Ch.185Chapter 185 – Korean Interpreter (9)

Honestly speaking, I had somewhat anticipated that Sharlotte would infiltrate this place as an interpreter.

If I had truly blocked the professor’s wiretapping perfectly, she would be the most suspicious person among those who might be eavesdropping on me.

She probably prepared for this from the moment I notified my trusted subordinates of the plan today.

That’s why I was planning to pretend to understand what she was saying if she infiltrated as an interpreter, while continuing with my own plan.

“Hello… everyone?”

‘…Wait, what’s going on here.’

But when somewhat awkward yet passable Korean came out of Sharlotte’s mouth, my plan began to fall apart.

‘How the hell does Holmes know Korean, damn it.’

Even with mana and magic, I’m currently in late 19th century England.

This isn’t some era of globalization, and there’s no internet, so how could she learn Korean in such a short time?

“Hey. I think there’s something that needs to be clarified before we start.”

While I was sweating nervously with these thoughts, a cold voice came from behind Sharlotte, who was sitting disguised as an interpreter.

“Is this how you people normally handle business?”

“We’ve suffered considerable losses having to move our hideout in a hurry.”

It was the men who had kidnapped the girl sitting next to me.

“Why are you complaining to me about that?”

“The translator your side sent betrayed us and leaked information. Probably took a bribe along the way.”

“…In other words, we can’t trust you either.”

With those words, the one who appeared to be a subordinate among the men pointed a gun at Sharlotte’s head.

– Click…

“Depending on your answer, we’ll decide whether to trust you or withdraw from this business…”

“Please, convince us.”

And then came the silence.

“…Isn’t it you who made the mistake?”

As I was trying to work on the ropes binding me so I could escape immediately if things went wrong, Sharlotte quietly stopped me with her eyes and began speaking in a cold voice.

“Weren’t you the ones who let an unidentified person into your hideout without verification?”

“What nonsense…”

“I hear you didn’t even set a password? If this matter was truly important, shouldn’t you have established that in advance?”

At that, the men’s faces hardened.

“And did you think our side wouldn’t contact you when sending someone? Something like a note you should have received this morning.”

“There was no such…”

“You should have read the contract carefully. There should have been a clause clearly stating that while we determine the visiting time at our discretion, we would contact you separately.”

Hearing this, one of the men frowned and pulled out a contract from his pocket.

“……..”

Then, Sharlotte quietly sent me a look.

“…What, it’s actually written there?”

“Th-this is strange. I’m certain I checked it thoroughly…”

Given the situation, I decided to follow her strategy and quietly moved my fingers to add a new sentence to the contract.

‘…Magic is quite convenient.’

Of course, a clause added after the contract was signed would have no legal effect, but whether the other party discovers this fact is a separate issue.

“…Tch, lower your gun.”

And apparently these two, lacking magical abilities, couldn’t tell that the clause was written with Sharlotte’s black mana from my body.

“Well, we’re currently investigating who tried to interfere with this deal. Though I said this, there was a lack of explanation on our part too, so we won’t charge you extra.”

“…Understood.”

As I was inwardly sighing with relief, Sharlotte continued her act with a sharp voice.

‘…She’s good at this.’

Watching her was somewhat strange.

Though she upholds justice, if she were tasked with committing crimes, wouldn’t she display skills as impressive as Professor Moriarty’s?

“Now, please start translating what we want to convey.”

“For reference, we’ll be staying inside this time. After carelessly agreeing to your request last time and suffering such humiliation…”

“Do as you please.”

While I was having these frivolous thoughts that would make true Sherlockians faint, the two men prepared to interrogate me and the girl.

– Swish…

“P-please just kill me instead…”

When blood-stained torture instruments emerged from their pockets, the girl sitting next to me began trembling.

“Tell them the following.”

As I was looking at her with pitying eyes, the rough voice of the man in front came through.

“Tell the woman that if she doesn’t reveal the location of the documents within one minute, and tell the man that if he doesn’t confess who leaked the information within one minute.”

“………”

“They will be brutally murdered right here.”

Hearing those words, Sharlotte’s eyebrow twitched slightly, but she soon began translating with an expressionless face.

“Document location… not tell now? You die…”

“Eek!”

Though her translation came out in a somewhat cute accent that didn’t match the situation, the content was enough to make the girl next to me tremble with fear.

“…And I believe the person next to you understands English too.”

“Ah, that’s true.”

After reminding the man of this fact, she quietly took off her wristwatch and threw it to us.

“Now, I count ten…?”

“Uh, uwaah…”

“When counting finish, very painful?”

And then, she uttered what was like a bolt from the blue for the girl, still in that cute Korean accent.

“…Excuse me, I thought we were given 60 seconds.”

“One.”

“Excuse me?”

“Two.”

I tried to object with a slightly disappointed expression, but Sharlotte mercilessly started counting.

“Three, four…”

– Screech, screech…

Simultaneously, the men standing on either side of us clashed their hideous torture instruments, making spine-chilling sounds.

“Hmm…”

In this situation, the choice I made was.

‘…Whatever.’

To just stay still.

‘It’s not like I’ll die.’

Originally, Lady Clay, the fake interpreter who extracted information about the client from the men, should have subdued those two, but Sharlotte, whose combat abilities had increased as much as the professor’s, could do that too.

And even if her plan included me being tortured, I was prepared to accept it as karma for my past actions.

“Mother…”

But one thing that concerned me was the poor girl whimpering beside me.

Of course, Sharlotte wouldn’t threaten the safety of a victim.

But lately, I’ve occasionally sensed Professor Moriarty’s aura in her eyes.

“Seven, eight…”

I should probably loosen my restraints just in case.

“Nine…”

As I finished that thought and quietly waited for the count to end.

“Wait!!!”

The girl, who had been silently trembling, suddenly shouted loudly.

“…Have you decided to talk?”

“Please relay this message to my homeland!”

She began urgently speaking to Sharlotte, who tilted her head.

“That they must withdraw the plan even now! The Japanese Empire has already pressured and bribed various countries including Britain…”

– Slap…!

“…Ugh.”

But before she could finish, she lowered her head after being slapped by the man.

“…What did that woman say?”

At the man’s question, Sharlotte, who had been silent for a while, quietly opened her mouth.

“Ten.”

Then, she quietly moved and pressed herself against the corner of the room.

“What are you doing?”

“I don’t want to get involved.”

“What?”

And the very next moment.

– KABOOOOM!!!

A terrifying explosion echoed all around, and the hideout’s wall exploded, sending fragments flying everywhere.

“Eek.”

Startled by this sudden development, I urgently tried to shield the girl from the fragments.

“…This is a breach of contract.”

“…!!!”

I opened my eyes wide at the familiar voice of the figure who had somehow reached in front of me with elegant movements.

“But I’ll overlook it this time due to special circumstances.”

It was Lestrade, who had knocked out the two men who were drawing their guns with just a police baton in the blink of an eye, and was now carrying me and the girl while whispering those words.

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“I called for Inspector Gregson this time, not you…”

As I stared blankly at the suddenly appeared Lestrade, Sharlotte, who had moved to the corner, pouted while dusting off her clothes.

“She’s under disciplinary action for failing to prevent Lupin’s escape. I’m covering her duties.”

“…Tch.”

At her response, Sharlotte clicked her tongue and began to move.

“Honestly, if I had a little more time, I would have extracted the client’s information too.”

“Ah…”

“But I couldn’t put the victim in danger just to catch the mastermind, could I?”

Sharlotte, who had been muttering as if explaining herself to me, added in a low voice.

“…And you were in danger too. Even more so.”

“Miss Holmes…”

With my eyes welling up at those words, I quietly broke free from Lestrade’s hold and walked toward her.

“…..?”

Then I kissed her soft cheek.

“Thank you.”

As I whispered with a shy smile, Sharlotte began to look at me with a slightly dazed expression.

“Ah, and…”

– Crack…!

“…Guhk!?”

I tried to secretly add something, but those words never reached Sharlotte.

“This is a breach of contract.”

“Gurgle…”

Lestrade, who had muttered coldly, had punched me in the side and picked me up again.

“I’ll be taking Issac Adler as a person of interest.”

“……..”

“I’m not asking for your understanding. This is official business, so if you’re thinking of objecting…”

As Lestrade carried me toward the exit while muttering with a slightly upset voice.

“…Go ahead.”

Sharlotte unexpectedly agreed.

“Tch…”

“Ack, um…”

After finishing those words, Lestrade glared at Sharlotte, who was rubbing her cheek and fidgeting, then applied strength to her arm and began moving forward.

‘…Well, there were some variables.’

And so, this case too was coming to an ambiguous conclusion.

‘But it’s still going according to plan.’

However, for me, this time was an exception.

“What are you grinning about?”

“No, it’s just… Aaagh!!”

I already knew who was behind this case, and I had planned how to conclude it.

– Crack…

“J-just be a little gentler…”

At that time, I hadn’t anticipated that my plan would cause such big ripples, but that’s a story for a bit later.

“After the interrogation, we’ll have a private interview at home.”

“…What?”

By the way, I hadn’t anticipated being subjected to such terrifying treatment by Lestrade at our nominal newlywed home either, but that’s a separate story.

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“…Hey.”

“Eek?”

As Adler was being dragged away while imagining a perfect crime in his head.

“Ah, calm down. We’re on the same side.”

“…Y-you speak Korean fluently now, unlike before?”

“I’ve been practicing for months. But that’s not important right now…”

There was something he hadn’t calculated.

“You’re a diplomat from Joseon? The Korean Empire, right?”

“Y-yes, that’s right.”

“Then you’re a nobleman…?”

“Not all diplomats like me come from noble families, but I am indeed from a noble family…”

It was that Sharlotte’s grasp had already extended much further toward his secrets than Adler had anticipated.

“…Then, you would know the surnames commonly used by nobles in that country?”

“W-why do you ask?”

“Nothing special, I just need to control a demon.”

“……?”