185 – Bait (3)
James Moriarty was silent for a moment as he observed his beloved Holmes, who had come to visit him as a disciple after a long time. Of course he shouldn’t have dragged on for long. It was an unacceptable behavior for a teacher to respond to a student’s attack.
When he thought about that, he felt a small smile come to his lips without even realizing it. Even now, he felt that Moran, who was faithfully by his side, was glaring at the child as if jealous, but he couldn’t deny that it felt good.
It was fun. Yeah, it was fun.
How many days, no, how many weeks has it been? It didn’t come to mind right away, as I’m at an age where I sometimes lose sense of time, but it was definitely a pretty enjoyable few weeks.
The most comfortable thing after becoming successful was that I was able to choose and receive work. Of course, even when he first started, literally, from scratch, Moriarty did not deal with all customers as a slave to money.
Even before he started working in London in anticipation of Holmes, London was already a city of crime. This was not due to someone’s malice or evil plan.
It was an extremely natural phenomenon. It was a strange era in which some foolish scholars argued for the inheritance of crime and seriously argued for castration of the poor, but at least Moriarty was able to agree with some people’s argument that crime occurs naturally.
The British Empire was still the leader in the world, and naturally its heart, London, was one of the world’s largest cities.
Naturally, many people from not only England but also Europe, the United States, and the colonies gathered together, and many people soon committed many crimes.
More than anything, it was a time when even the concept of criminal investigation was vague. Among the poor, there were many beggars and pickpockets, and there were also many people who gave up on life and fell into crime or mentally ill people.
There were not enough officers to catch them, and there were not even enough people to patrol properly in the first place.
Of course, crime was not simply the responsibility of the poor. Sometimes, there were many people who used various means to inherit a rich old man’s inheritance a little sooner, or to send a troublesome wife or husband, or someone who knew of their own wealth, to heaven a little earlier.
Poisons were very easy to obtain, and it was a time when opium was generously added to cold medicine to put children to sleep.
In that era, there were quite a few people seeking criminal advice, and Moriarty started from scratch with certain standards.
Fortunately, he is now able to deal only with customers he likes. To achieve this in the first place, the organization was further expanded.
At one time, it was a job, but now, criminal investigation was close to a hobby for James Moriarty, to the point where it could be called a hobby of the wealthy.
Of course, he considered this his calling. Because creating mysteries and committing crimes was so much fun.
It was also the driving force that maintained his life ever since he met his beloved student.
In that sense, the request from Mr. Jefferson Hope, who came from the United States, was quite an interesting request. Of course, the motive that led to that revenge was good.
James Moriarty thought that Mr. Hope’s actions of seeking revenge by sacrificing his life for his one-time love were irrational and stupid, but at least the method of revenge that he emphasized first was interesting.
It was a method that left everything to chance, and was an inefficient and stupid method. But that’s why it was interesting, so I accepted his request and provided appropriate help.
In the process, it was clearly a ‘coincidence’ that his student Holmes became involved in the investigation. Unlike usual, he did not mention this to the child.
Probably the result of Mycroft Holmes’ intervention.
He knew right away. I already knew that Mycroft Holmes was also beginning to suspect James Moriarty.
Then it wasn’t anything particularly strange. Therefore, he sent Moran into a trap to make fun of his disciple, and also received a report to see if the disciple was doing his job properly.
Everything went smoothly. As if living up to his expectations, the disciple released the children into the streets and quickly began tracking down Jefferson Hope.
If I wanted to stop it, I could have stopped it.
However, the two murders had already been completed as requested, and the request itself did not include the arrest of Jefferson Hope. Of course, because the appropriate method was provided, Mr. Hope was about to secretly leave for the United States just in time.
As such, it was certainly unexpected for Holmes to visit his London home with police officers.
Moriarty greeted them calmly, but he did not bother to stop Holmes from arresting Jefferson Hope in front of him as if to provoke him and obtaining his testimony about ‘M’ as evidence.
He did not deny being hit. But it wasn’t a fatal blow either. If you think of it as a boxing match, it was literally like getting hit by someone who provoked a light jab.
That’s why Moriarty opened his mouth as he looked at his disciple who had made another provocation against him.
“It’s a trick, indeed…. “You were really lucky.”
“… Is that the end, sir? Even if you were a teacher, if you had a needle stuck deep into your heart, wouldn’t it be annoying in many ways?”
“If that’s really the case, all we have to do is find it. “Isn’t that right?”
Holmes clicked his tongue as if he was not satisfied with his calm answer.
Of course, in the meantime, Moriarty quickly racked his brain and confirmed one of her doubts.
Did that child intentionally spit out the truth to me, or was it an intentional trap?
He was insensitive to human emotions. And he was arrogant.
Holmes, among those who could have given the child the slightest hint as to the location of Jefferson Hope, was there anyone willing to risk himself and become a liaison for the child?
Of course, Moriarty knew that few, even among her own subordinates, were truly loyal. She didn’t care because it was foolish to expect loyalty or loyalty from street gangs.
What matters is that he was the one who stood above them, the king of the kingdom.
If he showed an opportunity and was weakened, there could have been a reasonable traitor, but no one would dare attempt such a gamble with him now.
It was a reasonable decision.
Therefore, Moriarty had no choice but to come up with a rhyme that he did not like.
Because the guy named Un was literally the guy who made everything boring. No matter how rational a plan he made, a lucky opponent would sometimes ruin it.
But this time I was able to accept it leniently.
When he thought about it, it was just a coincidence that he met the child he loved in front of him.
“Well, I was lucky. “I hope you do the same next time.”
“… “You should give up the idea that you will always be lucky.”
“I never thought about it like that, it’s natural.”
The disciple and teacher looked at each other in silence for a moment. Of course, Holmes glared at him.
“Moran, please see Miss Holmes off. “I hope we can have a cup of tea again next time. It would be even better if Miss Watson was with us.”
“… “Yes, me too, sir.”
Holmes left the teacher behind and walked out to the front door with the wolf in silence.
Looking at the maid who was no longer able to properly control her facial expressions in the absence of a teacher, Holmes opened his mouth again before leaving.
“To the owner’s precious guest… “Shouldn’t I take care of my facial expressions?”
“Ha… ! “If you keep trying to cross the line by using your master’s favor, I don’t know what will happen then.”
“Oh, that’s scary. “Let’s talk with the women separately later.”
“Get out.”
Holmes went out, leaving behind the growling furball.
Of course, a few days after this conversation, he did not forget to tell it to Fred Forrock, who was meeting him in a secret place.
The street wizard, who had heard everything with a distorted expression, glared at the calm Holmes and slowly opened his mouth.
“This…” Damn you, b*tch! You… you… Sipaal, are you really trying to sell me out?”
“Calm down. “Don’t be stupid.”
“Really? Calm down Nimmi! Damn, this is why I don’t trust crazy b*tches who wear pants! “f*ck, f*ck!”
Fred Forlock swore and threatened as if he would strangle the damn woman in front of him at any moment. But when he faced the face of that damn woman, who calmly and sneered as if she knew she couldn’t do anything, his stomach seemed to twist.
He already knew.
There was literally no place to retreat. He couldn’t tell the professor about this since he had already provided some information to the woman in front of him.
Will the professor really tolerate this betrayal? Just because you regretted it later?
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Porok could see that it was faster for the professor to turn himself in.
Of course, Holmes, who had no intention of really selling out Porok, calmed down the foolish wizard in front of him.
“Calm down, your forehead is already wide, but it’s even funnier because it’s burning red.”
“Even the hair on the back of my head is falling out because of you!”
“First of all, I hit the player in advance to protect that side.”
“… “You better explain it to me in a way that makes sense, you pervert who wears pants.”
The back of his neck still hurt, but Porok took a deep breath and calmed down for now. Of course, when he saw that woman sighing and opening her mouth as if looking at a stupid person, his head started hurting again, but he had already crossed the line, so there was nothing he could do.
“The teacher is arrogant. That’s one of the few weaknesses I can exploit. I could have said that I happened to find Jefferson Hope a little earlier. In that case, the teacher may be the first to think about the possibility of information being leaked. But conversely, what if I reveal this first? “Think of it as a kind of bluff and red herring.”
“… “So does that mean there’s no problem?”
“Of course, once things are in order, there will be a large-scale and secret inspection soon. So, be careful not to get caught.”
“f*ck you, b*tch, it means doing the investigation after all!”
“… It means we can at least be prepared rather than having to investigate unexpectedly. “Anyway, please give me some new information.”
“f*ck, you left everything to me, right? Sipaal, if you’re not the professor’s student, you’re the same year! “I am crazy.”
Of course, the wizard in front of me muttered, but obediently gave Holmes an answer.
“For now… doesn’t exist. Ah… Was it Clay? “I heard that the professor is a smart boy who is quite fond of him. I heard that this immature boy is going to do something soon.”
“To that extent… It’s useless. “What on earth are you doing when you get older, huh?”
“f*ck, I…” I still don’t completely trust you! “There are limits to how much we can move without being immediately suspected, you damn b*tch!”
“… I expect proper information next time. “I’ll probably see it when that head moves back an inch or so.”
“Don’t be so foolish, witch!”
Porok touched his broad forehead, uttered his curse, and disappeared as if running away.
It happened just as Holmes said.
