“Hmm…”
The day after I was suddenly charged with a case involving one of London’s nurous criminal organizations, the Empire of Japan, and a distant ancestor,
“Master, why do you look so troubled?”
“… Moran?”
As I made my way through the back alleys of London, heading to the gang’s hideout to continue my work as an interpreter… Celestia Moran suddenly asked in a soft voice out of nowhere. It seed that she had appeared beside at so point without my knowledge and had been following for so ti.
“How did you get here…?”
“I am basically attached to you 24 hours a day, Master. Especially when you are travelling through such dangerous areas, I stay close to protect you.”
Her words were definitely unsettling. So, I wasn’t able to stop myself from displaying a shocked look.
“Why didn’t I notice you…?”
“Stealth is a very basic skill of an effective sniper.”
“… I see. But isn’t that a bit too much?”
While I was grateful for her efforts to protect , being under constant surveillance 24/7 was a bit overwhelming.
And, when you thought about it, wasn’t this outright exploitation of a child?
Of course, Moran had matured significantly over the past few months, for so unknown reason. However, it was undeniable that she was still a child.
“You can take it easy from now on.”
“… I don’t think that will be possible.”
So, I stroked her head, her height still shorter than my own, and tried to assuage her to not stalk all the ti. However, that only amounted to her donning a stern expression as she argued,
“Do you know how many threats I’ve eliminated in the past few months?”
“….. What?”
“Enough to reach the triple digits. That ans on average, you’ve faced a threat of being assassinated more than once a day.”
Hearing her argunt, I felt the air literally being sucked out of my lungs.
“Moran, what are you even talking abo…”
“Of course, I’ve handled everything perfectly on my end. Not to ntion that it’s impossible to trace anything that takes place on a foggy London night, so you have nothing to worry about.” Ṛ
Knowing all too well that there was a person who could make the impossible possible, I couldn’t help but feel a chill run along my spine.
“Th-Thank you…”
- Thump…!
I gave up on any notion of lecturing her and just patted her small head, praying with all my heart that Moran would never betray .
- Swoosh…
Suddenly, she grabbed my hand and brought it to her cheek.
“Huh…?”
“… Please stroke here too.”
Gazing at for so ti, she eventually lowered her eyes and mumbled in a low voice.
Although it felt slightly strange, there was no real reason for to not grant that request of hers. So, I gently caressed her cheek and she imdiately began cutely stomping her feet on the floor while standing with her arms behind her back.
“Hey, by the way.”
Relieved that she still retained so girlish aspects, I finally asked her what I had been curious about.
“Why don’t you call Dad instead of Master?”
“I thought we had gotten a bit closer, so I’ve been speaking informally…”
A hint of disappointnt washed over my eyes as I relayed those words and her eyes imdiately started quivering with a hint of confusion of panic.
“Tha-Tha-Thattt… well…”
Finally, after stuttering a great deal, she murmured in a barely audible voice while bowing her head low.
“… That’s because I’m embarrassed.”
I felt calling soone Master should’ve been far more embarrassing than calling them Dad. But to each their own, I suppose.
“Then call whatever you like.”
“Eh?”
“I’m happy no matter what you call .”
As I gently caressed her cheek and whispered, her body started shivering for no reason.
“… Moran?”
Even her cheeks turned fiery hot and suddenly I felt sothing warm sliding down my hand.
“Are you crying?”
- Fwoosh…!
At that mont, as I asked her with a bewildered look on my face, Moran swiftly vanished from my sight like a stealthy ninja.
“What’s going on…”
Did I make a mistake or sothing?
That seed possible. She was always a child with nurous scars, both physical and emotional.
I definitely need to apologize properly the next ti we et.
.
.
.
.
.
- Squeak…
“Who’s there?”
A few minutes after that brief incident, as I strenuously pushed the door of the abandoned building aside and entered, a cold voice echoed from inside,
“I am the interpreter.”
“What’s the password?”
“… There isn’t one, right?”
“Yes. Co in.”
Hands raised, I answered the queries of the n I t yesterday while keeping a calm expression. Soon enough, I was given the signal to enter deeper into the hideout.
“You know what you need to do, right?”
“Yes. Interpretation in Asian languages, and you’ve also requested torture services as well, correct?”
“The torture will be handled by u…”
“Even though I might not look much, I’m still a mana user, you know? I can inflict pain several tis more dreadful than re stabs with an iron spike.”
As I spoke with a condescending smile on my face, the displeasure on the n’s faces receded and was soon replaced by surprised expressions.
“A mana user, really?”
“… Why would a bigshot like you take jobs from the underworld?”
“Everyone has their circumstances, right? Let’s protect our personal information, even from fellow criminals.”
To clarify, I was currently here disguised as an interpreter and torture expert commissioned by the professor. To add to that, I was also hiding my identity with a barebone use of disguise magic.
Of course, I only slightly altered my appearance to avoid wasting my mana. Even though the differences are slight, it should be enough to prevent them from recognizing my true identity.
“But doesn’t he look kinda familiar…?”
“Yeah…”
Probably…
“Is it this way?”
“… Yes.”
Passing by the murmuring n, I entered further inside the hideout. Soon enough, the woman from yesterday ca into view.
“Ugh…”
She seed even more haggard than the last ti I saw her.
- Swoosh…
With a slightly pitying look, I approached her and leaned in close.
Start acting like you're in pain now.
Whispering in a low voice, I began the process of imprinting a red seal on her lower abdon.
- Fizzzz…
And from that mont, red sparks zapped throughout her body in irregular arcs.
Quickly.
A bewildered look washed over her face at the magical phenonon. However, the mont she heard my whisper, she started taking deep breaths and preparing herself.
“Aaaaaaaaaaah!!!”
Soon, a soul-wrenching scream violently reverberated throughout the room.
“Hmm…”
“Well, he’s certainly earning her keep.”
Her acting was realistic enough that the n watching from behind showed satisfied expressions at my conduct.
“… Gentlen, please step outside the basent for a mont.”
For so ti, I pretended to cast and preserve the spell without rest. Then, pretending to wipe the non-existent sweat off my face with my sleeve, I spoke,
“Impossible…”
“We can’t fully trust you yet…”
“Is that so?”
Faced with the expected resistance, I began whispering in a frigid voice,
“But I believe our deal was already secured by Contract Magic.”
“Still…”
“And this is for your benefit as well.”
If there’s one good thing about living in 19th-century London as a mana user,
“… If you get caught up in the area of effect of my magic while remaining inside the room, you can’t hold responsible for it. I have already issued my warning.”
“The contract specifies everything in detail, so think carefully…”
It was that you’d be able to tell a fairly convincing lie to anyone ignorant of the aspects of mana.
“… We’ll be back in 20 minutes.”
“By then, you must unearth and deliver new information to us…”
Thus, having eventually succeeded in persuading the n, a triumphant smile tugged my lips as I looked at the woman whose screams had ceased just at that mont.
“Just leave it to .”
- Creeeak…
As the abandoned mansion’s front door closed, silence settled inside the basent for so ti.
Wha-What the...
In that silence, the woman looked at with a gaze full of suspicion and anxiety before throwing a question at .
Who are you...?
I scratched my head at the question, pondering for a mont on how to answer.
Wh-Who are you to keep helping like this...?
I've heard there's no such thing as a selfless act in this world. What exactly do you want from ...?
As her fear grew with my prolonged silence, I finally decided to speak,
Actually...
Then, ceasing her questions, she swallowed dryly and looked up at .
I am Korean.
Hearing my words, she only directed a confusing look toward .
No, I ant to say that I am Joseon.
As soon as I hurriedly corrected my statent, her eyes opened wide in shock.
Technically, I'm a mixed-race of Joseon and British but that’s not the point.
Ah...
It's a pleasure to et a fellow countryman in this faraway land.
Although it was a made-up excuse, I did not lie.
I genuinely was of mixed Korean and British descent, and it was true that I was pleased to et a distant ancestor in this chaotic world.
Anyway...
As I was about to genuinely communicate with the woman in front of ,
Warning!
– Probability of being Discovered — 75% → 99%
Oh dear.
That ominous warning ssage tinged in red appeared in front of .
“What the fuck!”
I was definitely pouring all my remaining mana into blocking the professor’s eavesdropping, so how the hell did this co about?
.
.
.
.
.
“Heh.”
anwhile, at that ti, at 221B Baker Street,
“Heh-heh, uh-huh-huh-huh…”
“… Hols?”
There, Rachel Watson, who was just getting ready for work, threw a questioning glance towards her roommate. It was because Charlotte, lounging in her armchair while conducting her usual routine of smoking cigarettes, suddenly started cackling in a sinister tune.
“You’re not smoking opium again, are you?”
“Uh-huh-huh-huh-huh-huh…”
But, finding sothing terribly amusing, Charlotte continued to let out a sinister cackle instead of answering Watson. Soon, a low murmur escaped her,
“… So that’s what sister ant.”
“…. What?”
“It’s nothing…”
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