Bailonz Street 13

Chapter 163. Home (3)

I knew this question referred to Jane’s body that ‘I’ would leave behind.

Indeed. What would happen? It would be terrifying if a suddenly deceased body dropped like Clara’s. That mustn’t happen.

I carefully speculated.

“Perhaps… she’ll be fine.”

“…You think so?”

I pondered hard.

Liam and Jonathan remember the body before I entered it. That’s proof that Jane Osmond wasn’t an artificially created person. If she were artificial, there would surely have been signs somewhere. Moreover, I had ‘Jane’s’ original memories. So, she was definitely a living person.

“I’ve just borrowed her body temporarily.”

“Maybe she won’t remember anything that’s happened when I leave.”

Saying that made me feel a bit sorry for Jane. Haven’t I completely disrupted her life? Come to think of it, I’ve crossed the boundary using Jane’s body, so who knows what incidents she might get entangled in from now on. It’s rather unsuitable for living as a simple detective’s assistant.

Jonathan’s face showed slight discomfort. I continued speaking.

“And… well. In other words, it’s ‘me’ getting married, not ‘Jane Osmond’. So it should be fine, right?”

“Both of you are my sister though.”

“That’s rather sweet of you, kid.”

To be honest, I hadn’t expected this. Should I say I never once thought Jonathan would be kind to me? I had thought I’d be doing well just to avoid being treated as a monster who stole his real sister’s body….

As I started ruffling Jonathan’s hair, he mumbled quietly.

“Do you see me as a child, sister?”

“Of course. You’ll always be my baby, even when you’re fifty.”

Jane’s influence must be strong. Since Jane would obviously think the same way, I just smiled and said as much.

Though Jonathan still looked troubled, he no longer pointed his hunting rifle at Liam Moore. Not that there were any signs they’d become friendlier than this, but well. Jonathan and Liam were opposite types of people. I hadn’t expected much.

Jonathan spoke.

“It’s sad that you’re leaving.”

“If I don’t leave soon, monsters might start popping up everywhere again like before.”

“Still sad though.”

Me too. If we had met without my having to worry about revealing my identity, we surely could have become closer than we are now. We could have spent more time together. Maybe we could have even become good friends.

But since I wasn’t saying goodbye right this moment, Jonathan could only acquiesce. He rose from his seat and gathered his things. And Plurititas.

“You must be tired, get some more rest. We’ll be going.”

“Ah. Right. Take care. Are your memories alright?”

“Thanks to the boss.”

I’d better not ask how Plurititas preserved Jonathan’s memories… That old man was already looking at me with too much interest, and getting any closer would be dangerous. This distance is just right.

“Make it two wedding invitations.”

I take it back. A bit more distance might be better.

I hid behind Liam in horror. Is it an overreaction to be already scared of what that man might do at my wedding?

Jonathan looked back at me anxiously from the flat entrance. His face showed worry, as if afraid I might vanish in the moment he turned his head. I smiled and waved at him as if to say not to worry.

“Take care. Try to take a carriage if you can.”

With a face that seemed to have much left unsaid, he sighed once and left 13 Bailonz Street.

Only Liam and I remained.

“Are you alright?”

Once the house had quieted and there was no one left to interrupt us, I asked Liam. He blinked before breaking into a soft smile.

It seemed he’d only be honest when no one else was around. That guess proved somewhat accurate.

“No, I’m not.”

“Will you tell me what’s wrong?”

Liam fidgeted before answering.

“From head to toe…”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

I almost burst into song lyrics reflexively. I firmly gathered my thoughts and comforted Liam.

His disheveled bangs and messy clothes caught my eye first. Usually, he would be fastidious about cleanliness, immediately washing thoroughly, changing clothes, and sitting by the fireplace in a dressing gown. He might even doze off a bit. But now he seemed unable to even think of such things.

Liam let out a small groan as he unfastened his sleeve buttons. He rolled up his constricting sleeves and loosened his waistcoat. His tie seemed to have been lost in the Thames. Then he promptly tried to lie down on the sofa after just removing his shoes. In that state!

No matter how magically cleaned it might be, hadn’t those clothes been… submerged in the Thames once? If one considered the color of Thames water, no sane person would try to lie down like this.

I recoiled in horror and somehow managed to get Liam to his feet. He blinked tiredly and yawned. Even if he postponed bathing until tomorrow, he should at least change clothes first.

“Jane, I’m sleepy…”

“You need to change before sleeping!”

Ah, what’s this déjà vu? What’s this familiar feeling? I remember having had such an argument with a sleepy child-like Liam Moore before.

I firmly held his knees to keep him from falling over and threatened him.

“Change into your pajamas before sleeping.”

“Mmm.”

“Should I help you change?”

Liam’s expression became quite intriguing. By now, I could roughly guess what he was thinking without him saying anything.

Seeing that expression, what more could I say? Only one thought crossed my mind.

‘Does he just like anything I do?’

But as they say no husband can win against his wife, Liam finally decided to follow my suggestion. He trudged to his room with slow steps and emerged a few minutes later changed into pajamas.

Then he silently approached me and suddenly swept me up in his arms.

‘W-what?’

I found myself helplessly lifted in Liam Moore’s embrace.

“What are you doing?”

This time I muttered aloud, but Liam immediately headed toward my room with me in his arms. His silence was suspicious. It seemed like he was plotting something in that clever mind of his….

However, all my guesses were wrong. Liam gently set me down on the bed, then proceeded to squeeze himself onto my narrow bed and simply lay down.

“Liam?”

“Mmm.”

Answer me properly.

Too tired to open his mouth? Isn’t it strange that someone who’s too tired to speak still has the strength to lift me so easily? But this cunning fox just blinks slowly and smiles.

Chu. Soft lips pressed against my forehead.

Does he become clingy when tired? Despite knowing him for quite a while, whenever I see these new sides of him, Liam Moore feels unfamiliar to me.

“Alright… good night…”

I sighed. Liam fell asleep holding me tight. He was out almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. I could roughly guess how much willpower he’d been using to hold himself together until now. Knowing Liam Moore’s stubborn nature, he’d probably been pretending to be strong, not wanting to collapse in front of others.

I actually preferred him being honest and clingy like this. Though it was startling, that was just a matter of getting used to it.

I gently rubbed Liam’s cheek. It was warm and soft, but he had little flesh overall due to recent hardships. The difference was even more stark compared to eighteen-year-old Liam.

“Still handsome even all grown up. Whose son turned out so fine?”

The problem was… I was wide awake after having slept for several hours earlier. I wouldn’t be human if I could fall asleep again after sleeping so much. No matter how hard I tried to sleep, my eyes remained wide open.

But I couldn’t just jump up. I didn’t want to wake Liam who was finally getting some rest.

‘Can I move without waking him?’

I tried moving slightly but quickly gave up. My body was practically pressed against Liam’s. Even the slightest movement would wake him. Though right now he was completely out cold.

I eventually sighed and buried my face in Liam Moore’s broad chest.

* * *

Am I even human?

I’d thought I wouldn’t be human if I could sleep more after sleeping so much already.

“I’ve slept well…”

Too well, in fact. After resting properly, my muscles didn’t even ache, and my head felt clear.

I don’t even remember when I fell asleep. I had just been watching Liam’s body rise and fall with his breathing. At some point, I must have drifted off.

I rose from the bed and turned my head with a disheveled face. Liam Moore was still lost in dreamland beside me. His arm that had been holding me had loosened slightly, so I could finally move a bit.

I very carefully got out of bed. He didn’t wake up. Thank goodness.

First, I should wash up, change clothes, and prepare breakfast. It seems about time for Lawrence to wake up too. After that, I can spend some time thinking about the case Scotland Yard requested.