Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Phantom Thief Dauphin (17) - Top Secret. No Disclosure Allowed
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Levruk's power holders were trash.
The ones currently gathered in the grand mansion were the worst of the worst among that trash.
This wasn't because Dauphin had a taste for saving the best for last. Those whose crimes were minor or showed any room for improvement had long since voluntarily paid up—following Dauphin's "recommendation."
In noble society, where honor and face were practically another form of wealth, buckling to a mere "thief's" threat, apologizing to a "commoner," and even offering compensation was a massive social blow.
But no matter how humiliating an apology might be, it paled in comparison to getting beaten like a dog on the hottest day of summer by a thief and then strung up like a silkworm cocoon in the middle of the street for all to see.
If you caved alone, you'd be branded a spineless coward or a traitor. But if others joined in the apology, there was even less reason to hesitate.
In other words, the fact that only ten targets remained even now meant they were either rotten to the core with hollow pride and stubbornness, or villains so heinous that mere apologies couldn't cover their sins.
And those trash were now fully revealing their vile natures.
"To think one lowly thief is putting us through all this."
"If the guard corps had just done their jobs, we wouldn't be suffering like this. Then again, what can you expect from an organization that harbored a traitor?"
"I still shudder thinking of that brazen bitch sticking by my side."
"Exactly. We must hold a strict public execution to ensure this never happens again."
Most of them had only recently begged Dalia to guard their sides, and some had even actually received her help. But no one mentioned such trivial details.
Having lowly guards protect exalted nobles was simply their "duty."
The fact that they hadn't immediately executed Dalia for failing so spectacularly at that duty—letting Dauphin slip away multiple times—was already mercy overflowing.
And yet it had all been a lie!
How could this not enrage heaven and earth?
They sincerely believed this and trashed Dalia with gusto, delighted that the others shared their views.
'Vile bitch. I even offered to take her as a concubine myself, but the lowly commoner kept her nose in the air. Turns out she was scheming behind my back all along?'
'She refused my scout offer, claiming she wanted to focus on guard duty, and I never suspected she was hiding her true colors. Of course she was scared—the truth would come out about her staged feats!'
Absolutely, definitely no personal grudges involved. Of course not.
On top of that, they already had the "info from the knight order" that let them trash Dalia freely.
"And that bitch's father—"
"Damn it! The more I think, the madder I get!!"
The moment one man tried to slyly bring it up, a thunderous roar echoed through the banquet hall prepared for the VIPs.
The nobles flinched in surprise, then scowled in displeasure.
Who dared such rudeness and insolence in a gathering of Levruk's power holders?
They turned to snap at least a rebuke, only to spot the source of the commotion. They coughed awkwardly and averted their eyes.
True, everyone here was a power holder, but the man bellowing at the top of his lungs held an even more exceptional position among them.
Levruk's tax officer. One of Count Sarnos's sons.
The former title wasn't all that important, but the latter was a big deal.
'Doesn't look it, but that voice is the spitting image of his father. My heart skips every time he yells.'
'Heard he's piled on weight from stress-eating thanks to Dauphin lately... Yeah. Give it another year, and he'll be a perfect sphere.'
Whether he noticed the stares or not, the tax officer kept venting nonstop.
"How much did I trust that guardswoman! I was even touched seeing her shield me from that wicked bandit Dauphin! And she tramples my heart like this? How could she!?"
Crash-clang!
As if he couldn't contain his rage, the tax officer flung his glass to the floor.
If anyone from Marquis Redbell's house had been there, they might have glimpsed the shadow of a notoriously ill-tempered C-rank lady in that gesture. Unfortunately, no one with such insight was present in this stronghold of Sarnos.
They just shook their heads at the textbook spoiled brat display.
The tax officer's hefty belly and jowls quivered as if his anger wouldn't subside. Then his darting eyes scanned the room.
"Hey, you there."
As those around instinctively avoided his gaze, he pointed at one knight. The knight's face instantly soured.
"...Yes?"
"I just don't get it, so let me ask. I saw her a few times while moving with her. She straight-up split a building with one spear thrust, right? If all her feats were staged, that was a trick too?"
"Obviously a trick. Buildings can be pre-weakened so even a light impact shatters them."
"Yeah? You sure?"
"Yes. How else could a mere guardswoman wield such monstrous strength?"
"Then I need to thrash my servants when I get back."
"Pardon?"
His words planted question marks in the heads of not just the knight, but everyone nearby who'd overheard.
The conversation made zero sense.
But the tax officer spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"The building I got hit was mine. So that means scheming inside before the thief even showed? Collusion or mismanagement—either way, punishment time. Right?"
"Y-yes, exactly."
"Hm, but those servants came from the main house, so messing with them carelessly could get messy... Hey, you're dead sure, right? Her power's all fake? If it turns out 'not really' later, that's no fun. Got it?"
"Well..."
The knight couldn't answer easily.
If "servants" meant lowly maids and such, no issue.
But if it included personal butlers or head maids—retainers—things got complicated.
Especially if they came from the count's main estate; they were likely from notable families themselves.
The tax officer's eyes narrowed.
"Why can't you just speak straight? Hey, fuck. You bullshitting me? I look like a joke?"
"N-no, sir!"
"Still smells fishy."
He tilted his head this way and that, then pointed at another knight.
"Hey, you. Answer me. That damn thief pulled explosions from weird cards, lightning, all sorts of bizarre crap, and the guardswoman just tanked it raw? That a trick too?"
"Of course."
"How?"
"We'll find out through interrogation."
"Yeah? Share the results with me then."
"Pardon?"
"If even a lowly guard can be tricked into seeming that tough, that's a technique worth learning."
"Hm."
"Sigh. How does your brain not turn? It's not just swinging a sword, idiot. Empty skull. Tsk tsk."
"......"
"What's that look? Got a problem?"
"No, sir!"
"I'll let it slide once."
As if granting a huge favor, he turned away—then proceeded to grab every passing knight and grill them on Dalia's "tricks."
The knights, faces twisted in distaste, had no choice but to answer one by one.
Dalia's abilities were all fake.
Dalia had no such power.
A mere guardswoman couldn't do what even they couldn't.
Only after badgering nearly every knight in the banquet hall did the tax officer finally look satisfied. The other nobles watched in bemusement.
Noticing the odd stares, he frowned. "Huh?"
The nobles flinched.
Given their positions, the odds of him lashing out at them were slim. But strictly speaking, his formal title was just tax officer; treating the proud Sarnos knights like that was improper too.
Fortunately, their worries were unfounded.
The tax officer suddenly flashed a grin.
"Oh dear, sorry. So many people here, and I've caused a scene. Just too much pent-up frustration and disbelief."
"Haha, it happens. We understand."
"Not as compensation, but I'm in the mood! From now on—for the next three days—I'll cover every bite and sip you all take here! Bring out every fine liquor Levruk has to offer and let's enjoy!"
"Ooooh...!!"
Nobles don't hate freebies.
Especially luxuries they'd been denied lately due to Dauphin's rampage, now savored worry-free under the knight order's ironclad protection. Pure bliss.
Of course, it'd mean more work for the knights and servants. But that wasn't their problem, was it? If they hated it, they should've caught Dauphin from the start.
The banquet grew rowdier. Even those who seemed too watched to gorge did so massively, until they passed out and were dragged to their rooms.
In front of their doors.
The knights vented one by one.
"Isn't this too much? Treating us like dirt!"
"Especially that pig bastard. Clung to us till the end, so annoying I thought I'd snap."
"Vice captain's orders—endure. Individually they're nobodies, but if they all rebel, headache. Revenge later."
Normally, nobles wouldn't treat the knight order—core power players—like this. But tonight was different.
As if the tax officer's antics set the tone, the drunken fools started mocking and picking fights one after another.
The prideful knights wanted nothing more than to smash those close-enough-to-punch faces, but the situation wouldn't allow it.
"104 clear. No issues."
"107 same. Snoring's obnoxiously loud, but otherwise dead to the world."
"That drunk? Expected. Don't wake 'em. If they start bitching like before, we're the tired ones."
"Got it."
Normally, with so many in one building, some would be up to no good. But not a single VIP stirred that night.
The knights saw nothing odd. That sloshed? Blackout inevitable.
"Kyaaaaah!"
"What!? What's happening!?"
Thus, they realized something was wrong the next morning.
They rushed into a room after a maid's scream—and found a lifelike doll mimicking a person on the bed.
"N-no way!"
One knight touched a VIP's "body" in denial. Big mistake.
Pop!
With an explosion, the "body" became a thin, eerie membrane flapping limply.
The human-shaped membrane—Dauphin's "special balloon"—contained a card inside with intricate drawings. It played back snoring, teeth-grinding, sleep-talking—every noise the knights had heard that night—in looping patterns.
ALL TARGETS VANISHED
No alerts... Knights oblivious...
The knights' faces drained of color.
"All of them—gone? Every single protectee vanished without a trace, and no one noticed? Didn't report it to me? What kind of bullshit is that!!"
"S-sorry, sir. We're backtracking the underground tunnel we suspect he used—"
"W-wait! Captain! Vice captain!! The streets—right now!!"
Levruk's citizens stared blankly at the ten silkworm cocoons displayed throughout the city, along with the bizarre cards dangling from their necks, blaring voices.
Click.
Click.
Click.
Having spilled the full tale, the card looped back to the beginning, repeating endlessly.
Even though they'd heard it already, the people showed no signs of boredom.
They imprinted the words deep in their ears, over and over.
Other citizens who paused at the sight gathered curiously, soon reacting the same way.
And finally, one of them spoke up.
"—Look at these fucking assholes?"