The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 9

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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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“Are you perhaps from the Moro Duchy?”

The man visibly hesitated.

“Why… do you think that?”

His expression was strange.

He seemed suspicious and wary, but also somewhat surprised.

Since he reacted like that to my casual question, I couldn’t just brush it off with something like ‘just had a feeling.’

“It’s nothing major… Ahem.”

Damn. It’s nothing major, but I feel like I’ve lost a useful phrase because of that lunatic who told me to buy him.

I secretly glared at the crazy man and opened my mouth.

“It’s not for any grand reason, I just heard about something that happened at pawnshops in the Moro Duchy before.”

I answered as if I’d heard some circulating rumors, but actually it was a story I’d heard directly from people of the duchy in my previous life when I’d fled to the Moro Duchy.

Since I had appraisal skills, I’d tried to work even as a temp at a pawnshop.

But when I brought up pawnshops, the employment office staff’s face turned serious.

“What, you’re from the back alleys too? Judging by how you’re looking for that kind of place?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“We have nothing to do with that dirty business, so get out!”

At first I had no idea what they meant, but as I lived there I found out.

A few years ago, some crazy bastards had committed everything from smuggling to loan sharking, and even identity laundering and human trafficking at pawnshops.

They’d even operated on quite an organized scale, so there were considerable victims.

After that, pawnshops became illegal in the Moro Duchy.

‘This is like a comprehensive gift set of crimes. No wonder they hate it.’

Once I knew the inside story, I understood.

Though I felt a bit wronged that crazy bastards had ruined a perfectly legitimate business.

“But listening to your request reminded me of that. That’s why I wondered if you were from the Moro Duchy.”

“You heard about what happened in Moro… Who told you such stories?”

I narrowed my eyes.

‘It was close to an ice-breaking question, so why is he being so sensitive about it.’

He looked ready to ask what kind of friend it was and how I’d gotten to know them if I said it was a friend.

If he’s from the Moro Duchy, then he is, and if not, then he’s not.

Reacting so sharply is something only someone with a guilty conscience would do.

‘Don’t tell me he’s a criminal from the Moro Duchy…?’

I recalled the story about criminals being on Ashen Street.

Helena had driven them out, but there could easily be remnants left.

“It’s nothing major. I just want you to buy me.”

What if that crazy talk was actually him testing whether I’d be interested in becoming an accomplice?

‘Everything fits perfectly!’

I quickly turned my mind. How should I handle this?

“I asked who told you such stories.”

Either way, there’s no need to obediently answer. He’s not my superior or anything.

Besides, since I’ve made it clear I don’t deal in stolen goods, there’s no more business to do with this guy.

Having finished my thoughts, I took a step closer to the lunatic.

Pursing my lips, with a hesitant attitude.

“Customer.”

One step, then another step.

Like someone about to tell a huge secret.

“Um, I’m not sure how to put this.”

“What do you mean?”

I glanced around briefly and gestured as if telling him to lend me his ear.

So his body, which had hesitated for a moment, came closer.

He seemed to have bent down somewhat, but I still had to stand on my tiptoes to whisper in his ear.

Doesn’t he know he’s tall? This person really has no manners.

But he smells surprisingly good, which somewhat offsets my bad mood.

“Well, you see.”

I deliberately hesitated near his ear. As if I were troubled.

Then the man urged me on in a low, slightly rough voice.

“…Tell me. I’ll listen to whatever it is.”

But unlike this fragrant yet inconsiderate man, I’d explained enough to be sufficient.

I’d also clearly stated my business policy.

So now it’s time to…

“Are you perhaps interested in me?”

Drive him away.

“…What did you say?”

The man stepped back abruptly.

His face showed he was wondering if he’d heard correctly.

I held back my inner laughter and blinked innocently as I asked back.

“You’re not? I thought you were interested in me.”

“How did you come to that conclusion?”

“Well, because you seem more curious about my personal life than the items in our store.”

It was amusing how his attitude completely changed, as if he’d never imagined hearing such words.

Should I push it a bit further while I’m at it?

“Coming during after-hours when there’s no one around, and asking only difficult questions one after another.”

I asked in the most cloying voice possible, even cupping my hands around my mouth.

“That’s right! You even asked me to buy you. Oh my, could it be that you want to hear my voice all to yourself for a long, long time? Is that why you said that?”

You think only you can say weird things? I can do it too, you know?

To him, who seemed speechless with absurdity, I smiled with my eyes crinkled.

“But you can’t monopolize me like that. I can’t give you special treatment either. As you can see, I have a face that’s popular. Sadly, you’re not the only one like this.”

‘It’s true there’s not just one or two. Because there’s actually none at all.’

Making up the story somehow brought tears to my eyes internally, but I didn’t give in and held my head up proudly.

“What kind of nonsense are you…”

“Still, well, I suppose I could show you a little consideration. Would you like to take a business card? I’ll contact you with priority when ‘legal’ pearl-embedded swords come in.”

He was asking back about consideration and priority when he shook his head with a sigh.

It seems he’s concluded that talking further would be pointless. Finally!

‘It’s hard for you to listen too, right? It’s hard for me to make up stories too. So just give me your business card and go, quickly.’

“Fine. I’ll leave it.”

A business card was surprisingly placed obediently in my outstretched hand.

Clutching it, I waved my hand exaggeratedly.

“Take care- Goodbye-.”

Whether he answered or not, having achieved my goal, I pressed the button and slammed the door shut.

‘I probably looked like an obnoxious narcissist with flowers for brains, but well, that’s bearable.’

What’s the way to stop a chain of questions?

Answer them sincerely? No. The correct answer is to block the questions themselves entirely.

To do that, it’s best to appear like someone you can’t communicate with.

They say the enemy of a lunatic is another lunatic.

‘He definitely seemed curious about this pawnshop… But it’s too dangerous to provoke or interrogate him, and I don’t have the capacity to worry about it right now. Keeping this distance is appropriate.’

I thought coolly.

I’d taken his business card just in case.

According to Grandfather, knights sometimes come by for investigative purposes.

If someone with that appearance and description were to be wanted, I planned to report it. No matter how I looked at it, that person seemed very suspicious.

I unfolded the business card that had gotten crumpled from gripping it tightly in my hand and examined it.

‘An Information Guild business card?’

The Information Guild’s mark was printed on very high-quality dark blue paper.

The silver lettering embossed above that mark was brief.

[Alter]

No surname?

I heard that Information Guild people use code names and such, so maybe it’s an alias?

“Alter, Alter it is. That’s a pretty name.”

More precisely, ‘only’ the name was pretty.

The business card might be forged. I decided to keep it safely stored as evidence for now.

I was preparing to sleep under the counter when I rubbed my temples.

‘But I definitely feel like I’ve seen a sword decorated with pearls somewhere before.’

It’s not a common decoration.

But it’s not extremely rare either. I had a feeling there were other characteristics that ‘Alter’ hadn’t mentioned yet.

I tried to recall memories from my previous life, which were hazy except for things related to Grandfather, but perhaps due to the aftereffects of opening day, I quickly became drowsy.

Now it was time to prepare for the next day. I had finished everything I needed to do today.

‘Ugh, I should have sprinkled salt before lying down…’

Except for sprinkling salt to ward off difficult customers.

***

Milton, Tesach’s aide, stole a glance at the Grand Duke who had been silent ever since returning from the pawnshop.

His face already made you want to apologize just for looking at him, but today it was even more shadowed.

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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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