Becoming Professor Moriarty’s Probability

Chapter 216: The Sign of Four (5)

- Bang…!

“… Hmm?”

Early dawn, just as the sun was beginning to peep out of the horizon, in an antique house somewhere in London.

“Ah… my back hurts.”

In the living room of that place, suddenly a loud bang echoed out along with a groggy voice.

“But where is this…? I was at the races a moment ago…”

The owner of that voice was Rachel Watson, who had signed the most valuable contract in London mistaking it for a betting slip.

“Ah… could this be a police station…?”

“”………””

“Inspector L-Lestrade… You know me… I’m neither a weirdo nor am I homeless…”

Along with that signature, she had secured the last spot to compete for Adler. It did not take long for the doctor to discover the inspector sitting next to her, and she hastily began muttering upon the discovery.

“I am… an elite… a young and capable… elite doctor…”

Out of the blue, three pairs of cold gazes bore directly on her. With that, Watson sank bank into the table.

“So, this woman is the last.”

“How interesting.”

“… Do you all find this amusing?”

Professor Moriarty, Charlotte Holmes, and Gia Lestrade immediately began conversing with one another, each seated around a rectangular table.

“No, not really. Just wondering what Adler was thinking to lead to this conclusion.”

“Indeed. What has our Mr Adler been plotting recently?”

With that, their gazes shifted without a word.

“………”

At the end of their gazes was Adler, sweating profusely while tied up and dangling from a rope connected to the ceiling, spinning around above the dining table. ???????

“W-W-W-W-Welll…”

An unknown amount of time had passed like that.

“E-E-E-E-Everything… went according to my plan…”

Trembling as he hung from the rope, Adler muttered with a pale complexion.

“I had anticipated this ending from the beginning. Ha, ha, haha…”

“… Perhaps the last signatory was intended to be that loyal hound?”

“If that’s the case, it’s really ridiculous. She should only look like a dog in his eyes.”

“It’s the worst. Suddenly, I feel like getting a divorce.”

The women, casting doubtful glances at him, throw probing questions.

“What are you all talking about? Poppy is a puppy.”

“””………”””

“I admit that I’m a villain… but I’m not a psychopath who does such things with a cute little puppy.”

However, Adler’s response to their probes was as serious as it could be.

“Looking at your eyes, it doesn’t seem like you’re lying.”

“Sometimes you seem to be selectively oblivious. Is it just me?”

“…….?”

Professor Moriarty muttered to herself with a puzzled expression, while Charlotte Holmes just stared at Adler.

“Get a grip on yourself! That being is not a puppy, it’s a human…”

With irritation in her voice, Lestrade shouted loudly.

“Or perhaps, was the intention to pretend this whole incident never happened?”

“It’s not a possibility; it’s a fact. Adler never intended to sincerely fulfil this contract from the beginning.”

“….. What?”

Following Moriarty’s sharp analysis, Lestrade paused momentarily before listening attentively to the professor’s words.

“Did you think that you were going to die sooner than you thought? Is that why you wanted to solve the problem proactively?

“But even so, you simply could not choose just one of us; hence, you brought in insurance. You included a strong player who could check all three of us.

“After our failed attempt, you’d use the hound to create a sense of crisis.

“It’s meant to ensure we can’t act recklessly towards you in the future. How about it? Any flaws in my speculation?”

Silence ensued once Moriarty finished speaking.

- Hic…

In the silence, Adler blinked blankly before a hiccup escaped him.

“….. Ha.”

With a cold gaze that was desperately trying to hide the sense of betrayal the inspector felt, she grounded out.

“You used to act so enthusiastic, but now you’re trying to look good in front of other women…”

However, she caught herself from speaking further and closed her mouth, regret scrunching up her face.

“… Well, it doesn’t matter anymore, does it?”

“That’s right. It’s irrelevant now.”

With a murderous look in their eyes, Charlotte and Moriarty briefly glared at the cowering Adler before they started summarising the situation.

“All four signatures have been collected, and the contract took effect a few minutes ago.”

“Unless it’s torn up and sinks beneath the Thames, Adler is bound by the contract and he must…”

“Choose one of us to be his eternal companion within three months. Is that correct?”

“… Er, pardon?”

Hearing their words, anxiety flooded Adler’s eyes.

“From now on, I intend to do my best to be the winner. How about you guys?”

“Of course, you would say that. You’re the only one whose eyes haven’t been dyed in his colour, yet your obsessive desire for his possession is still as overwhelming as ever.”

“Miss Holmes, it seems you didn’t quite grasp what I was saying…”

However, ignoring the anxious Adler, the women continued their conversation. A dark, chilling undercurrent ran over the space as they eyed each other with hostility.

“… In three months from now, if I’m the only one left alive among those gathered here.”

“Then, Adler must choose the professor, is that it?”

“Seeing you understand, there seems no need for me to explain further.”

“Hahahaa! Professor, oh Professor…”

With a burst of scornful laughter, Charlotte eyed the professor with a face filled with derision.

“Why have you become like this… so disgraceful, so unbecoming?”

“……..”

“Oh, well. A decrepit lizard reeking of a chicken coop can hardly compete with fresh young girls like us…”

“… Look, I feel you’ve been misunderstanding something for a long time.”

Facing her, Professor Moriarty raised her voice in a growl.

“I am in my twenties.”

“There’s a slang for that you know? Something like Foolishness is a rotten disease.”

“… So disgraceful.”

“No matter what you say, it’s useless. The truth will always remain the truth.”

Coming to that absurd conclusion all on her own, Professor Moriarty jumped to her feet.

“And I don’t see what’s so disgraceful about doing whatever it takes to firmly grasp what one desires. If you think it looks disgraceful, try waiting comfortably for three months without making any preparations.”

“”………””

“… Well, in any case, I know what’s going on all too well.”

She whispered in a chillingly low voice to Charlotte and Lestrade, who were frowning hard.

“Acting like Adler has no choice but to choose you when inwardly planning all sorts of schemes.”

Charlotte and Lestrade, about to say something, simultaneously closed their mouths after hearing the professor’s words.

“… And I’m a step ahead in that game.”

“Do you think your confidence makes you appealing or something?”

“Well, try your best, okay?”

Leaving them behind, Professor Moriarty walked out of the room with silent steps.

“… Try to survive until the three months are up.”

“”……….””

“Of course, if you cherish your life, you can give up halfway.”

While leaving behind an ominous declaration of war, condemning them to their deaths.

“… So, what will you do?”

“What… are you talking about?”

In the room where silence flowed for a moment after the professor’s departure, Charlotte focused on the inspector sitting next to her before asking subtly.

“Do you believe you can handle the professor on your own?”

“…….”

“If we join forces, we might be able to eliminate the professor…”

“Hey, Miss Holmes.”

Silently, Lestrade stared at her for some time before tilting her head as she threw a counter-question,

“Feeling scared?”

“………”

The final battle, blurring the lines between good and evil, had begun.

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“… You’ll regret this, officer.”

Leaving those ominous words behind, Charlotte left as well.

“I’m already regretting it, regretting everything.”

Gia Lestrade glanced back at Adler behind her and muttered softly as she too exited the room.

“… But I’ve come to fall in love with him, my hands are already tied.”

As silence descended in the room, the tied-up Adler spinning as he hung from the ceiling, spoke up in a whisper.

“Could you please untie me before you leave…”

Just then,

Given the outcome, why not just plan in reverse from the start?

Sarcastic text appeared in front of him.

How come there’s not a single plan that goes right with you?

“… Miss System.”

Seeing the system that hadn’t appeared even when he invoked it for a while, Adler showed a brief, relieved smile and then smirked.

“Trying to take advantage of me, is it?”

Please, just go die.

“It’s a joke, just a joke, haha.”

However, the system immediately wrote a message with a seriousness to it, prompting Adler to quickly murmur and dissuade the system’s anger.

“Actually, this time it went according to my plan.”

Really?

“From start to finish.”

Lies.

Despite the system’s sceptical response, it soon turned its hovering screen back to Adler.

“I needed to involve Watson as the final signatory for my plan.”

……?

“That’s why I sent the Hound of the Baskervilles. No one could handle it unless it was the professor herself. But if Watson is anything like the original, she could definitely defeat it.”

Still slightly sceptical, the system seemed to be contemplating his words as the screen spun.

“So, Miss System. Let’s make a deal.”

Adler opened his mouth, a smirk tugging on his lips.

What deal?

“Well…”

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“Hey.”

Just as the world’s most secretive deal was about to commence in the Professor’s living room,

“Who are you?”

“Ah.”

Regrettably, the clandestine exchange was postponed due to Watson, who had just raised her head after having been sprawled across the dining table for a while.

“I’ve seen you somewhere before…”

“… Ah, I’m Isaac Adler.”

As she staggered to her feet and approached him with lidded eyes, Adler began to sweat profusely and hurriedly started making excuses.

“Nonsense.”

Watson, quietly leaning in closer to him, merely whispered in a voice more chilling than he ever heard her make.

“… You’re Neville, you idiot.”

“Eeeek…”

As her cold hand began to slide beneath his clothes, gripping his throat, a trembling Adler started to loudly call for the other signatories who had stepped outside.

“Hey, guys!!! A little help over here…”

- Haaa…

“…. Ugh.”

Not only his pitiful scream but also the subsequent cries were muffled by Watson’s crushing lips, sinking back into his stomach.

“Neville… you are Neville…”

“….! …..!!!!”

“Just stay still, you man/genesisforsaken