Ch.76Chapter 76 – Refusal

– Clunk, clunk…

Inside a carriage rattling along toward an unknown destination, Jane Moriarty sat quietly with her chin resting on her hand, lost in thought.

“…It would be better for your well-being not to open the window.”

When she reached toward the window that was sealed with boards and nails for some reason, the coachman’s low voice began to be heard from the front.

“The place you’re heading to is one of the secret meeting locations under royal authority. Naturally, it’s classified state information, so if you happen to find out…”

“Even without looking outside, I already know we’re heading west of London.”

However, Professor Moriarty responded with gleaming eyes, disregarding the threatening remark.

“To be more precise, we’re probably heading to Windsor, the royal residence area. But I’ll refrain from mentioning that point.”

“……….”

“I’m not curious about our destination; I simply want to breathe some fresh air.”

After saying that, she concentrated mana in her finger and caressed the board, instantly carving a small hole.

“Much better.”

Then, she leaned her head against the hole and smiled demonstratively.

“I can see Windsor Castle in the distance quite clearly.”

But when the coachman showed no further reaction, her bored expression soon turned sideways.

“Hmm.”

And then, the professor’s eyes narrowed.

“”……….””

Sharlotte, who hadn’t slept for four days while keeping watch on Moriarty, and Adler, who had been harassed by the phantom thief all day, had fallen asleep with their heads leaning against each other.

– Rustle…

After staring at them intently for a while, she quietly extended her finger and pushed Sharlotte’s head toward the opposite window.

“………”

Then, after carefully resting Adler’s head on her own shoulder, the professor chuckled dryly and muttered to herself.

‘…What am I doing right now.’

Feeling suddenly drained, she quietly leaned back in her seat as the Reigate incident from a few weeks ago came to mind.

At that time, although she had been pretending to sleep, she had actually been asleep while Sharlotte and Adler were awake.

Also, until then, she had held the upper hand.

But now, everything was the opposite of that time.

She was the one awake, and the advantage belonged to Sharlotte Holmes, not herself.

The very same person she had mocked as a novice just a few days ago.

‘…What exactly did she realize from that incident?’

The professor, coldly observing Sharlotte who was pouting in her sleep after Adler’s warmth had disappeared, muttered inwardly.

‘What changed you so much?’

In truth, the professor knew the answer.

The golden-colored irises that had permanently stained Sharlotte’s closed eyes.

And as if in response, Issac Adler’s eyes that were stained not with his gray but with her black.

That was the fundamental reason why Sharlotte was overwhelming her.

“So, your heart has finally tilted, has it?”

Moriarty, quietly feeling Adler’s warmth as he leaned against her shoulder, muttered with a slightly melancholic expression.

“…I was the tool, not her.”

It should have been just a simple observation.

After all, he was merely a being she had accepted as a sugar substitute from the beginning.

The right to end this most peculiar relationship in London’s history belonged not only to Adler.

She too could end this game whenever she wished.

“………..”

That should have been the case.

Why then was this strange feeling, one she had never experienced before in her life, dominating her entire body?

– Lick…

“……….?”

The professor’s eyes, which had been downcast with a solemn expression, suddenly widened at the ticklish sensation she began to feel on her hand.

“Mr. Adler.”

Issac Adler, who had awakened from his sleep, was holding her hand with his eyes closed and licking it with his tongue.

“You’re not a puppy, what are you doing?”

The professor, watching in bewilderment, noticed the blood that had been dripping from her hand and smiled bitterly once more.

“…Mr. Adler?”

But soon after, her eyes narrowed.

– Crunch…

Adler’s face, with eyes tinged red, was diligently licking the blood from her hand and even sinking his teeth into it, looking somewhat pale.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

The professor tilted her head questioningly at his abnormal behavior as he craved blood in what seemed like a loss of reason.

“…Hmm.”

But when her assistant didn’t answer, she tilted her head to the side for a moment before carefully extending her other hand toward him.

“Chomp.”

“………!”

Eventually, she swiftly grabbed Adler’s tail and bit the end of it.

“Pro-Professor.”

As the professor chewed with the tail in her mouth, Adler, who had been trembling and convulsing, finally came to his senses, stopped drinking blood, and looked at her.

– Crunch.

“…Ugh?”

Then, after giving him a slightly cold look, she bit down on the end of the tail she had been holding between her teeth.

“Le-Let’s talk this out. We…”

“……..”

“Aaaaahh…”

Adler, who had been twitching while holding her shoulder, finally made a deflating sound and went limp, and Moriarty, who had been quietly looking down at him, lifted his chin and spoke.

“You don’t have much time left.”

“…What?”

“I’ve heard that vampires experience intense blood-drinking urges when they don’t have much time left.”

Her cold gaze crossed with Adler’s red-tinged eyes.

“Why didn’t you ask me for help until it got this bad?”

“………”

“Did you think I wouldn’t be able to find a way to extend your lifespan?”

The professor, her voice trembling as she felt something that had been building up suddenly collapse, turned her head toward the window with an expression she had never worn before in her life.

“…Hmph.”

A sound escaped from the professor’s lips that, until just a few months ago, no one would have ever believed could come from her.

“Um, Professor…?”

Adler, all too familiar with such reactions from women, cautiously asked with a disbelieving expression.

“Are you perhaps sulk—”

“Shut up.”

But before he could finish his question, a cold voice returned.

“Excuse me…”

“Go live with the detective for the rest of your life.”

And thus began the silence.

– Squeak…

Adler, sweating nervously and fidgeting, widened his eyes as he felt the carriage come to a stop.

“Hmmmm…”

Simultaneously, Sharlotte Holmes stretched and rose from her seat.

– Rustle…

“I feel refreshed after sleeping for so long.”

She naturally linked arms with Adler and spoke with a smile.

“Shall we go out now?”

“…Professor.”

Then, Adler glanced at the professor, who was still turning her head away, and spoke.

“I won’t be going.”

“…..?”

“Go with your beloved detective, just the two of you.”

But when her sulky voice was heard, Sharlotte asked with a puzzled expression.

“Why is she suddenly like that?”

“…Haha.”

At those words, Adler scratched his head, unable to answer properly.

“I’m sorry, but from here on, Mr. Adler must go alone.”

“…What?”

“Your companions are requested to wait right in front.”

Hearing the guard’s explanation as he opened the carriage door, he quietly fell into thought.

“Why can’t we go with him?”

“For security reasons.”

“How many times have I served your master, and you talk about security?”

“…We’re just following orders, so there’s nothing we can do.”

Meanwhile, Sharlotte Holmes began arguing with the guard with a cold expression.

“At least let me accompany him into the building.”

“…We can accommodate that much.”

Moriarty, who had been turning her head away, began to glance at them.

– Crackle…

And shortly after, her left eye began to glow with a gray light.

“……..”

It was the moment when her secret voyeurism, which had continued for the past few months before recently being cut off, began again.

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The old building I entered with Sharlotte was somewhat worn and shabby, but exuded an atmosphere that couldn’t be ignored.

“You can go in here.”

Slightly overwhelmed by that atmosphere, the guard bowed his head and pointed to the door.

“If anything happens, run out. Don’t try to endure it.”

“Don’t worry.”

After taking a deep breath, I turned the doorknob and carefully entered.

“…Hmm.”

Then, a massive veil came into view.

“Should I sit here?”

“…Yes.”

As I approached the chair placed in front, asking a question to the faint figure visible beyond the veil, a low voice answered.

“Who are you?”

“Consider me a representative of the most distinguished person in England.”

Since there was nothing particularly unusual about the voice, as if magic had been used, I asked again and received the expected answer.

“What business could such a high person have to call me so secretly?”

Feeling my mouth go dry, I asked the being behind the veil in a low voice.

“I wanted to meet you.”

“Me?”

“I’ve been quite interested in your activities for a long time.”

Listening as carefully as I could, all I could discern was that the voice behind the veil sounded slightly youthful.

“So I asked Her Majesty the Queen directly.”

“…I see.”

And according to what I just learned, the being before me was at least of royal status.

Otherwise, there would be very few people who could ask the Queen to do something like this.

Probably someone with considerable power among the royals, someone close to the line of succession?

But it seemed unlikely that such a person would call me so secretly just because they wanted to meet me.

“Let’s get to the point, shall we?”

As I quietly tilted my head, the figure behind the veil leaned forward slightly and began to whisper to me.

“I have a proposal for you.”

Looking calmly at the being who seemed to have something else in mind, I heard a sweet voice in my ear.

“Eliminate Professor Jane Moriarty.”

“My supervising professor?”

“It’s a request I’m entrusting to you secretly in the name of the royal family.”

Seeing the message that appeared before my eyes, I immediately realized.

[Ending 10: Fallen Kingdom]

That I was standing at a very important turning point right now.

“Actually, it’s more of an order than a request.”

“……….”

“You’ve been drafted in the name of Her Majesty the Queen. So please consider it an honor.”

Of course, there was only one possible answer.

“I’m sorry, but I serve only one queen.”

It was too late to play the role of a justice advocate, as I had already crossed too many lines.

“Go fuck yourself, Princess.”

I had grown too attached to Miss Moriarty, who was probably nodding her head lonely in the carriage right now.

“You’re amusing.”

I could already feel a cold chill emanating from behind the veil, but I had no regrets.

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Meanwhile, at that time.

“You there, aren’t you getting out?”

The coachman, who had descended from his seat, opened the carriage door and asked, tilting his head.

“……….”

Revealed was Professor Moriarty, wearing an uncharacteristically troubled expression.

“…I don’t understand you, even when I think I do.”

Her eyes, which had been quietly nodding from side to side as someone had said, momentarily gleamed golden when illuminated by the sunlight entering through the open door.

“Serving only one queen? Isn’t that too cheesy a line?”

The slightly reddened cheeks were a bonus.