Ch.45Chapter 45 – The Worst Criminal

When Issac Adler who had been beside her suddenly disappeared, Sharlotte Holmes wasn’t particularly worried.

At most, he’d gone to destroy evidence or create another puzzle. Or perhaps he just wanted to see her reaction.

Actually, either way was fine. Unlike what she had expected, this puzzle was too easy. If he wanted to create something more entertaining, she would welcome it.

“Cough, cough…”

However, this was definitely not what she wanted.

“No!!!”

As Adler, who had just finished speaking, coughed up blood and collapsed, Sharlotte Holmes, who had been frozen in place, rushed to him urgently.

“Hey, stay conscious.”

“…………”

“I said stay conscious, Issac Adler.”

Eventually, holding the blood-covered Adler in her arms, she began to plead while stroking his ice-cold cheek.

“I’m sleepy, Miss Holmes…”

“No. Don’t close your eyes. If you close your eyes, I’ll kill you.”

“……….”

“Please… I’m begging you…”

But despite her efforts, Adler’s eyes slowly closed.

“”……….””

And then came the silence.

“Doctor… call a doctor…”

“Um, I think it’s already too late…”

“NOW!!!”

Completely terrified, Sharlotte, holding Adler in her arms, shouted at the police officers behind her with a trembling voice.

“Mr. Adler, I’ve called a doctor. So please hold on a little longer.”

And then, as the police officers rushed to the corridor to call a doctor, she whispered to Adler in a deliberately calm voice.

“There’s still hope. You can get better once the doctor arrives. So…”

But as she looked down, Sharlotte froze, unable to continue her words.

“So…..”

Adler’s wounds were too severe.

Blood was continuously seeping from his brutally slashed abdomen, and his internal organs were ruptured.

“Ah… ah…”

After witnessing the horrific scene once more, Sharlotte extended her trembling hands forward, trying to stop the bleeding.

But of course, it was futile because the wound was too large.

“…This.”

As a result, a new wound came into view of her eyes, which were gradually filling with despair.

“……….”

A bright red handprint, as if someone had climbed on top and squeezed with all their might, was clearly visible on Adler’s neck.

“Who…”

The peculiar thing was that only the mark of a left hand remained.

In other words, the attacker had strangled Adler’s neck with one hand while slashing his stomach with the other.

Issac Adler had fought against such a powerful being.

“What kind of bastard would do this…”

Sharlotte, her body trembling, muttered with her head buried in Adler’s chest.

“…Even if you like him, there should be limits.”

Now she could understand why Adler had suddenly disappeared without a word, leaving her behind.

“There was no need to go this far….”

The image of Issac, who had looked at her and muttered that he was glad she was safe as his focus began to fade, lingered in her mind.

“Miss Holmes…”

“………!”

It was at that moment.

“…Run away.”

A faint voice began to escape from Adler’s lips, who had his eyes closed.

“Adler? What do you mean…”

Sharlotte, who had been sobbing at the fact that Adler was still alive and holding his hand, heard those words and tilted her head in confusion, listening carefully.

“Still… here…”

“……..”

“Run away…”

Just as her gaze turned cold.

“You noticed well…”

An eerie voice began to be heard from behind them.

“Sorry, but I’m not done with my work yet.”

A shadow that had somehow reappeared in the room moved forward with a chilling smile.

“Would you mind moving aside?”

At the shadow’s request, tinged with laughter, Sharlotte Holmes quietly rose from her seat.

“…Was it you?”

Her gray gaze, looking at the shadow, was filled with killing intent.

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– Whoooosh…

The room is filled with black energy.

“Not bad… kid.”

“……….”

A complete darkness where no light could be found.

In it, the shadow’s voice quietly echoed.

“You use black mana. I’ve killed many people, but this is the first time I’ve seen this color.”

“…Shut up.”

“It’s powerful yet subtle. The attack range is very wide too. Most magicians wouldn’t stand a chance. But…”

“…….!”

Just as the incessantly chattering voice seemed to pause slightly, a sharp attack suddenly came from right beside Sharlotte.

“…the user is still inexperienced.”

“Ugh.”

A shallow wound appeared on Sharlotte’s cheek as she narrowly avoided the attack.

“…How did you dodge that?”

After looking at her with a puzzled expression, the shadow disappeared again in an instant.

– Craaack…

“Ah, I see.”

But when Sharlotte even managed to counter the attack as the shadow reappeared, the shadow’s lips curved into a smile.

“…You’re a genius, aren’t you.”

– Craaack…

The shadow’s knife, blocked by Sharlotte’s mana, was trembling.

“In this limited space, I can see all too clearly how you’ll move.”

“Hmm…”

“I’ve already calculated the next move and the one after that.”

“…Really?”

As soon as her words ended, the shadow’s knife flew toward Adler, who was leaning against the wall.

“So, why don’t you surrender now.”

But without showing any agitation, Sharlotte created a black hunting whip and deflected the knife that was heading toward Adler.

“I’ll give you credit for compensating for your lack of practical experience with that genius brain of yours.”

But her eyes soon wavered.

“…However, I am the variable itself.”

This was because the knife, which she had clearly deflected with her whip, wriggled on its own and was now pointed at Adler’s neck.

“And when it comes to combat, I’m more confident than anyone else.”

“…Stop it.”

“I don’t want to.”

When Sharlotte urgently opened her mouth and tried to take a step forward, the shadow’s knife wriggled again and slightly cut Adler’s cheek.

“I’m going to kill Issac Adler today. I have no intention of killing you, so would you mind backing off?”

“…Why.”

“It feels wrong to kill someone else on the day I kill Adler, and I’m not even sure if I can kill you anyway?”

“That’s not what I asked.”

Sharlotte, who was clenching her fists as she watched the blood flowing from Adler’s cheek, gritted her teeth and asked.

“…Why are you trying to kill Issac Adler?”

“Hm? That’s obvious, isn’t it.”

Then, the shadow answered with a smirk.

“…Because I love him.”

“What?”

“I love Issac Adler.”

The shadow’s body began to tremble.

“There are many people in this world who like him, but I’m probably the one who likes him the most. I can certainly be sure of that.”

“Then why…”

“To become the only one.”

And then began her nonsensical argument.

“By killing Issac Adler, I will be reborn as his only existence. I will become the destination of that man’s life, fate, everything about Issac Adler.”

“……….”

“I want to slash Issac again. I want to strangle his neck again. I want to cut up his cold body and carry it with me. I want to make him into a doll and hug…”

“…What are you?”

Unable to listen to the nonsense any longer, Sharlotte Holmes asked in an ice-cold voice.

“I love you I love you I love you I love you…”

“I asked what you are.”

“…Me?”

At that, the shadow, who had been fidgeting with two fingers pressed together and muttering shyly, tilted her head to the side.

“Well, I’m not sure myself.”

“Stop talking nonsense…”

“Ah, there is a name they call me in the newspapers these days.”

The shadow’s eyes darkened.

“Jack the Ripper… was it?”

“……..!”

“Strange name, that.”

After saying that and scratching her head, the shadow soon added with a smirk.

“I’m a woman, so why ‘Jack’?”

The serial killer who swept through Whitechapel and plunged all of England into a cauldron of fear.

Nevertheless, the worst criminal in history whose identity has not been revealed even to this day.

Therefore, by its very existence, it directly refutes the theory of Sherlock Holmes’ existence, the only counterevidence to the great detective.

“Wouldn’t Gil the Reaper be better in that case?”

It was the appearance of Gil the Reaper.

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Barely holding onto my fading consciousness and watching the situation, I couldn’t help but smile wryly at the message that appeared before my eyes.

[Gil the Reaper is obsessed with you!]

[Erosion Rate: 15%->20%]

‘…This is really crossing the line.’

Because someone who had never been reviewed, and was never even supposed to appear in the game, was somehow smiling at me right in front of my eyes.

– CRASH!!!

“…Hmm?”

But now the smile on her face was coming to an end.

“What?”

As the door that had been tightly shut by Gil the Reaper’s tricks was instantly shattered, she tilted her head and turned her gaze.

“Who are you?”

Silently passing by her and approaching me was a familiar face.

– Please save me, Professor.

“…Mr. Adler.”

In the hands of Professor Moriarty, who seemed to have hurried here as he was breathing heavily, the message I had desperately sent just before being attacked by Gil the Reaper was faintly glowing.

“Professor…”

Looking at it with a faint smile, I whispered in a weak voice to the professor who had now approached right in front of me, and then quietly lost consciousness.

“…There’s been an error in the puzzle.”

The last thing I remember is the professor’s distorted face—an expression I never imagined he would make.