Hunter and Mad Scien Chapter 12

The owner of the magical goods store was talkative.

"It's been a while, Count. Haha, how long has it been since you visited? Still, I never forget the Count's face."

This was why Cider only visited magical goods stores minimally. He had his butler buy basic supplies as much as possible, and only ca personally when there were items worth paying special attention to or things he needed to see and buy directly.

"Was it already a month ago? I wonder how your research is going these days."

"So-so."

"But today you even brought a lady with you. This has never happened before."

"Miss Hunter is also interested in magic."

"So you call her Miss Hunter. No wonder, I could see the sprout of a scholar. If the Count brought her, she must have excellent talent! Of course, she can't compare to Dr. Claiborne."

A sprout? The owner really had no eye for people. Esperanza couldn't be compared to sothing like a sprout. She wasn't a scholar either. Even now, instead of the shiny magical items, wasn't she hovering around the rough materials with sparkling eyes?

"Any new items lately?"

"Nothing special. Magic-perable materials are all pretty much the sa, you know. For soone like the Count to use, well......."

It was a formal procedure between long-ti business partners.

"What about things soone like

can't use?"

"If we're talking about those, there's no end to them."

Still, the owner who had the experience of running the store for a long ti stepped back. Being clueless didn't an having no connections. To run a store like this, you couldn't just know hunters, scholars, and rich people. You inevitably had to contact countless criminals like illegal practitioners, unlicensed weapon dealers, drug dealers, poachers, and smugglers. Maybe he had survived this long because he was clueless.

And items supplied by such people were stored in one corner of the warehouse. In a deep place where even the few employees couldn't enter.

Cider had known this fact early on. How many dirty and dangerous items were there. He too had bought quite a few such items here. For example, corpses of unidentified deceased people, or unlicensed drugs.

But today's business was a bit different.

"You wouldn't show

the warehouse, would you?"

"Even if you're the Count, that's not possible. I'm only telling you because I know you won't report us!"

"Actually, there's sothing I'm looking for, but it seems I can't find it at a legal level."

"What kind of thing......?"

The owner, his eyes sparkling with anticipation wondering what kind of amazing research that eccentric magical engineer was doing again, stepped closer. Cider pulled his head back in displeasure.

"Claws."

"You an beast claws? There are quite a few of those even without illegal capture. Especially bird of prey claws have quite high magic perability."

"Not those kinds."

"Surely not protected species claws......?"

Cider decided to try understanding Golden Claw literally for now. At least the shape would be claw-shaped, right? It would be quite ridiculous if they nad it that but it didn't even look like a claw. It might not be a real claw though.

"I need to confirm if what I'm looking for is correct, so I'd like you to show

what you have."

"Co on, why would soone as knowledgeable as you do that? That warehouse is a place even assistants who've worked for 10 years can't enter."

"I'm saying this because there's sothing I absolutely must obtain."

"What research do you need it for?"

The owner lowered his voice. The owner didn't trust nobles, but he had no choice but to trust the research of genius magical engineer Cider Claiborne.

"You said it was absolutely necessary?"

"Have I ever asked you to show

your warehouse before?"

That ant it was that important an item. The owner swallowed his dry saliva. There were items that would make noble lords faint, but wasn't Cider Claiborne different? He was soone who would judge the utility of items first rather than being surprised enough to faint. In that respect, he was absolutely not like a noble.

Maybe it would be okay to show that warehouse to soone of Avondale's level.......

"Lord Avondale!"

The lady who had been just looking around without paying attention to the owner called the Count. The owner quickly shook his head. He had almost gotten into big trouble being swayed by the noble lord's words. The Count clicked his tongue as if displeased.

Still, when facing the lady, even his eyes hidden by the hat's shadow smiled brightly. The gentleman who had only slightly raised the corners of his mouth toward the owner.

"What's the matter, Miss Hunter? If you're scared, it's fine for you to go outside."

'What's the matter? What an attitude that guy has.'

The affected speech of noble lords was sothing he could never get used to. The owner scratched his ears vigorously.

The lady in peach-colored gloves slightly lifted her dress hem, approached, and pressed close to the Count. Then the two of them whispered about sothing together. Seeing the Count bow his head to answer, they seed to be quite intimate.

The lady pulled the Count's arm and complained about sothing. The Count seed troubled but didn't lose his smile, so he probably didn't dislike the lady's complaints. Well, living long enough, I get to see even Cider Claiborne in such a state.

"Haha, what a lovely sight. For a miss who drags the Count around like this to appear, it's really sothing you see after living in the world for a long ti."

When he spoke deliberately loudly, hoping they would notice his presence, the Count and lady separated. As expected of a noble miss, the shop owner was just like furniture to her. She hadn't paid any attention to him.

The lady dragged the Count over, showed him sothing while urging him, then went outside. He hadn't noticed well under the dim lighting, but the woman opening the door and leaving was a trendous beauty. Her plump rose-colored lips remained vivid before his eyes long after they had disappeared.

To be able to concentrate on work while bringing around such a beauty, what an amazing gentleman, isn't he? Well, his own appearance is also considerable. The owner thought while glancing at the Count. Noble ladies would follow him in droves, but he still seed to prefer these slly magical materials.

anwhile, Cider Claiborne focused more on the words Esperanza had left behind rather than the owner's misunderstandings.

'This hide, ask where he bought it, and definitely buy it. I'll tell you the reason later, when we get outside.'

The hide Esperanza had pointed to didn't show any particularly outstanding features compared to others. Cider took out his stimulator from his chest.

"Oh, oh, Count!"

When he checked each hide from the inside without arousing suspicion, the owner stamped his feet.

"No, don't you trust our store's products? When have I ever deceived the Count? Why are you doing this?"

"You never have."

Cider answered refreshingly while bringing the stimulator to the next hide. Brass gears spun frantically inside the glass body.

And when he brought the stimulator to the problematic hide, he could notice that the stimulator's vibration changed. It trembled as if it had seen sothing frightening.

'What is this?'

The owner standing far away probably didn't notice, but even the direction of the gears turning in the stimulator changed. It was the sa-looking hide and would probably transmit magic power the sa way, but the effect would be different. With just a little processing, he could see sothing interesting.

It was definitely a hide he'd never seen before. Such an item hadn't appeared until now? That's why Esperanza specifically asked him to inquire where it was bought. Cider narrowed his eyes. He checked a few more hides, but they were similar to the previous ones.

"Where did these hides co from?"

"Huh? Ah, I got them from so hunter recently. Anything beyond that is confidential."

When the Count frowned, the owner beca nervous. He didn't want to make an enemy of the Count, who was both a noble and one of his big custors.

"Where did they hunt?"

"I don't know that. His accent was from the eastern coast, so probably sowhere in the forests around there."

"Is he soone you always deal with?"

"No, no. Co to think of it, I got so from soone I newly started dealing with. He said he was a relative of soone I always dealt with, so I tried buying once."

Even without the owner pointing it out, Cider could tell that among them was the hide Esperanza had chosen.

"I don't know anything beyond that. Hunters aren't a talkative bunch either."

He was fidgeting, and it seed like if he said any more, he would really arouse suspicion. He had already done many suspicious things today.

"I was just thinking of recomnding it to an acquaintance living nearby if the hunting grounds were good, don't worry about it. I'll buy all the hides."

"Huh?"

He was a Count who was uncharacteristically ticulous and characteristically had his nose in the air. There had never been a single instance of buying 'everything.' He always picked out only the highest quality after examining them carefully, so what wind was blowing today?

The owner's doubt was valid. Cider also thought he had made a mistake after saying it. But he wasn't without words to cover it up.

"It seems you have no intention of showing

the claws."

"Ah, won't you look at them?"

"Making the lady wait outside?"

Cider looked at the owner as if he were pathetic. The owner grumbled while quickly moving his hands to package the hides.

The hide Esperanza had designated also went well into the paper bag. He showed no particular signs of paying attention to it. Esperanza knew, Cider didn't know until he observed, and the shop owner didn't even notice. What was that difference?

He paid and left the store, heading for the carriage. He was about to entrust the luggage to the coachman and get in when the coachman asked.

"Where did Miss Hunter go?"

The carriage door opened. No one was there. Co to think of it, Esperanza was definitely not soone who would sit quietly in a carriage and wait.

'Don't tell

she went into the back alleys?'

Dark and filthy back alleys. Places a lady wouldn't even glance at. However, Esperanza wasn't a 'lady,' and she had the ability to protect herself. So it would be right not to worry.

No, what he had confird was only her shooting skills. Back alley guys operated more sordidly than that. What if they lured her with a child and stabbed a paralyzing needle into the back of her neck? What if one guy distracted her by begging while another attacked? Cider also knew these things by hearsay, but because he hadn't seen them directly, his imagination was even more specific.

He had never confird her close combat abilities, and above all, Esperanza was dressed in a dress. If she let her guard down even a little, she would be caught, and those guys wouldn't show courtesy to a lady. It would be fortunate if they just demanded ransom.

Anyway, since he had said he would treat her as a guest, Esperanza's safety was also his responsibility. Esperanza would sohow escape, but he couldn't just wait for that, could he? Moreover, he had just started research on mage's blood, and if the mage herself got seriously injured or had problems, it would interfere with future research.

"Taylor, if I don't co out even after an hour, contact the police and tell them to co to the Alter District."

"Count, are you going into that dirty place? Surely Miss Hunter wouldn't have set foot in such a place? She probably went to a hat shop or sothing!"

"I wish that were the case."