Ch.179Chapter 179 – Korean Interpreter (3)

“Certainly… even I have never heard this language before.”

“…R-really?”

The professor, who had been deep in thought while watching the woman screaming in pain from the torture that had begun again, strokes his chin and quietly speaks.

“Adler. I know far more languages than you can imagine.”

“T-that’s impressive…”

“And that includes Asian languages as well.”

As I quietly agree with the professor’s words, trying hard to ignore the screams coming from in front, she looks at me with an interested expression and continues.

“I’m particularly versed in Chinese. I had friends there in the past…”

“…The dragons?”

“Adler, what did you just say?”

“I-I said these weapons look nice. It would be good if we had these at our base too…”

Having made a slip of the tongue from being too nervous, I hurriedly pointed at the torture devices scattered around, trying to change the subject as the professor began staring intently at me.

“Anyway, so it’s not Chinese? That’s surprising…”

“…Why are you sweating so much?”

“This case seems quite difficult. Haha…”

As I was putting on my best acting performance, the man paused his deliberation and looked at us with suspicious eyes.

“Can you really find an interpreter? This is a very sensitive matter.”

“That depends on how much time and budget we have.”

“I can pay you generously. However, I cannot give you much time.”

At the professor’s calm response, the man’s expression filled with even more distrust as he stated his requirements.

“You’ll need to bring an interpreter who can communicate with this woman within two days at minimum. Of course, someone familiar with dealings in this dark world to avoid complications.”

“That’s quite demanding. You know two days is unreasonable, don’t you?”

“Three days. I can’t give you more than that. As I mentioned earlier, this involves diplomatic matters.”

At that, the professor’s gaze turns slightly cold.

“Your tone is becoming somewhat disrespectful again.”

“I apologize, but there’s no choice. This is not a matter open for negotiation.”

“Hmm…”

“If you think it’s unreasonable, you’re free to leave. I’m sure the crime consultant who’s been the talk of the underworld recently wouldn’t carelessly divulge such matters.”

The man who delivered this provocative comment to her bowed respectfully.

“”……..””

And then silence fell.

“…So I need to find an interpreter within three days?”

“To be precise, within 52 hours, but yes, that’s about right.”

“Quite an unusual and complicated request.”

In that silence, the professor turned around and put her arm around my waist as she began walking toward the exit.

“…It’s perfect for killing time.”

“My goodness, I don’t know how to express my gratitude…”

At her low murmur, the man finally smiled and replied.

“So… how would you like to handle the contract?”

“My assistant will stay behind to finalize it. He’s more skilled at contract magic than I am…”

“I see. We prefer clean transactions as well, so I agree…”

As I quietly began to move forward at the professor’s gesture to go ahead in this situation.

“By the way, what do you plan to do with that woman for the next three days?”

“Well, if nothing special happens, I suppose we’ll continue the torture.”

Hearing those words, I quietly gritted my teeth and stopped walking.

“Who knows? Maybe if we keep torturing her, English might suddenly come out of her mouth.”

“Then you’d certainly save some money.”

“Well, so far I’ve only heard strange words like ‘siba,’ ‘saekki,’ ‘jonna’… At first, would you believe I thought it was Russian? Haha…”

In this situation, the man casually mutters while holding a red-hot poker.

– Drip…

A tear rolls down from the eyes of the woman who was looking at it with a fearful gaze, her body bound to the chair.

“Excuse me.”

“…What is it?”

And that was the reason I unknowingly dug my own grave.

“…Actually, I know a bit of the language this woman is using.”

“”……..?””

I deliberately ignored the chilling smile that was forming on Professor Moriarty’s lips as she watched me from behind.

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“Adler~”

As I was preparing to interpret for the woman who was sitting in the chair provided by the men with a slightly confused expression, a languid voice suddenly came from beside me.

“…Professor? You haven’t left yet?”

“Well, there’s no need to find an interpreter anymore, is there?”

“Ah, I see.”

“And I’m curious about something.”

As I tried to respond to her whisper with a composed appearance, the professor tilted her head and gave me a smiling glance as she asked a question.

“How do you know words that even I don’t know?”

“Well, I could know them…?”

“Adler. Everything in this world has its proper plausibility.”

“Uh…”

“I want an answer that fits that plausibility.”

I tried to brush off the question, but judging by the professor’s sharp gaze, that seemed impossible.

“…It’s because I’m a Demon. I can understand languages like that?”

“That’s quite a convenient setup.”

“I-it’s true though! Haha…”

“Well, if you say so, then I suppose that’s how it is…”

As I forcibly squeezed out a plausible excuse, the professor stroked my head with a look that seemed to find me cute and whispered.

“…I’m just asking in case, but are you planning to seduce that woman too?”

“Of course not.”

“Let me make this clear.”

At her terrifying threat that followed, I hastily nodded and straightened my posture, any such thoughts completely vanishing.

“If you seduce that woman, I’ll show you our child next year.”

“…I’ll keep that in mind.”

And so began a brief silence.

“If you’re ready, shall we begin?”

The man who had been waiting for our conversation to end stepped forward and spoke.

“First, please ask that woman if she’s willing to reveal the location of the documents.”

‘Are you willing to reveal the location of the documents?’

When I relayed the message in Korean, a momentary look of surprise flashed across her tired face.

‘…W-who are you?’

‘………’

‘How does a foreigner speak Joseon language?’

As a longer sentence than usual came out of her mouth, the men who had been looking at each other began to murmur in low voices.

“She definitely seems to understand…”

“What did I tell you? I said this was a very reliable place.”

“…Hey, but what is she saying?”

The man suddenly turned to me and asked.

“She’s still too shocked to speak properly, but…”

“Is that so…?”

As I calmly explained to him, the man’s eyes suddenly turned cold.

– Slap…!

“Ugh…!”

And the next moment.

“Would you tell her it would be better to focus and answer properly…?”

After slapping the woman with full force, he smiled at me and made his request.

‘I’ll ask you once more. Are you willing to hand over the documents?’

‘Just kill me instead!’

When I asked the question again following his words, a defiant answer came back.

‘Don’t you value your life?’

‘I would rather give up my life than hand over documents containing my country’s fate!’

‘You don’t know how terribly they will treat you.’

As I made a light threat at the men’s request, the woman’s body began to tremble.

‘…It doesn’t matter.’

Though her complexion had turned pale, perhaps remembering the torture she had endured so far, her answer remained stubbornly firm to the end.

“What is she saying?”

“Hmm…”

The men seemed to have already grasped the atmosphere and asked me without much expectation.

“…Well, you see.”

As I briefly contemplated, taking in the pale, scarred face of the woman before me and the men quietly fondling torture devices in their possession.

“She says she has conditions.”

I finally closed my eyes and lied to the men.

“Conditions… you say?”

“Yes, she just said that much, so I’m not sure what they are.”

There wasn’t any particular reason.

“Hmm…”

“Wouldn’t it be better to continue the conversation for now?”

“…Ask her what the conditions are.”

It was just my typically willful heart telling me to do so.

‘What are your conditions? (Listen carefully to what I say from now on.)’

“…….!?”

So I began to add words after the translation, just like in the original episode “The Greek Interpreter” case.

[Probability of identity exposure: 75%]

Seeing the system message that appeared before me, I smiled bitterly and continued.

‘Answer quickly. (I will help you.)’

‘Ah…?’

I couldn’t choose between good and evil at my previous job and got fired, and now I’m doing the same thing here.

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– Creeeeak…

Meanwhile, at that time. Just as Adler was beginning his trademark troublemaking at the risk of his life.

“We’ve arrived.”

“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”

In the crime-ridden back alley where they were, a luxurious carriage that didn’t match the atmosphere appeared, drawing attention.

“Ah, you don’t need to get out.”

“B-but…!”

“…This is a matter of national importance.”

Eventually, a very familiar face emerges from the carriage with the support of subordinates.

“And at the same time, it needs to remain unofficial.”

“”……..””

“I believe you understand what I mean.”

Microny Holmes, who whispered in a gentle voice, began to walk leisurely with her hands behind her back.

“…By the way, why do I smell a familiar vampire scent?”

Her eyes, which had shown no sign of opening for weeks, were narrowly open, carrying a fishy energy.