MTLNOVEL Chapter 23: Chapter 23: The Legendary Phantom Thief
As evening approached, Cipher, having finished her dinner, set off with a backpack brimming with individually wrapped Gold Dragons. That afternoon, she had meticulously counted her haul from Viscount Braun's vault: 489 coins in total. Keeping 89 for emergencies, she planned to distribute the remaining 400 to those in need.
Before leaving, she purchased a detailed map of Stone Pine City and its surrounding towns and villages, their locations clearly marked.
She reasoned that city dwellers were likely better off than those in smaller communities, who desperately needed assistance. However, with Stone Pine City's gates closing at night, Cipher's time was limited. She had to distribute all the coins before darkness fell and return before the gates shut.
For an ordinary person, this would be an impossible task. But for Cipher, the Speedster Cat, it was merely a matter of speed.
Standing at the city gates, Cipher interlocked her fingers, palms facing upward, and stretched her arms overhead, her tail pointing straight into the air behind her. After spending the afternoon hunched over a chair, drawing simple sketches, her muscles ached terribly. This stretch brought immediate relief.
"Alright, let's go!" Cipher deliberately distanced herself from Stone Pine City until the guards at the gate were out of sight. Then, activating Divine Speed, she transformed into a streak of lightning and vanished in an instant.
As she passed through villages, she left a wrapped Gold Dragon at the doorstep of each house. In the towns, she specifically sought out families living in more secluded, dilapidated homes, placing the Gold Dragons inside their dwellings rather than at the entrance.
In no time, Cipher had passed through five villages and two towns, distributing all four hundred Gold Dragons. For an average family, a single Gold Dragon was an immense fortune.
The thought that four hundred families would now enjoy a significantly improved quality of life thanks to her actions lifted Cipher's spirits. Helping those in need truly brought her joy, and the added benefit of personal gain made it all the more satisfying.
+1, +1, +1
Watching her Fame stat on the System interface jump sporadically, Cipher hummed a tune from her past life, a rhythm she couldn't quite place. Her tail swayed gently behind her as she made her way back to Stone Pine City.
She decided against immediately returning to the Adventurer's Guild. Handing out all her Gold Dragons in such a short time would seem too implausible. After all, Divine Speed was her trump card, and she planned to keep it hidden for now.
Though Aria, Douglas, and Feidric were all kind to her, everyone had their own secrets—that was perfectly normal.
So, Cipher wandered aimlessly through Stone Pine City. Well, that's what she told herself, but in truth, she was already heading straight for the snack street. She'd just finished dinner not long ago, but surely a few small treats wouldn't hurt, right?
"It shouldn't... make me gain weight, right?" Cipher patted her flat stomach, feeling no hint of a bulge.
Just as she was pondering what to buy, two men in leather armor, dressed as soldiers, passed by, chatting as they walked.
The two men were guards from Viscount Braun's estate, likely off-duty and buying food. Cipher overheard their conversation, which immediately piqued her interest:
Guard A: "Did you hear? They say the thief who broke into the Viscount's mansion last night was so hideously ugly, he scared the vault guard unconscious just by showing his face! That's how he managed to sneak in and steal the Gold Dragons."
Guard B: "Huh? Is that really true? Where did you hear that?"
Guard A: "Where else? I eavesdropped on the Viscount himself! I was standing nearby when he was talking to the detective. I heard every word clearly!"
Guard B: "But unconscious? The vault guard's psychological resilience must be terrible."
Guard A: "No, no, it's not about resilience. Imagine it: pitch black, dead of night, and suddenly this monstrously ugly face looms right in front of you. Wouldn't you be terrified?"
Guard B: "Ah, fair point. Still, who would have thought a thief would use such a method? That's truly terrifying..."
Cipher, who had been eavesdropping the entire time, frowned deeply. The guards were speaking loudly enough for anyone nearby to hear, and passersby were already casting curious glances their way.
Cipher wasn't stupid. It was obvious that the guards were acting deliberately, and that Viscount Braun was behind it all. Whether it was the "Round-Faced, Pointy-Mouthed, Bald Phantom Thief" wanted poster or the current rumors about a "hideously ugly" thief, it was all just a thinly veiled way of insulting her.
Even a rat has its limits, and a cat certainly won't stand for this!
She decided: she would write a theft notice immediately and strike again tonight!
Abandoning her snack plans, Cipher hurried to Viscount Braun's estate. Finding a secluded spot nearby, she pulled out paper and pen and began writing. Once finished, she folded the note into a paper airplane and tossed it over the wall into the estate, making sure no one was watching.
Moments later, the paper airplane was discovered and delivered to Viscount Braun:
[To the Esteemed Viscount Braun,]
[I have no idea where the rumors of the "Round-Faced, Pointy-Mouthed, Bald Phantom Thief" or the story about "scaring the guards unconscious to steal money" came from, but I am absolutely furious! I am, in fact, a dashing, charismatic, and peerlessly handsome super-stud!]
[Please put an end to these baseless rumors immediately! I'm furious! And when I'm furious, I tend to carelessly spend all the Gold Dragons I stole last time. Now I have to come back for more!]
[I'll be visiting your humble abode tonight at precisely 10:00 PM to collect the second batch of Gold Dragons. Viscount Braun, I urge you to be vigilant. Don't miss me because you're sneaking off to the secret chamber in your fourth-floor study to rendezvous with your mistress~]
Although Cipher was undoubtedly a beautiful young girl—a cute and alluring Catgirl—this didn't contradict her preposterous claim of being a dashing, virile man. To this day, Viscount Braun still firmly believed the thief was male.
In the corner of the note was a classic Cat Head doodle. After reading this "steal notice," Viscount Braun's face visibly flushed crimson, turning as red as a ripe tomato. Gritting his teeth in fury, he tore the paper to shreds!
"How dare you! How dare you! Damn it!!!"
Meanwhile, Lady Braun, her face etched with fine wrinkles, gently patted her husband, Viscount Braun, on the back. "Calm down," she whispered. "What exactly did that thief say to upset you so much?"
Unbeknownst to her, Viscount Braun stiffened at the question, his mind racing. "N-nothing," he stammered, "just some deeply insulting words!"
After much explanation, Viscount Braun finally managed to placate his wife, breathing a sigh of relief. He immediately ordered all his guards to increase their vigilance.
Viscount Braun was a nobleman of considerable power and intelligence. As his initial anger subsided, he realized the detective's deductions, while plausible at first glance, crumbled under scrutiny. The entire theory relied on too many convenient assumptions.
He went to confront the detective again, only to find the man had vanished without a trace. It was then that Viscount Braun realized he had been deceived.
Although the detective's reasoning was riddled with holes, his fundamental premise held true: a thief arrogant enough to leave notes was undoubtedly overconfident. After careful consideration, Viscount Braun decided to play along. He continued distributing the fake wanted posters and even escalated by spreading more insulting rumors.
Viscount Braun was betting that the thief remained in the city. He reasoned that upon seeing the wanted posters and hearing the rumors, the thief would be enraged and attempt another theft. All the Viscount needed to do was set a meticulous trap and wait for the bait to be taken.
The one thing Viscount Braun hadn't anticipated was the thief's audacity in issuing a "theft announcement"! This was undoubtedly good news for the Viscount. He chuckled, "Hah! If you dare show up tonight and I fail to catch you, I'll spell my name backward from now on!"
As the de facto ruler and City Lord of Stone Pine City, Viscount Braun had mobilized two hundred soldiers to encircle his mansion, creating an impenetrable cordon.
The mansion was swarming with soldiers, guards stationed at every corner, doorway, and even beside each window. Viscount Braun himself, accompanied by his most trusted men, had entered the vault. He sat cross-legged atop a treasure chest, muttering, "I refuse to believe this damned thief can steal my Gold Dragons from right under my ass!"
The massive deployment of troops throughout the city naturally drew the attention of civilians and adventurers alike. Many wore curious expressions, speculating about the Viscount's intentions.
Time crept forward: 9:00 AM, 9:30 AM, 9:50 AM.
Periodically, Viscount Braun checked his pocket watch and asked the soldiers outside if anything unusual had occurred. Each time, the answer came back: "Everything is perfectly normal."
Five more minutes ticked by, bringing the time to 9:55 AM. Only five minutes remained until the 10:00 AM deadline specified in the thief's announcement. The guards surrounding Viscount Braun drew their weapons, their eyes fixed on the vault's tightly sealed door, their faces grim with anticipation.
One minute passed, then another. As the clock ticked past 9:59, nothing had happened. Viscount Braun frowned, his doubts growing. Had he been tricked? Was the "steal" announcement a hoax? Had the thief never intended to show up at all?
After all, with less than a minute remaining, how could the thief possibly teleport into the vault, snatch the Gold Dragons, and vanish in an instant?
Just as Viscount Braun was about to erupt in fury, he noticed a sudden flash before his eyes, as if something had darted past. Yet he saw nothing—it seemed like a hallucination.
Puzzled, he realized he should still be sitting on the treasure chest, but somehow he was now standing.
His jaw dropped in astonishment when he discovered his index fingers were inexplicably jammed up his nostrils.
Viscount Braun: "???"
He hastily yanked his fingers from his nose and stammered in horror, "What... what just happened?!"
Only then did the guards shift their gaze from the vault entrance to Viscount Braun, their faces contorted with shock. "Viscount... what's that on your face?!"
"What?!" Viscount Braun gasped, frantically wiping his cheek. When he looked at his hands again, his fingertips were stained black with fresh ink.
Trembling, Viscount Braun turned to the nearby treasure chest. He opened it to find a portion of the Gold Dragons missing—and a fresh note placed inside:
[Thank you so much for the grand welcome, Viscount Braun! But I'm rather pressed for time and can't stay for long. I've taken what I needed and must be on my way.]
[Also, I hope I won't hear any more strange, slanderous rumors about me tomorrow. Otherwise, I might truly lose my temper.]
At the bottom of the note was a familiar Cat Head emblem, one Viscount Braun recognized all too well.
Thud—
Clutching the note, Viscount Braun's legs buckled beneath him, and he collapsed to his knees. It was pure terror—a wave of overwhelming dread washed over him.
In that instant, Viscount Braun realized with chilling clarity that this thief—no, this legendary phantom thief—was far beyond his ability to provoke. He had snatched the Gold Dragon in the blink of an eye, even finding time to draw a turtle on his face. The unspoken message was clear: his life hung by a thread, entirely at his whim.
"Viscount! What's wrong?"
"Viscount! Are you alright?"
Viscount Braun's guards rushed to his side, frantically helping him up as he knelt on the ground. His lips trembling, he stammered, "Quick... rescind all the wanted posters! Suppress every rumor about the 'Round-Faced, Pointy-Mouthed, Bald Phantom Thief'!"
Meanwhile, Cipher strolled leisurely through the streets outside, tossing her refilled shoulder bag into the air and catching it with practiced ease. The crisp clinking of gold coins inside brought a contented smile to her face.
No matter how many guards Viscount Braun deployed, it would be futile. At the appointed time, Cipher would simply use Divine Speed to slip in, snatch the Gold Dragon, and slip out—all in the blink of an eye. The treasure was hers in an instant.
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Note-The Phainon trailer was soo good!