Thief Marigold

1.

“So, what is the Demon King anyway?”

“Well, he’s like… a being of darkness or something.”

“Isn’t the Demon King a bad person?”

“He’s bad, but in a cool way.”

“So, he’s bad after all.”

“Don’t speak ill of my Demon King.”

“…You said he’s a bad person, right?”

“He is bad, though!”

“……?”

The more Lancel listened to his sister’s perception of the Demon King, the more confusing it became, but at least one thing was certain.

He’s bad.

Anyway, he’s a bad person.

“Well, yeah, I guess so.”

He’s not just a king, but the Demon King; it would be stranger if he wasn’t bad. Just looking at the name Demon King, isn’t it obvious?

Demon.

King.

The king of bad things.

“So, what was that Demon King Marigold was talking about… in the end?”

Lancel didn’t think Marigold used the name Demon King as an excuse to accompany him. It couldn’t have been a completely unfounded statement.

The Demon King definitely exists.

Lancel knew that fact better than anyone.

The Demon King is definitely somewhere in this world.

“The Demon King is real!”

Does he only exist? Furthermore, he was an existence who could meet Marigold and even marry her in theory. That’s how it was according to the game his sister made.

“But I’ve never seen him once.”

Demon King.

Demon King.

Demon King…

“Lancel Dante, you’ve had too much to drink. You should sleep now.”

Only then did Lancel notice the empty bottle in front of him. He had been emptying it into his mouth glass by glass, and before he knew it, it was empty.

“Give me a hand, Butler.”

“As you wish, Your Highness.”

Staggering.

He threw his drunken body onto the bed.

Memories from previous playthroughs continued to torment his mind.

‘Marigold, when will you ever be happy?’

.

.

.

—Bride Mary, kiss your groom.

—Do you want to restart the game?

—Don’t cry, Mary. We’ll meet again.

—Penalty…

“……!”

Lancel’s eyes snapped open.

Unorganized memories swirled in his head before disappearing in an instant.

“Hic.”

He raised his heavy upper body.

It was still dark night.

“……”

Suddenly.

Lancel felt a sense of déjà vu.

A familiar space, a familiar ceiling, a familiar scent. It was a scene he had seen several times already.

Instinctively, he looked at the window, and as expected, a familiar presence was looking back at him.

“Mary.”

Unicorn Marigold.

“Again.”

Still, there was no answer.

The creature climbed down from the windowsill and was slowly approaching Lancel.

Anticipating what was about to happen, he was already close to resignation.

Fine.

Do it.

Do whatever you want.

“Oof!”

His soul is being sucked out.

Come to think of it, isn’t this forced molestation?

‘Let me breathe!’

Lancel could only pat Unicorn Marigold’s shoulder, sending out a distress signal.

1.

==========

※Karma 15 points: Initial travel funds are stolen.

==========

If the penalty given by Karma was compared to a flick on the forehead, this was the weakest stage, not even enough to raise a bump on the head.

But Lancel had already sensed that this was not easy.

Think about it.

A 10-year-old body.

No strength, no abilities, and the only means of livelihood are cleaning inns, laundry, and being a maid.

What would happen if even the initial travel fund of 15 silver coin that was given to him disappeared?

It was terrifying just to think about it. Wandering the streets penniless, it wouldn’t be strange to starve to death before winter.

‘That won’t do.’

Thanks to that, Lancel was already feeling the heat from the very beginning of this playthrough.

The anxiety that he might already be dead continued to pressure him. He didn’t want to waste another 10 years in vain.

“Spread out and find her.”

“Yes, young master.”

He released not only his servants but also every Thieves’ Guild he could command to inquire about Marigold.

The results came sooner than expected.

“We found her!”

“Really?”

“Yes, young master.”

Exactly one week later, the master of the Thieves’ Guild came to find him.

“But I’m a little worried because I’m not sure if it’s the right girl. She matches the description you gave perfectly, but…”

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

“First, would you come with me?”

“Why are you making me uneasy?”

“You’ll have to go and see for yourself.”

The place where the Thieves’ Guild, which had been searching the Imperial Capital and its surrounding areas like a fine-tooth comb, found Marigold in just one week.

“It’s a theater.”

“I’ve reserved a seat. Let’s go in.”

It was a theater located in the middle of the Imperial Capital’s street.

Inside, many nobles had already taken their seats.

“This is the seat.”

“I don’t really like theaters.”

“That’s surprising. You’re a noble, but you don’t like theaters. I thought everyone liked them.”

“Look at that.”

Lancel pointed to the side with his chin.

“Oh, you shouldn’t do this in a place like this, Baron.”

“Hehehe, why are you like this? Isn’t this why we came?”

“Ah…”

The smell of alcohol and perfume stung his nose.

In reality, the theaters in the Imperial Capital were known as places where nobles flirted with each other.

A space where the upper class, who had donated to the theater, could come and play, a space that was moderately secluded, moderately dark, and moderately filled with music.

Nobles and wealthy people considered enjoying romance with elegant women here to be a much more dignified act than frequenting brothels, and the result was this.

“Kiss me, Baron.”

“As much as you want, my Rosario.”

“Ah…!”

“Hngh…!”

Damn it.

‘…Just don’t screw next to me.’

The situation on the second floor, which was used by court nobles, was a little different, but the reality of the first floor, where he could sit, was like this.

As he frowned at the moans coming from all directions, the stage soon lit up.

Thud!

“Lisanne! I confess your sins. Lisanne!”

The performance began.

Lancel glanced to the side.

The master of the Thieves’ Guild had a smile on his face.

“So, why did you tell me to come here?”

“I thought we could go on a date… just kidding, just kidding.”

As he was about to jump up from his seat, the master of the Thieves’ Guild stopped him.

“Look over there.”

The direction she was pointing.

From the place that announced the beginning of the opera.

“……Mary……”

Lancel saw Marigold.

“Lisanne! The sin of betraying the love of His Highness the Prince and giving your heart to a villain! The sin of falling for the sweet talk of a traitor and plunging this great empire into chaos!”

“Ah, a love that God did not allow! Then this love must be a curse from the devil!”

A third-rate romance narrative.

Marigold was among the actors who were passionately performing. She was an extra, though.

“Ah-!”

She barely had any lines, and she was just singing along with the chorus in the back.

Even the few lines she had were just scenes where she was slapped on the cheek by the evil countess and fell down.

“C-Calm down, Countess!”

“Shut up, you lowly thing!”

“Keeng!”

Only after seeing a fist fall on her head did Lancel come to his senses.

If he had been a little late, he would have faced the Marigold ending of hanging again.

“Wait a minute!”

“Is that the woman you were looking for?”

“……Take this.”

Lancel placed three Gold coin in the hand of the Thieves’ Guild master.

“Hehe, your quick settlement is your strength, young master.”

“I’m leaving now.”

“You should watch the whole play, right?”

“That’s… right.”

He didn’t even glance at the master of the Thieves’ Guild, who was trying to flirt with him.

He could only stare at Marigold, who was passionately performing on the stage, and lose his words.

“Cleaning is done!”

“Cleaning! Cleaning!”

“Even the trees are sad tonight!”

Sometimes in noble attire, sometimes in maid attire, sometimes in waitress attire, as a tree, a sign, a rock, a donkey, Marigold continued to appear.

Lancel saw her eyes shining.

‘She’s serious.’

Marigold in this playthrough wants to act. Lancel realized that even from afar.

“Lisanne… even if death separates us…”

The curtain came down on the stage where the climax had ended.

“Thank you! To all the gentlemen and ladies who came to see us today! To all the citizens of the Imperial Capital!”

2.

Lancel was left alone on the first floor where the curtain had fallen.

“Ensemble! You guys stay and clean up neatly! As soon as you get to the dorm, don’t do anything stupid and go straight to bed. Got it?”

“Yes!”

“If there’s even a speck of dust when I come to check tomorrow, you’ll get beaten again. Especially Mary!”

“Y-Yes, yes!”

“If you break one more stage prop because you’re clumsy… you know, right? The debt you owe is already 50 silver coin!”

“I-I’ll keep it in mind, I’ll keep it in mind!”

“Don’t just keep it in mind, work hard and pay it back! That’s all!”

Of course, Marigold, who was 15 years old, was among the members called the ensemble.

“Did you hear that? Let’s finish up quickly before we get beaten again.”

Behind the busy figures starting to clean, the middle-aged man who had made the threat walked out.

Lancel grabbed his arm as he passed by.

“Hiek! W-Who…?”

“Are you the owner of the troupe?”

“Yes?”

He blinked his eyes.

He could feel the troupe owner quickly scanning Lancel’s attire from top to bottom.

He was a troupe owner who instantly caught the shoes, bracelet, and jewelry.

“Oh, young master, I didn’t recognize you.”

It seemed that wearing expensive clothes for the first time in a while had worked well.

He could see his eyes filling with greed.

“What brings you here so late… perhaps, you’re here to deliver a donation…?”

“That child.”

“Yes?”

Lancel pointed to Marigold. She was diligently cleaning the theater floor with a damp cloth.

“I want to sponsor that child.”

“……Ah……”

“Would you please pass it on?”

“I see. Hmm.”

After hesitating, he opened his mouth again.

“But if you don’t mind me asking, how much are you thinking of donating…?”

“This.”

Lancel took out all the money he had in his pocket and placed it on his palm.

It was a pouch full of Gold coin and silver coin mixed together. He could see his nose twitching at the heavy sensation.

“Don’t take too much for yourself. Please send at least half of it to that child. I’ll come and see her often in the future.”

“……Such a large amount…… I understand. May I ask who you are?”

“Lancel Dante.”

Lancel said only that much and got up from his seat.

For some reason, he didn’t want to show himself in front of Marigold today.

Because he could see that she had truly entered the ‘theater’s prima donna Marigold’ route.

For some reason, the place where Marigold, who had been wandering the streets without a penny, had settled was the troupe.

For the time being, he just wanted to watch from afar and see how she would follow this route.

“When is the next performance?”

“Our turn will probably be in ten days.”

“I see.”

There were many troupes using the theater.

It was only natural that the interval was a bit long.

“I’ll come back then.”

“Please be careful on your way, young master!”

.

.

.

One week later.

“I’ve got you, you thieving brat! Come with me right now! You’ll be hanged immediately without a trial!”

“N-No, it’s not fair! I didn’t steal anything, I just teleported the silver coin scattered across this continent into my pocket!”

“You’re talking nonsense! That’s called stealing, you stupid brat!”

“Ugh, it hurts! Please don’t do this!”

There was Marigold being bound by the guards.

‘……?’

Lancel was overwhelmed with bewilderment.

Why was Marigold, who had been an ensemble member of the troupe until just a while ago, now being dragged away as a thief?

“Uwaaah! Let me go! I still have a bright future ahead of me to end here!”

“Be quiet!”

“Keeng!”

Only after seeing a fist fall on her head did Lancel come to his senses.

If he had been a little late, he would have almost faced the Marigold ending of dangling again.

“Wait a minute!”