Becoming Professor Moriarty’s Probability

Chapter 119: The Hound of the Baskervilles (7)

From the moment I realised that the doppelgänger I had attached to Charlotte Holmes had been discovered, I hurriedly attempted to escape the moors and hide my presence.

"Isaac Adler."

"...... Hmm."

However, it seemed that it was no easy task to flee from Gia Lestrade, dubbed as a veritable genius when it comes to arresting criminals.

"What's the matter, Miss Lestrade?"

"Come slowly with your hands up. If you surrender willingly, I will not resort to violence."

"Are you planning to kidnap me?"

"If you won't come, then I will just have to come."

"That's quite a scandalous statement you made there."

Despite my attempt to lighten the mood with a joke, Lestrade, with a firm expression, began to walk towards me slowly.

… I have no choice then.

Of course, there was a last resort that I could use to get out of this situation. However, using it would only incur Lestrade's disdain.

However, it would be extremely foolish of me to not use it at this critical juncture, just because of that reason alone.

"Stop right there."

"......?"

As I finished my judgment and whispered in a low voice, Lestrade flinched for a moment and then abruptly stopped in her tracks.

"What are you trying to do?"

"... Heh."

I looked at her, frozen in place like a statue, with a smile tinged with amusement. Cautiously, I walked over toward her and began poking her sides with my finger.

"Ah."

"... Inspector, have you perhaps forgotten the golden seal engraved on your lower abdomen the day we first made our contract?"

Eventually, as I stroked her lower abdomen, Lestrade, who had been looking at me with slight disdain, snarled at me in a cold voice,

"I thought it was merely a mark of victory, a stain representing your vile taste."

"That's partly true. However, it also contains a powerful binding magic that makes you an absolute slave to my commands."

"... Is that so?"

The look in her eyes as she asked that question was several times colder than the look she gave me on the day we first met.

"Was that strange confidence you showed every time you gave me orders because of this mark here?"

"Of course. How else could I possibly defeat you if not for that mark?"

"... Hmm."

"Well, I’ll be on my way now. Please tell Miss Holmes that I have some business to attend to and that we'll meet later..."

Although her gaze was frightening, I had matters I needed to attend to with utmost urgency. So, while gently caressing her seal, I gave the command to her.

- Swish...

"... Huh?"

Looking at me silently for a while, she took handcuffs out of her pocket and started to cuff my wrists, making me look at her with a slight hint of panic.

"This…?"

"I am placing you under emergency arrest on suspicion of the murder of Julia Stapleton."

What had happened here?

"Inspector? I told you to go back."

Even after touching the seal and giving orders, why was it ineffective?

"... Mr. Adler, I am cursed with an anomaly that neutralizes all abnormalities, oddities, and supernatural phenomena I encounter."

"Ah..."

"As a result, I can't even handle mana, let alone mana-based weapons or various convenient magical items. After decades of training, I've managed to handle a faint trace of aura, but that's about it."

I was momentarily engulfed in doubt, but upon hearing her words, I finally understood the situation.

"However, thanks to that same curse, no oddity, anomaly, or supernatural abilities can affect me. Not even that despicable method you used to get half of London's women on your side."

"... Then, the reason you signed my absurd contract without any doubts was?"

"That is... um..."

As I asked with a look of disbelief, Lestrade began to stumble over her words.

"... It was deliberate."

"Was it, really?"

"After all, I don't need to pay attention to such things."

Then, she quickly admitted the truth.

"Why then did you hate it so much when the seal was imprinted, and why did you obediently follow my orders?"

"... I took it as a threat, thinking that if I disobeyed at that juncture, you would show everyone that indelible slave tattoo you had etched on my stomach."

"Ah..."

I silently nodded in understanding, feeling a cold sweat running down my forehead.

This was serious; I could end up truly imprisoned at this rate.

"Anyway, the conclusion is, you can't stop me as I am currently fulfilling my role as an inspector, Isaac Adler."

"........"

"It might have been different if that unruly brat or the red cat had been with you."

The red cat was, in fact, wriggling in my arms.

The problem was that I had been using my strength elsewhere, drawing upon even the Princess's power to accomplish that… thus reducing her to the level of a real pet cat.

And unless I was at full power, facing a fully prepared Inspector Lestrade would be futile.

"... Shall we get married?"

"Right now, I'm performing my duties as an inspector of the London Metropolitan Police."

I tried to smile, desperately trying to make a last-ditch effort to get out of this situation. However, I was only met with her immediate, firm answer.

"So do not attempt to beguile me."

"... Once I'm out, I guess I'll have to marry Charlotte."

Yet, without letting go of hope, I sighed and muttered to myself, and for an instant, I saw a look of contemplation cross the inspector's face.

Could there possibly be a chance?

Do you not understand the meaning of 100%?

But my vain hope was shattered along with the piercing rebuke from the system that appeared before me.

- Smack!

My head was struck by Inspector Gia Lestrade's police-issued baton, piercing through the system screen.

"... Ugh."

A short epitaph flashed before my eyes, Isaac Adler, crushed by his own karma. And with that, I lost consciousness.

.

.

.

.

.

"... Uh."

"You're awake."

"Hagh."

Isaac Adler felt a throbbing pain in his head as he opened his eyes again. As soon as he did, he couldn’t help but gasp in surprise at what he saw.

It had been less than a second since he opened his eyes, and the figure he faced was none other than Charlotte Holmes, who sat expressionless on his knees.

"Ah..."

Adler, looking up at her with a dazed expression, soon realized that he was tied tightly to a chair in an unknown place.

"Miss Holmes."

"........"

"Let's get married."

As he proposed with an awkward smile, Charlotte, looking down at Adler, gave him a frigid smile in return.

"I'll take care of all the housework, can't you just consider it once?"

"Do you know?"

Then, she leaned close to Adler's ear and whispered in a low voice.

"I have the power to change your punishment to indefinite house arrest."

"... Ahh"

"I don't know what you're thinking, but I can do it without the help of my foolish sister, who's dressed as a maid and staying in the basement of your hideout right now."

Adler, momentarily stunned at her terrifying statement, quickly began to retort.

"Come to think of it, Inspector Lestrade didn't inform me of the Miranda principle."

"The Miranda principle? What's that?"

"Well, that means... I wasn't sufficiently informed of my legal rights when I was arrested. That's a violation of British criminal law."

"... You always have a way with words."

Adler, who had brought up a debate that would occur decades later on another continent, looked at Charlotte with sparkling eyes as if acknowledging the fact.

"Then release me, please. I want to appoint a lawyer..."

"But, that doesn't really matter."

However, Charlotte quietly shook her head.

"I know you're not the culprit."

"What?"

"I just wanted to make sure you couldn't interfere with solving this case any further."

Adler, staring at her for a moment, quietly lifted the corners of his mouth.

"Interfere, what are you talking about..."

"Stay here quietly until I finish solving the case."

"What, you're just going to leave me like this?"

As Charlotte began to prepare to leave, Adler showed a visibly disappointed expression.

"... I should report Isaac Adler missing."

"What?"

But the answer that came after a moment was enough to send chills down his spine.

"I'm joking."

"By the way... where is this? It's Baskerville Estate, right?"

"......."

"... Miss Holmes?"

.

.

.

.

.

"Miss Holmes... it's not funny anymore..."

It had been a while since Charlotte Holmes quietly left the room.

"Please untie me now~"

- Tszszszsz...

"I'll marry you~"

Still bound to the chair, Adler cried out in a slightly pitiful voice, when suddenly, he turned his gaze towards a strange sound that began to fill the room.

"... Grrrr."

There, on the floor, crouched low, was a bizarre creature emitting a sinister growling sound.

"Good, good boy."

".........."

"... Come here."

Adler, sweating slightly, whispered with a trembling smile, and the creature slowly began to move forward.

- Pounce...

Before long, the creature had jumped from the floor onto Adler's knee and began to stare intently at him.

- Lick, lick...

"You know, I've been thinking for a while, looking at you..."

As the creature quietly began to lick his face, Adler, momentarily stunned, opened his mouth with a look of disbelief.

"Could it be, my true identity is..."

- Creak...

The door, which had been firmly closed, suddenly opened at that very moment.

".... The inspector and the detective said I should cooperate with keeping you tied up and confined in the basement of the estate."

Moments later, a high-pitched voice echoed in the room.

"What on earth is going on?"

"Well."

Adler, having anticipated who was behind the obscured face, stood up quietly and began to speak.

"... Perhaps it's because I've been made to wear the blame for the crimes you committed?"

The bindings that had been tightly securing him were already loosened, and the strange creature that had been perched on his knee, licking his cheek, was nowhere to be found.

"What exactly are you...?"

"Who am I?"

Shortly after, the trembling voice of the true culprit came from in front, and Adler, with a finger on his lips, whispered in a low voice.

"... A cute criminal consultant."

"What?"

"It looks like a crime is about to be uncovered, do you perhaps require the help of a professional like me?"

It was at that very moment when an unexpected storm began to brew over the Baskerville /genesisforsaken