The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 19

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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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[…The head of the Rionet Ducal House, in recognition of three years of dedication, grants the Golto Family a baronial title and territory…]

‘As expected, he really is connected to Rionet!’

My mind raced quickly.

Carlos clearly didn’t know who I was.

Even though I was wearing a mask, if he knew me or had investigated me, there would be no way he wouldn’t notice.

He picked a fight with me so obviously, as if dealing with some complete stranger commoner.

That means he’s still just a disposable errand boy without access to confidential information.

‘It said three years of dedication. Then Carlos must have started working around this time.’

Maybe today’s incident will catch Rosaline’s eye and he’ll be entrusted with bigger tasks.

If that’s the case?

‘What is that bastard planning to do at the auction house? And what kind of old book did he bring?’

The consignment item Carlos brought seemed to be a single old book.

As soon as the words “inspection complete” were spoken, footsteps rushed out of the room and faded away.

Seeing him head toward the auction house, it seemed he also planned to observe the night auction.

I glared at the spot where he had disappeared, then pushed open the door.

“Hello, thank you for your hard work.”

“Not at all. What items have you brought?”

“Here are three items in total. The necessary documents and certificates are included. But before that, there’s something I’d like to confirm first.”

“Commission fees and consignment costs are non-negotiable matters…”

I felt sorry for the employee who looked tired because of Carlos just before, but I had to say what needed to be said.

Because that was also the path for this auction.

“No, what I want to ask about is the order of items going up for auction. The old books category, tenth, right? After the paintings category.”

“Yes, that’s correct. Um, excuse me, but you seem like someone I’m meeting for the first time, so how do you know that…?”

I smiled brightly.

“This is my first time here, but.”

The employee looked back and forth between the documents stamped with the pawnshop mark and my face.

“I heard a lot of stories from someone trustworthy. A whole lot.”

His eyes changed as he muttered ‘From Michele?’ and then he slowly nodded.

There was a reason for reconfirming the auction order. Out of twenty total categories, old books was the tenth.

That’s the timing when the auction excitement would be at its peak.

‘You won’t be able to escape easily.’

Because everyone will be watching.

‘Whatever you’re scheming, it won’t go according to your plan!’

I secretly clenched my fist.

***

A little later.

After finishing my conversation with the employee, I didn’t head straight to the auction house.

Instead, I came outside for a moment to get some fresh air.

‘Come to think of it, this worked out well. Carlos will also spill information about my “trap.” That bastard’s usefulness ends there. Rosaline won’t trust Carlos again after he messed up the job.’

In my previous life, Carlos received a title and territory. From those greedy Rionet people, no less.

In other words, he was a faithful limb who accomplished more than just simple errands.

This was an opportunity to cleanly cut off such a limb from the bud.

‘I wanted to hide my existence as much as possible since it’s advantageous to backstab when they underestimate me.’

But I will definitely seize this opportunity!

Even if it means giving up the stupid flower garden image I worked on Hugo with!

It was when I was returning to the auction house with this resolve that wasn’t quite a resolve.

“You.”

Something as big as a door blocked my path.

What? A guard?

What I saw when I looked up was someone completely unexpected.

“Oh, Customer?”

“Why did you come here?”

It was Alter, the crazy guy who asked me to buy him.

Running into him suddenly was bewildering, but his question was even more bewildering.

“I asked why you came to this place.”

“…Um, is this perhaps your home, Customer?”

Did I come somewhere I shouldn’t have? Is the auction house perhaps their private property?

I asked genuinely puzzled, but his brow furrowed.

“You’re saying nonsense again. Are there people who live in auction houses?”

“Well, there are people like me who live in pawnshops.”

I answered with a shrug.

Then Alter’s expression briefly hardened.

“You really… stay at that pawnshop?”

“Yes.”

“Is it your will?”

“Does that matter?”

‘To be precise, it’s not my will. It’s because of Hugo.’

By my standards, it was a completely unimportant matter, so I answered that way, but Alter’s expression became even more strange.

“Do other people know that you’re staying at that pawnshop? …Like family.”

“Well, I think they probably don’t know.”

‘To be precise, this is closer to they shouldn’t know. Because Grandfather would be upset.’

I answered casually and was surprised that Alter’s expression could crumple even more from there.

What, is he looking at me pathetically thinking there’s no flower garden like this one? Isn’t that too much?

Anyway, what this man thinks of me doesn’t matter.

The auction was about to start soon. The best method to get rid of this guy came to mind.

“I understand that you’re very curious about me, but I have important business. I’ll go ahead first!”

Namely, saying something cringeworthy and running away.

I ran off without giving him a chance to object and arrived, but what do you know.

“Perfect. I also have business at this auction house. When you finish your work, shall we talk some more.”

Unfairly, perhaps because his legs were long, Alter had arrived first. He was even wearing a black mask that he had somehow brought along.

After that, all that was visible were his eyes.

‘Huh, they were originally a mysterious color mixed with reddish light, but today they’re just gray. Maybe it’s hard to see because it’s dark at night.’

He was wearing a pitch-black shirt that covered even his neck today, so his characteristically distinctive tattoo wasn’t visible.

But wait a minute, what more when I finish my work?

Don’t tell me he’s already developed immunity to my cringeworthy words?

“And stop talking like that.”

“What kind of talk?”

“Those presumptuous words suggesting that I’m curious about you… or interested in you.”

Thank goodness.

It seems he hasn’t developed immunity yet.

“That’s how it looks to my eyes, so what can I do?”

“Do you know those eyes are bloodshot? You should suspect an eye disease.”

“When did you even look at my eyes? And it sounds that way to my ears too.”

“Don’t you think there’s a general problem with your senses?”

“But you recognized me immediately even though I’m wearing a mask. Isn’t this reasonable suspicion?”

“…It would be much more reasonable to think that I have good eyesight.”

Seeing how he counters everything I say, it doesn’t look like he’ll develop immunity anytime soon.

Geez, is it really something to hate that much?

Fine by me. I don’t want to be associated with someone suspected of being a criminal either.

‘But what on earth is he trying to talk about by acting like that?’

I was sighing and about to enter when the Guard blocked me again.

“The use of magical tools is prohibited inside the Auction House. If you have any magical tools with you, we’ll store them for you.”

“Here you go.”

What I pulled out of my bag was a telescopic baton.

“Oh my, yes. I’ll keep it safe. Sir, don’t you have anything to leave with us?”

The Guard was clearly flustered by the suddenly appearing self-defense weapon but accepted it with a practiced manner.

Alter didn’t have a bag in particular, but judging by the clinking sounds, he seemed to have brought something.

Regardless, once I entered, I was busy looking for Carlos.

‘There he is.’

The place where Carlos was sitting was the very back row of the Observation Deck.

A perfect spot to flee if things went wrong. In that case?

I’ll have to block his escape.

I sat down leaving two seats between us. It was positioned to block his route toward the Exit.

Carlos flinched when he saw someone coming, then glared at me so intensely that his whites were visible even through his mask when he realized it was me.

‘So what. What are you going to do by glaring.’

Just as I was about to glare back without backing down.

Carlos’s gaze was withdrawn as if burned by fire. On top of that, he even gulped down his saliva.

What’s this? I thought as I looked around, when suddenly a shadow fell over me.

‘What, why are you coming here?!’

The person who sat next to me was.

“Look forward.”

None other than Alter.

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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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