Stop trying to control me, Miss Moriarty!

Chapter 35: Was Watson the only normal woman Erin knew?

[The Napoleon and Lannes of the Criminal World: Giving Meaning to Jessia Moriarty's Existence]

[Progress: 58% → 65%]

Main Quest: Assist Jessia Moriarty in building a criminal empire

[Progress: 4.27% → 15.59%]

[10% achieved, Phase I reward being distributed...]

Main Quest: Maintain order in Britain with Charlotte Holmes.

[Progress: -4.27% → -15.59%]

[The progress has been offset, and the Phase I reward has been discontinued.]

?

Having learned from her previous mistakes, Erin had mastered how to read text discreetly in front of the mirror.

What's going on now?

If the progress of the mission was due to Moriarty eavesdropping, then the increase in the mission's progress could be understood.

But I didn't say anything strange in the restaurant conversation, right? Why did the main quest progress suddenly jump?

And these two main quests are indeed contradictory, aren't they?

It's like the two ends of a balance scale; if one side goes up, the other side goes down. If the progress cancels each other out, then there's no way you'll get the reward!

【warn! ! 】

Being indecisive is a shortcut to failure.

Indecisive?

What does this mean?

When did I ever do that?

Forget it.

This thing has been malfunctioning more than once or twice, so let's just leave it at that.

With graceful movements, Erin picked up a wet wipe and wiped the corner of her mouth.

He looked up: "Professor, about my question earlier?"

Jessia put down her teacup and casually said, "I have to thank that detective for the inspiration; I set up a communication receiving spell on you."

"Oh... um?"

Erin blinked.

He was prepared for Moriarty to start telling riddles, but the answer he received was surprisingly simple and straightforward.

So that's really how it is?

Driven by curiosity, he continued, "How did you do that?"

"It's very simple."

Jessia's tone was calm, as if she were just talking about something very ordinary. "I entered your room at night and set up a nested quadruple spell on all your linings, underwear, trousers, and coats."

"They are meaningless when they exist alone, like four puzzle pieces scattered on the ground, but when put together, they can have the magical effect of receiving communications."

Erin closed his eyes and began to perceive things carefully.

There really is...

The four unrelated spells fit together like mortise and tenon joints, forming a simple spell.

Moriarty can even perform such precise magical manipulations on ordinary fabric?

If you don't know about this, who in their right mind would make such a connection?

But the thought of her in front of her wardrobe in the middle of the night...

Uh.

"...Adler, what's with that expression?"

"It's nothing." Erin opened her eyes, quickly banishing the imagined scene from her mind: "I just have one more thing—"

Jessia's eyes seemed to see right through you: "The 'surveillance' magic in your room is child's play; it's passable as a smokescreen, though. I put the hair back in the crack under the door when I left, replaced the pencil lead in the hinge with a new one, and removed the graphite."

She concluded, "Although I don't know what you're guarding against, teenagers often have secrets they don't want others to know. I can help you rebuild a whole system."

Her tone was full of composure, as if she had everything under control.

Erin sighed. "And yet you still come into my room at night?"

Jessia shook her head and said matter-of-factly, "You're my 'possession,' so naturally there shouldn't be any secrets. Oh, and I also found a few magazines in the corner of your closet; the women in them were dressed very scantily, or even naked..."

and many more?

What magazine?

How come I didn't know about this?!

"Yes, teenagers often have unrealistic sexual fantasies."

Jessia tilted her head slightly, looking incredibly cute: "So, the chains of love you mentioned before, were you just fantasizing about turning me into your sex slave? Perhaps that's not entirely impossible..."

???

What is all this?

Erin took a deep breath:

"...Please do not sexually harass me, Professor."

Without warning, Jessia reached out and placed her hand on Erin's cheek, startling him so much that he recoiled.

She asked again, "Can this phenomenon occur even without physical contact? What is the cause?"

Yes, is there?

Erin also reached out and touched his face.

It seems a little hot.

He slightly averted his gaze, pretending to admire the landscape paintings on the restaurant walls that imitated Turner's style.

"Professor, it's normal for body temperature to rise after eating. You don't feel this way simply because you're too powerful, do you?"

"That's true, but..."

"Professor, it's about time. Shall we get straight to the point? You should already have a plan."

"indeed."

Jessia took out a piece of parchment from her bosom, which was covered with dense writing—terms, rules, punishments, obligations…

She placed the parchment on the table and pushed it toward Erin: "This is a slave contract. You know what to do next."

Erin looked at the contract.

...He did understand.

"You mean... that Lady Burtis?"

"That's right." Jessia nodded. "She was completely obsessed with you, to the point that she would spend a fortune on every performance before."

"Okay, I understand..."

Erin rolled up the parchment and stuffed it into his pocket.

"In addition," Jessia took out five slightly different magic crystals and placed them on the table, "each of these contains the equivalent of the full magic power of a fourth-tier magician. After the spell inscription on them is transcribed, you can directly use them."

She added, "You are not allowed to use your own magic until you are fully recovered."

Erin accepted the magic crystal.

Normally, everyone's magical properties are unique, and it is absolutely impossible to use magic from other people. Furthermore, mobilizing the natural magic within a magic crystal requires one's own magic as a guide.

The techniques mentioned above—

"Harmonious Prayer", "Magical Resonance", "Chain of Cycles"...

He could only identify these three main high-level techniques for the time being, and then he began to simulate and deduce them in his mind.

If this surgical technique is used, the final result can indeed achieve what was just described.

But could such a magnificent and sophisticated new building be erected on an empty lot in just one day?

As expected of Moriarty.

He flashed a genuine, radiant smile: "Thank you, Professor."

Jessia's eyes flickered slightly. She looked away, reached out, and ruffled his silver hair.

"be safe."

"Um."

She concluded by saying, "The codename 'Criminal Secretary' sounds pretty good, so it's mine."

"This was prepared for you anyway, shall I set off now?"

"Go."

After watching him leave, Jessie tilted her head and began to think.

When she heard the news that Erin was about to die, her mind went blank for a moment, a feeling she had never experienced even at her parents' funeral.

Why do I have these vague and inefficient emotions?

And then the conversation that took place in the square...

She reached out and clutched her heart tightly, her breathing becoming heavy.

"Chains of Love"...

That feeling... was different from previous crimes; it was a novel sense of pleasure.

"I can endure as long as you wish, and as much pain as you desire."

That smile, full of sincerity and trust...

Jessia's eyes were glazed over. She raised her right hand, which had just touched and stroked Erin, and gently put her index finger into her mouth, stirring it around.

Lightly and slowly, a shimmering thread is drawn.

.

.

.

Viscount Burtis's House.

The old butler entered the study and bowed slightly: "Madam, you have a guest visiting."

"I know, bring him here," Mrs. Burtis said languidly.

Upon hearing this, the old butler nodded slightly and turned to leave.

Then, Madame Burtis put down her beautifully bound French novel, *La Dame aux Camélias*.

She stood up, her fingers, painted with dark red nail polish, lightly tracing the cover of the novel.

A peculiar expression immediately appeared on her face.

Obsession. Yearning.

And an even deeper madness.

Her fingernails scraped across the table, producing a sharp and piercing screeching sound.

"Erin—"

Her voice was overflowing with love.

"—This time, you can't escape."