Miss Holmes, the Professor Is Not a Villain

43 – Gambling Addict, Watson (4)

Why was there a fire in the private casino of Daniel Quilp, where significant political figures and entrepreneurs gathered secretly, was viewed as somewhat immoral in public’s eye? To understand this, we need to go back a few hours.

Naturally, for a fire to occur, there has to be a cause such as someone deliberately starting it.

And the one who provided this cause was of course Moriarty himself.

Daniel Quilp, running a high-interest lending business and a gambling house, was a person who knew illegal information in many ways.

Originally, by managing a place where British politicians gathered secretly, he was intertwined with many people, and there were many somewhat illegal and vulnerable facts.

Of course, most of them existed only in Quilp’s memory, but there were plenty of evidences that could be used as documents or evidences.

Daniel Quilp was a wicked yet sharp man, who had enough wits to find a way to protect himself.

Immediately, if a powerless person learns too much of the truth, any being with a bit of intellect can imagine what kind of end they would meet.

Naturally, Quelp, not wanting to be found as an unidentified corpse in the Thames River one day, was in possession of potential incriminating evidence.

Then where was he keeping it?

A few months ago, Moriarty was able to discover that Daniel Quelp was storing it within an illegal gambling establishment.

To get hold of the weaknesses of the people and politicians of the City of London, it was necessary to capture both this evidence and Daniel Quelp.

But with his unique intuition, he had been successful until now. Perhaps suspecting that someone was after him, Qulp has stayed strictly within the gambling house since that point, getting constant security protection. The ways to extract Quelp from this stronghold were dwindling, especially head-on confrontations.

Therefore, Moriarty had to resort to some measures outside the law.

Although undesirable, she was reluctantly left with no choice but to hire someone to raid the gambling house.

To execute Moriarty’s orders, Moriarty’s secretary Sebastian Moran, filled with irritation, entered a hotel room near where the action was being planned and where the standby crew had gathered.

The girl was very displeased with the fact that she had to be apart from her master, even for a moment. However, she didn’t forget to prioritize executing her master’s orders.

But even she couldn’t prevent her facial expression from distorting. Of course, there was no choice about some parts given that until now, Moran had been a mere girl not yet become a woman.

“Oh, it’s been long, dear lady. You seem to have grown quite taller each time I see you.”

A smooth voice welcomed Moran as she stepped into the room. An unpleasant and sleazy voice that made Moran lowly grumbled in irritation.

“How is the preparation going? Our master has said that even a single misstep in today’s plan will not be tolerated.”

“Since it’s someone that the Professor has hired, of course we will succeed, little wolf. If you doubt the obvious, the Professor will be displeased.”

“Shut up, Porlock!”

There were two adult men in the room conducting final checks for the operation.

One of them, Fred Porlock, was familiar to Moran, the organization’s wizard. Even usually, he often picked fights with Moran, so they were not on good terms. Unlike her usual demeanor in front of the master, the wolf was gnashing her teeth at Porlock.

Of course, as if used to it, Porlock shrugged his shoulders and lit up a flame with his fingertips, lighting a cigarette.

Knowing that the sensitive wolf despised the smell of tobacco smoke, it was done intentionally.

Professor Moriarty, a smoker herself, would often light a cigarette in front of Moran, but at those times, Moran would not show any reaction. However, with Porlock, she growled and snapped.

“Why the hell do you play with fire every time I see you, you trash?”

“You seem not to understand magicians much, little mixed-breed wolf. I told you before, I have to pay this due for using my magic. I have to keep burning my fingers little by little every time. I’m not doing this just to annoy you.”

Moran distinctly remembered when Porlock mentioned a similar philosophy before. That every time wizards and witches use magic, they had to pay a toll or tribute that was determined for them.

Of course, it didn’t look that way from Moran’s perspective.

She still hated sorcerers like that suspicious witch her master showed interest in.

Perhaps the sorcerers’ magical energy is probably diametrically opposed to the innate werewolf energy? Of course, Moran didn’t think deeply until there.

Instead, she simply hated Porlock since the first time they met in the organization and because he had been very argumentative like those who used to bully her in the East End.

Although she wanted to tear his throat out instantly, since he was a sorcerer favored by the master, she reluctantly held back.

“Grrr.”

“Alright, both of you, calm down, and continue with the final preparation.”

Despite being hired and being an outsider, another man in the room frustratedly interrupted their fiery discussion, and Moran and Porlock briefly locked eyes with each other before taking back their aggressive gazes.

However, Moran still looked annoyed, throwing a look of abhorrence towards the outsider who had warned her. Even if he was hired for this mission by her master, she didn’t like the man.

The man was a gentleman one could normally find in a British social club. With his well-trained body, curly black hair, pale skin, and even shining blue eyes, the effect was accentuated by his well-tailored suit.

Of course, to Moran’s eyes, his pomposity made him as repulsive as a loafer.

“Raffles, you must be aware of this, but you must seize everything inside the house. And don’t think of messing up hoping for a measly reward.”

“I’ve already received an advance from the professor, lady. Thus, I have no intention to fail. I want to live a long life.”

His name was A. J. Raffles, an up-and-coming burglar who was really hot in Britain these days. He was a well-respected gentleman amongst people and was often referred to as “the gentleman thief,” famous for pickpocketing wealthy people. Although he was skilled and was gaining a good reputation amongst people, he was not part of Moriarty’s organization. He was arrogant and hated being subordinate to anyone.

However, no matter how much that was so, it was hard to avoid someone like James Moriarty, who had almost integrated all criminal organizations in London, and more importantly, the prospect of raiding and robbing a gambling house where big fish flocked to seemed too thrilling to pass up. Hence, he accepted this commission.

Moran saw Raffles and Porlock off to the gambling den with a clear look of disapproval, however, she eventually had to admit Raffles’s skill.

Her acknowledgment was strictly about Holmes’s judgement in hiring such a thief, of course.

After Raffles and Porlock snuck into the casino in secret, they began to swipe all the documents and evidence that Quilp had hidden, as instructed.

Of course, there were irksome tasks involved, like knocking Quilp, who came into the room, unconscious and along with his guards, but everything proceeded smoothly as per the plan.

Finally, it seemed everything was wrapping up when they intentionally started a small fire as per the Professor’s instructions, and shouted about the fire.

Naturally, upon hearing the sudden cry of fire, the people gathered in the gambling den had no choice but to stir.

People naturally have instincts about their lives, and these instincts are particularly strong in those who have a lot to lose.

Those gathered there were all people either proud of their success in British politics or business, or those who believed they had a voice in the social circle.

At first, caring for their reputations, they wanted to ask the servants or employees around them what had happened before they acted, but at the sudden sound of explosions, they had no choice but to act instinctively.

Even the guards who secured the casino were startled at the sudden fire and had no option but to focus solely on calming down the guests.

“An… explosion?”

“……Mr. Jules Verne, can you take Mr. Watson outside?”

“What? Pro…Professor, what are you talking about?”

As Watson was asking, Moriarty, who had been watching what was transpiring, addressed Jules Verne who hadn’t put down his cards yet, ignoring Watson’s questions.