Chapter 8 “James Moriarty” — Part 2
Nox landed softly on the academy’s highest rooftop—where no one ever looked.
A faint breeze brushed past him.
“Using this magic is really helpful…Big Sister, I’m glad you taught me this,” he muttered, checking the letter Velmira gave him.
“Who’d have thought I’d get a task this soon? The meeting spot’s not far… so no time to—”
He snapped his fingers.
“Come forth, Mireon.”
A semi-transparent black-violet slime appeared, bouncing excitedly around him.
Inside its body, faint cyan lines drifted like floating bones, and its shape shifted—sometimes forming arms, sometimes melting back into a puddle.
Nox hugged it tightly.
“Ohhh my little squishy, I missed you too,” he whispered dramatically.
The slime bounced proudly and straightened its form like a soldier standing at attention.
Nox crouched down.
“Listen. I’m going outside the academy tonight. So you’ll transform into me and stay in our dorm if it's possible to act you sleep or study. I’ll come back by night.”
The slime nodded.
Its body distorted—stretching, twisting, reshaping—until it perfectly copied Nox’s appearance.
The only flaw: it couldn’t speak.
Nox sighed. “Yeah… that’s a problem. But I already told them I’d be going outside today. Just avoid Alber and the others, okay? Don’t let anyone notice.”
Mireon saluted with a wobbling arm, then collapsed into a puddle and slid away toward the dormitory.
“I hope that sly fox doesn’t catch you…” Nox muttered.
He pulled up his cloak and vanished into the shadows.
After a few hours, Nox walked through the capital wearing a simple dark cloak.
“I can’t look suspicious,” he muttered, blending into the crowd.
He glanced at the letter again.
A new drug spreading in the capital… students approached… one noble’s child caught using it… scandal incoming if exposed…
“Right. No wonder Velmira wants it handled quietly.”
He stretched his neck.
“Since it’s still daytime, I can’t move as James Moriarty. I’ll wait until night and enjoy the city a bit.”
He walked deeper into the bustling streets.
Scarlet and Sisbell sat among other noble ladies enjoying a tea party.
Or rather, Sisbell enjoyed it.
Scarlet looked like she was dying inside.
She sipped her tea with a dead expression.
"This is boring. Why did he leave so fast…? I didn’t even finish teasing him."
She sighed softly.
A gentle voice spoke from behind her.
“It’s rare to see you looking like this, Lady Scarlet El Valorios.”
Scarlet looked up.
A girl with soft brown hair and clear green eyes stood there elegantly—none other than Princess Ophelia Arden vin Nosterio.
Scarlet blinked. “Good afternoon, Princess. It’s rare to see you at social gatherings… or is this your first time?”
Ophelia smiled politely, though her fingers trembled slightly as she held her teacup.
“Yes, perhaps it is my first time. But since the noble faction leader's daughter looked terribly bored, I thought I would join her.”
Scarlet coughed lightly.
“I’m perfectly healthy, Princess. Just… resting.”
“Mm-hm. Sure you are.” Ophelia leaned closer. “By the way… I’ve heard something interesting since this morning.”
Scarlet froze.
“You were talking with the special admission student, weren’t you? Did you forget he’s a commoner?” Princess say
Scarlet calmly placed her teacup down.
“He’s our classmate, Princess. And as a special admission, of course nobles are watching him.like you do on other”
Ophelia rested her cheek on her hand.
“But you seem close to him. And… I’m also a little curious after all the headmaster special admission was unique.”
Scarlet’s fingers tightened around her skirt.
S… she did a background check on him?!
Ophelia continued casually, “After the ceremony, I wondered about him. So I did a small background search. I found some interesting information soon.”
Scarlet’s eyes widened slightly, but Ophelia just smiled.
“If you ever want that information, come to me anytime. I’ll give it to you for free.”
Scarlet stood abruptly, bowing slightly.
“Thank you for the offer, Princess, but I’m fine. Please excuse me—I need to go to the restroom.”
Without waiting for a reply, she moved quickly toward Sisbell’s group.
Ophelia watched her leave, her smile slowly fading.
Then she turned toward the window, gazing at the sky with unreadable eyes.
Night draped itself over the outskirts of the capital, and a cold wind brushed against the abandoned district.
Nox halted in front of the old factory, its silhouette rising like a rusted beast under the moonlight.
The factory was massive—walls cracked, windows shattered, iron beams jutting out like ribs. Thick vines crawled up the sides, and the faint stench of chemicals leaked from within. Once a textile mill, now it looked more like a corpse forced to stand upright.
Nox narrowed his eyes.
“According to the Headmaster… the underground lab should be beneath this place. They’re manufacturing the drug there”he thought
His gaze shifted to the two guards pacing lazily near the entrance—sloppy stance, poor awareness.
“…Security is trash,” Nox murmured.
He snapped his fingers.
A cane materialized in his hand—sleek, polished, dangerous. His school uniform shimmered and twisted into a new outfit.
Tall and sharp-featured, he now wore:
a long black tailcoat draped over a white silk shirt,
a fitted gray vesta matte black half-mask covering his upper face,
a crimson scarf that fluttered dramatically,
black gloves and silent leather boots.
His transformation was elegant and chilling.
“James Moriarty…” he whispered, voice deepened and refined.
With a soft incantation, he stepped forward—his figure dissolving into the shadows as he slipped into the factory.
Inside the Factory
Rows of workers bustled around crates filled with glowing vials. The sharp smell of chemicals mixed with sweat and fear.
One man barked orders loudly.
“Boss! This is the new batch—ready for distribution. We tried selling it already, but guards are sniffing around everywhere!”
The boss, a thick-necked man with greasy hair, clicked his tongue.
“Tch. Don’t panic! Our new partner will sell these to students near the café and the academy. Nobles, commoners—everyone’s dying to taste this stuff. We don't need to worry about knight”
Laughter echoed—until a cold voice cut in.
“Sloppy. So sloppy, it hurts to watch.”
Every head snapped upward.
James Moriarty—Nox—was sitting casually on a metal beam, legs crossed, flipping through a folder of documents he had stolen from their desk without anyone noticing.
The workers froze.
One man whispered with trembling lips:
“H-He’s… James Moriarty…! Boss, he’s the guy with the high bounty!and a whole imperial knight searching for him because of that there was tight security.”
“how… did you get in here?!”The boss’s face drained of color.
Nox closed the folder, dropped it beside him, and tapped his cane against his shoulder with a gentle smile.
“I just arrived yesterday, and somehow I’m already famous. Capital residents are so quick with rumors.”
The boss flinched as Nox suddenly stood right behind him—no sound, no warning.
“When—!? When did you get so close!?” he shouted, stumbling away.
A worker panicked and lunged at Nox with a knife.
Nox sighed.
He swung his cane once.
Crack!
The attacker dropped instantly, hitting the floor like a broken puppet.
Nox glanced around.
More men pulled out weapons, fear showing through their forced bravado.
“My client advises you all to surrender and leave this business,” Nox said, tone polite but cold.
“So before I get irritated… tell me. Who is backing you?”
The boss spat.
“Don’t think you can walk out alive! You’re alone! We have numbers! And weapon”
Nox blinked at him.
Why does every idiot boss say the same thing?
Outnumbered means nothing. Quality matters more than quantity… he thought
He raised his cane.
“I dislike meaningless killing, so by all means—do your best.”
“Attack!!” the boss roared.
Five men rushed him at once.
Nox moved like a shadow.
The first tried to stab him—Nox twisted aside and struck his temple with the cane.
The second swung a pipe; Nox shattered his knee with a swift jab.
He tapped the cane against the floor lightly.
“I’m busy and apparently worth a lot of money,” he said coldly.
“So let’s finish this quickly.”
He straightened his mask, eyes glowing with amusement.
“Come at me all at once.”
The entire factory held its breath.
Everything was about to end.
