"Phantom Thief Honeycandy... What does the Master of the Thieves Guild think of that fellow? Isn't he quite the rising star in the thieving world?"
"Well, that's not a thief, Sir Lancel."
"...? How can someone who steals not be a thief?"
"Why would they specifically call themselves a phantom thief? That's not a thief. They lack the basic professional consciousness that any proper thief should have."
"It's the first I've heard that thievery requires professional consciousness, but let's say it does. What bothers you so much that you won't acknowledge them as a thief?"
"First of all."
"...?"
"A thief would never go around with such a conspicuous appearance. That's the first reason."
"You have a point."
...
Lancel recalled the conversation he'd had with the Thieves Guild Master a few nights ago.
"Over there!"
"The phantom thief! The phantom thief has appeared!"
A pure white cape cutting across the night sky.
From gloves to boots, a perfectly white outfit, adjusting their hat with one hand while boldly revealing themselves beneath the full moon.
'Phantom Thief Honeycandy?'
-A thief would never go around with such a conspicuous appearance.
Indeed. They stood out. The thief clearly had no intention of hiding.
Despite being a mere thief, golden embroidery decorated various parts of their outfit.
Even the thin rapier scabbard at their waist was completely white.
"Ahahahaha!"
===============
—Imperial Year 817, March 28th, Weather: Cool (Night).
—Marigold's "Intermediate Nimble Movement (54%)" and "Intermediate Long-Distance Leap (21%)" proficiency have increased.
â»Feeling like flying through the night sky of the capital! Marigold's mood reaches its peak! Charm, Stamina, Allure, and Condition UP!!
===============
Rooftop to rooftop, spire to chimney—distances of easily tens of meters were nothing to Phantom Thief Marigold.
With just one push of her foot, she soared through the air as if flying. There were so many spectators exclaiming in admiration.
"Please try to catch meee! Ahahahaha!"
'What on earth is she doing?'
Lancel couldn't hide his bewilderment.
...
"And? What's the second reason? The second reason you can't acknowledge Phantom Thief Honeycandy as a thief."
"Sir Lancel."
"What is it?"
"What is thievery in its essence? Why do you think it happens?"
"...What kind of answer are you looking for?"
"This thieving instinct that has existed since before humans developed intelligence—where do you think it originated from?"
"...To make money?"
"Exactly!"
"Stop pointing at me like that."
"Money! Money. Only money. The purpose of theft is ultimately just that one thing. It's about obtaining wealth that you don't possess. But look at what Phantom Thief Honeycandy does."
"...Your animosity toward this phantom thief seems a bit excessive."
"Aren't they ruining the principles of thievery?"
"The principles of thievery..."
...
"Ouch!"
One of the arrest squad's guards suddenly rubbed his head.
A blunt object had fallen and struck his forehead.
"A coin...?"
He looked up.
The night sky was filled with sparkling objects besides just stars.
Clink-clink-clink!
"Whoa!"
"Wh-what's falling?"
Just then, sparkling objects were showering down like rain from the phantom thief passing overhead.
Bouncing and rolling in all directions, they were revealed to be coins.
And not copper coins—every single one was silver. At least several hundred of them.
"That bastard is now!"
The 6th Prince's expression twisted.
The phantom thief dropping silver coins on the arrest squad's heads wasn't just coincidence.
It was deliberate.
"Silver coins!"
"Money! Money!"
"M-move aside!"
"It's mine!"
People rushed in from all directions, instantly surrounding the area.
In the eyes of the capital's citizens, now wild with greed, neither prince nor knights were visible. They could only see the silver coins piled on the ground.
"Get out of the way, you ignorant fools! After them! Chase them now! Move aside if you don't want your throats cut!"
The 6th Prince drew his sword and spewed curses, but it was already too late.
"Here's my parting gift for today!"
Leaving behind a voice full of mockery, Marigold's figure retreated into the distance.
The capital's night streets were already in complete chaos due to the widely scattered silver coins.
"Where did they go?"
"Well..."
By the time they finally pushed through the suddenly crowded streets, everything was already over.
A knight merely showed him a honey candy that had clearly been sucked on and spat out several times.
"Count Dunk's mansion has been completely cleaned out. The safe, the treasure chest, everything..."
The 6th Prince's face turned bright red as he heard the report.
...
"And the third reason?"
"The third is that they mock their pursuers, practically begging to be caught."
"That's certainly true."
"What kind of thief in the world would enjoy a chase while making fun of royalty and knights? That's simply insane."
"..."
"They're clearly a madman."
"...That seems a bit harsh."
"...Pardon?"
* * *
In a poor room in the western district of the capital.
-Anna. Don't talk nonsense. I'll find some work, any work, to put food in your mouths! Just wait a week.
Nineteen-year-old Anna Planc recalled her father's words tonight.
Her father, whose tendons had been cut by Count Dunk's blade, now struggled even to walk. The tragedy of the Planc family, with seven children to raise and their pillar of support gone, was perhaps only beginning today.
Soft breathing filled the room where the cold night air seeped in. Six younger siblings slept huddled together for warmth.
Her siblings, who had barely eaten today, seemed to have finally escaped their terrible hunger only after falling asleep.
After stroking her siblings' heads for a long while, Anna Planc gathered her bag.
"Big sister, where are you going?"
She flinched.
"Just going out for some air."
"You'll be back soon, right?"
"..."
Unable to answer her youngest sibling's question, Anna Planc merely nodded.
She left quickly, as if escaping from her youngest sibling's clear-eyed gaze.
"Hic... hic...!"
As she stepped into the pre-dawn streets of the capital, her legs gave way. Fear suddenly overwhelmed her.
It hit her. The realization that the daily life and happiness she had known since birth would end today.
Watching performances at street theaters, spending time with family, her modest dream of someday meeting someone to marry—all would end today.
"..."
The fear was only momentary.
Anna Planc repeatedly told herself, "I can do this." She would do anything for her siblings.
When she raised her head again, having steeled her resolve.
"Huh?"
Squeak-squeak! Squeak!
Four white mice approached her.
"...Mice...this is...?"
They were strange-looking mice, each carrying a small pouch around its neck like a bag. What happened next was even more puzzling.
After dropping their pouches to the ground, they scurried away into the distance.
"Hey! This."
Left alone on the street with four pouches, Anna Planc stood frozen for a while, wondering if she was seeing things, before finally beginning to open them one by one.
"...!"
Dozens of golden objects soon revealed themselves before her.
Not just one or two. All three pouches were filled with dozens each.
Gold coins.
"Th-this... h-h-how...?"
Her hands trembled uncontrollably. She had never seen so many gold coins in her life.
She opened the fourth pouch. Its contents were slightly different: five honey candies and a small note.
—————————
—Wealth, finding its rightful place. Anna Planc.
—————————
"..."
Anna Planc's mind went blank. When she came to her senses, she was staggering with armfuls of gold coin pouches.
She turned away from her path to the red-light district and ran toward home.
In her dazed mind, only one name surfaced.
The capital's famous figure.
A thief who was not a thief.
The eccentric who relocated wealth.
—Phantom Thief Honeycandy.
"Father...!"
It was the day when the Planc family's happiness found its rightful place once more.
16.
"Phew."
Marigold climbed nimbly through the window into her room.
"Today I became a righteous thief again, Sir Lancel. Thievery permitted by God himself."
"But if Sir Lancel finds out, you'll be in trouble. You've become a famous phantom thief known to everyone in the capital."
"It's fine, it's fine, as long as I don't get caught."
Marigold gave a casual response to Pina's sour comment.
'I'll get scolded if caught, but it's fine if I don't get caught!'
Lancel wasn't someone who completely opposed Marigold's thievery, but...
It was too late to tell him now—what she had been doing was too grand in scale. Even Lancel would find it difficult to handle.
'But since I'm a righteous thief, he'll forgive me someday, right?'
Someday she would tell him.
Yes, that would do.
That's what Marigold thought.
Thump. Thump.
It was right then that she heard footsteps approaching her room.
"Mary. Are you in there?"
"Eek!"
Marigold panicked.
It was Lancel Dante's voice.
"Young Lady! Your clothes! Your clothes!"
"Oh no!"
She was still in her thieving outfit. She hurriedly threw off her clothes.
"J-just a moment, Sir Lancel! I'm changing clothes!"
"Why are you changing clothes at bedtime?"
"Ah, th-that's... it's because of my sleeping habit!"
"Putting on clothes, not taking them off—that's a sleeping habit I've never heard of before. You have strange sleeping habits, Mary."
"I! I think so too! Aha, ahaha!"
"I'm coming in."
"Aaaah! W-wait a moment!"
Thump.
When the door opened and Lancel appeared...
Marigold had just barely managed to stuff all her clothes into a wooden panel. Beads of sweat formed all over her body from her frantic rush.
"Why are you sweating so much in the middle of the night?"
"Because it's hot...?"
"It's still a chilly season."
"Ah! Well, um..."
"Were you practicing for a performance because you couldn't sleep?"
"That's it!"
Marigold pointed at Lancel excitedly. Pina said, "It's suspicious to accept it so eagerly," but it was already too late.
"That's it, that's it. As you know, Sir Lancel, I'm a popular famous actress. All my success comes from the effort I put in behind the scenes like this..."
"Really?"
"O-of course."
Marigold wiped away her nervous sweat.
"By the way, why is Sir Lancel up so late instead of sleeping..."
"Phantom Thief Honeycandy."
"Eek!"
Has she been found out?
Marigold froze in terror.
"...I've joined the arrest squad to catch them. That's why I'm up so late. Why are you so stiff?"
"Hic!"
"Hiccups too?"
"I-it's nothing, hic!"
"..."
Lancel flopped down on her bed and glanced at her.
"So from now on, I need to be diligent about catching this phantom thief."
She made up her mind.
I should quit.
Just as Marigold was about to decide to give up thievery...
"Today I just... fell in love with Phantom Thief Honeycandy."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Are you listening?"
Marigold's mind stopped working.
Even her hiccups ceased.
She couldn't say anything. Couldn't move a finger. But in her head, countless screams were echoing.
'Sir Lancel loves me... Sir Lancel loves me... Sir Lancel loves me... Sir Lancel loves me... Sir Lancel loves me... Sir Lancel loves me...?'
Lancel continued speaking.
"Well, duty is duty, so I'll still chase them desperately. But deep down, I hope they keep escaping and running well. If they get caught, I'll have no choice but to punish them..."
He got up from his seat after saying that.
"Anyway. Thanks for listening, Mary. Thinking about Phantom Thief Honeycandy makes me so restless I can't sleep... I just wanted to share these feelings with someone."
"..."
"I'm going to bed now. You should sleep soon too, before it gets too late."
Click.
Until Lancel closed the door and disappeared, Marigold remained stiff as a log.
"Young Lady? Young Lady. Young Lady!"
Only after Pina shouted loudly for quite some time did Marigold finally move her lips.
"Pina."
"Yes?"
"I'm... going to be a phantom thief. An even more amazing phantom thief than now."
Flames shot up in Marigold's eyes.
"And I'll steal Sir Lancel's heart and chastity."
"Steal what?"
Hot breath continuously escaped from Marigold's flushed face with "haa, haa."
"Sir Lancel lovesick over me... that's perfect..."
"You're seriously ill, Young Lady."