Ch.70Chapter 70 – The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle (2)

“Loyalty!”

“…Hmm?”

Zia Lestrade, who had been walking around the living room with her hands behind her back and a blank expression, turns her head at the booming voice from the entrance.

“I’ve handled everything as you instructed!”

“Baines?”

“I saw with my own two eyes that the Metropolitan Police investigators have begun searching the scene, so you can rest assured!”

“Yes, that’s good… but what brings you here?”

Lestrade tilts her head quietly as she questions the sudden appearance of Police Cadet Baines, who had been patrolling with her until just moments ago.

“Well, when it comes to experts worthy of your recognition, there’s only one person who comes to mind.”

At this, her already flushed face turns even redder as she begins to fidget.

“That famous London genius girl. The one who drives away London’s darkness alongside Dr. Rachel Watson…”

“…Right, you were a fan of Sharlotte Holmes.”

“Not just a fan, but a super fan. Don’t you know that my only hobby is collecting Sharlotte Holmes’ case journals published in the Strand Magazine?”

After rambling on like this, Baines stands on tiptoes to peer over Lestrade’s shoulder.

“So, where is Ms. Holmes? Has she already started analyzing the evidence?”

“Sigh.”

Lestrade quietly exhales, then steps aside.

“Ohhh…”

The scene Baines had been hoping for finally comes into view.

“So that’s the famous Sharlotte Holmes I’ve only heard about…”

Sharlotte Holmes was examining a hat placed on the desk, with her chin resting on her hand.

“…Who are you?”

“Ah, excuse me! I’m Rinya Baines, Lestrade’s assistant and police cadet…”

Baines, startled when Sharlotte turns her head to ask the question while carefully observing the hat, snaps to attention with a salute.

“…Hmm?”

Her eyes suddenly widen.

“That person is…”

“What a cute little lady.”

Issac Adler, sitting right next to Sharlotte Holmes, was waving his hand with a gentle smile.

“Senior.”

“Yes?”

“Was the expert you mentioned actually Issac Adler?”

After staring at him quietly, Baines turns her head to question Lestrade.

“Ah, no! That’s not it?”

“…I mean the expert, not the romance novel talk.”

“Oh, that.”

Zia Lestrade, who had been flustered with a reddened face, clears her throat and returns to her usual cold demeanor.

“Are you saying Issac Adler is an expert on par with Sharlotte Holmes?”

“Hard to believe, but it’s true.”

She looks at the two of them, who are gazing down at the hat with slightly serious expressions.

“According to my rational deduction, Issac Adler has been behind the cases Sharlotte Holmes has solved recently.”

“…To be honest, if it’s your deduction, it is hard to believe.”

In response to Baines’ skeptical voice, Lestrade frowns slightly and pushes her back gently while muttering.

“If you don’t believe it, experience it for yourself.”

“…Oof.”

Of course, what was “gentle” by Lestrade’s standards caused Baines to lose her balance and plant her face right into the hat on the desk.

“I’ll go deal with that duck that keeps quacking over there, so learn a thing or two.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

After raising her head, she stares blankly at Lestrade, who heads to the kitchen with a duck in hand, then hurriedly apologizes to Sharlotte and Adler upon noticing the crushed hat.

“I’m sorry for damaging the evidence…”

“No, it’s fine.”

Issac Adler responds with a slight smile.

“We’ve already finished our deductions anyway.”

“…I have as well.”

Sharlotte, who had been glaring disapprovingly at Adler as he smiled gently at Baines, chimes in simultaneously.

“W-what are you saying?”

“”…………””

“What do you mean your deductions are finished? What deductions?”

When Baines asks with a blank stare, Sharlotte and Adler, who had been quietly looking at her, take turns explaining.

“The owner of this hat has superior intellectual abilities. And while they’ve been quite extravagant for at least the past three years, they’ve fallen on hard times recently.”

“They used to be cautious by nature but have become reckless now. The reason seems to be recent alcoholism.”

“And the cause of that would be you, Issac Adler.”

“Wait, me?”

“Other facts we can determine are that the hat’s owner is a woman in her early to mid-thirties and has a keen interest in adornment. Well, I suppose that makes sense if she’s caught your attention, Issac Adler.”

Then came silence.

“…Pardon?”

A dumbfounded voice escapes from Baines’ mouth as she listens to Sharlotte and Adler’s deductions.

“How can you know all that from just this old hat?”

“There’s one thing wrong with Ms. Holmes’ deduction.”

“Is that so?”

Ignoring Baines’ comment, Adler and Sharlotte start conversing with each other.

“Would you like to make a bet?”

“Gladly.”

“Excuse me…”

Baines, looking at them with a blank expression, tilts her head and makes a request.

“Could you please explain?”

Finally, both Sharlotte and Adler turn to look at Baines simultaneously and open their mouths.

“I’m sorry, but could you please stop interrup—”

“Of course, cute lady.”

“…Issac.”

Sharlotte Holmes, who had been trying to shoo Baines away with an annoyed expression, whispers into Adler’s ear with a cold smile.

“Despite being dyed in my color, why do you keep wagging your tail?”

At this, Adler quietly begins to break into a cold sweat.

“That’s not it, think of it as a lesson for a future bud…”

– QUAAAAAAACK!!!

“…Do you want to get cut off?”

But Adler stops speaking and quietly crosses his legs at Sharlotte’s whisper, which eerily overlaps with the duck’s screams coming from the kitchen.

“Oh my.”

Sharlotte mutters with suddenly bright eyes.

“…Are they really making babies in there?”

“Well then, I’ll begin the explanation.”

Adler starts speaking in a slightly transcendent voice, deliberately ignoring that spine-chilling comment.

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“First, would you like to hear Ms. Holmes’ deduction?”

“…If that’s what you really want, I suppose I have no choice. Look at this.”

Sharlotte, who had been staring at Adler’s lower body, unfolds the crushed hat and puts it on her head.

– Slide…

The hat completely covers her forehead, coming down to her brow.

“As you can see, the hat’s volume is substantial. This means the owner has a large head, and naturally, its contents would be large too.”

“Ah, I see…”

“And the brim is flat with rounded edges. This style was popular three years ago. From the lining and ribbon, we can tell it’s quite a high-end product.”

“Ohhh…”

“But recent holes have been patched with cheap fabric. If the owner were well-off, they wouldn’t use cheap fabric on such an expensive hat. Not unless their financial situation had deteriorated rapidly.”

Sharlotte, who initially had an annoyed expression, continues her explanation with a slightly softened face after seeing Baines’ sparkling eyes.

“And…”

“Also, the state of the stitching on the patched fabric reveals the owner’s current condition. Let’s check it directly.”

But Adler interrupts Sharlotte’s explanation midway.

“Indeed, even I can see that the stitching is a mess.”

“Isn’t it strange? A woman in her early to mid-thirties, not a teenager, being poor at sewing?”

Ignoring Sharlotte, who is pouting while looking back and forth between him and Baines, Adler continues.

“…Couldn’t she have taken it to a tailor shop instead of doing it herself?”

“What tailor shop would do such terrible stitching? And use cheap fabric at that? It’s more likely the owner did the sewing herself.”

“But if that’s the case… why is the stitching such a mess?”

In response to Baines’ questioning voice, Adler answers with quietly gleaming eyes.

“Tremors are a common symptom among alcoholics.”

“Ahhh…”

“Moreover, the stitching of ribbons and decorations that were attached when the hat was purchased is remarkably neat. Only alcohol or drugs could deteriorate a cautious person so quickly.”

Adler, who had been smiling strangely while watching Baines nod with exclamations, quietly turns his gaze to Sharlotte and asks a question.

“But why am I the cause?”

“If you look closely at the hat, you can see traces where several small decorations have been removed.”

Sharlotte Holmes answers with a slightly sulky voice.

“Judging by their shape and size, they appear to be jewels, and if they were forcibly removed like this, it suggests they weren’t originally hers. That means they must have been gifts, and the only person who would give such things would be a spouse who promised love.”

“…I suppose so.”

“And the reason for removing all the jewels gifted by a spouse would most likely be the breakdown of the relationship. I suspect she committed adultery, had her gifted jewels taken away, and fell into poverty.”

“So why is that my fault?”

“That’s too obvious.”

She glances at Adler, who has a puzzled expression, and says:

“If there’s a crime of passion or adultery in London, you’re usually the cause.”

“Ms. Holmes, even so, that’s…”

“It’s not just a guess but a deduction based on actual statistics. So be quiet.”

Adler tries to protest at her firm voice but eventually closes his mouth quietly.

“Besides, by observing the length, shine, elasticity, split ends, and thickness of the hair stuck inside the hat, one can estimate the approximate age and gender.”

“……….”

“The makeup stains even inside the hat indicate that she wears quite heavy makeup all over.”

Sharlotte, who had been stroking his hair with a smirk, glances at Baines, who is staring with round eyes at the sudden display of affection, and asks:

“Do you understand a bit better now?”

“Ah, yes… I feel like I’ve learned a lot.”

At that, Baines stands up, bows her head in gratitude.

“I’ll start inquiries based on this information now.”

After quietly watching her for a moment, Sharlotte also stands up and begins speaking as she puts on her coat from the coat rack.

“I’d like to take Lestrade with me, but…”

Then, she quietly looks at the now-silent kitchen.

“If you need an escort, I’ll take care of it!”

“…What?”

“I’m confident in protecting someone!”

When Baines shouts with a spirited voice after noticing Sharlotte’s worried expression, Sharlotte looks at Baines with a skeptical gaze.

“A police cadet without an official position yet?”

“That won’t be a problem.”

Just as she tilts her head and asks that question, a voice comes from the kitchen.

“I’ll vouch for Cadet Baines’ skills.”

“Is she that good?”

At Lestrade’s confident statement, covered in feathers from plucking the goose, Sharlotte falls into contemplation.

“…The crybaby professor has been quieter than I expected, so I was planning to test how he’d react.”

“Pardon?”

“This works out well.”

Then, she quietly smiles and produces black handcuffs from her hand.

“I’ll be back soon.”

“……..”

“If you switch sides again while I’m gone, I’ll really chase you down and pounce on you this time.”

After handcuffing Adler’s leg to the sofa, she strokes his head and whispers in his ear, ignoring Lestrade who is quietly giving her a cold look.

“…By the way.”

As she heads to the entrance with light steps, she suddenly turns her head and asks:

“Do you still think there’s something wrong with my deduction?”

“There’s clearly one thing that’s wrong.”

Adler, who had been looking down at his situation as a house-bound dog with a slightly pitiful expression, answers with a mischievous smile as if nothing had happened.

“…You still have a long way to go, Ms. Holmes.”

“Hmph.”

At those words, she turns her head sharply and begins heading outside with Lestrade, who is tilting her head in confusion.

“We’ll see.”

“……….”

“Whether you get a wish granted, or my wishes double.”

After she closes the front door, silence fills the living room for a moment.

“S-sis… what should I do? It’s not prepared at all…”

“…Give me that knife over there.”

“H-huh?”

“I’m going to feed big brother Issac some meat, so give me the knife.”

Only the savage conversation between the second and third siblings quietly echoed through the now-quiet house.

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“Miss Baines.”

“Yes?”

It was at that moment that Issac Adler, who had been sitting like an obedient puppy, suddenly spoke to Baines, who was sitting in front of him, with a gentle smile.

“Could you come over here and stand for a moment?”

“……..?”

At this polite request from her escort subject, Baines steps forward with pure curiosity on her face.

“Is this good?”

“Could you put your hands behind your back in that position?”

“I don’t see why not, but why so suddenly?”

“Just for a moment, please.”

After tilting her head for a moment, she puts her hands behind her back and asks with a bright expression.

“Is this—”

But Baines’ words were cut short.

– THWACK!

“…Urgh?”

Adler suddenly stood up and drove his fist into her stomach with full force.

“Kack, kuhek…?”

With her waist bent at a 90-degree angle and her whole body convulsing, she collapses to the floor as her legs give out, drooling.

“W-why are you doing this…?”

“Although I couldn’t fool Ms. Holmes, your acting was perfect enough to momentarily deceive even her partner, Lestrade.”

When Baines looks up at him with frightened eyes and asks the question, Adler answers with a cold smile.

“But you know, Cadet Baines… or should I say, Inspector? You’re a competent police officer even the arrogant Holmes would acknowledge.”

“……..”

“Displaying such foolish behavior in front of evidence is a character inconsistency.”

The girl’s eyes, which had been full of fear, suddenly change to show interest.

“What are you, exactly?”

“…Heh.”

The corners of her mouth, which had been drooling as she clutched her stomach, were trembling slightly upward.