The important thing is to perform extraordinary techniques through ordinary actions.

–Arthur Schopenhauer1

----------------------------------------

On both banks of the River Cam, which flows through the center of Cambridge, dozens of colleges are lined up.

This city, not too large but filled with colleges, itself forms a campus, making it a true university town.

With the passion of disciples exploring martial arts flowing as majestically as the River Cam, all the colleges in this city boast a long tradition, excellent facilities, and educational curriculums.

Particularly, Cambridge University, a joint college teaching various martial arts from different clans, is a cradle of masters that young warriors dream of entering at least once, along with Oxford University.

Recently, Cambridge University has become the main headquarters of the Cambridge Clan, with Alfred Marshall, the founding master of the Cold Brain Hot Meridian, raising its prestige even further.

Watson thought that if not for her meridian blockage disorder, she might have trained in martial arts here instead of obtaining a medical doctorate at the University of London.

‘If that were the case, I might have become an alumnus with Holmes.’

Holmes once mentioned that he trained in martial arts at Oxbridge during his school days.

Oxbridge is a term referring to the prestigious colleges of the British Empire, Oxford and Cambridge Universities combined.

So, until the person reveals it, you can’t know which of the two they graduated from.

However, thinking that there’s a fifty percent chance the scenery she’s seeing now is the same as what Holmes saw during his schooling days, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of overwhelming emotion.

“In the name of the Primordial Heavenly Father, the Supreme Holy Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.”

Watson, recalling Holmes, recited a prayer for the swift capture of the criminal and the uneventfulness of her companion.

If the Trinity would watch over and the case were resolved quickly, they could return to Baker Street sooner than planned.

“We’ve arrived.”

Finally, Inspector Lestrade, holding the slip of paper with the address, gestured ahead with his chin.

There stood a building as old as any academic institution in the city, or perhaps a hotel converted from what was once a clan’s academy.

A spacious garden surrounded the building on all sides.

In the center was a brick path leading to the front gate.

However, the moment Watson absentmindedly passed through the gate, an unfamiliar sensation washed over her.

-Tingle.

It felt as if she was pushing through a thin layer of paper with her body.

It was a somewhat familiar sensation she had experienced before.

Had it been before Holmes partially treated her meridian blockage disorder, when her senses were duller, she might not have noticed it.

It was a subtle difference, but her whole body felt itchy, as if an unknown force was tickling her meridians.

“That’s strange…”

Watson, curious, let the others go ahead and walked back and forth through the gate, trying to identify the source of the odd feeling, but it was no use.

The sensation had vanished as if it had never been.

“What are you standing there so blankly for, Dr. Watson?”

Lestrade urged Watson, who stood there, puzzled, not understanding what had just happened to him.

“No, I just had a strange feeling—”

“Is it your first time entering a soundproof formation?”

“Soundproof formation?”

“That’s the soundproofing formation from Zuckerberg & Co., used by courts and businesses to block outside noise. Recently, it’s also been adopted by lodgings located on noisy streets.”

“Ah, so that’s why.”

Watson nodded, finally understanding.

Indeed, ever since she passed through the main gate and entered the high-walled area, she hadn’t heard the shouts of the academy disciples echoing from the street.

At the same time, she thought, surely, she must have entered places with soundproofing formations in London too.

Nevertheless, she hadn’t been able to feel the sensation of entering such a formation until now, likely because her physical senses had been dulled due to the effects of her meridian blockage disorder.

Just being able to directly feel the effects of the formation on her body made her naturally grateful and respectful toward Holmes.

“Alright, let’s head inside.”

With a cheerful smile, Watson walked towards the hotel entrance.

As she walked from the main gate to the entrance, she glanced around and saw gardeners and workers uprooting and transplanting trees.

Then, one of the gardeners, a man with a particularly large nose and a face smudged with grime, looked at Watson.

The man stared silently at Watson with his ash-gray eyes and suddenly winked.

“…?!”

It was impossible to discern what he was thinking.

“Is he mad?”

Watson quickly turned her head away and hurriedly entered the hotel.

----------------------------------------

While Lestrade was checking in, Watson sat on a sofa in the lobby with Sir Fawcett and fifteen other officials.

“It seems like there are fewer clouds here and the weather is cooler compared to London.”

“Cambridge is a wonderful place. The frequent sunshine and the academic atmosphere are quite appealing.”

“It’s already been more than twenty years. Memories of my time studying at Cambridge University are coming back vividly.”

“Oh, so you’re an alumnus too, Mr. James.”

“A junior from Cambridge greets a senior!”

It seemed that even among the legal professionals, there were those who had trained at Cambridge, exchanging warm greetings.

For Watson, who thought one had to study at Lincoln’s Inn in London to work in the legal field, this was quite a refreshing sight.

“There’s nothing more romantic than reciting a poem while having a pint of ale by the banks of the Cam.”

“Come to think of it, isn’t the Oxbridge Dragon Boat Race happening soon?”

“Yes, if I recall correctly, it’s taking place on the Thames this year.”

“Then if we head out early tomorrow morning, we might catch the Cambridge Boat Club practicing.”

“But the inspector won’t allow us to go out.”

“Even if it’s just for three days, it’s a shame that we can’t go out.”

The postal officials, most of whom had trained on the Santiago pilgrimage route, also found it unfortunate that they had to stay cooped up, despite their fondness for the academic city.

“Please, just wait three days, no more, no less. It’s all for your safety.”

Though she was a doctor and an assistant to a consulting detective, Watson was there as a bodyguard.

Watson intended to do her best to quell the dissatisfaction, as she didn’t want any unforeseen incidents.

“……”

“Hmm.”

However, the response from the people was less than enthusiastic.

It was clear that they were displeased with the fact that, after going through the trouble of taking a train to a small town in the suburbs, they had to stay cooped up in their lodgings for three whole days.

If things continued like this, someone might try to sneak out of the hotel, avoiding the eyes of Watson and Lestrade.

Whether such attempts failed or not, maintaining control would become increasingly difficult, and if by any chance the culprit had followed them to Cambridge, there was a real possibility that someone might be murdered again.

It was a situation Watson wanted to avoid at all costs.

“It’s exactly as the gentleman here said. None of us are safe until we hear the news that the culprit has been caught in London.”

Fortunately, a man sitting alone at a distance chimed in to support Watson’s words.

‘That person is…’

Watson pulled out and unfolded a list of individuals to be protected, which she had received in advance from Lestrade.

The paper listed the faces, names, and titles of those under protection.

The man’s name was Timothy Young.

He was the youngest among the representatives from four telephone companies involved in the lawsuit with the post office and had been promoted to director, marking him as an elite.

“Like all of you, I am anxious at the thought that an assassin might appear at any moment.”

Despite the fact that the Postmaster General himself had issued a warning, unlike those who slept in until dawn, Timothy seemed to be a sensible person.

Judging by his trembling voice, he seemed genuinely frightened, but he continued speaking with a deliberately calm demeanor.

“I’m not sure if this will be of any comfort, but since we’re all gathered here, I would like to offer each of you a glass of fine champagne.”

It seemed that Timothy had been sitting alone at a distance to call the hotel porter.

It seemed that the order had been placed in advance, as two attendants brought a cart with chilled champagne and seventeen champagne glasses, placing them on the table.

-Pop!

As the wire-wrapped cork was opened, the champagne bottle exhaled a white mist.

The attendants poured the drinks into the glasses in sequence and handed them to the seventeen guests, starting with Lestrade, who was walking over after checking in.

“Champagne is indeed an excellent choice for an aperitif…”

Ordering four bottles of Bollinger Champagne from a hotel, not a wholesaler, suggested that this Timothy fellow had a rather generous wallet.

However, the act of serving alcohol to people in such a situation was suspicious enough.

‘I need to check this out.’

Watson pulled out a needle from the cushion hidden at her waist.

It was the same size as the long needles usually used for acupuncture treatments, but with a blunt end.

It was an herbal acupuncture needle used by applying medicine to the tip and administering it to the patient’s body.

However, what Watson had coated on the tip of this needle was not a medicinal substance for treatment but a reagent for detecting poison.

Watson discreetly dipped the needle tip, hidden under her sleeve, into the glass.

-Fizz…

Watson watched the champagne bubbles burst for a moment before withdrawing the needle, but no chemical reaction was observed.

‘It was needless worry.’

Watson quietly wiped the alcohol off the needle tip and downed the champagne in one gulp.

She reflected on having suspected the innocent Timothy, having become unnecessarily sensitive.

“It seems I misunderstood Brother Timothy.”

“Let’s not say such things. I know that the heroes of the Ministry Of Posts And Telegraphs did not initiate the lawsuit of their own volition. They had no choice but to follow the will of the Cabinet.”

Thanks to the alcohol, the Post Office officials and telephone company employees, who had been wary of each other, began to converse in a much more relaxed manner.

For Watson, who had been uncomfortable with the subtle tension since boarding the train, this was a relief, even though she was reluctantly in charge of security.

‘It doesn’t seem like the Phantom Fist is among them.’

A smile spread across Watson’s face as she confirmed there was no poison in the drink.

After all, Holmes would not have sent her to a dangerous place.

It seemed her nerves had been on edge for no reason.

Lestrade, who was beside her, was also observing the group with a much more relaxed expression than before.

Amidst the harmonious atmosphere, the group unpacked their belongings in their respective rooms on the first floor of the hotel and enjoyed a hearty dinner.

Everything was peaceful.

Until they went to bed.

1. TL/N: The original quote is as follows—It is by character that we are distinguished, not by the circumstances of birth. ️