A woman’s grace is a divine gift that sharpens the sword even more.
–Benjamin Disraeli
“J-Jane Watson greets Sir Newton!!!”
“Ah. The Discharged dical Maiden. I rember you.”
“I-It is an honor!!!!”
Watson stamred seriously as she faced Sir Newton.
It was almost as if Louise’s way of speaking had rubbed off on her.
“But… Have I ever t Sir Newton before?”
“I was the one who attended the Debutante Ball with Maxwell and Faraday.”
“You an, you were the one wearing a mask who-”
When Sir Newton nodded, Watson glared at .
Her eyes seed to accuse for not telling her.
Seeing that I was not particularly surprised, she seed to realize that I had already guessed his identity when I t Sir Newton at the Debutante Ball.
“I didn’t ntion it because you didn’t ask.”
“Ugh…”
Watson only asked about the identity of the other two elders I had t face-to-face, so it’s not my responsibility.
“The Fingertips you displayed at the Debutante Ball was not bad.”
“…?!”
It was then that Sir Newton caught attention by ntioning Watson’s skills.
“Judging by your nickna, you were a military dical officer. Where did you sustain the injury on your leg?”
“Y-yes! That’s correct! For your information, I earned a doctorate in Oriental dicine at London University, served as a military dical officer in the 5th Infantry Regint of Northumberland, was injured in Afghanistan, and was discharged! Currently, I work at St. Bartholow’s Hospital!!”
Watson, brimming with military discipline, stood at attention like a new recruit and puffed out her chest.
“You must have trained at Enfield Academy. Among the disciples of the Abbess With The Lamp, that friend is known for diligently training juniors.”
“Exactly!!”
Watson answered all questions honestly and wholeheartedly as if she had returned to her days as a military dical officer.
I understand her nervousness, but it’s excessive.
To list off her credentials, which she used while disguised as a man, while wearing a dress.
“…Listen, Watson.”
“Ah…!”
Sir Newton chuckled softly as he saw Watson cover her mouth and jump.
In fact, I understand how Watson feels.
Although just monts ago I was having a childish argunt with the monster Louise, who had transford into soone like his granddaughter, Sir Newton is one of the great martial artists who laid the foundation of modern Kung-Fu.
Such a great man rembered the nickna of a distant junior.
From Watson’s perspective, it was naturally moving.
Moreover, he was widely believed to have been dead for a long ti.
As when the ghostly Kung-Fu story about Sir Newton ca up, it was said he died over 150 years ago.
A great senior of the martial world, thought to be resting in his grave, was alive and moving before her eyes.
And in an unbelievably vigorous state, even demonstrating his Distinct Kung-Fu.
eting face-to-face with a great man born 270 years ago and known only through portraits is indescribable.
Even I, who knew he was alive, could not hide my agitation when facing his unmasked visage.
For Watson, who did not know Sir Newton was alive, it must have been earth-shattering.
‘Good thing I knew beforehand…’
If I hadn’t seen the faces of Thunder and Lightning, Faraday and Maxwell, when they swiftly removed their masks at the last Debutante Ball, I would have continued to believe Sir Newton was dead.
The mont I saw the faces of those two, who were said to have lived out their natural lives and passed on, I speculated that many senior martial artists of The Royal Combat Society might still be alive and active contrary to popular belief.
In a way, it’s natural.
Unlike the world before my reincarnation, this world has Kung-Fu, Elixirs, and various health cultivation techniques.
It’s unlikely that the famous martial elders of this world would have shorter lifespans than the history I’m familiar with.
At the Debutante Ball, Faraday and Maxwell treated Sir Newton with respectful familiarity, and the story about him losing a large sum of money in his youth was a clue that helped easily deduce his identity.
Though I had been rude to deceive the culprit, it weighed on my mind, so I’m glad I could properly greet him this ti.
“Please forget what you just heard!”
“Indeed. A lady’s secrets are precious. It can be said that my appearance is also a secret, so how about we each forget one thing?”
“Watson will never forget Sir Newton’s kindness…! Hols, what are you doing? Hurry up and express your thanks!”
“……”
I just kept silent.
It was the first ti I was dumbfounded listening to Watson.
“…Seems like you lose your mind when you see a famous person. Louise is also a Big Na, so it’s disappointing. Why do you fawn over a useless old man who hasn’t done anything for you…?”
“I’m sorry. I’m easily nervous. I, Hols, deeply appreciate the teachings and assistance of Great Heroine Louise.”
“As expected, the Little Heavenly Demon knows a thing or two. Louise is happy.”
Louise smiled contentedly.
Fortunately, her mouth, which had been torn earlier, and her yellowed eyes returned to normal, so she looked like the Jane Watson I knew, smiling.
However, one thing had been bothering since earlier.
Earlier, she spoke as if she was close to the Abbess With The Lamp, Florence Nightingale, and since she called Sir Newton ‘old’, she’s probably not the sa 270 years old, but her age and status might rival my master’s.
Moreover, considering that Sir Newton called her ‘Dodgson’ earlier, her identity is probably…
“May I ask why Great Heroine Louise calls Watson ‘older sister’-”
“No! Louise is the eternal lady, or rather, the eternal girl!”
“Bringing up the Divine Cody there, are you Beatrice of England?”
“Shut up…”
Apparently, bringing up age was a blooper.
If she really is Professor Charles Lutwidge Dodgson1, the Master of Nurology, why does she act like a girl who just passed puberty?
I should know how to handle this.
“I apologize, Sir Newton, Lady Louise. I was excessively nervous and lost my composure.”
“It’s alright. The mistake is that a corpse who should be in the grave crawled out and is walking around fine.”
“”Huaaa, Watsherna committed a sin punishable by death!!!““
To say that to a much younger Super Junior, the old man is truly mischievous.
“Please stop, Sir Newton. What will you do if Watson bows with her injured knee?”
“Hahaha. Sorry. I was too playful.”
Though it seed impudent at first glance, the Etiquette Enforcent Special Maids watching us did not impose any punishnts.
A big reason was that Sir Newton himself was not angry, and they seed to judge this level of interaction as taking jokes as jokes.
“Usually, when an elder in the martial world treats a young person comfortably first, it’s likely because they hope the other won’t feel uncomfortable…”
Since I said it with sufficient reason, I wasn’t worried from the start, and as long as I defend that well, I won’t be expelled from the Palace.
However, if I don’t properly manage the penalty points accumulated from impudence, I could be permanently banned from the Palace, so I must be careful.
Though it’s fine now, considering the upcoming ball, dinner, and tea ti with various martial artists, knowing the Special Maid Corps’ judgnt criteria is very helpful.
Even though this is a royal ball, many will likely regard and my master as adversaries to be opposed or defeated, just like at the Debutante Ball.
If they provoke or insult my master while keeping penalty points within limits, and I retaliate without knowing the standards, I risk suffering one-sided losses.
Of course, it can be resolved if I endure it.
But if I’m branded a coward who silently endures insults, my plans will be ruined.
Having expelled a Zion Clan master from the Palace and revealed the secret of the Indulgence Talisman, I must never let my achievents be undervalued for future activities.
Above all, while I can endure insults to my master, I cannot forgive those who provoke .
No matter what, I will punish them without accumulating penalty points against .
“Don’t be too formal, be comfortable. I just ca to see the achievents of my juniors. It’s better to think that I, who had been hiding and watching, was rude to you.”
anwhile, Sir Newton scratched his head, embarrassed to have been hiding behind the veil of Qi.
“Not at all. I’m just grateful that Sir Newton visited.”
This was an honest feeling.
Thanks to the side effect of the minor ridians opening up, I noticed Sir Newton’s presence, but eting him helped correct the mistake of focusing only on the expanded senses and missing the Essence.
The changes from opening the minor ridians were more fundantal.
If I had continued to obsess over the ecstasy given by amplified senses and failed to clearly perceive the function of the opened minor ridians, they would have closed again within days.
Sir Newton is an overwhelming powerhouse who grants enlightennt just by eting him.
The nickna “White Eyebrow Hermit” was not given without reason.
I never thought the fairy tale of a sage accidentally eting soone and bestowing them a stroke of fortune would actually happen.
All this happened because I had accumulated rit through my usual righteous deeds.
Surely, the Gods and Saints also bless , born under the constellation of the great hero.
“Well…how should I say it. I was quite surprised. I thought your master had already opened the Conception and Yang Vessels and minor ridians for you.”
“Right. Louise was also concerned about that.”
Their following questions gave a clue.
I don’t know what relationship they had with my master.
But judging by their tone, I could tell that they seem to know my master, the Heavenly Demon, quite well.
It bothers that others might know more about my master’s deeds than I, his successor, does
However, on the other hand, maintaining this connection might provide an opportunity to uncover secrets of the Heavenly Demon I wasn’t aware of.
“…I’m sorry, but I cannot answer anything about my master’s teachings.”
Instead of building rapport by answering honestly, I chose to keep the secret.
There was an important reason why a Baritsu practitioner like does not open the Conception Vessel and Yang Vessel and the minor ridians like the young disciples of other martial factions or clans.
Even just knowing this secret might let a highly talented martial artist guess the reason, so I absolutely could not answer.
“I was just too curious and asked sothing unnecessary. That man surely had his reasons. Little Heavenly Demon has no need to worry.”
“Thank you for your consideration, Sir.”
I respectfully bowed with a palm salute.
Looking beside , Watson had a thoughtful expression.
After hearing the conversation, she seed curious about my and my master’s Kung-Fu lineage, but unfortunately, I couldn’t satisfy her curiosity today.
Because-
-Knock knock-
“Little Heavenly Demon and Discharged dical Maiden, please co quickly to the ballroom on the second floor.”
The royal attendant’s ssage imdiately followed the knocking, signaling the start of the ball.
“…Let’s finish the unfinished talk when we have the chance. I’ll give you the item your master entrusted with then.”
“A letter?”
“Yes.”
If he had sothing to give, why not give it himself instead of entrusting Sir Fawcett or Sir Newton to deliver it?
“Thank you. I don’t know when, but I will wait.”
“Yes. We’ll et again if fate allows. Dodgson, if you go around like that, you’ll cause unnecessary misunderstandings. Return to your original form.”
“Why do you keep calling by my old na…?”
“Lewis.”
“Lewis is a male na!! Louise is Louise!!”
“Sigh… I have no ti for this, stop being so botherso.”
Louise, or rather Dodgson, whined, and Sir Newton, looking annoyed, took out a cloth bundle from his bosom and threw it.
Louise unfolded the thin folded cloth and covered herself with it, hiding the small body that imitated Watson completely.
“Putting the puzzle together looks ugly, so older sisters and brothers, please turn your backs…”
I didn’t quite understand what she ant and stood blankly, when suddenly strange noises began.
-Crack!
-Creak!
-Splat!
While the body covered by the cloth swelled and shrank in a bizarre shape, several red pieces of flesh scattered on the floor.
But soon, the flesh crawled on the floor like it had will, returned to Louise’s body hidden under the cloth without dirtying the carpet.
Can this really be called Kung-Fu?
The shock lasted only a mont.
In less than five seconds, Louise threw off the cloth and transford into a girl with pink hair.
“……”
“……”
“Wh-what… I told you not to look…sob.”
A small girl looked up at us with a sad face.
Wearing a white and blue skirt and holding a cara in each hand, she looked at and Watson with a face about to cry.
But my mind could not think of ‘it’ as human.
“…See you again.”
“Thank you!”
There was no ti to recover from the awkward atmosphere.
Watson and I both bowed politely and fled the reception room as if escaping.
“For your ntal health, forget everything you just saw, Watson.”
“…I won’t be sleeping tonight.”
“Did sothing happen, you two?”
“Not really.”
“Nothing happened.”
The attendant shook his head, confused, and led us to the second floor.
“It’s fortunate the treatnt wasn’t delayed. Her Majesty has exceptional patience, but I recomnd not to provoke her.”
“Understood…”
Less than two minutes remained until the ball started.
We hurried up the stairs adorned with portraits of royal family mbers and reached the second floor.
I briefly felt relieved to barely avoid being late.
As the attendant ahead opened the ballroom door, a familiar villainous face greeted .
“Oh my.”
Long, smooth flowing hair.
Unusually bright orange eyes.
A mole under the lips.
There stood a seductive woman dressed in luxurious clothes far surpassing the purple dress I had seen before.
“We’re, acquainted, aren’t we?”
Irene Adler.
The culprit who tried to steal the royal decree.
“…Who are you?”
-Snap-
My right hand clenched involuntarily, and the handkerchief I was holding tore under the grip.
TL/N: Okay so she isn’t the guy from Jurassic Park ️
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