The Crystal Ball's Forbidden Past
The Witch from the past memories couldn't believe her eyes. Why the hell was it there?
It was definitely inside the barrier…!
The crystal orb in the phantom thief's hand wasn't just any ordinary gem. It was the medium she needed to use her abilities. In other words, she could only perform prophecies with it. That's why she'd hidden it deep within a barrier where no one could find it. Since the Witch herself had set the barrier, no ordinary mage should even sense anything off about it. Normally, anyone passing by wouldn't even notice the gloomy old mansion's existence.
The one thing she hadn't anticipated was that a goddess herself was backing the phantom thief. No matter how weakened she was, a witch was still just a created being before a god.
The phantom thief flashed a wicked grin and held out the crystal orb.
"What do you think? Isn't the gem I brought the most beautiful in all of Paris?"
"……."
It was a complete checkmate. The deal she'd proposed from the start was to grant a favor in exchange for the gem. To get her orb back, she'd have no choice but to do exactly what the phantom thief wanted.
Of course, she could try using force to snatch it back. But if that were an option, she wouldn't have suggested the deal in the first place.
Her hesitation stemmed from the fact that she'd been utterly played by someone she'd underestimated. But what could she do? She couldn't sacrifice the orb just for her pride, and the truth was, she'd been outmaneuvered.
With a sigh, the Witch nodded.
"Fine. I admit it. Your skills exceed my expectations."
"Haha, such high praise—Raven is truly grateful."
"As promised, I'll grant your favor. Now, hand over my crystal orb?"
I handed the crystal orb back to the Witch, smacking my lips in regret. How strong would I become if I could just absorb the power sealed inside? No helping it—it was a pie in the sky for now. The sheer amount of power meant it would take ages to absorb, and I had to get back to London before sunrise. No time for that.
What if I'd bolted to London with the orb instead of returning? The future was obvious. They'd quickly figure out I was the culprit, and I'd be on the run from the Witch. Even if absorbing the gem's power made me stronger, I was still far from beating her. And there was no upside to burning bridges with her anyway.
I shook off the pointless thoughts and obediently returned the orb. It floated into the air the moment she took it, glowing with brilliant light as if welcoming its master. As I admired the swirling purple hue, the Witch spoke to me.
"Place your hand on the crystal orb. It'll show you the past you desire, Phantom Thief."
So that's how it worked—convenient. In the original story, it was glossed over like "I vaguely saw the past." Following her instructions, I placed my hand on the orb. I didn't feel any particular change. Maybe it'd play out like a TV screen inside the orb? Nope, nothing like that.
"Now close your eyes and think of the past you want to see."
I slowly shut my eyes. And I focused. The past I wanted to see was why Rachel had met Ziegfried that night—and how she'd gotten tangled up with Drakan.
A purple light began to ripple across my pitch-black vision. Soon, a space formed in my mind. It started abstract, but lines and shapes added detail over time until it became a hyper-realistic scene indistinguishable from reality.
"This place…."
It felt familiar. Staring at the flickering streetlamp, I realized where I was. The tree-lined street from that night. The path home after stealing the pearl from the casino, where I'd tailed Rachel and nearly died to Ziegfried.
Which meant, up ahead….
There she was. Same outfit, same posture as that day. Rachel, leaning against the wall, waiting for someone.
Was I watching the past? Or had I returned to it? The realism was so intense, I couldn't tell my current state.
Then came the click of heels, followed by a man. A dark red coat embroidered with a dragon—the hallmark of Drakan. I'd only seen his back then and hadn't recognized him immediately, but now I could see his face head-on. Eyes like ice, indifferent to the world. Ziegfried, the strongest ice mage.
Rachel looked up at the sound of his approaching footsteps.
"You're early."
His curt greeting. They clearly knew each other from before. What kind of connection did they have? In the original story, they'd never crossed paths. Why were these two meeting alone in the dead of night?
"……."
"Hmph. Not even a hello? Well, we're not exactly on greeting terms."
"Let's just go."
"Ready for this?"
"…Yes."
Ready for what? The more I heard, the more questions piled up. The atmosphere wasn't friendly at all. Rachel, usually so fierce, seemed like a completely different person. With those short words, they set off together. They walked side by side, but Ziegfried was subtly ahead, leading the way.
No more conversation passed between them. Just an endlessly heavy, freezing silence.
Suddenly, Ziegfried stopped and muttered under his breath.
"Got a pest."
"Pardon?"
Then came the scene I knew well. Me, barely escaping death and fleeing.
"Wait—!"
Rachel's desperate cry to stop me. But I ignored it and vanished from sight. Then the past I'd never seen continued.
Ziegfried recovered his vision, his bloodshot eyes blazing with murderous intent.
"That damn pest…!"
Just imagining getting caught then made my legs weak. Rachel shrank back in fear beside him. No matter how tough and hot-tempered she was, she was still a student not yet of age. The man next to her was one of the worst villains, committing atrocities without hesitation.
"Hey."
"…Yes."
"That guy earlier. You know him? Looked like you tried to stop him."
The tension was so thick, even knowing it was the past, I felt on edge. She hesitated, then answered.
"No. I don't know him."
"Really? Lie, and you die. You sure?"
"Yes. I just called out because I was curious why he was tailing us."
Ziegfried scratched his brow, deep in thought for a moment.
"Fine then. Was gonna chase and kill him, but no point wasting time on trash. Let's go."
"…Yes. Understood."
They resumed walking. Their destination: a deep ravine in the forest on the city's outskirts.
This place….
Familiar, though I'd never seen it in person. It appeared often in the original story, so I recognized it instantly. Drakan's hideout—and a sort of laboratory.
I hadn't expected Rachel to come here, deepening the mystery. There was really only one thing they could do here….
My unease grew as I watched them enter. This dark cave was the lab. The horrific facility Drakan built to realize their dream. Their goal was singular: to create dragons.
"You remember how the ritual works, right?"
"Yes. I've memorized everything."
"Good. From now on, come here once a week for the ritual."
Ziegfried smirked.
"When it's done, you'll be a dragon."
Drakan would do anything to make dragons—even if it meant wiping out humanity.
And Rachel had been chosen as the sacrifice for that ritual. The pain and trials of becoming a dragon were all too obvious.
…Why the hell?
Even after all this, I still couldn't understand why Rachel had chosen this path. There was no sign of coercion so far. Despite the power imbalance, she'd moved and answered of her own accord.
I needed to go further back. To the starting point where Rachel first got involved with Drakan. What reason could make her join their insane plan?
The world dissolved into purple light again. The past shown by the prophecy Witch shifted, rewinding further. The space reformed from abstract lines, growing detailed until it was indistinguishable from reality once more.
A terribly familiar space and background.
Why.
Tomorrow night, I shall take Sun's Smile.
— Phantom Thief Raven
"Ha, damn that phantom thief."