028 – You can make a lot of friends when school starts! # 4

028 – You can make a lot of friends when school starts! # 4

People like to group.

So did the thief.

“I have all sorts of things. Anyway, the underground guild of the Principality of Phrygia is also managed by the Shadow Council. Of course you already know everything without me telling you!”

A thief named Jack introduced me to a band of thieves formed underground in Phrygia.

It’s an underground market managed by the criminal guild “Shadow Council”.

“I am selling a cat I rescued from next door. Please suggest a price. I am in temporary custody and I am responsible for it. Buy only those who love cats. I didn’t steal it, it’s a cat I ‘rescued’ from next door.”

“Mr. Fence, no matter how you do it, the price of the gold ring is too cheap?”

“If you don’t like it, sell it on the ground for a high price and go to prison.”

It was a market where all kinds of guys coexist in various ways.

Shall we say that it is a place where there are mainly ‘swindlers’ who sell or buy stolen goods?

why-.

For example, let’s say I stole the famous painting “Munarija” from the Ordor Royal Castle.

If I sell that genuine thing to the market, surely they won’t track me down here and there?

By the way.

By using the underground market where guilds were involved, they were able to make a lot of money by washing stolen goods and selling them to the underworld tycoons.

I used to use it often in the past.

“You can buy lockpicks here. To be precise, it’s a store that specializes in selling tools used by thieves. I don’t know if there’s anything that will satisfy you!”

The place Jack guided us to was a general store-like space that sold thieves’ tools.

The one-eyed, bald head was the boss, but he looked like a thief.

“excuse me.”

“Hoo?”

The boss tilted his head as he opened the door and saw me coming in.

It would be natural to feel puzzled when a mysterious man in a black robe appears.

Most of the guys roaming the underground now were gangsters wearing black robes or covering their faces with masks.

I did too.

I hid my identity with a hood and a mask because I was afraid it would be a hassle.

Therefore, you wouldn’t think anything special when you see me.

“You’re pretty talented!”

But the store owner was very impressed when he saw me.

“To open the door without ringing the alarm on the door! Not a normal skill! Brother, your skills are at least a silver level veteran, right? The veteran dragon is over here!”

indeed.

You came in without ringing the alarm on the door and admired it.

How can you admire it just for that?

Opening the door so the bell doesn’t ring is easier than breathing for me.

However, breathing was more difficult than I thought.

to breathe

inhale exhale.

You start to be conscious once?

It’s so endlessly conscious that it’s hard to breathe!

tongue position.

how to swallow saliva.

It was the same as blinking an eye, once conscious of it, it became difficult.

anyway.

A bald thief who reminds me of Enkidus showed me a well-arranged set of tools.

It is honestly written “for veterans”.

For reference, I’m an expert at level 10 to 20 of the bronze tier.

A veteran of level 20 to 30 silver.

Gold tiers from 30 to 40 are called masters.

From level 40 and above… .

No, that’s not important right now.

“I want to see a little lock pick.”

I slowly looked at the items listed on the stall.

It was in good condition, befitting a veteran’s item.

From my point of view, it was a quality that I couldn’t say was really good.

“How are you? This is a lockpick made of alloyed iron, which was newly introduced this time. It is soft and hard, so all thieves are very popular. It was this lockpick that unlocked Count Victim’s safe.”

“Hmm… .”

“It is expensive, but it is expensive. How are you?”

It was honestly a little disappointing.

Only then would it be better to just use chopsticks as lockpicks.

really what

This is probably the limit at a general store.

As I was looking around, I saw something strange.

“What is this?”

“Ah, that. Headband lock pick. It is an item carefully crafted by Frisian artisans. Aren’t the ribbons pretty? Especially popular with female thieves. Masks with floral patterns are also good. Pretty rings attached to daggers are also popular.”

As the owner said, there were a lot of accessories such as rings, earrings, and headbands.

It looked like a fashion item, but it was made by remodeling small lockpicks.

The thing that caught my eye the most was a hairpin with a yellow ribbon.

“This is fine. This is really good.”

The yellow ribbon looks exactly like a butterfly.

Do you like Naru?

“Even though I needed an entrance present.”

The moment he tried to put it in his pocket without the knowledge of the store owner—

stop.

My hand stopped.

It wasn’t because it was illegal to put it in your pocket without paying for it.

It was because I felt like giving Naru a ‘lock pick’ as a gift.

As usual, Brigitte said, “Where is the person who presents a dagger to a child? Then what if the real Naru becomes a thief… !”

Even Garrott scolded me, saying, “Even Barbarians don’t teach their children that way.”

Will Naru really become a thief if he trains like this?

-Oh, heck… ! Naru is 25 years old this year! Became a great thief like my dad! It even got a nickname! Rogue Princess! Steal everything! I’m going to steal my dad’s old age money too! Give me your father’s name! life too!

“… … .”

It was a future I envisioned but very vivid.

I knew all too well how female thieves with great dads grow up.

Have you ever heard the sound of someone stabbed in the back?

What is the breath of a father who was betrayed by his trusted daughter?

I’ve heard of it.

“… No!”

We have to stop Naru from doing that!

It’s a real big deal!

Conversely, what if you raise Naru great?

Will Naru take good care of my old age?

At that moment, lightning flashed in my head.

It was a very strange and wonderful idea.

“Princess Maker.”

Raising Naru to be a real great princess.

Study well, work well, and raise princess skills in many ways, and later hear from Naru, “Father, thank you for teaching and raising me.”

I have a natural talent for distinguishing princess powers.

It might not be impossible to make Naru into Princess Power A, no, a fantasy SSR princess.

“Oh, bro. Are you going to buy that ribbon or not?”

“Now that doesn’t matter. This is not the time to buy stuff!”

“No, if you’re not going to buy anything, why did you come to my store? More than that, brother, if you’re not going to buy it, don’t keep touching it like that. Uh uh-.”

The bald store owner approaching me was stunned by something like a stone protruding from the store floor.

Fortunately, I didn’t fall down, but something fell out of the guy’s pocket.

Warrr.

It was a coin.

“Oh my God, a thief dropped a coin… .”

“… Snix, my God!”

“Damn it, I’m lucky!”

The store customers hurriedly vacated their seats, saying one word at a time.

It was as if he couldn’t stay in this store any longer.

The bald shop owner also sweated profusely from his smooth hair.

“Oh my God, I made such a big mistake… .”

“What are you doing with a coin that just dropped on the floor?”

“… You know what it means to drop coins on thieves, right? Could it be the Brotherhood of Nocturne, not Snix?”

Snix and Nocturne.

Both were gods believed by criminals who walked the shadows.

Strangely, the criminals of this world are deeply religious.

If you are religious, shouldn’t you have become a thief or thief in the first place?

However, the bald shop owner hu-sighed and said.

“I have to close the shop today. You better not do anything like stealing today, brother, and go home calmly. I’ll just give you that ribbon, so keep it.”

It seemed like he had seen an ominous fortune.

Thanks, of course, I got the ribbon for free.

It may be unfortunate for others, but it was a lucky day for me.

“You are lucky. After all, thieves must be lucky.”

So how is my daughter, Naru, doing?

Thinking of Naru, I carefully put the ribbon into my pocket.

* * *

Whip, sniff-.

Naru’s big eyes shed tears drop by drop.

Because my palm hurt.

“The bamboo cane hurts… I wear it… !”

“Now there are only five generations. I need to get hit by five more, so put your palms here.”

Salome’s discipline was severe.

It was a cane made by splitting bamboo into thin pieces, but Naru’s palms, which had already been beaten five times, were red and swollen to the point of looking pitiful.

Seeing Naru like that, Salome said sternly.

“Now I get my hands beaten with a cane, but one day my hands could be cut off by a guillotine. Stealing is a dangerous activity. don’t do it carelessly Do you all understand?”

nod, nod-.

All the children nodded.

And each of them whispered a little.

“Naru guy, I thought he was a good kid, but he was stealing… .”

“I don’t think we should be friends.”

“In the end, Tywin and Elizabeth weren’t the criminals. I almost suspected someone who was innocent.”

The children whispered while watching Naru sobbing.

Of course, there were also girls who looked at the scene with disapproval.

First was Cecily.

‘Has Naru been stealing? Even though I was by your side, you couldn’t stop it. It’s my fault.’

Shuk-.

Cecily looked at Naru’s red, swollen palm.

Hesitation filled her heart with the feeling that being beaten with a cane would be extremely painful—but Cecily soon closed her eyes tightly and raised her hand.

Soon after, Salome, who was about to hit Naru’s palm, stopped and asked.

“What is it, Miss Cecily?”

“I-I am Naru’s friend. However, the people next to me didn’t notice that Naru was trying to do something bad, and they couldn’t stop it. Therefore, since it is also my fault, I will face the remaining five generations!”

“Oh, yes? That’s a great attitude.”

Cecily came forward.

Then, in front of the children, they start getting hit with the palm of their hand.

Every time the sound spread loudly, a great agitation spread in Elizabeth’s heart, who was watching this.

‘I don’t know what happened… ! I don’t even know why the money I stole and put in Tywin’s bag is in Naru’s sleeve… . I’m glad I didn’t find out what I did, but… .’

relief.

What Elizabeth felt was a sense of relief.

If Elizabeth was accused of being a thief here, she might have had to live with being branded a ‘liar’ for the rest of her life.

And Elizabeth’s father might also have suffered a great loss of honor.

‘but… .’

match-.

“hehehehe… !”

“I’ve only hit two. Miss Cecily. Was the story that you said you would greet Naru-san in place of Miss Naru a lie?”

“No, no! This Cecily, a daughter of a noble family, can’t put up with things like this—”

match!

“Damn it!”

“Huh? What kind of habit do you say to your teacher? And where did you learn such mean words?”

“This, this… !”

However, seeing the unexpected children in pain while being slapped in the palm of her hand made Elizabeth’s heart tingle very much.

In the meantime, Miss Salome looked at Elizabeth from time to time.

It’s like, “I know what you did. There are kids who are being beaten instead of you, so why don’t you confess the truth right away?”

Of course, that must be because of Elizabeth’s mood.

It must be because the conscience in Elizabeth’s heart spins like a pointed triangle and pierces her heart.

“Come on, ten. The two of us shared it.”

“Huh… . This Cecily, I’ve never been beaten by my grandfather… .”

“Cecily, I’m sorry… .”

The cane-training time was over before I knew it.

Naru and Cecily return to their seats.

Looking at them, the kids say, “These are bad kids. I have to be careful” or “Didn’t Naru steal the missing pork cutlet during lunch?”

Maybe Naru will be criticized for being a liar and a thief throughout her school days.

Thinking that Bondi Elizabeth might have been criticized and looked at like that, her body trembled and she couldn’t breathe well.

Ding dong dang-.

Suddenly the bell rang.

It meant class time was over.

“Ms. Naru, bring your parents to school tomorrow. Got it? Be sure to bring it. Naru, because I have to meet your parents in person to discuss the treatment.”

“Okay… .”

It was Naru who was drooling.

Now, Naru whimpered as he touched his red-stained palm.

“I think my mother hit me. My mother also hit me on the palm of my hand. it hurts… .”

“Come to think of it, this Cecily has never been beaten by her grandfather or father, but it seems she was beaten by her mother. Reminds me of the old days… .”

Towards the children shedding tears drop by drop, Elizabeth approached as if possessed.

Then he went to Naru and asked, looking sideways as if he was not interested.

“Naru, why did you do that… ? Stealing is bad. Didn’t you mind being pointed at as a liar or a thief? Aren’t you afraid of Snyx’s curse?”

“Yeah, because Naru likes her dad! Naru dreams of becoming a great thief like her father. If it was my dad, I’m sure he would have done it like Naru did today. And, like Naru, does Elizabeth like her father?”

“… … !”

Elizabeth was a smart child, even though she was unlucky and entered second place after being pushed by Tywin.

From here, it was clear that what Elizabeth had put in Tywin’s bag, and that Naru had ‘taken it on purpose’.

Naru was prepared to be pointed at by everyone and helped Elizabeth.

‘I’m all bad. Naru was protecting my honor. Still, I was relieved that I hadn’t been caught. I… .’

Elizabeth was disappointed in herself and shed tears.

Finally, with tears running down her cheeks, Elizabeth took out an ointment from her pocket.

“My dad is the best pharmacist in Frisia. This one, my dad made it, so it’s sure to work. I am working hard to become a pharmacist like my father.”

Cheek-.

Elizabeth applied the ointment to Naru and Cecily.

Soon, Naru shouted.

“Ow sheck, suddenly it doesn’t hurt at all! Ergé, your dad must be a really great pharmacist!”

“… That, is it?”

The children marveled at how Elizabeth looked when she asked back awkwardly.

“You could have been framed because of Naru, but you approached first and held out your hand.”

“You are shedding tears. Elizabeth is a very nice girl.”

“He must have a better personality than Tywin. Although second place.”

“Well, the kid sitting next to me dropped an eraser and picked it up for me, so I got a 5-point deduction and said I was in second place. In fact, if it wasn’t for that, I heard you would have been tied for first place?”

Elizabeth’s face grew even hotter when she heard the words praising her.

Praise was always good, but it was the first time in my life that a compliment stabbed me like this.