Ch.20Chapter 20 – Flirting

“Professor, I’m sorry, but I’m quite tired right now.”

After enduring Professor Moriarty’s gray gaze for a while, I slowly opened my mouth.

“It seems you were also enjoying a drink just now.”

“……..”

“So, would you mind if we postpone my answer to your question and my report on this case?”

It was a proposal that even I thought unlikely to work, but I needed to buy time somehow.

In a situation where one wrong word or showing fear could cost me my life.

After everything I’d been through, I was quite exhausted, and one slip of the tongue would be the end.

That’s why I needed even a brief moment to regroup.

“Ah, if that’s the issue, there’s no problem.”

But the moment I saw the chilling smile that appeared on Professor Moriarty’s lips, I had no choice but to abandon that thought.

“I always carry truth serum with me. You’ll be able to talk even while sleeping.”

‘…Damn it.’

There would be no second chance.

If my answer was delayed even slightly, I might bid farewell to this world forever.

‘This trick was still in practice.’

So, while concentrating mana in my eyes with all my might and recalling the magic circle I had designed in advance.

“If you’re that curious, I’ll just tell you now.”

“A wise decision.”

I then approached Moriarty in front of me and began speaking in a low voice.

“Actually, there’s not much to explain.”

It was time to begin a game of cat and mouse with the fate of the world at stake.

.

.

.

.

.

“You are everything to me, Professor.”

Having said that, Issac Adler placed both hands on Professor Moriarty’s table and continued.

“The core of my operating principle, the irreplaceable nucleus, is Professor Jane Moriarty sitting before me right now.”

His sincere voice was reaching her ears.

“I want to turn London into a kingdom of crime, Professor. And I want to see you sitting on that throne.”

“Why me?”

“Because I knew it the moment I saw you. That you are the person most suited for that position.”

Issac Adler’s eyes gleamed in the dim lamplight.

“And that thought,” he continued.

Professor Moriarty tilted her head quietly as she watched him begin to rub his eyes.

“Has never changed, not even once.”

When Adler raised his head a moment later, his eyes, no longer their original blue but turning a murky gray, were revealed.

“…Mana erosion. I think this should be sufficient proof.”

Simultaneously, Adler pointed to Professor Moriarty’s dark gray hair.

“I’ve already been stained by you, Professor.”

Hearing those words, Moriarty silently looked at Adler.

Despite facing such a situation, her expression remained remarkably unchanged.

Even if it had been Sharlotte standing before her instead of Adler, it would have been impossible to read her true feelings.

“Do you also have a ‘Curse’?”

“…Who knows? I’ll keep that a secret for your amusement. But what’s important is that I move solely for you, Professor.”

However, at the curious voice that escaped from the professor’s lips, Adler, feeling a thread of hope, continued his story with all his might.

“For instance, in this case, risking my life to secure Lady Joanne Clay and obtaining the power of vampires was all to create an organization for you.”

“……….”

“I pushed myself too hard because of it, but I won’t die yet. At least not until I make you the Napoleon of crime.”

Professor Moriarty’s eyebrow twitched quietly upon hearing those words.

“Even the matter related to Sharlotte Holmes this time was solely for you, Professor. She has the potential to become your match.”

“That immature girl?”

Looking straight into her eyes, Adler replied.

“Professor. She will definitely become our match. London’s hope who will completely satisfy your boredom and desires. That is Sharlotte Holmes.”

“You’re giving her quite a high evaluation, unlike you.”

“If you were watching this case from afar, you would have roughly grasped her abilities.”

Professor Moriarty responded with an intrigued smile.

“I did. She was certainly impressive. But still immature. It would take quite a long time for her to become a ripe fruit.”

“You saw it accurately.”

“Then is your beginning to caress that fruit also for an early harvest?”

“To be precise, not for me, but for you, Professor. This case has probably shortened the harvest time.”

After finishing his words and catching his breath for a moment, Adler glanced at Professor Moriarty and spoke again.

“Do you understand a bit better now?”

“………..”

“That I am solely your possession, and everything I do is entirely for you, Professor.”

And then came silence.

“I’ve heard you well, Mr. Adler.”

After staring at Adler for a long time in silence, Moriarty raised the glass she had been holding and swirling.

“Would you like a drink?”

“Professor. Offering alcohol to a student?”

“I want to put you in a mentally weakened state.”

And then she showed her usual bright smile.

“What you say in that state might be different from now.”

“Professor, I…”

“But for now, I’ll believe what you say.”

As Adler was about to say something but closed his mouth, Professor Moriarty continued with an amused expression.

“I’ll say it again, I ‘believe’ you. After all, you’re my cute assistant.”

Feeling as if she was playing with him from above, Adler’s spine chilled, but he forced a smile.

“Oh, and I’ve recorded everything you said.”

“…What?”

But as Moriarty’s statement continued, cracks slowly appeared in that smile.

“I quite liked it. What you said to me.”

“………..”

“I wanted to keep it as binding evidence so you can’t deny it later.”

Moriarty chuckled softly as she said this.

“So, Mr. Adler, whose possession did you say you are?”

“…I am your possession, Professor.”

The moment Adler answered the playful question without much thought.

“Then why did you consume your lifespan without my permission?”

Her voice suddenly became chilling.

“Professor, that’s…”

“Your remaining lifespan and life are entirely mine. That’s the contract between you and me.”

“As I said earlier, it’s all within my calculations. So you don’t need to worry…”

“That’s not the issue.”

As Adler closed his mouth at those words, Moriarty quietly added.

“It’s extremely unpleasant and displeasing that even a minute or a second of your lifespan, which is my possession, was spent for someone else.”

“………”

“Especially since it was spent on that ill-mannered and gloomy detective.”

And then Moriarty smiled again.

“Don’t do that again.”

“…Understood, Professor.”

As Adler nodded with an exhausted expression, Moriarty gestured to him.

“Mr. Adler. Come sit beside me.”

“What?”

Looking puzzled but pulling a chair to sit beside her, Moriarty whispered in a low voice.

“Stay seated beside me like this.”

“…Until when?”

“Until I finish reviewing all these reports.”

As she handed the entire stack of reports in front of her to Adler, his eyes began to tremble quietly.

“You’re joking, right?”

“The door will remain locked until the review is complete.”

And so began a time that was nothing short of hell for Adler.

“Mr. Adler.”

“…Hmm. What is it?”

Adler, who had been stamping reports with a drowsy expression, reflexively responded to Moriarty’s voice from beside him.

“Break up with Miss Diana Wilson.”

“…I was planning to do that anyway.”

Then, looking at Moriarty with sleepy eyes, Adler said.

“There will be numerous cases waiting for us in the future, and I can’t become lovers with all the clients.”

“……….”

“Except for special cases that could benefit the organization, like the Queen of Bohemia or Lady Clay, I plan to end relationships after each case.”

“Good thinking. If you didn’t break up, I would have had to kill.”

“Professor.”

He sighed at Moriarty’s words and began speaking while looking straight at her.

“I don’t know who you’re talking about killing, but if it’s me, it’s not a very good threat.”

“Why not?”

“Because dying by your hand would be nothing short of an honor for me.”

At that, Jane Moriarty, who had maintained her expressionless face until then, began to stare at him.

“If you want to threaten me, you should say you’ll break the contract and abandon me.”

Adler, who hadn’t seen her expression as he was stretching, muttered in a sleepy voice.

“By the way… I’m really at my limit…”

Then Adler began to nod off.

“Professor… I’m sorry…”

“Mr. Adler?”

“Let me rest a little…”

It was instantaneous for him, who had been harassed by various people all day, to fall asleep.

“”………..””

And so began the silence.

– Rustle…

In that silence, Jane Moriarty began to carefully caress the sleeping Adler’s eyes.

“Yes, looking closely, they’re definitely gray.”

After staring intently at Adler’s eyes until dawn, she muttered in a low voice just before leaving the room for class.

“…Except for the black mixed in between.”

A detective with black bobbed hair who had appeared between them was on Moriarty’s mind.

[Villain Maker: 51% -> 75%]

.

.

.

.

.

[Villain Maker: 51% -> 75%]

“…Is this for real?”

Early in the morning, when I opened my eyes in Professor Moriarty’s office, the main quest had progressed significantly once again.

[It’s cold today. Take care of yourself.]

And Professor Moriarty’s message left on my palm, along with her coat covering my body.

“I’m honored.”

– Ding!

As I was rubbing my strangely stiff eyes and muttering that, a cheerful sound came from in front of me at that very moment.

[Would you like to check your current reputation?]

[Y/N]

Staring blankly at the message I had postponed checking yesterday, I reached out my hand without much thought.

‘It can’t hurt to check.’

After all, it’s still early, so there shouldn’t be much going on.

.

.

.

.

.

(omitted)

[Zia Lestrade is tracking you.]

[Microny Holmes is keeping an eye on you.]

[Arsène Lupin is aware of your existence.]

[??? feels strong murderous intent toward you.]

[Probability of imprisonment: 36%] [Probability of kidnapping: 21%]

[Probability of being killed: 69%] [Probability of being involved in crime: 99%]

“…This is insane, really.”

I should have never checked.