There he was.
It was the Level 9 Thief I had seen the other day. I knew he could speak Brahim. Luckily, he didn't seem to be a lookout stationed on a street corner tonight. I waited until he was alone before approaching him.
"Got a moment?"
"Who are you?"
"Relax. I'm not here to cause trouble."
Though, I certainly looked suspicious enough.
"What do you want?"
The thief lifted his lantern, illuminating me. I was wearing my cloak with the hood pulled low, so he shouldn't have been able to make out my features.
"I have something I want to ask. Do you recognize this?"
I revealed the Thief's Bandana from beneath my cloak.
"That’s..."
"Tell me what I want to know, and I'll let you have it for a single Gold Coin."
"One coin? Fine. What do you want to know?"
"Tell me about Hugo."
He definitely recognized the Thief's Bandana. He took the bait immediately. It seemed the rumor that a thief would pay ten or twenty thousand Nahl for one was true.
"Big Brother Hugo? I heard he got himself killed."
"I see. So Master Hugo is... I’d like the details on that, if you don't mind."
I let out a deliberate sigh as I made the request.
As I suspected, the man mentioned in the conversation back then was indeed Hugo—the name of the thief leader I had defeated in the First Village. Since this man called him "Big Brother Hugo," he was likely on good terms with him, at least on the surface. He probably didn't belong to a rival faction. I decided to play along.
"Fine. I’ve got the Gold Coin in my room. We can talk there. Sound good?"
"Yeah."
I nodded, and the man started walking. I followed closely behind.
He led me into a house—a thief hideout. It was likely the same mansion I had scouted earlier this morning.
This was perfect. Things were going even better than planned. I kept my head still but shifted my eyes left and right, scanning the layout. Once I’d seen a location, I could use Warp to return to it.
"Wait here a second."
"Understood."
The man stopped me halfway down a hallway and continued alone. He spoke to someone, then opened a door and stepped inside. The lantern light briefly illuminated the walls of the room. I made sure to memorize the spot.
"Sorry about that. That's the boss's room. Being a lookout is part of the job, see. He was out cold. Our leader knew Big Brother Hugo too. If you want, you can pay your respects to him later."
The man announced as he returned. It confirmed they weren't enemies of Hugo.
"I suppose I should."
I followed the thief the rest of the way in silence.
We reached a room where the thief set the lantern down and turned to face me. The lantern was enclosed in a square frame but lacked a lid. Peering down into it, I could see a small flame flickering red.
This was clearly his room. It was bleak and utilitarian, containing nothing but a bed.
"First, let me see that Thief's Bandana."
I reached my hand under my cloak.
"Ngh—!"
Suddenly, the man lunged at me. I shifted my weight and sidestepped him. By the time we put some distance between us, the scimitar that had been at my waist was gripped firmly in the thief's hand.
"Hugo was a damn fool. There was a succession struggle a while back. Hugo was supposed to take over, but our faction teamed up with another and kicked him out. I heard the bastard tried to raid some village and failed miserably."
Convinced of his victory, the thief began to boast.
"I see."
"With a Thief's Bandana, I can finally make a name for myself. I don't plan on rotting in a dump like this forever. Don't bother trying to run. Nobody saw me bring you here. Now, hand over the bandana."
He was right about one thing—we hadn't encountered a single soul on the way here.
Our intentions were perfectly aligned. He had intended to steal the bandana from the very start, which was why he had gone out of his way to ensure no one saw us. He probably didn't even have a gold coin.
"Well, you were eye-ing the scimitar on my belt the whole time, so your intent was pretty obvious."
"Shut up! What are you going to do without a weapon?"
"Fine, you can have the bandana."
I reached into my cloak again with my right hand while quietly hiding my left behind my back. I twisted my wrist just enough to avoid looking unnatural.
I had a weapon ready, even if I wasn't holding it yet.
I pulled out the Thief's Bandana, crumpled it into a ball with my right hand, and tossed it directly onto the lantern fire.
The man panicked and lunged for the lantern.
"Wh-what are you do—ng...?"
I drove Durandal into his defenseless back. Taking advantage of the split second he looked away, I manifested the sword in my left hand and pierced him through. The blade gouged straight through his heart.
Disposing of an opponent where no one is watching—the thief's logic and mine had been identical from the start.
The man collapsed. The Thief's Bandana caught fire and began to burn. It was a waste, but it couldn't be helped. Wearing it myself would be a liability, and selling it for a high price would be difficult. I knew that throwing it away so casually would be the one thing he wouldn't expect.
I reclaimed my scimitar and severed the thief's wrist. I tore the bedsheets and wrapped the wrist inside. Then, I draped the remaining sheets over the body. For a short while, it would look like he was just sleeping if anyone happened to glance in.
I waited for the bandana to finish burning, then blew out the lantern. Focusing on the word "Warp," I moved to the room where the boss was supposedly sleeping.
The room was pitch black. No lights, no movement.
No, wait. If I calmed my breathing and listened, I could hear quiet, rhythmic breathing. There were people here.
I used Appraisal on the surroundings. It was a godsend of a skill—it worked perfectly even in total darkness.
There were four thieves: Level 11, Level 14, Level 35, and Level 38.
Perfect. None of them were dangerously high-leveled. At these levels, I could handle them effectively, and the bounties would be substantial.
The room was void of light, but I knew exactly where they were. In the back were the Level 38 and Level 14. In the front were the Level 35 and Level 11. They were sleeping in two male-female pairs. It looked like they’d had quite the night.
I didn't know the state of the floor, so I moved with slow, sliding steps.
The Level 35 and Level 11 pair were on a bed. To make sure I didn't wake them, I gave a light poke to confirm their positions.
This side was the lower body. I moved toward their heads.
I crouched down and located the neck. I pressed Durandal against the far side of the throat and yanked it toward me with all my strength.
The Level 35 Thief didn't even have time to scream. I’d severed the major arteries.
I cut off the man's left wrist. I couldn't lose sight of the objective—it wasn't just to kill thieves, but to obtain their Intelligence Cards.
I opened the sheet containing the first thief's wrist and added the second one, then tied the ends of the sheet around my waist.
A Level 35 Thief was bound to have a bounty. Even if something went wrong now, I could always Warp away as a last resort.
Next, I pressed Durandal against the neck of the Level 11 woman sleeping beside him. This time, I pulled the blade upward in a sharp diagonal.
"Guh..."
The woman let out a low groan. Because I was reaching across the bed, I’d used a bit too much force.
She was dealt with, but two remained. That sound might have woken them.
I immediately shifted with sliding steps to change my position.
"Who's there?"
A woman's voice rang out. She was awake.
Appraisal confirmed the Level 14 Thief was sitting up on the bed. I swung Durandal in a wide arc and severed her neck.
A heavy thud sounded from the other side of the bed. The Level 38 Thief had scrambled onto the floor. Soon, I heard the whistle of something being swung through the air.
He had equipped a Copper Sword—likely hidden under the bed.
I’d hoped he might be too panicked to react, but things weren't going that conveniently. He must have prepared for the possibility of an assassination attempt.
In the dark, I was at a disadvantage. I didn't know the room's layout.
I Warped into the hallway just outside the door and waited.
The hallway was also dark. Since I had come from the room at the end of the hall, the targets were to my right. I readied Durandal and waited with bated breath.
Click. The door opened.
The Level 38 Thief was likely trying to call for help. He probably thought his attacker was still inside the room. Making a noise would give away his position, so his best bet was to slip out, reach a safe distance, and then alert his comrades.
I wasn't about to let that happen. I counted to two and lunged.
Durandal pierced the Level 38 Thief's chest the moment he stepped through the door.
I felt the resistance of the blade, then pulled it free. The thief slumped over. I grabbed his arm and dragged the body back into the room.
The arm I was holding was the left one. I confirmed it by touch and severed the wrist.
Noises began to echo from elsewhere in the building. Killing four people silently had been a tall order; the commotion had finally been noticed.
I glanced around the room one last time. Appraisal showed no other thieves nearby. I spotted the Copper Sword on the floor.
It would be too risky to stay and collect the wrists of the two women. There was probably treasure hidden in the house too, but I didn't have the luxury of time.
Clutching only the wrist of the Level 38 Thief, I Warped to the Labyrinth.
I’ve actually done it.
The thought welled up inside me.
No, that's not right.
I’d felt this same way when I first used Overwhelming, and when I first used Warp.
I had used Warp three times in rapid succession—to the executive's room, to the hallway, and then to the Labyrinth. the guilt gnawing at me was merely a side effect of low MP. In this world, killing thieves was a perfectly normal, even necessary, activity.
I tucked the wrists into the sheet and started running with Durandal in hand. I slaughtered Needle Woods until my MP was restored.
This world wasn't modern Japan. I had to fight monsters here. The police, the law, and human rights wouldn't protect me.
As my MP returned, so did my confidence. The earlier hesitation had just been a trick of the mind brought on by exhaustion. I had to survive in this world.
Still, perhaps because my emotions were high, my exploration in the Labyrinth was sloppy. It was hard to stay calm. Monsters appeared, so I hunted them, but I knew I shouldn't be fighting in this mental state.
I cut the session short and left the Labyrinth. After waiting for an appropriate amount of time, I retrieved the Intelligence Cards and tossed the sheet and the wrists into the deep forest.
I disposed of my blood-stained cloak in a separate location. Once I took it off, there was nothing unusual about my appearance.
I returned to the inn. In my room, I wiped my hands and face with lukewarm water and lay down. I hugged my scimitar like a body pillow and closed my eyes. Despite my racing heart, I eventually drifted off.
By the time I woke up, the sun was high in the sky.
I’d clearly been sleep-deprived from my night of thief-hunting. I slept longer than I’d expected. My mind had been high on adrenaline, but the overwhelming sense of relief was what had finally let me rest.
I finally had a path to getting Roxanne. It wasn't a certainty yet since I didn't know the exact bounty amounts, but I had done everything I could. If this wasn't enough money, nothing would be.
The question was where to cash in the Intelligence Cards.
I muddled over it while dozing in bed.
Should I use the Knight Order Station here in Vale, or take them to another town?
How much of a stir would the deaths of those thieves cause? It might be a major event, or it might go unnoticed. It wouldn't be in the thieves' best interests to advertise that their leadership had been slaughtered. In the slums, people died all the time, so it might not even be an uproar.
Still, I had cashed in cards at Vale just five days ago. Doing it again so soon might draw unwanted attention.
Taking them to another town would lower the risk of being recognized, but I didn't know if they would even pay out.
I didn't fully understand how the bounty system worked. Logically, the people putting bounties on local thieves would be the local citizens and the local Knight Order. In another town, the bounty might be lower, or they might not pay it at all.
There was also the risk of a delay while they verified the claim with Vale. Since today was the deadline for Roxanne, I couldn't afford to wait.
Then there was the issue of questioning.
I hadn't been grilled the last time, but that was probably because the village merchant had handled the talking. He was a regular in Vale and likely known to the knights. Between his reputation and the fact that a whole village wouldn't lie about a raid, the knights had probably accepted a simple explanation.
Or perhaps the Knight Order had already issued warnings to the villages. After the attack, someone from the village might have officially reported it.
How much would I be questioned this time?
If I took the cards to another town and got bogged down in an interrogation, it would be a nightmare. If they asked to see the crime scene or questioned why I wasn't reporting it in Vale, it would only breed suspicion.
All things considered, the Vale Knight Order was the safest bet. They might just assume I was a survivor from the village raid who had been targeted by Hugo’s remaining men and fought back.
The risk of being noticed was something I’d just have to accept.
After breakfast, I left the inn and headed to the building across the street. I peeked inside, but neither the Apprentice Knight nor the Beautiful Knight was there.
What now? On one hand, having no witnesses would be better for anonymity. On the other, a knight who already knew the context might be easier to deal with.
I walked toward the Brothel District. Even from a distance, there didn't seem to be any unusual commotion.
The Knight Order Station must have had a shift change at noon. When I returned later, I found the Apprentice Knight near the entrance.
"Hey. Working hard, I see."
"Ah, hello there."
I called out to him. I was still calling him an "Apprentice" in my head, but Appraisal showed he was now a Knight Level 5. He’d leveled up since the last time.
"Got a moment?"
"Yes?"
"Actually, I got jumped by some suspicious types last night. Looked like thieves."
I produced the Intelligence Cards and handed them over.
"Thieves?"
"Well, I made sure they regretted it."
I puffed out my chest, putting on the air of a powerful warrior to deflect suspicion. It was the "I-It's not like I went looking for them, it was just a coincidence" strategy.
The Apprentice Knight gave me a polite smile, so I took it as a win.
I really wanted to believe it was a win.
"Just to be sure, could I see your Intelligence Card?"
"Hmph. Very well."
I held out my left arm.
He checked my card, then said, "I'll go verify these," and went back inside the station.
Since he didn't grill me for details, the strategy was a success. Even if he just thought I was a weirdo and wanted to get away from me, a win was a win.
Eventually, he returned with a small pouch. It seemed the Beautiful Knight wasn't involved this time.
"Verification complete. Three thieves, no mistake. Two of them had active bounties."
He handed over the pouch. I took it and made a quick exit.
He didn't ask where I’d fought them or what happened to the bodies. Between this and the way the dead thief in the street had been treated, it seemed thieves held very little value in this world.
It was easier than I’d feared. Things had gone better than I could have imagined.
I ducked into a shadow and peeked into the pouch. It was full of Silver Coins and several Gold Coins.
Seeing at least seven Gold Coins, I let out a massive sigh of relief.
I already had thirty-three Gold Coins and two hundred twenty-eight Silver Coins. Now, I finally had enough to buy Roxanne.
I returned to the main street and walked leisurely toward the Slave Trader's Mansion. These five days had felt like an eternity. It was all about to end.
I fought the urge to grin like a madman.
There was still the final transaction. I couldn't relax until it was done. There was always a chance the merchant might try to pull something.
"My name is Michio. I'd like to see Master Alan."
I arrived at the mansion and spoke to the man at the door. He disappeared inside for a moment, then returned to usher me in.
"Please wait here."
I was shown to the room next to the entrance. In the carpeted waiting room, I manifested Durandal. It was a precaution.
The merchant already knew I was carrying over four hundred twenty thousand Nahl, so the sword wouldn't draw extra suspicion. If anything, showing off high-end gear might hint at my value as a future customer. Looking at my Leather Armor, though, the effect was probably mixed.
"Customer, I've been expecting you."
Alan arrived shortly.
"Yeah."
"Were you able to... secure the funds?"
"Managed it somehow."
"Then, please follow me to the other room."
"Understood."
I was led to the same room as the previous visits. As I sat on the sofa, a servant—not Roxanne—entered and set down some herb tea.
"Please, help yourself."
Once the servant left, Alan gestured toward the cup.
I touched the cup to my lips but only pretended to drink. If Alan were planning anything, poisoning the drink would be the easiest method. I wasn't touching it.
I pulled a drawstring bag from my pack. I’d already separated the two hundred twenty-eight Silver Coins.
"Sorry for all the silver."
"Not at all. It is exactly as I anticipated."
"I'm sure."
I’d worked myself to the bone to scrape this together. If anything, Alan's "anticipation" had probably been a gross understatement of the effort involved.
I produced the forty Gold Coins as well.
"Thank you. The amount is correct. I shall bring her to you immediately. Please wait just a moment."
Alan verified the coins, placed them on a tray, and carried them all out. Counting over two hundred coins was a chore; it felt like a parting shot of petty revenge.
I waited, still not touching the tea. Finally, he returned.
Roxanne was with him.
She wore a yellowish-green tunic with matching trousers. She stood slightly behind the merchant, almost as if she were hiding.
Why is she hiding?
I tilted my head to get a look at her. She was beautiful. Breathtakingly so.
I’d worried that my memory might have exaggerated her looks over the last few days, but the reality was even better. She was more stunning than I remembered.
"I... Thank you so much."
Roxanne saw me and hurriedly bowed her head. Her wolf ears twitched. They were incredibly cute. Still, she seemed to be avoiding my gaze.
I wasn't sure if I deserved her thanks.
"Good to see you again."
"Yes. But... there is something I must apologize for."
Roxanne spoke while her head was still bowed.
"..."
My heart sank. Had she been plotting with Alan to trick me? Did she actually hate the idea of being bought?
"I believed with all my heart that Master would come for me. But... during those five days, just once, I doubted. For a single moment, I feared you would not return. Please, forgive me. If you cannot, I am not worthy of being yours."
Fine. From today on, your name is Melossanne.