The World Mistakes Me for Terminally Ill - Chapter 45
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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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The World Thinks I’m Terminally Ill Episode 045
Did my clever and vicious cousin only think of raiding an affair scene?
‘That can’t be.’
She would have thought to capture this scene in case this matter got quietly buried or didn’t go well.
Cameras of this era can only take black and white photos, but with the addition of magic, they can exist in various forms.
However, unfortunately for my cousin, I had a very capable magical assistant husband who could detect the flow of mana.
‘That means he knew it was a magic camera.’
But why did he leave it alone? It could be useful at times like this, and there’s no reason to refuse when someone offers to take promotional materials for free.
I whispered to Shasha, who had completely frozen.
“I certainly didn’t notice at first. I’m not rotten enough to suspect someone’s parents’ keepsake like someone else.”
I held the teardrop-shaped diamond necklace up to the moonlight.
What should have created elegant brilliance with its 58 facets reflecting light was distorted due to a lens someone had forcibly attached next to the main stone.
“But no matter how I look at it, it’s strange. Who would want to damage the value of their precious item? Especially something so precious that your aunt personally cut for you.”
The Lert family mainly deals with gem polishing and jewelry crafting, and the late aunt was a polisher.
Shasha had subtly disliked that since childhood.
It was obvious she thought working was lowly. She only wanted to consume what others had painstakingly made.
“Gems change their brilliance and beauty depending on the cutting. A pear cut (teardrop shape) requires very delicate technique and is high-difficulty cutting.”
She could dislike inheriting the family business. She could be ignorant because she disliked it.
But at least she should have understood the value of the item that brought her here.
“When someone without an eye for quality ruined it, it’s natural to be curious, isn’t it?”
That was what led me to ask Shubel if he could sense any magical energy from Shasha’s necklace.
I left Shasha, whose expression had completely crumbled, and turned to Jeron who approached to report.
“We’ve secured the individual presumed to be a reporter.”
“Good work, Sir Jeron.”
The blackmailer used as Shasha’s tool was decided to be dealt with according to law.
Uncle Degen was dragged away by knights on charges of slandering me.
“Elisia! Elisia! Wait, listen to this uncle! This is all Shasha’s doing…!”
The Lert father and daughter seem to have forgotten, but since I bear the name of Lunein, I’m now a noble.
And the crime of slandering a noble is a serious offense that can lead to death at maximum.
“Oh, but.”
I peeked my face out beside Shubel and waved gently at Uncle Degen departing for the cold prison—Shubel remained still with a languid expression—then turned back to Shasha.
The defeated loser who had lost all means looked at me with a venomous face, her usual mask stripped away.
“I’ve always been curious, why do you hate me so much? I don’t think I’ve ever been particularly bad to you.”
When I asked what exactly was wrong with her to have such rotten character, Shasha ground her teeth.
“Don’t act so superior, it’s disgusting.”
“Well, at least you’re not acting anymore, I see.”
“How long do you think you can enjoy popularity? You might be holding on now. But once you get a little older, you’ll be finished too!”
Hmm?
“There will be plenty of younger, prettier girls. Do you think your husband will care about you when you’re already past your prime?”
At the words that burst out like an inferiority complex, I quietly turned to Shubel.
“That’s what she says. What do you think?”
He answered cheekily.
“Sorry, but I’m not into unripe things. Green stuff is usually astringent and bitter.”
…I meant it didn’t matter to us since we’re a showwindow couple.
But it unintentionally became a snipe at the scrawny Shasha.
I looked back and forth between the shocked Shasha and my husband with firm preferences, then laughed in disbelief.
“Just wait, when I return to the capital, I’ll definitely expose your true nature. I’ll make you regret this miserably…”
I looked at Shasha, who firmly believed she could be released quietly, with a pitying expression.
“Oh dear, Shasha.”
“Don’t call my name with that filthy mouth!”
“Then should I call you the Saint of the Swan Mask?”
Shasha’s bloodshot eyes widened.
“The founder of the House of Angels who disappeared, causing chaos in the capital now… that was about three weeks ago, right? Coincidentally, exactly when you came to the north for recuperation.”
Shasha’s lips trembled.
“…Do you have proof?”
I smiled kindly.
“No.”
“Then don’t falsely accuse innocent people.”
“Well, experts will judge that now.”
With those words, the expert who would handle the final climax of this play appeared.
“Good evening, everyone. Sorry to interrupt your conversation. I’ll excuse myself for official business. I’m Hailey Michelle, financial administrator of the Imperial Treasury.”
At the appearance of the financial administrator I’d seen once during the Elbanon Trading Guild incident, Shasha’s face turned pale as if she’d seen a ghost.
“You can call me anything, but please don’t call me financial administrator. I’m about to resign soon.”
“Are you really going to resign this time?”
“Lady Elisia, thank you as always for the prompt tip. As for your question, yes, I will resign.”
It’ll probably fall through again after handling this case…
Though I thought that inwardly, since capable talent entering the market is always welcome, I offered lip service.
“If you successfully resign, come to Lunein. I’ll make sure you get proper vacation time.”
“What sweet words. I’ll definitely remember that.”
The mad dog of the Finance Bureau, who briefly chatted with me, lived up to his legend of never letting go of prey once caught, his eyes gleaming.
“Miss Shasha Lert, the Lert family is currently subject to financial audit for illegal asset accumulation and cannot move. You’ll need to come with us.”
Hearing those words, I recalled the report the Gray Wolf Knights commander had filed on the day Shasha first visited Lunein.
‘She said she forgot her identification.’
It was such an obvious ploy that I wondered if she was acting to evoke sympathy again.
But as I began investigating the connection between Shasha and the Saint of the Swan Mask, I thought it might actually be true.
‘Situations where you can’t freely use identification usually mean involvement in crime.’
Especially if the Finance Bureau was investigating, even taking a train would be difficult since the financial administrator would chase like a mad dog.
That was why the tip went to Hailey.
“No, this can’t be- Let go! Kyaa!”
I watched Shasha being dragged away by the financial administrator, more ruthless than northern knights, and waved gently again.
“Farewell, my dear cousin.”
Since she’d be confined in the Finance Department, which is harder to escape from than the imperial prison, I didn’t need to worry about Shasha running away.
“Of course, don’t expect to miraculously recover. I don’t forgive anyone who touches what’s mine. Wait there a little and I’ll strip off your pretty mask.”
Anyway, if the Finance Bureau had doubts about the money flow, it was only a matter of time before the saint’s identity was exposed. I planned to add a little seasoning to that.
After repelling the father and daughter who came to leech off me, I was humming happily when Shubel looked down at me thoughtfully.
“You look happy, my lady.”
“Hm? Well, yes, I am. Thank you for helping this time. Thanks to you, I resolved it easily.”
Without Shubel confirming the camera’s existence and immediately sharing the knights’ reports with me, I couldn’t have defeated the Lert father and daughter so easily.
‘And I didn’t expect that earlier.’
‘The air is thick.’
I didn’t know he’d take my side like that.
I thought it would be fine to just stay quiet. Honestly, even if she’s a contract wife, it wouldn’t be pleasant to see your wife with a strange man late at night.
And I realized.
‘Ah.’
Even if he’s a contract husband… a husband is still a husband.
The reason my mood kept dropping every time I saw Shasha clinging to Shubel was because she was touching ‘what’s mine.’
When I made a blank expression, he quietly tilted his head.
“My lady?”
Looking at the man who felt unusually close today, I quickly came to my senses.
“…It’s nothing, we should head back now.”
“Yes.”
The trip to Jeneide Hot Springs.
We had eliminated the ‘line’ between us at this place.
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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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