Heavenly Demon Holmes: London’s Subjugation

God closes the door of the training hall but leaves open a thousand possibilities of enlightenment.

–Leo Tolstoy

“Since we’ve checked the usual measurements, we now need to measure you while you’re channeling your energy so the clothes fit comfortably.”

“…!”

“It’s nothing surprising. This is standard practice at the Savile Row Kung-Fu attire shop.”

The old master said this with a faint smile.

It was something I couldn’t have imagined.

I had thought Kung-Fu attire just needed to be tailored to fit a martial artist’s physique.

It’s this attention to detail that earns them the title of master craftsman. “When performing techniques or defending, muscle fibers can expand based on the level of energy channeling. To ensure the attire remains comfortable in such situations, we apply special processing to the garments at this shop.”

“There is indeed a reason for your esteemed reputation. I can only bow my head in respect.”

“It’s but a humble skill, nothing to boast about.”

Master Poole recorded the measurements on the prepared paper and looked up again.

“Now, let’s check your measurements while you channel energy.”

I nodded slowly and assumed the Baritsu Warming Up position.

It was an action I took without much thought, but the tailors’ reactions were completely unexpected.

“That stance is….”

In the next moment, silent admiration began to spread across the faces of the elderly.

“Indeed, I had thought the Qi Frequency was familiar. Are you a successor of ‘that person’?”

“I suspected my master also had his attire made here, and somehow, I ended up here too.”

This much was as I expected.

However, the moment the two elders took something out of their pockets and slipped it onto their fingers, a massive confusion spread in my mind.

“That’s―”

“Perhaps, is this your first time seeing it?”

“…?”

It was a question that was difficult to answer.

What was shining at the elderly masters’ fingertips was a ring welded to a metal thimble.

The pattern engraved on the ring was exactly the same as the one my master wore on his thumb.

The old masters, not hearing the answer they wanted from me, soon began to talk about suits again.

The topic change was so blatant that I could tell there was some hidden circumstance.

What they were hiding was also a secret related to my master.

Additionally, the Postmaster General, who had told me to visit his office after the ball, must be sharing the same secret.

While I was contemplating without showing any signs, Master Poole, who had finished measuring, asked me a few questions.

What type of weapon I preferred, whether I mainly used my right or left hand, and whether I favored enhancing the power of straight punches or knee kicks by releasing Essence from the extraordinary points like the Elbow Tip Point at the elbow or the Middle of the Crease Point behind the knee.

Especially at the last part, I couldn’t hide my admiration, because in mainstream Kung-Fu, using energy from acupoints for propulsion was limited to the Bubbling Well Point for the Sargent Jump.

If it were only the Middle of the Crease Point, it would be understandable, but using extraordinary points not belonging to the Twelve Primary Meridians and Eight Extraordinary Meridians to enhance the destructive power of techniques is a theory that appeared in an innovative dissertation published by a Sword Doctor in Germany this year.

Knowing this means that Master Poole is well-versed in the latest Kung-Fu Theories.

Even though it’s said to be the best in the United Kingdom, it’s quite impressive to me that a tailor is aware of knowledge that only an official member of The Royal Combat Society would typically know.

Could the extraordinary knowledge possessed by the elderly tailors also be related to the secrets shared by Postmaster Fawcett and my master?

In the end, I couldn’t satisfy my curiosity and continued to answer the tailors’ questions.

The number of buttons, the shape of the collar, the type of pockets, the style and number of back vents on the outer garment.

Only after determining all the details needed to make the clothes from the fabric bestowed by Her Majesty did the tailors stop questioning.

“I heard it’s for the royal ball.”

“Yes. It’s exactly one month away.”

“That’s plenty of time.”

No matter how I thought about it, the speed was astonishing.

In the world I lived in before returning, it would take at least three to four months to make a suit, but that didn’t seem to apply in this world.

“By the way, there’s more fabric than I expected. There might be some left even after making the entire Kung-Fu attire.”

The topic I anticipated since I first saw the fabric came up right after roughly planning it out.

“I’ve already decided how to use the leftover fabric.”

“Is that so? If you hadn’t thought of a use, I was going to suggest a few options. Please, go ahead.”

Recalling the blueprint I had in my mind, I briefly explained to the tailors how I intended to use the remaining fabric.

“…I think it would be nice if it could be completed in this form, what do you think?”

The two tailors, upon hearing my words, nodded with a satisfied smile.

“The Minister didn’t give any specific instructions on how to use the remaining fabric, so there’s no problem.”

“Won’t there be a shortage of fabric?”

“There’s plenty.”

“Perfect.”

With this, I was able to secure a gift for Watson.

Although the unmentioned story about the ring bothered me, I had officially achieved all the purposes of my visit to Henry Poole & Co.

There’s just one thing left to confirm.

“Lastly, you mentioned earlier that there’s a way to safely protect the fabric.”

“Are you concerned?”

“…Yes, somewhat.”

Thinking there was no benefit in hiding my true feelings, I answered honestly.

Only if I could be convinced by the measures prepared by the tailors would I not blame them in case of an emergency.

No, in fact, I still believed they would protect the fabric well.

Considering how long they’ve been in this business.

Honestly, I was just curious.

Isn’t there a saying, ‘seeing is wanting’?

How could a seasoned tailor protect precious fabric from the hands of greedy masters?

“Fortunately, I can show you right away. Once you check our security facilities, you’ll be reassured.”

Master Poole continued with a reassuring smile.

“Could you please wait outside for a moment? Two minutes will suffice. It’s going to get a bit hectic inside.”

“Alright.”

I couldn’t tell what the tailors were planning, but my eyes and mind were unconsciously finding or recalling clues hidden throughout the showroom.

The mechanical device installed on the window frame. The subtle vibrations emitted by the power transmission device embedded in the wall. And the strange sense of incongruity I felt when I looked at the wall of the clothing store building from outside earlier.

All this information interlocked in my mind, leading to one truth.

“I will be waiting.”

However, considering the service-minded spirit of the two old masters who wanted to present a perfect surprise to the customer, I refrained from voicing the information I had uncovered.

Instead, I quietly stepped out of Henry Poole & Co., stood with my back to the door, and fell into thought.

“……”

While waiting for Master Poole to open the door again, I was replaying the series of conversations we had while taking measurements in the store. Thıs content belongs to Nov3lFɪre.ɴet

“Is this your first time seeing it?”

“It’s a ring just like the one my master wore.”

Earlier, I had answered the old master’s question, who showed me the ring connected to a thimble, like this.

And the reaction of the two people who heard my answer was nothing short of ambiguous.

“Ah. So you know about it.”

There was a peculiar expression in Samuel Cudney’s eyes as he said that.

Was it relief, or was it disappointment?

Either way, it was undoubtedly the look of someone facing a person who failed to share the same understanding as them.

‘I came to Savile Row to satisfy my curiosity, but it only deepened my worries.’

Realizing once again that there were still many things I didn’t know about my master was an unbearable blow to my pride.

I felt an impulsive urge to storm into my master’s house visible over there and ransack it, but I took a deep breath to calm myself.

What is the connection between the Postmaster General, Henry Poole & Co., and my master?

I heard the sound of a door opening behind me as I was lost in thought.

“The preparations are complete. The fitting will take place exactly three weeks from now, so please visit us at noon. See you then.”

With that, Mr. Poole said his piece and flipped the [Open] sign on the entrance to [Closed] before I could respond.

As soon as he closed the door, a solid metal curtain descended from the rooftop of the building, covering all four walls.

-Clang!

In the next moment, the large four-story Henry Poole & Co., occupying numbers 36 to 39, began to slowly sink below ground.

-Thud!

An unbelievable mechanism existed that allowed the entire building to be stored underground.

‘…It’s this meticulous attention to detail that makes them the best craftsmen in England.’

I couldn’t stop marveling as I watched the spectacle of the building completely disappearing underground, covered by a solid alloy lid of the mechanism.

The thought that a masterpiece beyond my expectations might be completed made my heart race for no reason.

“A month, huh… I look forward to it.”

I never imagined that a tailor shop in the heart of London, not a clan in the mountains, would not just close its doors but seal them, and in such a way as to hide the entire building underground.

Out of curiosity, I tapped the iron plate covering the rooftop with the Heavenly Demon Cane, and it seemed impossible to penetrate unless one was a master far stronger than me.

The same material that covers the walls of my master’s mansion.

If it were any other time, I would have just let it go, but now that I’ve confirmed that Henry Poole’s and Samuel Cudney’s thimble rings have the same pattern as my master’s ring, I couldn’t help but think about the connection between them.

“…So that’s why my master pushed me so hard.”

I recalled the life I led on Savile Row until nine years ago.

My master’s harsh training, which relentlessly tested human limits, had a surprisingly delicate aspect despite its brutal methods.

Primarily, he precisely gauged how close I was to reaching my limits.

“That’s enough for today.”

Hearing my master’s voice echoing in my ears, I shook my head quickly to shake off the nightmare-like memories.

No. It’s impossible to shake off. What can I do when I still shiver every time I think of my master?

I sat on a nearby bench and took a puff from my pipe.

Watching the thin smoke billowing to the sky, I felt my mind calming down.

“Damn that wretched man…”

Yet, I couldn’t help but curse.

I recalled the days of continuous training from the moment I developed a sense of self until I turned nineteen.

And also the clues about my master’s hidden secrets in the past.