The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 113

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“Anyway, that aside.”

Emma, who had been blowing her nose, glanced sideways at Chloe.

Chloe, who had been quietly pushing more tissues toward Emma, stiffened.

Seeing her freeze up like a small animal when receiving attention, Emma grinned.

“I heard about this kid’s memory magic, and it’s really amazing, you know?”

Though I knew well about her magic from hearing about it from Chloe in my past life, I pretended not to know and smiled while adding praise.

“If even an experienced mage like you finds it amazing, Chloe really is a capable mage.”

“N-no, it’s not like that…”

“Hey, you’re being too modest. Mental magic is originally the most advanced type of magic, you know?”

Emma gestured animatedly as she explained.

“So normally, people use magic by irregularly touching dreams or using suggestion and hypnosis to make the target reveal their memories directly…”

I recalled the dream magic with red shoes chasing that Emma had told me about before, and the ‘worst memory’ magic she had used on Hugo.

“But this kid can directly look into people’s memories. Piercing through the layers of defense mechanisms that the human unconscious has set up!”

“B-but my training is still lacking, so I can’t see clearly…”

“What’s even more amazing is that she can read not just people’s memories, but also the residual thoughts of objects. Simply put, this kid can see the past connected to objects!”

“T-that’s true, but there are still limitations…”

Emma’s eyes sparkled like a professor who had found an academy student to drag to graduate school.

If even Emma was saying this much, Chloe’s abilities were definitely amazing.

However, Chloe couldn’t fully rejoice even after hearing the praise. She looked more than just shy—she seemed intimidated.

Chloe, who had been biting her lip, spoke with her head deeply bowed.

“…Aren’t you… scared of me?”

Chloe’s voice was trembling.

“That I might steal glimpses of memories at will… that I might discover secrets you don’t want to tell or pasts you wanted to bury. …Aren’t you disgusted or scared?”

“…”

“Besides, besides, neither of you asked why I dabbled in black magic. Even though I put such a horrible idea into practice—extracting and transplanting memories… If I’m actually worse than you think…”

“Oh my.”

Smack.

“…Huh, what?”

Chloe looked dazed after getting hit on the back.

Emma, who had struck Chloe’s back loudly but not painfully, grinned mischievously.

“Did the guys you trained with at the Magic Tower say that? Not to steal memories without permission, that your magic is disgusting and horrible?”

“…Yes, but…”

“They said that because they were jealous of you, and because they had things to hide—they wanted to crush your spirit with that kind of talk. I’m not particularly worried though?”

Emma shrugged.

“Setting aside having nothing to hide, anyone can see you’re not that kind of person. Right, Elisha?”

“That’s right. Chloe isn’t that kind of person. If you were someone who would abuse memory magic selfishly, you would have done it long ago.”

Chloe stared at me blankly.

“And it’s not that I’m not curious about how Chloe came to use black magic. Hearing about it might give us clues for treatment. But.”

Even in my past life, Chloe never revealed the reason she came to use black magic.

Not even when she was on the verge of death.

It must have been either a really big shame for her, or a truly heartbreaking memory.

“When Chloe is ready to talk, I’ll listen then. Until then, I’ll wait.”

I pulled Chloe’s black hand toward me and held it.

Chloe, who had hesitated, quietly bowed her head.

Tears silently dripped down over her robe.

“…Thank you. Emma, Elisha.”

“You said it before, Chloe. That you wanted to do good things from now on. Let’s slowly start doing good things together.”

Chloe nodded.

Emma, who was fanning her reddened eyes, spoke.

“Yeah, I’ll help too. Since your body is weak right now, let’s focus on recovery. I’ll also check on the black magic while we’re at it, so come every day, okay?”

“Yes, I understand.”

I also told her the news that a research room exclusively for Chloe was being built at the Duke of Alchemiya’s residence in the capital.

Chloe declined, saying it was too much, but when Emma half-threatened, “Then I’ll use it?! I’ll mess it all up!” she eventually agreed.

“Then Chloe will stay at the Duke of Alchemiya’s residence. What about you, Elisha?”

“I’d like to stay together too, but I think I need to be at the pawnshop for a while.”

“Right, I suppose. It’s better to keep some distance initially. Yeah, that’s right.”

“Huh…?”

Looking at the clock, it was almost time for my appointment with Crescenziano.

“Then I’ll go see the Cardinal.”

“Are you going to ask about treatment methods for black magic addiction?”

“That’s actually my purpose, but… I’m not sure if he’ll readily tell me. But I have to find out somehow.”

As I was about to leave the shop with determination, I turned back.

“Emma, did you happen to know what our grandfather used to do?”

Come to think of it, it was strange that Emma hadn’t asked about Rionet when she should have.

Then Emma shrugged.

“No, I didn’t know.”

“Then why didn’t you ask?”

“Well… with that face and physique, it’s more convincing that Michele was a former duke than an ordinary appraiser? He was extraordinary in many ways.”

I couldn’t argue with that.

As I was nodding in understanding, Emma added.

“Not being curious about the stories of people on this street is my rule as a long-lived mage. Most of the time, knowing about others’ problems doesn’t solve them. But…”

“But?”

“You’re not a mage, Elisha. You don’t need to follow my rules. You know what I mean?”

‘Is there something I need to know? …And it’s on this street?’

What could be the story of ‘someone’ I don’t know yet?

However, Emma didn’t continue and grabbed Chloe’s arm, making a gesture of waving goodbye.

Watching the two of them, I said my farewells and left.

*

Arriving at the temple, I watched as a priestess knocked on Crescenziano’s door.

“Your Eminence, a visitor has arrived.”

But there was no response.

The priestess said quietly.

“It seems His Eminence is either praying or sleeping, sister. I’m sorry, but perhaps next time…”

Then, the door swung open.

[Come in.]

The Cardinal was standing there.

But somehow…

‘He looks like he’s in a bad mood?’

The Cardinal looked as if he was frowning, with his mouth tightly shut.

All I could see was his mouth, but since he was someone who always wore a gentle smile, the difference felt even greater.

‘Oh no, did he call me here to scold me?’

Crescenziano had definitely said he had ‘something to say.’

His body language hadn’t particularly shown he was in a bad mood, but you never know.

‘I only said I needed the brooch, but I couldn’t explain the full circumstances. He did take my side because the situation was urgent, but…’

In a way, I had used the Cardinal’s name, so he might have been displeased.

Having reached this conclusion, I bowed my head deeply.

Originally, apologies should be made as soon as they come to mind.

“I’m sorry, Crescenziano.”

So Crescenziano’s head tilted slightly.

As if asking, “Huh?”

“If what happened at the Imperial Palace yesterday made you uncomfortable, I apologize. In that situation, I thought you were the only one who could clearly clarify my identity, so I had no choice but to…”

[No, not at all. Why are you saying such things? I had so much fun though?]

Now it was my head that tilted.

He wasn’t angry?

[I was so grateful that you called my name. Where else would I get the chance to openly speak my mind to those high and mighty secular people? It was like sweet rain in my quiet life.]

Crescenziano, who seemed to be thinking for a moment, smiled broadly.

[Ah, sorry. I can see why you thought that. My expression looked bad, didn’t it? Well, some complicated matters came up.]

“Oh, then don’t you have time to talk with me? Should I come back another time?”

[No…]

As he said this, Crescenziano gazed in my direction as if he could see me even from under his hood.

[Seeing you, sister—no, I’m not seeing you. Hearing your voice has cleared up my complicated feelings a bit. Please sit.]

I was relieved he hadn’t called me here to scold me, but what could these complicated matters be?

Not knowing much about the religious order, I tilted my head in confusion and quietly offered the pound cake I’d brought as both a bribe and a token of gratitude.

Crescenziano’s smile deepened.

[My goodness, sister.]

“Oh, am I not allowed to give this to you?”

[No, it’s just that this is a snack I absolutely love. Let’s eat it together.]

Do Temple people originally like sweet things?

I asked while recalling Crescens, who had eaten more than half a container of blueberry cake by himself.

“Um, but what was it you wanted to tell me?”

[Hmm? Don’t you remember? We have an unfinished conversation, don’t we?]

Could it be?

“The method to cure dark magic addiction… you mean?”

Crescenziano nodded his head.

I never thought he’d tell me so readily!

As expected, the Cardinal has quite the generous spirit. He coolly distributed Holy Water and money, and now information too?

‘Long life and good health. Live long and prosper anyway!’

I was about to bow my head in gratitude when Crescenziano scribbled some words.

[Actually, I didn’t want to tell you.]

“Excuse me…?”

Separate from wondering whether I should cancel my wishes for the Cardinal’s long life and good health.

Why would you specifically say that…?

To make me feel hurt?

[If you had come two hours early instead of postponing our appointment, I probably would have made some excuse not to tell you. But the situation has changed a bit.]

That’s right, Crescenziano had definitely said it wasn’t an ‘urgent matter’ from his whole being.

That must have been from his perspective. The cure for dark magic addiction was only urgent for me.

‘Then what happened in those two hours that changed his mind?’

Just then.

I noticed the darkened writing, as if he had pressed several times harder than usual.

[Sister. Are you confident you can keep what I’m about to tell you a secret?]

After thinking for a while, I gulped and answered.

“…Well, I’m not confident about that.”

“Huh?”

He must have been quite dumbfounded.

It was the first time I heard Crescenziano’s hollow laugh.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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