The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 117

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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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*

Today at noon.

I was having lunch with the Duke of Alchemiya.

She spoke with considerable concern.

“The Regent King will probably summon you soon to discuss compensation. But he won’t readily hand over the titles and assets that were confiscated from you.”

“Yes, I didn’t think I could easily get them back. It’s also difficult to prove my identity in this situation, and honestly, only His Majesty the Emperor can grant confiscated titles.”

“Oh my, how did you know that?”

I smiled and continued slowly.

“So I need to choose compensation that’s appropriately trivial yet appropriately valuable, something only the Regent King can give. So it can’t be questioned.”

“Do you have something in mind?”

“Actually… I’m thinking of asking for ownership of the mana stone mine in the Rionet Duchy.”

“You mean the abandoned mine? Why would you want a mine that’s already depleted?”

The Duke of Alchemiya, who had been tilting her head, made an “ah” sound.

“Oh my, could it be because there might still be special-grade mana stones left to treat Chloe?”

“Yes, that’s about half the reason.”

“What’s the other half?”

I smiled without saying anything.

The Duke of Alchemiya didn’t ask further.

“Well, you must have your reasons, so I won’t ask more.”

The Duke of Alchemiya sipped her tea and murmured.

“If Michele had seen you, he would have been so proud.”

The Duke of Alchemiya hadn’t asked about Grandfather’s whereabouts either.

She seemed to think there must be a reason I wasn’t talking about it.

“…Yes, that would be nice.”

However, she seemed to have roughly guessed from my words and expression.

The Duke of Alchemiya patted my hand for quite a while without saying anything else.

*

I was recalling the conversation I had at noon.

Crodil looked at me searchingly and asked.

“You want an abandoned mine where the ore veins are already depleted?”

“Yes. That one thing is enough for me.”

“What’s your reason?”

“When Grandfather discovered that mine, he often told me how happy he was. I want to see Grandfather’s achievement and memories for myself.”

Of course, it was a lie.

Grandfather had never told me stories about the mine, or even about the duchy.

Nevertheless, the reason I wanted the mine was.

“…I saw it. In his memories, the image of the abandoned mine that was intensely imprinted…”

It was because of what Chloe from my past life had told me just before she died.

“…Rosaline seemed to have heard me muttering. When I woke up, that woman was smiling creepily, saying ‘I found it.’…”

Rosaline had found something in the abandoned mine.

‘She killed Grandfather because she found it. If she hadn’t found anything, she would have kept Grandfather alive!’

Then perhaps Grandfather had left clues in the abandoned mine.

In a natural safe that no one paid attention to because it was already depleted.

It wasn’t certain, but it was worth betting on the possibility.

‘Even if it’s not Grandfather’s property, if I’m lucky, I might be able to find special-grade mana stones.’

Divine-grade relics needed for Chloe’s treatment weren’t something you could obtain just by wanting them.

Even those had been stolen, and I couldn’t freely take out the remaining piece.

‘Crodil has no grounds to refuse.’

“Very well, I grant it.”

As expected, Crodil’s permission came.

“Thank you.”

“But my conscience isn’t at ease compensating you with just that much. So how about this.”

I raised my head and looked at Crodil, who was smiling strangely.

“If you, as an appraiser, help the Princess solve the Ruby Tablet theft case, I’ll give you ownership of the entire duchy, not just the mine, as a token of my appreciation.”

Lina and Ailren looked at him in surprise.

“Yes. I’m saying I’ll officially ennoble you as Duke Rionet. Along with bestowing the title of Imperial Palace Appraiser.”

I was also surprised, but I quickly started thinking.

‘The title of ‘Duke Rionet’ wasn’t confiscated. It’s a title that Grandfather voluntarily returned.’

So the Regent King could grant the ducal title, even if through unconventional means.

There would be some opposition though.

‘Rosaline also attached herself to Crodil to receive a ducal title.’

But why?

The Imperial Palace Appraiser position aside, why was Crodil showing me such extraordinary favor as a ducal title?

‘He has an ulterior motive.’

As Crodil said, I’m an appraiser, not an investigator.

I wouldn’t be of direct help in the investigation.

Yet he’s trying to drag me in?

His proposal wasn’t goodwill, but a trap.

‘There’s a reason he absolutely needs to involve me in the Ruby Tablet theft case.’

But I answered with a smile.

“I’m deeply grateful. I’ll cooperate as much as possible.”

“Good, that’s how it should be.”

I clenched my fist under the table.

‘Crodil, you’ll regret making that condition.’

To catch a tiger, you must enter the tiger’s den.

I decided to gladly accept the tiger’s invitation.

‘You’re the one who’ll be caught. Not me!’

*

It was late at night when the business at the Imperial Palace ended.

Ailren came out with me, saying he would escort me home.

The carriage was quiet. Ailren was naturally a man of few words, and I was lost in thought.

‘He said there were no magical formulas on the display case.’

Just as we left the separate room, a court mage came running.

He said he had examined the display case but found no formulas.

“Then the thief isn’t a mage… Who on earth planned such a meticulous crime?”

I clearly saw Crodil’s lips curl up slightly as he muttered that.

Unless he was a fool, he wouldn’t try to frame me for theft using the same method.

‘He’s probably trying to use me. But is there something Crodil needs me for so badly that he’d stake a ducal title on it?’

I was deep in thought when.

“…I assume you’re curious about the tiara theft incident. I’ll explain briefly.”

Ailren’s voice woke me up.

“Hugo Rionet has confessed to all his crimes. I heard that you persuaded him to do so. Is this true?”

“I told him it would be better to confess everything and at least preserve his life, rather than be used by Rosaline and lose it. Since he’s such a cowardly person, I guess it worked. What about Rosaline?”

“Rosaline Rionet has fallen into a state of delirium from the shock of having her wrist severed. She’s not in a condition to be interrogated, so we’re monitoring her.”

“It must have been the first time she experienced such pain. I understand, but I don’t feel any sympathy.”

Because of Rosaline, other innocent people had suffered much greater pain.

Ailren nodded slightly as if agreeing with that sentiment.

“Upon hearing the news that Rosaline was captured, Appraiser Malcolm also confessed to all the crimes he had previously denied.”

“That’s fortunate. Ah, what about the attendant? What did he say?”

He was the one who had shamelessly tried to pin the blame on me, then ran away claiming he knew nothing.

But Ailren’s expression was strange.

“Well… he completely denied the charges.”

“He didn’t seem like an ordinary shameless person. I thought he might try to weasel out of it.”

I knew it, that bastard.

I crossed my arms irritably, but Ailren shook his head.

“It wasn’t simply denial. He testified that he had no memory of it at all, saying he couldn’t remember stealing the sacred object, or even pointing the finger at you.”

“What? Then what about the hourglass incident?”

“He said he knew nothing about that either. He protested his innocence and even attempted self-harm, so he’s currently being held in restraints.”

Could it be that I had pointed to the wrong person?

‘That can’t be right.’

Seeing my expression, Ailren spoke firmly.

“You absolutely did not point to an innocent person.”

“But…”

“Clear evidence in the form of sacred power was detected on his hands, and the fake tiara’s box and the key to the separate palace where you stayed were found under his bed. His fingerprints were on them, of course.”

“He said he didn’t know about those either?”

“Yes. But it’s probably a lie to save face. The court mages are attempting hypnosis magic, so you don’t need to worry about it.”

Ailren wasn’t blaming me. He was just explaining the situation.

But somehow I felt uneasy.

Could someone really deny it to that extent even after all their crimes were exposed?

‘The hypnosis magic will produce results. For now, let me think about the Ruby Tablet first.’

Now it was my turn to speak.

“Um, Knight. I was thinking while looking at the Ruby Tablet…”

The logic that the culprit wasn’t a mage because there were no spell formulas had already been broken.

I knew of a mage who had successfully harmed the Captain of the Royal Knights using an hourglass without any spell formulas.

‘Eivor, that bastard was helping Crodil!’

The mage Eivor, who was on the wanted poster I saw just before dying.

He was the mastermind hidden behind the veil.

‘That ominously black light, so unlike a sacred object, must have been his trace too.’

But I couldn’t tell Ailren directly.

‘Ailren has already been Eivor’s target once. If he realizes that Ailren has caught on, he might really try to eliminate him this time.’

So I had concluded that recovering the Ruby Tablet should come first, when—

“…Why did you do it.”

Ailren asked in a deeply sunken voice.

I didn’t readily understand and asked back.

“What?”

“Why…”

Ailren, who couldn’t continue speaking for a while, bit his lips.

“Why did you… accept such a dangerous proposal.”

I stared at him blankly.

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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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