Chapter 31

This story is a work of fiction.

The characters, organizations, and names are all fictional and have no connection to any real entities.

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031 - Operation to Destroy the Shaldina Thieves' Guild (Chapter 1 - Complete)

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Gorteo had arranged a carriage for me to go home, but it was much larger than I had imagined. It wasn't just a house; it was really a mansion.

"Managing this place with just five people is impossible..."

It was a mansion so large that I thought it would take about ten people to manage it.

"We will prioritize managing the rooms that will be used. Merlis and I will prepare the meals. Jewel will manage the bath and the garden. The other two will assist with areas we cannot reach."

"Since I don't really understand, please do what you can without overworking yourselves. If you need more help, let me know. I'll do my best to help."

"Understood."

By the way, you can leave the cooking to me. I'm good at it.

Gorteo had already cleaned the mansion. The furniture was also mostly in place, left behind by the previous owner.

I have magic stones from the dungeon, so I'll give them to Mundalque. I'll also provide enough funds for the operation for a while.

"What else do we need?"

"Please tell us the preferences of the master and the ladies."

"「Ladies!?」"

Mundalque called Annelise and Rosalina "ladies," making them turn bright red. I don't mind, but I think their will is important.

"I don't have any food preferences."

"「What about the ladies?」"

The two of them, flailing their hands, were adorable. They also didn't have any food preferences and would eat anything.

"I'll start preparing dinner. Please wait a moment."

"Do we even have food?"

We just got here, right?

"A certain amount of ingredients have been prepared by Mr. Gorteo."

It's a very Gorteo-like consideration. I can't sleep with my feet pointing toward him.

The meal prepared by Mundalque and his wife Merlis was delicious. I think it could rival the work of a top chef.

"I'm going out, so you can all go to bed if you want."

Especially Annelise and Rosalina don't need to stay up waiting for me.

I left my mansion and headed to the Shaldina Thieves' Guild's mansion.

On the way, I saw soldiers everywhere. They seemed to be surrounding the hideouts of various thieves' guilds.

As I progressed, I heard a commotion. The soldiers started moving, signaling the beginning of a simultaneous raid.

That duke is quick. I didn't expect them to move in on the same day.

Many soldiers were fighting the thieves at the Shaldina Thieves' Guild's mansion. Since the thieves are weak, the soldiers would have the advantage if the numbers were equal.

However, the thieves were also using the advantage of their territory. The battle was slightly in favor of the soldiers, but not overwhelmingly so.

I entered the mansion and headed to the back.

On the way, I saw several soldiers in dangerous situations, so I tripped the thieves to help them. This level of action wouldn't break my stealth.

Neither the thieves nor the soldiers knew what was happening, but I ignored them and continued to the back.

Shaldina was still heavily made up. Her face was contorted in a way that made her thick makeup crack.

She puffed on her pipe repeatedly and fidgeted nervously.

Are you worried? Because you chose to be a thief, you have to live in fear. It's time to give up and be captured peacefully. Then you won't have to live in fear of when you'll be caught. Of course, you might die soon, but that's a different matter.

I will destroy the Shaldina Thieves' Guild today. I'm willing to do anything to achieve this.

Even if thieves rarely get the death penalty, I don't think an old woman like Shaldina would survive in a harsh place like a mine if she were made a slave. It's better to say goodbye to this world now.

"What are they doing, coming in here? Do they know why I keep them around?"

She was probably referring to the thieves she had stationed around the area. Since their hideouts were also being raided, they wouldn't have the time to come to her aid.

"All the hideouts are being raided by soldiers."

"What a mess. This makes us a laughingstock."

I think it's funny that a thief is acting so superior.

A thief ran in.

"Boss!"

"Be quiet, what is it?"

"It's Balkan. Balkan is here!"

"Damn, this is troublesome..."

A crack appeared in her thick makeup.

"Boss, we can't stay. He's dangerous."

"I know, I know."

Balkan seems to be feared even by thieves. He's scary, and the chill down your spine is real.

"If he's here, there's nothing we can do."

Shaldina stood up, and her pipe clattered to the floor with a high-pitched sound.

"We're retreating!"

Her decision was quick.

"「Yes, sir!」"

They were abandoning the hideout and escaping. It was refreshingly straightforward. To rise to such a position as a thief, you need this kind of judgment. If she had used her talent for something else, she might have become a wealthy merchant, even surpassing Gorteo.

A thief pulled a lamp on the wall, not holding it but pulling it. The lamp moved about 50 centimeters away from the wall, revealing a rope.

The wall opened with a creak. It was an expensive mechanism. The room beyond contained the leather bags filled with black gold coins.

Shaldina entered, her shoulders tense. Her thick makeup was cracking even more, the cracks growing larger.

She looked around the hidden room. What was she doing?

"They're not here. The list is gone!"

Ah, she was looking for the list. The one I recovered, which the duke now has.

"This is impossible. How did they get the list?"

Shaldina was extremely anxious. The cracks in her makeup were growing larger, and pieces were falling off.

"Boss, let's escape quickly."

"Damn! I won't forgive the traitors!"

Another thief pulled a similar lamp.

This time, the floor opened, revealing a staircase. I didn't know such a mechanism existed. This place was not just for storing treasure but also for escaping. They spent a lot of money on this... They could have stopped stealing instead...

The thieves carried the heavy leather bags filled with black gold coins and descended the stairs. They took as many magic items as they could carry. They were desperate.

Shaldina didn't carry anything. An old woman carrying such a heavy load might get a herniated disk.

Since the list didn't mention this passage, Shaldina would escape if I didn't do something.

I'll have to take care of it.

The stairs were long, probably leading underground. The passage was pitch black, and only the lead thief had a lamp. Shaldina walked behind him, acting superior.

I slit the throat of the last thief with a short sword. The combination of a critical hit and stealth ensured a one-hit kill.

Stealth was broken but quickly reactivated. It was dark, so they didn't notice.

I killed the thieves one by one without being noticed.

Why do I have to do something like an assassin? Oh, I am an assassin right now.

I don't want to kill people, even if they are thieves, but I can't let Shaldina escape. If she does, more people will suffer. I'll have to kill these people.

As the bodies piled up, I gradually got closer to Shaldina. After walking about 200 meters in the underground passage, we reached a staircase.

"I'll make sure to get rid of the traitors."

Shaldina turned around, her eyes wide open.

"There's no one here!?"

The passage was dark, so the dead thieves weren't visible. However, Shaldina was wrong. I was definitely there, even though she couldn't see me.

"Who are you!?"

I had already activated stealth, so she couldn't see me.

"You must know I'm Shaldina, right!?"

Of course, I know. She's the root of my troubles.

"Do you think you can get away with this!?"

She was screaming, but I had to listen.

I circled behind her and struck her neck with a hand knife.

"Ugh..."

Shaldina collapsed, her thick makeup cracking. Her wrinkled skin was exposed. I didn't want to see this.

This was my first successful neck strike. It was worth trying.

I didn't kill her; I just knocked her out. I'll hand her over to the duke. She'll have to pay for her crimes. Even if the death penalty is rare, she might get it. Even if she becomes a criminal slave, she won't last long.

It was an anticlimactic end. I thought it would be more difficult, but it was thanks to the duke's quick action.

I helped destroy the Shaldina Thieves' Guild, so I'm grateful, but I don't feel indebted. It's a win-win relationship.

I tied her up with a rope and put a sign on her saying "Shaldina." I also left the bodies of the five murderers, Upas, here. They were taking up five slots in my item box, so they were a nuisance.

"Done."

All I need to do now is wait for Balkan to find her... I don't need to move.

I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. If it's a thief, I'll take them down, but it's probably a soldier.

I opened the door and peeked outside.

"Is this...!?"

Sure enough, it was a soldier.

"Captain! Captain Balkan!"

A soldier called out, and Balkan's face appeared from the stairs. He still had that intimidating presence.

"Was this you?"

"No, I found it like this when I arrived."

"......I see."

Balkan's gaze wandered, as if searching for me, but I wouldn't get close to such a monster.

My mission is complete.

I quickly left and moved away from Balkan.

Thank you for reading this far.

This concludes Chapter 1. Please read Chapter 2 as well.

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I will start Chapter 2 with some side stories, character introductions, and settings.