The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 64

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

***

The next day.

Setting out on the road at dawn, I pushed open the door to Emma’s magic item shop.

“Sister, do you have time now? I have something to discuss.”

“Yeah, I’m a rare morning person among mages, you know. I actually had something to tell you too, come in!”

Emma, who was indeed a rare type of mage in many ways, gestured for me to enter.

After taking a sip of the tea she offered, I placed the hourglass down with a thunk.

Emma glanced at me while looking at the hourglass.

“Oh my, so you decided to help that strange knight after all?”

“There’s nothing bad about becoming friends with someone in high places. Besides, aren’t you curious about who’s bold enough to poison a knight?”

“Michele would be absolutely shocked to hear that.”

Emma made a wry expression, then soon grinned.

“But me? I’m not Michele! Since you brought it anyway, what can we do? Let’s quickly take it apart.”

“You were secretly curious too, weren’t you, sister?”

“Of course I was curious. And actually, I’m somewhat interested in the spoils.”

“Spoils?”

When I looked puzzled, Emma spoke in a sly voice.

“Oh, you. Think about it – all these countless grains of sand are mana stones. Do you know how much this is worth? I won’t tell Michele, so can’t I just take half of half of half? Hm? That much disappearing wouldn’t be noticeable, right?”

Ah, so that’s why?

I smiled and raised both hands.

“Sister, you can take it all.”

“Really?!”

“I was planning to dispose of these sand grains anyway. It would be better if you handled them safely.”

“You won’t change your mind later, right?”

“Yes, just set aside what you’ll use for samples and investigation.”

“Well, of course! My goodness, all of this is mine? I feel like I won the lottery! Hurry up and take it apart, okay?”

Emma urged excitedly.

I disassembled the hourglass with the tools I brought and poured the sand onto a cloth with strange patterns carved on it.

“Good. First, let me check if these are mana stones.”

Light burst from Emma’s fingertips.

It seemed she was removing the concealment magic cast on the mana stones.

Emma, who had been moving her fingers as if playing piano, opened her eyes with a completely flushed face.

“They’re mana stones! All of them are mana stones!”

Emma, who had been cheering, glanced at me.

“Well, of course that strange knight was in big trouble, yeah.”

“I’m fine, sister. You can speak comfortably.”

“Okay. But more than I thought… the purity isn’t that high?”

Emma scratched her chin.

“Since they poisoned a knight, I thought the purity would be premium grade. But this is… let’s see, high grade, which is slightly lower than premium?”

“But that’s still high, isn’t it? It’s certain that whoever made this hourglass had impure intentions.”

“Right. They probably decided to compete with quantity by pouring in high-grade mana stones. Premium grade isn’t available on the market.”

Emma explained about mana stone grades.

But I already knew the mana stone classification system well, even without Emma’s explanation.

It wasn’t just because it was necessary for appraisal.

“…The main source of premium mana stones is the mine in Rionet Duchy, but now it’s depleted…”

The premium mana stone mine in Rionet Duchy.

That was because it had been the Rionet Ducal House’s past source of income.

In a way, it was also the beginning of everything.

‘When the mine was depleted and there was no source of money, Rosaline started the cloning business.’

Furthermore, her attempt to get her hands on Grandfather’s private wealth was also because of that.

The cloning business couldn’t cover the already expanded expenses.

“Anyway, let’s talk about that later. Now shall we find out what kind of mage cast the concealment magic?”

Hm? Talk about it later?

Did she have more to say about the mine?

But before I could even ask, Emma began concentrating again.

Unlike before when she quickly identified them as mana stones, this time took much longer.

“Hmm… this is strange…”

It was when I had been fanning Emma, who was sweating profusely, for a while.

Emma opened her eyes, wiped her sweat, and sighed.

“I can’t see the spell formula.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I couldn’t see it when I looked through the magic tool you brought either, but I thought it was because I was looking indirectly.”

Something suddenly flashed through my mind.

“But I can’t see it this time either. It’s strange – there’s definitely magic concealing that these are mana stones.”

‘Then that newspaper article I saw in the future…’

[…no spell formula was found at the scene where the Knight Commander died…]

‘Was there really no spell formula? It wasn’t that Crodil manipulated the investigation results?’

Lost in thought, I asked.

“So you’re certain magic is cast, but you just can’t see the spell formula?”

“Yeah. Whoever it is, they’re definitely a very skilled mage. They cast concealment magic on the spell formula itself. Hah, who could it be?”

“…Sister, are there mages without spell formulas?”

I asked this wondering if I could think about it differently.

But Emma, who had been wiping her sweat, laughed loudly.

“Hahaha, that’s impossible!”

“But if even a capable mage like you can’t read the spell formula, maybe it’s because there isn’t one to begin with…”

“Maybe you got confused because I said spell formulas were like signatures at first. For mages, spell formulas are like footprints in snow. When you step on snow, footprints are always left, right? When magic is used, spell formulas are bound to remain.”

Emma seemed to think I was trying to comfort her.

“Oh you, are you doing this because you’re worried I’ll hurt my pride? You’ve grown up, really grown up.”

Emma patted my head as if I were cute and added.

“Of course there are those who are good at hiding footprints in snow. By sweeping them away with a broom, covering them with fallen leaves, or wearing special shoes to pretend they’re animal tracks. That’s concealment magic.”

“Then…”

“They’re definitely there, but I just can’t see them. Each mage has different areas of expertise. As you know, mine is healing, not tracking.”

Emma spoke cheerfully, but somehow her words bothered me.

What if it were someone who could fly like a bird?

Then wouldn’t magic without footprints be entirely possible?

‘Magic without footprints? That sounds like something I’ve heard somewhere before. Hmm, I can’t remember right now.’

But just because Emma couldn’t track it didn’t mean I should give up at all.

As Emma said, each mage has different areas of expertise.

The very mage I had asked Emma to inquire about was…

‘A tracking expert.’

I was about to ask Emma about the progress when I grinned.

Emma clapped her hands.

“Anyway, sorry I couldn’t figure out who the culprit is. Oh, right! It’s not exactly a substitute, but I got news about that mage you were looking for, Elisha!”

“Oh my, that’s definitely adequate news! Where is that woman?”

When I brightened up, Emma stared at me intently.

What’s this? Why is sister suddenly looking at me so wistfully…?

“So the mage you’re looking for really was a woman…”

“Yes?”

“No, no. I’m being silly, dear.”

Emma, who had been saying incomprehensible things, cleared her throat.

“Ahem, but about that mage, it seems like it’ll be difficult to meet him right away.”

“Why?”

“Well, you see… it seems like he’s been captured by someone right now…?”

“What?! By whom?”

Wait.

I remembered how Emma had said we’d talk later when she was discussing Rionet’s mine earlier.

…Could it be?

“He went into the Rionet Duchy and then disappeared.”

I had a feeling, and sure enough.

Emma, who had been watching my expression, laughed exaggeratedly and said.

“But you know? He’s a mage, not just anyone! He’ll escape soon and come to see you. So don’t worry too much…”

“No. If I’m thinking correctly, that person needs help right now.”

“Oh my? How do you know that…?”

Emma covered her mouth.

“It’s the pull of souls! Your hearts are connected even when you’re apart!”

I couldn’t understand what Emma was talking about, but I asked her.

“Sister, you said earlier we’d talk about the mine again. Do you think that mage went to look for mana stones?”

“Y-yes! My friend saw him near the mana stone mine. So she followed him, and he went straight into the Duke’s Residence!”

“And then?”

“He didn’t come out even after a long time. Instead, a carriage came out, so when we investigated where that carriage was headed…!”

“Pagnon County. Right?”

Emma clasped her hands together.

“Yes, this is what you call destiny…”

“Pardon?”

“Right, Pagnon County. That’s where he went.”

Anyway, if the mage is currently in Hugo’s Pagnon County?

‘I can solve this.’

Because I had expected something like this.

It was a bit surprising that Rosaline and Hugo moved faster than I thought, but,

‘I’ll make the first move!’

I just need to move faster, don’t I?

“Elisha. Whatever Michele says, I’m on your side.”

However, I had no idea how to deal with Emma’s wistful gaze.

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