Becoming Professor Moriarty's Probability

Honestly, I more or less expected that Charlotte would infiltrate this place disguised as an interpreter.

If I were to assume that I was able to perfectly block the professor’s eavesdropping, the only suspicious person left who could bug me was none other than Charlotte herself.

Perhaps she had been preparing for this from the moment I disclosed the plan to my confidants today.

Therefore, if she just infiltrated as an interpreter, I intended to pretend to understand her and continue with my plan.

He... llo? Everyone?

… No, what in hell is this sudden development?

However, when a somewhat understandable, if awkward, assortment of Korean came out of Charlotte’s lips, all my plans were instantly shattered.

How the hell does Holmes even know Korean, for fuck’s sake.

Even with all the magic and mana going for this world, I was currently in late 19th-century Britain.

It wasn’t the era of globalization, there definitely wasn’t any internet, so how could she learn Korean in such a short time?

“Look. Before we start, there’s a need for some brief clarification.”

As I was sweating coldly thinking this, a cold voice came from behind the disguised Charlotte.

“Do you guys always handle things this way?”1

“We had to move our base hastily, and the losses we incurred are not minor.”

It turned out to be the men that had kidnapped the girl next to me.

“Why are you even telling me that?”

“The interpreter sent by your side betrayed and leaked information. He must have received a bribe in the middle somehow.”

“… So, we mean to say that we can’t trust you.”

One of the men, who seemed to be a subordinate, pointed a gun at Charlotte’s head.

- Click…

“Depending on your answer, we will decide whether to trust you or eliminate you here and now.”

“Please, convince us.”

With those words delivered, silence ensued in the room.

“… Aren’t you the ones who made the mistake?”

As I, still tied in ropes, was about to make a move if something went wrongCharlotte, who stopped me with the silent signal she sent me with her gaze, began responding with a similar level of coldness in her voice. �

“Wasn’t it you who let an unidentified person into the hideout without even checking him?”

“What kind of nonsense…”

“I heard that you didn’t even have a password, right? If this matter was really important, shouldn’t you have decided something like that in advance on your side?”

The men’s faces instantly hardened.

“And did you think we wouldn’t contact you when sending someone? You must have clearly received something like a note this morning.”

“There was no such talk…”

“You should have read the contract thoroughly. There’s a clause in the contract that clearly states that, even though we would be deciding the visit time at our discretion, we would be contacting you separately before sending someone.”

Hearing her response, one of the men frowned and pulled out a contract from his pocket.

Seeing that, Charlotte made a surreptitious signal towards me.

“… What, it’s really written there?”

“Thi-This is really strange. I’m certain I checked the contract thoroughly…”

Given the situation, I decided to follow her strategy and quietly added a new sentence to the contract with a flick of my finger.

… Magic is certainly convenient.

Of course, since the sentence was added after the contract was signed, it would have no legal effect. But the only thing that mattered was that the party was unaware of the intricacies.

“… Tsk, put the gun down already.”

It seemed that those two, lacking magical abilities, had not realized that it was a fake clause written with Charlotte’s black mana that resided in my body.

“Well, we’re currently investigating whoever it was that tried to sabotage the whole deal. Not to mention it was our mistake for not clearly explaining all the clauses beforehand, so we will not charge an additional fee.”

“Understood.”

As I sighed in relief inwardly, Charlotte continued her performance with a crisp voice.

… She’s really good at this, huh?

There was something oddly intriguing in watching her in action.

Although she is a defender of justice without a shred of doubt, I couldn’t help but imagine how resourceful she would be if she were to commit crimes instead. Wouldn’t she just be on par with Professor Moriarty herself?

“Then, please translate the message we intend to convey.”

“For your information, we will be inside this time. Having hastily agreed last time led us to this predicament…”

“Do as you please.”

As I engrossed myself with an unthinkable idea that could make genuine Sherlockians faint in abhorrence, the two men prepared to interrogate me and the girl.

- Swoosh…

“Ju-Just kill me already, please…”

As torture tools, not yet cleaned of the girl’s blood, appeared from their possession, the girl sitting next to me began trembling violently.

“Tell them the following.”

As I looked at her with a pitiful gaze, a rough voice leaked out of the man in front.

“If the woman does not disclose the location of the documents within a minute, and if the man does not truthfully reveal the information of the person who bribed him within a minute…”

“… Both of them will be gruesomely killed on the spot.”

Charlotte’s eyebrows twitched slightly upon hearing their words, but she soon began translating their words with an unaffected expression.

Document location... Not telling now? You die...2

Eeek...

Despite the grim situation, her translation spilt out in a cute accent that definitely didn’t match the atmosphere. However, the nature of the content itself was enough to terrify the girl beside me.

“… And I believe the person next to you understands English.”

“Ah, that is so.”

Reminding the man of the fact, she silently took off her wristwatch and threw it to us.

Start now, I will count, ten...

Uh, ugh...

Finish count. Hurt very very much.

And then, still talking in her cute Korean accent, she dropped a literal bombshell on the girl.

... Hey! I thought we had 60 seconds.

One.

Hey!?

Two.

Charlotte, undeterred, began her count much to the dismay of the girl. Even though she attempted a rebuttal, she was only met with disappointment.

Three, four...

- Clang, clink…

Simultaneously, men standing beside us clashed hideous torture devices together, creating spine-chilling sounds.

“Hmm…”

The choice I made in that situation was,

… Whatever.

To just stay still like a corpse.

It’s not like I’m going to die.

Under normal circumstances, Lady Clay, the fake interpreter, should have extracted information about their client from the men in suit, but that was something even Charlotte, whose combat skills had improved as much as the professor’s, could do.

And even if her plan included me being tortured, I was prepared to accept it sweetly, thinking of it as karma for my past deeds.

Mother...

However, one thing that troubled me was the poor girl sobbing beside me.

Of course, I had a firm belief that Charlotte would never do anything to jeopardise her safety.

Lately, however, I couldn’t deny that I occasionally felt Professor Moriarty’s aura in her gaze.

Seven, eight...

That’s why, it seemed necessary to prepare for any eventuality by untying the restraints.

“Nine…”

Having thought this, I quietly waited for the count to end.

Wait!!!

The girl, shivering silently for some time, suddenly shouted loudly.

... Decide to speak, you?

Please convey this message to my homeland!

She urgently blabbered her words to Charlotte who showed a puzzled expression at her abrupt words.

We must call off the plan now! The Empire of Japan has already pressured and bribed several countries including Britai...

- Slap!

“… Ugh.”

But before she could finish her sentence, her head arched down due to the vicious slap from one of the men.

“… And what did this woman say now?”

Charlotte, who had been silent for a while, quietly opened her mouth.

Ten.

And then, she quietly moved away and stuck as close as possible to the corner of the room.

“What are you doing now?”

“I don’t want to get caught up in the action.”

“What?”

In the next instant,

- BOOOOOM!!!

A terrifying explosion seemed to resonate from practically everywhere, and the walls of the hideout blasted apart, scattering debris everywhere.

“Eeek.”

Startled by the sudden incident, I hurriedly tried to shield the girl from the debris.

“… You’ve breached the contract.”

However, my eyes widened in surprise at the familiar voice of Lestrade, who soon made her way toward me with elegant steps.

“However, I’ll overlook it this time due to the special circumstances.”

Lestrade, having knocked out the two armed men with a single baton in the blink of an eye, was now hoisting me and the girl while whispering softly.

.

.

.

.

“I called for Inspector Gregson this time, not you…”

Charlotte, who watched Lestrade’s exaggerated entrance from the sideline with a vacant gaze, brushed off the dust on her clothes before pouting at the inspector.

“She is being disciplined for failing to prevent Lupin’s escape. I am handling her duties in her stead.”

“… Tsk.”

She clicked her tongue at Lestrade’s response before moving her steps.

“Honestly, if I had a bit more time, I could have dug up the client’s information too.”

“Ah…”

“But, we can’t endanger the victim just to catch the mastermind now, can we?”

Charlotte muttered something that sounded like an excuse directed toward me, then added in a low voice,

“… And, it was dangerous for you too. Even more so…”

“Miss Holmes…”

Moved by her words, I slipped out of Lestrade’s hold and walked towards her.

“…..?”

Reaching her, I immediately kissed her soft and squishy cheek.

“Thank you.”

After whispering shyly, a slightly dazed expression took over Charlotte as she looked at me.

“Ah, and…”

- Bam…!

“… Ugh!?”

I was about to secretly add more words, but they never reached Charlotte.

“It’s a breach of contract.”

“Grrr…”

Lestrade murmured coldly, having punched me in the ribs and lifted me up again.

“Isaac Adler will be taken as a witness.”

“I’m not requesting your understanding. I’m doing my job, so don’t think of objecting…”

As Lestrade, gripping me by the ribs, began moving towards the exit with a slightly raspy voice,

“… Go ahead.”

For some reason, Charlotte obediently agreed to her.

“Tsk…”

“Khuk, um…”

After finishing her words, Charlotte, who was absent-mindedly rubbing her cheek, was met with a deadly glare from Lestrade as she stomped toward the exit with me in tow.

… Well, there were some variables.

Thus, the atmosphere of the case started wrapping up ambiguously this time as well.

But things are still going according to plan.

But for me, there was an exception this time around.

“What’s there to smile about so foolishly?”

“No, it’s just… Aaagh!!”

I already knew who was behind this case and had even planned on how to conclude the case adequately.

- Pow…

“Ju-Just be gentle…”

At that time, I did not expect my plan to have far-reaching consequences, but that was a story for a bit later.

“Once the interrogation is over, we’ll proceed with a private meeting at home.”

“….. What?”

Incidentally, I also had not anticipated that I would be subjected to such a terrifying act by Lestrade in my so-called honeymoon home. But that was another story altogether.

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... Hey there.

Eek?

Thus, although Adler was being dragged away while envisioning that he was about to enact the perfect crime for once,

Ah, calm down. We're on the same side.

... Ah, you’re suddenly speaking Korean fluently now?

I've been practising for a few months, after all. Ah, but that's not what's important right now...

He had failed to account for something.

You, from Joseon? The Empire of Korea? You are a diplomat from the Empire of Korea, correct?

Yes, that is indeed correct.

Then are you a noble perchance...?

Not all diplomats are from noble families, but I indeed come from a noble lineage, yes...

The fact was that Charlotte’s grasp on Adler’s deepest secrets had stretched much further than he could have ever anticipated.

... Then, you must know the surnames that are commonly used by nobles in your country, right?

Why do you ask?

It's nothing. I just need it to control a pesky devil.

......?

1. For some reason, Charlotte started speaking normally again. There is no use of an accent here or any mention that she is speaking with an accent. I guess she just wanted to mock Adler at first. Only explanation I can come up with, to be honest.2. Starting now, there will be just a lot of broken English mimicking Broken Korean. The things I do for this novel, sigh…