"Do you want to know who James Moriarty really is?"
Those words echoed through his mind, leaving Luis speechless.
'Who is James Moriarty, really?'
A few seconds later, he looked at Nuken seriously and said with a slight stammer, "You want to know James Moriarty's true identity?"
'Isn't that a crazy thing to do?'
Nuken nodded without hesitation and replied, "Of course. I've been curious ever since I first met him, and..."
He recalled the wrecked horse-drawn carriage, which seemed untouched by any impact, while the enclosed cargo carriage had been completely destroyed.
"...And?"
Luis raised his right eyebrow.
"Supernatural powers," Nuken continued.
Luis stared at him, instinctively taking a step back.
'He's right. Mr. James Moriarty really does possess supernatural abilities. Judging by the expression on his face and the way he handled and resolved problems, he was incredibly calm.'
Luis's thoughts spiraled as that miraculous moment flooded back into his mind.
After composing himself, he stepped to the right and sat down in the single armchair.
"Let's continue this conversation," Luis said enthusiastically.
There was finally someone he could discuss the difficulties they had both experienced with, and there was no one else there except the two of them. Nuken adjusted his glasses.
A tense silence settled over the living room for a moment.
Nuken gazed at the golden-orange glow of the lamp through the window, lost in thought.
"By the way, why didn't you go with them?" Nuken suddenly remembered. He had assumed the other man had gone along.
"No," Luis replied rather indifferently.
"I see," Nuken murmured with a nod.
Since he disliked small talk, Luis eventually returned to the matter at hand.
"As for Mr. James Moriarty... he's certainly a unique individual," he said, his voice tense.
"What do you mean?" Nuken asked, puzzled.
Luis shifted in his seat before answering, "I once hired Mr. James Moriarty. He wiped out an entire gang of criminals in just a few hours. That killer didn't leave the slightest trace along the border between Ource and Penplan."
Nuken nodded, thought for a moment, and casually said, "About those bandits, I'm certain an M.P.G detective agency from Central Semilir showed up there, didn't they?"
Luis blinked. This was news to him, and Evelina had never mentioned any of it.
Although she was interested in James Moriarty, Evelina had been hiding something from Luis, her friend, playing her game as smoothly as possible.
"So... in short..."
Nuken swallowed and nodded.
"James Moriarty is a wanted man in their eyes."
Wasn't it strange that someone who had exterminated bandits terrorizing the people, brought calamity through his actions, and then became a wanted criminal?
It simply made no sense.
The idea was absurd, especially since neither of them knew what was going on inside the minds of the rulers and their lackeys.
Luis had expected the conversation to eventually revolve around money, but this was different. It was no different from throwing away one's life for something meaningless.
Luis knew that much. Getting involved with James Moriarty was the height of foolishness.
Even so, he chose to wait and see where the conversation would lead.
Luis pretended to be surprised.
"It would be terrible if we got caught, wouldn't it?"
Hearing such an unreasonable statement, Nuken slowly shook his head.
"Your name is Luis, right?" Nuken asked, hoping to build a good relationship with him.
Seeing Nuken extend his hand as he stood up, Luis responded with a somewhat indifferent expression and said, "Nice to meet you."
The two men sat down again, and the conversation continued, growing increasingly heated.
"Let's get straight to the point. Do you know where James Moriarty is right now?" Nuken asked firmly, his sharp gaze suggesting hidden intentions.
Luis, who had not known his whereabouts since that morning, replied in a slightly raised voice, "I woke up at eight minutes before eight, and I didn't see anyone, just a few chairs scattered around."
He pointed toward the room in front of him, which was now neatly arranged thanks to his own efforts.
Nuken suppressed a smile, realizing the mess had been caused by his own actions and the fierce argument between him and Geron.
"Oh? I see. So no one knows where he went?" Nuken asked skeptically.
Luis's right cheek twitched, almost lifting, as he firmly repeated, "I already told you, I... woke up at eight minutes before eight..."
The corners of Nuken's mouth curled upward as he realized just how foolish and careless he had been.
Luis's expression darkened for a moment before he spoke in a low, restrained voice, "You'd better forget that idea."
Nuken blinked and sought clarification.
"My idea? What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb," Luis said coldly. "You want to capture him and claim the reward, don't you?"
Silence followed, prompting Luis to let out a short sigh before casually adding,
"Working with him is already more than enough," he said with a smile.
"Even though James Moriarty is rather cold and once scolded me for secretly trying to steal that piece of jewelry..."
Luis gripped his thigh just above the pocket of his suit. Slowly, he leaned forward, remembering the moment when his heart had felt torn apart and his world had become an endless void.
But there had been a woman, a noblewoman, who filled that emptiness with her ridiculous antics.
Simply seeing that object again, especially because it resembled his mother's keepsake, was more than enough for Luis.
He would never betray James Moriarty, and he wanted to see just how far James Moriarty's plans would go.
Nuken pursed his lips as he watched Luis, who had been leaning forward before finally releasing his grip on his suit pocket and raising his head again.
"...Is money really all you want?"
"Yes," Nuken answered firmly.
Fully aware of how difficult it was to survive and earn a living in this broken and unjust world, Nuken remained steadfast in his pursuit of money, even if it meant sacrificing his own companions.
Luis rose from his seat, wiped his cheek, and said, "Forget that fantasy, and if you're still determined to go through with your idea... let's make a bet."
"A bet?" Nuken repeated instinctively.
"Yes, a bet," Luis replied. "If that detective, or whoever he is, manages to capture James Moriarty, you win, and you can take all my money."
"And if I lose?" Nuken interrupted hesitantly.
"Who knows?" Luis answered sarcastically.
Feeling challenged, Nuken quickly stood up, his heart at ease as he adjusted his glasses.
"Very well," he said with a smile. "Are there any conditions attached to this challenge?" he asked for clarification.
Luis carefully considered the matter, thinking about the money at stake. Then he stated clearly, "There are a few conditions. You must not reveal James Moriarty's whereabouts to anyone in this house, and Evelina's name must never be mentioned."
Realizing those conditions worked entirely in his favor, Nuken replied with a confident smile, "Fine, if those are the conditions."
Luis walked past him with a serious expression.
Two steps after leaving the living room, he said firmly, "Tomorrow. You can do it tomorrow. There's no time limit on this bet."
Nuken merely smiled, convinced his plan would succeed, and hurried out of the house with a single destination in mind: Aramah Station.
Click...
The front door closed behind him. Silence settled over the house, leaving behind the lingering tension of their conversation and Luis's growing panic as he imagined James Moriarty discovering the plan.
'I'm going to die...'
Luis thought, whining like a little child who wanted something.
Hurried footsteps echoed from outside. Luis, who had been complaining only moments earlier, immediately stood up when he heard them.
He slowly walked downstairs, his gaze fixed on the front door from across the room.
Click...
The doorknob turned rapidly. The sound lingered far longer than it should have before the door swung open with force.
Two figures appeared: Evelina and Luifis.
They hurried toward Luis, whose shadow stretched long across the wall.
"Luis... is that you?" Evelina asked, sounding somewhat panicked.
Luis walked toward the voice, as gentle as snow.
"...Evelina?" Luis said as he looked over their tattered clothes. They looked as though they had just been in a fight.
"Where have the two of you been?" Luis asked, trying to calm the atmosphere despite their heavy breathing.
Instead of answering, Evelina hurriedly asked, "Why was that man with the glasses running through the alley intersection looking so happy?"
Luis fell silent.
'That man with the glasses?'
"Nuken, the fallen noble?" he asked to make sure.
"Yes," Evelina replied, taking a few steps to the left before pulling out a chair and sitting down to catch her breath.
Luis's head suddenly became itchy. He scratched it reflexively before shifting his attention to Luifis, whose expression remained as blank as ever.
"So, my brother, did your date go well?"
Luifis looked at him rather awkwardly before asking sarcastically,
"Who are you talking about? Are you daydreaming? Drunk? Or did some woman reject you on a blind date at the restaurant?"
Those words struck his chest again and again, nearly causing Luis to lose his balance.
"Damn, your words are sharp, aren't they?" Luis grumbled with a bitter smile.
Evelina watched them in confusion. She had absolutely no idea what they were talking about, even though she was sitting right there.
As he stood up, Luis patted Luifis on the shoulder with a smile.
"I don't know..."
After uttering those serious words, Luis stopped moving.
The two men stared intently at Evelina, waiting for something from her.
"Did I already pay for the order?"
"Huh!?"
Naturally, they were startled and wanted to make sure, but they abandoned the idea as soon as they realized the woman was hallucinating from drinking too much.
"Let's go, brother," Luis said with a frown.
"Good idea," Luifis replied rather apathetically.
Then the two of them were in the same room, which was only natural since they shared it, one sleeping on the top bunk and the other on the bottom bunk. Luis took the bottom, while Luifis slept on the top.
They were quite content with the arrangement, and without realizing it, Luis forgot to lock the house, while Evelina was still hallucinating from having too much to drink.
Because his work as a bodyguard had made him constantly alert to every little movement, Luis stepped out of the room.
When he reached the ground floor, he found Evelina in the same condition, lying there, sleepy.
Luifis shook his head, locked the front door, and went back inside.
Back in the room, Luis noticed the sudden movement.
"Where did you go just now?"
"To lock the door," Luifis replied flatly.
"Good."
After those words were spoken and each of them lay down in their own beds, only Luis remained awake, lost in thought over something that carried troubling consequences for both his finances and himself.