436.Chapter 428 – Unqualified Spy

Chapter 428 Unqualified Spy
At two o’clock in the afternoon, the large griffin with miscellaneous feathers slowly landed in the backyard of the Watson Detective Agency carrying two adults and a child.

“Thank you both so much.”

Wiping his sweat, Detective Watson thanked Hajna and Sherlock repeatedly, “Without the help of the two of you, I’m afraid I would have died last night. Please also be sure to stay for a meal.”

Hajna somewhat heartbreakingly stroked the head of the griffin Lizzie, “You should also thank Lizzie …… I didn’t even realize that she could actually really carry us back.”

Lizzie hadn’t fully metamorphosed into a white feather yet, meaning that she hadn’t even reached adulthood until now.

Even the steam train had to drive a whole night’s journey, and it carried two adults, a child, and two people’s share of luggage on its back, and hardy flew straight back.

“–Thank you, too, Ms. Liz.”

Watson bowed respectfully to the griffin, who was only a head shorter than himself.

Lizzie shook her head and proudly let out a chirp as clear as a falcon’s. She couldn’t speak yet, but she still understood human speech.

On the side, Little Sherlock clasped his hands on his chest and said coldly, ”Actually, this weight is nothing for her. Griffins are all about carrying heavily armed adult males on their backs for long distance flights …… Obviously, Hajna you won’t weigh much more than the armor and weapons combined. And don’t get too spoiled, you can’t buy a bike then carry it around if you can’t be bothered to ride it.”

Liz barked angrily at Sherlock.

Couldn’t make out what it meant. But it was probably a curse.

Hajna hastily calmed her beloved griffon, hugging it and letting out a coaxing child-like whine of unknown significance.

She really loved her griffin. Having known it for less than half a month, she was already on the verge of spoiling it.

“There’s no need for a meal or anything for the evening,” Hajna responded with a smile after settling Lizzie down, “You can give Lizzie some fresh meat if you have it, and then some water. We’ll rest here for a bit, then we’ll have to hurry back …… fast enough we should still make it to New Year’s Eve.”

“Ah, there there is. Ms. Liz, please follow me ……”

With that, Watson led the angsty little griffin into the home.

Hajna, on the other hand, looked at the little Sherlock and asked in a small voice, “I’m going to go home, what about your side?”

“…… What to do?”

Sherlock asked rhetorically.

“Didn’t you send a letter home?”

Hajna glanced at Watson’s back and lowered her voice to follow up, “It says that you won’t be going home for New Year’s …… this year.”

“Yeah.”

“So what are you going to do now? Rush back home again? Or go to find Ivars?”

Hajna was a little worried.

Being alone, spending New Year’s Eve in the hot and bustling Glass Island …… this sounded too lonely. Even Hajna, who usually didn’t socialize much, would feel cold and lonely as snow in her heart just imagining a scene like that.

“There’s no need,” Sherlock said coldly, “New Year’s is just a holiday. I don’t even bother to go out tomorrow …… it’s rare to come back, it’s more comfortable to rest at home and read a book.”

“Speaking of which, don’t you have a compatible member of the opposite sex?”

Hajna asked curiously, “Your good friend Mr. Edward Moriarty is all married. Aiwas probably also …… you’ve really never been in love in all these years?”

She had been curious about this for a long time. But before, she wasn’t that close to Sherlock and didn’t quite dare to ask.

Although Sherlock wasn’t the type to hit someone if he got annoyed …… it would be upsetting to be stared at by him with eyes like looking at trash.

Now that she had gotten quite familiar with him, she finally dared to ask this question at this more appropriate time.

“No.”

Sherlock Jr. responded coldly as he reached up and tugged on his newsboy cap.

“Why? Was there no chance?”

“Because a detective’s greatest enemy is his own emotions.”

Sherlock Jr. said calmly, “Those things along the path of love are too emotional, chaotic, inscrutable and incomprehensible for me. So as not to cloud my judgment, I shall remain unmarried for life.”

“Is that a vow you have taken?”

“You may think so.”

Sherlock sighed and explained more seeing as Hajna was really curious, “The path of wisdom is a lonely and selfish path. “If devotion is to benefit others, then wisdom is to benefit oneself; if love is emotional, wisdom is rational; the Equalizer is the pursuit of results and meaning, while the Wise man values the process more.

“A self-interested person who is not impulsive and who does not seek meaning can hardly be understood by the world for what he does. Because of this, walking the path of wisdom is destined to be lonely. When two devotees meet, they mostly have something in common; when two artists meet each other, they become each other’s inspiration.

“-But two wise men can never walk on the same path. It is not like the transcendentalists, who are all competitors with each other; but at least we are strangers to each other. Even if we are on the same path, we will never become fellow travelers who will be able to keep each other company till old age.

“If that is the case, it would be better to stay away from the very beginning from the beauty that will be shattered sooner or later. This is a choice that any wise man would make.”

Sherlock replied thus.

But just at this moment, Watson’s voice suddenly came from inside the room, “I think it …… may not be.”

He walked out and looked at Sherlock, whose gaze was suddenly cold, and innocently laughed nervously and raised his hands, “I’m really not eavesdropping ah, it’s just that my ears are better …… The sound ran over on its own.

“That, I also do not know exactly how old you are. But at least I think that the wise man may not have to stay away from feelings either.”

Watson said, using himself as an example, “You know, my father is a mage lord, and my mother is the Moonchild of the Way of Love path. They are very much in love until now …… He is a fourth energy level Archmage, and he even has a chance to advance to the fifth energy level. And even such a mage is just as much in love with someone else, isn’t he?”

“…… Hmph.”

Little Sherlock just snorted coldly and sharply responded, “That’s why you’re a bastard, Mr. Watson. Your birth was not saluted or recognized.”

“No,” Watson, however, simply replied matter-of-factly, “I think it’s precisely because I’m a bastard – that shows that my birth was the result of pure love. For either my father or my mother could have put an end to my birth; and my birth would have done them no good, only trouble.”

He was not repulsed by his origins, and laughed instead as he spoke, “And it is precisely because I am a bastard that I was able to come to Avalon. Because I can’t represent anyone …… I don’t have anything directly related to my father other than the blood that flows in my body, and my last name.

“In that respect, how is that not a blessing for me?
“I was born out of love, into a wealthy family, loving and strong parents. And yet I did not have to bear any compulsion to carry the hopes that I could not afford to carry because I had nothing that I could inherit.”

Watson spread his hands and said frankly, “It is true that I am not a qualified mage, much less a wise man. I have lived for so long, and my wisdom path is only at the second capable level.”

— It’s not like you came to Avalon because you’re free, but because you’re a spy.

Sherlock opened his mouth, he originally wanted to refute the other party so. But these things were really not suitable to be said directly.

But he suddenly reacted …… His father was able to send him over to carry out the mission, and used his own favor to entrust himself to protect the other party, how is this not a kind of love?

…… Can a mage also have love?
This caused Sherlock’s mind to fall into a short delay.

Watching the newsboy fall into hesitation, Watson smiled with satisfaction: ”Previously under your narrations, I have changed my opinion of Mr. Ivars – after letting go of my old preconceptions, now I am fully able to understand that he is a great person.

“I hope, then, Arthur, that you too will let go of your preconceptions. Go and find your own family for the New Year.”

Watson said sincerely, handing Sherlock a box of rather exquisitely packaged snacks, “This is what I was planning to buy for New Year’s Eve earlier. As a thank you for saving my life …… you take this home with you.

“There’s no need to worry about losing face if you write a letter saying you won’t be going home for New Year’s and then suddenly go back afterwards. As long as it’s a family member, you must not really care about such things. Bring this treat home, and your family will be very happy.”

Watson even said “family” instead of “parents” very conservatively. Because he didn’t know whether “Mr. Arthur Conan Doyle’s” parents were alive or not, so he didn’t want to accidentally touch the other party’s pain point.

Although there are always many loopholes in his reasoning, he has taken into account all aspects of the human condition.

–You really aren’t a qualified spy, much less a qualified detective. Sherlock thought to himself.

He does not go home, although there is also a part of the reason is not very good relations with his family …… but more reasons, it is because of the problem of his current child posture, explaining it will be very troublesome, and he does not like to explain. It wasn’t about any letters at all.

Watson didn’t even notice the defiance in him, let alone recognize his disguise that was so clumsy that he barely tried to hide it. No wonder that, as a spy, he was under the full protection of the Inspectorate.

…… But as a friend, this fool can be dealt with.

Mr. Watson was an unqualified spy, but a good man.

Sherlock glanced at him and finally sighed helplessly, “All right …… but I must solemnly remind you both that I am not homeless. I’m not hated to such an extent that I at least have a place to go for New Year’s Eve.”

To Bishop Mathers’ house, for example. Sherlock added in his mind.

He should be able to take himself in …… probably.

But after being mentioned so by Watson, a new thought came to Sherlock’s mind –

He wondered if his parents would be able to recognize the smaller version of himself.

“Then both of you,” little Sherlock pressed the brim of his hat again, “goodbye …… I’m going home.”

(end of chapter)