༺ Making Lots Of Friends When School Starts! (4) ༻
People tend to form groups.
Thieves were naturally no exception.
“We’ve got just about everything here. Besides, the Freesia Branch of the Underground Guild is managed by the Shadow Council. Of course, I don’t need to tell you that; you probably already know!”
A thief named Jack introduced me to the alliance of thieves operating in the undergrounds of Freesia.
It also appeared to be overseen by the criminal guild known as the “Shadow Council.”
“This is a cat I rescued from the neighboring house. Please make an offer. I’ve provided temporary shelter, and it’s been well taken care of. Only for those who really love cats. It wasn’t stolen, it was ‘rescued’ from the neighboring house.”
“Mr. Bendeet, even so, your offering price for this gold ring is too low, isn’t it?”
“If you don’t like it, you can sell it at a higher price on the surface and get caught and sent to prison.”
This was a market where all sorts of people coexisted.
It was the main place “dealers” used to sell or buy stolen goods.
Why?
Let’s say I stole a famous painting like the “Mona Lisa” from King Ordor’s Castle.
If I were to sell the genuine article in a regular market, I’m sure I’d be tracked down quite easily.
However.
Using this guild-controlled underground market allowed thieves to cleanly launder stolen goods and make a tidy profit selling them to powerful individuals in the underworld.
I used to use it frequently too.
“You can buy lockpicks here. This shop actually specializes in selling tools for thieves and is quite popular among many. I’m not sure if they have something that will meet your requirements, though!”
The place Jack guided me to was a shop selling tools used by thieves.
The bald man with a crooked eye was the shopkeeper, and he looked like quite the rogue.
“Excuse me.”
“Oh?”
The shopkeeper opened the door and raised an eyebrow as I entered.
Normally, it would only be natural to be surprised when a hooded figure in a black robe entered.
But most of the people wandering around this underground either wore black robes or masks on their faces, the typical rogue outfit.
I did the same.
I hid my identity with a hood and mask to avoid unnecessary attention.
So, there was nothing particularly unique about my appearance.
“Your skills are quite impressive!”
However, the shop owner was greatly impressed when he saw me.
“You didn’t even ring the bell on the door and just opened it! That’s not something ordinary! You must be at least a veteran of Silver rank or higher, right? The veteran class items are over here!”
Indeed.
He was impressed by the fact that I had entered without ringing the bell on the door.
To be impressed by such a thing…
Opening a door without making the bell ring was easier for me than breathing.
However, breathing turned out to be more difficult than I thought.
Breathing.
Inhale, exhale.
Isn’t it more challenging when you become conscious of it?
It never stops!
The position of one’s tongue.
How to swallow saliva.
Even blinking becomes difficult when you’re aware of it.
Anyway.
The bald thief who reminded me of Enkidus showed me a list of tools.
It was honestly labeled as “Veteran Class.”
For reference, the Expert class ranged from level 10 to 20, it also corresponded to the Bronze tier.
Veteran class spanned from level 20 to 30, equivalent to the Silver rank.
The Gold-rank ranged from level 30 to 40, classified as the Master class.
And from level 40 and beyond…
No, that’s not important right now.
“I’d like to take a look at the lockpicks.”
I carefully examined the items listed on the display.
The items of the Veteran class were in good condition.
But from my perspective, I couldn’t say they were exceptionally high quality.
“How about this? This is a new lockpick made of tempered steel. It’s soft but durable and highly sought after by all thieves. Even the locks on the vault of Count Victim were picked with this lockpick.”
“Hmm…”
“It’s expensive, but quality comes at a price. What do you think?”
Honestly, I was a bit disappointed.
At this rate, it would be better to use chopsticks as lockpicks.
Well, what could I expect?
This is probably the limit for a general store.
I continued to look around the shop when something caught my eye.
“What’s this?”
“Oh, that? It’s a headband lockpick, meticulously crafted by Freesia artisans. Isn’t the ribbon pretty? It’s especially popular among female thieves. There are also ornate rings that are popular for attaching to daggers.”
Indeed, there were plenty of accessories like rings, earrings, and headbands that appeared to be fashionable items.
But they were actually modified small lockpicks.
The one that caught my eye the most had a yellow ribbon on it.
“This one’s nice. I really like this.”
The yellow ribbon looked just like a butterfly.
Would Naru like it?
“I needed a gift for her admission into school anyway.”
As I was about to secretly put it in my pocket, I hesitated.
Wait-
My hands paused.
It wasn’t because taking it without paying was illegal.
It was because I felt uncertain whether giving Naru a “lockpick” as a gift was the right thing to do.
Brigitte had scolded me before, saying, “Who gives a dagger as a gift to a child? What if Naru actually becomes a thief…!”
Even Cariote had remarked, “Even the Barbaroi don’t raise their children like that.”
Educating Naru like this might actually turn her into a thief.
—Oh, holy shh…! Naru is twenty-five this year! She’s become an excellent thief just like Dad! I even have a nickname! The Rogue Princess! I steal anything and everything! Let’s steal Dad’s retirement funds! Give me your name too! And your life!
……
It was a mere product of my imagination, but it felt very vivid to me.
I knew very well what kind of woman a female thief with an exceptional father would become.
Have you heard the sound of someone getting stabbed in the back?
The sound of a father betrayed by his trusted daughter?
I’ve heard it before.
“…Can’t let that happen!”
I had to prevent Naru from becoming like that!
It would be a disaster!
On the contrary, raising Naru to be a well-behaved young lady was the best course of action.
Wouldn’t she take good care of good old me?
At that moment, lightning struck inside my head-
A fantastic and splendid idea emerged.
“Princess Maker.” 1‘Princess Maker’ is a famous series of games where you play a father raising his daughter, planning her activities throughout the month, gaining stats and XP until she becomes an adult until one of the various endings is unlocked. Definitely worth a check, though it can be weird sometimes lmao.
I will nurture Naru into a truly magnificent princess.
I would educate her, guide her, and refine her princess skills in various ways, so that one day I can hear her say, “Father, thank you for teaching and raising me.”
I have a natural talent for distinguishing princess potential.
Turning Naru into a fantasy-like SSR princess might not be impossible.
“Um, sir. Are you going to buy that ribbon?”
“Right now, that’s not important. I don’t have time to buy things!”
“No, if you’re not buying anything, why did you come into my shop? Besides, sir, if you’re not buying, please don’t keep touching it like that. Ouch”
The bald shop owner, approaching me, stumbled over something like a stone protruding from the shop floor.
Fortunately, he didn’t fall, but something tumbled out of his pocket with a clinking sound.
Roll— Rorororoll—
Coins.
“A thief dropping coins of all things…”
“…Oh my Snix!”
“Damn it, bad luck is coming!”
The shop’s customers hurriedly vacated their seats.
It was as if they couldn’t stay in the shop anymore.
The bald shop owner also wiped the sweat from his shiny head.
“Of all things, to make such a big mistake…”
“Just because you dropped a coin on the ground, what’s the big deal?”
“…Sir, don’t you know what it means for a thief to drop coins? Could it be that you’re a follower of Nocturne and not Snix?”
Snix and Nocturne.
Both were deities trusted by criminals who walked in the shadows.
Strangely, criminals in this world had deep faith.
If they were so faithful, shouldn’t they have avoided becoming thieves or rogues in the first place?
Nevertheless, the bald shop owner sighed heavily and said.
“I should close the shop for today. Sir, it’s better for you to go home quietly without doing anything like theft today. I’ll just give you the ribbon.”
It seemed like an ominous omen.
Thanks to it, I got the ribbon for free.
While it might be an unfortunate day for others, it was a lucky day for me.
“You’re lucky. Indeed, thieves need luck.”
Now, how was my daughter Naru doing?
I thought about Naru as I put the ribbon into my pocket.
* * *
Sob— Sob—
Tears rolled down from Naru’s large eyes.
Her palm hurt.
“The bamboo stick hurts… so much…!”
“Now you’ve only taken five hits. You have to take five more, so extend your palm.”
Salome’s discipline was strict.
It was a bamboo stick made by splitting bamboo thinly, but Naru’s palm, already hit five times, had swollen and looked quite pitiful.
Seeing Naru like that, Salome spoke sternly.
“Right now, you’re being hit on the palm with a bamboo stick, but someday, your hand could be cut off by a guillotine. Theft is a dangerous activity. You must not do it recklessly. Do you all understand?”
Nod— Nod—
All the children nodded their heads.
Then they whispered to each other quietly.
“I thought Naru was a good kid, but stealing..”
“We shouldn’t be friends with her.”
“In the end, Tywin and Elizabeth weren’t the culprits. We almost suspected innocent people.”
Some children chattered while watching the sobbing Naru.
Of course, some girls were watching this scene with a less-than-friendly gaze.
First and foremost was Cecily.
‘Why did Naru suddenly steal something? I couldn’t stop her even though I was right there. This is as much my fault.’
Look—
Cecily looked at Naru’s swollen red palm.
Although she was hesitant, thinking that being hit with a bamboo stick would be extremely painful, Cecily soon closed her eyes tightly and raised her hand.
Salome, who had been about to hit Naru’s palm, stopped and asked.
“What’s wrong, Cecily?”
“I-I’m Naru’s friend. But I didn’t notice or stop her from doing something bad right beside me. So it’s my fault too, I’ll take the remaining five hits!”
“Oh, really? That’s a noble attitude.”
Cecily stepped forward.
Then, in front of the other children, it was Cecily’s turn to have her palms hit.
With each loud sound, Elizabeth, who had been watching this, felt a great turmoil in her heart.
‘I don’t understand what’s going on…! I don’t even know why Naru has the money I stole and put in Tywin’s bag… At least, I’m lucky I wasn’t caught…’
Relief.
What Elizabeth felt was a strong sense of relief.
If Elizabeth had been accused of being a thief here, she might have been branded a “liar” for the rest of her life.
And her father’s reputation might have suffered greatly.
“But still…”
Thwack—
“Ugh…!”
“I’ve only hit you twice now, Cecily. Did you lie when you said you’d take the hits for Naru?”
“N-No, I didn’t! Cecily is the daughter of a noble family, I can easily endure things like this-.”
Thwack—!
“Agh, fuck!”
“Hey? Is this the kind of language you should use in front of your teacher? And where did you learn such bad words?”
“T-This is…”
However, seeing the children being hit and in pain, Elizabeth’s heart hurt unexpectedly.
In the meantime, Salome occasionally glanced at Elizabeth.
It seemed like a look that said, “I know everything you did. Aren’t you going to confess quickly, instead of letting others take the hits?”
Of course, that was probably due to Elizabeth’s guilty conscience.
To her, it felt like a blade was spinning inside her heart.
“Now, ten hits. Split evenly between the two of you.”
“Eek… Cecilly has never been struck before, not even by Grandfather…”
“Cecily, I’m sorry…”
The bamboo stick discipline session had come to an end.
Naru and Cecily returned to their seats.
Looking at them, the children began criticizing them, saying things like, “They’re bad kids. We should be careful,” or “Is it possible that Naru stole my pork cutlet during lunchtime?”
Naru would probably be seen as a liar and a thief throughout her school life.
Originally, Elizabeth thought that she might have received such glances and criticisms.
Ding- Dong—
Suddenly, the bell rang.
It meant that the class was over.
“Naru, bring your parents when you come to school tomorrow. Got it? Be sure to bring them. I need to meet your parents and discuss your behavior.”
“Alright…”
Naru sighed in relief.
Now, Naru was touching her reddened palm and sniffled.
“It feels like when I get hit by Mom. My mom used to hit my palm like this. It hurts…”
“Come to think of it, this Cecily can’t ever remember being hit by Grandfather or Dad, but Mom… I remember those very well…”
Elizabeth approached the crying children, seeming as if she were possessed.
Then, she went to Naru and asked nonchalantly, as if she had no interest.
“Naru, why did you do such a thing? Stealing is a bad deed. Even if you were pointed at as a liar or thief, it wouldn’t have mattered to you? Aren’t you scared of Snix’s curse?”
“Well, Naru loves Dad! Naru dreams of being a great thief like Dad. If it were Dad, he would have done the same as Naru today. And just like Naru, wouldn’t Elizabeth also love her dad?”
“……!”
Although Elizabeth had unlucky circumstances and ended up enrolling as the second-placed student because of Tywin, she was still a clever child.
Elizabeth could clearly understand from this situation that Naru had “deliberately taken” what she had put into Tywin’s bag.
Naru had helped Elizabeth, knowing she would be pointed at, by everyone.
‘I was the one that did the bad thing. Naru protected my honor. But even though that happened, I didn’t confess and I even felt relieved. I…’
Elizabeth was disappointed in herself and tears welled up in her eyes.
Finally, she wiped her tears and took out an ointment from her pocket.
“My dad is the best pharmacist in Freesia. Since he made this, it should be effective. I’m working hard to become a pharmacist like him.”
Swoosh—
Elizabeth applied the ointment to Naru and Cecily.
Soon, Naru exclaimed.
“Wow, holy shh, it suddenly doesn’t hurt at all! Elizabeth, your dad must be an amazing pharmacist!”
“…R-Really?”
When Elizabeth muttered back with an awkward expression, the children praised her enthusiastically.
“She almost got blamed for everything, but she was the first one to forgive Naru.”
“She’s even shedding tears. Elizabeth is a really nice kid.”
“Her personality seems better than Tywin’s. She’s second place, but…”
“Well, the kid next to her dropped an eraser and she picked it up instead, but got a 5-point deduction. If it weren’t for that, she would have been tied for first place, actually.”
Elizabeth’s face turned even redder when she heard those compliments.
Compliments were always appreciated, but this particular compliment, one that touched her heart so deeply, was a first in her life.
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