chapter - 32

 “Sir, the response to Sherlock Holmes is quite overwhelming.”

“It always is, isn't it?”

“It’s more than usual. Some readers even attempted to storm the publishing house to find out the next installment of 'Sherlock Holmes.'”

“That’s a bit extreme, but then again, it’s Sherlock Holmes.”

There are various ways to captivate readers in a story, but in serial novels, the 'cliffhanger' technique is often used.

In simple terms, it's about leaving the audience hanging. Ending the story at a point where a conflict or a new mystery emerges keeps readers infinitely engrossed. And the ultimate example of cliffhangers is found in detective fiction. Structured with mystery and solution parts, detective stories amplify conflicts to the extreme, drawing readers deeply into the narrative.

“It’s human nature to be curious about the next Sherlock Holmes story.”

“Is it really instinct?”

“Indeed.”

'Sherlock Holmes' is a masterpiece of detective fiction.

No work surpasses Sherlock Holmes in making readers eager for the next chapter.

“The charm of the character Sherlock Holmes likely also contributed to the readers’ immersion.”

“Speaking of which, was it your idea for the detectives at Whiteleck Detective Agency to stand guard dressed as Sherlock Holmes?”

“No, that was the idea of the president of Half & Half. He’s quite savvy.”

'Sherlock Holmes' is the most 'remarkable' character in literary history.

Sherlock Holmes was the most filmed character in the previous world and one of the most successful characters in literature.

In that sense, the Half & Half president’s strategy of focusing on character promotion was quite effective.

“Don’t worry too much; things will calm down once the solution part is released.”

“Will they?”

The first novel, 'A Study in Scarlet,' spends half its length explaining the backstory of the criminal, portraying him as a tragic figure rather than an absolute villain, fitting for the first step in a detective series.

But honestly... it’s a bit tedious.

Personally, I preferred the short stories over the novels.

And above all—

“The moment when a remarkable character becomes truly compelling is often when they are defeated by their own preconceptions.”

More than the first notable novel, 'A Study in Scarlet.'

More than 'The Sign of Four,' where Holmes’ character is more concretely revealed.

The story that made Holmes an attractive character is a different one.

“Let’s look forward to the moment that woman appears.”

“If you mean that woman… that’s the third story. It was quite an intriguing episode, but I’m not sure it was the most interesting compared to others.”

Ah, right.

Sion had read all the Sherlock Holmes stories I had copied.

Since she didn’t follow the serialized order, she might not have felt the full excitement.

“Sorry, Sion.”

“Pardon?”

“There’s something about it.”

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[The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes]

[A Scandal in Bohemia]

[To Sherlock Holmes, she is always the woman.]

[“She was the most beautiful woman a man could devote his life to.”]

Irene Adler.

She only appears in the short story 'A Scandal in Bohemia,' but she has the most significant presence among female characters in the entire series.

She is the most re-created female character by Sherlock Holmes fans.

Thanks to her appearance, 'Sherlock Holmes' became the most 'charming' character in the empire and literary history.

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Deerstalker hat and Inverness cape. Pipe and magnifying glass.

It was a common sight in the empire. Every detective in the empire wore outfits symbolizing Sherlock Holmes.

In fact, many people wore Sherlock Holmes outfits even if they weren’t detectives. It was stylish, after all.

“Thanks to Sherlock Holmes, our workload has increased recently! And people look at us more favorably than before.”

“That’s right! Didn’t people usually treat detectives like lackeys cleaning up after nobles? Or drunks getting beaten instead of the guards or police?”

“Honestly, that was true. Hah!”

Before Sherlock Holmes, the image of private detectives wasn’t very good.

Even in the 'Sherlock Holmes' stories, Holmes calls himself a 'consulting detective' and makes disparaging remarks about private detectives.

But in the end, people saw Sherlock Holmes as a detective.

This improved the image of the profession itself.

“Nowadays, it feels quite rewarding. We catch bad guys, sometimes help the poor, and I feel like this is why I became a detective.”

“What’s gotten into you? A money-grubber suddenly lost his mind?”

Private detectives also liked the improved image.

More detectives started behaving like Holmes. The image created by media influenced the actual profession.

“Watson, when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”

“Hah! That doesn’t suit you at all. And why am I Watson while you’re Holmes?”

“Shut up, Watson.”

“Hah.”

A peculiar phenomenon arose where merchants and nobles favored hiring assistants named 'Watson.'

Some even faked or changed their names.

People who read Sherlock Holmes developed a hobby of calling the person next to them 'Watson.'

“People say the writer Homer is a god, but for us detectives, it's Herodotus who’s the god!”

“Exactly! Herodotus is the god!”

“Honestly, aren’t Homer’s novels... not that interesting?”

“That’s a bit... Don’t say that where Homer’s fans might hear you.”

And.

Thanks to Sherlock Holmes, the reputation of 'Herodotus' skyrocketed.

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Apart from its popular influence, the deductive reasoning presented in the Sherlock Holmes series influenced police agencies like the Guard and Patrol.

Especially, the Imperial Capital Police Force, responsible for the capital’s security, was directly affected by Sherlock Holmes.

“Are we really that competent?”

“We don’t even know about fingerprint detection...”

“The police force hasn’t even been established in rural areas yet...”

“We do less than private detectives...”

They didn’t understand most of the investigative techniques shown in Sherlock Holmes.

The Imperial Comprehensive Police Act itself had been in place for less than ten years.

The mix of Guard, Patrol, and Police was due to this reason. The pilot police force had not yet been fully systematized.

In this process, the Sherlock Holmes stories served as a sort of guideline.

“Doesn’t it feel like this is the way to proceed?”

“Yeah, it does...”

The Imperial police force quickly became more structured.

During this process, the Imperial Capital Police Force and its superior agency, the Special Administrative Office for Comprehensive Police Law Enforcement, even sought advice from Half & Half.

“Sir!”

“Yes, President.”

“The empire has made a request. What should we do?”

“Consultation for the Special Administration for Comprehensive Police Law Enforcement...? Well, it’s a bit much to do in person.... I’ll organize it in writing and send it over.”

Soon, the Imperial Comprehensive Police Agency, based on the framework suggested by 'Herodotus,' was established.

This modern police institution, established for ensuring public safety, arresting criminals, and maintaining order, made notable achievements from its first day of official operation, becoming a cornerstone of the empire.

“You have the right to remain silent, but if you do, you may be subjected to torture. You have the right to an attorney, and anything you say can be used against you in court.”

“Why say all that to arrest a criminal?”

“I don’t know? They told us to.”

“It feels right, though. I’ll do it too.”

In short, the empire’s security was improving.

All thanks to a single novel.

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“Sir!”

“Oh, Sion. What’s up?”

As I was reading a novel and relaxing at home, Sion suddenly burst into the room in a hurry.

She was panting, probably from running so hard.

“Something terrible has happened!”

“Terrible?”

“Yes! Using your character Sherlock Holmes, that, that—”

“Is it another plagiarism issue?”

Sherlock Holmes is such a compelling character that it has been recreated countless times.

It wouldn’t be surprising if someone plagiarized the character itself.

“It’s not plagiarism, but you should read this!”

“Hmm?”

Sion handed me a magazine.

It was a pulp serial magazine called ‘Mini and Life,’ similar to ‘Half & Half.’ I occasionally read it too.

I took the magazine from Sion and skimmed through it.

And then, I understood why Sion was so flustered and blushing.

[The Phantom Thief Haxen VS Sherlock Holmes]

“Well...”

Maurice Leblanc exists in this world too.