".... Adler, are you alright?"
"........"
Shaking off both the maid and the officer who hurled themselves at him, Adler hastily left the mansion alongside Professor Moriarty.
"Adler..."
"I'm fine, Professor."
"Well, that's a relief, but..."
As they brisked through the tranquil street in silence, Adler finally spoke up, murmuring in a small voice. His reply prompted the watchful Professor to speak up as well.
"Your hands are too damp."
"......."
"Is there sothing troubling you?"
Those words uttered, silence settled between the walking duo for so ti.
"I guess I am just feeling a bit tense because of what happened earlier, haha..."
"Really? You an to say soone like you who went through so many bizarre incidents… is flustered by a few jumping you?"
"Professor, the human heart is relative, not absolute."
"Indeed, if such insignificant creatures… no, lower lifeforms were to rush at , I might have reacted the sa way."
"What?"
The calm in Adler’s voice was gone now, replaced with a puzzled note as he directed a confused look toward Professor Moriarty at her remark.
"... Aren't you an immortal devil?"
"Y-Yeah, I guess?”
"Unless the Vatican intervenes, there’s no dying for you."
Gently stroking his cheek after seeing the confusion in his eyes, Professor Moriarty explained her stance to Adler.
"So, from your perspective, a human being who lives such a finite life can only be a lower lifeform, right?”
"... Is that how it works?"
"Of course, from my perspective, humans are an inferior species too. After all, there’s no difference between you and ."
"What do you an by that?"
Seeking his agreent while directing a knowing look, Professor Moriarty had to fall silent as only a look of confusion and uncertainty flashed on Adler’s face.
"You can be rather… slow at tis."
"....?"
"Sotis you appear omniscient as if you can predict all paths that lead to a definite future, yet at other tis, you act like a fool lacking even basic common sense..."
Soon, she started bobbing her head from side to side.
"... It's adorable."
"Professor."
Still walking, Adler opened his mouth to speak as he saw her leaning her head against his shoulder.
"Why are you suddenly leaning on ?"
Hearing his words, she blinked, regret soon creeping up her face.
"Sorry..."
"Do you want to be punished?"
"... Just let it go this ti."
As she rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, acting coy, Adler sighed before stopping.
"Professor."
"......?"
"If I were to say that, I am far more insignificant and inferior than you believe to be, how would you feel?"
Upon hearing these words, Professor Moriarty rely tilted her head, a contemplating look in her eyes.
"You are not inferior, not by species, intelligence, or strategic thinking..."
"... And what if I said my ti is coming to a close?"
"Stop talking such nonsense. Why even pose such a hypothesis?"
Her complexion soon darkened.
"As soone possessing the power of both a devil and a pure-blooded vampire, I know better than anyone that you can not die."
"........"
"Death is sothing only inferior species experience. Beings like us... like you, transcendental beings, need not worry about such trifling things."
"Is that so?"
At her words, which seed all too certain, a smirk arose on Adler’s face.
"Then let change the question. What if I were to disappear suddenly one day..."
- Rumble...
"... Oh."
As he persistently rapid-fired one question after another, out of the blue, the sound of thunder erupted from the skies.
"........"
Even until re monts before, sunny skies ushered over Cornwall. However, it had now beco overcast with thick, dark clouds.
"Is it because of that entity you encountered last ti...?"
"........"
"If so, don't worry. I can handle it."
In the now-darkened street, Professor Moriarty whispered in a dangerously low voice.
"They are indeed troubleso creatures, but I can suppress them on my own, so you don't need to worry about it..."
"... If my guess is correct, perhaps even you, Professor, might be in danger."
"What nonsense are you spouting now?"
"If the identity of the entity we encountered that ti is what I suspect it to be..."
As his words elongated, the Professor's expression grew increasingly darker.
"Then, I will protect you."
".......?"
"I have a way."
With those cheerful whispers, Adler began to drift away from her at a leisurely pace.
"... Ugh."
"So cheer up and follow ."
Quietly observing his departing figure, Professor Moriarty got a sudden tug at her collar and followed Adler.
"You're going to protect ?"
"Who else but will be willing to protect our adorable Professor?"
".......?"
"I suppose only I must be worthy to protect you, right?"
At his blatant remarks, Moriarty’s eyes grew hazy, her mind in a daze.
"... It's the first ti anyone's ever said they would protect ."
"Haha, is that so?"
"Yes… Actually, I've never once received help from anyone."
Small murmurs soon leaked out of her lips.
"I've always been alone, after all."
"......."
"I hardly knew anyone, even scarce were the people I could confide in.”
Listening to her murmurs while keeping his silence, Adler suddenly stood on his tiptoes and reached for her cheek, caressing it.
"Even the sullen professor looks so cute."
"......"
"But I prefer the professor who can proudly call herself the Queen of Cris."
With a bright smile, he directed a look full of intent at the sullen professor.
"It's so nice that such an unapproachable professor is only affectionate with when we're alone."
"........"
"Professor."
Then, raising himself further, Adler leaned close to her face.
"Stick out your tongue."
"Suddenly... what?"
"Quickly."
At his urging, the professor hesitated for a mont, but her eyes soon widened,
"Adler. There, people are coming..."
"That's why I'm doing this."
A low whisper echoed in her ears.
"I realized that, training you when it’s just the two of us is ultimately pointless."
"What in hell are you talking about..."
"To truly call it training, shouldn't I show that you are mine in front of others too?"
At his bold statent, the observant professor began to whisper in a retreating voice.
"But, but... Didn't you just say you preferred it when it's just the two of us?"
"... Shut up, and stick out your tongue. Jane."
With a cold look, Adler, dropping all formalities, commanded her in a dark voice.
"... Alright."
"No, you’re doing it wrong."
The professor, her face red and fidgeting, replied in a barely audible voice. However, Adler shook his head, unsatisfied.
"... Okay."
The professor soon corrected herself, yet Adler’s expression still remained as frigid as ever.
"... Woof."
"Good girl."
Finally giving in, Professor Moriarty made a puppy-like noise as she timidly lay on the ground. Satisfied, Adler promptly squatted in front of her.
"... Hmpph."
Stroking her chin, Adler abruptly bit the tongue she had stuck out.
- Brrrr...
As the passersby began staring at their shaful act, Adler’s lips twitched up and he started pretending to remove Professor Moriarty's underwear while she trembled in sha.
"... Haaah."
"Stay still."
His sudden action, which went beyond any semblance of sha, caused her to startle up in shock. However, her frantic movents stopped when Adler bit her tongue harshly.
- Swish, swish...
In that state, as Adler began to stroke her hair, a resigned look crept up the professor’s face and he let him do as he wished with her.
"... Phew."
Nobody knew how much ti had passed like that.
"Do you know, Professor?"
"........"
"The passersby might not see your naked body, but the act we just did was clearly visible."
Rising from his spot, Adler whispered to her in a low voice, her body still lying on the floor.
"... It's ti to get up."
- Swish...
"We need to get out of here. I know we are here to fulfil a client’s request, but sothing feels off. So, let's regroup first..."
Grabbing the collar attached to the professor’s neck, Adler urged her to walk once more.
"... Eh?"
However, his montum didn't last long.
"Sothing's off..."
Because no matter how much they sauntered through the road, the scenery did not seem to want to change.
"... Could it be."
Cold sweat beaded down Adler’s face, belatedly realising that they should have been out of Cornwall by now with how long they had walked.
"Professor, I think I need your help for a mont..."
"I, I suddenly feel dizzy..."
"......?"
He turned around, but the quietly following Professor Moriarty suddenly staggered and murmured with a pale face.
"It seems like my mana has gotten unstable again..."
"........"
"I might not be able to use magic for a while..."
For a fleeting mont, she sent a chilling glance at the passersby who were cowering behind Adler for so reason.
"Damn it. No matter how much we walk, the end doesn't seem in sight."
"It's a strange phenonon that often occurs in Cornwall. How about we take a break?"
"There happens to be an inn nearby."
Then, the passersby – her loyal followers in disguise, in reality – began reciting their prepared lines as if reading from a textbook.
"... Hmm."
Hearing them, Adler turned his gaze to the inn that had suddenly appeared beside them.
"We have no choice then."
- Thump, thump...
"Let's rest there for a bit."
As the professor, whose face flushed like a young girl upon hearing that, was supposed to be unable to use magic, she bowed her head in an attempt to erase the pounding of her heart.
"Well, I dislike such unclean places, but there's no helping it."
"It's just a minor anomaly, should probably end soon."
"It should. Probably..."
.
.
.
.
.
That evening at 221B Baker Street,
"... I beg your pardon?"
Charlotte Hols, who had been grinding magic crystals with a haggard expression, responded incredulously to the urgent news she just received.
"Cornwall has been separated from Britain?"
"Yes, Detective, you are needed..."
"... It is indeed surprising, but I am extrely busy at the mont."
"Just a mont..."
However, she only muttered indifferently, attempting to end the conversation.
- Crack...
"... Ah!?"
At that exact mont, her hand started to burn with an intense grey light.
"........"
Slightly furrowing her brow at the sudden occurrence, Charlotte's expression soon began to harden as she stared at her hand.
｢Oh dear, Miss Hols. You poor child.｣
Although the sender and the purpose remained unclear, the unpleasant grey mana that emanated along with the ssage was enough for the quick-witted detective to get a rough understanding of the situation.
"Bloody hell..."
Just three minutes later, a carriage departed from Baker Street, speeding towards Cornwall at full throttle.
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