The Way of the Gang
Ethan's brow creased slightly.
*Why the hell are they all gathered in my room?*
Sera and Carson, sure. But the others...
"Why aren't you lot going back to your dorms?"
It sounded natural enough that I almost mistook it for my own voice.
The cadets sitting around looked at one another, a little self-conscious.
I opened the door with a click and waved them out.
"Get out. It's too cramped."
"Ethaaaaan!!"
The cadets grabbed at the hem of my pants.
"How are we supposed to leave when this is the only spot the professor's qi can't reach?!"
"Every other room in the annex is locked! We can't get in!"
"Please, Ethan! We can't go back to that hellhole! All of 1-life dorm is willing to stake their lives on helping you with your homework!"
I had to admit, I'd been a bit harsh. These were all the cadets who'd paid me in gold and high-tier items as thanks for everything.
I nodded, softening my tone a little.
"If you're not paying a silver per hour for the privilege of using the room, then head back to your dorms."
"Ethan... that's so cold."
"Pay up. One silver each, right here."
In the end, the cadets tossed in one silver coin apiece and slammed the lid shut on the box.
"Ugh..."
"You leaving?"
"No..."
There was a reason I checked every detail like this. At the academy, if I just handed out rooms for free whenever someone felt like it, thieves would steal everything, bring their girlfriends over, and turn the place into a nonstop party.
Plus, these guys weren't exactly commoners. They were from noble houses or powerful craft-guild families. No one was short on money.
Sounded reasonable to me.
After the collection was done, the free time bell rang.
My room looked more like a proper house than a dorm, so...
Each of them headed to the small or big rooms, changing into the provided clothes.
"Wow, this is amazing!"
"It fits me perfectly!"
"Best thing ever!"
Except Sera kept tilting her head.
"Why does only my outfit look like this...?"
She held the garment up, stammering.
"This... the clothes..."
"What's wrong, Sera Barakin? Anything bothering you?"
"Ah, no, is this something I should call a problem?"
The female thief outfit she held up...
It was exactly on time.
The neckline was wide open.
This wasn't armor; this was a mobile-game character design where defense would actually be higher.
I nodded.
"It looks very breathable. And with summer coming, this seems like a smart choice to avoid moisture buildup."
"Not just breathable..."
"It suits you perfectly."
"R-really?"
Sera's ears were surprisingly delicate.
I decided to push her into wearing it properly.
With her glamorous figure, tight gear in the heat would just cause rashes, and rashes were deadly during missions.
Carson chimed in from the side.
"You're right, my lady. This outfit would only work for you, the young lady of the academy. No other thief could handle it."
"R-really?"
Sera smiled bashfully.
"If I... I try it on, will it be okay?"
"It will. Leave it on for too long and the fabric will start eating bugs. Put it on right now."
"I just got the clothes an hour ago..."
"Whatever. Fine."
The curtain in the changing room swished.
"You just want to see Sera in a pretty outfit, don't you?"
"Non-sense. This is simply guidance for efficient combat."
A moment later, Sera stepped out looking gorgeous in the new female thief outfit.
She flipped her long hair over her shoulder, cheeks flushed.
The cadets who had been whispering earlier dropped their jaws.
"Yo... o... insane..."
"Isn't that the same outfit the Imperial Princess Aria wears?"
"Nope."
Carson whispered to me.
"Two watermelons... mmmph!"
"Shut it, Carson."
Amid the gasps, an awkward silence fell.
Sera lowered her head, embarrassed.
"I... am I... weird?"
The male cadets shook their heads.
"No, it looks great on you!"
"That outfit is perfect for Sera!"
"Completely made for Sera!"
It was praise, but Sera just stood there, expression flat.
Then Iska, who hadn't been there, pushed the curtain open and stepped in.
"Everyone... is there anyone else who wants to go to the downtown clothing shop with me to get this fixed...?"
"Ah... hello, Iska."
"Sera...?"
He spotted her outfit and his eyes went wide.
His lips trembled as he muttered.
"What the... everyone! Why didn't anyone tell Sera to wear underwear?!?"
"Grab him."
"Ah, why are you blocking the person's mouth?! Mmmph!"
"Shut up, Iska."
The male cadets here had zero interest in a full-frontal show.
A few dissenting voices were drowned out by the democratic process.
"Sera! You have to wear underwear under that! Otherwise you'll be showing skin! Mmmph!"
"Kick him out."
Hmm... even among the thief lot, there were moments of justice.
I looked at the male cadets and realized something for the first time.
'The gang code still holds even inside this qi-soaked school.'
And it did.
*
Sera hadn't heard a word Iska said.
Because the applause never stopped.
Clap clap clap.
It was the standing ovation for the male cadets' inner thoughts.
Carson spoke up.
"Miss Sera, even an empire newspaper could run an ad for this outfit!"
Even while everyone praised her, Sera's face stayed blank. Then she stared straight at me.
"So... how do I look?"
I nodded.
"You look great, Sera."
Her ears went scarlet.
"R-really? Ehehe."
Democracy had won, and the male cadets left with a full day's worth of energy.
"You... you perverts! Gross! Uuuuuh!"
"Block Iska's mouth properly, Carson."
...Except Iska, of course.
I stayed in place and slowly clapped my palms together.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
As a special-forces veteran, I still had that lingering sense of duty.
I needed to encourage the cadets who were hesitant about the new training uniforms.
Soon dozens of compliments rained down.
"Best outfit Sera's ever worn!"
"It's the most flattering!"
"Maybe later we can take a campus thief magazine photoshoot? I'll talk to my senior cadets about it."
Sera clasped her hands together and twirled her body.
"What... what's so great about this outfit..."
I commented calmly.
"Excellent."
"Eek..."
It was said that among thief arts there was even a beauty skill.
But that wouldn't be learned until next year, so it was premature.
Still, seeing Sera today...
It was an amazing bust... no, an amazing talent.
With that aggressive cleavage, even a high priest of the Holy Kingdom would faint.
I needed to nurture her support skills as a leader.
I activated the communication network as a thief and offered her one weapon.
"Carson. This is going to be risky, but can you share this happy news with Sera directly?"
"Don't worry, Ethan. Trusted comrades who give honest tactical advice are reliable."
"Er... yeah... honest... yeah, you're right, Carson."
I nodded, and Carson opened his mouth.
"Sera, do you know that your two full peaches are proof of talent for beauty arts?"
"Correct. Your peaches are... huh?"
Carson, what the hell are you saying?
Turn it around. If I just blurt it out like that, how do I catch it?
Carson's finger pointed at Sera's chest armor.
"Eh? Eh?"
She looked down, then back up, eyes wide.
Sera's cheeks turned the color of red bean paste.
"Wh-what? Peaches? Wha... what?"
"Y-yes, Carson is right."
"What are you two saying right now?!"
At this point, Plan B was necessary.
Pretend it was the original plan and protect Carson.
When in doubt, the one who says "I'm sorry" first starts drama.
It was better to push forward boldly.
I poked Carson's side.
"Carson."
"Huh? Ah. You have to tell her too."
As I gestured, Carson continued with a serious face.
"From now on, listen carefully, Sera. I'm not just talking. I swear on my life, your beauty arts is no joke. This is big enough to put in the Empire Strategy Collection."
"S-shame! What are you saying!"
"You must take my advice seriously... ack!"
Sera's fist slammed into Carson's side.
My eyebrow shot up.
Whoa? I didn't see that coming?
Sera's trembling voice conveyed her embarrassment.
"Such words... are improper for a lady!"
"Grrk... you knew I got a weapon for missions and still attacked me..."
"I don't know! I hate Carson, you pervert!"
"Kehe!"
She followed up with a quick second hit, then vanished like the wind.
Carson doubled over, clutching his stomach and shaking.
"These... these thief bastards..."
"Carson. That was my line."
"Never... never trust thieves again..."
"Hmm... that's a commendable attitude, Carson."
I tried to help Carson up, but Sera approached the fallen cadet again.
Carson forced out a pained voice.
"Y-yes, Sera. Now I finally understand my deep..."
"I got mocked! Another one!"
"Kuek!"
Carson's trust was returned with a soccer kick.
He gasped.
"Never... never trust thieves again for three times..."
"Stop it, Carson."
"Never... for four times..."
"Shut up, you bastard."
I lifted and set Carson down.
*
Ethan, Sera, Carson, and Iska.
The four of us headed downtown together.
"Underwear isn't necessary in this hot summer."
"Winter is when we do infiltration ops, Ethan."
"Iska, you're stuck in old habits."
The group walked into the dense building forest where the Dragon's Spire loomed.
Downtown.
It was a small village that sprouted south of the Thief Academy campus.
Traditional fantasy brick houses intertwined like a puzzle.
Clotheslines and mysterious power lines crisscrossed the sky like spider webs.
"You want what?!"
"Stop selling here, old man!"
"Come on, hit me! You'll die from one hit?"
"W-what?!"
A bandit-looking thug was dealing with a merchant.
"Then after he dies, pray to Vespera to make him reincarnate nicely!"
"You've gone mad, old man?"
"Stealing everything and expecting to live? Expel him from the school!?"
"Ha... if only I had gone to school."
The merchant with thinning gray hair stood firm even in front of the sharp blade.
Were all the villagers around the academy this tough?
Heh.
That's why I usually avoided coming here.
I pulled a wooden baton from my pocket and approached the thug.
"Hey, uncle."
"What are you?!"
"I'm a new cadet."
"Eek!"
I flicked the white stripe on the right side of his training uniform.
"S-sorry!"
The thug immediately went limp.
"Hey."
"Y-yes! I didn't know you were a Thief Academy student!"
"You got money?"
"...Eh?"
"I saw you pickpocket that merchant earlier. Hand it over and get lost."
The thug shook as he handed over the coins.
"What? Get out."
"Thank you for saving me aah!"
I felt something new for the first time.
Using my cadet identity as a thief really helped.
"Ah! Cadet! You're too kind. An old man like me getting his money back..."
The gray-haired old man dusted off his hands and approached familiarly.
He glanced at the white stripe on my shoulder.
"Ah... a new cadet?"
"Yes."
"Ah... ah! A new cadet! Great! This is perfect! Eh? The guy's built like a hunk too! Wanna be my girlfriend?"
Sera's eyebrows furrowed.
"Get lost, you pervert..."
"Sera, show respect to the residents."
I glared at the merchant and said.
"Apologize for what you just said. I'll let you off."
"Hah? This is just me showing off after being helped?"
The merchant had clearly crossed into rude territory.
He was probably used to getting free help from new cadets before.
He started speaking in crude slang.
"I mean, yeah? Back in my day, even that thug Donovan bowed to me. Hahaha, really. A new cadet? Let me give you one piece of advice. This downtown..."
Ethan caught the furry hand resting on his shoulder.
"Why are you putting your hands on old men, old man."
"...Eh?"
Crack.
"Aaaahhh! This cadet is trying to kill someone!!"
"Quiet."
Boom! Rumble.
I casually kicked the merchant's stomach.
The stall collapsed, goods spilling onto the ground.
"You."
"Eek!"
"You've been bullying the merchants around here."
I scanned the other merchants' faces. The atmosphere was clear.
"You've done the same thing to the thug."
The victim becoming the aggressor.
"I can't kick you out of the academy just because you're a thief cadet..."
The principal had this exact thing for situations like this.
"I will report that you extorted a student without the school's permission to the principal."
The merchant's face turned deathly pale.