Moment of Crisis
[Absorption complete.]
Absorption is fully complete.
"Oh. Finally."
It had been a day since I'd successfully stolen Angel's Stayed Sea. Now that the gem's power absorption was fully complete, it was time to return it to its original spot.
The problem, of course, was that alligator monster in the sewer. No way to know if it had moved to another section or if it was still lurking around there. But the longer I dragged this out, the greater the chance someone would discover the traces I'd left in the sewer and I wouldn't be able to put it back.
So, going right now—barely a day later—was definitely the best move.
Can you feel how much stronger you've become?
"Oh..."
I closed my eyes and focused on the flow of my mana.
"Not really sure?"
What a fool. You'll know once you try using it yourself.
"I'll test that out slowly later when I have time. For now, let's go return the necklace."
That alligator bastard. If I ran into it, I'd pay back the humiliation of fleeing yesterday. Of course, if I didn't, nothing I could do about it.
I approached the sewer entrance as cautiously as possible, moving with utmost care. It was pretty far from the museum, but they might still be searching or investigating the area.
"Doesn't feel like they've gotten this far yet."
Indeed. It's quiet here.
This looked good. I could return it safely. Feeling a bit relieved, I opened the entrance and slipped into the sewer.
Drip.
Drip.
Water droplets leaking from the ceiling fell below. Nothing major, but the overwhelming silence made me tense for no reason. Staying on high alert for a sudden alligator ambush, I stepped forward slowly.
If it was in the water, there'd be those bubbling signs like last time. Fortunately, no such omens yet.
Clack. Clack.
My shoe heels echoed through the quiet sewer. How far had I walked like that? The fork near the museum appeared. One path was rough and extremely narrow—the one I'd painstakingly dug myself just a few days ago, leading right under the display case.
"Perfect."
A little further, drop off the necklace, and head back. No alligator encounter, no incidents—mission success.
That was when it happened.
Click.
The cold touch of a gun barrel pressed against the back of my head.
"Freeze."
Detective Gadget inwardly cheered. At first, she hadn't really believed it—had even brushed it off dismissively. What kind of big results could a self-proclaimed detective girl who looked like a total rookie deliver?
But that prediction shattered in an instant.
The girl saw through Phantom Thief Raven's trick in one go. Who would've thought he'd tunnel under the display case to steal the necklace? No cop, no one from the museum had imagined it—but she uncovered it immediately.
"Sherlock, was it?"
Gadget tilted her head, lost in thought for a while. The name sounded oddly familiar. Like she'd heard it somewhere, but it wouldn't come to mind. Someone that capable, she'd definitely remember for sure.
Asking her subordinates got nothing but blank stares—they had no idea either. In the end, the police had no choice but to rely on this mystery detective girl.
The hole under the display case connected to the underground sewer. The original sewer paths didn't overlap with the museum basement, so they'd slipped through the police search net. But when they finally went down to investigate late, they found traces of someone who'd dug through the underground themselves.
"Crazy bastard. Dug through the underground himself?"
The phantom thief was far more impressive than she'd thought. Who could've imagined using a method like this to steal the gem? Sherlock figuring it out seemed insane.
But that was where they hit a wall. They'd figured out how he'd stolen the necklace, but had no clue where he'd escaped through the sewer afterward. No solid traces turned up, and the investigation stalled hard again.
"Pull everyone out of the sewer."
Gadget panicked at Sherlock's words. "What? Suddenly? We're short on investigators as it is."
"If we keep this up, Raven will notice."
"Notice what?"
"That we've seen through his trick."
Why did it matter if the thief noticed? Gadget furrowed her brow, mulling the girl's words before cautiously asking, "...You mean he's coming back?"
"Yes."
Sherlock answered without a hint of hesitation. Logically, it made no sense. Why would a criminal risk going back to the scene? Getting caught would just make him suspicious.
"Why do you believe he'll return?"
"Raven isn't an ordinary thief. He's more like a magician."
"A magician...?"
It was a tough metaphor to swallow. What magician in the world pulled stunts like this?
"He sends calling cards and uses outlandish methods that deliberately draw eyes. Like he's on stage, putting on a magic show for the audience."
"So he's an attention whore, basically."
"You could say that."
Gadget stroked her chin, deep in thought. A nervous subordinate piped up. "Chief, no way. Rain's coming in a few days—it'll wash away all the evidence! We gotta find it fast before then. Pull out now?"
A dilemma. Choose one, lose the other. Normally, you'd go with the subordinate's logic. But Gadget went with the unconventional.
"Everyone, pull out."
"Chief!"
"I'll take responsibility. Lingering here won't change anything anyway."
Her basis was flimsy at best—the kid detective's deduction on the thief's trick and her own gut as a mere cop. That was it.
With all police gone, the sewer fell quiet.
"What's the plan now?"
"Wait for Raven to show."
"Until he shows...? Got it. I'll stake out solo then."
If Sherlock was right, they needed minimal personnel so the thief wouldn't notice.
"I'll stay too."
"He's a mage. Dangerous for civilians."
"I'm fine. I'm no civilian."
Gadget stared at the girl detective. Those vividly shining emerald eyes showed no fear.
"Sigh... Fine."
And so the two began an indefinite stakeout in the sewer. If Phantom Thief Raven didn't return against expectations, it'd just be a pointless waste of time.
Leading to the current moment.
"Freeze."
Gadget aimed her gun at the man before her and commanded.
"Hands up. One wrong move and I shoot."
The man froze for a moment, then slowly raised both hands. Too dark to see clearly, but his outfit screamed it.
Phantom Thief Raven.
"Never dreamed someone would be here to greet me. I'm so touched, tears are welling up."
The thief cracked a joke in a relaxed tone, but anyone could see the situation was one-sided.
"Raven. You're under arrest for theft."
"Mind adding 'phantom thief' in front?"
His brazen attitude drew a hollow laugh from Gadget. "Pretty cocky even now. Got something up your sleeve?"
"Dunno. The goddess of luck just favors me, y'know."
"Bullshit. No goddess favors a thief like you."
...Ahem!
A cough seemed to echo from somewhere, but probably just imagination. No one here but the three of them.
"I said I'd catch you for sure, right?"
The silent girl finally spoke up.
Raven flinched briefly at Sherlock's voice, then chuckled low. "Ahh, got it. So it was you who saw through my trick."
Gadget frowned at how Raven was so sure it was Sherlock, even with her right there.
"Didn't expect to meet again this soon."
"I wanted to catch you myself."
"Aw. Sorry, but obsessive girls aren't my type."
Press.
Gadget jammed the barrel harder, cutting their banter. "Save the chit-chat for the station. Walk straight ahead."
"This lady's too intense. I prefer cute girls, y'see."
"Tough luck. For the record, crooks like you aren't my type either."
Even after she spoke, the thief didn't budge.
Gadget fired a warning shot past his head.
"...Whoa. Brutal."
"That was a blank. Next one's live."
"Hey, officer lady. Wanna hear something interesting?"
Bubble bubble.
A suspicious sound from behind. Gadget and Sherlock both sensed things had gone south.
And then Raven's laughing quip.
"There's an alligator living in this sewer."
"Kraaak!!"
The alligator monster revealed itself once more.