The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 31

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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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A ruffian who politely extorts money—what kind of warm iced coffee combination is this?

I didn’t even have time to be flustered by this human type I’d never seen before.

‘If he’s here to extort protection money, I can’t just let him go quietly.’

Finally, a chance to test my new magical tool.

Hiding the sphere-shaped magical tool I bought from Emma in my hand, I smiled and replied.

“Permission? I think you’re mistaken about something. This is my own building. Should I show you the building registry?”

“Sacred artifacts.”

The ruffian interrupted with an unnecessarily good voice.

Sacred artifacts?

“Aren’t you dealing in sacred artifacts at your establishment? Does the Temple of the World Tree know about this?”

“The temple?”

“I’m asking if you’ve reported it.”

In principle, you had to report to the Temple of the World Tree when handling sacred artifacts.

Since sacred artifacts were under the temple’s jurisdiction.

‘But that’s a rule from almost 500 years ago.’

It’s an obsolete law that no one follows anymore.

Not only had many sacred artifacts held by the temple been lost, but the temple couldn’t manage all the newly blessed sacred artifacts that appeared after the law was established.

They couldn’t go around ransacking every believer’s home just because they didn’t report.

But the ruffian in front of me was bringing up a law from hundreds of years ago.

When I questioned him back, his eyes narrowed slightly.

“I’ll take that to mean you haven’t reported it. Then…”

“No. I never answered that way. Silence isn’t always an answer.”

I held out a file to the hesitating ruffian.

“See for yourself. Imperial Year 912, February 7th—the report filed with the temple simultaneously with the pawnshop’s opening.”

It was paperwork that Grandfather had filed himself.

‘There was another principled person like Grandfather.’

A principled person who extorts protection money from others—quite an uncommon type, but the world is wide and there are many people.

I watched the ruffian examining the documents.

More importantly, how did this guy know there were sacred artifacts here? Did he hear rumors?

But right now our shop only has one sacred artifact.

‘…Lina’s emerald pendant.’

Of course, I had only taken that pendant as collateral, never traded it.

I’d never told anyone about it. Lina would be the same.

Then this ruffian, could he be.

“As long as it doesn’t fall into Uncle’s hands. I… if I keep it, I have no power so it’ll definitely be taken away.”

‘A subordinate of that uncle?’

My blood ran cold.

Then the man snapped the file shut.

“Confirmed.”

“Then will you apologize for your hasty suspicions?”

“No. According to the owner’s way of thinking, there seem to be more things to apologize for in the future, so I’ll postpone it.”

This was the first time I’d seen someone say they still had things to be suspicious about in such a complicated and polite way.

While I was dumbfounded, the ruffian turned around.

He was heading for the 2nd floor.

“Open the door.”

The place where pawned items were stored.

In other words, where Lina’s pendant was.

“What did you say?”

“I’ll say this one last time. Open the door.”

Whether this guy was a knight ruffian or a ruffian doing knight cosplay didn’t matter anymore.

Either way was a problem.

‘Fighting against public authority is foolish, but…’

Now was the time to do something foolish!

“If you don’t open it by the time I count to three, I’ll execute it by force.”

The man was about to start counting.

I threw the magical tool I was holding at him.

“One.”

The sphere flew in an arc.

The self-defense magical tool I threw was for binding.

Emma had said it would wrap around a person’s body like a spider web when it hit them.

I’d bind this guy and publicly execute him at the assembly, saying ‘This ruffian tried to extort protection money from me!’

‘He didn’t even reveal who he was anyway. What could he do if I claimed I didn’t know he was a knight?’

That was my plan.

“Two.”

That was definitely my plan, right?

“Three.”

Thunk, thunk.

Roll roll roll.

“…”

I stared blankly at the sphere that bounced off weakly and rolled across the floor.

Emma, did you sell me a defective product…?

‘At this rate, this isn’t foolish behavior—I’m just a fool!’

The man who had been watching the rolling sphere frowned.

“What is this?”

“Haha, I have a hobby of playing catch.”

I’m screwed.

How am I supposed to explain this anyway?

“I saw your attempt at concealment clearly. Now then.”

I quickly ran over and blocked the door.

The man’s handsome brow furrowed even more.

“Move aside.”

“I can’t do that. How can I, as the owner, just watch you try to damage property?”

“Then it’s a problem that can be solved by opening the door yourself.”

“I’d like to do that too, but I lost the key. I’m quite absent-minded, you see.”

“In that case, it would be even better for you to move aside. I’ll open it for you.”

“The things inside are extremely expensive. What if you damage the pawned items while opening the door? Can you take responsibility?”

“I’ll gladly take responsibility.”

Whew.

I sighed and crossed my arms.

“Are you looking for sacred artifacts?”

He probably didn’t expect me to ask so directly.

The man, whose expression had been getting worse by the moment, stared at me intently.

“Would that change anything?”

“It would. How did you know there were any here?”

I glanced at the brooch that was flashing much faster than when I was at the counter.

‘I heard the temple uses some kind of tool when tracking sacred artifacts—this must be it. A tool that detects divine power?’

“So you found out with this?”

“I have no obligation to disclose that.”

“Ah, yes. I see.”

You’re going to invoke the law?

“Good. That works out well.”

“Are you saying you’ll open the door?”

“Of course. Naturally. If I keep resisting, I’m the only one who loses. I probably can’t overpower you physically anyway. So.”

I smiled brightly.

“Bring a search warrant.”

“…”

“Oh, and evidence too. You should at least bring a statement or a tip report, shouldn’t you?”

If he was going to do shady things while pretending to be legal, then I could just throw the law right back at him.

The ruffian who had been speechless for a moment opened his mouth.

“The rights I’m guaranteed take priority over individual property rights.”

“Well, we’ll find out in court. We’ll see whose side the judge takes.”

That guy claiming to be Lina’s uncle must be in quite a high position, right? Are you acting like this because you trust him?

Thinking of Hugo and Rosaline made me naturally cynical.

“So bring a warrant and come back. Before I call everyone in the neighborhood together.”

Seeing that this guy came alone, it seemed like that uncle didn’t want a commotion either.

He wouldn’t want rumors spreading that he caused a fuss trying to steal a single pendant from his young niece.

It was the moment I pushed away the ruffian’s arm as he approached with a confrontational attitude.

“…Ugh.”

The man whose expression had been frowning the whole time clutched his head.

I was dumbfounded.

‘No, if anyone’s going to fake an injury for extortion, it should be me, so why is he…?’

Besides, I pushed his arm but he’s clutching his head – what kind of situation is this?

Seeing his deep expertise in injury fraud, he’s definitely more of a ruffian than I imagined.

I was looking at the man with half disbelief and half awe when a completely absurd question came back.

“If it’s to the point where I can’t detect it… what kind of magical tool are you using?”

“Huh?”

“The more you try to conceal it like this, the stronger my suspicions become.”

Now he’s openly blaming me? This is textbook injury fraud.

The man’s expression looked genuinely confused.

It was such perfect acting that anyone who didn’t know the situation would have been completely fooled.

At least fortunately…

“Making threats yourself and then spouting nonsense, honestly.”

There was someone who knew the situation as a witness.

“What are you doing?”

It was Alter.

“As you can see, I was being flabbergasted.”

“I wasn’t asking you.”

Alter, who had been leaning against the doorframe watching the situation, walked over.

Actually, he’d been there since I started talking about warrants.

Seeing me half-hidden behind the ruffian, he was ready to come in immediately, but I had gestured with my eyes for him not to come.

When I said I’d call all the neighborhood people together, I was half thinking of Alter.

‘But this situation is really…’

“I’ll ask again. What are you doing here?”

Is this a fight between a criminal and a ruffian?

I have no idea which side I should root for.

‘I don’t know. Whoever wins is on our side.’

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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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