Chapter 27: The Secret of the Speckled Band (2)

A day after Isaac Adler disappeared from the hospital room with Lady Roylott—

"...…"

Professor Moriarty, who had arrived at the front gate of the mansion where Lady Roylott resided, stepped down from the carriage and walked into the garden of the residence.

– Rumble, rumble…

– Growl…

No sooner had she entered, the beastly cries of ferocious animals began to emanate from all around.

The place, considered by nearby residents as a danger zone, was rumored to not only harbor wild beasts but also mythical creatures.

"Be quiet."

However, as Professor Moriarty softly whispered those words while emitting a faint gray-colored mana, the garden immediately quieted down as though the feral cries had been a lie all along.

– Plod, plod...

With a cold gaze, she surveyed the quickly silenced garden and just as she began to move her steps again…

"Ah, who do we have here?"

A voice came from in front of her, one that had by now become all too familiar to her.

"You should be out of your mind by now, busy preparing the audit trail for the thesis panel1The audit trail is like the information you include in your thesis so that the panel members easily know just what information that you have included in the thesis. And the thesis panel is the board of members that judge the validity of your thesis and thus accept and recognize it. You can learn more here— https://patthomson.net/2014/08/14/the-audit-trail-a-too-common-omission-in-methods-chapters. What brings you here, Professor?"

"...….."

Moriarty's expression turned even colder than it already was upon confirming the presence of Charlotte Holmes – who had been wandering around the mansion for a few hours already – after her arrival, and the presence of Rachel Watson, who cautiously followed Holmes around.

"…What are you doing here, yourself?"

"I've come to resolve an issue someone caused due to their curiosity."

Charlotte sported a sly smile as she spoke those words and then looked at Moriarty dead in the eyes before adding.

"But, it's quite surprising, isn't it? You showing up at the scene yourself, I mean. Why would you take such a risk after going through the trouble of setting all this up?"

"Ms. Holmes. It seems to me that you're still in a severe state of Mana Poisoning. It's quite serious, isn't it?"

Moriarty also met Charlotte's gaze, whispering to her in a subdued voice.

"I am simply a newly-appointed professor at a rather ordinary detective academy. Nothing more, nothing less."

"For someone who has presented a groundbreaking thesis on the binomial theorem at such a young age, causing a stir in the entire academic world, I don't understand how you can claim to be ordinary."

"I don't particularly want to explain to you why people treat me with respect and formality. However, that doesn't mean your delusions that I am the mastermind behind all of this is justified."

"There is a saying that the perpetrator always returns to the scene of the crime."

"I'm simply here to retrieve a graduate student who has breached the terms of his contract with me. It's a perfectly legal and straightforward act."

As their conversation continued, the smiles on both of their faces became increasingly chilly and cold.

"Upon reviewing the records of incidents that have occurred at the academy over the past year I found that you, whether directly or indirectly, were seemingly involved with them, Professor."

"That's simply because I hold the special position of being a professor at August Academy."

"Or perhaps, you know… You were the real culprit behind those series of incidents."

"If you continue to insist that such biased delusions are true without a shred of evidence, I will have no choice but to take legal action against you."

"Do you think you could win?"

"Well, if you still think the same way after receiving years of psychological therapy and counseling, I might be willing to consider it."

As the conversation seemed on the verge of heating up to an extensive degree, Moriarty, who moved her gaze away first, began walking again and whispered in a voice that was far more subdued and deeper than before.

"…Adler might just be disappointed in you, you know…"

Hearing that deep yet cheerful tone, Charlotte Holmes stopped in her tracks.

"Enough is enough."

"Over there, was it Watson? Your partner doesn't seem to be in the best of conditions right now…"

"You dare talk about endangering Isaac Adler, while trying to beat me…"

Professor Moriarty, who had been speaking in a soft voice to Watson, shivering next to Charlotte due to the tension between the fatal duo, suddenly stopped talking at Charlotte's sharp retort.

"Don't pretend to be friends with him now."

"…Ho, Holmes?"

Emitting a faint smoke from her body as she finished her talk, Charlotte passed by Watson, who looked stunned at her current appearance.

"…I am going to pay another visit to Lady Roylott, so you may come along if you wish."

"..."

And thus, utter silence ensued.

'…How unpleasant.'

In the midst of that silence, Moriarty started walking forward with the corners of her mouth twisting quietly.

'Adler is the one who ignored my warnings and recklessly got himself into danger.'

The reason Professor Moriarty had risked appearing at the scene in person was quite clear to just about anyone.

Naturally, it was because of Adler, who had willingly let himself be abducted by Lady Roylott the night before.

– Zzzz…

Truth be told, Moriarty was in a rather foul mood at the moment.

Usually, she would have indulged Isaac Adler, but depending on how this situation unfolded, she was ready to mete out punishment as well.

'…I must instill in him the reminder as to whom he truly belongs.'

And perhaps, she might even do something far more severe if push comes to shove.

"Guests? Take a seat up front."

However, any resolve Moriarty might have had crumbled the moment Lady Roylott, who had been unresponsive despite Charlotte Holmes combing through the mansion for hours, finally opened the door to her house.

– Lap…

"Very well."

The reason was because Adler, with a collar lodged around his neck, was kneeling and lapping at the milk in Lady Roylott's hand.

""...…..""

Upon seeing the tinge of mana that had seeped into his body, the plans of Professor Moriarty and Charlotte Holmes rapidly began to align.

'Let's lock him up.'

'We must lock him up.'

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"So, you wanted to discuss some matters with my pet here and share some stories, I assume."

Lady Roylott arrogantly leaned back in her chair while crossing her legs, smiling as she looked at Charlotte and Professor Moriarty, who were staring back at her with dark and chilly eyes.

"Well, I suppose I could permit that for a brief moment."

Adler, snuggled close by her side, had his eyes tightly closed as she rubbed his cheek with her hand.

"If you act foolishly, I will make you like this."

As Lady Roylott gently stroked Adler's head and rose from her seat, the expressions of Charlotte and Moriarty darkened even further.

– Keeekekekeeeee…

In front of them, Lady Roylott began to distort the iron wrench that was beside her chair using only her grip strength.

– Clang…

Soon after, she dropped the completely crumpled iron wrench onto the desk and lightly stroked Adler's chin before leaving the room.

""....""

And then, silence ensued.

– Keeekekekeee… keeekekekeeee…

In such a silence, the previously bent iron wrench suddenly trembled and lifted into the air.

– Kekekeee…kekeee…

After screeching for a while, enveloped in gray and black mana, the iron wrench ultimately broke into two separate pieces.

"What… what is going on here?"

While Watson looked on in shock at the ominous scene, Adler, for some reason only he was aware of, appeared completely unfazed.

"Mr. Adler."

Of the two women, who were glaring intently at him with a dark gaze, Charlotte was the first to speak.

"I've already discovered the truth."

Saying this, she leaned forward.

"So, stop this act right now."

However, Adler simply shook his head slightly in response.

"…It seems I must share my deductions for you to change your mind."

Charlotte, who briefly clenched her teeth at his response, took a deep breath and began her explanation in a subdued voice.

"The reason Helen Stoner, Lady Roylott's stepdaughter, stabbed you was because of Lady Roylott's brainwashing."

"Why do you think that?"

Adler asked quietly in response to her deduction.

"The last thing she remembered before falling asleep was a low whistling sound and a speckled band."

At his subtle question, Charlotte paused for a brief moment before her eyes lit up and she began to explain her reasoning.

"I was pondering what those things could be when I entered Lady Roylott's room. I saw a small safe, and on top of it was a dish filled with milk."

"...…"

"Strange, isn't it? The cheetah and exotic animals she keeps could hardly be satiated by such a small dish of milk."

Adler, who had been watching her, carefully wiped the milk from the corner of his mouth and nodded his head meekly.

"…That's not the only strange thing. This mansion has an odd ventilation system."

Charlotte, momentarily showing a flustered expression at his meek and embarrassed response, continued speaking with her eyes tightly shut.

"It seems to have been completed quite recently. The problem is that… it doesn't serve its purpose as a ventilation system."

"Why not?"

"The ventilation system connects Lady Roylott's room with Miss Stoner's room. Naturally, it can't function properly for ventilation."

For a long while after hearing that remark, Adler's eyes slowly began to narrow further and further.

"And then there's the long rope at the exit of the ventilation system. Even the bed that's directly adjacent to the ventilation system is fixed in place so that it can't be moved."

"...…"

"Miss Stoner said that when she woke up with a bad feeling over the last few days, she saw something resembling a rope disappear into the ventilation system."

Charlotte momentarily tilted her head to the side at Adler's odd reaction, keeping his silence throughout her explanation, then immediately donned a serious expression and slammed her hand on the desk before delivering in a resolute voice,

"When all these facts are taken into account, there can be only one answer."

And then, a moment of silence ensued in the room.

"Lady Roylott sent a snake from her safe into her daughter's room via the ventilation system after feeding it milk. And then, she made the snake bite her own daughter."

In that silence, Charlotte's confident voice reverberated throughout the room.

"Watson examined Miss Stoner and found that she was suffering from a high degree of hallucinations. Most likely, the snake's hallucinogenic venom was the cause of her strange condition."

"So, are you saying that Miss Stoner, who harbored a grudge against me, was bitten by the snake, began hallucinating, and committed the criminal act as a result?"

"That's correct."

With that assertion, Charlotte crossed her legs and added some more words,

"As London's top animal trainer and exotic animal expert, it would be no problem for Lady Roylott to control the snake with a whistle."

"Hmm…"

"Do you have any objections? The secret of the speckled band was a venomous snake carrying hallucinogenic toxins."

"And the motive for the crime?"

"… For some reason, Lady Roylott, who discovered that you are a vampire, orchestrated all the events to acquire you."

With that, Charlotte briefly glanced at Professor Moriarty…

"You create the perception that you are in a very dangerous situation, vulnerable to being attacked at any given time, and make yourself reliant on her expertise in exotic animals."

"...….."

"However, Mr. Adler you should know this much…"

With that, she began speaking to Adler in a grave tone.

"The person who can protect you is not her, but—"

"Disappointing."

"…Excuse me?"

But then, to Charlotte's astonishment, an astonishing word flew out of Adler's mouth.

"You're wrong, Miss Holmes."

"…I'm wrong?"

Getting up from her seat with a look of disbelief in her face, she asked again, to be sure…

"…Completely wrong."

Just then, Professor Moriarty who had been quietly sitting next to them, broke into a slightly pleased expression.

"Go outside and reconsider from the beginning. You've missed something."

"I see…"

"Miss Holmes, I don't want to be more disappointed in you."

As Charlotte hesitated, the corner of Moriarty's mouth had already curled up into a subtle smile.

"If you can't figure out what went wrong… it seems to me that we'll have no choice but to end our association."

"…I'll investigate again."

In the midst of this, as Adler issued his final warning, Charlotte hurriedly stood up from her seat.

"Let's go, Watson."

"Huh? Uh…"

Charlotte grabbed Watson's arm, who had been sitting there blankly all this time, and started to leave the room with a flustered look on her face— on the verge of despair.

"Should've just ended it now, eh, Mr. Adler?"

Watching her retreating figure with inner satisfaction, Professor Moriarty finally spoke.

"You said she is my nemesis but, to be honest, whenever I see her, I feel nothing but discomfort."

"...…."

"I'm not sure why, though…"

With a faint smile on her lips, she extended her hand toward Adler.

"I've roughly grasped your intentions. It was clearly to test that insolent child."

"...…"

"Now, let's also slowly make our way ou…"

However…

"…Mr. Adler?"

For some reason, Isaac Adler stepped back, avoiding her hand completely.

"Why are you doing this…?"

"…I apologize, Professor."

The words that sprang from Isaac Adler's lips froze Professor Moriarty, who had been watching him with a puzzled expression on her face.

"Professor, you've also made a fatal mistake."

Was it just her imagination? Adler's eyes looked somewhat cold at the moment.

"A joke… perhaps? Mr. Adler?"

"It's not a joke, Professor."

At that unexpected demeanor, Jane Moriarty blinked her eyes and twitched her head side by side.

"While I was unconscious, you approached the client and took on the case which is indeed commendable, Professor."

"...…."

"And also commendable is the fact that you didn't expose the most crucial twist to Charlotte Holmes."

To her, Adler whispered in a low but chilly voice…

"But Professor, you've made the same mistake as Charlotte Holmes."

Upon hearing those words, Professor Moriarty stopped twitching her head and began to wear a blank expression on her face.

"I'm disappointed, Professor."

Isaac Adler's words pierced her like a sharp blade lodged straight at her heart.

"I can understand Holmes… she's still an inexperienced little girl after all. But you, Professor… You too…?"

"…Mr. Adler."

"Never mind, I don't want to speak further about this matter."

Professor Moriarty's hand reached out into the empty air as Adler stood up from his seat.

"Perhaps, I've misjudged some people."

The moment that her grey eyes caught sight of Adler's face, which now clearly bore a cold gaze—

– Adler, is your conversation over dear?

The gentle voice of Lady Roylott came from beyond the door.

"…Yes, my Lady."

Responding in an equally gentle voice, Adler affirmed her words.

"I'll take my leave now, Professor Moriarty."

As if bidding her farewell, he looked back for a moment before taking his leave.

"If you go out now, you could die."

"I don't mind."

Though Professor Moriarty warned him in a dispassionate voice, his immediate response followed suit without a trace of hesitation.

"The more disappointed I am, the less I hold onto regrets."

"Wait…"

"Please use an ingenious method if you're going to kill me."

Adler, who had his hand on the doorknob, softly added further…

"Or whisper to me quickly that it was all just a joke."

"...….."

"Surely, Professor Moriarty, you wouldn't be unaware of something this simple, right?"

Having spoken til this point, Adler, who briefly flashed her a smirk, began to move away from the professor's sight. Soon, his waist was wrapped in the arms of Lady Roylott who had been waiting outside for his arrival.

"...…"

Thus, Jane Moriarty was left alone in the silent room.

"…Isaac."

Her utterance of Adler's name echoed emptily in the room, where she sat in a daze for quite a while afterward.

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'…This should be enough.'

To prevent the world's destruction, I had hinted to Holmes and Professor Moriarty that there was a flaw in the logic of the case.

In reality, I wanted to tell them exactly what the problem was, but I was left with no choice but to refrain from doing just that due to the warning messages that the erosion rate could increase in that scenario.

Of course, there was no need to worry. Once they recognized the problem, they would be able to swiftly clean up the colossal mess made by the story department that had integrated the illogical errors into the game, ruining the logic of the case.

Now I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"…Adler."

"Yes."

However, as soon as the immediate worry disappeared, I slowly began to realize something.

"My dream is to fill this mansion with half-blooded vampires as servants."

"…What?"

That… whatever it was that I was doing all this time to save this world…

"Let's go to the basement."

[Warning!

– Probability of ??? — 10% → 15%]

Would I be able to handle the repercussions of those actions?