Becoming Professor Moriarty's Probability

After days of sailing, we finally arrived in Switzerland from France. Immediately after landing down, Adler guided us to a small village.

“Wow…”

“… It’s beautiful.”

The nearby valley was dotted with snow, making it a quaint and picturesque village.

It wasn’t just me; even Moran paused her steps and wore an expression akin to that of a young girl.

Well, since Moran was indeed a young girl, perhaps it’s appropriate to describe her expression as girlish? She usually doesn’t make any of those expressions so it was quite a refreshing change.

“…….”

Despite the beauty, it seemed Adler was indifferent to it.

Lately, he had been casting quick, sharp glances at every passerby, making sure to check their faces.

It was as if he trusted no one.

“Hey, asshole. Is there really a need to be on edge even in such a small village?”

“… You should always be wary of assassins. You’d know if you were a soldier.”

By the way, at the moment, Adler and I were comfortable enough to speak informally with each other.

This was because we had agreed to become friends again after a night at a hotel a few days ago.

It was an achievement even Holmes and the professor hadn’t accomplished, though I wasn’t particularly proud of it.

Every time Adler spoke informally, it made me feel somewhat embarrassed. Like I was getting a bit hot under the collar.

But that’s not the important part.

“What do you know about soldiers?”

“I was a sergeant… oops.”

“… Sergeant?”

It was news to me, learning that Adler was a sergeant was pretty hard to believe.

Honestly, anyone would have a hard time accepting that such a constitutionally weak person had been in the army, but considering he had lived for centuries, it was plausible he might have served at some point.

Or perhaps, though highly unlikely, he might be a remnant from the Crusades?

“You’ve done a lot, huh? Singer, actor, soldier…”

“Well, not rea… huh?”

As I was thinking this, standing next to Adler, he suddenly stopped walking and began to sweat profusely.

“……!”

The same was the case for Moran, who had been looking at me with a displeased expression for the past few days.

“Why are both of you…?”

“Danger!!”

“… Huh?”

Just as I was about to ask why, Adler pulled me towards him urgently.

- Boom…! Boom…!

The next moment, a rather large rock rolled past us with great momentum.

- Thump, thud…

“Ah, with this weather, such things could indeed happen frequently.”

“”……..””

“So, you have to not only pay attention to people, but at your surroundings t… Hey? Guys?”

Involuntarily stuttering in Adler’s embrace, suddenly, Moran gave me a look that could freeze hell over and then started climbing up the rock that almost crushed us. She surveyed the surroundings keenly, seemingly searching for any threats.

“I’m sorry, Master.”

“… It’s not a person, is it?”

“Yes, it definitely wasn’t a person. If it were, I would have noticed first.”

“So… it must be a monster then.”

As I watched blankly, a chilling conversation ensued.

A monster. Not only were we being chased by people, but now it seems even a monster had joined our long, way too long list of pursuers. But has a monster really appeared even in such a quiet village?

The monsters reported so far had mostly appeared in densely populated areas.

Could it be a sign of global outbreak as mentioned by Adler.

“… Don’t worry. I will protect you.”

As I was feeling extremely uneasy at those thoughts, a low voice came from Adler, who was holding me.

“I can fix this soon. So…”

“… Why the sudden formal speech?”

“Ah, right.”

I was a bit displeased as I listened to his words, so I pointed it out. Adler, scratching his head awkwardly at the retort, soon leaned in close to my ear and whispered.

“… I will definitely protect you.”

“Uh.”

Tickled by that teasing voice, I involuntarily twitched and then cautiously interlocked fingers with him while murmuring.

“Really? No matter what?”

“Of course.”

“Then…”

Seizing the moment, I finally blurted out the words.

“… Even if I were to fall in love with you again?”

Then an eerie silence ensued.

“Ah, wait. I take that back. Just, act like you didn’t hear anything, okay?”

“……”

“… I must have gotten crazy. Yep. You’re just right for a one-night stand. Right?”

In that silence, Adler began to look at me with a strange gaze, and I hurriedly corrected my words and began to move forward.

“… I want to hear what you just said again.”

“What? That you’re suitable for a one-night stand only?”

“Before that.”

“Do you want me to just say that I am the biggest fool in the world for being tempted by London’s casanova twice?”

“I didn’t say that.”

With an uncanny stubbornness, Adler began insisting on the topic.

“If you say it clearly once more, I just might choose you…”

“No, no need!”

By this point, even I, who am usually obtuse, could understand what Adler meant by me being the last piece of his puzzle.

“Seriously…”

“I said, noooo!!!”

I began to resist desperately, but it was already too late.

Contrary to Adler’s words that they would soon revert, my eyes, reflected in the stream nearby, showed the golden tints that had not left even in a week.

“You’re just a organic dildo that is only good for pleasure!”

“… That’s a bit too much.”

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Having quickly left the small village that served as a detour to avoid threats, we finally arrived at our original destination that same night— the small village of Myringen.

Fortunately, there was a woman who introduced herself as having worked in a London hotel in the past, running an accommodation named British Pavilion, allowing us to stay comfortably.

“… Excuse me, miss.”

“Yes?”

While waiting for Adler, who had briefly gone to the restroom, and Moran, who had gone out to scout, I was sitting by the fireplace to warm myself up when…

“Surely you’re not thinking of going to the Reichenbach Falls?”

“That’s the plan?”

The woman at the corner counter, who had been watching us for some time, posed the question with a somewhat old-fashioned voice.

“Please, don’t go there.”

“Why?”

“Once a year, without fail, an accident occurs there.”

As I cautiously asked her, the woman began to speak with a worried expression.

“According to experts, a large amount of unusual mana stones are buried beneath the waterfall. This causes dizziness in non-mana users and magical overload in mana users.”

“… Is that so?”

“Even without such peculiarities, it’s a dangerous place. It’s especially risky when the snow melts and the water level becomes violent. You never know when you might be swept off your feet from a sudden torrent of water and fall from a great height.”

Her ominously foreboding statement somehow made me feel uneasy.

Why on earth did Adler suggest coming to such a dangerous place?

“Why not stay inside and have a drink instead? Our inn has very good liquor.”

“… Liquor?”

Searching for something to soothe my suddenly anxious heart, I noticed the whiskey glass that the owner had casually offered and my eyes immediately lit up.

“That… might not be too bad.”

Having had almost no opportunity to drink during the long journey, I was feeling quite the urge to have a drink right now.

A drink or two before Adler arrives should be fine.

“Eh? Why does it taste so good?”

“It’s our special liquor.”

With that thought, I drank from the glass and finished it in one gulp. The liquor was far tastier than I expected.

“Ma’am… just one more bottle…”

“… I’m not your ma’am.”

When I came to my senses, I had already emptied the entire bottle of liquor.

“I… hate… being… interrupted…”

“… Watson?”

It was at that moment that I heard Adler’s voice, sounding somewhat panicked.

“You’re here… you damn handsome bastard…”

“… From the looks of it, you’ve been drinking.”

“There’s something… I’ve been wondering…”

I may not recall it perfectly, but I probably asked in a haze of intoxication.

“You… do you… like me…?”

“… Of course.”

Fueled again by the alcohol, I finally voiced the thoughts I had been holding back throughout our trip.

“… Me too.”

“……..”

“Damn it all… I love you too…”

Thus, I, the last puzzle piece in Adler’s grand scheme, was put in its rightful place, completing it.

“So…”

- Screech…!

And at that very moment,

“Is there a doctor!?”

“… Huh?”

From the hastily opened door of the inn, a pale young girl began to cry out desperately.

“… I-Is it a patient?”

“Uh… Yes! It’s about a kilometre away from here… It’s a life-threatening situation. There’s no doctor around here…”

It should have been questionable that a Swiss girl, and a young one at that, was using such fluent English.

“… Where is it?”

But already drunk, I didn’t have the time to care, moved only by her tearful face and my duty as a doctor.

“T-The address is here. Please, please, help…”

“… I’ll go right now.”

I later realized that I would come to regret that decision for the rest of my life.

“I’ll be back soon… wait here…”

“… Yes.”

The one in the most dire strait there was not some non-existent patient at some fake address, but rather the person right behind me.

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- Click…

“……..”

As Rachel Watson staggered out of the inn and the door closed, eerie silence settled in the room.

“… This is quite interesting.”

Soon, a familiar voice broke the silence.

“Is it okay to abandon a friend like that?”

“… It’s not abandonment, it’s more like a rescue, isn’t it?”

Professor Jane Moriarty, who had abruptly changed from the friendly innkeeper to her usual cold and languid demeanour, threw a question mixed with a sneer. To her question, Charlotte, who had also returned from her tearful self to her usual expression, replied with a frosty look.

“After all, an ordinary person like Watson couldn’t possibly survive a fight between you and me.”

“… No matter the outcome, I didn’t want to make her feel responsible.”

“That’s quite a tearful friendship…”

To her, Professor Moriarty, still sneering, murmured as she gathered mana in her hand.

“Indeed.”

- Creeak…

“………”

Charlotte, who had also been gathering mana, frowned along with the professor at the appearance of Inspector Gia Lestrade, who slowly opened the door from a room at the back of the inn.

“I didn’t expect you to be preparing such a surprise party.”

“Indeed. I thought you were completely left behind.”

“I always say, I never lose track of my target when I know who I should be chasing.”

Soon, a terrifying tsunami murderous intent began flowing through the inn. Almost making it collapse from the pressure alone.

“Sorry, but I’m the same.”

“Me too.”

“I thought everyone would come at me like this.”

As if they had agreed beforehand, the three women drew their weapons, ready to engage in combat.

“… Excuse me.”

However, a sudden small voice coming from the front drew their gazes just as they were about to engage.

“Try and catch me.”

Then, Isaac Adler, wearing a mischievous smile while standing at the entrance of the inn, left those words behind and dashed out into the snow-covered outside.

- Swoosh…

Charlotte and Inspector Lestrade, watching his figure with cold eyes for a moment, slowly started moving towards the exit without hastening their pace.

… It turned out just as you said.

Behind them, the professor, wrapped in an inexplicable anxiety, muttered to herself and slowly rose from her seat.

Will the final destination be Reichenbach Falls, after all…?

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“… Hah, hah.”

The quest Make Watson confess to you again has been completed.

Having exhausted the last remnants of my mana, I somehow escaped from the inn. Dragging my body, which felt like it might collapse at any moment, I started heading towards the massive waterfall in front of me.

Remaining Quests: 1

I am feeling overwhelmed with emotions.

Now, it’s time to solve the final problem. Time to settle this once and for all.

***

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