Honestly, I more or less expected that Charlotte would infiltrate this place disguised as an interpreter.
If I were to assu that I was able to perfectly block the professor’s eavesdropping, the only suspicious person left who could bug was none other than Charlotte herself.
Perhaps she had been preparing for this from the mont I disclosed the plan to my confidants today.
Therefore, if she just infiltrated as an interpreter, I intended to pretend to understand her and continue with my plan.
He... llo? Everyone?
… No, what in hell is this sudden developnt?
However, when a sowhat understandable, if awkward, assortnt of Korean ca out of Charlotte’s lips, all my plans were instantly shattered.
How the hell does Hols even know Korean, for fuck’s sake.
Even with all the magic and mana going for this world, I was currently in late 19th-century Britain.
It wasn’t the era of globalization, there definitely wasn’t any internet, so how could she learn Korean in such a short ti?
“Look. Before we start, there’s a need for so brief clarification.”
As I was sweating coldly thinking this, a cold voice ca from behind the disguised Charlotte.
“Do you guys always handle things this way?”1
“We had to move our base hastily, and the losses we incurred are not minor.”
It turned out to be the n that had kidnapped the girl next to .
“Why are you even telling that?”
“The interpreter sent by your side betrayed and leaked information. He must have received a bribe in the middle sohow.”
“… So, we an to say that we can’t trust you.”
One of the n, who seed to be a subordinate, pointed a gun at Charlotte’s head.
- Click…
“Depending on your answer, we will decide whether to trust you or eliminate you here and now.”
“Please, convince us.”
With those words delivered, silence ensued in the room.
“… Aren’t you the ones who made the mistake?”
As I, still tied in ropes, was about to make a move if sothing went wrongCharlotte, who stopped with the silent signal she sent with her gaze, began responding with a similar level of coldness in her voice. �
“Wasn’t it you who let an unidentified person into the hideout without even checking him?”
“What kind of nonsense…”
“I heard that you didn’t even have a password, right? If this matter was really important, shouldn’t you have decided sothing like that in advance on your side?”
The n’s faces instantly hardened.
“And did you think we wouldn’t contact you when sending soone? You must have clearly received sothing like a note this morning.”
“There was no such talk…”
“You should have read the contract thoroughly. There’s a clause in the contract that clearly states that, even though we would be deciding the visit ti at our discretion, we would be contacting you separately before sending soone.”
Hearing her response, one of the n frowned and pulled out a contract from his pocket.
Seeing that, Charlotte made a surreptitious signal towards .
“… What, it’s really written there?”
“Thi-This is really strange. I’m certain I checked the contract thoroughly…”
Given the situation, I decided to follow her strategy and quietly added a new sentence to the contract with a flick of my finger.
… Magic is certainly convenient.
Of course, since the sentence was added after the contract was signed, it would have no legal effect. But the only thing that mattered was that the party was unaware of the intricacies.
“… Tsk, put the gun down already.”
It seed that those two, lacking magical abilities, had not realized that it was a fake clause written with Charlotte’s black mana that resided in my body.
“Well, we’re currently investigating whoever it was that tried to sabotage the whole deal. Not to ntion it was our mistake for not clearly explaining all the clauses beforehand, so we will not charge an additional fee.”
“Understood.”
As I sighed in relief inwardly, Charlotte continued her performance with a crisp voice.
… She’s really good at this, huh?
There was sothing oddly intriguing in watching her in action.
Although she is a defender of justice without a shred of doubt, I couldn’t help but imagine how resourceful she would be if she were to commit cris instead. Wouldn’t she just be on par with Professor Moriarty herself?
“Then, please translate the ssage we intend to convey.”
“For your information, we will be inside this ti. Having hastily agreed last ti led us to this predicant…”
“Do as you please.”
As I engrossed myself with an unthinkable idea that could make genuine Sherlockians faint in abhorrence, the two n prepared to interrogate and the girl.
- Swoosh…
“Ju-Just kill already, please…”
As torture tools, not yet cleaned of the girl’s blood, appeared from their possession, the girl sitting next to began trembling violently.
“Tell them the following.”
As I looked at her with a pitiful gaze, a rough voice leaked out of the man in front.
“If the woman does not disclose the location of the docunts within a minute, and if the man does not truthfully reveal the information of the person who bribed him within a minute…”
“… Both of them will be gruesoly killed on the spot.”
Charlotte’s eyebrows twitched slightly upon hearing their words, but she soon began translating their words with an unaffected expression.
Docunt location... Not telling now? You die...2
Eeek...
Despite the grim situation, her translation spilt out in a cute accent that definitely didn’t match the atmosphere. However, the nature of the content itself was enough to terrify the girl beside .
“… And I believe the person next to you understands English.”
“Ah, that is so.”
Reminding the man of the fact, she silently took off her wristwatch and threw it to us.
Start now, I will count, ten...
Uh, ugh...
Finish count. Hurt very very much.
And then, still talking in her cute Korean accent, she dropped a literal bombshell on the girl.
... Hey! I thought we had 60 seconds.
One.
Hey!?
Two.
Charlotte, undeterred, began her count much to the dismay of the girl. Even though she attempted a rebuttal, she was only t with disappointnt.
Three, four...
- Clang, clink…
Simultaneously, n standing beside us clashed hideous torture devices together, creating spine-chilling sounds.
“Hmm…”
The choice I made in that situation was,
… Whatever.
To just stay still like a corpse.
It’s not like I’m going to die.
Under normal circumstances, Lady Clay, the fake interpreter, should have extracted information about their client from the n in suit, but that was sothing even Charlotte, whose combat skills had improved as much as the professor’s, could do.
And even if her plan included being tortured, I was prepared to accept it sweetly, thinking of it as karma for my past deeds.
Mother...
However, one thing that troubled was the poor girl sobbing beside .
Of course, I had a firm belief that Charlotte would never do anything to jeopardise her safety.
Lately, however, I couldn’t deny that I occasionally felt Professor Moriarty’s aura in her gaze.
Seven, eight...
That’s why, it seed necessary to prepare for any eventuality by untying the restraints.
“Nine…”
Having thought this, I quietly waited for the count to end.
Wait!!!
The girl, shivering silently for so ti, suddenly shouted loudly.
... Decide to speak, you?
Please convey this ssage to my holand!
She urgently blabbered her words to Charlotte who showed a puzzled expression at her abrupt words.
We must call off the plan now! The Empire of Japan has already pressured and bribed several countries including Britai...
- Slap!
“… Ugh.”
But before she could finish her sentence, her head arched down due to the vicious slap from one of the n.
“… And what did this woman say now?”
Charlotte, who had been silent for a while, quietly opened her mouth.
Ten.
And then, she quietly moved away and stuck as close as possible to the corner of the room.
“What are you doing now?”
“I don’t want to get caught up in the action.”
“What?”
In the next instant,
- BOOOOOM!!!
A terrifying explosion seed to resonate from practically everywhere, and the walls of the hideout blasted apart, scattering debris everywhere.
“Eeek.”
Startled by the sudden incident, I hurriedly tried to shield the girl from the debris.
“… You’ve breached the contract.”
However, my eyes widened in surprise at the familiar voice of Lestrade, who soon made her way toward with elegant steps.
“However, I’ll overlook it this ti due to the special circumstances.”
Lestrade, having knocked out the two ard n with a single baton in the blink of an eye, was now hoisting and the girl while whispering softly.
.
.
.
.
“I called for Inspector Gregson this ti, not you…”
Charlotte, who watched Lestrade’s exaggerated entrance from the sideline with a vacant gaze, brushed off the dust on her clothes before pouting at the inspector.
“She is being disciplined for failing to prevent Lupin’s escape. I am handling her duties in her stead.”
“… Tsk.”
She clicked her tongue at Lestrade’s response before moving her steps.
“Honestly, if I had a bit more ti, I could have dug up the client’s information too.”
“Ah…”
“But, we can’t endanger the victim just to catch the mastermind now, can we?”
Charlotte muttered sothing that sounded like an excuse directed toward , then added in a low voice,
“… And, it was dangerous for you too. Even more so…”
“Miss Hols…”
Moved by her words, I slipped out of Lestrade’s hold and walked towards her.
“…..?”
Reaching her, I imdiately kissed her soft and squishy cheek.
“Thank you.”
After whispering shyly, a slightly dazed expression took over Charlotte as she looked at .
“Ah, and…”
- Bam…!
“… Ugh!?”
I was about to secretly add more words, but they never reached Charlotte.
“It’s a breach of contract.”
“Grrr…”
Lestrade murmured coldly, having punched in the ribs and lifted up again.
“Isaac Adler will be taken as a witness.”
“I’m not requesting your understanding. I’m doing my job, so don’t think of objecting…”
As Lestrade, gripping by the ribs, began moving towards the exit with a slightly raspy voice,
“… Go ahead.”
For so reason, Charlotte obediently agreed to her.
“Tsk…”
“Khuk, um…”
After finishing her words, Charlotte, who was absent-mindedly rubbing her cheek, was t with a deadly glare from Lestrade as she stomped toward the exit with in tow.
… Well, there were so variables.
Thus, the atmosphere of the case started wrapping up ambiguously this ti as well.
But things are still going according to plan.
But for , there was an exception this ti around.
“What’s there to smile about so foolishly?”
“No, it’s just… Aaagh!!”
I already knew who was behind this case and had even planned on how to conclude the case adequately.
- Pow…
“Ju-Just be gentle…”
At that ti, I did not expect my plan to have far-reaching consequences, but that was a story for a bit later.
“Once the interrogation is over, we’ll proceed with a private eting at ho.”
“….. What?”
Incidentally, I also had not anticipated that I would be subjected to such a terrifying act by Lestrade in my so-called honeymoon ho. But that was another story altogether.
.
.
.
.
.
... Hey there.
Eek?
Thus, although Adler was being dragged away while envisioning that he was about to enact the perfect cri for once,
Ah, calm down. We're on the sa side.
... Ah, you’re suddenly speaking Korean fluently now?
I've been practising for a few months, after all. Ah, but that's not what's important right now...
He had failed to account for sothing.
You, from Joseon? The Empire of Korea? You are a diplomat from the Empire of Korea, correct?
Yes, that is indeed correct.
Then are you a noble perchance...?
Not all diplomats are from noble families, but I indeed co from a noble lineage, yes...
The fact was that Charlotte’s grasp on Adler’s deepest secrets had stretched much further than he could have ever anticipated.
... Then, you must know the surnas that are commonly used by nobles in your country, right?
Why do you ask?
It's nothing. I just need it to control a pesky devil.
......?
1. For so reason, Charlotte started speaking normally again. There is no use of an accent here or any ntion that she is speaking with an accent. I guess she just wanted to mock Adler at first. Only explanation I can co up with, to be honest.2. Starting now, there will be just a lot of broken English mimicking Broken Korean. The things I do for this novel, sigh…
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