The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 184

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

“Manipulation? If, if that’s it, then it makes sense!”

Chloe, who had been mulling over my words, drew in a breath.

“If he planted suggestions to make them act according to Eivor’s will…!”

“Yes, then it would also make sense that people around them didn’t feel anything was off.”

“Ah! Considering how black magic subtly incites its host! Using that principle to manipulate others would also be possible…!”

Their face and manner of speaking would be exactly the same as usual, but only their actions would be subtly different.

Of course, if someone had keen observation skills or was close to them, they might notice something was strange.

‘That bastard Eivor was more chilling than I thought, wasn’t he?’

Speaking of feeling something was off?

I had a similar experience myself.

Frowning slightly, I recalled my conversation with Luca.

“What’s wrong, Miss Elisha? Is there something on my face?”

“Oh, no. It’s just that you seem a bit different today, Luca.”

After the day I was kidnapped.

I had gone to see Luca because I wanted to hear more details about the customer who had given him the cigarette magic tool.

Thanks to the cigarette magic tool, I was able to extract information from the kidnappers, but it still bothered me.

‘But his shop has been temporarily closed ever since then.’

Guild leader Helena said she didn’t know exactly why Luca had closed his shop either.

He had come rushing over from dawn, flustered, saying he had personal matters and needed to briefly return to his hometown.

‘Luca said he was from Moro Duchy, right? I should ask Tesagh about it.’

Setting aside the cigarette magic tool, he was originally such a naive person that I was somewhat worried as a fellow guild member whether he had gotten caught up in some incident.

As I was thinking about how to bring it up and turned my head toward Tesagh.

Unlike Chloe, whose eyes were sparkling with curiosity and the joy of finding an answer, his expression was somehow complicated.

‘Hmm, come to think of it, Tesagh knew all about the mechanisms of transformation magic.’

It was probably because he thoroughly investigated even the slightest possibility.

There’s no way someone like him wouldn’t have considered the possibility of manipulation.

‘Even if research materials on black magic are lacking.’

I had heard in passing at the Magic Tower that black magic research was hardly conducted.

Black magic books were all forbidden texts, making even reading them taboo, and above all, black magic users wouldn’t cooperate.

Still, I thought Tesagh would have at least considered it – was I wrong?

“…You’re right, Elisha.”

But after a moment of silence, the answer that came back was affirmative.

I asked carefully.

“Duke, you had also considered the possibility of manipulation, hadn’t you?”

“Yes. …Though I secretly hoped it wasn’t the case.”

At his cryptic words, I looked at Tesagh as he stood up.

“Then let’s go see the crime scene now.”

“The crime scene?”

“The treasury.”

Instead of asking more questions, I followed behind Tesagh with Chloe.

About halfway down the corridor leading to the treasury, Tesagh’s voice could be heard.

“Let me explain first. The treasury is made of metal that can’t even be scratched by ordinary weapons, and it’s surrounded by double and triple barriers.”

“What kind of barriers?”

“Barriers made with holy power. Barriers made with magic power would be nullified by the sacred objects in the treasury.”

“Oh, then I, I…”

“I’ve temporarily turned them off now.”

I read through the stolen items documents I had brought while listening to Tesagh’s continued explanation.

“Even if one passes through the double and triple barriers, the door only opens with keys that cannot be duplicated. The entire interior of the treasury is protected by holy power.”

Before long, the treasury could be seen in the distance.

As Tesagh had said, it was a tremendously thick-looking door.

The barriers he had set up must have been incredibly strong – even though they were withdrawn now, I could still see white light.

“No magic tools or magic can be used inside. Magic power is not only nullified, but if even the slightest bit is detected, tracking arrows designed for killing are fired densely.”

“Uh oh…”

“I turned them off.”

“Thank you…”

Chloe let out a sigh of relief.

After thinking deeply, I asked.

“Have there been previous attempts to break into the treasury? The security seems very thorough.”

“Once.”

“Who was it and what happened?”

“It was an attendant at the Duke’s Residence. He was thinking of secretly stealing expensive jewels to sell, but he couldn’t even open the door and was arrested by guards who came running at the alarm. Even that was before I was born. Security has been strengthened even more since then.”

“You said the keys cannot be duplicated, right? Who has the keys?”

Tesagh, who had been answering readily, fell silent for a moment at that question.

Then he slowly opened his mouth.

“Me. …And the Border Guard. Two people.”

Ah.

I think I understood why Tesagh’s expression had been complicated.

‘In other words, it means that either the Duke or the Border Guard was manipulated by a mere mage and handed over the key.’

“Of course, the Border Guard and I were investigated first. Since there were no traces of magic power or spells, we could have concluded that we were innocent, but.”

That’s probably why Tesagh had been so obsessed with retrieving Rugenote.

Because deep down, he thought it might be his or his mother’s responsibility.

“Knowing that Eivor’s magic has no spells, I couldn’t make such a convenient assumption.”

In other words, Tesagh couldn’t trust even himself and his mother.

He wore a bitter expression.

“But for now, your speculation is the most reasonable situation, Elisha. I have no intention of denying it.”

“Duke.”

“I’d rather it be that I was the one manipulated.”

Does he want to protect his mother?

Feeling somewhat heavy-hearted, I gently placed my hand on Tesagh’s cheek, and one of his eyebrows rose.

“I know what you’re thinking, but that’s not it.”

“…Excuse me…?”

“If the Border Guard was the one manipulated, she’d be so angry she’d obviously smash up the entire training grounds. I can already hear the quartermaster crying.”

Ah…?

Tesagh chuckled at my bewildered expression.

“Whether I was manipulated or not, I don’t intend to be consumed by that fact. The fact that Eivor is the main culprit doesn’t change. So don’t worry.”

“I wasn’t worried, you know?”

“You were.”

Of course, I was worried for just a brief moment.

But knowing Tesagh’s goal-oriented personality, I believed he would shake it off and get back up!

I was about to speak when his next words left me speechless.

“I can tell by looking at your eyes.”

Tesagh, who had taken my hand that was resting on his cheek, murmured.

“Still. …This is nice.”

Seeing Tesagh quietly lean his face closer with reddened ears, it was natural that this morning came to mind.

My heart felt ticklish, so I deliberately said something random.

“…You realize this is the perfect position to do what we did this morning, right?”

“I told you. It was the first and last time. I have no intention of letting you do it again, though I wouldn’t mind if I were the one doing it.”

“Huh? Aren’t you being a bit too confident?”

“I said you could do anything to me, but this is a bit of a different matter.”

But to think he’d counter like this!

Just like during the pea incident, I was steeling my resolve after falling for his provocation.

“Oh my…”

When I turned around, Chloe was smiling contentedly.

Only then did I realize it was quite a conversation that could cause misunderstandings.

Tesagh, who had quickly stepped back, seemed like he was trying to explain something.

“It’s, it’s okay! I didn’t see anything.”

However, he seemed to lose his fighting spirit at Chloe’s innocent declaration of ‘I saw everything clearly’ and turned around.

“…I’ll open the door, so check it.”

The massive vault door slowly opened.

Normally I would have been distracted by the precious treasures, but I only searched for one thing.

“The location is…”

“That one, right? I can see a black light.”

Black light.

There was only one exhibition case where the black light I knew well as Eivor’s trace was flickering.

“Could Chloe look at it first? If I look, Eivor’s traces will be erased.”

“Ah, yes!”

Chloe carefully approached the exhibition case, closed her eyes, and reached out her hand.

‘Her expression doesn’t look good. Is she feeling pressure from the remaining holy power of Rugenote?’

As I alternately watched the white light rippling throughout the treasury and the sharp black light, I suddenly asked.

“Your Grace, how exactly did Eivor avoid detection of his magic power?”

It was the same with the ruby tablet.

Why does Eivor’s characteristic black light remain without being purified?

And why couldn’t Rugenote’s divine-level holy power weaken Eivor’s power?

“…Well. I don’t have any leads yet.”

“Who created the holy power barrier? The temple?”

“Yes.”

My mind raced quickly.

‘There was one more strange thing. Holy water.’

Large quantities of holy water were discovered at Rosaline and Malcolm’s business establishments and gambling dens.

Holy water is naturally managed by the temple. Sales records are thoroughly kept on file.

…But how could they secretly obtain so much holy water?

A thought suddenly crossed my mind.

“Could there be a collaborator in the temple helping Eivor?”

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