Becoming Professor Moriarty's Probability

Chapter 27: The Secret of the Speckled Band (2)

A day after Isaac Adler disappeared from the hospital room with Lady Roylott—

"........."

Professor Moriarty, who had arrived at the front gate of the mansion where Lady Roylott resided, stepped down from the carriage and walked into the garden of the residence.

– Rumble, rumble...

– Growl...

No sooner had she entered, the beastly cries of ferocious animals began to emanate from all around.

The place, considered by nearby residents as a danger zone, was rumored to not only harbor wild beasts but also mythical creatures.

"Be quiet."

However, as Professor Moriarty softly whispered those words while emitting a faint gray-colored mana, the garden immediately quieted down as though the feral cries had been a lie all along.

– Plod, plod...

With a cold gaze, she surveyed the quickly silenced garden and just as she began to move her steps again...

"Ah, who do we have here?"

A voice came from in front of her, one that had by now become all too familiar to her."You should be out of your mind by now, busy preparing the audit trail for the thesis [panel The audittrail is like the information you include in your thesis so that the panel members easily know just what information that you have included in the thesis. And the thesis panel is the board of members that judge the validity of your thesis and thus accept and recognize it. You can learn more here— https://patthomson.net/2014/08/14/the-audit-trail-a-too-common-omission-in-methods-chapters.] What brings you here, Professor?"

"..........."

Moriarty's expression turned even colder than it already was upon confirming the presence of Charlotte Holmes – who had been wandering around the mansion for a few hours already – after her arrival, and the presence of Rachel Watson, who cautiously followed Holmes around.

"...What are you doing here, yourself?"

"I've come to resolve an issue someone caused due to their curiosity."

Charlotte sported a sly smile as she spoke those words and then looked at Moriarty dead in the eyes before adding.

"But, it's quite surprising, isn't it? You showing up at the scene yourself, I mean. Why would you take such a risk after going through the trouble of setting all this up?"

"Ms. Holmes. It seems to me that you're still in a severe state of Mana Poisoning. It's quite serious, isn't it?"

Moriarty also met Charlotte's gaze, whispering to her in a subdued voice.

"I am simply a newly-appointed professor at a rather ordinary detective academy. Nothing more, nothing less."

"For someone who has presented a groundbreaking thesis on the binomial theorem at such a young age, causing a stir in the entire academic world, I don't understand how you can claim to be ordinary."

"I don't particularly want to explain to you why people treat me with respect and formality. However, that doesn't mean your delusions that I am the mastermind behind all of this is justified."

"There is a saying that the perpetrator always returns to the scene of the crime."

"I'm simply here to retrieve a graduate student who has breached the terms of his contract with me. It's a perfectly legal and straightforward act."

As their conversation continued, the smiles on both of their faces became increasingly chilly and cold.

"Upon reviewing the records of incidents that have occurred at the academy over the past year I found that you, whether directly or indirectly, were seemingly involved with them, Professor."