Becoming Professor Moriarty’s Probability

“Hmm?”

Suddenly coming to her senses, slowly, Jane Moriarty started observing her surroundings. The first thing registering in her vision… was a crowd of innumerable people, too many for her to count at a glance.

“It’s overwhelming.”

Her eyes glued to the scene, such thoughts inevitably crossed the professor’s mind.

From her childhood, for some reason, she preferred to be alone in her own space. To be exact, it was more a preference for a place she herself owned, instead of bustling places of gossip and noise. 

And this habit only grew over the years, as she began aging and started taking her first steps on the tumultuous path of crime. She gradually became more and more reluctant to reveal herself to others.

These days, just sitting quietly in her trusty armchair, sipping on some sweet milk tea as she bobbed her head from left to right was enough to make her content. Not even the most luxurious holiday resort could compare to such a scenario. 

“Why am I here?”

Therefore, she saw no reason for her to be in this place. She wanted to return to the comfort of her domain immediately, preferably to a place filled with warm milk tea and packets of sugar ready for her to consume.

“… Did I come out for a walk with Adler?”

However, her wishful thinking of rest and leisure vanished as soon as it occurred.

Vividly, she could remember Isaac Adler telling her repeatedly that she lacked exercise. And in recent times, he even went as far as to suggest forming the habit of walking. 

Could it be that she had been unwittingly led out for a walk by him?

If that was the case, she was somewhat willing to join in on the activity.

Lately, the place where she felt most comfortable wasn’t the attic with milk tea and blankets, her domain of comfort, but wherever Isaac Adler was.

“… Adler.”

“………”

Professor Moriarty, with her usual smile-laced voice, called out to her assistant. However, her head soon tilted in confusion. 

“Adler?”

For some reason, the response that usually came within a few seconds was nowhere to be heard now.

In fact, she couldn’t even sense his presence anywhere.

“Where are you, Isaac Adler…”

Her voice trailed off, turning grave at the end, as she took a few steps forward. 

“It’s time to fulfill the necessary duties now that the case is over…”

However, her complexion began to pale after just a few steps.

“… The case.”

Tumultuous headaches began to surface in her mind, and memories of the moments before her eyes had closed shut drifted into her mind. 

“Ah…”

The mysterious fog, the ominous figure within it, the unknown murderous intent that overwhelmed both her and Adler… Finally, the silver bullet that had been fired from the shimmering gun. 

– Throb…

Silently rubbing her chest where the pain seemed to have revived, she looked around again and muttered in a low voice.

“…Is this… hell?”

She was certain of her demise. Yet, if there were so many people around her, maybe they were in the same situation as her? Trapped in this unknown place…

“…..?”

The professor, looking a bit pale, scrutinized the crowd for a while. However, she had to abruptly put her thinking to a stop, her eyes widening into saucers. 

“… Charlotte Holmes?”

Although her face was several times paler than her usual self, dark circles stretching down to her nose under her eyes… as though she had started using drugs once more, and she was wearing an ill-fitting suit instead of her usual black coat…

Unmistakably, the person before her was Charlotte Holmes.

“… Did she get involved in the case and die too?”

The professor tilted her head for a moment but soon… started walking toward her with a toothy grin, allowing herself to enjoy this moment.

Although she should be feeling appalled to have died alongside a woman she disliked to her very core, the professor was strangely quick to accept her fate. 

It almost felt as if… as if they were destined to die together.

“Miss Holmes, you…”

“… Jane Moriarty.”

Before she could utter her words, however, Charlotte’s expression began to distort visibly after she turned her head and spotted the professor. 

“You… You dare…”

“…….?”

“With what nerve……….”

And soon, a cracking, broken voice began spilling out of her mouth, leaving the professor utterly bewildered.

“With what nerve did you come here, you fucking bitch!!!”

For the first time, Charlotte completely lost her composure and hurled endless curses at Professor Moriarty without showing any restraint. 

“I don’t know what this is about, but calm down…”

“You vile and wretched bitch… If it weren’t for you… If it weren’t for that case…!!”

The professor stepped back in shock at the sight of her raging like a mad dog. Yet, she exuded an aura so pitiful and sad that no one could even dare to criticize her for her ludicrous conduct. 

“If it weren’t for you… he wouldn’t have ended up like this…!!”

“What are you talking about…?”

“It should have been you who died at the waterfall!”

Despite the people around Charlotte trying to restrain her, her screams continued unabashed.

“Jane Moriarty, it was you!!! It’s all because of you!!!”

Saying so, her words came to a close… endless tears streamed down her dead eyes as she lowered her head. 

“”………..””

As the cold gazes of the people surrounding her started nailing her down, almost piercing through her body, beads of cold sweat began forming on the professor’s forehead.

“… This place.”

It was only when the crowd gathered to stop Charlotte that she could finally understand where she was.

“The cathedral…”

The faces of the familiar crowd, all dressed in somber and dark formal attires, and even the giant cross that Adler so despised.

– Step, thud… 

The professor began staggering forward, utter disbelief radiating in her eyes. 

“… It can’t be.”

Through the overwhelming crowd, the sight of a coffin entered her vision, coloring her mind with an ominous sensation. 

“It can’t be… It just can’t…”

However, the professor, trying her best to ignore the overwhelming sinking feeling, soon reached the coffin.

“I just saved Isaac Adler…”

Muttering calmly to herself, the professor’s face, paler than a sheet of paper, peered inside the coffin.

“Just…”

And there he was… Isaac Adler, lying peacefully inside the coffin with his eyes tightly shut. 

“… saved him.”

At such a harrowing sight, the professor’s words began slowing down to a murmur as her body began trembling violently. 

“It’s because of you…”

“If it hadn’t been for you..”.

“If only you hadn’t decided to kill Adler for mere entertainment that day…”

From behind her, voices filled with resentment and hatred began to emerge.

“… We would have never had to face… The Final Problem.”

“That’s…”

Amidst the chaos of blame, Charlotte’s voice was clearly heard by the professor. Professor Moriarty turned her head, desperately trying to make some excuse, however, her body wouldn’t respond no matter what.

“Save him…”

“Save Isaac Adler…”

“SAVE HIM…!”

As she stood in front of the coffin, motionless and speechless, a pair of cold hands began grasping her shoulders. 

“Professor.”

“…….!”

“Are you alright?”

And soon, a warm voice began to emerge from inside the coffin.

“Adler…!”

Surprisingly, Adler had opened his eyes and was looking at the professor from inside with a faint smile on his lips.

“Let’s get out of here. Something doesn’t feel right about this place no matter how I think about it.”

“Understood, my beloved professor.”

Moriarty, having stared blankly at him for a moment, urgently grabbed his hand and whispered in a desperate voice. And seeing such a Moriarty, Adler just observed her with a tilted head. 

“… But why was I killed?”

At that moment, as he let a single tear of blood fall from his eye and asked her in a voice colder than frigid ice…

“….. Gasp.”

Professor Moriarty, soaked from head to toe in sweat, abruptly opened her eyes wide and shot up.

“Haa, haa…”

Soon after, she unwittingly clenched her fists tightly and started looking at her surroundings once more.

“Where is this…?”

Opening her eyes this time… she was greeted by the sight of herself in a hospital gown instead of her usual professor attire, her lying figure on the hospital bed, and the typical familiar scene of a hospital room.

“You’re finally awake.”

“…….”

“I’m not even sure how many days it’s been. I was worried that the elixir had been faulty since you didn’t wake up, but I’m relieved now…”

And lastly, was the sight of a welcome face… sitting in a chair at the foot of the bed.

– Swish…

With an uncharacteristic look of wariness in her eyes, the professor quietly reached out her hands and started stroking his cheek with gentle movements. 

“What are you doing?”

“Is it really you, Isaac Adler?”

“… Is there a fake Isaac Adler that I’m unaware of somewhere?”

At the professor’s uncharacteristically foolish question that abruptly drifted out of her mouth, Adler couldn’t help but chuckle and replied in tandem. 

“It’s so strange…”

“What is?”

“I was certain I had died…”

Hearing his question, the professor murmured fleetingly in a dazed voice. Looking at the lost professor, Adler gently stroked her head and whispered. 

“You did, but I brought you back to life.”

“………”

“It’s a breach of contract to die without the permission of your assistant, you know…?”

At his words, the professor’s face was veiled with a dazed look for the briefest moment before… she suddenly burst into a fit of laughter. 

“What happened to the case…?”

“This time, I took care of the aftermath. I’ve thoroughly erased your tracks, so you can be rest assured.”

“… I want to be held by you, but I’m feeling so sleepy.”

“That’s because I administered a sleeping medication earlier. It’s better for your recovery to sleep well rather than forcibly keeping yourself awake.”

Then, she began to blink her sleepy eyes again and murmured in a whispery note; her head pointed down. 

“Then, hold me for a moment before I fall asleep again…”

“Now you’re just acting spoiled.”

“Maybe it’s because I was shot, but my chest feels so cold…”

At her voice, which had regained its previous composure – with a hint of mischief and laughter added into the mix – Adler sighed silently before extending his arms toward the professor. 

“… Ugh.”

“……….?”

Adler, holding the professor in his arms, pushed his tongue into her small mouth. 

“”……….””

And with that, silence enveloped the hospital room for some time. 

“Puhah.”

For the first time, Professor Moriarty, not being the one to lead the kiss but being led by Adler instead, felt her cheeks burning as she gazed at Adler. Meanwhile, Adler was busy licking away the long trail of saliva connecting their lips with his tongue, burning her cheeks further.

“You’ve finally made me acknowledge you.”

Days had passed since the incident, but his right eye was still dyed in her shades of gray.

“I love you, professor.”

The professor, having watched him silently for a while, responded in a soft voice. With those words, she had completely shaken off the unease she felt from the ominous nightmare she had just experienced.

“… I love you too.”

Delivering her heartfelt words(?), her eyes closed once more. 

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Despite the drowsiness from the effects of the sleeping medication, Professor Jane Moriarty kept her gaze on me until she finally fell into a deep slumber. 

“… Aren’t you going to come in?”

After stroking the professor’s hair gently for a long time, I finally spoke up once I confirmed that she had completely fallen asleep.

“It seemed like you were enjoying your personal time, so I didn’t wish to intrude.”

“It doesn’t matter now.”

“You really are a foolish sod, aren’t you?”

Rachel Watson, draped in her doctor’s coat, stepped into the room through the door.

“Saving the most dangerous person in London, at the cost of your own life…”

“Watson.”

I cut off her words midway and asked the most pressing question in the current situation.

“… How much longer do I have to live?”

Hesitating for a moment, she eventually sighed and answered after gauging my expression for quite some time.

“I told you not to push yourself too hard, but you’ve overworked your body to the point of no return. Even life-sustaining treatment is impossible now.”

“I see.”

“I suggest you prepare yourself mentally before this time next year.”

Now truly living on borrowed time, a terminal patient, I found myself harboring not a single shred of regret. 

“What are you going to do now?”

“… Haha.”

After all, it was a rather small price to pay in exchange for bringing back the person I dearly loved. 

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“By the way, is there someone outside?”

“Yes?”

Why was I suddenly sensing such a murderous aura outside the hospital room?

Could it be that Charlotte Holmes or Gia Lestrade had already finished testifying at Dr. Frankenstein’s trial and had now returned?

“… Now that you mention it, there has been a little kid, with light-blue hair holding a cat doll, sitting quietly on the chair outside for a few hours now.”

Ah……

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  On borrowed time. On limited time. Basically means that someone is terminally ill.