MTLNOVEL Chapter 25: Chapter 25: One-Fifth of the Fame
As evening approached, Aria returned to their inn room and found Cipher sprawled across the bed. Cipher's ears drooped limply, giving her a listless appearance, and her tail lay motionless across the bedding.
Cipher wasn't asleep; she was simply too exhausted from a long day to move.
Aria, however, was alarmed. She rushed to Cipher's side, her face etched with concern. "Sister Cipher, what's wrong? Are you sick?"
Cipher turned her head slightly and mumbled, "No, I'm just resting."
"Phew~ I'm so relieved you're okay!" Aria sighed in relief, then eagerly began recounting her day. "Guess what, Sister Cipher! So many people came to the city today, and they were all talking about the Phantom Thief Cat!"
"That thief is incredible! Stealing Gold Dragons from nobles and giving them to needy commoners for free—it's like something straight out of a storybook hero! So cool!"
"Besides, with such an adorable nickname like Phantom Thief Cat, she must be a very kind and beautiful girl!"
Cipher shifted from lying on her stomach to her side, hugging her pillow tightly against her chest as she looked at Aria. "But... a handsome hero and a kind, beautiful girl... don't you think those descriptions contradict each other?"
"How so?" Aria asked. "In stories about heroes and Demon Lords, weren't three of the seven heroes who defeated the Demon Lord women? They were all both brave and beautiful!"
"But..." Cipher hesitated, "a phantom thief is still a thief, right? Normally, when people think of thieves, they imagine selfish, sleazy types, don't they?"
Aria tilted her head. "Really? But Sister Cipher, you're incredibly beautiful!"
Unlike Feidric, Aria had never met another thief besides Cipher. As everyone knows, first impressions are crucial, so Aria still had a pretty positive impression of thieves as a whole.
Aria's logic wasn't about "selfish, sleazy, and untrustworthy," but rather, "cute, pretty, and I want to ruffle her hair." Her train of thought went something like this: Sister Cipher is a thief, and thieves might be cute girls. The name "Phantom Thief Cat" is adorable, so the Phantom Thief Cat is most likely a cute girl!
To say Aria's reasoning was bizarre would be an understatement. Yet, absurdly, the conclusion she drew was remarkably accurate—more so than any other civilian's speculation.
After chatting for a while longer, it was dinnertime. Cipher and Aria went to the Adventurer's Guild hall and chose a secluded corner. Before long, Feidric and Douglas joined them.
As they ate, Feidric said, "A bunch of new quests have appeared today. I've looked through them, and there are quite a few decent ones. We've rested enough these past few days, so we should consider taking on a new quest."
Aria mumbled through a mouthful of food, "I don't mind~"
Douglas nodded in agreement. Cipher knew that the quest rewards were actually funded by her own donations, but since the others agreed, she didn't voice her objections.
Cipher glanced at her System page. After two days of causing mischief, her Fame had already exceeded two thousand, while unlocking her next Identity required ten thousand.
In other words, she had already met one-fifth of the requirement in just two days—a remarkably efficient pace.
Though curious about what her next Identity would be, she saw no need to force the issue by relentlessly grinding for Fame. She preferred to let things unfold naturally, embracing a relaxed, laissez-faire approach.
After dinner, the four discussed their options and ultimately chose a quest to clear out an underground crypt. According to the client's information, this ancient tomb had been abandoned long ago. Recently, the entrance had collapsed, exposing the burial chamber and allowing undead creatures to spill out and roam the surrounding area.
Feidric selected this quest primarily because of its generous reward: fifty Gold Dragons. Compared to Pieck's escort mission, this might seem modest, but in truth, the Braun Family's extraordinary wealth had made that previous reward an anomaly. For typical quests, fifty Gold Dragons was considered a substantial sum.
Secondly, if the enemies turned out to be undead, Aria would handle them with ease. Her Divine Smite dealt significantly increased damage against inherently evil creatures like undead, demons, and devils.
After a restful night's sleep, the four set off early the next morning for the quest's destination. They traveled nearly all day, finally arriving as dusk began to settle.
Cipher gazed into the pitch-black cave entrance, listening to the eerie wind whistling like the wails of ghosts. She turned to the others. "What should we do? Camp here for the night, or go in now?"
Entering an ancient tomb in the dead of night would have terrified Cipher in her previous life—far more than any haunted house. Especially considering this tomb was confirmed to be inhabited by undead.
However, Cipher considered herself quite brave. In her past life, she had watched horror movies alone late at night without fear. Now, with her cat-like vision allowing her to see clearly in the dark and her enhanced hearing to monitor her surroundings, what was there to fear?
If I can see and hear everything, what's there to be afraid of?
As for the others, Douglas and Feidric, two burly young men, were naturally fearless of such things. Aria, on the other hand, was a Paladin with her special attack maxed out—a veritable bane of the undead. If anything, the undead should be afraid of her.
After a brief discussion, the group decided to complete the quest that day.
Feidric extended his hands, making a specific gesture while chanting a few simple words. He then patted Douglas on the shoulder. Instantly, Douglas began to glow softly, like a lightbulb, emitting a gentle, white light that illuminated the surroundings clearly.
This was the Light spell, a 0th-level Evocation spell. Its effect was straightforward: the caster could touch an object, causing it to emit light bright enough to illuminate a ten-meter radius for up to an hour.
However, this spell only worked on inanimate objects. Cipher noticed that the light wasn't coming from Douglas himself, but from the Plate Armor he was wearing.
P.S.: To cast a spell, a Mage needs Magic Power (higher-level spells require more), a specific hand gesture, and a spoken incantation. Therefore, if a Mage's hands are bound or their mouth gagged, they become no different from ordinary people.