Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 009
Chapter Title: The Mole on the Shoulder #4
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"Why the hell would a thief-line skill book pop up in a magic university?"
Hermit handed me the red book she was holding.
"Skill books can only be read by people with the aptitude for them. You should be able to see what's written in there."
Ugh, I hate books.
But she gave it to me, so I took it.
The squiggly, worm-like text that was so hard to read straightened out and turned into something I could understand.
「Shadow Step」
That was the title of the book.
Flip—.
I opened the page, and dense text filled it.
「A foot technique devised by the Sewer Emperor.」
「Greatly reduces footstep noise for a short time.」
「Would you like to use it?」
"A skill that reduces footstep noise."
"……."
"……."
"……."
I could feel the other three exchanging glances, excluding me.
What I was curious about was this.
"How much would this sell for?"
"Red covers start at ten million at minimum."
It was a superpower any burglar would dream of at least once, so it wasn't incomprehensible.
But to me, who'd dealt with Ashibar before, it felt ridiculously overpriced.
Ashibar's 「Black Foot」 was 100,000 Ether and even better.
It didn't just 'greatly' reduce noise—it completely silenced footsteps, right?
So using this myself would be stupid.
I hate math, but I can do basic calculations like this.
"Let's sell it."
My decision was quick.
Hammer rushed over at my words.
"...You're serious? Yor! A thief skill drops, and you're gonna sell it?"
What? This reaction?
"Would it be better if I just used it myself?"
"No, selling it if we can is better. I'm just surprised. See? I told you Yor was different from other thieves!"
"Really unexpected. Any other thief would've gulped it down without a second thought."
Hermit chimed in.
Apparently, they'd assumed I'd definitely use the skill book.
"What are other thieves like usually?"
"No matter how much quota they have left, if a thief item or skill book drops, they swallow everything. Too busy stuffing it in their mouths."
I thought of that one-eyed guy from earlier.
If he'd seen this book, he'd have digested it on the spot.
"You're really gonna sell it?"
Hermit tilted her conical hat up slightly with her index finger and looked at me.
I hadn't noticed before, but her eyes shimmered like the aurora.
"You're really selling? If we do, it'll be split evenly among the four of us."
If this sold for ten million Ether.
That meant 2.5 million Ether each for the four of us.
"Does that mean today's quota is all cleared?"
A daily million bucks.
I'd been wondering if I could even make that.
But now, 2.5 million.
Feeling on top of the world!
"So how do we sell this?"
"Just put it up at the auction house. They'll take a small fee, but it'll sell fast."
"Yor, I don't know much about street life, but a footstep-muffling skill seems useful everywhere. You're sacrificing it for the party? You little..."
Hammer grabbed my shoulders and shook me wildly.
"You're a guy who knows loyalty!"
Drip drip drip—.
Water streamed from under Hammer's helmet, like he was crying.
Who knew people could produce that much tears? It was surprising instead.
But getting praised made me a bit embarrassed.
"Heh heh, I'm good at what I do anyway."
"Then I'll take the book. Put it in my hat."
Hermit took off her conical hat and slipped the book inside.
Whoosh—.
Something amazing happened.
The thick, hard book vanished perfectly into her hat.
Straight-up magic.
Even I was seeing magic in person for the first time, so my mouth dropped open.
"How much can you fit in there?"
"A big chest or so."
Mages were the real deal.
Even in this world, scam-proof jobs thrived.
"Quota's filled, so shall we head back?"
Hammer looked around.
"We made a racket with the Handricks crew earlier, so Star Cult patrols might come. Map says the exit's nearby, so we'll be out quick."
So there's a separate exit.
But I'd been curious about this 'cult' they'd mentioned.
I'd stayed quiet so I wouldn't seem clueless or dumb.
As if reading my mind, Felix explained first.
"The Star Cult's taken over this Mischanic University. They've abandoned their humanity to survive in the Night Land. You'll spot the filthy heretics easy—they look the part."
"Religious nuts?"
"They worship the doctrine of sailing stars. They believe when the celestial bodies align in the sky, a new era dawns. Led by the Pope—"
"Stop there! Felix, our Yor's not gonna remember all that!"
Hammer cut off Felix's rambling explanation.
Nice one, Hammer.
I'd started dozing when he got to the sailing stars bit.
Hammer summed it up simply.
"In this Night Land, there are four rebels daring to call themselves emperors. This is one of their territories. Total bastard."
Crystal clear.
No wonder Hammer's the party leader.
Felix, embarrassed, cleared his throat with a red face.
"Instead of leaving right away, we've got time—how about farming more Octopuses for Ether? We could upgrade gear, reinforce stuff."
Hunt more monsters?
Even I thought it was a great idea.
This guy's got some sense!
Hammer clicked his tongue.
"Man, Felix is such a money-grubber for a rich kid. What do you all think? Hermit, you first."
"I'd like to explore more too. We came all the way to Mischanic University. Leaving without a single magic book or artifact feels off."
Hermit's opinion.
Now all eyes were on me.
"Let's dry up those squid bastards completely today!"
「+300 Ether」
「+300 Ether」
「+300 Ether」
「+300 Ether」
The wide open space on the third floor of the university building.
We slaughtered the Octopuses pouring out like crazy!
Falling coins!
Wriggling tentacles!
"Hee hee. Hee hee hee."
I was scooping them up into my bag when Hermit, brushing goo off herself, asked.
"...Why pick up the tentacles?"
"Figured we could grill 'em."
"Urk."
"So, Hermit, how much did we make?"
"Gotta calculate when we're back. At least two million Ether more?"
Two million!
Soon, Hammer, polishing his armor, chimed in.
"Whoa, if we do this every time, no need to raid treasure chests!"
The sun outside the university window dipped low, glowing red in the sunset.
Hammer clicked his tongue at the sight.
"Already? Night comes quicker than I thought."
"What's bad about night?"
"Everything sucks. More monsters, harder to breathe. Stay exposed too long, and even we turn into monsters. Blessed Ones can endure it better, that's all."
They'd said only Blessed Ones could enter this old empire land.
Normies set foot here—even in daylight—and turn into monsters quick.
"Plan change. We're heading back. Quota's done ages ago."
Hammer scooped up heavy Ether bundles.
Felix grabbed a few pouches, and I took some too.
Body heavy, but heart and steps light as feathers.
Gonna chug a cold cola when we get back.
Heading for the exit with those thoughts, trouble hit.
"Nara, und. Belda?"
"Aroho. Mats, nardra."
"Bilgolsal."
We ran into people babbling weird languages.
No, they weren't human.
Robed like mages, but tentacles sprouted from under instead of hands and feet.
Their heads were flat stone masks.
Obviously not normal.
"Damn, Star Cult. Patrols already, and night hasn't even fallen?"
Hammer peeked from the corner.
"They're like bees. One signals danger, the swarm comes. Avoid 'em if possible—sneak out quiet."
Sounded good.
But life doesn't always go as planned.
"Aaaah—! Uwaaah!"
Someone was screaming and running from around the corner.
I, used to the dark, spotted his face first.
"That's the one-eyed guy?"
"Aaaagh!"
"Narhagra!"
"Ditdimon!"
"War. Gabalr!"
The one-eyed idiot's commotion drew the cult freaks chasing him.
The problem was—.
"Hey, hey hey, he's coming this way!"
Hammer panicked.
Cool-headed Felix drew his sword.
"Damn, should've finished him earlier."
Felix stepped forward and sliced the one-eyed guy's throat.
Clang—.
One-eyed went silent instantly.
His remaining eye stared at me.
"Told ya, Felix hates thieves."
"Felix, Hermit, Yor! Battle stations!!!"
Combat erupted in seconds.
Cultists hit like Octopuses, but exceptions popped up.
"Nargrabble!"
"Hey hey! That one's casting! Hermit!"
"Mana Barrier!"
Magic-casting squid monster?
Is this real life?
"Damn, Hammer, we can't hold! Find another exit! The slime's dulling my blade!"
"I need a breather to meditate and regen mana!"
"Freaking numbers game again! Follow me!"
"Kyaaah!"
Then Hermit screamed.
I turned— the one-eyed decapitated body was grabbing her.
How's a headless guy moving—.
Answer: his rolling head on the floor.
"Aaaah—, I see the stars—. Mothers from distant stars will descend! Walu walu—waalu—! When the spinning stars stop, the era of stars arrives!"
Tentacles wriggled out from between his broken jaw and eye.
I'd thought I'd seen it all, but my legs shook at this.
"...Ugh, what the hell is this?!"
Squid-ified one-eyed leaped—pouncing on Hermit.
I yanked her back just in time, dodging somehow.
"My, my hat!"
Problem: Hermit's conical hat fell off.
Headless one-eyed snatched it and vanished into the dark.
"Son of a—! Dies and still a pain in the ass!"
Hammer clicked his tongue.
"My hat! My haaat!"
Hermit, mental breakdown, repeating herself.
Felix slapped her cheek.
"Shut it. Keep noisy, more come. Wanna die here?"
"……."
Brutal, but Felix was right.
I got Hermit's pain though.
Our Ether haul and skill book were in that hat!
"...Abandon the hat. That's the underground prison. Traps everywhere, crawling with cultists. Better shoving honey-dipped head in hornet nest."
"I'll go."
My mouth opened.
Missing the Ether and skill book left behind, maybe.
"I'll check it out? Those cult guys only react to noise. If I go super quiet, might work."