Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Phantom Thief Dauphin - The Wildflower of Sarnos
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Many noble families owned 'territories' attached to their houses, expanding their wealth and influence by developing those lands.
However, that didn't mean every territory in the world had been developed from start to finish by a single family.
Levroucq, a city bearing that name, was no exception.
This city, impressive for the massive river cutting through its center, was an ancient capital whose history easily surpassed a thousand years.
Levroucq had existed even before the Kingdom of Birkha was founded, passing through the hands of countless rulers over time, with the city's development direction shifting according to each one's inclinations.
Some had tried to turn it into a massive food production hub using its abundant waters, others into a fortress to fend off rivals' invasions, and still others into a center of commerce.
Perhaps it was the accumulation of such trial and error over long ages.
When the Count Sarnos family took control of Levroucq, the city was in a state so chaotic that calling it a 'mixed bag' felt like an understatement.
Its location was excellent. Resources were plentiful. The population was large.
But where to even start overhauling it all?
The first Count Sarnos, more a pure warrior than a capable administrator, chose to maintain the status quo instead of a massive reorganization, and this policy carried on through generations to the current count.
An administrative system so messy that even a rough population estimate was impossible, let alone an exact count.
A labyrinthine layout where roads shown on maps didn't exist, and spaces that shouldn't be there were taken for granted.
Merchants who exploited the populace by straddling legality and illegality, and officials who tolerated or even colluded with them.
And rulers who had no intention of solving problems, content as long as taxes trickled in steadily.
If cities were divided into 'fine cities' and 'disastrous ones,' Levroucq undoubtedly fell into the latter category.
And in disastrous cities, criminals fittingly swarmed like flies.
"Hey, boss. You're no spring chicken—why can't you get it through your thick skull? We're talking protection money. Is that so hard to understand?"
A thug with a menacing face glared threateningly, and an elderly man with skin full of fine wrinkles shrank back as he spoke.
"I-I get it. I do, but business has been so bad lately, I don't have a single spare coin. We're already getting squeezed dry by regular taxes—if we pay protection on top, we won't even have scraps to eat...!"
"Haha."
The thug laughed.
He slapped the man's shoulder hard enough to make a thudding sound, continuing in an almost friendly tone.
"Sure, that could happen. I'm not so unreasonable I can't understand that."
"Th-then..."
"So borrow it and pay up."
"Pardon?"
To the bewildered man, the thug pointed at nearby shops.
"Borrow from the shops around here and cough it up. You're all in the same business; they know your face, right?"
The man's face flushed through shades of red and purple, while the other merchants watching anxiously with uneasy expressions looked speechless.
The only ones laughing were the thug and his gang.
"Aw, boss, aren't you going too easy on him?"
"Man, folks here must've had it easy doing business. How do you even run a shop without paying protection?"
"Should've moved here sooner instead of griping elsewhere! Hahaha!"
"Hey, shut it, all of you. I'm talking here."
"Yes, boss!"
The thug silenced his men in an instant and smirked inwardly.
'This is like free money.'
Originally, he and his crew operated in some territory on the kingdom's east side.
The lord there was so incompetent and uninterested in governance that 'work' was a breeze—until red dogs started rampaging from some place called Eched or Chepet, their numbers and range growing until it reached their turf.
The thug, who had once lived as a mercenary, was confident in his skills, but even he couldn't beat sheer numbers.
Pushed westward from the east, they ended up in Count Sarnos's domain, and at first, he despaired.
If they couldn't hold out in Redbell territory—judged weaker militarily than the other two families—how could they against Sarnos, reputed the kingdom's strongest in arms?
But that was a misjudgment.
Levroucq's military was strong, but those powerful soldiers patrolled diligently only in the upper-class districts where lords, nobles, and rich folk resided, rarely venturing into middle-class merchant areas or the slums where commoners and the poor lived.
Impressive on the outside, full of holes within.
'No rivals staking claim here first? What luck.'
As he thrilled at the prospects, imagining fun times ahead...
"Halt right there."
A voice firm and stern drew all eyes at once.
The thug turned curiously and spotted the figure.
'Guard?'
First to catch his eye was the contrast of silver and black.
Leather processed from monster hides in special oils gleamed oddly, while metal plates guarding chest and shoulders shone silver in the sun.
The practical design lacked a knight's flashiness, save for the intricate emblem of House Sarnos etched precisely over the chest.
The spear in hand wasn't some crude stick with a blade tip but a proper metal weapon from haft to point.
Visor hid the face, but the armor's curves and stray locks spilling from the helmet revealed a woman.
The thug's face twisted briefly, but spotting her alone, he regained composure.
"What's the problem, officer?"
"Threatening merchants and demanding unjust payments. Clear-cut crime in progress. Come quietly."
"Threats? Must've seen wrong. I've never threatened anyone. Right, boss?"
With a sly grin, he winked subtly at the elderly man.
A warning: play along or face consequences later.
But the old man seemed possessed, yelling hysterically.
"No! These thugs demanded money by force!! Even when I said I had none, they threatened to make me borrow from other merchants!!"
"That's right!! I saw the threats with my own eyes!"
"Officer! Arrest them!!"
"You bastards...!"
The thug was dumbfounded.
He had ten men with him.
Collections didn't need that many usually, but for their debut, he'd brought the full crew to intimidate.
Against just one opponent.
With that gap, wasn't victory obvious? So why didn't they shut up?
'Are Sarnos guards so elite they ignore ten-to-one odds?'
The ex-mercenary dismissed the thought as nonsense.
The armor looked quality—Sarnos invested more in soldiers than elsewhere—but a guard was a guard.
With top backing, she'd be a knight; with talent, an adventurer or mercenary honing skills.
Guards got meager pay for petty city chores—chosen by the mediocre who couldn't cut it elsewhere.
The guard spoke flatly.
"Witness statements secured. Even without, I'd take you in. Your call? Come quietly, no force needed."
The thug gritted his teeth.
Not scared of one soldier.
But the count backing her? Terrifying.
Couldn't flee either.
That'd trash his rep among his crew and merchants.
In this line of work, weakness meant doom.
Shing!
"Get ready, boys. Handle her quick before more guards show."
As he drew his shortsword, his men gripped daggers and clubs, battle-ready.
Thwack!
Exactly one second later, the thug's neck met the spear haft, slamming him to the ground.
His men didn't gasp in shock.
No time—they hit the dirt like their boss before comprehending.
The hushed merchants erupted in cheers.
"Yes!!"
"Serves you right, scum!!"
"Knew it! Protection racket from gutless punks?"
The guard approached the fallen thugs, confiscating pouches from their belts.
Protection money paid by other merchants before the old man.
"Here, everyone! Take yours back! Fight over it, and you're next—in order now!"
Some merchants beamed, rushing forward.
As they reclaimed their coin, the old man most bullied bowed repeatedly to the guard.
"Thank you! Truly, thank you! How to repay you every time...!"
The guard waved it off.
"Just doing my job—no thanks needed. Sorry it took so long, actually."
"Oh, come on. 'Just my job'? Only you and Eighth Squad come to places like this."
"......"
The guard—Dahlia—fell silent under her helmet.
Good thing the visor hid her expression.
With thugs down and leisure born, merchants chattered.
"Lately, more drifters like these. Locals learned not to mess here after Dahlia thrashed them. Outsiders, probably."
"Heard Redbell's cracking down hard on criminals—maybe they're fleeing here?"
"Cracking down how?"
"Dogs hunting them down or something?"
"Hahaha! What?"
"Nah, you guys believe that? Gotta be rumors."
"True or not, it's fun. Cute image. Wish we had that."
"No way Sarnos copies Redbell. You know how much the boss hates them."
"Yeah, yeah. We got Dahlia—that's all we need."
Dahlia smiled wryly at their talk.
No malice, sure, but equating her to a dog stung.
Clank!
She adjusted her spear, extending it threefold in a flash.
She strung the thugs along the haft like laundry, hoisted it one-handed onto her shoulder.
Most efficient for hauling double digits solo.
Merchants gawked.
"S-seen it before, but amazing. ...Not heavy?"
"This much? Fine. See you."
On the way out after jailing the thugs...
Dahlia's lieutenant rushed up frantically.
"Captain! Solo again? Bring some guys!!"
"Nah. Can't burden you all—your areas are wide enough. Gotta handle small stuff myself."
"Why's it your fault? Blame the other squads clinging to upper districts like it's honey. Damn slackers."
"Voice down. They'll hear."
"Let 'em. Anyway, be careful. We know you're ace, but things are chaotic lately."
"Heard criminals fleeing from Redbell."
"That's part, but Baron Belmor next door? Got robbed by a thief."
"Gang? Or single thief?"
"Yeah, one guy. Some lunatic broke into the manor, looted the warehouse, kidnapped the baron, and strung him up downtown with rope. Planted a big signboard too—listing all his crimes. Funniest? Returned every stolen coin to victims."
Dahlia frowned.
"Irresponsible. Returning money won't stop the baron from retaliating."
"He scrawled on the sign: 'Pile up sins again, and next time I take your head, leave the body.' Baron's too spooked—hasn't touched victims."
"......"
"Belmor's trash is infamous, so some call the thief a vigilante, say it's refreshing.... Not that I said it—just rumors!"
The lieutenant coughed, averting eyes, then continued.
"Point is, dangerous guy's active nearby. Extra caution, Captain. Squad's done if you fall."
He nagged a bit more before leaving. Alone, Dahlia quietly raised her visor.
Green eyes thick with distrust, she muttered.
"A thief's still a thief."
Such outrage against nobility meant capture soon, but if he reached here alive, she'd jail him personally.
Dahlia, captain of Levroucq Guard Eighth Squad, vowed as much.