Chapter 83: The Tsar Who Came In From The Cold (1)
There is no martial artist who can keep a secret. If you block the lips and cover the pressure points, they will start speaking through sign language and sound transmission. Betrayal seeps out from the acupoints of the whole body.
–Sigmund Freud
“Please come inside.”
As Master Poole courteously greeted me, Master Cudney mirrored the gesture perfectly.
Though they looked different, it was a strange sight as if a person and their shadow moved with a slight time lag.
“I am Henry Poole. This is my colleague, Samuel Cudney.”
Master Poole’s voice exuded kindness and deep consideration.
There is a stereotype that those at the pinnacle of a field are usually arrogant or exude an overwhelming spirit, but Master Poole gave off the exact opposite impression.
He was the type who, despite having undergone deep training, was aware that what he held was not a sword but a measuring tape and needle.
He undoubtedly embarked on the path of Kung-Fu to understand martial artists and process the peculiar fabrics that couldn’t be handled by ordinary means. “It’s the first time the Minister has introduced someone else, so I’ve been eagerly awaiting this day.”
I was quite taken aback by the unexpected words from Master Poole.
Though I had achieved a level higher than most of my peers, my standing in the London Murim was still quite low.
Yet, he treated me with utmost respect, not taking me lightly in the least.
“It is an honor to hear you say that.”
The counterpart was a grandmaster who dedicated his life not to felling enemies but to creating protective gear and Kung-Fu attire to safeguard others’ lives.
A person who is fundamentally different from the majority of martial artists, who build up power for extremely selfish purposes and wield it without hesitation.
I savored the deep-seated reverence that arose from my heart.
“Come to think of it, the Minister left some additional words….”
Meanwhile, Master Cudney, who had been calmly watching me from beside Master Poole, pulled out a thick ledger from the drawer and opened it.
“It says…to finish as quickly as possible since there’s an important event ahead. There are many who urgently need clothes visiting the shop today.”
People urgently needing clothes, huh. Could it be referring to the gentleman who just left the shop?
Before I could think deeply, my mouth moved first.
“If you’re referring to Russia’s new Tsar Alexander III, then indeed, the time left until the coronation is tight. It’s been only a few days since the funeral of the predecessor.”
“…?!”
“It seems he visited for a fitting for a new ceremonial uniform today.”
The eyebrows of both masters arched simultaneously.
“If it was a sensitive topic, I apologize. I have a habit of speaking things I realize without consciously thinking sometimes.”
I apologized for startling the masters with my unnecessary words.
I swear it wasn’t an action intended to make a strong impression from our first meeting.
I merely guessed the visitor’s identity based on a few usual clues.
However, even if the customer is from another country, it is best to refrain from casually mentioning the royal family’s secret visit, even if no one else is listening besides the masters.
“…It’s been a while since such an impressive customer has visited.”
The old man, who had been quietly observing me, nodded with a cheerful smile.
“You are too kind.”
I had a sense of what he meant by ‘impressive’.
Those two must have seen countless gentlemen who were merely strong.
But a gentleman who, like I just did, could deduce the hidden identity of another customer with just a brief glance?
They probably hadn’t encountered anyone like that before.
…Or maybe not.
Since they mentioned it had been a while since an impressive customer visited, perhaps someone similar to me had come to the couturier.
For example, ‘that person’.
“Are you, by any chance, affiliated with the Secret Intelligence Service?”
At that moment, Cudney, the old man, cautiously asked me.
“Me?”
Such a question implies that, as I suspected, that person had visited here.
I slowly shook my head and answered his question.
“There’s no need to worry. I have no professional ties with the Secret Intelligence Service.”
As soon as I answered, the worry on the old men’s faces disappeared.
“That’s a relief. Occasionally, agents from the Secret Intelligence Service come by to inquire about a customer’s identity…”
“We always have a hard time sending them away.”
“Oh dear. You must have been through a lot.”
I could fully understand why the old men reacted that way.
The Secret Intelligence Service, responsible for domestic and international espionage and counter-espionage activities, often instilled fear in the citizens of London because the specifics of their missions were unknown.
A group that inevitably caused trouble if you got involved with them.
Given their ominous impression, if mistaken for an agent, the two masters wouldn’t open up to me.
No matter how much martial arts one has learned, those two are civilians.
No, even to a martial artist, Secret Intelligence Service is an equally troublesome entity.
First, I should explain the situation to calm the startled hearts of the masters.
“The reason I could identify the previous guest was because I noticed a few clues from their attire. Let’s call it a conclusion achieved through simple deduction.”
“So, you weren’t aware of the Tsar’s visit schedule beforehand?”
“No, I wasn’t.”
Master Pool and Master Curdney exchanged glances. They seemed relieved.
Just how much trouble had the Secret Intelligence Service caused them for them to react this way?
In fact, it was more shocking that someone like me, who looks affable, was mistaken for an agent.
“…The customer who visited earlier wanted to keep this visit a secret.”
“Indeed. Given the recent turmoil in Russian affairs, it makes sense.”
As expected, the Tsar’s visit was confidential.
It’s clear that they strictly ordered this tailor shop not to disclose his presence to the outside.
The reason for hiding the Russian Tsar’s visit to England was somewhat understandable.
The reason the masters mistook me for an agent and showed unease was likely related to this.
Caught between their client, Alexander III, and the powerful Secret Intelligence Service, deciding whether to reveal or keep information silent would not have been a pleasant matter for a craftsman.
“Let me reiterate, I didn’t come here to pry about the Tsar. If I were an agent of the Secret Intelligence Service, the Minister would nary have written a letter of recommendation.”
“Indeed…that makes sense.”
The Secret Intelligence Service, led by my brother Mycroft,
operates under the orders of Her Majesty.
Naturally, it doesn’t have a good relationship with Sir Harcourt of the Gladstone Cabinet,
which often clashes with Her Majesty by pushing progressive policies.
Master Poole and Master Cudney must have known this much, so they believed my words.
“Just to clarify, we’ve never suspected that you came to our shop for anything other than ordering raiment.”
“It’s fine. Keeping a client’s secrets is also important for a tailor, isn’t it? In that sense, it’s quite similar to my profession.”
“Your profession, you say. Come to think of it, Sir Harcourt didn’t tell us about your profession.”
I had guessed as much since they didn’t react to my name, but it seemed Sir Harcourt hadn’t informed the two gentlemen about me, except for the fact that I was invited to the Court Ball.
“I work as a consulting detective at 221B Baker Street. I deal with crimes that individuals or organizations find difficult to handle or solve.”
“A consulting detective, you say. Then the murder case at the Debutante Ball was solved by…?”
“Yes. That was me.”
The two gentlemen nodded solemnly.
It seemed they finally recalled the article about the murder case and my name mentioned in it.
“Indeed, with a mind astute enough to uncover murderers, it’s understandable that you recognized the passing figure as the Tsar.”
The expressions of the elders showed a deep interest.
“This is purely out of personal curiosity, but how were you so sure that the customer who just left was the Tsar?”
Full of curiosity, Master Poole couldn’t help but ask me.
Could it be that he gains inspiration for his work from encountering new clients?
“It’s simple.”
They are the craftsmen who will make the Kung-Fu attire I will wear in the future.
If I want to leave a good impression, it’s better to be thorough.
If a brief demonstration of reasoning is sufficient, there’s no reason not to do it.
“The first thing I checked was their physique. The customer leaving the Kung-Fu attire shop was over 6 feet and 2 inches tall and possessed a very developed muscular build with signs of receding hairline under the hat brim. At this stage, the candidates are considerably narrowed down. Most customers visiting Henry Poole, with a few exceptions, are of high social status, and among them, those with such a build or lineage are limited.”
“Hmm…”
“Next, I thought about why someone with credentials to visit Henry Poole would wear a double coat lined with Astrakhan fur, specifically the fur of a newborn Karakul lamb, on the collar and cuffs, instead of the Kung-Fu attire made here.”
The series of deductions were made almost subconsciously in my mind, so recalling and explaining the process in an easy-to-understand manner took a bit of effort.
“He must be practicing a powerful cold-based Kung-Fu, which is why he had to wear thick clothes even in spring to maintain his body temperature. The Astrakhan fur I mentioned earlier is of premium quality, and its distribution is limited to Russia, so his origin is certain.”
“You only saw him for a few seconds, yet you figured all that out…”
“Additionally, the unnatural wrinkles on the shirt he wore under his coat were marks from having taken it off and put it back on. This means the purpose of his visit was for a fitting. Ordering a rush job at this time of year suggests he has an important event coming up.”
As the deduction continued, the elders’ mouths began to open slightly.
There’s still a long way to go until their jaws reach their limit, so it’s okay to continue.
“If we consider someone from Russia with noble status and wealth, it must be a noble or royalty. Among them, there are hundreds preparing for an important event. However, narrowing it down to one person wasn’t a difficult task.”
Was this a sign to continue? The two masters nodded silently.