100CIM - Chapter 27

“I thought you knew since you recognized the source of information for all things.”

“I just hit him.”

They didn't seem to be interested in selling anything at all and instead kept asking if she had any other purpose.

It was a very different reaction from the owner of the store that sold hair dye.

“Any store would welcome a customer dressed so extravagantly, but that person didn’t do that.”

The night listened to her in silence.

“So that means there are customers who will pay more than the wealthy people who come to these stores to buy things.”

In fantasy novels, an informant always appears at least once, so Simone guessed it just in case.

“But how did you know about the night?”

“I recognized it at a glance.”

The night opened her eyes.

“Informants usually have an unlucky look in their eyes. As if he could do anything.”

"That's right. Fertilization is basic, right?”

Osek, another guard standing next to Bam, muttered! He nodded his head.

Simone looked around.

A person with unlucky eyes.

If what they say is true, it looks like this village has truly been completely conquered by the world behind it.

Not only do they all have fierce eyes, but you can easily see people carrying small daggers.

'The half appears to be an adventurer sent by a nobleman.'

Simone frowned.

“But the Grand Duke doesn’t manage it? It’s the estate closest to the mansion.”

It was Grand Duke Illeston, who was always doing something. Considering how he manages the people who use the mansion, he probably isn't the type of person to watch the village closest to the mansion run like this.

“Even if he tries to manage it, he won’t be able to.”

Although he holds the title of Grand Duke, he is in a miserable position, maintaining only his name and no real power because he is actually a contributor to the founding of the empire.

Even if other nobles used this territory, there was no power to stop them.

Would Archduke Illeston, who has no say, even blink an eye if he raised the issue?

200 years have already passed since the Illeston family's territory became public property for the nobles and the humans of the rest of the world.

Now, transactions taking place in this territory are not a bad thing, but a normal and natural thing.

“There it is.”

Bam smiled bitterly.

“I don’t know either. From the Lord’s point of view, it is a village that can be said to be fortunate that the economy is functioning like this.”

They sell information, they sell skills, and they also sell alcohol and food. Only then can the economy work.

If they were to expel them after 200 years of habitual and stable situation, they would lose all of their already small number of permanent residents due to poor consumption and supply.

If the archduke, who is young and passionate but has no power, tries to block it now, the opposition will only intensify and it will not be resolved.

Simone's gaze turned to the devastated village again.

Once all the curses on the family are lifted, the Duke of Illestone will have to destroy this village where something that is not natural has been taken for granted, despite the backlash.

Just thinking about it takes her breath away.

“He must be really worried, Grand Duke Illeston.”

“But we still have hope.”

Anna smiled broadly and looked at Simone.

“Now that we have Simone, things will get better little by little.”

“I hope so. I don’t want to see things like this anymore.”

Bam said, blinking at the sight of the village.

“Well, I’m just lifting the curse.”

Is there anything more burdensome than being someone’s hope?

Simone naturally avoided Anna's gaze and stopped abruptly.

“...Uh?"

The straw in Simone's mouth fell into the cup.

Samn. What did I just see?

“Simone, why are you doing this?”

“Simone?”

What are you seeing?

The moment Anna was about to turn her head to where Simone's gaze landed.

“Don’t look!”

“Yes, yes?”

Simone shouted urgently. And she also hurriedly straightened her head.

She had seen all sorts of things since coming to this world, but this was the first time in her life that she had seen anything like that.

A man who walks the streets on high alert, accompanied by an adventurer.

She didn't know if he was an aristocrat or a wealthy merchant, but he was a man who was as striking as Simone with his high-quality and flashy clothes.

But Simone did not see the sensitive face of the rich man.

At first, she wondered if he had appeared wearing a long hat.

But it wasn't a hat.

It was a person standing upside down, head to head with the sign.

Simone was so surprised that all of the employees froze at the look on her face and only turned their eyes in the direction Simone had seen.

'For some reason, I thought today would end quietly.'

There can be no quiet day in Simone's eventful life.

At that time, Simone felt that her shoulders had become very light.

The ghost, who had been persistently clinging to her and occasionally whispering for her to die, quickly fell on Simone and disappeared.

"Why..."

You got scared again and disappeared.

While Simone was doing her best to ignore it, the man was coming towards this place.

The wide eyes of the woman standing upside down on top of the man rolled their pupils quickly. And soon the gaze turned to Simone.

"Hello. I’m sorry, but I have to ask you something.”

The man approached Simone and spoke to her. Why? Simone says. She sighed deeply and looked at the man.

“...Yes?"

“I’m sorry for interrupting your conversation with your group. There was nowhere to ask.”

The middle-aged man asked politely in a very polite tone, but Simone could not concentrate on what he was saying.

What on earth is that? Why is the woman like that? What kind of situation is this?

All of Simone's attention was focused on the woman who was facing the man, rolling her unclosed eyes like a lizard and staring at Simone fiercely.

The woman's long hair was spilling out next to the man's temples. The blood flowing from her eyes was soaking the man's forehead, but only Simone could see it.

“Excuse me, but where is the ‘everything store’ here? Haha, it’s my first time coming here and I got lost.”

“Ah, a general store.”

"Fortunately, there is a noble like me here. I was scared because I had nowhere to ask.”

It seems that the man spoke to Simone because he thought she was a noblewoman. Simone did not respond to his words but pointed in the direction where the general store was.

“The store of all things is over there.”

"Oh, I see."

Go quickly.

Simone doesn't know what the story is between this man and that woman, but she's already in a state of confusion about the Illeston Mansion, so she doesn't want to get involved in something strange.

However, rather than returning, the middle-aged man spoke again as if he was very happy to see the nobleman he had met in this wasteland.

“But what brings you to a place like this? It was fate that led us to meet each other like this, so why not have a cup of tea?”

“...”

“Now that I think about it, you're someone I’ve never seen at the banquet. I’ve never seen someone so beautiful. Could it be that you don’t enjoy socializing?”

“..."

“I am Viscount Choz Oliver.”

That's a lot of talk.

Simone was hoping to go back quickly, but Oliver seemed like he wanted to just sit here and talk.

Why is it like that, so burdensome?

Even though Simone's expression and posture showed that she was very burdened, Oliver continued to talk.

As a result, only the casual workers sitting nearby continued to look at Simone and the Viscount.

“By the way, what is the Lady’s name? If I meet you someday, I’ll have to say hello-”

“If you came to a place like this for a purpose, wouldn’t it be polite not to ask for your name?”

Oliver was taken aback by Simone's cold words and stopped talking. Then, his expression hardened and he greeted Simone.

“I’m sorry if you felt burdened. It's nice to have a noble like me in a town like this. Then I will leave without disturbing you.”

Oliver turned and walked towards the general store with his servants.

He's going. The moment Simone felt relieved. The woman, who was standing upright with her head against the man, began to fall quickly, her legs first, towards Simone.

“Uh oh. Ahh!"

The woman's leg attacked Simone with tremendous force. Simone screamed and got up from her seat.

“Lady?”

Anna and the escort knights quickly approached Simone, and Oliver, who was about to leave, looked back at Simone with startled eyes.

“Are you okay?”

Simone opened her tightly closed eyes.

“...Uh?"

The woman was nowhere above Oliver's head or around Simone.

In vain...  She probably didn't see it, but was it just a ghost passing by and playing pranks?

“Young lady, are you okay?”

"Ah yes. It's okay."

“Thank goodness. Then I will go. Please be careful. It seems like there are a lot of dangerous people here.”

Simone nodded and Oliver returned.

Simone looked around blankly and stood up.

“Now let’s go back to the mansion.”

"Yes!"

“I’ll go back after seeing all the chapters! Simone, see you later!”

Simone nodded and headed to the carriage. The old ghost, who had left until she returned to the mansion again, did not return.

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