Chapter 92: Rotten Lily (2)
If the martial artists of the world had…refrained from interfering with other Kung-Fu clans and…focused solely on their training, I think the world would have developed much, much faster than it is now…
**–**Louise A. Carrol (Name changed with permission of the Magistrate)
Sir Francis Jacob Drake.
The head of a prestigious naval family bearing the name and baronetcy of Francis Drake.
His fiery temperament was inherited by his second son, who engaged in domestic violence against his older brother at the Debutante Ball and ultimately met his end at the gallows.
Even during the arrest, the second son caused a scandal by wielding the family’s treasured Golden Gun in an attempt to escape,
incurring the wrath of His Majesty and leading to the total collapse of the family.
“Indeed, if it’s that person, he would have reasons to hold a grudge against me. Didn’t he even send an assassin during my usual Breath Control time?”
“No. It was another member of the family who sent the assassin, not the baron. At that time, the baron was abroad on a Kung-Fu journey and had lost contact with the family.”
As Mycroft said, if he returned yesterday and saw the state of his family, it wouldn’t be surprising if he fell into a Bad Trip1. The martial prowess he displayed with my master at the racecourse in the past showed that he was at least at the initial stage of transcendence.
It’s been over a decade since Baron Drake killed the racehorse, so he must be even stronger now.
He is someone who travels abroad alone for Kung-Fu journeys without any attendants. Surely, he has been tirelessly honing his Kung-Fu skills to the extreme.
As a descendant of pirates, he revered strength and pursued tyranny. He might be called a scoundrel unworthy of a noble warrior, but he would not be weak.
Even in perfect condition, it would be difficult to guarantee victory, and I wouldn’t want to be ambushed by him while I’m dressed up…
“This is an honor. To think that a baron himself would personally come for my neck.”
Did he infiltrate the heavily guarded Forbidden Palace2 wearing a mask for revenge for his child, or was it to vent his anger after losing everything overnight?
Either way, I have no intention of dying quietly.
Why should I die at his hands for something I didn’t do wrong?
“Instead of blaming himself for raising his child poorly, he tries to hold me accountable for solving the murder case. Such a despicable attitude.”
[The problem is that such a man possesses transcendent martial prowess.]
“Transcendence is nothing! Right now, the Forbidden Palace is teeming with Europe’s finest martial artists!”
Fighting Baron Drake alone by myself might be overwhelming.
But here, alongside Mycroft, are the intelligence officers of the British Intelligence Butler Agency, elite masters, and loyal nobles who wouldn’t miss a chance to earn merit before Her Majesty.
[The British Intelligence Butler Agency will handle him, so you best be on your way. I will explain things to Her Majesty.]
“I can’t do that. Now that it’s come to this, I have no choice but to reveal the disguised Baron Drake’s identity to everyone and bring him to justice-”
It was then.
-Jingle!
A clear bell sound followed by a somber voice flew into my ear.
-O Lord of Heaven, whose name is holy,
-Your lowly and wretched servant
-Believes in the living presence of the Blessed Christ,
-And believes this place to be Hell
The next moment, a non-existent cross appeared and disappeared before my eyes.
“Holmes, what on earth is this voice…!!”
“Don’t move like jagger3, Watson! If you waver, you might suffer internal injuries!”
I reassured the zinc-deficient Watson while simultaneously managing the Essence that was trying to reverse due to the pure Qi Frequency.
What we just encountered was the pinnacle of Kung-Fu, unlike the low-level tricks like sound transmission.
“An auditory hallucination and a visual hallucination… What just happened?”
I explained the phenomenon to the bewildered Watson.
“What we just heard was the Signature Sound emitted by a master from a clan.”
“Signature Sound…?!”
“Yes. That’s right. Signature Sound.”
Signature Sound.
It refers to the phenomenon where the spirit and chivalry of a martial artist at a high level manifests as sound, using Qi Frequency as a medium when they openly reveal their presence and intent to kill.
…aAs the dictionary would say, but I prefer to summarize it as a signal emitted by masters at a high level just before they cause carnage.
Signature Sound, unlike the Enlightened Heart Speech, does not convey intention directly to the target via sound waves. Instead, the sound emitted by the Qi Frequency containing imagery cannot be avoided by blocking one’s ears.
The illusion of the cross we saw was also a part of the imagery contained in the Signature Sound, flowing into the brain and projecting onto the vision, a special hallucination known as a watermark.
“…I’ve only heard rumors, but this is the first time I’ve experienced it directly.”
Even after hearing my explanation, Watson still had a puzzled expression.
“It seems more important to identify whose Signature Sound that is rather than explaining. Something bad must be happening inside the palace.”
The unique watermark was shaped like a blackened, twisted wooden cross.
The shape itself is ominous.
Considering that the Signature Sound was a gloomy prayer, it was easy to guess what kind of hellscape might be unfolding in the mind of the martial artist who emitted it.
Moreover, the Signature Sound just heard contained a special function.
In fact, I could tell well because I was experiencing a bit of dizziness from being exposed to that sound.
Watson, who is at a lower level than me, was fine only because she didn’t meet the conditions.
“A Signature Sound that stimulates Demonic Qi. Could it be—”
A Signature Sound is the manifestation of a strong will in sound, so it’s natural for it to contain deeper mysteries than ordinary sound techniques.
Thanks to that, my Essence kept trying to reverse, making it unbearable.
“It’s being used to detect and stimulate strange energy. A noble method.”
If I forcibly tried to repel the sound, I would surely suffer internal injuries, so I was just managing my boiling internal energy.
“It’s not Sir Drake’s Qi Frequency. It’s definitely the energy of someone who has practiced the internal energy method of a clan.”
And, among the martial artists of a clan, the type to use such a method in a gathering of people.
“…It seems we have a troublesome guest.”
The nemesis of demons.
Either an exorcist from the Zion Clan or an Inquisitor.
Those who have continued their practice with Demonic arts would have fallen into a Bad Trip or exposed their identity upon hearing that Signature Sound, but fortunately, it has nothing to do with me.
The Renewal Lionheart Method is an internal energy method that excludes all impurities.
The internal energy accumulated through this is purer than that of most Orthodox martial artists, so those who sense a chivalrous harmony won’t realize I’m a practitioner of Demonic arts.
[…How curious. If it’s a martial artist from the Zion Clan who received an invitation, it could only be the Primate of All Ireland, Daniel McGettigan.]
Mycroft seemed to have his own guesses about the owner of the Qi Frequency, sending a message to me alone so Watson wouldn’t hear.
[Do you know him well?]
[That’s a foolish question. Did you think the British Intelligence Butler Agency wouldn’t identify the Zion Clan’s lapdogs?]
When I asked in the same manner, Mycroft responded with a face full of disbelief.
[Archbishop McGettigan is a pacifist. He’s not someone who would do such a thing.]
[Since when did ‘pacifist’ become a term for someone who boldly raises their presence in the palace? It’s not just about preferring pigeons to carrier pigeons, is it?]
[It’s one thing to underestimate the British Intelligence Butler Agency. The Archbishop entered the palace through the opposite entrance two hours ago.]
At that point, an ominous feeling flashed through my mind.
In the martial world, displaying Signature Sound is treated as a show of force.
Of course, it’s not something you’d do at a prestigious event like a court ball held on an auspicious day.
Mycroft may have an annoying personality, but he’s not incompetent.
In fact, at times, he acted far more wisely than I did.
If someone like him vouches for it, then Archbishop Daniel McGettigan isn’t the type to cause such an incident.
So, the real issue here is one thing.
Who dares to commit such an audacious act in the Forbidden Palace where Her Majesty resides?
If what just happened wasn’t the work of the Archbishop, then there aren’t many possibilities left.
[…Just to ask, did the Primate of All Ireland step out briefly for some reason?]
For instance, if the Archbishop had to leave the palace for some reason and left the invitation with a proxy due to urgent matters.
[Exactly as you said.]
[Then it would be wise to summon the guards to check if there’s a proxy who entered the palace with the Archbishop’s invitation.]
[I’ve already sent someone. If someone really attended in place of the Archbishop, it could escalate into a diplomatic issue with the Vatican. We must handle this cautiously before it escalates-]
Before Mycroft could finish speaking, a young martial artist, seemingly an agent of the British Intelligence Butler Agency, came rushing through the newly built east wing entrance.
“Oh. Fox mask.”
Upon closer inspection, it was the orange-haired man who had been quite helpful during the arrest of the Drake family’s second son at the Debutante Ball.
The agent, with a tense expression, gave a brief nod to Watson and me, then leaned in to whisper in Mycroft’s ear.
“Reporting, Sir. Archbishop McGettigan has returned to Ireland to handle urgent matters.”
[What?]
As soon as I focused my internal energy to eavesdrop, I couldn’t help but frown.
It was undoubtedly the worst-case scenario I had been considering.
The Archbishop’s return means someone attended the ball in his stead.
And.
As far as I know, there are only a handful of Catholic martial artists of British nationality bold enough to commit such a discourtesy in the presence of Her Majesty.
[The Archbishop returning to Ireland means… I see. That’s what it was.]
Mycroft’s eyebrows twitched slightly as he intentionally let slip a sound transmission to convey information to me.
[Didn’t the agent who received the invitation enter the palace separately?]
When Mycroft asked, the young British Intelligence Butler Agent hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“Yes.”
With each answer from his subordinate, Mycroft’s expression deteriorated step by step.
Naturally, given the situation, I didn’t feel particularly pleasant watching this unfold either.
[The name?]
“They say the identity committee didn’t verify the name because the Archbishop guaranteed it.”
Mycroft sprang to his feet.
[…It’s a disaster.]
“I agree.”
The Vatican’s interference under the pretext of demon suppression.
The worst-case scenario that government officials were most concerned about was about to unfold.
- TL/N: Qi Deviation ️
- TL/N: Another name for Buckingham Palace that mimics the name of the Forbidden City of China ️
- TL/N: Act recklessly ️