The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 135
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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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‘What on earth is that….’
I realized the reason for the unease I had felt yesterday.
The reason why Duie and Ailren, who looked completely different and had entirely different atmospheres, somehow felt similar!
‘Then is Duie also suffering from mana addiction?’
But the color was different.
What I had seen radiating from Ailren was a dazzlingly clear and pure light, but what I was seeing from Duie now was….
‘It keeps flickering like a candle flame, just like black heat haze.’
Heat haze?
‘What I saw at the tombstone yesterday!’
As I quickly turned my head to look toward the graveyard, I heard Tesagh’s voice in my ear.
“Are you alright?”
He seemed to find it strange that I had suddenly looked startled and was staring intently at the graveyard.
I barely managed to nod my head.
“Ah, yes. I’m fine. I just felt dizzy for a moment.”
It was a difficult situation to explain to Tesagh.
I couldn’t tell him that I was seeing strange black light from Duie. It seemed like only I could see it.
Moreover, to explain mana addiction in a way that Tesagh could understand.
‘I’d have to talk about Ailren too.’
I would have to reveal Ailren’s secret as well.
I couldn’t do that.
How could I make Tesagh understand with minimal explanation?
As I quickly racked my brain, I whispered to Tesagh, whose expression had only grown worse at my mention of feeling dizzy.
“Hey, can you see the necklace around Count Duie’s neck? That wasn’t there yesterday, was it?”
Why hadn’t I noticed the black light yesterday even though I had seen Duie up close?
At first, I thought it might have been because the garden party venue was too bright with the blazing sun.
‘The brighter the light, the deeper the shadows become.’
I wondered if I had conveniently dismissed that black light as Duie’s shadow and overlooked it.
But when I looked at Duie carefully, there was something different from yesterday.
The obsessively covering clothes and long gloves were the same, but.
‘That malachite necklace definitely wasn’t there yesterday.’
The large necklace hanging around his neck was definitely something I was seeing for the first time.
Tesagh turned his head with a very displeased expression, looked at Duie, and nodded.
“Yes. It wasn’t there.”
Then could that necklace be a mana stone that causes mana addiction, like Ailren’s hourglass?
‘If I remove that necklace, Duie might get better.’
I know Ailren, who suffered from mana addiction.
So setting aside Duie’s ambiguous behavior, I briefly thought that he might also be in a situation where he needs help.
However.
“I think it might be a symbol of the head of the Delphia family. Judging by how the Count is smiling faintly.”
The moment I saw Duie’s expression, that thought was temporarily dispelled.
The Count was smiling. It was a strange and eerie smile, as if he were entranced by something.
The moment I saw that smile, another black light I knew came to mind.
It was somewhat different from Duie’s, but
「Leave.」
The one that had whispered for me to leave.
‘The Ruby Tablet.’
The sticky darkness that had surrounded the Ruby Tablet.
‘Could it be that Count Duie is connected to Eivor?’
If so, everything would become clear.
The reason why Rougenote was hidden here of all places, that strange light, and the reason he tried to test us yesterday!
I gulped and quickly looked around the main hall.
If there was even the slightest chance that Duie was related to Eivor, what would be the best way to handle the situation without him noticing….
“Haa.”
I realized.
Taking a breath, I quickly said to Tesagh.
“I think I need to receive the Cardinal’s ‘purification and blessing’ after all.”
Tesagh’s eyes narrowed.
He had reason to be puzzled.
We had already agreed beforehand not to receive the ‘purification and blessing.’
Because.
“Didn’t I tell you? There’s a risk that the magical tool could be damaged by the Cardinal’s holy power.”
The magical tool that changes appearance might be damaged by the influence of holy power.
Tesagh spoke as if he couldn’t understand me.
“…I understand that you’re acquainted with the Cardinal, but since your identity would be revealed, there’s no reason to greet him now….”
“No. Right now, my identity needs to be revealed.”
“Are you serious?”
“But only to the Cardinal.”
I nodded.
“I need the Cardinal’s cooperation.”
Someone to watch over him from the closest position to Duie.
I glanced at Duie and stood up.
Since Tesagh was quick-witted, I thought he would understand that I was suspicious of him without me having to explain.
‘Since Rougenote is here in the first place, he’ll know without me saying that Duie is suspicious.’
However, the moment I saw Tesagh’s expression looking up at me.
“….”
I sat back down.
Over Tesagh’s mysterious golden eyes looking up at me….
“I should have come a little faster.”
The worried expression of him kneeling on one knee in the warehouse, examining me, flashed by.
The expectation that he would understand without me saying anything might be greed.
So this time.
‘Let me speak properly.’
I leaned toward Tesagh and whispered an explanation in his ear.
“Listen carefully from now on.”
What I was suspicious about, and what my plan was going forward.
Tesagh raised objections at several points, but after hearing my entire story, he slowly nodded.
I cleared my throat and returned to being ‘Eloise.’
“Then I’ll be back.”
“…Alright.”
Tesagh’s expression remained the same, but judging by his brief response, this was the right choice.
*
Tesagh watched Elisha’s retreating figure as she headed toward the dais where the Cardinal was.
‘Since it seems like Duie is probably an accomplice of the criminal who stole Rougenote, she’ll have the Cardinal monitor him closely.’
The explanation of the reasoning process was completely missing, but Tesagh could understand.
He too thought that Duie must have some ulterior motive.
The moment Tesagh heard Elisha’s story, strangely enough, instead of burning with competitive spirit to catch the culprit, he felt relieved.
Rather than the reassurance that comes from thinking the same thing.
‘To some extent, she… trusts me, I suppose.’
Of course, trust and forgiveness are not the same thing.
It could just be that she trusts him because he’s reliable at work, even if she dislikes him.
However, even that alone was enough for Tesagh.
‘No. Now’s not the time for such thoughts.’
Forcibly suppressing these uncharacteristic sentimental thoughts, Tesagh shook his head.
Because Elisha had asked him to do something.
One was to watch Duie’s expression carefully, and the other was.
“About the tombstone we saw yesterday.”
“Hello.”
Tesagh, who had been glancing toward the graveyard, turned his head at the sound of Elisha’s voice greeting the cardinal.
But how exactly does she plan to avoid the blessing while still getting the cardinal to cooperate?
‘The blessing time is at most about 10 seconds. Can she really explain the situation in that time?’
That cardinal is even in the middle of a vow of silence. Conversation is impossible.
Tesagh gripped the glove from Elisha’s uninjured hand that she had left behind.
‘Come to think of it…’
Is it because of the lighting?
Somehow, it seemed like a faint pink hue was showing through ‘Eloise’s’ golden hair.
Tesagh, who had been frowning, soon chuckled softly.
‘As expected.’
He caught sight of a small piece of paper emerging from Elisha’s sleeve.
*
The blessing time was only 10 seconds.
It was just listening to a brief story and placing a hand on the head like a laying on of hands prayer.
Crescens gave blessings as his body was accustomed to doing.
For him, it was as familiar as eating a meal.
“Thank you, Your Eminence…!”
However, the fact that there were people who were so moved just by his touch was something he could never get used to.
‘What’s so great about just this.’
Of course, hearing various stories naturally stirred his heart to some extent.
But it didn’t feel real. To be precise, it felt like that gratitude wasn’t meant for him.
He was merely sharing the divine power given by the World Tree, so why were these people moved by him?
‘Shouldn’t they be grateful to the World Tree?’
They should be grateful to the cook who prepared the meal, not to the ladle or spoon.
I am merely the World Tree’s ‘tool.’
I am not That Person’s ‘will’ itself.
‘Would others call this blasphemous if they heard?’
Well, I’m being blasphemous to myself.
It was when Crescens, who had smiled coldly, was waiting for the next person.
“Hello.”
It was the moment he heard that voice.
Crescens raised his head.
“My concern is that I’m afraid the people watching me might discover my true self. The pressure is… quite severe in my environment.”
Before his eyes, a blonde woman held out a red necklace.
There were often people who asked for blessings on sacred objects instead of laying on of hands.
However, this person’s purpose was.
[Duie Delphia has dangerous elements]
He could see that she was showing him a note tucked under the necklace.
A gentle but firm voice continued to reach his ears.
“So could you bless this necklace so that my fears can be removed? …’Crescenziano’?”
Ha.
At those words that instantly washed away his inexplicable frustration and boredom, Crescens smiled.
He mouthed the words.
‘Of course. My dear sister.’
Tap.
Without using his holy power, he touched the red necklace and thought.
Indeed, our sister is truly a captivating person.
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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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