The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 32
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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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It’s already out of my hands.
It’s not like I can break up these big humans anyway.
Please just don’t break the display cases, I was thinking when the two men’s eyes met.
That’s when something really strange happened.
‘…Huh?’
The tightly stretched string of tension snapped.
‘Do they know each other?’
The ruffian looked at Alter and narrowed his eyes, while Alter looked at the ruffian and raised one eyebrow.
I was reading the situation as things took a strangely bizarre turn.
Alter was faster than the ruffian opening his mouth.
“I don’t care what you were doing. Your business seems to be finished anyway, so disappear quickly. Before she really calls everyone together like she said.”
Alter said coldly.
The ruffian watching him intently had returned to his usual expressionless face.
The ruffian turned his gaze to me and spoke in his elegant tone.
“Very well. I shall return.”
“What do you mean you’ll come back again.”
The ruffian continued, letting Alter’s harsh sarcasm go in one ear and out the other.
“However, my business is not entirely finished. Do not try to hide. I hereby notify you in advance that whatever means you use, even if you disappear, I can track you down and find you to the very end.”
“Is this telling me not to do anything foolish? It seems like you’re the one doing foolish things right now.”
“Yes, I have received your notice well.”
“Why are you answering that for him?”
“His voice was so persuasive that I couldn’t help myself.”
“That is proper conduct. I expect you to maintain such a cooperative attitude next time as well. Then.”
The man left as swiftly as he had arrived.
I watched him disappear into the distance until the end, then slowly sank down.
Alter approached with a furrowed brow.
“Hey. Are you okay? Did that guy harm you in any way?”
“No, it’s not that… I didn’t realize it when he was here, but now that he’s gone I can tell. That person’s presence is no joke. Phew.”
My legs had just lost strength, so I stood up energetically again.
I thought I saw Alter’s hand reach out and then withdraw, but I was more curious than anything else.
“Customer, do you happen to know that person?”
“…A little.”
“I see. I was confused whether he was a knight or someone who just dresses like a knight, but he really is a knight, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then do knights normally use that kind of gentlemanly ruffian speech?”
“That… what?”
Alter looked incredulous.
“That’s what you’re curious about?”
“Yes, that’s what I’m most curious about. Are all knights like that?”
‘If I ask too many questions, he’ll tell me to pay money. What if he makes another request when I’ve barely gotten a reprieve.’
More than that, Alter knows that ruffian knight.
Somehow that person seemed to know Alter too, just how notorious is this human Alter…
But this curiosity probably can’t be satisfied either.
I can’t exactly ask, “Excuse me, do you happen to be someone important in the underworld? Is that why you’re famous?”
“I don’t know if he normally uses that ruffian… like speech, but not all knights are like that.”
“Thank you.”
“Why. Because that strange question was resolved?”
“No, I’m thanking you for helping me.”
Alter hesitated.
He had an expression like he never expected to hear such words, so I couldn’t help but smile.
‘Well, from Alter’s perspective, he was probably annoyed that someone was trying to look through the 2nd floor he’s been eyeing.’
Anyway, help is help.
I could have handled it alone, but who would have known that gentlemanly ruffian would even resort to self-harm threats.
Thanks to Alter, it ended quickly. Plus, the display cases didn’t break!
I was bowing in greeting when I suddenly asked.
“But what brings you here today?”
Alter’s gaze rolled down to my feet.
My feet? I looked down again and saw something blue.
“Oh, I didn’t realize I was stepping on it. I’m sorry.”
I was stepping on his business card.
Earlier I had been rummaging through the business card case before switching to the magical device, and it must have fallen during that.
‘How rude this is in the business world!’
Of course, you who used to puff on cigarettes had no manners either!
I don’t want to become the same kind of person!
I quickly picked it up and blew on it to clean it, and Alter let out a hollow laugh.
“I can just give you a new business card.”
“Still. This is really rude behavior.”
“Have you been concerned with manners all this time? I wouldn’t know. Just take it.”
They say you only see what you want to see, this human dismissing all my efforts so far…
Still, I have committed some sins and feel guilty about some things, so I meekly accepted the new business card.
To show that I would store it carefully, I even performed the act of placing it in the most visible spot in my business card case.
“Anyway, why did you come?”
“That knight, what was he looking for?”
“Well. He just demanded I open the 2nd floor right away, so I don’t really know what his business was either.”
“He was looking for a holy relic.”
You heard from that point?
My goodness, sharp ears too.
“Didn’t you hear exactly what kind of holy relic he was looking for?”
‘Why is he curious about that?’
Wasn’t his area of interest swords?
Considering Alter’s public profession, it was hard to dismiss this as simple curiosity.
‘Maybe Lina’s uncle also made a request to the Information Guild. He would have offered big money. If he’s someone with enough power to freely command a knight, even a low-ranking one.’
After finishing my thoughts, I spoke with a dejected expression. I couldn’t give him information.
“Yes. I didn’t hear.”
It wasn’t a lie.
The man didn’t tell me exactly what he was looking for.
‘Wait, if that’s the case…’
I thought of a way to chase away that ruffian if he came looking again.
Setting that aside for now.
Right now I had to deal with Alter in front of me first.
“At first he looked like a sparkling prince, so I had expectations.”
“What exactly did you expect? And what do you mean prince?”
“Princes seem like they’d buy a lot, you know… I was in a good mood thinking today’s sales would be high, but then this happened.”
“…There isn’t a single part of what you just said that makes sense.”
I pulled down the corners of my mouth as far as possible and mumbled, making Alter shake his head.
It seems I succeeded in looking pitiful. My public image was gradually becoming stranger, but whatever.
That’s the only way to stop this question mark serial killer’s questions.
That’s when it happened.
Ding. The telegraph rang.
Who could it be? William? Hanna?
I approached with delight, but when I sprayed the solution and saw the revealed text, I froze in place.
“So that knight didn’t mention any specific business?”
“….”
“Hey? Are you listening?”
“Customer, I’m sorry, but could we continue this conversation later?”
“Why?”
“Something very urgent has come up.”
I sent the bewildered Alter away, locked the door, and ran to the Merchant Guild Hall.
…It’s Hanna. Only one thing has changed from the existing form.
The guarantor.
To get approval, you need either blood relatives or nobles whose very existence serves as proof…
***
Tesagh, who had come out unexpectedly, watched the direction where Elisha had run off and disappeared. The guild hall.
They said there’s a general meeting today, but is that such an urgent matter?
‘No. There’s something else important.’
Tesagh knew who the knight he had just seen was.
‘Ailen Hugo Radeian. The captain of the Empire’s Royal Knights. Why is he here?’
Why would someone who’s the captain of the Royal Knights be interested in this pawnshop?
Moreover, he said he was looking for a holy relic. A holy relic.
‘Could it be Rugenote?’
It wasn’t an impossible speculation.
The Moro Duchy and the Pressliffe Empire shared the same World Tree faith. Their views on holy relics were similar too.
Rugenote, a precious holy relic that was practically a national treasure of the duchy.
There was every possibility the Empire would covet it.
In fact, Tesagh was already suspecting that Eivor, the mage who stole the sacred sword, might have been acting on the Empire’s orders.
‘But if Eivor had offered the sword to them, there’d be no reason for the Royal Knights captain to come looking for it himself. …Could it be that Eivor betrayed the Empire as well?’
Tesagh’s expression, which had grown serious, suddenly relaxed.
Elisha’s words came to mind.
‘Gentle ruffian…. Ha, she’s probably the only one who would refer to the Empire’s Royal Knights captain that way.’
In any case, that gentle ruffian wouldn’t have recognized him.
It was a magical device completed by the duchy’s finest mages, who poured their maximum magical power into it, considering the possibility that disguise magical tools might weaken under the influence of holy power.
Even if he’s the Royal Knights captain, it would be difficult to overcome the magical power poured in by dozens of mages.
‘Still, judging by how sharp his gaze was when he looked at me, his perception and intuition aren’t bad. A captain is a captain, I suppose.’
But there was something that bothered him.
It was what the captain had said to the woman.
“If it’s to the extent that I couldn’t notice… what kind of magical device did you use?”
‘Why did he seem distressed when that woman touched him?’
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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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