Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Phantom Thief Dauphin (16) - Infiltration
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Originally, rumors spread through a process filled with all sorts of exaggerations, distortions, and embellishments.
In that sense, the rumors circulating in Levruk were somewhat unusual because their content was remarkably consistent.
—Captain of the 8th Squad was in cahoots with Dauphin! All this time, the captain's exploits were only possible because they were conspiring with Dauphin!
—But when the righteous Knights Order put him in a precarious position, he leaked information from the inside to aid the crime this time!
—How vile and despicable is that? The captain of the 8th Squad must be severely punished immediately!
In the rumors, the Knights Order was a capable group that couldn't demonstrate its true strength due to betrayal by a treacherous ally, while Dalia was trash who schemed out of jealousy toward such knights.
It had to be that way.
After all, the knights had hired agitators who were leading the spread of those rumors from the start.
"How's the reaction around town?"
"They're still mostly bewildered for now, but that won't last long."
The vice-captain's response drew a satisfied smile from the captain of the knights.
If one thought about it coldly, the rumors sweeping Levruk had quite a few suspicious points.
No matter how you sliced it, could one collaborator alone enable such grandiose crimes?
A fair number of people had watched the confrontation between Dauphin and Dalia firsthand and cheered or despaired accordingly—was it possible to fool all their eyes?
Even if the rumors were true, wouldn't that make the Knights Order a group toyed with by a single internal traitor? Could they claim no responsibility for that?
In fact, some who heard the rumors did counter with such arguments, but their voices never became mainstream.
—Are you siding with the thief and the traitor now? Aren't you one of them too?
The moment they tried to voice their opinions even a little, the knights' hired agitators would unilaterally attack them, branding them as fellow traitors.
By forcibly suppressing dissenting voices like that and amplifying the attacks on Dalia, even those who initially tilted their heads thinking, "Is this right?" were gradually getting swept up in the flow.
For now, it was just a "rumor," but it wouldn't be long before that rumor turned into the "real truth."
"The other areas don't matter. Put special effort into controlling public opinion in the upper-class district. The ignorant masses are just a bonus—what truly matters is how the powerholders perceive this incident."
"Understood."
The captain's eyes gleamed as the vice-captain nodded crisply.
"This is the crucial part now. We can't show Dauphin bastard even the slightest opening for a while!"
The Knights Order had dodged responsibility by pinning all their past blunders on Dalia.
However, that also meant if Dauphin struck again while Dalia was captured, there'd be no excuses left.
One might think that just changing their mindset after getting trounced helplessly wouldn't magically make things go well, but the captain wasn't without a plan.
Some targets, intimidated by the knights' repeated defeats, had collectively abandoned their pride and bowed to the victims, reducing the number of people the knights had to protect to fewer than ten.
Normally, failing to safeguard so many would be a disaster, but at least for escort duties, it was overwhelmingly advantageous.
On top of that, they'd succeeded in having all the protectees stay in one building for about a month.
No matter how bold Dauphin was, he wouldn't dare step into a place swarming with over a hundred knights, with the captain himself present.
And if Dauphin hesitated to act because of that, they could solidify the claim that "Dauphin is cowering now that his inside man is gone."
Of course, after a month, they'd have to resume their troublesome battles with Dauphin, but at least they could wash away the humiliating label of "a knights order inferior to the guards."
"This time, we'll show them the true power of the Sarunos Knights Order!"
"Yes, Captain!"
They thought it was a fairly solid plan, but they failed to grasp it properly.
Just what they had provoked, that is.
As the knights intended, public opinion in the upper-class district had undeniably turned against Dalia.
But in other areas, voices entirely contrary to the knights' intentions leaked out—one could grasp this by overhearing conversations in the commoner districts.
"So the 8th Squad captain and Dauphin are actually allies? Then they're on our side!"
The somewhat naive-looking young man's remark made the expressions of the other young men at the table subtly shift.
"Didn't you just last time call him a villain blocking the righteous Dauphin, or a dirty lackey colluding with the nobles, and trash him excitedly?"
It was a scolding about flipping sides so easily, but the naive youth was utterly unapologetic.
"That's because I thought he was blocking Dauphin! But he was actually helping! So he's an ally!"
"Uh..."
The young man who'd first challenged him stammered as if at a loss for words, and the others chimed in.
"No, but it's not that simple. If this incident was staged by Dauphin and the 8th Squad captain, it's basically deceiving and betraying us."
"Plus, sabotaging his own organization from behind is kinda iffy too."
To those opinions, the naive youth shot back incomprehensibly.
"Why's that betrayal? I haven't lost a thing—in fact, seeing the nobles get hit feels great. And anyway, the guards are useless without the 8th Squad, and the knights treat us like bugs whenever they see us—they're just thugs. What's wrong with stabbing those bastards in the back?"
"Well, that's obviously... hmm."
The young men, about to reflexively argue back, paused in thought.
'The words are rough, but isn't the point spot on?'
Suppose Dalia really was an inside collaborator.
Had they suffered any losses from that?
Dauphin's main targets were vicious powerholders and perpetrators anyway. Direct victims among the citizens had received compensation, and others had benefited indirectly.
Betraying the guards? Tarnishing the knights' honor? What did that have to do with them? If those scumbags got a taste of their own medicine, wasn't that a good thing?
If Dalia had cooperated with that, from their perspective, it was praiseworthy, not something to curse.
Voices openly denouncing nobles and knights like drunken youths were rare (not from lack of resentment, but due to watchful eyes around), but plenty subtly rejoiced at the news that Dalia and Dauphin were on the same side.
"I knew it. She's the only one in the guards who actually looked out for us, along with her subordinates."
"Aigoo, aigoo, we badmouthed her without knowing—now I feel so sorry!"
To Levruk's citizens, the 8th Squad had been something like the "conscience of the guards."
The other guards mostly hovered around the upper-class district, neglecting them, so naturally, the ones uniquely protecting them from crime held that status.
They'd been deeply disappointed seeing Dalia, whom they'd inwardly viewed as one of their own, seemingly blocking Dauphin. Now, learning she was actually on his side, they rejoiced, finally understanding her true intentions.
This reaction was also distant from the truth in its own way, but it evidenced their need for a reason not to hate Dalia—or to believe she was an ally.
If they had truly despised Dalia or the 8th Squad, even such rumors wouldn't elicit positive spins; they'd ignore or curse them instead.
The kindling was steadily piling up, stack by stack.
The grand mansion in the northern part of the upper-class district.
The place Count Sarunos used when staying in Levruk, and now the knights' base. A young man strode boldly toward the building.
With no carriage, not even attendants or escorts accompanying him, a knight guarding the main gate blocked his path.
"Halt. Unauthorized persons cannot enter beyond this point."
"Unauthorized? You talking to me? Have you lost your mind?"
The young man clicked his tongue in disbelief, and the knight's face soured at the irritable response.
The knights of the Sarunos Order were all nobles from the Virka Kingdom, each a powerhouse of 4th rank or higher, so they were notoriously arrogant.
As he bristled to retort, another gatekeeper, who'd been peering suspiciously at the young man's face, startled and stepped forward.
"We greet the Tax Officer of Levruk!"
At his colleague's words, a chill ran down the other knight's spine, right as he was about to escalate.
It wasn't just the title of tax officer. His bloodline mattered more.
Levruk's tax officer was one of Count Sarunos's children.
Though born to a concubine rather than the main wife, the count valued him enough to place him in a key position in a major territory.
"You're the ones who told me to come here. What kind of hospitality is this for a guest? Huh?"
The two knights began to sweat coldly at his prickly reaction.
They acted like tyrants toward commoners, but they weren't bold enough to confront the count's cherished son head-on.
Especially since the tax officer was infamous for his finicky temperament and whims as volatile as boiling water.
"A-apologies. We didn't see your attendants and failed to recognize you sooner."
"From my experience, traveling in big groups just makes you easy prey. Sneaking around quietly is best. The servants with the luggage will come later, so keep that in mind. Anyway, you—what's your name?"
"Pardon?"
"What's your name?"
The knight's eyes darted frantically.
He clearly didn't want to say, fearing greater repercussions.
The tax officer tsked.
"Hah, fine. I'll let it slide this once, so open the damn gate quick."
The two knights' gazes swiftly met.
They desperately wanted to move past this too, but the captain's strict orders stood in the way.
"A-apologies, Tax Officer, but a body search is required before entering the mansion."
"Dauphin is skilled in disguise and has deceived people with it countless times. This is to perfectly protect those staying in the mansion, so we ask for your cooperation."
"Fuck, so you're saying you suspect I'm that bastard Dauphin?"
"Please. This is for the safety of you and the other nobles!"
The tax officer vented curses nonstop in fury, but the knights wouldn't budge despite their fluster.
In the end, the tax officer raised the white flag first.
"This is bullshit. Damn that thief bastard—what the hell is this?"
Unsure when his venting might turn on them, the two knights swiftly completed the inspection.
They checked inside his clothes for strange tools and tugged his cheeks to ensure no fake face.
"Ow! Agh! Easy, you fucker!?"
Smack!
The tax officer smacked the knight's head repeatedly with his palm, making the knight's cheek tremble.
The sturdy knight's body wasn't truly injured, but his mood was foul regardless.
They'd inwardly hoped he was Dauphin, so they could swing their swords without issue, but alas, the result was normal.
Even after the inspection, the tax officer lingered, berating the knights at length before finally entering. The two, barely ushering him in, exchanged only heated glares, mouths shut.
Soon after, as the tax officer had said, his servants hurried over with the luggage.
This time, the knights bared their teeth in their usual manner.
"How could you let your master wander alone in this perilous situation? Are you sane?"
"S-sorry. It was so sudden we couldn't respond in time."
"Tch. All of you line up for body searches. We'll deal ruthlessly with any suspicious behavior!"
Servants yelped during the rough, almost vindictive inspection, but again, no anomalies.
Soon, all scheduled residents and their servants finished checks and entered. The knights firmly locked the mansion's main gate.
This gate wouldn't open until morning light tomorrow.
The mansion, designed like a small fortress to the count's tastes.
Guarded by a hundred elite knights, their squires, and the strongest of the Sarunos Knights Order, the captain himself.
No matter Dauphin's prowess, he wouldn't dare set foot inside.
The knights were certain of it.
[But why him of all people? So uncool.]
"Because his plump flesh makes it perfect for hiding all sorts of things under the special skin."