172 – Division (4)
“Then we can go back too, Moran.”
“… “Yes, master.”
After coming out of the hospital room, Moriarty spoke briefly to Moran, who was waiting faithfully for him by the door, and began to take the lead.
It was an extremely cool and businesslike attitude, no different from usual. There were times when Moriarty would act like he was giving her leeway to take advantage of Moran after he realized her feelings, but her usual Moriarty attitude was always the same.
Moran also tried to act as usual. She quietly followed her master.
However, James Moriarty was not a man so foolish that he could only ignore people’s hearts and desires and not feel the differences. He could always tell that Moran’s attitude had changed slightly.
It was like a child complaining to his parents. He didn’t look any different on the outside, but he could tell because it was Peony who had been watching her by her side for a long time.
Probably because of something related to Holmes.
He thought.
But is there a problem?
At any rate, it was Moran’s job, and there was no major problem. Because he couldn’t even imagine that her peony could go against her own will.
Therefore, Moriarty ignored Moran’s changes. If he had been with his family for a long time, he would have asked, but he didn’t.
There was silence inside the returning carriage as usual. Moriarty did not feel the need to open his mouth right away, so he tried to calmly collect his thoughts.
He wanted to ridicule his disciple in his conversation with Holmes, but he still could not answer the question the disciple asked.
Why did he do such a stupid thing? He still couldn’t understand. If it were rational, and considering his original nature, the right thing to do would be to abandon the useless disciple.
Does he still have high expectations for his student? Maybe. That would be so, he thought hard.
Of course, there was definitely no next opportunity. He himself will not forgive. No, if that time came, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for him to take his disciple’s life with his own hands.
Didn’t he subconsciously decide to do that in the final confrontation anyway?
As soon as his thoughts reached that point, Moriarty felt the recoil of the gun from when Sweeney was taken out of his hand again in his palm, and he secretly looked down at his hand, which was shaking slightly without realizing it.
Moran suddenly broke the silence to him. At the thought that he had been disturbed, Moriarty could not help but react sharply.
“Master.”
“… “What’s going on?”
In response to the owner’s nervous reaction, a normal Moran might have apologized and glossed over her words, but she did not.
“…… Why did she… “May I ask if you saved me?”
“Ha! “Moran, I don’t know since when I had to report the reasons to you in detail.”
“… Sorry, that was a presumptuous question.”
“Be careful, peony. “You are certainly useful, but I don’t like presumptuous hounds.”
Moriarty reacted a little more emotionally than usual, then clicked her tongue, closed her eyes, and fell into contemplation, trying to find the answer that remained unresolved.
In her uncomfortable silence, she unconsciously bit her lip and Moran looked at the owner with a mixture of emotions in her eyes.
Her heart ached. Even though she knew she shouldn’t be like this, she couldn’t help but harbor feelings of hatred towards her master.
If she had just been full of hate and hate, her heart wouldn’t have hurt.
It was definitely unbecoming a master to save that damn woman. But when she thought about the reason, she couldn’t help but hate her master even more.
She was able to forgive and accept that she treated herself as a tool and even thoughtlessly threw it away when it was no longer needed.
But why on earth is that woman?
What was really strange was that even though she was supposed to be the culprit, it felt like she had even greater hatred for the master who treated such a woman in a special way.
Of course, Moran worked hard to correct her mind and attitude and denied that she had dared to harbor impure desires.
But she did not know that small cracks sometimes lead to the collapse of the whole thing.
While Moriarty was leaving, Holmes visited Watson’s hospital room, and a short conversation ended in an uncomfortable atmosphere.
It was painful to see Watson completely forgetting himself, and Watson, who could only feel that he had lost the memory of someone important to him, needed time to calm down, so it was a necessary farewell.
After making a business-like promise to meet again a few days later, Holmes returned, leaving her beloved friend alone. Immediately after, the two were discharged from the hospital and were able to return to their own lives.
It was a week later that the two met again. Unlike usual, Watson invited his unfamiliar ‘friend’ to his house.
Both Holmes and Watson had no choice but to give a formal greeting to the other person in an awkward manner.
Unfortunately, it was a disaster that occurred simply because Watson lost about a year of time. No matter how sociable Watson was, he couldn’t act like he normally did in front of a ‘close friend’ he couldn’t remember.
It might have been different if they had met without knowing anything, like their first meeting.
However, to Watson, the unfamiliar ‘Miss Holmes’ in front of him was someone he had no memory of, but at the same time, he was someone with whom he was presumed to have developed a fairly deep friendship during the short time he disappeared.
Of course, this was the conclusion he came to by reading through the numerous diaries and notes he always wrote down to remember.
However, writing has its limitations, and it was to the point where he vaguely thought that the ‘friend’ in front of him might actually have been a precious friend to him.
However, there were also records of her that were just as confusing to her, so she couldn’t help but suspect for a moment that someone might in fact be playing a malicious prank on her.
Holmes was able to read Watson’s inner thoughts as usual, but unlike usual, he was unable to point out Watson’s ‘stupidity’.
Whatever happened to her, she couldn’t help but feel guilty that her Watson had lost all of her memories of the past year because of her.
Above all, the being in front of her was her ‘only’ friend. To put it another way, Holmes, who no longer had any friends, was literally a loner with no friends, so he had no choice but to worry about what to say.
In the end, it was Watson who spoke first.
“This…” First…… Ms. Holmes… Now my precious friend… “It seems like it was.”
“Friend… …. Yes, that’s right. You can call me Holmes, Watson. “Because it was originally called that.”
“That… may I? That… Then Holmes. That… Still awkward… Yes. To be honest, it still feels awkward because it feels like I’m reading a history book about the distant past.”
“…… All… It’s my fault. Once again… “I want to apologize, Watson.”
“No, no, that…” That’s okay! Really. After listening…… We were all in danger in the first place? And I was prepared to use that magic… It’s probably because Of course, it was all my own doing, but I don’t think I’ll ever regret what I did back then… Think.”
It was sincere.
Just by looking at her own diary, you could see through her writing that she was enjoying the adventures she was having with her close friend, and that she really valued this special friendship.
But even so, she needed Watson quite a long time, a week. She had no choice but to worry alone.
It wasn’t because of the unfamiliar friend in front of me. But obviously that friend was involved too. Therefore, Watson cautiously opened his mouth again.
“But…… In my diary…… There was a strange story written there. What… Professor Moriarty… A story about… ….”
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“… “Whatever it is, I don’t think, Watson, at least you would have written lies or fiction in a diary where you had to record them.”
“…… Female… also… …. I don’t know. Oh that…… Holmes… Sheep…… No, Holmes, I don’t mean that you are lying or deceiving me. But… uh… How could he… ….”
I wanted to deny it. But Watson couldn’t do that, knowing that before he lost his memory, he had emphasized how firmly he needed to help Holmes fight the man.
Holmes carefully opened his mouth again, looking at Watson.
“Watson, of course I cannot judge your pain, but it must be confusing. “If you really want to, forget me and live your life like this.”
“… “Holmes.”
“I’m sorry, this is all I can say.”
“…… In my notebook it said, Holmes, that you are a very good friend. Also… “Because I have no friends other than myself, I must protect our friendship.”
“… Ha, if I went back in time, Watson, I would have pinched your cheek at least.”
“… So even though I’m confused now, no, I’m not going to run away. Although… “I have forgotten everything about the time we spent together and only know it as a record, but will we be able to start anew in the future?”
Holmes fell silent for a moment at Watson’s words. Because it was unusual for me to be emotionally upset, I tried not to show it.
Holmes nodded, trying to hide his voice that was crying without realizing it.
“Of course, Watson. Please take care of me in the future.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“…… It already happened like this…… “How about moving your residence instead?”
“Where to live? Does this mean we should at least live together?”
Holmes nodded.
It was the result of a week of careful consideration.
If Watson wanted to continue helping him, it would be easier for him to stay by his side. Above all, although she did not show it, she keenly felt how precious her friend’s existence was, and in order to do the work of a ‘detective’, no, ‘investigative advisor’ in earnest, she needed the presence of a skilled assistant.
“Yes, a house I know is looking for boarders at a reasonable price. “Mrs. Hudson, 221B Baker Street, will welcome us.”
Of course, Mrs. Hudson never said that, but she liked it anyway. Because Holmes could have asked for a little ‘cooperation’ from her wife.
After thinking for a moment, Watson nodded and held out her hand to shake hands.
“… Okay, anyway, it was time for me to get my doctor’s license, and I had to move house.”
“I did it knowingly. “Good luck, Watson.”
“Yes, please take care of me too.”
A few days later, two new boarders settled in at 221B Baker Street.
It was once again the moment when London’s extraordinary ladies’ league was born.
