chapter 239
239 – Final Incident (7)
Two days have passed since James Moriarty regained consciousness. The world was peaceful. People seemed to be living their own lives, and daily life in Paris felt far away from any crime.
But in the heart of Paris, in a room in a run-of-the-mill third-rate hotel in Paris, a criminal from a fallen kingdom sat alone on his bed, contemplating.
It was Professor James Moriarty. No, I was a professor. Since no disciplinary committee was officially held, he still maintained his position as a professor, but he will no longer be a professor once he returns to England.
Of course, James Moriarty’s empty mansion still stands in England, London and Oxford, where people are starting to wonder if he has suddenly disappeared.
Officially, Moriarty, a professor at the University of Oxford, had very few close personal relationships, except for necessary social activities and encounters in clubs, where he wore a mask.
Almost the only exception was Professor Dodgson, who was also his teacher. Unfortunately, Moriarty did not know that the day after Moriarty left the mansion, he visited Miss Moran to visit his friend for the first time in a long time.
Thanks to this, rumors were slowly spreading, at least within Oxford, that Professor James Moriarty had gone missing, but in fact, even if Moriarty knew about it, it was probably a good problem.
What he had to do from now on was similar to officially disappearing.
Where did it go wrong?
James Moriarty was finally able to calmly look back on his past and his arrogant days after two days.
He couldn’t act leisurely for two days. Although it was very far from the daily life that Moriarty pursued, there was an urgent situation for him.
It was literally a hectic 48-hour journey that moved without any time to clearly realize where we were going.
When he clearly realized that Holmes and Watson were pursuing him, he deliberately changed trains once more just in case, and only after staying up all night did he cross Dover. As much as possible, I had to avoid the route that Holmes and the child would guess.
And finally, soon after arriving in Belgium, he almost encountered Holmes once again, but it seems that luck was still on Moriarty’s side, and he was able to make it to Paris like this. They set a small trap, so if they’re lucky, Holmes might head to Germany to track him down.
Clearly, luck was still with him.
Moriarty thought. And soon his expression became distorted with anger.
Good luck! He couldn’t help but laugh at himself. Because he was joking, admitting that he was stupid.
If luck had really been with Moriarty himself, he wouldn’t have been pushed into this situation!
Yes, it’s luck. The coincidence he hated so much was driving Moriarty himself to the precipice of destruction.
He was still arrogant and thought so. It all ended up being a coincidence. Therefore, he himself has not yet been defeated by Holmes. Even if that were the case, he was only defeated by Un, not by Holmes.
Of course, from the arrogant Moriarty’s point of view, it may not have been a wrong idea. It was also because he fell that brought about his decisive downfall.
But at the same time, he was deep down acknowledging that the downfall that would have occurred someday had only been brought a little earlier. That’s why he got angry and bit his lip without realizing it. He was hurt, but he wasn’t even conscious.
Why? Why?
He was worried.
Forok, why on earth did he become Holmes’ liaison? Moriarty couldn’t understand. He’ll probably never understand that for the rest of his life. He couldn’t know because he didn’t know people’s emotions. He still did not know that sometimes there is something that transcends even reason and profit. No, even if he knew, he ignored it and turned away.
And obviously, among those targets was his loyal ‘hunting dog’ who is still with him.
Someone knocked politely on the door, and Moriarty briefly ordered them to come in. After a while, the door slowly opened and Peony entered the room.
Unlike Moriarty, who was trying hard to control his facial expressions, Moran looked no different from usual. Of course, she had to go out and wear a little makeup, so the wolf’s ears and tail were still hidden, but his expression always showed that he was serving his master.
“As you commanded… “These are newspapers from the last two days published on the British side.”
Moran secretly handed her a stack of newspapers, and Moriarty snatched them up wordlessly, as if taking out his anger on Moran.
Moran already knew the contents to some extent by checking the newspaper articles, but she carefully observed her master’s expression.
The owner, who looked at it coldly at first, tried his best to maintain that expression as if he was trying to act strong in front of Moran himself. Of course, Moran could tell that it was a forced act.
After quickly scanning, Moriarty threw down the newspaper and opened her mouth as if muttering.
“Okay, this time in the end… “Holmes won.”
No, it wasn’t just this time. Moriarty knew she was bluffing, but she had to pretend to be calm and show off her pride.
This time means there is a next time, but for Moriarty himself, there was no longer a next time.
Although some of the articles were vague, both Moriarty and Moran knew the one truth they pointed to.
James Moriarty’s kingdom collapsed. And the king was on the run with his loyal servant.
Of course, Peony quietly waited for his master’s next command. Because the only thing that was important to her was having her master by her side.
And quietly Moriarty opened her mouth to that faithful hound.
“Okay, Switzerland… I have to go to peony.”
“Switzerland… is it?”
“I somehow made it look like we were heading to Germany for Holmes. Let’s head to Switzerland. The scenery is nice… Yes, first of all, because there are suitable means to get to Russia. “First of all, if you go towards Russia, it will be okay.”
Moriarty often anonymously supported various revolutionaries in order to instigate conflict, so he knew some of the routes.
In particular, Switzerland was a place that claimed to be neutral in many ways, so it was a place used by those who escaped or sneaked into the remote Russian lands.
Moriarty silently instructed her Moran on what to save, and Moran lightly bowed her head to her master and then stepped outside.
When she thought Moriarty was completely gone, she involuntarily let out a brief, angry noise. She felt like if she didn’t do that, she would slam her head against the wall and end her life.
Although the British stronghold was virtually destroyed, Moriarty was clearly not completely finished. There were still those who claimed to be his collaborators or subordinates throughout Europe.
But Moriarty didn’t trust those guys. They probably know what’s going on in England by now.
Those cowards will definitely try to bite from all directions to bring down the king, who is now weaker than anyone else. In that case, it would have been better to take only the peony and go on a trip.
Moriarty was sure. At least Moranman is his loyal hunting dog. He was a child whom he raised according to his own tastes.
This is the type of hunting dog that is good to take with you just until it makes its final struggle.
What happened after that was good. Abandoning hunting dogs was not uncommon.
“I…” Yet…… Didn’t lose……. “At least it will end in a draw, and you won’t be able to catch me, Holmes.”
Moriarty muttered.
“Reichenbach… It’s a waterfall… ….”
However, Moriarty, who was more enthusiastic than usual due to facing defeat right before his eyes, was unable to notice one fact.
Right outside the door, Peony stood quietly and silently.
Moran was half-convinced through Moriarty’s mutterings.
His own master had already given up everything like a weakling. It was strange. The person who seemed so strong no longer seemed like a weak person who could literally be defeated with one hand.
If the old peony had been a child when she first met her owner, she might have run away like this. But she didn’t want to do that.
It would have been better if the owner had given up everything. He was fine as long as he could be by his side. No, how about suppressing him like this and quenching his desire to run away somewhere?
Unknowingly, Moran shook her head at that naughty thought. She was still a hunting dog that followed her master.
She could do anything for him, at least as long as the owner did not choose to completely abandon her and run away alone.
But what should she do?
Confused, Moran went outside to follow her master’s orders.
As she came out after purchasing the train ticket, she stopped in her tracks without realizing it. Jane Watson, she stood before her eyes as if the abominable witch was trembling and waiting for her.
And a week later, James Moriarty stood alone on the cliff looking at the waterfall. I felt like someone was pretending to be popular.
I slowly looked back.
There she was, her own student whom she met for the first time in a long time.
“This is what happens in the end.”
The reincarnated Professor James Moriarty muttered.