Background Check
"Be honest. Who was that guy with you last night?"
Rachel stared at me silently for a moment before spitting out her response.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb. The guy next to you tried to kill me!"
"I don't know what kinda crazy dream you had, loser, but I didn't go out last night."
I clicked my tongue at her brazen attitude. Was she really going to play it like this?
There was no chance I'd mistaken her. It was definitely Rachel, and that final voice I'd heard matched hers perfectly. Hell, there wasn't even a woman around who could be confused for her like with Sherlock.
But the person in question was denying it outright, acting like she had no idea. It was frustrating as hell.
"You serious right now?"
"Got any proof? Proof that the woman you saw was me?"
The fact that she even said that was basically her admitting it herself. If it really was a mistake and someone else, she'd have worried about me almost dying first thing. But she'd seen me escape unscathed, so she wasn't even bringing it up.
Still, if she kept denying it to the end, there wasn't much I could do. I didn't have ironclad evidence she couldn't wriggle out of, after all.
If I'd known she'd react like this, I should've been more careful and bided my time. Too late for regrets now, maybe.
But I couldn't just drop it here. It wasn't just about almost getting killed—that was personal. If I didn't figure out why Rachel was connecting with Drakan, the entire original plot could unravel.
I needed to uncover the root cause and fix it, even now.
"Rachel."
"What. More bullshit?"
"I think we're friends. Pretty good ones."
"······."
As I started seriously, Rachel shut her mouth and just watched me.
"So as a friend, one last time: it really wasn't you?"
"······That is."
After a long pause, just as she hesitated and opened her mouth—
"What're you two whispering about over there in the corner? Class bell rang—get back to your homeroom."
The teacher from the next class popped up out of nowhere, interrupting us.
Rachel immediately turned and bolted like she was fleeing.
"Let's go. Enough of this crap."
Running away after all that? I stared at her retreating back with complicated eyes.
Lunchtime. Kids were chatting in little groups here and there.
Yulia came over to our spot, more excited than usual, firing off words like a machine gun. The topic? None other than Phantom Thief Raven. Yesterday's casino incident.
"Isn't it crazy? How'd he steal the pearl without even showing his face?"
"Yeah."
"And this time, the notice was in some riddle code!"
"Huh."
"Cops are investigating, but they're considering accomplices too."
"Could be."
I was half-heartedly responding, soul not in it, when Yulia put her hands on her hips and jabbed at us, sounding annoyed.
"What's up with you two today?"
"Huh? What?"
"You're acting weird! Kro's spaced out, and Rachel hasn't said a word!"
I wasn't really spaced out. Just had a lot on my mind, so I couldn't focus on Yulia's chatter.
Still, cops considering accomplices? Sharper instincts than I thought. Or did they find evidence? Maybe Sherlock dug something up—I cautiously guessed.
"Wait, did you two fight or something?"
The voice from the side snapped me out of my thoughts.
"No. Fight what?"
"Your reactions say otherwise. What happened to make it this bad?"
We hadn't fought. No yelling earlier. If anything, things had gotten awkward. Especially with Rachel—the usual prankster—being quiet, it stood out more.
Yulia narrowed her eyes at us alternately, then whispered in my ear.
"Kro. Forgive her first. Adults are supposed to yield."
"No, we didn't fight, seriously."
"Yeah, yeah. So forgiving's fine, right?"
She wasn't listening at all. And I couldn't explain the situation anyway.
Then she went to Rachel's side and whispered something similar, probably.
Rachel showed zero reaction, like she didn't care.
"You two are impossible···. Sharon. You say something."
Yulia called out to Sharon, who was standing a bit apart. Her quiet personality meant she hadn't piped up about our weird vibe.
Now that I thought about it, Yulia and Rachel carried a lot of weight in our group. Without Rachel's casual jabs, things felt empty and awkward.
I pondered for a sec, then turned to her.
"Hey."
"···What."
A beat-late, grumpy reply.
She wasn't actually sulking, was she? If anyone's sulking, it should be me—what'd she do wrong to sulk?
"Fine. I'll believe you, so cut it out."
"···Cut what out."
"Act normal. Kids are getting the wrong idea."
Yulia grinned at us smugly, like a kindergarten teacher watching brats.
Rachel, noticing the stare, scowled and muttered low.
"···Hmph. For a loser."
Was this the classic tsundere? Didn't seem like she actually liked me, though. Just rude, then?
Anyway, as time passed, she slowly went back to normal.
"So this magazine said about Raven···."
"Stop. Raven, Raven—my ears are gonna fall off. Got any other topics?"
"Huh? How about the interview with the tax office guy who got schooled by Raven?"
Rachel gave Yulia a defeated look. Honestly, I got it a bit. Felt the same.
"Class rep. You're not actually a phantom thief fan, are you?"
"It's just trending. Plus, we bonded over that phantom thief presentation···."
"Hmm. Suspicious."
Suddenly, the arrow turned to me.
"Hey, loser. What do you think?"
"Uh? Well··· could be."
"Lame."
More like you're the suspicious one. I said I'd believe her, but I was dead certain the woman last night was Rachel.
Even if Yulia turned out a thief stan, I wouldn't be shocked. Among us four, she's the most normal, right?
Me? Phantom Thief Raven himself, no need to say.
Silent Sharon? Turns out she's detective Sherlock, hating my guts—under suspicion.
And now Rachel's a super shady chick secretly meeting villain org members at night.
Damn. Looking at it, what a mess. How'd they all turn out so suspicious and dangerous?
Maybe Yulia's hiding some huge secret too. Nah, probably not. Main heroine of the original—no way.
Time flew, school letting out soon.
In the end, Rachel never admitted it, wouldn't even touch the topic.
[You planning to just let this slide?]
'No way.'
Like I said, this wasn't something to brush off.
I needed a solid investigation to get to the bottom.
Problem was, with Rachel not cooperating, how to dig up the truth.
Tailing her came to mind first, but unlikely to work easy. She'd be way more cautious after getting caught once, and running into Ziegfried like last night? Dead for real.
Private background check? But how···.
"Ah."
A good idea hit.
Never thought I'd go for this reason at this timing.
But decision made—act fast.
Goddess said absorbing the pearl's power takes two days, perfect to pause thief stuff and investigate.
Leaving the Academy, I changed clothes and headed straight to my destination: the Witch's Shop.
"Oh my. Welcome, Mr. Thief."
"Hello. Nice night."
She'd gotten so friendly now, felt like real business partners.
Greeting me with her usual seductive smile, she said,
"What brings you tonight? Finally accepting my heart···."
I cut off her teasing and got to the point.
"Can you take me to the witches' village?"
"···Oh dear."