Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Phantom Thief Dauphin (12) - The Approaching Time Limit
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Eisen Empire. Capital City of Calastia.
The Golden Cloud Palace, residence of the Crown Prince.
"But isn't it dangerous if that mana circulation method spreads around carelessly?"
"Hm?"
"It lets even ordinary civilians gain powerful strength, right? If every commoner in the kingdom became knight-level strong, wouldn't that threaten not just the kingdom but even our empire here?"
In response to Lucidra's question, the Crown Prince stroked his chin thoughtfully before answering.
"The empire teaches the mana circulation method to regular soldiers too, you know? Ah, of course, not conscripts—just professional soldiers. Don't misunderstand."
"......"
"The mana circulation method isn't some instant power-up where anyone can just snap their fingers and get strong. Some people learn it for a year and start emitting sword aura, while others train for over ten years and barely manage awkward body strengthening. If the same teaching yields wildly different results based on individual talent, isn't it more efficient to apply it to as many candidates as possible and pull up the excellent ones?"
Like the nobles of Birka Kingdom, if you only pass the mana circulation method to family bloodlines or vassals and private soldiers brainwashed with loyalty from childhood, your talent pool becomes extremely limited.
In contrast, releasing it to ordinary state-affiliated civilians increases the number of trials, thus the number of hits.
No, even without hits, it's a gain in national power just by itself.
Even soldiers with zero mana talent get a bit stronger than if they learned nothing.
So why doesn't Birka Kingdom use this method?
"Because the state's a mess. They fear handing power to commoners."
Birka Kingdom is a nation riddled with problems.
Dissonance rages everywhere—it's a wonder it hasn't collapsed yet.
Yet it endures.
Because the upper class monopolizes violence, or rather, terrorizes people into submission.
"So, you're giving them the mana circulation method to empower the people to fight back?"
"Well, in my view, that's secondary. Not the core. Though it would help."
The Crown Prince held back his words.
As if debating what followed wasn't for the empire's Crown Prince, but for Sarno's phantom thief and guardsman.
"It's Dauphin! Dauphin's appeared!"
"Of course! There's no way Dauphin would die that easily!!"
About three days after Dauphin was supposedly stopped by Dalia.
Dauphin made a spectacular return, overturning rumors that he'd clearly drowned in the river, succeeding brilliantly in his heist once more—curses from nobles, cheers from commoners.
But that joy was short-lived.
The very next day, Dauphin's follow-up attempt was thwarted by Dalia, who had a subordinate impersonate her while she hid elsewhere.
"Oh ho, starting to use your head now? Well, relying purely on brute force did make you look a bit like a wild boar!"
"Who're you! Calling! A wild boar!"
Boom!
A small bridge was smashed in the fight—a disaster—but since both the protectee and their assets were safe, by strict records, it was Dalia's win.
Of course, Dauphin didn't fail every time.
"This time, I'll catch you—"
Crunch! Splash!
"C-Captain!!"
"Hahaha! Gotta watch your step at night!"
One day, he trapped Dalia into falling into the river, tying her up, then boldly succeeded elsewhere. Another, he lured her with an illusion magic tool fake Dauphin and struck his target from afar.
"Current score is 20 to 14? Dauphin's got the edge."
"Still, the guard team's response and reaction speed have improved lately. And as time passes, targets on the list dwindle, making it tougher for Dauphin."
"Couldn't sleep, grabbed a beer, and spotted Dauphin and 8th Squad Captain chasing each other on the rooftops. Best snack ever."
"What? Lucky bastard! I've never seen it live!!"
By now, some Levruk citizens treated Dauphin vs. Dalia like entertainment, even venturing out at night to watch.
Absurd from the guard team's view.
"Thieves and guards tussling, and that's the reaction?"
"Better than being murder targets just for stopping Dauphin like before. Sure, some still see us as spoilers, but it's way improved."
Dauphin's crimes, purely by efficiency, were wasteful and flashy.
Sometimes descending from the sky via giant kite to the target. Walking on water like land. Painting intact buildings to vanish them optically, or tricking nonexistent ones into seeming real.
Crimes, once midnight-only, diversified—even snatching targets mid-day amid bustling crowds.
People buzzed with excitement at his showmanship, ironically caricaturing the opposing guards' image.
From evil blockers of justice to rivals who got pranked blocking Dauphin.
Listed targets hounded Dalia and guards, but her position didn't weaken.
Targets weren't fools; they banded for stronger security, even called knights from estates to catch Dauphin—total failures.
Other forces lost every clash, while Dalia tussled evenly with Dauphin.
Who to trust? Obvious.
People thrilled to their saga; even rival guards who'd resented her and 8th Squad now cozied up.
And Dalia vented her feelings from this to him.
"Honestly, so shameless. Backstabbing—or frontstabbing, loud enough to hear—every insult under the sun, then flipping palms the moment we shine."
"Proof you're doing well, no?"
"I'd rather decline such proof."
Dalia wasn't always like this.
She didn't visit his place every holiday, sometimes kept talk strictly business. Felt materialistic spilling her guts constantly.
But like a cracked dam leaking endlessly, her feelings toward him flowed similarly.
He always listened calmly. No matter her complaints, gripes, or ugly sides—he stayed steady, conversing frankly.
Duty, mission, discipline, order.
Bound tight by these, suppressing negativity inside—such a relationship where she could bare her raw self was more addictive than any drug.
So perhaps that's why.
She voiced things her old self would've died before saying.
"Sometimes, really, very rarely... I think it would be nice if this situation lasted forever."
He waited silently.
No urging, no prying—just calm eyes. There, Dalia shared what she'd never tell others.
"The outcast who got no respect in the guards now has a key role. My old squad suffering under that idiot captain gets better treatment. Cocky elites watch their step; other squads hustle under superiors' eyes. Even listed ones apologize to victims voluntarily."
Still Dauphin fans treating Dalia as spoiler.
Still critics blasting her for not catching the thief sooner.
But overall.
Levruk felt less gloomy, more vibrant somehow.
No matter how diligently Dalia worked and arrested criminals, the city hadn't changed—now it seemed to improve.
So, just a tiny bit, Dalia couldn't help thinking.
Maybe Dauphin was right.
Embarrassed, she covered her face with both hands.
"...Pathetic. I preached order and discipline, railed against inciting unlawful chaos—yet when things improve because of him, I flip so easily."
She could no longer firmly believe convictions she'd passionately upheld, mindsets she'd deemed right.
Were they truly 'right'? Or excuses justifying her resignation—this was best, no alternatives?
Deep down, lacking fight herself, blaming others to ignore the truth?
To her confession like a soul-baring, he spoke.
"Guardsman girl."
Yes, he always called her 'guardsman girl'.
Though he knew her name, he'd never used 'Dalia' or asked it.
And Dalia did the same.
Always 'you' or 'trickster', never asking his name.
As if an unspoken rule.
"Dauphin's actions are radical. He's a lawbreaker, wielding personal justice freely outside the law."
"That's why people cheer him. But guardsman girl, remember this."
"—A phantom thief can shatter order, but cannot build a new one."
Dalia swallowed.
"A twisted, rusted, crumpled order tormenting people just by existing? Better destroyed."
"But that doesn't mean order itself is unnecessary. If someone breaks it, another must build anew."
"Phantom thieves are powerless there. Their existence symbolizes 'my inner justice trumps laws'."
"Who would follow laws made by a lawless rogue?"
Dalia unconsciously eyed his right arm.
Whenever he spoke as if he were Dauphin himself, she'd convince herself thus.
It's fine.
When Dauphin's right arm broke, his was fine.
So, two different people.
Even with suspicious signs after, a gadget-master like Dauphin might fake a broken arm—but they differ.
They must.
"So don't belittle yourself. You can do what phantom thief Dauphin cannot."
"I'm not that great."
"No, you are. At least to me."
She glared resentfully as he shrugged playfully: Unless you doubt my taste, guardsman girl.
How to deny after that?
That day's talk ended there.
Dalia's mind still tangled, but she shook it off.
More talks to come.
Resolve doubts then.
So she thought.
"—The count's house is sending knights."
Next day, the company commander's grim words froze her too.
The ignored reckoning approached at last.