Chapter 12
“That Village Chief Felix…
He’s always smiling and kind, but he’s definitely not an easy man to deal with.
Why?
Because whenever merchants traded with him, they never managed to get the price they originally planned to charge.
That was already letting him off easy! This is so unfair!
If the village chief had known just a little more about market prices, the merchant wouldn’t even have been able to overcharge him that much.
The merchant’s crushed pride began to rebel.
“I-I made a fair deal! I even have an Arsenia Empire Merchant Qualification Seal! Besides, I’m a merchant. Surely I know more about truffles than anyone else!”
“Really?”
“But I’ve probably eaten more truffles than you.”
“My family was very strict, so I even have this.”
Click.
Celine removed one of the qualification seals from the bracelet hidden beneath her sleeve and held it in front of the merchant’s face.
It was an oval badge with a gold border and a deep red background.
Engraved on it was a golden basket filled with fruits and vegetables.
The swindler, who prided himself on knowing noble affairs, nearly lost his composure.
The “Master Ingredient Specialist” certificate…
The qualification issued only once a year by the Continental Culinary Association?!
Anyone—noble or commoner—could attempt to earn it.
But passing was almost impossible.
Among the nobility…
There was only one family famous enough to possess qualifications like this.
The merchant’s lips trembled.
“Could your family name possibly be…?”
“Shh.”
Celine mercilessly pressed her slender white index finger against his thick lips.
“Mmph?”
The merchant’s eyes widened.
Smiling faintly, Celine answered ambiguously.
“If you say any more… you’ll get hurt.”
“……”
The merchant’s eyes quivered so much that tears began to gather.
I’m already getting hurt!
His collarbone had finally recovered…
Now it felt as though he was about to lose his teeth.
“You look surprised.”
“Do you regret it now?”
“Mmph! Mmph!”
Celine knew exactly what misunderstanding he had made.
The owner family of Étoile Restaurant in the Kingdom of New Mabel—
The Count Étoile Family.
They owned more than 30,000 restaurants across the continent.
He’s probably assuming I’m an illegitimate child or a distant branch member of that family.
That’s actually more convenient for me.
No matter how bold this swindler was…
There was no way he would ever dare visit the prestigious Count Étoile Family demanding they hand over one of their relatives.
Celine removed her finger from his lips.
“Anything else you want to say?”
“Urgh…”
Holding his mouth with both hands, the merchant shook his head repeatedly, tears streaming down his face.
Then he lowered his head.
“I-I’m… sorry.”
His fighting spirit had completely disappeared.
Celine held out her hand.
The merchant slowly looked up.
She raised one eyebrow.
“The ledger.”
“Y-Yes? Th-The ledger? Where did I put it…?”
He hurriedly pulled out an old notebook from inside his vest.
“Not that one.”
“The hidden ledger.”
“……”
The old notebook quietly disappeared back into his clothes.
Instead…
He took out a clean, expensive notebook from his trouser pocket.
“H-Here it is, Miss.”
Bowing at a perfect ninety degrees, he offered it with both hands.
“You should’ve done that from the beginning.”
Taking the notebook from him, Celine glared at him.
She even repeated the very words he had spoken to Herman earlier.
Watching the merchant lower his head almost to the ground, Herman couldn’t hide his admiration.
Our noble teacher is incredible!
That slippery merchant can’t even fight back!
When he had first seen her yesterday from a distance among the villagers, she had looked delicate.
But she was capable…
And firm.
I don’t know what she showed the merchant…
But who cares?
A teacher this reliable can be trusted with all of our grandchildren.
He couldn’t have been happier.
Though they shared no blood…
Every child in the village was Herman’s grandchild.
On a continent plagued by constant border wars and guerrilla conflicts…
The young people who had fled here to escape war were family all the same.
Souls who had chosen isolation to escape death and loss.
Having lived for over a hundred years…
Herman wished only that the village’s children would grow up happily and without hardship—
No matter how insane the outside world became.
As Celine flipped through the notebook, her eyes narrowed.
“So that huge belly isn’t just for show.”
“You’ve been charging anywhere from three to ten times the proper price every time you’ve come here.”
“I’m sorry. But even if you knew, there isn’t anything you could do… Please let me off just this once…”
“You mean because Elderwick is a neutral village?”
“You’re saying the villagers can’t report you to the Imperial authorities, and even if they did, you wouldn’t be punished because you’re an Imperial citizen?”
“Ahem…”
The merchant awkwardly looked away.
Neutral villages lay outside the legal authority of every nation on the continent.
Even if a foreigner committed a crime there…
Imperial law couldn’t punish them.
Village Chief Felix hiring a proper teacher had been done for the children’s future after they eventually left Elderwick.
That was a completely different matter.
So he’s been exploiting a loophole in the law.
How many merchants have cheated these elderly villagers over the years?
Does Felix really not know?
But there was…
Another loophole.
I wonder if he knows about that one.
No.
The corner of Celine’s mouth slowly lifted.
If he did…
He wouldn’t have dared do something like this.
Snap.
Closing the ledger, she spoke.
“Then you should also know…”
“That in Elderwick, you follow Elderwick’s laws.”
“Isn’t that right, sir?”
She smiled at Herman.
“That’s right.”
“I’ve told him that many times.”
Herman walked toward the merchant, leaning on his cane.
The merchant’s neck shrank lower and lower.
“In Elderwick…”
“We hold a village meeting to judge criminals.”
“No country has the authority to interfere.”
The merchant clasped his hands together.
“I-I’m sorry, sir!”
“I knew you made a profit.”
“But I thought it was only fair, considering you traveled all the way here.”
“I never imagined you’d deceive an old man to this extent.”
“It was a mistake!”
“I was blinded by money for a moment!”
“I have a wife as big as a bear and children as cute as kittens waiting at home!”
“Liar!”
“You only did this because you knew we couldn’t report you!”
“And if our noble teacher hadn’t come today, you would’ve kept cheating me!”
The smile vanished from Herman’s face.
The merchant immediately dropped to his knees.
“Please, sir!”
“Forgive me just this once!”
“Good.”
“Huh?”
“This height is perfect.”
“For hitting.”
“Wh-What?”
“Don’t misunderstand.”
“This is a traditional beating given with love.”
“Since whe—”
The merchant never finished his sentence.
Herman’s cane came crashing down onto the top of his head.
THWACK!
“AAAAAH!”
The fat merchant’s vision instantly went black.
Elderwick General Store
Inside the small shop, a gold-plated bell hung beside the sign.
Old display shelves faded by time lined the walls.
They were neatly stocked with groceries and everyday necessities.
Behind the modest counter sat a row of elderly villagers whose average age looked well over eighty.
They were all watching Herman.
Nearby…
The unconscious merchant, tongue hanging out and a bump swelling on his forehead, had been tied to one of the shop’s wooden pillars.
Dusting off his hands proudly, Herman turned around.
“Everyone!”
“Our teacher caught a scammer!”
“Isn’t she amazing?”
This time…
Everyone looked at Celine.
“It wasn’t anything special.”
Dozens of bright, sparkling eyes immediately focused on her.
…But…
Why am I sitting in front of all these people?
Right in the middle, too!
Celine had unknowingly walked straight into the elderly villagers’ encirclement.
She had planned to earn the trust of the oldest resident to gather information.
Instead…
She had somehow been detained inside the general store.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
The sound of the wall clock made her throat feel dry.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Mixed with it was the gentle sound of the old people’s breathing.
Why am I getting nervous over something like this?
Finally…
An elderly woman wearing a pink flower hairpin broke the silence.
“My goodness!”
“You’re so wonderful, Teacher!”
She beamed as she grabbed Celine’s hand with her wrinkled hands and shook it enthusiastically.
Herman introduced her.
“This is Betty.”
“Thank you, Grandma Betty.”
“Oh, don’t call me ‘Grandma Betty!’”
“Just call me Grandma!”
Betty waved her hands.
She was wearing a vest covered in little flower patterns.
The endless floral designs made Celine’s head spin.
“I’m so happy to finally meet you.”
“Isn’t that right, dear?”
Another elderly woman with short gray hair continued the conversation.
Her name was Olga.
She was holding the hand of a kind-looking old man sitting in a wheelchair with ‘Toto’ written on the backrest.
“So true.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Teacher.”
Toto’s hair had faded from black to gray with age.
Chuckling, he said,
“I knew something was going on the moment Herman secretly started preparing a gift for your first class.”
“I told him to just tell Felix.”
“And ruin the surprise?”
Herman snorted.
“How could it be a surprise then?”
“The children are always running in and out of Felix’s house!”
“And that boy is only half clever!”
“That scammer even charged our village chief three times the proper price!”
