Becoming Professor Moriarty's Probability

- Flare…!

“… Ah.”

A sardonic smile crept up my lips as I delivered a decisive blow to the source of this world’s erosion and gradual destruction. However, I couldn’t smile for long as the piece of paper burst into flames and disintegrated.

“Looks like I hit the bullseye.”

This phenomenon just confirmed that I hadn’t misjudged the being’s true identity.

To be honest, given the blatant clues, it was hard not to decipher who the culprit was.

From the still-squirming tentacle-like appendages hidden in the shadows to the personal details of being a late 19th and early 20th-century American horror writer, and the keyword Cosmicism.

Adding the trait of being a racist, there was not a shadow of a doubt in my mind that the mastermind was Lovecraft.

… Of course, the gender must have been swapped, right?

In this world, where famous characters underwent gender reversal in most cases, she undoubtedly would have been transformed into a woman.

Even maintaining the original titles of reclusive, nerdy, gothic, hipster, and racist.

“Tch.”

The idea that such a person was behind the erosion was somewhat ludicrous, but that didn’t mean she could be underestimated.

Although I had discovered the culprit’s identity, it was currently the late 19th century, not the 21st century dubbed as the era of information.

If it were the modern era, catching Lovecraft, who would have been holed up in a room posting scandalous writings on social media, would have been a matter of time.

However, locating her in the vast expanses of the USA based solely on her surname was challenging in the current era, even with the use of magic.

Regrettably, I had intentionally excluded spells related to tracking and detection to preserve the integrity of the mystery genre when I crafted this world.

I should have memorized where Lovecraft lived…

Had I known even the area Lovecraft resided in, things might have been different. However, as an enthusiast of the mystery genre, I disliked the author and never bothered to look up his whereabouts.

This meant locating her in the vast American landscape would take a considerable amount of time.

However, the problem was that she wouldn’t remain idle during that time.

Although it felt trivial now as she had scampered off at the revelation of her name, now that her identity was exposed, Lovecraft certainly wouldn’t sit still.

She had mentioned readin’ my information. I had a hunch that her ability was related to writing or inscribing on her book to attack remotely.

While, according to her, I apparently had an inexplicable immunity to her attacks so I didn’t need to worry about my safety. However, the issue was the people around me.

While the professor could easily turn the tentacles before us into takoyaki, even Charlotte, who had become capable of fighting on par with the professor for an extremely brief period, had nearly died the last time without my intervention— a staggering near 40% chance of her death.

To be able to control beings of cosmic horror and all the anomalous monsters covering the world, indeed, it fit Lovecraft’s MO. And that made her extremely dangerous.

Fortunately, my bluff worked for now, so she’ll remain cautious for some time. But, it really was only a matter of time before she acted.

If what she said about figuring out a way to deal with the professor was really true, then the moment her full-scale attack began, London and even the rest of the world being eroded into the playground of cosmic horrors was truly a foregone conclusion.

“Fucking hell, fuck…”

Of all the things, it just had to be the Cthulhu Mythos. The works I despised the most.

Why do they these great beings who jump out at you looking like squid heads as great beings of cosmic horror and unknown terror?

Although I also have British blood flowing through my veins, having lived in Korea since birth, these creatures were more familiar to me as food than objects of fear and terror.

Frankly, these creatures squirming about ignorantly in front of me could be devoured with some red pepper paste and sesame oil. Just thinking about it is enough to make my mouth water.

Also, isn’t Cthulhu actually nothing special?

That so-called cosmic horror fled after getting rammed by a steamship, whereas the professor could probably sink dozens of ships with just one hand.

… I need to calm down.

I might be slightly excited, but it couldn’t be helped.

The world I had worked so hard to develop while shunning the entire world was about to be eroded by my least favourite work.

It was already bad enough that the shitty company’s story team was trying to ruin my world but now I had to deal with these tentacle shits too?

… I need to finish my plans quickly.

It was imperative that I completed the grand plan I was currently working on as quickly as possible.

“Miss System, I have a question.”

While deep in thought, I asked the system a question.

“Even if I don’t capture the main culprit, Lovecraft, if I complete my objectives as the probability of this world, will the erosion cease?”

A moment later, a very simple and clear answer appeared before my eyes.

Yes.

That one word was enough for me.

“… Good.”

Of course, I would still try to capture Lovecraft if possible, but there was no need to risk my life for it.

After all, if Lovecraft’s abilities were sealed by me completing all the quests, it was only a matter of time before she was caught.

… By the remaining heroines, that is.

By the way, your remaining quests are as follows—

◈ Quests

1. Make Watson confess to you again.

2. Maximize the killing intent Charlotte Holmes and Professor Moriarty have for each other.

3. Maximize the danger level of the organization...

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“… Thank you.”

A sudden bitterness washed over me, and I frowned as I gently patted the system window that had kindly displayed the remaining tasks in front of me. Eventually, I moved forward.

“But first, I need to finish the task at hand.”

Saying this, I snapped my fingers and instantly erased the barrier in the room. Then I supported and helped the unconscious princess to her feet.

“By the way, thank you for throwing yourself in front of me to protect me earlier.”

Why is that?

I turned my head slightly and whispered softly to the system.

“Thank you, System Sis.”

.........

“… You really are the only one I can call sister in this strange world.”

After a moment, the floating system window paused its output and abruptly disappeared from my sight.

… I thought it flickered red for an instant there. Or was that my imagination?’

I was secretly hoping that teasing the system might unveil some hidden rewards, but I was probably expecting too much.

“S-Sister, you say…?”

“……..”

“H-How presumptuous…”

With that, I left the room while listening to the princess’s sleep talking.

“… Come to think of it, Lovecraft was an avid admirer of the KKK, wasn’t he?”

I had no intention of sparing those who had hurt Lestrade and Blaze from the start. Now that I knew they were the underlings of the final boss, however, I felt no hesitation in finishing the job.

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That night, at the headquarters of the KKK located in the United States,

“G-Grand Wizard!”

“… What now?”

As a member hurriedly entered the room, a middle-aged man who was sitting cross-legged in the middle opened his eyes slightly and frowned.

“Huff, huff…”

“Has another branch been attacked? Or is it that another one of our overseas branches has withdrawn their operations?”

The middle-aged man had reached the realm of Grand Wizard, a level only a few mana users in the world could attain. He reigned as a shadow over American society, commanding numerous cult-like followers.

“I don’t understand why there’s so much pressure coming from everywhere these days… It’s not like our lobbying funds have run out…”

However, his worries were not minor, given the sudden checks and attacks that had started coming from all directions recently.

“… Moreover, the magnitude of the incident is too big to be the work of those detestable minorities.”

“Ugh… huff…”

“So, what’s the news this time?”

Thus, the leader of the KKK, his face filled with irritation, continued to question the member who was panting in front of him.

“W-W-We’ve received a message from the British branch…”

“… Hmm?”

The words that the member finally managed to utter after catching his breath were enough to make his eyes widen.

“T-The Illustrious One has personally made contact.”

“… What?”

“G-G-Grand Wizard, he wants to meet you in person… Here, there’s also a letter.”

“Give it here.”

After blinking for a while, he snatched the letter from the member’s hand.

“Oh, ohhhh…”

His expression gradually filled with joy as he quickly read through the letter.

“I-I-Is this real? Is there any proof that it’s really him?”

“… Th-That’s the thing. Only the esteemed Grand Wizard, yourself, should be able to recognise the handwriting in the instructions the illustrious one sends, right?”

“Right. No one else could possibly imitate the handwriting of That person…”

Soon, the national leader of the KKK, thoroughly excited, stood up from the ground.

“Notify all members!”

“W-W-What should I tell them?”

“We are heading to the British Empire!” 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

“… What?”

“The Illustrious One is finally ready to welcome us!”

At his declaration, the member standing in front of him made a shocked expression.

“There, we will write a glorious new chapter for the pages of history…!”

“B-But… if so many people suddenly move to Britain in such times… there will be many difficulties…”

As the member began to add cautiously.

“… Are you defying me?”

“N-N-N0, sir…”

The member stopped short as he looked at the leader’s eyes, filled to the brim with utter madness.

“The Illustrious One… has promised power. With that power, we can exterminate all the disgusting species in this world…!”

“Understood, then…”

Thus, the member, looking uneasy, began to nod toward the leader who was hurling orders with a crazed look in his eyes.

“Immediately charter a ship. It doesn’t matter how much it costs, book all the ships that can sail within a day!”

“Ye-Yes…!”

The letter in front of him glowed subtly under the moonlight coming through the window.

“The executives will head to Britain first. And then, sequentially…”

Strangely, the letter written in Lovecraft’s handwriting seemed to tremble every now and then.

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“……… Huh?”

The next dawn, a few hours after departing from the United States, large ships bound for Britain were carrying the leader and top executives of the KKK.

“”……….””

On the deck of the leading ship, the national leader, basking pleasantly in the moonlight while sipping champagne, along with the surrounding executives, abruptly gazed toward the sky with vacant expressions.

- Gooooooooooogooooooooo…

The reason was the appearance of a massive creature, with grey scales, grey wings, and grey eyes – seemingly straight out of a fairy tale or legend – floating above the sea and staring at them with a bone-chilling gaze.

“… A dragon?”

And just a few minutes later, the KKK disappeared forever into the depths of the sea, along with the eternally unsolved mystery that Watson would later publish as The Five Orange Pips.