Novelist Running Through Time - Chapter 77

TL: KSD

The truth that had been hiding in the shadows revealed itself in the form of a woman.

The brighter the darkness, the brighter Holmes’ eyes shone, directly confronting the criminal.

「The culprit of the Automaton Murder Case is none other than… you!」

「…」

「Lady Rosa Luxemburg!」

Side EP–Automaton Murder Case

The outside of the mansion was noisy with loud shouts.

The automatons who had attended the Automaton, Mr. Smith’s, funeral had already begun their march through the streets of London, holding his portrait, and the mounted police from the Metropolitan Police Service had embarked on a brutal suppression to stop the rebellion of the machines.

No one yet knows what word history will use to describe today’s turmoil. History belongs to the victor, so the right to name today lies with the victor of the future. Depending on who that is, today’s name will change.

Revolution, rebellion, uprising, dispute, riot, reaction, protest, or…

Massacre.

Until that name is decided, today’s ‘incident’ is without title. I have belatedly come to realize how narrow a concept history can be at this moment.

The moment it is captured and defined by any observer, history becomes not a phenomenon but a record. Therefore, the truth of history exists only in the present.

Thus, as an observer experiencing today at Kent’s mansion, I, John Hamish Watson, hope to witness the truth through my dear friend, Sherlock Holmes…

All that is happening today,

namely, the automatons, enraged by injustice, bursting into the streets, and the public authorities, unable to tolerate such injustice, turning the streets red with blood-

It was simply astonishing that all of this originated from the ambition and schemes of one woman.

「Lady Rosa Luxemburg.」

Sherlock said.

「You murdered your automaton lover, Mr. Smith, and then you asked me to find the murderer. As I investigated the case, the more I became convinced that you were the culprit, the more perplexed I was. Why would a lady like you ask to reveal her own crime? The answer is…」

「…」

「To turn the Automaton Murder Case into a ‘murder’ case.」

Lady Rosa Luxemburg’s gentle smile seemed to deny her crime, but her cruel and determined eyes confidently admitted her deed.

Therefore, even as Sherlock Holmes’ deduction continued right in front of her, she looked at Sherlock with a mysterious expression, as if challenging him to go on.

「The Automaton Murder Case is not a murder case. Because automatons are not humans. So, you borrowed my reputation to advertise it to the whole world.

London’s greatest detective is investigating the ‘Automaton Murder Case’! However, unable to overcome the incompetent police’s lukewarm response, how will this story end? Will the great detective Sherlock Holmes overcome the police and find the culprit of the Automaton Murder Case?

…That was a very successful marketing. Before long, everyone in London came to think of automatons as subjects of ‘murder.’ Even the automatons themselves!」

「You think highly of yourself, Mr. Holmes.」

「A detective always speaks only the truth, madam.」

Even as I, a mere writer, was tensely petrified, the two of them conversed calmly as if enjoying a refined fencing match.

Since the police and the automaton protesters were clashing head-on outside the mansion, I flinched every time I heard someone’s scream or the sound of destruction.

On the other hand, Lady Rosa Luxemburg, who always seemed to be grieving her husband,

The young lioness, with her ruff collar decorated in Baroque style raised like a lion’s mane,

Stood tall and looked down upon us, straightening her sturdy waist. It was then that I finally realized that Lady Rosa Luxemburg was significantly taller than me.

It was clearly a strange affair.

As a doctor proficient in anatomy, I realized that Lady Rosa Luxemburg’s body proportions were completely outside the normal range.

And my judgment was soon proven correct.

「How strange…」

Lady Rosa Luxemburg revealed her sharp claws. Her forearm, made of brass and steel, gears and all, stretched out from under her sleeve as if yawning.

Lady Rosa Luxemburg, with her fingernails made of sharp blades, revealed her intentions while grooming them with seductive movements.

「They speak, think, move, and can love. Then why does everyone consider them not to be human? Even they themselves…」

「Are you speaking of automatons, madam?」

「It could be the automatons, or it could be the slaves with black hair from Africa and America, or even those yellow-skinned people from the distant East. Of course, my favorite are the automatons…」

Shockingly, her love could also be visually confirmed. The dress she had naturally let flow down, inflated in size, revealed a torso replaced by machinery and a heart throbbing within.

「Good Lord…」

「Don’t be afraid, gentlemen. Angels are supposed to look terrifying.」

Lady Rosa Luxemburg, with a stuttering step back from Sherlock and me, slowly approached us, justifying her crimes.

「It’s not humans who determine what a person is. Only the Almighty has decided what a person is. Therefore, those who can speak, think, grow, and prosper should rightfully be considered human…」

A mechanical beast was targeting us. Instinctively, I stepped forward to protect Sherlock. And with courage, I shouted at Rosa Luxemburg.

「So! Are you planning to incite all the automatons in London to riot?」

「Planning? I’ve already caused it. Can’t you hear their voices? The sound of them shouting that we too are human?」

「Aren’t you the one deceiving them! Killing Mr. Smith, and even exploiting the anger and sorrow of those who mourn him!」

「It’s the world that has deceived. Boldly spreading lies that those who are clearly human are not.」

「Ha! You speak as if you have no guilt at all. How shameless! Not satisfied with killing Mr. Smith, who loved you, you dragged the justice-driven Sherlock into this and exploited his fame! You’re a villain!」

At the word “villain,” Rosa Luxemburg flinched.

And like a true villain, she displayed a cruel smile.

「I’m not a villain; I’m a revolutionary. And there’s no crime in revolution.」

「Surely not…」

「I wonder, what would happen if London’s greatest detective and the idol of the citizens… were brutally murdered by the police trying to suppress the revolution?」

「Run away! Sherlock!」

「I’m sorry, detective. Sometimes, there are things more important than the truth…」

* * *

“How childish.”

That was Gu Yubin’s sentiment after reading the conclusion of the ‘Automaton Murder Case’, closing the book with an indifferent hand.

Calling it childish was closer to an act of violence than a statement. Thus, Gu Yuna’s reaction felt as if she had been slapped in the face by her beloved sister.

Gu Yuna, with her shoulders shivering slightly, absorbed the shock. And like someone afraid of being hit again, she retorted in a subdued voice.

“…I wrote it so that even children could easily read it.”

“I know.”

But Gu Yubin struck Gu Yuna again, regardless.

“It’s not that I called it childish because it’s a children’s novel. It’s childish because it keeps pretending to be a children’s novel.”

“!”

“Pretending to be an adult in front of children, but running away as a children’s novel when it needs to be serious. That’s why the genre is inconsistent and the philosophy is shallow.”

Gu Yuna seemed to listen to her sister’s criticism with a seemingly calm expression, but no. She’s just someone whose facial expression barely changes.

Just as one can understand a cat’s emotions by looking at its tail, one can understand Gu Yuna’s emotions by looking at her shoulders.

And with every harsh critique from Gu Yubin, Gu Yuna’s shoulders flinched a little, as if being hit by a cane.

“I won’t criticize the poor writing style and the overly verbose narrative. You’re still a kid, after all.”

“……”

“But you lack courage in your writing. Whether it’s a children’s novel, a mystery novel, or whatever it is, you can’t confidently define it. It’s just a dreamland filled with things you like. In a way, it’s very much like you.”

If the younger me had heard this directly, I would have just sat down and cried my eyes out.

However, since Gu Yuna was the one who taught me not to cry, she picked up the book and ran out of the room.

Bang! Gu Yubin’s door closed.

That was Gu Yuna’s expression of anger she left behind.

Gu Yubin, looking at the roughly closed door with a grin, then turned her gaze to me with the same expression.

“Aren’t you going after her?”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“She probably needs some time to sort out her feelings.”

Gu Yubin smiled slightly.

“Is that so? What a coincidence. I feel the same. Would you mind giving me some space?”

What can I do if the owner of the room tells me to leave? I sighed deeply and got up from my seat.

But this was the outcome after I went to find Gu Yubin at Gu Yuna’s request, saying she didn’t have the courage to show her writing to her sister and asked me to come with her.

Feeling a bit resentful, I tried to shoot back with a remark before leaving.

“That……”

However, I couldn’t bring myself to say anything harsh because Gu Yubin’s current state reminded me too much of the Gu Yuna I knew.

“Did you have to be this harsh to your sister?”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. She wasn’t asking you to look at her book, but to see her effort.”

Someone might misunderstand Gu Yuna as being insolent for bringing her writing to her sister, who had talked about giving up writing, and asking, “Did I do well?” But anyone who really knows Gu Yuna wouldn’t fall for such a malicious and heretical interpretation.

To correctly analyze Gu Yuna’s actions and psychology…

“Sis, I’ve been working hard writing this book, so could you please praise me and, just by seeing how earnest I am, continue to write novels in the future?”

– It’s closer to this.

Isn’t that the heart of an angel? Indeed, there’s no such thing as a bad Gu Yuna.

It’s not like Gu Yubin doesn’t know that.

“Why were you so prickly with your sister?”

Instead of answering, Gu Yubin just chuckled.

“That’s unexpected.”

“What is?”

“I thought if you were going to get involved, it would be when Yuna’s book was being criticized. I was prepared to argue with you, thinking you’d jump in like a knight in shining armor to defend Yuna, but you stayed quiet till the end?”

How utterly frustrating.

I responded with a smile, urging Gu Yubin, who was waiting for my reply with an expectant look, to continue.

“Well… it will also serve as fertilizer for Yuna.”

“Fertilizer?”

“Yes. Fertilizer for becoming a good novelist.”

A novelist shouldn’t grow in a greenhouse. Writing is, after all, meant to be shown to others. Just like how it’s difficult to attain enlightenment through decades of secluded training and wall-gazing alone.

A novelist must emerge standing tall through the bloody seas and mountains of criticism, breaking others’ writings and being broken by others’ critiques.

This is proven by the path treaded by me and Gu Yuna, who have dominated poetry contests while roaming the martial world since our childhood.

Naturally, if I hadn’t been intent on making Gu Yuna strong, I wouldn’t have let Gu Yubin off easily.

From the moment I saw Gu Yuna’s shoulders trembling earlier, I tried to leave Gu Yubin’s room, controlling the murderous intent rising within me.

But a single word from Gu Yubin stopped me in my tracks.

“Is that so? Then don’t do that.”

“…What?”

Turning around, I see Gu Yubin still smiling cheerfully.

Wearing a mask-like smile, Gu Yubin says,

“Didn’t you ask earlier? Why I was being harsh to Yuna?”

“…”

“That’s because I don’t want Yuna to become a novelist.”

I froze solid.

What did Gu Yubin, this person, just say…

“Novels… are tough, right? You don’t make money, obsess over trivial things, live in misery, ruin your life…”

“…Ha.”

“Yuna wants to become a novelist now, partly because she had no friends when she was younger, but also because she admired successful novelists she saw.

Dad, you, and me. She just wants to emulate the role models she has seen. If her role models were idols, she probably would have wanted to be an idol, right?

It’s just a shallow dream of that level. So, Mr. Literary Author, don’t take a child’s whims too seriously and let Yuna be.”

Gu Yubin said with a smile.

“You’re different from Yuna; you’re a successful novelist, aren’t you?”

At that moment, my patience dried up. Somewhere inside me, the thread holding my sanity snapped.

And yet, this feels strangely familiar.

Right. This is Gu Yubin. Merciless, relentless, proud, and always ready to thoughtlessly tear into others’ lives… Now I finally feel like Gu Yubin is the Gu Yubin I knew.

The illusion created by Gu Yubin’s resemblance to the Gu Yuna I knew has been stripped away.

Returning to the version of myself who used to deal with Gu Yubin, I smiled in a way similar to Gu Yubin and opened my mouth.

“Is that because our esteemed author Gu Yubin quit writing out of jealousy towards me?”

Gu Yubin’s mask shattered.

*****

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