Thief Marigold

15.

“Phantom Thief Honey Candy… What does the Thieves’ Guild Master think of that guy? Isn’t he a rising star in the world of thieves?”

“Well, he’s not a thief. Lancel Dante.”

“…? He steals things, but he’s not a thief?”

“Why would we call him Phantom Thief? He’s not a thief. He lacks the basic professional ethics that a thief should have.”

“I didn’t know there were professional ethics in thievery, but okay. What do you dislike so much that you don’t recognize him as a thief?”

“First of all.”

“…?”

“A thief would never go around looking so conspicuous. That’s the first reason.”

“That makes sense.”

.

.

.

Lancel recalled what the Thieves’ Guild Master had said a few nights ago.

“There he is!”

“Phantom Thief! The Phantom Thief has appeared!”

A pure white cloak cutting across the night sky.

An existence perfectly dressed in white from gloves to boots, adjusting his hat with one hand, boldly revealing himself under the full moon.

‘Phantom Thief Honey Candy?’

-A thief would never go around looking so conspicuous.

That’s right. He stood out. He had no intention of hiding himself in the first place.

A thief, yet glittering gold thread embroidered various parts of his outfit.

Even the sheath of the slender Rapier he wore at his waist was entirely white.

“Ahahaha!”

==========

—Imperial Calendar 817, March 28th, Weather: Mild (Night).

—Marigold’s ‘Intermediate Nimble Movement (54%)’, ‘Intermediate Long-Range Leap (21%)’ proficiency has increased.

※Feeling like flying in the night sky of the Imperial Capital! Marigold’s mood is at its peak! Charm, Stamina, Sex Appeal, Condition UP!!

==========

The distance between roofs, between spires and chimneys, even dozens of meters, was nothing to the Phantom Thief Marigold.

The way she floated through the air as if soaring with just one kick. There were so many spectators who couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

“Please catch me! Ahahaha!”

‘What on earth is she doing?’

Lancel couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

.

.

.

“And? The second reason? The second reason you don’t recognize Phantom Thief Honey Candy as a thief.”

“Lancel, sir.”

“What is it?”

“What is thievery in the first place? Why do you think it happens?”

“…What kind of answer are you looking for?”

“I was asking where this thieving instinct, which existed even before humans had intelligence, originated from.”

“…To make money?”

“Exactly.”

“Don’t point.”

“Money! Money. Only money. The purpose of thievery is ultimately that one thing. It’s to obtain wealth that I don’t have. But look at what Phantom Thief Honey Candy is doing.”

“…Now that I see it, your animosity towards the Phantom Thief seems a bit excessive.”

“He’s ruining the beliefs of thieves, isn’t he?”

“The beliefs of thieves…”

.

.

.

“Ouch!”

One of the guards in the arrest squad suddenly rubbed his head.

A blunt object had fallen and struck his forehead.

“A copper coin…?”

He looked up.

The night sky was filled with glittering objects besides the starlight.

Clatter-!

“Huh!”

“W-What’s falling!”

Shining objects were raining down from the Phantom Thief who was passing overhead.

The identity of the objects bouncing and rolling in all directions was none other than coins.

And not copper coins, but silver coins. Yes. At least hundreds of them.

“That bastard is!”

The Sixth Prince’s expression twisted.

The Phantom Thief showering the arrest squad with silver coins wasn’t just a coincidence.

He had aimed and dropped them.

“Silver coins!”

“Money! It’s money!”

“G-Get out of the way!”

“It’s mine!”

People who had sprung out from all directions surrounded the area in an instant.

The eyes of the Wise ones of the Imperial Capital, turned inside out, saw neither the Prince nor the knights. They only saw the silver coins piled on the ground.

“Get out of the way, you ignorant fools! Chase him! Chase him now! You bastards! Get out of the way unless you want your necks sliced off!”

Curses flowed from the Sixth Prince’s mouth as he drew his sword, but it was already useless.

“This is my farewell gift for today!”

Marigold’s retreating figure left behind a voice full of mockery.

With the silver coins scattered widely, the night streets of the Imperial Capital were already beyond control.

“Where did he go?”

“That is…”

By the time they barely managed to break through the bustling crowd, everything was already over.

One of the knights only showed him a Honey Candy that he had clearly sucked on and spat out.

“Count Dank’s mansion has been completely cleaned out. Not only the vault but also the treasure chest…”

The Sixth Prince’s expression turned bright red upon hearing the report.

.

.

.

“The third reason?”

“The third reason is that he taunts the pursuers to catch him, begging to be caught.”

“Certainly.”

“What thief in the world would make fun of the royals and knights while enjoying a chase? That’s just insane.”

“…”

“He must be a madman.”

“…That’s a bit much, don’t you think?”

“…Yes?”

A poor room in the western district of the Imperial Capital.

-Anna. Don’t say nonsense. I’ll find something to do and put food in your mouths! Just wait a week.

Tonight, the nineteen-year-old Anna Plan recalled her father’s words.

Her father, whose tendons had been severed by Count Dank’s sword, now had difficulty even walking. The sorrow of the Plan family, who had lost the pillar that had raised seven children, might just be beginning today.

Snore. Snore.

In the room where the night air seeped in, six younger siblings were asleep, embracing each other.

The younger siblings, who had barely eaten anything today, seemed to have shaken off their terrible hunger only after falling into a deep sleep.

Anna Plan, who had been stroking her siblings’ heads for a long time, packed her bag.

“Sister, where are you going?”

Flinch.

“Just going out for some air.”

“You’ll be back soon, right?”

“…”

Anna Plan, unable to answer her youngest sibling’s question, only nodded.

She fled from her youngest sibling’s clear eyes and left the room.

“Hic… Hic…!”

As she stepped out into the Imperial Capital streets at dawn, her legs gave way. Suddenly, fear gripped her.

She realized it. The daily life and happiness she had enjoyed since she was born would end with this moment today.

Watching performances at the open-air theater, spending time with her family, and her own modest dream of meeting someone to marry someday, all ended today.

“…”

The fear was only temporary.

Anna Plan repeatedly recited the words, ‘I can do it.’ She would do anything for her siblings.

When she raised her head again, having steeled her resolve.

“Huh?”

Squeak-! Squeak-!

Four white mice were approaching her.

“…Mice… What is this…?”

They were mice with strange appearances, each carrying a pouch around their necks as if it were a bag. What happened next was even more bizarre.

They dropped the pouches they were carrying to the ground and then ran away into the distance.

“Hey?! This.”

Only four pouches remained on the street. Anna Plan, who had been rooted to the spot for a long time as if she had seen something unreal, soon began to open them one by one.

“…!”

Dozens of golden objects soon revealed themselves before her.

Not just one or two. All three pouches were filled with dozens each.

Gold coins.

“T-This is… H-How…”

Her hands trembled uncontrollably. It was the first time she had seen so many gold coins in her life.

She opened the fourth pouch. Only that one had slightly different contents. Five Honey Candies, and a small note.

—————————

—Wealth, finding its way back to where it belongs. Anna Plan.

—————————

“…”

Anna Plan’s mind went blank. When she came to her senses, she was staggering, holding the pouches of gold coins tightly.

She turned away from the red-light district. She ran to where her home was.

Only one person’s name came to her mind in her dazed state.

A celebrity of the Imperial Capital.

A thief, but not a thief.

A strange person who moves the location of wealth.

—Phantom Thief Honey Candy.

“Father…!”

It was the day the Plan family’s happiness found its way back to where it belonged.

16.

“Whew.”

Marigold jumped through the window and into her room.

“I became a righteous thief again today, Lancel, sir. It was thievery allowed by God.”

“But Lancel, sir, will scold you if he finds out. You’ve become a famous Phantom Thief that everyone in the Imperial Capital knows.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay, as long as I don’t get caught.”

Marigold answered Pina’s sulky words absentmindedly.

‘I’ll get scolded if I get caught, but it’s okay if I don’t!’

Lancel wasn’t someone who completely opposed Marigold’s thievery.

But it was too late to say anything now, the things she had been doing were too grand. It was even difficult for Lancel to handle.

‘But I’m a righteous thief, so he’ll forgive me someday, right?’

She’ll tell him someday.

Yes, that’s enough.

That’s what Marigold thought.

Thump. Thump.

It was then that she heard the sound of footsteps coming towards her room.

“Mary. Are you inside?”

“Hic!”

Marigold fussed about.

It was Lancel Dante’s voice.

“Miss! Clothes! Clothes!”

“Oops!”

She was still in the outfit she wore when she was thieving. She hurriedly threw off her clothes.

“J-Just a moment, Lancel, sir! I’m changing my clothes!”

“Why are you changing your clothes at bedtime?”

“Ah, th-that’s because of my sleep habits!”

“I’ve never heard of a sleep habit of putting on clothes. You have a unique sleep habit, Mary.”

“I! I think so too! Ahaha, ahaha!”

“I’m coming in.”

“Aaaah! J-Just a moment!”

Thump.

When the door opened and Lancel appeared.

Marigold had managed to stuff all her clothes into the wooden chest by a hair’s breadth. She was hastily flustered, and beads of sweat were forming all over her body.

“Why are you sweating so much in the middle of the night?”

“Because it’s hot…?”

“It’s still a chilly season.”

“Ah! That’s, um…”

“Were you practicing your performance because you couldn’t sleep?”

“That’s it!”

Marigold pointed at Lancel and shouted. Pina said, “It’s strange to accept it so readily as if you’ve been waiting for it,” but it was already too late.

“That’s it, that’s it. As Lancel, sir, knows, I’m a popular famous actress. All that success comes from the efforts I’ve made in places you can’t see…”

“Is that so?”

“Y-Yes, of course.”

Marigold wiped away her sweat.

“By the way, why aren’t you sleeping at this late hour, Lancel, sir…”

“Phantom Thief Honey Candy.”

“Hic!”

Did he find out?

Marigold stiffened in shock.

“…I joined the arrest squad to catch him. That’s why I came so late. Why are you so stiff?”

“Hic!”

“Even a hiccup?”

“I-It’s nothing, hic!”

“…”

Lancel threw himself onto her bed and glanced at her.

“So, I have to diligently catch the Phantom Thief from now on.”

I’ve decided.

I should quit.

Just as Marigold was about to decide to quit thieving.

“I think I fell in love with Phantom Thief Honey Candy today.”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“Are you listening?”

Marigold’s mind stopped.

Even her hiccups stopped.

She couldn’t say anything. She couldn’t even move a finger. But in her mind, countless screams were echoing.

‘Lancel, sir, likes me… Lancel, sir, likes me… Lancel, sir, likes me… Lancel, sir, likes me… Lancel, sir, likes me… Lancel, sir, likes me…?’

Lancel’s words continued right away.

“Well, duty is duty, so I’ll desperately try to catch him anyway. But I secretly hope he doesn’t get caught and runs away well… If he gets caught, I’ll have no choice but to scold him…”

Having said that, he got up from his seat.

“Anyway. Thanks for listening, Mary. I couldn’t sleep because my heart was so restless thinking about Phantom Thief Honey Candy… I wanted to tell someone about this feeling.”

“……”

“I’m going to sleep. You should go to sleep soon too.”

Click.

Until Lancel closed the door and disappeared, Marigold remained as stiff as a log from beginning to end.

“Miss? Miss. Miss!”

Only after Pina shouted for a long time did Marigold move her lips.

“Pina.”

“Yes?”

“I… I’ll become a Phantom Thief. A much greater Phantom Thief than I am now.”

Flames erupted from Marigold’s eyes.

“And I’ll steal Lancel, sir’s heart and chastity.”

“What are you stealing?”

Hot breath continued to pour out from Marigold’s flushed face, ‘Haa, haa.’

“Lancel, sir, lovesick thinking of me… It’s the best…”

“It’s serious, Miss.”