Becoming Professor Moriarty's Probability

Chapter 58: To Rule or Be Ruled

Not long after Adler had an unexpected visitor arrive at his doorstep...

"Mr. Adler."

"... Hello, Professor."

He, still embarrassed by the shameful events that transpired not long ago, was now greeting another unexpected guest.

"Is this the base you were talking about?"

"How does it look? Isn't it a pretty decent hideout for something in a back alley?"

"Certainly, for a place considered one of the most dangerous in London, it's quite normal... so to speak..."

Said Professor Moriarty as she entered through the front door.

"Would you like a cup of tea?"

"No. I simply came here to see your face."

And then, she began to stare intently at Adler.

"To see the subordinate who organizes things in his own way without even consulting with me."

"Haha..."

"As soon as you returned to London, you cooped yourself up in this place on your own accord. You didn't even attend the academy in the least. Honestly, I'm slightly surprised by your behavior, Mr. Adler."

The professor's dark grey eyes were still fixed on Adler.

"Well, it's almost time for vacation after all; so taking a little break wouldn't be a problem for my attendance..."

"But for you, who has the highest probability of being murdered or kidnapped in all of England, to stay in such a back alley... Are you still drunk?"

"... I sobered up a while ago actually."

"What would you do if Jill the Ripper attacked you in the middle of the night?"

In that state, the professor quietly began to shake her head from side to side in her unique and cute way.

"I have already prepared for it."

"I trust you're not suggesting that deploying a singleDemi-Human and a Vampire with sealed powers as your servants is the solution here. You're smarter than that, Mr. Adler."

"... Professor."

At her simultaneously cute and threatening appearance, Adler began to speak in a quiet tone, a smile stretching his lips.

"Now is the time to take risks."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... it's time to further expand the organization and take it to the next level, even though it would entail certain risks along the way."

At that, the professor, who had been shaking her head, stopped and quietly began to listen intently to his words.

"We've advised on quite a lot of cases so far, but weren't all of those cases procured by our own initiative, with us looking for the clients?"

"True. There have been too many coincidences, too many overlaps. Thinking about it, everything was related to you in some way or the other."

"That's the problem."

Adler spoke, his face turning grave.

"Continuing like this will only create a vicious cycle. We're people who consult on crimes, not people who go looking for them after all."

"Hmm."

"Haven't I repeatedly said this since long ago? We need to create a situation where clients come to find us directly and not the other way around. Just like detectives."