Becoming Professor Moriarty's Probability

Chapter 171: Exponential Growth

- Plod, plod...

"Um, hey... Miss Holmes."

Led by Charlotte, whose face was overtaken by a chilly expression, I couldn’t help but start worrying as we walked along a gravel-laden road for some time in silence.

Questions like where exactly I was being led to, and just how much Charlotte knew about this affair crowded my mind and threatened to overwhelm my psyche.

Not to mention, I was almost driven mad wondering how such vast smoke could cover the entire sky of Cornwall.

"My legs and back are a bit sore..."

And, to be honest, my body was in terrible shape after being thoroughly wrecked by the professor all night.

"Perhaps we could rest for a moment..."

"........."

"Or, I could pay for a carriage..."

Thus, I spoke in a whisper while cautiously gauging Charlotte's reaction.

- Creak...

"Er, um..."

Noticing her grinding her teeth, I stopped walking while my voice trailed off. Cold sweat beaded my forehead, wondering what was going on her mind.

- Swoosh...

"Eek."

In that tense situation, Charlotte abruptly turned around and faced me.

"M-Miss Holmes. What exactly is going on here...?"

"Don't speak."

Her murderous aura almost made me faint as I babbled out nonsense, but soon, her voice took an completely unexpected tone.

".....?"

"Don't say anything."

Charlotte muttered, trembling like a child who had lost her parents.

"Just, keep your mouth shut..."

"........"

"Stay like that..."

At that moment, following her command, I stood silently, and Charlotte took a step towards me.

- Swoosh...

She then slowly reached out her arms and began enveloping me in her embrace.

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

And with that, there was silence.

... Did she use perfume?

In that silence, I unconsciously buried my head in her neck, like a vampire succumbing to their instincts, and smelled the faintest scent of perfume on her.

It’s quite strong today...

The scent was so potent that it reminded me of a cute mistake she had made when she first used perfume.

But that was way back. Now, she seemed quite adept at using makeup to enhance her beauty, not just for disguise.

What scent was she trying to cover up by applying such strong perfume?

"... Were you scared?"

"What?"

As I internally mulled over such nonsensical thoughts, a set of absurd words blurted out of Charlotte’s mouth.

"It's okay. Now that I'm by your side..."

".......?"

"Don't worry..."

Despite attempting to sound reassuring, her voice trembled noticeably.

But what was she trying to convey to me?

"... Seeing that your reaction is so tepid, it seems it is as I feared."

"What have you been saying all this while..."

"That horrific sexual exploitation, it wasn't the first time, was it?"

Scratching my head in confusion, I only began to grasp the situation after hearing the continuation of Charlotte’s statement.

"I've always wondered. Why, when you see the professor, someone you were supposed to like as much as you like me, do you look so scared and pale?"

"No, that's not related..."

"You were periodically subjected to sexual violence by the professor. That’s why your eyes are tainted with her hue, despite the fact that you don't even like her..."

Charlotte's eyes were tinged in madness as she muttered the words with a bone-chilling killing intent imbued in them.

"I do like the professor..."

"LIES!! If you really liked her, you wouldn’t have been raped today!!"

"Uh... well..."

"Moriarty..."

Then, with trembling hands, she covered Adler’s right grey eye.

"You're not going to pluck it out, are you?"

"How dare, how dare..."

"Miss Holmes...?"

"Ahhhhhhhh....!!!"

As she continued, she buried her head in Adler's chest and began screaming at the top of her voice.

"........."

A brief silence thus ensued between the two.

"... Tell me you love me."

"......."

"Say that you love only me..."

As Charlotte murmured through her sobs, Adler started gently patting her back and whispered tenderly.

"I love you."

"... Ugh."

Moved by his gentle voice, she quietly raised her head.

"I've decided..."

".......?"

"Somehow... I'll catch her... with my own hands..."

From Charlotte’s lips, a ferocious voice began to emerge.

"Within a year..."

- Goooooo...

... What have I done to deserve this already?

At the same time, as the absurdly dense black smoke spewed out in all directions, Adler momentarily sensed a level of magical power from her that was similar to Professor Moriarty. Immediately, Adler’s face froze in shock.

- Swoosh...

Just then, a group of armed individuals appeared behind them.

"I'm sorry, but the reunion ends here."

"... What?"

There was both Princess Clay and Silver Blaze in the group, who had not shown themselves for a while. And in the front was Celestia Moran, who seemed to have grown quite a bit in the short interval that Adler had not seen her, who whispered in a cold voice.

"From now on, Mr Adler will be under our care."

"... Ah."

Adler, who had been neglecting his loyal followers over the past few weeks, started trembling within Charlotte's embrace.

.

.

.

.

.

"Protect?"

"........."

"You guys.....?"

During that time, an awkward atmosphere lingered on both sides.

"Ha! Hahaha....."

Charlotte, who had embraced Adler even more fiercely, began to burst into a peal of cold laughter with a crazed look in her eyes as she stared at the group of evil individuals that appeared before her.

"What's so funny?"

Seeing her, a noticeably more mature Moran threw in the question.

"Well, you lot are Adler’s loyal henchmen, aren't you...?"

"Just, just a moment, Miss Holmes..."

At that question, Charlotte began to show a chilling expression, while Adler looked at her with a slightly ominous gaze and tried to urgently stop her from speaking.

"But, just moments ago, your master was brutally raped."

By then, it was already too late.

"... Where exactly have you all been this whole time?"

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

... I’m screwed, damn it.

As his faithful minions all began to look at him with faces turning pale all at once, Adler’s mind also began to turn blank simultaneously.