Chapter 97
Chapter 97
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: The Phantom Thief's Letter (2)
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097
31. The Phantom Thief's Letter (2)
3.
Phantom Thief.
There wasn't a single soul in the Maple World who hadn't heard tales of him.
"Phantom Thief can steal anything."
To start with, he was the greatest thief in Maple World history.
A thief who stole whatever he desired at will.
"He even stole the Maple World from the Black Mage's grasp."
And alongside the five heroes, he sealed away the Black Mage and saved the Maple World.
He accomplished a legend no one else in the world could achieve.
That was why every adventurer perked up their ears and turned their eyes whenever stories of Phantom Thief came up.
Of course, the biggest reason adventurers took interest in Phantom Thief was precisely that.
"He hid everything he stole in his secret vault."
The fact that all the treasures Phantom Thief had stolen were slumbering in his secret vault.
"And that secret vault is in the Nihal Desert."
That was why no small number of adventurers refused to give up their adventures in the barren wasteland of the Nihal Desert.
Because Phantom Thief, who hailed from the Ariant Kingdom, had his secret vault nowhere else but there.
Countless adventurers had made finding Phantom Thief's secret vault their lifelong goal as they ventured into the Nihal Desert.
Yet no adventurer had ever found Phantom Thief's secret vault.
Not even after hundreds of years had passed since he vanished with his comrades after sealing the Black Mage.
"Pyr found it. Phantom Thief's secret vault."
But Pyr had found it.
It was astonishing.
Cheryl, who spoke those words, kept her tone calm, but her eyes betrayed her excitement.
Of course, El Pam was different.
"Impressive."
He sounded surprised, but in truth, El Pam wasn't shocked that Pyr had found Phantom Thief's secret vault.
'Just as expected.'
El Pam had known the location of Phantom Thief's secret vault from the start, and he'd deliberately yielded it to Pyr.
So there was no reason for El Pam to be surprised by the discovery itself.
"And Pyr found this letter inside Phantom Thief's secret vault. It was right there in plain sight, as if left for any adventurer who might find his secret vault."
However, the existence of a letter left by Phantom Thief was unexpected even for El Pam.
And it was a tremendously important matter, too.
"Do you know what this means?"
"That Phantom is still alive."
Phantom Thief had vanished from the world hundreds of years ago.
"Right. He mentioned the Mystic Gate."
In contrast, the Mystic Gates had appeared less than ten years ago.
It clearly meant Phantom Thief had survived until after the Mystic Gates emerged.
That was enormous.
"Phantom Thief is alive."
One of the Six Heroes was alive.
Not just anyone, but one of the heroes who had succeeded in sealing the Black Mage!
For the Cross Hunters fighting against the Black Mage's followers, this was the greatest possible good news.
Of course, one could think that way.
"But it could be fake, couldn't it?"
The letter might be a forgery.
Surprisingly, that possibility was quite high.
"Written by whoever found Phantom's secret vault, as a trap."
The Cross Hunters were currently being hunted by no one other than the Black Mage's followers.
From the followers' perspective, it meant they could use any means necessary to eliminate the Cross Hunters.
In such a situation, Phantom Thief was bait the Cross Hunters couldn't help but bite.
"That's a possibility."
The Cross Hunters weren't oblivious to it.
"But we have no choice but to bite this time, risks and all."
Yet Phantom Thief's name was something the Cross Hunters simply couldn't ignore.
That was why.
"We're biting."
"Yes, we have to. That's why we need your party, El Pam party."
It was why Cheryl was willing to pay any price, take any risk, to bring in El Pam's party.
"Because your abilities are trustworthy."
El Pam's party had returned alive from Mystic Gates everyone thought impossible to clear.
"You'll come back alive from anything. Even if everyone else dies."
Of course, what Cheryl valued highly was El Pam's party's survival skills.
She rated their combat prowess highly too, but didn't fully trust it.
El Pam knew.
More than knew—he had intended it.
Until now, El Pam had done his utmost to hide his true combat abilities.
So enemies would underestimate him.
Naturally, he didn't voice it now either.
He simply asked.
"So, who's on the team?"
Who were the adventurers handling the fighting.
In response, Cheryl answered.
"I can't tell you. Security is paramount for this mission."
The expected reply.
But it wasn't enough to convince El Pam.
El Pam couldn't just trust anyone for such a massive Mystic Gate raid.
"But I can give you one name."
Cheryl knew that, so she told him.
"Do you know who the top lightning-attribute mage is among the current 4th Circle mage adventurers?"
And the moment El Pam heard that description, he answered immediately.
4.
Queen Areida.
As the queen of the Ariant Kingdom, she was the queen who enjoyed the most extravagance in Ariant history.
When she dined, more than a hundred dishes had to grace the table, and she wouldn't be satisfied unless she wore different clothes, necklaces, and earrings every day.
The epitome of luxury.
"What's this?"
"Your meal today."
But these days, she was enduring harder times than ever.
"This soup, salad, and steak is today's meal?"
Right now, her table held only a mouthwatering steak, a fresh vegetable salad, and soup with an exceptional aroma.
To her, it was a heartbreaking meal.
That was it.
"I'm sorry. But in this uncertain situation, inspecting every dish is too dangerous."
The Ariant Kingdom was currently on such high alert.
Of course, mere tension alone wouldn't empty Queen Areida's table.
"More importantly, we've heard there are disloyal elements targeting you, Queen Areida."
The threat of assassination against Queen Areida.
Especially the easiest method among them: poisoning the food.
They had no choice but to be cautious in every way.
But that was the royal family's situation.
"If you were competent, this wouldn't be happening."
To Queen Areida, it was just frustration over not getting a proper meal.
That was when it happened.
"Your Majesty."
A man appeared before her as she ate.
It was an incredibly dangerous act.
No one was allowed to interrupt Queen Areida's meals, let alone now when her mood was at rock bottom.
With her personality, she could've thrown the intruder straight into prison.
But the moment she saw the man's face, Queen Areida didn't rage.
"Ebob."
Because the intruder was none other than Ebob.
"What is it?"
Moreover, Ebob was now her de facto aide, closer than anyone.
Not out of mutual affection, but necessity.
"It's important."
"Everyone, leave us."
Their lives were hanging by a thread.
Literally.
"I hope it's not bad news. I'm going mad over the prince's tomb issue."
The prince's tomb had the entire Ariant Kingdom, Queen Areida included, in a headache.
If problems arose from it, the blame would naturally fall on no one but Queen Areida.
And the moment she took the blame, Ebob would share her fate.
It meant they were now inseparably bound.
"The Cross Hunters have made contact with the Sand Shadow Group."
At Ebob's words, Queen Areida's eyes turned icy.
Her gaze said it all.
You came here for that?
And rightly so—they already knew the Black Mage's followers were aware the Cross Hunters and Sand Shadow Group were closely linked.
"The Cross Hunters retrieved something from Phantom's secret vault."
"Phantom?"
But the moment that name was mentioned, things changed.
"Phantom Thief?"
"Yes. The Cross Hunters are now preparing to raid a Mystic Gate in the Nihal Desert, with the Sand Shadow Group's help. It's highly likely connected to Phantom Thief."
Queen Areida's expression hardened at the explanation.
It was important.
"The Six Heroes..."
To the Black Mage's followers, the Six Heroes were existences that absolutely should not be.
Yet one of them had appeared.
Queen Areida felt fear at the fact.
Frankly, the prince's tomb was a big issue, but if handled moderately, it wouldn't greatly affect her fate.
But the Six Heroes? That was different.
If problems arose from this, Queen Areida would vanish from the Maple World that instant.
She had no choice but to fear.
"It's an opportunity."
At Ebob's words, Queen Areida's eyes sharpened like blades.
"An opportunity? If this goes wrong, both of us are gone that day!"
To her reaction, Ebob replied.
"Conversely, handle this well, and our current problems won't even be problems."
It wasn't wrong.
"Talk sense! How do we intervene right now in a top-secret Cross Hunter operation?"
But only if possible.
"One of the adventurers the Cross Hunters gathered is one of ours."
"One of ours?"
"Do you know who the top lightning-attribute mage adventurer is among the current 4th Circle mage adventurers in the Maple World?"
5.
"Isn't it Reik?"
Cheryl nodded at El Pam's answer.
"You know your stuff."
Cheryl's expression was one of 'of course' as she replied.
In truth, the name Reik was famous.
As Cheryl put it, he was evaluated as the top lightning-attribute mage among the active 4th Circle mage adventurers in the Maple World.
Of course, that wasn't why El Pam knew the name.
'Thunder Emperor Reik.'
It was a name El Pam couldn't forget.
Before returning to the past, El Pam had nearly died at Thunder Emperor Reik's hands.
Of course, that alone wasn't why El Pam couldn't forget Thunder Emperor Reik.
There were too many who'd tried to kill him, too many near-death experiences.
The real reason was different.
'Black Mage follower.'
He was a Black Mage follower hiding among the adventurers.
Not just any follower, either.
He'd hidden his identity until the end, then unleashed a massacre for the Black Mage at the critical moment.
A person of interest.
And now Reik was involved in this— a mission tied to the Cross Hunters' fate?
Not as some random adventurer, but as the top combat asset the Cross Hunters had barely secured?
The worst possible situation.
"With an adventurer of Reik's caliber joining, there's no reason to hesitate. We'll take the job."
That was why El Pam accepted.
Truthfully, from El Pam's position, refusing was difficult anyway.
"Thank you."
With the Cross Hunters bringing in no one less than Reik—a renowned powerhouse among 4th Circle mage adventurers—what excuse could there be to refuse?
Reveal he was a regressor and expose Reik's identity? That wasn't a realistic option.
"You and Reik will make a more reliable party than any other."
"I hope so."
Of course, the biggest reason El Pam accepted was that.
'An chance to eliminate Reik this soon? Lucky.'
No better opportunity to remove such a serious threat.
"So, where and when?"
"One week from now, at the Pyramid of Mystery."