The Living and Moving Statues in Greyfriars Kirkyard, an Edinburgh cemetery.

This incident was settled more quickly than I anticipated.

“Won’t you let me take care of it? That is if you don’t mind, of course.”

James Moriarty, who became very cooperative once we became partners, sprang into action. He found out the movements of the sextons and investigated their background. They belonged to one of many organizations only loosely connected to the Church of Starry Wisdom.

“It was to be expected, but it is still something.”

In any case, James had no intention of returning Enoch Bowen’s followers. He led his men to wipe out the cultists who owned the cemetery, and those with criminal records were handed over to the police. According to the police’s investigation, the cemetery had a history of stealing corpses.

“It seems these bodies, which went missing, were used as ceremonial sacrifices for the cult.”

I didn’t know how they even came to the cemetery in the first place. Those “blind revealers” were trying to show me and Jimmy the terrible activities that occurred in the cemetery.

“As for your request about this Willy person…”

Willy Wahlberg. Jimmy’s best friend, and someone who went to the morgue to perform an autopsy and was beaten to death by one of the guards. It was said his body didn’t decompose even after a week had passed.

…It was too late to save him, but he got a better ending than being sacrificed to black magic.

“We put Mr. Willy Wahlberg’s body in the hands of a proper undertaker and sent it to his family… Is this enough to be thanked by you?”

I was a little shocked he didn’t forget my request; he even added an unexpected bonus.

“Of course. Thank you, Moriarty.”

He could have my gratitude.

“Wouldn’t it be more comfortable to call me James?” He smiled, his eyes half-closed. “…Emily.”

When he referred to me by my first name, I couldn’t help but get goosebumps again. “Sure.”

The ending was wrapped up nicely. Moriarty did the dirty work for me, so I was able to fulfill my orders with only one death. More importantly, I found out why the King in Yellow wanted me to become allies with him.

James Moriarty’s network was more extensive than I thought. He wasn’t just the ruler of the criminal underworld. He had considerable influence throughout England, and even had people in the Metropolitan Police Service. While I was simply carrying out the orders given to me, I needed a strong ally like Moriarty when I eventually faced the cult’s leader, Enoch Bowen.

Anyway.

The King in Yellow’s reward for this incident wasn’t bad. I really liked the fact the two weeks greatly extended the time until the end of the world…

But what was even happening right now?

“I had no idea a suspicious person like you was one of Miss Emily’s business partners.”

Mr. Henry, who wasn’t smiling like he usually was, growled like a beast that encountered an intruder in its territory.

“Oh, dear. I heard you were one of her many friends, but this is…” Instead of backing down in front of an imposing figure, Baron James Moriarty grinned. “I must say, it’s quite entertaining to see you cling to her like she’s yours.”

…I couldn’t believe this.

As I watched the situation unfold as if I was a third party, a voice said what was on my mind.

“This is ridiculous.”

The person who joined the fray, I knew very well. Jimmy Miranda Barry, who was closer to me because he told me his secret.

He admonished them, his gaze flitting between the two men.

Jimmy put his hands on his hips. “One is just a friend. The other is a business partner. It doesn’t make sense for either of you to be her escort, does it?”

“…What?” Henry flinched.

Jimmy was unmatched. “Isn’t it obvious there’s someone else better suited for the job?”

“…”

“…”

Even though Henry and Moriarty stared at him like they were ready to pounce, Jimmy smirked. “I, Jimmy Barry, will take care of her. You two should just shut up and go along with it.”

The moment Mr. Henry and Moriarty tried to react to the bold provocation.

“Isn’t this a scene from a romance novel? Several men fighting over one woman!”

Sally appeared, and her words made the two back down in embarrassment.

I was glad they let it go, but…

“Ma’am, aren’t I right?” Sally, who came next to me, pulled on my arm. “Oh, this is so exciting!”

“Please, don’t…”

Anyway.

The reason why those three were confronting one another like that. Moriarty found a clue while wrapping up the Greyfriars Kirkyard incident.

As soon as he told me—

[Attend the secret masquerade and uncover the truth.]

…The King in Yellow had given out a new order.

***

James Moriarty put his hands in his pockets and observed the confident person speaking.

“I, Jimmy Barry, will take care of her. You two should just shut up and go along with it.”

Jimmy Barry.

He was said to be an excellent doctor who graduated from the Edinburgh Medical School. Moriarty stared at the skinny boy, refusing to believe this person was an adult over twenty years old.

“…”

As if still having a bone to pick, he smiled at Henry’s riled-up appearance. He’s not even worth my time.

…It was amusing he had to fight such a man. And in the eyes of James Moriarty, whose gaze was sharper than everyone else’s, Jimmy Barry was clearly a woman.

If that wasn’t the case, why else would “he” wear such uncomfortable clothes in this weather?

It wasn’t just an outfit that hid Jimmy’s neck. Jimmy Barry was already well-known locally, and there were rumors that he was either gay or a handsome woman. Most of these aforementioned rumors were groundless, but…

Some of them have a grain of truth.

Baron James Moriarty turned his attention to Emily, who stood next to Jimmy.

Emily Carter.

The wife of the novelist Randolph Carter, who died more than a decade ago after being involved in a bizarre incident. That was all the information Moriarty had, but his opinion had changed a lot as of late.

She’s the descendant of a druid.

It was why James was even more surprised. You even figured that out using white magic, hmm?

That his parents were killed by the Church of Starry Wisdom.

That he was obsessed with anagrams.

Emily knew two of his secrets that no one else was aware of.

However…

Moriarty’s intuition told him there was more to it. He met with her several times under the pretense of discussing the cemetery case, but his curiosity did not fade.

Rather, instead of disappearing, it only grew more fervent.

What exactly are you hiding?

James Moriarty glanced at her. While he wasn’t very interested in women, he acknowledged her looks were enchanting enough to draw attention from anywhere. Then there was….

That gaze.

One that seemed uninterested in the world.

Every time he saw it, her aloof expression even as she had a pistol pointed at her, kept appearing in his mind.

…It wasn’t unfamiliar to me.

He himself wouldn’t like to admit it, but he did sense her aloofness was quite similar to his own.

Regardless, it wasn’t the only question he had. There’s Enoch Bowen.

Supposedly, she had been pursuing the Church of Starry Wisdom and captured some of its followers herself in the process.

“If you don’t believe me, contact Inspector Lestrade from the Metropolitan Police Service. He can vouch for me.”

It was as she said.

The old raccoon, who was also an ally of that bastard Holmes, had met her on more than one occasion.

“Oh, Mrs. Carter? We’ve been on good terms for a long time.”

Despite Lestrade’s willingness to prove she wasn’t lying, Emily herself still had unanswered questions.

It occurred a few days ago.

He had called her to his mansion to tell her the conclusion of the cemetery incident. She didn’t look well then.

She shook her head when asked if she was sick, so James guided her to his private study.

“That’s…!”

Among his precious collection of books, one in particular was crammed into the shelf. Emily was astonished when she saw it and didn’t move from where she stood.

…There was a mysterious symbol on the back of the book. “Why… Why… do you have this?”