balancing the scales.

The person who designed this extremely difficult event was none other than myself, just days before being reincarnated into this world.

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“…What did you say?”

“At first I couldn’t sleep well, but lately I don’t think much about it… Haha.”

Sharlotte’s blank expression darkened further with each of Adler’s subsequent statements.

“Rather than letting the professor run wild, offering my body as a means of control might actually be better…”

“Quit the academy.”

“Pardon?”

Interrupting Adler’s words, she spoke with a trembling voice.

“Go abroad. I’ve already devised an escape route that can deceive the professor’s eyes.”

“Um…”

“Going to America would be ideal, but we need to disguise our destination first. So if we go through Belgium to France, and then to Switzerland…”

“S-Switzerland is not an option.”

Adler, who sensed the “final incident” in her proposed route, nodded urgently with a pale expression, causing Sharlotte to pause briefly.

“No, escape itself is pointless.”

“…Why?”

“Because wherever we go, we’re still within the professor’s grasp.”

Whispering to her in a low voice, Adler began to stroke Sharlotte’s back.

“I’ll deal with the professor from now on. Understood?”

“Why you…!”

“Because it’s still too much for you…”

Hearing his words, Sharlotte made a chilling expression and began grinding her teeth.

“Moriarty…”

Then, with trembling hands, she covered Adler’s right gray eye as if to grab it.

“You’re not going to, pull it out…?”

“How dare, how dare…”

“Miss Holmes…?”

“Aaaaargh…!!!”

With her teeth clenched, she buried her face in Adler’s chest and began to scream.

“………”

And so began a brief silence.

“…Tell me you love me.”

“…….”

“Tell me that I’m the only one you love…”

As Sharlotte sobbed in the silence, Adler patted her back and whispered softly in her ear.

“I love you.”

“…Ugh.”

Her expression crumpled at his gentle voice, and she quietly raised her head.

“I’ve decided…”

“…….?”

“Somehow… I’ll… put that woman behind bars with my own hands…”

A ferocious voice began to leak from Sharlotte’s lips.

“Within a year from now…”

– Rumble…

‘…How did this happen so quickly?’

As an incredible amount of black smoke erupted in all directions, Adler momentarily sensed magical power from her similar to Professor Moriarty’s level and made a slightly stunned expression.

– Swoosh…

It was at that moment that a group of armed individuals appeared behind them.

“I’m sorry, but the reunion is over.”

“…Huh?”

In front of Lady Joanne Clay and Silver Blaze, who hadn’t appeared for quite some time, Celestia Moran, who seemed to have grown considerably taller in that short period, was whispering in a cold voice.

“We’ll be escorting Mr. Adler from now on.”

“…Ah.”

Adler, who had neglected his loyal subordinates for the past few weeks, began rolling his eyeballs while in Sharlotte’s embrace.

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“Escort?”

“………”

“You all…?”

As an awkward atmosphere hung between both sides.

“Ha! Hahaha…..”

Sharlotte, who was embracing Adler even more tightly, burst into a chilling laugh as she looked at the evil group that had appeared before her with crazed eyes.

“What’s so funny?”

Immediately came the question from Moran, who had grown noticeably more mature.

“Well, you’re all Adler’s subordinates, aren’t you…?”

“J-just a moment, Miss Holmes…”

Adler, who was looking at Sharlotte with a slightly ominous expression, tried desperately to stop her from speaking, but…

“And yet, your master was just brutally raped.”

It was already too late.

“…Where were all of you and what were you doing during that time?”

“””……….”””

‘…I’m screwed, shit.’

As his faithful subordinates all turned deathly pale and began staring at him, Adler’s mind simultaneously went blank.