The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 224

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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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Late at night.

I saw off Hanna and Tilly, who had come to buy old books but ended up staying longer.

“This place always makes me feel so at peace whenever I come here. Today was especially nice because it was quiet… Ow.”

“Tilly!”

Hanna, who had smacked the back of the hopelessly introverted Tilly, frantically gave him warning looks.

Only then did Tilly realize his mistake of saying “it was nice because it was quiet” in front of the manager who was worried about having no customers, and he bit his lip.

“You’ll be much busier from now on! This kind of leisure time is rare, so it was good like meeting a precious book, something like that!”

“Haha. I know what you mean. I also had fun talking about books with you two to my heart’s content.”

“Then please contact me if you get any other works by August, Manager! We’ll be going now!”

Existing customers including Hanna and Tilly stopped by the pawnshop as soon as news spread that I had returned.

Like the people of Ashen Street, they were initially a bit flustered about how to address me.

But those who first met me at the pawnshop all treated me as usual. For me, that was fortunate.

“Oh, wait a moment. Hanna, do you happen to know someone named ‘Cedric Calamaine’?”

“Well…? Gasp, was there an author I didn’t know?! Tilly, do you know?”

“No, I’ve never heard of him! Who is he?! If the Manager specifically mentions him, he must be a promising author, but why don’t I know him?!”

“No, just go on home now…”

Hmm, I picked the wrong people to ask.

As I watched the backs of the two people happily returning home with armfuls of books, a large, dark silhouette caught my eye.

I could tell without looking closely. Having quickly finished closing up, I smiled brightly and pushed open the door.

“Tesagh!”

However, the moment I saw Tesagh’s front as he turned around, my expression became somewhat subtle.

“Why did you suddenly come with your shirt all unbuttoned again?”

Two weeks ago, and this morning too, he had his buttons properly fastened.

But the current Tesagh was just like the first moment I saw him.

That is to say…

“You look like a really upstanding bad guy.”

“If I’m a bad guy, I’m a bad guy, but what’s an upstanding bad guy?”

“Like a bad guy who’s sincere about everything, so he unnecessarily gives his all even to bad deeds.”

“…So, you don’t like it?”

“To me, it’s naturally familiar. I’ve even gotten so used to it that you look somewhat cool. I’m just wondering how many people on this street besides me could make eye contact with Tesagh.”

“Then that’s fine.”

What’s fine…?

Lost in confusion, I began walking with Tesagh.

Our destination, Cedric’s mansion, was about a 15-minute walk.

Tesagh, who had naturally taken my emotion tool bag at some point, spoke up.

“I stopped by the Imperial Palace this afternoon. For someone who had been tormented by Eivor for nearly a year, the Emperor’s recovery speed was fast.”

“Really? That’s a relief!”

“Princess Katarina also seems to be doing well in her role as temporary Regent King. Well, since Crodil’s faction self-destructed, there aren’t any particular obstacles.”

“Why do you sound somewhat displeased? Gasp, did you fight like during the Ruby Tablet meeting?”

“Fight about what. …damn it.”

“What?”

“She was bragging to me about having a pajama party with the Princess at the Duke of Alchemiya’s residence last holiday. Asking if I knew how cute you were sleeping soundly. …I couldn’t exactly say I knew.”

“Pfft!”

Even as he grumbled “Why are you laughing,” Tesagh tightened his grip on the hand holding mine.

“Huh? That mansion was originally empty, but there are lights on. Someone must have bought it recently. This is the capital city center, so it must be incredibly expensive. Whoever it is must have a lot of money.”

“…Ahem.”

“Tesagh, did you catch a cold? How about buttoning up a few buttons even now?”

“No. It’s fine.”

During the two weeks we were apart, I had wondered if that time felt long only to me.

“By the way, why were you grabbing Milton by the collar and shaking him, no, giving him ‘special treatment’?”

“Milton had two assigned tasks. One was to report if there were any unusual circumstances regarding you, and the other was to report if there were any unusual circumstances at the pawnshop.”

“And?”

“But Milton asked if those weren’t the same task. Saying that you, Elisha, are the pawnshop.”

“Ah, I see. So that’s why Tesagh didn’t know the pawnshop was completely empty without customers?”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m planning to transfer that guy to carrier pigeon duty soon.”

“…As a pigeon…?”

But it seems the waiting wasn’t mine alone. Judging by how our conversation never ceased like this.

Just holding hands and walking the night streets together was enjoyable.

“About what you mentioned earlier. I could understand the trespassing, threats, and identity fraud, but what’s the property damage? Have you ever broken anything at the pawnshop, Tesagh?”

“I don’t think you should just understand those things, but anyway, do you remember when I said the roof was damaged by heavy rain? That was because of me. When I infiltrated the pawnshop through the ceiling window…”

“What did you say?!”

“…You didn’t know?”

“Tesagh was the culprit?! Do you know how much I suffered fixing that! No wonder you flinched when I said the roof was leaking!”

“I’m sorry. I’ll call someone to fix it again, no, I’ll try to fix it myself…”

“Forgiveness canceled!”

Enjoyable my foot. That’s canceled too.

I was fuming when my expression softened at the ice cream that the flustered Tesagh had bought.

“I’m not over being angry yet.”

“Okay.”

It just happened to be cherry and lemon flavors that I liked.

“…I want to try a bite of Tesagh’s too.”

“What do you mean, mine? I didn’t even buy one for myself in the first place.”

Tesagh, who gave an answer that I couldn’t tell was joking or serious, fed me a bite of the lemon-flavored ice cream.

As I stayed still to savor the taste, Tesagh seemed to misunderstand something and cleared his throat before speaking slowly.

“I was going to buy all the flavors, but since it was late, they said there were only three flavors left.”

“Hmm? But why did you only buy two flavors? …Ah.”

The remaining one was blueberry flavor. The fruit I used to love most, but couldn’t touch for a while.

Even though I had met Grandfather again, perhaps out of habit, I couldn’t readily reach for it.

Or maybe it was because I remembered someone else who used to enjoy eating blueberries, not Grandfather.

“…I still can’t meet Crescens, right?”

‘Eivor’, ‘Crescenziano’, ‘End’, or Crescens.

He was said to be in a very deep prison beneath the Imperial Palace.

Tesagh nodded.

“Even though opinions are narrowing toward acquittal, since the trial is still ongoing, visits from outsiders are difficult.”

“But Rosaline and Duie Delphia could be met with permission even before the verdict. Probably…”

“Right. He’s refusing visits himself.”

Even after the World Tree’s disappearance, time flows on.

But Crescens’s time was still stopped.

[I’m sorry. And thank you.]

I wanted to answer the note he had sent.

Though I hadn’t decided what answer to give yet.

“When visits become possible, shall we go together?”

Tesagh, as if understanding my complicated feelings, said so in a tone that was neither too light nor too heavy.

“Yes. I’d like that.”

So I could answer calmly as well.

After scraping up every bit of the ice cream.

When I pressed the doorbell at Cedric’s mansion, a young woman greeted us.

She introduced herself as a manager. It seemed she also handled personal life management.

“I’m sorry to trouble such an esteemed person with this kind of matter. Please come in.”

“Oh, no. Please don’t say such things.”

There’s no need to treat me with such respect!

As I awkwardly entered the mansion, I soon realized that her words were accurate in a certain sense.

“You’ve arrived, Appraiser! I’ve been waiting for you!”

“Cedric? Hello. What is the item you’d like me to appraise?”

“Haha, you’re looking at it right now.”

“…What?”

“‘Cedric Calamaine’. Please appraise me directly. From head to toe.”

‘Esteemed person’ wasn’t the point.

The key point was ‘this kind of matter’.

‘But still, to say such things even after seeing Tesagh behind me, he really has some nerve…’

“…Why aren’t you saying any… Ueoh?!”

Hmm.

It seems he was too busy giving me eye smiles to notice Tesagh.

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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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