ATPnovel Chapter 218: The Valley of Fear
Chapter 218: The Valley of Fear
“Holmes, watch your tone. Is that a way to speak to someone?”
“Tone?”
Watson, who had reflexively hidden her briefcase behind her, opened her mouth calmly as Charlotte chuckled darkly before asking again.
“Have we ever been so formal with each other that we must mind our tone when conversing?”
“... No, we haven’t.”
“Then...”
“However, I believe we are at a stage where I’m forced to show what’s in my personal briefcase either.”
Without even blinking, Watson smoothly responded to her question.
“Look, there seems to be something off about what you said...”
“You don’t even show me the contents of the desk drawer in your room. That’s supposed to be a shared drawer.”
“... Why are you acting like that?”
“Holmes, now you’re the one...”
As the usually friendly gaze between the two roommates turned cold,
- Thud...
Two hands were placed on the bag simultaneously.
“... Didn’t you say there was nothing inside?”
“Something keeps rattling around though.”
“That, that is...”
As Professor Moriarty and Inspector Lestrade started interrogating her in an emotionless voice, Watson could not help but falter ever so slightly under their imposing presence.
“I... put some lab rats in there.”
“... Are there such heavy rats?”
“Well, I put quite a few in there. About a hundred...”
“But I only sense one though.”
Despite her repeated attempts to defend her excuse, the professor and the inspector were already in sync and pressed Watson further.
“Let’s open the bag for a moment.”
“No, I refuse. Do you even have a warrant to search my belongings?”
“It’s an emergency search. A law was passed a few months ago which allows for a search and seizure of property if it’s deemed related to the supernatural.” RἈꞐоβĚS
“That’s unreasonable...!”
“It’s for the safety of London.”
Overpowered and pressured by their combined force, Watson lost grip on her bag.
- Swoosh...
Not missing the chance, the hands of the professor and the inspector reached for the lock of the bag simultaneously.
“”....... Eh?””
A brief look of perplexity crossed their faces.
“Uh...?”
Because, surprisingly, what was inside the bag was none other than Rachel Watson, who had just been arguing with them.
“Uh uh...!! Uh...!!!”
- Thump, thump...!
Tied up tightly with ropes and half-naked in the bag, she momentarily looked bewildered by the sudden change. Her bewilderment was brief, however, as an overwhelming bout of shame and embarrassment overwhelmed her as she started thrashing wildly inside the bag.
“... It’s been a while since I acted. It was fun.”
A familiar voice echoed behind them in the next moment, adding to their perplexity.
“Did you think I would always be caught because of the mana forcibly mixed into my body?”
“”..........””
“No way. I have actually transcended that state already? I can handle you folks anytime...”
Isaac Adler, who had been disguised in Rachel Watson’s clothes, now proudly revealed his true self and continued in a boastful tone.
“... You’ve applied some kind of swap magic, then. When did you learn that from that thieving bitch?”
“Have you reached an agreement with Miss Watson? This is a crime.”
“You’re shameless. Can you even call yourself a British gentleman?”
“Uh, uhhhh...”
Immediately, as the signatories discerned what had happened and began condemning him, he started scratching his head with a slightly embarrassed expression.
“... I’m sorry.”
Adler bowed politely, acknowledging his faults, before bidding them farewell.
“I’ll be leaving now.”
But Adler just watched her with a surprisingly composed expression.
“So...”
“Now!”
Just before the professor’s hand could reach him, he yelled, his voice echoing in his surroundings.
- Pop...!
In the next instant, something burst through the smoke created by the Professor and snatched Adler and his still rattling bag, soaring into the sky.
“... You dare!”
And in less than 0.1 seconds, the Professor, spotting the thief’s white cape, took a furious leap but was blocked by the demonic hound with its superhuman speed.
“Eek...”
“Don’t let her catch him!!”
Then, Charlotte and Lestrade grabbed her from both sides, barely stopping the Professor’s pursuit.
“Isaac...”
Even while three formidable figures put their all to stop her, the professor, still not fully subdued, started grinding her teeth as she saw Adler drifting away in the air.
“Next time we meet... you won’t be my assistant anymore...”
Her chilling threat echoed ominously through the fog-filled afternoon of London.
“...... If I ever catch you, I’ll turn you into a statue then and there.”
.
.
.
.
.
『Phantom Thief's Treasure』 Congratulations! You have completed the kidnapping quest.
There are only a few quests left now.
“... Ah.”
As the chilling words of the professor echoed from afar, I, dripping with cold sweat, soon sighed deeply as I read the message that appeared on the system window.
Only two or three more to go, right?
The time to part with this world is really not far now.
“........”
It would be wise to prepare your mind in advance.
According to Miss System, my plan was indeed nearing its conclusion.
Honestly, I wasn’t prepared at all. But I felt that if I took my time to sort through this situation then it would only weaken my resolve.
... It’s okay.
Thus, I silently shook my head inwardly and steeled my mind.
“Excuse me, Adler...”
“Yes?”
“This means you chose me, right...?”
Responding to Lupin, who was holding onto me in an intimate embrace while giggling as if she found something extremely amusing, I quietly lifted my head.
“Let’s go straight to my castle. I’ll take good care of you there.”
Game Over Alert!
Warning! – Probabilty of being Preserved — 99.99999%
“I’ll treat you better than any treasure...”
“That sounds... nice. Haha.”
Desperately, I maintained a smile while accepting her overt statement.
“But before that, I have a personal request...”
“Hmm?”
Slowly, I made a suggestion to her, capturing her attention.
“Could we stop by America for a bit?”
“Why there? I do have subordinates there too, but... it might take some time at this pace.”
Before disappearing from this world, I wanted to at least try to capture the culprit who was hellbent on wrecking this precious creation of mine.
“... I have some business with the Pinkerton Detective Agency.”
Yes, this was indeed addressed to you Lovecraft. You voyeuristic degenerate who takes pleasure in observing my monologues.
“I need to find /genesisforsaken