Episode 32

The animosity of four newspapers is more daunting than a thousand sharp swords.
–Napoleon Bonaparte¹

At 221b Baker Street.
While Watson, who had been drinking with me until dawn, was sound asleep, I sat leisurely in a chair with my eyes closed.

It wasn’t as though I was resting.
Mrs. Hudson and the new maid, who started working yesterday in place of my predecessor who left for martial arts training in Spain, can attest to how busy I’ve been these past few days.
In fact, anyone who frequents Baker Street could easily tell you the same.

‘I heard you solved a murder case at the Debutante Ball. I can’t offer any reward, but please help find my missing cat—’
‘Please find my husband’s mistress.’
‘That bastard definitely plagiarized my idea! Evidence? Well, it’s my diary! Why isn’t it a script?! How can a detective be this stupid! Of course, I’m going to finish it now!!’

I recalled the nonsense spouted by the nuisances I had kicked out today.

Due to the newspaper mentioning my name without consent, dozens of clients swarmed in daily, and 90% of them weren’t legitimate customers.
From fools who made me question their humanity to those who demanded free services as if it were a given.
Most disappointing was the fact that the cases they brought were all of a type that insulted my intellect.

“Sigh…”

At times like this, I feel like injecting a 7% solution of Hundred Year Snow Ginseng directly into my veins.
Unfortunately, it’s impossible since I’ve exhausted all the elixirs I earned from providing high-quality investigative consultation in Chelsea while maintaining strict confidentiality.

“Damn criminals can’t even manage a proper incident. They’re like worthless vermin.”

I cursed without realizing it and was surprised.

When I turned my head, my reflection in the mirror wore a ferocious expression I had never seen before.
The rising murderous intent was on the verge of escaping my control.

“…The King’s Specter, is it? This is a first.”

The withdrawal symptoms from the elixir addiction had caused Papiyas to rear its head.
If I don’t administer the elixir on time, I will fall victim to the ‘real’ side effects of the Lionheart Method.
The side effects of the original internal energy method created by the Lionheart King, Master called it the King’s Specter, and instructed me to confine it using the modified method.

If such a thing were to happen, I wouldn’t be able to stay in this cozy lodging any longer.

“There are no more…elixirs.”

This is bad. I should have bought some elixirs with the cash reward I received for solving the case, but I forgot because I was too lazy.
At this rate, the only option is to spray the illicit smelling salts mixed with addictive substances I retrieved from Drake’s corpse into my mouth.

“No, there’s still one left.”

Upon reflection, I remembered there was an emergency elixir hidden downstairs.

“Phew.”

I quickly got up and went down to the first floor.
Mrs. Hudson was, as usual, engrossed in her hobbies with the gramophone playing, and the new maid had gone out shopping.
It was the perfect time to rummage through the cupboard.

“It should be around here.”

Mrs. Hudson had complained last time about some mushrooms the maid had bought, saying some had mold on them.

After hearing the story, I took the opportunity to sneak it into the cupboard while she went to check the mail.

-Creak.

As I opened the cupboard in the far corner, a subtle fragrance wafted out. I reached in, took out the mushroom, and rubbed it with my sleeve.

Mold? That’s nonsense.

“It’s well dried.”

A mushroom with a gentle jade-like green surface.
This is an elixir commonly known as the Jade Mushroom, sometimes sold by mushroom gatherers who mistake it for an ordinary mushroom.

“Hmm?”

However, in the darkness of the cupboard corner, I noticed a few unfamiliar medicine bottles hidden away.

“…It’s the maid’s doing.”

I recalled the White Larva that Yan had left behind.
It seems I won’t need to spend my money on expensive poisons anymore.

I don’t know who sent it, but if we handle this well, it might actually benefit the three living in this house.

I picked up a piece of cloth nearby, poured a little of the medicine bottle’s contents onto it, and put it in my pocket.

“Mrs. Hudson, may I trouble you for some tea?”

I hid the well-dried Jade Mushroom in my pocket and spoke to Mrs. Hudson, who was engrossed in knitting.
At the same time, I whispered briefly about the maid through a silent transmission.

“Oh! Is it that time already?”

Nodding, Mrs. Hudson only then noticed the clock pointing to 3 PM and quickly began to brew the tea.
I went back upstairs, fed the White Larva hidden in the bedroom, and placed the thinly sliced Jade Mushroom on the snacks and tea that Mrs. Hudson brought.

“Ah. Good.”

The minute yet potent energy from the elixir pieces, floating instead of dried lemon slices, seeped into the tea.
As I took a sip, I felt the restless energy within my meridians begin to flow calmly.

The Lionheart Method, while its initial side effects are tricky, has a clear solution, which is reassuring.
After emptying the plate and teacup and biting the pipe, my mind finally began to function at its original capacity.

‘…He might show interest sooner than expected.’

Until now, I had repeatedly urged Watson not to publicly announce my involvement in solving cases.
However, a murder had occurred at the Debutante Ball, an event that attracted the attention of the entire London Murim, and I was reported as the detective who had solved it.

“……”

In truth, I had trouble sleeping because I was bothered by the inclusion of a certain person’s initials in the article from last night’s testimony.

The information that I was involved in solving the case was leaked to the reporter by a witness who calls herself I.A.

I.A. is the initials of the woman who handed me a handkerchief yesterday.

This is undoubtedly a message.
No matter how I think about it, it seems like it’s meant for me.

The reporter probably received money from her.
If I find him, he will tell me the whereabouts of the woman who bribed him.
This too would have been part of her instructions.

Really, what should I say?
There’s a limit to underestimating me.

‘I was planning to find her in due time without using such bothersome methods.’

Seeing how she even prepared insurance like that, she must be quite interested in me.

Irene Adler. An opera singer born in America.

Having reached the pinnacle of sonic arts at a young age, she performed as a prima donna at the Russian Imperial Theater before moving to London, where she became a socialite.
But that is merely her outward identity.

Before the regression, the woman I knew was a VIP client consulting with James Moriarty; in other words, a criminal.
In this world, that fact likely hasn’t changed much.

Still, I needed to find out exactly how she was operating in London.

‘It seems a bit awkward to go see her right now.’

I wanted to catch her and make her confess everything she knew about Moriarty, but the timing wasn’t right yet.

In the past, I engaged in a battle of wits with her and lost.
That incident remained one of my few failures, and I intended not to repeat the same mistake.

Since Irene Adler is Moriarty’s client, seeking her out inevitably means exposing my existence to Moriarty.
If the incidents I’ve experienced so far unfold similarly in this world, we’ll eventually meet again.

Going to find her after preparing to some extent to counter Moriarty’s schemes wouldn’t be too late.
Of course, if she seeks me out first, I’ll have to think of a way to use it to my advantage.

For now, I need to use the fact that I’ve piqued Irene Adler’s interest to my benefit as much as possible.

‘…Having my name in the newspaper isn’t necessarily a bad thing.’

Although I was planning to operate quietly so as not to catch Moriarty’s attention, seeing my name in the article was unsettling, but upon reflection, it wasn’t entirely bad.
As a competent consulting detective, making a name for myself can provide the continuous income necessary to sustain my current lifestyle.
And just as before my return, I can build connections with the high-ranking officials who need my help.

Since I’ve already been invited to the Buckingham Palace ball,
it would be advantageous in many ways to leave a deep impression on Her Majesty the Queen and other social leaders.

“……”

Of course, I am someone who absolutely detests such occasions, but this time, I have no choice.

‘I can’t go up against Moriarty alone with just Watson…’

He is not alone.

James Moriarty is the Napoleon of crime, possessing organizational power and embedding subordinates in various social classes to dominate Europe’s underworld.
Just as Her Majesty Victoria is a master of the Unrestrained realm, Moriarty and his subordinates are likely to possess formidable martial power as well.
If Moriarty in this world has become more dangerous than before my return, I must prepare thoroughly and face the battle accordingly.

Neither Watson nor I will survive unless we become stronger.

“…Watson.”

In fact, compared to other prodigies of similar age, it was difficult to say that Watson was strong yet.
Despite having talent and not neglecting training, she had not overcome the barrier due to the Nine Yin-Qi Nails.
In other words, if the meridian disorder could be cured, Watson could reach a much higher level than she is at now.

Thus, healing Watson not only means saving her life but also gaining a reliable and strong companion.

‘I must share every elixir infused with Yang energy with Watson.’

Even removing just one of the nine nails has noticeably improved Watson’s health condition.

Watson never showed it in front of me, but the day after using even a little internal energy, she was invariably pale and could barely eat.
However, now, not only her digestive functions and blood circulation but also the efficiency of her internal energy operation have generally improved.
Even the leg that was always limping is moving much more naturally than before.

‘The injury from the Jezail Sword Technique that hadn’t healed was probably due to the influence of the meridian disorder.’

Yesterday, she seemed much more comfortable moving up the stairs than before.
Perhaps by the time she has removed three or four nails of Yin energy, she won’t need a cane anymore, even if she can’t run.
If I put it this way, it might seem like the symptoms weren’t severe to begin with, but that’s how meridian disorders are.

It might look like a mild ailment now, but as time passes, the symptoms rapidly worsen, leading to sudden seizures and premature death—that’s the meridian disorder.

‘It’s a rare disease, so without the relevant knowledge, one might mistake it for a common ailment and die unexpectedly.’

Of course, even with knowledge, the survival rate is low because it requires an immense amount of elixirs and a martial artist of my caliber to guide the True energy.

In curing the Nine Yin-Qi Nails, it is crucial to repeat the treatment without failure, little by little.
Just like how the final bullet’s landing point changes significantly by adjusting the angle of the gun barrel multiple times.
I must save Watson from the fate of death through repeated treatments.

If I fail to cure Jane Watson’s meridian disorder, I will never forgive myself.
I feel guilty towards John Watson, who is still alive somewhere in the world, and Jane Watson is already my dear friend.

‘At least we can catch our breath for a moment.’

The fortunate thing is that this treatment extended Watson’s expected lifespan slightly.
More importantly, Watson’s condition improved, and her energy grew through the treatment.
This was due to absorbing the seasoned pill and dissolving the needle, which not only provided a large amount of Yang energy but also released the Yin energy bound in the meridians.
Overall, the quantity and quality of her internal energy have increased, making her much stronger than before attending the Debutante Ball.

‘I don’t want her to get involved, but Watson won’t stay still.’

Perhaps it’s because she returned from crossing death’s line on the battlefield, or maybe it’s because her peculiar constitution always made her conscious of death.
Watson was always ready to fight.

She chose to confront the Dead Man of the archfiend Frankenstein.

Watson is a proud martial artist before she is a woman.
Even if she learns what sort of person Moriarty is, she will want to fight alongside me.

So.

“I can’t just sit still either.”

If Moriarty perceives me as an enemy, he will certainly try to threaten those close to me.
I can’t allow such a thing to happen.

Fortunately, Watson wasn’t the only one who grew stronger during the process of treating the meridian disorder.

“…I should test this.”

-Wooong!

The pure internal energy accumulated through the Lionheart Method began to vibrate my right hand.
The realization I gained while treating Watson immediately elevated the level of some martial arts I had learned.

For example.

“1200 Inch Punch.”

I extended my fist towards the doorway leading to the stairs.

To greet the intruder who had been waiting eagerly for an opportunity from earlier.