Chapter 113 Boca Vice President
The mere thought of Sherlock Hermes and James Moriarty, the two arch-enemies in the original novel, faking their deaths today made Aiwass feel a little overwhelmed.
However, Aiwass keenly captured a blind spot here.
The reason why Lawyer York could directly confirm Sherlock's death was simple - he was the one who did it himself. He gave Sherlock a sleeping pill and then detonated the bomb he had prepared at the right time. He also received the news of Sherlock's death at the right time.
Considering this point, the fundamental reason why he was able to confirm that Sherlock was dead... was actually because York wished so from the bottom of his heart.
Although York's status within Lloyd's seems relatively high, he is actually in a very embarrassing situation at the moment. He must not expose himself in this case, and he must kill Sherlock himself.
As long as the bomb didn't kill Sherlock, whether he went to finish him off or not, he'd be easily exposed. So he didn't want to hear that Sherlock had survived—so he subconsciously used the intelligence he gathered to confirm his already established view. This was also his advance preparation to convince the other senior executives.
Considering this, Lloyd's was able to confirm that Professor Moriarty was dead... does this mean they were also involved in the incident itself?
After all, divinations can be disrupted and aren't guaranteed to be completely accurate. Furthermore, a low energy level wouldn't allow accurate divinations for those in high positions. Since Lloyd's was able to hire a prophet to divine for them, they must have been aware of these limitations.
If they could confirm the death without identifying the body...then it could only be that they were involved. For example, they sent someone to assassinate the professor, and that person later returned with news of the professor's death, perhaps even with supporting evidence. Because of this, they could confirm the fact after just one divination and feel at ease.
Another possibility is that they don't actually need Professor Moriarty to die.
Lloyd's only needed to make Professor Moriarty temporarily dead on a social level, preventing him from returning to Glass Island, in order to give their plan some time.
Regardless of which possibility it was, there was a high chance that the professor had faked his own death and escaped. Furthermore, both possibilities had one thing in common: Lloyd's had absolutely no good will towards Aiwass.
It was precisely because they were desperate to use Aiwass that they summoned him here in advance and informed him of Professor Moriarty's death in advance. This was to prevent Aiwass from having time to confirm and think, and at the same time to put pressure on him.
Aiwass narrowed his eyes slightly and had a plan in mind.
He decided to attack with a straight ball to gain the initiative.
So he stopped hiding and suddenly said, "Lawyer York, you seem to be in a hurry."
The moment Aiwass said this, York's expression changed slightly.
He tilted his head slightly to the left, his chin resting on the fingertips of his raised left hand. Three fingers of his right hand rhythmically plucking the armrest, like playing an air piano.
Looking at lawyer York, Aiwass said slowly and struck him: "You don't seem to be sad about my father's death."
"That's because..."
"Because his death is more in line with your interests. Regardless of whether he truly died tragically, disappeared, or was just a lie that I cannot verify and temporarily deceived me.
"But regardless, the fact that you told me this information ahead of time, rather than waiting until I saw it in the newspaper or even encountered a dilemma in real life, shows that you were very anxious. Obviously, the latter would make it easier for me to believe and recruit me."
As the saying goes, icing on the cake is not as good as helping someone in need.
"Lloyd's is a collective of merchants. It was able to convince a group of merchants to abandon the lowest-risk, highest-profit option and choose to activate my line ahead of time. So, can I understand that your current situation isn't as secure as you appear to be?"
Aiwass half closed his eyes, looking a little sleepy.
He spoke slowly, his voice low and clear, like a whisper telling a story to a child: "From Sherlock's funeral, you took me directly to Lloyd's headquarters without letting me go home; made me sit in that rickety elevator; subtly displayed your photos with so many important figures; used the Flesh Eater to scare me; pointlessly pointed out the fact that you could monitor the 'Noble Red'; reported my father's death...
"You keep putting pressure on me. What do you want me to promise you here? Why not tell me first? Maybe I will agree easily."
Aiwass narrowed his eyes, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly. "Let me guess... have you made any mistakes recently? That's why you're so eager to recruit me to your group, using this achievement to offset your mistakes.
"From the look in your eyes, I think I guessed right."
"...Aren't you afraid at all?"
Lawyer York scratched his head in distress, but there was no expression of coercion on his face.
Aiwass also said with a smile, showing his value. "In fact, I had already informed Mr. Mycroft before coming here. Before I got in the car, I also specifically informed Butler Oswald. You don't want me to get into trouble here, right, Lawyer York? This is one reason.
"Secondly, the fact that you went through so much trouble and spent so much effort to persuade me, telling me stories about Prince Lloyd and the backwardness of the royal family, shows that I am of special value. You can't control me through simple means such as coercion or bribery.
"Finally... I guess there's someone at the door right now. It should be the Boca vice president. He should have been at the door before you told me about my father's death."
"—How did you guess that?"
A steady voice came from the door.
The person who opened the door was a middle-aged man with half black and half white hair and a small mustache. He wore a dark blue suit and had a square face. His hair was neatly styled, but without any hairspray or wax.
The middle-aged businessman looked serious. After entering the room, he subconsciously put his hands behind his back and walked slowly behind York Lawyer.
Aiwass just smiled gently, raised his left hand and grabbed in the air, and greeted the man who came in later.
He said lazily, "That's all for now, Mr. Boca.
"Now that you're in, I wonder if Mr. York won't get any credit for his work? That would be a shame. I think he's a good man."
"He deserves no less credit, because you are worth much more than we expected."
Without even asking York's lawyer, Mr. Boca directly took over the conversation with Aiwass on his behalf.
A stark contrast to the always cheerful, soft-spoken and soft-spoken York lawyer.
Vice President Boca's words were more direct, impactful, and captivating: "Do you want to be king, Mr. Aiwass? Better than 'Prince'... and more than 'Moriarty'."
Aiwass raised his eyebrows and asked, "Who wouldn't want to?"
"But you have such an opportunity right now. If you are lucky enough, you may not only be a king but an 'emperor'."
Boca's voice was deep and magnetic, his words full of persuasion: "This is entirely possible. You have to understand that we are all businessmen, and everyone has their own market and business. No one wants the old stable market to be smashed to pieces, and those white crowns and red candles to be stolen by bastards from nowhere.
"From this point of view, we are actually the ones who maintain order in Avalon, just like Lloyd's maintains order in Lloyd's."
"...So what you value is the relationship between Isabel and me?"
Aiwass addressed Her Royal Highness the Princess by her name without hesitation.
He tilted his head slightly and asked, "Then why should I cooperate with you?"
Hearing this, the corners of Boca and York's mouths rose slightly in sync.
"Young people are full of energy, that's normal."
York took over the conversation and cheerfully tried to smooth things over: "Everyone has a youthful past, especially when it comes to someone as outstanding as Aiwass..."
"Mr. Aiwass, this is something we've been running for many years. From the very beginning, Lloyd's has had a mission to surpass others – in that sense, you are a latecomer.
"Our ancestors spent two hundred years laying the groundwork, then a newcomer stumbled in and reaped the rewards. If the newcomer chooses to seize the spoils, do you think they'll only have to contend with the royal family? Don't forget, Mr. Aiwass—compared to the authorities, we're all the weaker party. The weaker party doesn't need to fight the weaker party; we need unity."
When he was advising Aiwass, Boca said this more directly.
Hearing this, Aiwass raised his eyebrows and asked, "Did you create the royal curse?"
"It's not all us."
Boca replied: "Many people want to do this. Star Antimony, Iris, Round Table Hall...
"Over four hundred years. Four hundred years have passed since Lancelot I led the Knights of the Round Table to capture the island of Avalon and renamed it the Isle of Glass.
"I remember your instructor taught history. Do you know what it means to have a country that has lasted for four hundred years without a single interruption in its lineage, without civil war or rebellion, without a change of monarchy, and without undergoing any changes in customs and practices?"
It means decay, but also change.
(End of this chapter)
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