Chapter 350
348. Childhood Ep – Theft
“I get it now. I know what I have to do. Leah, wait a moment… No, you should come with me.”
“Where to?”
“To meet Iina Isadora.”
“At this hour? The sun has already set.”
“That works out better.”
Reb strode out of the room without hesitation.
Since they could climb up from anywhere via Rangharang, the deserted corridor felt eerie. Even though it was quiet without a hint of life, oil lamps were hanging everywhere.
Leah spoke from behind.
“Reb, wait a second. I need to change my clothes. I can’t meet the princess looking like this.”
She was dressed in casual clothes. She planned to wear a dress she had received from Prince Lean, saving it for a special occasion, but Reb shook his head.
“That’s fine. We’re not going to meet the princess. Hurry up. We might miss our chance if we take too long.”
“Weren’t you just saying we were going to see the princess?”
“Yeah, but not really. Iina will have us come to her. Ha ha! You can look forward to it.”
“??”
Leah followed along, still confused. When Reb pushed open a sliding door with paper hanging from it, a staircase leading down to Rangharang appeared. And there was also a handmaiden who was always on standby.
“Welcome… Oh, it’s you, Reb. And Leah. You surprised me.”
“Hey, it’s been a while. Are you working a shift today?”
“No. Laura was supposed to be on duty, but she had a fever, so I filled in. But what brings you here at this hour? Do you need something?”
“No, we’re just going for a quick walk. No need to write it down.”
“You’re just like Leah, huh? She always asks me not to note things down too. Well, have a good time. Just don’t cause any trouble.”
Reb said,
“Yes, sister. Hvala ti!”
─ and headed down the stairs.
It meant “thank you” in the dialect of the Aisel Kingdom, a phrase used between friends or lovers when it’s embarrassing to say thank you repeatedly.
The handmaiden left behind chuckled at the foreigner’s awkward use of the dialect. She understood why people liked that young man.
Reb was quite popular among the people of Rangharang, especially the handmaidens.
He was capable of living in the royal palace, yet he was never arrogant and always polite.
Moreover, there was a strangely mature atmosphere surrounding him, despite him being younger than the others, making him incredibly attractive to the handmaidens.
According to someone, if you start talking to him, you should break out of your dark mood and smile brightly to evoke maternal instincts… Perhaps Laura wasn’t just sick with a fever, the handmaiden thought.
As Reb and Leah descended through the stairs to Rangharang. Beneath the royal palace accommodations, there were facilities for visitors. Reb headed to the stable there and brought out the “Bantes.”
– Hee-haw! Purr.
– Hee-haw! Purr.
The Bantes whined as if questioning what they were doing at this late hour. Their behavior was identical. Leah, who was about to mount, suddenly made a sarcastic remark.
“You said we could look forward to this, but last time was a total bust.”
“…Ah, I didn’t expect the Bantes to be summoned like that. When Ray and Lean summoned them, it was genuinely impressive. Tch. These ones are a bit lazy… Leah, don’t just laugh, accept it.”
Reb lit a lantern meant for nighttime riding and handed it to her. Leah took the lantern, hanging it from the saddle while stifling giggles.
“Haha! Alright, I’ll look forward to this again. Honestly, the last time was fun. Now… Yirrat! Mom! Take it slow, slow.”
“Be careful. Yirrat!”
Reb and Leah rode the Bantes and galloped through Rangharang. The place was filled with decrepit houses scattered between towering pillars stuck in the ground, with gardens cultivated for viewing from the palace.
It was a city where poverty and luxury intertwined.
In the places where people lived, it smelled damp, while ornamental gardens shone in the moonlight even at night. Plowing through the darkness, Reb halted in the town’s center.
“Where are we? This place feels different from the rest.”
It was a massive circular plaza with a roof that was open to the sky. If Leah were her usual self, she would have been awed by the majestic sight, but she seemed a bit subdued, possibly troubled by the city’s condition.
Reb pointed to the open area above them, connected by a cloud bridge.
“That’s where the golden document of Cornus is displayed. Follow me. Anyone can go up there.”
“What about the princess?”
“Just wait.”
They tied up the Bantes for a moment, and Reb and Leah ascended the circular stairs lining the outer edge of the plaza.
Crossing the cloud bridge, which had no pillars supporting it (probably magic), they arrived at the second floor above the plaza, where the golden disc hovered, taking the place of the floor.
It was large enough to fit five spacious houses. If it truly was solid gold… Leah felt a surge of anger.
And at the center of the golden disc floated a golden parchment, emitting light. Created by the great sorcerer Cornus, it was a document listing the 121 noble families constituting the Imperial House of Manzamon.
Leah momentarily forgot her anger as she was captivated by the brilliance of the golden document. The gentle golden waves blended with the moonlight…
“I’m going to steal it. Watch closely.”
“What? Eek! Are you insane?!”
Reb unceremoniously grabbed it and tucked it into his arms. Leah was so shocked that she began surveying the surroundings like a guilty rabbit.
Thank goodness it was midnight. There was no one around. But…
“Hey! What the heck are you doing?”
Reb was walking away while clutching the golden document! Leah’s mind was spinning with thoughts of gallows ropes swinging in warning.
Is he really trying to steal it?
Or is he crazy?
No matter how important that document was, it was clear just by looking at it how significant it was. It would be a light sentence if he ended up swinging from the gallows.
Leah’s heart raced as she attempted to grab Reb, but he had already stepped onto the cloud bridge as if he really was serious about fleeing.
Then it happened. A golden mist erupted from Reb’s grasp.
As Reb stepped away from the golden disc, the golden document turned into mist and scattered.
It fluttered through Leah’s hair as she chased after him, then suddenly returned to its original spot as if nothing had happened.
Reb grinned and said, “How about that? Pretty cool, right?”
The golden document of Cornus was something that couldn’t be destroyed or stolen. That’s why it was displayed without guards, allowing people to directly see and touch this mystical item.
Thus, they hoped to be revered. Just then,
“Ouch!”
Leah grabbed Reb tightly. The gentleness of her expression could rival that of a monster right now.
“You little! Do you have any idea how much you scared me?”
“Ugh! Wait, Leah, just a second! There’s a reason for this… Ouch!”
“Get lost, you fool! You’re making a mockery of me when I was just about to have a look at it. Where do you think you’re running off to… Oh?”
“…What did I tell you?”
I said Iina would get us to come. Reb murmured, caught by the nape of his neck. Iina Isadora, having appeared quietly like a phantom, stood on the cloud bridge watching them.
[ Achievement: Theft – ‘1’ The probability of being caught by the owner slightly increases. ]
This was an achievement Reb had received when he stole a horse in Torito. He recalled having to hurry to Oberg, and the horse he had stolen back then was “Kus,” a rather distant past.
Instead of reminiscing about that time, Reb quickly escaped Leah’s strong grip. He was certain that the owner of the golden document was this lady, so straightened his clothes and turned to Iina, who approached with a flustered expression.
“Are you Sir Reb? Please tell me, since I have poor eyesight. Are you indeed Sir Reb?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
Fortunately, it seemed he hadn’t caused a scene. Reb attempted to bow respectfully, but Iina suddenly grabbed his hand.
“Sir Knight. I apologize for the suddenness, but please help me. I really need your assistance.”
*
Iina didn’t know why she was here.
Due to her promise to her late mother, this was a place she should never have come, and she couldn’t believe she had come here alone in the middle of the night. I must have been a bit mad.
It was a desperate situation, to the point where she considered her last resort. She wanted to stop the war with the Belita Kingdom at all costs.
However… there were ways that were acceptable and ways that were not.
Modifying the golden document was not an appropriate action for her political position, and if she did that, her hidden secrets might get exposed. So, perhaps that’s why she came here in the middle of the night.
Regaining her senses, Iina scolded herself for her rashness and tried to leave.
But she heard a man’s and woman’s voices ahead, and one of them was someone she had planned to summon and meet soon. She recognized it from the voice she had heard today.
– “Surprisingly, this person is the only one who can face Count Hermann Forte. This person will join the war and help me.”
It was Sir Reb, whom Prince Vivian praised highly. Iina was both surprised that there was a knight capable of facing her ex-husband and thought that she had to meet that person at all costs.
“Sir Knight. I truly apologize, but please help me. I need your assistance.”
A war that had already begun and was irreversible. Thus, what she hoped for wasn’t that grand.
But she was desperate enough that she would willingly give up all fifteen chests of gold she possessed, and Sir Reb seemed to pierce through her desperation and motives as he spoke.
“If you give me what I want, I will gladly help you.”
“What do you want?”
“First, let me be rude for a moment.”
Sir Reb lifted his head. Iina realized for the first time just how incredibly young he was. Also, she recognized that he was behaving very rudely right now.
“Wait. Wh-what are you doing?”
Reb didn’t say much. He just gripped the necklace around the princess’s neck, checking if a message appeared…
Finally, Reb nodded.
[ It’s not yours. ]
It wasn’t his since it belonged to Princess Iina Isadora, but this message wasn’t meant to convey that kind of meaning.
It was the last engagement scenario. She had seen a similar message in a mysterious temple beneath the valley while heading to capture Halpas.
It had popped up when Ray caught the sword that was now the bound item of Leira Ainar, leading Reb to deduce the nature of this necklace.
This was indeed the bound item of his sister, Reriana.
The lost royal seal of the Acaian Empire, which could modify Cornus’s golden document, had been hidden here, having gone missing since the former ‘queen’ of the Aisel Kingdom.
Resting in the half-visible cleavage of the princess…
Reb realized it and drew his hand back, not wanting to let Leah notice. The confirmation was done; it was time to negotiate.
“I want that necklace.”
“…That’s rude. It’s something I can’t give away.”
“Why not? Is it because it’s the last royal seal of the Acaian Empire?”
“…!! I-I don’t understand what you mean. It’s just an ordinary necklace I enjoy wearing.”
“Then you could give it to me. Just a moment. Aren’t you curious about what I want to do with it? After all, only you can use it as the royal seal. Princess Elika de Isadora… Hmm, while she has blonde hair and golden eyes, her orange hues make it difficult for her to use it properly. You know that, right?”
“…”
“I’ll take your silence as understanding. I’m going to give it to Prince Eric de Yeriel.”
“…Why?”
“To stop the war. Don’t you think that at this rate, the army of Aisel Kingdom, led by Prince Vivian, will be crushed by Count Forte? Since you were once the wife of Count Forte, you should know better than I do, right?”
Reb probed diligently. Iina Isadora, once Iina Forte, briefly opened her mouth, weighing her words.
“That’s a strong expression. But… you’re right. Our kingdom’s army will lose. Not only because my husband is someone who simply cannot be defeated, but also because Prince Vivian will lead a half-hearted army.”
“Exactly. The Gaidan House faction won’t help Prince Vivian in the slightest. Do you understand now why I plan to give the royal seal to Prince Eric?”
“…I understand. You intend to have Oscar de Isadora be deposed. Prince Eric will emerge as a new heir to the throne as he marries Princess Elika. If that happens, the war will…”
“I’m glad you’re quick to understand. Now, Princess, please give the necklace to me. I’m aware it has only brought you pain. I’ll fulfill any requests you have in return.”
Iina Isadora couldn’t determine if this young man was a knight, a strategist, a cunning scammer, or if he was really a commoner.
All she knew was that while the necklace felt heavy on her neck, his words were sweet… Thus, Iina handed over the necklace.
With a rather insignificant request compared to its value.