The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 114
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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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I know how absurd my words must sound.
But I had my reasons.
‘There are already people who know about Chloe’s condition. People like the Duke of Alchemiya and Emma. They must be worried, so if I find a method, I should tell them I found one.’
Ailren’s mana poisoning was something only I knew about.
Since contact was the treatment method, it wasn’t difficult to keep it secret.
But regarding Chloe’s dark magic poisoning, there were already people other than me who knew about it.
Moreover.
‘I don’t want to readily make promises with the mindset of finding out first and somehow dealing with the consequences later.’
Whatever the case, Crescenziano was someone trying to help.
Regardless of him being a cardinal of the state religion, I didn’t want to make false promises to someone who trusted me enough to share confidential information.
“I’m sorry. But there are several other people besides me who need to know about this.”
After biting my lips, I slowly continued speaking.
“I’ll ask them to keep it as secret as possible and only mention it briefly… but I don’t think I can be the only one who knows.”
What if Crescenziano found this distasteful and refused?
I would try to persuade him. As much as my power allowed.
But if persuasion still didn’t work?
Then it couldn’t be helped.
I’d have no choice but to somehow, by any means necessary, try to obtain a special-grade mana stone.
Then Crescenziano, who had been watching me, slowly wrote.
[Our sister is quite consistent. I’m not sure whether to call that lacking in tact or being honest.]
His pen moved slowly.
[But that’s probably why I trust our sister.]
“What do you mean?”
[Alright. Then let me change the question. Are you confident you can keep my words secret ‘as much as possible’?]
I nodded vigorously.
“Yes!”
So Crescenziano chuckled softly.
Then he soon erased his smile and became serious.
[Very well, I’m sure our sister won’t go around telling just anyone, so I’ll trust your judgment. Listen carefully from now on.]
Crescenziano took a breath and wrote clearly.
[To cure dark magic poisoning, you need a holy relic. But ordinary holy relics won’t work. There are several grades of holy relics, aren’t there, sister?]
A holy relic is needed!
It was surprising, but at the same time, it made sense.
‘So that’s why. Now I understand why mages couldn’t find a cure for so long. Since mages avoid holy relics, they never thought to research them.’
Then was Chloe’s dark magic poisoning stopped because of the holy relic restraints?
While thinking, I answered Crescenziano’s question.
“I heard there are five grades. Lowest, low, intermediate, high, and special grade.”
‘Just like how a special-grade mana stone is needed, a high-grade holy relic must be required.’
I waited for Crescenziano’s next words.
But then.
[Actually… there’s one more. I’m not sure if it’s worthy of being called a grade.]
‘What?’
[A holy relic that the World Tree created when making this world. Within the Church, we call it the ‘Ring of Circulation,’ but to put it in terms you’d understand better, sister. It’s ‘divine grade.’]
Divine grade.
Chills ran through my entire body.
It wasn’t joy or elation from learning something I didn’t know.
I know that grade. I’ve definitely seen it before.
[…’Divine grade’ holy relic ‘Rugenote’ discovered stolen…]
[…Suspected to be the work of the same perpetrator…]
[…Converted to public manhunt…]
In my past life!
*
After Elisha left.
Crescens removed his hood.
[To treat dark magic poisoning, you need a ‘divine grade’ holy relic containing the World Tree’s pure divine power. The very existence of ‘divine grade’ holy relics is classified information within the Church, so unfortunately I cannot tell even you, sister, what constitutes a ‘divine grade’ holy relic. However.]
Crescens looked down at the last line he had written.
[Our sister might be able to figure it out on her own. I wish you luck.]
“Hah…”
Before he knew it, his expression had hardened incomparably from when he was looking at Elisha.
Crescens let out a long sigh and rubbed his face wearily.
Turning his gaze, he unfolded the telegram he had received just before Elisha arrived.
The telegram bearing the seal of the Royal Knights contained shocking content.
**Top Secret** Part of the Ruby Tablet kept in the Imperial Palace Vault was stolen last night.
As it is a holy relic gifted by the 1st Pope as a symbol of unity, we will do everything possible to recover it, but currently we lack clues and need the Church’s cooperation.
We earnestly request that you send related information or Church personnel with high expertise and understanding of holy relics.
– Captain of the Royal Knights, Ailen Hugo Radeian
“…Is this the second time?”
Muttering, Crescens pressed the telegraph.
Tap, tap.
A reply to send to the Captain of the Royal Knights was written.
…I understand the situation, but while you’re looking for Church personnel with high expertise and understanding of holy relics, I’m afraid I cannot send such a person. Because…
“The person I would recommend is not a Church insider, Count Airen.”
Crescens briefly looked at the door Elisha had exited through, then sent the reply and closed the telegraph.
*
Tesagh had been waiting in front of the pawnshop for Elisha, who had been away for quite some time.
“This must be that young lady’s pawnshop that was in the newspaper!”
“Eh, it’s more run-down and ordinary than I thought… W-wait. Let’s just go!”
“Why? …Oh my, s-sorry for the intrusion!”
It was when about ten onlookers had fled in surprise at his menacing aura.
Elisha could be seen in the distance.
As she drew closer, Tesagh’s expression unconsciously softened.
“Shouldn’t you rest for at least a day? Where have you been rushing around to again… And with such a weak body.”
Tesagh, who had been muttering to himself, called out to Elisha.
“Hey.”
No response.
“You there.”
Still no response.
Even with only about five steps left between them, Elisha seemed unable to hear his words.
Her expression, lost in thought, looked somehow serious.
It was when Tesagh, frowning, was finally about to call her name, Elisha.
“Oh, it’s Alter.”
Just before she bumped into his chest, he grabbed Elisha’s shoulders with both hands, and only then did she seem to recognize Tesagh.
“Watch where you’re going.”
“Ah… Right. I should.”
Something was strange.
Elisha wasn’t the type to meekly agree with his words like this.
He was about to ask what was wrong.
“What’s the matter, Alter?”
Elisha was faster to ask.
Tesagh had no choice but to answer.
“…I said I’d check the dagger and return it to you. I finished checking it, so I came to give it back.”
Just before parting at the Founding Festival, Tesagh had asked Elisha to hand over the magic tool dagger temporarily since it needed repair.
It was because too much interference had been mixed in when she went to the treasury.
When he received the dagger from Elisha, who had jokingly laughed saying she’d take back the expensive item, and examined it.
‘The magic power had been almost completely erased. As if it had been exposed to strong holy power.’
Tesagh had suspected that what Elisha saw in the treasury might have been Rugenote.
But when he checked with the Rugenote tracking tool, only three gems glowed.
If it had been Rugenote, all five gems would have glowed.
In other words, what she saw was not Rugenote but some other ‘something.’
He had recharged the magic power while harboring suspicions, but there was one more question.
‘If the magic power had already been erased at the time she went to the treasury, there’s no way the dagger could have moved on its own to cut Rosaline’s hand.’
One worry led to another.
Including how Elisha could see through his eye color, Tesagh was caught up in complex doubts.
“Was there anything wrong with it?”
“No.”
“I see. Thank you, Alter. For taking care of it. Then…”
He thought these doubts were problems he had to solve himself.
That was until Elisha, who had been fiddling with the dagger, greeted him and immediately turned around to go inside.
“What about you? Is something wrong?”
Elisha didn’t answer and just stared at him quietly.
Tesagh somehow became anxious.
Something seemed to be bothering her, but not knowing how to approach Elisha who was different from usual, Tesagh spoke with rare hesitation.
“…You haven’t had dinner yet. If you don’t have anything urgent, let’s have a meal together.”
Maybe if he fed her something, her mood would improve a bit.
Like the cherry cake.
As Bella had said, he felt quite pathetic being unfamiliar with ‘this kind of conversation’ and having absolutely no way with words, but there was no other choice.
Tesagh, recalling the food Elisha had enjoyed at the festival, added.
“Choose whatever you want to eat. Would shrimp be good? You ate it well last time…”
“Alter, there’s something I want to ask you about instead.”
Tesagh, who had been secretly relieved that Elisha finally spoke up, froze at her next words.
“The pearl sword you’re looking for, is it by any chance a sacred relic of the Moro Duchy?”
“…What?”
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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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