Chapter 6: The Scandal of the Bohemian Queen (3)

Chapter 6: The Scandal of the Bohemian Queen (3)

The day after Isaac Adler’s house was reduced to ashes for reasons unknown—

“Haah, haah...”

Having received Holmes’s message to come to the hospital Watson worked in, the Queen, who had been staying at a hotel, rushed out hastily and was thus catching her breath heavily in the hospital lobby.

“I came immediately upon receiving your message, as you said.”

“Yes, you did well.”

“What’s the urgent matter that you want to talk about?”

Holmes, who had been waiting for the Queen on the lobby’s sofa, answered her question.

“It’s naturally about the photo.”

“... You didn’t already get your hands on the photo, did you?”

“Not yet, but it’s as good as in our possession.”

“Oh, oh! Is that really true?”

The Queen, with a flash of excitement, then took Holmes’ hands in hers.

“I knew I did the right thing entrusting this to you. How can I ever repay this favor...”

“The case isn’t over yet. Please calm down and listen to my story first.”

However, Holmes spoke to her in a cold voice, suggesting that the Queen sit down for the moment.

“...Holmes.”

“What is it, Watson?”

From beside Holmes, Watson, who had been quietly observing the situation, began to whisper cautiously to her.

“Are you really okay?”

Whenever a case seemed on the verge of being resolved, Holmes usually maintained a calm demeanor and immersed herself in her hobby of cracking down the last crucial part of the case and then delivering the breadth of events to the client.

However, for some reason, she was now irascible, almost like a girl going through puberty.

“I’m fine, Watson.”

“Really?”

“...I said I’m fine.”

It was a noticeably different behavior from the always mature and knowledgeable Holmes that everyone was used to seeing.

“Explain what happened quickly.”

“...........”

“I’m so on edge that I feel like I might go mad any moment now. We don’t have much time left before Adler’s deadline.”

But the Queen, seemingly unfazed by this unusual behavior, started to press Holmes with an anxious expression on her face.

“To start, we failed to find the photo yesterday.”

With that, Holmes, still in that irritated mood of hers, began to explain to the Queen.

“...What?”

“But now, I know where the photo is.”

“Is... is that true?”

The Queen, whose eyes had widened in surprise at Holmes’s statement about failing to find the photo, showed a hint of color upon hearing that she knew the location of the scandalous photograph.

“Where the hell is that damned photo?”

“It’s in room 102 on the 3rd floor of this hospital.”

“What did you say?”

“Because Isaac Adler is admitted there with full-body burns.”

The Queen’s expression changed to one of shock upon hearing those last words.

“Why would he...?”

“It’s a long story.”

Holmes, with her eyes shut for a moment, tapped on the desk with her fingers and let out a long sigh.

“...Very long.”

And then, Holmes began explaining the events that had occurred the previous day.

“Isaac did that?”

“That damned rascal did?”

As Holmes’ narration reached the part where Adler jumped into the flames to save her and his servants, not only the Queen but also Watson showed absolute disbelief in their expressions.

“You couldn’t see with your own eyes yesterday since you passed out, so it’s understandable.”

“But still...”

And somehow, I’d have to become involved with most of them.

“Phew.”

I sighed lightly and then steeled myself, eyes opened wide in determination.

There are two main things I needed to do now.

Firstly, I had to settle my relationship with the client Holmes was keenly interested in— the Queen of Bohemia.

If I didn’t resolve it soon, just as Professor Moriarty said, my life will be in danger.

And then, next would be...

Become ‘that man’ for Holmes.

I had to complete this quest.

Otherwise, this world would crumble and shatter.

‘Never thought I’d see the day.’

I never dreamed that I would be the one to hand Holmes her first defeat in life.

But I hoped she would understand that all of this was for her sake.

Though her abilities may match those of the original Holmes, Charlotte still had the weakness of being mentally immature.

For her to rise as the only one to confront Moriarty, this failure was indeed necessary for plausible growth.

“Ah, ah. Can you hear me?”

Though I was of different age and gender, I somewhat alleviated my guilt of using knowledge from the original work to defeat a figure I deeply respected.

“If you can hear me, please respond, Professor.”

Before leaving, I murmured softly while wearing the miniature mana receiver that Professor Moriarty had given me.

– I hear you loud and clear, Mr. Adler.

Then, I started to hear Professor Moriarty’s voice in my ear.

– So, what should I do now?

From the café on the opposite block, Professor Jane Moriarty sat with an excited look, waving at me.

“Think of this as a rehearsal before officially engaging in criminal consultation.”

According to the narrative of this world, I have a duty to help the protagonist— Charlotte Holmes, grow.

“From now on, I will act according to the orders you give, Professor.”

But at the same time, I also had the duty to develop Professor Jane Moriarty, her arch-enemy and final boss, into a plausible existence.

“Don’t get too nervous about it, just take your time and do it without pressure.”

Turning her, who has just entered the world of criminal consultation, into an emperor who will rule over London’s underworld.

Because that was my other main quest.

“If anything happens, I’ll take full responsibility.”

– That’s quite a romantic statement you made there, Mr. Adler.

In my field of vision appeared the Queen of Bohemia, nervously sitting on a chair in the hospital lobby.

“As your assistant, let’s try to topple the Queen of Bohemia, Professor.”

To escape from this absurd situation, it was time to use Moriarty as a cheat code of sorts.

.

.

.

.

.

Meanwhile, at that moment.

The hospital room where Isaac Adler was admitted.

“........”

Carefully opening the door and entering inside, Charlotte Holmes looked down at the bed with a look of disbelief on her face.

– As soon as you see this, please open it immediately.

Instead of Isaac Adler who should have been lying there, there was a lone envelope on the very middle of the straightened bed.

– To Miss Charlotte Holmes.

On the envelope, her name was written in Adler’s handwriting.

“Holmes, what on earth happened?”

“...........”

It was the moment when the very first failure was etched into Charlotte’s flawless detective career.